Poor ol’ Charlie Strong. He was the next great coach while at Louisville, parlayed that into the head job at Texas, one of the primo jobs in the land. Could not get it quite going in Austin, didn’t flame out, but 6-7, 5-7, 5-7 won’t get it done in Austin, and got canned. Landed on his feet, one foot anyway, at South Florida, made a great start to a new life, 10-2 (!) his first year and was 7-0 in his second year, 7-0 (!) and then, inexplicably, truly inexplicably, lost his last six of the season. So, Strong started 19-2 at South Florida. But somehow, someway Charlie lost the team. All we, I at least, know is when he lost it, October 27, 2018 in Houston, but why I haven’t a clue.
2019 was even worse. The six game losing streak grew to eight before a win over South Carolina State, resumed with SMU, and then, I thought Charlie might have turned it around. I thought he was going to lose at UConn even as pathetic as UConn is, but the “Bulls” won and then beat BYU in Tampa. BYU was by far the best team Strong had beaten on a year over two seasons. But then they lost five of their last six to finish 4-8. Oh, I feel so bad for him.
Steve Addazio was fired today. You know, Steve Addazio. No, nobody knows who Steve Addazio is. That was part of the problem, I guess. He had been Boston College's coach for seven years. Never won more than seven games a season, so we're forgiven if Steve Addazio never showed up on our radar. Still the firing of Steve Addazio tickled me. Addazio was rumored to be high on Rutgers list of coaches! Rutgers likes unemployed coaches. Hey, Rutgers! Psst. Steve Addazio is available.
Addazio's firing tickled me also because it is almost always the case that if you lose to an opponent you are supposed to beat, your ass lands on the hot seat. And there was talk that if Addazio did not beat Pitt he would be fired. But he did beat Pitt, on the road too. And he wasn't supposed to beat Pitt. BC was an 8-point underdog. Now it's the case that beating Pitt will get you fired lol.
Addazio's firing may be an omen for Pitt head dog Pat Narduzzi (It is omen that Pitt's Pat was also on Rutger's list lol.). Now, Pat has won more than seven games in a season at Pitt, in fact he accomplished the feat of winning eight games at Pitt dos, in his first dos years. Since then Pat has won five, seven, and...seven games. See what I mean? If I were Pat that's too close a shave for me. And this was supposed, supposed by a frothy-mouthed fan base but also, butbutbut, also by Sports Illustrated and by two of the most prominent local Pitt beat writers, to be Pitt Pat's Year. Forget eight, this was the year Pitt was going to win ten games and go to the Orange Bowl! Failing to meet expectations, that is what got coaches on the hot seat--until Steve Addazio beat Pitt, ho-ho-ho. But as Pat said after the BC upset,“It is what it is. Every loss, whether it’s close or by 28 points, they’re all tough. They all count as a loss in the win column."
2019 was even worse. The six game losing streak grew to eight before a win over South Carolina State, resumed with SMU, and then, I thought Charlie might have turned it around. I thought he was going to lose at UConn even as pathetic as UConn is, but the “Bulls” won and then beat BYU in Tampa. BYU was by far the best team Strong had beaten on a year over two seasons. But then they lost five of their last six to finish 4-8. Oh, I feel so bad for him.
Steve Addazio was fired today. You know, Steve Addazio. No, nobody knows who Steve Addazio is. That was part of the problem, I guess. He had been Boston College's coach for seven years. Never won more than seven games a season, so we're forgiven if Steve Addazio never showed up on our radar. Still the firing of Steve Addazio tickled me. Addazio was rumored to be high on Rutgers list of coaches! Rutgers likes unemployed coaches. Hey, Rutgers! Psst. Steve Addazio is available.
Addazio's firing tickled me also because it is almost always the case that if you lose to an opponent you are supposed to beat, your ass lands on the hot seat. And there was talk that if Addazio did not beat Pitt he would be fired. But he did beat Pitt, on the road too. And he wasn't supposed to beat Pitt. BC was an 8-point underdog. Now it's the case that beating Pitt will get you fired lol.
Addazio's firing may be an omen for Pitt head dog Pat Narduzzi (It is omen that Pitt's Pat was also on Rutger's list lol.). Now, Pat has won more than seven games in a season at Pitt, in fact he accomplished the feat of winning eight games at Pitt dos, in his first dos years. Since then Pat has won five, seven, and...seven games. See what I mean? If I were Pat that's too close a shave for me. And this was supposed, supposed by a frothy-mouthed fan base but also, butbutbut, also by Sports Illustrated and by two of the most prominent local Pitt beat writers, to be Pitt Pat's Year. Forget eight, this was the year Pitt was going to win ten games and go to the Orange Bowl! Failing to meet expectations, that is what got coaches on the hot seat--until Steve Addazio beat Pitt, ho-ho-ho. But as Pat said after the BC upset,“It is what it is. Every loss, whether it’s close or by 28 points, they’re all tough. They all count as a loss in the win column."