Bobby Petrino: On leave, in trouble and maybe out of a job
Uneasy rider: Bobby Petrino speaks after the crash but before the confession. (AP photo)
Bobby Petrino has been placed on administrative leave. Ordinarily this is a prelude to getting fired, but Bobby Petrino coaches football in the SEC. And we’re about to see if Arkansas places a higher premium on winning football games — which Petrino has — than on cornball stuff like family values.
Speaking of which: Bobby Petrino first said he’d spent Sunday with his family at a lake before hopping on his motorcycle. If he had, he wouldn’t be on administrative leave.
Turns out Petrino hadn’t been riding alone. Turns out, via the police report, that Petrino had been accompanied by a 25-year-old woman whom he’d just hired as the football team’s “student-athlete development coordinator.” (Memo to would-be cover-uppers: Police reports are pesky things.) Turns out Petrino lied in his first public statements, same as he’d lied to Arthur Blank when he told the Falcons’ owner, “You’ve got yourself a coach” — 27 hours before surfacing in Fayetteville, Ark.
Petrino has since acknowledged an “inappropriate relationship.” Though he, oddly, described it as “previous.” Does that mean it has ended? That true romance took a hike the instant he lost control of the bike? Ah, the vagaries of the human heart.
Of greater concern to athletic director Jeff Long is surely this: Did the coach hire the 25-year-old Jessica Dorrell — a press release was issued just last week — only because of her expertise in “student-athlete development”? (She’d previously been an Arkansas volleyball player and a fundraiser for the Razorback Foundation.) In announcing her appointment, Petrino is quoted as saying: “[Dorrell] is familiar with what the University of Arkansas can offer.”
(In other news, Dorrell reportedly is engaged to the director of operations for the Arkansas swimming and diving team. The wedding date is set for June 9.)
Long moved to put Petrino on leave Thursday night, only hours after the police report was made public and the coach finally came clean to his boss. But there is, in athletic departments housing a major football program, a sort of reverse pecking order: The AD is technically in charge, but the football coach is the bigger deal.
Of all people, Long shouldn’t have been blindsided by such duplicity. He handled the search that resulted in Petrino standing in Fayetteville calling the Hogs on a Tuesday night after coaching the Falcons on a Monday. Rumors of Petrino’s departure had been swirling before the game, prompting Blank to confront Petrino, who offered his handshake assurance he’d be staying. This prompted Blank to tell newsmen he looked forward to the Falcons moving boldly forward under “CEO Bobby Petrino.”
The next day: See ya later, CEO.
The same Petrino infamously interviewed for an Auburn job that wasn’t open in November 2003. He denied any contact with Auburn officials until reporters from the Courier-Journal offered documentation of a private plane registered to the Montgomery bank controlled by the toxic Tigers booster Bobby Lowder landing in Sellersburg, Ind., which sits across the Ohio River from Louisville, where Petrino was then coaching. The backlash was such that Auburn’s president and AD wound up resigning.
But Petrino? He kept coaching the Cardinals, leading them to an 11-1 season in 2004 and an Orange Bowl victory in 2006. He’d signed a 10-year contract to remain at Louisville despite many more flirtations with other schools/teams. Then, in January 2007, he left to coach the Falcons. That lasted 13 games, 10 of them losses. (The Falcons were without Michael Vick.) Then he split for the Ozarks.
In sum: Petrino has long been a selfish jerk, but people keep hiring him because he wins. When it comes to coaches, administrators tend to develop cognitive dissonance: “He’s a jerk, but he’s a winning jerk.”
Long has pledged to conduct a review, but let’s note again: This AD hired Petrino, baggage and all, and has seen him win 21 games over the past two seasons. We’re about to see if Petrino, his belatedly admitted indiscretion aside, can deploy his won-lost record as the ultimate defense. We’re about to see if a bad guy gets to keep his job just because he’s a good coach.
By Mark Bradley
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412 comments Add your comment
Dash Riprock
April 6th, 2012
12:36 pm
It makes me happy when bad things happen to Bobby Petrino. This is pretty bad, but I really hope things get much worse for him.
Pdawg86
April 6th, 2012
12:36 pm
Bobby Petrino may have suspect morals??? Is this a joke? Anyone that thought this was a sound guy has their head in the sand. Peoples actions in the workplace speak volumes about the way they carry themselves in their lives outside of work. Bobby Petrino was shady and cheated on the Birds a few years ago, so it comes as no surprise that he is a shady philanderer at home. Good riddance Mr Petrino.
David Granger
April 6th, 2012
12:36 pm
Damon Evans was a pretty good athletic director, but he sure got canned. A successful football coach is lot more DIRECTLY visible (and receives a lot more direct credit) for a winning team, so you never know.
Petrino needs to quit trying to spin it, though, and just come clean. Claiming it’s a “previous inappropriate relationship” when the woman was all scrunched up behind him on the motorcycle doesn’t sound too “previous” to me…sounds a lot more like a “current” inappropriate relationship.
DawgInaTruck
April 6th, 2012
12:37 pm
“This is a mess either way. If they fire her and not him, they get sued and she wins. If they keep them both, they are a joke.
In my book they have to fire them both.”
Lex, I think you are right. They knew what they were getting into with this guy-it was only a matter of time before he embarrassed them in some way-but he put them in a box on this one. The AD’s “fact gathering” is nothing more than a time management tool to accomplish the firing of both with the least additional damage possible.
CThom
April 6th, 2012
12:38 pm
He wasn’t wearing a helmet because it looks “cool” in the eyes of a 25 year old not to wear one.
cloudodust
April 6th, 2012
12:38 pm
The above photo makes him look like a W.C. Fields stunt man.
Dawggy Style
April 6th, 2012
12:39 pm
Mark, are we positive that Petrino wasn’t just scrimmaging against a Gregg Williams’ defense?
lefty fielder
April 6th, 2012
12:39 pm
Money is a great sculptor . . . enough of it can make even Petrino appear handsome.
Ed Pilcher
April 6th, 2012
12:41 pm
Hope the “stick shift” of that bike didn’t get ripped off on impact.
OtistheDrunk
April 6th, 2012
12:41 pm
Bobby Petraitor may be fixin to get his ugly face messed up AGAIN when Jessica Dorrell’s fiance Josh Morgan (Hogs’ director of swimming and diving operations) gets a hold of him. She and Josh were supposed to be married in June. There obviously was an affair going on BEFORE she was hired the week prior to the crash! Now isn’t that special!
I’d like to punch him in da face too if he ever came near me for his cowardly exit from ATL!
Brewmaster
April 6th, 2012
12:43 pm
He Tim, was Damon Evans with an employee that reported to him ? Petrino was, which makes his offense more than just cheating on his wife, but also violating some more serious rules about relationships with subbordinates. Apples and oranges my friend. Also, the woman with Evans was close to his age, not half his age.
Wutehvah
April 6th, 2012
12:44 pm
LMAO!! Couldn’t happen to a bigger doosh. Hope the Hogs kick him to the curb.
MyPatootie
April 6th, 2012
12:48 pm
Some on here seem to be upset over the fact that SHE was engaged to one of the asst. coaches. This one is easy to figure out. She probably had his permission. You know, one of those “sharing” things and “a promotion might be in order if I play my cards right”. Happens all the time. KARMA now would have the asst. coach and Mrs. Petrino start a relationship and get married. Then in a couple years the asst. coach becomes the head coach at Arkansas, and they eventually have a son who will be a star QB at AR. Is that not the way these things usually work out? Wow, I may have the beginnings of a good book or movie here.
RK
April 6th, 2012
12:48 pm
Apparently Jessica Dorrell’s (ex?) fiance’s name is Josh Morgan…
RK
April 6th, 2012
12:49 pm
Josh Morgan works with the swim team, not the football team, in conditioning.
billh
April 6th, 2012
12:50 pm
For those interested in that sort of thing, here’s a link to the most balanced and sane coverage of this that I’ve found:
http://msn.foxsports.com/collegefootball/story/scandal-is-bobby-petrinos-problem-not-arkansas-040612
Gator
April 6th, 2012
12:50 pm
If Arkie keeps him, it will regret doing so within 3 years. Look at Alabama and Mike Dubose.
Brewmaster
April 6th, 2012
12:54 pm
Tim, I don’t recall many UGA fans making excuses for Damon Evans on this blog. In fact, most condemned him. Why can’t you accept the fact that Petrino is a scumbag and should resign or get fired ? His behavior has nothing to do with Damon Evans. Damon Evans will likely lose millions over his lifetime, but there are enough ” win at any cost” programs out there who will hire Petrino, so he will keep rolling in the dough.
PMC
April 6th, 2012
12:54 pm
I’m personally glad that he’s going to be alright at least physically after the accident.
That’s really all I have nice to say
ARdawg
April 6th, 2012
12:55 pm
Grinch
I agreed they will let him go. Do you have some reading comprehension issues? He has a moral clause in his contract. That can easily be overlooked however, the liability he brings to the University can not. If it were just some fan or street jezabel he would stay. I suspect Ole Bobby is toast and whether you, Bradley or anyone else hate him the Arkansas fans love him. That likely won’t be enough to save his job
Tom G (Independent - Viet Vet)
April 6th, 2012
12:55 pm
I had no idea Petrino was a PLAYER! Getting a 25 yr old blond is no easy task for a 50 something! Bobby is the man!!!!
aol.com
April 6th, 2012
12:58 pm
Sound like Saban a jerk who wins at all cost.
Tommy Maddox
April 6th, 2012
12:58 pm
I don’t believe in karma – but if this is karma, I like it.
Joe Tess Fish House
April 6th, 2012
12:59 pm
I dont no why U all are so mad at Patrino. He failed here cuz the Flacons turned there back on Vick. When Patrino was hired he new he had Vick as his QB. All of a sudden the Flacons turn there back on Vick and Patrino has a team with no QB. I dont blame him 4 leaving.
GT Forever
April 6th, 2012
1:02 pm
Anyone at Tech up for a little tennis? I hear you guys have an assistant coach who needs a job and bail money. Pot, coke and rape. This dude gets the triple play. He sounds like a real nice young man. Techies, keep throwing stones at the SEC even though you live in a glass house. Stay classy, Techies.
Note how the AJC closes all comments on all of the articles about the Tech coach. Almost all articles on Damon Evans of UGA were open for ridicule and comments. Yet, AJC is not biased. Right??? If you belive this, I bet you will believe that Tech has higher academic standards for their student athletes.
floridajacket
April 6th, 2012
1:04 pm
The only real question left,is his next coaching job in Tuscaloosa or Oakland?
Sad Sack
April 6th, 2012
1:05 pm
Just win baby!
ATl Sports
April 6th, 2012
1:07 pm
NO WAY THE UNIVERSITY CAN KEEP HIM AND SAVE FACE!
IF THEY DO NOT LET HIM GO HOW DO THEY HANDLE A SIMILAR SITUATION WITH A DIFFERENT UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEE. YOU FEEL SORRY FOR HIS WIFE AND KIDS AS THEY WOULD HAVE TO FACE THOUSANDS EACH WEEKEND WITH EVERYONE KNOWING WHAT HAPPENED. WILL BE INTERESTING HOW THE AD SPINS THIS!
Taylor Wooten
April 6th, 2012
1:08 pm
Rush Propst is jealous
ARdawg
April 6th, 2012
1:10 pm
Petrino will be left with no option than resigning. Taking the money with him I suspect
JB
April 6th, 2012
1:10 pm
I don’t get it. Tiger loses half of his fortune. Petrino, a car salesperson type who knows football, loses a 3.5 mil per year job………….All over a little cooter.
Jason
April 6th, 2012
1:11 pm
Which lucky Mountain West or WAC bottom dweller is going to snag Petrino? You know one of them will be desperate enough to hire him. You can already hear the school’s AD saying “Everybody deserves a second chance” while thoughts of “and a third chance and a forth chance and a fifth chance” lingers in the air like an old fart.
Tom G (Independent - Viet Vet)
April 6th, 2012
1:12 pm
Joe TeshFishHouse- I have missed talking with you man, where you been? Down at the White House working for Barrack? Hopefully that is just a temp job ending soon?
catlady
April 6th, 2012
1:13 pm
This man has some REAL LOYALTY problems, plus he seems to be a compulsive liar. The Hogs and his Mrs. should get rid of him, and she should take him for ever cent. Then see how many 25 year olds he can attract!
JB
April 6th, 2012
1:13 pm
Maybe he’ll call Arthur Blank for divorce lawyer advice…..
ZACK
April 6th, 2012
1:14 pm
THIS NEWS HAS MADE MY DAY! QUITRINO DESERVES EVERY INJURY HE GETS. LOW LIFE SON OF A B*TCH!!!
Bobby Petrino | NewsTrendr
April 6th, 2012
1:14 pm
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Joe Tess Fish House
April 6th, 2012
1:14 pm
What barracks?
JB
April 6th, 2012
1:15 pm
Well, at least it was a woman……………Has he said that yet?
GTBob
April 6th, 2012
1:15 pm
Which lucky Mountain West or WAC bottom dweller is going to snag Petrino? You know one of them will be desperate enough to hire him.
Petrino would have no problem finding another job and would more then likely end up at a BCS school. Plenty of schools would be willing to give him a second chance to redeem himself.
Joe Tess Fish House
April 6th, 2012
1:16 pm
And realy what bussiness is it of ares what Patrino does? Maybe his wife is a hag or something. He no longer caoches here so whats the big deal?
DawgInaTruck
April 6th, 2012
1:16 pm
“Rush Propst is jealous”
Hilarious!
JB
April 6th, 2012
1:18 pm
We’ve seen the blonde….Let’s see Mrs Petrino before we rush to judgement……just say’n.
JB
April 6th, 2012
1:19 pm
You are right GTBob………Bill Curry got hired again.
JB
April 6th, 2012
1:20 pm
Joe Tess……………..you a bad speller?
Bobby Petrino
April 6th, 2012
1:21 pm
I love tapping young tail.
JB
April 6th, 2012
1:21 pm
He might end up at Tech. He could stay at Mr. Blanks house until he got settled.
DanJ
April 6th, 2012
1:21 pm
Petrino jumped ship in every other job he had maybe the Hogs will make him walk the plank before he bails on them. Karma is a……
Joe Tess Fish House
April 6th, 2012
1:22 pm
http://blogs.nwaonline.com/slophouse/wp-content/themes/slophouse/library/timthumb/timthumb.php?src=/blogs.dir/9/files/2011/09/IMG_20110909_110752_t600.jpg&w=548&zc=1
She look good may be if U R 75….Or Mark Bradley
Joe Tess Fish House
April 6th, 2012
1:25 pm
Im a Flacons and Braves fan all though David O’Brain band me from posting on his blog.
I see why Patrino was with that young blonde oh my gosh she is hot.