Turner Gill is new coach at KU!
TURNER GILL REPLACES MARK MANGINO AS KANSAS’ HEAD FOOTBALL COACH, by Wayne Hodges
LAWRENCE, KS – Whew. Finally, it’s over. After suffering through a rather turbulent 4 weeks, the Kansas Jayhawks have landed their new head football coach. Yes KU fans, former Buffalo coach Turner Gill has entered the building and, damn it, he’s determined to bring a calming presence to an otherwise tumultuous situation. “I want to create an environment that’s productive, where people enjoy coming to work every day,” said an elated Gill during his introductory news conference on Monday. “That’s just how I’m wired.”
It should be noted; Gill’s career record at Buffalo was a Todd Haley-like 20-30 in four years. He did, however, deliver a MAC championship in 2008; the first for the school since Dwight D. Eisenhower was president. So, with credentials less than stellar, why was Gill offered a sparkling 5-year contract worth $10 million? I’ll tell you why. Damage control baby. The “Brawl on Campus” between the football and basketball players played a much bigger role in Mark Mangino’s demise than we, the public, were led to believe. It’s certainly no coincidence the team struggled big-time afterwards; losing 7 straight to close out the season.
During this period, several players complained about Mangino’s physical/verbal assaults which included nefarious references to the “hood” among other controversial tactics. “The team definitely needs a players’ coach,” said KU defensive back Chris Harris (pictured above). “That is definitely the right fit for what we need here. A lot of people on the team want to have a relationship with our coach on a deeper level. That will help a lot.” The disingenuous manner in which athletic director Lew Perkins handled Mangino’s investigation lends credence to the player allegations.
The “Brawl on Campus,” whether coaches knew about it or not, painted an illustration the black athlete had spiraled completely out of control. In comes Gill; a mild-mannered, God-fearing African-American whose expected to walk on water right away in hopes of healing a wounded football community. Gill, though optimistic, understands the challenge ahead. “I gotta connect right now with them,” said Gill referring to his current crop of players. “My first priority is not recruiting. My first priority is connecting with these guys here. They have nothing to be ashamed of. They have nothing to hold their head down for.”
Look, I have no beef with Perkins’ hire. Out of a possible 119 Division I-A football programs, only 4 have black head coaches. With that in mind, many in the media circle applauded Perkins’ choice. “While the percentages are slightly better, the general picture is still one of white men running college sport,” said Richard Lapchick, author of the report for Diversity & Ethics in Sports for the University of Central Florida. Ok, I know what you’re thinking. College athletics, in general, are controlled by prominent boosters and big-money donors.
However, let’s not lose sight of the fact these athletes are pimped annually for billions of dollars in television/stadium revenue yet don’t receive a dime in monetary compensation. Sure, the networks love to promote the institutions and all the tradition and hoopla that come with them. But we must remain cognizant of the fact fans, regardless of age, race or color, watch the games to cheer or jeer elite physical talent. School songs and mascots, contrary to mainstream media, are a distant second. It’s time for the NCAA to wake up and smell the coffee.
Wayne Hodges, an MBA from St. Mary University, is the Editor-in-Chief of “Mass Appeal News.” He is also an adjunct professor, MPA at Kansas University, and intern with the Kansas Senate. Wayne welcomes your comments at whodges@massappealnews.com
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