No, Les Miles is NOT Getting Fired

Here in Baton Rouge, LA, there are two camps among fans regarding LSU Head Football Coach Les Miles, heading into his sixth year on the job: the "Miles Haters" and the "Miles Lovers"

The Miles Haters believe that Miles is a bumbling idiot who had a championship team fall into his lap. they believe that the team was so talented, when Nick Saban left to coach the NFL's Miami Dolphins in 2004, that it could coach itself and recruit on its own reputation, with no input from the head coach. Nick Saban created a perfectly well oiled machine that could run on its own...until game day...but only the game days in which LSU lost. If LSU won, credit goes to Nick Saban. The National Championship in 2007 was dumb luck and Miles really didn't earn it, whatever that means.

The Miles Lovers think the Miles made the program better by building on Nick Saban's success and progress. Miles Lovers often play the "character card"- Nick Saban bolted the second he saw greener pastured and ran back, to an SEC rival, no less, as soon as the heat got hot in the NFL whereas Miles turned down what may have been his "dream job" at his Alma Mater, the University of Michigan, to finish what he started.

I was in the Miles Lover club until last year and I seriously call his effectiveness in managing a game into question. While I'd like to see a superior replacement, I don't think such a replacement is on the market. Even if that person is on the market, I believe that the cost to let go of miles and his staff at any time prior to the final year of his contract may be too costly. I do not believe that a financial machine like LSU's Athletic Department is going to hemorrhage cash just to satisfy loud and angry fans that want to go unbeaten and win another championship yesterday.

LSU cannot afford that buyout (which is still eight figures - almost $10 million after this season, greater at any time prior to December 31) AND pay a new, comparable coach (probably someone in the $3-$5 million annual range) AND buy out the coaching staff AND hire a new staff (net cost of the staffs could be around $4 million). I don't think LSU is too cheap to pay for what it wants in that athletic department, but a firing, buyout, and subsequent rehiring would cause a hemorrhage of funds that I could afford to absorb unless the program completely collapsed.

In other words, if Les Miles only wins 8 games - disappointing and below expectations for all of us - people are STILL going to pay TAF fees, people are still going to renew their season tickets to the tune of 90-something percent. People are STILL going to watch on TV. LSU is STILL going to get a seven figure payday from a Bowl game. There is only so much potential monetary upside between 8 wins and a BCS appearance. And that potential would be completely offset by firing the whole staff and buying everyone out.

Then if you do go that route you'd BETTER make sure you bring in someone who gets to the BCS the next year or you've essentially lost money.

So if next year is anything like last year - 9 wins, ranked, and a close loss in a New Years Day bowl game to a top 10 opponent, he isn't going anywhere.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to balance my...DAMN STRONG checkbook! Have a nice day!