Still not wavering...
Look, the first real media outlet (Memphis TV) broke some stuff last night that no one expected, and strategically, after the local guys had gone to bed and couldn't squash it. That forced the issue beyond what had to this point only been an easily dismissed "internet rumor" and into a full-fledged story. Then it hits ESPN, and profootballtalk, etc., and now, you have to deal with it - you're officially on the clock, so to speak, and the demands to either kill or confirm it become too great to ignore.
And so what happens today? Well, first thing this morning, Gruden faces his first question about it, and not surprisingly, in the friendliest confines of an ESPN broadcast and with their two most softball on-air personalities. Think about that for a second. Name another program where Gruden could say what he said, and then tell the hosts to move on, and they immediately do so, allowing any number of other / additional questions not only to go unanswered, but even unasked. Hell, Dearstone would have hit him with a more pressing follow-up than they did.
But what did he dispute, exactly? Of any interest, desire or possibility that he may be (or is) Tennessee's next coach? No, he only refutes that particularly story (read the transcript for yourselves), cites the fact that he should tell is wife and kids (who is going to verify his account, with them?) and then quickly moves on.
Despite some early hand-wringing, what did his comments really extinguish? Absolutely nothing. In fact, they probably only further fueled the fire, not for what he said, but what he didn't say. While a simple, "I am not interested nor will be coaching at Tennessee" would have put this whole mess to bed.....if only that were true (it's not), and so failing that, he actually gave the rumors some credence, however unintentionally.
This becomes more and more obvious as the day goes along.
Tennessee, looking to do its part to help quell the situation, exercises the nuclear option and goes to Hyams and Hubbs - two of the most influential foot soldiers they have, covering both radio and internet (guess where 99.9% of sports people get their news.....radio and internet), and leak a story about a meeting that was supposed to happen, but which Gruden "cancelled". First, I'll ask this: Which side would benefit from having leaked this information, as it puts both Hart and Gruden in incredibly difficult positions in the court of public opinion? Well, neither of them benefit from it.....but if doing so will suffice to quell the now nearly out-of-control rumors (it seems to have done that, rather effectively, hasn't it?), even at the expense of taking this lesser, more immediate and short-range PR hit, then strategically, it's well worth it. Simply, one could argue that this leaked story is only "proof" of the lengths that they are willing to go in order to keep this bottled up, than to allow it to boil over.
And that's exactly what I think that they have chosen to do here - stop the rumors before they become too rampant, and force anyone to either confirm - or deny - anything, before they are prepared to do so. But like Gruden's comments from earlier today, don't focus on what is said, but is not......neither side has yet to say that they have no interest in one another, that there isn't a perfectly logical explanation for why they didn't meet, that a meeting was held earlier or will be rescheduled for later, or any number of things. They've simply put out what is a rather innocuous occurrence - a meeting was "cancelled", for whatever reason - and trusted that we will do what we do best - presuppose the worst possible scenario imaginable, freak out, decry anyone who says that this is smoke, lament our own imaginary loss, and move on to something else. Because at the end of the day, who will care that a meeting was cancelled, or that they took an extra day, or week, once it is finally announced? Nobody, that's who.
And I'll ask this, next: Does anyone else find it all-too-convenient that Hyams and Hubbs both broke this story at the same time? How about the fact that as of late yesterday afternoon, Hubbs was saying that Hart was going to be in Florida today - only to come back today and report that he wasn't? Or that Hyams reported some three weeks ago that Gruden was calling other coaches about being on staff, but couldn't confirm as to whether it was for a college or pro job? That's the best that these two guys could come up with their combined, and admittedly deep, pool of sources? After several weeks of facing growing calls for more information from hundreds, if not thousands of people, they couldn't tell you where Hart was going to be today, or if Gruden was putting together a pro or college staff - but today, they suddenly know that there was a scheduled meeting, and that it was cancelled? Both of them? At the same time? That's like saying that you've struggled to teach your dog to fetch for several weeks and to no avail, and then overnight, you discover that it has learned to play the banjo.
And does anyone think that it is the least bit peculiar that all of these buckets of cold water have both happened today - the day after the story in Memphis was first reported? Even if these events are entirely unrelated, you'd have to admit that this is a pretty big coincidence, wouldn't you? Is the timing of all of this in any way telling, to anyone other than myself?
I have no idea as to why they would be so mightily struggling to keep the wraps on this, but there are several good reasons that many of you have already posted over the last several days, and which any one - or more - could easily explain their desire for a delay.
Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but I don't believe that I am. Frankly, I don't want to say too much for fear of being further branded as being delusional, or a rumor-monger, or trying to incite a fantasy that has no basis in fact. You should all believe your own intellect, using your own standard, assigning whatever weight to any and all evidence to the best of your ability, or as you see fit - and trust whatever conclusions you arrive at - regardless of what I say, believe or assert.
But for me, and again just to be perfectly clear, I have absolutely no reason to doubt that things that have been told, re-told, and re-re-told to me by several persons whom I know to be knowledgeable of this and other similar situations, whom I personally know and implicitly trust as having been both honest and forthright with me, and who have not wavered in their stances thus far - and yes, even since the news of this "cancelled" meeting was leaked.
For those reasons, and more, I absolutely believe and am entirely confident that Jon Gruden will be named the next head coach at Tennessee, and can say so without a moment of hesitation.
Please TIFWIW, as in/significant as that may be to anyone, as I take absolutely no offense at those who now doubt, nor in anyone who disagrees with me, or my assertions.
