Sport’s Blog

There’s been a lot of hate for college football coaches lately. Bobby Petrino - recently hired by Arkansas after less than a season with the Atlanta Falcons - has been crucified in the media for abandoning his struggling team. With the extenuating circumstances of Petrino’s situation, his actions are completely justified.

Hollywood offers a relevant comparison to the coach’s recent plights.

In an episode from the third season of Entourage, Vince sleeps with a girl who ends up being engaged. She explains to him that this is ok because he was on her “list.” The list included celebrities that her and her fiancé agreed the other could sleep with should the opportunity ever present itself. The logic behind the list is that the possibility of ever meeting - let alone interacting - with the stars are so minute that it is harmless. Plus, harboring the possibility of at least being allowed to sleep with the most beautiful people on the planet is helpful to any relationship.

Such lists are referred to often on TV. Friends and King of Queens are two examples off the top of my head that have referenced them in past episodes. Whether they hold any water in a real relationship or divorce court is a topic for another day, but back to Petrino.

College football coaches have clauses similar to the list in their contracts. Urban Meyer is allowed out of his contract should he ever be offered a head coaching job at Michigan or Notre Dame. Lou Holtz had a Notre Dame clause when he coached at Minnesota back in the day.

Although Petrino had no such clause in his Louisville contract, my theory is that to himself he said, “I’m never leaving college football, unless I have an opportunity to coach the best athlete to ever play the game.” Those who argue Michael Vick is not exactly this, please refer to youtube, key words Vick highlights.

That opportunity actually arose when the Falcons came calling, so in his head he justified jumping ship from Louisville. Michael Vick was on his list.

When Vick turned out to be a dog killer, the once in a lifetime, “I’ll only leave college football if” scenario turned into him inheriting a Joey Harrington led squad. He signed a contract under the impression that his team would be led by a guy know as the “human highlight reel” and ended up with a QB who has never even been on one.

The parallel to this with celebrity sex lists would be if someone put Jodi Foster on their list after seeing the trailer for Catchfire, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096875/trailers-screenplay-E12373-310, had a date with her scheduled for December 5 of this year, then watched in horror as she addressed the audience at the Women in Entertainment Power 100 breakfast, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udVcJSwiWfE.

So don’t hate on Bobby Petrino. The job he agreed to do under the conditions which he agreed to do it had completely shifted before the season even began. When he saw an opportunity to get back where he felt comfortable, he took it. And don’t for a second think that anyone of those players wouldn’t have jumped ship if an opportunity to get traded to a contender arose.