... never planned like it worked out.
We got lucky. Incrediblyi. Might be a first in MSU history.
The guy with the most to gain was Watson. The guy with the agenda was Meredith.
Watson wanted the job so bad that he would do anything to get it. What he got busted for was probably the tip of the iceberg of favors or promises he handed out. He had Leo Seal in his corner, apparently having made overtures to him and the cigar boys that he would re-install LT if chosen as president.
Meredith, on the other hand, had not only his best interests in mind (landscaping, for example) but he also had the University of Mississippi's best interest in mind. He had made it known that he coveted the Chancellor's position at OM when it vacated and he was stacking the deck against MSU so as to put Ole Miss in a position of higher strength. Appoint a goof-ball to be President at MSU who is not only beholding to him but also makes it easier to put things past us.
Two examples: Meredith was quoted as saying that MSU was to become the University for 'first in the family' college attendees. He was intent on making that the mission of MSU so that the moderately well-heeled and up would attend Ole Miss. Another example: Remember the funding equation that he proposed? It was designed to pull money away from MSU and bring more to Ole Miss. The premise was that all money that flowed into the institutions governed by the IHL was IHL's money. So what if MSU gets a $50 million grant from the Department of Defense: In the past MSU would have used that money exclusively but under the Meredtih plan the $50 million would go into the pot of all grants and then be dispersed out to the colleges based on student enrollment. This was in direct response to the fact that MSU's grant money at one time (may still be) is more than that over Ole Miss', USM"s, and others combined. It's easy to see that MSU is the big loser in that scenario. That's why Meredith getting sacked at the same time as Watson was so big.
Can you imagine a doofus like Watson in the President's position? He not only looks and talks like a bumpkin, but he's also the epitome of what has been wrong with State for so long. The corruption for which he was sacked spoke volumes.
Back to us being lucky, or as I like to think of it, being blessed. Keenum and Byrne have had great starts in their tenures and time may show that they were the most amazing selections in the history of the school.
And who do we have to credit for this? Aside from the whistle-blower? (If anybody ever finds out who blew the whistle on Landscape-gate - assumign they are not in the witness protection program - please let me know so I can put them on my Christmas card list perpetually.)
Fogelsong.
He screwed up Meredith's plans to perfection and in doing so, paved the way for Keenum. Before doing that, he sacked LT and elevated Byrne.
The man deserves a statue.
