...doesn't often allow the media access to his assistants.
Meanwhile in Mobile, Vigor coach Kerry Stevenson was not amused, telling Press-Register columnist Mike Herndon that Koenning "better not come back on this campus."
This is, of course, in response to the brouhaha over Koenning's comments concerning BJ Scott and Julio Jones and their supposed Escalades. I'm willing to take Koenning's word that he was just joking around and didn't mean any harm, but you have to look at the damage done from a few completely foolish comments made in front of the media, which, WTF dude? There is no such thing as "j/k!" or "off the record" with these guys, and you know who knows that? Nick Saban, who has learned a few hard lessons on that front (coonass comments what!) himself and who also knows you can't control what other people say or do so it's best to just simply not put them in a position to embarass you, themselves or the program. And that's what Koenning did, so now his boss is taking heat for it and also has the added burden of mending bridges with a prominent football coach at a powerhouse program in a talent rich part of a state that he makes a recruiting priority. By allowing the media access to his DC, Bowden allowed them to get buddy buddy with him, enough so that he would let his guard down around them and give them some good quotes, and when they get a juicy one that's going to embarass the program, they have no qualms about running with it, because they aren't there to serve the program like the assistant coaches are, they are there to serve their employers and themselves by generating interest in their work, bottom line, and they are not to be trusted. So take a page from the Saban Guide to Media Access and keep your assistants away from the media. If you look like a tyrant, so be it, but at least you aren't taking heat and fixing problems stemming from the actions of others.
| ...sorry 'bout the things that I had to say... |