Responsibility, everyone has it. People are responsible for their actions, no matter what age.
Head coaches have many responsibilities. They have a responsibility to be truthful to their team, its players and the fans.
However, the idea of responsibility has slowly slid off into extinction.
Within the last year, two NFL head coaches have claimed that their loyalty laid with their team, only to resign and sign deals with college teams.
In the beginning of 2007, Miami Dolphins head coach Nick Saban was questioned as to whether he would be interested in the open head coaching job at Alabama.
He repeatedly denied he was interested with comments like, I'm flattered that they may have been interested in me, but it never really progressed, because we just never let it progress,"" to, ""I guess I have to say it. I'm not going to be the Alabama coach.""
These comments were from Dec. 7 and Dec. 21. 2006.
On Jan. 4, 2007, Saban signed a multi-year deal with Arkansas, after denying even a whimper of interest for more than a month.
During this NFL season, first-year Atlanta head coach Bobby Petrino was asked a similar question. Petrino was lured away from Louisville, a program that he himself had built into a national powerhouse, and signed with the Falcons under the assumption that he would have then-quarterback Michael Vick under center.
With Vick's dog fighting scandal, however, the media automatically pondered how loyal Petrino was to the Falcons.
Obviously, he wasn't loyal enough. After a dismal start to his first season with a 3-10 record, Petrino stated multiple times to the media and Atlanta owner Arthur Blank that he would indeed return next season.
But it seems that Monday's 34-14 loss to the New Orleans Saints changed Petrino's view, as he signed a multi-year deal with the Arkansas Razorbacks Tuesday.
Both Saban and Petrino have ushered in a terrible new era in sports. These two have opened the doors for any head coach to lie outright to one team, sign with another, and receive no punishment for their crimes.
Of course individual teams can go after these coaches, especially if it is written into their contracts, but there is no set rule or regulation to hinder coaches from pulling this outrageous stunt over and over.
LSU head coach Les Miles, who had been rumored to be in the running for the Michigan head coaching job, has stated multiple times that he is not interested.
Miles even signed a contract extension recently. However, the contract still states that he can leave LSU if and only if the Michigan job is available. Yet Miles has no interest?
At Madison, the success of the football team year in and year out results in rumors and speculation each year as to whether head coach Bret Bielema or athletic director Barry Alvarez will leave for greener pastures.
While these two have constantly shut down rumor after rumor and seem pleasantly content where they are, the recent trend should lead everyone to err on the side of caution, as nothing seems to be certain anymore.
And no one wants to be responsible for that.
If you think that this latest trend is ridiculous, e-mail Nate at ncarey@dailycardinal.com
