Another Inaccurate Take on Crowton Firing

[jay santos]

http://www.cougarboard.com/noframes/...tml?id=2336440


I don't care what anybody says about what the admin told Crowton or what kind of promises were made.

The fan base became a lynch mob after two losing seasons and one more losing season was going to seal the deal, no matter what happened off the field.

The players that got kicked out in 2004 were all minor players--doubt if any would have started or contributed significantly. None were on offense where Crowton's major failings were--three years in a row.

It would have been pretty stupid for Crowton to demand W-L relief for more losing records due to four new recruits, that weren't vital to the team or major recruits. And it would be even more stupid for the admin to agree to said demand.

Sorry I don't buy it.

Crowton lost his job for going 14-21 over three seasons when we hadn't seen a losing season for the previous 25 years.

I'm sorry about it. He's a nice guy. He might even be a good offensive coordinator. But he had his chance.

[Indy Coug]

The primary and overwhelming reason Crowton was let go was because of the Honor Code scandals. Regarding all of these backroom deals that BYUinNYC alleges, I have no clue whether they're true or not.

That notwithstanding, they cut him loose becase too many players had pants around their ankles.

[Goatnapper'96]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

The primary and overwhelming reason Crowton was let go was because of the Honor Code scandals. Regarding all of these backroom deals that BYUinNYC alleges, I have no clue whether they're true or not.

That notwithstanding, they cut him loose becase too many players had pants around their ankles.

I believe they played a role, but Crowton was gone even if they did not happen IMO. Hard to argue because they did and happened early enough that nobody can really prove the point one way or the other. I could care less what the inside opinion from Brothers or da Brethren is and here is why.....

My real opinion is that in the ninniness that is the world of Mormonism there is a need to feel morally straight, or perhaps even superior. Hence it becomes entirely too easy to claim the HC issues were the reason for the fire because then Mormons feel better about not being "of the world" and firing a coach due to losses. More specifially it is a statement that such conduct is unnacceptable at the BYU. Luckily, for the Brethren, Matt Payne pulled that FG and another and another and another and Gary got stupid against UNLV. If BYU wins 7 games that year I doubt Gary is gone, but the ineptitude prevented "The Church" from being stuck in such a sticky situation.

Shit, I mean look how quick the admin pulled the trigger on Roger Reid. I don't recall one HC issue and he was on the verge of his first losing season in a sport where BYU has never enjoyed the success as football.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

The primary and overwhelming reason Crowton was let go was because of the Honor Code scandals. Regarding all of these backroom deals that BYUinNYC alleges, I have no clue whether they're true or not.

That notwithstanding, they cut him loose becase too many players had pants around their ankles.

Crowton goes 10-1 in 2004 and takes the Cougs to top 10 finish and BCS bowl. He gets fired? No. He does that, and all of a sudden, he's a stand up guy for taking responsibility for Honor Code issues and has a great plan to stop them from occuring in the future...

He got fired for the record.

[il Padrino Ute]

I agree with Santos and Goatnapper; Crowton got canned because his teams sucked, though if the decision had been mine, I would have given him a lifetime contract with a "the Genius can never get fired for any reason whatsoever" clause and would send the guy to whatever medical miracle workers Montgomery Burns visits to keep him alive.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by Goatnapper'96

Shit, I mean look how quick the admin pulled the trigger on Roger Reid. I don't recall one HC issue and he was on the verge of his first losing season in a sport where BYU has never enjoyed the success as football.

Roger Reid's demise was the steady accumulation of a lot of things, including a lot of behind the scenes stuff.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by jay santos

Crowton goes 10-1 in 2004 and takes the Cougs to top 10 finish and BCS bowl. He gets fired? No. He does that, and all of a sudden, he's a stand up guy for taking responsibility for Honor Code issues and has a great plan to stop them from occuring in the future...

He got fired for the record.

In the absence of honor code violations, he would have coached in 2005, despite being 5-6 in 2004. As such, your hypothetical is irrelevant.

[OhioBlue]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

The primary and overwhelming reason Crowton was let go was because of the Honor Code scandals. Regarding all of these backroom deals that BYUinNYC alleges, I have no clue whether they're true or not.

That notwithstanding, they cut him loose becase too many players had pants around their ankles.

Not true.

Did these incidents play a role? Yes. But they also did not occur in a vacuum.

"Primary and overwhelming" is absurd and patently false.

That said, I still think the worst thing that Crowton did with regard to that incident (I'm sure he's a great guy, no I don't hate him) was to turn his back on the accused players and leave them all hanging. I won't go into more detail, and I can kind of understand why he'd want to distance himself given the then conditions of the program. But I still find it sad and frustrating.

[Surfah]

Originally Posted by OhioBlue

Not true.

Did these incidents play a role? Yes. But they also did not occur in a vacuum.

"Primary and overwhelming" is absurd and patently false.

That said, I still think the worst thing that Crowton did with regard to that incident (I'm sure he's a great guy, no I don't hate him) was to turn his back on the accused players and leave them all hanging. I won't go into more detail, and I can kind of understand why he'd want to distance himself given the then conditions of the program. But I still find it sad and frustrating.

He should have had them sleep it off on the couch in his home instead?

[OhioBlue]

Originally Posted by surfah33

He should have had them sleep it off on the couch in his home instead?

lol yeah, something like that. I know it sounds weird, and it's complicated.

I honestly wish Gary the best in whatever he does. I'm sure it tore that guy up exponentially more than it did us to see BYU's tradition crumble on his watch so dramatically. He just wasn't in the best situation for a guy trying to learn how to be a head coach. I'm still of the opinion he doesn't have the personality to be a head coach, and that he'll do just fine as a coordinator given the right circumstances.

I feel badly that he gets ripped on in hateful ways by some, but I'm also one that doesn't feel that we need to bend the truth or play make believe about his tenure here. He's a big boy and I'm quite sure he handled it and moved on much better than even many fans have, fans who defended him to the death in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary and just hate to admit they were wrong.

And I can completely understand why neither Bronco nor Gary would be excited about the LV Bowl matchup. That said, I'm sure they'll both show up and do their jobs the best they know how--which is clearly enough to make them football coaches, and us just mere fans.