ADVERTISEMENT

BREAKING NEWS in the Premium Folder for MT fans

While I can't see myself renouncing or staying away forever, it seems clear that I will be staying away until some administrators are replaced. No more watching for signs of improvement "this season or next." The next sign of real change that I'll be looking for is Massaro leaving MT. Maybe then I'll start to invest time and energy into MT.

My next question, where does McPhee fit in all this?
 
  • Like
Reactions: BigBlueBrad
A complete embarrassment to be associated with this program. How could this possibly have been justified? And it auto renews with 6 wins???? WTF? Something is shady here. This deserves some sort of public embarrassment of Massaro and McPhee. Someone needs to publicly call them out. I would think ESPN would have an interest in writing an expose based on just the shock value of the situation, people would read it that don't know the program. Anyone know people at ESPN to dangle a story in front of them?

I will check box scores and maybe tune in for a bit if games are on tv, but unless they go on a winning streak it's just too hard as a fan. They give you nothing in return.

I REALLY hope they lose every single remaining game this year. As a fan that's the only recourse.
I wonder if Phil Williams of Nashville 5 would find this story interesting?
 
Yep. We had the story on the McD extension before last season but the decision was made not to run it. Not my decision. It’s why I don’t write here any longer.

To their credit, that extension does not look bad given the results of last basketball season.

But to your larger point, Massaro is a MUCH bigger issue for MT athletics than Rick Stockstill. Stock has a ton of respect in the industry, even if most folks think he has worn out his welcome.

I want to stress I am speaking for myself here, just an outside observer. Massaro has ZERO respect nationwide. I’ve talked to plenty of folks who say he is one of most inept administrators they have ever worked with. And the school President/board clearly feel the same because they refuse to give him a long term contract.
I know this is more of a rhetorical question that you can't answer for them, but why do they keep him around running the Athletic Department into the ground if they know he is bad at his job?

One would think the botched and humiliating left behind fiasco during the last wave wave of conference realignment would be reason enough to fire Massaro.

McPhee making an announcement of facilities right after the fiasco could have been read as McPhee stepping in once he realized Massaro had dropped the ball. If that was the case, then it would have been a good time to fire Massaro. Afterwards, crickets.

Ultimately, we the public & alumni have no real way of knowing just what is going on, and that is a big part of the problem.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JohnDavidBlue
I posted this on the Blue Raider Football page on Facebook.


1407173877000-massaro-e1549742195330-250x250.jpg


If anyone sees this man, please alert the authorities. He is wanted for the murder of Middle Tennessee football. His weapon was completely idiotic contract extensions for a .500 coach with automatic extensions for simply winning 6 games. Most friends and relatives of the victim have said that they cannot return to the crime scene.
 
Last edited:
What will have to happen is Mcphee gets tired of being embarrassed and fires Massaro. Next AD comes in will make Stock uncomfortable in his job, that he either gets better or he quits. Cause you can demand certain thing from the program, like top 75 recruiting rankings, you recruit from the states and areas i tell you too or i won't sign off on the scholarship offer, load the OOC with 4 P5 games and have his buyout ready. Thee middle man must be changed before significant change can happen. Everyone should just keep bombarding Mcphee with emails and calls. Get that local Phil Williams to get some air time as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: C-Bow and dukewayne
Btw, no wonder the other conferences haven't been knocking down the doors of MT. They see and know that it's a dumpster fire.

Does Massaro have any respect from the other professionals in the industry that are making the decisions on conference membership? Does McPhee know the answer to this? Does McPhee have peer respect?

What a mess! Again, I feel bad for WKU simply for being connected in conference affiliation to MT by way of geography and historic rivalry. It seems their apparently desired move to the MAC was contingent upon this clown show down here in Murfreesboro.
 
I know this is more of a rhetorical question that you can't answer for them, but why do they keep him around running the Athletic Department into the ground if they know he is bad at his job?

One would think the botched and humiliating left behind fiasco during the last wave wave of conference realignment would be reason enough to fire Massaro.

McPhee making an announcement of facilities right after the fiasco could have been read as McPhee stepping in once he realized Massaro had dropped the ball. If that was the case, then it would have been a good time to fire Massaro. Afterwards, crickets.

Ultimately, we the public & alumni have no real way of knowing just what is going on, and that is a big part of the problem.
The problem is comfortability. They’ve all got sweet jobs paying salaries they don’t deserve. One person saying “you don’t belong here” would be hypocritical because they’re all hanging on by the skin of their teeth.

The Nashville market and being in the SEC’s footprint allows them to skate by - never swinging too far in either the direction of excellence or mediocrity.

It’s kind of a chicken or the egg question, and unfortunately the answer is they are mediocre because they are mediocre.
 
Duke, not a messy post at all. An important & from the heart post. Many on here are probably having similar contemplations about the subject at hand. Personally I have come to accept that the sullying of our university by a small handful has occurred. When I say I accept, it doesn't mean I'm pleased with the outcome. I've followed MT athletics since Monte Hale was calling games for Jimmy Earle with players like Sleepy Taylor, George Sorrell & Fred Allen. And as a kid thought how great it would be to see a full 50,000 seat stadium here. Your right, it is sad to see Dr Walker's dream corrupted, but it has & that stadium will never happen. I recently joined our message board to communicate with those who had fond memories & high hopes for a once bright future. Obviously those hopes have left, & one by one our fellow Members here will probably be leaving too. I'll continue to hang around. The men's & women's basketball teams are my motivation now. Hopefully the powers that be will not do to those programs as they've done to football.
Thank you for your kind words. I know it's not good to waller in self-pity, but it really bothers me the way Dr Walker's (may he RIP) dream is being trampled upon. Maybe that is what Boots saw coming?

I know it also bothers me immensely for fans & alumni like yourself and SpaceRaider that have been around and heavily invested in MT for far longer than I. Even if not big money donors, still invested in your energy, time, effort, and your still hard earned money. It sickens me to see the treatment or perhaps even indifference shown to you fans & alumni that have been around since the 80s and even the 70s. I imagine there are a few still around that were here for the 60s as well.

Despite all of this craziness, I still have a soft spot for MT basketball. Sometimes I wish I didn't :oops: but I do.
 
I know this is more of a rhetorical question that you can't answer for them, but why do they keep him around running the Athletic Department into the ground if they know he is bad at his job?

One would think the botched and humiliating left behind fiasco during the last wave wave of conference realignment would be reason enough to fire Massaro.

McPhee making an announcement of facilities right after the fiasco could have been read as McPhee stepping in once he realized Massaro had dropped the ball. If that was the case, then it would have been a good time to fire Massaro. Afterwards, crickets.

Ultimately, we the public & alumni have no real way of knowing just what is going on, and that is a big part of the problem.
The entire organization is controlled by one person. The AD has his ear while the Head Football Coach has SM’s ear. What a mess.😥
 
  • Like
Reactions: BRaiderDave
The problem is comfortability. They’ve all got sweet jobs paying salaries they don’t deserve. One person saying “you don’t belong here” would be hypocritical because they’re all hanging on by the skin of their teeth.

The Nashville market and being in the SEC’s footprint allows them to skate by - never swinging too far in either the direction of excellence or mediocrity.

It’s kind of a chicken or the egg question, and unfortunately the answer is they are mediocre because they are mediocre.
Yep, you're right on. It's like these people are hiding in the obscurity of MT's geographic placement in the suburbs. Unfortunately for the rest of us, it means MT is being passed by. Even more damaging during this critical time of realignment and change in college athletics overall. Not to mention the opportunity being blown of not seizing upon the dramatic growth in and around Nashville and all of Middle Tennessee.
 
The entire organization is controlled by one person. The AD has his ear while the Head Football Coach has SM’s ear. What a mess.😥
See, this is why I need to get out more. Give me a clue because I think you are dropping nuggets. The clue: is that ear a BOR type ear or maybe a huge donor type ear?
 
Till death do us part.
reminds me of something Clarence Darrow once wrote:

“I have never killed any one, but I have read some obituary notices with great satisfaction.”


I am very close to feeling that with these clowns. They are bringing me to the point of a coon hunting story by Jerry Clower where John Eubanks climbed a tree to get what the hounds had treed but turned out to be a lynx (souped up bobcat) and pleads with his buddies to "“Shoot up here amongst us, because one of us needs some relief!”
 
  • Like
Reactions: MTTim
I posted this on the Blue Raider Football page on Facebook.


1407173877000-massaro-e1549742195330-250x250.jpg


If anyone sees this man, please alert the authorities. He is wanted for the murder of Middle Tennessee football. His weapon was completely idiotic contract extensions for a .500 coach with automatic extensions for simply winning 6 games. Most friends and relatives of the victim have said that they cannot return to the crime scene.

Can we print off hundreds of flyers at a copy shop and put them up around campus? Setup a GoFundme and I'll contribute money. A public embarrassment has to happen at this point.

Who's with me on the GoFund me and someone putting these up around campus?
 
I wonder if Phil Williams of Nashville 5 would find this story interesting?
Send him an email. We have to get someone to pick this up. My fear though is the local media market is too chummy with our admin so they won't touch it. But definitely worth reaching out.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SpaceRaider
Send him an email. We have to get someone to pick this up. My fear though is the local media market is too chummy with our admin so they won't touch it. But definitely worth reaching out.
He might be receptive to taking a look at it given the way they answered his questions about nepotism and Covid-19 protocols a couple of years ago. Send him a pic of Stock’s nasal gaiter. 😂
 
  • Haha
Reactions: C-Bow
I think you would be more successful in trying to get someone to cover this after the end of this season if it doesn't go well. The average person might say "Well jeez, he went 7-6 last year and won a bowl game...." and think the contract extension isn't so bad despite the overall .500 record.

If we win 3-4 games this year then it looks much worse to the average person, in my opinion.

I'm personally in a wait and see which is where I've been for the last 10 years. Hell, I'd be OK if he would just be willing to fire his friends and hire younger hungrier coaches. I think Stockstill has some good qualities as a head coach, but then he also has some major weaknesses (inability to be objective and fire his buddy OL coaches). Stockstill likes to surround himself with comfortable, friendly faces. That works for Dabo Swinney @ Clemson but we are clearly not Clemson. Maybe Stockstill needs to get a little uncomfortable, bring in some different offensive position coaches, take a risk, etc. I believe there is some major group-think issues and not a lot of outside voices providing input within our staff because we have very little staff turnover.

For the record, I don't think the contract extension was deserved. At all. But it is what it is. If Stock is going to be our head coach for the foreseeable future then I want to see him be willing to consider wholesale changes if needed. You can't go 4-8 in year 17 and keep your same position coaches on staff that have been here for ages. You have to at least TRY something different. Make an effort, ya know.
 
What are you waiting to see?

If he all of a sudden decides that he wants to be more than a .500 coach? There's nothing that's going to happen that we haven't already seen. We'll go somewhere around 5-7/6-6, no changes will be made.

The .500 football isn't a bug in the system, it's the main feature of Stockstill football.

I know you're trying to make the best of a a depressing situation, but after 17 years of glowing performance reviews for poor results, to think that some kind of spark of ambition is going to be kindled in Stock is a bit of a stretch.

Yeah you are right. If he wasn't willing to hire new OL coaches when his own son was the QB, I suppose he never will.

It's all such a sad situation. Stockstill could use his 17 years of seniority to his advantage and use it as a positive, especially on the recruiting trail. I don't understand how he can continue to keep these same offensive position coaches year-after-year despite terrible results.

What's so maddening is I thought we finally had the OL figured out at the end of last season when they were playing really well. Then they all transfer out (1 declared for the NFL draft and was never heard from again) to bigger programs and we are back to square one.

So even if we did hire better OL coaches, would it matter? If the players are just going to leave the second they taste success, then what's the point ? A school like MT will NEVER be able to achieve anything great if most of their best players are always just looking for the next big shiny thing to move on to. This is especially true for a position like OL because these kids have to grow and develop more than most other positions.

The whole operation feels futile at this point. MT feels like a glorified JUCO at this point.
 
Last edited:
I posted this on the Blue Raider Football page on Facebook.


1407173877000-massaro-e1549742195330-250x250.jpg


If anyone sees this man, please alert the authorities. He is wanted for the murder of Middle Tennessee football. His weapon was completely idiotic contract extensions for a .500 coach with automatic extensions for simply winning 6 games. Most friends and relatives of the victim have said that they cannot return to the crime scene.

Shocked Ice Cube GIF
 
I agree 100% on the position coaches. Recruiting as well. Do we have regions set up? Anyone know who has what? I'd be willing to bet the younger ones are bringing in more players as they will do more legwork than the veteran coaches.

I just want some guys in here that are FBS players. OL especially. How many have we had that we are their only FBS offer and the rest sre FCS or NAIA? Way too many.

We all get comfortable in our jobs but at some point someone is gonna have to light a fire.
 
I just want some guys in here that are FBS players. OL especially. How many have we had that we are their only FBS offer and the rest sre FCS or NAIA? Way too many.

We had some last year. They all transferred to bigger programs.

College football is going in a different direction these days. In order to be successful as a coach you have to continue to recruit your players even after you sign them. You also have to be able to identify talent in the transfer portal and find kids you can "plug and play." You have to be ready, and almost expect, for your superstars to leave for bigger programs and NIL deals. In turn, you have to poach good players from the transfer portal yourself to replace these defectors. For a school like MT, this is not an easy job.

Do you really think this boomer coaching staff can change their ways and be successful ? This is a young man's game these days.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: MidTennMtneer
Does the contract actually expire Dec 2028, or is the 1 year auto renewal (6+ wins and/or APR 940+) indefinite?
 
I know why Stock won't fire his weaker coaches. The guy just wants a couple of buddy's! Mabe he's the new Judge Smails of college football. The names have just changed. "Will you be my pal Danny? I'm sorry, coach Tommy?" Tommy nods yes. Coach says "Gooood! How about a Fresca?"
Yes I know, that was really bad. Probably last post for a while😆
 
  • Like
Reactions: MT Glenn
I posted this on the Blue Raider Football page on Facebook.


1407173877000-massaro-e1549742195330-250x250.jpg


If anyone sees this man, please alert the authorities. He is wanted for the murder of Middle Tennessee football. His weapon was completely idiotic contract extensions for a .500 coach with automatic extensions for simply winning 6 games. Most friends and relatives of the victim have said that they cannot return to the crime scene.
I looked for it but they must have zapped it. 😂
 
See, this is why I need to get out more. Give me a clue because I think you are dropping nuggets. The clue: is that ear a BOR type ear or maybe a huge donor type ear?
We haven’t been a TBOR school since April of 2017. There were 8 original members of the Board of Trustees appointed by Gov. Haslem. Same was done at Memphis. The late Darrell Freeman passed away earlier this year.

LINK: “Shot caller “
 
  • Like
Reactions: JohnDavidBlue
Most state records (like contracts) are a simple FOIA away, though it’s probably wise to have a single place for all significant employee contracts like UTK does
or make it to where they have to publicy state this stuff. No FOIA needed. Have the sports stations found out about this yet?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Predarat
I think you would be more successful in trying to get someone to cover this after the end of this season if it doesn't go well. The average person might say "Well jeez, he went 7-6 last year and won a bowl game...." and think the contract extension isn't so bad despite the overall .500 record.

If we win 3-4 games this year then it looks much worse to the average person, in my opinion.

I'm personally in a wait and see which is where I've been for the last 10 years. Hell, I'd be OK if he would just be willing to fire his friends and hire younger hungrier coaches. I think Stockstill has some good qualities as a head coach, but then he also has some major weaknesses (inability to be objective and fire his buddy OL coaches). Stockstill likes to surround himself with comfortable, friendly faces. That works for Dabo Swinney @ Clemson but we are clearly not Clemson. Maybe Stockstill needs to get a little uncomfortable, bring in some different offensive position coaches, take a risk, etc. I believe there is some major group-think issues and not a lot of outside voices providing input within our staff because we have very little staff turnover.

For the record, I don't think the contract extension was deserved. At all. But it is what it is. If Stock is going to be our head coach for the foreseeable future then I want to see him be willing to consider wholesale changes if needed. You can't go 4-8 in year 17 and keep your same position coaches on staff that have been here for ages. You have to at least TRY something different. Make an effort, ya know.
I think acceptance is the last stage of grief.
 
I can't be the first to have done this but I just tweeted all of the Nashville sports talk media about this contract and how Stock's buyout is nearly 7 mill now without the auto renew. 6 years x 850,000 + this season.
 
Here is a solution if Massaro has the balls to do it, just don't renew Polly, West, Mallory, Brock and Beckles contract force stock to hire new people, amend his contract to force recruiting efforts in certain areas or don't sign the scholarship papers. There are a lot of ways to skin a cat.
 
We haven’t been a TBOR school since April of 2017. There were 8 original members of the Board of Trustees appointed by Gov. Haslem. Same was done at Memphis. The late Darrell Freeman passed away earlier this year.

LINK: “Shot caller “
Yea, I knew about the change, I just blew (mixed up) on my recall of the new formal name of the governing board.

Anyways, I think you cleverly answered my question.

If the picture is coming into focus, no wonder I've had a hard time narrowing down the problem. It sounds like it's not necessarily one person of poor leadership skill, but a problem of conflicting viewpoints and personalities in various positions of power. Each position has certain political considerations that makes it difficult for any one "leader" to act decisively.

Kind of like a logjam or even a stopped up toilet, we're likely going to have to at least hope to have at least one of about four big turds removed to break up the logjam and get things flowing again.
 
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT