BN's #VetoSeto Inspires Maryland Fans After Terps Pass on Shannon

by gbruin on Feb 17, 2011 10:56 AM PST

Until last week, the University of Maryland needed a defensive coordinator. Wow, could you imaging needing a DC at this time in the year? Uhh, umm, well, never mind on that one. Anyway, during their search, they interviewed one Randy Shannon and offered him the job. He reportedly said no, (and may give a clue as to why we passed on him) leading the Terps to offer the job to their linebackers coach, Todd Bradford, who accepted the job. Some of the Maryland fans are unhappy, and looked out west for inspiration as to how to deal with this.

From SBN's fine Maryland blog - Testudo Times:

A few weeks ago, the fine folks over at Bruins Nation - a fellow SBN blog and one of our most respected colleagues - successfully spearheaded a movement, named #VetoSeto, to depose their failed hire of a defensive coordinator, Rocky Seto. They used a crazy amount of social media and used it successfully, helping to overthrow Seto as the hire. Crazy stuff.

Some enterprising Terrapin fan has decided to try to replicate BN's success, starting up the official @VetoBradford Twitter. For the record, no, it's not me.

No, it's probably not going to work. I don't even know if it should work - some measure of conviction would be nice out of the dept. after the continuous mess-ups - but it's a pretty good indicator of the rage around the hire out there in Terrapin Nation (I hate that phrase, but whatever, I'm going with it).

There is a major difference in these two situations, though. In our case we initiated the #VetoSeto campaign (which has become bit of a folklore around the internets) before the Seto hire became official, giving the U.C.L.A. admin and Coach Neuheisel the chance to stop the process in its tracks. In Maryland's case, however, it looks like the deal is done, so their campaign faces a bigger challenge at achieving the same success as ours.

I don't know enough about Coach Bradford or the situation at Maryland to have an opinion whether he's the right guy for their program or not. But I do understand the frustration and urgency felt by those behind the campaign, who are actually lashing out at the athletic director and head coach more than Bradford personally...

I should probably reinforce, as a few commenters have pointed out, that the real problem here isn't Bradford: it's [Athletic Director Kevin] Anderson, potentially [new Head Coach Randy] Edsall, and the entire department and program. This is the same as basketball: I have no quarrel with Bradford, same as I have no quarrel with Adrian Bowie. I just have a problem with their superiors putting them in this position.

We wish our friends at Testudo Times luck, and we hope it works out for the best for all involved.

Finally, I must admit, there is something pretty satisfying by being used as an example of how a united fan base can use its passion and its outlets to get some pretty big things done. Ryan's post criticizing Morgan's lack of communication about Pauley renovation is a similar example. Our gutty little Tyler might have something to add along those lines, too.

The potential influence or causal effect BN might have is just sobering sometimes (I stole that line from Meriones). Bruins Nation is a powerful voice. Let's always use it wisely.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.

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Best of Luck

to our shelled brothers. May they win the race.

"Every day was a good day at UCLA." -Coach John Wooden

by OswegoBruin on Feb 17, 2011 3:08 PM PST reply actions

The Brooks article doesn't speak for me.

He said “To be clear, that anger had nothing to do with how the story of Seto’s hire was disseminated in the media. Nor did it relate to Seto once being affiliated – as an assistant coach – at UCLA rival USC. It had everything to do with the common knowledge that Seto, who previously served as defensive coordinator under Pete Carroll at USC, held that position in name only. It was Carroll who ran the defense when Seto was credited with being USC’s DC.”

I went ballistic over that trogan because he was an integral part of the most corrupt athletic program in history. His job history should have resulted in an automatic disqualification. Unless, of course, we’re out to duplicate all the cheating, and in that case, I’ll check out not.

by Fox 71 on Feb 17, 2011 3:30 PM PST reply actions

Agree

and to those that would presume to judge us, if you went to Michigan, would you want the biggest Ohio State fan ever coming to coach your defense, and the first thing they do after a hire is run to an Ohio State paper to announce it? It’s like that, only if Ohio State cheated more than any team in the last 20 years.

"Every day was a good day at UCLA." -Coach John Wooden

by OswegoBruin on Feb 17, 2011 4:18 PM PST up reply actions

Erm...

wWell, there’s plenty of examples of coaches that went from one rival to another and the team receiving them embraced them.

Funny you should bring up Ohio State and Michigan. Bo Schembechler got his start as an assistant coach to Woody Hayes, so your ‘ridiculous’ example basically already occurred.

It's not going from one rival to another

It’s a school which takes pride in its integrity (or at least I hope so) compromising all its principles, basically turning its back on Coach and all he stood for and still stands for, and offering a job to someone who absolutely, positively HAD to know about the corruption that was taking place.

I will repeat the analogy: It’s the equivalent of hiring a proud and unrepentant pedophile to work in a day care center. That’s the difference.

by Fox 71 on Feb 18, 2011 4:39 AM PST up reply actions

Erm

you completely missed my point. Read the last sentence.

"Every day was a good day at UCLA." -Coach John Wooden

by OswegoBruin on Feb 18, 2011 9:26 AM PST up reply actions

Sorry, Oswego.

My comment was directed at CAJason80’s point. I agree with yours, except I don’t limit it to a rival. My point is that no one should taste the fruit of the poisonous tree (a little Wong Sun reference for all you Supreme Court fans). No one from Cheatie Petie’s staff should be hired by anyone, unless you want someone with the Cheatie Petie set of principles.

by Fox 71 on Feb 18, 2011 10:21 AM PST up reply actions