OPINION: Fire Baylor Coach Art Briles Already!

Enough is enough. Art Briles should be fired by Monday. Hell, he should’ve been fired a month ago.

Briles, is still the current head football coach at Baylor University, but his new title reads “suspended, with the intent to terminate.”

That was the moniker stamped atop Briles name by Baylor University officials May 25, in the wake of the sexual assault scandal that boiled over after the announcement that three, female, former students levied a lawsuit against Baylor for violating their Title IX rights.

Twenty four days later, Briles’ new title remains, with whispers that he may return to the old one.

A move to terminate Briles now, as Baylor has stated is its “intention,” would be best for both parties. Briles would be permitted to begin repairing his image and resume and Baylor could look like they finally cleaned house.

Yes, many people will complain that the process took too long, or that Briles doesn’t deserve another job in college football, but at least the band-aid could finally be ripped from the wound after being slowly peeled for more than three weeks.

Briles deserves plenty of blame.

College football coaches who win big, in “big” places, know anything and everything that is going on in their towns. It doesn’t matter if it’s an incident that takes place on campus, off campus or rumors buzzing around campus.

The coaches hear about it first.

It was no different for Joe Paterno or Bobby Bowden and you can bet it was the same for the ‘Ol Ball Coach’ Steve Spurrier.

It is their business to know exactly what is going on with their players and if Briles didn’t know what was happening with his team, that is an indictment in itself. But, of course, not nearly as deplorable as if he was privvy to the details of the sexual assaults and did nothing.

He could be a scapegoat. That is a possibility, but again, given the reach of these high-priced and high-powered head coaches, I would venture to guess Briles network spreads as wide as his offense.

The sooner Baylor moves on from Briles, Briles can move on from Baylor.

The University and community, in Waco, Texas, can withdraw from playing the part of the nation’s punching bag and, with a little help, they can begin to rebuild.

Last week rumors were flying that there was a minority, but a strong minority of Briles supporters within Baylor’s Board of Regents, the body voting on the coach’s future with (or without) the University.

Now this week Briles fired and then rehired his attorney in a matter of days. It is just getting more and more chaotic by the moment.

We want off this sick, twisted, roller-coaster ride overseen by Baylor’s Board of Regents.

And if the Bears ever want to run out of the tunnel and out onto the field at that new, state-of-the-art stadium with dignity, they should be reaching for the emergency brake too.

Article by Kevin Xavier