I hope that you have never been fired. It is a sinking, burning, wretched pain that refuses to leave your body, making a mess out of your thoughts, emotions, tingling all the way down to you're fingers and toes. There aren't too many more empty, lonely yet crushing feelings than being removed from a post you have grown to call your own. So while it didn't necessarily shock me that the head football couch at my beloved University of Arizona had been walked, my heart still sank.For all of his flaws, this was a guy who poured everything that he had into the football program. Whether it was the tearful post-game scene with his assistants and respective wives after beating number 6 Cal in 2006 (sorry no links or photos) or a heartfelt conversation with the man at Rincon market, coach was the type of guy you wanted to succeed. However, as much as personal feelings resonate among all sports fans, results matter. Direction matters. It is painfully clear, when looking at the duration of the Stoops era, that this was a guy who was simply in over his head as the chief of an entire organization, one that includes hundreds of moving parts.
The fact is, the University of Arizona is a special place. Ask any alum. There are not too many schools that have game viewing parties in New York and Washington DC with hundreds of fans in attendance. There is a U of A bar in Hong Kong. A large, passionate alumni base, vibrant Greek community, and one story after another or people meeting best friends, wives, and business partners. It's about time that this University and the immediate surrounding community act like the elite and prestigious institution that it is.
If you want to read into what has happened today, know this. Greg Byrne, our athletic director and one of my favorite Sun Devils, is committed to making Tucson into an athletic powerhouse. This isn't a move that is made without supreme confidence that the money, resources, and intangible capital is in place to get a winner in the north end zone offices in a few weeks. Please treat coach Stoops with some class and respect, avoid the "thanks for nothing Stoops" garbage that has been flooding my newsfeed, and have some faith in Greg Byrne. It's always something in Tucson isn't it...
Thoughts on coaching candidates coming soon
