For those who don't know what I'm talking about, this is the Instagram story that started some chatter yesterday
There is some truth to it. However, I know what happened here. I had the exact same story relayed to me by two completely unconnected people.
The Tuesday after the Florida game, I wrote a story about Odom's job security. In that story, there was a statement from Jim Sterk. The statement said nothing. It was not a vote of confidence, it wasn't even "we'll evaluate after the season." It was basically a list of things Odom had done as the head coach here. When I got that statement I really believed firing Odom was on the table for the first time.
Odom and Sterk met on Wednesdays throughout the season. They met on this Wednesday as well. Odom felt Sterk's statement did not support him. Sterk said he had higher ups he had to answer to. Odom asked who would make the decision on his future. Sterk told him Choi and Cartwright, along with Sterk. Odom asked Sterk where he stood. Sterk said "As of today, I can't support you." That's when the tide turned. Odom walked out of that meeting feeling like he was going to get fired. That's understandable. When your boss says "I can't support you" what are you supposed to think?
As I understand it, Odom asked Sterk what he was supposed to tell the staff. I don't know exactly what Sterk said. But Odom relayed the information from the meeting to them in one way or another. I don't know exactly what was said to the staff, but the staff took it the same way the head coach did: After the season was over, they probably needed to have their resumes updated.
I don't think this was the reason Odom got fired. Sterk was already thinking about it. If they'd won the last two games and gone 7-5 he would have been back (although it wouldn't have been a great situation). But he didn't and he was gone. Again, the relationship between Odom and Sterk has never been great. Odom never felt he had his support and backing. To some extent he's probably right. To be fair, he hadn't done anything to force Sterk to give it to him either.
So there was definite truth in the story on Banner Society even if some of it might not have been exactly right. But here are things I am confident in:
Whatever came out of that meeting is not the reason Odom got fired.
Odom did not outright tell the staff they were getting fired prior to yesterday morning. I know this to be a fact.
None of this really matters anyway.
There is some truth to it. However, I know what happened here. I had the exact same story relayed to me by two completely unconnected people.
The Tuesday after the Florida game, I wrote a story about Odom's job security. In that story, there was a statement from Jim Sterk. The statement said nothing. It was not a vote of confidence, it wasn't even "we'll evaluate after the season." It was basically a list of things Odom had done as the head coach here. When I got that statement I really believed firing Odom was on the table for the first time.
Odom and Sterk met on Wednesdays throughout the season. They met on this Wednesday as well. Odom felt Sterk's statement did not support him. Sterk said he had higher ups he had to answer to. Odom asked who would make the decision on his future. Sterk told him Choi and Cartwright, along with Sterk. Odom asked Sterk where he stood. Sterk said "As of today, I can't support you." That's when the tide turned. Odom walked out of that meeting feeling like he was going to get fired. That's understandable. When your boss says "I can't support you" what are you supposed to think?
As I understand it, Odom asked Sterk what he was supposed to tell the staff. I don't know exactly what Sterk said. But Odom relayed the information from the meeting to them in one way or another. I don't know exactly what was said to the staff, but the staff took it the same way the head coach did: After the season was over, they probably needed to have their resumes updated.
I don't think this was the reason Odom got fired. Sterk was already thinking about it. If they'd won the last two games and gone 7-5 he would have been back (although it wouldn't have been a great situation). But he didn't and he was gone. Again, the relationship between Odom and Sterk has never been great. Odom never felt he had his support and backing. To some extent he's probably right. To be fair, he hadn't done anything to force Sterk to give it to him either.
So there was definite truth in the story on Banner Society even if some of it might not have been exactly right. But here are things I am confident in:
Whatever came out of that meeting is not the reason Odom got fired.
Odom did not outright tell the staff they were getting fired prior to yesterday morning. I know this to be a fact.
None of this really matters anyway.
