Bobby Petrino resigns as head coach of the Falcons to take Arkansas head coaching job

[WMR]

Wow, the similarities between Petrino and Pitino are scary.

He'll do well at Arkansas until he leaves after 2 years.

[Bip Roberts]

:laugh: what a worthless terrible guy

[Playadlc]

I don't think I've ever read about a guy who goes after more jobs than Petrino.

Wasn't his 4 years at Louisville filled a flirtation with 1 or 2 plus schools a year? Granted, Atlanta is a mess w/out Vick, but geesh...

[KronoRed]

Smart guy to realize it was never gonna work in Atlanta

[RedsManRick]

Smart guy to realize it was never gonna work in Atlanta

He got screwed by Vick. You bring in a guy for the sole purpose of figuring out how to win with your extremely talented, but struggling QB and the dude gets himself locked up for 2 years and missing the season. Glad that he's jumping ship now so they can start the rebuild completely from scratch.

[Handofdeath]

I don't think I've ever read about a guy who goes after more jobs than Petrino.

You obviously aren't familiar with Rick Majerus or Larry Brown.:D Most coaches are ramblers. They start out as H.S. coaches always on the go looking for a better job and it continues throughout their careers. For all his faults, Ohio State was really lucky to have Coach Hayes for as long as they did. Same with Alabama and the Bear.

[Roy Tucker]

Wow. Atlanta is in a world of hurt.

Their like an expansion team now.

[redsfanmia]

Wow, the similarities between Petrino and Pitino are scary.

He'll do well at Arkansas until he leaves after 2 years.

He is alot like your boy Billy Gillispie or even Thad Matta as well, most coaches are opprotunnist (sp?) always looking for the next big job or contract. Its just reality.

[joshnky]

Wow, the similarities between Petrino and Pitino are scary.

He'll do well at Arkansas until he leaves after 2 years.

I don't get that comparison but it could be my bias. At least Pitino spent several flirtation free years at UK before leaving for multiple seasons with Boston. Anyway, this just confirms my belief that Petrino has zero integrity or loyalty in him. He tried to leave Louisville several times before leaving to coach the Falcons after signing a huge deal with Louisville. Then he only lasts 13 games before he bails on Atlanta for Arkansas.

I hope Arkansas fans realize who they're getting. He's a great coach but an awful person who will likely be somewhere else in two years.

[redsfanmia]

I don't get that comparison but it could be my bias. Anyway, this just confirms my belief that Petino has zero integrity or loyalty in him. He tried to leave Louisville several times before leaving to coach the Falcons after signing a huge deal with Louisville. Then he only lasts 13 games before he bails on Atlanta for Arkansas.

I hope Arkansas fans realize who they're getting. He's a great coach but an awful person who will likely be somewhere else in two years.

Has he killed anyone? Does he kick dogs and treat old people badly? Calling him an awful person is a little much considering he is just switching jobs for crying tears.

[joshnky]

Has he killed anyone? Does he kick dogs and treat old people badly? Calling him an awful person is a little much considering he is just switching jobs for crying tears.

Maybe what I expect out of public figures is different than what you expect. As a Louisville fan, I listened to him reiterate his commitment to Louisville and his love for the city that he called his home. Then, two months later he was interviewing for another position. This didn't just happen once or twice but after every season. He met with Auburn in secret at an airport while they still had a head coach, his former boss Tommy Tuberville. Then, he signs a huge deal with Louisville and publicly committed himself to the fans that he was hear to stay. A month later he left for Atlanta. Now he has bailed on Atlanta after 13 games.

I realize that all coaches are opportunistic but few are as bad as Petrino. Additionally, from everything I've heard, he is a jerk in person and impossible to befriend. He is a liar and I don't back down from my earlier assessment of him.

[edabbs44]

Wow. Atlanta is in a world of hurt.

Their like an expansion team now.

Yep...I've had a rough recent past in being a Falcons/Reds fan.

[bengalsown]

Guess Brohm is going to drop even farther in the draft now.

[Raisor]

This doesn't surprise me at all. Those of you not in the Atlanta market have no idea what it's been like here in 2007. Football wise the city is dead. Right now it's every man for himself.

[AccordinglyReds]

Although I still wish he never left Louisville, which I understand why he left, I am glad he left the Atlanta Falcons. Who would want to coach them?

[WVRed]

He is alot like your boy Billy Gillispie or even Thad Matta as well, most coaches are opprotunnist (sp?) always looking for the next big job or contract. Its just reality.

Nick Saban says hi.

I would have liked to have seen Petrino stay and draft Brohm.

[15fan]

This doesn't surprise me at all. Those of you not in the Atlanta market have no idea what it's been like here in 2007. Football wise the city is dead. Right now it's every man for himself.

Yup.

Time to take a page from Sherman's playbook: That which is still standing should be burnt to the ground. Start from square 1.

My guess is that any of the players who were "supporting" Vick last night (hello Roddy White) are gone by the start of the 2008-2009 season. Even if it means eating contracts.

And in an interesting bit of symmetry, I say the Falcons take Darren McFadden from Arkansas with their #1 pick.

(Kinda like they took the DL from Arkansas w/ their #1 pick last year...)

I'm trying to remember a sports franchise that has gone down in flames as quickly as the Falcons have in the past 12 months. Sure, the Marlins have had some doozy fire sales. And other teams have been more inept on the court/rink/field.

(Hello Golden State Warriors & Pittsburgh Pirates...).

But seriously, the crash & burn at the Georgia Dome & in Flowery Branch has been absolutely epic in the past 12 months.

[Blimpie]

Here endeth the Chris Redman feel-good story.

[IslandRed]

Job-hopping is in the typical coach's DNA, true. At the same time, there are right and wrong ways to pursue opportunities and make moves. I don't have a real dog in the... maybe I'd better not use that metaphor in a discussion involving the Falcons... I'm not a fan of any of the teams Petrino's coached or pursued, but from my vantage point, Petrino's chosen "wrong way" pretty much every time.

[redhawkfish]

There was an article in this morning's Cincy Enquirer that said Lawyer Milloy(Falcons defensive back) had the form letter Petrino gave the players telling them of his resignation taped or thumbtacked on his locker with the word "coward" wrote on it in big red letters.

[Chip R]

So it appears that the NFL is a stepping stone to a great job in college football.

[traderumor]

The nature of the business does not promote loyalty from either side. Considering that no one is crying crocodile tears for the "bums" when they are fired, usually after a number of public lynching by the fans, folks should not be surprised that there are coaches looking out for themselves, because rarely is anyone watching their backs for them.

Not to mention that loyalty is not one of the strengths of our current culture, but I digress.

[redhawkfish]

While I don't disagree with your premise that every one should look out for themselves, would you agree that a form letter to your former players is pretty weak?

[Roy Tucker]

Something tells me Petrino isn't going to be asked to the Falcons Christmas party.

[cumberlandreds]

Good article by Pat Forde on Petrino. I have to say I agree with him.


http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3151061&sportCat=ncf&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab3pos2

[FIRELEFT]

Here in Arkansas, everyone is loving it.
They ran off a guy that was a good coach that loved the state and would of stayed forever.
However, they thought he couldn't take the program to the next level.
know they got a guy that is (in theory) going to be a great coach but might #$%@ us in the end.
Welcome to the other side of the grass, i guess we will see how green it is.

[traderumor]

While I don't disagree with your premise that every one should look out for themselves, would you agree that a form letter to your former players is pretty weak?Lest you misunderstand, I am not endorsing what he did. I really do not know about how he told his players of his decision, but based on the fallout, I'm assuming he knew where he stood with his players and would not be respected even if he gave each of them a hug and a handshake as he left.

All I am really saying is that it is certainly conceivable why coaches like Pitrino develop the "looking out for #1, because no one else is" frame of mind when jumping from place to place. Plus, he was probably looking at getting canned when the Falcons decided "to go another direction" either this offseason or next.

[George Foster]

So it appears that the NFL is a stepping stone to a great job in college football.

and another big time coach in the SEC...wow

Past success does not guarantee future success, but recruiting at Arkansas has to be easier than Louisville and we all know he was pretty good at Louisville.

I fell sorry for his kids. He still has 2 in school (middle and high school). 3 schools in 2 1/2 years. Louisville, Atlanta, and now Fayetteville. He's not exactly thinking of them.

[traderumor]

and another big time coach in the SEC...wow

Past success does not guarantee future success, but recruiting at Arkansas has to be easier than Louisville and we all know he was pretty good at Louisville.

I fell sorry for his kids. He still has 2 in school (middle and high school). 3 schools in 2 1/2 years. Louisville, Atlanta, and now Fayetteville. He's not exactly thinking of them.How in the world can you comment on what someone else's kids need? :confused:

[M2]

Not that I follow these things all that closely these days, but football coaches have always seemed less mobile than basketball coaches to me, like it was just sort of baked into the mentality of the sport.

Basketball coaches are forever looking over the hedge to see what's out there. Football coaches, traditionally, seem to be of the mindset that they're going to make it work where they are. Maybe there's a new breed of football coach - Spurrier, Saban, Petrino - who's more of a rambler, but I can see where football fans would take a dim view of that kind of behavior. I know a good number of New York and New England fans who view Bill Parcells as a complete mercenary.

[WVRed]

How in the world can you comment on what someone else's kids need? :confused:

I think he is commenting more on the fact that his kids have been through three public school systems(assuming they are not home-schooled, then its an entirely different story). That being said, nobody really knows what goes on in the Petrino household, but it can't be easy for kids to move, much less grownups.:)

[Handofdeath]

The nature of the business does not promote loyalty from either side. Considering that no one is crying crocodile tears for the "bums" when they are fired, usually after a number of public lynching by the fans, folks should not be surprised that there are coaches looking out for themselves, because rarely is anyone watching their backs for them.

Not to mention that loyalty is not one of the strengths of our current culture, but I digress.

Absolutely true. Barry Switzer had fantastic success his first 6-8 years at Oklahoma. A couple of National Championships and very nearly won at least 2 more. The athletic complex at OU is named after him now But, in the early 80's when the Sooners had a couple of 7-4 seasons, there were more than a few people that thought he should be fired.

[jmcclain19]

Yep...I've had a rough recent past in being a Falcons/Reds fan.

Your Falcons were the toast of football just a few years ago.
I've been a Reds & Az Cardinals sufferer for years now.

[George Foster]

How in the world can you comment on what someone else's kids need? :confused:

Do you have kids?

I feel pretty safe in saying that 3 schools in less than 18 months is not good. It's not like he got transferred. He had choices.

[M2]

Do you have kids?

tr's close to having more kids than fingers.

[traderumor]

Do you have kids?

I feel pretty safe in saying that 3 schools in less than 18 months is not good. It's not like he got transferred. He had choices.As M2 hinted, while I'm not quite taking my shoes off to count them, I do have eight kids and a grandson, so if that gives me any brownie points for validating my opinion, so be it.

Regardless of whether Petrino's kids are in public, private, or homeschooled, it is a very broad, sweeping generalization to lay pity on his kids for moving. For all you know, his kids could wear out their welcome in a place as fast as he apparently does, so maybe its good that they move around so everyone doesn't find out they're brats. But, my point is, who are you to imply that he is a bad parent based solely on changing coaching jobs frequently?

[15fan]

While I don't disagree with your premise that every one should look out for themselves, would you agree that a form letter to your former players is pretty weak?

I think that's what really rubbed everyone the wrong way.

Walking away in the middle of a season (w/ only 3 games left) is quitting. Period.

Following that up by simply leaving a letter in the locker room is absolute chicken stuff.

Petrino, Arksansas and the SEC definitely have the makings of a fantastically spectacular situation. It's either going to succeed or fail miserably. It will not be for the faint of heart.

[Chip R]

I think that's what really rubbed everyone the wrong way.

Walking away in the middle of a season (w/ only 3 games left) is quitting. Period.

Following that up by simply leaving a letter in the locker room is absolute chicken stuff.

Petrino, Arksansas and the SEC definitely have the makings of a fantastically spectacular situation. It's either going to succeed or fail miserably. It will not be for the faint of heart.


He shouldn't have any problems there since the SEC is so overrated. ;)