Very disappointing situation all around. Disappointing to lose a coach of Brown's stature and success, and disappointing to see Brown leave in such a spineless (not to mention unethical) manner.
Football at NU as we all know is a tough sell. Somehow, Brown sold it and had the program to a pretty established level. He followed an A-10 title with a solid 8-4 mark despite a boatload of injuries, and NU was the only team to beat the National Champs, Delaware.
I agree with those of you who wonder about the move. I'm not saying UMass doesn't have a better football tradition, but this move is at the very best a lateral one. If he had gone to a 1-A school I don't think any of us would have a problem. He had NU to the point where an on-campus facility was more than a pipe dream and the Huskies could legitimately say with a straight face they were at the very least as good as UMass. Maybe he just felt it was against the odds to maintain that success.
Anyway, I agree with you guys about NU's pursuing action. In reality, there isn't much to be gained by O'Brien and the University. But he will expose UMass as unethical and Brown as unethical. That may not sound like much, but any ill feelings brought upon that school and Brown would be worth it to me. Maybe one recruit reads this stuff and decides UMass isn't the place for him because they don't do things the right way. If so, it's worth it.
I'm personally disgusted with the gutless way Brown handled himself yesterday and wish him a string of 3-9 seasons for the next decade.
As for replacements, I'll take the Fordham guy from NU Hoop Fan's list ... and in addition to Steve Nelson, throw in old friend Jim Murphy to the mix. He did a nice job at Merrimack last year and would definitely be interested. Not sure he has enough experience though.
I spoke with another alum this morning who mentioned Murphy's name, but I agree he's too green. He's only been the HC at Merrimack for a year, and he may be 30 y/o at best. I'd bring him in as perhaps a QB/receivers coach or something along that line.
I think if anyone read the articles in the Globe and Herald this morning, they'd see how UMass and Brown are trying to play this off. Brown is saying he didn't interview (which may be technically true), and UMass is saying they never asked for permission to interview (which also may be technically true), but something tells me the conversation went like this..
UMass: Don, I know we don't have permission to interview you, but we'd love to have you as our coach.
D--khead Don: I'd love to come back to the armpit known as Amherst and coach again.
UMass: It's yours if you want it.
D--khead Don: Let me resign at NU first, and then I'll take it.
Brown never interiviewed, UMass never asked for permission, and he's the head coach there. You don't need to be Lennie Briscoe from Law & Order to figure that one out.
Is this behavior out of character for Brown (not telling his players in person, for example)?
This is purely speculation, but there has been talk on and off for some time of UMass upgrading to 1A football. Maybe Brown knows something the rest of us don't?
If as a member of the A10 for all other sports, UMass has some inside info and sees A10 football imploding (as many on this board have stated may happen), this may be a proactive step to moving up not only in football but maybe in other sports (the Big East?) as well.
I know how envious the people up at Amherst are of UConn. It'd absolutely kill them to have to downgrade their marquis sports. Obviously, the Massachusetts legistalture has a say in this as far as the funding goes (or doesn't go), but there was also for a time talk of a big private fundraising effort to upgrade the football program.
If you go to UMass' website, there's a consultant's report on their football program, and I don't think they have the $50 million or so to upgrade the program to D-1 (As opposed to 1-AA).
I know McCaw wanted to do it, and was coming up with creative ways to structure the funding, etc. but I don't think they're going Big Time D-1.
No doubt they have penis envy of their bretheren in Storrs.
As a taxpayer in MA, I see ZERO benefit to UMass upgrading and joining the MAC or Conference USA to play big time football.
At the very least, this should be pursued so that all the facts come out. I'd like to know if UMASS did or didn't act in an unethical way.
If they did then they should be penalized. On the brighter side... this could have happened a week ago before the signing date. We have plenty of time to go and do what the Pats did after Parcells left.
Regardless of UMass' intentions to upgrade or not (I believe this is a pipe dream going on at least 10 years now), Brown and UMass clearly acted in an unethical way. The interim AD flat out said he did not ask for permission, then offered the guy the job anyway???? That's unethical in and of itself. Like NU Hoop Fan said, you don't need to be Lennie Briscoe to figure that out.
What NU can get out of the situation remains unclear, but without a doubt UMass and Brown exposed themselves as frauds.
Personally, I think Don Brown is suspect and a coward. At least he did this after the signing period...which is good for the school, but not the athletes. As for the legal stuff...those guys need to learn to read on the Any given sunday board. Bottom line...NU will get compensated for the buyout, expenses to find a new coach...and will get to keep their pride as being the "right ones." UMASS loses more than it gains in this one I think.
I agree Dane......We're not taling about millions of BCS $$$ at stake here. We're talking about a 1-AA football program that bleeds red ink. I'm not sure that a tarnished reputation (for both coach and school) is worth it in this case.
I agree that it LOOKS like Brown has tarnished his reputation.....not to mention the new UMASS AD....but we need to see the facts, don't we? What did Brown's old contract say? Had he signed the new one? (our AD just said that the Trustees had AGREED to the terms of the new contract). What WERE the terms of the contract? Does the approaching school HAVE to ask permission or is it a courtesy? There are a million questions that have to be answered before we can make an informed decioion as to how badly UMASS and BROWN acted.
PS Does anyone KNOW why Clawson turned down the UMASS job? Was it because of the uncertainty surrounding the program or did he know the Brown thing was likely? He would be my first choice to replace Brown.
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