Paul Krebs incompetent, deserves to be let go

Editor’s Note: This letter in its original form was addressed and sent to the Board of Regents and then given to the Daily Lobo for publication.

Editor,

Another UNM football game, another loss: this one 49-7. Really?
Sirs, as a decade-long resident of New Mexico, I have been watching the slowly deteriorating situation inside UNM’s Athletics Department.

Sure, most of us New Mexico citizens do not understand the complexities of college athletics, but we do understand that success in Athletics is essential in today’s higher education world.

It would be an understatement to say that UNM has suffered nationwide humiliation over the past three years because of the utter failure of your football program to find even a shred of success. Paying a coach nearly $1 million a year who cannot even muster a single win is ridiculous. Why did Paul Krebs stand by this loser so bloody long?

Mike Locksley’s 2-26 record over two-plus years was not only abysmal, it was unnecessary. Yet Krebs refused to fire him. Locksley’s totally unprofessional demeanor on and off the field will reflect poorly on UNM for years. Krebs has shown a monumental inability to recognize failure, even though most UNM supporters did so long ago.

Before UNM lets Krebs make yet another million-dollar mistake, why not remove Krebs? And, like the Locksley firing, Krebs’ departure is long overdue. The Locksley hire was a bad one — a really bad one. The University will pay for this gigantic mistake for years in dollars and in public support.

Allow Krebs to go out and make another major mistake, and I’m through supporting UNM even though it should be the state’s most respected university.

How many UNM students and faculty members could have been helped with the millions of dollars that the Krebs/Locksley debacle cost UNM, and how many years will it take to rebuild trust with students, faculty and New Mexico residents because of an inept Athletics director?

Thomas DeFeo
UNM community member