Lou Pickney's Online Commentary
On The Money
Tuesday
December 2, 2003
Maybe I'm a bit biased, since I work for Bubba The Love Sponge, but look out for Brooke Hogan on the music scene in 2004. She opened up for Hilary Duff in concert at the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, and from all indications she put on a great performance. With the backing of Lou Pearlman (who is responsible for molding pop sensations like Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, etc.), and strong family support (her dad is Hulk Hogan, after all), she has the capacity to really make some waves in the pop music field, which will be in need of new talent when the cyclical trend of CHR (Contemporary Hit Radio) swings back toward pop.
Speaking of Brooke Hogan, maybe it was her appearance on WFLA Channel 8, or Bubba talking about her on his show, but she made two appearances in the early Top 20 search list for LouPickney.com for December 2003. From time to time I like to show the search list on here to give you, the reader, a glance at what's the most sought out on the site. One of the nice things about the start of the new month is that the Top 20 search list restarts, which provides an interesting look at what people are looking for and finding here (with the number of hits in parenthesis):
December 2003
1. (5) gasparilla day
2. (3) bubba the love sponge
3. (2) brooke hogan hulk
4. (2) guavaween 2003 pictures
5. (2) nimesh patel san francisco
6. (1) 10 reasons to be positive
7. (1) 10 reasons to stay positive
8. (1) advantages of commercial radio stations
9. (1) anchor sample resume news
10. (1) brooke hogan
11. (1) cheaters gentleman's club
12. (1) christine cassen
13. (1) cobain
14. (1) college girls in bikinis
15. (1) daniel dick blowhole
16. (1) diet soda vs. regular soda which is healthier
17. (1) fantasy football three way tiebreaker
18. (1) fixing playstation 2
19. (1) guavaween 2003
20. (1) hedo 2003 pics
Nimesh gets the megapush into the Top 5, and of course my Guavaween 2003 pictures section remains a popular search.
My friend Brook Gardiner sent me this feedback from
yesterday's commentary:
I think its interesting that the "starkville rumor mill" is already trying to conjure up theories for why croom isn't qualified to be a head coach in the south. Now, I have no reason to know one way or the other about the validity of the NCAA sanctions rumor either and I am sure the NCAA would like to see more minority coaches get a chance since there are maybe 4 total in the entire NCAA, but I don't think the source of the rumors has any reason to think that this is an "affirmative action" hire either. [Think Herman Boone from Revenge of the Titans] Its rumors like these that cut down his qualifications, hold him to a higher standard, and make it easier to get him fired when things get tough. I
wish Croom luck cause its obviously going to be tough coaching in Starkville.
I do agree that it will be tough for Croom coaching in Starkville, which is behind the curve nationally when it comes to the advancement of race relations. And I also concur that Croom should be held to the same standard as any other coach when it comes to his on-field success. But it doesn't change the possibility that Mississippi State may have been told that by hiring a minority coach, they would avoid heavy NCAA sanctions.
|  | | Sylvester Croom is Mississippi State's new head football coach. |
It's no secret that college football has a disproportionately low number of minority head coaches, and that the SEC has never had a minority head coach until now. Croom was considered for the Alabama head coaching job earlier this year (which ultimately went to Mike Shula). Personally, I think Alabama missed the boat by taking Shula (who I feel is an overrated coach living off his dad's rep) over Croom. And as a Mississippi State fan by proxy (thanks to my brother Matt attending school at MSU), I hope Croom has all the success in the world. And Brook is right, Croom should not be held to a different standard because of his ethnicity.
One interesting angle that the mainstream sports media has mostly ignored is the unwillingness for schools to give the hook to experienced, highly decorated coaches whose teams have declined. Jackie Sherrill had no business returning to Mississippi State in 2003, but he's the man who helped turn the program from a doormat into a division champion, so he was given latitude that many others might not receive. Joe Paterno, whose Penn State team went an embarrassing 3-9 this season, seems to have a job for life (remember, he's #2 on the all-time Division I-A coaching victories list). Meanwhile, coaches like Frank Solich (who lead Nebraska to a 9-3 season and who is just two years removed from a national title game appearance) are now unemployed. It sure seems like a strange system sometimes...
|
