Coaching Carousel Pre-2020 Season

[old salt]

The W-L record, attendance figures & alumni donations speak for themselves.

You think this AD likes to have to take an 8 year Mulligan ?

I can’t speak for the AD. Sounds like Ricky didn’t kiss enough *ss and forced kids to leave the academy according to your post. Have the AD post here.

If a kid is recruited to a Service Academy, then encouraged to invest an additional rigorous year at a military prep school, as a leader, you're expected to do your part in developing & retaining that recruit. ...no matter who recruited him.
https://www.capitalgazette.com/news/nav ... story.html
Those 2 players who left USNA after being cut at the start of freshman fall ball were granted precious slots at USNA based on their ability as lacrosse players. They had to demonstrate all the other qualifications to gain admission & survive a rigorous year at NAPS, then plebe summer.
They were good enough lacrosse players to play at D1 schools who had greater success than Navy.
Their departure from USNA, resulting from not getting a fair shot to win a roster spot, was a leadership failure.

[oldjayfan]

The W-L record, attendance figures & alumni donations speak for themselves.

You think this AD likes to have to take an 8 year Mulligan ?

I can’t speak for the AD. Sounds like Ricky didn’t kiss enough *ss and forced kids to leave the academy according to your post. Have the AD post here.

If a kid is recruited to a Service Academy, then encouraged to invest an additional rigorous year at a military prep school, as a leader, you're expected to do your part in developing & retaining that recruit. ...no matter who recruited him.
https://www.capitalgazette.com/news/nav ... story.html
Those 2 players who left USNA after being cut at the start of freshman fall ball were granted precious slots at USNA based on their ability as lacrosse players. They had to demonstrate all the other qualifications to gain admission & survive a rigorous year at NAPS, then plebe summer.
They were good enough lacrosse players to play at D1 schools who had greater success than Navy.
There departure from USNA, resulting from not getting a fair shot to win a roster spot, was a leadership failure.

Then I guess they should not have entered the SA admission process if they weren't "all in". Further, I can promise you those potential plebes were told of their slim chances to make the varsity after having been observed at NAPS for a full year!!

[Typical Lax Dad]

The W-L record, attendance figures & alumni donations speak for themselves.

You think this AD likes to have to take an 8 year Mulligan ?

I can’t speak for the AD. Sounds like Ricky didn’t kiss enough *ss and forced kids to leave the academy according to your post. Have the AD post here.

If a kid is recruited to a Service Academy, then encouraged to invest an additional rigorous year at a military prep school, as a leader, you're expected to do your part in developing & retaining that recruit. ...no matter who recruited him.
https://www.capitalgazette.com/news/nav ... story.html
Those 2 players who left USNA after being cut at the start of freshman fall ball were granted precious slots at USNA based on their ability as lacrosse players. They had to demonstrate all the other qualifications to gain admission & survive a rigorous year at NAPS, then plebe summer.
They were good enough lacrosse players to play at D1 schools who had greater success than Navy.
There departure from USNA, resulting from not getting a fair shot to win a roster spot, was a leadership failure.

Then I guess they should not have entered the SA admission process if they weren't "all in".

It’s Ricky’s fault.... He didn’t know he was supposed to provide entitlements.

[oldjayfan]

TLD:I was going to add that I wasn't comparing Coach Sowell to Amplo. I like Coach Sowell and it is hard to follow a guy like Meade. Amplo can have the same level of success and the vitriol won't be as bad. Rick Sowell didn't forget how to coach when he went to Navy. Never their "guy".

Sowell was guilty of (1) not being Richie and (2) being viewed by a bunch of "old goats" as Gladchuk's butt boy. Sowell was and is an excellent coach and a damn classy man.

The negative energy around the program from the “fans” isn’t / wasn’t helpful. It turns away kids. The lacrosse circle is small. Everyone hears things....it makes it easy for kids to move elsewhere. Magically it will stop just as the complaints about the coach stops from the “ fans” and guys “close to the program”...Short of being Andy Shay, Ricky was going to have a tough time there.

Tell that to the NAPster freshmen recruits he cut at the start of his first fall ball, & their family, friends & teammates.
It was a hot topic in the small lacrosse circle on Li.
Wanna create negative energy & poison the recruiting well, that's a good way to start.
After 8 years, you need a new excuse. The record speaks for itself.

He cut good players? When Amplo does it, it will be because Sowell brought in bad players. Anyway....Amplo is a “good guy”. I wish him luck.

The 2011 fall ball cuts who left, played at other D-I schools, one significantly.
Most stayed at USNA & won a string of NCLL championships.

I hope Amplo at least gives the freshmen recruits who endured Plebe Summer a fair look, especially those who invested a year st NAPS.

Huh, Lars cut a bunch of kids when he landed in Charlottesville....a chip off the old block..., Sowell didn’t give them a fair chance. Who does he think he is.

I can understand some bitterness if a son or other close relative was cut, but Starsia was fired for lack of performance. Lars or whichever coach better do whatever he thought needed to be done to turn it around. Bottom line, If you can’t make a +/- 44 man roster after tryouts at Virginia or the upper levels of D1 as when Lars arrived......... you probably aren’t a D 1 caliber player. Competition is brutal but necessary.

Yep. But Sowell cut good players.....and didn’t behave the way “fans” expected him to behave.

Well, there it is! Sorry your son was cut.

Not my kid. Never met him or his family. Watched his older brother contribute significantly to some great Navy teams. Saw him playing for NAPS & was anxious to see him contribute at Navy, ...as he ended up doing at another D1 school , which ironically fared better than Navy.

You can't fairly judge a player recruited to USNA, who was one of the best, most versatile players at NAPS, in a 2 day combine workout at the end of a grueling plebe summer.

A year at NAPS & a USNA appointment -- wasted. One less officer for the USN/USMC. One less member of the Navy Lax brotherhood, recruiting & teaching lax around the country. Both he & his brother are now members of successful D1 & D2 coaching staffs.

Coach Sowell inherited one of the largest, most supportive alumni fan bases in the sport.
It was there for him to embrace & nurture,(as Tillman did at MD, in a similar sensitive situation), ...or not.
Their ire (initially) was focused on the AD, not the new HC, who played no part in the departure of his predecessor.

Hopefully, Coach Amplo will embrace the Brotherhood, bring the lax alums back into the fold, & revive FONL.

Coach Sowell "inherited one of the largest, most supportive alumni fan bases in the sport...." Dude, put down the crackpipe..or, try to read some of the old Laxpower forum comments. He was dead man walking before he arrived...amazing he made it 8 years!

[Typical Lax Dad]

TLD:I was going to add that I wasn't comparing Coach Sowell to Amplo. I like Coach Sowell and it is hard to follow a guy like Meade. Amplo can have the same level of success and the vitriol won't be as bad. Rick Sowell didn't forget how to coach when he went to Navy. Never their "guy".

Sowell was guilty of (1) not being Richie and (2) being viewed by a bunch of "old goats" as Gladchuk's butt boy. Sowell was and is an excellent coach and a damn classy man.

The negative energy around the program from the “fans” isn’t / wasn’t helpful. It turns away kids. The lacrosse circle is small. Everyone hears things....it makes it easy for kids to move elsewhere. Magically it will stop just as the complaints about the coach stops from the “ fans” and guys “close to the program”...Short of being Andy Shay, Ricky was going to have a tough time there.

Tell that to the NAPster freshmen recruits he cut at the start of his first fall ball, & their family, friends & teammates.
It was a hot topic in the small lacrosse circle on Li.
Wanna create negative energy & poison the recruiting well, that's a good way to start.
After 8 years, you need a new excuse. The record speaks for itself.

He cut good players? When Amplo does it, it will be because Sowell brought in bad players. Anyway....Amplo is a “good guy”. I wish him luck.

The 2011 fall ball cuts who left, played at other D-I schools, one significantly.
Most stayed at USNA & won a string of NCLL championships.

I hope Amplo at least gives the freshmen recruits who endured Plebe Summer a fair look, especially those who invested a year st NAPS.

Huh, Lars cut a bunch of kids when he landed in Charlottesville....a chip off the old block..., Sowell didn’t give them a fair chance. Who does he think he is.

I can understand some bitterness if a son or other close relative was cut, but Starsia was fired for lack of performance. Lars or whichever coach better do whatever he thought needed to be done to turn it around. Bottom line, If you can’t make a +/- 44 man roster after tryouts at Virginia or the upper levels of D1 as when Lars arrived......... you probably aren’t a D 1 caliber player. Competition is brutal but necessary.

Yep. But Sowell cut good players.....and didn’t behave the way “fans” expected him to behave.

Well, there it is! Sorry your son was cut.

Not my kid. Never met him or his family. Watched his older brother contribute significantly to some great Navy teams. Saw him playing for NAPS & was anxious to see him contribute at Navy, ...as he ended up doing at another D1 school , which ironically fared better than Navy.

You can't fairly judge a player recruited to USNA, who was one of the best, most versatile players at NAPS, in a 2 day combine workout at the end of a grueling plebe summer.

A year at NAPS & a USNA appointment -- wasted. One less officer for the USN/USMC. One less member of the Navy Lax brotherhood, recruiting & teaching lax around the country. Both he & his brother are now members of successful D1 & D2 coaching staffs.

Coach Sowell inherited one of the largest, most supportive alumni fan bases in the sport.
It was there for him to embrace & nurture,(as Tillman did at MD, in a similar sensitive situation), ...or not.
Their ire (initially) was focused on the AD, not the new HC, who played no part in the departure of his predecessor.

Hopefully, Coach Amplo will embrace the Brotherhood, bring the lax alums back into the fold, & revive FONL.

Coach Sowell "inherited one of the largest, most supportive alumni fan bases in the sport...." Dude, put down the crackpipe..or, try to read some of the old Laxpower forum comments. He was dead man walking before he arrived...amazing he made it 8 years!

Look at Shay's record his first 8 years.....and he wasn't "loved"....good thing the "fans" didn't "sabotage" him....

[old salt]

The W-L record, attendance figures & alumni donations speak for themselves.

You think this AD likes to have to take an 8 year Mulligan ?

I can’t speak for the AD. Sounds like Ricky didn’t kiss enough *ss and forced kids to leave the academy according to your post. Have the AD post here.

If a kid is recruited to a Service Academy, then encouraged to invest an additional rigorous year at a military prep school, as a leader, you're expected to do your part in developing & retaining that recruit. ...no matter who recruited him.
https://www.capitalgazette.com/news/nav ... story.html
Those 2 players who left USNA after being cut at the start of freshman fall ball were granted precious slots at USNA based on their ability as lacrosse players. They had to demonstrate all the other qualifications to gain admission & survive a rigorous year at NAPS, then plebe summer.
They were good enough lacrosse players to play at D1 schools who had greater success than Navy.
There departure from USNA, resulting from not getting a fair shot to win a roster spot, was a leadership failure.

Then I guess they should not have entered the SA admission process if they weren't "all in". Further, I can promise you those potential plebes were told of their slim chances to make the varsity after having been observed at NAPS for a full year!!

They had already graduated from NAPS before the new Coach was hired. They still showed up & endured plebe summer.
Not all entrants are "all in". As the Supe points out, they've worked attrition down from 37% to 14%. Voluntary departures are not taken lightly. They are not viewed as a failure of the selection process. They're viewed as a failure of the retention program. Those 2 were obviously D1 quality lax players. Had they been given a fair opportunity to prove it, they likely would have stayed, earned a commission & served.

You can't blame the fans & alums forever. 8 years is a long time.
Long enough for an AD to acknowledge failure & eat 2 big contract years.

[Typical Lax Dad]

The W-L record, attendance figures & alumni donations speak for themselves.

You think this AD likes to have to take an 8 year Mulligan ?

I can’t speak for the AD. Sounds like Ricky didn’t kiss enough *ss and forced kids to leave the academy according to your post. Have the AD post here.

If a kid is recruited to a Service Academy, then encouraged to invest an additional rigorous year at a military prep school, as a leader, you're expected to do your part in developing & retaining that recruit. ...no matter who recruited him.
https://www.capitalgazette.com/news/nav ... story.html
Those 2 players who left USNA after being cut at the start of freshman fall ball were granted precious slots at USNA based on their ability as lacrosse players. They had to demonstrate all the other qualifications to gain admission & survive a rigorous year at NAPS, then plebe summer.
They were good enough lacrosse players to play at D1 schools who had greater success than Navy.
There departure from USNA, resulting from not getting a fair shot to win a roster spot, was a leadership failure.

Then I guess they should not have entered the SA admission process if they weren't "all in". Further, I can promise you those potential plebes were told of their slim chances to make the varsity after having been observed at NAPS for a full year!!

They had already graduated from NAPS before the new Coach was hired. They still showed up & endured plebe summer.
Not all entrants are "all in". As the Supe points out, they've worked attrition down from 37% to 14%. Voluntary departures are not taken lightly. They are not viewed as a failure of the selection process. They're viewed as a failure of the retention program. Those 2 were obviously D1 quality lax players. Had they been given a fair opportunity to prove it, they likely would have stayed, earned a commission & served.

You can't blame the fans & alums forever. 8 years is a long time.
Long enough for an AD to acknowledge failure & eat 2 big contract years.

So why are you complaining about Ricky not kissing *ss which caused “fans” to stop writing checks?

[old salt]

I'm not complaining. It's history now. I didn't expect this until 2 years from now.
You keep trying to blame the fans & alums for the past 8 years.
If you actually cared about Rick Sowell's legacy & future prospects,
you & Mr. Exactly wouldn't keep trolling about it.

[Typical Lax Dad]

I'm not complaining. It's history now. I didn't expect this until 2 years from now.
You keep trying to blame the fans & alums for the past 8 years.
If you actually cared about Rick Sowell's legacy & future prospects,
you & Mr. Exactly wouldn't keep trolling about it.

The AD fired Ricky. I recall saying negative energy around the program from “fans” is not helpful. You are free to feel otherwise. You are the guy that complained about him not embracing the alumni and didn’t take advantage of the old boy network and as a result “fans” withdrew support or did I miss something?

[LandM]

TLD one of the first lessons you learn at a SA is the Honor Code. So the next day lesson is tac (spelling) which means when you go to the General's house and his wife makes liver and you cannot find the dog to feed it to and when she asks how was it, your response instead of saying it sucked and man you are a bad cook and why did you feed me this garbage is to say, "that was the best damn meal I have ever had" . I am going to assume RS had some tac issues just based on my experiences. Not criticizing the man as I do not have the skills either but sometimes you play along until you can come up for air as far away as your pipes will take you I have no knowledge of his relationship with the Navy alum but I would take that bet - oldjay double or nothing?

[Typical Lax Dad]

So here we are. Amplo can have the same record but more tac and Old Sailor will be happy to cut checks again. That’s what Old Jay was saying....me too.

[LandM]

I understand what you are saying and to be consistent with what I have been saying - never set anyone up for failure. I would have road the horse Navy had/has and I do disagree with oldjay on the newbie hire - I played for one and he is in the HOF - different circumstances, different SA and sport but similar 30,000 foot situation IMHO. I wish Navy the best - I started following them because of RS, RW, and RC and only wish the best for all three. Hopefully, Navy will buck up and play AFA every year . Best of luck with the new staff and plebes.

oldjay that crisp $1 could become $2

[Typical Lax Dad]

I understand what you are saying and to be consistent with what I have been saying - never set anyone up for failure. I would have road the horse Navy had/has and I do disagree with oldjay on the newbie hire - I played for one and he is in the HOF - different circumstances, different SA and sport but similar 30,000 foot situation IMHO. I wish Navy the best - I started following them because of RS, RW, and RC and only wish the best for all three. Hopefully, Navy will buck up and play AFA every year . Best of luck with the new staff and plebes.

oldjay that crisp $1 could become $2

Following a popular coach is not easy. Ricky had a Hill to climb. More success and he may have gotten over it. Amplo is a good coach. So was Rick Sowell. Amplo will have an easier time. The guy after the guy that replaced the GUY generally does.

[old salt]

Following a popular coach is not easy. Ricky had a Hill to climb. More success and he may have gotten over it. Amplo is a good coach. So was Rick Sowell. Amplo will have an easier time. The guy after the guy that replaced the GUY generally does.

So here we are. Amplo can have the same record but more tac and Old Sailor will be happy to cut checks again. That’s what Old Jay was saying....me too.

Typical distortion of what I said. It's more than record or "tac".

I thought Richie was the perfect Coach for USNA, even before he lead the remarkable run starting in 2004.
He was rumored to be gone after losing to Air Force in 2003, had they not come back to close out a 6-7 season by beating Army.
The restive '60's lax alums wanted him out then, but the success of 2004-2007 quieted them temporarily.
He was chided for "stepping down" to the PL in '04, because his teams supposedly couldn't compete in the ECAC any longer.
As soon as Tillman departed, the doomsayers returned & the stall ball whining ramped up.
It was pressure from the Decade of Dominance '60's lax alums that forced his unceremonious ouster after just one bad season.
Those (wealthier) alums were happy to see him gone & thrilled that the AD had snagged the hottest available HC, with his run & gun offense.
How did that work out ?

I felt Richie had the perfect system for a Service Academy. It has been successfully cloned at Army (just as it has in FB).
But it was more than on the field success. Richie "got it" as much as any Coach at USNA did.
Even the Mids who just knew him through the Boxing or PE classes he taught, saw "it".
Just like we got "it" from Bildy or Steve Belichick in those same classes. ...& "it" wasn't "tac".
Maybe it was time for a change, but it could have been delayed a bit, allowing Richie to depart on his own terms & participate in choosing his successor, as was done at Army. 8 years has been a long time to be starting over again.

Based on what's being said about his work at Marquette, Joe Amplo might be the right guy to heal the generational schisms among the Navy lax alums. He'll have the chance. I hope he embraces it.

[Typical Lax Dad]

So here we are. Amplo can have the same record but more tac and Old Sailor will be happy to cut checks again. That’s what Old Jay was saying....me too.

Typical distortion of what I said. It's more than record or "tac".

I thought Richie was the perfect Coach for USNA, even before he lead the remarkable run starting in 2004.
He was rumored to be gone after losing to Air Force in 2003, had they not come back to close out a 6-7 season by beating Army.
The restive '60's lax alums wanted him out then, but the success of 2004-2007 quieted them temporarily.
He was chided for "stepping down" to the PL in '04, because his teams supposedly couldn't compete in the ECAC any longer.
As soon as Tillman departed, the doomsayers returned & the stall ball whining ramped up.
It was pressure from the Decade of Dominance '60's lax alums that forced his unceremonious ouster after just one bad season.
Those (wealthier) alums were happy to see him gone & thrilled that the AD had snagged the hottest available HC, with his run & gun offense.
How did that work out ?

I felt Richie had the perfect system for a Service Academy. It has been successfully cloned at Army (just as it has in FB).
But it was more than on the field success. Richie "got it" as much as any Coach at USNA did.
Even the Mids who just knew him through the Boxing or PE classes he taught, saw "it".
Just like we got "it" from Bildy or Steve Belichick in those same classes. ...& "it" wasn't "tac".
Maybe it was time for a change, but it could have been delayed a bit, allowing Richie to depart on his own terms & participate in choosing his successor, as was done at Army. 8 years has been a long time to be starting over again.

Based on what's being said about his work at Marquette, Joe Amplo might be the right guy to heal the generational schisms among the Navy lax alums. He'll have the chance. I hope he embraces it.

Yeah. A lot words to say Ricky didn’t know how to behave. Typical....I am off to listen to some Anne Mette-Iversen. Good night Old Sailor.

[oldjayfan]

Never knew the SA student/athletes were so sensitive?? Bottom line, every big game, or really any game Navy won under Sowell, it was "because of the players"; every game they lost it was due to lack of adjustments, or his sideline body language?? Can't make this stuff up...I'm glad RS is gone, HE deserves better.

A coach that gets "it" or more "tac" or whatever sounds like the new generation parenting and everyone gets a trophy....never thought I'd read that on an SA forum.

Best of luck to Coach Amplo and the Mids, this horse has been beaten sufficiently.

LandM, has it stopped snowing yet in upstate NY

[LandM]

Old Salt, obviously my attempt at PC failed. Man talk about hitting a guy in the family jewels without a cup thankfully no on threw an elbow at the facemask but history tells me tac did have a part in all of this.

Oldjay - best time to be in Upstate, no humidity, not allot of pollen, not allot of bugs, not allot of boaters and jet ski's - funny you say snow last four days in Telluride was blizzard every day......your staring at the mountain with no transportation to the top as it was closed people hiking and skiing down - unfortunately gravity took over for me a few years ago But you still have to throw the trout back, not July 1

[old salt]

Old Salt, obviously my attempt at PC failed. ... but history tells me tac did have a part in all of this.

tac ? ...I figured it was archaic ZoomieSpeak ..

[laxxygilmore]

Following a popular coach is not easy. Ricky had a Hill to climb. More success and he may have gotten over it. Amplo is a good coach. So was Rick Sowell. Amplo will have an easier time. The guy after the guy that replaced the GUY generally does.

So here we are. Amplo can have the same record but more tac and Old Sailor will be happy to cut checks again. That’s what Old Jay was saying....me too.

Typical distortion of what I said. It's more than record or "tac".

I thought Richie was the perfect Coach for USNA, even before he lead the remarkable run starting in 2004.
He was rumored to be gone after losing to Air Force in 2003, had they not come back to close out a 6-7 season by beating Army.
The restive '60's lax alums wanted him out then, but the success of 2004-2007 quieted them temporarily.
He was chided for "stepping down" to the PL in '04, because his teams supposedly couldn't compete in the ECAC any longer.
As soon as Tillman departed, the doomsayers returned & the stall ball whining ramped up.
It was pressure from the Decade of Dominance '60's lax alums that forced his unceremonious ouster after just one bad season.
Those (wealthier) alums were happy to see him gone & thrilled that the AD had snagged the hottest available HC, with his run & gun offense.
How did that work out ?

I felt Richie had the perfect system for a Service Academy. It has been successfully cloned at Army (just as it has in FB).
But it was more than on the field success. Richie "got it" as much as any Coach at USNA did.
Even the Mids who just knew him through the Boxing or PE classes he taught, saw "it".
Just like we got "it" from Bildy or Steve Belichick in those same classes. ...& "it" wasn't "tac".
Maybe it was time for a change, but it could have been delayed a bit, allowing Richie to depart on his own terms & participate in choosing his successor, as was done at Army. 8 years has been a long time to be starting over again.

Based on what's being said about his work at Marquette, Joe Amplo might be the right guy to heal the generational schisms among the Navy lax alums. He'll have the chance. I hope he embraces it.

+1. Excellent fact based historical summary, old salt. I'd say that Coach Amplo "gets it" and already "embraces it"...

https://navysports.com/news/2019/6/5/jo ... -navy.aspx

"It is an honor and a privilege to be named the next head coach at the United States Naval Academy. Having the opportunity to help develop the next group of our nation's leaders is a responsibility that I do not take lightly. I look forward to embracing everything the Naval Academy stands for, engaging with our alumni, immersing our family into this community and, most of all, developing life-long relationships with the members of our team as we work to add more successes to the rich history of Navy lacrosse."

And now this from the Crab Wrapper:

https://www.capitalgazette.com/sports/n ... story.html

.. .. ...that's all good, on every level. Fire up the bandwagon.

Indeed. Great to see such genuine respect and enthusiasm overall expressed in this interview by Coach Amplo, and especially from his key comments below regarding USNA MLax alumni and current players...

https://www.capitalgazette.com/sports/n ... story.html

“For me, the Naval Academy was the complete package. From a destination standpoint in our sport, the Navy job has always been right at the top for me. I always looked at this job as a great opportunity for a number of reasons,” Amplo said.

“Just the fact you get to work at one of the world’s greatest institutions, it’s hard to compare anything with that. You factor in the type of student-athlete you’re going to be associated with and that makes it even more attractive,” Amplo added. “On top of all that, the Naval Academy is located in what my wife and I consider one of the best places to live. Annapolis is almost like a resort town. This is a great place to live and raise a family.”

“Mr. Gladchuk didn’t put specific expectations on me, but I do understand there is an expectation to compete at the highest level, to compete for championships and be a player on the national scene,” he said. “I welcome and embrace those types of expectations.”

“That passionate and loyal alumni base is not something I have dealt with as a head coach. I will say this: It does not make me nervous, it excites me,” Amplo said. “I’m coming from a place that had a very short-lived alumni experience. I think going into this season we only had 52 lacrosse alums from Marquette. So I welcome having such a huge alumni base.”

“Building a rock-solid program starts with developing a really deep interpersonal relationship with every individual currently in this program and everyone who has worn the Navy jersey previously,” he said. “I believe that is the number one most important thing in the short term, to love all the student-athletes in this program, to love the incoming recruits and make them all understand this is going to be a community-based initiative.”

“It’s not going to be just about lacrosse, it’s going to be about the whole Naval Academy experience,” Amplo added. “As I told all the alums that I have spoken to over the past 24 hours: I want that bandwagon that I watched from afar in the late 1990s and early 2000s, I want to see that bandwagon back again. I want to get everyone on board with moving this program in the right direction.”

“My first phone call was to Coach Danowski to say ‘thanks for everything you have done for me.’ John taught me, most importantly, to be an educator first,” Amplo said.

“John also showed me the power of love in an organization. You have to love your people, care about them as human beings and get to know them on the deepest interpersonal level that you possibly can. If you do that, the Xs and Ox will take care of themselves.”

...such selflessness and leadership presence will be sincerely welcomed and appreciated. As the legendary head coach Eddie Robinson famously said...

"Coaching is a profession of love. You can’t coach people unless you love them."

GO MIDS! "Amp it all up with Coach Amplo!"

[LandM]

Last entry on this thread as other schools need to find their person and I wish them luck. Hopefully everyone lands where they are suppose to.

Old Salt - it would be great if RW and RC got back to SBU - we attend the annual memorial scholarship event for RL before the season starts and I wear his hat every day that I walk - he meant allot to us and we are thankful we still see his wife every few months, small sport - but as has been pointed out the women's coach has done an unbelievable job and goodness gracious, never go after that newbie

Old Salt also just for you, out of the 10 billion acronyms that were thrown at me in my time, there are about 4 I remember. Tac (spelling) was one of them as your telling an 18 your old to not lie, steal, cheat, nor tolerate but then telling the generals wife what a great meal, that was the example. I called a few of my classmates today. I will get you the answer and respond in a PM or email (I still have it). Just remember we do not have the ancient history of our older brothers so I believe we winged it a few times

Oldjay - let me know if we are doubling down and whether I need to bring a cup as the jewels are still intact while I drive over to see you

Finally if you all could schedule a game with the younger brother - it was always fun watching you guys get gassed at 7,200 feet Time to go throw some fish back, enjoy the summer