A Lot Going On

[Darrell McPhaul]

As I stated last week, the AD (Luck) announcement would go down within two weeks. That still appears to be the case. WVU has requested that Texas wait until after our game.

It is still Saban or bust. We have kept all other options at an arms length. Last week I put 60% on it being a done deal. That % is creeping up. Progress has been made from both sides.

 

[Hoekem]

 

[Santa Gertrudis]

after seeing the piece on "60 Minutes" I am complete in agreement with the "Saban or bust" mindset. The guy is just what the doctor ordered for what ails our "entitled" program.

He is the anti-Mack

 

[Fuddy]

From reading the guys in the know on the different sites, in my opinion if the season ended today Saban would be our coach next year. The problem is time, we have a long ways to go until that day comes.

 

[Baghorn]

Looking forward to your Crossfire report this week. If this was a space launch the flight controller would be in "all systems go" mode.

 

[Darrell McPhaul]

From reading the guys in the know on the different sites, in my opinion if the season ended today Saban would be our coach next year. The problem is time, we have a long ways to go until that day comes.

Yes, we do and the people involved are doing their best to squelch to messages boards.

 

[Darrell McPhaul]

Looking forward to your Crossfire report this week. If this was a space launch the flight controller would be in "all systems go" mode.

Baghorn,

I am going to have a fine line to walk but, I will see what I can do to push the envelope?

 

[RealtorHorn]

From reading the guys in the know on the different sites, in my opinion if the season ended today Saban would be our coach next year. The problem is time, we have a long ways to go until that day comes.

Time, yes. I would also add Mack to the list of problems. The rest of this season will be very interesting.

 

[Baghorn]

Baghorn,
I am going to have a fine line to walk but, I will see what I can do to push the envelope?

Darrell, understood. We are the point in this deal where everyone should expect things to start getting a lot quieter until we cross the finish line...which is a very good sign. Hopefully, this board is a bit off the radar with regard to monitoring so we can be somewhat more open. I know OB and JS are clearly in the cross hairs of scrutiny at this point. We'll all understand if you have speak in a bit of code to communicate your point.

 

[Darrell McPhaul]

Darrell, understood. We are the point in this deal where everyone should expect things to start getting a lot quieter until we cross the finish line. Hopefully, this board is a bit off the radar with regard to monitoring so we can be somewhat more open. I know OB and JS are clearly in the cross hairs of scrutiny at this point.

Yes, they are. I was too when I posted information over there. Remember, it was El Mahico and I that were called out by SHicks? However, this is my site so, I should have a little more leeway! We will see?

 

[Randolph Duke]

Darrell, understood. We are the point in this deal where everyone should expect things to start getting a lot quieter until we cross the finish line. Hopefully, this board is a bit off the radar with regard to monitoring so we can be somewhat more open. I know OB and JS are clearly in the cross hairs of scrutiny at this point.

If I was trying to put a blockbuster deal in place and two people were publicly complicating matters, claiming they each had their own personal Bradley Manning hiding inside the program releasing information to promote his own purposes and not those of the program, I would certainly do what I could to find out who was working against the interests of the program. I never have been a big fan of those claiming essentially dishonest people who couldn't respect the confidential nature of certain discussions are intricately involved with the program. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone and not calling anyone specific out. I don't have a problem with people inside the program discussing non-material information that other reporters aren't talking about. However, the Saban negotiations, if they are actually happening, have to be considered incredibly sensitive. I don't have any problem waiting until the deal is done to be discussing. Remember the Les Miles situation with Michigan. People couldn't respect Les' need to handle things discreetly and it ended up costing the Michigan program dearly.

 

[Darrell McPhaul]

If I was trying to put a blockbuster deal in place and two people were publicly complicating matters, claiming they each had their own personal Bradley Manning hiding inside the program releasing information to promote his own purposes and not those of the program, I would certainly do what I could to find out who was working against the interests of the program. I never have been a big fan of those claiming essentially dishonest people who couldn't respect the confidential nature of certain discussions are intricately involved with the program. I'm not pointing fingers at anyone and not calling anyone specific out. I don't have a problem with people inside the program discussing non-material information that other reporters aren't talking about. However, the Saban negotiations, if they are actually happening, have to be considered incredibly sensitive. I don't have any problem waiting until the deal is done to be discussing. Remember the Les Miles situation with Michigan. People couldn't respect Les' need to handle things discreetly and it ended up costing the Michigan program dearly.

I don't see how El Mahico and I complicated matters? There are issues behind that SHicks that I cannot go into.

 

[TheAngryHammer]

The whole things are too public thing seems like setting up scapegoats if Saban doesn't happen. They need someone to blame because no one dare turn down the Texas BMD's despite the political clownshow any coach might be walking into with Perry and Powers.

 

[Baghorn]

I don't see how El Mahico and I complicated matters? There are issues behind that SHicks that I cannot go into.

If you need to be obtuse, speak in code, or just give us winks & nods it's all good. My understanding is things are looking VERY GOOD right now and at this point its primarily a matter of getting this thing to the finish line.

 

[Randolph Duke]

I don't see how El Mahico and I complicated matters? There are issues behind that SHicks that I cannot go into.

I'm not saying anyone in particular did anything wrong. I'm just saying that I have a personal bias against individuals inside the program giving out sensitive information that might complicate matters. I am much more a fan of asking intelligent and pointed questions to the right people, analyzing what is said (and how it is said) and then making reasoned conclusions. Some of the other websites claim to have sources who regularly spill "inside" information. I dislike any representation that there are high level people within the program that aren't ethical or trustworthy people. People involved with the discussions have an absolute responsibility to respect confidences and respect the interests of the program. Would any of us accept a job with an organization where anything said in confidence was likely to be splashed across the internet by the end of the day? I just hope people remember the image of the program amongst the AD and HC types is important.

 

[JimR]

I'm not saying anyone in particular did anything wrong. I'm just saying that I have a personal bias against individuals inside the program giving out sensitive information that might complicate matters. I am much more a fan of asking intelligent and pointed questions to the right people, analyzing what is said (and how it is said) and then making reasoned conclusions. Some of the other websites claim to have sources who regularly spill "inside" information. I dislike any representation that there are high level people within the program that aren't ethical or trustworthy people. People involved with the discussions have an absolute responsibility to respect confidences and respect the interests of the program. Would any of us accept a job with an organization where anything said in confidence was likely to be splashed across the internet by the end of the day? I just hope people remember the image of the program amongst the AD and HC types is important.

I completely agree with this. I have a difficult time believing that folks high enough up to be negotiating with Saban would be talking about it or would tolerate the information being on a message board. if McPhaul knows information that sensitive, I have zero problems with his STFU until it is a done deal.

 

[CardSID]

As I stated last week, the AD (Luck) announcement would go down within two weeks. That still appears to be the case. WVU has requested that Texas wait until after our game.
It is still Saban or bust. We have kept all other options at an arms length. Last week I put 60% on it being a done deal. That % is creeping up. Progress has been made from both sides.

I guess we will have to trust you and play the percentages with you. I have no problem with that, though I still haven't convinced myself what you say is going to happen is going to happen. That said, I came to this site because of you.

 

[TheContractor]

Baghorn,
I am going to have a fine line to walk but, I will see what I can do to push the envelope?

McPhaul, thank you so much for the info you give us. I for one, am ok with anyone walking the fine line. We can talk more about Luck for the next few weeks if we need to. I would love to know more about our potential Christmas/New years gift but I can be a bit patient, as long as I get my gift.

 

[Randolph Duke]

If someone comes up to me and says they have a contact inside the program who told them Saban is signing tonight, I avoid that person. Either they are a liar or they can't be trusted.

I find it tough to believe Saban would sign with UT, but I can't dismiss the rumors, either. The UT athletics program is quickly moving to $200mil in revenue. The reason Texas can spend big money to get the right guy is because getting the wrong guy could cost the program tens of millions annually.

UT athletics employs over 300 people. We need a new MBB coach and a new baseball coach. We suck at using social media to engage fans. Guys like Bill Little need to go. A lot of people need to go. I'm hoping the number of new faces is close to 150.

The new AD is going to have to rebuild a $200 million organization from the ground up. He is going to need to bring with him people he trusts. There is no way he will hire a head coach without direct experience running a major college program or someone he doesn't have an existing relationship with. Mack will have to sign on to help the new coach deal with the big donors.

Who are the people who fit that description? Not Tomlin, not Gruden, not any coordinator. The list is Saban, Holgerson, shaw and maybe Briles. Holgerson isn't coming. Briles isn't going to want to have Mack roaming the halls and controlling the relationship with the donors. Shaw and Saban are the two left.

If Texas spends an extra $10mil top bring in Saban, its worth it, because of the cost of getting the wrong guy in the program, Saban knows Mack and Saban probably doesn't want to have to deal with most of the big donors. Saban has known Luck since they were both at WVa in the late 70s.

Someone working through the analysis and making sense of the available info is what we need. I'm curious to see how someone comes to their conclusion, even if the logic jumps because the details are based on info that can't be made public quite yet. That's diametrically opposite of saying someone inside the program has questionable ethics.

I'm not believing Saban is the guy, but if he isn't, other than Shaw, who is?