On ESPN's College GameDay this past week, there was actually a little bit of time devoted to discussing Syracuse. Not surprisingly, given the 8-31 record of Greg Robinson in three plus years, they weren't exactly endorsing the direction. Lee Corso put a lot of the blame on Athletic Director, Doctor Daryl Gross.The day before the public excoriation, there was a scathing column on Gross that characterized him as nothing but a self-promoter more concerned with his own image and looking important.
Then there was the time when Gross pushed his way into a crowd of former Heisman Trophy recipients at the award's ceremony so he would be sure to be in the television shot when the Heisman winner was presented with the prize. The scene was almost as pathetic as the photos of Gross on the Syracuse sideline trying to look important as he holds a cell phone up to each ear.So how did the AD deal with the criticisms of his job and the state of Syracuse football?
Why Gross called ESPN to let them know that while Greg Robinson is doomed, Gross is doing a heck of a job.
He made an unsolicited phone call to ESPN.com to defend himself, citing the university's success in nonrevenue sports, ranging from the 2008 NCAA men's lacrosse championship to an Orange field hockey program currently ranked third in the nation.
"We got so many good things going on here," Gross said. "The 800-pound gorilla is football. You and I both know we've been very fair to Coach Robinson. Everyone wanted the guy's head last year. I said I didn't want Syracuse to become one of those three-years-and-out schools. I said, 'Let's calm down and [if needed] we'll get the first pick of the draft [of coaching candidates] next year.' That's where we are."
"We got so many good things going on here," Gross said. "The 800-pound gorilla is football. You and I both know we've been very fair to Coach Robinson. Everyone wanted the guy's head last year. I said I didn't want Syracuse to become one of those three-years-and-out schools. I said, 'Let's calm down and [if needed] we'll get the first pick of the draft [of coaching candidates] next year.' That's where we are."
Yeah, that'll do it. Syracuse fans will line-up right behind the athletic director. No, not really.
Jesus, is your ego that fragile? I'd rather you talked openly about how poor of a job Robinson is doing because that's the truth and not just because a news outlet questions the job that you're doing personally. As much as Robinson deserves it, that's the very definition of throwing someone under the bus.
Gross is right, Robinson deserves to be fired and has not done anything to sway us otherwise. But to absolve himself of all blame is incorrect. Greg Robinson happened on your watch, sir. Greg Robinson is only here because you hired him. He's only still here because you wouldn't fire him when you had the chance. You take some of the "credit" for all of this as well.
Gross is right, Robinson deserves to be fired and has not done anything to sway us otherwise. But to absolve himself of all blame is incorrect. Greg Robinson happened on your watch, sir. Greg Robinson is only here because you hired him. He's only still here because you wouldn't fire him when you had the chance. You take some of the "credit" for all of this as well.
Makes that article about Gross as a self-promoter look darn accurate is what it does.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-24-2008 @ 11:06AM
Lakergregg said...
Cheer up Syracuse, maybe you'll be in the running for Lane Kiffin.lol.
FIGHT ON!
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9-24-2008 @ 9:07PM
HSKRED said...
Good luck to the Syracuse fans. After Callahan and Pederson at Nebraska, I can sympathize with your situation. Hope it works out for you and you get to replace your AD as well as your coach.
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10-16-2008 @ 4:07PM
JOB said...
Until we replace Gross, the football team willn't be any good. Good canidates see what he did to Paul P. and run the other way, then get to read what he said about Robinson, to save his own face. Why would any one want to work for Gross?
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