Coaches Should Finish What They Start

Brian Kelly's exit from the University of Cincinnati reveals as much about the flawed B.C.S. system as it does about the character of Kelly. What is revealed to me is that there are two sides to this coin. Kelly is leaving Cinci because the current system of determining a national champion gives schools like Cincinnati and others no real chance at winning it all. Kelly to his credit put together a great team and a great season. He must realize that if going undefeated didn't get him there this year it probably won't next year . And besides, undefeated seasons don't exactly grow on trees. Kelly like any other major college coach dreams of winning the big one, and why shouldn't he? Obviously he felt that leaving his current team behind was the only way to do that. But what about the team he has left behind? In my opinion they deserve better. What we have here is a group of young men who have worked hard all year long only to go into the biggest game of their lives with NO head coach. A few of the Bearcat players were open about their disappointment this past week and I can sympathize with them. This was Cincinnati's chance to show the country that the so called "non B.C.S. " schools could hang with the big boys. A victory over the Florida Gators would prove once and for all that schools like Cinci, T.C.U. , Boise St. and others should no longer be considered unfit to wear the national title. This was no longer just about the Bearcats playing the biggest game in school history, this was a chance to change the way we looked at college football altogether. Now they go into the game with too much distraction and not enough coaches.

Sports, we are told, helps prepare kids for life by teaching them valuable lessons along the way. Qualities like dedication, perserverance, unselfishness, loyalty, and commitment are instilled in our kids as they practice and play their sports. Brian Kelly's decision to leave shows none of those qualities. Kelly will tell you he is the victim of an unfair system and he is not entirely incorrect, but I am siding with the athletes on this one. The N.C.A.A. ought to mandate coaches to finish their schedules before jumping ship. After all that's their job isn't it - to protect the student-athlete. If Notre Dame wants Kelly badly enough they can wait a few more weeks to hire him. If the N.C.A.A. forced coaches to finish their seasons out N.D. would have no other choice. Even a regular Joe like me is required to give a two weeks notice before quitting a job. College coaches leaving in the blink of an eye doesn't seem right to me. Correct me if I'm wrong.