Fan Input on Hiring/Firing Coaches

[JackJD]

Doing some reading on Houston Nutt resigning at Arkansas. I know there were some rocky times but it seems that in a least a small way, zealous fans had an impact on whether Nutt was welcome at Arkansas.

The Nutt case (sorry, couldn't help the word play), reminded me of Tubby Smith leaving what many would consider the pinnacle job for men's basketball: Kentucky. Smith didn't hide his disgust with booster pressure to win a national championship every year at Kentucky.

And what about Georgia Tech firing its coach, a guy who never had a losing season? Part of the story from ESPN on GT and Coach Gailey:

"Chan Gailey never had a losing season in six years at Georgia Tech.
Then again, he never produced the sort of team that really got the fans excited.

Citing business considerations as much as wins and losses, athletic director Dan Radakovich fired Gailey on Monday, two days after his sixth straight loss to rival Georgia ended a season that failed to meet expectations.
The 55-year-old Gailey had lost support among the fan base, which made fundraising more difficult, and he wasn't the sort of dynamic personality who could help the Yellow Jackets make a name in the crowded Atlanta sports scene."
http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3127998

Lost support among the fan base = threats to stop buying season tickets.

For decades, there have been those who feel boosters have too much input on hiring decisions at some programs. Is booster pressure becoming stronger?

For the next few weeks, there'll be lots of news about coaching changes. My sense is that while it seems lots of programs are changing horses this year, it's probably about an average year.

[Nidaros]

Re: Fan Input on Hiring/Firing Coaches

I think the influence from boosters increasing because of the fact that more and more adminstrators see their athletic programs as an intragral part of their institution. What revenue they bring and what image they garner to the institution seems to make or break presidents. AD's are the middle-men in my opinion. They carry the water for the president as we saw to south of us in Lincoln Nebraska. Steve Pederson seemed to be carrying hard water when the Chancellor thought he should have soft water because a bunch fans wanted soft water, and boom he is gone. I think boosters no doubt had their audiences with the chancellor and financial threats were no doubt made. In Callahan's case, he just was not getting the job done, and maybe the boosters were right in throwing their weight into these decisions of firing the AD and later the coach.

It seems like coaching changes in non-revenue sports go without much notice. Only those who are big financial supporters seem to have any voice at all. Some times in these sports, changes should be made but for one reason or another a coach often hangs on when he should have been fired years ago. Dollars seem to drive it all.

Even the small private colleges are taking a more critical look at athletics and how they fit into their tuition driven schools. The necessary evil label often given to athletics can no longer be applied without some financial consequence. i.e USF.

[jackrabit1]

Re: Fan Input on Hiring/Firing Coaches

At the same time, would it be a case of "the inmates running the asylum?"

I remember last year, when SDSU started out 0-3, same as this year, including a VERY embarrassing home loss (which shall remain unmentioned). There were some grumblings on here about whether or not there should be a change in leadership, or at the very least, questioning the leadership--and I'm as guilty as anyone on this.

But then we knocked off ranked team after ranked team and finished runner up in the GWFC.

We had the same start this year against an even tougher schedule, yet we scrapped our way back to the top, winning our first-ever GWFC title AND taking home the Dakota Marker. Reading about how fan pressure has forced some very successful coaches out at their schools, it makes me wonder... would we have had the success we had this year if the administration had buckled to our lamentations?

Something to think about, anyway!

[jackmd]

Re: Fan Input on Hiring/Firing Coaches

Its interesting to talk to Coach Stig and Coach Nagy about their career choices and expectations. There is a whole lot more to it than what the fans think but they both appreciated the importance of strong fan support and want to see it grow at SDSU. Every coach should have an understanding about the pressures and expectations that come with their chosen occupation. Just as those in other occupations understand their respective pressures and expectations. The rewards and satisfaction that can be gained by success in a profession must be balanced with the criticism and penalties associated with failure to meet expectations. Sometimes the reasons for success and failure are cloudy and criticism or praise is given without true merit. Thats just the way it goes.

I think the administrators at SDSU have their heads on reasonably straight. As fans and boosters were allowed to have opinions, fortunately opinions are no more than that.

[Jacks-D1]

Re: Fan Input on Hiring/Firing Coaches

Ask Nebraska about booster pressure. They built a $50 million athletic / football / weightroom / taj mahal. All the money has not been raised to pay for it yet. Why? Because the boosters didn't like Callahan / Steve Pederson. Guess what. Both of those guys are gone now.

[Nidaros]

Re: Fan Input on Hiring/Firing Coaches

Ask Nebraska about booster pressure. They built a $50 million athletic / football / weightroom / taj mahal. All the money has not been raised to pay for it yet. Why? Because the boosters didn't like Callahan / Steve Pederson. Guess what. Both of those guys are gone now.

I think it can be said that hiring and firing is more than wins and losses and often other factors weigh in. The mention of the facility like what Jacks-D1 just sited are often more in the background, but weigh heavily in Presidents and Chancellor's decisions. Maybe the UNL Chancellor did not need or give an audience from boosters before firing Pederson. Maybe it was a simple foundation financial report that told it all and the decision was a no brainer for the chancellor.

I used to live in Nebraska and that is why I mentioned this change. Not bothering to daily check the Lincoln Star and Omaha World Herald like I used to do, you kind of lose touch on whats going on.