It's a tough business, no question. Aside from college coaching, few professions are so reliant on the performance of men and women barely of age to vote.

When the sport is football and it is the athletics culture of your school, the pressure to succeed is magnified. Patience from your boss and customers can wear thin when the return on investment doesn't at least match historical trends.

Such is the cruel scenario in which East Carolina coach John Thompson now possibly resides. Though it is only his second year behind the wheel, he faces a gusher of criticism that is drowning out his positives.

"My psyche is, I've got to get things right," Thompson said following the Pirates' 51-10 loss at Southern Mississippi last Saturday. "I've got to get things better, we've got to get things corrected. This is my responsibility as the head coach � to get this thing right.

"But my psyche is, I'm not disappointed or down. I'm not going to drag my head. I'm going to work. I'm going to keep doing it and I expect our players to keep doing it. When I say I'm not disappointed, sure I'm disappointed at the outcome, but I'm not getting down. I'm not going to do that."

At this stage, you could hardly blame Thompson if he checked out emotionally. Given the circumstances, many a coach would have either lost it or tucked into a shell of self-preservation.

But Thompson has done neither.

Regardless of the outcome, he's faced his critics with the same dignity and resolve he no doubt learned from his father. Growing up the son of a gridiron coach, Thompson obviously has mastered the art of his sport's social graces.

He has that 'ball coach' persona and is unafraid of the blue collar work that is synonymous with the old school tradition of his business. He combines that with an everyman appeal that makes him approachable in public despite the pedestal on which he sits.

Thompson certainly has embraced the importance of his position in a community with a pulse that is dictated by the bounce of the pigskin. Where some have demanded a coach whose public vernacular parallels an evangelical preacher, Thompson has delivered above and beyond the call.

The relationship he shares with players also appears to be one you would expect from a college coach. From most accounts, Thompson relishes the responsibility of counseling those in his charge.

"When you get right down to it, that's what we're in this whole thing for," Thompson said. "The game � I love this game and I want to do it, but it's about people.

"There are lessons being taught in (the locker room), and I'm going to teach the right lessons. Hopefully, we taught a lot of lessons. I see some of (my former players) and I feel like I let them down, too."

Say what you want about Thompson. Question his X's and O's or his ability to lead a Division I program.

Preparation and game management � the topics that, at some point, are discussed about every coach � both are fair game. The ability to evaluate personnel, maximize talent, and design a successful recruiting blueprint also are up for debate.

But the one part of Thompson that cannot be questioned is his passion and enthusiasm for the trade. Both are lined in solid gold and propel an intense desire to succeed, despite the 2-16 record he's built.

That said, neither handshakes nor inspiring rhetoric will determine Thompson's long-term fate at East Carolina. Ultimately, that will and should boil down to the bottom line � improvement in the win column and the Pirates' overall level of play.

The primary concern for Thompson has to be his employment status under a chancellor and athletics director whose legacies aren't tied to his hiring. That typically doesn't provide much of a comfort zone, regardless of the scenario.

Normally a coach can expect a mulligan or two to recruit his own players and assimilate them into his system. However, that may not be a given in Thompson's case considering the unique situation in which East Carolina is currently positioned.

There's a good chance AD Terry Holland's tenure in Greenville will end before 2010. With the potential for more conference shuffling and ECU's renewed athletics focus, the sense of urgency is high.

Given that environment, common sense suggests the program is now under heavy review.

If push comes to shove, Thompson could point to his strengths in public relations and the clean image he's maintained for ECU. A safer bet would be to devise a way to steal wins in at least three of the Pirates' final five games.

That's the type of down payment that potentially could provide Thompson the breathing room he needs.