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View Full Version : Yet another reason to hate the SEC...



golfitup
12-15-2008, 07:33 PM
Yikes. Not good stuff..... (http://deadspin.com/5110639/was-turner-gill-denied-the-auburn-job-because-of-his-white-wife)

X-band '01
12-16-2008, 06:43 AM
xu95 had to be dancing in the streets after Chizik was announced as the Auburn coach.

ATL Muskie
12-16-2008, 06:47 AM
I don't know about all of this. I agree the hire they made was a head-scratcher, but consider the source on these allegations- Charles Barkley and two SEC coaches. Unless some substantial evidence emerges, I'll chalk it up to a disgruntled alum and a couple of bitter rivals.

Jumpy
12-16-2008, 07:11 AM
I think there may be something to this. Whether admitted or not, the good-ol-boy network is still very much alive in the South and the Bible belt still holds some pretty strong racist attitudes, especially against inter-racial relationships.

Sometimes, circumstancial evidence is very compelling.

Unless the Auburn admin. was dumb enough to record, in any way, racist attitudes/leanings in their decision, it can never be proven, so nothing will come of this.

ATL Muskie
12-16-2008, 07:24 AM
I think there may be something to this. Whether admitted or not, the good-ol-boy network is still very much alive in the South and the Bible belt still holds some pretty strong racist attitudes, especially against inter-racial relationships.

Sometimes, circumstancial evidence is very compelling.

Unless the Auburn admin. was dumb enough to record, in any way, racist attitudes/leanings in their decision, it can never be proven, so nothing will come of this.

Circumstanial evidence isn't very compelling when the source is two SEC coaches, however. I don't deny that the good ole boy network is alive (and not just in the South), but I also would argue that rivalries in the SEC are stronger and it doesn't t ake much for an SEC rival to "poison the well." I'm not saying race isn't a factor in all of this, it may be. But I also question the motives of "some SEC coaches," especially if Barkley is involved. And don't get me wrong, I like Charles Barkley. I don't know, very strange situation....

Jumpy
12-16-2008, 08:04 AM
when speaking of circumstantial evidence, I was more thinking of the basic facts behind the hiring. Gill has the vastly superior resume, but is black and is married to a white woman.

I agree with you that anything an SEC coach says about another SEC school has to be taken with a grain of salt. By they way, what is it with coaches in the SEC? They love to call out each other for everything and anything. There's been a few instances like this recently where one or more coaches in the SEC have called out another unsolicited.

xu95
12-16-2008, 08:06 AM
xu95 had to be dancing in the streets after Chizik was announced as the Auburn coach.

THis was the best hire they could make. They will continue to stay shitty for years to come. Heck if they get any worse the Bearcats might be able to beat them.

xu95

XUglow
12-16-2008, 09:01 AM
Several points -

As the writer correctly points out, Tubberville was way more qualified than either coach, so what ever it is that Auburn is doing is a real head-scratcher. Most people agree that Gill wouldn't get consideration for the Auburn job yet if he were white. He has done a good job a Buffalo, but they did lose 5 games this year. Has anyone ever lost 5 games at a MAC school before and been considered a serious candidate for an SEC job?

The SEC did start the year with one of the 6 black coaches in D1. (now only 3!) Croom resigned rather than accept changes in his offensive philosophy that had never ranked his team higher than 96th in 5 years. MSU fans liked Croom a lot. They just wanted him to join the 21st century on offense. Bear Bryant is dead. Joker Phillips is set to take over in Kentucky. If Croom had just agreed to an OC change, that would make 2 of the 12 head coaches black when Brooks stepped down.

There are now 3 black head coaches in D1. Gill moving to Auburn would move that number from 3 to 3. That wouldn't help the total number. It is easy to point fingers and play the race card when an SEC team passes on a black candidate, but the problem is national, and I don't see a single conference out there that can point at the SEC and say that they should be doing things the way that we are doing it.

Seriously, why does Syracuse get a pass on this issue when Auburn doesn't? At least Gill knows that area and the recruits he could get on board quickly.

GoMuskies
12-16-2008, 09:03 AM
I don't know that Auburn should have hired Gill, but they sure as hell shouldn't have hired Chizek.

Masterofreality
12-16-2008, 09:08 AM
Seriously, why does Syracuse get a pass on this issue when Auburn doesn't? At least Gill knows that area and the recruits he could get on board quickly.

Excellent point, Glow. While not denying that many of the mouthbreathing backwoods hicks still wear white sheets, in many ways the SEC has become more enlightened than other parts of the country. In fact, the South, and Atlanta in particular, has become the "Promised Land" destination for educated and qualified people of color. The old barriers have broken down in many cases, although it's still pretty seperatist in the more rural areas.

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 09:09 AM
As Barkley pointed out, Auburn did the same thing when looking for a basketball coach. They went out and hired a white guy with a less then stellar resume compared to the other guys Barkley has pushing.

This is one of the dumbest hires I can remember. Then listening to the guy speak solidified my thoughts. If Auburn could fire a guy like TT, then to me, it's not that far of a reach to assume that Gill didn't get the job for silly reasons.

As for Syracuse, they went back and hired an alum. Plus the guy had worked at a high level in the NFL. I don't think they should be raked over the coals for this hire, it was the one before it people should have been questioning.

ATL Muskie
12-16-2008, 09:13 AM
As for Syracuse, they went back and hired an alum. Plus the guy had worked at a high level in the NFL. I don't think they should be raked over the coals for this hire, it was the one before it people should have been questioning.

Notre Dame did the same thing and look how that worked out.

Point is, we don't know why they went with one guy and not the other. I agree, firing TT in the first place was the dumbest thing out of all this. Maybe Gill just didn't impress during his interview. Hell, I don't know...

GoMuskies
12-16-2008, 09:15 AM
As Barkley pointed out, Auburn did the same thing when looking for a basketball coach. They went out and hired a white guy with a less then stellar resume compared to the other guys Barkley has pushing.



Lebo isn't really working out, but I thought that was a solid hire. He had worked his way up by doing a very good job at both Tennessee Tech and UT-C. Not really sure how anyone could have had an issue with that hire at the time.

ATL Muskie
12-16-2008, 09:17 AM
Lebo isn't really working out, but I thought that was a solid hire. He had worked his way up by doing a very good job at both Tennessee Tech and UT-C. Not really sure how anyone could have had an issue with that hire at the time.


Yeah, I agree. I was always impressed with Lebo. I don't know why anyone would want to coach hoops in the SEC, especially Auburn, but anyway.....

XUglow
12-16-2008, 09:30 AM
Lebo isn't really working out, but I thought that was a solid hire. He had worked his way up by doing a very good job at both Tennessee Tech and UT-C. Not really sure how anyone could have had an issue with that hire at the time.

Lebo has been a real disappointment. I thought it was a solid hire. His first few teams played way over their heads, and everyone was sure that he would be a world-beater once he got some talent. The problem is that he has never really gotten any talent. Recruiting is a big part of the job. (See Xavier.)

DC, there are always a lot of people available for any job. That's the problem. Syracuse can go for an alum with a .500 NFL team, and it is OK. Auburn goes for the DC on their 13-0 team from 2003, and it isn't. Did Syracuse ever strongly consider Gill? They seemed set on Skip Holtz until he turned them down. What is the Syracuse connection there?

For Auburn, Strong from Florida or Nix from Ole Miss would have made more sense to me than Gill. Both know the south. Both seem ready for the next step. If they don't move up soon, the system is totally broken.

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 09:37 AM
Notre Dame did the same thing and look how that worked out.

Well USC did the same thing and look how that turned out.

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 09:40 AM
Lebo isn't really working out, but I thought that was a solid hire. He had worked his way up by doing a very good job at both Tennessee Tech and UT-C. Not really sure how anyone could have had an issue with that hire at the time.

Is Barkely incorrect in saying that Lebo was the only candidate who at that point hadn't made the NCAA tournament? Mike Davis coached in the NC game and Mike Anderson was extremely successful in the state where Auburn resides. Did these two guys not do solid jobs moving up the food chain?

And they hired the guy who coached at Tennessee Chattanooga. I can see where Sir Charles is coming from.

ATL Muskie
12-16-2008, 09:42 AM
Well USC did the same thing and look how that turned out.


Yeah, exactly my point. You never know. But just hiring an alum who worked in the NFL doesn't always guarantee success- or failure. Point is, there are several reasons for hires that most of us aren't privy to. Accusing racism is the easy answer, especially coming from your rivals.

GoMuskies
12-16-2008, 09:43 AM
Is Barkely incorrect in saying that Lebo was the only candidate who at that point hadn't made the NCAA tournament? Mike Davis coached in the NC game and Mike Anderson was extremely successful in the state where Auburn resides. Did these two guys not do solid jobs moving up the food chain?

And they hired the guy who coached at Tennessee Chattanooga. I can see where Sir Charles is coming from.

Mike Davis would have been an insane hire, because, you know, he's insane.

Anderson would have been a solid hire, too, but there was nothing wrong with picking Lebo. Hell, Anderson may not have wanted the job for all we know.

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 09:47 AM
DC, there are always a lot of people available for any job. That's the problem. Syracuse can go for an alum with a .500 NFL team, and it is OK. Auburn goes for the DC on their 13-0 team from 2003, and it isn't. Did Syracuse ever strongly consider Gill? They seemed set on Skip Holtz until he turned them down. What is the Syracuse connection there?

Look, I'm seeing where Charles is coming from. First the basketball hire, and now they went out and got the guy who's won 5 games the last two seasons.

Auburn has a past of doing shady things. Like Peterino, and then going back to him and even talking to Nutt.

they hired the guy who worked for the guy you just fired. I don't get that. I agree Strong would have been a great choice, but it's not like Gill has no ability. Did he know anything about the northeast before he went there?

As for Syracuse, they are least following a precedent with their hire. Both their basketball coach and lacrosse coaches are alumni. Auburn, it seems is following their own precedent and that's why I am agreeing with the non role model.

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 09:50 AM
Yeah, exactly my point. You never know. But just hiring an alum who worked in the NFL doesn't always guarantee success- or failure. Point is, there are several reasons for hires that most of us aren't privy to. Accusing racism is the easy answer, especially coming from your rivals.

Well you can say that about anything. Great, hire Ted Roof then, because he had about the same record as Chizik in the ACC.

I don't think it's that far fetched to say people might have been a bit nervous hiring a black coach. If not, then there are plenty of candidates out there. They seem to find them in basketball.

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 09:53 AM
Mike Davis would have been an insane hire, because, you know, he's insane.

Anderson would have been a solid hire, too, but there was nothing wrong with picking Lebo. Hell, Anderson may not have wanted the job for all we know.

Yeah, I'm sure Mike Anderson was dying to get the Missouri job.

I didn't realize Davis was insane. In 8 years of coaching, he's gone to the postseason six times and coached a national runner up.

ATL Muskie
12-16-2008, 09:56 AM
I don't think it's that far fetched to say people might have been a bit nervous hiring a black coach. If not, then there are plenty of candidates out there. They seem to find them in basketball.

Well you can say that about anything.

Is X racist for never hiring a black head basketball coach? Of course not, that would be absurd.


The point is, who the hell knows what Auburn is thinking and who knows what goes on behind closed doors. I just think racism is the easiest, knee-jerk reaction, especially when Barkley gets his 2 cents in. Again, take it with a grain of salt when your sources are Charles Barkley and two SEC coaches. It's certainly not a reason to "hate the entire SEC," that's for sure. As Glow pointed out, plenty of African Americans are and have been represented in all sports. UGA has a black AD and Dennis Felton running the show in hoops. I could point to plenty of other examples. Is racism at play at Auburn and other places? Sure, probably, but no more so than elsewhere around the country.

By the way if this were MM, that sentence would have read, "racism is the easiest, knee-**** reaction."

GoMuskies
12-16-2008, 10:00 AM
You're absolutely right. Mike Davis (who had just been fired from his last job) and Mike Anderson were can't miss guys, and Jeff Lebo was clearly a stiff. Auburn only hired Lebo because he's was pearly white. Also, I imagined all those IU press conferences where Davis appeared to be mentally unstable, and I made up the fact that he ran out onto the floor to attack an official at the end of a game against Kentucky that wasn't decided until his meltdown. He's NOTHING like Larry Eustachy. Also, I bet Lebo clinched the job by wearing a white sheet to the interview.

GoMuskies
12-16-2008, 10:02 AM
YouTube has clearly been compromised as well!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RxFpVihLqA

XUglow
12-16-2008, 10:42 AM
Look, I'm seeing where Charles is coming from. First the basketball hire, and now they went out and got the guy who's won 5 games the last two seasons.

Auburn has a past of doing shady things. Like Peterino, and then going back to him and even talking to Nutt.

they hired the guy who worked for the guy you just fired. I don't get that. I agree Strong would have been a great choice, but it's not like Gill has no ability. Did he know anything about the northeast before he went there?

As for Syracuse, they are least following a precedent with their hire. Both their basketball coach and lacrosse coaches are alumni. Auburn, it seems is following their own precedent and that's why I am agreeing with the non role model.

Look, Auburn is run by a bunch of idiots. That doesn't necessarily make them racist idiots. They may be, but they never saw Gill as being anywhere close to the best candidate for their job. Leach was their first choice. He was probably leaving Texas Tech for Auburn or Washington until Tech tossed a ton of money at him to stay. Once Auburn didn't get Leach, they went into panic mode. 2003 is a big thing with Auburn people, so the defensive coordinator from that team got extra credit. It was a dumb hire, but he did have ties to something big that Auburn did. He can at least say that his college experience does include a 13-0 season at Auburn and the NC at Texas. He looked like money when he went from Texas to Iowa State.

As for Syracuse, Marrone is the back-up plan. He has less experience than Gill or Shitzik. He is 0 and 0 as a head coach at all levels and has never handled anything administrative at any level. Seriously, did Marrone make Brees, or did Brees make Marrone? I am betting the Saints do well on offense without him.

Marrone is not well-qualified. He was hired by a friend. That smacks of good ole boy network which is why blacks are not getting hired anywhere, much less in the SEC.

GoMuskies
12-16-2008, 10:45 AM
Am I wrong, or is Marrone essentially a carbon copy of Greg Robinson, only on the offensive side of the ball instead of the defensive side? Granted, he's at least a Syracuse alum, but I think I'd be a bit hesitant to go this route again.

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 10:55 AM
Well you can say that about anything.

Is X racist for never hiring a black head basketball coach? Of course not, that would be absurd.

What's more absurd is comparing Xavier to the deep South. It's not like we are talking about Minnesota people.


Is racism at play at Auburn and other places? Sure, probably, but no more so than elsewhere around the country.

You know as well I do that Auburn looks to be run by a small number of boosters and Pat Dye. They have demonstrated what they are comfortable with. They all seem to be white guys. I don't think Charles, who lived and played there for a long time is far out there in his suggestion. Sorry, I don't.

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 10:57 AM
You're absolutely right. Mike Davis (who had just been fired from his last job) and Mike Anderson were can't miss guys, and Jeff Lebo was clearly a stiff. Auburn only hired Lebo because he's was pearly white. Also, I imagined all those IU press conferences where Davis appeared to be mentally unstable, and I made up the fact that he ran out onto the floor to attack an official at the end of a game against Kentucky that wasn't decided until his meltdown. He's NOTHING like Larry Eustachy. Also, I bet Lebo clinched the job by wearing a white sheet to the interview.

Yup, no way Auburn doesn't hire stable white guy. Who wants a unstable black guy running the basketball program? Clearly he's insane.

ATL Muskie
12-16-2008, 11:02 AM
What's more absurd is comparing Xavier to the deep South. It's not like we are talking about Minnesota people.



You know as well I do that Auburn looks to be run by a small number of boosters and Pat Dye. They have demonstrated what they are comfortable with. They all seem to be white guys. I don't think Charles, who lived and played there for a long time is far out there in his suggestion. Sorry, I don't.


No more absurd than you implying that racism is confined to the South. Where have you been? And I never "compared Xavier to the Deep South." Forget it, you missed the point.....

GoMuskies
12-16-2008, 11:03 AM
Forget it, you missed the point.....

Impossible!

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 11:05 AM
He can at least say that his college experience does include a 13-0 season at Auburn and the NC at Texas. He looked like money when he went from Texas to Iowa State.

That's what is funny about this. they went out and fired the guy in charge of the 13-0 season and hired the guy who helped him go 13-0.


As for Syracuse, Marrone is the back-up plan. He has less experience than Gill or Shitzik. He is 0 and 0 as a head coach at all levels and has never handled anything administrative at any level. Seriously, did Marrone make Brees, or did Brees make Marrone? I am betting the Saints do well on offense without him.

Marrone is not well-qualified. He was hired by a friend. That smacks of good ole boy network which is why blacks are not getting hired anywhere, much less in the SEC.

I'm not sure why this is a "Syracuse" "Auburn" thing. Syracuse is run by the black guy who has been apart of a winning tradition at USC. Who knows how Marrone will do, but at least the guy has had some success and is connected to the school.

I'm not sure how a Gross and Marrone are friends, maybe we should call Gross a racist.

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 11:12 AM
You guys are right.

I'll leave at this...

The white AD at Auburn has hired the most qualified white guys to run his basketball and football programs. There is no way race, whether being comfortable or uncomfortable with the idea of a black guy being in charge, ever entered the thinking of this guy or the many white guys who pour millions of dollars into his program as boosters.

Since Charles Barkley made the claim, it's obviously an over the top idea that race could have played a part in the decision of clearly a very qualified Head Coach who won 5 games in two years should be considered for the job.

Heck they could have hired a black Coordinator like Charlie Strong, who at least is 1-0 as a head coach. But they didn't since that is four less wins he has experience with.

GoMuskies
12-16-2008, 11:14 AM
The white AD at Auburn has hired the most qualified white guys to run his basketball and football programs.

On the football side they sure as hell didn't.

XUglow
12-16-2008, 11:44 AM
Marrone was selected by a search committee led by Tim Green who is a close personal friend of Marrone's. They played together under MacPherson.

The reason it is a Syracuse/Auburn thing is that Barkeley would still be playing the race card if Chitzik had been hired at Syracuse and Marrone had been hired at Auburn. Gill is more qualified than Marrone. I am also guessing that Charles would not be happy with the hire if he were a Syracuse alum.

The bottom line is that qualified blacks are not getting the jobs in most places in the US. When they don't get the job in the south, it is racism. When they don't get it elsewhere, it is because there was some other darn good reason.

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 11:56 AM
The bottom line is that qualified blacks are not getting the jobs in most places in the US. When they don't get the job in the south, it is racism. When they don't get it elsewhere, it is because there was some other darn good reason.

They do tend to get hired in other places outside the South. I mean Croom broke the barrier not too long ago, not in 1960.

ATL Muskie
12-16-2008, 12:03 PM
They do tend to get hired in other places outside the South. I mean Croom broke the barrier not too long ago, not in 1960.


So first we're upset that the "barrier" hasn't been broken, and then when we find out that it actually has, we'll complain that it didn't happen early enough? Blacks get hired for jobs in the South. I'm sorry it didn't happen forty years ago, but it's not like they're getting every job in the Midwest or the NE either. How many black head football coaches are there in the Big 10?

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 12:36 PM
How many black head football coaches are there in the Big 10?

Good point.

The whole thing sucks, but I still see where Charles is coming from. Sorry.

XUglow
12-16-2008, 12:39 PM
They do tend to get hired in other places outside the South. I mean Croom broke the barrier not too long ago, not in 1960.

Yes, speaking of Syracuse again, here is the current list of black Big East head coaches.

Start of list.

End of list.

...and who is the best black head coach of all time in the Big Ten? There are so many choices. I am having a tough time deciding.

GoMuskies
12-16-2008, 12:50 PM
who is the best black head coach of all time in the Big Ten?

Bobby Williams (he's the only one I can think of). He's also now employed.....in Alabama.

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 01:14 PM
No it's the guy who coached at Northwestern. He was awesome. So awesome I can't think of his name.

ATL Muskie
12-16-2008, 01:20 PM
Good point.

The whole thing sucks, but I still see where Charles is coming from. Sorry.

I don't disagree- I do see where Charles is coming from. As I said before, I like Charles Barkley. He speaks his mind and I respect that. Problem is, he (and others) often speak without knowing the facts. I don't know the facts behind Auburn's motives, and they may be suspect, but I just don't know. I wasn't in on the interviews or the hiring process.

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 01:40 PM
Here's an interesting article.

Notice the two names at the bottom. Pretty funny...

http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/11173939

ATL Muskie
12-16-2008, 02:14 PM
So according to this report Gill told Barkley he had reservations about the job because his wife was white. Maybe Gill withdrew interest or Auburn picked up on these reservations. Who knows. And yes, it is possible it was a token interview. Who knows.

XUglow
12-16-2008, 02:22 PM
Here's an interesting article.

Notice the two names at the bottom. Pretty funny...

http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootball/story/11173939

See. I said Auburn was stupid. Syracuse was stupid as well, and that was my point. Why did they pass up Gill and get a pass from the press. He dinged them for making a bad hire but not for passing on a qualified black coach.

On the other side of his list, I will have to say that I am very impressed with Dan Mullen, who is the new Mississippi State head coach. He is married to Megan West from The Golf Channel. He said, "If anyone is worried about my ability to recruit, just take a good look at me and think about what it took to convince someone like that to marry me." Megan is hot, btw -- much hotter in person than she looks on the tube. Croom had a very good class in the works. Things were shaky for a few days after Croom resigned. Mullen has solidified Croom's commits to MSU and just added his first recruit, a 4-star receiver, to the list today. It has been a productive 6 days so far.

MSU's new AD said that Jim Tressel spent 4 hours on the phone with him talking about various candidates and Mullen's name kept popping up to the top. Tressel likes winners and Mullen has won everywhere he has been. He also said that Mullen played his defense like a drum during the NC game. His assessment was that LSU beat them physically, but Mullen out-thought them, and he has studied Mullen's coaching style since. Tressel's parting shot to the AD was, "If you can get him, get him."

Mullen was joking a bit, but he said his offensive philosophy is pretty simple. "We make their weakest defenders run about 10 windsprints in the first quarter and then go after them hard for the rest of the game. Those guys are exhausted. We have 2 or 3 steps on them on every play, and people call me a genius for throwing the ball to a wide open man."

DC Muskie
12-16-2008, 03:09 PM
I listened to that Marrone guy on the radio over the weekend, at least he sounded like he knew what he was doing. He might be awful, which is a shame because Syracuse should be a good program, but at least he sounded like a head coach. Chizik sounded terrible.

I'd hire every guy off of Florida. I think it's great that Tressel was pumping him up, probably because he doesn't want to have to face him anytime soon. And on a side note, I'm not looking forward to watching OSU get drilled for another year. I can't wait for this senior class to leave I'll tell you that.

XUglow
12-17-2008, 07:49 PM
Interesting that Turner Gill has finally weighed in on the Auburn situation. Here are some random quotes:

"they gave me a fair shot"

"it wasn't a good fit"

"Charles Barkley is free to say whatever he wants"

"no, not at all" -- answering the question 'do you think Auburn not hiring him was racially motivated?'

The summary of this situation for Gill is that Auburn is a massively big job and that Buffalo is not and that he is still trying to get his sea legs. He sees no issues with being turned down at Auburn. He's a good politician. He will be ready for a big-time job soon.

chico
12-17-2008, 09:01 PM
No it's the guy who coached at Northwestern. He was awesome. So awesome I can't think of his name.

That would be Coors Lite spokesman Dennis Green.

Looking at everything, I don't really think race was a factor. Chizik did have ties to Auburn - not an alum, but being the DC on the undefeated team is a pretty good resume. I wonder if we're having this discussion if he never left Auburn and got the job. And I would guess that winning at Iowa St. is not a particular easy thing to do. Not saying this was a good choice, just saying that he wasn't in the best situation to win.

This hire owes more to the incompetence of the AD than it does to racism.

wkrq59
12-18-2008, 01:03 AM
Excellent point, Glow. While not denying that many of the mouthbreathing backwoods hicks still wear white sheets, in many ways the SEC has become more enlightened than other parts of the country. In fact, the South, and Atlanta in particular, has become the "Promised Land" destination for educated and qualified people of color. The old barriers have broken down in many cases, although it's still pretty seperatist in the more rural areas.
While we're at it, how about the schools that have named "the next head coach in waiting," when the curent coach resigns or is fired or whatever? Know any better way to avoid interviewing qualified persons of color? And the NFL is doing the same thing for the same reason.
Gill got the shaft, was a token interview the same as Gayle Sayers was when UC hired Mike McGee as its AD, a move the school regreted to this day. BTW What Turner Gill did at Buffalo is nothing short of remarkable. Check out the school's record the previous 10 years. They were everybody's homecoming opponent and often had to play most of their games on the road, especially in November because of the weather. Gill will be gone to a better job next year anyway and it won't be in the SEC., y-ahl:D

DC Muskie
12-18-2008, 07:12 AM
Interesting that Turner Gill has finally weighed in on the Auburn situation. Here are some random quotes:

"they gave me a fair shot"

"it wasn't a good fit"

"Charles Barkley is free to say whatever he wants"

"no, not at all" -- answering the question 'do you think Auburn not hiring him was racially motivated?'

The summary of this situation for Gill is that Auburn is a massively big job and that Buffalo is not and that he is still trying to get his sea legs. He sees no issues with being turned down at Auburn. He's a good politician. He will be ready for a big-time job soon.

Yeah, Gill's not stupid to actually come out and say, "Hey yeah they are racist!"

In the end he's probably glad he's not involved with that mess.

I also want to take issue with something though. In the grand scheme of things Auburn is just not that massive of a job. And what Gill did at Buffalo should be an indicator of what he could do at jobs like Auburn when he gets those types of jobs.

bourbonman
12-18-2008, 07:39 AM
While we're at it, how about the schools that have named "the next head coach in waiting," when the current coach resigns or is fired or whatever? Know any better way to avoid interviewing qualified persons of color? ...:D
Of course some schools take the other route such as the University of Kentucky who has designated Offensive Coordinator Joker Phillips as the next head coach when Rich Brooks moves on.

GoMuskies
12-18-2008, 08:46 AM
Q never lets the facts get in the way bourbanman.

GoMuskies
12-18-2008, 08:47 AM
And what Gill did at Buffalo should be an indicator of what he could do at jobs like Auburn when he gets those types of jobs.


Gill's resume is now strikingly similar to that of one Steve Kragthorpe.

Masterofreality
12-18-2008, 09:21 AM
Of course some schools take the other route such as the University of Kentucky who has designated Offensive Coordinator Joker Phillips as the next head coach when Rich Brooks moves on.

Kentucky's new coach, soon.

http://www.overthinkingit.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/heath-ledger-joker1.jpg

Yeah, I'd say he's successful at coordinating offenses.

XUglow
12-18-2008, 09:25 AM
I also want to take issue with something though. In the grand scheme of things Auburn is just not that massive of a job. And what Gill did at Buffalo should be an indicator of what he could do at jobs like Auburn when he gets those types of jobs.


DC, that was Gill's take on the job at Auburn vs. the job at Buffalo -- not mine. When he took over at Buffalo, they didn't even have offices for the coaches, much less secretaries, press agents, travel coordinators, and the like. He said he was a bit over-whelmed by the surroundings in the football complex down at Auburn. He said that he didn't think that he was quite ready.

The sad day will be if Gill doesn't get a great position when he is ready, but I don't believe that will be a problem when the time arrives.

Juice
12-18-2008, 10:36 AM
I was just watching espn, and Jemele Hill (she sucks but she makes a good point) stated that Turner Gill having a white wife might be an issue in teh black community as well as the white community. She says that often times, the mother of a black recruit will look down upon a black man with a white wife and that could cause problems in recruiting.

It doesn't make it any less discriminatory by any party involved but it is something to think about.

ATL Muskie
12-18-2008, 10:40 AM
I was just watching espn, and Jemele Hill (she sucks but she makes a good point) stated that Turner Gill having a white wife might be an issue in teh black community as well as the white community. She says that often times, the mother of a black recruit will look down upon a black man with a white wife and that could cause problems in recruiting.

It doesn't make it any less discriminatory by any party involved but it is something to think about.


Interesting point. Never thought about that angle.

You're right, it doesn't make it any less discriminatory and is sad either way. I wish people would just get over it, but alas some cannot.

DC Muskie
12-18-2008, 10:48 AM
DC, that was Gill's take on the job at Auburn vs. the job at Buffalo -- not mine. When he took over at Buffalo, they didn't even have offices for the coaches, much less secretaries, press agents, travel coordinators, and the like. He said he was a bit over-whelmed by the surroundings in the football complex down at Auburn. He said that he didn't think that he was quite ready.

The sad day will be if Gill doesn't get a great position when he is ready, but I don't believe that will be a problem when the time arrives.

Again, Gill is smart enough not to bash Auburn.

You make him sound like he was coaching High School football and the Auburn job is the Packers.

XUglow
12-18-2008, 10:56 AM
Again, Gill is smart enough not to bash Auburn.

You make him sound like he was coaching High School football and the Auburn job is the Packers.

...and you are making it sound like it is me making the comparison instead of Gill himself.

DC Muskie
12-18-2008, 11:08 AM
...and you are making it sound like it is me making the comparison instead of Gill himself.

Then sometime needs to tell Gill that he sounds like a moron...

GoMuskies
03-04-2009, 12:33 PM
That Jeff Lebo hire at Auburn is looking okay about now. Charles Barkley is an idiot (as if we didn't already know).