Insiders Hearing Anything? (Threads Merged)

[Beaker 2,457]

23 minutes ago, Barnacle said:

I'm not sure if you are misunderstanding or not, and this is a conversation with a lot of nuance that will be difficult to have in this format, but I'll try and clarify as best as I can. 

I'm interested in whether Hugh Freeze is penitent. I'm interested in whether he's actually changed, or is actually committed to changing. I'm interested in whether he is genuine about repairing his relationship with his wife and children, or if he's saying and doing the things that potential employers like Auburn would like to see, for the sake of moving up in his profession. I do understand that how she or his children choose to respond to him is their business, but his commitment to earning their forgiveness is paramount. If we think that isn't relevant, or that it isn't any of our (the University's) business, then I don't think we need to interview him. It would be a mistake to hire a man like Hugh Freeze without vetting his home life. 

For better or worse, the University has chosen to embrace and sell the "Auburn Family." We sell family to our alumni and fans. We sell it to our coaches. The coaches sell it to our recruits. Here's the thing about Hugh Freeze - he is a salesman. He is a damn good salesman. He is going to sell the s*** out of the Auburn Family. He's going to bring kids and coaches over to his house. He's going to introduce them to his wife. He's going to introduce them to his children. He's going to prop all of that up to sell the program. 

I want to know if he's selling the truth, or if he's selling a lie. If he's selling the truth - that is, that he really is repentant, and he really is committed to his wife and kids, and he's really committed to changing, then he may be a risk worth taking - even if his wife and kids are still understandably in the process of forgiving him. It just needs to be genuine. 

Everyone on the staff at Ole Miss knew what was going on with Hugh and his escorts. It was not a big secret. Hugh was calling up girls on Friday night, and preaching to the team on Sunday morning. He lost the respect of many on his coaching staff for being such a blatant hypocrite. There were a lot of really angry people on that staff when the scandal came out. If he's not committed to the things that he's going to preach, and Tiger he's going to preach, then he will lose the respect of the staff at Auburn. He may lose the respect of the players, and that will bleed into recruits and recruits' parents. 

Finally, being a head football coach in the SEC is hard enough with a supportive family. Freeze is a man who leans toward recklessness. He was reckless in his recruiting at Ole Miss. He was reckless in his marriage. Why would we consider hiring a man with that type of personality, without first finding out whether he's committed to his support system, and whether those relationships are being repaired. If he's not committed, and that support system falls apart, then you've got a reckless man with no support underneath him. That's dangerous. The embarrassment that Hugh Freeze caused Ole Miss would be nothing like the embarrassment he would cause Auburn if it comes out that he's been caught cheating again - either on his wife, or on the recruiting trail. 

I think the dude is a phenomenal football coach. If he's a changed man - or if he's committed to being a changed man, then he may be a risk worth taking. If he's not, and if it turns out that he's not committed to repairing his relationships at home, then the last thing we need to do is to make him the figurehead of the Auburn Family. It will end in disaster. My .02. 

This is why we make Cristobal the choice.  

Napier is #2

as another poster said, "who walks in a room and you know he is there to out recruit or beat someone else?"  I get the impression Cristobal is that guy.   Geez the guy worked for/with Saban/Smart.   he knows the dirty slimy business he has to compete against from the inside.  

Freeze may be Gus 2.0 - hard to tell.   It is sometimes easier to lift up a bad program and catch lightning in a bottle as all your opponents now have to play you with new coordinators and new schemes with a newfound, motivated team.  Can Freeze do it for 4-7 yrs? 

[DAG 33,997]

3 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

Ummm... you might have missed some news about Jerry Falwell, Jr...

 

No I didn't miss it. That is one dude. I am talking about a body of people. I am talking about a body of people. I am not talking about one individual. If we are saying this then please do NOT be on the recruiting thread saying yes let's get the five star guy from Tennessee. I am fine with people being this way, but please be consistent in your judgement. 

[AUApostle 7,651]

1 minute ago, Beaker said:

 Geez the guy worked for/with Saban/Smart.   he knows the dirty slimy business he has to compete against from the inside.  

 

Not just worked for, but led Saban's recruiting efforts...he doesn't just give that responsibility to a bright up-and-comer.

[Jones Field 47]

I have a newsflash......

Many college coaches have side trim. Is what it is.

Hell, Gus is still best friends with Hugh Freeze after escortgate. What does that tell you? I would bet half of the complainers on here have cheated on their significant others. I am also convinced that Saban has a boyfriend. Who calls their wife Ms Terry????

[McLoofus 35,182]

Just now, DAG said:

No I didn't miss it. That is one dude. I am talking about a body of people. I am talking about a body of people. I am not talking about one individual. If we are saying this then please do NOT be on the recruiting thread saying yes let's get the five star guy from Tennessee. I am fine with people being this way, but please be consistent in your judgement. 

Just one person? He was the president of the university. If you'll remember, it was Auburn's former university president that gave Gus his current contract. 

And I am on the recruiting thread advocating against the Tennessee kid. But I don't think it's an apples to apples comparison. One player actually would be just one player. This conversation is about the guy responsible for over 100 players and who would be the face of the program and, for all intents and purposes, the university on a few million TV sets around the country. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

2 minutes ago, Jones Field said:

Hell, Gus is still best friends with Hugh Freeze after escortgate. What does that tell you?

Gus is also still friends with Art Briles. Neither fact tells me much. 

As was very eloquently and clearly explained just a few posts prior, it's not about him cheating. It's the fact that the guy is a preaching, used car selling hypocrite. Most of those other guys with the side trim don't make their whole public persona- and leadership style- about how much more Jesus they got in 'em than the next guy. 

[DAG 33,997]

Just now, McLoofus said:

Just one person? He was the president of the university. If you'll remember, it was Auburn's former university president that gave Gus his current contract. 

And I am on the recruiting thread advocating against the Tennessee kid. But I don't think it's an apples to apples comparison. One player actually would be just one player. This conversation is about the guy responsible for over 100 players and who would be the face of the program and, for all intents and purposes, the university on a few million TV sets around the country. 

Yeah he is one person. Liberty University moved on when this guy left. Since that guy did that in his personal life, does that mean he ruined the reputation of any of the hundredths of people underneath him? It is one thing if you want to condemn him for the stuff that sanctioned ole miss and actually affected the university. 

[KnightTiger 205]

CBS sports article from nov. 9 last month thinks Freeze will be coaching in the P5  next month and they listed these teams as potential options

1. Michigan

2. Duke

3. USC

4. Texas

5. Vandy

6. Tennessee

7.  Auburn

8. South Carolina 

the person that wrote the article  felt south carolina was the most likely option, but now since that option is ruled out who knows?

heres what the article had to say about Auburn and Freeze

 

Auburn -- I think this is the scenario many fans would love to see because Hugh Freeze returning to the SEC West to compete directly with Ole Miss and Alabama would make for excellent content. Still, even if he's perennially on the hot seat, I don't know if Auburn's going to fire Gus Malzahn. The Tigers are 4-2 and have been playing much better since a loss to South Carolina. That said, games against both Alabama and Texas A&M remain.

[McLoofus 35,182]

4 minutes ago, DAG said:

Yeah he is one person. Liberty University moved on when this guy left. Since that guy did that in his personal life, does that mean he ruined the reputation of any of the hundredths of people underneath him? It is one thing if you want to condemn him for the stuff that sanctioned ole miss and actually affected the university. 

I mean, you held up Liberty University as some paragon of morality, when in fact the university was- until just a couple months ago, and well after Freeze was hired- run by an aggressively immoral man.

No, that doesn't ruin the reputation of any one person, but it necessarily calls into question the university's reputation as an institution of superior morality. Surely, you understand this. 

Odd hill to die on. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

20 minutes ago, Beaker said:

he knows the dirty slimy business he has to compete against from the inside.  

 

16 minutes ago, AUDevil said:

Not just worked for, but led Saban's recruiting efforts...he doesn't just give that responsibility to a bright up-and-comer.

That dude knows a LOT of high school coaches in our recruiting areas and he's done right by a LOT of their players. All of Gus's credibility right out of the gate plus so much more. First and biggest box checked. 

[DAG 33,997]

3 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

I mean, you held up Liberty University as some paragon of morality, when in fact the university was- until just a couple months ago, and well after Freeze was hired- run by an aggressively immoral man.

No, that doesn't ruin the reputation of any one person, but it necessarily calls into question the university's reputation as an institution of superior morality. Surely, you understand this. 

Odd hill to die on. 

Liberty the University. You cited one person. I also think Auburn university is a great institution and Bruce Pearl is a great dude. Should I question both of that because an assistant decided to break a federal law? It is not that black and white. Do you question the basketball program integrity?

[bigbird 60,573]

2 minutes ago, McLoofus said:

 

That dude knows a LOT of high school coaches in our recruiting areas and he's done right by a LOT of their players. All of Gus's credibility right out of the gate plus so much more. First and biggest box checked. 

That can't be stressed enough. That's a huge asset.

[McLoofus 35,182]

2 minutes ago, DAG said:

Liberty the University. You cited one person. I also think Auburn university is a great institution and Bruce Pearl is a great dude. Should I question both of that because an assistant decided to break a federal law? It is not that black and white. Do you question the basketball program integrity?

Yikes. I can't imagine why this conversation is going like this. I'm going to say one more thing and then it's all yours. Liberty University was founded by Jerry Falwell Jr.'s dad. (His dad's name is just Jerry Falwell.)

[woodford 3,660]

Wish we could hire Art Briles. He would be perfect for Auburn. 

[DAG 33,997]

1 minute ago, McLoofus said:

Yikes. I can't imagine why this conversation is going like this. I'm going to say one more thing and then it's all yours. Liberty University was founded by Jerry Falwell Jr.'s dad. (His dad's name is just Jerry Falwell.)

That is cool. Last I checked , the university is still considered an evangelical institution, Hugh Freeze is still the coach, life is still moving forward. 

 

Quite frankly, it really don't matter what any of us think. If his wife is still is with him and she forgave him. Then it really should not matter what anybody else think.  

[abw0004 10,125]

3 minutes ago, woodford said:

Wish we could hire Art Briles. He would be perfect for Auburn. 

Do you mean Kendall Briles, or Art?  If you mean Art, not perfect for Auburn at all.  The guy had knowledge of his players sexually abusing women and he ignored it.  That is one of those things you should never be able to come back from.

[Viper 3,132]

38 minutes ago, gctiger said:

Many could say the same about Auburn.  A long history of NCAA violations in football, Jetgate, Title XI violations in women’s softball, Chuck Person’s bribery scandal.  

Like it or not Auburn isn’t as squeaky clean as you would like to believe! 

Sticking to CFB. Plus I’m referencing AU CFB HCs. We’ve never had a HC cause as many sanctions as Freeze did. And we don’t hire scumbags like Kiffin.

[Jones Field 47]

4 minutes ago, Viper said:

Sticking to CFB. Plus I’m referencing AU CFB HCs. We’ve never had a HC cause as many sanctions as Freeze did. And we don’t hire scumbags like Kiffin.

Pat Dye mean much to you? What about Bruce Pearl? He has a few bodies buried on the recruiting trails.

Quit being so naive. We have hired plenty of scumbags.

[Viper 3,132]

38 minutes ago, Beaker said:

This is why we make Cristobal the choice.  

Napier is #2

as another poster said, "who walks in a room and you know he is there to out recruit or beat someone else?"  I get the impression Cristobal is that guy.   Geez the guy worked for/with Saban/Smart.   he knows the dirty slimy business he has to compete against from the inside.  

Freeze may be Gus 2.0 - hard to tell.   It is sometimes easier to lift up a bad program and catch lightning in a bottle as all your opponents now have to play you with new coordinators and new schemes with a newfound, motivated team.  Can Freeze do it for 4-7 yrs? 

[DAG 33,997]

4 minutes ago, Viper said:

Sticking to CFB. Plus I’m referencing AU CFB HCs. We’ve never had a HC cause as many sanctions as Freeze did. And we don’t hire scumbags like Kiffin.

Now, this is hard to argue with. 

[McLoofus 35,182]

3 minutes ago, Viper said:

Sticking to CFB. Plus I’m referencing AU CFB HCs. We’ve never had a HC cause as many sanctions as Freeze did. And we don’t hire scumbags like Kiffin.

I clicked "like" but I'm not sure that Kiffin is actually a scumbag. He's certainly shown a lot of youthful exuberance in his career, and he's cocky, but I don't know if he's "bang hookers Saturday night and yell up a revival Sunday morning" scummy. But I agree that he does not conform to Auburn's pleated khakis culture. 

[PoetTiger 1,899]

On 12/7/2020 at 10:05 AM, cctiger said:

I think that most are past the point of "chill". We have just grown "cold" as far as the Guster is concerned.

He was talking about the AD, not Gus. Two things will happen either Gus is let go this year or comes back next year. If he does something special in 21 he will be back again if not I can see a parting of ways. You don’t write that big of check to let a guy go along with an entire staff, unless you know the guy coming in is legit. I’m talking Meyer, Saban, Dabo type of impact. 

[DAG 33,997]

2 minutes ago, Viper said:

You seem to be big on Mario and fairly objective. I want to ask you, how do you take the recent losses among Cal and Oregon State? I am of the mindset of not breaking the bank for him, but definitely for coordinators.

[Viper 3,132]

19 minutes ago, Jones Field said:

Pat Dye mean much to you? What about Bruce Pearl? He has a few bodies buried on the recruiting trails.

Quit being so naive. We have hire plenty of scumbags.

AGAIN...sticking to CFB. 

Pat Dye’s staff caused no TV for one season & 2 years postseason ban. IIRC, there were little to no scholarship reductions. This in an era on the heels of the SMU death penalty. 

AGAIN...Freeze caused 3 years probation, a 2-year postseason ban, TWENTY-FOUR scholarships reduced over a 4-year period and 33 wins vacated in an era that RARELY sees harsh sanctions any longer.

I don’t recall Dye losing 24 schollies or anywhere close. 

[Beaker 2,457]

While we wait...

 

Can anyone make an argument why we should not have Cristobal as #1?

Seems like Freeze has plenty of posts as to why we should not have him as HC1.