tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post3653194268279307849..comments2023-10-19T06:47:01.472-06:00Comments on LetsGoDU: DU Moves Into Denver Post's Editorial Outhousedggoddardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00745826019598020062noreply@blogger.comBlogger48125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-3744560612242481802013-04-05T20:36:43.609-06:002013-04-05T20:36:43.609-06:00Does DU have a chance to win 20 games next season?...Does DU have a chance to win 20 games next season? 10? 5? 1?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-33208028213344750282013-04-05T08:00:50.752-06:002013-04-05T08:00:50.752-06:00Since I don't expect we will ever get a real a...Since I don't expect we will ever get a real account of what happened, I have taken the liberty of 'channeling' Peg Doppes. Maybe this will help us move from grief to acceptance.<br /><br />Press Conference: Peg Bradley Doppes<br /><br />"Let me begin by stating, while others provided input into the decision to release Coach Gwozdecky, the ultimate decision was mine. There was only one Murray Armstrong and there will only be one Coach George Gwozdecky. But, it is my firm belief there will be other great hockey coaches at the University of Denver, too. <br /><br />I am here today to explain the reasons for my decision and take your questions. I would like to share why I made these changes with you. <br /><br />We had different philosophies. As the program became more successful, we had to front load full scholarships for premier hockey players which hindered our ability to build the depth and experience necessary to advance in the NCAA's and, potentially, win more championships. In my opinion, this approach creates a winning program short-term but makes it difficult to maintain continuity. This is not to discredit our student athletes with professional ambitions but a recognition of the value of keeping and retaining more of our top hockey recruits as possible. Our scholarship players are a big investment and retention has to be a priority.<br /><br />We have an expensive model. The cost of the program is much more than Coach Gwozdecky's contract. He has a veteran coaching staff that comes at a premium and are part of any financial deal to keep Coach Gwozdecky. We are the only D-1 program with a dedicated goalie coach. With flat attendance and a relatively small arena, it is difficult to match state funded operations such as Minnesota and Wisconsin with a similar operating structure. Some of the greatest success DU had in the past was developing associate head coaches who are currently running their own programs today. Many of the most successful hockey teams today are following a similar model. <br /><br />Change is good. This is not a criticism of what who we are now but a recognition that we can do things differently and be successful. Who envisioned the day when three of the four schools in the frozen four were Yale, Quinnipiac, and Union? Who would have thought Ferris State would be in the finals the year before? I believe we must be true to who we are -- a mid-sized private university and seize on our strengths to build the next National Championship team. Our commitment to winning championships is not changing - our approach is. <br /><br />Our admiration and appreciation for Coach Gwozdecky will never change but we must to be willing to accept the opportunity that comes with change. <br /><br />Questions?"<br /><br />Now I feel better! Who's the next coach?<br /><br />5BWesthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06902714158850663998noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-11816842756437849142013-04-05T07:58:37.908-06:002013-04-05T07:58:37.908-06:00What I gather from that is Peg hasn't talked w...What I gather from that is Peg hasn't talked with "representatives" in the athletic department because that doesn't make sense. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-41972832122647590912013-04-05T05:56:21.337-06:002013-04-05T05:56:21.337-06:00I had a discussion yesterday with an athletic dept...I had a discussion yesterday with an athletic dept representative. He gave three reasons for George's dismissal:<br /><br />1.) Could not come to contract terms<br />2.) George "shopping" himself to other schools<br />3.) Lack of victories in the NCAA tournaments<br /><br />One of my questions to him was what if they had won a game in the tournament this year, would that have made a difference. After a few moments of silence, he said probably not.<br /><br />I got a response to an email I sent Ron Grahame. One of the questions I asked him was why were no athletic dept officials at the press conference:<br /><br />"The press conference was designed for George to say goodbye in an atmosphere void of any tension or distractions. If administrative staff attended the media would have turned it into a circus. George deserved the opportunity to go out on his terms."<br /><br />You can draw your own conclusions.<br /><br />On the Boone front, I attended the focus group last night. Nothing much to report. There were six of us there, all Boone supporters. One of the questions asked the group was what would it take to make the mascot search successful. We all responded bringing Boone back would accomplish that goal.<br /><br />At the end of the session, the gentleman from the marketing organization that is conducting the focus group said, in so many words, that bringing Boone back is not an option that the DU administration is going to pursue. Shock and amazement.millerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14057590376549273388noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-47633109545315677062013-04-04T23:05:57.930-06:002013-04-04T23:05:57.930-06:00DU's media handing of this has been atrocious....DU's media handing of this has been atrocious.<br /><br />You can tell they miss Erich Bacher.<br /><br />My guess is that the Board has muzzled Peg from talking further...<br /><br />DU's Board operates like the Mafia...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-2314336645655007392013-04-04T22:38:08.250-06:002013-04-04T22:38:08.250-06:00Vic Lombardi on CBS News 4 in Denver, on his comme...Vic Lombardi on CBS News 4 in Denver, on his commentary section at 10 PM on Thursday night, just mirrored the "WHY" of Gwoz getting fired. Maybe with the Post and CBS News 4 asking why, we might get some answers...and then maybe not.DU/CC Dadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05089360235668907959noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-41022471784060970522013-04-04T19:03:41.319-06:002013-04-04T19:03:41.319-06:00Now you’re channeling Peg’s theory about winning t...Now you’re channeling Peg’s theory about winning the big one. Too bad Fox was one and done even with Manning. Maybe DU can find the next Josh McDaniels of college hockey coaches.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-58545154221642344142013-04-04T18:58:32.229-06:002013-04-04T18:58:32.229-06:007:51...I agree with most of that, but if we want t...7:51...I agree with most of that, but if we want to look at college sports we can look right at Florida State football. Bobby Bowden gave FSU two National Championships, a dozen top 10 recruiting classes, and gained them national attention, much like George at DU. But, after several sub-par seasons, it was time for a change. And, it wasn't as if FSU was going 0-12, they were still making decent Bowl games. The change has worked, and I think this will be a positive for us as well...as long as we go in the right direction with the coaching search, or promote Steve Miller.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-87526325763966424222013-04-04T18:52:25.732-06:002013-04-04T18:52:25.732-06:00Anon 7:23
Yeah, John Fox took them to the AFC Cha...Anon 7:23<br /><br />Yeah, John Fox took them to the AFC Championship game...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-12981679241614259052013-04-04T18:51:15.034-06:002013-04-04T18:51:15.034-06:007:18, I think college sports is greatly different ...7:18, I think college sports is greatly different than pro sports. Therefore, I think the factors that go into deciding whether or not to fire the head coach are also greatly different. <br /><br />Pro players make their decision on where to play based largely on two factors (although its usually only the first factor) (1) who will pay me the most money? (2) will I win there? Pro coaches come and go all the time and are rarely a factor in a player's decision. Also, pro teams draft players (i.e. players basically have no say), while colleges recruits commit to a school (i.e. it's the players sole choice). <br /><br />College kids obviously can't get paid (theoretically, at least). Their decisions are therefore based on a lot of qualitative factors. I think each kid has a different set of factors that weigh into their decision. CC recruits have a 3-some on a recruiting visit and they're sold. Unfortunately, DU doesn't offer 3-way parties as part of the recruiting process. They are going to weigh lots of factors, like the location, the "feel" of the school, the education, current players on the team, will they win, etc. At, or near, the top of the list is coaching (at least according to the multitude of tweets listed on DG's other article).<br /><br />Therefore, I think losing your coach in college sports can have a much more dramatic effect on the program than at the pro level. And, has to be much more carefully weighed. I think that's why you see guys like Parker, Lucia, Eaves, Whitehead, Umile, etc. stick around for so long. They've all had stretches that should have gotten them fired under your criteria, but the school is often affraid to pull the trigger because it can doom the program.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-5574047115239780762013-04-04T18:23:28.480-06:002013-04-04T18:23:28.480-06:007:18
Look how well that turned out.7:18<br /><br /><br />Look how well that turned out.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-62925845463300530112013-04-04T18:18:06.080-06:002013-04-04T18:18:06.080-06:001-5 in the NCAA tourney since '05 is a legitim...1-5 in the NCAA tourney since '05 is a legitimate reason for an exit...I've been a lifelong DU fan as well and I've been calling for George's exit for the past two years. Put it this way, if you were a Broncos fan, would you really still want Mike Shanahan as your coach after so many playoff exits and misses after two super bowls? The answer is no.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-15105171719673590762013-04-04T17:20:34.101-06:002013-04-04T17:20:34.101-06:00You’d actually have to go to the game for security...You’d actually have to go to the game for security to confiscate something. How many people will just stay home and watch or listen to the game next season? Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-82799367269478262182013-04-04T17:06:19.838-06:002013-04-04T17:06:19.838-06:00Who knows what that crazy lady who wears gloves th...Who knows what that crazy lady who wears gloves the whole time will do....Max Powernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-76444373399467618162013-04-04T16:56:26.547-06:002013-04-04T16:56:26.547-06:00Just wondering, will the always-eager-to-please Ma...Just wondering, will the always-eager-to-please Magness staff confiscate Boone gear next year as a condition of sitting down? Will students wearing Boone images be required to cover it up, or change, or face arrest?old piohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03823167801517451073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-40620539384927590572013-04-04T15:22:31.363-06:002013-04-04T15:22:31.363-06:00DU may not be at the top of the league for a while...DU may not be at the top of the league for a while, but I don't think we dip down into the single digits in wins.<br /><br />The new coach may also excite good players to join us, especially if the coach has a pro background...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-37849882154770836542013-04-04T14:19:18.085-06:002013-04-04T14:19:18.085-06:00“New coach, new conference, and a mix of players t...“New coach, new conference, and a mix of players that could be quite different than what was originally planned.”<br /><br />After looking at DU’s schedule next year, do you think we really have a chance to win more than a game or two?<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-19712613293344387742013-04-04T14:13:17.807-06:002013-04-04T14:13:17.807-06:00Had heard a lot about the Tierney video so I watch...Had heard a lot about the Tierney video so I watched it. Frustrating. A lot of comments here and other places about being upset but moving on or being upset but cant do anything. We can choose to support or not. A principled stand is based on principles and isn't just a shoulder shrug. So far I've seen one coach (Tierney) vote for Gwoz and no coaches voting for the board/AD. Program's obviously moving forward but either way what happened was wrong and wrong is still wrong. It doesn't get corrected by simply continuing to provide blind support. Actions have consequences.Plenty of bad figures in sports for my kids to see, but now there's one less good one to help balance out the equation. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-1288275982994640832013-04-04T14:10:41.475-06:002013-04-04T14:10:41.475-06:00I fully intend to renew my season tickets. Do I d...I fully intend to renew my season tickets. Do I despise the fact that Gwoz was shown the door? Yep. Do I wish DU had handled this differently? You bet. Do I think Peg or someone else from DU needs to step up, face the music, and offer an explanation? Absolutely. Still, none of that changes the fact that I love DU hockey. I'd much rather spend my money at Magness than at Avs games.<br /><br />Fan support in 2013-14 will likely be more critical than ever--new coach, new conference, and a mix of players that could be quite different than what was originally planned.Twisterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13879616860750011835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-55412327467362760822013-04-04T14:07:45.024-06:002013-04-04T14:07:45.024-06:00Anon 2:32
There you go proving what the rest of t...Anon 2:32<br /><br />There you go proving what the rest of the hockey community already knows. DU fans are arrogant douchebags that don't know the game. Good luck next year!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-58395821245985718242013-04-04T13:32:42.050-06:002013-04-04T13:32:42.050-06:00anon 1:42 ... I have more, and much better seats t...anon 1:42 ... I have more, and much better seats than you - Not sure if I want to keep them. And no, I didn't get my accounting degree from Daniel's. I'm not an accountant ... I hire accountants. However, my math is correct. You go less games, own fewer seats, and apparently drink more than I. :)<br /><br />But keeping in line with your cheeky comments ... perhaps you forgot to listen when they gave the spelling lessons at your elementary school. ;)<br /><br />Bottom line is that this was a poor decision by DU, was badly communicated, and one that will effect the hockey program in significant ways for years to come. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-80895850733076478322013-04-04T13:32:38.381-06:002013-04-04T13:32:38.381-06:00Trustees get some credit for wooing Tierney once h...Trustees get some credit for wooing Tierney once here (Pat Bowlen in particular was very helpful) and to some extent with Joe Scott. But is was Peg that brought these guys to campus first for the trustees to meet in the first place, so she has to get the lion's share of credit for that.<br /><br />As for the Gwoz firing, Peg does get some blame. She probably could have done more to bring the trustees and Gwoz together to figure out a compromise that could work. But at the end of the day, Trustees usuually have more to do in firing a highly paid employeee than they do in hiring them....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-30140821728638120322013-04-04T13:23:19.784-06:002013-04-04T13:23:19.784-06:00So Peg gets the credit for Scott and Tierney but d...So Peg gets the credit for Scott and Tierney but doesn’t have to take the blame for Gwoz? Wow, sounds like a great deal. Since you’re blaming the Trustees for Gwoz, shouldn’t they get credit for Scott and Tierney as well?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-20431050322756072832013-04-04T12:42:45.637-06:002013-04-04T12:42:45.637-06:00anon 1:30 - I want to sit with you, you must be bu...anon 1:30 - I want to sit with you, you must be buying LOTS of damn good beers! I buy a pair of Friday night season tix, lower level, and the two of us each drink a beer (of expensive beer) per period. So for 2 of us, less than 100 bucks a game x ~14 game. A good bargain relative to other entertainment<br /><br />I will keep buying my tickets, but if you don't think the value is there or you really aren't that big a fan, you should exercise your option to not renew. But otherwise your math is week unless you can buy a condo for $5000 down and annual motgage payments of $5k (or even $10K) per year next 30 years. Hopefully you didn't get your accounting degree from Daniels !Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17196208.post-22063929720388738182013-04-04T12:36:36.442-06:002013-04-04T12:36:36.442-06:00Pieces coming together. Department’s own website n...Pieces coming together. Department’s own website notes the department’s goals: <br />“The Division’s Strategic Plan continues to be the driving force behind the progress we are making toward the accomplishment of our goals and objectives. Our focus is clear and our resources are aligned with the objective of becoming the premier intercollegiate basketball program in the Rocky Mountain Region and maintaining national recognition of our rich hockey tradition.”<br />Big difference between “premier” for hoops and “national recognition” of a tradition – unless of course they need an excuse for letting a respected coach go in which case they’ll claim the bar was set higher. Which is it?<br />You have coaches and staffers that see the man every day, know more than we do, and they are all crying. The coach he succeeded, the other ADs he’s worked for are all complimentary. We don’t know the answers and the AD is hiding in a cave in Torra Borra.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com