Backlash Over Chizik Hiring Gains National Prominence

by Jay Coulter on Dec 16, 2008 4:15 PM CST in Football Comment 29 comments

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Not surprising......

I live in Montana. The sport is hunting. But this morning, I was asked by a hunter (definately not a football person): “Are you happy with the hire?” “Do you think that race had anything to do with it”. It is sad that Auburn is linked to this mess in this way……

by Tiger on the mountain on Dec 16, 2008 4:30 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Montana is my favorite state. Lucky you!

Jay Coulter

by Jay Coulter on Dec 16, 2008 8:58 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

The high today was -1.

A little early for these temps, but the view is lovely all the same :)

by Tiger on the mountain on Dec 16, 2008 10:11 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

INCREDIBLE!

You know what they said is obviously true about the BOT, but give the Turner Gill thing a break. LSU Jonno had a comment a couple of days ago saying that hey, why didn’t Syracuse hire Gill, and also, where’s the criticism there? It WOULD NOT be an issue if this same thing happened at another school in another part of the country, but sadly all the right things fell in place to blame Auburn and the people of Alabama for being racist and not wanting a black head coach. THE PEOPLE wanted Turner Gill, clearly not the university. Who knows why, but don’t bring out the race card on us when it is being played everywhere else. Open your eyes media and stop trying to pin the blame to the south.

by auburn tigers on Dec 16, 2008 4:37 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

First of all I think if anything they pointed out....

how popular of a hire Gill would have been to the majority of the AU family. So I don’t see where they are painting our state or even the School itself in a bad light but are rather placing blame where it needs to be placed with Jacobs and the BOT. Second as to why its not an issue at Syracuse….its hard to blame a black AD for not hiring a black head coach and its not like Syracuse went out and hired someone with a losing record over that black coach. And I do agree that alot of the decision was about having a “yes” man in place as Rene points out but I do believe that race played a part in the decision….. I don’t have any evidence of that but that is my feeling. I don’t necessarily think that was the only factor or even the biggest factor but knowing what I know about those in charge it is certainly a credible theory. It sucks to agree with Finebaum but it appears he is right and I refuse to defend any portion of this hire. With that being said Chizik is our Coach so War Damn Eagle Coach Chizik.

I would have gone to bammer if my grades hadn't been good enough to go to AU

by Todd92 on Dec 16, 2008 5:54 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Speaking of Gill's popularity,...

The guy on the left in the interview said all the informal polls he looked at, Turner Gill was running at about a 90% clip (approval rating) by Auburn fans which is pretty amazing.

by WarEagle99 on Dec 17, 2008 8:37 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I think this hiring had more to do

With getting a “yes” man for the BOT, than it did with keeping a black man out.

by Rene4AU on Dec 16, 2008 4:43 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

I agree...

Turner Gill would not have been a very compliant coach at all, in terms of putting up with “their” antics, and they figured that out very early on after the interview with Gill. Sure, he could have “sold his soul” just to get the job, but he is above that. And, had they taken a chance on him thinking he would eventually come around and go along with their wishes only to find out he wouldn’t and then they had to go about the business of trying to run him off like they eventually did Tuberville,…they would have found themselves in a predicament bigger than even they could sweep under any rug. They just did not want to go there all the way around. If their house was in order (i.e., no dictatorship),…Turner Gill would have been a great hire for Auburn, I believe.

by WarEagle99 on Dec 17, 2008 8:54 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly

Trying to run off a coach, who happens to be black, in the same manner they did Tuberville would have opened a whole new can of worms for them. And I think they knew it.

by Rene4AU on Dec 17, 2008 4:28 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I Love It

Hit the nail on the head. I never thought I would say it, but I agree with everything that just came out of Finebaum’s mouth (cue the apocolypse). They def wanted a yes man and they def wabted someone that they could tell which assistants to hire. Gill didn’t want to play ball with them and I tip my hat to him to have the integrity to tell them so. “Jay Jacobs can’t go to the bathroom with out Bobby Lowder’s approval”? That is priceless and I am changing my signature line right now.

by GumptownTiger on Dec 16, 2008 4:59 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely

The last part of that about the power struggle is 100% correct on all accounts. Hopefully if the BoT continues to get bad national press, that will increase the pressure on them to let go of the reins.

Yeah, right.

War Damn Eagle!

by PowerOfDixieland on Dec 16, 2008 5:12 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

If Auburn...

…knew what the backlash of interviewing a minority coach was going to be, I’m sure they would have skipped it altogether. Look, they interviewed Gill because they thought he was possibly their guy. The went in another direction. Now some dare to call them racially motivated in their decision making? Complete bull$hit!

We actually interviewed TWO black coaches. Does that make us doubly culpable?

by War Eagle Atlanta on Dec 16, 2008 5:16 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Are you kidding me?

I have been an Auburn fan for as long as I can remember. I have seen the good, the bad and the ugly of course which is right now. Why is it that a black person does not get their way in whatever fashion it may come that it has to become a racial issue? Everytime I turn around I hear, it is racist, come on people get real. For one, blacks have been given everything, education, food stamps. jobs (when it comes to hiring minorities), and so on. I feel like that they (the african americans) feel that we as white people owe them something. This is not true. If we owe anyone anything it is the Indians. We came in and took their land which lead to the Trail of Tears and many deaths. Quit turning everything around on us and making it an issue. It is the most qualified person who gets the job not the best skin color. Now don’t think that I did not want Turner Gill as a coach, I did. I was not a big fan of the hire but I will stand behind my coach because Auburn University felt it was the best fit and I feel like they did the job that they were hired to do. With all of this said, I have one last thing. If we are a racist school then why did we hire black assistants, recruit black players, a black academics coach and also a black chaplain. I guess that this makes Auburn racist as well. Get real people and grow up. Quit making a mockery of everything that happens.

"Character is Not what People Make Of You, It is What You Make of Yourself!"

by AU4Life on Dec 16, 2008 5:19 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Make sure you place your defense in the right place....

which is of Auburn Univesity and not the few that are in charge. It is completely possible and probable that race did play a part. Allow them to paint the powers that be as having “the plantation mentality” but stand up and show them that it doesn’t apply to the rest of us. Don’t be so quick to defend a bad hire because the race card has been played it is still a bad hire or illogical hire and we can’t defend what we don’t know which is why it was made. Watch the video again and you will see that the Auburn family, including Chizik, is not who is being skewered it is rather the few that are in charge and I have no problem with that let them defend themselves.

I would have gone to bammer if my grades hadn't been good enough to go to AU

by Todd92 on Dec 16, 2008 6:00 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

shula over croome

didn’t bama hire shula (an incompetent baby) over sly croome (a black coach) several years ago? did finebaum bring notice to their “plantation mentality”. finebaum could cure cancer and i would find it difficult to agree with him on anything. he hates auburn, so you know he is in heaven over this. he is the rush limbaugh of college sports.

by justjim on Dec 16, 2008 5:50 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Good point...

Homework assignment for someone: dig through some old Finebaum columns and see what his stance was after Tuscaloosa refused to hire Croom. We may need that ammo if the Troll keeps on with his national TV appearances…

by War Eagle Atlanta on Dec 16, 2008 6:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

the difference is

i think its safe to say that croom and shula had extremely similar resumes, where as in this case, many feel turner gill had the stronger resume.

in terms of racism, i think it bears mentioning that auburn failed to offer the job to numerous white candidates who were more qualified than chizik too. that’s not racism, that’s just being an idiot.

by gerry dorsey on Dec 16, 2008 7:01 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

EXACTLY

by auburn tigers on Dec 17, 2008 2:09 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

From the bits & pieces I’ve read, Chizik was hired because of his experience coaching in the conference and recruiting the region, specific qualities Gill lacked, their respective head coaching records notwithstanding. I just wish Jacobs had stated it that clearly.

Regardless, racism, once insinuated, can never fully be disproven to those who see it in every decision made by white people that doesn’t seem to directly benefit blacks.

The journalists in this discussion make vague references to shadowy board members and the plantation mentality. I would argue the burden of proof is on those who make such allegations. If they are journalists, let’s hear their proof, not their assumptions.

I remember being disgusted at these same type of discussions when UA passed over Croom.

by atlWDE on Dec 16, 2008 5:53 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Good thing Urban Meyer had all that SEC experience when he took over at UF

Oh wait…that was Ron Zook…

War Damn Eagle!

by PowerOfDixieland on Dec 16, 2008 6:29 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Ray Goff, Mike Dubose, Mike Shula, Curly Hallman, Ron Zook, Ed Oregeron.....

Doug Barfield, Charlie Pell……the road is littered with coaches with SEC ties that were cast off after less than desirable results.

I would have gone to bammer if my grades hadn't been good enough to go to AU

by Todd92 on Dec 16, 2008 6:39 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

You assume...

That todays journalists hold themselves to the standards of our grandparents.

In fact, it seems to be common practice for journalists to write story headlines based off of Internet rumors. Face it, journalism is a dead profession and it’s their own fault. Their stories are no more reliable than the gossip found on Internet forums. Likewise, due to that same lack unwillingness to investige a story, their opinions/rants only provide us with entertainment (much like a clown).

by Pwauburn on Dec 16, 2008 10:10 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

We still need the beat reporters.

The guys who go out and find out the news are still very valuable. It’s the TV anchorman-type position that’s in trouble anymore.

by hooper on Dec 17, 2008 12:45 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

What stories...

What stories reported by commercial journalists are worth hearing? They simply find a topic that the public is emotionally charged about, blow it out of proportion, and then beat that dead horse until the next money making story comes along.

I will admit though, that the news hour with jim Lehrer (sp?) is an exception to the above. Otherwise I find our news to be simple rebel-rousing, which does little to actually educate the public on topics that matter.

For example, how many times have the major news networks discussed/explained credit default swaps, and their connection to the current economic problems? I have seen maybe one mention if it, yet cds’s are playing a huge role.

This post could go on for pages, but I think you get the point.

by Pwauburn on Dec 17, 2008 7:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Finebaum....

hates Auburn. It doesn’t metter who Auburn hired and when. he JUST HATES AUBURN. ESPN should have interviewed a more credible person.

by ArieGold on Dec 16, 2008 7:19 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Actually...

After listening to his press conference, as well as player response, I think that chizik really is the right man for the job. If Barkley and others want to scream racism, then so be it. I’ll admit that gill seemed to be a legit candidate, but I find it hard to say that he was more qualified than chizik, and therefore it’s a judgement call to be made by Jacobs in regards to who he thinks is best. IMHO, it is Barkley who is a racist because he is making his decision based on the same limited information that we all have, and he is saying that the white guy should not have gotten the job.

If Barkley, or any of the media wants to have more say so in who our coach is, then I suggest that they change careers to one that will allow them to officially be involved. That way when their decisions are not popular, then they can be subjected to the same school girl drama gossip that they are promoting now. Until they do that, I just assume that they shut up. Armchair quarterbacks are sissys.

by Pwauburn on Dec 16, 2008 8:35 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

That being said, mabye a Dallas Cowboy player can shoot a Yankee player in the foot while skipping practice so ESPN will have something better to talk about. I’m over this.

by Bellefay1 on Dec 16, 2008 10:43 PM CST reply actions 0 recs