John Clayton of The Daily Orange got a chance to peer inside the mind of DOCTOR Daryl Gross and he lived to tell the tale. It's a great opportunity for Gross to open up and share his world with the SU fans and the community. A chance to break down the shady walls of secrecy and rumor that exist and come clean about what's going on and where we're going: The Daily Orange: There have been reports that you have signed a contract extension through 2014. Can you comment on that?So much for that...
Daryl Gross: When it comes to me personally, I don't even get into it. I plan on being here for a long time. We have a lot of things we want to accomplish and do well, and that's about it. It's private.
Good to see that Gross and Greg Robinson are on the same page in terms of overused vagueries when describing the SU football team:
Well, I think they're better. And we'll find out of course. Really, my opinion doesn't matter. I've been doing this a long time, and only one time did I say 'Oh, this team's really going to be good.' But I think we're faster, I think we're a little more athletic. We're still young.They're better. They're faster. They're young. Where have I heard that before???
Speaking of Greggers, how bout that "tangible evidence" that Gross is looking for from the football team this season?
It's kind of one of those things. We'll know if they are better than last year. I don't think it's that complicated. I think you'll know, just as well as I'll know. If it's not good, we'll know that too. Greg (Robinson) will know it. He'll know it before we know it.It's like a Laurel and Hardy routine:
Gross: Do you know?
Robinson: I know.
Gross: What do you know?
Robinson: I know what I know.
Gross: But do you know what I know you know.
Robinson: I know what I know about what you think I know.
Gross: Why I oughtta...
As for why Gross ultimately decided to give Greg Robinson a fourth year to turn the ship around?
Well, I think you have to look at the program, and the fact that we just changed the coach three years ago. If you're in the football community, you go 'I don't know how good a property that is, that Syracuse football.' So if you're changing coaches quickly, there's not a lot of logic. People on the outside will go 'They're bad, they're changing coaches so quickly, that's not really right.'Of course! You should always base your decision-making process on what others will think rather than based on cold, hard, irrefutable facts. I find the "peer pressure" system works best at times like this.
Oh and I loved this exchange:
D.O.: Obviously fairness is important, but it gets to a point where your hand is forced, right?Dammit, John Clayton, the DOCTOR just told you that it depends on whether or not it will look good to others unaffiliated with the University. Only then can we make a decision. Get with it.
Gross: I don't know. We'll see.
And finally, the piece de resistance. We all know that the good DOCTOR has a bit of a ego. It pops up from time to time, but I can understand if you might have missed it. See now you might be under the impression that Syracuse University or Chancellor Nancy Cantor have the ultimate say in student affairs. You would be wrong. D.O.: Some of the things that have happened this summer - wide receiver Mike Williams and defensive end Brandon Gilbeaux being suspended, three basketball players appearing in front of a grand jury - do you ever worry about how that impacts the image of SU athletics?It's not implicitly stated, but if you want to leave a burnt offering at DOCTOR Gross' desk as a way to curry favor with him, I would suggest doing so. You never know when he'll need another sacrifice to appease himself.
Gross: You have to be accountable in life. I'm not going to talk specifically about these guys, because you don't know who's innocent and guilty in one of the cases, but in the case of any type of academic issue, you have to be responsible, you have to step up. We have enough good athletes now that if you're not going to be responsible and not going to be prepared for what you need to do, then I send you home. It's that simple.