Barnett in a VERY candid interview on 104.3 Right Now! Bohn to Follow.

[MtnBuff]

Can someone help me out with this?

Why does CU continue to put on this dog and pony show of not wanting to use private donations to pay off a coach? It has been my impression that - at most universities - the coaches get paid or fired based upon private donations.

So, assuming it is true that $4mil was "raised" by private donations to pay off Hawkins contract, and - on top of that - Hawkins agreed to a reduced buyout of only $2.5mil. In that scenario - there was enough private money to pay not only for Hawkins but also for his dip**** Boise assistant coaches.

Why is it bad to just come out and admit - this buyout was funded at least in part with private donation money?? I mean - so much of the coach's salary is based upon money from private parties (NIKE and from endorsement deals, and so forth) -- the actual money out of the state's pocket for the head football coach is really only about $200k per year. The rest is part of agreements with third parties who also have contracts with the University / Athletic Department.

Not to mention - there must be 100 different ways to handle this situation to force Hawkins' hand. ****can all of his assistant coaches. Reassign Hawkins to another position in the University. There are plenty of other ways to deal with his position and his problem.

To start with I understand the anger and agree that Hawk should have been fired. He simply has not won enough games the trend is that he is not getting better. He is also unwilling to make the changes to his job performance and those around him that would make a change posible.

At the same time, while I hate it, I understand where Benson is coming from. He is a spineless politician (is there any other kind) who is more afraid of the political fallout than of the reaction of the fans. He may be thinking that it is easier to undo the damage with the fan base than the damage done politically.

This is based on the politically reality that even if it is paid for completely by donations there are people in political positions who would use the idea of paying off the buyout of about $3 million at a time when the state is cutting other programs against the university. They would ignore the fact that one is not related to the other and present it in a way to justify cutting money from higher ed for their pet priorities.

Bensons job is to counter this and do what is in the best interest of the university but he has chosen to take the "easy" way out with the idea that the athletic program can be brought back later.

 

[Timbuff10]

Bohn really called in and said that to Clough?.. Hope the fan puts that interview up on the website..


I don't think someone in the athletic dept would lie to Clough about the money.. It would be dumb..

Yeah, I was surprised. But this is good because it tells me that they are listening to every word that is being said out there. They are in damage control mode for sure, but if the media and the public keeps rolling with it, there will be a point where they can't repair it anymore and may just decide to move on.

Hopefully Hawkins keeps talking to the media and fanning the flames with his dumbass comments but I have a feeling that we probably won't see him again until the Spring game.

 

[Lt.Col.FrankSlade]

To start with I understand the anger and agree that Hawk should have been fired. He simply has not won enough games the trend is that he is not getting better. He is also unwilling to make the changes to his job performance and those around him that would make a change posible.

At the same time, while I hate it, I understand where Benson is coming from. He is a spineless politician (is there any other kind) who is more afraid of the political fallout than of the reaction of the fans. He may be thinking that it is easier to undo the damage with the fan base than the damage done politically.

This is based on the politically reality that even if it is paid for completely by donations there are people in political positions who would use the idea of paying off the buyout of about $3 million at a time when the state is cutting other programs against the university. They would ignore the fact that one is not related to the other and present it in a way to justify cutting money from higher ed for their pet priorities.

Bensons job is to counter this and do what is in the best interest of the university but he has chosen to take the "easy" way out with the idea that the athletic program can be brought back later.

Seems to me a good education job by the University leaders could explain that the athletic department budget is different than the general academic budget, that the funding is different, that football revenues and donations are used to maintain the entire athletic department, that the athletic department operates at a surplus every year, not a deficit, etc etc etc.

 

[Timbuff10]

No one will care where the money comes from if we are kicking the crap out of Texas in a championship game... Just saying...

 

[MtnBuff]

Seems to me a good education job by the University leaders could explain that the athletic department budget is different than the general academic budget, that the funding is different, that football revenues and donations are used to maintain the entire athletic department, that the athletic department operates at a surplus every year, not a deficit, etc etc etc.

I agree with you, but Benson and Co. have decided that they don't want to fight that fight. To an extent I can understand because much of what is supposed to pass for political discourse has degenerated into a battle of soundbites and oversimplifications. This topic would require some actual in depth communication which is much harder, especially leading into an election year.

At the same time Bensons job is to do what is in the best interest of the University, not his political convienience and he has chosen not to do that.

 

[PAHIBuff]

Hawkins is NOT a great ambasssador for the team/program/institution.

From day one he has been a petty, self-serving, two-faced runt and his continued employment by the University diminishes the University.

And he needs to STFU ASAP.

 

[DBT]

OK. I've listened to GB several times this year. I don't know why everyone here is jumping on what GB has said as an indictment of Hawkins. If anything, he has provided a defense of Hawkins. Certainly, not so much with the "burning down" thing. But he has stated over and over that the CU job is very different from most other jobs. His reasoning is things like the academic requirements, the funding issues, the lack of support from the hierarchy.

Anyway, I haven't stirred the pot up in a day or two, so what the hell? :lol:

 

[leftybuff]

Hawkins is NOT a great ambasssador for the team/program/institution.

From day one he has been a petty, self-serving, two-faced runt and his continued employment by the University diminishes the University.

And he needs to STFU ASAP.

Agreed.

OK. I've listened to GB several times this year. I don't know why everyone here is jumping on what GB has said as an indictment of Hawkins. If anything, he has provided a defense of Hawkins. Certainly, not so much with the "burning down" thing. But he has stated over and over that the CU job is very different from most other jobs. His reasoning is things like the academic requirements, the funding issues, the lack of support from the hierarchy.

Anyway, I haven't stirred the pot up in a day or two, so what the hell? :lol:

GB is doing what EVERY coach does...defend another memeber of the fraternity. If HC jobs were decided by the public comments of coaches, Gerry Faust would still be the guy at ND.

CU may be different than most FB jobs, but nearly EVERY other CU HC has won more than juicebox. And yes, I said juicebox just to tighten your colon....

 

[MiamiBuffs]

If I could have seen the future I would never have agreed with Barney getting canned.

 

[sackman]

If I could have seen the future I would never have agreed with Barney getting canned.

I would have. But I wouldn't have agreed to the hiring of Hawkins as his replacement. What was thought to be a brilliant hire has turned into a nightmare. Barnett needed to go. There was too much non-football stuff getting in the way of him doing a good job with the football stuff.

 

[DBT]

Agreed.



GB is doing what EVERY coach does...defend another memeber of the fraternity. If HC jobs were decided by the public comments of coaches, Gerry Faust would still be the guy at ND.

CU may be different than most FB jobs, but nearly EVERY other CU HC has won more than juicebox. And yes, I said juicebox just to tighten your colon....

Last I checked, my colon was fine and dandy! :thumbsup:

 

[Mick Ronson]

at the end, barnett was toxic. he had to go. Hawkins was the right hire given the available information and prevailing opinion, just turns out he wasn't a good hire.

 

[leftybuff]

at the end, barnett was toxic. he had to go. Hawkins was the right hire given the available information and prevailing opinion, just turns out he wasn't a good hire.

Exactly. I didn't want GB to leave becuae of FB reasons, but he was never going to be allowed to field a winner with all the ridiciulous restrictions and the static the admin. was giving him. A change had to be made.

I actually was psyched about Hawk and he was one of two coaches I wanted the Buffs to get. (The other was Art Briles). I think everybody agrees this was a crappy hire for the ages.....

 

[Timbuff10]

OK. I've listened to GB several times this year. I don't know why everyone here is jumping on what GB has said as an indictment of Hawkins. If anything, he has provided a defense of Hawkins. Certainly, not so much with the "burning down" thing. But he has stated over and over that the CU job is very different from most other jobs. His reasoning is things like the academic requirements, the funding issues, the lack of support from the hierarchy.

Anyway, I haven't stirred the pot up in a day or two, so what the hell? :lol:

DBT, you are flat out wrong here and just trying to support the current coach no matter what. Barnett finally revealed that according to the school, he was fired for not winning enough games. Now Hawkins gets to keep his job after not even coming close to sniffing the success GB had. There is no "if anything" here, he provided the proof that Hakins should be fired and should have been fired long ago.

 

[Timbuff10]

Anyone else hear GB say that we would have had Jeremy Macklin that year but he left when GB got the boot. The staff then told him to go to Mizzou because that is where the staff thought they might end up.

This bare cupboard/burned to the ground excuse is just that, an excuse. It is also 100% wrong. The team just won the Big12 North and came off of a Bowl game with several future NFL players coming back. There was no reason it should have been 2-10 the next year or not blown Montana State out of the water.

 

[DBT]

DBT, you are flat out wrong here and just trying to support the current coach no matter what. Barnett finally revealed that according to the school, he was fired for not winning enough games. Now Hawkins gets to keep his job after not even coming close to sniffing the success GB had. There is no "if anything" here, he provided the proof that Hakins should be fired and should have been fired long ago.

Dude, I'm not. I've listened to GB the entire football season on 1510 every Thursday. He said, the Wednesday before the 'braska game that things are different at CU and that maybe 4 years is just not enough. He felt like Hawkins should get one more year. GB said that, not me. I said that I thought he should be fired.

 

[Timbuff10]

Dude, I'm not. I've listened to GB the entire football season on 1510 every Thursday. He said, the Wednesday before the 'braska game that things are different at CU and that maybe 4 years is just not enough. He felt like Hawkins should get one more year. GB said that, not me. I said that I thought he should be fired.

Sounds like he changed his mind recently...

3-9.

 

[Chilly]

Anyone else hear GB say that we would have had Jeremy Macklin that year but he left when GB got the boot. The staff then told him to go to Mizzou because that is where the staff thought they might end up.

This bare cupboard/burned to the ground excuse is just that, an excuse. It is also 100% wrong. The team just won the Big12 North and came off of a Bowl game with several future NFL players coming back. There was no reason it should have been 2-10 the next year or not blown Montana State out of the water.

That tells you alot about the integrity of the previous staff does it not?

 

[fatbuff]

This bare cupboard/burned to the ground excuse is just that, an excuse. It is also 100% wrong. The team just won the Big12 North and came off of a Bowl game with several future NFL players coming back. There was no reason it should have been 2-10 the next year or not blown Montana State out of the water.

Horse****. We didnt even have enough OL to practice with, the QBs sucked and no 26yo walkon was going to bail him out. In reality Barney got a favor so he got his money and didnt have to deal with the mess the next year. He may have beaten MSU, but that would have been about it.

 

[Liver]

Horse****. We didnt even have enough OL to practice with, the QBs sucked and no 26yo walkon was going to bail him out. In reality Barney got a favor so he got his money and didnt have to deal with the mess the next year. He may have beaten MSU, but that would have been about it.

the heir apparent at qb wouldn't have melted down and quit had gb still been the coach. ... not saying he was "all that" but i bet he'd have been much better than bjax was. oh, and there is no way in hell gb goes 2-10 that year and no way in hell he loses to msu. the Buffs probably would have been around .500 and maybe even a bowl team.

but, this is, of course, all idle speculation and everyone has an opinion.

i alos think that it is extremely unlikely that gb and his staff could have pulled in as many athletes as hawk and staff did because of the stigma around the program.

the change needed to happen. hawk seemed like a good pick at the time. i don't begrudge bohn's choice at the time.

fast forwardt to now--- hawk, we've been told, is going to coach in 2010 so i will hope for the best, even tho i am beyond skeptical about this staff.

 

[CarolinaBuff]

The '06 team was lacking at the skill positions but they did have Charles back, and that defense was pretty good with guys like Hypolite, Nicolas, Dizon, Wheatley, and Sims. That team was not that bad.

 

[DBT]

Sounds like he changed his mind recently...

3-9.

No he did not.

70-3.

 

[fatbuff]

The '06 team was lacking at the skill positions but they did have Charles back, and that defense was pretty good with guys like Hypolite, Nicolas, Dizon, Wheatley, and Sims. That team was not that bad.

The holes were in the wrong places. You could have had the Steel Curtain Defense, and still not be able to win when your offense is lucky to muster a three and out. Hawkins has put out a ****ty product, buts lets not sit here and act like Barney ****s gold dubloons. One good year, and being the best of the mediocres isnt what this program deserves, either.

 

[4DemBuffs]

The '06 team was lacking at the skill positions but they did have Charles back, and that defense was pretty good with guys like Hypolite, Nicolas, Dizon, Wheatley, and Sims. That team was not that bad.

:yeahthat:

if CU could have managed 3 td's a game they would have won 4 more games that season. Montana st, Csu, UGA and kansas games would have been won with 3 td's. the '06 D was very good.

 

[CarolinaBuff]

The holes were in the wrong places. You could have had the Steel Curtain Defense, and still not be able to win when your offense is lucky to muster a three and out. Hawkins has put out a ****ty product, buts lets not sit here and act like Barney ****s gold dubloons. One good year, and being the best of the mediocres isnt what this program deserves, either.

It stacks up pretty damm good compared to the last 4 years.

I'm not trying to build up GB here, I was also among the ones who felt like it was time for him to go. I'm just pointing out that the '06 personnel wasn't nearly as bad as some were claiming it to be.

 

[rynobuff]

No he did not.

70-3.

70-3 really?? Wasnt that in the big 12 championship (4th time in 5 years as I recall) whereas Hawk hasn't even sniffed that yet. I am sick of the 70-3 bull****. Ps 55-0 to Mizzou is worse then 70-3 against one of the best teams in college football history. That argument is a bunch of bull****.

 

[fatbuff]

70-3 really?? Wasnt that in the big 12 championship (4th time in 5 years as I recall) whereas Hawk hasn't even sniffed that yet. I am sick of the 70-3 bull****. Ps 55-0 to Mizzou is worse then 70-3 against one of the best teams in college football history. That argument is a bunch of bull****.

Dont forget 30-3 at home vs NU, and 30-16 at Ames. Last three games under GB were 130-22. Real ****in powerhouse.

 

[leftybuff]

Look, GB had to go because of the perception. Total BS but there it is. GB didn't hang the moon, but he won 3 BCS conference titles. And he was a damn sight better than the blowhard we have handing out juiceboxes now.

 

[rynobuff]

Dont forget 30-3 at home vs NU, and 30-16 at Ames. Last three games under GB were 130-22. Real ****in powerhouse.

I agree that GB had to go by then and those last 3 games really sucked. But we still won 7 that year and like I said 4 out of 5 big 12 north championships (yeah it was weak in 04 and 05, but not any weaker then its been these last four years). I was glad to see GB go, but I was hoping for an improvement on the 2005 campaign and what we have seen the last 4 years makes me wish I could have that type of year again. So yeah GB had to go, but bashing him while full fledge supporting Hawk is absolutely insane. If you support hawk, fine I respect that, but to support him and than say that 70-3 nonsense is bull****, the years under Barnett were much much much better than the years under hawk.

 

[fatbuff]

So yeah GB had to go, but bashing him while full fledge supporting Hawk is absolutely insane.

What about not wanting either one of them? Im just tired of the people that are forgetting why GB was fired. Nobody seems to remember the 3-8 and 5-7 years. I dont blame where we are now entirely on GB, but he definitely contributed his share. I hope Hawk gets his **** together, because it is going to be next to impossible to get another hot coach in here to replace him.