Background Story (courtesy Bleacher Report)
Originally published on the 'Kyle Cooper: Sportscaster' Facebook page, 7 September 2014
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This wasn't just Pat Haden's mistake. Although it was a biggie.
The first mistake came when Steve Sarkisian asked Haden to intervene in a disagreement between his coaching staff and the officiating crew. Pulling in his AD "to make sure everybody understood and moved on" was a tremendous error in judgment and a Frank Burns move.
Does Sarkisian think there's a court of appeals for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties? If that's the case, what other rules is he fuzzy on? And if he's unsteady with the rules, what's he doing as a head coach at any college football program, much less USC?
As for Haden, we all make mistakes, and many writers and pundits have gone great lengths to remind us about Haden's intelligence. There's no doubt he's a very bright man. Which makes his decision to come down to the field all the more puzzling. Of everyone involved in this incident, he's the one who should have known enough to stay out of it.
Like it or not, what Haden did will impact the credibility of the playoff selection committee. Many writers and pundits have gone great lengths to remind us about how Haden will recuse himself from voting for USC, but if he didn't know enough to stay off the field yesterday, what other lines might he step across?
Not that he will, and he's acknowledged that he committed a serious blunder. But Saturday will go down on his permanent record, so to speak, and if there's one thing college sports doesn't need, it's another credibility problem.
Yet none of this happens if Sarkisian handles his own business.
Originally published on the 'Kyle Cooper: Sportscaster' Facebook page, 7 September 2014
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This wasn't just Pat Haden's mistake. Although it was a biggie.
The first mistake came when Steve Sarkisian asked Haden to intervene in a disagreement between his coaching staff and the officiating crew. Pulling in his AD "to make sure everybody understood and moved on" was a tremendous error in judgment and a Frank Burns move.
Does Sarkisian think there's a court of appeals for unsportsmanlike conduct penalties? If that's the case, what other rules is he fuzzy on? And if he's unsteady with the rules, what's he doing as a head coach at any college football program, much less USC?
As for Haden, we all make mistakes, and many writers and pundits have gone great lengths to remind us about Haden's intelligence. There's no doubt he's a very bright man. Which makes his decision to come down to the field all the more puzzling. Of everyone involved in this incident, he's the one who should have known enough to stay out of it.
Like it or not, what Haden did will impact the credibility of the playoff selection committee. Many writers and pundits have gone great lengths to remind us about how Haden will recuse himself from voting for USC, but if he didn't know enough to stay off the field yesterday, what other lines might he step across?
Not that he will, and he's acknowledged that he committed a serious blunder. But Saturday will go down on his permanent record, so to speak, and if there's one thing college sports doesn't need, it's another credibility problem.
Yet none of this happens if Sarkisian handles his own business.
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