Long Beach State AD Fired Dan Monson So Team 'Would Play Inspired', Says Monson Approached Him About Leaving

I have no idea what Long Beach State athletic director Bobby Smitheran was thinking last week about the job status of now fired head coach Dan Monson, but it seems like it was all planned. 

For the past week, Don Monson has been coaching Long Beach State knowing that each game could be his last, because he was fired by the school last Monday. So, creating headlines has been pretty easy for the head coach and his basketball team, given that they just kept winning after he was fired. 

Being given the opportunity to finish the season with his players, Monson has now led Long Beach State to a conference title and an NCAA Tournament bid. So, I'd say things worked out pretty well over past few weeks, and this has all played out in favor of Monson. But, i guess we're giving him too much credit for coaching a team while knowing he won't return next season.

Nope, his now former athletic director is taking all the credit for this inspiring run by the basketball team, and now fired head coach Dan Monson. 

"My belief and hope is that by doing what i did and the timing of it, they would play inspired, and that's what they did. AD Bobby Smitheran told the Associated Press before playing Arizona. "I'm not trying to pat myself on the back, but it worked."

I had no idea that Smitherman was an inspirational leader, and that his firing of a head coach would be all the team needed to make the NCAA Tournament. Oh, and the whole firing narrative that's floating out there, Smitherman says that it was Coach Monson's idea for a change. 

"I don't buy into that narrative. I think this is really getting lost on people, that we agreed that a change in leadership was necessary. This was something Coach Monson brought to me," Smitherman told the AP. 

In the days leading up to their matchup with Arizona, the Long Beach State head coach was having a good time joking with reporters, especially at his press conference. He wondered aloud if he actually had to be there, since he was working for free. 

But one thing is abundantly clear after AD Bobby Smitherman opened his mouth and tried to take credit for the run Long Beach State went on, which is that he's delusional. 

I'm glad he thinks so highly of himself, while looking like a fool in how he handled the firing of his head coach.