Marvin, Billick Blast Firings

[HoosierCat]

Thought-provoking read from the DDN. Once upon a time, patience was a virtue, after all...

Coaching moves upset Lewis, Billick

'Too many experts' helped seal fates of Davis, Willingham

By Mark Gokavi

Dayton Daily News

CINCINNATI | Paid to pin losses on each other, many big-time football coaches are close. Many were affected Tuesday by Notre Dame's firing of Tyrone Willingham and the resignation of Cleveland's Butch Davis.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis and Ravens coach Brian Billick were incredulous. Two years ago, the Browns made the playoffs. Notre Dame won 10 games and Willingham was national coach of the year.

"Tyrone and Butch — three seasons ago they had their programs at what the people thought were the height of what they could do," Lewis said. "And they were one step away from the next level."

Billick said the profession always has been precarious. Now, it's ridiculous.

"Nobody can do these jobs," Billick said. "No one is good enough. Nothing is good enough. There's too many experts, too many different ways to do it.

"There's so much criticism and speculation, it doesn't seem like anybody can do this job for any length of time to the satisfaction of the masses, and that's a unique position to be in."

Neither coach mentioned race. The Black Coaches Association, though, addressed that Tuesday. There are two African-Americans among the Division I-A 117 coaching jobs. Besides historically black colleges, there are zero in I-AA. Not counting interim Browns coach Terry Robiskie, the NFL has five — including Lewis.

"This action sends an alarming message to African-Americans who are pursuing coaching at the Division I-A level," BCA Executive Director Floyd Keith told the Associated Press. "It's still going to be tough."

Willingham (21-15), who is black, is the only football coach Notre Dame dismissed before his initial contract was up — three years into a six-year deal.

"I had to wince when I'm sitting there and watching the athletic director of Notre Dame talk about what a class individual Ty Willingham is," Billick said. "What great shape the program is in, and that their students, the profile, their character and the academic standing of their students have never been better, so we're going to fire the coach. It makes you pause. We all know what this business is about. But at least in the college ranks, isn't there supposed to be some semblance of balance and priority?"

Willingham is already a hot prospect. Yet he couldn't keep his job at Notre Dame, which last won a national title in 1988.

"I think it's a lesson learned for everybody — coaches, fans, media — of how quickly your opinions of those things change," Lewis said. "The coach didn't change. The coach didn't get dumb in two years. Same guy."