Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

[aallenpollreisz]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

From today's Lansing State Journal:

COLE INTERESTED: Former Spartan forward Danton Cole, considered one of the top candidates, to replace Comley said he's interested in discussing the job "when the time is right.''

"I think it's the best job in college hockey and I'm a Michigan State guy,'' said Cole, who's in his first season as the U.S. Under-17 team in Ann Arbor. "But you want to respect their team. They still have a season to play and Rick has a lot of coaching to do.

"When the time is right, I'll definitely look into it. In the meantime, I have my hands full here with our team and what we're trying to do with the kids here.''

Signed, sealed, delivered, already co-signed, and about to be sent back come March.

[peanut]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

Did the check clear?

[pinch]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

I think the job is signed, sealed and delivered to Danton Cole right now. He has program ties and he'll be dirt cheap.

I agree that Cole could be had for cheap... so if he ends up being their guy, does MSU over-pay for him or get a good deal.

[aallenpollreisz]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

Cole will probably get a carbon copy of Comley's current contract, but with all references to "Comley" being scribbled out with pencil and replaced with a slightly illegible "Cole" handwritten in the margins.

Danton Cole will get $150k/yr. and like it, whether he wants to or not.

[Ralph Baer]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

Cole will probably get a carbon copy of Comley's current contract, but with all references to "Comley" being scribbled out with pencil and replaced with a slightly illegible "Cole" handwritten in the margins.

Danton Cole will get $150k/yr. and like it, whether he wants to or not.

COMLEY

It works fine.

[Hammer]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

One name that I'm surprised that hasn't received much play is Ferris State Coach and MSU alum Bob Daniels. He's well respected. He keeps a D-II school competitive year in and year out, is a first class guy and you rarely hear of trouble in his program. I think he has to be every bit as viable a candidate as anyone else.

I should have mentioned this last night, but oh well. Bob Daniels is a great guy. He's run clean program at Ferris for almost 20 years, and has won a CCHA title since MSU has. The people around the program would really like Coach Daniels, no questions there.

However, there are drawbacks to the style of play his teams play. For the most part, they're very good defensively, with nice goaltending. But year in and year out, they struggle mightily to score goals, and are less-than-average on the power play (2002-2003 exempted). They also take a few too many penalties for most tastes. I suspect that would drive MSU fans through the roof.

[FRICKER]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

What is the W.I.I.F.M (What's In It For Me?) for Bob Daniels to move from Ferris state to MSU? He has built the FSU program up
higher than the Sparty's as the Comely era winds down. Same line of thinking for Tom Anastos.

[manurespreader]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

What's in it for him?

hmmm.... a much bigger paycheck for one, also much nicer rink considering the upgrades to Munn, easier recruiting, better travel arrangements, more national prestige... that's all.

[davyd83]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

I should have mentioned this last night, but oh well. Bob Daniels is a great guy. He's run clean program at Ferris for almost 20 years, and has won a CCHA title since MSU has. The people around the program would really like Coach Daniels, no questions there.

However, there are drawbacks to the style of play his teams play. For the most part, they're very good defensively, with nice goaltending. But year in and year out, they struggle mightily to score goals, and are less-than-average on the power play (2002-2003 exempted). They also take a few too many penalties for most tastes. I suspect that would drive MSU fans through the roof.

I would think that at Michigan State, more top end scoring talent would be available to him. Look at the GLIAC/MAC schools (excluding Miami). They have a much tougher time getting the big goals scorers that Michigan, Wisconsin and the other "big time" programs tend to attract.

[pierre maguire]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

If I'm Bob Daniels there is no way I'm trading in my job security to move over to MSU, and especially at his age. It's not like Daniels is a spring chicken...he has built himself a very nice little program which he isn't likely to leave anytime soon, if ever, IMO. Not to mention FSU will NEVER have the same expectations or pressure to succeed that a coach at MSU has and maybe that's something Daniels likes? As long as he can make a run every 4 or 5 years at the top 3 in the CCHA and remain competitive during the other years, he can stay there until he decided to retire. In this economy, I'll take job security.

[davyd83]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

especially at his age. It's not like Daniels is a spring chicken...

Daniels is in his early 50's. Here graduated MSU in '82. Age is hardly an issue here.

[gfmorris]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

Disclosures: I'm a 2002 UAH alumnus, am the President of our blue line club, and consider Danton Cole a friend.
Caveats: Though my first thought upon hearing that Comley was out was that Danton would want the job, I have not called or emailed him. I was with Chris Luongo at the time, but I have not spoken to Chris about Danton's interest in the job since then.

You can look at Danton's record here in two ways: it wasn't very good, or it was good considering the circumstances. The cupboard was pretty bare after Doug Ross retired at UAH. Danton and his assistants worked to pull together a big freshman class for Danton's first year. The notable recruit was Cam Talbot, who signed an ATO after last season and then followed on with a two-year deal to be 1B for Connecticut in the AHL. Talbot is not entirely creditable to Cole, as he was a commit for 2006 who didn't get to come until 2007. UAH was a complete rebuilding job done in the light of a conference that was first failing, then dead. It's become increasingly hard to recruit talent to Huntsville, yet Danton kept getting good results.

I'm sure that he's interested in the job, and I'd be stunned if he was offered and didn't accept. [I would drive to Michigan to smack sense into him.] I don't know that he'll be the pick, but I think that he'd do a good job.

GFM

[kdilks]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

Daniels is in his early 50's. Here graduated MSU in '82. Age is hardly an issue here.

Sure, if things work out, he'll have a nice long ride into the sunset. But do you really think he wants to risk being like Comley, where he gets forced out before he wants to retire, but when he's too old to really start something new somewhere else? He seems to be around the age where having job security is of the utmost importance.

[hockeyfollower]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

John Markell is another viable candidate who could turn the program around

[pierre maguire]

Re: Now. Who is coming to East Lansing

John Markell? Zero chance.