Original Writings

Sports Commentary

Evacuate La BM

First of all, lose the suit!

 Why is La BM (John Mackovic) a Wildcat? Who thought hiring him to coach UA football was a good idea? What were the stiff's credentials? Why does the University of Arizona, a laid back, semi-academically respectable, desert institution with a proud sports tradition, suddenly have a pedantic, befuddled, blowhard, throwback coach in a black business suit striding up and down the sidelines with the frightened look of an accountant who has been inexplicably dropped off without his briefcase in the heart of Kabul?

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Ed's Note - Since the above story broke on the Goliard on November 1, 41 of John Mackovic's players have gone en masse to the office of the University president to discuss their disappointment with his coaching style and object to his unpleasant personality. La BM then called a press conference where he tearfully asked forgiveness and promised to change his ways. The situation garnered the lead story on the national sports news giving the UA football program more negative publicity and all but putting a lock down on future recruiting under the Mackovic regime. But instead of firing La BM and starting anew, athletic director Jim Livengood chose to stand by his coach despite the national embarrassment the situation is creating.

The Goliard disapproves of this move of course and would ask the UA to reconsider. The damage is done. La BM had two years to prove that the game hadn't passed him by and that he wasn't some sort of ridiculously hard nosed, throwback idiot with no idea how to communicate with today's athlete. He preached an outdated philosophy and alienated a team and community that were eager to see him succeed. Whether some of this is the fault of said athlete or community is irrelevant since those are the people you need to have believe in you and communicate with if you want to achieve anything. After watching "The Season" on ESPN, in which La BM allowed cameras to follow him and his team everywhere, we found ourselves saying "If I was a parent watching that with my son who was trying to decide where to attend college, I wouldn't let him go anywhere near Arizona. That guy is a Bobby Knight scale ass but without any upside to go with it." I guess we aren't the only ones who think so. Success in football, like all team sports, is based on members of the team having faith in the people around them. This starts with the players, coaches, and trainers but extends to the students, teachers, and everyone else on campus and in the community. By being an arrogant jerk, Mackovic has now lost the faith of all those groups. It's time for him to go.

Readers comments on the subject

La Ella Caliente!

"La noche del Viernes pasado, cuando yo estaba escribiendo mi articulo para el Goliardo, mi chico y toreador de amor "El Toro" empezó a estirarse. Cuando levantó sus brazos sobre de la cabeza, se cayó al suelo. El Toro se cayó porque se dislocó el hombro y él tenía mucho dolor. Por más de diez minutos, nosotros no podíamos devolver el brazo al zócalo del brazo. ¡Fue horrible!  Por fin, El Toro se acostó en la cama, puso sus brazos sobre de la cabeza y se dio una vuelta muchas veces. Yo no pude mirarlo pero él tuvo éxito. Para mí, fue la primera vez, pero El Toro había sufrido de esto muchas veces. Es porque, hace diez años, se hirió su hombro en un partido del "Bullfighting" y no tuvo la operación necesaria. ¡No esperé esta emoción cuando yo empecé mi articulo de El Goliardo!"

                                 Quien es La Ella Caliente

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