Defending the departed
Loyalty is not a factor as much as comfort is for coaches in college and the NFL, says The State columnist Ron Morris.
Morris defends coaches like new Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino for switching jobs without much hesitation or notice to their current employers in his Sunday column titled, “A Bigger Deal.” Morris wrote his commentary in response to Arkansas defensive coordinator Ellis Johnson leaving Fayetteville for South Carolina after Brian VanGorder departed the Gamecocks coaching staff after less than a month on the job.
Here’s an excerpt from Morris’ commentary:
“Petrino made the decision to leave the Atlanta Falcons for Arkansas with three games remaining this past season. His decision was made because he saw a better opportunity to return to the college ranks. VanGorder’s decision was made so he could return to coaching with a friend and not have to uproot his family. Johnson’s decision was made so he could return to his home state.
There are no bad guys in these moves. They made career moves like anyone else in the business world would make.”
Morris also makes a good point concerning fans’ hypocritical takes on talk radio and Internet message boards:
First, the callers trashed Brian VanGorder for showing no loyalty to South Carolina by returning to the Atlanta Falcons after 17 days in Columbia. Then they sang the praises of Ellis Johnson for leaving Arkansas to return to his home state.
There was mention of VanGorder being a vagabond coach. My goodness, the man now has held six jobs in four years! There was little note of Johnson having accepted his third job in less than one month. That is because he is so loyal to the state of South Carolina!
You cannot have it both ways, folks.
Morris is right on. It’s a new world in coaching — like it or not. But ask yourself this, fans, before jumping on the bash wagon when a coach like Johnson leaves the UA: Wouldn’t you leave a company you worked at if a new job opportunity came available in a better situation financially and was closer to home and family?
Sometimes our rose-colored glasses and avid faith in the teams we support get in the way of what we all forget — coaches are human, too.
Follow the links above or click here to read Morris’ column in full.
These guys all have agents. These agents are paid a percentage of the salary. This includes signing bonuses. The coach is being wooed by a school trying to get him to move and an agent who may have a viable candidate for the job you leave open. Teens walk across the street for an extra 50cents per hour at Wendys and coaches walk across the conference for an extra $50,000 per year. (less the 7% for his agent).
This is no big deal. It takes a special person these days outside the world of college or nfl football to stay with a job from just out of school until retirement ages.
Why should a coach be held to a higher standard than a normal everyday person. Better opportunity doors stay open about 30 seconds. A persons actions affect his or her life permanently. How can you knock a person for bettering himself or believing he/she is bettering themself at that particular time. Houston Nutt and Chancellor White are the acception to this rule as they robbed the University of Arkansas of over $3mil they are in my opinion and everyone has one scum of the earth!!!! As for all of the other coaches by all means better yourselves if the opportunity affords it. You can bet the door want stay open long!
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