Today has blown me away. The fact that this has not gone the way I thought is an understatement. So here it goes.
1. Fickell is a swing for the fences hire. We would never get a Saban or Lincoln Riley, but this isn't far behind as something that I wouldn't think possible. Great coach and great recruiter. I will overlook that he came from duhO$U. If I can get any Christmas wish granted this year, it is that if a single one of his coaches come with him to Wisconsin, It is Brady Collins, his strength coach.
2. I love Jim Leonhard and it sucks for him. I don't look at it as he couldn't do the job, It is that Fickell is proven. JL is a great DC coordinator, a UW icon, and a great guy. But as a HC he is unproven. As a recruiter, he is unproven. Did he have to deal with what was left to him after Chryst? Yes. Even taking that into account, we have nothing proving that things change after putting his fingerprint on it. Do I think they would? Yes. Do we have anything that would show that what he would change would work? No. Would love to see him stay on, but realize that the odds of both coaches allowing that to happen are slim. He will be a head coach in the future. I think he will be good, but Fickell is a more proven commodity.
3. McIntosh has a big pair. Amazing. Never thought that I would see UW make a splash like this. ***See above.
4. Most importantly, the adult fans that go on the message boards and the social media accounts of young players and recruits that are emotionally attached to a coach that they've gotten to know and have bled for are the biggest pieces of !@#$ around. It is an emotional and uncertain time for these kids. As long as they aren't disparaging anyone or spreading lies, let them vent. Let them make up their minds on their future. I won't like all of their comments and decisions, but I'm a secondary person in this. They have direct repercussions to deal with. Adults that attack them are the kind of people that kick puppies and club baby seals.
1. Fickell is a swing for the fences hire. We would never get a Saban or Lincoln Riley, but this isn't far behind as something that I wouldn't think possible. Great coach and great recruiter. I will overlook that he came from duhO$U. If I can get any Christmas wish granted this year, it is that if a single one of his coaches come with him to Wisconsin, It is Brady Collins, his strength coach.
2. I love Jim Leonhard and it sucks for him. I don't look at it as he couldn't do the job, It is that Fickell is proven. JL is a great DC coordinator, a UW icon, and a great guy. But as a HC he is unproven. As a recruiter, he is unproven. Did he have to deal with what was left to him after Chryst? Yes. Even taking that into account, we have nothing proving that things change after putting his fingerprint on it. Do I think they would? Yes. Do we have anything that would show that what he would change would work? No. Would love to see him stay on, but realize that the odds of both coaches allowing that to happen are slim. He will be a head coach in the future. I think he will be good, but Fickell is a more proven commodity.
3. McIntosh has a big pair. Amazing. Never thought that I would see UW make a splash like this. ***See above.
4. Most importantly, the adult fans that go on the message boards and the social media accounts of young players and recruits that are emotionally attached to a coach that they've gotten to know and have bled for are the biggest pieces of !@#$ around. It is an emotional and uncertain time for these kids. As long as they aren't disparaging anyone or spreading lies, let them vent. Let them make up their minds on their future. I won't like all of their comments and decisions, but I'm a secondary person in this. They have direct repercussions to deal with. Adults that attack them are the kind of people that kick puppies and club baby seals.
