[Husker] Mangino apparently poked a player in the chest...

[Steve Reichenbach]

It would seem that if KU plans to hire only football coaches who
have never touched a player during a reprimand, then the pool of
potential replacements is much smaller.

I viewed one of the videos, purportedly of Mangino "exploding"
(figuratively), expecting to see really bad stuff.  Instead, all
it showed was Mangino holding the player's facemask while yelling
at him and then poking the player (who BTW was in football pads)
in the chest with his finger.  These guys are playing a sport in
which they run full speed into other players who also are running
at full speed.  Really, finger poking?

As to the fine Mangino got for suggesting the refs favored Texas,
I am sure I'm not alone in being glad someone in authority was
willing to state the obvious if terrible truth.

If KU is trying to build a case for firing with cause so they don't
have to pay the contractual obligation, they are setting up some
serious problems for hiring the next coach, both with respect to
expectations (as I think Mangino has met reasonable expectations
over most of his tenure) and behavioral norms (as Callahan's
"f*** hillbillies" and Pelini's "a****" remarks would be cause
for firing).  If I were on the jury, I would conclude, as Mangino
has, that if his conference record were 5-1 instead of 1-5 none
of this would be happening.

It does appear that Mangino does have a problem with anger, but not
one that I think rises to the firing level.  Also, I think the
behavioral norms for a football coach with his players are different
than for a computer science teacher with his or her students.

Wow.

> http://bleacherreport.com/articles/292810-fire-mangino-because-he-is-fat-and-mean
> 
> "The day before the Colorado game on Oct. 17 (yes, over a month ago) 
> Kansas football coach Mark Mangino allegedly poked senior linebacker 
> Arist Wright in the chest during practice, invoking Perkins to begin a 
> full departmental review of  Mark Mangino's treatment of 
> student-athletes"
> 
> Seriously?  WTF?
> 
> I don't know what is going on in Kansas, but the impression I get is 
> they are trying to railroad Mangino in some misguided attempt to nullify 
> his contract (which runs through 2012).  If they go through with firing 
> him, the only place I see KU going is downhill.  Their stadium is a dump 
> and football is always going to play second fiddle to basketball.  They 
> are going to have a very tough time luring a great coach and an even 
> tougher time keeping him there.  I think they'll go right back to their 
> losing ways after a few years.  This can only benefit Nebraska, so I 
> say....go for it KU!