Let's try again - Gilbert to Texas

[DMAC]

'FCS OC'? He was also a HIgh School OC. And a FBS OC. And now he's OC at the University of Texas.

Yes he is and no one here more happy about it than I am.  

I'm just beat down by how bad we have looked for 2 years.  I really hope Strong gets this right.  If the admin really supports Strong then show it all the time not just when there is a fire like yesterday.  Gilbert should have been a top priority after Cumbie declined.  So why was Perrin in NY?  This makes the admin look incompetent.   All the "unprofessional", "disorganized", "culture shock" talk is a beat down.  

Strong will get 4 years, minimum.

He probably will but as long as there is friction with BMD's there is always a chance another fiasco occurs.

Gilbert's agent is the MVP of this deal. He had almighty UT over-pay and negotiate against itself. Unfortunately, we almost had to given the circumstances. The media covering UT put too much pressure on our people to get the job done NOW just to save face.

Having said that, kudos to Fenves for actually stepping up and putting his money where his mouth is. For our sake, I hope Gilbert is as good as advertised. I can do without the coaching changes for awhile - too much drama.

He had to step in, look at the social media bashing he took yesterday.  That is embarrassing in itself not only the fact he had go to Tulsa to sign an OC.

The lack of support and communication in this organization is surreal. 

 

[texbound]

Gilbert doesn't even have a family - he's 37 years old and single.

I wouldn't play poker with this guy, turning down a $600k offer when he's only making $175k (supposedly). Most people in his position couldn't say "YES" fast enough! Helluva job by his agent - and Gilbert for his restraint.

Obviously, I didn't follow this that closely to know anything about his lack of family. I take back my entire post, but I would still do the same thing Gilbert did. Never take the first offer if you're in demand. Red McCombs would tell you that.

 

[Epictetus]

I honestly don't get the negativity related to this. If I was coach Gilbert I would probably turn down the first offer as well. I would've known that I was the current top candidate, I already had a job so I wasn't desperate, and Texas wanted to fill the spot ASAP. He had all the leverage. That's how you negotiate. UT was trying to get him at a lower cost and it didn't work. So they would go back with another offer. However, the media got a hold of the original turn down and blew it way out of proportion which have Gilbert even more leverage to get anything he wanted. Had the media circus not followed this, then Texas would have their new OC coach within 1 week after the season and we would be happy about it for them not dragging their feet. But no, the media had to be on this for every second of everyday. I blame them (mostly) for this fiasco.

Bottom line, Texas got their man (albeit 2nd choice) within 1 week after the end of the season. That is pretty darn fast, even in today's "I want it now" world. Also, Gilbert did what everyone of us should have done in his situation and NEGOTIATED for what he wanted to uproot his family to a new area.

I'm more in this camp on things. How'd you like to make public all events surrounding a courtship, what led to getting married, and all details of the first 5 years, and the intricate details of the closest 3 friends of each partner across all that time? Actually it's on tv at 1 o'clock. Days of our Lives. Which is what a social media driven college football program has become.

 

[TeamMayhall]

[Tweet = https://twitter.com/Mike_Hornsports/status/675782619317977088]

 

[Epictetus]

Am I right that in keeping the contract under $1 million a year, you avoid an aspect of BOR approval in the finalization of it?

If so, by going $850K, you leave room for bonuses also that can add to that if a $1 million a year is viewed as a cap.

So Gilbert gets to come to Austin, now with a fully recognized name and a bull's eye already on his back to "get er done"... For $70,000 a month.

Which I could use. So not a bad outcome for the week, I say.

I hope part of the contract, or agreement discussions, included him being able to get things his way in order to make it all work. I wonder why the media rabbits (I've reduced them down a notch from hounds) never talked about any coaching particulars that need to be in place for him to get "whatever it is" fully implemented and working? Recruits. Assistants. Final say-so in things here and there. It's more than what's on paper drawing up plays, it's everything. I think Muschamp was hugely frustrated because the offense was not helping out. Here, you'd want the defense definitely helping out if a wand is waived and there's your offense! And special teams. All of it. So why didn't the media find out some of that? And report on that?

 

[The Bry-Man81]

All of my adulthood has been in this so called age of social media, but I can't help but think what this story would have been before social media. I think yesterday's newspaper would say "UT negotiating with Gilbert" and this morning's headline would've said "UT names Gilbert OC." Maybe there's a paragraph in the story about Gilbert rejecting the initial offer, but UT came back with an improved offer. I highly doubt the story would've been what is in today's world of instant information. But maybe some of you old guys can speak better to that

 

[texbound]

All of my adulthood has been in this so called age of social media, but I can't help but think what this story would have been before social media. I think yesterday's newspaper would say "UT negotiating with Gilbert" and this morning's headline would've said "UT names Gilbert OC." Maybe there's a paragraph in the story about Gilbert rejecting the initial offer, but UT came back with an improved offer. I highly doubt the story would've been what is in today's world of instant information. But maybe some of you old guys can speak better to that

This whole situation would've gone exactly the way you described it in the days of old. I'm not very old (in terms of potential nursing home candidates), but i can remember part of my adult life without "the Internet" let alone social media.

I've learned to embrace social media, but I do think it's both a blessing and a curse. Just ask Kris Boyd.

 

[Embrey]

I believe that those in the media who have powerful UT contacts are not going to give up their source. To suggest that is what is necessary is lazy.

Who are the media sources in the last 48 hours that spun every bit of news and always arrived at the solution that Charlie Strong needs to be fired? That is who you expose. Make it so painful on them that they will remember what a backlash feels like the next time they attempt to manipulate everybody.

If not, this will happen again.

 

[Bear19]

I believe that those in the media who have powerful UT contacts are not going to give up their source. To suggest that is what is necessary is lazy.

Who are the media sources in the last 48 hours that spun every bit of news and always arrived at the solution that Charlie Strong needs to be fired? That is who you expose. Make it so painful on them that they will remember what a backlash feels like the next time they attempt to manipulate everybody.

If not, this will happen again.

Backlashes can go both ways. If we are sitting here next year at six and six ....

Well I just don't want to think about it.

 

[Embrey]

I totally agree Bear. The point was not to defend Strong but an attempt at exposing those in the Longhorn Nation that apparently never let a crisis go to waste.

 

[Hornwalker]

Hi,

first post here. Pardon any two left feet stepping on toes. But I see that its an understanding community here…

I am with DMAC (was it?). Sterlin has played poker to the fullest, maybe for good reasons. But now he's got us hauling out the president, I mean, the friggin' president, in the middle of the night, to somewhere in OK!

I get the problem with the program, his potential, and that negotiations went south, but something(s) ELSE must've gone wrong in the back room. I mean, the where's our pride in all of this? If the press chose to play this up more than they have (and so far, only ESPN has a negative headline on this situation), the value of a UT degree just went down a tad bit. Our degrees, at least for those still working, are tied to the value of the school's excellence and acting as a University, and as much as I love to see the football program do well, and respect and believe in Charlie Strong, I dare say that the value of the degree is not tied to any of the outcomes in football. Having said that, I think something else brought Fenvez out in the middle of the night...

 

[MikeV73]

Hi,

first post here. Pardon any two left feet stepping on toes. But I see that its an understanding community here…

I am with DMAC (was it?). Sterlin has played poker to the fullest, maybe for good reasons. But now he's got us hauling out the president, I mean, the friggin' president, in the middle of the night, to somewhere in OK!

I get the problem with the program, his potential, and that negotiations went south, but something(s) ELSE must've gone wrong in the back room. I mean, the where's our pride in all of this? If the press chose to play this up more than they have (and so far, only ESPN has a negative headline on this situation), the value of a UT degree just went down a tad bit. Our degrees, at least for those still working, are tied to the value of the school's excellence and acting as a University, and as much as I love to see the football program do well, and respect and believe in Charlie Strong, I dare say that the value of the degree is not tied to any of the outcomes in football. Having said that, I think something else brought Fenvez out in the middle of the night...

Welcome aboard Hornwalker! Keep posting my friend.

 

[Hornwalker]

Thank you, friends. 

 

[Rotty22]

Hi,

first post here. Pardon any two left feet stepping on toes. But I see that its an understanding community here…

I am with DMAC (was it?). Sterlin has played poker to the fullest, maybe for good reasons. But now he's got us hauling out the president, I mean, the friggin' president, in the middle of the night, to somewhere in OK!

I get the problem with the program, his potential, and that negotiations went south, but something(s) ELSE must've gone wrong in the back room. I mean, the where's our pride in all of this? If the press chose to play this up more than they have (and so far, only ESPN has a negative headline on this situation), the value of a UT degree just went down a tad bit. Our degrees, at least for those still working, are tied to the value of the school's excellence and acting as a University, and as much as I love to see the football program do well, and respect and believe in Charlie Strong, I dare say that the value of the degree is not tied to any of the outcomes in football. Having said that, I think something else brought Fenvez out in the middle of the night...

yes, it was the fear of charlie not being around after next year.  they prez and ad wanted to assure gilbert that charlie will be around after the 2016 season.  it takes more than 9 months to get the right personnel into the system and to make it work.

as i always tell my kids, no one can take your education away.