Pflu and ODay were FIRED this morning

[PapaG]

I posted a few weeks ago that I was certain someone would get fired over this mess, but I thought it would be either Foley or O'Day. I didn't think it would be Pflu, and I certainly didn't think it would be more than one person. The next few weeks promise to be very interesting in Griz-ville.

Could be all three by the end of next week. Turns out some big-time Griz boosters have big mouths about things they shouldn't have made public...

[catgrad05]

The timing of this just seems odd to me. Ive seen coaches get fired after a season, during a season or even in the summer but dont ever recall a coach being let go in the middle of spring camp.

This is 100% speculation and I have nothing to base it on other than a gut feeling that I hope I am wrong about, but I wonder if the NCAA isnt coming down on UM for something and the school is acting before an offical release? Dont get me wrong I am not a Griz supporter at all, but you never want something like this to happen to any program.

PapaG alluded to that very thing...that they may be in trouble with the NCAA over an unrelated matter.

If I remember correctly wasnt there rumblings that the NCAA was looking into the taseing inccident and the alleged "school" lawyers? Once again guessing in the dark here just trying to post my thoughts and see if anyone is making similar conections/assumtions.

[John K]

Someone posted that they fired the entire coaching staff...is that really true? If so, how can they even continue with spring practice? Maybe they've already had "informal" talks with a few potential interim coaches, and have someone tentatively lined up who can step in almost immediately?

[CatBlitz]

Someone posted that they fired the entire coaching staff...is that really true? If so, how can they even continue with spring practice? Maybe they've already had "informal" talks with a few potential interim coaches, and have someone tentatively lined up who can step in almost immediately?

I doubt the whole staff is fired.

[John K]

Someone posted that they fired the entire coaching staff...is that really true? If so, how can they even continue with spring practice? Maybe they've already had "informal" talks with a few potential interim coaches, and have someone tentatively lined up who can step in almost immediately?

I doubt the whole staff is fired.

I'm sure you're right. That just doesn't seem realistic logistically, at this time of year.

[PapaG]

Someone posted that they fired the entire coaching staff...is that really true? If so, how can they even continue with spring practice? Maybe they've already had "informal" talks with a few potential interim coaches, and have someone tentatively lined up who can step in almost immediately?

I doubt the whole staff is fired.

I'm sure you're right. That just doesn't seem realistic logistically, at this time of year.

It wouldn't be fair to the players there, and there is no way every coach was involved in some of the things that are going to be coming out over the next few months.

[083190]

Fair to the players? How about fair to the people allegedly victimized by the behavior and the apparent culture surrounding the program? How about fairness to the taxpayers and ticketholders that pay a good portion of the freight for the program. How about fairness to the community(local and statewide) that supports the program? As for priorities, Fairness for the players that live in the center of this fiasco is quite a way down the list. IMO!

[SaxCat]

When the new coach is hired it will probably be up to them how far the ax swings into the coaching staff.

[allcat]

The DC and OC were just hired. I would think they would have to swallow all of the contracts if they fired them.

[wbtfg]

The DC and OC were just hired. I would think they would have to swallow all of the contracts if they fired them.

I think contracts are renewed july 1, so unless they are retained by the new coach, they aren't getting paid by UM.

[allcat]

The DC and OC were just hired. I would think they would have to swallow all of the contracts if they fired them.

I think contracts are renewed july 1, so unless they are retained by the new coach, they aren't getting paid by UM.

As they are new, I would think that their contract would be till next July.

[PapaG]

Fair to the players? How about fair to the people allegedly victimized by the behavior and the apparent culture surrounding the program? How about fairness to the taxpayers and ticketholders that pay a good portion of the freight for the program. How about fairness to the community(local and statewide) that supports the program? As for priorities, Fairness for the players that live in the center of this fiasco is quite a way down the list. IMO!

I agree, but the larger point is that I doubt every coach on the staff was aware of the alleged rapes, as well as the improper benefits that the NCAA asking questions about in Missoula.

[083190]

Since the "alleged" rapes and improper benefits have been hashed and re-hashed on this site and egriz, it is hard to beileve that the people in the athletic department in Missoula would have had their collective heads in the sand. It is more probable that there was awareness of the issues on some level throughout the program. Time will tell as more details come to light.

[catsrback76]

Pretty sad news to hear coming out of Missoula! Sad for everyone involved even if it was justified. Clearly there was a cancer in the system that was beginning to take control of the whole program and university that needed this kind of action. As painful as it is, this is UM's best chance to get it right for the future. Make all the cuts that are needed now, be fair and thorough and move forward in a new direction.

Just very sad...

[bobcat99]

Sad deal for UM to go through. We've been through it before, and we came out better for it. I hope they do as well. Personally I think Engstrom did the right thing here, it's obvious some kind of change had to happen and it just seemed like the coaching staff wasn't going to try to make it happen.

About the only thing I'm enjoying from this is watching TokyoGriz over on Egriz go nuts on everybody saying how they need to fire Engstrom. That dude's almost as bad as PR is.

[tampa_griz]

Take this with a grain of salt as I have no particular reason to either believe or doubt the person that told me this but I have been told that Roots physically assaulted the daughter of a major booster. I doubt that would result in a firing in a matter of hours but who knows.

As mentioned earlier, it sounds like Root was arrested last night. While it not be THE reason Pflu and O'Day were fired, but more that it was the straw that broke the camel's back.

And if Rockchuck it to be believed, sounds like things go deeper. My guess is that we will hear a lot more about what's really been going on within the the program.

As I listened to the interview with Pflu on KPAX, I think he said that the meeting on Thursday morning was scheduled on Monday. That would lead me to believe that Roots' incident was incidental and not material to the firings.

[grizatwork]

Sigh...what a cluster f#@k. The band aid has been ripped off. Time to let the infection run out and hope for healing eventually. I appreciate griz and cat fans who understand that this is not about a rivalry. This is bigger than football and something needed to be done.

[Platinumcat]

Sigh...what a cluster f#@k. The band aid has been ripped off. Time to let the infection run out and hope for healing eventually. I appreciate griz and cat fans who understand that this is not about a rivalry. This is bigger than football and something needed to be done.

+1

[GoCats18]

Sigh...what a cluster f#@k. The band aid has been ripped off. Time to let the infection run out and hope for healing eventually. I appreciate griz and cat fans who understand that this is not about a rivalry. This is bigger than football and something needed to be done.

Maybe you should be telling this to your buddies on egriz. You know, all the fans that think there is still nothing wrong with their prized football program. I do agree though, this is bigger than football, and it could have an effect on all football programs in this state that are trying to recruit kids in the future.

[CPACAT]

Sigh...what a cluster f#@k. The band aid has been ripped off. Time to let the infection run out and hope for healing eventually. I appreciate griz and cat fans who understand that this is not about a rivalry. This is bigger than football and something needed to be done.

Maybe you should be telling this to your buddies on egriz. You know, all the fans that think there is still nothing wrong with their prized football program. I do agree though, this is bigger than football, and it could have an effect on all football programs in this state that are trying to recruit kids in the future.

If you actually read egriz you will see that he does just that.