Obviously the immediate answer people will say is yes. However lets seriously think about this for a minute. I know I don't think he is completely wrong for lying. If a coach is going to leave, then there really is no right way to do it.

 

It is said that he told his team the week of the Pittsburgh game he was not going to leave. Would you have really wanted him to answer that question honestly and say yeah guys I probably am going to go to Notre Dame if they hire me, but just don't think about that and go out there and play hard for me this week still. I mean that Pitt game was going to be the BIGGEST GAME OF THEIR LIVES up until that point. Remember at that point they were still playing for a chance to play for a National Championship. So to answer that honestly then would cause even more distraction for his players, before they play that biggest game of their lives. By flat out telling them that he was not going anywhere, probably at least in their minds took away that distraction.

 

So considering all that, was Kelly really wrong in lying to his players? Or would you have rather him been truthful with them and tell them right before their biggest game of their lives that he probably was going to leave? There really is no right way to handle that situation IMO.

It's just how it is these days. Players flip-flop by saying their staying for another year of college and get the coach and fans excited but jet off to the big leagues and coaches go and do the same thing. The players need to get over it.

 

:thumb:

You can find my thoughts in Post #18 of this thread...

 

http://www.bluegrasspreps.com/showthread.php?t=195652

He could have came clean after the Pitt game. Instead did the opposite and said how much he loved Cincinnati.

I don't know all the details...I don't have a problem with how Kelly handled a lot of the media stuff over the last week or two.

 

What happened behind closed doors or privately with the team is unknown to me...

Put yourself in his shoes and tell me what you would do. I know I would be gone. This is a dream of his and a chance of a life time. Can't fault a person with chasing their dream. He owes nothing to UC! I'm not even sure if UC matched or beat ND contract that he would of stayed. Yeah the way he left sucked but that needs to be blamed on the NCAA. They need to push back recruiting a month so these coaches can finish out the year with their teams.

Am I upset that he told his players he was staying during the week of the Pitt game even though he already knew at that point it was very likely he was out the door? Not at all.

 

Am I furious that he continued (and kept at it today in his ND presser) to say he handled the situation with honesty and integrity every step of the way all the while lying and deflecting at every turn? I sure as hell am.

 

Am I ticked off that a guy who begged and begged for the local media to pay attention to him from the day he got here left those kids high and dry last night after he broke their hearts seconds earlier and then unleashed them to the cameras while he snuck out the back door? Take a guess.

 

Am I less than pleased he told the ABC crew 4 days before the Pitt game to run with him being interested in ND at the end of the game and then blew up in the press conference when confronted with the question? You got it.

 

Bottom line for me. If you are going to put yourself out there as taking the high road, and handling the situation with honesty and integrity, don't be surprised when the backlash hits after it turns out the only honesty and integrity you displayed happened only when it was convenient to you and your cause.

 

For the record his first contact with ND was shortly after the Navy loss on November 7th...

SEABASS, I have to agree with you here on this one. He was in a bad situation and no matter what he did he would be the blame and a real

bad guy now. I only wish him luck and he did a tremedous job here in Cincy. GO IRISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:thumb:

Am I upset that he told his players he was staying during the week of the Pitt game even though he already knew at that point it was very likely he was out the door? Not at all.

 

Am I furious that he continued (and kept at it today in his ND presser) to say he handled the situation with honesty and integrity every step of the way all the while lying and deflecting at every turn? I sure as hell am.

 

Am I ticked off that a guy who begged and begged for the local media to pay attention to him from the day he got here left those kids high and dry last night after he broke their hearts seconds earlier and then unleashed them to the cameras while he snuck out the back door? Take a guess.

 

Am you less than pleased he told the ABC crew 4 days before the Pitt game to run with him being interested in ND at the end of the game and then blew up in the press conference when confronted with the question? You got it.

 

Bottom line for me. If you are going to put yourself out there as taking the high road, and handling the situation with honesty and integrity, don't be surprised when the backlash hits after it turns out the only honesty and integrity you displayed happened only when it was convenient to you and your cause.

 

For the record his first contact with ND was shortly after the Navy loss on November 7th...

 

:thumb:

Put yourself in his shoes and tell me what you would do. I know I would be gone. This is a dream of his and a chance of a life time. Can't fault a person with chasing their dream. He owes nothing to UC! I'm not even sure if UC matched or beat ND contract that he would of stayed. Yeah the way he left sucked but that needs to be blamed on the NCAA. They need to push back recruiting a month so these coaches can finish out the year with their teams.

 

I think the problem is not that he left, it's how he handled the situation and his leaving.

If it was his dream job, it doesn't surprise me that he started manuevering himself for the position so early. How he handled the players before the Pitt game, I don't have a problem with that. The focus was on the game. How he handled things after the banquet was disappointing.

 

Sort of like it was good while it lasted there honey, but now its over.

SEABASS, I have to agree with you here on this one. He was in a bad situation and no matter what he did he would be the blame and a real

bad guy now. I only wish him luck and he did a tremedous job here in Cincy. GO IRISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:thumb:

 

He knew he was not going to be allowed to coach the bowl game. If it was me I would have came out right after the Pitt game. His duty to UC was completed at that time.

Anything that he did would not have suited everyone. Might as well get over it and move on. The Bearcats have a game to play, the next thing will be if they lose to FL and saying well if BK hadn't done us this way we would have won. :deadhorse:

Am I upset that he told his players he was staying during the week of the Pitt game even though he already knew at that point it was very likely he was out the door? Not at all.

 

Am I furious that he continued (and kept at it today in his ND presser) to say he handled the situation with honesty and integrity every step of the way all the while lying and deflecting at every turn? I sure as hell am.

 

Am I ticked off that a guy who begged and begged for the local media to pay attention to him from the day he got here left those kids high and dry last night after he broke their hearts seconds earlier and then unleashed them to the cameras while he snuck out the back door? Take a guess.

 

Am I less than pleased he told the ABC crew 4 days before the Pitt game to run with him being interested in ND at the end of the game and then blew up in the press conference when confronted with the question? You got it.

 

Bottom line for me. If you are going to put yourself out there as taking the high road, and handling the situation with honesty and integrity, don't be surprised when the backlash hits after it turns out the only honesty and integrity you displayed happened only when it was convenient to you and your cause.

 

For the record his first contact with ND was shortly after the Navy loss on November 7th...

 

I do agree that I think shortly after the Pitt game like within the next two days after the game. He should have told them the truth that he probably would take the job if offered. He definitely knew he would take the job if offered, so he should have told them sometime shortly after that Pitt game.

 

You obviously know more than most people do, so from what you said I definitely see why your upset. It just seems like most people though are more mad about him lying to the players before the Pitt game. Which I don't think people should be upset about that, because he probably did what was best for the players at that time by lying.

The thing about all of this is that Kelly would not have really lied at all to his players, if Texas misses that kick. If Texas would have missed that field goal, I don't think there is any chance BK would have left then since UC would have been in the title game.

 

GT if UC would have made the title game, do you think he probably would have ended up staying at UC for a long time then? Or do you think he still would have eventually left within the next few years?