Answer Monday (Football Forum, Part 5)
In this segment, we answer a question on a familiar feud.
Q: What do you make of the recent back-and-forth between Neuheisal and Ken Norton Jr? I'd heard that Neuheisal had been saying he had Norton lined up for a while now, so one would think this is Norton's way of putting an end to that, but it also closes the UCLA coaching window for him, at least as long as Neuheisal is there.
A: The superficial answer is Ken Norton got tired of hearing rumors about UCLA and wanted to put an end to it. But if that is the case, why did Norton refuse to answer several times this week whether he would talk to UCLA if they talked about the defensive coordinator's position. Even after the Rose Bowl, he refused. Now if I was so angry to complain about things Rick Neuheisel said, I would think you would have no problem saying you're not interested in working at UCLA.
However, here is my own theory on the situation. It was Pete Carroll, not Ken Norton, who was upset about any alleged comments made to recruits. Specifically, the decommitment of Morrell Presley. So a plan was orchestrated to go to the media to get out a message that Norton was upset about these alleged comments. I doubt Norton was behind it because he really hates dealing with the media.
Even if Neuheisel said it, it's no different than if other Pac-10 schools say Pete Carroll is going to the NFL. And I know schools are talking about the shooting of track star Bryshon Nellum. So why isn't USC complaining about these too? Maybe because they don't think it affected Presley?
Q: Couldn't Orgeron be hired to coach the d-line with Holt going back to lb coach and just wishing Watson well ( hello Texans ?? lol ), and wouldn't that be a total upgrade at those coaching positions??
A: This question was asked before Orgeron went to Tennessee. But let's say Holt went to Washington today. USC could try to hire him as defensive coordinator before he starts full-time at Tennessee although at this point the contract might already be signed. So USC would probably have to pay off Tennessee in order to get him. It would probably make Orgeron look bad, however, to leave Tennessee so quickly after getting a $650,000 per year contract.
"Even if Neuheisel said it, it's no different than if other Pac-10 schools say Pete Carroll is going to the NFL."
Yeah, it kinda is.
First off, no one with half a brain believes those rumors anymore.
Second, Neuweasel wasn't just saying that Norton was leaving USC, he was saying that Norton is leaving USC and joining HIS staff.
So the proper analogy would be if another Pac-10 coach had claimed that Pete wasn't leaving for the NFL, but was leaving for, say, oh...I don't know, Stanford. (Just for example.)
Slick Rick was either A) outright lying to recruits, or B) counting his chickens before they hatched -- which in this case pretty much amounts to the same thing.
Personally, as a Trojan, I say, "Keep up the good work, Ricky. At this rate, it won't be long before you regain your hard-earned reputation as a pariah among potential recruits and their parents."
Wolf a crediable poster on the USC boards has been posting that Ed Donatel could be hired. What do you think ?
PV Paul,
C'mon now and $c runs a clean program. Are you drinking that famous koolaid from south central. The only thing that is fact on both sides is that these are "rumors" even with you $c education you can figure that out right?
Did you happen to read the $limes report that pompom broke the rules while visiting in Arizona? That came from a coach!
Let's just say all programs break a rule here or there and leave it at that for now.
Cbruin:
So you're OK with your program's head coach luring recruits with demonstrably false information? How do you think those recruits feel about it? What about their parents? How much respect do you think they'll have for their coach when they figure out that he came into their living room, looked them in the eye, LIED TO THEM, and then asked them to make one of the most important decisions of their life based partly on that lie?
As for your comment about the "unnamed high school coach" quoted in yesterday's Simers column, I'm not sure I understand your point. On the one hand, you seem to imply that you believe the report; on the other hand, you refer to the paper as "the $limes".
Which is it? Are they upstanding paragons of journalism? Or slimy rumor-mongers more interested in selling papers than reporting the truth? (At least in the case of Mr. Simers, I know where I stand on that issue.)
BTW, when attempting to disparage the academic reputation of a rival school, it helps to display a command of written English beyond a third-grade level. HTH.
Even if Neuheisel said it, it's no different than if other Pac-10 schools say Pete Carroll is going to the NFL."
Yeah, it kinda is.
First off, no one with half a brain believes those rumors anymore.
Second, Neuweasel wasn't just saying that Norton was leaving USC, he was saying that Norton is leaving USC and joining HIS staff.
So the proper analogy would be if another Pac-10 coach had claimed that Pete wasn't leaving for the NFL, but was leaving for, say, oh...I don't know, Stanford. (Just for example.)
Slick Rick was either A) outright lying to recruits, or B) counting his chickens before they hatched -- which in this case pretty much amounts to the same thing.
Why would Neuheisel say something like that to a recruit that is being recruited by USC? If the recruit has half a brain and calls Norton then It would be all over for ucla to get that recruit. It makes zero sense.
Saying that PC is going to the NFL when you have no way of knowing that is Speculation.
Saying that Nellum got shot is a Fact.
Saying that Norton is coming to UCLA when you know he isn't would be a Lie.
I don't know who said what, but there *is* a difference.