Reposting from another thread as it was suggested I should...
Hi! Female OM alum here who does watch and know college basketball and cares more than just about pretty outfits. Morality in hiring a college coach went out the window a long time ago in college athletics or really any athletics for that matter. It's all about money for the institution and winning is the only way to make money. I would say 99% of basketball programs in our spot with the same basketball history (not really any so to speak of) and circumstances would make the same hire if given the opportunity. All schools want to be relevant and this hire is scrolling as THE LEAD on ESPN today - Ole Miss is instantly relevant in college basketball now with this hire. Just like Iona was with Pitino, Auburn was with Pearl, Xavier was with Miller, etc. (all of who have a bid in the NCAA tourney this year). Ole Miss is willing to take this risk for the possible reward.
We aren't the first university to make a controversial hire and we won't be the last. As a female, I really don't have that much opposition to this hiring. Is he a saint? No. Are there some worries? Yes. Most college coaches aren't saints and that's how they get to where they are. Honestly, at least we know what we're getting unlike Hugh Freeze who was really a wolf in sheep's clothing. He went around and touted himself as holier than thou and anyone knows he had a lot of skeletons in his closet dating back to his days as a high school coach that are disturbing. There is no pattern of behavior except for this one incident that we know of. Beard knows this is his last chance and so does Ole Miss, which I'm sure was talked about in the interview and laid out in his contract. Like others have said, we don't know what happened that night -only he and his fiance do. Charges were dropped. We all learn in life, and hopefully he's done some work on himself and is grateful for this opportunity at another chance.
Also, the fact the first photo of him at Ole Miss that is posted is with him and his daughters (his arm around one) is not lost on me or anyone . Ole Miss and Beard know the optics, the PR/rebhab machine is rolling and I'm sure they've been planning this for a week now. If he wins big, there will some rehab story on CBS Road to the Final Four or ESPN and it will go back to how he's grown and what a fantastic coach he is. Ole Miss will still be relevant, making money and all will be happy.
Hi! Female OM alum here who does watch and know college basketball and cares more than just about pretty outfits. Morality in hiring a college coach went out the window a long time ago in college athletics or really any athletics for that matter. It's all about money for the institution and winning is the only way to make money. I would say 99% of basketball programs in our spot with the same basketball history (not really any so to speak of) and circumstances would make the same hire if given the opportunity. All schools want to be relevant and this hire is scrolling as THE LEAD on ESPN today - Ole Miss is instantly relevant in college basketball now with this hire. Just like Iona was with Pitino, Auburn was with Pearl, Xavier was with Miller, etc. (all of who have a bid in the NCAA tourney this year). Ole Miss is willing to take this risk for the possible reward.
We aren't the first university to make a controversial hire and we won't be the last. As a female, I really don't have that much opposition to this hiring. Is he a saint? No. Are there some worries? Yes. Most college coaches aren't saints and that's how they get to where they are. Honestly, at least we know what we're getting unlike Hugh Freeze who was really a wolf in sheep's clothing. He went around and touted himself as holier than thou and anyone knows he had a lot of skeletons in his closet dating back to his days as a high school coach that are disturbing. There is no pattern of behavior except for this one incident that we know of. Beard knows this is his last chance and so does Ole Miss, which I'm sure was talked about in the interview and laid out in his contract. Like others have said, we don't know what happened that night -only he and his fiance do. Charges were dropped. We all learn in life, and hopefully he's done some work on himself and is grateful for this opportunity at another chance.
Also, the fact the first photo of him at Ole Miss that is posted is with him and his daughters (his arm around one) is not lost on me or anyone . Ole Miss and Beard know the optics, the PR/rebhab machine is rolling and I'm sure they've been planning this for a week now. If he wins big, there will some rehab story on CBS Road to the Final Four or ESPN and it will go back to how he's grown and what a fantastic coach he is. Ole Miss will still be relevant, making money and all will be happy.
