Is this some cultural thing in Alabama of which I'm unaware? Rather than admit that they are canning their coaches, Alabama programs are releasing awkward press releases claiming the coach has resigned. Completely voluntary, and out of the blue. Nothing else to see here, honestly. The problem with the scenario is that the coach is getting the full buyout as if he was fired without cause. No program will just toss extra money to a former coach when it does not have to.
Tommy Tuberville got his full buyout after his "resignation" from Auburn. Alabama's now ex-basketball coach Mark Gottfried will get $2.2 million over the next 29 months ($75,000 per month) after his resignation.
My question is simply, why? Why pretend it was a resignation when everyone knows it was a firing. It does not save face for anyone. It invites more speculation about the truth. It spawns more rumors and conspiracies and encourages the perception of a program in complete disarray and overall cluelessness.
In the case of the Alabama basketball program, it becomes more than simply that the program has been sliding the last couple years. Their best player, Ronald Steele, abruptly quit the team and contradicted an Alabama press release saying he quit because of lingering injuries, instead suggesting darkly there were other factors, despite the fact that Steele's younger brother is a freshman on the team.
Gottfried was a former player for Alabama and took over the team with a reputation as a strong recruiter. Indeed, he recruited very well. Part of the problem was that many of those highly regarded recruits often left at the first opportunity, even if there was little chance of being drafted.
While the reasons were often chalked up to the players own desires and overrating themselves, the departure of Steele changes the discussion. Now, many wonder if Gottfried -- the same guy that recruited them -- drove them away. The abrupt end to Gottfried's tenure only fuels that line of thought.
