I have a different theory bouncing around in my head. I think Brad initially expected Paulsen to tank this year and then he would have been easy to fire. Then Paulsen had his little run at the end, putting things in doubt. Because of this, Brad doesn't make any moves to have him fired at the end of the year. Then Paulsen won his first game in the tourney, too. At this point, Paulsen had the horrific performance in the final game of the season. I think that put the thought back into Brad's head. Then, Brad meets with Paulsen to do a status of the program and it probably could have gone either way. Paulsen says ho hum stuff (like we really progressed at the end of the year, practiced well, we will make incremental improvements, they are good kids). This isn't the firey stuff that Brad is looking to hear to convince him Paulsen has to stay. He leaves the meeting feeling queasy and freaked out and realizes he needs to replace Paulsen to have any chance of improving the team and saving his job and long term AD at a football school dreams. He has been caught flat footed and now needs to write up a justification for Dr. W that Paulsen needs to go and to pay his severance package. This took the time from the last game of the season until yesterday.
This theory, to me, would better explain the delay in firing Paulsen. Now, though, I hope your theory is more right than mine.
P.S. This is completely made up based on no facts other than what I read on the boards here and guessing what Brad is thinking. You would have thought I would have learned my lesson about speculating on poeple's actions, but I guess I haven't.
