On some level I really feel badly for Bill Stewart. He was in over his head. He went from a thrill to win the Fiesta Bowl and being a hero, then getting his dream job - - only to allow it slip through his fingers. But it was clear that the overall direction of the program was going downhill. The first evidence of that was the 24-3 loss to ECU, with Pat White. I mean, come on... and then there was the Colorado disaster. UCONN this year. Too many empty seats in the stands. A general malaise was starting to form over the program and a discontent.

It was his dream job, but he made alot of mistakes, and while I'm sure he was totally blindsided by the Holgerson news when he spoke w/ Colin Dunlap, the reality is that he had a chance to go out with one more year, and then forever be a part of the WVU program. He could have gotten to the BCS this year. Now, because of allowing his anger to overtake his good judgment, he will be forced out in embarrassing fashion, and the fans view him as somewhat of a traitor for trying to tarnish the guy that many of them view will return to the RR glory days.

It reminds me of that song by the Old 97s, "The New Kid".

It's a sad ending and it didn't have to be that way, and I have a feeling that Oliver Luck and probably some others at WVU didn't really treat him with all that well.

But then again, it's really hard to come to conclusions based on someone's public persona. I've heard other stuff suggesting Stew was not only in over his head, but wasn't the genial guy that he projected to be, and could really be spiteful and arrogant about alot of things. So who knows, really.

As for WVU, I think we have a strong chance to come out of this stronger as a team and program, and I am really optimistic about the Holgerson/Casteel combination. If we can somehow get past LSU, we have a shot at going all the way. The BE will be much tougher top to bottom this year in my opinion, but I think if the defense gels things can come together really well. Time will tell.

It's like anything else; big time sports is a heartless business in many ways. But it's the end results that count and it's clear Stewart had to go.

Well I guess this calls for celebration Dana Holgorsen!!

When you come down to Tampa on Wednesday 11/30/11 I would personally love to commemorate your longtime future at WVU with a few drinks at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino to be followed with a trip down to Mons Venus for a few lap dances! Woo hoo!

(06-09-2011 07:33 PM)Joey_Niklas Wrote:  WVU fans, I'm confused about one part here. Why would there be a buy out when its been reported that Stewart hasn't signed the current deal yet?

Hush money.

(06-09-2011 08:07 PM)SF Husky Wrote:  Bottom line is WVU should have just fired Stewart and let him leave with some dignity vs. going through this.

Well, firing someone doesn't generally give them a lot of dignity, LOL.

If they wanted to ease him out gently with dignity, what they should have done is kicked him upstairs - kept him on at his salary for a year but as "special assistant to the AD" or "consultant emeritus" or some other made-up title where he gets a nice office in the athletic department but doesn't have any responsibilities other than sitting with the AD and President in a luxury box during the games.

That would have given him some dignity while preventing the cluster-f***k of the "head coach in waiting" fiasco.

(06-09-2011 10:13 PM)The Brown Bull Wrote:  How many of these coach in waiting situations have panned out? I can think of Joker Phillips at Kentucky and that is about it. Obviously, this situation with WVU is bad. Bowden v Jimbo Fisher was bad at FSU. Will Muschamp was "coach in waiting" at Texas and although there was no bad blood there.....he didn't see it to conclusion. It just seems pointless either hire the new guy or don't.

The most obvious place you would see a "coach in waiting" hired is at Penn State and you don't see them considering it.

It worked at Oregon and Wisconsin, but otherwise it seems like a bad idea.

(06-09-2011 10:36 PM)wvucrazed Wrote:  It's a sad ending and it didn't have to be that way, and I have a feeling that Oliver Luck and probably some others at WVU didn't really treat him with all that well.

Oliver Luck came in, examined all sports programs in detail, and made BUSINESS decisions based on the conclusions from those examinations. Business decisions don't treat people well or fairly, unless you're on the side getting all the bucks...

It could have gone much better for Stew. But he has nobody to blame but himself...

(06-10-2011 08:27 AM)bitcruncher Wrote:  

(06-09-2011 10:36 PM)wvucrazed Wrote:  It's a sad ending and it didn't have to be that way, and I have a feeling that Oliver Luck and probably some others at WVU didn't really treat him with all that well.

Oliver Luck came in, examined all sports programs in detail, and made BUSINESS decisions based on the conclusions from those examinations. Business decisions don't treat people well or fairly, unless you're on the side getting all the bucks...

It could have gone much better for Stew. But he has nobody to blame but himself...

I don't disagree with you Bit, but I do feel a little sympathy for the guy.

I would feel sorry for him if he hadn't been such a butt-head about his removal. But he's seriously undermined the university he says he loves. Didn't inform his offensive assistants that they were about to lose their jobs. They had to find this out in the news, and ask Oliver Luck for confirmation. OL Coach Dave Johnson even turned down a couple of jobs after Stew was informed of this, one of which was a Divison II head coaching position. Dave Johnson is currently unemployed as a result of Stew's actions...

On the basis of all that information coming out about a man everyone thought was a hokey, but upstanding man, shows him to be unworthy of such sympathy from me...