Stand with Willie!

[USF_Grouper]

 

Harlan absolutely should have given Willie a chance to recant his words - after explaining to him how foolish he was. I am dissapointed the statement came from the AD and not Willie. But beyond that Harlan is spot on. Many USF supporters live and work in Ybor City. You don't condemn an entire area over one incident. People have gotten stabbed in on-campus housing, is Willie planning to ban players from there as well? How about the library?

It was stupid and said in a fit of passion. Harlan's response speaks more about their working relationship than anything else.

Did you listen to the interview?? JK completely setup CWT ...not only did he lead with an emotionally charged question he then followed it up with a completely loaded Ybor's not safe so are going to let your kids go there?

 

 

Of course he completely set him up! That is the point. That is what reporters do. Willie is a head coach of a D1 program, he knows better. You don't swing at pitches in the dirt and when you do you get smacked. I'd have preferred Harlan have him issue the clarification.

[USF_Grouper]

The more I think about this mess at USF Athletics, the more I realize we may be on our way to seeing another coaching change.

 

There is no doubt when your AD publicly humiliates your coach like this, instead of simply asking him to change his position, we are on our way to a coaching change.

[USF_Grouper]

 

That isn't dishonest and the most important responsibility of anyone in a public facing position is to understand not to speak out of emotion. Sit down, think about it, and make a rational decision - something mere time would clearly have prevented Taggart from doing.

 

At least now we know who is "the most powerful man in the building"!

 

I am sure you are just saying what comes to mind, but I would point you to the press conference.  In two comments it was "off limits" and "off limits for now".  This within about 30 hours of the killing of one of our own.

 

Then, I'd ask you to think about Taggart's role on the team and with those players. 

 

Then, <b>if you have anything left</b>, think about if you procreated and one of your sons got shot in Ybor - would you pull the "it could happen in the library" card and let your next son go party in Ybor the following day?

 

He's not in the role of a cold, conniving, stone faced politician. 

 

He wouldn't last as a coach if he were. 

 

And emotions are to be expected of real people, whether they have a public job or not.  But listen to the press conference.  You may detect grief and sadness along with real caring.

 

 

Not sure why you feel the need for that but ...

 

To answer what I think is the root of your question, fundamentally I do not see a head coach as a father nor do I see football players as children. They are grown men and should be expected to make wise decisions for themselves. Perhaps others view the role of a head coach differently, I can respect that.

[Who'sYourData?]

 

 

I wish Harlan would have supported his head coach more than a booster. I realize that it is the sign of the times for USF football, but it does not make it right in my opinion.

 

I think it is pretty obvious that Willie blindsided Harlan.  No reason for Harlan to be ticked if Willie hadn't blindsided him.  

 

Harlan is running the show these days.

 

 

Clearly, by the timing, someone else blindsided Harlan.

 

 

Trip tells us not to make assumptions.

[Who'sYourData?]

 

 

Data- did you read the quotes from Richard Gonzmart in the Joey Knight piece?

 

it is pretty clear what happened.  

 

Matt, do you answer the phone for Harlan?  I'm sure Gonzmart wasn't the only one to complain.  And do you know the sequence of events of what happened today?  For all we know, Harlan could have ordered someone to get Taggart into his office seconds after he heard it on the radio, if Harlan was listening.

 

We don't have nearly enough information.  The only information we definitively have is Taggart pissing off the business community and an entire section of town, and a press release by Harlan that called Taggart "the football coach".  

 

Taggart made people mad, and Harlan is mad.  The rest of the timing is pure speculation.

 

 

This will be my last response, because as I have gotten through this thread it's clear, that like Messrs Harlan and Gonzmart, the facts don't matter right now. 

 

It will be excuses and blame from here on out.

 

This makes me mad that we stomp on our memory of Kino because Harlan and Gonzmart's selfishness and self-importance.  It's a god **** disgrace that I hope just dies out locally. 

 

 

What does this have to do with the memory of Kino?  If Kino had been killed on campus would we ban players from there too?

[GaUSFBull]

 

 

 

Data- did you read the quotes from Richard Gonzmart in the Joey Knight piece?

 

it is pretty clear what happened.  

 

Matt, do you answer the phone for Harlan?  I'm sure Gonzmart wasn't the only one to complain.  And do you know the sequence of events of what happened today?  For all we know, Harlan could have ordered someone to get Taggart into his office seconds after he heard it on the radio, if Harlan was listening.

 

We don't have nearly enough information.  The only information we definitively have is Taggart pissing off the business community and an entire section of town, and a press release by Harlan that called Taggart "the football coach".  

 

Taggart made people mad, and Harlan is mad.  The rest of the timing is pure speculation.

 

 

This will be my last response, because as I have gotten through this thread it's clear, that like Messrs Harlan and Gonzmart, the facts don't matter right now. 

 

It will be excuses and blame from here on out.

 

This makes me mad that we stomp on our memory of Kino because Harlan and Gonzmart's selfishness and self-importance.  It's a god **** disgrace that I hope just dies out locally. 

 

 

What does this have to do with the memory of Kino?  If Kino had been killed on campus would we ban players from there too?

 

 

 

Your retort here is actually insulting to better bad arguments.  

Edited September 8, 2015 by GaUSFBull

[cmhatter]

There's no reason to over complicate this situation:

 

1. Willie Taggart is RIGHT about Ybor not being a good place after dark

2. Willie Taggart is WRONG to have said what he said publicly when he could have easily handled this in house and upheld a ban

3. Harlan had to say something as part of his job is building support and maintaining donors like Gonzmart. Major donors having a say is part of college football/athletics... has been & will be. I think he should have allowed Willie to make a new statement FIRST before following up. 

 

Our local politicians and prominent figures like Gonzmart need to DO SOMETHING ABOUT YBOR. It's a very historical place and has such potential to be what everyone wants it to be. That won't happen unless someone cleans it up. 

[GaUSFBull]

There's no reason to over complicate this situation:

 

1. Willie Taggart is RIGHT about Ybor not being a good place after dark

2. Willie Taggart is WRONG to have said what he said publicly when he could have easily handled this in house and upheld a ban

3. Harlan had to say something as part of his job is building support and maintaining donors like Gonzmart. Major donors having a say is part of college football/athletics... has been & will be. I think he should have allowed Willie to make a new statement FIRST before following up. 

 

Our local politicians and prominent figures like Gonzmart need to DO SOMETHING ABOUT YBOR. It's a very historical place and has such potential to be what everyone wants it to be. That won't happen unless someone cleans it up. 

 

That's a good summary.

 

I would also like to add:

 

4.  Gonzmart shouldn't have said what he said in the press.  He should have sat down with Harlan AND Taggart and like above, should have let Taggart be the one to clarify his comments.  I wish Gonzmart would have kept his mouth shut publicly.  

[2000bull]

 

There's no reason to over complicate this situation:

 

1. Willie Taggart is RIGHT about Ybor not being a good place after dark

2. Willie Taggart is WRONG to have said what he said publicly when he could have easily handled this in house and upheld a ban

3. Harlan had to say something as part of his job is building support and maintaining donors like Gonzmart. Major donors having a say is part of college football/athletics... has been & will be. I think he should have allowed Willie to make a new statement FIRST before following up. 

 

Our local politicians and prominent figures like Gonzmart need to DO SOMETHING ABOUT YBOR. It's a very historical place and has such potential to be what everyone wants it to be. That won't happen unless someone cleans it up. 

 

That's a good summary.

 

I would also like to add:

 

4.  Gonzmart shouldn't have said what he said in the press.  He should have sat down with Harlan AND Taggart and like above, should have let Taggart be the one to clarify his comments.  I wish Gonzmart would have kept his mouth shut publicly.  

 

I agree with you, but he was probably more concerned with it affecting his business

[Sellular1]

I get the feeling that Harlan isn't Woolard.  If Harlan gets 3,000 emails he won't change his mind.  He is ticked his football coach made a decision that should have been made by the Athletic Department.

 

For years fans wanted a hands on AD that would handle things and keep the coach out of trouble and let the coach stick to coaching.  Now we have one and everyone is mad at the AD.  You can't have it both ways.

 

I stand with Willie Taggart because Willie was coaching.  It's more than Xs and Os.  He has to help mold those players. 

 

After the death of Elkino Watson, he was asked if it was "off limits" to his players and he responded "Yes, it's off limits".  That's not unreasonable.  That is smart.  And the words of a caring, responsible man.  Could you imagine the ****storm, if he replied "no, of course not, it's a cherished and historical place in our Bay Area community and culture."  He would have lost players, families and fans.

 

It was Harlan that kneejerked with his stupid release.  He's the one that needs to earn trust back.

 

He should have responded ... "Like me, the players of this franchise are saddened at this sudden and senseless tragedy. We certainly will evaluate the policies and procedures that keep each of us safe going forward."

Move on. Coach Taggart isn't some high school nobody, he is old enough to no better! It was a ridiculously stupid thing to say and Harlan's public response was likely out of an equal level of frustration that anyone would be so foolish.

This ^^^^^. Harlan is the boss. You want to make statements to the public about new policy, you better clear it with the boss. Learning lesson for CWT. Too bad it happened revolving something so tragic.