Sylvester Croom has resigned

[Bama323]

A friend of mine who lives in Mississippi and is a big State fan said he is hearing that Tommy Bowden may be on the list to replace Croom.

 

[bayoutider]

Did you see the footage of Sylvester Croom on the field just taking in the atmosphere (and shaking hands of Alabama fans) hours before this year's game? It was the look of a man who would give anything to coach 1 game as an Alabama head coach--for his father and his coach--yet knew he would not only get that chance, but also may be on the sidelines for the last time in his life.

He really thought he was going to get the job and was completely flummoxed by Mal Moore's decision to hand the reigns over to a vastly inexperienced man whose only qualification appeared to be his birthright. Does anyone really want to argue the decision, now? Don't use Croom's tenure as MSU to debate the issue--he's gotten a lot out of a squad of offensively-challenged athletes and let's not forget the mess of a program he inherited.

Moreover, I would argue that had Croom come to Alabama and been given the financial freedom to hire good assistants while he was left to mentoring and augmenting the attitudes of his players, Alabama would have had much better years than Shula produced.

...

Sylvester Croom loves the University of Alabama. We should welcome him back in whatever way possible.

I'll just say he is welcome back as a visitor and spectator. Maybe now he will stop complaining about everything Alabama does and own up to the fact he was the least prepared coach we interviewed.

 

[Ldlane]

A friend of mine who lives in Mississippi and is a big State fan said he is hearing that Tommy Bowden may be on the list to replace Croom.

Mmmmmmmmmmm.......Fresh Meat! If only Poppin Fresh would take the job!

 

[derek4tide]

If MSU was smart, they would go after Charlie Strong this week.

 

[Dallas4Bama]

Charlie could soon be a head coach somewhere. I don't believe the SEC is the place to learn to be a head coach. Just watch the TN experiment play out.

 

[CrimsonBeachBum]

If MSU was smart, they would go after Charlie Strong this week.

I, for one, believe that would be a good fit. Charlie's due for an opportunity somewhere.

 

[deliveryman35]

Todd Graham of the Tulsa Golden Hurricane is a hot coach right now. Wonder if they'll give him a look.

 

[LSU63]

If MSU was smart, they would go after Charlie Strong this week.

And if Charlie Strong is smart, he'll say no.

Strong deserves a head coaching shot, but MSU will never complete with the top SEC teams, 2nd tier suppport and facillities.

 

[NYBamaFan]

I wonder if Al and Jesse will be cranking up the bus for some sort of protest...

 

[bamacon]

I hear this fella might be available in say about 3 hours...

Sell the jumbotron, provide a pine box, and an all expenses paid Silverstar bus ticket and Starkvegas might have themselves a new head coach.

 

[Bama323]

It would not suprise me in the least to see Fulmer as a top candidate for the job. As much as I hate to say it, getting Fulmer at State would be a step up for them. He would bring instant name recognition.

 

[Giant Squid]

And, as predictable as the sun rising in the East....

Al and Jesse

They're a bit late to the big coaching search. Someone will sign on for that dead end job and be forced out in another four or five years. It's hard to win at Miss St. when you don't cheat as hard as old Jackie did.

 

[RedStar]

And if Charlie Strong is smart, he'll say no.

Strong deserves a head coaching shot, but MSU will never complete with the top SEC teams, 2nd tier suppport and facillities.

Untrue, believe it or not, they have top notch training facilities.

 

[Littlewing]

And not at Bama, I might add. He may be a good coach, but he`s going to run that option regardless. A mediocre, at best, Georgia defense , doesn`t seem to be having much trouble with it.

you were saying?

 

[tidemaniac]

BamaSoldier, My comment was a joke vice lol (laugh out loud) about him being downgraded to a RB coach again. No, I would not want him ever back after his mouth spouted off. Do I think he has class, sure, Miss St. I'm sure paid him well to quit on his own. Especially with an e-mail!

 

[Crimson Surfer]

[ame="http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3733168"]Mississippi State Bulldogs coach Sylvester Croom resigns - ESPN[/ame]

Byrne told Forde that Mississippi State's search for a successor begins immediately and will be national in scope. He declined to discuss any specific potential candidates but said he wanted a "passionate leader who is capable of helping us win in the SEC. We have a lot of talent here in this state, and a very supportive fan base. We can win here."

Among the coaches Mississippi State might target to replace Croom are Oklahoma defensive coordinator Brent Venables, East Carolina coach Skip Holtz and TCU coach Gary Patterson. Other candidates could emerge as the search gets underway.

 

[RedStar]

The Palmeiro Center, a state-of-the-art multipurpose indoor training facility.

I know a lot of you guys like to rag on MSU, but they have a LOT more money than you think they do, and you can buy almost any coach for the right price.

 

[TiderinMiss]

Unexpected.

There was a post from a reputable poster on another website saying he head from a former MSU player that Croom told his players before the Egg Bowl that he would resign.

Croom was not going to make staff changes, and with Saban, Nutt, and Petrino in the West, he may have thought this is too long a row to hoe.

His biggest downfall, though, was hanging on to his bitterness towards Bama. Ole Miss was his biggest rival at MSU, not Bama. State fans would rather beat Ole Miss than Bama any day. It woud be like Coach Saban beign more focused on beating LSU than Auburn.

Believe it or not, there's been some talk over here of MSU interest in Dubose, who has nearby Millsaps College undefeated.

 

[CapstoneTider]

The Bama job was more desirable nationally when we were at the beginning of the worst probation in history. Don't expect them to hire anyone who is being groomed for a head coaching job.

Expect them to get a desperate soul, a perennial passover, or a nobody. And when I mean desperate, I'm talking tater tot desperate, not money in the pocket, Franchione or Phatty. You can't win at MSU unless there is a little cheating going on or Ole Miss is on Probation. It's kind of like Auburn with a factor of x100.

I doubt Cromm even wanted to be there, probably took the job out of spite, beat us a couple of times on probation and will take the money and head back to the NFL or retire wealthy. He could always get a head job at a lower division school like Alabama State and sniff the atmosphere of Legion Field, strutting around like a peacock.

 

[RedStar]

State fans would rather beat Ole Miss than Bama any day.

Whew! That's a tough call, I've lived near or very near Starkville all my life and every MSU fan I know hates us much more than Ole Miss. If MSU beats Ole Miss no one outside the south really cares, but if they beat Bama it usually (besides the last 10 years) has had national implications. They hate the amount of tradition and success we've experience a mere 90 miles away and they aren't afraid to show it.

I was born to hate Auburn, but I choose to hate Tennessee.

The same can be said about MSU. They want us to be their rival, we just don't care.