People need to keep check with reality here.
These are not the same circumstances as the Shannon situation. So expecting the same timetable is going to lead to a lot of heartache.
1. Shannon did not have this kind of buyout and this much left on his contract.
2. Shalala was not stepping down and the University was not without a clear head at that time. This is probably the single Biggest issue right now. She's not going to pull the trigger as she's stepping down, and a new guy is not going to walk in and make his first major decision be firing a football coach. The timing of this almost ensures that this situation continues.
3. The media is still talking about the "cloud" and the NCAA mess. This seems to have bought Golden more time and excuses then Shannon had. It was just last week that Herbstreit and a lot of media talking heads were bashing the "Banner" fans and defending Golden.
As bad as things now stand, the powers that matter don't seem to be focused on the issue at all, and its not likely they are going to act to remedy it this year.
I think people need to expect the worst, and hope for the best. But the reality is that there is probably NO help coming. Not this year. It is what it is.