Hey everyone, hope you're all doing well.

Love this story, though I would pass it along. I'm not a Jayhawk or PowerCat, but I love the loyalty out of this little tot.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/highschool-prep-rally/kindergarten-k-state-fan-refuses-color-jayhawk-mascot-170922025.html

I think in regards to Trine having a successful season, it goes back to what one considers "success". Will Trine be competitive, I have no doubts. Will then win 7 games? Who knows. Will they win the MIAA - I doubt it. Will they make the playoffs if they don't win the conference? No.  If they made the playoffs would they advance real far? No. Are they national championship contenders? Not close.

I don't see this upcoming season being much different then last season. While I think the coaching staff makes a difference, you also go as far as your talent takes you. And I don't think Trine's talent level will be all that different this year. So I don't expect much of a difference performance wise.

Is that "success"? Well I suppose so, as long as you don't define success the same way the elite programs of D3 do.

Hey guys, hope all is well with everyone.

Just thought I would chime in on the "predictably" thread. I think coaches typically don't get in trouble due to predictability by formation but rather, most of the time, by predictably by situation. Meaning on 3rd and plus 7 under 12 they tend to come out in this personal set and this formation while running THIS particular route set.

Obviously everyone on here knows that you can run several route combinations with the same formation, but often coaches call the same "route combination" out of the same "formation" in the same "situation" thus the "predictability" often seen.

I don't think some coaches are creative enough in their route combinations, because if used correctly you can window dress a formation in certain situations and bate a defense into a coverage they feel will cover the "common routes" of the formation giving you the advantage by allowing you to add re-routes and really confuse a coverage set, often leading to the blown coverage you occasionally see. 

Anyway, just my two cents on that. In my experience the most successful coaches are the most creative ones. Unless you simply have superior athletes, then you can just do whatever you want and look like a genius. 

Regarding the talk on coaching salaries. It can probably best be summed up, if we're honest and like many of you have mentioned, that we all are a bit envious of the salaries these guys make. I don't blame them for getting paid what they do, nor do I blame the industry for paying guys what the market can tolerate. It's what makes America what she is, these guys arguably are the best of the best at the profession and while a small percentage of coaches might make BIG money, overall coaching isn't a money making endeavor. (youth - pro) Like in most professions, at the top of the food chain you find the highest paid guys. Even if we think they're salaries are outlandish, I know of several people in my profession who are HIGHLY over paid, and they don't deserve it either. But it is what it is.

Regarding GRCC cancelling it's football program. I think it's a mistake.

Quote from: formerd3db on January 08, 2012, 09:16:21 PM
Thunderhead:
I'll jump in here to the discussion, if I may. I'm sorry, but IMO, no assistant coach is worth that kind of $ (I'm assuming that you are agreeing with me/the others. ).  Not when people who work their arses off all their lives, have far more responsibilities and risks/liabilities and make a fraction of that ever.  So I have to agree with sac and Mr. Ypsi - that is insane and, unfortunately, that is a corruption that many of the DI schools have created. Yeah, I know, you are going to say that..."that is just the system", however, while that is true, no one can argue that it is absurd in the true realm of what is most important in life.  As much as you and I love football and have been coaches, I can't but think that deep down you also agree that for some assistant coach to be making that kind of $, when professors are being paid a "measley" 60k, is just not right.  But...as you and I know, that is just the way it is and no one is going to change it.  And, of course, the other side to that arguement is the comparision to Wall Street and all the greedy CEO's making millions - yeah, it's the system, it's unfair and doesn't make it right, but...that's just the way it is.    

A friend of mine, whose brother has been a DI assistant coach for 22+ years, was at a Big Ten school (I won't mention which one other than to say it was not either of those in our state here); he was making about $66,000 per year and was offered 3 times that per year at a then (hint, hint) Big 12 school. He did not want to leave the Big Ten school he was at, however, the HC there told him that while he didn't want him to leave either, he would be crazy if he didn't.  He took the opportunity, made the $ and then they (the staff) were fired after about 4 years, so I can't blame him for taking the opportunity.  However, that is far different than someone getting 1.5 million per year to be a coordinator.  As has been said, that is insane, but it's not going to stop.  Anyway, that's my opinion

Is your argument or disapproval of salary an issue you have with the coaches, administration, or fans? (for buying the stuff, spending the money at the games, and watching it on TV, supporting the TV revenue)

Quote from: Mr. Ypsi on January 07, 2012, 11:48:11 PM

Quote from: ThunderHead on January 07, 2012, 02:36:53 PM

Quote from: sac on January 06, 2012, 04:53:41 PM
I suspect a couple of those PSU coaches will join Pitt's new staff.  Paul Chryst has taken a couple more Wisconsin coaches with him to Pitt, so Bielema has some vacancies to fill as well.

Also a strange rumor that Pat Narduzzi is being offered huge money to go down to Texas A&M.  Money that Michigan State probably can't WILL match.


It would seem like it would be pretty easy for Tom Bradley to land on his feet somewhere is he's not retained at Penn State.

Fixed it for you sac.  In all seriousness MSU is committed to football success and is finally shelling out the $$$ to make that happen. Look for Duzzi to stay Green, and make some too. 

Should we UM fans go like St John's fans who spell St. Thomas U$T?  From now on it is M$U!

[/b]

Common now Mr. Ypsi - you know darn well that what you're paying your assistants at U of M doesn't give you any room to talk. 

And I don't know the details of Duzzi's offer, however I do know that it is "sufficient" and the entire staff will be getting fairly significant pay increases as well. It also makes sense for Duzzi to come back into a defense that should be top-notch (even with Worthy leaving early) as he is working toward a HC job of his own. (sustained success versus starting over at A&M) Although I get the fact that 1.5M is more money then a lot of head coaches make, there is nothing like running your own show. 

Quote from: sac on January 06, 2012, 04:53:41 PM
I suspect a couple of those PSU coaches will join Pitt's new staff.  Paul Chryst has taken a couple more Wisconsin coaches with him to Pitt, so Bielema has some vacancies to fill as well.

Also a strange rumor that Pat Narduzzi is being offered huge money to go down to Texas A&M.  Money that Michigan State probably can't WILL match.


It would seem like it would be pretty easy for Tom Bradley to land on his feet somewhere is he's not retained at Penn State.

Fixed it for you sac.  In all seriousness MSU is committed to football success and is finally shelling out the $$$ to make that happen. Look for Duzzi to stay Green, and make some too. 

formerd3db,

This is just my opinion, but after watching a few GRCC games this year on tape, I don't think any MIAA team would have beat them. They were every bit a power with a fantastic passing game, and a very good defense.

IMO GRCC was on par with California level JUCO ball, which is normally on par with most D2 programs. They had all kinds of athletes at GRCC this year, and more then a few D1 level guys. It was pretty impressive to see what TA had put together in a few short years. 

Best of luck to everyone as they have some fun tonight.

formerd3db,

Interesting information on the stats regrading attendance - nice job.

Regarding Annese, I don't think he considered Alma, and I'm not sure he applied for the position. (if he did, and Alma didn't pull the trigger on him immediately then they need their heads checked.  ) From what I know I think Tony wanted a school with scholarship money to offer this time around. He won at GRCC and I believe was looking for a step-up in that regard. And by that I mean, as to what he could offer a potential student athlete in the form of compensation to play ball. (GRCC = no ability to offer money much like D3 football)

As a coach, that's a nice thing to be able to offer potential athletes IMO. I know some think that corrupts the game, but that's already been hashed out here on more then one occasion. 

Happy New Year's to you guys.

I heard about Annese to Ferris probably sometime in early December, however there was another coach Ferris was interviewing that was also fairly well respected in the West Michigan area so they waited to pull the trigger, though in my opinion, the other coach wasn't near the quality of coach as Annese.

I believe Annese went to GRCC to get his feet wet in the college game and also to help develop some guys that other people had abandoned.  I have tremendous respect for Coach Annese, he's a guy that really goes out of his way for his athletes and the athletes that I know that want to be good really respect the guy.

Some people didn't think Annese could win at the college level and by doing what he did at GRCC he pretty much blew that theory off the hinges. Look for him to make an immediate impact next season, and once he installs his offense with his people, (it may take a few seasons) I think he is well on his way to a GLIAC championship and NC contention. 

Annese is a great hire. Spend any amount of time with him on the white board and you figure out fairly quickly he knows his stuff, especially as it relates to his offensive style and approach to play calling.

I'm not sure how bare the "cub-board" is over at Ferris, but it's not hard for me to believe within a few seasons he will have them toward the top end of the GLIAC.  It won't take him long to attract some solid talent in the form of athletes from solid high school programs around the state as well as some dynamic transfers from bigger schools or JUCO programs.

IMO that was a big time hire.

Adidas28 - thanks for the well wishes on the Holiday season, I hope your family as well as all of the posters here and their families had a great Christmas and are headed to a happy new year full of parties and bowl games.

wisd3fan2 - I haven't heard much of anything regarding transfers or guys leaving the program, but I haven't followed the program much since the guys I knew graduated at the season's end. Hope you had a great Christmas as well. 

This will come off wrong, but I don't listen to sports radio from local guys, especially Bakita and Bently (I can barely tolerate "huge" - and yes, it's lower case for a reason) . I find them all very much hard on the ears. I tried them about 1 day, that was enough. 

As for Pifer - ahh, I mean, good for him. I don't know - now that the guys I know have graduated, I haven't really paid much attention to the program. I didn't think much of him as a play caller this season, if that's what you're asking. Then again - my opinions are already well stated. No need to beat a dead horses. 

Quote from: formerd3db on December 18, 2011, 09:35:32 PM
Too bad for Wayne State yesterday, although they did give a flicker of hope in almost getting near to either taking the lead or tying towards the end, before Pittsburg State pulled away for good.  Still, they had a great season.  That game, in addition to the 3 Div. I bowls yesterday which kicked off "Capital-One Bowl Week", were excellent and exciting games (obviously Ohio U's and UL-Lafayette's last second wins and even though Temple blew out Wyoming, it was an exciting game and good to see Temple rebound from previous poor years). Despite that they are "minor bowls" and considered worthless by many people in the "bowl game glutenous situation", I think that those just might outdo perhaps a couple of the BCS bowl games.  We'll see what happens.

The Div. II announcers once again shows why ESPN needs to get some better people for that;  Pam Ward just doesn't do it...example, when talking about Wayne State's former nickname, she kept pronouncing it as Tart-Tars, instead of Tartars Ridiculous. At least, let's get our own state's former Central Michigan University/Buffalo Bills LB Ray Bentley back in there, although he does the DI MAC games for ESPN now and, as such, probably wouldn't want to return/go back to announcing the DII and/or DIII championship games.

Yes, congrats to Alma's Anthony Sbatella for his Honorable Mention AA tab. 

I guess it's preference based, but I'd rather turn it off then listen to anything Ray Bently has to say. I
find him incredibly obnoxiousness - and while he maybe able to pronounce "Tartars" correct  (which to me isn't a big deal, because if you decide to nickname your team the Tartars, quite frankly you deserve to hear it butchered) his insight is not much better the Pam Wards...

Ok thanks for the input on all this.