The Athletic Director fired football coach Sarkesian, one day after the coach took an absence for medical reasons.
This doesn’t smell right. Obviously Sark has some grave problems and he turned out not to be a coaching genius, but it doesn’t feel right that an employer has fired a man who has an illness. Alcoholism is an illness. Sark probably shouldn’t have been hired by USC in the first place (if the rumors out of U Washington are true), but that’s part and parcel of the business of college football today.
May seem harsh on the face of things, but I’d reserve judgment until you know the details. “Firing” a coach is usually just “go away and collect your paycheck anyway.” There may well be a “good behavior” clause in his contract, in which case the fact that his inappropriate actions are due to a disease does not mean that USC should not be allowed to act.
There is undoubtedly far more to the situation than just alcohol addiction/abuse. There are widespread rumors as well as confirmed stories of his behavior on and off the field - things that would get any young man kicked off the team.
I hope he gets the help he needs.
His contract is probably quite clear as to what can lead to firing.
Rumors are running rampant that he has showed up to work inebriated, including the ASU game. Yes, alcoholism is a diseases, but showing up to work drunk repeatedly is usually a fireable offense in any situation.
The news came out tonight that South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier is retiring. Some smart a** tweeted that Spurrier heard that the USC coach is out, and he got confused.
Coach Petrino at Arkansas football got caught and lied about an affair with a female athlete who he had hired following the tryst.
Incidentally, at my company a sick or impaired employee suffering from an addiction cannot be summarily fired. The company has to offer and provide counseling services first.