(above) The Lansing State Journal mentioned that DU coach George Gwozdecky might be on Michigan State's "Wish List" as a possible candidate for their now vacant head coaching jobFrom: Lansing State Journal
by Neil Koepke
Four seasons after guiding Michigan State to the 2007 NCAA Championship, Rick Comley is leaving his job as Spartan hockey coach. Comley, 64, announced Tuesday that he's stepping down as MSU coach after this season and retiring from coaching after 38 years.
The most likely candidates would appear to be three coaches with MSU backgrounds - Danton Cole, who's in his first season coaching the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-17 team in Ann Abor; George Gwozdecky, in his 17th season at the University of Denver, and Newell Brown, a longtime NHL assistant coach now with the Vancouver Canucks.
Both Cole (1985-89) and Brown (1980-84) played at MSU for coach Ron Mason, who hired Comley in 2002 when Mason stepped down to become athletic director. Brown also served as an assistant coach at MSU under Mason.
Gwozdecky, who won NCAA titles with Denver in 2004 and 2005, was an assistant coach under Mason from 1984-1989.
"I expect hockey at Michigan State to be competing for national championships year in and year out,'' Hollis said.
"You're not going to win it every year, but you want to be in a position in which you're competing for that every year.''
The most likely candidates would appear to be three coaches with MSU backgrounds - Danton Cole, who's in his first season coaching the U.S. National Team Development Program's Under-17 team in Ann Abor; George Gwozdecky, in his 17th season at the University of Denver, and Newell Brown, a longtime NHL assistant coach now with the Vancouver Canucks.
Both Cole (1985-89) and Brown (1980-84) played at MSU for coach Ron Mason, who hired Comley in 2002 when Mason stepped down to become athletic director. Brown also served as an assistant coach at MSU under Mason.
Gwozdecky, who won NCAA titles with Denver in 2004 and 2005, was an assistant coach under Mason from 1984-1989.
"I expect hockey at Michigan State to be competing for national championships year in and year out,'' Hollis said.
"You're not going to win it every year, but you want to be in a position in which you're competing for that every year.''
34 comments:
HURRY UP, Peg...get that contract extended!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And get the checkbook out. If you Gwoz leaves, it is on your shoulders. It will take years for the program to recover from his departure.
Been here, done this...everyone freaked out that Gwoz was headed to E Lansing back when Comley was hired. Then it was Wisconsin when Eaves got hired. Then it was OSU when Osiecki was hired. Now it's Penn St and, now again, MSU. Look, just because other programs are naturally interested in one of the best coaches out there does not mean the sky is falling and just because they like Gwoz does NOT mean it is reciprocal. Don't act like this is your wife who is looking around, the coach has every right to pay people the respect of talking with them if he so desires.
And why, exactly, would it years to recover? Please entertain me with your answer...
Gwoz's name is going to come up every time a major coaching position opens up. That is a good thing. This may motivate DU to get him extended especially if this year's team goes deep into the playoffs. With one or two more NCAA titles at DU, Gwoz joins the rarified stratosphere with Murray and cements his legend status.
Gwoz is gonna bounce... That's all there is to it. He aint no fool, the BTHC is the future and that mofo knows it. :(
11:26 that is the truth
I don't see Gwoz "bouncing" out of Denver anytime soon. And I am not convinced Gwoz will 'bounce' unless DU decides it doesn't want to pay him what he wants on new deal. DU is a great job - good money, nice place, Games on TV, good school, low media pressure, hockey is king. He has a few years left on his deal, and DU wants to see some recent NCAA results if they are going to pay more big money for another long term deal.
Depending on how DU does in the NCAAs this year, I think we'll see DU try to get him a new long term deal if he succeeds in getting to the Frozen Four, or perhaps a close loss in the regional final.
If DU cant get past the first game of the NCAA regional, or loses badly in the regional final,or doesn't make the NCAAs, then we might have a different conversation, as we then have a program that will have failed to get seriously into the NCAA tourney in six consecutive years.
The Big 10 gigs are higher pressure, and hockey is a an under-funded stepchild in most of those schools, plus most of them aren't as nice places to live as Denver.
I think Gwoz can make a killing if he just go deep in this year's tounrey. If he does that, Gwoz' leverage shifts from legacy achievment to current achievement.
Ac interesting thing happened on last Staurday night - DU sold out Magness for UAA - the first sellout against an non=name brand opponent in a long time. If Gwoz can keep selling out the building with this team, it also bolsters his case for a loing term deal.
The sky is falling!The sky is falling! LMAO!
Gwoz will bounce to NHL if anything, but not to MSU. And I don't forsee him bouncing to NHL anytime soon, so everybody shouldn't read into this too much.
Please kindly stop talking about me. I am staying here in Denver.
George Washington?
IMO,
The only position Gwoz will even consider is the University of Minnesota job.
There is something in his contract if he leaves early he doesn't recieve the big pay day "investment" he has as a part of his contract. He only leaves if that is covered.
He is not leaving.
There's no question that DU needs to start winning some postseason games again. How much that plays into a new contract for Gwoz is anyone's guess, but it surely has to have some role in the process. 2005 feels like light years ago. Hard to believe that with all of the talent that has passed through here in recent years, DU hasn't won an NCAA tourney game since then. I really thought last year's team, with Chevy in net, strong senior leadership, Big Joe, Wiercioch etc etc, was poised for a great run. That loss to RIT is still a head scratcher.
Whatever the reason(s) for the recent postseason failures, it all comes back to the head coach--the buck stops there. Perhaps this year's team has something special in store.
Yep, if Gwoz left,only the dregs of the coaching fraternity would apply at DU.Program would fold up like a prom dress.
Well the rumors around the upper echelons of hockey since the start of the season was Gwoz would be the next head coach at MSU. I've also been told that his wife is an MSU grad and would like to return to the East Lansing area.
Gwoz has no loyalty. He is putting his best interest ahead DU hockey. Every time there is a vacancy, his name keeps coming up. Obviously, he's shopping or putting pressure on DU. Both are clear signs of a coach who wants to be the center of attention......let the ego-maniac go.
5:16- he doesn't bring his name up. The media does. You make no sense.
I knew his name would come up with the Spartans opening because he used to be Asst there. Seriously - Gwozdecky might be the biggest sports contract deama ordeals in a long time around here. But what if he left?
You know, look at John Elway. Great player for Denver football,right? Went off and did his thing for a while, then now he's back with the Broncos, right? (although not as a Coach work with me here....) So along those same lines, what if... one day, Paul Stasny was to coach the University of Denver Pioneers one day? C'mon - that's not too far fetched is it?
If Gwozdecky leaves..... I want Bill Wrenn to come back and lead the DU program to a National Championship
Gowoz has tons of Loyalty. He's already turned down Wisconsin, MSU and OSU.
Bonnie is an MSU grad, but from what I know, Bonnie loves it in Denver.
We'll just have to wait and see.
I just hope everything falls into place at some point and everyone is happy and DU keeps winning with George's leadership. I hope DU re-signs him with a contract that even makes Bill Tierney's heart skip a beat and the DU winning tradition continues on for years to come. If that all happens - I wish like hell I could be in 3 places at once - to see the looks on the faces of Dave Hackstol, Scott Owen's AND Frank Saratore.
Gwoz getting more money is good for the other WCHA coaches.
I live across the street from Gwoz. We have Sunday barbeques all the time. This man doesn’t want to hold DU hostage but he knows he can and he is a greedy bastard. He is putting serious thought into PSU.
He also hates life in Denver (especially where he lives in Highlands Ranch). He feels female DU students, including player’s girlfriends, should be offering him blowjobs on a daily basis
I don’t like it but its true... Right from the coaches’ mouth…
8:25.....funny stuff, homeboy. You and your mom attending BBQs with Gwoz?.....must be a cute scene. Gwoz must cook you the spaghetti o's and pink lemonade.
@ anon 8:44 This shit is true. As I said, I don't like it. I'm just trying to warn the rest of the Pio Nation. Prepare to rebuild my friends. It might take some time...
Pudswami,
How the f### do you know who gwoz has "turned down "?
Dude you are really full of s##t lately!
How do I know? Because I can read.
Gwoz was offered the MSU job by his old boss Ron Mason in 2002: Link Here:
http://www.detnews.com/article/20110125/SPORTS07/101250419/MSU-hockey-coach-Rick-Comley-to-retire-at-season’s-end
Gwoz was also approached by Wisconsin in 2002, according to public record (see box at right)
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2002/03/12_wisconsin.php
During the "approach" period, Gwoz signed his current contract at a huge raise and took himself out of the running for the Wisconsin job.
The OSU dalliance was well documented -
USHR said an agreement could not be reached and Gwoz turned it down:
http://letsgodu.blogspot.com/2010/04/ushr-says-gwozdecky-was-osu-candidate.html
The point here is that Gwoz has turned down big 10 teams before, and he has also used their offers to get better deals at DU. It's all part of the game.
So the next time you accuse me of being full of it, be prepared with documentation.
That's what she said...
How do I know? Because I can read.
Gwoz was offered the MSU job by his old boss Ron Mason in 2002: Link Here:
http://www.detnews.com/article/20110125/SPORTS07/101250419/MSU-hockey-coach-Rick-Comley-to-retire-at-season’s-end
Gwoz was also approached by Wisconsin in 2002, according to public record (see box at right)
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2002/03/12_wisconsin.php
During the "approach" period, Gwoz signed his current contract at a huge raise and took himself out of the running for the Wisconsin job.
The OSU dalliance was well documented -
USHR said an agreement could not be reached and Gwoz turned it down:
http://letsgodu.blogspot.com/2010/04/ushr-says-gwozdecky-was-osu-candidate.html
The point here is that Gwoz has turned down big 10 teams before, and he has also used their offers to get better deals at DU. It's all part of the game.
So the next time you accuse me of being full of it, be prepared with documentation.
Here is he working link on the Wisconsin situtation in 2002. See the right hand box.
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2002/03/12_wisconsin.php
Why would you want to coach at a university where you get 2000-3000 fans at home games?
Get the fans to come and Gwoz will stay.
It's no fun to win when nobody gives a s""t.
Pudswamp, thanks for that indepth research. Glad you're up at 12:30 worrying about an anonymous blog poster.
DU is averaging 5,306 fans through the first 15 games this year -88% of capacity.
The last DU game against UAA was sellout.
8:58.....get your head out of your ass, dipshit.
An incredible interview with Michigan State's Rick Comley. He really lays the cards out on the table talking about why he was forced out at Michigan State and the challenges of recruiting players today...
http://www.collegehockeynews.com/news/2011/01/26_qa_with_rick_comley.php
Half of those 5300 are season ticket holders who are part-time fans. Face the facts, Du hockey is small market. Gwoz wants big market to feed his massive ego.
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