OT - Kentucky Pulls Trigger - offs the Joker

[huskymedic]

http://www.ukathletics.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/110412aac.html

Long letter but the importnat paragraphs:

"After much conversation, evaluation and prayer, I have determined that it is in the best interest of our athletics program to make a change in our football coaching staff at the conclusion of the season. I do so with a heavy heart for a man who has served his alma mater for almost 22 years as a player and a coach. Joker Phillips has carried the banner for the Blue and White with honor and pride. I have enjoyed working alongside him and am thankful for his friendship for the last decade. His concern for the entire program, his work and teaching of young people, his humanitarian work, and the friendship we all enjoy with him will long surpass the scoreboard. I want to thank him for all of those things on behalf of Kentucky.

The search for a new head coach will begin immediately and will be managed internally. I understand the challenge and significance of finding a new leader for our football program. It will be done with great concern for our student-athletes, students of the University of Kentucky, the Big Blue Nation and the citizens of the Commonwealth. Kentucky Football needs to be and will be a championship contender in the SEC.

Mitch Barnhart
Director of Athletics"

 

[Dann]

every time another school of nbe level or higher does this/fire/speak/fireoc or dc, warde and susan look worse. add uk to the growing list with uh/gt/auburn etc...

 

[huskymedic]

darrenrovell 4:12pm via Tweetbot for iOS
Kentucky’s buyout of Joker Phillips will cost the school $2.55 million over two years. That’s $3,493 a day NOT to coach.

 

[sportsart]

I thought the Joker was coaching our team. Who knew. I guess we have the penguin and Robin, the boy I wonder what I'm doing.

 

[RS9999X]

Let's put him on staff.......

 

[noeynox]

I thought the Joker was coaching our team. Who knew. I guess we have the penguin and Robin, the boy I wonder what I'm doing.

Easy to get confused since our coach is a joke.

 

[UConnDan97]

Can I just say that nothing irritates me more than when dieties are brought into business decisions!!! Really. When an AD says, "After much conversation, evaluation, and PRAYER...", I normally tune out. Yes....Jesus told you to fire Joker. Even the Lord does not like your coach....

All that being said, I saw the attendance of their game with Vandy, and the word "ouch" comes to mind...

 

[Adios]

Can I just say that nothing irritates me more than when dieties are brought into business decisions!!! Really. When an AD says, "After much conversation, evaluation, and PRAYER...", I normally tune out. Yes....Jesus told you to fire Joker. Even the Lord does not like your coach....

All that being said, I saw the attendance of their game with Vandy, and the word "ouch" comes to mind...

Dude, this is the deep south we're talking about. I don't believe Jesus is God, but to each their own.

 

[sportsart]

Can I just say that nothing irritates me more than when dieties are brought into business decisions!!! Really. When an AD says, "After much conversation, evaluation, and PRAYER...", I normally tune out. Yes....Jesus told you to fire Joker. Even the Lord does not like your coach....

All that being said, I saw the attendance of their game with Vandy, and the word "ouch" comes to mind...

You might want to carry around sun tan lotion, because when it's your time, it's gonna be pretty hot where you're going.

I'll pray for you.

 

[Adios]

You might want to carry around sun tan lotion, because when it's your time, it's gonna be pretty hot where you're going.

I'll pray for you.

Were you serious in what you said? Just asking.

 

[UConnDan97]

Dude, this is the deep south we're talking about. I don't believe Jesus is God, but to each their own.

I did make an assumption that since the AD was at Kentucky that he was referring to Jesus, but it is still just an assumption. I feel like those that support Wicca or Buddha would have just said, "The time was right...it is what it was meant to be..."

 

[UConnDan97]

Were you serious in what you said? Just asking.

If so, me and Joker Phillips are both screwed!!!

 

[Adios]

I did make an assumption that since the AD was at Kentucky that he was referring to Jesus, but it is still just an assumption. I feel like those that support Wicca or Buddha would have just said, "The time was right...it is what it was meant to be..."

Wiccans would actually say, "So mote it be."

 

[UConnDan97]

Wiccans would actually say, "So mote it be."

I actually thought they normally say, "Blessed be"....which is exactly what HuskyfanDan would say if it happened to Pasqualoni...

 

[Adios]

I actually thought they normally say, "Blessed be"....which is exactly what HuskyfanDan would say if it happened to Pasqualoni...

They use both, actually. Just did a little research. "Blessed be" is a greeting.

 

[UConnDan97]

They use both, actually. Just did a little research. "Blessed be" is a greeting.

It's also a farewell. Kinda like "ciao" for Italians...

 

[sportsart]

Were you serious in what you said? Just asking.

You really needed to ask? Yeesh....

 

[TRest]

I don't understand why Kentucky can't win, they know how to cheat.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Joker got 3 years....you want to know what people said last year? He sucks but let's give him another year. It's only fair...let him play with his own players. Meanwhile ignoring that scheme and culture weren't working out on the team. So...here we are a year later...same crappy team (maybe worse as his own players got on the field), same crappy gameplans...same crappy culture. All that has changed is the calendar.

Will that be us a year from now? Or will the AD realize time isn't going to fix what is wrong with this team?

 

[huskymedic]

First "list"... http://sports.yahoo.com/news/ncaaf-...ino-after-firing-joker-phillips-04081709.html

Kentucky not considering hiring Bobby Petrino after firing Joker Phillips


With Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart officially announcing the firing of third-year football coach Joker Phillips via an open letter to fans Sunday, the search is on for a replacement. And it will not include Bobby Petrino, according to sources with knowledge of Kentucky's initial list of candidates. Petrino's name has been mentioned frequently by Kentucky fans ever since his firing at Arkansas last spring in the wake of an extramarital affair scandal with one of his staffers. Petrino had great success at the Wildcats' arch rival, Louisville, from 2003-'06.

Instead, there are several other bright offensive minds being targeted by Kentucky.

Sources tell Yahoo! Sports that the candidate list includes Louisiana Tech coach Sonny Dykes and Atlanta Falcons offensive coordinator Dirk Koetter, plus several college offensive coordinators. Among those believed to be interested in the job are Florida's Brent Pease and Texas Tech's Neal Brown, both of whom have ties to UK – Pease as a former assistant and Brown as a player.

Dykes, whose Tech team is 8-1 and second in the nation in scoring offense at 52 points per game, was a graduate assistant at Kentucky under Hal Mumme in the late 1990s. Dykes' offensive coordinator at Tech is Tony Franklin, another former UK assistant from the Mumme days.

Koetter got the Boise State program started on the road to major success, going 26-10 there from 1998-2000. Koetter then left for Arizona State, where he went 40-34 in six seasons before being fired in 2006. Since then, Koetter has been a coordinator in the NFL at Jacksonville for five years before moving to Atlanta this season.

There may also be sentiment in the state for Kentucky to take a look at Western Kentucky coach Willie Taggart. His Hilltoppers team beat Kentucky in September and at 6-3 is eligible for the first bowl in school history

 

[Nostical]

Might I remind you that both Warde Manuel AND Susan Herbst were at the game in Tampa last night. Hmmmmm.

 

[sportsart]

Rumor has it they are waiting to see if PP gets fired and maybe snag him up. Part of the deal is GDL has to come with him.

 

[sportsart]

Might I remind you that both Warde Manuel AND Susan Herbst were at the game in Tampa last night. Hmmmmm.

They're dating now? Wow....

 

[Nostical]

Dating? I actually hope they're engaged---in finding us a new coach.

 

[Rumrunner]

It would be cynical I know...but maybe getting to lounge around the Tampa area in November was more of a driver for the dynamic duo to attend the game than perfecting a coaching change scheme.

Might I remind you that both Warde Manuel AND Susan Herbst were at the game in Tampa last night. Hmmmmm.