Reliving the Monson in-season firing and the tension that was lifted

[GoAUpher]

The staff wouldn't be highly motivated to keep recruits from changing their minds, after all, the staff is likely to be gone just as soon as a new coach is named. Firing Brewster now could just accelerate the team falling apart.

I dunno...this is how I felt, but I have wonder why keeping a dead man walking is supposed to be any better for recruiting. I felt differently when I thought there was a chance Brew could do well enough to make it possible for him to keep his job. I don't see any way that happens now. Also, I'd have to think the assistant coaches would want to continue to do a good job because that is their best way to earn another position moving forward. I don't think mailing it in as an asst coach this season would really endear them to future employers.

For me, this bigger problem I see is the increasingly toxic feeling coming from the fans. That stuff is poison. Making a move that gives people some catharsis and lets the U plan for the future is starting to look like a much better idea to me.

 

[glovedgopher]

I dunno...this is how I felt, but I have wonder why keeping a dead man walking is supposed to be any better for recruiting. I felt differently when I thought there was a chance Brew could do well enough to make it possible for him to keep his job. I don't see any way that happens now. Also, I'd have to think the assistant coaches would want to continue to do a good job because that is their best way to earn another position moving forward. I don't think mailing it in as an asst coach this season would really endear them to future employers.

For me, this bigger problem I see is the increasingly toxic feeling coming from the fans. That stuff is poison. Making a move that gives people some catharsis and lets the U plan for the future is starting to look like a much better idea to me.

Agree 100%. Great post.

 

[FireDaveLee]

Good post....although I still see more negatives than positives in terms of letting him go right NOW rather than the John L Smith/Zook approach, which was with about 3-4 games left. I think basketball is a completely different animal in terms of a getting rid of a coach & having an interm coach. Basketball/hockey/baseball: the players can just go out & play. A bit harder to do with football. That would be my biggest concern. Personally, I think if things keep going the way they are, right after the Ohio State game would be a good time.

 

[GoAUpher]

Good post....although I still see more negatives than positives in terms of letting him go right NOW rather than the John L Smith/Zook approach, which was with about 3-4 games left. I think basketball is a completely different animal in terms of a getting rid of a coach & having an interm coach. Basketball/hockey/baseball: the players can just go out & play. A bit harder to do with football. That would be my biggest concern. Personally, I think if things keep going the way they are, right after the Ohio State game would be a good time.

Yea, I can see the value in waiting a bit longer. The idea of letting him stay past the halfway point in the B10 season is looking less and less desirable to me though.

 

[60 Cent]

Great post. I've on the fence about canning him now vs. after the season but I think canning him now sends a clear message to the fans that the program is serious about making a change. While there are negatives on this current season, I think if Horton is enough of a salesperson as an interim he can probably get the kids to buy into a "no pressure" gameplan and just let them have fun on the field...it's tough to play no pressure football while losing but instead of having pressure to play for your coach's job, you basically play out the season and have some fun and, at worse, play for another D-1 program to notice you should you not like the coach that comes in to replace Brew.

Let's cut the cord and move forward...get the big players in the M Club to rally around looking for the BEST candidate to take the program in the right direction...offer as much $$ as needed, go after a couple of big names to send a message that you're serious about fixing the program and not going to settle for position coaches.

Time to stop settling for mediocrity and time to show the Big 10 that the top-notch facilities will be matched by an equal, if not stronger, desire to win.

 

[Seany]

Very good post and I agree with it 100%, but my biggest question is what effect it would have on recruiting to fire Brewster in mid-season. I assume such a thing would have a disastrous effect on recruiting, but how to go about getting beyond that is the question I guess. I'd hate to torpedo recruiting for a year just to jettison Brewster, but as is it seems he's just twisting in the wind, so that can't be good for recruits (and their parents) peace of mind either.

 

[Hates Monikers]

I dunno...this is how I felt, but I have wonder why keeping a dead man walking is supposed to be any better for recruiting. I felt differently when I thought there was a chance Brew could do well enough to make it possible for him to keep his job. I don't see any way that happens now. Also, I'd have to think the assistant coaches would want to continue to do a good job because that is their best way to earn another position moving forward. I don't think mailing it in as an asst coach this season would really endear them to future employers.

For me, this bigger problem I see is the increasingly toxic feeling coming from the fans. That stuff is poison. Making a move that gives people some catharsis and lets the U plan for the future is starting to look like a much better idea to me.

This was the major positive that I remember from the Monson firing. I was a season ticket holder then (still am) and avid Gopherhole reader. There was booing at every game. Here on Gopherhole, every loss resulted in three pages of "Fire Monson," even as it became clear that Monson would have to be fired. Once the action was taken, that all stopped. The team still stunk, and the Barn was still deathly quiet -- let's not kid ourselves about that kind of turnaround. But the fans didn't need to boo the coach at games or call for his head after games. There was a new patience with the team for the rest of a very long, agonizing season.