Bruins Nation: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:





A Chow/Walker 'Arranged Marriage' = A Huge Snub To Bruin Nation

Before getting to this post, let me say I am with Meriones in hoping that the rumors we have been hearing in last 24-38 hours are resulting from DG "playing things REALLY close to vest" in a total super-secret and leak-proof search process. Believe me, I would like nothing more than for that to be true. However, given our history during last three decades, I am also feeling the same anxiety experienced by Bruin Blue and others in BN. I also believe in the axiom that we have to speak up and let our views known before it is too late. I have it from pretty good authority that the UCLA athletic department pays pretty close attention to what we have to say. And I feel like when we hear or sense any possibilities or scenarios (even though if its a rumor) we have to speak up whether that would be acceptable to us. It's the classic case of powers that be floating trial balloons and the interested parties (constituents) responding in kind. Well, if this Chow/Walker scenario is 'a trial balloon (?)' on the part of powers that be, it is up to us voice our objections now.

So, with that in mind, I cannot emphasize enough what a joke it would be and what a huge FU it would be on the part of DG to entire BN if the following scenario (which is being rumored out of multiples sources) re Chow/Walker turns out to be true:

Rumor has it that Walker would accpet Chow as HC

Posted by Bruinbalssy on December 10, 2007 at 23:23:07

One of the authors of a pay site says that Walker would like the situation where Chow is the head coach for a few years, and Walker would be groomed to be the next HC. THis would almost get everyone what they wanted. Our offense would be upgraded, our recruiting pielines would remain in tact, and the Trojans would really be pissed off.
At this point, if Chow were to be the next head coach of UCLA and he just happened to keep DeWayne Walker on his staff, it would confirm (in our mind) the suspicions we have had for a while. That it is really Walker who is calling the shots by maneuvering his position through the beat reporters, message board shills and Dorrell loving losers within the Morgan Center, and is using the aberration of a 13-9 victory against the Trojans over a bunch of morons in the Morgan Center to scheme himself into the head coaching position at UCLA.

It would be tantamount to Walker forcing a new head coach to enter into an arranged marriage scenario by essentially forcing his hand to retain him as the defensive coordinator on the next staff. Well, Louisville Cardinals (as I mentioned in my post last night) tried out this arranged marriage scenario with a new head coach - Steve Kraghthorpe - this season by forcing him to retain "popular" assistants from the Petrino staff. As my SBN colleague Mike from Card Chronicle (great blog covering all things Louisville Cardinals) sent me in an email early this am, that arrange marriage scenario led to a culture clash essentially destroying Lousiville's promising season this year (emphasis mine):
It's true that Kragthorpe was basically forced into keeping some of Petrino's assistants, and it's true that last season ended up being a disaster of epic proportions, but I'm not sure I would look to our situation as a basis for taking a side on your issue, seeing as how our two situations are so extremely different.

Kragthorpe achieved mild success at Tulsa, and if he had come in and gotten rid of all the assistants who had overseen the most successful period in the history of Louisville football, it wouldn't have played real well with the fan base. Plus there's also the little issue of a Brohm being on the staff, and in Louisville the Brohms are about as untouchable as you can get. [...]

What ended up happening here (according to various people who would know) is that the Petrino holdovers viewed Kragthorpe as "amateurish," and when things started to quickly go bad they let the players know how they felt. Kragthorpe went to AD Tom Jurich and told him that the holdover assistants were the reason that no one on the team respected him, to which Jurich basically said "tough shit."

I think if Kragthorpe had his way he'd get rid of all the Petrino guys and bring in all his people, but the fan outrage at getting rid of the proven winners and keeping only the people who guided the program to its worst season in ten years makes that impossible. In the end Kragthorpe did the only thing he could do: got rid of one of his guys (OC Charlie Stubbs), got rid of one of the Petrino guys (DC Mike Cassity), and promoted Jeff Brohm to offensive coordinator.

Obviously our two situations are very different given the manor in which our respective coaches left, but if I were you all I would be advocating wholesale coaching changes, both because of the ineptitude of your current staff, and because of the culture clashes that can occur between new and holdover assistants. Obviously, a lot is predicated on who you all end up bringing in, but that's just my two cents.
And I couldn't agree with him more. Despite the differences in the situations, how can we not worry that the minute Norm Chow or a new head coach (who retains Walker in his staff) doesn't do something right, the snickering and back biting will not begin via Walker and his shills. His shills, who are now out on message boards advocating his hire, were leading the charge against Dorrell all season. And given Walker's posture post-firing, in which he didn't waste any time to project the image of bringing "new vibes" and "energy" in the program, didn't exactly paint the picture of a loyal soldier. How do we know that a new coach will be secure in his status, when he will have to deal with what appears to be nothing short of a disloyal, scheming, self promoting defensive coordinator in his staff?

Of course, no self-respecting individual would get himself in this situation in which he has no familiarity with the current staff. Just take a look at why Grobe apparently turned down the job at Nebraska:
* Scuttlebutt: Wake Forest's Jim Grobe dropped out of the running at Nebraska after being told he would have to hire certain assistant coaches. If a guy is going to make a career move like that, he ought to be able to hire his own staff. Bo Pelini, though, will hire several old Nebraska assistants.
Grobe was a smart guy. He didn't want to get into any kind of "arranged marriage" in a situation he was not familiar with. In the case of Pelini, I guess it makes a little sense because he did work under Frank Solich in Nebraska, who was a disciple of Tom Osborne. But someone like Norm Chow, who is apparently desperate for a head coaching opportunity, will not have the luxury of familiarity in Westwood.

So you think we are going to believe any BS coming from Morgan Center (if a Chow/Walker scenario comes into fruition) that Chow will not feel insecure and not look over his back? You think we are going to believe the feel good BS coming from the Morgan Center explaining away how DeWayne Walker is not the defacto head coach who is calling the shots?

This kind of arranged marriage wouldn't even pass the smell test and will forever eviscerate Dan Guerrero's credibility. Right now, all we can hope for is that these rumors are not true and DG cannot possibly be dumb enough to take this kind of stupid plunge and expect us to buy the subsequent BS. I don't have high hopes for rest of the pencil pushers in Morgan Center, but I am holding on to hope that DG doesn't have this kind of contempt for his peers - UCLA alums and students - who have hung on to hope that he would be the agent of change in the rotten mediocrity promoting culture of Morgan Center that has so jaded the Bruin Nation.

GO BRUINS.

0 recs | Comment 29 comments

Story-email Email | Print |

Comments

Display:

Let's hope DG is just playing things close to the
vest.  

If he goes with Chow/Walker arranged marriage, I have a very bad feeling.  The scenarios being presented are absolutely ludicrous and really test all credulity.  The idea of Chow as a figurehead with Walker giving halftime speeches virtually assures a power struggle/cout d' etat situation that will only make a bad situation worse.  

If the Morgan & Murphy Axis are trying to come up with a way to destroy UCLA football, this is one that will do it.  

We already waited too long to fire Dorrell, if they go with another failed, ill-advised experiment, it will take years, if not decades to rebuild from the ruins.  

And there will be no quarter, there will be no trial period.  It will be time for a new Athletic Director.

by Odysseus on Dec 11, 2007 6:18 PM PST   0 recs

If
the new coach wants DW that's one thing. If I were an offensive coach with no ties to the west coast I'd probably want to keep him, but if I'm DG there's no way you force an assistant on a coach.

With the mention of Grobe, I wonder if we still don't have a chance. He came close to taking the Arkansas job but even after his extension at Wake, he is reportedly only making about $1.5M per year. If DG can get to the boosters and tell him Grobe is a possibility we can maybe raise enough money to offer him a little over $2M per year and we'd have a shot. I don't think we'd ever spend that much, but I want to make sure that everyone is aware that UCLA still has top notch coaches like Grobe as a possibility if they're willing to spend.

by ryebreadraz on Dec 11, 2007 6:18 PM PST   0 recs

Urgent message to DG
Hire a quality guy, and let him do exactly what CTS did - throw coaches overboard.

by Fox 71 on Dec 11, 2007 6:19 PM PST   0 recs

Well said
No new self-respecting CEO of a company keeps the CFO.  Just doesn't happen.  The power vested the CEO is contingent on owning the purse strings ... without his/her own CFO he/she essentially has no power.  Same with coaching.  I don't believe this concocted "co-coaches" scenario is real either. There can only be one leader. That has been true since the dawn of civilization.
editor, DumpDorrell.com ... formerly posted as DumpDorrell

by BruinCore on Dec 11, 2007 6:42 PM PST   0 recs

By the way
How exactly is Chow going to be grooming Walker anyway?  Will he be dipping deep into his vast HC experience?  Is he going to pull DeWayne aside and tell him war stories about all the field battles he never waged, or all the players he was never responsible for leading?

by BruinRod on Dec 11, 2007 7:33 PM PST   0 recs

Here's an article on Rick Neuheisel
that might put aside SOME of our suspicions with regards to his past.

http://northcarolinastate.scout.com/a.z?s=178&p=2&c=710350

I know some of you may have arleady known this, but I think it was worth throwing out there for othere that may not be as informed.

by OutOThsWrld on Dec 11, 2007 7:33 PM PST   0 recs

funny you mention Arkansas
Remember last year? Houston Nutt let a bunch of high school punks at Springdale tell him who to hire as OC. The guy was a disaster, he clashed with Nutt all season, and the punks flamed out. That season ruined Nutt's reputation in the state and in the university.

You can't force assistants onto coaches. Or any other position for that matter. You have to let them do their job. Part of that job is picking a staff they feel comfortable with.

by njbruin on Dec 11, 2007 7:58 PM PST   0 recs

thanks!
nestor, i guess you speak for all of us when you title this piece! didn't know, but good for future reference

by drummersix on Dec 11, 2007 7:59 PM PST   0 recs

Joe McDonnell
Daily Bruin writer is debunking the rumor about Chow being on campus according to Chow's wife. Whew!

by UCLA4Life on Dec 11, 2007 8:00 PM PST   0 recs

Coaching jobs
are getting filled quickly.  Arkansas just got Petrino.  June Jones said "it's a damn lie" that he is interested in the UCLA job.  This Norm Chow scenario is really starting to worry me.

by BruinAl on Dec 11, 2007 8:04 PM PST   0 recs

Good coaches still available!
Listen up fellow Bruins..! Petrino is gone and going to Arkansas, he got sold a bad bill of goods, con-Vick in jail and Schaub traded to the Texans. Falcons front office are hot and heavy to get June Jones back in Atlanta, he coached the Falcons 10 years ago! WAKE UP D.G..! Hire June Jones, a good coach, solid play caller, great offensive mind, runs a clean program and has worked miracles at a school where the athletic department recruiting budget is 60K/year. If he can put Hawai'i on the BCS map think what he can do for our Bruins and the rich talent pool! Besides think how much fun it will be to watch the Bruins pass for over 400 yards a game!  Also Al Borges leaves Auburn and will NOT coach the Tigers in the Chick-fil-A (former Peach) Bowl. Just my opnion.. and I know everyone has one.. if DG does not get going and soon, we'll be stuck with some coach we've never heard of from the Miami Dolphins. And lastly.. Here's outside the box thinking, Jimbo Fisher, the OC at FSU. They went 7-5 (5-5) and had NO talent, Jimbo made something out of nothing plus he OC for one of the most successful coaches in our lifetime. Say what you want about Bobby but every year he has a winning record and goes to a bowl. He puts fans in the stands. I'm not sure Norm is the answer, he has good offensive talent in Nashville but the Titans will struggle to make the playoffs...AGAIN..! Besides haven't we had enough of the mono-toned news conferences that put you to sleep in the first 5 minutes. I know we can do better than the Las Vegas Bowl!

by Lasurferdude on Dec 11, 2007 8:32 PM PST   0 recs

Jimbo
has already been publicly named the heir to the FSU HC position...

by gorams77 on Dec 11, 2007 8:58 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Yup
and if they have anyone else succeed Bowden, Jimbo gets something like $5M so I doubt he'll leave Tallahassee.

by ryebreadraz on Dec 11, 2007 9:07 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Chow + Walker
Ugh.  What a totally craptastic throught.  Makes my stomach churn.  Norm Chow as a HC??  Uh, there's a reason the guy is 61 and never been a HC.  Nothing like hiring a HC without experience to groom another HC without experience.  This has to be BS . . . it can't be true.  

by tliggett on Dec 11, 2007 8:41 PM PST   0 recs

Chow + Walker
Hey all, first post on this or any blog.  How come nobady is talking about Hill up at Fresno St? He seems competent enough not to screw up too bad, knows his way around California, and might actually do well if given an upgrade in talent.  I don't know enough to form an opinion about the guy, I just want to know why he is not even been talked about.

by Vegas on Dec 11, 2007 9:46 PM PST   0 recs

Like Hill Too
...he's been called a "hack" here and other places, but you definitely gotta love his attitude and what he's done up there in central valley with the likes of Carroll, Petersen and the Oregon and Arizona schools eating his lunch.

And talk about homegrown talent. I'm spitting distance from LAVC where he cut his teeth parlaying local talent.

I just don't think ol' handlebars would get along much with the pansies we got up in Bel Aire.

GO BRUIN BLUE.

by theREAL_LOGAN5 on Dec 11, 2007 10:34 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

I want Neuheisel and Dorrelll>Chow+Walker
I am a solid Neuheisel supporter.  I wish UCLA would at least give him an interview.  I would also support Petersen (who wouldn't?), Mooch, Leach, Mora, Hauck....

I read the NC State link a few posts up (big props to my fave prospect, Neuheisel). Duke offered the job to Spurrier?  DG should call Spurrier and see if he has an inkling of interest in coming to Westwood.

I mentioned Hill around Thanksgiving and someone replied with a negative review of Hill.  I personally like HIll's ties to Belichick, but that is all I know about Hill.

I know I am going to get flamed, but I would rather have Dorrell over Chow+Walker.

And I do own a Dump Dorrell tshirt - bought it when I thought dumping Dorrell would lead to a better HC option.  I do have to state that I posted on this at one point during the season...something along the lines of be careful what you wish for and hope DG has a solid plan.  I think the prospect of Chow+Walker is much worse than if we had kept Dorrell.  I will be heartbroken if DG goes with Chow+Walker.  I have zero loyalties to either of these men.  At least Dorrell is a Bruin.

Seriously, if Mooch and Leach are out.  DG needs to convince the administration to consider Neuheisel and Spurrier.  Neuheisel will take the job for whatever pay we throw at him.  And there is a good off chance Spurrier might listen to a UCLA offer.  

Neuheisel >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Chow+Walker

by bruinliv on Dec 11, 2007 10:50 PM PST   0 recs

Neuheisel is certainly better than
Chow and Walker, but after the emphasis the Morgan Center and DG in particular has placed on integrity, I can't see Neuheisel getting the job. I would like to see him get an interview though and at least give him a chance to explain the past situations which have tarnished his resume.

by ryebreadraz on Dec 11, 2007 10:59 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Morgan Center = pussies
Rick Neuheisel's "past situations" are BS. He was cleared of all wrongdoing by the NCAA and Washington and was given a huge $4.5 million settlement. He was engaging in an office pool approved by his superiors.

Rick might lack a tad bit of common sense and he might be a bit sloppy, but the idea that he is some sort of ethical black hole where NCAA rules go to die is crazy. The amount of money he has lost because some lazy loser sportswriters (probably east coast based) smeared him with bullshit is double what that settlement was.

The fact that Morgan Center thinks these "lapses" are serious enough to disqualify him is shocking.

by njbruin on Dec 12, 2007 7:20 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Agreed
My concern with Neuhisel is about whether he can build a program. I have mixed feelings about him but I will take him over Walker any day. And the whole drudging up the NCAA stuff on him, which he was cleared for in Washington is just BS.

by bluestreet on Dec 12, 2007 7:27 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

No Chow
Hiring Norm Chow doesn't make sense with all the other experienced HCs available. Plus he has too much Trojan taint to him. Just like I wouldn't want to see Norton at UCLA after he went over to the dark side. But if the rumors are true it shows me that Walker really wants to stay at UCLA and is willing to keep his current job to do it. That shows me a lot of commitment to the program and another plus for him.

by blualien on Dec 11, 2007 11:32 PM PST   0 recs

I could care less
about whether or not he has "Trojan taint." I want to win and to do so with class. If that guy is Chow or Norton or whoever then I'm fine with it. Now I don't believe that either of them is that guy, but if I did, them being at SC wouldn't bother me.

Regarding DW, I like him as a DC. I think he has a lot of positive qualities and is a good member of the UCLA coaching staff. If I were taking over the head coaching job I'd be inclined to hold on to him, but ultimately it comes down to whether or not the new coach wants him.

by ryebreadraz on Dec 11, 2007 11:41 PM PST to parent up   0 recs

Uh...
who are you to speak for the entire Bruin's nation?

Chow and Walker would make a great combination and they have worked together at USC together with great success.

If non UCLA fans see this as a dangerous rainbow coalition, who cares? Our chances for a national title just went up 100 fold. And the media will focus on the "white QB" or whoever anyways. Big frickin deal.

by 2pacalypse on Dec 12, 2007 12:47 AM PST   0 recs

You're right
Chow and Walker would make a great combination because...oh wait you didn't say why, but I'm sure you're right.

by ryebreadraz on Dec 12, 2007 12:52 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

So what if they were on the same coaching staff.
Just because they were at USC at the same time doesn't necessarily mean they worked together. Walker was the Secondary Coach. Chow was the Offensive Coordinator. Slightly different areas. How much interaction was there between the two? Who's to say Walker got along well at USC, seeing as how he left after just one year?

Anyway, even if they were best buddies, it can't be said they worked together with great success. Walker was only there in 2001. USC went 6-6 that year. That's not success.

by jaffa on Dec 12, 2007 1:15 AM PST to parent up   0 recs

Nice progress in a week
Who's running this search, anyway?  Is it CTS?  168 hours ago (that's one week ago for the trOJans reading this), we were excited about the end of the Reign of Error, and were talking about home run hires.  Now we're debating Pat Hill?  We're devoting actual words and psychic energy to a Norm Chow as head coach with his unblemished record (he has NEVER been beaten as head coach), but only as long as it's OK with DeWayne Walker, who as Defensive Coordinator and heir apparent is a scintillating 13-12.

What has happened to us?  CHO*w/Wal*KER is the best we can come up with in a week?  

How do we get the message to DG that this two-headed monster will put him squarely in the cross-hairs?

by Fox 71 on Dec 12, 2007 4:51 AM PST   0 recs

I screwed up Choker
That was supposed to be a nifty use of the asterisk.

by Fox 71 on Dec 12, 2007 4:53 AM PST   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to Bruins Nation, an unofficial daily online scrap book covering the greatest collegiate athletic program in the nation. GO BRUINS.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

080513__0038_1_small
Holding Onto Howland
Bruin_bear2_small
Jeanette Bolden Coaching Olympic Track Team
10113_big_small
A Letter To DG Regarding Jackie Robinson Stadium
Telemachus_small
Bru-103 and counting
Bruin_bear2_small
Longest Championship Droughts

Recent FanPosts

California_flag_sun_small
A Salute to Our Bruin Warriors
10113_big_small
Basketball Dream Match-ups
Bruinsnation_small
UCLA Skills Camp Report
10113_big_small
Basketball Releases Tentative '08-'09 Schedule
Brad_pitt_as_achilles_small
Earl Watson Breaks His Thumb, More Playing Time For Westbrook?
10113_big_small
How Does Howland's Contract Compare?
Bruinsnation_small
Berkeley Musings
10113_big_small
UPDATED: UCLA Baseball With A HUGE Pickup
Act_jordan_farmar_small
Davis to Clippers
Small
Football Recruiting: OL Stud, Greg Capella

Post New FanPost All FanPosts Carrot-mini


Managers

094_small Ajax

Bruinsnation_small Nestor

Menelaus2_small Menelaus

Arron_afflalo1_small Tydides

Brad_pitt_as_achilles_small Achilles

Small Meriones

Telemachus_small Telemachus

Small Odysseus

ad

Site Meter