Taking the “Boot” and leaving the Loot!

This archived article was written by: Hayden Peterson

While most Americans celebrate Black Friday shopping and standing in lines for great deals, the rest of us are still talking about the football games from turkey day. This season in the NFL, there were a few teams who jumped off to great starts and slowly declined over the season. Then there were the teams who started off on a slow road and took a turn for the worst. On Dec. 31, 2012, the NFL celebrated Black Monday, unfortunately the make believe holiday isn’t as happy as Black Friday. On Black Monday seven teams parted ways with their head coaches, or in other words, they gave them the boot.
The seven coaches fired consisted of Eagles’ head coach Andy Reid, Cardinals Ken Whisenhunt, Bears’ Lovie Smith, Chargers Norv Turner, Browns Pat Surmur, Chiefs Romeo Crennel and the Bills Chan Gailey. Three of these coaches had led their team to a Super Bowl appearance during their time with the team.
Three of these teams went on to make it a clean sweep, saying goodbye to their GMs as well as the head coach: San Diego, Cleveland and Arizona. Managers were also fired in Jacksonville and New York. Why the Jets would choose to hold onto the egotistical Rex Ryan is beyond me. He lead the team to a losing record and he definitely wasn’t a crowd favorite, but I guess we will get to see him on Sports Center again next year, oh JOY!!
Andy Reid was the longest-tenured coach to be booted. He spent 14 seasons with the Eagles and lost the Super Bowl in 2005. The Eagles were a team in the preseason who everyone thought would be dangerous and a playoff contender. A few games into the season and Eagle fans were beginning to look for answers to their problems, bench Vick, try the wildcat offense, pass first run second, but the answers were no where to be found. The Eagles season ended in a spiral as they finished the season 4-12, winning only two of their 12 conference games.
Meanwhile, in track and field, Bev Kearney, head coach at the University of Texas, has announced she will be stepping down after arriving in 1993.  Why is this significant, how about the amount of money she was making.  Her base salary was $270,000 at the time of her leave of absence, and the recommended salary, had she come back was going to be bumped to $397,000 with a $25,000 longevity bonus. Apparently money isn’t everything.
Why was Kearney on a leave of absence? Well, ten years ago she had an affair with a student and this student just brought this forward. So in an attempt to save her six National Championships and possibly her reputation she has decided to step away from the job she once loved to pursue a new outlook on life. Yes, I may have forgotten to mention the student, like Kearney, was also a female.
But let’s be honest, how often have we heard in the past few years of coaches being taken to trial for something to this matter. Happens all the time and it is only frowned upon when the public knows about it. Until then coaches continue doing what it is you do. One word of advice to you coaches though, if you are going to sleep with a student or athlete, be sure to have a winning record, some schools will allow anything as long as they are winning.
In closing I would just like to congratulate Mike Brown for getting fired after just five games so he didn’t ruin his entire coaching career by taking the All-Star Lakers to a losing record for the entire year. Laker fans you aren’t used to seasons like this I understand but sometimes it takes time for egos to mold and become one. Good luck Lakers as you continue your downfall to hopefully the very bottom of the league where you can receive a lottery pick!