College Football: Mike Haywood Out At Pitt, Chancellor Releases Statement

Mike Haywood won't get the chance to leave his mark on the Pitt Panthers football program. After his untimely and ill-advised arrest on domestic violence charges, the former MAC Coach of the Year has been relieved of his head coaching position at the University of Pittsburgh.

Chancellor Mark Nordenberg released the following statement:

"After careful consideration of recent events, the University of Pittsburgh has dismissed Michael Haywood as its head football coach, effective immediately. He was advised of that action this afternoon.

To be clear, the University’s decision is not tied to any expectation with respect to the terms on which the legal proceeding now pending in Indiana might ultimately be concluded. Instead, it reflects a strong belief that moving forward with Mr. Haywood as our head coach is not possible under the existing circumstances.

This is a matter of real regret for the many people at Pitt who had looked forward to working with him. However, head coaches are among the University’s most visible representatives and are expected to maintain high standards of personal conduct and to avoid situations that might reflect negatively on the University.

We will immediately re-open our search for a head football coach, expanding the process to include a larger pool of candidates. Our goal is to move swiftly, but prudently, to find the right person to successfully lead the Pitt football program for what we hope will be an extended period of time."

Haywood has been released from jail on bond.

Related articles

• Mike Haywood Arrested For Domestic Violence In South Bend (sbnation.com)

Joe Montana to Daniel Ruettiger: You Really Weren't That Special, Dude

Joe Montana, the current NFL Hall of Famer, and former Notre Dame great, has decided to take a gigantic crap on one of the most storied tales in college football lore: the story of Daniel 'Rudy' Ruettiger.


We all recall the movie, right? The one where the undersized, moderately talented, blue-collar kid from Indiana works his tail off to fulfill his lifelong dream of playing for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The movie, Rudy, etched this story into the mindset of just about every college football fan in America because of the message the movie promoted: if you work hard enough, sometimes dreams really do come true. The most lasting image from the film was that of the entire Notre Dame football team carrying Rudy off the field—the act brought tears to the eyes (admit it, you cried a little, too).


Well, now the great Joe Montana is saying: Not so fast, my friend.

According to Montana, no one was chanting the diminutive players name, and that whole "carrying him off the field" thing, that really wasn't as heartfelt an act as it appeared—the team was just "playing around"said Montana.


After reading this story, the one question that comes to mind is this: why is Montana trying to corrupt the treasured memory of a beloved Notre Dame football player—one he, admittedly, played alongside? Surely he realizes that this won't fare well with some of his fellow teammates or Irish alum who consider the story of Rudy to be an inspiration—one likened, in some respects, to that of George Gip (the tragic figure behind Knute Rockne's famed "win one for the Gipper..." speech).

Gip also was immortalized on film by the late  Ronald Reagan (yes, that Ronald Reagan) in Knute Rockne: All American (1940):




But back to Joe, why is he so salty?

I mean, honestly, those of us who could care less about the validity of the "Rudy" story don't see the point of tearing down the message—just because you can. It seems a little bitter and ill-timed by Montana. Perhaps he's mad that the story of Rudy has usurped the story of Joe?...Just saying.


Did the crowd chant, Rudy! Rudy! Rudy!...not likely, but, who cares? (see video of actual sack by Ruettiger, against Georgia Tech, below):





Joe needs to just do what he does best these days: pitch sneakers and weight-loss products; don't turn into the bitter, old, washed-up, football player—that's not a good look.


Shape up, Joe.

Ohio State vs Michigan: Does The Big Ten Realignment Tarnish Their Rivalry?

The Big Ten announced its new alignment following the addition of the Nebraska Cornhuskers in 2011, and Michigan and Ohio State will be placed in seperate divisions. Will that make the annual season-ending battle against these two traditional powers less interesting?

Honestly, the one thing that made this match-up so crucial was the fact that it meant something—a trip to the Rose Bowl in many cases. Now, the Big Ten will not only maintain the rivalry in-season, but offer it the possibility of happening twice in one season via the conference championship game.

How is this a good thing?

Granted, right now, Michigan doesn't seem to pose any threat of giving Ohio State a run for its money— this year or the next. But, the Wolverines will not be down forever, they will eventually get rid of the stain that is Rich Rodriguez and this rivalry will return to its former glory. When that happens, how much juice will it have if neither team is playing for anything of importance—nationally?

It hurts both Michigan and Ohio State on a national level because no one outside of those who reside in Columbus or Ann Arbor will be able to get excited to see the two teams play—especially if they feel it will happen more than once.  It will cease to be must-see tv for a large segment of college football fans who love not only the rivalry itself, but what it stood for.

Here is what ESPN's Andy Katz had to say about the realignment:



Beyond this, though, the real losers are the Big Ten basketball fans—wow. 

This alignment essentially gives Michigan State a red carpet to March Madness every year while giving the finger to the fans of Penn State, Illinois, Purdue, and Indiana. No doubt the fans of those programs are staging a silent protest as we speak—just another reminder that college football rules the checkbook.