As you may have noticed, I changed the title and description a little to reflect the recent news.
I did it because it was cute and because I had to find a way to honor Sonny, even if it is a little corny.
Yesterday I had the pleasure of going to the Sonny Lubick firement (that is a combo of retirement and firing, which you can watch in it's entirety here) press conference, and I must say I could not have made the decision to force Sonny out that Pauly K made, but then I have a hard time deciding what to eat with a full refrigerator.
It didn't have to happen, and it could have been avoided.
Unfortunately neither Pauly K or Sonny read each other correctly, and we ended up with this mess.
Fortunately, Sonny is too classy, too much of a gentleman, too kind, too good, to make the situation worse, and he retired with grace.
I also got to meet with Sonny afterward, locked away in the offensive lineman meeting room, an office that didn't exist before sonny (the era I will refer to from now on as the B.S. era, because CSU football was BS then). He fielded extra questions from me and about 15 others for about another half hour after the press conference, and I couldn't help feeling like I was talking to my grandfather, yet I had only uttered about six sentences to the man before I sat there.
You could tell he wanted to vent a little about the raw deal he got, and he definitely left hints that he wasn't happy, and that it may be a while before he shares that "case of beer" with Pauly K (that they alluded to in the press conference see about three paragraphs down in here), but he still couldn't bring himself to really say anything bad about the university or anyone involved.
It is for this reason that I hope Sonny stays in Fort Collins and works with the Rams.
It doesn't even have to be in the BS position (Associate AD blah blah) that was offered to him basically as an "I Owe You" in his contract. I think he has too much pride right now to take that spot, but hopefully in the future. If I can trust my interpretation of the contract, he has at least two years to decide if he wants to do it.
He is instrumental to this campus and town, and it is highly conceivable he will outlast the next coach who comes in, whether they are successful or not. We will need Sonny when this happens, to step up in the void, perhaps to replace Pauly K if his hire fails, or to help with another transition.
Plus, his sons Matt and Marc could be a huge coup someday as a future coach at CSU, continuing the legacy.
I could only hope time heals wounds, and the Lubick legacy lives on.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
One Wild Week
The last week as a CSU fan has been crazy.
The basketball team won three straight and were on Top of the World, then Stanford reminded them about gravity and they came crashing down.
The volleyball team couldn't win the conference tournament title, but still ended up seeded 14th in the NCAA Tournament.
The girls cross country team finished 19th in the nation.
CSU football beat the 'Pokes from up North to finish with a two-game winning streak.
Oh, and there was some little situation with Sonny Lubick, but I haven't heard or read much about that (except when I open my eyes or ears).
Yes, even at a funeral on Thursday I had in-laws, who have never expressed one ounce of energy to me about covering CSU sports for the Collegian, and who are die hard Nebraska fans, asking me about the "big story up there."
After recovering from the shock, I did my best to fill them in on what I knew of the situation, and it turns out I know about as many facts them as I know now. Which isn't very many (but hopefully this will be explained later today).
Here is what I know: - Sonny Lubick says he still wants to coach.
- Paul Kowalczyk (who is hereby referred to as Pauly K to simplify) and Larry Penley obviously feel changes need to be made to the football staff.
- They want Sonny to take a job as s a senior associate athletic director (aka to deal with the booster and fund raise full time) and he gets to keep his salary for the next two years.
- Sonny wants to see his assistants taken care off.
- Joe Glenn should have already learned to shut his mouth (as evidenced here), so I will return the salute to him that he seems so fond of.
- And this situation has been handled poorly on both sides, as Terry Frei pointed out so well.
And then there are all the rumors, which include:
- Pauly K told Sonny that his assistants wouldn't be coming back, and Sonny said he wouldn't coach without them.
- That Sonny just wanted another year.
- That Pauly K bungled the situation and now Penley is "throwing him under the bus," as the kids say.
- That Sonny had agreed to this earlier, but now changed his mind.
- That a deal has been worked out with another coach and now Pauly K has to get rid of Sonny.
And all of this leaves me thoroughly confused:
As I have said all year, Sonny needs to get rid off many of his assistants (Steve Stanard and Dave Arnold) if he wanted another year. From the first reports I got, it seemed that Pauly K and the administration had basically done this, and Sonny said he would rather step down.
Then, I hear that Pauly K didn't offer that chance to Sonny, and has basically forced to resign or to actually fired him
This second situation is very disturbing to me. Sonny did so much for CSU that I hate to think we kicked him out, but the Rams have under preformed for five straight years (yes, Bradlee Van Pelt's 7-5 senior season should have been much better) and Sonny refused to make an significant changes to his staff.
It is hard to say that someone could ever lose their job becasue of their loyaly, but it seems to have been Sonny's downfall.
In the past few season Sonny has been too loyal to coaches, and often his staff has been too loyal to seniors, letting them play over underclassmen who could have sparked the team earlier.
It took Kyle Bell too long to see the field his sophomore year, and this year it was loyalty to Bell that delayed chances for Gartrell Johnson and Mike Myers to shine.
CSU was behind the times.
We refused to adapt to the spread offenses that were running roughshod on us.
We refused to play freshman very often, even though many schools around the nation thrive with freshman playing critical roles right now.
We couldn't afford to fall behind any more.
I wish Sonny had seen this situation coming, and I hope that he puts aside this slight from the administration and stays at the school that loves him.
When Sonny came to CSU in 1993 it was on the heels of a very controversial firing of another fairly successful and legendary coach, Earle Bruce. Sonny managed to pull the CSU community together and led the Rams to unprecedented success on the gridiron.
I hope he again can pull CSU together, by gracefully stepping down and getting behind the new coach.
CSU is forever indebted to Sonny Lubick for the pride he has brought to this campus.
Before Sonny came to the Rams, a record of 3-9 with a win over Wyo and a few heartbreaking losses would have been a good season, as the following year's team might be .500.
Now, this is a terrible season.
If nothing else, thank Sonny for setting his own standards so high.
The basketball team won three straight and were on Top of the World, then Stanford reminded them about gravity and they came crashing down.
The volleyball team couldn't win the conference tournament title, but still ended up seeded 14th in the NCAA Tournament.
The girls cross country team finished 19th in the nation.
CSU football beat the 'Pokes from up North to finish with a two-game winning streak.
Oh, and there was some little situation with Sonny Lubick, but I haven't heard or read much about that (except when I open my eyes or ears).
Yes, even at a funeral on Thursday I had in-laws, who have never expressed one ounce of energy to me about covering CSU sports for the Collegian, and who are die hard Nebraska fans, asking me about the "big story up there."
After recovering from the shock, I did my best to fill them in on what I knew of the situation, and it turns out I know about as many facts them as I know now. Which isn't very many (but hopefully this will be explained later today).
Here is what I know: - Sonny Lubick says he still wants to coach.
- Paul Kowalczyk (who is hereby referred to as Pauly K to simplify) and Larry Penley obviously feel changes need to be made to the football staff.
- They want Sonny to take a job as s a senior associate athletic director (aka to deal with the booster and fund raise full time) and he gets to keep his salary for the next two years.
- Sonny wants to see his assistants taken care off.
- Joe Glenn should have already learned to shut his mouth (as evidenced here), so I will return the salute to him that he seems so fond of.
- And this situation has been handled poorly on both sides, as Terry Frei pointed out so well.
And then there are all the rumors, which include:
- Pauly K told Sonny that his assistants wouldn't be coming back, and Sonny said he wouldn't coach without them.
- That Sonny just wanted another year.
- That Pauly K bungled the situation and now Penley is "throwing him under the bus," as the kids say.
- That Sonny had agreed to this earlier, but now changed his mind.
- That a deal has been worked out with another coach and now Pauly K has to get rid of Sonny.
And all of this leaves me thoroughly confused:
As I have said all year, Sonny needs to get rid off many of his assistants (Steve Stanard and Dave Arnold) if he wanted another year. From the first reports I got, it seemed that Pauly K and the administration had basically done this, and Sonny said he would rather step down.
Then, I hear that Pauly K didn't offer that chance to Sonny, and has basically forced to resign or to actually fired him
This second situation is very disturbing to me. Sonny did so much for CSU that I hate to think we kicked him out, but the Rams have under preformed for five straight years (yes, Bradlee Van Pelt's 7-5 senior season should have been much better) and Sonny refused to make an significant changes to his staff.
It is hard to say that someone could ever lose their job becasue of their loyaly, but it seems to have been Sonny's downfall.
In the past few season Sonny has been too loyal to coaches, and often his staff has been too loyal to seniors, letting them play over underclassmen who could have sparked the team earlier.
It took Kyle Bell too long to see the field his sophomore year, and this year it was loyalty to Bell that delayed chances for Gartrell Johnson and Mike Myers to shine.
CSU was behind the times.
We refused to adapt to the spread offenses that were running roughshod on us.
We refused to play freshman very often, even though many schools around the nation thrive with freshman playing critical roles right now.
We couldn't afford to fall behind any more.
I wish Sonny had seen this situation coming, and I hope that he puts aside this slight from the administration and stays at the school that loves him.
When Sonny came to CSU in 1993 it was on the heels of a very controversial firing of another fairly successful and legendary coach, Earle Bruce. Sonny managed to pull the CSU community together and led the Rams to unprecedented success on the gridiron.
I hope he again can pull CSU together, by gracefully stepping down and getting behind the new coach.
CSU is forever indebted to Sonny Lubick for the pride he has brought to this campus.
Before Sonny came to the Rams, a record of 3-9 with a win over Wyo and a few heartbreaking losses would have been a good season, as the following year's team might be .500.
Now, this is a terrible season.
If nothing else, thank Sonny for setting his own standards so high.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Don't Stop Believing
While the football team is scared of a team who was supposed to be a guaranteed win, the basketball team is trying to get some confidence while in Alaska.
I, meanwhile, will be back eating home cooked food and without high speed internet, so I will be in the dark about the results of the Rams upcoming games untiltheir conclusions, so instead I went on a little different track with this post.
Around the nation lately I have been noticing other schools using motivational ploys (which not to be confused with gimmicks, becasue gimmicks are ploys that fail) to get fans and teams ready for games.
The Rams were in a difficult situation against Montana where Grizz officials lured 7,000 fans, most students, to the stadium by offering free pizza and t-shirts (basically like crack cocaine for college students), and gaurenteed a huge home-court advantage by allowing them to sit behind the players benches. It worked.
Georgia did this (and this), which led to a spirited, despite the stupidity of the song, moment that energized fans and the team together.
It got me to wondering why CSU struggles lately to create an electric environment for home games, besides being rather awful.
I came up with a list of ideas to spice up CSU games in general, along with a few ideas that might
- Bring back Fum's song. Oh, who am I kidding. That one is done until Paul K leaves CSU.
- Have the band play Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" at one or two points during the game. UNLV does this with "Living on a Prayer" by the immortal Bon Jovi, and it certainly would get the fans singing along. If this replaced Fum's Song at the end of the third quarter, it would be better than watching the Golden Poms dance to some horribly poppy Justin Timberlake song.
For your viewing and listening pleasure.
- More highlights from past Ram games shown on the jumbotron at Hughes or piped throug the speakers at Moby. It is sad that the recent Poudre Valley Health System TV advertisement has shown the best highlights compilation of anything I have seen at CSU. Get the crowd excited with big hits by Joey Porter and BVP runs.
- Speaking of the last point, get some video boards at Moby.
- More free t-shirts and food. For a chance at a free pizza and a t-shirt college fans will make signs, dress like idiots, and yell and scream like crazy. Don't be cheap. If it is "Tees for 3's" as the announcer always shouts, give out more than two, make it rain t-shirts. Plus, CSU was 0-10 against Montana, so you won't be giving out many this year.
- Get the games back on ESPN. I had friends last year at the CU-CSU game so excited becasue they were on ESPN, until I told them the game was broadcast on Versus, at which point they realized no one had seen them. Get the worldwide leader back in here and you gaurentee a sell out everytime they roll into town.
- Bring back the late night magic. So some fans had a problem with 8 p.m. or 10 p.m. starts. Guess what, the students hate starts before 3 p.m. We are usually dead tired before then, so we don't show up or we don't get as excited. I before have shown that the Rams are almost unbeatable in Thursday night games at Hughes, but the Rams also used to play some barnburners as the late game on ESPN's Big Monday at Moby, a position we gave up for no apparent reason.
- Give students the seats they deserve. Two years ago students voted to raise the amount we payed for athletics, in exchange for better seats at Moby. Then, it didn't happen. We gave more money last year, but we still have to sit behind the baskets while many people that sit in the seats on either sideline mise well be empty seats for the amount of noise they make. Get us more involved, and we will impact the game more.
- At halftime of the basketball games, have two teams of fans dressed appropriatley be allowed to play a quick game for about ten minutes. Preemptively encourage fans to dress like basketball players (especially mandate court appropriate shoes) and pick 10 in the Arena that are dressed up and who show up early to the game. Get a sponsor to create gold and green jerseys, and let them go at it. Gaurenteed fun, better than the paper airplane toss.
- Win.
I, meanwhile, will be back eating home cooked food and without high speed internet, so I will be in the dark about the results of the Rams upcoming games untiltheir conclusions, so instead I went on a little different track with this post.
Around the nation lately I have been noticing other schools using motivational ploys (which not to be confused with gimmicks, becasue gimmicks are ploys that fail) to get fans and teams ready for games.
The Rams were in a difficult situation against Montana where Grizz officials lured 7,000 fans, most students, to the stadium by offering free pizza and t-shirts (basically like crack cocaine for college students), and gaurenteed a huge home-court advantage by allowing them to sit behind the players benches. It worked.
Georgia did this (and this), which led to a spirited, despite the stupidity of the song, moment that energized fans and the team together.
It got me to wondering why CSU struggles lately to create an electric environment for home games, besides being rather awful.
I came up with a list of ideas to spice up CSU games in general, along with a few ideas that might
- Bring back Fum's song. Oh, who am I kidding. That one is done until Paul K leaves CSU.
- Have the band play Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" at one or two points during the game. UNLV does this with "Living on a Prayer" by the immortal Bon Jovi, and it certainly would get the fans singing along. If this replaced Fum's Song at the end of the third quarter, it would be better than watching the Golden Poms dance to some horribly poppy Justin Timberlake song.
For your viewing and listening pleasure.
- More highlights from past Ram games shown on the jumbotron at Hughes or piped throug the speakers at Moby. It is sad that the recent Poudre Valley Health System TV advertisement has shown the best highlights compilation of anything I have seen at CSU. Get the crowd excited with big hits by Joey Porter and BVP runs.
- Speaking of the last point, get some video boards at Moby.
- More free t-shirts and food. For a chance at a free pizza and a t-shirt college fans will make signs, dress like idiots, and yell and scream like crazy. Don't be cheap. If it is "Tees for 3's" as the announcer always shouts, give out more than two, make it rain t-shirts. Plus, CSU was 0-10 against Montana, so you won't be giving out many this year.
- Get the games back on ESPN. I had friends last year at the CU-CSU game so excited becasue they were on ESPN, until I told them the game was broadcast on Versus, at which point they realized no one had seen them. Get the worldwide leader back in here and you gaurentee a sell out everytime they roll into town.
- Bring back the late night magic. So some fans had a problem with 8 p.m. or 10 p.m. starts. Guess what, the students hate starts before 3 p.m. We are usually dead tired before then, so we don't show up or we don't get as excited. I before have shown that the Rams are almost unbeatable in Thursday night games at Hughes, but the Rams also used to play some barnburners as the late game on ESPN's Big Monday at Moby, a position we gave up for no apparent reason.
- Give students the seats they deserve. Two years ago students voted to raise the amount we payed for athletics, in exchange for better seats at Moby. Then, it didn't happen. We gave more money last year, but we still have to sit behind the baskets while many people that sit in the seats on either sideline mise well be empty seats for the amount of noise they make. Get us more involved, and we will impact the game more.
- At halftime of the basketball games, have two teams of fans dressed appropriatley be allowed to play a quick game for about ten minutes. Preemptively encourage fans to dress like basketball players (especially mandate court appropriate shoes) and pick 10 in the Arena that are dressed up and who show up early to the game. Get a sponsor to create gold and green jerseys, and let them go at it. Gaurenteed fun, better than the paper airplane toss.
- Win.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
A rough one
It was yet another weekend of crushing defeats for the Rams, as the football team found yet another way to lose, while the Tim Miles' era got off to a rough start in Missoula.
Johnny Walker (Green Label, please) gave his all for the Rams, and they came up just short vs. New Mexico, for the second stragith year. I have never seen a football team be as adept at blowing close games at the end as CSU has for the last couple of years.
It is a talent that has bloomed from the 2003 CU-CSU game, and I have to find the coaching staff to blame, as the effort from the Rams players was spectacular for a team with nothing to play for.
I know that my tune on the Rams coaches has gotten progressively worse as the season has gone on, but will reiterate the fact that this squad needs wholesale changes, and Sonny better make them, or Pauly K should get someone who remembers what it is like to win in here to replace him.
Enough about our great effort. It has been there for much of the year, but our coaching staff is ruining it.
Compotent game management could have won about 4 more games this year, and I am sure a 5-5 record at this point would look a heck of a lot better than 1-9.
Any way you cut it, 16 losses out of the last 17 games better dictate some major changes, or I will be among the students pregaming and leaving Hughes at gametime to watch ABC's game of the week, rather than ruin my buzz.
I know that my tune on the Rams coaches has gotten progressively worse as the season has gone on, but will reiterate the fact that this squad needs wholesale changes, and Sonny better make them, or Pauly K should get someone who remembers what it is like to win in here to replace him.
Enough about our great effort. It has been there for much of the year, but our coaching staff is ruining it.
Compotent game management could have won about 4 more games this year, and I am sure a 5-5 record at this point would look a heck of a lot better than 1-9.
Any way you cut it, 16 losses out of the last 17 games better dictate some major changes, or I will be among the students pregaming and leaving Hughes at gametime to watch ABC's game of the week, rather than ruin my buzz.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
JD Brookhardt > Frank Solich
In the battle of potential, but unlikely future CSU football coaches that took place last night, former Ram J.D. Brookhardt and his Akron Zips beat ex-husker Frank Solich's Ohio Bobcats 48-37.
Both have been rumoured to come to CSU if Sonny Lubick possibily retires, which seems imenent, so Wednesday night's ESPN game would be a good chance to check them out (remember when CSU played Prime Time on ESPN, or heck, played on any real TV station).
Both teams came into the game in the middle of the MAC, but national TV for these small schools ensures a good game, and it delivered for the most part.
The game was close until late in the fourth quarter before Akron pulled away, but it wasn't the win thatled me to declare Brookhardt the better coach, it was the way he coached the team.
Brookhardt has juggled two quarterbacks all season (a novel approach that CSU could never try), so he decided to look for some more leadership. He got it from his QB Chris Jacquemain, who not only passed well, but stepped up in a very rare capacity for a QB, by being a lead blocker on multiple running plays (including a block that de-cleated a Ohio defender).
Brookhardt also showed an ability to adjust midgame, as Ohio ran the ball effectively early, but was shut down the rest of the game.
The Zips also got a kick return for a TD, the type of game changing play that CSU has been lacking lately (not quite as game changing as this one earlier in the year).
Finally, when Brookhardt saw an opposing player celebrating after a hit that resulted in a personal foul, he stood up for his team and got on the referees about it, something that players love and respect.
While I don't think Brookhardt is quite up to the task of running CSU, but he certainly would liven up the Rams with a different offense and more passion than what we currently have.
Both have been rumoured to come to CSU if Sonny Lubick possibily retires, which seems imenent, so Wednesday night's ESPN game would be a good chance to check them out (remember when CSU played Prime Time on ESPN, or heck, played on any real TV station).
Both teams came into the game in the middle of the MAC, but national TV for these small schools ensures a good game, and it delivered for the most part.
The game was close until late in the fourth quarter before Akron pulled away, but it wasn't the win thatled me to declare Brookhardt the better coach, it was the way he coached the team.
Brookhardt has juggled two quarterbacks all season (a novel approach that CSU could never try), so he decided to look for some more leadership. He got it from his QB Chris Jacquemain, who not only passed well, but stepped up in a very rare capacity for a QB, by being a lead blocker on multiple running plays (including a block that de-cleated a Ohio defender).
Brookhardt also showed an ability to adjust midgame, as Ohio ran the ball effectively early, but was shut down the rest of the game.
The Zips also got a kick return for a TD, the type of game changing play that CSU has been lacking lately (not quite as game changing as this one earlier in the year).
Finally, when Brookhardt saw an opposing player celebrating after a hit that resulted in a personal foul, he stood up for his team and got on the referees about it, something that players love and respect.
While I don't think Brookhardt is quite up to the task of running CSU, but he certainly would liven up the Rams with a different offense and more passion than what we currently have.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Our basketball team is already better...
After CSU lost again in football this weekend (a game I couldn't nor cared to watch), I was all set to do another depressing blog before inspiration formed in the CSU basketball team.
In just two games (alebiet exhibition), they have already gotten more wins than the football team. Ironic, as it was just a couple of years ago the basketball team was so depressing football was discussed right on through their season.
CSU struggled with new schemes and new players early in both exhibition games, but put away Regis and destoyed Chadron State in the second half.
Though they aren't exactly signature wins, Regis also clung with Wyoming, and at least they didn't pull a Michigan State.
The Rams only return two players from last season, and but they have a lot of young talent, especially in freshman Josh Simmons and Andre McFarland.
The best thing about CSU is their coach Tim Miles, who is, right now, the polar opposite of Sonny Lubick (who I have discussed ad naseum). He is an up-and-coming coach with tons of energy and he isn't afraid to light a fire under his team. Unlike CSU's previous coach, the incompetant Dale Layer, he will have a team that improves over the course of the season, not one that stagnates.
So fans, get out to Moby and jump on the Miles Bandwagon, even if they go through some growing pains.
Because when success comes, you will want to be firmly entrenched to mock the newcomers lack of faith.
In just two games (alebiet exhibition), they have already gotten more wins than the football team. Ironic, as it was just a couple of years ago the basketball team was so depressing football was discussed right on through their season.
CSU struggled with new schemes and new players early in both exhibition games, but put away Regis and destoyed Chadron State in the second half.
Though they aren't exactly signature wins, Regis also clung with Wyoming, and at least they didn't pull a Michigan State.
The Rams only return two players from last season, and but they have a lot of young talent, especially in freshman Josh Simmons and Andre McFarland.
The best thing about CSU is their coach Tim Miles, who is, right now, the polar opposite of Sonny Lubick (who I have discussed ad naseum). He is an up-and-coming coach with tons of energy and he isn't afraid to light a fire under his team. Unlike CSU's previous coach, the incompetant Dale Layer, he will have a team that improves over the course of the season, not one that stagnates.
So fans, get out to Moby and jump on the Miles Bandwagon, even if they go through some growing pains.
Because when success comes, you will want to be firmly entrenched to mock the newcomers lack of faith.
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