Winners and Losers...

During the aftermath of, sad to say, the most exciting day during this Alabama Football season; we must all reflect on who Won and who Lost in this time for CHANGE at the Capstone.


Mal Moore - A+ Loser
The root of all problems related to the ALL of the problems that have plagued this university since Gene Stallings was the head coach. Officially becoming the AD (served as assistant AD since 1993) during the end of the Mike Dubose Administration (Nov. 1999), he really showed courage dealing with Dubose's total collapse of the entire team yet letting him have one more chance since of course Dubose found God. Then comes Franchionie, who in my opinion was a good coach but left in a poor manner dealing with the players yet for good reasons which we will learn about one day. Then the Mike Price fiasco! Whoa! Thank goodness that Dr. Witt made a stand and told Mike Price to Go! Then of course Mike Shula. Time will tell if he had the program moving the right direction. Yet, hiring an assistant NFL coach who has never head coached a game in the NCAA was DUMB - no matter who it was. This was an experiment in the development of a young, good-looking, & good blood lined coach that has failed miserably.

During his tenure, or direction, in the athletic department we have seen:

• NCAA probation for lack of institutional control during the Dubose regime. The poorest defense of a NCAA ruling that has probably ever been given in the history of NCAA sanctions.
  
• 4 Coaches in 6 years! What else is there to say?
  
• Allowing Boosters to be too intimate within the athletic department (see rulings from the NCAA penalties for the details).
  

To be fair to Mal, he has done a great job of raising funds and upgrading the facilities to being some of the best in the nation, including one beautiful renovated stadium. However, an AD is essentially a CEO of a moderate sized corporation. The UA fiscal budget for 2005 was in the $66 million dollar range (this may not be accurate, however, this is what I remember). We need an AD who knows how to run a business including holding it's subordinates accountable to what his goals are. I am not sure that Mal ever clearly defined where Mike Shula should have the program by this season's end. Poor Leadership starts at the top!

Signing a huge contract extension with Mike after one good season to "show our dedication to him as our head football coach", yet fire him the next season and have to pay $4million to buy him out! As a TidePride member, I along with others that I know are ready for the silent majority to rise up and call for his head! Any other CEO would have been fired by the board as soon as the decision was made!

However, his dealing with our boys as he fired Mike was just flat out sorry! I can not believe that he allowed Mike to conduct a scheduled team meeting at 9:15PM (for team bowl preparations) then fired him after this meeting. Shula was evidently not allowed to say goodbye to the team. It is sad for the players to learn as they went in for their morning workout from the press. Just SORRY!

How he handles this next coaching search will make or break his tenure! Hopefully break it!

One more time, for the record... MAL MUST GO!!!

Mike Shula - Slight Winner
Yeah he just got fired and probably wasn't the best coach in Alabama history, but would you like the deal he's got - ~$67,000/month until 2012. He left in the most classy manner in which he could (note previous post). The only thing that he lost in this deal is his pride, and possibly the opportunity to coach again for sometime. I wish him the best as he is a good person, just not a good head football coach.

Dr. Witt - Neutral (change this to Negative)
Haven't heard anything from this man! He was so vocal in the firing of Mike Price yet has supported Mal's decision on this matter. Wait a minute, he allows Mal to remain as the AD. Change that to a NEGATIVE!!!

Joe Kines - Winner
If you didn't hear what he had to say, you must listen! If Mike had a little of the intensity and focus during his press conferences like Joe, he might have won more of the average football fan. Joe really sounded like a leader and one who cares for the players as men not position players. He will be successful wherever he ends up after this is done.

The 2006 Alabama Football Team - Loser
Unfortunately, this is the icing on the cake for a very disappointing season for these players. Some were underutilized. Other's were allowed to get away for things that they should have served long term suspensions (i.e. MARA-Juwan-A Simpson). Marc Gullion leaving since he was tired of "preferential treatment." We were O-So-Close on several games! Next year we should be a very good team!

The University of Alabama - Loser
The national press is calling the job an impossible job. 4 coaches in 6 years, firing the head coach after a 10 win Cotton Bowl Champion year, working with an inadequate AD in the shadow of Bear Bryant; who would want to go there. There are arguments to explain these issues (except the poor AD); yet, the university has yet another black eye! This one unlike others is self-inflicted!

Auburn & Tommy Tubberville - Loser
Obviously, they have been winning where it counts! But now with a new direction, they will have to guess what we will do next year. It was rumored that Tommy Tubberville (a.k.a. WingNut) started the www.keeepmikeshula.com website.

Sylvester Croom - Winner
Don't you think that he is grinning like a mule who had been eating in the briar patch. MSU is becoming a Coach Killer Team! They lose most all of their games but win 1 big game where someone gets fired at the end of the season - note Ron Zook and now Mike Shula.

Cecil Hurt & Paul Finebaum - Winner
If these guys were owners of a publically traded corporation, their stock would have had the biggest jump in the history of the stock market.