Lemme make sure I've got this straight (long)...

[War Machine Dawg]

The situation as I understand it is this:

1) Jughead's performance last year threw up red flags to the Cigar Boys (CBs for simplicity). Contingency plans started to be formulated in case we needed to pull the plug early.

2 Jughead's performance this season confirmed their fears. The contingency plans were activated by the CBs in the wake of the TN debacle or somewhere around that time.

3) We begin negotiations with Jughead about a buyout. In the midst of negotiations, Rutgers and others start sniffing around.

4) At some point Jughead realizes he's not winning in the SEC and agrees to negotiate. We reach a verbal agreement for $4M, potentially conditional on Jughead having a landing spot. CBs agree to the $4M buyout.

5) When the contingency plans were activated in 2), feelers were put out by the CBs and admin to gauge interest in our job should it be available.

6) Interest is shown by several candidates. Napier bites the hardest.

7) CBs reach an agreement with Napier and tell the admin Napier is the guy. If the admin, namely Cohen, 17 up the hire, they're on the chopping block with Jughead.

8) Jughead starts a winning streak by beating up on Arkansas and AC.

9) No one really expected Jughead to beat Northern Miss, given the form of both teams leading up to the game.

10) Word is leaked, intentionally or unintentionally (although I'd guess intentionally), that we've got a "Howland Situation" in place for football. Chizik's name is floated as a smokescreen and/or weather balloon.

11) Reaction to the idea of firing Jughead is predictably positive. Reaction to the idea of Chiz is predictably negative.

12) The real leaks start on Tuesday. By Thursday morning, word is out. Jughead is done. Still not entirely sure who the new HC is, but the consensus is Napier as his is the one name consistently in common in the various leaks.

13) The Piss and The Miss. Jughead wins unexpectedly, albeit due to the ridiculous behavior of Northern Miss and not his coaching.

14) Jughead had a plan in case he won. Jughead gets emotional at the win and enacts his plan. Cue the post game tirade challenging the CBs.

15) Sometime between 4) and 13) Jughead's landing spot disappears. This fuels 14).

16) Using his new and unexpected leverage, Jughead is now reneging on the agreement reached in 4). He's attempting to essentially extort more money from the CBs. He doesn't truly want to stay, just make it hurt as much as possible for us to fire him. He demands an additional $2-2.5M.

17) Someone in the admin backs Jughead because he fluked into winning the Golden Egg and becoming bowl eligible.

18) CBs are pissed. They want to call Jughead's bluff, but don't like the idea of having to pay the asshole another $2-2.5M.

19) We're in a standoff waiting to see who folds first. Will it be Jughead and whoever is backing him? Or will it be the CBs?

That seems to be where we are based on the info leaked to us. If the CBs don't win this standoff, we're 17d, because apparently a powerful someone in our admin has the spine of a jellyfish and the vision of Helen Keller. We're going to find out just what kind of CBs we have at MSU. Are they serious about winning? Or are they the most useless CBs in the history of CBs? Because frankly, $2-2.5M is relatively chump change compared to what we stand to lose financially by allowing Jughead another year that he really doesn't want to coach. It ultimately shouldn't stand in the way of firing Jughead. Pay the man the extra money and end this cluster17 for everyone.

[HailStateSZN19]

Kudos to you for taking the shit storm of the last couple of days of info and condensing it into this nice time line. I know one thing, trying to keep up with this has been a damn headache lol. As for the accuracy of this, hell if I know, but I’m just impressed you were able to summarize this crazy shit show of info that’s been going on. So shoutout for that!

[Commercecomet24]

Well done WMD! Rep!

[Todd4State]

I’m guessing that the person in admin without the spine is most likely Cohen since I have heard that Moorhead is his boy.

[State82]

Well, now THAT was impressive.

[msstate7]

If CBs are truly pissed and joe stays, surely this becomes exceedingly clear in our recruiting, right?

[Rex54]

If this was a situation where a couple of big money people wanted to essentially take over and run the program like a Tennessee situation I could see why pushback would be necessary for the integrity of the athletic department, but everyone from top to bottom is in full agreement with sending JM back north with a carpetbag full of cash here.

[RougeDawg]

Great work WMD!

I?ll add that a media source recently told me they Jugheads agent was responsible for the Rutgers smoke. After your 2-4 started happening.

I am still holding out hope that the correct decision for our program is made.

And yes Cohen is the holdup. Multiple people have confirmed this. I guess he is not worried about being AD much longer. When the money dries up, he and Juggy will both be sent packing.

[msstatelp1]

Great work WMD!

I?ll add that a media source recently told me they Jugheads agent was responsible for the Rutgers smoke. After your 2-4 started happening.

I am still holding out hope that the correct decision for our program is made.

And yes Cohen is the holdup. Multiple people have confirmed this. I guess he is not worried about being AD much longer. When the money dries up, he and Juggy will both be sent packing.


If Cohen is the reason Moorhead stays then it needs to be a both succeed or both gone scenario next season.

[Rex54]

And yes Cohen is the holdup. Multiple people have confirmed this.

He has an ego the size of a small moon himself. He doesn?t want this viewed as a ?you ****ed up now get out of the way? by the CB?s.

[Indndawg]

Then Keenum needs to step up and step in. If IB doesn't like it, he can resign with SloMo firing.

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

In confused. If Joe wants more money and Cohen is the one in trouble if he fails to fire Joe, then that means the CBs are willing to fork over the extra 2-2.5M, right? How would Cohen be blamed if he wasn't given the cash to complete the buyout?

Also, what about the Leo Seal money supposedly earmarked for coaching buyouts? And what the F do we do with the $10-15M in profit our athletic departments runs every year? Is it really all spent in such an inflexible manner we cant pull some of it for this increadibly important moment? Getting a coach the fans support os far more important than getting a new indoor Tennis facility, for example.

Or, is the situation that Cohen is intentionally NOT going to fire Joe even though the money is there?

[Cooterpoot]

Jo has CB backing too. That’s what y’all missing. There’s no power struggle with Jo vs whoever. The boosters that put Cohen in are the same Stricklin faction that want Jo to stay. That’s not going to change. This is CB vs CB. But the decision is not going to change this year. Cohen is trying play both sides, but he’s not going against the ones that put him in his position.

[Coursesuper]

Jo has CB backing too. That?s what y?all missing. There?s no power struggle with Jo vs whoever. The boosters that put Cohen in are the same Stricklin faction that want Jo to stay. That?s not going to change. This is CB vs CB. But the decision is not going to change this year. Cohen is trying play both sides, but he?s not going against the ones that put him in his position.

Truth!

[Cooterpoot]

It came out late Wednesday that Joe was staying. I tried to tell people there was misinformation being spread. That’s cause one side wanted to keep Jo and the other side didn’t and Cohen was trying to play both sides.

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

Jo has CB backing too. That’s what y’all missing. There’s no power struggle with Jo vs whoever. The boosters that put Cohen in are the same Stricklin faction that want Jo to stay. That’s not going to change. This is CB vs CB. But the decision is not going to change this year. Cohen is trying play both sides, but he’s not going against the ones that put him in his position.

17 blind idiots. How can they not see the regression? How can they possibly think Joe is going to get us better than 6-6?

[msstate7]

17 blind idiots. How can they not see the regression? How can they possibly think Joe is going to get us better than 6-6?

Beat OM doe

[Cooterpoot]

You’re dealing with people that think we’re still in 1980 and we’d get killed for firing a 6-6 coach. They believe Jo was hampered this year. The other side wanted him gone but wasn’t going to cause a big stink. But, that presser has really pissed them off. Cohen is trying to mend bridges now. But Jo will not be fired. Cohen can’t let boosters not be on the same page. Welcome back to the Templeton years.

[basedog]

From what I know or maybe I misunderstood, it isn't so much Cohen holding the deal back, it's raising the $6 million plus change. The so call 4.4 million buyout was short around 3/4 of a million. Joe said he would take the $6 million plus. That's the last I heard, I'm sure conversations are going on around the clock.

I still think a deal will be struck and we will have a new coach soon, at least I hope we do.

Btw, this is a first for Msu, yes we have fired Coaches time after time, but not so much after two years and with a winning record. So much money involved than just say 10 years ago, agents play a much bigger role now days.

I'm just glad we won the Egg Bowl, we are going to a bowl and especially glad it's a holiday weekend where the players are away from school and football. This thing should be settled I hope by Sunday night.

No doubt Joe is butt hurt, but so are the majority of our fans, I just hope we all can come together, man what a mess!

[Coursesuper]

17 blind idiots. How can they not see the regression? How can they possibly think Joe is going to get us better than 6-6?

This is about wins and losses to these guys, this is a power struggle plain and simple. Just remember how the leaks came out about Cohen to AD.

[ShotgunDawg]

From what I know or maybe I misunderstood, it isn't so much Cohen holding the deal back, it's raising the $6 million plus change. The so call 4.4 million buyout was short around 3/4 of a million. Joe said he would take the $6 million plus. That's the last I heard, I'm sure conversations are going on around the clock.

I still think a deal will be struck and we will have a new coach soon, at least I hope we do.

Btw, this is a first for Msu, yes we have fired Coaches time after time, but not so much after two years and with a winning record. So much money involved than just say 10 years ago, agents play a much bigger role now days.

I'm just glad we won the Egg Bowl, we are going to a bowl and especially glad it's a holiday weekend where the players are away from school and football. This thing should be settled I hope by Sunday night.

No doubt Joe is butt hurt, but so are the majority of our fans, I just hope we all can come together, man what a mess!

Good post.

The main thing that doesn't need to be forgotten here is that Joe just isn't a good fit at MSU.

He's got to go.

[Cooterpoot]

It’s not money. The money is there. I can’t see Joe getting fired.

[basedog]

Good post.

The main thing that doesn't need to be forgotten here is that Joe just isn't a good fit at MSU.

He's got to go.

I think everyone in the Athletic Department realizes Joe ain't the man going forward. I actually haven't heard anything about Cohen and him supporting Joe, I think it's the opposite, and that is a problem. I think whoever Joe's agent is has told Joe to hold his ground on the buyout, but that is only my opinion.

I can't see how a "dead man walking" can Coach next year at Msu.

[basedog]

It’s not money. The money is there. I can’t see Joe getting fired.

Money wasn't there the other day. May be now but I don't know.

[RougeDawg]

Good post.

The main thing that doesn't need to be forgotten here is that Joe just isn't a good fit at MSU.

He's got to go.

Add in the negative financial impact of many fans not attending next year. If Cohen and some of these asshat boosters do not think the majority of the fan base is fed up, they all need to GFTO.

Many people with money think they are smarter than the rest. But many rich people are blithering idiots. Looks like we have two groups of money people. Those who used their mind to obtain it and those who had it handed down to them.

This is the least interested I have been in MSU football my entire life. Watching 2018 was like a bad dream. I guess if the morons win out, they?ll just pony up the millions in lost revenue next year to offset their incompetence this year.

[msstate7]

I think everyone in the Athletic Department realizes Joe ain't the man going forward. I actually haven't heard anything about Cohen and him supporting Joe, I think it's the opposite, and that is a problem. I think whoever Joe's agent is has told Joe to hold his ground on the buyout, but that is only my opinion.

I can't see how a "dead man walking" can Coach next year at Msu.

Keeping him hurts us more. Do we wanna go head-to-head with OM and South Carolina, maybe even mizzou for a HC next year? This is the year to make the move

[TrapGame]

It would be so MSU for us to announce we are keeping Jughead sometime Sunday. Then right on cue Monday morning OM announces they are firing Luke. By Friday they have Napier locked up. Next season we still have an offensive genius that can't put points on the board. Napier get OM going his first season and we face a 7-4 OM in the Egg. VHS is loaded with powered blue morons wanting to witness the ass whooping of a less than mediocre 5-6 MSU. We get skulldragged for four quarters, still having trouble putting points on the board, and get whooped 45-21. We fire Moorhead only to be in competition with a dozen other P5 programs including 3 or 4 SEC teams for a new coach. It's a cluster.

[basedog]

Keeping him hurts us more. Do we wanna go head-to-head with OM and South Carolina, maybe even mizzou for a HC next year? This is the year to make the move

I do not want to see Joe on the sidelines next year.

[the_real_MSU_is_us]

Money wasn't there the other day. May be now but I don't know.

The fact you admit the limits of your insider info make me trust you more going forward than any other insider on this board lol

[msstate7]

I do not want to see Joe on the sidelines next year.

Wise man

[TrapGame]

The fact you admit the limits of your insider info make me trust you more going forward than any other insider on this board lol

Yeah, he got me hanging on every word.

[Bdawg]

I think everyone in the Athletic Department realizes Joe ain't the man going forward. I actually haven't heard anything about Cohen and him supporting Joe, I think it's the opposite, and that is a problem. I think whoever Joe's agent is has told Joe to hold his ground on the buyout, but that is only my opinion.

I can't see how a "dead man walking" can Coach next year at Msu.

Recruiting is going to be awful with our lame duck.

[basedog]

The fact you admit the limits of your insider info make me trust you more going forward than any other insider on this board lol

My insiders stay away from demanding what the higher ups do. They support Msu, great fans who have given a ton of money.

I probably shouldn't have said anything but rumors are encouraged and I am on the outside looking in like you.

Now, I just got back from Auto Zone, got the soap, sponges and wax, when can you come over to clean my truck**

You made me laugh for sho, well done again!

[Really Clark?]

There’s layers to this besides just firing a coach and negotiating a buyout. Power plays as well. I believe those who mention issues coming up this extra buyout money is being worked on/negotiated but I also know we have the money, if the admin chooses to use it.

[Sienfield]

If Joe's offense was improving I wouldn't mind giving him one more year but it isn't. If we play anyone in the bowl game with a good defense we will lose big. He has not had any excuse for the offense ineptitude that we have seen. I didn't like our defense this year but there were reasons for it (tutor gate) so I'm not upset with the defense but the offense has had no improvement and that's his speciality.

[TrapGame]

If Joe's offense was improving I wouldn't mind giving him one more year but it isn't. If we play anyone in the bowl game with a good defense we will lose big. He has not had any excuse for the offense ineptitude that we have seen. I didn't like our defense this year but there were reasons for it (tutor gate) so I'm not upset with the defense but the offense has had no improvement and that's his speciality.

Joe stays. We get embarrassed in the bowl by a mediocre team. Yeah, that enthusiasm next season will be at an all time high. Toxic shit show.

[timotheus]

Don't worry folks, Tommy will be healed up and ready for the big bowl game...........

[Saltydog]

Wonder if the CB's that now want him to stay would've wanted him gone had we lost to OM. If the answer is "yes" then you shouldn't allow a lucky, one point win over a shitty program (albeit your rival) to sway your decision.

[RiverCityDawg]

Wonder if the CB's that now want him to stay would've wanted him gone had we lost to OM. If the answer is "yes" then you shouldn't allow a lucky, one point win over a shitty program (albeit your rival) to sway your decision.

Great point, and you know the answer.

[Cooterpoot]

There?s layers to this besides just firing a coach and negotiating a buyout. Power plays as well. I believe those who mention issues coming up this extra buyout money is being worked on/negotiated but I also know we have the money, if the admin chooses to use it.

It?s absolutely not about money. It?s about not fracturing our supporters. We could pay the money, but that pisses off the Stricklin faction and that?s Cohen?s lifeline. He also can?t just ignore the pissed boosters. It?s about having everyone meeting at a happy medium. They had all agreed if we won he’d stay, as a compromise. Jo screwed that up with his speech but Jo stays this year barring a miracle.

[wild_dawg]

At the end of the day, you've got to chose the less toxic solution, which I believe is parting ways with Joe. The best thing for MSU is for Joe to stay and succeed, but at this point I don't see that happening. I think you've just got to cut your loses and have the upset CB's play a big role in the next coaching search and try to get someone that everyone can agree on.

[War Machine Dawg]

Jo has CB backing too. That?s what y?all missing. There?s no power struggle with Jo vs whoever. The boosters that put Cohen in are the same Stricklin faction that want Jo to stay. That?s not going to change. This is CB vs CB. But the decision is not going to change this year. Cohen is trying play both sides, but he?s not going against the ones that put him in his position.


You?re dealing with people that think we?re still in 1980 and we?d get killed for firing a 6-6 coach. They believe Jo was hampered this year. The other side wanted him gone but wasn?t going to cause a big stink. But, that presser has really pissed them off. Cohen is trying to mend bridges now. But Jo will not be fired. Cohen can?t let boosters not be on the same page. Welcome back to the Templeton years.

Great. We really can't get out of our own way, can we? Everyone is expecting us to make a move and we've got LT 2.0. Our CBs really are the worst CBs in history. No other SEC school would be in this cluster17 right now.

Folks, this is exactly why you don't delay making a change when you know something isn't going to work. If something must be done eventually, it should be done immediately. Jughead should've been out weeks ago for everyone's sake. But by trying to be "classy" or whatever and letting him finish the season, we've created this cluster17 because a fraction of our CBs really do only care about beating Northern Miss. Holy shit we're in trouble.

[RiverCityDawg]

It?s absolutely not about money. It?s about not fracturing our supporters. We could pay the money, but that pisses off the Stricklin faction and that?s Cohen?s lifeline. He also can?t just ignore the pissed boosters. It?s about having everyone meeting at a happy medium. They had all agreed if we won he’d stay, as a compromise. Jo screwed that up with his speech but Jo stays this year barring a miracle.

If true then let's just agree that we aren't serious about competing in football. If we let one one-point win over a shitty team who begged us to take the game from them despite our best efforts to keep them in the game determine if we keep the coach then we are not serious about competing in our division and we have weak leadership. At least we know exactly where we stand now and John's talk of "competing" is just bullshit.

[Dawg-gone-dawgs]

Thanks for laying this out

[Dawgology]

This is why it takes years to do things in Mississippi that it takes weeks or months to do in other states.

[Really Clark?]

It?s absolutely not about money. It?s about not fracturing our supporters. We could pay the money, but that pisses off the Stricklin faction and that?s Cohen?s lifeline. He also can?t just ignore the pissed boosters. It?s about having everyone meeting at a happy medium. They had all agreed if we won he?d stay, as a compromise. Jo screwed that up with his speech but Jo stays this year barring a miracle.

Oh I know. That?s what I meant when I said we have the money. I mean I believe there are those being TOLD it is about money because of those other issues. But I agree

[Todd4State]

Great. We really can't get out of our own way, can we? Everyone is expecting us to make a move and we've got LT 2.0. Our CBs really are the worst CBs in history. No other SEC school would be in this cluster17 right now.

Folks, this is exactly why you don't delay making a change when you know something isn't going to work. If something must be done eventually, it should be done immediately. Jughead should've been out weeks ago for everyone's sake. But by trying to be "classy" or whatever and letting him finish the season, we've created this cluster17 because a fraction of our CBs really do only care about beating Northern Miss. Holy shit we're in trouble.

It really is disappointing. The fact that half of them can’t agree on the guy should tell them a lot.

[Todd4State]

I’ll be honest- I wish the Stricklin Cigar Boys would go kick rocks. Fire Joe and Cohen and get real people that can win here.

[KB21]

I’ll be honest- I wish the Stricklin Cigar Boys would go kick rocks. Fire Joe and Cohen and get real people that can win here.

I'm curious. Which of this faction is responsible for Ben Howland? Also, why was Kermit Davis not considered at that time?

[DawgFan85]

If you are any kind of business man, Cohen, you know that when you hire someone you do it after much research on the candidate. Hire slow, fire fast! Man you have got to realize what next year will look like with that clown on the sideline and what it will do to our program, school and the city of Starkville. I am surprised we haven't heard anything out of businesses in Starkville. They had to be hurting this year with the small crowds and irate fans not spending money. I mean this is some people's livelihood. Get your shitz together and make it happen Johnny! No Mo Slo Mo Jo Mo, Hail State!

[War Machine Dawg]

It really is disappointing. The fact that half of them can’t agree on the guy should tell them a lot.


I’ll be honest- I wish the Stricklin Cigar Boys would go kick rocks. Fire Joe and Cohen and get real people that can win here.

+1

"You must spread some reputation around before giving it to Todd4State again."

[bobtail bob]

Fire John and Jughead and deal with the fallout afterwards. Jughead is a con artist who flipped us all off the other night. He doesn?t want to be here he?s trying to extort us for more money while our recruiting is stuck in limbo.

[dawgoneyall]

I'm curious. Which of this faction is responsible for Ben Howland? Also, why was Kermit Davis not considered at that time?

Bailey Howell...don't ask why. No one knows....including the Davis family.

[Todd4State]

I'm curious. Which of this faction is responsible for Ben Howland? Also, why was Kermit Davis not considered at that time?

I don’t know anything about how Howland came to be here or who did it but I can tell you that we had to put up with Rick Ray for three years too.

[Rex54]

I’ll be honest- I wish the Stricklin Cigar Boys would go kick rocks. Fire Joe and Cohen and get real people that can win here.

Just that poor ol Mitipi Tate mindset with the old money Virginia Slims crowd. As if the 11th commandment states “you can’t fire a coach that won the Egg Bowl”

I remember reading a WMD post a few years ago that seems pretty relevant now. I’ll post that below:


Just wanted to chime in with my opinions.

1. I hate moving Cohen to AD. It is classic MSU. Why waste the money on a search firm to hire Cohen? Of all the possible choices, he was far and away the least qualified. An athletic department is a business. We should hire someone with business experience to run it.

2. We let the Virginia Slims who have always screwed us over force through their candidate. It sucks, but it is what it is.

3. Cohen may be great, but he could also be a total disaster. If he's a disaster, he's going to be hard as hell to get rid of because he's "one of us." It'll be Lonnie Tinkle all over aGAIN.

4. We continued the trend of being completely inbred and refusing to find new blood to inject into our administration. It's been our constant curse.

5. I entirely disagree with hiring Cannizarro. I understand that he's supposed to be the Next Big Thing in college baseball. But I don't believe that an elite program like ours should gamble on an assistant. Go out, spend the cash, and hire O'Conner, McDonnell, Godwin, etc. Make a damn statement about who we are. This is Mississippi State Baseball, not Mississippi College baseball.

6. If we were going to hire an assistant, Cannizarro was far and away the best available. And yeah, he was Cohen's handpicked replacement. So I guess I'll count those as positives.

7. We look like bitches for hiring Cohen after we went to the mat with the CL that it wasn't Cohen. Now we've pissed off the regional media for disparaging a guy who was right all along. Classic MSU.

8. I'm mad as hell about all of this, but I bleed maroon and will support State to my dying breath. I think we probably screwed the pooch hard, but it may work out. I'm willing to wait and see how it plays out.

That's how I see all this. Hail State!

[War Machine Dawg]

Just that poor ol Mitipi Tate mindset with the old money Virginia Slims crowd. As if the 11th commandment states “you can’t fire a coach that won the Egg Bowl”

I remember reading a WMD post a few years ago that seems pretty relevant now. I’ll post that below:

Damn, I'd forgotten all about that post. Could you link it? I'd love to re-read the replies.

Looks like I just about nailed it. Cohen has basically been LT 2.0, Canni didn't work out, and the Virginia Slims are still 17ing over our athletic department. Cohen is going to be hard to get rid of because he's one of us and backed by the Virginia Slims.

Now we're on the verge of pissing off bigger media members like Wolken, not just our regional group, because they were leaked info and are expecting Jughead to be out.

We better hope like hell the New Blood wins this power struggle with the Virginia Slims. My guess is it'll come down to Keenum one way or another.

[TrapGame]

Damn, I'd forgotten all about that post. Could you link it? I'd love to re-read the replies.

Looks like I just about nailed it. Cohen has basically been LT 2.0, Canni didn't work out, and the Virginia Slims are still 17ing over our athletic department. Cohen is going to be hard to get rid of because he's one of us and backed by the Virginia Slims.

Now we're on the verge of pissing off bigger media members like Wolken, not just our regional group, because they were leaked info and are expecting Jughead to be out.

We better hope like hell the New Blood wins this power struggle with the Virginia Slims. My guess is it'll come down to Keenum one way or another.

I wonder if it will even dawn on the VS boosters when they're sitting in their box seats looking down on a half empty stadium for a SECW match up they royally screwed the pooch? I doubt it. They'll talk how the wait wasn't so bad getting into the stadium and the concession lines are conveniently short.

[Rex54]

Damn, I'd forgotten all about that post. Could you link it.

https://www.elitedawgs.com/showthread.php?50007-WMD-s-Thoughts-on-AD-amp-Baseball

[Barkman Turner Overdrive]

I?m guessing that the person in admin without the spine is most likely Cohen since I have heard that Moorhead is his boy.

Which is the opposite of his ?Intense Bastard? persona.

[bulldog20]

Which is the opposite of his ?Intense Bastard? persona.

Joe Moorhead

[msstatelp1]

Who are the Virginia Slims families? Feel like I ought to know but it's escaping me at the moment.

[MoreCowbell]

The situation as I understand it is this:

1) Jughead's performance last year threw up red flags to the Cigar Boys (CBs for simplicity). Contingency plans started to be formulated in case we needed to pull the plug early.

2 Jughead's performance this season confirmed their fears. The contingency plans were activated by the CBs in the wake of the TN debacle or somewhere around that time.

3) We begin negotiations with Jughead about a buyout. In the midst of negotiations, Rutgers and others start sniffing around.

4) At some point Jughead realizes he's not winning in the SEC and agrees to negotiate. We reach a verbal agreement for $4M, potentially conditional on Jughead having a landing spot. CBs agree to the $4M buyout.

5) When the contingency plans were activated in 2), feelers were put out by the CBs and admin to gauge interest in our job should it be available.

6) Interest is shown by several candidates. Napier bites the hardest.

7) CBs reach an agreement with Napier and tell the admin Napier is the guy. If the admin, namely Cohen, 17 up the hire, they're on the chopping block with Jughead.

8) Jughead starts a winning streak by beating up on Arkansas and AC.

9) No one really expected Jughead to beat Northern Miss, given the form of both teams leading up to the game.

10) Word is leaked, intentionally or unintentionally (although I'd guess intentionally), that we've got a "Howland Situation" in place for football. Chizik's name is floated as a smokescreen and/or weather balloon.

11) Reaction to the idea of firing Jughead is predictably positive. Reaction to the idea of Chiz is predictably negative.

12) The real leaks start on Tuesday. By Thursday morning, word is out. Jughead is done. Still not entirely sure who the new HC is, but the consensus is Napier as his is the one name consistently in common in the various leaks.

13) The Piss and The Miss. Jughead wins unexpectedly, albeit due to the ridiculous behavior of Northern Miss and not his coaching.

14) Jughead had a plan in case he won. Jughead gets emotional at the win and enacts his plan. Cue the post game tirade challenging the CBs.

15) Sometime between 4) and 13) Jughead's landing spot disappears. This fuels 14).

16) Using his new and unexpected leverage, Jughead is now reneging on the agreement reached in 4). He's attempting to essentially extort more money from the CBs. He doesn't truly want to stay, just make it hurt as much as possible for us to fire him. He demands an additional $2-2.5M.

17) Someone in the admin backs Jughead because he fluked into winning the Golden Egg and becoming bowl eligible.

18) CBs are pissed. They want to call Jughead's bluff, but don't like the idea of having to pay the asshole another $2-2.5M.

19) We're in a standoff waiting to see who folds first. Will it be Jughead and whoever is backing him? Or will it be the CBs?

That seems to be where we are based on the info leaked to us. If the CBs don't win this standoff, we're 17d, because apparently a powerful someone in our admin has the spine of a jellyfish and the vision of Helen Keller. We're going to find out just what kind of CBs we have at MSU. Are they serious about winning? Or are they the most useless CBs in the history of CBs? Because frankly, $2-2.5M is relatively chump change compared to what we stand to lose financially by allowing Jughead another year that he really doesn't want to coach. It ultimately shouldn't stand in the way of firing Jughead. Pay the man the extra money and end this cluster17 for everyone.

Someone please pin this thread to top of ED. This answers everything. Rep given.