Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt said Chip Kelly would have taken the USC job if Pat Haden offered it but Haden was too insecure.
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Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt said Chip Kelly would have taken the USC job if Pat Haden offered it but Haden was too insecure.
It’s interesting that Pat Haden was so bad at being an AD. When hired you would have looked at his credentials and thought, great hire. But the Sark hire showed how really, really bad he was. Now we find out from Klatt and McKay no body good wanted to work for him. We can only hope Helton improves or else Swanny has better connections.
jesus … just pathetic Chip Kelly at USC would be way beyond a homer run
Haden is at least 80% to blame for our current situation and the university president for the other 20%.
Since the buck stops with Nikias and his $1.3 million + salary, he is 100% to blame. Haden enacted what Nikias wanted.
And now Trojan fans hate both Nikias and Haden. Strange how things work out. Only question remaining is will Swann join the club or will he save USC from the idiots with the big titles.
Nikias is not a sports guy, which allowed Pat Haden to run free and do as he wished. Their has been conversations from others that fear Nikias rather see USC as the Harvard of the West, focusing on academics rather than the athletic program. Alabama rakes in $95 million for their program while USC rakes half in a larger media market. The football program needs to excel and therefore create revenue for the university and thats what is bothersome that Nikias is blind in his hiring of the athletic program, especially football. The assylum is running crazy. The trustee’s will need to challenge Nikias to do his job and that is to protect the athletic program.
That begs the question: why would the BOT bring in a non-sports guy to run USC? If Nikias has been hired to transform USC into the Harvard of the West, then he is going to seek revenue from non-football sources and wean the university off of depending on college football. Maybe this is what the last 6 years have been all about- getting the students, alumni and fan base used to the mediocrity you see across town.
Didn’t SC just get over the 6 billion figure in fundraising? I don’t think the BOT OR Nikias cares about football being good
Thats kinda my point! His attention is elsewhere not sports.
So there you go…they don’t need USC football. If it does well, great, but if it flops they don’t care. That’s the Harvard attitude. They have fun at the tailgate and then go home.
It’s not the Harvard attitude. Harvard is obsessed with winning in all sports in the Ivy League, especially football. Harvard and its fellow Ivies just realized at some point that it could not control its destiny in big time athletics so it made itself a pond it could dominate.
So we may be on to something? Nikias’ tenor as President has been a huge cluster. Hubbard, Zumberge and Sample ran a tight ship,but gave the athletic programs to go about their business. Sample loved USC athletics as did Hubbard and Zumberge.
Funny. bozo u can’t wait to bend over in 52 – 6 loss.
In the last 4 rivalry FB games, UCLA is 3 – 1.
bozo u men’s Water Polo team lost 4 straight matches to UCLA last year and finished second to the NCAA 2015 – 16 WP NC’s – UCLA.
.
The Harvard of the West?
SoCal?
Are you freaking kidding me?
That’s easily the funniest and most off-the-wall comment I have ever read on this blog, ever.
Fast Max is supposed to do that?
He can’t even hire an AD that can hire a football coach.
USC is not nor ever will be the Harvard of the West. Staaahp.
USC and UCLA have been and are pegged together, with UCLA always having the upper hand in international standings. SC’s former upper hand, which was that it was more established and more establishment is gone, because it sadly chased USNWR rankings in hiring and student recruitment. As USC’s endowment has grown so has other top universities, and too much of that fundraising has been self-serving by the sort of donors that give with one hand and take with the other.
Both are good flight urban universities in a vital city. SC would be well served in trying to be the best SC it can.
Nikias is simply a self promoter, a worse version of his predecessor in that regard, because Nikias just kisses up and kicks down. f course he wouldn’t care about what football at SC is beyond a sport. But I doubt he likes the negative publicity.
‘…..worse version than his predecessor…? That’s your assessment of Steve Sample? Get lost jerk or better yet get in line for the commode washing of ‘jonnie’s balls’ – he’s about to have a twin coronation with Scully.
Deport yourself, Max Nikias doesn’t need you to work as a troll for him anymore. I’m a Trojan who was at SC under Sample as a student and admin and I’ve spoke to the man and Nikias.
Nice comment.
Southern Cal isn’t even the best school in its own city…that would be UCLA.
Opinions differ, (USNWR is crap but they think we’re better, while most global rankings think you UGLY is better) but honestly, if we are UChicago and Northwestern in rankings, or even Cal and Stanford I don’t think anyone would complain about who imagines they are on top in the big scheme of things no? But we aren’t Harvard and MIT, and that’s fine.
I’m not sure Nikias is 100% to blame but I think that PH was basically just a yes man who followed orders.I remember the story that they told about Kiffin, the night he was fired. They said that he begged for his job. He asked if he could just finish the season and if he couldn’t get the ship back on track he would resign. PH told him to wait while he made a phone call. He came back and said “no, I can’t do that”. He was getting his orders from higher up and was getting paid well for not rocking the boat.
I think Klatt is right on. I think there were 4 guys plugging for the SC job at the time(Peterson, James Franklin, Jack Del Rio and Sark). Peterson wanted that job until he interviewed twice and found out that this USC administration just wanted a ‘yes man’. It was at that point that he decided that he needed to look elsewhere and I’m sure that he had heard the rumors that SC was heavily pursuing Sark. He probably decided that he would politefully turn SC down and wait to see if they would hire Sark which would open up a job at Washington, which is what happened. But when Peterson first went for the 2 interviews, he wanted the job. Any AD who was worth his weight in salt could have hired him. Unfortunately, PH wasn’t worth his weight in feathers.
Petersen did tell Patrick C. Haden that he wanted more control of the football program and was told that was not going to happen.
I don’t know where you got that info but it sounds to me like something that might have happened. I don’t have that kind of inside information. I do know this. He went into those 2 interviews wanting that job badly. After the 2 interviews, I don’t think that he wanted the job anymore. Something happened in those interviews that soured him on the job.
Didn’t Haden leave Boise and fly to Seattle to offer Sark the job?
I’m not sure. I thought that he interviewed Peterson in Denver.
Peterson read between the lines, saw the ego and insecurity of Haden, and passed, just like almost anyone would have, except Sark and Helton.
I don’t know. But I’m sure of 2 things:1) He went into the interviews wanted the job badly 2) He came out of the interviews not wanting the job. Given the authority, I think that I could have signed him and I know absolutely nothing about negotiations. The only way you lose a Chris Peterson under those original conditions is if you let him know(without actually saying it) that he is not the guy you want.
The story is that Petersen wanted to bring his assistants but Haden said no. I think Petersen read between the lines and saw that everyone he wanted to bring aboard had to be approved by Haden personally.
Even though that particular scenario didn’t happen, it does validate Helton’s own hiring of assistants. Helton took an incredibly long time to fill out his own staff. And even then, some guys wavered (DC Pendergast) and some had some underlying drama (DL coach before Udeze was made permanent).
Like I’ve said before, an exhaustingly meddlesome AD who has no business being so.
That said, I hope Swann does A LOT of meddling over the rest of the season, until he finds a guy who doesn’t need to be meddled with.
The best thing Swann can do right now, is distance himself from Helton and inform Max Nikias the next head football coach at USC is going to be a big name and cost some big money. That next coach will also be given the resources to compete in all the areas necessary to get this football program back to a top 10 level nationally. Otherwise, fans/supporters should just save their money and energy in supporting this program. If the administration doesn’t care about it, as it has shown here, it is a lost cause to follow.
Although Lynn Swann dabbled in politics, and entrepreneurship, he’s still a football guy first. And there’s no doubt in my mind, that he doesn’t already have a top 3 list of candidates, that probably won’t say no to him.
Mr. Swann needs to carry that list in his front pocket, next to his iphone.
Petersen realized Haden would be too involved and not allow him to run his own program .At Washington he got what he wanted and now its starting to pay dividends.
We’ll regret letting Peterson go for years to come.
Agreed. Petersen looks like he is building a program. Said it took him three years and getting his own kind of players to change the culture at UW after Sark.
He did pretty well his first year and is doing even better this year. I think Washington, not Stanford or Oregon, is going to win the Pac-12 championship this year.
Not according to the Dr. Rachel Maddow of Inside USC.
And she would know, wouldn’t she?
Hey Chip – you know that show cause thing? Remember how SC is coming off the worst sanctions ever? Yeah, you’re perfect for us!
I like Tom Herman. He’s a socal boy. His wife is from socal and both of their families are here in socal. But if they call him for an interview and Swann gives him the dictates of Nakias, I think that he will choose to take his talents elsewhere just as Peterson did.
Trust me, Peterson wanted Uw because of their hospital for his son. Peterson would’ve taken the Oregon HC job when Phil offered him before offering Helfrich, but we don’t have the facilities for his son. Haden wanted and pursued Peterson, but Peterson is not an LA guy, trust me. It was Peterson that planted the Sark idea in Haden’s ear during the interview, because ultimately, he hoped it would open up the HC job for him. It went something like this: “You know, I don’t think I’d be a good fit, and it’s all about fit for me. You might consider that young upstart there at Washington. Getting him to leave would be quite a coup.”
So now the Ducks have Haden to blame for the rise of the most arrogant, hated fanbase in all of college football. Thanks alot, PH!
How do you know that. You’re saying Peterson went to two interviews just to say, “You know, I don’t think I’d be a good fit, and it’s all about fit for me. You might consider that young upstart there at Washington. Getting him to leave would be quite a coup.” He went to 2 intereviews at SC to talk them into hiring Sark? I don’t think so. I mean it could be true but it just seems off the wall. My sources tell me that he wouldn’t have had to do that because before he ever went into those interviews, SC had already decided to hire Sark. As I understand it, his son has a brain tumor. But he has had that for a long time. They first found out about it when he was a receiver coach at Oregon. If the medical facilities were the problem, why did he stay so long at Boise State. Also, SC and UCLA are two of the best medical facilities in the country. Surely they can treat a brain tumor just as easily as Washington can.
That Duck is into conspiracy theories!
Sometimes conspiracy theories are true but that one sounds like a real whopper. Peterson went to the interviews just to convince SC that they needed to hire Sark? Why waste you time? My sources tell me that SC had already decided to hire Sark before the interviews.
What Klatt really said was that Petersen turned down the SC job once he finally analyzed the USC situation. Haden did offer Petersen the job, which is why all the L.A. papers came out the night before the hiring proclaiming Petersen the coach-to-be.
We all woke up the next day waiting for confirmation of the hiring but instead were suddenly met with disappointing news that the Drunk was expected to sign. Haden thought he had reeled in his big fish but got left at the alter, then told everyone he chose the Drunk because of his “gut” feeling.
Haden never offered Petersen the job.
Once Haden determined Petersen wasn’t going to take it, the story that got floated around was that Petersen was not an L.A. guy and that he didn’t have the personality or temperament to be in the Los Angeles spotlight. Too much of a small town guy.
Whether the story is true or not, it does give Haden cover on not hiring Petersen.
Klatt specifically said Petersen “turned down the job” from what I remember. In either case, Petersen walked away. People always said Haden blew it by not hiring him. Problem was, Petersen wasn’t biting. Haden chose the Drunk as his second option. I think Haden thought he had Petersen, got hammered during their last conversation, and immed switched to the Drunk and said he either wanted him along along or just followed his gut.
Truth is, Petersen may not have been right for the job. If USC somehow beats UW this season in Seattle, it will be very interesting to see how the story goes. UW hasn’t played anyone yet. Who knows if they are any good.
1. USC wont beat UW in Seattle this seson, nor almost anyone else on the schedule.
2. Why would Peterson, or any other capable HC, take a job at a CFB program that is well known to be POISON?
“Clay Helton gets SoCal.”
Joel forgot about the Nationwide coaching search.
Get me some of that work……
I wonder how Helen will blame SW for this…
I remember a lot of people were not that crazy about Kelly coming to USC. Of course at that time I was still pulling for Gruden.
Right now Gruden makes more working 3 days week than he might make dealing 24/7 with CFB rules and recruiting and the bozo u circus.
Any chance Gruden would coach bozo u is preposterous.
It is now, back then it was a possibilty. Of course he would come to westwood in a snap, right? Mora is gone after this season. Bet on it. westwood has enough problems so don’t spend so much time on ours.
Who would want Mora now? He should have left three years ago when his stock was high. Now he’s spinning his wheels going nowhere. But he is in the perfect environment where all they care about is beating USC every few years and being a mid level program. I think he will stay there as long as Terry Donahue and retire rich and happy.
Clay Helton is at the top of everybody’s must have FB coach list.
Pull your head out and BEGONE!
Jump in any time road apple.
They already named the pressbox after ‘Terry The Pirate’ at the Rose Bowl….maybe the mens room is a great honor for Mora…the stench….the fights….busted pipes…..blocked toilets….long lines….
“Oh man the can blew and there’s ‘mora’ all over the place!”…
Absolutely no one a UCLA had the fantasy Mr Gruden might be interested in HFBC UCLA employment.
Well, Josephine, perhaps Gruden could coach at UChucko LA….if you could find any money to pay him…
See ya
As if Kelly would quit the 9er’s and take a demotion to THE bozo u circus. LOL.
It’s plausible! Keep denying the possibility!
LOL. Not a chance.
Acceptance is the next stage after denial!
True, there’s no denial after a 52 – 6 defeat.
#Wherechuckiebuggs?
No real reply! Just change the subject!
He won’t need to. That 49ers team is bad. He’ll be fired within 2 years through no fault of his own and available for the USC gig. Trent Baalke is overrated and Jed York is a friggin’ idiot.
But how do you know in two years the bozo u job will be available?
Yes, it could be available sooner. Have you seen us play?
Yes! You have a valid point.
No mention of how scary Cowherd’s eyebrows are.
Surprising.
His whole head is reminiscent of the Oscar winning film DEAD SILENCE. Maybe they should remake it with him as the lead dummy.
ummm…he just took an NFL job. chances of giving it up to become ringmaster of Clown College: ZERO.
#IfThat
Keep denying the possibility!
Clowns forget Chip had NCAA issues. I’m sure SC wants that headache again. But yes, let’s pretend he’s coming because we’re the mighty USC and are living 2005!
We were,
SC
We were,
SC
HOME RUN HIRE‼️
Chip Kelly‼️
Chip would be btech’s worst nightmare! Make it happen Swann!!!!
Hee-Hee-Hee-Hee-Hee!!!!
buhhhh-BAM!!! wolfman, this is right in line with your EXPERT reportage!!!
#IrrelevantU
I don’t know what is true and what is made up relative CP. It is all water under the bridge and no amount of howling at the moon will un-ring the bell. When it is time to hire a new coach , sooner or later does not matter, USC needs to swing for the fences and go big. Unload a Brinks Truckload of money and go after one of the big kahunas–someone with a proven record of winning. Texas went after Saban and missed , but they tried. LSU went after Jumbo Fisher and missed, but they tried. Tom Herman is the latest hot name of the moment–his current gig at Houston is good, but it does not have nearly the upside as USC–go after him big and don’t take no for an answer. The time for inexperienced HC’s is over. Identify a known & proven coach and go after him hard.
Looks like Chip is staying in the NFL and will recycle as a OC and retread head coach in the good ole boy network.
Niners are bad! The asylum is out of control in San Francisco!!
Speaking of irrelevant, Joel who????
I know I sound like a broken record, but this situation at USC will not get better until we hit rock bottom. That is the only way the people in power; the BOT, major donors, and Nikias, are going to wake up. We’re close but not quite there yet.
If that is so, then “the people in power” are absolutely useless. USC may be climbing up the ladder of academic excellence, but it is losing its soul… SC Football. SHAME!
Why do we have to hit rock bottom? And is Karl Dorrell even still available?
Unless that is the goal…
Niklas too consummed with the USC mystique to do the right thing in hiring an AD from outside the USC football community. And its killing us!
Killing all of you Pac12 fans?
I don’t think the administration wanted to turn USC into Harvard, or anything like that. I just think Pat Haden is football, STUPID, and he has a horrible judgment of character. The man has no idea what to look for in a coach, and he probably mixes his cocky business attitude with his athletic administration, dealings. And Joel Klatts assessment of Haden, is right on point.
Indeed, the cluelessness and arrogance of those paid $$$$ to “lead” at USC is appalling. I have almost given up. Watching this team is like pouring pepper into one’s eyes…
Haden just wanted to get out, and it’s obvious by what happened at the end of his tenure. He should have resigned and let his successor choose the new head coach. Beating UCLA doesn’t qualify a guy to become head coach of the program. Who cares, even Larry Smith beat UCLA, maybe.
We have way more $$$ than your state supported school! We also negotiate better! Enjoy being an indentured servant for 15 years wearing tacky UA clown clothes and shoes!
Oh it’s true!!!
Hee-Hee-Hee-Hee-Hee!!!!!
Don’t forget the Laker deal #UCLA landed with Jeanie Buss #ClownU alum… .
#Andyain’twinning #Heehee
What type of rodent is that you’re using as a sig pic? Or is it a really hairy cockroach?
#fcukuclown
SC is loaded with cash, but how many head coaches do you want to be paying at one time?
They have to get it right sometime!
Helton isn’t get paid that much anyway!
Negotiate better?
Like for head coaches?
Like for A.D’s
Like for apparel contracts?
Like for what?
Up front cash from the Rams! 300MM! $$$$$!!!!
Gotta pay to play on our turf!!!!
The insular Country Club known as USC. The arrogance will never them hire anybody who is qualified. It’s all about “getting USC”
Can you get someone to translate that into English for us?
Thanks.
You might need to translate a life first
Bring back norm chow!!
This Klatt -Cowherd interactIon on USC must have killed Cowherd since he is such a big supporter of USC and The old regime of Sark
Suffer In Worstwood – gee, thanks for sharing. Now off you go to Chuckie Cheese on Sawtelle Blvd. They’re waiting for you to show up in costume….
Blah, blah, blah. Haden was insecure? I don’t buy that. The guy was a crack t.v. football analyst, a Rhodes scholar, and a successful footballer. These talking football heads act as if they are omnipotent.
For Usc being irrelevant, Klatt sure seems to cover the program quite a bit.
If what Klatt is saying about Haden is true then clearly we needed an AD with more backbone throughout the sanctions era. What a poor choice Pat Haden turned out to be if you care about anything other than sand volleyball. Still, I find it hard to believe that PH’s coaching search was dictated by fear of rejection. I mean, he’s never feared rejection when asking for money, why would he fear it in offering a job?
Pat Haden was about Pat Haden. Nothing more needs to be said about that. I just want to know why Max Nikias is getting a free ride on the blame of why the USC football program is what it is right now? Nikias was the one who hired Haden, who rubber stamped Clay Helton as a worthy enough to be in charge of USC football which was at one time (obviously no longer) the benchmark of this University, and he has hired Lynn Swann to replace Haden. Swann has no more experience or education to be an AD than Howdy Doody.You tell me another University who would hire these two for their AD position? Max Nikias, by his actions, gives a f*%^k about USC football or he is the dumbest CEO there is in division 1 football.
(chortle)
Man, I need a drink after watching that. Haden should’ve at least tried to swing for the fences and not handed the keys to Helton.
Max Nikias is a liberal euro globalist who only cares for soccer
Maybe Pete Carroll misses sunny SoCal…lol.