>Finally, there is nothing wrong with Smith listening to offers. The fact that >he might be doing so does not mean he doesn't care about the program. Most >of us with jobs in the real world wouldn't think twice of listening to offers >of better jobs, and we wouldn't consider ourselves to not care about our >current jobs. If a job comes along that is better than our current job, then >in many cases we take it. ... I can't comment on whether Smith should be listening to offers as I don't know his situation, but I'd like to think that the rest of the points in the paragraph should not be thought of as strictly true, but true only under some circumstances! I don't think a coach should "accept" a position and then go elsewhere after one year. "In the real world", many will not think highly of you if you take a "better job" a few times after 6 or 12 month stays. Maine has had some coaching woes due to this attitude, most recently in football and women's basketball. We've had 4 football coaches in the past (I think) 5 years. Some of this Maine expects. We've always been a training ground for coaches, radio and TV personalities. This (4 coaches) was a bit much to take. Our current women's basketball coach was looking around a few weeks ago. She did not get one job and thought she would not get another (I suspect); when the search committee took a long time, she withdrew her name and in a tear-filled few days professed her loyalty to the school and players. A few days later she received a 3 year contract extension. A few days later she was in San Diego interviewing for another job. She mostly avoided the press after that, but did emphasize that she did not call them (San Diego/Long Beach), they called her. Big deal. When someone from Orono vacations in Kansas City, they don't usually fly there via San Diego :-) Now I don't mean to say that there aren't other factors that come into play. In each case there are individual circumstances. I find the Maine top athletic administration to appear to be spending more time garnishing their resumes than doing things to make the lives of coaches and athletes better, than understanding the tradition and values of Mainers, and providing service to the people of the state. I'm prejudiced (against them). They know big-time athletics. They don't know how to treat people. They know how to raise money. They don't know what Mainiacs consider important. I am flabbergasted that Shawn Walsh has turned down offers in order to put up with the top athletic department actions for another year (that I hear about only 2nd and third hand). Sorry, that's too much dirty laundry. Also, please don't consider this to be *any* sort of indictment of Coach Walsh! Shawn knows how to treat people. He is honest, forthright and *very* good at his entire job.