John L. Smith is an A-hole.
- Thread starter 7StraightIsGreat
- Start date
The Thriller
Well-Known Member
yeah, I already knew this.
The university wasn't forced to say, "yes." They fired one *** coach to hire another *** coach. Had I answered the phone in Arkansas I would have laughed and told Smith that he had a football team in Utah to prepare and to coach. At this stage, Ark should have either promoted from within or hired someone "unemployed" and "unproven" to give them a chance. What's to lose? They hired Smith on as an intern coach. Might as well should have hired someone classy and younger and given them a chance.
7StraightIsGreat
Well-Known Member
7StraightIsGreat
Well-Known Member
I can see your logic, but I still think it's a douche move for a few reasons:
-By all reports, Smith pretty much lobbied for the Arkansas gig. Not the sign of a decent person when he is in the midst of wrapping up year one of spring ball with WSU while quietly initiating his escape to greener pastures. I could almost forgive him if Arkansas came after him hard and made him an offer he couldn't refuse.
-The fact that he was willing to leave for a mere "interim" tag at Arkansas. Maybe you're right. Since Arkansas is stacked, maybe it leads to a full time promotion for Smith or maybe he latches on to another BCS gig, but either way I still think it looks bad to bail on your new team for an interim gig.
-The fact that he spent the last few months singing the praises of Weber State and what can be accomplished at that program while all the while actively shopping his services elsewhere on the down low.
It's not a shock that he and Petrino have had a solid relationship over the years. Petrino bolting on the Atlanta Falcons mid season in order to take the Arkansas job seems very similar to what we are now seeing with Smith. I guess birds of a feather.....
CONAN
Well-Known Member
Not condoning it but this is nothing new in coaching and life. I know plenty of folks that work hard at the job they are at but actively seek greener pastures.
Second, I don't know that any other coach doesn't take that deal. Huge salary upgrade, huge talent upgrade, and big exposure upgrade and that's just for starters. Arkansas coaches get a harem of interns.
I hope it blows up in his face but Arkansas is too good.
Second, I don't know that any other coach doesn't take that deal. Huge salary upgrade, huge talent upgrade, and big exposure upgrade and that's just for starters. Arkansas coaches get a harem of interns.
I hope it blows up in his face but Arkansas is too good.
gregbroncs
Well-Known Member
Yeah Utah didn't get anything positive from hiring Meyer. Oh except for a bid to the pac-12, a fiesta bowl win, a sugarbowl win, and national recognition they otherwise would not have recieved. Nothing of note gained from that hire.
It figures god would be gay.
7StraightIsGreat
Well-Known Member
I understand it, but in the business world, looking for greener pastures is a bit different. Most jobs don't involve sitting in young men's living rooms and convincing them to dedicate 3 to 4 years of their life to you. To be fair, I aslo realize that Weber could fire John L. at any time so it's really hard to get up on a soapbox about it. I guess my biggest problem with it is that he was actively recruiting himself for the job. If Arkansas came at him first, I can understand how hard it would be to turn it down. But to basically make the call to Arkansas, and talk your way into a 1 year interim job when you should be busy focusing on building another program smacks of dishonesty.
Chad Feldheimer
Well-Known Member
Let see
Weber St Big Sky school for 100K a year
Arkansas SEC school for 800K a year
tough choice.
Weber St Big Sky school for 100K a year
Arkansas SEC school for 800K a year
tough choice.
Archie Moses
Well-Known Member
An a-hole because he did what was best for him?
Hmm... Which is better? Making more money and coaching in the best conference in the nation, or making less money at a Big Sky school?
What he did was a no brainer.
The Thriller
Well-Known Member
You're acting like he was given these choices at the very same time, while ignoring the most important part, THE TIMING!
He had already committed to Weber St.
He had already started to recruit at Weber St.
He had already hired on his own staff at Weber St. (and changing over completely the old staff, which McBride had warned against).
They had already begun spring ball at Weber St.
He screwed over Weber's program this season... And probably set them back a few years. Now Weber will be scrambling for an intern coach (and possibly coaching staff) to install a whole new program AFTER spring ball.
Sure, he'll be better off financially. But that doesn't take away from the fact that he's an A-hole. How can a coach demand accountability and trust when he bailed out on Weber St. at thee worst possible moment? In fact, I can't think of a coach that has ever done this before.
Sure, a no brainer to go with Ark over Weber if you're debating on which job is better at the same time. Not after you have already committed to Weber and had Spring ball.
Classless.
Archie Moses
Well-Known Member
Do you not like getting called out on being a mormon bigot time and time again?
Freaking loser.
CONAN
Well-Known Member
JLS took the WSU job and was invested. He sees an opening at an infinitely better job and investigates the possibility of working there. While doing that he has to do his current job as he doesn't know if he'll get the new job. He gets the better job and takes it. This happens all the time in almost every job out there. Think of how cutthroat coaching is in college. You'd be a moron not to have plans B, C, and D ready as well as investigate anything on the horizon. Especially if you're new to the job.
Keep in mind that in the coaching profession there is never a good time to leave a program. Granted that some times are better than others but you will always leave players/staff/etc. hanging. There's no getting around that (I'm sure a few have been able to though).
And I'm sure WSU admin isn't stupid enough to think whoever is coaching them isn't looking elsewhere.
Keep in mind that in the coaching profession there is never a good time to leave a program. Granted that some times are better than others but you will always leave players/staff/etc. hanging. There's no getting around that (I'm sure a few have been able to though).
And I'm sure WSU admin isn't stupid enough to think whoever is coaching them isn't looking elsewhere.
Chad Feldheimer
Well-Known Member
How could possibly know that this will screw them over for a few years. How do you know they won't just run the same system? Hell the season doesn't start for another 4-5 months. They can get a system in place in that amount of time. John L Smith wasn't even coaching them that long. New coach will have more time to work with them than John did.
Pete Carroll left USC in a more classless way than JLS. JLS had a rare opportunity in unusual circumstances. I'm sure he wasn't deliberately trying to screw anyone.
Darkwing Duck
Well-Known Member
There aren't any practices until fall practice starts. You use spring ball to implement the system and get a feel of players. That has since been wasted.
Hantlers
Well-Known Member
Weber wasn't gonna win anything anyways. Both Montana teams will be on top of the conference again...EWU will probly be up there too, I could see PSU ahead of Weber. Don't be mad because Weber sucks.
The Thriller
Well-Known Member
Just... NO. To everything here. I don't even know where to begin.
Other than, you're wrong.
Also, anytime you try and use USC in the same sentence as Weber St... It's just... NO. Just...No...
Awesome logic here. Take comfort in that Weber ST fans. You were just gonna suck anyway. Now hopefully you can find a new coaching staff and install your new system in just a few months.
Good for Smith. He'll get his money. But he is an A-hole (as this thread is titled).