Coaching Chatter

Well, checking in on internet chatter must be like drugs, only much less satisfying. Rumors are rampant about Muschamp getting an offer, being "D-Rad's guy", and 80% a done deal, but then getting shot down by the faceless Don's pulling the pursestrings behind the scenes - and now he's out (rumors). As a result, D-Rad found out how much he really controls things (again, I'm not stating facts - just rumor-mongering). Then it's Hatcher, who supposedly has interviewed, but now his AD says he hasn't, and he calleda team meeting, but then according to some player's mom, he's staying, but that he left things open with vague answers. Reports say Neuheisel and Paul Johnson interviewed Sunday (except those reports that say they didn't interview Sunday). Rick's interview went peachy keen and he impressed the masses and of course Jim Donnan of ESPN knows that Rick's coaching staff would be very impressive. Of course so would his NCAA regulation support staff.

Am I rambling yet? Well, that's how it feels attempting to pretend there is valid info somewhere out there on the inter-web.

Now, Dennis Dodd over at CBS Sportsline seems to think that GT has made an offer to Paul Johnson:

Get ready for the flexbone. Navy's Paul Johnson seemed set to be set to become SMU's new coach this week but it looks like Georgia Tech came back with a late offer and could be snagging the hottest coaching commodity on the market.

If Johnson does leave after defeating Army 38-3, he will leave a legacy of a 10-1 record against the two other service academies and a Navy-record five consecutive bowls. Johnson's triple option flexbone in the ACC? Johnson won't outsmart himself. Expect him to use at least some spread.

Wasn't it Dodd who reported that Gailey had told an assistant a few weeks ago that he would be fired? Hhhmmm.

Oh yeah - there's always the question of the "mystery candidate". I'm not saying there is one, but there are often press conferences announcing guys who were never in the "chatter" of candidates. Will there be one that emerges this week that we haven't heard? Paul Hewitt's name came out of the blue. Chan Gailey's name was not there through the entire process when he was hired (if my memory serves me).

Lastly, there are reports that final interviews are happening through Wednesday and a press conference will be held Thursday to announce our coach. Again - more rumors.

So how do you discern fact from fiction? Well, you really don't. You've got people claiming "sources" and inside info. You're just going to have to be patient and let the process play out and see who "our guy" is going to be.

There's another issue that is plainly obvious - you aren't going to please everyone. There are "flaws" in the logic of hiring every guy that's been connected with this job. But guess what - there are flaws with every guy in the country.

Paul Johnson's offense won't work at the Div IA level.... and it's boring
Chris Hatcher hasn't ever coached at the D IA level
Will Muschamp is a Mutt
Rick Neuheisel is a cheat
Edsall is boring
Skip Holtz's last name
Jon Tenuta isn't media friendly
Paul Johnson isn't media friendly
Chris Hatcher couldn't bring in a serious coaching staff
Muschamp is too young and has never been a head coach.
Neuheisel only wins for a couple of years, then skips town
Edsall's record isn't impressive at UConn
Holtz's last name (did I mention that)
Johnson's offense would scare away all 4/5 star skill players
Tenuta doesn't recruit
Hatcher looks too much like a young Chan Gailey

Bottom-line is that nobody is "perfect". Nobody has everything that is a slam-dunk 100% fit with GT.............. and with every fan. Just won't happen. So, if you are getting your heart set on one guy in particular - STOP!! Don't do it. You're just setting yourself up for disappointment when he's not named coach. You'll convince yourself why Hatcher is the perfect guy, then we'll hire Muschamp and it won't make any sense to you. Or you'll have figured out why Muschamp is perfect and why being a mutt is irrelavent, then have to figure out why we hired Paul Johnson. You get the idea. Just look at the pro's and cons and realize that there are pro's to everyone of these guys as well.

Now - how should this work when announced? Should Jacket nation drop all pretense, ignore the negatives and rally behind the new guy - even if you have a problem with him? Should every single fan say to themselves - "He may have flaws, but he's our guy now, and I'll support him."

I'm not preaching how you should or shouldn't act, but I'm curious.

- for those Muschamp folks, what will be your attitude if Johnson is the guy?
- for those Johnson folks, what if Neuheisel is the guy?
- for those XXXXXX folks, what if YYYYY is the guy?