Reply to thread

Message: [QUOTE="Rocco, post: 1561461, member: 51"] Syracuse, N.Y. — Syracuse athletic director Mark Coyle informed players and coaches of [URL='http://www.syracuse.com/orangefootball/index.ssf/2015/11/scott_shafer_fired_as_syracuse_football_head_coach.html'][U]Scott Shafer's firing[/U][/URL] at separate meetings on Monday morning. One SU player who was granted anonymity said the team received a text message from operations and recruiting assistant Dylan Saccone around 9:30 a.m. that a meeting with Coyle was called for 10 a.m. The players convened at Manley Field House before Coyle walked in and spoke with them for about 15 minutes. "He was frank," the player said. "He said, 'Day 1, I told you guys I'd never lie to you. I'll always tell the truth.'" Coyle asked the players if he'd stayed true to that promise. The players nodded and responded positively. "This morning, I dismissed Scott Shafer as the head football coach of this team," Coyle said. Coyle said that Shafer and the staff would stay on for the team's final game against Boston College on Saturday. He provided a brief explanation of his reasoning, thanked the players for their time and contributions and offered to take questions, the player said. Nothing significant was asked. "It was the elephant in the room for a lot of players," the player said. Shafer sent a group text to the team later in the morning, which read: [I]"Fight the Good Fight! I love you guys. Let's beat BC and finish this thing with integrity. Coach Shafe"[/I] [B]Coyle met separately with the coaching staff in his office, wide receivers coach Bobby Acosta said. "It's sad," Acosta said, tears welling in his eye. "You get so close to the players. You fall in love with them."[/B] Acosta was asked how Coyle justified the decision to the coaching staff. "He's a business man and I think he's going to do great things here," Acosta responded before driving off. The SU players trickled out of the building shortly after 10 a.m. Monday's news didn't come as a complete surprise to the player. It was clear to those who knew Shafer well that he was feeling the pressure of his uncertain future, the player said. [B]At a team meeting two weeks ago, Shafer told his players that he was most concerned for his assistant coaches and their family members. "He wasn't concerned about himself," the player said. "He said, 'They pay me way too much to be the coach here.'"[/B] The player said Shafer lived up to his two favorite mantras even behind closed doors, "control the controllables" and "bring effort, attitude and enthusiasm every day." Shafer cared about his players and helped many of them with personal adversity away from football. "The way he cares us personally and our well being and all that, I think that speaks more than anything about him," the player said. "Really, it shows you that there's a lot more to the game." If that doesn't echo the utter heartbreak that has just happened, not sure what will. Many people have been affected by this, not just the players and coaches. [/QUOTE]

Verification: What is a Syracuse fan's favorite color?