Follow TSS on Twitter @TheStudentSect
Look, if the numerous reports made are true, Randy Edsall and Maryland are basically that situation we’ve all been in where you and your girlfriend agree to “separate,” both knowing there’s no chance in hell it ends up working out, but the timetable on watching it burn hasn’t been finalized.
Multiple media reports agree: Maryland is set to fire head coach Randy Edsall. http://t.co/6LaBTVBsM6 pic.twitter.com/QFFkoB6Gnj
— Eleven Warriors (@11W) October 9, 2015
Assuming Edsall didn’t agree to being fired (who actually does?), this is some sort of weak situation Maryland has going for it.
First, the nature of reporting is very speculative. Guy has source. Source gives info. Source can’t be named because of a myriad of reasons. It all makes for good retraction if in the event retraction needs to happen.
That didn’t stop any of the grave dancing by the media to speculate the who, what, and when of Maryland’s next coach. The guy coaching has a game in two days that he’s going to coach.
Never mind all of that. Look, this wouldn’t be the first situation where a coach was fired publicly but finished out the season. That said, it hasn’t been said publicly.
This flat out reeks of the Ralph Friedgen situation, when the athletic director (then and now) let a cloud of insecurity hang over the program through the season, as Friedgen put together a 9-win campaign and resurrected the program to the heights he normally established.
Still, Friedgen was gone at season’s end, replaced by Edsall, most famous for not actually telling his UConn players in person that he was leaving. Yay, technology.
At any rate, this is an ugly situation created by Maryland. Most programs just make the decision, a few rumors fly out here and there, and the announcement is made.
Once again, this is an off-again, on-again high school relationship where you almost have to check Facebook to see Maryland Athletics’ status and see, “It’s Complicated.”
I know I say this all the time, but I’ll keep saying it until everyone stops the grave dancing. When a head coach gets fired, a lot of people lose their jobs, and a great many of them need jobs immediately … like the rest of the working class. Folks should realize that guys making a reasonable wage with mouths to feed have to look at how their boss is losing his job soon, and by default, the company is getting bought out for them too.
Part of me (actually, a lot of me) hopes Maryland wins against Ohio State on Saturday to make the most awkward break-up in America this side of the whole Matt Barnes-Derek Fisher thing going on currently.
It’d be akin to the guy coming back to his apartment to clean out his stuff while the girl who dumped him watches him and asks awkwardly, so, how are things going?
“I just won $2 million on Fan Duel (advertise here, please), and that bar we always talked about opening together … I’m closing in on a sale next week. How are you?”
Whatever the actual case going on right now, this was handled about as well as Jerry Seinfeld buying back the Cadillac for his parents to spite them.
Edsall’s only comment was to quote a pop culture musician which … always ‘crootin, I guess.
(waits for @mgoblog to see this) https://t.co/T7J1OInuzF
— Ace Anbender (@AceAnbender) October 9, 2015
Much like Maryland football under Edsall, it shouldn’t be this way, not for any of us.
“It’s not you, it’s me.”
Actually, sometimes, it’s everyone.
