- Are we Texas? I know that sounds like a stupid question but sadly I'm seeing some parallels to us and the Longhorns. No we don't have their over the top donor base and no we don't have their tradition and history.....but we do seem to have a knack to not be able to hold on a consistent program...like Texas. Like the Horns, we've had some good coaches come through our program that were winners in other places but could never get the job done here. Sure we can nitpick Rogers, Cooper, Marmie, Snyder, Koetter, Erickson, and now Graham....but all of these guys enjoyed some success in other stint either before or after their tenures at ASU. Why couldn't we consistently enjoy success while they were here? Some say the Texas job, despite being at the helm of an elite program, is not an enticing job because of the politics and baggage that comes with it. Look how it chased off Charlie Strong and may possibly do in Herman? Does ASU have some politics in the backdrop that keep us from being successful? I ask this because:
- I Miss Britney-Spears Mic CTG: Did we micromanage CTG out of who he was and got what we have today? I don't know about you but I kind of missed the hoarse voiced CTG with red and yellow (they weren't maroon) arm bands yelling onto the field. The guys back then seemed to rally behind it. While I think we wanted "CEO Graham" to succeed and on paper it sounded like a good idea, I fear this may be the result of "corporate meddling". It's not to say that CTG didn't make his fair share of mistakes that are on him but I feel what we've been seeing the last couple of years may be a symptom of not letting CTG be CTG. Whether that would've made any difference to where we are today, not sure, probably not...but still I liked the Brittney Spears mic Graham of yester-year.
- Is history repeating itself again? Think back to 2000. Y2K, the Dot-Com bust, the Florida Recount, and ASU and au began a weird intertwined symbiosis that fans of neither fan base I'm sure are proud of....the rise and fall of simultaneous coaches. In 2000 ASU lets go of Snyder and hires Koetter. Same year au lets go of Dick Tomey and hires Whacko-Macko and his suits on the sideline in 100 degree weather. Although Whacko was shown the door in 2003 for Stoopid's debut and Koetter was shipped off for Erickson in 2006...the paths diverged again in 2011 when Stoopid was fired mid-season and Erickson was essentially fired after the rat loss that year. That off-season CTG comes to Tempe and Dick-Rod goes to Sucton. So here we are again with CTG's tenure likely up. Is Dick Rod next to go? The rats laid a big egg in the toilet last night against a rather inept Houston team. They can't pass and they have no defense. Their recruiting's been abysmal and they're a far cry from the year they back into the Pac-South title. If Dick Rod goes, this will be the third time in less than two decades both major AZ schools find themselves coach shopping.
- My take: I still like CTG and support him, but sadly I think he's lost the locker room. His players just don't seem to want to play for him anymore. I think everyone in that stadium from the players to the custodians knew that CTG's tenure in Tempe was on the line last night and the way the guys came out was an indictment on how they feel about him. I don't agree with them, but it is what it is. I stated in another thread that I wasn't going to advocate for his removal, but that doesn't mean I don't see the writing on the wall. I still contend ASU needs a program builder and I was hoping CTG would be that guy but the floor has fallen out it seems and sadly one of my favorite eras in ASU football seems to be drawing to a close.
- What now? Names will be bandied about for the next few month. People will suggest one name or another. Outside of pulling of a major coup d'etat and landing Chip Kelly (which I sadly don't think will happen) I have no dog in the hunt. Instead I would hope that whoever the next coach is would meet this criteria:
- Continue the Good: CTG did some great things as our coach. We haven't had many major off the field incidents (and what few we did have they were dealt with swiftly). Our GPA is the highest its ever been and we have the highest APR and graduation rates in our history. Our guys continue to be leaders off the field as well. I don't want any new coach to come in and undo this.
- Not into Recycling: While that may sound very un-PC, I mean in terms of coaches. I don't want any re-treads that couldn't consistently win at their school that was far better off than ASU. That especially means Les Miles. Folks, whatever accolades Miles had...it was because he was the coach of LS-freakin-U. My experience is limited to playing EA Sports's NCAA College Football (before Sam Keller ruined that) in Dynasty Mode. I'm pretty sure even I could get LSU to a 7 win season and bowl record every year.
- Youth: ASU needs someone who could potentially make his career here. Doesn't mean they necessarily will but we have to have the option to do so. That means nobody like Rocky Long at SDSU as some have insinuated we should go after. This also takes guys like Jeff Tedford and even Jim Tressel off the table for me.
- West Coast Ties: I'm sure Gus Malzahn's name will come up at some point and to that I have a resounding "NO". We need coaches who can recruit that west coast. That pretty much excludes anyone from the SEC INCLUDING Derek Mason. I don't care if he grew up in AZ...we need a coach who can recruit the west coast.
GO SUN DEVILS!!
