Brad the Cad

Before we decided to use a word like "cad" in describing Brad Holland, we wanted to make sure it's appropriate.
So, a quick Internet check reveals that a cad is "a man whose behavior is unprincipled or dishonorable."
Yep, fits like a glove here.
In case you missed the earth-shattering news Thursday, Brad Holland was fired after 13 years as head basketball coach at the University of San Diego.
You've no doubt heard a lot in recent days about what a nice guy Holland is and how he runs a "clean program" and he does it "the right way."
If you believe Holland ran a "clean program," you probably also believe there was nothing fishy going on with Reggie Bush's family and USC boosters.
What this all means is that Holland was a master of cultivating a well-crafted public image for himself, regardless of its accuracy.
As NFL Adam reminds us, Holland has a less-than-clean history, when it comes to NCAA violations. But you rarely ever heard a word of that mentioned during Holland's 13 years in San Diego.
In trying to escape his dirty NCAA past, Holland found the perfect place to hide in anonymity at the University of San Diego. USD is a strange universe. While Holland no doubt thought of himself as a big man on campus, the reality is that coaching at USD is a thoroughly anonymous existence. Most San Diegans couldn't spot Brad Holland in a lineup with Brad Radke and Willa Holland.
But on this historic day, we can't be too negative. Brad Holland gave us many memories.
We'll fondly remember how Holland would show extra intensity for the Toreros' annual game against San Diego State. Holland knew this was the one night of the year that he had the undivided attention of the local media, and Bradley was in all his glory basking in the spotlight for one night.
We'll fondly remember the way Holland would majestically wave up into the stands -- in which many seats were empty -- as he was leaving the court after a victory. Bradley looked like he was auditioning to be some sort of over-aged, overweight male model for "Zoolander 2."
We'll fondly remember how, when the UCLA head coaching job was open a few years ago, Holland had his cronies, such as USD announcer Jim Brogan, try to spread the rumor that Bradley was a "candidate" for the Bruins job. But the reality was that Holland couldn't even get an interview for the job at his alma mater. And he had John Wooden going to bat for him.
We'll fondly remember how Holland would kiss up to the local media, no doubt in an effort to ingratiate himself so his dirty past would remain buried. It was always fun to hear Bradley call Jim Stone of NBC 7/39 "Stoney," as if they were a couple of old frat buddies.
So what's next for Brad Holland? Considering his skill in molding public opinion of himself, we're guessing Bradley's next gig will be as a political spin doctor in Washington.