With all the (deserved) discussion, anger and outright disgust at what we all saw last night at Tennessee, and the general consensus judgment that fault and responsibility falls entirely onto Billy Napier's shoulders, as someone who has come to lay as much of the blame at his feet as ANYONE out here, I thought it was only fair that I note a couple of "only right and fair" counter-thoughts:
Yes: The man has pretty well thoroughly demonstrated his complete unreadiness for competition at this, the highest level of cut-throat, fast-mind take-no-prisoners Championship play.
But there IS a place for him in college football.
Just NOT the SEC.
Further down, one of the smaller FCS schools or one of the "directional state" institutions (his "Ragin' Cajuns" were pretty well at that kind of. similar level) you find the kinds of kids he can work with, where he and they will be given the time and ROOM to grow and develop, to rise above the admitted relative mediocrity around them--become the "big fish in the small pond" if you will.
Good for them.
But BAD for anyone who mistakes THAT for being "READY FOR THE BIG TIME".
MAYBE our (supposed) "Braintrust" has learned from this experience. I USED to trust them--so I bought in and wanted BADLY to see our "New Coach" make good up here.
But it didn't happen, and I (along with so many others) are left wondering how they could get it SO far WRONG...but WE don't get paid ungodly sums annually to KNOW these things. Begging thecquestion, "How many such horrible decisions are they allowed to MAKE?"
At what point are THEIR jobs on the line?
We have made Billy Napier a rather wealthy individual at a rather young age. HOPEFULLY he can and WILL go on to spread his brand of "feel good"/"you can be better--FEEL GOOD" kind of everyday sports competition among the great majority of at best "pretty good" young boys-to-men young competitirs out there in vast numbers. Maybe there will even be a few more gems-in-the-rough like RB Johnson he can find, encourage, and help to excel, exceed all expectations.
WE on the other hand need one of those rare "Angry Unicorns", the kind of prickly genius who does things completely his own way--he might sometimes, even OFTEN rub folks WRONG, but when he's on your side you LOVE him--'cause he WINS!
THAT isn't Billy Napier. I wish him well. But I wish him GONE. ASAP.
Make no mistake. Not again. We are looking to win CHAMPIONSHIPS--NOT popularity contests nor elections.
Now let's go get one of THOSE in here.
Yes: The man has pretty well thoroughly demonstrated his complete unreadiness for competition at this, the highest level of cut-throat, fast-mind take-no-prisoners Championship play.
But there IS a place for him in college football.
Just NOT the SEC.
Further down, one of the smaller FCS schools or one of the "directional state" institutions (his "Ragin' Cajuns" were pretty well at that kind of. similar level) you find the kinds of kids he can work with, where he and they will be given the time and ROOM to grow and develop, to rise above the admitted relative mediocrity around them--become the "big fish in the small pond" if you will.
Good for them.
But BAD for anyone who mistakes THAT for being "READY FOR THE BIG TIME".
MAYBE our (supposed) "Braintrust" has learned from this experience. I USED to trust them--so I bought in and wanted BADLY to see our "New Coach" make good up here.
But it didn't happen, and I (along with so many others) are left wondering how they could get it SO far WRONG...but WE don't get paid ungodly sums annually to KNOW these things. Begging thecquestion, "How many such horrible decisions are they allowed to MAKE?"
At what point are THEIR jobs on the line?
We have made Billy Napier a rather wealthy individual at a rather young age. HOPEFULLY he can and WILL go on to spread his brand of "feel good"/"you can be better--FEEL GOOD" kind of everyday sports competition among the great majority of at best "pretty good" young boys-to-men young competitirs out there in vast numbers. Maybe there will even be a few more gems-in-the-rough like RB Johnson he can find, encourage, and help to excel, exceed all expectations.
WE on the other hand need one of those rare "Angry Unicorns", the kind of prickly genius who does things completely his own way--he might sometimes, even OFTEN rub folks WRONG, but when he's on your side you LOVE him--'cause he WINS!
THAT isn't Billy Napier. I wish him well. But I wish him GONE. ASAP.
Make no mistake. Not again. We are looking to win CHAMPIONSHIPS--NOT popularity contests nor elections.
Now let's go get one of THOSE in here.
