Gross Targeted Pelini In 2004

[GoCuse44]

According to the New York Times Gross targeted Pelini to be the next SU football coach in 2004. I know it will never happen but I would love to see Pelini on the Syracuse sidelines.

"Coach P" returns to Syracuse.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/31/sports/ncaafootball/31cuse.html?_r=0

 

[oldpinepoint]

According to the New York Times Gross targeted Pelini to be the next SU football coach in 2004. I know it will never happen but I would love to see Pelini on the Syracuse sidelines.

"Coach P" returns to Syracuse.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/31/sports/ncaafootball/31cuse.html?_r=0

i think we targeted brian kelly too

 

[GoCuse44]

and Gross decided to go with GRob.

 

[rrlbees]

and Gross decided to go with GRob.

Not exactly how it went. Pelini was never interviewed nor wanted the job. It's discussed in the other pelini thread with this article.

 

[Cusester]

I'm probably wrong but I had the feeling at the time that Pelini kept putting his name out there but DG wasn't interested because he knew GRob was his man.

 

[rrlbees]

I'm probably wrong but I had the feeling at the time that Pelini kept putting his name out there but DG wasn't interested because he knew GRob was his man.

If Grob had been the target right out of the gate, we wouldn't have been asking permission to talk to coaches, not gone though a vetting process of others to downselect to 4 to be interviewed, then a final interview of 2 with cantor in that interview. Seems like a lot of effort if you already knew the answer.

 

[Full_Rebar]

It's typical for higher ed searches to require more than one interview before hiring. Not sure if it's the same for Athletics, but when I was at SU it was supposed to be the same all across campus.

 

[Rocco]

Pelini is a basketcase, who never had any interest in coming to Syracuse. We tested the water there.

 

[orangehomer]

what if we had a lot more money this time

 

[Full_Rebar]

If Nebraska is somehow failing to give him what he wants/needs for his program, I doubt he'd be interested in SU.

 

[oldpinepoint]

If Nebraska is somehow failing to give him what he wants/needs for his program, I doubt he'd be interested in SU.

Yea no kidding

 

[ForeverOrange]

One thing I find interesting in this, is that some of the choices Gross had in mind, could have been great, but it also points the grim reality that he didn't have the means to attract the top choices he wanted.

 

[elimunelson]

That entire process was a disaster. Pasqualoni should have coached in 2005. He was railroaded at the Purdue bowl game by Cantor (the worst chancellor in SU history) and the university responded in kind with one of the worst hirings in college football history.

I say this not trying to rekindle the P/anti P argument but any reasonable person would agree in hindsight.

 

[Macky44]

This is why Gross had nothing to do with the Marrone decision. Floyd Little and a cast of intelligent folk made that decision and Gross accepted graciously.

 

[rrlbees]

This is why Gross had nothing to do with the Marrone decision. Floyd Little and a cast of intelligent folk made that decision and Gross accepted graciously.

Did those intelligent folk reach out and negotiate with Edsal? Did they offer Holtz? Did they reach out to Gilbride and others to assess their interest in interviewing? Search committees search but it doesn't mean they have the final say. What if Holtz had said yes?

 

[GoSU96]

That entire process was a disaster. Pasqualoni should have coached in 2005. He was railroaded at the Purdue bowl game by Cantor (the worst chancellor in SU history) and the university responded in kind with one of the worst hirings in college football history.

I say this not trying to rekindle the P/anti P argument but any reasonable person would agree in hindsight.

That's the truth.

Nobody wanted to hear, it can always get worse.

And it did.

 

[CusefanATL]

That entire process was a disaster. Pasqualoni should have coached in 2005. He was railroaded at the Purdue bowl game by Cantor (the worst chancellor in SU history) and the university responded in kind with one of the worst hirings in college football history.

I say this not trying to rekindle the P/anti P argument but any reasonable person would agree in hindsight.

Georgia tech bowl game...

and in fairness to everyone, it was Georgia Tech and Doc during the halftime interview doing the most of the railroading of P.

 

[Moontan]

Georgia tech bowl game...

and in fairness to everyone, it was Georgia Tech and Doc during the halftime interview doing the most of the railroading of P.

That was just TGD laying the groundwork for what was about to go down.
TGD didn't have a choice... it could even have been part of the requirements of accepting the job.

 

[CusefanATL]

That was just TGD laying the groundwork for what was about to go down.
TGD didn't have a choice... it could even have been part of the requirements of accepting the job.

Nancy Cantor had already given the dreaded vote of confidence - which i beleive included saying that P would be coming back.

I remember at halftime, after the Gross interview, the studio crew was shocked at Gross' comments.

 

[supp]

It's typical for higher ed searches to require more than one interview before hiring. Not sure if it's the same for Athletics, but when I was at SU it was supposed to be the same all across campus.

This is absolutely correct. That doesn't mean that Bees is wrong about the lack of interest. There are lots of searches conducted and lots of interviews done even though pretty much everyone except for the interviewees knows who's getting hired.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Nancy Cantor had already given the dreaded vote of confidence - which i beleive included saying that P would be coming back.

I remember at halftime, after the Gross interview, the studio crew was shocked at Gross' comments.

http://www.cuse.com/news/2004/12/6/fbpresser.aspx?path=football#.VH4OGTHF-Hg

“I have accepted Jake’s recommendation and have communicated to Paul our intention that he will go into his 15th football season as head coach at SU,” Cantor said. “Paul and I have spoken, and he also understands my position that the new athletics director will fully expect to be empowered to evaluate the football program, as well as our entire athletic operation, and to be able to make his or her own decisions about the best way to move forward.

“The evaluation of this fall’s football season was on Jake’s watch,” Cantor said. “The future of the football program will be the new AD’s responsibility. Paul knows that he will need to show he has a plan to help Syracuse reclaim its football signature.”

I always interpreted Cantor's comments to mean that Coach P was safe until a new AD was hired, and P's fate would ultimately be decided by the new AD.

I don't think they expected to have Gross in place about a week later, and for SU to have its' worst bowl loss in over 50 years a week after that.

If only Clemson and South Carolina didn't get into that brawl back in 2004...

 

[Chip]

That's the truth. Nobody wanted to hear, it can always get worse. And it did.

If you truly don't believe it's going to get better (even if Ray Rice the savior didn't want to go to Rutgers the whole time), do you avoid taking a chance because it might get worse?

This would make for an interesting how to succeed in business seminar.

 

[Millhouse]

If you truly don't believe it's going to get better (even if Ray Rice the savior didn't want to go to Rutgers the whole time), do you avoid taking a chance because it might get worse?

This would make for an interesting how to succeed in business seminar.

they could've waited til next year, and Gross would've asked Carroll what to do, and carroll would've still said to hire his hawaii roommate and gross would've said whatever you say mr carroll

 

[Crusty]

Where does Pellini wind up, I wonder?

 

[Moontan]

I always interpreted Cantor's comments to mean that Coach P was safe until a new AD was hired, and P's fate would ultimately be decided by the new AD.

I don't think they expected to have Gross in place about a week later, and for SU to have its' worst bowl loss in over 50 years a week after that.

TWO was well aware of the importance of a successful football program. The blowout to Purdue and bad losses to UVA, WfVU and Temple likely got her attention.

I believe that Nancy wanted him gone and that a loss in the bowl game would've led to his firing. Jake wanted no part of this and it is my belief that this led to both his decision to leave earlier than expected and possibly an expedited AD search (I know that TGD was very impressive in the interview process). The absolute embarrassing showing in the bowl game made it a no brainer. Tirico's reaction following the TGD interview was classic.