Jeff Bower and Bon Stoops deja vu????

[shortbob]

Stoops is 8-3. He won the Title in his second year. My memory is not so good but seems likein other title games OU was embarrassed. Rumors here in OK are that Stoops will ge relocating. Maybe he and Coach Bower can write a book "Almost a Legend". The more time passes it looks like Bower's termination was a horrible mistake.

 

[USM76]

Bower was able to find talent where others could not. His teams did not lose a conference game for many years.

 

[94Eagle]

Bower's termination was not a horrible mistake. That his time had run its course does nothing to diminish his monumental contributions and accomplishments to-and-at Southern Miss.

This is so much bigger than the hiring or firing of a head coach. Complacency of the program. Apathy of the fan base. Lack of excitement to entice prospective athletes. These are all pieces of the puzzle. Change is never easy, but it's especially tough after such a great run. Too many great leaders hang on longer than they should, not realizing or admitting that its time to step into a new role. I would've preferred to see Coach Bower transition to some other leadership role so that his wisdom and experience could continue to help our program, mentor our coaches, and allow him a position of respect. But he probably didn't want that kind of role. Regardless, his time as head ball coach was at its end.

The horrible mistake was Saunders and her hubris. I know it's an unpopular opinion, but I think RG was a successful AD. This is a tough school to lead in the best of times. We all know the detriments that have been presented as to why we'll never get "to the next level" in today's world of the Big 5 conferences and broadcast market $$ steering the ship. Especially considering our location in the heart of SEC country. But RG led us to gains in the worst of times. Sure, we all hungered for more. And he tried valiantly - far more than he could ever proclaim publicly. The simple truth is that no other conference wanted us. Not even a little bit. But we don't want to hear that. I know I don't. But it's true, and those who think he was inept or intentionally held us back are delusional.

And speaking of delusional - Saunders. She greatly disliked RG - and anybody else on campus - b/c he didn't kowtow to her. She was looking for any way possible to get rid of him, so she could install JH. Had we won the UAB game, in what seems to be our football program's last hoorah, she wouldn't have been able to force him out. In turn, LF would've stayed. He and RG have a great relationship, and, much to the chagrin of so many who want to believe that LF strategically planned to bolt and leave the cupboard bare, that's simply not true. Yes, he knew opportunities were coming. But he committed to RG that if RG remained as AD, he wanted to stay. He believed our success could continue, but not with Saunders forcing herself into the lead decision-maker for athletics. He expressed this to Saunders, as well. She didn't care. She wanted RG out, and if LF felt that way, she wanted him out, too. JH was her guy, b/c he was supposed to rah-rah rally people, while she made the big decisions. EJ was her decision alone. RG had no voice whatsoever in the decision. Joe Paul hasn't kept his job as long as he has by rocking the boat. And JH went along with it, b/c that's exactly what he was supposed to do. What LF saw coming is exactly what happened - a narcissistic university president abusing her authority, and with no qualifications whatsoever to make athletic department decisions, overstepping her role, and as a result, killing a program. All things considered, things would be much worse today had she not tried to run over so many people that the powers-that-be had to finally show her why they still are the power-that-be.

Maybe we can come back from this. If we can, it's going to take a lot longer than any of us want to accept. But while unfortunate that we couldn't retain Coach Bower in some way, the end of his tenure as head ball coach was not the horrible mistake. The beginning of Saunders' tenure as president was.

 

[kick off]

Is Bon Stoops any kin to Bon Jovi?

 

[shortbob]

94Eagle. Thank you for the informative post. This was a "perfect storm" that hit the program.

 

[NueDaeEagle]

Originally posted by 94Eagle:
Bower's termination was not a horrible mistake. That his time had run its course does nothing to diminish his monumental contributions and accomplishments to-and-at Southern Miss.

This is so much bigger than the hiring or firing of a head coach. Complacency of the program. Apathy of the fan base. Lack of excitement to entice prospective athletes. These are all pieces of the puzzle. Change is never easy, but it's especially tough after such a great run. Too many great leaders hang on longer than they should, not realizing or admitting that its time to step into a new role. I would've preferred to see Coach Bower transition to some other leadership role so that his wisdom and experience could continue to help our program, mentor our coaches, and allow him a position of respect. But he probably didn't want that kind of role. Regardless, his time as head ball coach was at its end.

The horrible mistake was Saunders and her hubris. I know it's an unpopular opinion, but I think RG was a successful AD. This is a tough school to lead in the best of times. We all know the detriments that have been presented as to why we'll never get "to the next level" in today's world of the Big 5 conferences and broadcast market $$ steering the ship. Especially considering our location in the heart of SEC country. But RG led us to gains in the worst of times. Sure, we all hungered for more. And he tried valiantly - far more than he could ever proclaim publicly. The simple truth is that no other conference wanted us. Not even a little bit. But we don't want to hear that. I know I don't. But it's true, and those who think he was inept or intentionally held us back are delusional.

And speaking of delusional - Saunders. She greatly disliked RG - and anybody else on campus - b/c he didn't kowtow to her. She was looking for any way possible to get rid of him, so she could install JH. Had we won the UAB game, in what seems to be our football program's last hoorah, she wouldn't have been able to force him out. In turn, LF would've stayed. He and RG have a great relationship, and, much to the chagrin of so many who want to believe that LF strategically planned to bolt and leave the cupboard bare, that's simply not true. Yes, he knew opportunities were coming. But he committed to RG that if RG remained as AD, he wanted to stay. He believed our success could continue, but not with Saunders forcing herself into the lead decision-maker for athletics. He expressed this to Saunders, as well. She didn't care. She wanted RG out, and if LF felt that way, she wanted him out, too. JH was her guy, b/c he was supposed to rah-rah rally people, while she made the big decisions. EJ was her decision alone. RG had no voice whatsoever in the decision. Joe Paul hasn't kept his job as long as he has by rocking the boat. And JH went along with it, b/c that's exactly what he was supposed to do. What LF saw coming is exactly what happened - a narcissistic university president abusing her authority, and with no qualifications whatsoever to make athletic department decisions, overstepping her role, and as a result, killing a program. All things considered, things would be much worse today had she not tried to run over so many people that the powers-that-be had to finally show her why they still are the power-that-be.

Maybe we can come back from this. If we can, it's going to take a lot longer than any of us want to accept. But while unfortunate that we couldn't retain Coach Bower in some way, the end of his tenure as head ball coach was not the horrible mistake. The beginning of Saunders' tenure as president was.

While I agree with much of your post such as there was nothing RG could do as and AD to get us into a better conference, and that Martha made the decision to make E Johnson our coach on her own, there is much I also disagree with. RG was one of the worst things to ever happen to USM. We may never recover from the damage to our program. His horrible deals that benefited his pals, not USM, his lies, the way he treated people, and most of all his campaign to destroy GH. Jeff Hammond made a couple of mistakes. He started looking into the contracts of the athletic department and found out how bad they were for USM (many believe they are should be criminally prosecuted). As interim athletic director Hammond also started demanding that RG's cronie workers actually show up and work and do their jobs. They also had to be polite to the USM people they served. Many did not like this and joined RG's band to destroy GH. The people who RG treated like crap are legion. GH treated everyone with respect. It didn't matter if you had never been to a game or if you were the bigger donar USM had. GH is know and respected nation wide for his honesty and integrity. RG's integrity is used as the punch line of a joke.

As to Larry Fedora. Can't imagine anyone from USM having a kind word for him. He hated us and has said so. He has run down our university on several occasions since he left saying how bad of a place this is. He wanted to get out of here the first moment he could because he couldn't stand it here and has said so.

 

[MBAEagle]

Southern Miss to the Top

Positive Southern Miss spoken here,

JH did a fantastic job for his/our Southern Miss. Unity is NOT Southern Miss, unfortunately. We eat our own.
He rooted out cancerous employees. He publicized bad contracts and improper spending. He corrected budget deficiencies and
the worst football hire that' I have ever seen. JH was a strategic doer. He was also a public ambassador. His demise as Athletic Director
Was political fallout from Dr. Saunders ouster, not performance related. At another University, he is still leading, fundraising, and hiring up and coming staff talent.

RG ostracized the avg. fan. Overspent budgets. Empowered destructive, administrative support staff.
RG's downfall was exceptionally deficient communication. McGillis is following this path. Neither are ambassadors for
OUR collective Southern Miss. McGillis is a polite, cerebral AD. No flash. No splash. A yeoman's effort. He works like support staff, not like a leader of change. He is a classic #2 man.

JH was/is a change agent. He was a Brigadier General for the United States. He was a public leader from day one at USM. JH gave us an example that self-interest is smaller than common goals, common effort and collective growth. He is at Southern Miss now, still leading. Still networking, still unifying. JH is an ambassador, selling our worth to
US military veterans. He is completely under utilized. Ironically, he is in a better position to ascend the leadership ranks if he so chooses.
His kind of man should be running Universities, not being compared to a past AD, but such is our situation. Leaders inspire. He is uncommon
and we are lucky to have, even in minimized capacity.

Saunders was less about narcissism than unifying Southern Miss. She was paid to lead, not kiss tail. Her methods and insistence on
Following her beliefs were her undoing. She lost confidence in RG and the Mississippi College Board. That was going to end badly. That is how the power brokers retain control. SHE WAS TOAST. She fought all the way out. Passive leaders are common and readily available. She is not one. Imagine if she had been more successful in gaining College Board support. Historically the Board does not want to support USM or even a more educated Mississippi. They want to empower Ole Miss and Miss State. Saunders did not fit their plans. She is not a villain.

Southern Miss became a more modern, more hip, more inclusive University under her watch.
She lost confidence in RG. She took over his roles (inapropriately, I might add) because she lost confidence in his judgment and performance.
Her faith in Jeff Hammond was rewarded by stellar work. RG needed to go.

Coalition building with "leadership" was not her strong suit. Frankly, "F" the Mississippi College Board jerks that systematically minimize
our University. Fighting those power hoarding enemies of USM can't be pretty or very easy.

Dr. Bennett, by all accounts, is an accomplished ambassador. Currently, we are taking more sand up our rumps than we have at any point in recent memory. Distribution of limited tax funding is NOT going our way. We are losing. We do not deserve what we are receiving.

The "94....." Poster is spouting conjecture and mal-interpreted sub-truths as gospel. This poster is just flat wrong about positive Southern Miss.