Comments on: Mike Shula Likely Out at Alabama

By: Ashley Fann

Ashley Fann — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 03:24:01 +0000

I think they fired the wrong guy. Under whose watch has all this crap happened? Mal Moore’s that’s who. Who hired Mike Dubose, Mike Price, Dennis Franchione? Mal Moore that’s who. It seems to me that the cutting should start at the top and then work it’s way down. Granted, Dave Rader should still be selling furniture or whatever it is that he was doing, but to lay this all at the feet of Mike Shula is a load of bull. He’s not in charge of the athletic program at Alabama, Mal Moore is. Why doesn’t he share in some of the responsibilty? I certainly hold him responsible for the mess in T-Town. As far as Sylvester Croom goes, I’ll say the same thing for him as I do Mike Shula. If everyone will leave him alone for a little while he’ll be successful. These two guys are having to pay for the mistakes of others right now and sometimes four years isn’t enough to get over it. I have said and I will maintain that if they leave him alone and let him run the football team like he wants to, he will be very successful in the SEC. Beating Alabama this year is definitely going to be a shot in the arm for MSU and I thank Mal Moore for that, not Mike Shula.

By: Bart

Bart — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 15:16:47 +0000

Sadly, this is the 5th coach in 10 yrs since Gene Stallings “retired”. How can we evaluate a coach if one he hasn’t recruited a freshman class and coached that class to graduation and two is dealing with NCAA sanctions from a previous coach? Yes, this year was a disaster, but was it really Mike Shula’s fault? Missing from any comments is any discussion about Prothro missing all of this season.
And the comments re: Notre Dame. That team is the most overrated team in the history of college football. Let them play a SEC schedule and see where they get ranked…

By: Jim Goya

Jim Goya — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 14:42:23 +0000

David, you should be careful how you choose your words as they might be perceived as slanderous; using the words ‘white’ and ‘race’ to describe negotiations which you were [most likely] not a participant in is socially irresponsible and wreaks of misplaced contempt…

By: David Harris

David Harris — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 22:08:21 +0000

I’m quite certain I didn’t use the word “obvious” in my previous comment. I simply said that Croom was an “ideal” candidate, in that he was a Bear disciple with strong ties to the school and town (a Tuscaloosa native). As to Shula’s professional coaching record, I would again bring up the name recognition as a factor in keeping him in positions that Dave ______ would have had trouble acquiring and keeping. He had slipped from coordinator role to quarterbacks coach by the time he left the NFL ranks.

I don’t think there are obvious choices in coaching hires, as nothing is a certainty. But I would hold that Croom was at least as worthy a hire as Shula.

And while I by no means consider Croom’s stint in Starkville a success so far, I merely referenced the victory over Alabama to show which coach is doing more with less. Even last year’s 10-2 Bama team didn’t score an offensive touchdown against MSU.

It remains to be seen if Croom can ever build any success at MSU. It’s already been shown that Shula was a terrible hire.

By: Alabama Fires Mike Shula » OTB Sports

Alabama Fires Mike Shula » OTB Sports — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 16:37:13 +0000

[...] Mike Shula Likely Out at Alabama [...]

By: Jeff GOld

Jeff GOld — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 13:53:32 +0000

Surely you don’t consider the accomplishments of Sylvester Croom a success? Croom has so far demonstrated that he was no better a candidate for the head coaching job at Alabama than Shula was. Shula certainly had better experience and the race factor is mere speculation. If you are so happy with Croom than good for you! I am sure a program like Mississippi State is content with mediocrity. You are right, race should not be a factor in the hiring of a coach, but that goes both ways. A person should not be hired because of race. Croom, who from every indication is a class individual, should not have been hired at Alabama merely because of the color of his skin, but should have been judged on the content of his character and his over experience as a coach. When it comes to both, I donâ??t see where he was so superior a hire to Mike Shula.

By: Scott

Scott — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 00:14:04 +0000

David,

Just because they didn’t hire Croom doesn’t mean that it had anything to do with race. I’m glad they didn’t hire him. To me, he seems much like Shula, a nice guy, but not a great coach. Anybody that is hanging their hat on his win over Bama needs to understand just how bad this Bama team really is. They couldn’t score a touchdown from INSIDE the redzone against a 4A high school team. They can’t run the ball. If you’re happy with Croom than that’s fine. Just don’t expect the SEC championships to start rolling in.

By: James Joyner

James Joyner — Sat, 25 Nov 2006 13:49:24 +0000

David,

Croom was an interesting candidate but hardly an obvious choice. In a long coaching career he was, what, running backs coach? Shula had been offensive coordinator for several NFL teams.

By the time Price was fired, other major programs had their head coaches in place. And the fact that Franchione had left and Price was fired, combined with the probabation situation, couldn’t have been too attractive.

By: David Harris

David Harris — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 15:47:03 +0000

I would disagree with your comment about there not being any top coaching candidates. First of all, Alabama will always hold a certain aura about it, and highly qualified candidates would certainly have listened to offers. Secondly, they interviewed the ideal candidate and passed over him in favor of the white former quarterback. His name was Sylvester Croom. He was a former player like Shula (under Bear Bryant no less) and had been a coach for about 15 years. Of course, as a Mississippi State fan, I’m glad they decided on Shula instead. We’re glad to have Croom, as evidenced by his victory over his alma mater just a few weeks ago.

Name recognition and race were the two biggest factors in Shula coming to Alabama, with predictable results.

By: Chad Smith

Chad Smith — Thu, 23 Nov 2006 01:15:29 +0000

I would hope the University of Alabama would consider letting Coach Shula having one more year for the simple fact of trying to develop some stability. I believe they played very well against some very tough opponents this year. Mark this year up as good experinence and let’s look at some game film, make some notes, and learn from our mistakes. I don’t fell that changing coaches every time we hit a rough spot is actually taking a step forward.

By: http://www.elephantsordonkeys.com

http://www.elephantsordonkeys.com — Wed, 31 Dec 1969 18:00:00 +0000

games in four seasons, as Johnson joined Walter Camp (1888-1891, 54-2 at Yale), George Woodruff (1892-1895, 53-4 at Penn) and Bob Pruett (1996-99, 50-4 at Marshall) on the exclusive list. Very impressive. Related posts below the fold. ________ Mike Shula Likely Out at Alabama Alabama Loses to LSU in Overtime Miami Moves Ahead of Unbeaten Alabama in AP Poll BCS: And Then There Were Three Texas Takes BCS #1 from USC Alabama – Florida State to Play in 2007 Alabama Beats Tennesee 6-3