:: on dan mullen coaching in the national championship

mississippi state's newly hired head football coach, dan mullen, will be a busy man in the month of december and the early part of january. and i'm not just talking about the business that accompanies the christmas holidays and the advent of the new year. mullen has agreed to return to gainesville to help prepare his old team, the florida gators, win the bcs national championship game. that's on top of the work he's already been doing in the week or so that he's been at state (he's been racking up the cell phone minutes with recruits like crazy, as well as trying to assemble a staff). fortunately, the week brings the "dead period" in college football where coaches are not allowed to recruit and when most coaches who would be considered for staff positions would be focusing on bowl games of thier own.

this has actually caused some debate around the nation. some say that this situation is unfair to florida because thier offensive coordinator can't fully devote his time and concentration to helping florida win a championship. some say this situation is unfair to mississippi state because our new head coach cannot "strike while the iron is hot" so to speak, and drive in (and possibly improve upon) what was already looking like a pretty good recruiting class. others say this is a good thing for state because it gives mullen's hiring credibility and gives state fans a reason to brag, especcially the morning after mullen hoists the crystal ball over his head. it might even give state an edge in the recruiting department.

this exact discussion was had on one of my favorite sports shows, around the horn, today. i found myself going against my very nature and agreeing with bill plaschke over woody paige. here is the discussion...

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what are your thoughts on the issue?

more to come...