Why the secrecy?

[Gator]

I don't blame shortie Dooms. The less said, the less chances of distractions occuring.

[DOOMS]

What distractions? Every other school on earth publishes names. Our A.D. is too sensitive to deal with "distractions"? If that's the case, she's in the wrong profession.

It'd be different if this was a common practice. It ain't. It's extremely uncommon and extremely unnecessary. Yet A&T feels some need to do it. That is head-shaking sad.

[Aggie One]

Most of the guys on the list are going to bowl games and have yet to get their interview dated finalized. That's the main reason you haven't seen a long list of people. It is generally an accepted courtesy not to put names out on coaches who are applying until their season is over or they have offically accepted the offer and/or resigned when dealing with 1-As.

Not my rule, just a courtesy thing between ADs.

[DOOMS]

I would buy that, but for the fact that about a third of the guys listed in that article above were still coaching at the time the article was published. Add to that the simple blurb at the end of the quote:

SFA athletic director Steve McCarty said at least six other candidates who have not officially applied “are inside the loop.”

McCarty said those six coaches are currently under contract at other school and don’t want the publicity of being in a job search.

If that's the case, you publicize it.

Instead you've got everyone in the dark. No reason given. There's no excuse. I bet Elon will have a list out by Friday. What the hell are we doing?

[Aggie One]

Getting the five main guys in here all by the end of this weekend and make a decision by next weekend. Renick and Todd are just not going to open it for public debate. No stone throwing at this coach or that coach, no rah rah sections for the favorite sons, no unscientic fan polls, none of the why the hell this or that. They are determined not to make this another circus. Names will filter out at few at time much like my column will do tomorrow.

Renick was burned by the way Hayes was canned and he isn't taking any PR chances good or bad on this one. He wanted Todd, he got her. He wanted Bibbs, and got her. He'll get who he really wants this time around as well.

[DOOMS]

I don't buy it. This has been going on since the Hayes days, and we're the only school on earth that finds it necessary to shroud it in secrecy. Public debate isn't going to change who's hired. Stones are going to be thrown regardless.

There is only one school I know of that insists on doing this time and again.

[MIKEB]

The way HBCU's go about handling business can be downright sickening.Why is it that coaches are disqualified because of their color or for being outside of a clique.We need to be looking at coaches and assistants with successful playoff records like BJ when he first arrived at FAMU.HU does the same schitt but the whole world knows how the athletic dept. is treated up on the hill.A&T has alot to offer with regards to facilities and talent but someone has to develop it for it to prosper.Some of these 1A assistants who want to coach at an HBCU are doing it because they know our eyes will get big with that 1A tag dangled in our faces but can they install a system that maximizes the talent available,recruit,make adjustments,hire competent assistants,raise funds for the program,etc....Whatever you do A&T please do what is best for your program and stay away from retreads.I wouldn't mind if HU hired a Kenny Phillips fo Mike White since one took a dead program and made them a winner and the other has had postseason success.Outside of that you can keep the rest.

[DOOMS]

I-A coordinators are out of our price range.

Not only that, Billy Joe, L.C. Cole, and several other hbcu head coaches have stated that when they inquired about head jobs on the I-A level, they were told they had to take a coordinator's position at that level first to even merit consideration. A move from a I-A coordinator's job to an hbcu head job is a step back if your goal is to be a head man at a major. That's why you have career position coaches applying for hbcu jobs. They've been unable to move to a coordinator's spot (usually because they don't deserve it) so they see an hbcu as a last effort to move a step closer.

Not a good idea.

Exhibit B:

www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051129/SPORTS030101/511290344/1025

Jackson drops out of JSU coach hunt

Former Tennessee State and Alabama State coach L.C. Cole added to short list

By Mark Alexander
[e-mail]

Coaching search

Who's In
John McKenzie - Alcorn State
Rick Comegy - Tuskegee
L.C. Cole - Lane

Who's Out
Harold Jackson - Baylor



Jackson State begins the interview stage in its search for its next football coach today as planned.

However, Baylor receivers coach Harold Jackson won't be one of the three coaches interviewed, according to people with knowledge of the search.

Jackson was one of three finalists, along with Tuskegee coach Rick Comegy and Alcorn State assistant John McKenzie. But Jackson withdrew his name from consideration over the weekend. That apparently opened the way for former Tennessee State and Alabama State coach L.C. Cole.

Comegy, whose team plays in Saturday's Pioneer Bowl in Charlotte, and Cole are scheduled to interview with the nine-person search committee today in Jackson. Cole didn't make the original short list but was the first alternate.

McKenzie is scheduled to interview Wednesday...

[SHB2K]

doomsday said:

I don't buy it. This has been going on since the Hayes days, and we're the only school on earth that finds it necessary to shroud it in secrecy. Public debate isn't going to change who's hired. Stones are going to be thrown regardless.

There is only one school I know of that insists on doing this time and again.

I see what Aggie One is saying. We keep asking why would they keep it secret, but the better question is probably why NOT keep it secret, and I can't seem to find a good answer.

Should they not keep it secret just so alumni could be informed about their precious University's coaching search? (A search in which they have little-to-no say anyway) I'd like to know who they're looking at, but only for my own selfish/nosey reasons. Other than that, me knowing who they are actually interviewing serves little purpose because its not like I'd be able to witness or decide on their interview anyway. That said, I'll just have to trust that they'll find the best-suited to lead A&T back to where it needs to be. At least until exterminator updates us.

[DOOMS]

Just like last time right

Despite the fact that I don't think you're particularly logical or mature, I'll entertain you.

If the alumni (well, some of us anyway) are paying money to the program, why not keep us informed? If every other school on earth tosses a carrot, why not keep us informed.

If you just got your a$$ handed to you in a very mean-spirited and personal way in the local newspaper, you need something good in there. Something is better than nothing. Nothing is exactly what we're getting.

I can't do anything about who's applying either. But neither can anybody at any of the other hundreds of institutions that see fit to publish names.

WHY CAN'T WE?

[SHB2K]

Hmmm... personal attacks on a public forum... I gotta tell you Dooms... you're the picture of Maturity.

Once again, we (yes WE) contribute to the University and the atletics department so that the well-qualified appointed University leaders can have the funding to make the right decisions... not so we can make it FOR them.

The "everyone else does, so why can't we go jump off the brooklyn bridge" argument is a very weak one... we already know that. But, for the most part, I'm on your side... I wish we could know who they are hiring, I just can't find a reason for them to tell us outside of my own selfish motives. If you can... be my guest..

By the way, the newspaper has showed some form of competence by at least printing Topp Dogg's reply. Can't be mad at them... opinions are opinions.

[DOOMS]

That wasn't a personal attack, that was fact.

I repeat, we need to hear something. Hearing something is not the same as making the decision for them. Nowhere have I stated we have the right to make the decision for them. I have stated that we have the right to know who is applying, because we do.

If the people don't want their names published, just say so.

If you actually don't have anybody, just say so.

If University policy states "we don't name applicants", well say so.

Just don't say nothing at all.

[Aggie One]

They haven't. So what's the beef?

[DOOMS]

doomsday said:

Just don't say nothing at all.

Purposely used double negative:

as in just do not say nothing=just say something.

[Brandmasta]

I caught the meaning, Dooms.

But seriously, what is this?! Communist China?!? Keep the people in the dark so they wont know enough to complain or hold you accountable? This whole thing should be transparent, just like our government is supposed to be.