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End of an Era - - And I don't mean the Rocco era

PhillySpider

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May 14, 2003
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My fear (and my belief) is that this decision marks the end of the competitive FSC era at Richmond. We will slide slowly (and maybe not slowly) down over the next few years before we undertake an "examination" of football at UR and decide the only "logical" (to the admin - - not me) move is to move down - - or even drop football altogether.

The decision(s) that led to this result were made over the past 12++ months, not the past few weeks. Decisions to back off prior commitments about facilities etc., decisions about people, decisions about resources etc. Most (but not all) of these things discussed on here. These were not a series of isolated decisions - all were consistent with each other - - the way decisions are when they are made consistent with an overriding philosophy. They were not under duress in the last few weeks under a threat, they were decided in calmer times etc. with the chance to understand their full implications. The decisions represent the philosophy adopted around football which I believe to be: while it would fine if we could continue at the same level of success, we were not ready, willing or able to commit to that at the level the Coach says we need and we are happy and willing to step back football to get it into its proper place (i.e. to the admin. - - less high profile, less resources, less compromises ). The decisions represent the philosophy adopted. These decision are not rooted in money for sure and we honestly all know that. There is little doubt we could afford these things and could raise money in support etc. The decision is clearly philosophical about the place of football at UR into the future.

In the end, I don't think the admin. told Danny he doesn't have legit points about what is needed to maintain, they are just saying no, he can't have it. Danny didn't threaten anyone in his public comments last week, he spoke the absolute truth. He doesn't understand the future and vision of football at UR. He heard the no loud and clear on what was needed, but that's all they said. The philosophy wasn't shared because it obviously couldn't be. That certainly left DR confused about the future and he drew the obvious (to me anyway) conclusion that the vision for UR football is that we don't want/need to stay at the level we are at and we'll trade down rather than devote more to stay there. His conclusion is clear by his "lateral" and I agree with his conclusion about the vision for UR football (and as a result his decison to go to UD). He refused to oversee the inevitable slide and flush his own career along with it. I think Danny also feels betrayed by the whole thing - - he did his part and the Admin CHOSE not to do theirs.

My fear is that we didn't lose a coach today - - we lost FSC football as we know it (unless you count the Patriot League).
 
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So you think Danny lied when he said Dr. Crutcher "gets it?"

I don't think Danny lies much if ever. But what Crutcher said and Danny's interpretation etc. I don't know. I do not believe that Crutcher sat on the sidelines through all of this, blissfully ignorant of the growing concerns of his football coach and the increasing animosity between him and the AD etc. until Danny suddenly went to the press last week. And then Crutcher ran in to soothe Danny. I don't believe that for one minute. If he really gets it and wants it to stay, he'd get his coach what was needed and Danny wouldn't actually need to leave. DR was not looking for the world here. These are not huge dollar investments. The issue is philosophical, not financial.

I think watching what happens with Gill will shed a lot of light on this. He is not Crrutcher's hire, so no compulsion to keep him etc. If the AD bungled it this badly and "Crutcher gets it" and he sees his AD doesn't "get it" to this extreme, he has to fire him and he certainly can't let him hire the next guy. If on the other hand, Gill survives and totally runs the new hire process and is leader in decision making etc. then I think you have to conclude Gill was executing on the UR philosophy and didn't "screw up" - - he is just doing his job as asked to do.
 
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The super-cynical part of me can't help but think that the downscaling of football and UR sports in general has been in the works for a while, and the hiring of Gill was a conscious decision on the part of the administration to usher in the decline that will be used as the ultimate justification for a move to the PL.

What else could possibly explain Gill's indifference and incompetence? It's almost like he is throwing the game.
 
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I don't think Danny lies much if ever. But what Crutcher said and Danny's interpretation etc. I don't know. I do not believe that Crutcher sat on the sidelines through all of this, blissfully ignorant of the growing concerns of his football coach and the increasing animosity between him and the AD etc. until Danny suddenly went to the press last week. And then Crutcher ran in to soothe Danny. I don't believe that for one minute. If he really gets it and wants it to stay, he'd get his coach what was needed and Danny wouldn't actually need to leave. DR was not looking for the world here. These are not huge dollar investments. The issue is philosophical, not financial.

I think watching what happens with Gill will shed a lot of light on this. He is not Crrutcher's hire, so no compulsion to keep him etc. If the AD bungled it this badly and "Crutcher gets it" and he sees his AD doesn't "get it" to this extreme, he has to fire him and he certainly can't let him hire the next guy. If on the other hand, Gill survives and totally runs the new hire process and is leader in decision making etc. then I think you have to conclude Gill was executing on the UR philosophy and didn't "screw up" - - he is just doing his job as asked to do.
Rocco left for money. All the rest is BS. He was about to screw Delaware for a few more bucks until he was rejected last night.
 
Considering that UR has recently posted the flyer with images of what they want to do for the Athletic Program, I think a fair amount of that is "bunk"

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Another way to look at it is that the Football program will be stronger now because the issues it had are now known and will be addressed. DR is a great coach and did a great job, but he's not the only coach who can win at Richmond. Make a strong hire (like Heusman) and address the facilities and administrative issues and the Football program as a whole is much stronger than it was.
 
It is sad that we investeded millions of $$$ in building an on campus football stadium only to see the program trashed and turned into a dumpster fire only 6 years later. Next step is probably the wrecking ball to the RS.
 
Considering that UR has recently posted the flyer with images of what they want to do for the Athletic Program, I think a fair amount of that is "bunk"

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But look only a couple of pictures of football. I am starting to think that Rocco wanted more limelight.
 
My 2 cents: I am disappointed in both UR and Coach Rocco. UR handled this very poorly and some light needs to be shed on the whole situation. If this could have been avoided in some way and was not, then someone needs to be held accountable and the most obvious person is Gill. It never should have come to this.

I am also disappointed in Coach Rocco and I have lost some respect for him. Why? Several reasons. First, it is crystal clear that this discussion with Delaware has been going on for some time. That is not cool when you are battling for the national championship. Second, when he did speak to the situation, as many have noted, it seemed like he was purposely burning bridges. Why? Third, as close as he seemed to be with his team, he has just walked out on them. Sure, that's what coaches do when they leave for another job, but this was not a better job, this is a job where he will be competing with the players he recruited. Fourth, he left for for a position that is not even parallel with UR at this point in time. At one time Delaware was an excellent program and they may well be one again, but right now they are below UR and will likely stay there for at least a few years, hopefully forever! He was a highly paid FCS head coach at a play-off caliber team with lots of talent coming back next year. He went to a program that has been a dumpster fire ever since they fired Keeler. The only advantages are slightly more money, (maybe more for his assistants), a larger fan base, lower admissions standards, and a decaying stadium that has been less than full for several years. Had he left for Temple or any other FBS opportunity, we would all say, "thanks for what you accomplished here and best of luck." But he didn't do that. He went sideways for a few dollars more.

As for me, I am not a big donor but I will continue to support my school and its sports teams as long as we are playing at the highest levels that we can. That support will cease if we drop to a lower division, but I enjoy tailgating at the games with my friends too much to say good-bye to that. UR is my school and I cheered them on through all of the bad years (think 0 and 10 in Coach Merrick's last year) and I will cheer them on as best I can moving forward.

We have an excellent core of players returning next year for what I anticipate being our 4th consecutive trip to the play-offs. We will land a good head coach and we will move forward. Life does go on. GO SPIDERS!
 
look at w&m, they built this great new facility and we have kicked their butts every year, taking away our qb injury loss of this season. have they out recruited us, don't think so. would it be nice to have a facility, absolutely but DR has shown that he can do it without it, probably a lot of hard work but can be done. will a new coach demand one, maybe, maybe not.
 
So you think Danny lied when he said Dr. Crutcher "gets it?"
Understanding something and actually doing something about it aren't the same thing. I'd say it's a fair guess that is what drove Mr. Direct Rocco crazy. I can easily believe Crutcher would talk the talk but wouldn't walk the walk.
 
woody hates UR and always has. he is right on some of that but umwcah is foaming at the mouth to leave fcs football so enlarging their stadium is a must. we wanted a campus stadium, love it, but the size was not what we wanted it was the size the neighbors demanded or allowed. yes, we will always have an uphill fight against the big schools but so does vandy, duke, wake, northwestern, just part of the deal.
 
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Woody doesn't go past the Siegel Center. He's in bed with McLaughlin over there.
 
woody hates UR and always has. he is right on some of that but umwcah is foaming at the mouth to leave fcs football so enlarging their stadium is a must. we wanted a campus stadium, love it, but the size was not what we wanted it was the size the neighbors demanded or allowed. yes, we will always have an uphill fight against the big schools but so does vandy, duke, wake, northwestern, just part of the deal.
Does this mean that a private school the size of Villanova cannot win a national championship? OSC
 
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We've won a freakin national championship at this level and made the national semifinals 2 other times in the last 10 years.
 
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I think our program has proven over the last 10 + years that we can compete at the top of the FCS level - that Woody article was crap.
We have probably won the most road playoff games in the past decade; perhaps 2nd to Sam Houston State.
 
think what DR was attempting to say was that the landscape is constantly changing and that if we want to stay where we are we have to be ahead of the curve not always trying to catch up. he is correct and why we need a guy who is proactive running the athletic shop.
 
RiverCup - I think you are the one who nailed it. The point many of you made about us seeing the true commitment to top-level FCS football will be revealed with the next head coach announcement. Facilities, etc., will be discussed along with other issues needed to keep us in the hunt for a national championship. We have shown we can compete against the best and will continue to do so. The returning team is outstanding and, if we can hold our commits, a good new line of players are coming on board. The new hire needs to happen quickly and the rumors circulating addressed. The crap about going to the ODAC surfaces every 4-5 years.
 
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So he left for fame? I do not want to become JMU. NDSU, EWU. So if that means losing a coach every so often so be it. We are a University with a football team...not a football team with a University. Rocco clearly feels that he will get that at UD.
If you're a good football coach and are super competitive and want to win at the highest level and want the commitment to do that why the hell woudnt you leave if the school doesn't support that. To me the message is loud and clear the university does not want to support at the highest level for football. You don't lose one of the most successful coaches we've had to an equal or lesser program if that's the case
 
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If you're a good football coach and are super competitive and want to win at the highest level and want the commitment to do that why the hell woudnt you leave if the school doesn't support that. To me the message is loud and clear the university does not want to support at the highest level for football. You don't lose one of the most successful coaches we've had to an equal or lesser program if that's the case
Unless they promise FBS. We will find that out too soon enough.
 
I think our program has proven over the last 10 + years that we can compete at the top of the FCS level - that Woody article was crap.
Woody has never, never been a UR fan. Don't know why but he never has. His heads up UVA....... so he doesn't see anything but blue and orange.
 
Woody has never, never been a UR fan. Don't know why but he never has. His heads up UVA....... so he doesn't see anything but blue and orange.
I saw blue and orange until the end of the 3rd qtr at UVA, then all I saw was aluminum.
 
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Rivercup definitely captured my feelings on the subject. Honestly, we will never be a Delaware, NDSU, JMU, East Wash, etc. If Coach Rocco wants to coach in a 20k seat stadium with a chance to win a Natl Champ every year and take the team to the FBS level then that is his right.

That is completely unrelated to the fact that we can win a Natl Championship at Richmond and continue to be a natl power. But let's be real we will never have 20k people in the stands or sellout our academics to win. That's who we are and the reason why most of us on here support our program. If we hire a great new coach and make some financial commitments to new facilities, etc we will continue to remain a top FCS program. I won't start worrying until I see who we hire.
 
Rivercup definitely captured my feelings on the subject. Honestly, we will never be a Delaware, NDSU, JMU, East Wash, etc. If Coach Rocco wants to coach in a 20k seat stadium with a chance to win a Natl Champ every year and take the team to the FBS level then that is his right.

That is completely unrelated to the fact that we can win a Natl Championship at Richmond and continue to be a natl power. But let's be real we will never have 20k people in the stands or sellout our academics to win. That's who we are and the reason why most of us on here support our program. If we hire a great new coach and make some financial commitments to new facilities, etc we will continue to remain a top FCS program. I won't start worrying until I see who we hire.

Yep I want to beat everyone on the field/court and in the boardroom so to speak. I want to be small unique and special. I Do not want to be a large government school. I like being giant killers.
 
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Amen, brother.
I think this is spot on as well. I mean honestly if you're Rocco, you're 56 years old, if you want to be a big time coach at a big time school it's kind of now or never for him to break in to the FBS ranks. Obviously, he felt Delaware gave him the best chance to do that so that's why he made the move. He is a "climber" and this is what "climbers" do. Just wish he didn't blow things up at Richmond in doing so...completely uneccessary
 
I think this is spot on as well. I mean honestly if you're Rocco, you're 56 years old, if you want to be a big time coach at a big time school it's kind of now or never for him to break in to the FBS ranks. Obviously, he felt Delaware gave him the best chance to do that so that's why he made the move. He is a "climber" and this is what "climbers" do. Just wish he didn't blow things up at Richmond in doing so...completely uneccessary

This is sort of contradictory in my mind. Danny is a class guy. If he is moving solely for money etc. he doesn't go out of his way to blow things up. He's pissed and he's bitter about something and that isn't simply that someone else offered him more money.
 
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