Are D.J Durkins days numbered?
August 16th, 2018 at 5:42 PM ^
All of our days are numbered and doomed to a pit of existential despair with the only relief being eternal emptiness.
Eat Arby's
August 16th, 2018 at 9:05 AM ^
He gone. And as it should be, will most likely never be a head coach at any level of football again.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:06 AM ^
yes maybe no
August 16th, 2018 at 9:06 AM ^
Technically they are for all of us.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:18 AM ^
“Andre Dawson has a bruised knee and is listed as day-to-day. . . . Aren’t we all?” Vin Scully
August 16th, 2018 at 9:08 AM ^
I don't think a family who is obviously distraught over their son should have much say over a man's future.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:11 AM ^
If that man's actions and/or negligence directly lead to their son's death? They should have a majority of the say.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:17 AM ^
Some type of impartial body should have a say over his immediate future. This family should have no say whatsoever, because they are biased.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:29 AM ^
You have some real bad takes on here.
This is the worst.
August 16th, 2018 at 10:02 AM ^
As was pointed out above, assuming they sue they could say $X if you fire Durkin or $Y if you don't. If they feel strongly enough about it and make the "fire Durkin discount" large enough, they could very well force the issue.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:39 AM ^
That may be true, but this isn't one of them.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:41 AM ^
No. He is right. That’s why we have juries in this country and not distraught family members handing out death penalties for everything. They can’t be expected to judge evidence with impartiality.
August 16th, 2018 at 10:51 AM ^
I understand the argument for a civil Justice system, but let's face it, if it weren't for mob mentality then Barabas would have been crucified and Jesus would have never died for our sins. So maybe that's the angle that Cockles is going for? Otherwise I have no freaking clue what he's talking about.
August 16th, 2018 at 12:05 PM ^
Jesus died for somebody's sins... But not mine.
August 16th, 2018 at 4:05 PM ^
Probably his own sins, just like the rest of us.
August 17th, 2018 at 10:03 PM ^
If what you say is true why do you believe in Sin? Rhetorically speaking some people will say anything until the real outcome is revealed. Donkeys have opinions and they can’t talk.
August 17th, 2018 at 10:03 PM ^
If what you say is true why do you believe in Sin? Rhetorically speaking some people will say anything until the real outcome is revealed. Donkeys have opinions and they can’t talk.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:46 AM ^
Well the consensus here seems to indicate the opposite.
August 16th, 2018 at 10:07 AM ^
No it's not, what he's describing is the difference between justice and vengeance.
August 16th, 2018 at 10:48 AM ^
You think due process and the legal system is a bad take?
Ooof.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:34 AM ^
True. All of the facts need to come out in a fair, unbiased and non-emotional manner. Our society is too eager to get hysterical and hang people without evaluating things impartially. Fairness and due process used to be the American way and it needs to be once again.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:44 AM ^
I agree due process should be the standard and norm. However, that process has been subverted by people arguing technicalities and purposely misrepresenting their version of facts.
Instead of going backwards, why don't we evolve to an expectation of basic human decency, telling the truth and accepting the consequences of our actions.
A student athlete should never die as a result of team induced requirements. There will always be those rare situations where we find out a student athlete had an undiagnosed heart condition etc. But that is not what killed McNair. That was purposeful neglect by the athletic trainer and medical staff who work at the discretion of the head coach. It is the head coach's job to make sure their people are taking care of the student athletes. Durkin needs to go as well as anyone else whose responsibility was the welfare of that kid that day.
August 16th, 2018 at 10:45 AM ^
Ultimately though, the decisions on Durkin and his coaches will come down to a judgment call. And there may not be a lot of objective facts that make that judgment clear cut. Public sentiment influenced by emotion probably will play a role. Ultimately the decision will be about what's best for the school, not what is fairest to Durkin.
The second investigation is going to be centered on the culture of the program. Ordering the training staff to ignore player safety would be a fireable offense. Everything else will be a question of whether things were pushed too far, did that lead to a disregard for safety, was there inappropriate treatment of players, etc?
The head trainer was said to have gotten much harsher towards the players under Durkin. The head S&C coach was given a fairly generous settlement and we haven't heard anything negative about him regarding his previous stop. Just taking a stab at reading the tea leaves, this is trending badly for Durkin.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:34 AM ^
You mean like, for instance, a four person panel? And you could possibly have people on this panel who are say, I don't know, two former judges for the State of Maryland, a lawyer who has tried multiple sports related cases and a former head football coach/athletic director?
That's a great idea!
August 16th, 2018 at 12:18 PM ^
I disagree. This happened in June and they are just now "looking into it"? Nothing happened until it was finally leaked out and the outrage happened. If MD was doing it top notch, Durkin and co would have been suspended before July started. This is a reaction to outrage when doing CYA for the coach was no longer possible
August 16th, 2018 at 9:29 AM ^
IF they did however I thought only S&C coaches were allowed to work with athletes before camp started. Maybe Durkin had a hand in that. Maybe they don't like him because he swears and belittles his players. I am not sure the latter is unique in college football.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:50 AM ^
Umm would you let a murder victim's family decide what to do with an accused killer? There's a reason we try alleged crimes in front of a judge and jury.
Anything else is asking for lynchings.
August 16th, 2018 at 10:07 AM ^
I think this conflates the argument. They can't (and shouldn't) be able to dictate what legal punishment the government might impose for breaking the law. But, they very well could influence the "business" decision of whether to keep Durkin or what his contractual "punishment" might be.
August 16th, 2018 at 10:17 AM ^
This is what I was trying to say. Thank you.
August 16th, 2018 at 11:11 AM ^
In that light it's interesting to compare this with the Rashidi Weaver death at NU in 2001. His mother pursued legal action, demanded an apology and wanted Coach Randy Walker fired. It didn't happen, although she won a settlement, she was characterized as dangerous and deranged.
While Weaver's condition was complicated by the fact he had asthma, there were lots of problems with how NU handled the situation leading up to that. Despite winning a settlement, the family had little effect on Walker's career.
August 16th, 2018 at 11:43 AM ^
I think there is a slight, but important distinction that needs to be made in your comment. You don't "win" a settlement, you agree to a settlement.
Maybe NU wouldn't go there, maybe the cost to the mother to have Walker fired was too high, maybe "fire Walker" was an emotional reaction that ended up not meaning that much to the mom or maybe it was just posturing.
But, the settlement had little effect on Walker's career because the mother agreed to a settlement that didn't require an effect on Walker's career.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:14 AM ^
What?
August 16th, 2018 at 9:17 AM ^
I think what he’s trying to say is that their judgement is clouded by pain and may not know all of the necessary facts to make the decision. Not that their feelings or pain should be dismissed.
August 16th, 2018 at 10:31 AM ^
i get your point but the son died on that man's watch. of course the family doesn't get to decide if some school hires him as a coach again, but it's totally acceptable for the family to make an agreement with durkin not to sue him, or to sue him for less, if he agrees not to coach. would be durkin's choice whether to agree.
August 16th, 2018 at 11:50 AM ^
Are you serious? Did you read the details? All those involved are done coaching football and fucking should be.
August 16th, 2018 at 12:10 PM ^
This may be the single most ridiculous comment I've seen in a while.
This man oversaw a program that killed their son.
They deserve all the say in the world.
August 16th, 2018 at 5:12 PM ^
They deserve to have their voices heard and I don't at all mind them trying to make a case for Durkin and Co. to be fired, but the McNair family should not be the ones to pass the final judgment. If you live by that principle, you really ought to just throw the legal system out the window and let this country be run by mob justice and personal acts of vengeance.
There is a reason we have a judge and jury for criminal proceedings.
August 16th, 2018 at 12:39 PM ^
I was about to say you're nuts, but in thinking about it for a few more minutes and reading some other posts I'm glad I didn't.
Durkin should not walk away from this unscathed, and he probably should be fired. But that's not for the McNair family to decide. If it was, you might as well throw away the whole justice system and and enact a real-life Purge where everyone gets to dish out their own forms of justice. The McNairs are not going to look at any facts rationally. All they're going to say is "my son is dead, let 'em hang." Not that I'd blame them in the slightest, but that's not how our legal system works. If it does get to this point, everyone deserves their day in court.
I will say, though, that if this does go to court for any kind of criminal investigation, the McNair family should have the right to face the defendants, whether that's Durkin, the S&C coach, whoever, and say whatever they need to say.
I hope they get justice. But they shouldn't be the ones to decide what that justice is.
August 16th, 2018 at 12:51 PM ^
Given the details that have emerged, Durkin should never, ever be allowed to coach anywhere again. There's a big thick line between motivating people to be their best and fucking sadism. Durkin is a sadist, and he enabled another sadist, that strength coach. You don't get the best of anyone by endangering their health as punishment for some bullshit infraction.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:09 AM ^
Yes.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:11 AM ^
How can it not be?
August 16th, 2018 at 11:17 AM ^
I mean, Brian Kelley was responsible for a student's death (maybe 2 depending on how you classify the rape victim's suicide) and he's still got a job.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:13 AM ^
Answering the question in the title: yes.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:16 AM ^
Yes probably. Which is kind of sad because DJ isn’t necessarily the only guy who is “tough” or “extreme” as a D1 football coach. He did not , however follow protocols and pushed too far on a kid that was showing signs of extreme heat exhaustion.
The media will make an example of him and he’ll be lucky to every be a head coach again.
I’m guessing DJ has done way more good things in his life than bad and has been a positive influence on way more kids than he has negative. Unfortunately someone’s kid died and they will never ever see him again because of some really dumb shit that happens on the gridiron all the time
Sadly, nobody wins in this situation.
August 16th, 2018 at 9:36 AM ^
Durkin was not there on the day that the kid died of heat exhaustion.
August 16th, 2018 at 10:11 AM ^
But the people who he hired to do their jobs correctly and take care of players best interest were there though, right?
August 16th, 2018 at 10:14 AM ^
Not being there on the particular day only absolves him of blame if for some reason the S&C coach acted completely out of character on that particular day. Assuming that is not true, Durkin hired the S&C coach, he is responsible for him. Especially if it is an established behavioral pattern. If Durkin observed or should have observed such behavior and did not stop it, or worse, if Durkin promoted a culture that allowed or even encouraged that behavior, then he is in deep.
August 16th, 2018 at 10:46 AM ^
This train of though is interesting in determining the degrees of separation for the responsibilities. Who's watch did he die on? The S&C coach, DJ's, The AD or the President of the university? That is the chain of command as I know it. That's why you have an impartial (or as much of one as you can) investigate these cases. Exactly what happened and how it was handled is the key to who is ultimately responsible, IMO
August 16th, 2018 at 11:16 AM ^
The interesting scenario that I see coming is that DJ will be let go because someone he hired error in judgement. Yet Meyer is most likely going to be reinstated because the guy he hired errored in judgement yet no one died. So only death can bring about termination?
FYI - My opinion is ALL of the should be terminated (DJ, Meyer, Smith, and the S&C coach). They exhibited poor judgement and character that endangers other people and at some point there needs to be a level accountability.