I don't post very often but when I do I try to be objective. JB built this program, and his loyalty is unprecedented. So I can definitely understand those who want to stand by JB. I guess my question is in what other profession would it be permissible or expected to keep an aging professional (regardless of profession) if the performance wasn't up to par?
Would a prestigious aging surgeon be allowed to perform if his success rate was dipping?
Would an elite car salesman be kept if his numbers sagged for successive years?
Would a tenured teacher be kept if the curriculum was stale and he was not reaching kids?
I guess I'm asking this because I don't really think JB has been recruiting anywhere near to the level he used to, and it's evident in our record and class rankings. For a while we blamed sanctions, but they're over, and he's still not getting it done. Somehow we've grown to accept being a middle of the pack ACC team. Being an average team has never been the SU standard. We were beasts of the East, remember?
So the question then becomes are we better with JB at the helm or hiring someone else? In the short term the answer is probably JB. He's a brilliant coach, and it'll be hard to move on. If we allow JB to stay we'll likely be a middle of the pack team or worse since I don't see the recruiting issue getting any easier. So we've got two options...
1. Keep JB and hover around the tournament bubble for the duration of his tenure.
2. Hire someone new who could lead to a nosedive OR could be a homerun (thinking Louisville right now).
Option one prolongs mediocrity, but honors JB.
Option two might be hard but it gives us a chance to return to prominence sooner rather than delaying the inevitable.
As much as I love JB he can't coach forever. I wish JB was only 60 and we weren't facing this issue because I'd much prefer to return to the glory years and see him win another championship. I just don't think it's in the cards. I voted it's time to move on.