JLS is done as MSU coach.

JLS is done as MSU coach. ÂFirst reported on air on ABC 53 by me and on the Internet at 8:15 a.m. this morning on SpartanNation.com ÂBefore I get into the

JLS is done as MSU coach.

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First reported on air on ABC 53 by me and on the Internet at 8:15 a.m. this morning on SpartanNation.com

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Before I get into the “meat” of the story I have to thank my family. I have spent over 100 hours working on this story and will continue to follow it very closely. I have made literally hundreds of calls and hours on the phone talking to people all over the nation. I will not disclose names in some cases although our research is thorough because to get people to talk, in some cases very close to the parties involved, I had to protect them. My story last night on the news saying that MSU had contacted Butch Davis "indirectly to gauge his interest" was what sped the process to this point now rather then later according to a very high ranking MSU source.

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How can MSU afford (because of a $4+ million dollar buyout) to let JLS go?

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MSU could not afford not to. Let me explain. I had numerous MSU power brokers and by that I mean people who are in direct connection to the decision and who carry a huge influence tell me that the fans spoke louder then ever when they sold and in some cases didn’t use their tickets. One very highly placed decision maker at MSU told me: “that is bigger then anything. I sat stunned looking at that crowd and that meant more to me. These fans are faithful and reliable and I took away from that a sense of they are fed up. If they wanted to send that message I got it and I am worried what the last two games will look like.” It is a resounding theme that I am hearing. I said that the JLS era was done the Monday after the Ohio State game for that exact reason. I had come into the season saying that there had to be eight wins and when I said it was done, there was still that chance. Sadly that message delivered by the fans was the most monumental statement in the history of Spartan football. Trust me Spartan Nation, I have heard from multiple people in the process that that one event sent shockwaves through the campus and is why he is being terminated.

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The athletic department as you know is self-supporting. It is in debt and the one thing that it can’t afford is to lose the valuable donors that pay the PSL’s and the high tickets because MSU football pays for everything but men’s basketball. If the fans stop then MSU is in huge trouble. I have said it and in fairness many before me but it is still true: your money is louder then your voice. MSU recognizes it this way. One person who is very involved in the process told me “I could not have seen any scenario other then cheating or gun battles with the players playing out that John L. Smith would be fired after this season. I just didn’t see it. I would have even supported it if he went 0-12. I was wrong Hondo. That Ohio State game and the emails and calls I am getting are making me really concerned and I hate to say it but it is over.”

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Spartans staying home is the loudest you have ever booed. Like one high ranking MSU official told me yesterday: “I don’t like it but if they want the message of their sick of it heard, staying home has said it louder then ever.” OUCH!

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Quality national coaches see the MSU track record and don’t want to come here.

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That is an absolute pile of crap that is spinned by people that didn’t want to look bad if JLS is terminated. You people aren’t dumb. The University of Miami has deplorable facilities; they don’t sell out the stadium even when they are great and your telling me that a quality national coach won’t come here? I had one highly visible coach who is a name that every nominal sports fan knows tell me on Sunday night: “I can’t believe that anyone from MSU would even try putting that kind of malarkey out there. Those fans know better. Any coach worth his salt knows now days if he doesn’t win the media and fans will chew him up. Lansing ain’t no New York market. They just saying that because they don’t know how tough it is out here. That is a great job. That place is always full and if a coach went there and won, they would love him forever. Many of these places if you went there and won they would simply tell ya that you should have. At MSU Hondo, if a guy goes there and wins he would be King Tut. That is a great job.” This highly regarded coach went on to say: “listen, that stadium is beautiful, the campus is second to none, they are getting a new building, you got Izzo next door that the two of ya could work with each other and I am telling you that is a dream job. What I think is that MSU leadership has an inferiority complex to Michigan. They always think down on themselves. I respect Lloyd and Bo, but let me tell you MSU hadn’t made it a race.  You get yourself someone that will see all that and you will show them Wolverines a thing or two. I am telling you, I thought Saban would have done it but he got tired of them acting like Michigan’s little sister and he left telling you all what was wrong.”

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I have spoken PERSONALLY with four nationally respected great football coaches that have told me they want the job. I have talked with sources very close to two others that confirm that also. Now with that said I can tell you that I don’t necessarily want all six, but they are names being floated and I wanted to see if the MSU can’t get anyone theory was true. I also however talked to men that are great coaches that won’t ever leave and asked them to look at the place. The quote above is the sentiment I always heard. Listen to what one coach who is so respected around the nation that I think he could surely have any job he wanted: “MSU does see how great MSU is. They had to over pay for John Smith because they thought no one wanted to be there when the truth was many people wanted to be there. Look if you go to MSU and win, those fans are so loyal they will pay you what you want and give money so you can have NFL facilities. Folks don’t fill a stadium for forty years of almost nothing because they don’t care.”

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So in the midst of the discussion about the MSU job, don’t buy that we can’t get a coach that is just a joke. I can tell you this, if I was on the MSU board, ANY MSU employee that uttered that or insinuated that would be fired immediately. What a slap in the face of a great University and a great fan base.

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I broke this story and will break many more so stay tuned.