Maryland Shows Friedgen The Door

How's this for gratitude? A coach that goes to a bowl game getting fired. That usually gets you a stay of execution in the coaching business. That wasn't enough for Maryland's Ralph Friedgen. I guess that's what happens when the offensive coordinator leaves and takes half the staff with him. 

It says Freidgen accepted a buyout. In other words, Maryland paid Fridge a lot of money to walk away to avoid an ugly firing. From what I've read on this matter from a number of sports sites, after offensive coordinator James Franklin accepted the Vanderbilt job and took a high number of assistants with him, Maryland wanted no part of having Friedgen come back. I guess the higher ups on the athletic department were worried how well Friedgen would do after losing the assistants and they also weren't interested in working out an extension. That would've made Fridge a lame duck coach going into next season.

Let me sort this out. Friedgen leads a bum ass program from nothing to 7 bowl games and a BCS berth and ACC championship since he's been there. He lifted the program back to respectability, something not seen since the Boomer Esiason days. Not to mention he won ACC coach of the year twice, including this season. And this is how you reward him. Can him in the middle of bowl game preparations. I'm not saying he was Bear Bryant or anything but they could've kept him around for at least two more seasons. But what the hell do I know, maybe there's more to this than I know.

Maryland will be looking for a coach and right now all rumors are pointing toward former Texas Tech head boss Mike Leach. That would be a home run hire if they're able to land Leach. I can't confrm or deny the Leach rumor but that is what's being thrown out there right now. 

   

Zack Greinke Wants Out

You can count Kansas City Royals pitcher Zack Greinke among pro athletes that wants out. Greinke has fired his agent and made a trade demand.

I'm not surprised by this at all. If Royals general manager Dayton Moore didn't see this coming, he's as blind as Ray Charles. Now Kansas City has to trade him. I know Greinke has a contract, and management doesn't have to do anything. But when you've been in a perpetual cycle of losing, the cards that you have to play equals to bluffing. It was different before Greinke said he wanted out. The Royals could've waited for the best package to come their way, now they can't have a possible malcontent on board with a history of depression. As for Greinke, I can't blame him. I'd want out too. They're not close to winning and don't spend enough to win. He would be far from motivated to put his best efforts on display for a team going nowhere.

Greinke has a no trade clause to 15 teams. The Yankees, Red Sox, Nationals, Blue Jays, and Brewers are on that list. I suspect the Red Sox and Yankees probably can offer the most attractive packages. If I were the Yankees I'd be worried that Greinke could go Ed Whitson on them. I do think the Texas Rangers will be the most agressive pursuer after losing Cliff Lee to the Phillies. That would be my best bet. But I didn't see Lee going to the Phillies either. Well, neither did anyone else, so what do we know.

On a personal note, it's pretty sad to see the Royals franchise in their current state. When I was growing up they were one of the model franchises in the league. Now they're one of the worse run franchises. I really don't see how the St. Louis Cardianls can find money to stay competitive but Kansas City can't. Maybe i just don't know much about the economics of baseball.