Less than two weeks ago following Kansas State’s crushing 51-47 loss at Utah, K-State coach Chris Klieman began his postgame news conference with what unfolded into a jarring opening statement.
It was really hard to watch.
Through tears and fighting in vain to compose himself, Klieman seemed a man in distress as he spoke of hearing he’d “cashed it in,” and that new leadership was needed, and how he’d given his “friggin’-ass life for this place for seven years.”
When he became so agitated he was unable to speak for some 25 seconds, athletic director Gene Taylor came to his side and made an extraordinarily tender gesture to console Klieman. With his arm around him, Taylor said, “You ain’t going anywhere, brother, OK? Understand that? We’ve got your back. We’ve got your back, OK?”
At the time, Taylor said Wednesday at a news conference in Manhattan, he figured it was just an intense reaction shortly after a painful defeat.
But Taylor recalled his daughter asking if he was concerned about Klieman.
And now we’re left to wonder what that episode might have said about Klieman’s broader state of mind by the time he decided to retire this week at the age of 58.
The reasons Taylor and Klieman gave for an apparently abrupt decision (that was perhaps longer in the making than it might appear) were somewhat vague. But both were nonetheless vehement that it was entirely Klieman’s choice.
In a statement released Wednesday, Klieman alluded to the decision being “the culmination of many factors, including my own personal health.” Taylor also referred to Klieman mentioning his health and brought up “where he was mentally” after a pointed opening statement about how the current climate of college sports is what drove out Klieman.
“And if we don’t get this thing fixed … , if we don’t get this thing under control, more really, really good guys like Chris Klieman are going to walk away from this business,” Taylor said, later adding, “Because they just aren’t ready to deal with what we’re dealing with. We have to get this thing under control.”
There’s a lot to be explored there when Taylor elaborates on what he means.
