Shit happens.
You’ve heard it before, and it’s really true. No matter what you do, sometimes you just can’t explain things.
And that’s the way I view the news we got from Arizona State today. Head coach Pat Murphy resigned, out of the blue. No explanation. No reason. No definition. The release from ASU pretty much just said that shit happens. Murph resigned, people. And he was gone.
Where does Pat Murphy go now after his resignation? And where does Arizona State go for his replacement?
You’ve heard it before when it comes to Coach Murphy, you either loved him or hated him. That’s how he was described in a 1997 Baseball America article labeled “Black Hat Pat” and how he was described last week in a Q&A by Kendall Rogers. Like an American politician, he was a polarizing figure in college baseball.
I have to admit, I was on the side that loved the guy. He reminded me of just about every football coach I ever had. A little on the crazy side, but pushed you and your boundaries to the edge, all in an effort to prepare you not only for a game, but prepared you to be a man. And typical of those same coaches of mine, you always heard that Murphy’s players would run through a wall for him. And if they bounced off, they’d try to do it again.
Murphy's bizarre actions against this Baylor pitcher in 2006 went over the line.
Oh Pat had his moments. Moments that most people would view as over-the-line. He had a bizarre, highly-visable on-field spat with a Baylor pitcher at the 2006 Houston Regional. He regularly heckled opposing pitchers from the third base batter’s box in his early days at Notre Dame. He publicly ridiculed the NCAA selection committee so much that four of his teams that were borderline bubble teams were shut out of Regional play to heavy protestations.
But at the same time, Pat Murphy also set up clinics for underprivileged kids. He put together “The Devil vs. The Preacher” exhibition boxing matches where he sparred a priest for charity. And he also calmed down in his later years at ASU, which he flatly gives credit to his young son Kai for being the impetus for.
Little Kai Murphy, showing Coby Cress how to bat, is a big reason Murphy says he calmed his ways in his latter years at Arizona State.
You can read some of this history in a 2006 interview I did with him during a three-game set at UCLA. Check it out here:
http://www.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/stories/042706aad.html
Murph was square with me. Even though I was a member of the media he seemed mostly ambivalent toward, he genuinely appeared to like me. He greeted me after the Clemson Super Regional win last June by saying, “Eric, I hardly recognized you without those stitches in your head” only a few moments before kindly introducing me to his wife Francesca.
In 2005, after the opening game loss to Nebraska in the College World Series, I asked him if he was planning to give his team a boxer’s mentality-type of talk about coming off of the ropes, getting patched up and making a run at the Series. He took one look at me and slowly uttered, “I’m sizing you up right now.” to the snickers from some of the attending media members. “What are you, six-foot?”
“I’m six-two coach.”
“Good. ‘Coz when I get you up against the ropes, I’m gonna work you inside and bust your ribs.” Cracked my ass up.
Just to show you how polarizing Murphy can be, after that hilarious exchange, Baseball America’s Will Kimmey came up to me and said, “Gah! Can you believe how disrespectful that guy was? It’s one thing to try to be funny, but he goes way too far.” I didn’t agree with Will on that one. I didn’t take Murphy that way. But hey, shit happens.
So after hearing about his “resignation” today, and not getting a single explanation, a couple of scenarios went through my head.
1- According to what I’ve always heard, athletic director Lisa Love never got along with Murphy, didn’t understand his sense of humor and didn’t like his methods. Since taking the gig in 2005, she had finally had it up to Hades with Murphy and the ongoing NCAA investigation into academic fraud and recruiting improprieties, and just went and forced the resignation.
2- The investigation is drawing near and Coach Murphy saw the writing on the wall, and decided to make hay while he could and get out of town with his name still in (somewhat) good shape before the hammer fell.
or 3- He had this planned all along. After getting schemed in a condo scam last summer to the tune of $100,000, he blamed fellow university workers John Park (athletic compliance officer) and his wife, Patti Snyder-Park (ASU’s volleyball coach). That, along with the scruffy relationship with Lisa Love led Murphy to want out. His plan was to have Ken Knutson – the former Washington coach who came to ASU over the summer – take over the program after his resignation.
As it turns out, it looks like Knutson will indeed be the interim coach until a permanent replacement can be named.
Now, on the other hand, what will Murphy’s next move be? Well, considering his wildly successful runs at both Notre Dame and ASU, which included getting named Pac 10 Coach of the Year the last three seasons, he won’t be unemployed for long. Or as soon as he wants.
And, as I think of it, programs like Texas, Florida State, Wichita State and Rice won’t have their legendary coaches in place for more than a few more years, at best. Also, there’s always a chance – though be it small – that he could return to coaching in a less-high profile gig. Maybe his alma mater of Florida Atlantic will come calling in the years to come?
If push comes to shove, relatively underachieving programs like Baylor, Texas A&M, Auburn, USC and UNLV could use someone to jump-start the home fires again. I’m just thinking aloud here.
Either way, Murphy is sure to do a couple of things well again and again… win, motivate and polarize.
Oh well, shit happens, right?
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waltgreenberg says:
Eric, while I certainly respected Murph as a coach, given his obvious success, to even think that a school and program such as Rice would ever consider a guy with his overall reputation is ridiculous. University of Texas? Without a doubt…but not Rice. Not with his questionable academic and recruiting issues, and not with his “focus on him” personality. This is especially true after Rice football sufferred through the Todd Graham affair several years back. Private, academically-focused schools such as Rice, Baylor, USC, Tulane, et al. would never, ever consider a guy with Pat Murphy’s baggage; regardless to how good a baseball coach he may be.
PhxTitan says:
Walt got me thinking in his comment… I think USC blew it not making a play for George Horton, who left the Titans for Oregon a few yrs ago. It’s only a matter of time before Oregon is a consistent power. USC on the other hand, with the most storied program in all of CB with its 12 NC’s, desperately needs to right its ship. Murphy would be just the answer to USC’s woes, almost guaranteed.
ASU will be lucky to pull in the kids Murphy did. ASU, I think I read, had the #1 recruiting class this year. HUGE loss for ASU. I liked the guy for his spunk. But I don’t imagine I’ll like him as much at his next gig.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/asu/articles/2009/11/20/20091120spt-asumurphyresigns.html
PhxTitan says:
AD Lisa Love is quoted as saying Murphy “dictated” his own resignation. And it was not “directly” related to the 2 yr investigation. How one speculates it was ‘indirectly’ related is any one’s guess. My guess: Murphy backed Lisa Love into the corner over a “over my dead body” type stipulation to his AD and she didn’t blink. He therefor played the cards he dealt himself in that conversation… with a bit too much pride.
It would be nice to see cooler heads prevail and a Sundevil with some cachet mediate a reconciliation. Murphy is the biggest prospect in CB and for the Sundevils to not TRY to re-land Murphy back where he belongs could be a very BIG “pride before the fall” type moment for the Sundevil baseball program.
Sundevils: Hit the reboot button. Murphy’s temp got the best of him. Lisa Love says she didn’t dictate this. There’s GOT TO BE a way to get Murphy back in.
Or a pending A-bomb is destine to drop on the program via the investigation and Murphy abandoned ship. Who the heck knows at this point.
Stitch-head says:
Hmmm, interesting viewpoint PHX. Not sure I’d ever expect a reconciliation in a situation like this. But from a distance it DID seem like a hastened decision in a delicate situation. Still, this isn’t like those coaches that announce they’re taking another job and then pull a 180 after thinking about it for 24 hours. This appears to have been an angry split. At least that’s my theory on things until we hear something definitive.
PhxTitan says:
Lisa Love stated ASU’s need to take the program “in a different direction”. Three straight Pac-10 titles and Omaha bound always seemed like the best direction possible… But obviously Love meant something different. Sounds like code for ‘following’ NCAA regulations. What other “direction” would she possibly allude to? It’s either winning or code of conduct via my guess. I imagine she is now motivated to get this investigation wrapped up and revealed asap so they can turn the page, the sooner the better. Prospects have to wonder. Five days, no info, no leaks.
Lisa Love came from USC in ‘05. Would be ironic if she ended up “sending” Murphy to her fond roots. Since USC’s last reboot effort three plus yrs ago, the Trojans are 83-85. Gillespie’s “retirement” was amazingly short-lived! Patience for another roll of the dice by the 12 time NCs has to be running thin. Murphy would be no roll of the dice and a bona fide reboot effort. Any school that has high expectations for itself and feel Omaha should be their second hometown (as Murphy was certainly making it)… has got to be salivating at the thought of Murphy’s availability.
Texas didn’t mess around when they ’stole’ our Augie. USC has an unclaimed ‘gift’ awaiting them. Or roll the dice and experience yet another lost decade. I can imagine a forth season of patience, but not a fifth.
waltgreenberg says:
Until the facts behind Murphy’s “resignation” are made public, I can guarantee that no elite program is salivating at the prospects of Murph’s availability. And those who continue to believe this was simply the final straw in the extended personality clash between Ms. Love and Coach Murphy– and that when the smoke clears Murph is going to have his reputation in tact and in good standings– are living in fantasy land.
fdsla says:
I think it may have more to do with Michael Crow than Lisa Love….
Walt, do you ever have anything good to say about ASU, West Coast Baseball, Pat Murphy? It always has a negative tone…Since when did Rice become the almighty? I remember playing you guys in the early 90’s when I was playing…It was always nice to pick up a couple of easy mid-week wins!
Mark Boone says:
While I do not particularly like the guy, I was witness to the incident with the Baylor pitcher pictured above at Rice’s Reckling Park.
Mr. Murphey was on his way to debate a call at first base. As he passed by the pitcher’s mound, eyes locked on the first base umpire, the young man on the mound obviously made some remark that appeared to be inappropriate and un-Baptist.
Based on long observation of the Baylor fans’ (and team’s) lippy, snippy, unsportsman-like behavior (somehow exacerbated by their chronic under-achievement), I think it is fair to say that Mr. Murphey was merely offering some tips on respect of elders.
And Mr. Greenberg is correct. It would not be a good match at Rice.
And Mr. FDSLA should look at comparative stats among the leading baseball programs in the country in the last 10-12 years (as you have done), and he might find the answer to his question about when Rice’s program began to improve.
waltgreenberg says:
FDSLA, there is no question I am a proud and biased Rice alumn and supporter, but I am also a big fan of West Coast baseball, and always have been. While have never been a fan of Pat Murphy– largely due to his on-field antics (which I have witnessed first hand on several occassions), I have aboslutely nothing against ASU.
As for your comment about the Rice program, I know you can answer your question all by yourself. Wayne Graham arrived on campus in 1993, and the team has been in the post-season (and conference champions) from 1995 forward…and a perennial Top 25 team since 1997 (and a Top 10 – 15 team since 2000).