Around the 'Shoe

Not to mention that, although a very good coach and recruiter, Hazell comes no where close to the credentials of Fickell for affection from OSU fans as a home town HS hero, player at OSU and longer tenure as assistant. I agree...poor attempt to insert race into the discussion.

Yeah I don't know where Cew31 is going with this, but I I hope it isn't about race. Now whether he accepts this or not I feel like part of helping ignorance is teaching and explaining.

Fickell is getting love because he never once complained, he was loyal to something a lot larger than himself. He's a great coach, but just not ready to be a head coach. We applaud him and thank him for holding it together when this thing couldve completely unraveled. He recruited and sold the program and university and buckeye nation and we are better because of him. He was a true LEADER and was unflappable; although at night alone the pressure was at times unbearable. I'm sure Hazzell would have got shown the same love if he was in this predicament. It's called LOYALTY what so many Americans have lost in their lives and vocabulary's. To do something not because you want to but because you need to for the sake of something larger than you. To believe in something and regardless of what cards are dealt you continue to put your boots on each morning and go our there and inspire, teach, and train. It's blind LOYALTY and I for one will always hold him in high regard!!! GO BUCKS!

You can comment on his coaching mistakes, and there were many but sometimes other intangibles (Leadership, Loyalty) supercede mistakes in the larger picture.

Forgive any grammar errors.

I dont think hes pulling the race card, but I believe he would have gotten more love from Buckeye as a coach

This has nothing to do with race whatsoever, football is about winning. I was just wondering would the fan base still make all these excuses for Hazell if he led them to the same record. Would we want him back on the new staff? I look at it this way Fickell could have took control of the offense but he let Bollman decide his fate. A person that been playing football all his life dosent have a basic offensive scheme to run, hard for me to swallow that notion. Also Fickell was well compensated for his loyalty.

^^^Well said!

On the topic of Hazell, if he was named the Interim Coach like Fickell was, I think Buckeye Nation would be behind him and would welcome him back as a position coach and assistant. They would understand the dificulties that he would have had and the realities he faced. Fickell knew he was in a tough position and placing himself in a tough position when he accepted the Interim Coach position and if Hazell would have made the same sacrifice given the chance, Buckeyes would still be behind him.

Hopefully this wasn't a crap excuse to try to make it a race issue.

Exactly. What Luke did in 2011 went beyond a few uncalled TOs, record, etc...

He stabilized a program that was in free fall.

Beating Wisconsin on National TV, being up on Nebraska 27-6 on National TV, and staying with Michigan until the last minute on National TV showed the nation that OSU football was still relevant.

He could not focus solely on coaching as he had to deal with NCAA distractions, player suspensions, Urban Meyer distractions, etc... He did the best he could, and helped put OSU in a better position now for Meyer than it was in 6 months ago.

A program can more easily overcome 6-6 records with close losses to bowl eligible opponents that occur on the field than the off the field issues that were the focus in May.