If you go back to what he said at his opening press conference, it was very clear that he didn’t want the job, didn’t believe he could do it, and was going to refuse responsibility for failing at it. It was going to be everybody else’s fault but his, because fans are vicious and demand accountability and results. He needed 3 or 4 years to do the job, so he insisted on that ridiculous 6 year, $3.5 million per year contract.
There’s plenty of blame to go around, including for Heird and his bosses for even considering hiring a career assistant whose skill is counseling players. But I cannot absolve Kenny Payne for taking a job that he didn’t want and knew he couldn’t do.
