I would like for you to consider something.

[bulldogbaja]

Keenum said during the presser that Cohen came to him several weeks ago and said that there was a possibility we would be looking for a new football coach. It was also rumored during the search that we had actually been working on this already. How did we know?

Now I can think of two ways that we would have known that. One, we became aware through back channels that Don was shopping himself. This is totally plausible.
Or, two, Dan knew that he wanted a new challenge, new home, whatever, and he gave us heads up so that we would be prepared, and be able to make a good hire. I realize that this goes against our desire to hate him now, but based on some things we've heard, I think this is plausible too.

 

[Shmuley]

Bastard is tight with Strick. Strick knew the damn yankee would be on his list somewhere. Strick was honorable enough to let Bastard know in advance that it could happen. Bastard is smart enough to know it was likely. No way in hell did the hunchback give bastard a heads up.

 

[Felonious Junk]

Yep. We were prepared simply because of the commonly held belief that Mullen was wanting to make a change.

 

[fedxdog]

Don's agent had shopped him around in the past...any GOOD manger remembers that and makes plans...proactive works...reactive (UTK) is the norm actually.

 

[LawDawg97]

Because Cohen has a brain

How did we know?

Mullen’s shopping over the years has been no secret, and it was obvious to Cohen that there would be numerous job openings this year that Dan may take. Whether it was ultimately going to happen or not, Cohen knew he needed to be prepared the moment it happened.

Cohen acted like any good CEO. That’s what’s amazing about Tennessee. We knew in August Butch Jones was looking at a likely exit, and they’ve botched it like nothing we’ve ever seen.

 

[Shmuley]

The bastard’s immediate shout out to Byrne, Strick, et al., should be a give away. As good as it feels to **** on Strick, the truth is that Bastard needs a strong relationship with him. Serves us no good long term to alienate Strick. Hate on his narrow, ambiguously gay *** all day in private, but put aside the asinine notion of our university publicly embarrassing him. That would be stupid as hell and self defeating. Unlike a certain piece of **** university in another part of this state, adults are actually in charge here, thank God. Very proud of Bastard regardless of how he arrived at the decision “several months ago” to carefully put out feelers.

 

[MarkDallas]

The writing was on the wall. Ultimately, there were just too many openings this year. The dominoes were going to fall.

 

[Grevlin]

Cohen said on H2H (paraphrasing) that he subscribes to sports analytics services and that the probability of Mullen's leaving was evident months ago. Said he loves and watches sports and has files on people of interest. Already had a file on Moorehead. Guy is seriously proactive.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

Rabbi, you are winning the internet in this thread.

 

[HammerOfTheDogs]

The bastard’s immediate shout out to Byrne, Strick, et al., should be a give away. As good as it feels to **** on Strick, the truth is that Bastard needs a strong relationship with him. Serves us no good long term to alienate Strick. Hate on his narrow, ambiguously gay *** all day in private, but put aside the asinine notion of our university publicly embarrassing him. That would be stupid as hell and self defeating. Unlike a certain piece of **** university in another part of this state, adults are actually in charge here, thank God. Very proud of Bastard regardless of how he arrived at the decision “several months ago” to carefully put out feelers.

I refuse to allow ration and reason to infect my thinking.

 

[maroonmania]

Cohen said on H2H (paraphrasing) that he subscribes to sports analytics services and that the probability of Mullen's leaving was evident months ago. Said he loves and watches sports and has files on people of interest. Already had a file on Moorehead. Guy is seriously proactive.

Personally I think it was pretty obvious he was gone as soon as he had a decent opportunity when he hire Jimmy Sexton last year. Apparently MK gave both Arnold and Mullins a piece of his mind after the shopping Mullins did at the end of the 2015 season and the loss to USA while wearing shorts. It was right after that when Arnold bolted for UF and Mullins hired Sexton. If Cohen had any awareness of things around him, which he does, he's probably been actively vetting football coaching candidates since the day he got the AD job.

 

[Lakedawg]

IB said somewhere along the way that he had been trying to get Darla to sign an extension for anwhile and Denard wouldn’t sign anything. I think at that point the writing was on the wall, especially given the constant shopping around by Sexton over the years.

 

[Willow Grove Dawg]

This is a 17ing Mississippi State sports message board & you are filling it with logic & common sense. DAMN YOU

The bastard’s immediate shout out to Byrne, Strick, et al., should be a give away. As good as it feels to **** on Strick, the truth is that Bastard needs a strong relationship with him. Serves us no good long term to alienate Strick. Hate on his narrow, ambiguously gay *** all day in private, but put aside the asinine notion of our university publicly embarrassing him. That would be stupid as hell and self defeating. Unlike a certain piece of **** university in another part of this state, adults are actually in charge here, thank God. Very proud of Bastard regardless of how he arrived at the decision “several months ago” to carefully put out feelers.

 

[Dawgzilla]

Personally I think it was pretty obvious he was gone as soon as he had a decent opportunity when he hire Jimmy Sexton last year. Apparently MK gave both Arnold and Mullins a piece of his mind after the shopping Mullins did at the end of the 2015 season and the loss to USA while wearing shorts. It was right after that when Arnold bolted for UF and Mullins hired Sexton. If Cohen had any awareness of things around him, which he does, he's probably been actively vetting football coaching candidates since the day he got the AD job.

Mullen hired Sexton in the Spring of 2016, after he didn't get a contract extension.

 

[maroonmania]

Mullen hired Sexton in the Spring of 2016, after he didn't get a contract extension.

Yea, trying to go off memory, but MK is the reason Mullins got no contract extension due to the job whoring.

 

[Dawgzilla]

He might have been, but I just get tired of these theories of what went on behind the scenes, which then get rebounded in the message board echo chambers until they become facts. Nothing personal against you at all, but I read a similar theory on ED and it just went unchecked.

Earlier in the coaching search, the prevailing theory was that Mullen and Stricklin hated each other because Strick didn't give him a contract extension in 2016. Now it was Keenum doing the tough talk. I don't mind rumors and theories, but after seeing a lot people be seriously wrong about Mullen, I'd like to see them all labelled as such before they become accepted as message board facts.

 

[bruiser.sixpack]

His name is John Cohen, Athletics Director at THE Mississippi State University!

Let's dispense with the specific name calling. IB is kind of cute. But actually spelling it out for others to see seems in poor taste to me.

 

[maroonmania]

He might have been, but I just get tired of these theories of what went on behind the scenes, which then get rebounded in the message board echo chambers until they become facts. Nothing personal against you at all, but I read a similar theory on ED and it just went unchecked.

Earlier in the coaching search, the prevailing theory was that Mullen and Stricklin hated each other because Strick didn't give him a contract extension in 2016. Now it was Keenum doing the tough talk. I don't mind rumors and theories, but after seeing a lot people be seriously wrong about Mullen, I'd like to see them all labelled as such before they become accepted as message board facts.

Well the fact that Mullins has wanted to move on since Dak left is no theory.

 

[Dawgs87]

I believe I remember IB saying he was "going through the search process over the last 60 days or so." That's September. So, I believe when we beat LSU and Don got a 17 ton of press, he decided immediately he was gone.

 

[lanceharbor7]

This was known by the powers that be when McElwain was fired. IB has been working on it since, even with his prior preparation.

Keenum said during the presser that Cohen came to him several weeks ago and said that there was a possibility we would be looking for a new football coach. It was also rumored during the search that we had actually been working on this already. How did we know?

Now I can think of two ways that we would have known that. One, we became aware through back channels that Don was shopping himself. This is totally plausible.
Or, two, Dan knew that he wanted a new challenge, new home, whatever, and he gave us heads up so that we would be prepared, and be able to make a good hire. I realize that this goes against our desire to hate him now, but based on some things we've heard, I think this is plausible too.

 

[bulldogbaja]

Except they they had their guy, and it was Chip Kelly. FL was not interested in Don at that point.

 

[BulldogBlitz]

Don told fellow coach Cohen several years ago that he wanted out. Simple coworker to coworker talk.

 

[MSUDawgFan86]

Keenum said during the presser that Cohen came to him several weeks ago and said that there was a possibility we would be looking for a new football coach. It was also rumored during the search that we had actually been working on this already. How did we know?

Now I can think of two ways that we would have known that. One, we became aware through back channels that Don was shopping himself. This is totally plausible.
Or, two, Dan knew that he wanted a new challenge, new home, whatever, and he gave us heads up so that we would be prepared, and be able to make a good hire. I realize that this goes against our desire to hate him now, but based on some things we've heard, I think this is plausible too.

Intense Bastard gave Don the goofy Hunchback am extension to sign several weeks ago and he didn’t do it. That’s how you know you might need to go look for another coach.

 

[bulldogcountry1]

I bet IB wanted Don gone more Don.

 

[anonymous.sixpack]

Bastard is tight with Strick. Strick knew the damn yankee would be on his list somewhere. Strick was honorable enough to let Bastard know in advance that it could happen. Bastard is smart enough to know it was likely. No way in hell did the hunchback give bastard a heads up.

Do you have a goofy pet nickname for everybody?

Creepy.

 

[DawgsOnTheWing]

Direct correlation with McElwain. The more the heat ratcheted up with Mc the more proactive IB became.

 

[Old Fart Dawg]

Yes, you’re right.
BUT — I truly doubt that any of us would be so generous toward Strick had not IB and Keenum moved so quickly to hire Joe

 

[Shmuley]

Yes. Yes I do. From now on your Delta Tau Chi name is 17 Head.

 

[SaintsDoc]

'cause Cohen ain't no *****

 

[Allday.sixpack]

Watch the exchange between Cohen and Mullen during the 4th quarter of the LSU game. That didn't look like two friends enjoying the moment.

 

[RocketDawg]

Watch the exchange between Cohen and Mullen during the 4th quarter of the LSU game. That didn't look like two friends enjoying the moment.

It didn't really look that way then but we all blew it off, saying it was really cordial. In retrospect, it seems to really have been tense.

 

[FreeDawg]

IB started putting out feelers when Mullen hired Sexton. The fact that Mullen fired his agent in the offseason and hired Sexton said everything you needed to know.