Jones was in Dallas meeting with SMU officials and the search committee that has been working since late October to hire a replacement to Phil Bennett. Meanwhile, the folks on the island were doing all they could to get him to say no and continue leading a program he has guided to national prominence.
I will say this, if the above linked article is accurate and Jones met with the search committee, it is all but over. SMU wins; Hawaii loses. Orsini would not have let Jones meet with the search committee unless it was a done deal.
I was told Friday, by one guy that June Jones was a 99% done deal.
I was told by another guy Friday that it looked promising.
I never posted anything, because I was waiting to hear from a specific person, who has still not contacted me yet.
On Saturday, I spoke with someone not associated with SMU but works in college athletics and knows quite a bit about coaches and coaching searches. He said, "You get June Jones on a plane and he is yours. The challenge should be getting him on the plane. I would have somebody escort him if I were you."
So today is Sunday and I know no more than you. I can say with 99% certainty that the first official word will be here.The other one percent: here. I have no desire to screw this up and be wrong and doubt I am going to hear anything before you.
Just my thoughts.
4 comments:
Please, Mr. Blog, many of us hope that you are correct on this call. But I believer all of us are ready to move on with some sort of coach in hand.
Notice how Leigh Steinberg is always the gentleman by saying that Jones is struggling with the decision. My impression is that he got back from the Sugar Bowl after seeing how the other half lives and just stewed. A visit to the SMU campus will only piss him off even more about his facilities at Hawaii. I am assuming he has never really walked around Ford Stadium and the attached facilities before, and had to be impressed when he did.
I agree that the most difficult thing to do was to get him on the airplane to Dallas. Also, SMU caught a break with the very fair weather. Just imagine if there had been ice everywhere.
done deal...
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2008/Jan/07/br/br5907241368.html
he's a good guy...great day for SMU...real bummer in paradise.
I sure hope he can salvage recruiting for this year. Before he signs on the dotted line, we don't have much - if anything - in the way of productive freshmen coming in next year.
Based on Coach D's high opinion of SMU and his view of the ease of selling it to recruits, I wonder if he had a serious conversation with June at some point.
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