Here’s my guess: in the short term, if things don’t turn around, Franklin will be first on the list. The offense has been bad.
If that doesn’t fix anything, and this team is staring down a two or fewer win season, something bigger would likely happen.
I understand you all wanted changes after last season. I wasn’t around so I can’t say I agreed or disagreed at the time.Thats the problem.
If Stock wanted to make those changes, he should have made them after 4-8. He did not. Massaro did not force those changes.
Now another year in (and worse than before), Stock is going to do what anyone with common sense and eyes knew to do last year? - That’s weak, shows a lack of understanding & is all about saving your own hide versus what’s best with the program.
Agree with Space & others, if Stock isn’t fired, then Massaro is putting an exclamation point on his failed administration.
CM told me a while back he doesn't like to make changes mid season. He's proven that the past 15 years. This is exactly why CM should be fired immediately.I understand you all wanted changes after last season. I wasn’t around so I can’t say I agreed or disagreed at the time.
Love it or hate it, firing Stock right now would do nothing to make any outcome better for the 2020 season. This cake is already baked - either Stock is given the opportunity to get this team to respectability or everything falls apart.
I understand that option sounds good to a fanbase desperate for any change. I’m sure you all are thinking, “I’d take the bottom falling out if it guaranteed a new coach.” but Massaro can’t make that decision - he’s got 100 players and ticket sales, concessions, etc. to think about.
Anyone expecting an announcement on Stock’s future in October is pissing in the wind.
Let’s get to the end of the year, then we’ll know more.
I understand you all wanted changes after last season. I wasn’t around so I can’t say I agreed or disagreed at the time.
Love it or hate it, firing Stock right now would do nothing to make any outcome better for the 2020 season. This cake is already baked - either Stock is given the opportunity to get this team to respectability or everything falls apart.
I understand that option sounds good to a fanbase desperate for any change. I’m sure you all are thinking, “I’d take the bottom falling out if it guaranteed a new coach.” but Massaro can’t make that decision - he’s got 100 players and ticket sales, concessions, etc. to think about.
Anyone expecting an announcement on Stock’s future in October is pissing in the wind.
Let’s get to the end of the year, then we’ll know more.
If Stock “retires” with all that he is contractually due, I want him gone. Massaro too. He lied to me last November about the “changes after the season”. Letting both of them hang around is a terrible plan for bringing back donors (like myself) and our chances in hiring really good replacements. That’s what it will take for me to come back. Nothing less.CM won't fire Stock. It isn't in his nature. He McPhee and Stock are the three amigos after all these years. They will ride out the year and Stock will "retire" with a cushy spot in an office and have major influence on the next hire.
So again. Nothing major will change in how things are run unless CM goes too.
The sad reality is if it doesn’t include McPhee it’s not going to matter. Lest we forget how the AD actually had a good BB coach ready to take the job only to have McPhee say no and force the hire of McDevitt.
I just don’t see a scenario in which firing Stock mid-season solves any problems.2020 was ruined when Massaro gave his rah rah speech last December about how things looked up and no changes would be made. Massaro’s failure to critically analyze the situation is why 2020 is a dumpster fire.
Can you go into more detail about why Massaro can’t pull the trigger mid-season? I know Massaro wont (I expect Stock to be back next season), but AD fire HCs at all levels of college football at mid-season every year. If Massaro cared about ticket sales, concessions & donations, he would have fired Stock years ago. The longer he keeps Stock, the worse these will get. Our fan base was never large, but the core was bigger 5-10 years ago. A lot have sworn off donations and tickets until Stock is fired.
Only a fool doesn’t realize this and stubbornly brings His buddy back year after year at this point.
.
McPhee, Massaro and Stock need to go.
I appreciate the time you took to post this and even if we disagree on small points I don’t think we’re far off on our conclusions.Tyler, a part of me didn't even want to bother with this, because I've just reached the point I don't care. But that's exactly the point here and why a decision now makes more sense than waiting (that is of course assuming we could negotiate our way down from that steep buy out). Making a change now would more than anything send a message to all of us that we aren't going to continue accepting this. Here are all the reasons to make a mid-season decision:
1. As mentioned, the fan base almost completely eroded. The risk to not making the move is now higher than keeping CRS. The fan base and the alumni have already spoken. We simply cannot continue operating the way we have been, and decision to make a change and the message that would send would have significant long term implications for bringing the fans back, increasing fundraising, and reviving the program.
2. The place where you are wrong is by saying after 15 years he deserves it. No, he doesn't. After 15 years, we deserve a championship. After 15 years, we know what we have. Let's even say he turns it around this year. This team is already virtually eliminated from the east. We've lost the opportunity of a lifetime with this season. Will never come again and it's gone. But in reality we are now 4-14 in our last 18 games, and every single person who plays close attention to this program can all see the problems and these aren't going to suddenly improve. What have you seen in this program that it's going magically get better? This isn't a ship that's taking on water. It's now fully sunk and continuing to pretend like it can float again is the epitome of delusion. And I mean no offense to you but having not been around long enough to see all this you simply don't see what so many others who have been intimately familiar with everything for years.
3. The premise that making a mid-season decision couldn't - itself - lend some infusion of excitement and energy into the program is not based in reality. The team might actually rally around the fact that the administration that we aren't going to accept being a loser and they are going to support the players in a way that proves to them they are going to give them keys to being a successful program. There are so many examples of these types of mid-season decisions infusing energy and something to rally around. I was thinking of what happened with Jake Lamb after he got released by the Diamondbacks. He was hitting .116 with an .380 OPS. He gets released, signed by the A's and leads the A's in hitting down the final two weeks of the season with an .882 OPS for Oakland. It doesn't mean it would happen, but certainly just from a perception/alum/fan base perspective who have significantly positive benefits. But let's say that doesn't happen. Let's say we make the change and go on to only win one game or even none. It doesn't matter, because frankly this season is already lost. There is no point waiting to pull the plug (if we can). But frankly I believe we've now reached the point where we can't afford to figure out a way. We're going to continue losing money, because things are not going to get better. How can we continue to afford funding a program without donations and without gate? Because people aren't giving and people aren't going to start coming again until there is change. Message needs to be sent. Needed to be sent a long time ago before we got to this point. Anyone who didn't see this coming wasn't really paying attention.
I’m not asking you to lower your expectations. I don’t have a super clear understanding of what reasonable expectations are for this program - but anyone would say the last two years have not been good enough.Tyler, the fact that this football team is sitting here at 0-4 and you are suggesting we should lower our expectations to just beat a remaining bunch of CUSA bottom feeders is exactly why the whole house needs to be cleaned. Unreal.
That’s fair. So I guess my question would be, if the results are pre-determined, i.e., this team is going to play poorly and not get invited to a bowl regardless; and the ultimate decision on Stock’s job stability is predetermined - either it’s time to move on or it isn’t, why does it matter whether he is fired mid season or allowed to go out in a more respectable fashion?Let's be honest for just a moment. You say the team will tank if Stock is fired. How exactly would that look different than the first four games of this season or the last 18 games for that matter?
We did the same crap with McCollum. We had back-to-back 4-8 seasons (which incredibly is better than Stockill's last 18 games). I remember this vividly and got the internet version of lynching after telling people following the 8-3 season that McCollum's recruiting philosophy was going to kill the program. No one believed me. Not even after the first 4-8 season. Clearly, the same culture in place the administration didn't see it.
Then 5-6 season. Three straight losing seasons and it was clear it wasn't going to get better. Yet, no change and 4-7 the next season. Had it not been for APR not sure the change would have been made then, because MT doesn't demand excellence. That! Has to change.
The point to all this is there isn't some magic bullet coming that's going to fix this again. MT is not likely to ever have another winning season with CRS at the helm. So, why wait? Figure out the finances and make the move. There is literally no reason to believe this is going to get better. None. Just look at where our recruiting rankings sit over the past few years.
That’s fair. So I guess my question would be, if the results are pre-determined, i.e., this team is going to play poorly and not get invited to a bowl regardless; and the ultimate decision on Stock’s job stability is predetermined - either it’s time to move on or it isn’t, why does it matter whether he is fired mid season or allowed to go out in a more respectable fashion?
So you are the “original” Slappy? 😂😂
Sounds a lot like the way West left Memphis.The slappy movement came a bit later. There are a lot of similarities in the situations though the one big difference is CRS - of course - takes APR more seriously than winning games.
I liked McCollum a lot. Got to know him in a way I don’t know CRS personally. He too was a good dude. Just really down to earth - very approachable but I couldn’t figure what the hell he was doing. He would sign classes and then the following summer in some seasons half the class would never make it to campus. It’s like he was caught up in the appearance of how the class looked on paper regardless of whether they ever had a chance of taking a snap and then for every “recruiting loss” from the year before he would sign a JUCO the next year for that slot. Back then I called it a ponzi recruiting scheme because at some point you’re literally going to run out of players. That’s why when CRS was hired we still didn’t have 85 scholarships on the team in spite of McCollum being here seven years. After that third recruiting class I was like something’s not right here.
Most people wanted Andy gone after the Temple loss in 2003. The team quit winning once Wickline and Fedora left.We did the same crap with McCollum. We had back-to-back 4-8 seasons (which incredibly is better than Stockill's last 18 games). I remember this vividly and got the internet version of lynching after telling people following the 8-3 season that McCollum's recruiting philosophy was going to kill the program. No one believed me. Not even after the first 4-8 season.
Most people wanted Andy gone after the Temple loss in 2003. The team quit winning once Wickline and Fedora left.
When Boots tried to fire Andy, 7 wood fired Boots instead.
https://goblueraiders.com/sports/football/schedule/2003
I appreciate the time you took to post this and even if we disagree on small points I don’t think we’re far off on our conclusions.
I know the fear you all long term fans feel because I felt it growing up a UT fan.
The fear that, if given enough rope, Stock will find a way to right the ship and keep his job. That’s ultimately why you all want the decision to be made as soon as possible and I certainly understand it. I wanted Dooley and Butch blasted out of there the moment it was clear they were in over their heads - and they both got two additional years afterward. It’s frustrating!
I remember Fulmer got a contract extension after going 8-4 one season and we were all irate - and we were giddy when he was fired in 2008 - no matter what people will tell you now that he’s back as AD. The fanbase got very ugly with him, calling him Fat Phil and other derogatory names. I haven’t seen MT fans get to that level with Stock yet, thankfully.
This team and these players love Stock. Say what you want, but the only reason 95% of them are here is because of him. I’m sure they’ve grown to love the school and program in the process - but we talk to these players. Almost unanimously we hear “I want to play for Stock. I know his reputation.” If he is fired mid season, this team will tank.
Many of you don’t like it, but this program is synonymous with Rick Stockstill. It’s hard to know where he stops and the program begins. Everything about it is built to his specifications. We don’t know what it can be without him, but at some point we’re going to get the chance to see it.
It’s my opinion, and I’m fine to be on an island with it, that after 15 years of hard work and service to a university, that the man deserves the chance to figure it out. The recent results have not been good enough - especially the last two seasons. I would be silly to argue otherwise.
But you know what? Stock and his staff know it too. The losses don’t come due to lack of effort or inability to work. Sometimes things just come unglued.
As I said, if things don’t turn around, I fully expect there to be some major changes at the end of the year.
I don’t want to say I think Stock will be fired or will resign because if I post something like that I should know it as fact - that’s my job.
I don’t know it. But it’s what I believe
The losses don’t come due to lack of effort or inability to work. Sometimes things just come unglued.
mcphee has made it crystal clear that he only cares about the APR.Has this administration ever flat out said what the expectations are?
Not including offsets and other considerations, buyout remains north of $5.5 million for Stock himself.Let’s say in a parallel universe, Stock gets let go today. What is his buyout? Second question is, if MT were to hire an up and coming coordinator or a Will Healy type, what would be a reasonable salary at MT? Just wondering if it’ll save the athletic department money in the long term to rip the band aide now
I suspect if we did have the balls to buyout Stock we’re probably looking at $500K. I would be ok with that if the compensation package is laden with additional incentives to win conference championships and other significant milestones - not a 7 win season or winning 5 conference games in one of the worst conferences in the country.
I guess the $100,000 bonus kicked in for His 2019 based on 2018 results?We have been selling Stock short, according to USAToday, he made $901504 salary and $913,504 with bonuses in 2019.
Next HC is going to get a 5 year, $4 to 5 million contract.
The key number is assistant salary. We need to double our assistant salaries. I honestly don’t know where the money comes from.