There are so many things wrong with this that it's actually mind blowing.
First of all, why would Brewster leave Minnesota for Kansas? Greener pastures? While Mark Mangino had some success at Kansas, it wasn't what you would call sustainable success. I don't know a lot about the Kansas program, but I just do not see where that job would be a more attractive job than Minnesota at this point. The only reason that Tim Brewster would look to go to a program like Kansas would be if he had determined that he couldn't build a winner at Minnesota. The question then becomes why he thinks he could build a program at Kansas.
But even before that happens, you have to ask, why would Kansas want Tim Brewster?
After a 7-1 start in 2008 Brewster's name was hot and was even tossed around to replace Fulmer at Tennessee. But the Gophers collapse late in the season put an end to that pretty quickly. After watching Brewster produce a 6-6 season at Minnesota, a 14-23 record over 3 seasons, and getting blown out by your own program at the 2008 Insight Bowl, what would possibly make Tim Brewster, at this point, an exciting prospect for Kansas?
And then, to make this story even stranger, there's the response from Joel Maturi...
"'There are rumors that he's going to Kansas, so I don't know,' Maturi said Tuesday. 'What can I say? So I can't guarantee it, no. I can't guarantee the decisions of other people.'"-- St Paul Pioneer Press
Of course you can't. But THIS is your response to the rumors that your highest paid coach, the highest paid employee at your university (and if I'm not mistaken, the highest paid employee of the state of Minnesota), is possibly leaving? Really?!?!"I chatted with (Brewster) about it very, very briefly. I told him I'm getting tired of all of these Kansas calls. That's kind of been my conversations with him." -- St Paul Pioneer PressAgain, your football coach is rumored to be in the running for the job at another university, and the response is to talk to him "very, very briefly"?!?!?! Might be a good time to sit down with your coach and have a heart to heart... but that's just me.
"'I don't think it's inappropriate, if the coach is doing what he thinks is in his best interest,' Maturi said from New York on Tuesday." -- Star TribuneBut clearly Maturi isn't willing to go out on a limb and say what he thinks is in the best interest of his football program. Why isn't Maturi saying that he doesn't want Brewster to go anywhere? Should we be reading into this?
Or is this all smoke and mirrors by Brewster's agent to get him a contract extension and Maturi is just calling his bluff? Perhaps Maturi is listening to the rumors and thinking, "Who else would want this guy right now? I haven't even decided if I do."
At the end of the day there probably isn't anything to the rumors, no matter where they came from. But Maturi's response to the situation is very interesting, and you have to wonder if there is something more to that part of the story.
2 comments:
I absolutely think you should read something into Maturi's comments. If he really thought Brewster was his guy, you have to think he'd have a stronger response, don't you?
You also have to wonder how committed Brewster is to this program right now. Kansas is a BCS program with lower expectations because they'll always be a basketball school, so is he pouting because Maturi won't give him an extension he hasn't earned?
I like that Maturi isn't falling all over himself to defend Brewster in this situation.
I agree. Good on Maturi for calling his bluff. Hopefully it is a bluff. While I have been disappointed in the overall performance of Brewster and his staff, it's certainly not time for a contract extension, and I seriously doubt Kansas will throw enough money at him to top what MN is paying AND cover the penalty for breaking his contract. Brewster should spend more of his time building an offense that doesn't need diapers, and less time trying to scam the U for more cash.
How can we expect the kids on this squad to embrace a winning attitude and look positively toward the future if coach Brewster's focus is on playing hard ball with the administration.
All bark, no bite.
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