The Out Route

People from New Jersey have an inordinate sense of pride. It's an us vs. the world mentality in the Garden State. That's why I'll be pissed if Greg Schiano leaves Rutgers for Miami.

Look, I could give a shit about college football. And I've never claimed to be a fan of the Scarlet Knights. But Schiano is a Jersey boy coaching a Jersey school, and the thought of him leaving that school -- for Miami, no less! -- as soon as he experiences his first major success as a coach makes me sick.

This is a problem that I often have with sports -- the lack of any sort of loyalty beyond that of a fan to his/her team -- and it's amplified by the location. Schiano's put in six seasons of work at Rutgers to turn that school's program around, and now that they're the feel-good story of college football he's going to leave? That's bush league. Isn't there more to enjoying the fruits of your labor than cashing in on a big payday at a bigger school? Like, how about finishing what you started at Rutgers with a series of strong recruit classes by bringing the school a national title?

I don't care if he was the defensive coordinator at Miami for two years. It's still bush league. He has a chance to become the most beloved coach in school history. He also has a chance to draw the ire of a rejuvenated fanbase.

The decision is all his. Let's hope, for the honor of New Jersey, he makes the right choice.