Changes

[VT_Spider]

I know no one likes what is going on with the way athletics is being run here at all but I know of a very eerily similar situation that happened on a much smaller scale. My high school Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot is where it happened. We were amazing at football having won 5 straight state titles and the people at the school were great, the parties were awesome, and the school was just overall a fun place that got people excited. My freshman year in 2011 which was after the 2nd straight state title saw a new leader of the school come in who did not care for or value athletics.We won another title under legendary coach Mike Henderson (a former Spider) but then he left for the Freeman job which was understandable.After Henderson left we brought in a new principle to go along with our terrible headmaster and things got much worse. Athletics were continually devalued and the new principle ran the school like a day care center. We still won a 4th straight state title with our new coach but he left because of the horrible leadership of the school and because of our new incompetent athletic director (similar to Gill). We got another new coach and still won a 5th straight and he stayed one more year. My senior year we were looking to win a 6th straight and came up just short but our coach was fired from the school because our headmaster came out and said football was not a priority. Thankfully she ended up leaving for an out of state job and there seems to be better leadership at the school now. However the damage was done and can still be seen today, football is now terrible there because so many people and coaches and others that loved and cared about our school felt driven away and it's really sad to see BSH where it is today.

Anyone see any similarities here??? I know it's a much smaller level but it reminds me of what's happening at UR and I would hate to see it get to the level that BSH did and leave the program in shambles.

 

[iSpider]

Seems like your high school's history of success in football was pretty good having won 5 straight state titles and coming up just short on the 6th try. No school wins forever and with every swing in fortune there is disappointment. This is by far a more typical situation than it is a unique one. If I experienced such success as you I would be more grateful than disappointed and hopeful that further success is again just around the corner.

Sustained success usually runs in cycles. In the down cycles, disappointment ensues. Scapegoats emerge because of the necessity to blame some and avoid responsibility for others. Such is life. Your high school shares similarities with the successful athletic departments at many schools.

Though UR has seen many cycles, the current situation does not fit with what recently happened at your school. UR's fortunes in football have been the opposite. Coach Rocco brought us up from the shambles. He brought us the type of success which your high school lost. We are now at a juncture where some change in another direction is possible and the scapegoats have already been identified, though it is my opinion prematurely, or, more likely, that the need for such is totally unfounded. I do not consider that we are on the verge of being a program in shambles. We are merely experiencing growing pains and despite what happens with the coaching situation, I do not see our program reverting to the status it endured 6 years ago. We are much too aware, resourceful and determined to see that such a debacle re-occurs.

 

[VT_Spider]

Seems like your high school's history of success in football was pretty good having won 5 straight state titles and coming up just short on the 6th try. No school wins forever and with every swing in fortune there is disappointment. This is by far a more typical situation than it is a unique one. If I experienced such success as you I would be more grateful than disappointed and hopeful that further success is again just around the corner.

Sustained success usually runs in cycles. In the down cycles, disappointment ensues. Scapegoats emerge because of the necessity to blame some and avoid responsibility for others. Such is life. Your high school shares similarities with the successful athletic departments at many schools.

Though UR has seen many cycles, the current situation does not fit with what recently happened at your school. UR's fortunes in football have been the opposite. Coach Rocco brought us up from the shambles. He brought us the type of success which your high school lost. We are now at a juncture where some change in another direction is possible and the scapegoats have already been identified, though it is my opinion prematurely, or, more likely, that the need for such is totally unfounded. I do not consider that we are on the verge of being a program in shambles. We are merely experiencing growing pains and despite what happens with the coaching situation, I do not see our program reverting to the status it endured 6 years ago. We are much too aware, resourceful and determined to see that such a debacle re-occurs.

I think it's pretty similar because of how new leadership at the top ruined us and drove all of our coaches away. They have now have had 5 head coaches in 6 years. This is similar to how Rocco is not getting along with our athletic department. UR is a very successful program as we were and it was all ruined because of a leader of the school that did not care about football (similar to what people think of Crutcher). I don't think UR will fall as hard as BSH did but I don't like how the leadership at UR doesn't work well with Rocco.

 

[Eight Legger]

I would venture that few, if any, of us can speak with any degree of intelligence about whether Dr. Crutches loves or hates our football program. If someone has evidence either way, please make it known here. Crucifying (or lauding) someone based on pure speculation accomplishes nothing.

 

[Floridaspiderfan]

Crutcher. isn't naturally a football fan. However I hope that the coaches make sure he is involved in as many activities as possible. He should be on all the plane rides to games. I think he is a good guy that needs to be made to feel he is part of the team. It will go a long way. And winning is a powerful drug!
I don't think he is the problem. (Hint. AD is)

 

[Spiders10]

I don't think he is the problem. (Hint. AD is)

Yep. Gill has had every opportunity to resolve this situation, come to a compromise, whatever the case may be. He hasn't, and here we are. His job is to make sure situations like these don't occur.

The President, big donors and BoT shouldnt have to be called in at the 11th hour to fight his fires, such as this one.

 

[Floridaspiderfan]

Yep. Gill has had every opportunity to resolve this situation, come to a compromise, whatever the case may be. He hasn't, and here we are. His job is to make sure situations like these don't occur.

The President, big donors and BoT shouldnt have to be called in at the 11th hour to fight his fires, such as this one.

Does anyone know for sure that people outside of the AD and his staff have gotten involved ?

 

[iSpider]

Crutcher. isn't naturally a football fan. However I hope that the coaches make sure he is involved in as many activities as possible. He should be on all the plane rides to games. I think he is a good guy that needs to be made to feel he is part of the team. It will go a long way. And winning is a powerful drug!
I don't think he is the problem. (Hint. AD is)

I agree very much with all that you say except with respect to Gill who I have not yet come to the same conclusion, though I am considering every post I read about him and still trying to separate speculation from fact. I know that many have taken his silence as an indication of his lack of interest or concern (or lack of stones), but I have not yet learned of any incidents based upon fact for which I would condemn him as so many have done recently on this board. I am hopeful that his style is just not what many perceive as that necessary for accomplishing our goals, but that in time he will prove those wrong by the results we obtain. I am not endorsing him, merely keeping an open mind and giving him the benefit of the doubt.

I think that you are spot on with Dr. Crutcher and I very much appreciate your post in that regard. I have the feeling that by virtue of his personal talents and gifts Dr. Crutcher's background has not provided him a full opportunity to be as instantly vocal and supportive of our sports program as much as we would like. The approach that we all take as to the importance of sports at UR is somewhat new to him, but I think that he may likely soon see things such as our current vocal actions and those of the members of the BOT who have become involved to persuade him of the importance of a highly successful athletic program across the board and ultimately take bolder steps to see not only as to its continuation but also its improvement. I think if we give him a little more space in this area and time to learn and adopt, he will become a pleasant surprise and will ultimately be held in high regard as a much more ardent proponent than most people now give him credit. As he gains comfort in his position as President and realizes the overwhelming support of those around him for a strong and nationally competitive athletic program, I believe that we will see him emerge as one of our biggest allies, and less reserved in confronting the academics who appear to hinder the success of our athletic programs.

 

[iSpider]

Does anyone know for sure that people outside of the AD and his staff have gotten involved ?

I heard from a fairly reliable source that at least two have become involved. I really cannot identify them or say more as I was given this information in confidence by a family member of a trustee who happens to be a friend and a neighbor.

 

[Floridaspiderfan]

I agree very much with all that you say except with respect to Gill who I have not yet come to the same conclusion, though I am considering every post I read about him and still trying to separate speculation from fact. I know that many have taken his silence as an indication of his lack of interest or concern (or lack of stones), but I have not yet learned of any incidents based upon fact for which I would condemn him as so many have done recently on this board. I am hopeful that his style is just not what many perceive as that necessary for accomplishing our goals, but that in time he will prove those wrong by the results we obtain. I am not endorsing him, merely keeping an open mind and giving him the benefit of the doubt.

I think that you are spot on with Dr. Crutcher and I very much appreciate your post in that regard. I have the feeling that by virtue of his personal talents and gifts Dr. Crutcher's background has not provided him a full opportunity to be as instantly vocal and supportive of our sports program as much as we would like. The approach that we all take as to the importance of sports at UR is somewhat new to him, but I think that he may likely soon see things such as our current vocal actions and those of the members of the BOT who have become involved to persuade him of the importance of a highly successful athletic program across the board and ultimately take bolder steps to see not only as to its continuation but also its improvement. I think if we give him a little more space in this area and time to learn and adopt, he will become a pleasant surprise and will ultimately be held in high regard as a much more ardent proponent than most people now give him credit. As he gains comfort in his position as President and realizes the overwhelming support of those around him for a strong and nationally competitive athletic program, I believe that we will see him emerge as one of our biggest allies, and less reserved in confronting the academics who appear to hinder the success of our athletic programs.

On same page , I think Crutcher will be more than fine over time. On Gill I do hear from very reliable sources that he and DR are on very bad terms and don't speak directly, which is never a good thing for either side

 

[I-M-UR]

I agree very much with all that you say except with respect to Gill who I have not yet come to the same conclusion, though I am considering every post I read about him and still trying to separate speculation from fact. I know that many have taken his silence as an indication of his lack of interest or concern (or lack of stones), but I have not yet learned of any incidents based upon fact for which I would condemn him as so many have done recently on this board. I am hopeful that his style is just not what many perceive as that necessary for accomplishing our goals, but that in time he will prove those wrong by the results we obtain. I am not endorsing him, merely keeping an open mind and giving him the benefit of the doubt.

I think that you are spot on with Dr. Crutcher and I very much appreciate your post in that regard. I have the feeling that by virtue of his personal talents and gifts Dr. Crutcher's background has not provided him a full opportunity to be as instantly vocal and supportive of our sports program as much as we would like. The approach that we all take as to the importance of sports at UR is somewhat new to him, but I think that he may likely soon see things such as our current vocal actions and those of the members of the BOT who have become involved to persuade him of the importance of a highly successful athletic program across the board and ultimately take bolder steps to see not only as to its continuation but also its improvement. I think if we give him a little more space in this area and time to learn and adopt, he will become a pleasant surprise and will ultimately be held in high regard as a much more ardent proponent than most people now give him credit. As he gains comfort in his position as President and realizes the overwhelming support of those around him for a strong and nationally competitive athletic program, I believe that we will see him emerge as one of our biggest allies, and less reserved in confronting the academics who appear to hinder the success of our athletic programs.

And you base that wishful thinking on what? It's a lot of hard work and doesn't happen often to build a sports program to prominence , And they can go down hill quickly with the wrong people in charge and maybe years /decades to recover. This episode is self inflicted. Should have been considered in the hire originally....if you have the wrong person in a job move quickly to fix it.

 

[sdspider]

Wow get rid of Gill this is a no brainer. Are you going to let him take down the football program?