Charlie Strong to Louisville: Redman Was Joking
December 3, 2009 by Mat Houchens
Filed under Football
Yesterday, we wrote about the potential of Charlie Strong leaving the Florida Gators. Then, ESPN reports that Charlie is at the top of Louisville’s list for coaches. Then Chris Redman says that he already has the job and his kids are already enrolled at the Louisville High School.
Now, Redman is backing out of what was said and saying it was just a joke:
I said it in a totally joking manner,” he said. “We were talking about golf and the Falcons and then they asked me about the coaching situation. I believe I said ‘I think it’s going to be Curtis Strong.’ I didn’t even know that his first name was Charlie.
“I just said that was what I was hearing. My wife (Ashley) read it on the message boards and told me about it.
“Why would I be the one making any announcement about the U of L football program? I’m not the athletic director. Anybody who would believe that strictly because it’s something that I said would be an idiot.
“But I apologize if I have stirred anything up.”
Whether it be a joke or not, the fact is a lot of people felt that he had some good inside information and I for one didn’t think twice to second guess it. He went on to talk about his kids being enrolled in high school there already! If you were joking, you sir took the joke too far when you said that. That was almost like instant validation to your claim. Be the judge for yourself… watch the video and you decide if he was joking (51 minute mark).
Even if what he said was a complete farse, it doesn’t take away that the Louisville Athletic Director still has stated that Charlie Strong is the top Candidate for Louisville.
There are current reports that Phillip Fulmer, former Tennessee head coach, is meeting with the Louisville Athletic Department. Tom Jurich mentioned that he would not interfere with Florida’s preparation for Alabama and would wait until after the SEC Championship Game to get Charlie to come to Louisville for an interview. This somewhat goes in the favor that Chris Redman was in fact joking.
