Pre Game Scuffle: Louisville's Bobby Petrino vs. KY Assistant Dan Berezowitz

((ht: biglead.com))

Oh boy, this is rivalry week and during the buildup to said game, players sometimes do silly, stupid things like start fights before the game starts.

And on occasion the coaches get into it.

Saturday morning before the annual Louisville vs. Kentucky game the two squads got into a shoving match at or near midfield.

And it took while to get the players separated. But they finally dispersed.

The scuffle itself probably would not be that big a deal, outside the state of Kentucky, this isn't a game with huge implications.

But then some photos emerged---

UK assistant coach Dan Berezowitz and UofL head coach Bobby Petrino scuffle at midfield prior to the #UKvsUofL game pic.twitter.com/JVEWLfYM51
— Michael Reaves (@MichaelMReaves) November 29, 2014

Yes...that is Louisville Head Coach Bobby Petrino grabbing Kentucky assistant Dan Berezowitz by the collar.

We don't know yet what the game result will be, but we are pretty sure the highlights will not be better than this.

The only question is whether there will be fines involved...

And yes, some video leading up to that image exists:

Stay classy, Bobby Petrino. UL head football coach shoving players before game #kentuckywildcats https://t.co/K0opAQzHbF
— Paul Jordan (@PJordan_WBN) November 29, 2014

Petrino Hiring Official At Louisville...

((HT: WHAS-TV))

So, you can go home again... and the HQ anticipates that all talk AD Tom Jurich makes from this moment forward about anything will be met with the commensurate amount of skepticism...

Bobby Petrino is the new/old head coach at U of L... and the HQ heard this was the hiring of "Petrinocchio," but we can't take full credit for that stroke of identification genius...

Here's the quick version...
And the press conference...
So, we're now on Petrino v2.0...

And a lot of the HQ feels the need to rinse off for a long time before continuing...

Petrino Is Heading Back To Louisville

HT: Yahoo Sports.com

It looks as if Bobby Petrino is leaving Western Kentucky and returning to Louisville to become the Cardinals head coach.

Yahoo sports is reporting that Petrino's agent David Dunn is meeting with Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich Wednesday night to finalize a contract.

Louisville has been down this road before.  Petrino was the Cardinal head coach for four years and compiled an impressive 41-9 record.

Back then though Petrino must of thought the Louisville gig wasn't such a great job.  First he had a secret meeting with Auburn officials about their head coaching position that was still occupied by Tommy Tuberville, denied it and then admitted it.

Five days after accepting an extension with Louisville Petrino interviewed for the LSU job.  Later that year he interviewed for the Notre Dame job and even had a conversation with Ole Miss before finally bolting the Cardinals for the Atlanta Falcons (and we know how that worked out.)

Now after leaving Atlanta and Arkansas in disgrace and rehabbing his career at Western Kentucky Louisville looks like a destination rather than part of the journey.

If any one feels Bobby Petrino has truly repented for his sins Tom Jurich would be a good judge.  Jurich put up with Petrino's dalliances the first time around.  Reportedly the interview between the two parties lasted nine hours and was described by a Yahoo.com source as "very intense."

With the immient Bobby Petrino hiring at Louisville he and men's basketball head coach Rick Pitino will be reunited too.

Nothing like having a pair of Italian head coaches in your marquee sports each with extra martial issues.

Here's One For You: Could Petrino Return To Louisville...??? (He's A Finalist...)

Brian Brohm, Michael Bush, and Elvis Dumervil have already endorsed the idea...

And the fans of U of L football are looking at Bowling Green, Kentucky for another head football coach...

Their old football coach...

WDRB-TV's Eric Crawford brings the notion forward in an interview with AD Tom Jurich and taking info from past conversations...

And it has to be someone who can build on the program that Charlie Strong took over from Steve Kragthorpe... and Robert Petrino, Esquire's first term at Papa John's:

Jurich can't hire a coach who will take short cuts. While Petrino built a great record in his time here, his main concern was building his resume for bigger and better things. U of L benefited from that, but once Petrino and his personal brand of coaching were gone, it suffered.

Jurich is going to have to decide whether Petrino not only is in it for a longer haul at Louisville, but whether he's going to build it for a longer haul.

Academic requirements are tougher now than they were when Petrino arrived. You can take fewer risks. But with the new conference affiliation, new doors are open and more rewards are possible.

Crawford maintains Petrino is a changed man- and a changed coach...

And he has been successful at every college stop... just don't mention the pros and his time in Atlanta where he turned tail and ran before the season was over...

He's had two bowl eligible seasons for the Hilltoppers, including an appearance in the Little Caesar's Bowl in 2012...
((HT: ESPN))


But can Jurich get past the past (so to speak) and look to a future with Petrino all over again...???

That's the question...

He's one of the three finalists for Jurich and interviewed Tuesday... according to ESPN's Mark Schlabach through his Twitter...

Western Kentucky Is Playing With Fire Hiring Bobby Petrino

Western Kentucky athletic director Todd Stewart is taking a chance with Bobby Petrino, who was introduced today as the new head coach at Western Kentucky. 

Stewart knows he’s hiring a proven winner and a coach respected by his peers but also a coach carrying heavy baggage and many napalmed bridges.

Ask Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich who did his best to make Petrino one of the highest paid coaches in college football.  Petrino constantly pledged his commitment to Louisville while secretly meeting with other schools about their job openings.

After signing a lucrative deal with Louisville during the 2006 season Jurich saw Petrino bolt for the NFL after receiving a 5 year, 24 million dollar deal with the Atlanta Falcons.

Ask Falcons owner Arthur Blank if that was a wise investment.  Petrino didn’t even stay his first season bolting for Arkansas after giving his word to Blank that “You have a head coach.” 

At least Arkansas did the next day and the Falcons were in limbo.

Finally ask Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long.  Who saw Petrino elevate the Razorback football program only to see a motorcycle accident take a, pardon the pun, a complete left turn.

It uncovered an extra marital affair with Jessica Dorrell who had been hired by Petrino as Student-Athlete Development Coordinator. 

To make a long story short Petrino never owned up to his mistakes and Long had no choice but to fire him.

Todd Stewart is now Petrino’s boss and obviously is aware of his employment history but you can’t blame him for this hire.  Willie Taggart had upgraded the Hilltopper program and became a hot commodity one South Florida landed.

Bobby Petrino was looking to rehabilitate his career, Stewart wanted to keep the momentum going with the football program.

In a way I guess the two parties needed each other but will this one end badly too.

(Thanks WHAS-TV)

Bobby Petrino Visiting Western KY...? (UPDATED: He Got Hired)

Various sources, including Kentucky Sports Radio, are saying that Robert Petrino, Esq. is visiting the Western Kentucky campus since the Hilltoppers are looking for a replacement for Willie Taggart.

Taggart moved on to South Florida after leading WKU to a bowl appearance...

Petrino would, probably, be better served being an assistant for his brother Paul at Idaho- but that's just us...

More when we know more...

1435 UPDATE: According to Chad Bishop of the Bowling Green Daily News, the job is his:

The Daily News has learned from a Western Kentucky University source that former Louisville, Arkansas and Atlanta Falcons coach Bobby Petrino will be announced as WKU's head coach at 4 p.m. today at the Jack Harbaugh Club at Houchens-Smith Stadium.

No Surprise: John L. Smith out at Arkansas

Well, this didn't take very long and really, it is almost stating the obvious, but Arkansas officially cut ties with "interim" head coach John L. Smith Saturday morning.

The move comes on the heels of the Razorbacks last game, a 20-13 loss on Friday to LSU. That loss left Arkansas a team ranked 8th in most preseason polls with a 4-8 record in 2012.

Read the University's Press Release RIGHT HERE

You'll recall Smith was a sort-of last second replacement for the disgraced Bobby Petrino who was let go much earlier in the year after a scandal involving a female member of his staff.

Smith, who is deeply in debt, was coaching at Weber State for all of 9 months when the scandal broke and bailed out on the Utah school to help out Athletic Director Jeff Long at Arkansas.

What Smith's future is in the coaching world at this point...is anybody's guess. Who will step in at Arkansas? Well, it won't be Jon Gruden despite the alleged huge contract Arkansas is rumored to have offered him. But the Razorbacks do have options. We would not be surprised to see a Sonny Dykes from La. Tech or Kliff Kingsbury, the primary assistant at Texas A&M get the opportunity here.

Chizik hires security for curfew while Gogue preps to fire him

((oanow.com))

Maybe it's true that when your house of cards begins to crumble, it comes down hard.

That is the only explanation of a report Monday night that surfaced out of Auburn. It appears that "Coach Under Fire" Gene Chizik has hired a "Private Security" firm to make sure his team sticks to curfew.

When asked he apparently said "We always do what is in the best interest of our team". And hey, maybe it is. But it sure sounds borderline paranoid. Oh, he would explain how it's being paid for either.

Read the oanow.com story RIGHT HERE

We'll also chime in here and say there is some buzz on the Interwebs that Auburn president Jay Gogue is beginning the process to look for a new coach. Nothing is concrete and attributable, but several respected reporting outlets are mentioning it on Twitter.

We believe that Chizik, right or wrong, is a goner after the season. But Gogue can't do anything until after Dec. 1st, lest he be on the hook for an extra $2.5 million.

So he won't.

But as we all know, the carousel runs very fast and if you don't start looking at it early, you may miss out on your target. That target may or may not be the man mentioned earlier today; Bobby Petrino, something we believe to be true, though disputed by Brother Jon who is better connected.

The Auburn job is a good one, but it also speaks to just how screwed up the priority system in college sports is, Chizik won a national title only two years ago and got a huge contract extension. Chizik's increasing sense of paranoia isn't helping things, it seems to be rubbing off on the team. But it also speaks to how desperate schools, particularly in the SEC are, that Auburn is willing to eat the money they are currently paying the guy.

Here's a bit of "Paranoia--self destroyer!"

Bobby Petrino's dad lobbies for Bobby to get KY Job

((ht: courier-journal.com))

So...what do you think about disgraced former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino taking over for Joker Phillips at Kentucky?

Yeah, us too.

The beginnings of the silly coaching rumor season kicked off in earnest this week when Phillips was fired after the season ends and Idaho fired their coach on the heels of a 1-8 start.

The Carousel started picking up steam this morning when the Louisville Courier-Journal published a story quoting Petrino's father, Bobby Petrino Sr as saying "I just know this, that he's interested in Kentucky. He wants to stay in the SEC. That was his life's goal was to go to the SEC."

Yeah, no duh. And it doesn't excuse his moronic behavior at Arkansas.

Read the Courier-Journal story RIGHT HERE

This all being said; Yahoo Sports reported Sunday that Kentucky isn't interested.

Yet.

Quite honestly, we believe that Petrino is interested in the job. BUT....we also believe if he holds out, he can do better.

Sure, his name is mud publicly and he threw his AD at Arkansas and for that matter his team under the bus. But we maintain (though not the entire OSG Sports team) that Petrino is going to get a look at Auburn, a much better job.

Kentucky is hardly a football gem of a job and while Petrino has ties due to his tenure at Louisville. We think, especially in light of Gene Chizik's pending firing, he'll wait, hold out and take the best opportunity available.

That opportunity may end up being Kentucky, but we don't think so.

Joker Starts The Carousel, Petrino On The Clock...???

And for those of you not regular readers...
Here's what the HQ means...


Kentucky AD Mitch Barnhart sent out an open letter to the Wildcats football supporters and sayeth today, in part, quote:

After much conversation, evaluation and prayer, I have determined that it is in the best interest of our athletics program to make a change in our football coaching staff at the conclusion of the season. I do so with a heavy heart for a man who has served his alma mater for almost 22 years as a player and a coach. Joker Phillips has carried the banner for the Blue and White with honor and pride. I have enjoyed working alongside him and am thankful for his friendship for the last decade. His concern for the entire program, his work and teaching of young people, his humanitarian work, and the friendship we all enjoy with him will long surpass the scoreboard. I want to thank him for all of those things on behalf of Kentucky.

The search for a new head coach will begin immediately and will be managed internally. I understand the challenge and significance of finding a new leader for our football program. It will be done with great concern for our student-athletes, students of the University of Kentucky, the Big Blue Nation and the citizens of the Commonwealth. Kentucky Football needs to be and will be a championship contender in the SEC.

Joker sayeth in return...thanks WLEX-TV...

We, as coaches, are measured on results. We didn't get the results we had worked and hoped for, therefore change is needed. In my current 10-year stay at Kentucky, we've had some memorable moments as an assistant, coordinator and head coach. We've had the opportunity to coach some fine young men and I am grateful to have had the privilege of watching them grow as players, as students and as people.

I am very appreciative of Mitch Barnhart and Rich Brooks for providing the opportunity to have been the head coach here. Mitch is the best athletic director I've ever been associated with. He's fair and honest and he's "all in" in terms of student-athletes' well-being. Rich is the best mentor a young coach could ever have. I learned a lot from him in terms of plowing ahead. They are dear friends. Dr. Lee Todd and Dr. Eli Capilouto have both been very supportive. I appreciate the Big Blue Nation and encourage the fans to stay behind their team going forward.

I love our players and am proud to be associated with them. I expect them to continue the behavior we have asked of them academically, socially and with football. I'm thankful for the staff's hard work, dedication, and what they have done in coaching and mentoring the players. I'd like to thank my wife and family for all their support and for being behind me 100 percent.

After the 40-0 loss to Vandy, yesterday, these pages had that Joker's time was waning- even by his own admission... so, he kinda knew...
((HT: Scott Anderson))


So, now the perfect hire would be Robert Petrino, Esq...
That's our .02 on all of this...

He'll win if you give him the reins, he won't get you in trouble, he won't like the media, and it'll be the perfect thumb-to-the-nose to Louisville...

Hey, you do the same for basketball...
Why not be a serious player in you own state...???

For You: Halloween Costume Idea of the Year

Never let it be said your friends at OSG Sports don't offer advice or recommendations to get you through the holiday season.

In this case--the holiday is Halloween and the recommendation can be seen in the photo to the right.

Who would want to dress as Bobby Petrino and Jessica Dorrell?

What better way to express your inner College Football geekiness...or to mock everyone's favorite coaching punching bag?

Okay, so maybe some of our friends in Arkansas might not find the humor in this...

But we are pretty sure most of our friends in Atlanta would.

Happy Halloween Everyone (8 days early)

Petrino's Career Rebuild: Stage One

((HT: ESPN))

Another inevitability was the attempted rebuilding of Robert Petrino, Esq. and his coaching career after the fiasco and a half that occurred at his last job at Arkansas.

Someone got to Petrino (whether it was an agent, a pee-ahr firm, or both) and reminded him that if he wanted another job that could pay him a $21-million contract, he would have to start the campaign of campaigns...

Round One was in soft-target territory- find an interviewer who would take the interview and know you could get your hyper-prepared answer out to prospective employers.

Here's the edit of Petrino and Joe Schad...


The HQ was thinking that if Petrino started back at some place like Montana (the irony didn't escape us there) or even Carroll College, his alma mater (although Coach Van might have something to say about that), he might play it smart off the top...

But for the guy who has left Louisville, Auburn, the Atlanta Falcons, and Arkansas in his wake... we really don't know if Petrino can get back to marquee-brand college football ever again...

Jeff Long's Notes Are Out...

And it appears that he's quite skeptical over the idea that former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino said that he and Jessica Dorrell "decided to be friends" in February...

Here are Long's notes, thanks to Freedom of Information Act requests and KFSM/5NewsOnline.com

Here are the personnel files of Petrino and Dorrell for good measure, thanks to our friends at KFSM again...

Chancellor G. David Gearhart says in an interview that he was surprised by all of the Petrino stuff...

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

This is a photo we couldn't resist at the OSG HQ. This photo of former Arkansas head coach Bobby Petrino graced the cover of Arkansas Times.





Yeah we know Bobby Petrino was caught with his pants down. My god this image will be burned in my mind for a while.

Report: Garrick McGee will end up back in Arkansas

((ht: footballscoop.com))

It appears the choice is somewhat inevitable. And no, we don't believe the Phil Fulmer to Arkansas rumor has any weight whatsoever.

Haha...we made a weight joke...

The coaching news report site FootballScoop.com is reporting that current UAB head coach Garrick McGee will take over the floundering Arkansas Razorback football program next week.

The move has been foreshadowed a bit when Arkansas AD Jeff Long announced he would name his new coach no later than Tuesday of next week. For what its worth, UAB's Spring Game is Saturday.

And in case you are wondering, McGee was disgraced former Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino's offensive coordinator before taking the UAB job back in December.

Read the FootballScoop.com story RIGHT HERE

For continuity sake, this probably isn't a bad hire. But we believe that Arkansas could have done better by sticking with an interim coach this year and then having the "Pick of the Litter" next season.

Sure, we know that they may not find a better coach, but consider that McGee, while highly regarded was only able to score the UAB job as opposed to some of the higher profile jobs that came available during this years carousel.

That isn't to say he won't be successful, he may. But his 1st job running a college team is going to be a "High" profile job with a team expected to challenge the SEC's elite. He may turn out to be every bit as good as Les Miles and Nick Saban and even the Chizik, but for a school yearning to be considered elite, he may or may not be the answer.

Our thoughts and prayers to the folks at UAB who look like they are going to have to find another head coach too.

Everytime the story of Bobby Petrino pops up, we think of this...from back in 2007. How short the memories...

Text Messages Released Between U of Arkansas And Petrino

It's not the juicy stuff between Petrino and Jessica Dorrell but still a good read. The University of Arkansas released text messages of conversations between U of A athletic officials and Bobby Petrino.

Among those texts are conversations between Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long and Petrino over the hiring of Dorrell.

Here's a text conversation between Long and Petrino from March 17th, 2012.

Long: "Sorry, missed this, did she accept."

Petrino: "The background check did not come through she said she wanted the job? Hopefully the offer letter is ready by Monday?

Long: Ok congrats she will do a good job no doubt."

Click on the link below to read the texts released by Arkansas.
http://ftpcontent.worldnow.com/katv/s_rnews/petrinotexts.pdf

Here's a report from KLRT-TV Little Rock, AR.

Petrino's house has been for sale and he's apparently a horndog

Yours for $2.5 million

((ht: arkansasbusiness.com))

One of the story's emerging today in the Bobby Petrino scandal fallout is that his home in Arkansas is for sale.

Arkansasbusiness.com has the story RIGHT HERE

However....

Those who made a big deal over this may be a bit presumptuous. A quick archive search from the folks at Arkansas360.com showed the house yes is on sale, but has been since 2010.

You can read that story RIGHT HERE

So you are probably asking; "Why are you reporting this?"

The answer, "Because we can".

No, it really isn't a big deal, but based on some of the headlines we saw earlier in the day, its being made out to be one.

Would you let your daughter with this man?

Now...that being said, what is an interesting part of the story is the phone record detective work done by our friends at Deadspin. And if you ever do something sleazy bad, you don't want those guys on your trail.

Some of writer Barry Petchesky's findings: Jessica Dorrell may not have been the only "Young Hottie" Petrino made moves on.

According to the records, he exchanged a ton of messages with an Alison Melder. Melder is a former bikini and lingerie model who "Was" employed with the Republican Party of Arkansas.

At least until this afternoon.

Read more from Deadspin RIGHT HERE

Yeah. We know. This is kind of gross and having met and dealt with Petrino in the past, we have no earthly idea what any woman, never mind the hotties he's now being linked with would want to do with him.

But, even though we try steering clear of the TMZ style of reporting, we feel compelled to let you know about this. It's kind of like watching a train or car wreck, you just can't turn away.

We hope...for both Petrino's sake...and ours, that he goes and crawls under the rock he came out from for awhile. As more stuff like this keeps coming out, the chances of him returning to coaching anytime in the near future get slimmer and slimmer.

And no, we are pretty sure he doesn't have the option that most fired coaches looking for work do, going to work for ESPN for a year as an analyst as an option considering his general disdain for and by most everyone in the media on all levels.

More Petrino: Losing Out On Dollars, But Gaining Texting Skills

((HT: 5NewsOnline.com))

There's a lot to be said for the words "with cause..."

It means that Bobby Petrino is out of $18-million and will get nothing...
Here's the early word from Fort Smith on that big miss...

Petrino can appeal to the Board of Regents if he so chooses...

Through a Freedom of Information act request, the cell phone records for Petrino were exhumed.

The first question the HQ has is: What would make Petrino think that, much like an arrest report, that anything involving a state employee wouldn't be accessed at all...???

But, shocking no one... here are some highlights...

On April 1st, Petrino and Jessica Dorrell talked for 16 minutes in the earlier in the day before the motorcycle crash with Dorrell aboard. Petrino also had a 22-minute conversation with Dorrell the day following the accident.

The HQ is also aware of Dorrell's cell phone number, but you can find that in other places. And the HQ is also aware of video text messages sent from one party to the other. We'd rather not visualize whch direction said video went...

More when we know more...

More Petrino Aftermath, In Animation

Arkansas fans, if you need a good laugh, this will do the trick. (Thanks NMAWorldEdition)

Petrino Out, The Day After

Yes this is a low point in the history of Arkansas Razorback football, perhaps even lower than losing to The Citidel in the 1992 opener and then the ending of the Jack Crowe era the next day.

Arkansas athletic director Jeff Long displayed raw emotion last night in front of all the TV cameras. Long hired Bobby Petrino, was willing to stick up for his coach and was let down.

Long had no choice but to fire Bobby Petrino. It seems Petrino thought he was above the program. He forgot Long was is in charge.

FOSG Tony Barnhart put Long's news conference in perspective when he tweeted, "This is the worst beat down I have ever heard of a coach by an administrator."

As Mr. CFB puts it, "Is this going to hurt? If you love Arkansas damn right it hurts. "

Here's Mark Edwards and former Hog Anthony Lewis discussing for morning television
((HT: TodaysTHV.com))