"Home Run" or "Tubby Smith" hire

[Silvio]

People can read into this differently, but I don't think it is fair to come down on fans for having high expectations in the wake of this:


Q. You'd mentioned that you were going to start the national search immediately. What can and can't you do in the next five to seven weeks considering that most colleges are still playing their football games for another five to seven weeks?

JOEL MATURI: Well, again, I've been in the business a long time, and you continue to learn. I never dreamt as an athletics director that I would ever dismiss coaches during the course of the year. I did make that decision with Dan Munson, and you know what, I think that the conclusion of who we hired came out pretty well.

I've asked Tubby Smith if he wanted to coach football, but he's declined, but we're out here to find a Tubby Smith. We're out here to find somebody that people can recognize, people have confidence in, and people are going to bring instant credibility and notoriety to the football program.

That is my goal. Whether that is that interest, remains to be seen, but I'm excited about the time line that we have.

The problem that Maturi may have with that statement is that the average fan takes away only the perception of a "Tubby like hire" not the reality of what was actually said. Sooner or later perception becomes reality.

IIRC it was shortly after this comment that Dave Mona came on board, and we haven't heard any sort of comparison statements since. I could be wrong, but that comment was certainly a PR mistake no matter what was actually said.

 

[The 12th Man]

The problem that Maturi may have with that statement is that the average fan takes away only the perception of a "Tubby like hire" not the reality of what was actually said. Sooner or later perception becomes reality.

IIRC it was shortly after this comment that Dave Mona came on board, and we haven't heard any sort of comparison statements since. I could be wrong, but that comment was certainly a PR mistake no matter what was actually said.

I agree with this.

But, if we can all agree that it was a PR mistake then why can't we just move on and recognize what he was saying rather than argue semantics? It seems childish.

 

[Wheaton]

In the end Maturi may have to settle for a second-tier guy, but as long as he at least contacts those big wigs then that is all he can do.

He can talk the big three and Bellotti's ears off, but if they are not looking to move there is nothing to do. Is it a surprise to anyone that none of the big 3 wanted to move? Not to me.

I reiterate, us fans can be upset that Leach is not a candidate and I feel we deserve an explanation from Maturi in the end why he felt he would not work here.

But as far as the other three go, there is nothing more he can do.