Monday, November 9, 2009
Tommy West Fired at Memphis
Posted by Frank Murtaugh on Mon, Nov 9, 2009 at 1:18 PM
The University of Memphis announced the dismissal of football coach Tommy West at a press conference Monday in the school’s Athletic Office Building. With three games remaining in West’s ninth season at the helm (he’ll remain on the sidelines through the end of the season), athletic director R.C. Johnson had seen enough to warrant a parting of ways. West enters his final three games with the Tigers owning a record of 49-58, having won only two of nine game this season (and only one over a top-division opponent, UTEP). His win total is third in Tiger history, behind Spook Murphy (91) and Ralph Hatley (59).
“I want to, first and foremost, thank Coach West for the years he’s given us,” said Johnson. “Coach West is class, dignity, and style. He’s elevated the program, which we asked him to do.”
You need only look at the common Tiger opponents between 2008 and 2009 to see how and why the university chose to sever the relationship with the longest-tenured coach in Conference USA. A year ago, the Tigers lost to Ole Miss by 17. This season, they lost to the Rebels by 31. Last season, Marshall beat the Tigers by a single point; this year the Thundering Herd won by 11. Memphis lost to UCF by seven in 2008, by 18 this season. And while the U of M beat Southern Miss last season (36-30), they lost to the Golden Eagles by 20 last month. While Memphis actually lowered its margin of defeat against East Carolina (from 20 to 19), it did so in front of a crowd that would have fit in the Elma Roane Fieldhouse. The gap between the Tiger squad and its competition is growing. The first step in slowing this trend, as always, is a coaching change.
The West era will hardly be considered a failure, particularly with the passage of time. Before West became coach in 2001, the Tiger program had played in two bowl games. He took them to five. (Second-tier they may have been, but ask West’s predecessors Rip Scherer or Chuck Stobart if they would have accepted a second-tier bowl invitation.) The most decorated quarterback (Danny Wimprine), running back (DeAngelo Williams), and receiver (Duke Calhoun) in U of M history all played under West and established marks that should remain in the Tiger record book for years.
But the Tigers have yet to win a Conference USA championship, the one blemish on West’s body of work that will be impossible to erase. If the Tiger program can’t compete for a second-tier league title (that qualifier again), discussion of a new stadium — on-campus or otherwise — is like selecting a tux without a prom date. The nationally televised loss to East Carolina on a rainy Tuesday night in late October — with fewer than 5,000 fans in the Liberty Bowl — was perhaps the loudest statement on this current season of free-fall for West and his team. To give up 56 against hated Tennessee in the Tigers’ next outing was merely kicking the corpse.
Shortly after Johnson’s comments at Monday’s press conference, West took the podium, and he didn’t need a microphone to be heard. “It’s not easy when you get fired,” he said. “It’s not a good day at the office.” For the next five minutes, West gave what amounted to a pep talk to the Memphis football community: boosters, fans, and media. It was a pep talk that grew in volume with each message.
“I’ve been here nine years, and I have a lot of good memories. We have some really good fans, but they have to step up now. When you’re the head coach, you can’t say some things, because it’s sour grapes. Now is the time to stand up for your program. I’m the seventh straight coach to stand up here and say this [having been fired]. History will repeat itself, folks, if they don’t do something about it. But our fans have to demand that the new guy be given a level playing field. Stobart stood here and he was a bad coach . . . but good enough to beat Southern Cal. Rip became a bad coach . . . but he beat Peyton Manning and Tennessee.
“At some point, we have to do the things necessary to make this program what we want, or do away with it. It’s too painful, for coaches, players, and people. Every day I’ve been here has been a fist fight.
“The other thing I’d say is, you have to take the negative out. I’ve coached a lot of places, and there’s a negativity here that, in the end, eats you up. In today’s game, it’s harder than it’s ever been to win. Don’t be negative. Ask what you can do to help the football program. Go to a game, and bring somebody with you. Give the next guy a fighting chance. Instead of writing the sarcastic articles, why not call me and ask what you can do to help this program? To our fans, demand that the next guy get a fighting chance, or give it up.”
As for the search for West’s successor, Johnson said he had no one in his “hip pocket,” but that he’d already been contacted by interested parties. “The goal is simple,” stressed Johnson, “to get the best coach available, as quickly as possible.” When asked why the decision was made with three games remaining on the schedule, Johnson emphasized recruiting. As for the influence of boosters, Johnson said, “If I went based on pressure from our boosters, I’d be doing something every day.”
Johnson added that head-coaching experience isn’t absolutely necessary among the criteria for the new coach. But skills as a recruiter most certainly are. “What we’re all about these days is the recruiting business,” he said. As for selling points for his football program, Johnson mentioned the “great city, great university, great media coverage, and a great airport.” He noted that recruits, by NCAA regulation, must now be flown commercially.
“If I had an answer for who will come in and win,” noted Johnson, “I’d bottle it and sell it. You have to go with your gut a little bit.”
Comments (16)
Showing 1-16 of 16
You know, the saddest part of this whole mess is that RC Johnson is still calling the shots. After the tumultuous events of this year, especially, it's hard not to think RC is part of the problem, not part of the solution.
like
dislike
Whatta show at lunchtime today. My favorite line at the podium actually came from R.C. "We have a great airport!" Geez. In all actuality what happened today is that the UofM cut off the tail rather than the head. West was right. The problems will persist. But he was part of the problem, no doubt.
I'm surprised RC didn't say "We have a great, free alternative 'news'paper also. That'd really have the recruits running (which way to be determined)
I agree with Coach West's comments. Instead of paying a coach $2.7 million to leave, we need to find $6 million to build an indoor practice facility which will help put us in better to compete for recruits. You can't hire a coach, tie one arm behind his back and then fire him for getting his butt kicked.
NO one addresses the great RC and he gets support from his buddy George L. RC is the problem. He is a simple minded man who makes bad decisions. Cal covered his backside with winning. Why cant we make a name for our womens hoop program? Why does the football team continue to be a punchline? And I hope that Josh can keep it respectable in terms of wins? Why? Because RC has not planned for succession in these key positions. We should have paid Cal to be the AD because he made all of the decisions.
You are either a UofM fan or you are not. You are either a City of Memphis fan or you are not. Since I moved here in 1970 I have seen the same resentment regularly spew from nine out of every ten Memphis natives. It is really unfortunate that this majority is so embarrassed to be "from Memphis", much less continue to live here. I have never seen so many people, who wanted to be from some where else, yet cannot muster the strength or have the resolve to leave and make it somewhere else. They continue to bad mouth and bemoan all that is of Memphis, especially given that they won't ever fix what they know is broken; from the City Council to the City's main University. Hell, they won't even take care of LeMoyne Owen.
I continually hear parents and kids alike say with disgust, "I'm not going to (sic send my kid to) University of Memphis, I going to Tennessee or Ole Miss, or Alabama, or Arkansas, or Auburn, or Mississippi State"; and, when I ask why, the answer I receive is "Well it's "Memphis"".
To Phlo: What real part of the problem was West? Was he the part that made the football team have to practice at CBHS because there is NO other available practice facility? Did he cause the actual practice time to be cut short because of the extended travel time to and from CBHS? Was it his part that classes for his student athletes were not scheduled properly and thus cause a number of the members of the football squad to regularly arrive at practice late or have to leave early in order to fulfill their academic commitments? Was he responsible for less than competitive athletic facilities? Was he responsible for less than competitive salaries for assistant coaches?
My goodness man, The entire U of M Athletic Department budget for 2009 is projected at 19.2 million, which is approximately 89.7% of the national average for division I schools (24.1 million), and approximately 19.5% of the 98.1 million being spent by Tennessee for its Athletic Department's 2009 budget.
From Rivals.com: "Tennessee has the most expensive staff of assistant coaches in college football history. The price: $3.325 million for nine assistants. That comes out to $369,444 per coach. That makes the $2.4 million that Alabama doled out to its nine assistants this past season which was tops in the nation seem like a pittance".
I ask. Is Tommy West really part of the problem or are you and people like you the real problem? I contribute to the school regularly, do you? I proudly wear a UofM logo, do you? When asked who I am rooting for, I say UofM and not just during Basketball season should the team be winning.
I challenge those who are Tennessee fans, move to Knoxville. To those who are Mississippi fans, Starkville, Oxford, Jackson, and Hattiesburg would be a great place for you to live. To those who are ashamed of Elvis, Al Green, Justin Timberlake, Rufus Thomas, Cybil Sheppard, etc.... Nashville is awaiting. When you live in Memphis you should support ALL THAT IS MEMPHIS - UNCONDITIONALLY!
The real problem with Memphis Athletics is not Tommy West, RC, or as it will be if Pastner does not display winning results this year. Instead, it is with you and those like you. Your lack of support, your lack of ownership, your lack of pride in where you live and one of your largest neighbors - the University of Memphis. You can support more than one team. Fred Smith does. Why not you too? If you live in Memphis (or one of its "toon towns", be for all that is Memphis. Cut the blame game, you are only embarrassing yourselves and reinforcing what our competitors have come to believe. We are a city divided - on everything. Not just football. We lack character! Unfortunately we don't even respect others who show it. Especially Tommy West.
He could have just walked away with his 2 to 3 million little reasons and not said a thing. Instead he showed a lot of class in standing up for the University to his last day. He has told us how it is and to paraphrase it in proper Memphis venacular so all will understand "We ain't gonna be nothin' as long as we continue to act like and do nothin".
Agreed, Hire Tommy back as AD. Fire Raines and RC, they have never, not one time had the passion and fire for the University that Tommy just showed. We haven't had that since Jones or Humphreys. As for University President's... What a joke, Raines, Carpenter, and more. They never once cared for this University, it was (and is) a job. Bring Tommy back and get rid of anyone that doesn't show that type of fire for the place. Let him show that kind of passion and the sky is the limit.
MemphisISTigerCountry: I understand your passion, but coaches heads roll all the time. At the end of the day he's responsible more than anyone else for the W-L record of his team. I think you and I heard different things during his press conference today. What I heard was essentially a man who blamed everybody but himself. BTW I wear UofM apparel and contribute to the school; I feel that maybe gives me a small 'say' in things just as much as you. Go Tigers!
allow me to play devil's advocate, it's a shame there isn't this much hyperbole generated over the state of the school's academic programs. isn't that what it's there for? to educate people? A few years ago I took a computer programming class where the prof had to write code on the blackboard. on. the. blackboard. ever tried to test and debug a chalk scrawl?
Memphis is doing right by making changes. I moved to Memphis from Atlanta in 2006. I was miserable everyday until I moved away in 2009.
Poverty, crime, racism, backwards mentalities, corruption... Became too much. The final straw was I was in a car accident on rockcreek and germantown. I was hit from behind by a young guy not paying attention and did not see me stopped at a redlight. I was hit so hard it knocked me about 5 feet forward into traffic.
No one stopped to try and render aid. It seemed to mr that the drivers all sped up and started driving very, very rude. Swerving around me as if they were angry.
I now live in Dallas TX and my boss (a white guy) when he learned I was from Memphis stated that the more he reads and hears about TN the less he wants to move there. He was right.
TN is known for poor rednecks and violence prone blacks.'poverty, high infant mortality and racism.
So glad I moved.
yodle--there is probably nothing more offensive than the over-generalizing, shaming, condescending "Thank the Lord above I escaped the Hell of Memphis" internet posters. Not even AI on his worst day is as arrogant and embarrassing as these folks. The best parts of their pontificating, online tales of narrowly escaping doom, are when they are possibly making a little headway by pointing out things that are, in fact, problematic in Memphis and then follow it up with some anecdotal capper that is so unbelievably petty (see above "car accident where no one helped") as if the offense could have only occurred in the City of Memphis. COME ON!
Anyway, yeah, Go Tigers! I do agree--to a point--that the self-hate many Memphians have is counter-productive and really, just silly. Not all of the problems here are impossible to solve or at least begin to address. Sure, other cities and towns can be great; I know from experience, but I love being back. Let's work to improve what we can. I suppose Tommy West was trying to say that in so many ways, but a man that cannot look at himself for contributing to the problems he experiences in this life has a loooooong road to travel.
Tommy's problem is, and always has been, his inability to take responsibility for his team's failures. Listen to any post game show and he always says the same things. The problems are always with the players, never with his play calling, never with his tactical decisions on the field. But go sit in the stands at any game and listen to the moans of the dumbstruck fans as they watch the game unfold as if it were being coached by someone phoning in his plays.
I have been a fan all my life. I've witnessed many impossible victories, and many many more sorry no excuse defeats. A coach can't rest on the laurels of his flukes and expect one miracle to secure his position forever with both the fans and the university. His legacy must be built on a consistent level of play. Tommy West took the Tigers to more bowl games, but this was at a time when there were more bowl games than bowl-quality teams, when having a 59% average would get you failed out of school but invited to the Playdoh Barber Shop bowl.
I think we all knew this would be Tommy's last year, even before it began. I think Tommy knew it, too, and I think it showed in his lack of inspiration on the field.
Many of the things Tiger Country said are true. I've lived here all my life with the Vol fans, the Bulldog fans, the Razorbacks. But it has nothing to do with the university and everything to do with geography. Memphis draws in people from all around. Memphians also go to different schools and come home. They support the team they most identify with, and that team often is where they grew up or went to school. Memphis also has a big population of Steeler fans, even though we have a team in Nashville who could use our support. That's just the nature of the demographics of this city. There's no point in crying about it, much less demanding absolute unquestioning loyalty to a school merely because it is located within the city limits where you happen to live. Should Tiger fans who move to Little Rock stop rooting for the Tigers?
I think Jeff Bower would be take the Memphis job if they are ok with winning 7-8 games a year. Care anything about going to a bowl game every year and having solid hard hitting defense? Get Jeff Bower here and get instant respect. I'll bet he even gets serious about having more exciting offense since that lack of high output offense cost him the USM job!
Don't anyone one of you know that the real problem is Ms. Raines. She has plenty of money to send to the football program which will bring more money with it to the school in ticket sales, concessions and donations. She wastes money on professor salaries. Many professors make over $100,000 per year. Feel free to check it our for yourselves. You can go to https://spectrumssb2.memphis.edu/pls/PROD/…
and find the professor names and go to http://data.tennessean.com/DB/dbc/tbrsalar… (type in last name to improve search) and find their salaries. Southwest Community Colege pays a adjunct teacher $1500/class. Many professors at UofM make over $120,000 per year and teach 6 semester hours a week or 12 semester hours a year (dont let the special study or dissertation classes make you think they teach more than 6 hours a week - these types of classes are very little work). This means that they make about $30,000 per class where adjunct teachers at Southwest make $1500 per class. UT Martin requires their professors to teach 12 hours a week and pay about half as much as UofM. These are all state institutions but their presidents make different financial decisions.
Ms. Raines has plenty of money at her disposal to support the football program but she wastes it on these professor salaries by paying 20 times more for a teacher than does Southwest. She should be fired for wasting the taxpayer dollars like this. I guess she doesnt know or care that the poor pay her $300,000 salary and $150,000 annual salary in retirement every time they buy something. This is unbelievable that she takes from the poor and waste their money on people who have 6 figure salaries and work 6 hours a week. Ms Raines why dont you take your $150,000 per year retirement and leave. You just wasted nearly 3 million dollars when you fired Tommy West. How does a person become the president of a college and cant do simple math? Quit wasting our money and take a math or accounting class for free you might just learn something.
THIS WEEK'S ISSUE
