The Coaching Carousel

In light of Bobby Petrino leaving his head coaching position of the Atlanta Falcons and taking over in the same role of the Arkansas Razorbacks, I asked myself why is it coaches seem to always get a pass when they jump from team to team? In the past few years several coaches who have found some success in the collegiate ranks have wanted to try their hand at the pro level only to tuck tail and run back to college. Some of the most historic programs in college football and basketball have saved these coaches from further embarassment, by hiring them. Nick Saban with Alabama, Steve Spurrier with South Carolina, Pete Caroll With USC, Rick Pitino with Louisville, John Calipari with Memphis. These are some of the heavyweights in college coaching all had chances with the pros and failed miserably. Only to let those they once uttered the statement of family together upset and disappointed. Here in lies the problem I have, everyone knows that any business large or small has to have strong leadership and commitment from the people at the top to be succesful and thrive. You have these coaches who say all the same things commitment, determination, overcoming adversity, family, competing, loyalty, dedication in their messages. These words are thrown around daily almost to the point of delirium. Yet it almost seems that coaches don’t hold themselves to the same standards when it comes to their coaching commitments and aren’t called out for it as players are by media outlets. I understand that coaches have dreams to get to a program they have either wanted to coach at or a place they feel they can turn into a winner year in and year out. But in my estimations coaches are nothing more than mercenaries looking to cash in on success they ha at some time in their career. It’s about time people start criticizing these coaches as selfish and all the derogatory names they call players.