Report: Alabama fires Mike Shula after 6-6 season (College Football PING)

ESPN's Web Site ^ | 11/27/06 | AP New Story

[MikefromOhio]

No crap...

it's looking like a 8 train pileup right now....

[petitfour]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Spurrier

[MikefromOhio]

Now that is an interesting development....

[MikefromOhio]

Let me preface this by saying that CFN NEVER takes this strong a stand on something as a rule.....

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Mike Shula Fired: The Hammer is Yellow

By Matt Zemek
Staff Columnist
Posted Nov 27, 2006

Down where the Capstone stands, Alabama football fans love to belt out the cheer, "Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer, Give 'em hell, Alabama!"

Well, that hammer is definitely yellow, all right... as in cowardly.

The Alabama administration is a bunch of gutless moral midgets after kicking Mike Shula into the hell of unemployment today (talk about "Give 'em hell--they take their cheers literally in Tuscaloosa), officially proclaiming to all the world that their loyal son--a Bama player and the man who cleaned up the university's image after the Mike Price mess--is nothing but an expensive piece of meat. This rates as one of the most disgusting and morally repugnant coach firings in recent college football memory.

After Miami canned Larry Coker on Friday, the topic of coach handling (and firing) became a hot item at the college football discussion table. (Today's Monday Morning Quarterback column addresses the issue at length.) And when all is said and done, there are two fundamental types of approaches to coaches: the patient one, and the impatient one. Bama clearly chose the latter approach, and it stinks to high heaven.

Some schools realize that their football pedigree and resources aren't great enough to merit a quick trigger with a coach, and they stick with their man. That's one form of patience, but it doesn't apply here. This was a situation in which a brand-name college football power was plagued by scandal and bad publicity in the wake of the Mike Price debacle in early 2003. Given the scenario facing Alabama at the time, a lot of extra rope needed to be given to Shula, the person who was willing to step into the fire, enter his first season without adequate preparation time, take some hits in his first two years, and restore the university's good name. Mike Shula comported himself as an exemplary citizen who ran a clean program. Moreover, he put together a big-time 2005 season when blessed with a reasonably healthy Brodie Croyle, whose injuries prevented Shula's first three years from collecting even more victories. After putting together a season that should have earned him SEC Coach of the Year honors (Steve Spurrier picked off the award), Shula then lost two years at the quarterback position, as sophomore quarterback John Parker Wilson replaced Croyle, the senior. Should it be surprising that wins were harder to come by? Apparently, athletic director Mal Moore and other decision makers thought it was.

Never mind the fact that, much like 2004, Bama never quit on Shula and competed vigorously to the very end of each ballgame, losing hard-fought battles at Tennessee and Arkansas and even at LSU. Shula didn't win enough--especially against Auburn--to suit the tastes of the administration: losing four out of four Iron Bowls is clearly the sin that Mike Shula couldn't overcome. Nevertheless, this intolerance for winning reveals the ugly nature of this decision and the Bama administration's treatment of Don Shula's son.

In the SEC, folks love to tout the toughness of the conference. It's why Shula's rival over the past four years, Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville, has been so adamant in public about the need for a playoff in college football. SEC fans all agree on a few things, amidst their internal rivalries: the conference is getting screwed, and Big East teams wouldn't stand a chance in hell if they played an SEC regular-season schedule. SEC fans will be the first to tout great defense instead of ignoring the limitations of offense. When Alabama and Shula beat Tennessee last year by a 6-3 score, all you could hear from the Capstone was how awesome the Tide's defense was, led by DeMeco Ryans and Roman Harper.

But oh, when the wins didn't come quite so quickly, Shula's conservative, old-time, smashmouth-oriented, SEC play calling--which relied on his defense to win games--suddenly became unacceptable. Being competitive in the "really tough and demanding SEC" didn't seem to matter anymore. Apparently, Shula had to win at Arkansas and Florida and Tennessee to save his job.

That, folks, is a plainly delusional worldview on the part of the Bama administration. Mal Moore must think that the earth is still flat.

The firing of Mike Shula represents the worst of human behavior in an administrative hierarchy, and it mirrors the way Notre Dame treated Tyrone Willingham a few years ago: when the Bama and Notre Dame programs had fallen into deep, dark ditches due to the stain of sorry scandals (at Notre Dame, it was the black mark of the George O'Leary resume fudging episode), the schools turned to two somewhat limited but very ethical coaches to give them positive publicity. Shula and Willingham did Bama and Notre Dame two humongous favors, and both of them managed to pull off one incredible season of football in their respective tenures, while struggling in all their other seasons in Tuscaloosa and South Bend, respectively. Yet, those great seasons (2002 for Willingham, 2005 for Shula) bought them zero leverage with the administration, and apparently with their fan bases as well. Saving the school from scandal became a gesture quickly forgotten, a good deed that would not go unpunished. As soon as on-field fortunes plummeted, these two upstanding men--desperately turned to when Bama and Notre Dame were drowning in negative publicity--got kicked to the curb, thrown into the trash can like a fading supermodel or an older factory worker who was shown no kindness by the corporate giant when an injury created a physical limitation that hampered his working ability.

Mike Shula saved Alabama's hide in 2003. No one could have expected him to do much of anything in his first two seasons. Then, in year three, he excelled. Then, after a difficult 2006, he's gone? It boggles the mind, but much worse than that, it offends every tenet of basic human decency in the world of executive decision making.

If I'm looking at the Alabama job today, I'm definitely thinking, "those are some bloodsucking opportunists over there in Tuscaloosa. Thanks but no thanks." Here's hoping that football karma runs over the dogma of a clearly inflexible and ruthless Alabama administration.

When Mike Price allegedly got a lap dance in Pensacola, Fla., the outrage at an affront to solid moral values (ah, how much that term is bandied about in red states and the Bible Belt at large--ever heard of Mark Foley, folks?) created a firestorm that pushed Price out of the Bama job. But now, after four years of solid moral values, Mike Shula--as a reward for his loyalty and integrity (and a damn fine season in 2005)--has a pink slip just before Christmas, and his growing family has to consider relocation.

The hypocrisy--and the moral cowardice--are overwhelming. I smell football politics in Tuscaloosa, and boy, does it stink. Bama brought the hammer to Mike Shula, and that smelly hammer is definitely yellow. Each time the Crimson Tide gets nailed onthe football field in future seasons, poetic justice will be served.

[petitfour]

It sure is. He just issued a statement a few hours ago or so that said he has no intention of going to Bama. But he's said similar in the past regarding going the Redskins, and then he announced hours later that he was going to the Redskins.

Not sure that I like it when someone parses words so much. But we shall see.

[MikefromOhio]

well let's remember that last week it was Spurrier to Miami, which he shot down pretty quickly.

[MikefromOhio]

I love it when nationall syndicated columnists say the same things I did 5 hours earlier.....

SI.com's Stewart Mandel on the Coach Shula firing

[commish]

Seeing as how it is Wikipedia with the Spurrier annoucement - I would take it with a huge grain of salt. I will check the local Tide boards and see if anything is flowing on that rumor mill (The forums had the Price Firing/Shula hiring a full day before anyone else.)

[MikefromOhio]

I think that it comes down to three things...

1) will Alabama pay him enough? Probably not...

2) does he think that he'll get a free hand to get the program back on its feet? Probably he would...

3) does he think that Alabama will be ahead of South Carolina next year? I would have to say no to that one. South Carolina looks to be pretty good next year.

[petitfour]

If Bama manages to grab a coach like Spurrier and goes on to WIN in the way Bama boosters expect, then all this will be forgotten. Shula is coming away from this with $4 million or $60K/month for a few years. He knew what he was getting into when he took the job. He knew how fickle the jerks are who control the purse strings are. He is a nice, good-looking guy. I'll bet he's even friends with his players. But he doesn't have the bleed until you win kind of attitude that some think is necessary to WIN.

Hubby was telling our boys about Bear Bryant over the weekend. I was too young to know all the things that Coach Bryant did in order to win. He installed barbed wire fencing around the practice field in order to KEEP PLAYERS IN. I guess he was brutal. Probably excessively so if the rule changes that hubby mentioned are any indication. But Shula did not seem to have even a quarter of the drive to win that folks at Bama expect.

[MikefromOhio]

Well I haven't exactly heard of the athletic department of Alabama being held up as a model to be copied.

I don't think Shula is the main problem here.

This will be what 5 coaches in 6 years?

That's absolutely pathetic.

[petitfour]

You're right. The Tide Forum folks said to take it with a grain of salt because anyone can edit Wiki posts.

I haven't seen anything relevant on the TideSportsForum. Just a bunch of bickerin'. lol

[commish]

Paul Finebaum is reporting he thinks it is definately Spurrier. Said Spurrier's buyout in "minimal" and that Bama is offering a 10 yr $24 Mill contract and giving him "Free Reign", of Course Finebaum was 100% Sylvester Croom was Bama's coach before Price was even hired, and he had "numbers" then too.

Channel 10 Mobile is reporting that Rich Rodriguez has expressed interest, has been given permission to speak to Alabama, and that he is #1 on Mal Moore's list. Rodriguez Buyout is $1 mil at WVU.

So, take your pick of the latest juicy rumors.

[MikefromOhio]

I'd believe Rich Rodriguez before Spurrier.

Spurrier is a South Carolina guy let's remember...

[commish]

I haven't seen anything relevant on the TideSportsForum. Just a bunch of bickerin'. lol

Same at Al.com too -- bunch of people venting.

[commish]

Just perused some of the Carolina Gamecock forums, and there is a general consensus on them that Spurrier is gone. A few people are ranting and raving and denying etc, but the vast majority of the posts are that Spurrier is leaving. May just be fatigue from all the rumors the last week or so, but worth noting.

Also, Bill "brother" Oliver (who is a close friend of Spurrier) was on Finebaum show and was very "COY" when the subject of Spurrier came up -- he never said anything specific but the way he said "nothing" led Finebaum, Pat Dye and listeners to conclude he knows something and cannot say what it is. He did say however that "IF" Spurrier came to Alabama he would reconsider his retirement (he turned down the DC job at South Carolina with Spurrier).

Also -- rumors abound that Spurrier and/or Mrs Spurrier were in Tuscaloosa this afternoon touring the Country Club there and talking to realtors. Have seen the rumor several places now, including one radio report.

Bottom Line --- the state of Alabama is a friggin madhouse tonight.

[NoCurrentFreeperByThatName]

Bottom Line --- the state of Alabama is a friggin madhouse tonight.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

War Eagle!

[magellan]

Things are quiet at Bammer's Head Coach's office:

[Wyatt's Torch]

The truly sad part about that injury is that it was senseless. They were up 30-7 at the time and it was late in the 4th (around 3 minutes left IIRC). Plus, it was 4th down. It was senseless to have him (or any starter) in there as the game was over. Shula was being greedy and it cost Prothro his ability to ever play football again.

[Wyatt's Torch]

"Spurrier is a South Carolina guy let's remember..."

Columbia is awfully close to Augusta National Golf Club as well....