McCombs not Strong supporter
Not everyone was pleased with the hiring of Charlie Strong as the Texas Longhorns’ football coach.
At the top of that list is Texas billionaire Billy Joe “Red” McCombs, who vehemently expressed his opposition to the hiring of Strong, the former University of Central Arkansas player from Batesville who is the Longhorns’ first black football coach.
Strong was introduced Monday, and later that day McCombs, the former owner of the Minnesota Vikings and the San Antonio Spurs and co-founder of Clear Channel Communications, said he was stunned to learn that Strong was the choice to replace Mack Brown.
McCombs, who played football in junior college and at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, but has never been a coach, also complained that he was ignored during the coaching search.
“I think it is a kick in the face,” McCombs told KZDC-AM in San Antonio. “Beyond the fact of what actually happened, we have boosters that have a lot of knowledge about the game.”
In four seasons as the head coach at Louisville, Strong compiled a 37-15 record, including a 12-1 mark this season with a 36-9 victory over Miami in the Russell Athletic Bowl. The Cardinals were 11-2 the previous season and defeated Florida 33-23 in the BCS Sugar Bowl.
Still, McCombs called the hiring “wrong.”
“I think the whole thing is a bit sideways,” said McCombs, who publicly lobbied for Texas to hire former NFL coach and current ESPN analyst Jon Gruden. “I don’t have any doubt that Charlie is a fine coach. I think he would make a great position coach, maybe a coordinator.
“But I don’t believe [Strong belongs at] what should be one of the three most powerful university programs in the world right now at UT-Austin. I don’t think it adds up.”
McCombs also said prominent donors had a lot of input when Texas hired Brown in 1997. This time, the coaching search was led by new athletic director Steve Patterson. McCombs has donated more than $100 million to the University of Texas, which houses the McCombs School of Business.
He also has a statue inside the school’s football stadium.
McCombs said later that he would support Strong and wished him well when they spoke by phone Sunday night.
BCS Dufnering
Jason Dufner, winner of the 2013 PGA Championship, walked on at Auburn and eventually won three tournaments in his college career.
Today, he remains a super fan of all things Tigers/War Eagle.
He tweeted throughout Monday night’s BCS Championship Game between Auburn and Florida State, and he took offense to some calls that went against his Tigers.
“This officiating crew needs to wake the …. Up!” he tweeted.
ESPN columnist Rick Reilly quickly replied: “Sometimes we yell that at you in press conferences.”
Come back, Tony
Count veteran NASCAR columnist Monte Dutton as one who is ready to see driver Tony Stewart back on the track. Or at least at the news conferences.
Stewart missed the final 15 races of last season after breaking his leg in a sprint car crash, and Dutton believes the sport suffered during his absence.
“Cameras fly to Stewart like binoculars to a cheerleader’s [rear],” Dutton wrote. “It’s not that no one knows what he might say.
It’s more that we know what he’ll say, and we can’t wait.”
Quote of the day
“We’re going to get punched in the mouth, and we’ll see if we can punch back. That’s what these games are about.” Coach Mike Anderson on Arkansas’ SEC opener against Texas A&M
Sports, Pages 20 on 01/08/2014