Everyone's asked me lately what I think of the Gary Barnett firing, and I have to say: it feels pretty good.
It doesn't feel good because he was a bad coach-the program is in eons better shape than it was under Rick Neuheisel. It doesn't feel good that we got rid of this scumbag-because he's not one. Step aside, Winston Churchill: Gary Barnett is a great man.
I'm not even happy because, after the Terrell Owens situation proved me remarkably pro-labor, Barnett is pocketing $3 million.
No, I'm happy because as a University of Colorado employee, this firing proves that I have basically unlimited job security.
Let's face it, what hasn't Barnett done in the last few years to try to get canned? Claimed blissful unawareness of scandalous recruiting practices? Check. Insult an alleged rape victim? Check. Lose a big game 70-3? Checkmate.
But hey, at least the players are starting to recognize they represent the university and are doing so with class. Um, wait, maybe not.
Observers have been left scratching their heads and asking themselves, "What's it going to take for Gary Barnett to get fired?"
Now they have their answer, though it surely wasn't a rash decision. No one in their right mind thought we had much of a chance against Texas. If Barnett lost his job based primarily on recent on-field results, gruesome as they were, then the athletic director's a total idiot.
I think it's clear the university was waiting to fire him for financial reasons. I'm sure the higher-ups weren't big fans and haven't been for a while.
Barnett is a fine football coach. Though his teams were run-oriented and generally conservative, no one faked punts from anywhere on the field the way we did. And he won a conference championship, which is more than we could say for Mack Brown up to a few weeks ago. Barnett led the Buffs to a BCS bowl and had a decent argument for the national title game after the 2001 season. (That fell apart pretty quickly during the actual Fiesta Bowl, but I swear, Joey Harrington was good back then.) Considering how the program is regarded nationally, I'm not sure we could have expected much or anything more from the team during his time here.
I'm not going to go through the rumored candidates, mostly because I don't know enough about all of them, but I doubt we'll be better off without him on the field.
Off the field, we're definitely due for improvement. After the Katie Hnida remarks, Barnett was a deservedly easy target for those looking to criticize the university. The school is trying to clean up its image both in the athletic department and the university at large-though it's not doing a particularly good job yet.
Yet now that CU has dumped Barnett, the university has silenced half of its critics. That leaves the other half to wonder: "What's it gonna take for Ward Churchill to get fired?"
6 comments:
The only name I heard that I cared for much is Gary Kubiak, but my allegiance to the Broncos far outweighs my support of the Buffaloes.
I didn't know this before I wrote, but Terry Frei of the Denver Post brought up Ward Churchill in his article:
http://www.denverpost.com/colleges/ci_3301204
and used a phrase that about killed me. (I don't want to ruin it.)
Butch Davis would be nice. I doubt anyone's exactly pounding on his door.
I couldn't care less about a guy's connection to the state, which is why Dave Logan doesn't appeal to me. He might be a good coach-I don't know-but if we hire him because he's known in Colorado, that's lame. Of course, if he is a good coach, then go ahead. But it's not the height of wisdom to build around a guy because he has recruiting connections in Colorado, you know?
mike,
sorry if i don't take the endorsement of some clown who played for him 20 years ago seriously. every high school football player deifies their coach. remember coach sirko? i didn't even play for the guy and i loved him.
i lost a lot of respect for barnett, not all at once, but incrementally.
the hnida remarks, the questionable leadership he provided... the last home game i attended at folsom where barnett started yelling at the FANS... CU's FANS? Get a grip.
He was a marginable (at best) coach thriving in the most mediocre of competitive circumstances. him and watson et all were notoriously HORRIBLE play callers, put together atrocious game plans, and lacked real leadership quality.
we had one good season under barnett. and bar chris brown, we were playing mostly with the vestiges of neuhiesel recruits.
i wish barnett the best of luck, we'll see how far being a "good guy" gets him.
and if by good, you mean... of questionable integrity and morals, then yes. very good.
*et al
and dave logan is a horrible choice. the guy is selling me my checks and announcing broncos games... keep him in the private sector.
i'd love kubiak. i really really would. that guy is a class act all the way.
but i figure he's positioning himself to become a pro-level coach within the next 5 years. with his resume i don't think he needs a stint in the collegiate ranks. just my .02
No, I'm with you, I didn't take it or mean it seriously either, Pugs. I mean, Mr. Clark. (I did just realize that you changed from Marvelous so no one here would compare you to Marv Albert.)
I don't get Dave Logan at all. I wouldn't care that he was a high school coach...if he'd won six of the last seven state titles or something. Actually, I'd still care.
Kubiak and Davis are interesting. While both have proven themselves as fine coaches (one even did it in the NFL), you don't hear their names very often now, and it seems like a coach has to pimped big-time before anyone'll take an honest look at him.
I guess I'd rather have Davis because, like I said, I want the Broncos to be good...but despite all the Shanahan-bashing, he's much more than capable of running the O without Kubes.
oh jeez... does that mean we'll have to adopt the blue shag they played on too?
didn't BSU run something akin to the run & shoot or a CFL offense with receivers getting running starts and crap like that?
he'd fit in as well as callahan at nebraksa.
well, they beat us this year, so if you can't beat 'em, join em.
so, mr. bsu it is.
i actually feel at peace with this. i think he's a hungry guy who wants a shot to prove himself in the bigs.
he was never going to get respect at BSU.
i'm glad we didn't think about joe glenn. that guy was a big time loser.
Post a Comment