by Terry Frei
Until last month,
George Gwozdecky was planning to work as a college game television
analyst for several networks during the 2013-14 hockey season. The
former University of Denver coach had accepted that he wasn't going to
land a high-profile head coaching job this year, and that television
would be his sabbatical in the wake of his controversial April firing
after 19 seasons with the Pioneers.
"I was thinking it would give me an opportunity to stay in the game,
stay in the environment," Gwozdecky said recently over lunch in Denver.
"That was the plan — to see what jobs opened up in the spring."
Then Jon Cooper, who took over as the head coach of the NHL's Tampa
Bay Lightning on March 24, asked Gwozdecky if he was interested in
talking about joining the Lightning as an assistant [read entire article].
11 comments:
Gwoz brought success and respect back to Pioneer hockey. And he did it without compromising on academics. He recruited high character guys who represented themselves and the university with class. We were fortunate to have him behind the bench for nearly two decades.
Best of luck to Gwoz in Tampa.
Got a funny feeling he'll become an NHL head coach within three years.
One just has to wonder how his ego will deal with not being the head guy.
The trick in pro sports is controlling the players' egos.
DU already had to bounce one of Monty's recruits due to academics. Gwoz is going to be a hard act to follow.
What's your point?
He wasn't accepted!
You want Monty to personally review in detail the kids acadamics?
@ Anon 7:05...
Is that really much different from Gwoz recruit David Jones, who managed a stellar 0.0 GPA his one quarter as a college athlete before being unceremoniously "discharged" from the university?
Dean Vernon Wormer: Here are your grade point avarages. Mr. Kroger: two C's, two D's and an F. That's a 1.2. Congratulations, Kroger. You're at the top of the Delta pledge class. Mr. Dorfman?
Flounder: [drunk] Hello!
Dean Vernon Wormer: 0.2... Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son. Mr. Hoover, president of Delta house? 1.6; four C's and an F. A fine example you set! Daniel Simpson Day... HAS no grade point average. All courses incomplete. Mr. Blu...
[sees Bluto with a pair of pencils in his nostrils]
Dean Vernon Wormer: Mr. Blutarsky... zero... point... zero.
[Bluto shrugs]
The Coach needs to concentrate on winning not on character or academics. We need to follow the North Dakota example if we want another national Championship.
Ha ha, hilarious. The "North Dakota" model is getting tons of players arrested, and no national titles in the last ten years. The DU model is getting kids graduated and out of trouble, and two national titles in the past ten years. I'll stick with the DU model. And if Montgomery tries to take any short cuts (no indication that he will), he won't last long.
Anyway, congrats to Gwoz--he is up there with Murray Armstrong in the DU pantheon, and he brought so much joy to Pioneer nation. Good luck in the NHL, Gwoz, we're rooting for you!!!
Whoever thought that a discussion of Boone and the DU administration would engender quotes from both Animal House and HMS Pinafore?
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