Pat Haden

[aurorasooner]

Article in the USA Today says Pat Haden should resign from the CFB selection committee or be booted.

I don't think I've ever seen an AD come down to field and argue with the refs. Certainly can't imagine Joe C. doing it.


Haden told USA TODAY Sports' Paul Myerberg immediately after the game that he had not gone to the field to argue the targeting call, but was seeking clarification on a warning that USC coach Steve Sarkisian received for Sarkisian's position on the sideline. He said he received a text from a USC staff member to come down to the field.
And frankly, it was embarrassing for both Haden and the CFP selection committee.
An athletics director running down to argue penalties and making a spectacle of himself on national television does not exactly scream impartiality and level-headedness.

Athletics directors are supposed to be out of sight, out of mind during games. Some are more demonstrative than others. But they all know they have to keep their control.

Haden lost it, and it would be bad enough if this incident was just about Haden and USC. He could apologize and move on, and few would remember it happened on a random Saturday in September. Problem is, it's about all of college football now.

The committee has to be above reproach. This wasn't above anything; it was Haden getting into the muck and involving himself in a situation that wasn't his business. ​

[yermom]

from the coach's description, i don't see much of a problem.

[delhalew]

I don't see why sitting ADs are involved at all.
Oh well. Nobody asked my opinion.

[manateepower]

Although he should not have done it. I am more annoyed by the phony outrage from espn. "Hrummpphhh I would never do such an egregiously sacreligious deed."

In a world saturated with everyone afraid of offending everyone else. It was both entertaining and funny watching Pat come down like that.

Thanks for the much needed laugh to today Mr. Hayden!

[manateepower]

I should also say that I don't know why AD's of major programs are allowed to be on the selection committee in the first place.

[yermom]

oh, i agree. sitting ADs seem like a terrible idea. i guess i can see conference officials, if there is equal representation

who involved with college football isn't affiliated in some way to a particular team or league? the committee seems like it's too small to be impartial. are their votes/process public at all? i haven't seen much info on that

[BoulderSooner79]

Haden is not an AD from the SEC conference, so I see no problem here.

:highly_amused::drunk:

[manateepower]

oh, i agree. sitting ADs seem like a terrible idea. i guess i can see conference officials, if there is equal representation

who involved with college football isn't affiliated in some way to a particular team or league? the committee seems like it's too small to be impartial. are their votes/process public at all? i haven't seen much info on that


It is true that it would be very difficult to find a number of people who arn't partial to a team to some extent. But I think you can start with not hiring individuals who oversee entire university athletic departments. lol

[manateepower]

I just saw Lou Holtz from last night saying how we would "never do something so bad when he was a head coach". Which reminds me of this clip. **** him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iri0beuhlZ8

[Statalyzer]

I am more annoyed by the phony outrage from espn. "Hrummpphhh I would never do such an egregiously sacreligious deed."

Exactly. I don't see the big deal. It's like he went down and blew up at the ref. If an assistant coach got a flag for something, the head coach would want to say "excuse me, mr. official, what did he do that warranted that flag?", so if it's the head coach, why shouldn't the AD be able to ask for a clarification?

[Mazeppa]

that stunt cost him a little jack too.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/pac-12-fines-usc-ad-164507115--ncaaf.html

[rock on sooner]

Haden is not an AD from the SEC conference, so I see no problem here.

:highly_amused::drunk:

Ummm, lessee, Haden, Pac 12, Oregon officials, Pac 12, Sooners in
Autzen...debacle with Pac 12 officials...yup, methinks there's a problem...
jus sayin...:concern::distrust:

[BoulderSooner79]

Ummm, lessee, Haden, Pac 12, Oregon officials, Pac 12, Sooners in
Autzen...debacle with Pac 12 officials...yup, methinks there's a problem...
jus sayin...:concern::distrust:

Did you see that show that interviewed various CFB coaches view of the new playoff system? I think Stoops was grouped with Strong and Snyder for the big12. All the groups stated that their conference champion should get a spot in the playoff system. That's what I would expect them to say. The SEC group of coaches that included Saban claimed that the SEC should get *two* spots in the playoffs. No qualification about "if the SEC ends up with 2 strong teams" - just a flat statement of fact. I don't usually bitch about SEC bias crap, but that was pure arrogance, IMO. I'll trust Haden at least not having SEC bias.

[8timechamps]

I've always liked Hayden. He has a stellar reputation with most folks in college football, but Saturday he just lost his mind a little. There's never a reason for an AD to be arguing with officials over a call made during the game.

That said, the recusal process was put in place for this very reason. Hayden won't have a chance to show his USC bias, as it should be. Will he fight in favor of any other PAC 12 team? Who knows. But, the Big XII is represented too.

The playoffs need to move to 8 teams, soon. Give a spot to all P5 champions, then award 3 at-large bids. That takes a lot of the power out of the hands of the committee and awards conference champions. I suspect that's the way it will eventually go, but you can bet there will be a lot of controversy between now and then.

[badger]

He's definitely a step up from the guy they had before that held his hands over his ears going LALALALA while the NCAA was investigating Reggie Bush. That said, what I found more funny was the way he jumped into coach's arms after the USC victory was sealed. Duuuude, you're his boss! YOU hired HIM

[jkjsooner]

Exactly. I don't see the big deal. It's like he went down and blew up at the ref. If an assistant coach got a flag for something, the head coach would want to say "excuse me, mr. official, what did he do that warranted that flag?", so if it's the head coach, why shouldn't the AD be able to ask for a clarification?

The difference is that the head coach and asst coach are both part of the football staff. It is their role to talk to officials. It is not the role of an AD to do so.

Let's say that AD then gets a penalty. Should the school president come down and question the officials? What if the school president gets a penalty? Should the head of the board of regents then come down? What if he gets a penalty? Should the governor come down?

At some point it isn't within the role of a boss to question officials on the field during a game. That point begins at the athletic director.

[badger]

At some point it isn't within the role of a boss to question officials on the field during a game. That point begins at the athletic director.

It was hilarious and it couldn't have happened to a nicer program than those SC jerks. I remember some 5-year-old at the 2005 (event name redacted) held a sign up to the band as we left the field "Even if you win you still have to go back to Oklahoma."

Well, even if USC wins, they still have to go back to Compton. :P

[jkjsooner]

That said, the recusal process was put in place for this very reason. Hayden won't have a chance to show his USC bias, as it should be. Will he fight in favor of any other PAC 12 team? Who knows. But, the Big XII is represented too.


When you're talking about four teams, I'm not sure how a recusal will work. We're talking about a scenario where USC will be competing with one or two other teams for that fourth spot. In that case, he could likely talk down as much as possible about those two teams. How much does it matter if he leaves the room when they talk about USC?

That's just the discussion phase. How do the disagreeing parties come to a final resolution? If it's simply a majority agreement then he would have to be in the discussions at that point. If it's some kind of weighted vote, either he gets to vote for USC or not, in either case he could put the competition way down on the list.

I see no practical way where you can ensure that a decision can be made without an AD having undue influence over his school getting in.


The only possible way that I can imagine that this could be done is that every AD must have an alternate (possibly another AD from the same conference). On the initial stages they determine which X teams are up for consideration. If the AD's school is one of those, he must exit the entire process and turn it over to his alternate.

[jkjsooner]

The playoffs need to move to 8 teams, soon. Give a spot to all P5 champions, then award 3 at-large bids. That takes a lot of the power out of the hands of the committee and awards conference champions. I suspect that's the way it will eventually go, but you can bet there will be a lot of controversy between now and then.

I'm in agreement about the 8 teams and I'm not completely against the P5 champions having automatic bids. I do think that would be a real issue with the mid major conferences though. I also think that you occasionally have a P5 champion that clearly does not deserve to be there. A P5 champion could literally have 4 or 5 losses assuming they lost every OOC game.

The other issue is how you handle independents - namely Notre Dame. They're not going to be happy to be relegated to having to vie for an at large spot every year just like P5 non-winners.

Such a setup gives the P5 conferences a distinct advantage over mid majors and independents.

[KantoSooner]

I suggest Haden sit out this year and we replace him with an unbiased authority. I nominate Barry Switzer or Billy Sims. Both know the game middling well.

[BoulderSooner79]

I suggest Haden sit out this year and we replace him with an unbiased authority. I nominate Barry Switzer or Billy Sims. Both know the game middling well.

Sims would be a good choice. However, I suspect the committee would soon adopt the parliamentary rule that prohibits the periodic outburst of Boomer! during meetings.

[Jack T.]

Although he should not have done it. I am more annoyed by the phony outrage from espn. "Hrummpphhh I would never do such an egregiously sacreligious deed."

See also: Donald Sterling, Ray Rice, and the Washington Redskins.

[humblesooner]

I told my buddies a few years ago that, when we get a playoff implemented, ND will be forced to join a Conference.
I assumed they would join the Big East or the Mountain West. But with the establishment of the Power 5, they will be joining a P5 conf.
As much as I hate ND, the B12 needs to be banging on their door every week with the invitation.
I think they end up in the B10 and the B10 ends up with 16 teams.
They'll probably be OK with a 4 team playoff. But when it expands to 8 and the autobids are implemented, they will join a conference.

[badger]

I told my buddies a few years ago that, when we get a playoff implemented, ND will be forced to join a Conference.
I assumed they would join the Big East or the Mountain West. But with the establishment of the Power 5, they will be joining a P5 conf.
As much as I hate ND, the B12 needs to be banging on their door every week with the invitation.
I think they end up in the B10 and the B10 ends up with 16 teams.
They'll probably be OK with a 4 team playoff. But when it expands to 8 and the autobids are implemented, they will join a conference.

I wish they'd just do away with power 5 conferences during football and we base our scheduling on region, rather than whine whine UT has a longhorn network whine whine i'm taking my ball to the pac/sec/b1g whiiiiinnnnnnne

[tnraider1]

From what I read the other day, the ADs are not allowed to place a vote for thier own school to keep things impartial. But the votes are not made public, so we'd never know anyway. I still trust his judgement more than Condolesa Rice. What the hell does she know about football?

[Flagstaffsooner]

From what I read the other day, the ADs are not allowed to place a vote for thier own school to keep things impartial. But the votes are not made public, so we'd never know anyway. I still trust his judgement more than Condolesa Rice. What the hell does she know about football?


She once watched a college football game.:sour:

[BoulderSooner79]

From what I read the other day, the ADs are not allowed to place a vote for thier own school to keep things impartial. But the votes are not made public, so we'd never know anyway. I still trust his judgement more than Condolesa Rice. What the hell does she know about football?

She's a big Stanford fan and has been employed there. Maybe it's the pac12 that gets 2 slots and not the SEC. Of course if that happened, they would secede again.