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Tampa Bay Times Article on Jim Leavitt

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An article was written in the Tampa bay times today about Leavitt. 

Fennelly: Jim Leavitt proves he can still coach, but should he? | Tampa Bay Times

I think it's known I am all in bringing him in. 
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This piece is certainly salting old wounds, eh?

There seems to be a pretty warm perception of him on this board as a potential hire; I haven't seen anybody here go "oh no, he attacked a player, that's a no-go".

Maybe he changed? Colorado et al didn't seem to have a problem with him on staff.
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Maybe there is something about Colorado that has totally mellowed him out man ?
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BTW..just read the Tampa story. I played football in the late 70s and early 80s. Now I know times have changed. But I will tell you , in South Florida , back then, coaches had a very physical style. Hands on if you will. As a player, we didn't run home and tell mom and dad. I'm not saying that this style is OK. But I am saying it was the style. I will not judge a man for an incident  from years ago. It was a different world. People were tougher. Less snow-flakeish. JMHO. I would be thrilled to get a guy like Jim.
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I don't know if anyone knows the whole story here.  On one hand, something happened that caused him to get fired.  On the other hand, USF did pay him a settlement for wrongful termination.  It is a concern, but he has been hired in other places including another college, so I hardly think he's un-hireable any longer.  I'm sure if we did hire him, we'd do a thorough investigation.  I certainly think he is among the best coaches we could hire, but I wouldn't blame FAU for being a bit wary.     
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Local Owl said

BTW..just read the Tampa story. I played football in the late 70s and early 80s. Now I know times have changed. But I will tell you , in South Florida , back then, coaches had a very physical style. Hands on if you will. As a player, we didn't run home and tell mom and dad. I'm not saying that this style is OK. But I am saying it was the style. I will not judge a man for an incident  from years ago. It was a different world. People were tougher. Less snow-flakeish. JMHO. I would be thrilled to get a guy like Jim.
Posted On: Dec 3rd 2016, 6:39 AM #363396
Exactly! I can't tell you how many times my coach grabbed me by the face mask to told me to get my head out of my arse.

You can't run a successful football program like it's a private liberal arts college.
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What's amazing to me, is that nothing more has ever really come out about it. There was an entire locker room of players who would've/did witness what happened and if it was a patter of systemic abuse (ala Penn St) I think you'd see many more players come out with claims of "he hit me too." 

Leavitt was fired for the cover up. 
Did he cross the line? Probably. People make mistakes and had he owned it, maybe he'd still be there. 

If you haven't watched the Junction Boys ESPN movie back when Howard was with The Bear at Bama, its eye opening. They actually tried to kill players thinking it would make them stronger! Guys we're run into the ground, denied hydration, roughed up, it was crazy! 
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cbboarder said

Local Owl said

BTW..just read the Tampa story. I played football in the late 70s and early 80s. Now I know times have changed. But I will tell you , in South Florida , back then, coaches had a very physical style. Hands on if you will. As a player, we didn't run home and tell mom and dad. I'm not saying that this style is OK. But I am saying it was the style. I will not judge a man for an incident  from years ago. It was a different world. People were tougher. Less snow-flakeish. JMHO. I would be thrilled to get a guy like Jim.
Posted On: Dec 3rd 2016, 6:39 AM #363396
Exactly! I can't tell you how many times my coach grabbed me by the face mask to told me to get my head out of my arse.

You can't run a successful football program like it's a private liberal arts college.
Posted On: Dec 3rd 2016, 7:12 AM #363398

Agreed, if you do you have a soft team. Oh wait, that would be us today basically.

I am sorry but tackle football is a TOUGH SPORT REQUIRING TOUGH MINDED PLAYERS! You don't like that play flag (nope that is pretty tough too). Go play power puff ya want soft!
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cbboarder said

Local Owl said

BTW..just read the Tampa story. I played football in the late 70s and early 80s. Now I know times have changed. But I will tell you , in South Florida , back then, coaches had a very physical style. Hands on if you will. As a player, we didn't run home and tell mom and dad. I'm not saying that this style is OK. But I am saying it was the style. I will not judge a man for an incident  from years ago. It was a different world. People were tougher. Less snow-flakeish. JMHO. I would be thrilled to get a guy like Jim.
Posted On: Dec 3rd 2016, 6:39 AM #363396
Exactly! I can't tell you how many times my coach grabbed me by the face mask to told me to get my head out of my arse.

You can't run a successful football program like it's a private liberal arts college.

Posted On: Dec 3rd 2016, 7:12 AM #363398

And he's had just one incident in his life, 7 years ago.  If there was a big character flaw, it would show up more than once.

I think it would be a good hire but would caution FAU to be prepared (unlike the GEO debacle) to have a plan to address those who will insist we hired a monster. College kids like to protest things (many times not even knowing or caring why they are protesting).  If we decide it is the best hire, then do it and have a plan to respond to the "noise."
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teambeer said

What's amazing to me, is that nothing more has ever really come out about it. There was an entire locker room of players who would've/did witness what happened and if it was a patter of systemic abuse (ala Penn St) I think you'd see many more players come out with claims of "he hit me too." 

Leavitt was fired for the cover up. 
Did he cross the line? Probably. People make mistakes and had he owned it, maybe he'd still be there. 

If you haven't watched the Junction Boys ESPN movie back when Howard was with The Bear at Bama, its eye opening. They actually tried to kill players thinking it would make them stronger! Guys we're run into the ground, denied hydration, roughed up, it was crazy! 
Posted On: Dec 3rd 2016, 7:40 AM #363399

Yup - strong stuff to build strong men with character! IN HS ball, I had my helmet HIT. face mask GRABBED AND TWISTED, Ball thrown at me and (God forbid) run MANY LAPS!

NONE OF IT hurt me or killed me!

Sadly it today's age, even my granddaughters LACROSSE coaches are being told to not have the girls run laps as punishment - even though it is as much a stamina sport as soccer is. And believe me, it does get the message though to get better and stop accepting mistakes or mediocre play if you want to play! Good news is her Coaches still sometimes have them run.

Ya fumble. go run a lap (with the ball), ya drop a pass (with the ball), go run a lap, ya throw a pick (yes QB's too!), go run a lap (with the ball), ya miss a tackle, go run a lap, ya make a penalty, go run a lap. Also gives the player that moment to think about what he has done, don't just waste time jogging! AND builds stamina!
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