The Consultant Roundabout

I wasn't paying much attention to the internet and the goings on of Daryl Gross last night as I was watching Game 1 of the World Series (Go Phils!). In my absence, The New York Times dropped a bomb on their website regarding the coaching situation at Syracuse. The Times reported that DOCTOR Daryl Gross has hired former Big Eight commissioner Chuck Neinas as a consultant on the search for a new head football coach at Syracuse. Neinas was commissioner of the Big Eight from 1971 to 1980. During his tenure, Nebraska (1971) and Oklahoma (1974, 1975) won National Championships in football.

DOCTOR Daryl Gross was quick to deny any such involvement in a supposed coaching search to the Syracuse Post-Standard last night.

"No, it's absolutely not true," Gross told The Post-Standard. "The reality is . . . I haven't hired anyone and the university hasn't hired anyone. It's speculation and it would be inappropriate for me to hire someone (a consulting firm or search firm) at this point."

Asked if someone else may have hired Neinas on behalf of Syracuse University, Gross said, "no, it would be inappropriate."

Are you fucking kidding me? It would be inappropriate to hire someone at this point? How can you even imagine that it would be inappropriate to hire a consultant to look for a replacement for a coach that EVERYONE knows is going to be gone at the end of the season? I mean the guy has a record of 8-34. The only team he has beat this year is a FCS team that is currently 2-5. Yeah, they have a better record than we do!

And you seriously think it would be inappropriate to hire a consultant to look for a new head coach? The only thing that is inappropriate at this point is the fact that you can't get over your ego and fire the head coach that you personally picked. Greg Robinson can not coach. Your refusal to remove him shows that you are an incapable Athletic Director. Get off your damn high horse and actually show the people who are fans of this team that you plan on doing something to ensure that Syracuse Football is worth something again.

One thing that I would like to note about the situation is that I caught an interview this morning that Gomez and Dave of TK-99 were doing with the Voice of the Orange, Matt Park. The only reason I was listening to TK-99 was because I heard that he was going to be on discussing Big East(Basketball) Media Day and I wanted hear what he had to say regarding the team for the coming year. The guys asked Matt what the word was regarding the article and Matt really danced around the topic. There was one line in particular that he said which was really interesting. He said something to the effect of, "I don't know the what is legal to say and what isn't." To me, it sounded like a guy who had a little inside information and because he works for the Athletics Department, didn't want to reveal any information. Hence why he danced around the topic and why he wouldn't comment on the entire situation other than saying that it was a "tough situation".

So perhaps there is more to it. Perhaps the University has hired someone and Daryl Gross is just trying to be PC and doesn't want to make any sort of move until he can actually say that he has hired someone. Although at this point, I don't think we are going to see the dismissal of Greg Robinson until after the season. And quite frankly, that is bullshit.

If you thought the boo birds were bad at half-time of the Penn State game, I can't wait to hear how bad it is at Midnight Madness when Daryl Gross gets up there to give his rah rah speech. If it is anything like last year, we are in for some fun.

Average Week for Syracuse Athletics

With Football season finally over, Daryl Gross can relax a little as fans will quickly forget the sins of the season assuming that Jim Boeheim's squad has a good year. With that being said here are the results from last week:

• Football: 0-1 (.000)


• Men's Basketball: 1-1 (.500)


• Women's Basketball: 1-0 (1.00)


• Total: 2-2 (.500)

This was a pretty mediocre week for Syracuse sports as far as the record was concerned. The Women's Basketball team faced off against Lehigh and made short work of them while the means team took third place in a four team tournament in New York. The Football team continued their dismal play by giving their final home game to Cincinnati. As of yet, there has been no announcement from the good DOCTOR as to whether or not Greg Robinson will be back, although all signs seem to be pointing that he will be.

Women's Basketball Helps Provide a Winning Week

I'm sure that DOCTOR Daryl Gross was breathing a sigh of relief when the Women's Basketball team rallied in the second half of their game against Coppin State to close out with a 69-65 victory on Saturday. The win ensured that the Orange would go 4-3 this week and would raise the overall record of the Women's Basketball program under DOCTOR Gross.

With their loss on Friday in the Big East tournament against Louisville, the Volleyball program finished their season.

For the Football program, Gross only has one more dismal week to sit through before we lean the fate of Greg Robinson. Analysis from Hartford Courant writer Desmond Connor, a twenty year Syracuse resident, is that Robinson should stay while the Axeman provides us with his Memo/Open-letter to DOCTOR Gross regarding Greg Robinson.

• Football: 0-1 (.000)


• Men's Basketball: 3-0 (1.000)


• Women's Basketball: 1-1 (.500)


• Volleyball: 0-1 (.000)


• Total: 4-3 (.571)

Wins and Losses

I added the records of the three major programs since Gross was named Athletic Director on 12.17.2004 to the side bar. For a man who claims to be pursuing excellence in all sports, it is painfully obvious that we are struggling with mediocrity. Since 12.17.2004, inclusive,the three major sports are 99-74, a measly .572 winning record.

I am in the process of compiling the win-loss records of all sports since Gross took over. I'll be posting this as soon as I have it ready.