The Walker Conundrum

What is the real story? What is a fair reaction?

When I find myself disagreeing with people whose work I respect, I try to think our differences through before posting.

I have several concerns that I'd like to articulate -- concerns that make it impossible to either attack or support Walker on the "backstabbing" issue.

Let me put my thumb on the scale up front. I want CTS gone now. I don't want DW as next year's HC. But, if getting rid of CTS, now, means giving DW a slight edge in the replacement search, I'm willing to run that risk.

Second thumb, I'd much prefer we bring in an "outside" interim coach. However, I'll give DG enough credit to assume that he is running those traps and either: no one wants to come, or, DW is the best choice of a thin bunch.

I'd love to believe that DG is actively involved in looking for an interim solution.

If he is, neither he, nor DW should be castigated or punished for doing so. It's exactly what many of us have been asking for.

Going "inside" for an interim replacement other than the towel guy raises the chance that DW is seen as disloyal to CTS. Going inside puts DW in a bad position.

Replacing people with people who work for them is not new or unique to the football field. It happens everywhere in all businesses. It is a part of life. I've seen writers removed from their work and "re-written". I've seen lawyers taken out of the first chair at a trial and replaced by "subordinates". Most of the time, people suck it up and go forward. In all cases, success is the goal and the personnel change, if made in good faith, is geared toward achieving success.

So, I'll not fault either DG or DW for allegedly discussing a mid-season change.

In fact, many of us have been faulting DG for appearing to not be considering an interim change.

There is a significant problem with going "inside" at a time like this. Weak coaches will make sure to hire weak assistants -- so that there is no one who can take over when they fail. the lizard of Westwood is notorious for surrounding himself with people who would never be a threat.

An AD who makes an interim switch like this, more than once, may find it difficult to convince his coaches to put as much talent beside them as they can.

In this sense, DG had a hard decision to make before allegedly talking to Walker. If he did discuss an interim position, he was looking for a short term solution that might carry a long term cost -- depending on who the next coach might be.

I am willing to run that risk. I want and immediate, short term solution -- and if that solution has to be DW, so be it. I, for one, believe we will be better off THIS season with him rather than CTS.

I don't see how we can call for immediate change and then punish a logical, if not favored, choice for the interim coach by claiming he is being disloyal to CTS. That's not fair.

And, if the truth is that DG has put DW in an uncomfortable position -- asking him to step up and take over from the man who hired him, if we punish DW and call him names, no "insider" will ever step up and do what's best for the institution.

We all agree CTS must go. DW really has no horse in this race. He can stay on, hope his D plays well - even if we lose games -- and go to a new job, untarnished. The fault for the season will be KD's. DW will take a great risk if he takes an interim position. I for one will applaud him for taking the risk. Why create disincentives and potential disharmony by making him out to be Iago?

However, in fairness to those who are calling DW disloyal, the fact that he had the alleged conversation and that he allegedly is willing to step in, if called upon, does not seem to be the sole basis for the perjorative labels being pasted on him.

My good friends, with whom I disagree on this issue, seem to rely to a great extent on uncorroborated information that, in essence, DW is talking too much and that the talk is undermining CTS and the program.

I have two reactions to that -- one as a journalist (yes, Logan5, I have a background in investigative journalism and the next time you call someone out because they haven't had to  put it all on the line -- like you say Dohn has -- you might want to know who you are calling out -- but no harm Logan5, I took your post as sarcasm.)

We do not have sufficient credible information to validate the backstabbing thesis. Fox's excellent follow up establishes that it is likely that the conversation between DG and DW occurred. If you accept the validity of "inside replacements" and if you have no reason to KNOW that DW -- in a self-serving manner -- initiated that column, and we have none, DW didn't do anything wrong, there.

So, it comes down to brother Dustball's comments about a phone call to OR.

In my eyes, that is not nearly enough to label DW a backstabber.

Dustball's comments are vague, second or third level hearsay, and interprative rather than direct. Even if the call occurred, we don't know what was said or how it was said. Frankly, a call to a very gifted athlete who many of us are afraid is lost on the bench ala Manny White, is not a crime, not insubordination and not backstabbing UNTIL someone makes clear to me that it was deliberately made to undermine CTS and capture his job.

Years ago, I was working on a documentary in which we ran into the Contra:cocaine connection. The story would have been a perfect fit -- but we couldn't use it. We had one credible source. The standard was 2 sources; we never found the second credible source. The story broke, several years later.

Obviously, the intrigue surrounding the "interim coach" issue is not on the same level as allegations that our goverment was in the drug business -- but, DW deserves more than to have his named smeared on the basis of uncorroborated facts.

It's probably the defense lawyer in me that makes me put up these posts. I've put them up before when members of this community were calling for immediate sanctions for Ward, and posting how upset they were with MJD over the beating story.

My thesis, then, as it is now, is that we really don't know enough to take a position. In those posts, I mentioned the Duke Lacrosse  case and predicted that when the facts came in, many who had assumed their guilt, would be embarassed. And, I mentioned that the Duke players, no matter what they did with the rest of their lives, would always carry the stigma from the charges.

So, I respectfully disagree with the interpretation of the DW/DG situation being propounded by some of my friends on this board.

DW, the person, not the coach deserves better.

sjh

PS. If you've read any of my posts -- you'll know I am not a DW fan. I don't think our D walks on water and I don't think he should be our next head coach.

I do think he should be treated fairly, on this issue.