To those who subscribe to the theory of \"primacy and recency,\" it is what you do either first or last that matters the most. This hotly-debated field of behavioral study focuses on which areas of persuasion influence people more than others. I certainly do not have a Ph.D., but after publishing this magazine for over eight years, I know that with coaches it is what they do last that matters most. Clearly, this is no different than society as whole and its \"what have you done for me lately\" attitude. Yet, I find it more than troublesome when fans, university or school officials, and the media overlook the entire body of a person\'s work and simply scrutinize the last few months of a career.One recent example of this carnivorous frenzy came after the forced resignation of University of Kentucky head coach Hal Mumme. First, I am fully aware of the numerous problems that existed in
Continue Reading
This article is available to American Football Quarterly subscribers.
Get instant digital access to this issue and the complete archive.