I know all of us are in the early parts of the 7 stages of grief. I am now at the stage of depression (stage 4 - yes, sad that this is this important to me) and, like most of you, want to just say "I'm out" because I can't take it anymore.
But I know, in my heart, that I will turn on some of the ETSU game even if only for a few minutes. I will read comments on twitter. And I will check this board on Saturday. If most of you are honest, you will not go cold turkey. Most of us will still come back (even if not to the stadium). The non-zealot fans will be out and will come back when/if we win again, but that's no who is on this board.
So, some of you may not be ready, but I think that it is getting time to move to the next stage of grief: accept & start working through the issue. At this point the question is: You are the AD. You are stuck with Coach Mason for this year and 2020. What do you do to get the program right and make things right with the fans?
if it were me, I would do the following:
Anyone have other suggestions? If you are still in the early stage of grief, maybe wait a few more days
But I know, in my heart, that I will turn on some of the ETSU game even if only for a few minutes. I will read comments on twitter. And I will check this board on Saturday. If most of you are honest, you will not go cold turkey. Most of us will still come back (even if not to the stadium). The non-zealot fans will be out and will come back when/if we win again, but that's no who is on this board.
So, some of you may not be ready, but I think that it is getting time to move to the next stage of grief: accept & start working through the issue. At this point the question is: You are the AD. You are stuck with Coach Mason for this year and 2020. What do you do to get the program right and make things right with the fans?
if it were me, I would do the following:
- Derek Mason needs to have an informal conference and apologize to the fans. He needs to say that he gets paid a lot of money, more than all the other coaches under him, and thus, it is his entire responsibility for success and failure. He also needs to say that at any other power 5 school, he would be fired for this. He needs to demonstrate extreme emotion and regret (like he should break down in tears); no hint of deflection of blame. Then, he needs to say that he needs help (which is the next bullet)
- The AD hires an experienced coach (former coach) to do an external assessment of the program (in the next month) and create a very specific action plan for 2020 (meaning coaching changes, philosophy changes, changes in practice structure, etc.). Mason needs to acknowledge to everyone that he needs and wants this help and will adhere 100% with the recommendations, even if it hurts or offends people (but that is easier to do with a third-party). And he needs to indicate that the AD will publish the output of this report (so we can read it instead of get confused when Mason explains). We need this because Turner cannot help fix the problems with football - he does not know. And because Mason needs serious help; if he wants to take it, it will go far to repair our faith in him.
Anyone have other suggestions? If you are still in the early stage of grief, maybe wait a few more days
