Jim Harrick’s Resignation
I’m Chuck Wilson with an ESPN Radio Extra Point.
When Jim Harrick resigned Thursday as University of Georgia basketball coach, he termed it a “retirement”.
Perhaps he meant it, perhaps not.
But what if he wanted to coach college basketball again? Would a school hire him?
ESPN Colleague Linda Cohn says “yes” and she’s not alone.
Many believe there always would be a college so desperate to win that a coaches’ on-court success would outweigh everything else.
I disagree.
The direct involvement of the school president in the hiring of Jim Harrick at Georgia has sent a message no administrator will miss, and the message is clear: don’t hire a coach with a history of ethical misconduct.
If you do, and the deal goes bad, it won’t just be the athletic director on the hot seat.
It’s all a matter of risk and reward, and the ugliness of the Harrick episode has increased the risk factor for all who follow.
The next college president who makes such a hiring mistake won’t keep his job.
Founder & Executive Director
Chuck Wilson is an award-winning host, interviewer, and commentator. He was an original host on ESPN Radio and was with the network for close to 17-years. In 2007, Wilson was named one of the 100 Most Influential Sports Educators in America by the Institute for International Sport. He is the founder of Even Field.