Your vote for most hated coach ...
May, 25, 2012

By Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com

Our series on coaches we love to hate is coming to a close. Go ahead, shed that tear.

Earlier this week, I asked you to vote for the biggest Big East villain in recent history. All week, it was a dead heat between vagabond Todd Graham and traitor Rich Rodriguez, ahead of Bobby Petrino, Brian Kelly and Randy Edsall.

The winner, as of 8 a.m. this morning: Rodriguez -- but he was just barely ahead of Graham. With 3,206 votes in, Rodriguez got 29 percent of the vote; Graham got 28 percent. Petrino was next, followed by Kelly and Edsall.

Here is a little of what you had to say, with a few entries for coaches not included in the poll.

John Ready in Youngstown, Ohio, writes: I think you should add Steve Kragthorpe to the list. He absolutely ruined the Cards. I am a die hard Louisville fan, but found it hard to watch the Cards during the Krag-era. He may not be a villain, but he has been quite vilified for his job (not) done during his tenure.

Mark in Marlboro, N.J., writes: With regards to the poll about the biggest villains, they all have their faults. Graham was a horrible coach, Edsall didn't take a much better job, Rich Rod went for the money and Petrino is a bad guy, even before his latest episode. As the father of a Cincy grad, I don't get on Kelly as much as their fan base. He made the program relevant taking them to two straight BCS Bowl games. My son went to school thinking the hoop squad would be playing in the Final Four. With a name like Kelly, you can't deny the man the opportunity to coach at Notre Dame

Jordan in Lakeland, Fla., writes: He may not be the winner, but I am not sure how you could not include Jim Leavitt in your list of villians.

White Dog777 writes: All the other coaches seem to have made upward mobile decisions but Randy Edsall leaving UCONN for his dream job at Maryland? Plus the way he left the team and not flying back from the Fiesta bowl with them was in my mind bush league. I really hope UCONN kicks the snot out of them in Maryland on Sept. 15th.

Bradenton Bull writes: IMO it's Brian Kelly for leaving UC high an dry right before playing UF in the BCS Bowl. UC ended up getting killed, which obviously greatly contributed to the negative perception of the Big East.. That blow out was killer to the conference. Not saying they would've beat UF, but I don't think they'd have gotten worked over like that.

Calmteer writes: Todd Graham and Petrino should be running away with this vote. The other three all put in their time and left their schools much better than they found them and all brought their schools multiple Big East championships and BCS games.

Eric 72785 writes: They did not point out that RichRod left the day after losing a game against a TERRIBLE team... that had we won, would have placed WVU in the NC. He literally (threw) away a number 2 ranking, with zero shot at not being in the big show ... *uck RichRod.

IAM4WVU87 writes: Funny Rodriguez and Graham receiving an almost equal number of votes, and now that are coaching in the same conference. Those poor $@%!$@%! have no idea what they're in for.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post/_/i...Today_Team

(05-28-2012 08:35 AM)ctipton Wrote:  Bradenton Bull writes: ...... UC ended up getting killed, which obviously greatly contributed to the negative perception of the Big East.. That blow out was killer to the conference. Not saying they would've beat UF, but I don't think they'd have gotten worked over like that.

He's right, but all people will see is that UC was blown out.

I'd vote Kragthorpe.

Dislike Kelly all you'd like, but he and Dantonio are the key reason UC is where they're at today. Coach Jones picked up the baton from there.

(05-28-2012 09:36 AM)Coopdaddy67 Wrote:  I'd vote Kragthorpe.

Dislike Kelly all you'd like, but he and Dantonio are the key reason UC is where they're at today. Coach Jones picked up the baton from there.

I hate Petrino worse than any of them. 70-7 was unforgettable.

Completely agree about BK/MD. But, I do agree BK (and MD for that matter) could have handled his exit much better. I suppose it's impossible to these days, what with the electronic media as it is.

Schiano. He was the one who cried to the BE about UC fan's tradition of coming onto the field after the games following the butt kicking of Rutgers on national TV in 2006. Got it banned. What a douche.

(05-28-2012 09:53 AM)JackieTreehorn Wrote:  Schiano. He was the one who cried to the BE about UC fan's tradition of coming onto the field after the games following the butt kicking of Rutgers on national TV in 2006. Got it banned. What a ******.

That tradition was fine when we had 10k at a game. When the crowds are 25k to 35k, the fans should stay off the field.

Never noticed it was a problem for sellouts in the past like UK and Purdue.

I can't dislike BK....he's an arse and he left us high and dry but he also gave us some of the best fooball in the 100+ yr history of UC football. The 2009 game @Pitt with all on the line, the snow, the CBS nationally televised game, the comeback....my favorite Bearcat game/moment EVER.

(05-28-2012 10:12 AM)subflea Wrote:  That tradition was fine when we had 10k at a game. When the crowds are 25k to 35k, the fans should stay off the field.

Agreed.

(05-28-2012 12:49 PM)Bearcats#1 Wrote:  I can't dislike BK....he's an arse and he left us high and dry but he also gave us some of the best fooball in the 100+ yr history of UC football. The 2009 game @Pitt with all on the line, the snow, the CBS nationally televised game, the comeback....my favorite Bearcat game/moment EVER.

Hands down the best game I've ever witnessed.

The game totally made up for the shock of being 3rd level in the freezing wind, and finding out that there's no beer sales in the stadium. Couldn't decide which was worse: being in Pittsburgh, the wind, or no beer.

.

(05-28-2012 09:40 AM)BJUnklFkr Wrote:  

(05-28-2012 09:36 AM)Coopdaddy67 Wrote:  I'd vote Kragthorpe.

Dislike Kelly all you'd like, but he and Dantonio are the key reason UC is where they're at today. Coach Jones picked up the baton from there.

I hate Petrino worse than any of them. 70-7 was unforgettable.

Completely agree about BK/MD. But, I do agree BK (and MD for that matter) could have handled his exit much better. I suppose it's impossible to these days, what with the electronic media as it is.

Everything about this I agree with. Petrino is such a scumbag and while I HATED the way BK left the program, he continued to build UC football and put it on the map.

(05-28-2012 10:53 AM)JackieTreehorn Wrote:  Never noticed it was a problem for sellouts in the past like UK and Purdue.

x2, we have players now like Kevin Schloemer that mention how they remember their fathers taking them on the field after games and how that impacted their recruitment later having grown up a fan and playing on the field. IMO that was a great post-game tradition... I've never gone over to the lawn after a game.