Earlier this week, Bobby Petrino left his job as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons to become the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. He was vilified in the press and excoriated by contemporaries for the inauspicious timing of leaving when the organization was at its lowest ebb. Following an embarrassing Monday Night loss to rival New Orleans that left the team 3-10 and the subsequent sentencing of Michael Vick to 23 months in jail, this occupational move resembled more a desertion than a simple change of venue. The character assassinations and name-calling given the circumstances seemed justified.



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Todd,
You do a great job, but you're off on Petrino. I heard the sound clips of him telling his boss that "you have a head coach" after he'd been pressed several times by Blank to see if he was going to leave. Within hours Petrino reversed himself. THAT is why he is being vilified. Not for leaving them at a bad time as you state. I listened to Blank's comments and they were all about how Petrino had assured him he was staying and then suddenly reversing himself.

As for Coach Mendenhall, he might leave at any time and he certainly has the right to do so. I cannot begrudge anyone making a living in a better circumstance. However, he will be weighing the new income and expense of living together against the lifestyle and coaching style changes that will be needed. I doubt UCLA or any other BCS school will have athletes that will wear the Mendenhall harness of discipline couched in scriptural contexts without heavy chafing. I know he can change, but will he enjoy the change? I have my doubts but wish him well whatever he chooses.

BYU 34 UCLA 10

dailyherald wrote:

Earlier this week, Bobby Petrino left his job as the head coach of the Atlanta Falcons to become the head coach of the Arkansas Razorbacks. He was vilified in the press and excoriated by contemporaries for the inauspicious timing of leaving when the organization was at its lowest ebb. Following an embarrassing Monday Night loss to rival New Orleans that left the team 3-10 and the subsequent sentencing of Michael Vick to 23 months in jail, this occupational move resembled more a desertion than a simple change of venue. The character assassinations and name-calling given the circumstances seemed justified.


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"There is also the thought that the approach that the head coach has utilized at this university is not likely to be successful elsewhere."

I have to agree with Todd on this one. Not many other schools would be content to run up a seemingly impressive won/loss record in a minor-league conference for the "honor" of playing in an obscure bowl against a 6 and 6 team. Even three years in a row.