Agreed, he will be highest paid on a per year basis. But possibly not a total guaranteed basis. I don’t think his wife wants him signing on for 10 years, not that it doesn’t mean he could leave before that. The amount of years becomes somewhat meaningless when for him. He stays as long as he wants and he knows it.
Ketch's 10 Thoughts From The Weekend (A moment of great opportunity...)
- Thread starter Ketchum
- Start date
I don't care if UM gets a 5 or 10 year deal and only coaches 4. As long as he takes the program where it needs to be and leaves it in a good position like tOSU.
Doing that will save this program and not set us back another decade.
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I don't think a 10-year deal has anything with him actually trying to coach 10 more years.
You can pretty much be guaranteed that IF Urbs becomes the Texas coach this December that he won't be for 10 years.
All he has done the past 5 years has dominate at club and for Portugal. Agree with this. He is better than Messi.
If this has already been said in the first 7 pages, I apologize. But if UM is hired, it seems to make sense for all involved for Ash to stay on as DC. He’s done a good job, would provide continuity, UM knows and likes him, and UM will need a good DC anyway. Ash will need a job, and working for UM will give him another chance to learn the HC ropes, and potentially, set him up for a shot at a much bigger job at Rutgers. It would save the school money, and again, provide for continuity and some degree of insurance and potential succession in the event UM doesn’t coach his full contract. (Yes, I know he failed at Rutgers, but that was Rutgers, and he would have more years to study under UM if we decided to go that direction.)
Yeah maybe the reason would be for recruiting. Still don’t think that happens, but I won’t be mad either way!
For the record, there's a part of me that feels a little iffy about writing this first section in the column, mostly because it’s odd talking about the possible next coach before the current coach has officially been given very lucrative walking papers.
I considered going with a super in-depth analysis of the Herman Era in Austin, but the reality is that we've litigated his career endlessly in real time. Been there, done that, a million times. If the Pete Thamels of the world want to give it a crack, they can knock themselves out.
We've reached the point of no return for a million reasons, the least of which isn't an athletic director in Chris Del Conte that knows his financial base will come for his blood if he doesn't serve Herman up on a platter after what amounts to one of the most miserable last six months for supporters in the history of the program. We don't even have to discuss the current lack of recruiting momentum, which has been dead for more than a year with the 2021 class because of the first point. There will be change or there will be an uprising revolt that Del Conte is not about to risk his neck over.
Therefore, my focus is on the elephant in the room that all of you are focused on - will Texas be able to close the deal with the apple of its current eye ... Urban Meyer?
Writing about anything else feels like an insult to everyone's intelligence.
So, let's talk about it.
This is a moment of truth that will be remembered for its outcome for what could amount to decades. At a time when Oklahoma is going for its sixth straight Big 12 title, LSU is coming off a national title and Texas A&M is on the cusp of a playoff spot with its best team since the 1990s, it's time for the Longhorns to join their surrounding neighbors at the big boy's table in college football.
A decade of sitting at the kid's table and watching the adults do adult things is enough.
Also, unlike in 2013 when the pursuit of Alabama head coach Nick Saban was knocked off its axis before anyone could ever truly know what Saban would do if the Longhorns had made a stunning financial offer, there's no complications of the current favorite target being in the middle of a championship season or a legendary head coach who can filibuster the days away in front of an administration that feels helpless in calling him in from the road.
Meyer is there for the taking ... a free agent with whom Texas can not only strike a deal (in theory), but his presence on the Fox national studio show through December 19 means that if the Longhorns can land Meyer, they could have a free national advertisement for the program for any of the remaining three Saturdays left in the regular season if they can do it somewhat quickly.
After what easily amounts to the worst decade of football in the modern era of the program, you're damn right we're at a major moment of truth.
Say whatever you want about Chris Del Conte's bungling of Herman's contract or his inaction over The Eyes of Texas for weeks and months at a time, if he finds a way to close the deal with one of only two certifiable sure-things in the world of college football (no, I don't count Dabo) his legacy as Texas as an athletic director will be cemented, as it will represent the most baller thing that the university has ever done in football.
Up until now, the hiring of Mack Brown is the most emphatic hire in the history of the football program in terms of accomplishments before arriving at Texas and he arrived from North Carolina never quite able to be better than Bobby Bowden. Shaka Smart was considered a major coup when he was hired and nothing else quite compares to the hire of Augie Garrido from Fullerton two-plus decades ago.
A hire of Meyer would surpasses all of that with relative ease.
So, where do things stand?
* It is believed that Meyer and Texas have been holding off on officially playing footsy with each other for the last two months until the Herman matter played itself out. Now that it has, real conversations can take place. They likely have already started. Nothing is standing in the way at this point, with all due respect to the still employed Herman. If Meyer was to take the job, Del Conte and Co. would almost certainly follow his direction from an announcement standpoint.
* 100 million X 10 years. That's the number I've heard mentioned to me this weekend with regards to a contract Meyer would desire. Is that crazy? Well, if Jimbo Fisher can get $75 million over the same time period, a superior coach with the most leverage any coach has ever had can probably get 100. Also, that might be 100 million, plus bonuses. Meyer ain't coming here on a lay-away plan.
* Meyer hasn't decided if he's coming back into coaching and this is not viewed as some simple thing that can be overlooked. The thing that Texas wants to be able to accomplish very soon is putting a real decision in his hands that he'd make with his family. It's hard to say how his wife and family would feel about a 10-year commitment to another job in coaching when as recently as two weeks ago, there was a very clear "on the record" opinion on the matter.
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I'm not sure it gets more complicated than that. Texas wants Urban. Texas won't get Urban without a record-breaking contract. Urban then needs to make a life decision with his family.
Del Conte doing his part would mean us hearing in the next few days to a week that Meyer has an emphatic financial commitment in front him to talk about. Beyond promising him the moon in terms of staffing and future facilities, that's about as far as Texas can go. Ultimately, this will come down to what Meyer will or won't do if Texas paints a picture for him that truly proves tempting.
Handicapping what Meyer will do is pretty much impossible. Behind the scenes, few people are openly talking about the possibility and no one seems to possess any overconfidence.
This is where we are ... a moment of uncertainty while we wait.
My guess is that one way or another, we won't be waiting much longer.
No. 2 - A quick thought about Herman ...
One of the things I've been thinking about with regard to Herman is his future.
While Texas fans are rightfully cool on him as a leader of a nationally elite program trying to compete at the very highest levels, he's not going to walk out of here with the shame that soaked Charlie Strong. This is a guy that will be able to claim that he (potentially) led Texas to two of its best seasons since 2010 in the last three years, never lost a bowl game, won a major bowl and nabbed a pair of national top-10 recruiting classes.
Herman might have given LHN the finger, struggled against OU and never could be better than "pretty good" for any extended stretch. But whatever happens from here, you'd have to think he'll get a chance to rebuild his career narrative in the coming years.
If I was Herman, I'd walk out of here gracefully and with my head held high, while collecting a check from Texas for the next year to do nothing but watch every season of The Wire and every other show he's never seen. I'd tell my agent to get me a gig on the studio set of Fox, ABC or ESPN, with an eye on using my TV background to rebuild my brand.
After recharging my batteries, I'd start looking for a return to coaching in 2022, knowing that I'll look very attractive to schools with demands that aren't quite as sky high as they are in Austin.
With Dana Holgorsen somewhat floundering at Houston, I would think a possible return (ala Greg Schiano at Rutgers) to H-Town could always loom should Holgorsen continue to flounder. Regardless, he'll get another at-bat as a head coach soon. It's just a matter of when and where.
No. 3 - About Sam Cosmi's decision to go pro ...
I guess one of the bright spots of having seven captains on your squad is that if one quits with two games to go in the season, you’ve still got a half-dozen captains on which to lean.
Woof.
Let me just say that I understand where Cosmi is coming from. There was scuttlebutt behind the scenes that if the season had been canceled because of COVID, Cosmi would have left for the NFL without ever playing another down for the Longhorns. He's a guy that has seemingly had his eyes on an exit for more than a weekend or two and there's more downside than upside in playing in the final couple of games of the season.
So, I'm not tripping.
But, I don't like it if we're going to keep it a buck.
The romantic in me believes that a guy wearing the captain's badge finishes out the season out of principles rooted in the unofficial oath one makes when he accepts a leadership role on a team sport. It won't cost him any money because NFL teams won't give a damn about this any more than Texas fans care about whatever has happened in Urban Meyer's past.
I just come from a place where you finish what you start if you're a leader.
No. 4 - The upcoming timeline ...
Here's a look at the critical dates to keep in mind over the course of the next few weeks, as we watch whatever unfolds actually unfold.
Monday, November 30th - Herman's Monday Press Conference at noon
Wednesday, December 2nd - Herman's buyout falls to $15,416,667.
Saturday, December 5th - Texas at Kansas State
Monday, December 8th - Herman's Monday Press Conference at noon
Saturday, December 12th - Texas at Kansas
Wednesday, December 16th - Start of the first early signing period for the 2021 recruiting class.
Saturday, December 19th - End of the college football regular-season.
Sunday, December 20th - College football playoff/Bowl announcements
Notes: There are essentially two things in play here. There's been a lot of talk about December 1 being a significant date to keep an eye on, but the buyout for Herman is $15,416,667. That's the amount no matter when it happens. If you're thinking of Meyer as the hire, you'd think that the critical time for it to go down would be sometime in the next two weeks because the sooner Meyer is announced, the more it helps having complete answers with an eye on recruiting and the pending NSD on the 16th.
If it's not Meyer, the Longhorns probably won't have a coach in place by the 16th, unless they look to hire someone that isn't playing in a conference title game on the 19th, which would mean that the hire would probably move towards the last week of December or the first week of January.
No. 5 - What about Saturday in Manhattan ...
On one hand, the Wildcats aren't a very good team, but on the other hand, the Longhorns play a coin-flip game on a weekly basis and are so mentally dialed in after Friday's loss that a captain just quit.
Meanwhile, I'd bet $20 that every assistant coach and football operations guy in the program is thinking as much about what happens after the next two weeks than the final two weeks of the season. That's just the industry.
I guess what I'm saying is that Herman will likely have his hands full getting a group of guys that traditionally struggles on the road under Herman to have a great mindset going into the weekend.
No. 6 - An early claim ...
Because I can't think of the person that's better than him or even deserves to truly be in the discussion (with apologies to Tremaine Wingfield, Kris Clack and a couple of others), I'm just going to go ahead and label Greg Brown as the greatest in-game dunker in Texas hoops history.
By the end of the season, his season highlight reel is going to look different than any player that has ever played for the Longhorns.
No. 7 – BUY or SELL …
(Buy) We're just too far down the road. The toxicity cannot be sustained for another 12 months.
(Buy) I think this might just be the last coaching job he ever considers when you consider the 10-year attachment he seems to want to include in it. This is the moment of truth about his future, I would think.
(Sell) I shouldn't be giving any benefit of the doubt, but it does not feel like 2013 or 2016.
(Sell) They might be called, but there has to be a splashier back-up option than that somewhere.
(Sell) Great question. I'll take Meyer in that equation. I cannot completely explain why.
(Buy) Ewers IMO.
(Buy) I don't think he could live with himself if he quit at this point. He has more of a legacy to worry about than anyone else in the program.
(Buy) You misspelled 95%.
(Buy) Never.
(Buy) I'm a carnival worker. I can't kill the dream that one of your shots on that crooked 12-foot rim won't ever go in.
(Sell) It means that he'll coach through Saturday.
(Sell) Nothing has been working out for Texas.
(Buy) He'd immediately make Texas a threat for a top-five recruiting class in 2022. He's Tim Brewster in the form of a head coach.
(Sell) Say it with me... 100 million and 10 years. He's not taking less than Jimbo.
(Buy) I'll take Rattler over Mond.
(Sell) If Herman wanted to be effective, he might go in and tell CDC that he should hire Meyer because only a Jedi mind trick is working on Del Conte with regards to Herman at this point.
(Sell) I'm just not sure what pretend world we're living in where morals matter at all. Maybe the biggest secret the devil ever played was convincing Texas administration officials that having their cake and eating it too was remotely possible. This is a sport where everyone that is in it wears pig boots because of the mess they walk around in daily. I just don't know what I feel morally about Meyer is supposed to translate to. I personally haven't supported the morals of any head coach I've ever covered at Texas for a variety of reasons. That includes Mack Brown, who is about as clean as they come, but still knew to how to get down in a street fight with knives. If I'm in a position of covering Meyer on a daily basis, my thoughts about his past incidents related to the protection of Zach Smith are well known, which means I'll focus on the future instead of re-litigating the past and I'll hope there's never a repeat of those situations in Austin. Frankly, we all need to come to grips with the fact that we're eating pork if we want to truly enjoy eating our bacon ... because it's pork.
(Sell) Not good enough.
(Buy) Will either side want the game played?
(Sell) Texas played in a national championship game in 2009 with an offensive line that didn't have a single true standout on it.
(Buy) Yeah, either 6-4 or 5-4. Or 6-3
(Sell) That ship has sailed, but 2022 would be cracking.
(Sell) Momentum in recruiting was dead before June. I don't buy that at all.
No. 8 - Scattershooting on the world of sports ...
... Every time I see a Tweet about Alabama football, it feels like a taunt towards Texas football.
... Nick Saban has never been more relatable.
... Of course, hours after I heard Mario Cristoboa's name mentioned to me by Anwar on Saturday night, his team gives up 22 fourth-quarter points to Oregon State in a loss. That was chef's kiss perfect, right?
... That A&M/LSU game set football back 100 years, but Isaiah Spiller can flat out ball. He was worth hanging in that game to watch when nothing else really was.
... Damn the injury gods for taking out Michael Penix Jr. on Saturday with the Wisconsin game looming this week. That was uncalled for.
... So, this is why Derek Mason just lost his job ...
... Fantasy football can kiss my grits.
... I enjoyed not having to watch Dallas on Sunday.
... Is Ryan Tannehill the best pro quarterback that either Texas or Texas A&M has produced this century?
... We're likely going to get Baker Mayfield in a playoff game in six of seven weeks ....
... The Broncos really started a practice squad wide receiver at quarterback this week and I literally started him in fantasy as a desperate Hail Mary attempt. We both got what we deserved.
... Premier League thoughts: Liverpool would win this league by 30 points if it was anywhere close to being healthy. It's just a matter of whether the Reds can survive the race at this point. Nice win by United. It keeps Ole around for a little while longer, which means that everyone was a winner. Arsenal fans, you sure you got the right dude?
No. 9 - The List: Maradona among the all-time greats ...
Full transparency: Up until this week, I've been in the "Messi is the Goat" camp when talking about the greatest soccer players of all-time.
Yet, the passing of Diego Maradona this week has made me reconsider my thoughts.
Then I saw this video, all from a single World Cup and I've re-ranked my list.
10. Eusebio
9. George Best
8. Zinedine Zidane
7. Franz Beckenbauer
6. Cristiano Ronaldo
5. Ronaldo
4. Johan Cruyff
3. Pele
2. Lionel Messi
1. Diego Maradona
No.10 - And finally ...
I want Snoop calling Monday Night Football. Can we please make this happen?
Also, I'll watch former NBA players fight Youtube stars every week if you put it in front of me and Snoop is on the call.
[/QUOTE]
[/QUOTE]
Clearly I am not a soccer guy. Today I learned Ronaldo and Cristiano Ronaldo are two different people.
Okay, I have to know, did you just make all that up? Just go from memory? That is completely wrong. Ohio State was 6-7 the year before he took over. They hadn’t won a conference title since 2009 and played in no national title games in that span.
two things.. first Diego was getting not support on those feeds he was giving.. Second, hell broadcasting sporting events should require all events called by dudes smoking out. It would be epic. I can only imagine the sh$t that Romo would be predicting...
Not sure what your source is, but it's your information that is completely wrong. Ohio State was not 6-7 in any of the six years before Meyer took over.
Here are the facts:
2005 - 10-2, Big Ten co-champions
2006 - 12-1, Big Ten champions, played in BCS championship game
2007 - 11-2, Big Ten champions, played in BCS championship game
2008 - 10-3, Big Ten co-champions
2009 - 11-2, Big Ten champions
2010 - 12-1, Big Ten co-champions, beat Arkansas in the Sugar Bowl
Following the 2010 season, an NCAA investigation found that coach Jim Tressel had used ineligible players. Tressel resigned as head coach in May, 2011, and Meyer was named as head coach. Ohio State's record for 2010 was vacated to 0-0 by the NCAA, and Michigan State and Wisconsin became Big Ten co-champions.
Can you shed some light on why we hear all these guys aren’t happy? Aside from the obvious...losing. Is it culture? I have suspicions but I’m curious what they experience day-to-day.
Meyer didn’t coach till 2012. Fickell was the 2011 interim coach and went 6-7.
Besides that you are correct.
Cosmi has just been a guy that has been talked about as getting the hell out all year. I don't believe he plays again if the season had been postponed. There were talks he might have opted out in the summer. It all leads to a guy that simply wants to get paid to play IMO.
@Ketchum Coming at it a different way, outside of Urban which we know is the no brainer can't miss solution, there have been a bunch of names thrown out. How many realistic candidates would you put as better overall coaches than Lincoln Riley. End of the day that's the hurdle that needs to be cleared, and any hire should have that in mind no?
Messi just happens to be from one of those few countries and has failed them. ;-)
It's a valid argument, but when it comes to the #1 sport in the world, the World Cup weighs extremely heavily as far as best player ever. And Messi's teams haven't been terrible. It's not like he's Salah playing for Egypt with a bunch of no names. Aguero, Higuaín, Di Maria, and plenty of other heavyweights. I know I'm repeating myself but IF Messi is going to be the second best ever, he needs to have lifted that team to a greater level. Soccer World Cup makes the sport unlike any other sport.
These are NOT chump WC squads (pardon the formatting), and Messi's job was to elevate them and take them to at very least the semi finals. He has failed at that.
2018 WC
Goalkeepers:
Sergio Romero (Manchester United),
Willy Caballero (Chelsea),
Franco Armani (River Plate).
Defenders:
Gabriel Mercado (Sevilla),
Federico Fazio (Roma),
Nicolas Otamendi (Manchester City),
Marcos Rojo (Manchester United),
Nicolas Taglafico (Ajax),
Javier Mascherano (Hebei Fortune),
Marcos Acuna (Sporting Lisbon),
Cristian Ansaldi (Torino).
Midfielders:
Ever Banega (Sevilla),
Lucas Biglia (AC Milan),
Angel Di Maria, Giovani Lo Celso (both Paris St-Germain),
Manuel Lanzini (West Ham),
Cristian Pavon (Boca Juniors),
Maximiliano Meza (Independiente),
Eduardo Salvio (Benfica).
Forwards:
Lionel Messi (Barcelona),
Gonzalo Higuain,
Paulo Dybala (both Juventus),
Sergio Aguero (Manchester City).
2014 WC:
1 Sergio Romero goalkeeper, Monaco
2 Ezequiel Garay defender, Benfica
3 Hugo Campagnaro defender, Internazionale
4 Pablo Zabaleta defender, Manchester City
5 Fernando Gago midfielder, Boca Juniors
6 Lucas Biglia midfielder, Lazio
7 Ángel di María midfielder, Real Madrid
8 Enzo Pérez midfielder, Benfica
9 Gonzalo Higuaín forward, Napoli
10 Lionel Messi (captain) forward, Barcelona
11 Maxi Rodríguez midfielder, Newell’s Old Boys
12 Agustín Orión goalkeeper, Boca Juniors
13 Augusto Fernández midfielder, Celta Vigo
14 Javier Mascherano midfielder, Barcelona
15 Martín Demichelis defender, Manchester City
16 Marcos Rojo defender, Sporting
17 Federico Fernández defender, Napoli
18 Rodrigo Palacio forward, Internazionale
19 Ricardo Álvarez midfielder, Internazionale
20 Sergio Agüero forward, Manchester City
21 Mariano Andújar goalkeeper, Catania
22 Ezequiel Lavezzi forward, Paris Saint-Germain
23 José María Basanta defender, Monterrey
2010 WC Squad:
Goalkeepers:
ergio Romero (AZ Alkmaar),
Mariano Andujar (Catania),
Diego Pozo (Colon)
Defenders:
Nicolas Burdisso (Roma),
Martin Demichelis (Bayern Munich),
Walter Samuel (Inter Milan),
Gabriel Heinze (Marseille),
Nicolas Otamendi (Vélez Sarsfield),
Clemente Rodriguez (Estudiantes),
Ariel Garce (Colon)
Midfielders:
Javier Mascherano (Liverpool),
Juan Sebastian Veron (Estudiantes),
Maximiliano Rodriguez (Liverpool),
Mario Bolatti (Fiorentina),
Angel Di Maria (Benfica),
Jonas Gutierrez (Newcastle),
Javier Pastore (Palermo)
Strikers:
Sergio Aguero (Atlético Madrid),
Diego Milito (Internazionale),
Martin Palermo (Boca Juniors),
Carlos Tevez (Manchester City),
Gonzalo Higuaín (Real Madrid),
Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Pretty weak actually. Looked more like a stunt as she couldn't even get it to the 30 yd line.
Ketch, proud of you for your perspective on Cosmi. What a cop-out. We should pull his scholarship right now and never fund another penny of his education on the Forty Acres.
John Harbaugh who you mentioned 4 years ago. I think Bob Stoops if he wasn't saddled with his brother (not sure that's realistic but). Clearly Urban. Other than that, not sure, why I asked the question... you'd have to have Riley over Cristobal at this point. I've heard Mullen and some connection with CDC, though I'd probably label that a draw.
I don't think you understood my question. I'll make it as a statement to clairfy:
I don't think it's absurd to think that the players who were taking a knee and posting on twitter their defiant bullshit weren't/are not having an effect on our recruiting. They know these recruits and most likely communicate with them. There's also a good chance that recruits were reaching out to some of these players and wanting to know what was going on with all this shit. I think it is absurd to not recognize that some of the kids in our lockeroom were/are sour grapes and there might be a lot more that were complaining about it privately. Remember when ALL of the kids were walking off the field at the end of the games? That was in protest of something they felt the university and it's fan culture was doing to them. I think it's absurd to think all of that bullshit wouldn't have a negative effect on recruiting. It's something that I have worried about and has gotten very little coverage on this site.
I think you think I am supportive of their cause or believe there is racial injustice going on. I'm not, I think the whole thing is/has been rediculous. But I am suprised more people don't recognize that this has to have effected recruiting in some way, and none of it has painted us in a good light with kids who have a whole lot of options.
Please reply if you think all of the crap that went down since they sent that fvcking demand letter hasn't had any impact on our recruting.
@MB-HORNS
@Ketchum
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I'm not saying I don't somewhat agree. I would simply make the following parts.
a. It feels like judging a player at United and saying his inability to lift the team in the last near decade would be HIS fault (imaginary situation, I know, but hang with me). Ultimately, United's disfunction behind the scenes has been a real issue. I feel; there is reason to believe it's even worse with the Argentina national team, based on the reporting from the last few years. It just sounds like an absolute shit show. Drama behind the scenes can undo anything, anywhere and at any time.
b. Messi's club success, numbers and overall achievements are so absurd that it offsets his failures in country IMO.
c. I think the romanticism of the WC and it's impact on forever greatness is dwindling, as club country continues to overtake it in terms of importance. I wonder how many of the future great players of future eras will ever be defined by their country success. Messi will be remembered as the 1st of a new kind of soccer superstar in terms of the way he's judged.
Doesn't that have to be the bar? Otherwise what are we talking about... spending 25mil in a pandemic to buy out a staff before we even get to what the new staff will cost - only to have another inferior coach to our biggest rival? Its got to be Urban, just has to be.
