Everything is bigger in Texas -- even the total cluster of an AD situation less than two years into Steve Patterson's tenure in Austin.
On the outside you assume everything's cool, because from the outside you tend to judge AD's on their hires and he's made two apparently good ones in Charlie Strong and Shaka Smart.
But goodness gracious, his personality seems like water to the oil of influential Longhorns supporters.
You've heard steady rumblings recently, and now there's this report by the Dallas Morning News that says Patterson has been told to change his management style.
Ouch.
One key question: how receptive to change is Patterson, whose management approach has been consistent from the NBA’s Portland Trail Blazers to Arizona State to Texas. While some members of the fan base have praised Patterson for bringing a business mindset, numerous others have criticized him.
A recurring theme has been an emphasis on money over anything else, from increases in ticket prices, changes in faculty tickets and a focus on international branding. The concern, sources say, is less the message than Patterson’s approach, sources said. Most of the goodwill surrounding his hire has pretty much been exhausted.
A recent lengthy investigative piece by Horns Digest cited numerous examples of Patterson’s management style that has drawn ire.
An internal athletic department memo that has been sent to donors was obtained by the Morning News and addresses many of the criticisms that have dogged Patterson.
The document covers everything from a big picture economic view of the department to the football travel plans of the Texas band (yes to Oklahoma and TCU; maybe on Baylor) and a possible international football game in Mexico City.
A few Thursday links:
-- College football is experiencing booming popularity, but it still can't touch the NFL. A look at the top-rated games so far this year provides an illustration of that.
-- Move over Steve Spurrier; Bruce Feldman says Bret Bielema was the best thing to happen to SEC Media Days.
From the ridiculously glitzy Nikes (pictures don't do them justice) to his endless run of did-he-really-just-say-that comments, the Arkansas head Hog had a blast, and so did pretty much everyone watching him. The guy described the moment in the Texas Bowl after Arkansas, dominating Texas and up 31-7, knelt on the ball near the Horns' goal line as a "proud moment -- borderline erotic."
Here are some highlights from Bielema's day in Hoover:
* On those wild shoes, which one-upped the crazy Yeezys Miss. State's Dan Mullen wore here yesterday: "First thing I said was, 'Hell, let's start a little Nike-adidas war.'" He later referred to Mullen's footwear as those "Kanye West or East or whatever shoes."
* One day after Spurrier's dig about how "there are still people in Knoxville and Fayetteville doing cartwheels after going 7-6," Bielema said he "respects his elders" and quipped that given the shape of his body, he's not doing any cartwheels.
* On putting his O-line on the team's media guide: "Selfishly, it's the only group that I feel good about taking a picture with." But he added that there was a more practical rationale beyond just that it honors his program's identity. With QBs or some other positions, it's harder to stockpile talent and build depth because those other positions are less inclined to sit. Better still, QBs love great O-lineman. So do running backs. And so do wideouts. So by showcasing the linemen, Arkansas can build great OL depth and potentially win a lot of games.
"I can show an offensive lineman when he comes on an official visit and just went to LSU, Alabama, USC, Michigan and Ohio State, and there's a program cover sitting on my desk that I can tell that mom and dad why that happened, it goes a long way," Bielema said. "There's a reason I let (OL) Sebastian Tretolathrow a pass. I knew it would create notoriety. I knew I would get interviewed afterwards. I knew I would say, 'Be an offensive lineman, come to Arkansas and I'll make you famous.'"
As much as I've ragged on the guy over the last couple years, I admit I can't help admire him. His team and its style is impossible not to like, and you have to appreciate a guy who's willing to shake things up.
-- Pat Forde rips Nick Saban for making excuses.
"Our team chemistry from the SEC championship game to the playoff game was affected by something," Saban said. "... We had six guys in this situation this past year and 11 the year before. So we're trying to get ready for a game, and all of a sudden a guy finds out he's a first-round draft pick or a guy that thought he was a first-round draft pick finds out he's not a first-round draft pick, and we're trying to get ready to play a playoff game. I think it would be better not to submit that information to a player until he was finished competing in college."
We'll pause for a moment here while America wipes its sympathy tears for poor Alabama and poor Nick. Perhaps we should set up a hankie stand in Tuscaloosa.
So now we know: the Tide lost to Ohio State because of draft info. Not because 'Bama underperformed, underprepared or was flat whipped.
Not because Ezekiel Elliott made the 'Bama defense look heavy-legged and slow while slashing them for 230 yards and two touchdowns. Not because a former third-string quarterback making his second career start threw for 243 yards. Not because Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin kept dialing up passes when he should have been calling runs.
And clearly not because Urban Meyer outcoached Nick Saban.
By the way, Ohio State had a player on its team die the week of the Big Ten championship game. That's a slightly bigger issue to deal with than draft status.
-- Andy Staples of SI says just because Saban was making excuses doesn't mean he was wrong.
It would be easy for the NFL to change the calendar to help college players and coaches without hurting the draft scouting process. Hold back the draft advisory grades until after the college players’ seasons have ended, and then give those players until Feb. 1 to declare for the draft. Combine invitations can still go out in early February. NFL teams would still have ample opportunity to endure paralysis by analysis between Feb. 1 and draft day.
Meanwhile, teams such as Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon and Florida State could play in the postseason without players wondering if their next play could cost them a first-round slot. In fact, it might help the grading process for the advisory board members to consider how college players perform in high-pressure, high-stakes playoff games.
-- On the topic of excuses, we close with an oldie but a goodie from Alice in Chains:
LW
