Roughest Monday Yet

Last year, with its three mid-season firings, was the cruelest coaching season I had ever known.

That was nothing compared to this year, which can be called nothing but brutal.

Though the ousting of Virginia’s Al Groh and Louisville’s Steve Kragthorp are relatively old news by now, today the following coaches can join them as well as Western Kentucky’s David Elson and Memphis’s Tommy West in the 2009 coaching graveyard:

1. Florida State’s Bobby Bowden. The ink wasn’t dry on his forced retirement before coach-in-waiting Jimbo Fisher agreed to the terms of his new contract.
2. Notre Dame’s Charlie Weiss. Although we probably could have sent him here after his loss to USC.

Also, three nameless assistants at Syracuse. Of course, no one cares, but I’d like to add to the body count. Which is six head coaches, for those of you playing at home.

It confused me that back in the day the peasants would respond to, “The King is dead!” with “Long live the king!” He’s dead, right? Turns out that was their way of honoring the past while expressing hope for the peaceful continuance of the royal line and a better future. Whatever my personal feelings for these schools, I request we respect these programs in the traditional way.

“The King is dead!”
“Long live the King!”