If Nick Saban wanted to come to Arizona, you'd really expect that people would not understand if we explored it?Harvey Specter wrote:Great post, Chi - sums it up perfectly.Chicat wrote:I think expecting the people employed by these schools to treat college football as anything other than a business is inherently silly.
I also think that expecting fans who have a passion (fanaticism even, since that's the etymology of the word "fan") for these schools and programs to treat it like a business is also somewhat silly.
I have made tens of thousands upon tens of thousands of posts, tweets, facebook status updates, emails, conversations, and so on in regards to Arizona sports. It is most definitely something I'm passionate about. And my fandom is certainly not a business, even though it contributes to the bigtime business of college athletics. So while many of us do understand at some level how dispassionate coaches, ADs, college presidents, members of the media and so on have to be when dealing with the myriad subjects and issues that come up when these kids aren't on the field or court, we also understand that at it's heart college sports is about love and hate and other feelings that have nothing to do with business.
After we beat Gonzaga, or lost to ASU, my first thought wasn't, "eh, it's a business". It was "HOLY FUCKING SHIT WE WON!!!" and "OH MY FUCKING GOD THIS SUCKS!" respectively. I understand that won't be Byrne's or RR's or SM's response, but I'm a fan. I don't follow Arizona sports because it's a business, even if it most definitely is one.
As many have posted, business also has nuances. A guy with wanderlust who goes after every opening he might be considered just needs to be aware there can be consequences, too.
Let's say next year we go 7-5... and we find out some top-tier coach's wife has an ailment that requires her to move to a dry desert climate. Would it be kosher for Byrne to work behind the scenes to see if he wants to come here - and if he does, he terminates RR's contract?
It seems like a no-brainier to me, but I suspect that any AD who did that would likely get blasted in the media.
I find that hard to believe.