BASH BOYLEN

[Top Ute]

Don't know why there is so much Fat Guy chat lately, but what interesting timing. For some odd reason, just this past week the LAT ran a story about Maj. I guess he gave an interview revisiting the USC thing. He once again detailed how his mom was going to die or was dying and she didn't want him so far away even though he offered to buy her a home in SoCal.

Regardless of the veracity of the story, I was puzzled why it popped up at all this past week.

Is there a reason for the recent interest in this guy all over again?

The L.A. Times and Majerus have been BFFs for the longest time.

[TripletDaddy]

The L.A. Times and Majerus have been BFFs for the longest time.

For being BFFs, the LAT rarely, if ever, does a feature article on the guy. Why this week? I don't mind, of course. I was just noting the coincidence with the rise in MajSpeak on this board lately.

[Top Ute]

For being BFFs, the LAT rarely, if ever, does a feature article on the guy. Why this week? I don't mind, of course. I was just noting the coincidence with the rise in MajSpeak on this board lately.

St. Louis was in town for some tournament, hence, the Times' interest.

The Times has written plenty on Majerus over the years, relatively speaking, and I've yet to read a critical word of him. He appears to have a really good relationship with T.J. Simers.

It shouldn't be surprising -- Majerus is buddy-buddy with all the media that gives him the most exposure. It was the SLC writers who couldn't give him that exposure, and who he had to suffer on a daily basis, that pissed him off.

[TripletDaddy]

St. Louis was in town for some tournament, hence, the Times' interest.

The Times has written plenty on Majerus over the years, relatively speaking, and I've yet to read a critical word of him. He appears to have a really good relationship with T.J. Simers.

It shouldn't be surprising -- Majerus is buddy-buddy with all the media that gives him the most exposure. It was the SLC writers who couldn't give him that exposure, and who he had to suffer on a daily basis, that pissed him off.

Ah, ok.

Was it at the Pond?

[Top Ute]

Ah, ok.

Was it at the Pond?

The story off the SLU web site has an Anaheim dateline, so I'm guessing yes.

You can get a look at BYU's future and part of its past Tuesday, since SLU is still in town for a game against Loyola Marymount.

[myboynoah]

The story off the SLU web site has an Anaheim dateline, so I'm guessing yes.

You can get a look at BYU's future and part of its past Tuesday, since SLU is still in town for a game against Loyola Marymount.

This is probably for another thread, but why the big jump by SLU this year? I'd thought they'd been pretty mediocre the last few years, and now suddently, playing very well. What's up with that?

[Top Ute]

This is probably for another thread, but why the big jump by SLU this year? I'd thought they'd been pretty mediocre the last few years, and now suddently, playing very well. What's up with that?

This guy pegged St. Louis nicely (so far), with everyone coming back and a very balanced squad. Only the hardest of hard-core hoops junkies need read any further past the individual player assessments.

http://www.midmajormadness.com/2011/...ouis-billikens

[Flattop]

Getting back to Boylen:

I am pegged as a Boylen apologists because I won't go as far as the Boylen bashers. And because I have made the mistake of speaking up when I have thought the bashers went too far.

There are legitimate criticisms of Boylen, and firing him may have been the right thing to do. But some of the things the bashers say about him are just ridiculous.

I have talked about keeping Boylen for one more year, not because I thought he could dig out of the hole he dug for himself, but to maybe put Utah in a better hiring position, and to avoid the damage blowing up the program for a third straight year would cause.

On the other hand, keeping Boylen likely would have meant Loveridge going somewhere else. But, damn, what price victory?

[Clark Addison]

Getting back to Boylen:

I am pegged as a Boylen apologists because I won't go as far as the Boylen bashers. And because I have made the mistake of speaking up when I have thought the bashers went too far.

There are legitimate criticisms of Boylen, and firing him may have been the right thing to do. But some of the things the bashers say about him are just ridiculous.

I have talked about keeping Boylen for one more year, not because I thought he could dig out of the hole he dug for himself, but to maybe put Utah in a better hiring position, and to avoid the damage blowing up the program for a third straight year would cause.

On the other hand, keeping Boylen likely would have meant Loveridge going somewhere else. But, damn, what price victory?

If it makes you feel better, I was also in favor of keeping Boylen for another year.

[LA Ute]

If it makes you feel better, I was also in favor of keeping Boylen for another year.

I wanted BYU to give Gary Crowton a few more years too.

[Jarid in Cedar]

I wanted BYU to give Gary Crowton a few more years too.

Somewhere, Indy is quietly shedding a tear.

[UteStar]

Getting back to Boylen:

I am pegged as a Boylen apologists because I won't go as far as the Boylen bashers. And because I have made the mistake of speaking up when I have thought the bashers went too far.

There are legitimate criticisms of Boylen, and firing him may have been the right thing to do. But some of the things the bashers say about him are just ridiculous.

I have talked about keeping Boylen for one more year, not because I thought he could dig out of the hole he dug for himself, but to maybe put Utah in a better hiring position, and to avoid the damage blowing up the program for a third straight year would cause.

On the other hand, keeping Boylen likely would have meant Loveridge going somewhere else. But, damn, what price victory?

I think you make some fair points. However, I really felt like the Utes needed to make a change for several reasons:

• No direction in the program - Whether it was letting Carlon Brown run roughshod over the team...or Marshall lighting it up all season long (on the court and off the court), the team really had no direction. He was dumping and picking up people right and left with no rhyme or reason.
• Persona had worn thin - Donors and fans alike were struggling with his huge declarations. There was NO enthusiasm among fans his last year. It was like a dead team walking and the fans seemed dead.
• Recruiting - Giving Boylen another year to bring on a bunch of his players would have hurt the program down the road as well.

The Utes would have been halfway decent last year. I think they would have won 10-12 games with Clyburn and JJ. But I think the program would have been a mess this year internally. As brutal as the attendence has been this year, I think it would have been 10-20% worse with Boylen.

I don't like the revolving door with coaches right now. I hope that Krystko is the answer. I do know that Boylen was not the answer and that he needed to go. I like Krystko. I just hope he can be a terrific coach. This year and next year will tell us a lot about him. I hope we all like it.

[SeattleUte]

I think you make some fair points. However, I really felt like the Utes needed to make a change for several reasons:

• No direction in the program - Whether it was letting Carlon Brown run roughshod over the team...or Marshall lighting it up all season long (on the court and off the court), the team really had no direction. He was dumping and picking up people right and left with no rhyme or reason.
• Persona had worn thin - Donors and fans alike were struggling with his huge declarations. There was NO enthusiasm among fans his last year. It was like a dead team walking and the fans seemed dead.
• Recruiting - Giving Boylen another year to bring on a bunch of his players would have hurt the program down the road as well.

The Utes would have been halfway decent last year. I think they would have won 10-12 games with Clyburn and JJ. But I think the program would have been a mess this year internally. As brutal as the attendence has been this year, I think it would have been 10-20% worse with Boylen.

I don't like the revolving door with coaches right now. I hope that Krystko is the answer. I do know that Boylen was not the answer and that he needed to go. I like Krystko. I just hope he can be a terrific coach. This year and next year will tell us a lot about him. I hope we all like it.

Good post. Your third bullet is the most important. He was causing more damage each year.

[CardiacCoug]

This is probably for another thread, but why the big jump by SLU this year? I'd thought they'd been pretty mediocre the last few years, and now suddently, playing very well. What's up with that?

Loyola Marymount (Go WCC!) about to take out Majerus and #25 SLU.