Re: All Things Denver XXIX
Interesting yet bold first post!! Welcome aboard nonetheless. Are you a DU fan or RPI?, maybe both?
Interesting yet bold first post!! Welcome aboard nonetheless. Are you a DU fan or RPI?, maybe both?
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All Things Denver XXIX
- Thread starter Old Pio
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Ralph Baer
Let's Go 'Tute!
Re: All Things Denver XXIX
That was a good one! After I posted that first one, I went online to try to find a comprehensive list of college hockey coach's salaries and I'm coming up short. There must be a good site out there?, anyone know of one so we can settle this?
Maybe he's Seth Appert.
That was a good one! After I posted that first one, I went online to try to find a comprehensive list of college hockey coach's salaries and I'm coming up short. There must be a good site out there?, anyone know of one so we can settle this?
Cross-Czech
Registered User
Re: All Things Denver XXIX
My $0.02 on the Gwoz contract situation - get the man signed now. I agree with DG that the coach is more important than the "program" when getting recruits and continuing to be a national power. A program might be able to bridge the gap between coaches (e.g. UND with Blais and Hakstol) but I do not want to take that risk. RPIhockeyrock's comment about Grimaldi is interesting to me. I recently had one of those "i heard from a guy who knows somebody who knows somebody" conversations and the comment was made that a top recruit we are going after has DU as his #1 choice but hasn't committed yet because he is waiting to see what happens with the Gwoz contract situation. Who knows how many situations are out there just like these? How many recruits are we missing out on? This makes signing Gwoz a top priority right now, not in 2014. I won't mention the recruit's name since it's such heresay.
My $0.02 on the Gwoz contract situation - get the man signed now. I agree with DG that the coach is more important than the "program" when getting recruits and continuing to be a national power. A program might be able to bridge the gap between coaches (e.g. UND with Blais and Hakstol) but I do not want to take that risk. RPIhockeyrock's comment about Grimaldi is interesting to me. I recently had one of those "i heard from a guy who knows somebody who knows somebody" conversations and the comment was made that a top recruit we are going after has DU as his #1 choice but hasn't committed yet because he is waiting to see what happens with the Gwoz contract situation. Who knows how many situations are out there just like these? How many recruits are we missing out on? This makes signing Gwoz a top priority right now, not in 2014. I won't mention the recruit's name since it's such heresay.
Re: All Things Denver XXIX
Oh, come on!!! This is disturbing indeed. It would appear that we are looking good for recruits for the next couple of years. However, if this story is true, then we need to get him signed ASAP. As for the poor post season appearances, a lot of this can be explained by injuries and some bad puck luck. We can't blame Gwoz anymore if it means losing killer recruits.
Oh, come on!!!
This is disturbing indeed. It would appear that we are looking good for recruits for the next couple of years. However, if this story is true, then we need to get him signed ASAP. As for the poor post season appearances, a lot of this can be explained by injuries and some bad puck luck. We can't blame Gwoz anymore if it means losing killer recruits.
du78
Gunning For 10
Re: All Things Denver XXIX
Excellent post by rpihockeyrock. DU needs to step up and get Gwoz re-signed. Right now the program is a well-oiled machine with Gwoz re-loading every year rather than re-building. Players want to come play for Gwoz much like they did Murray. If there is doubt in a recruit's mind about the future of Gwoz, DU could be looking at re-building rather than re-loading. The coach and the recruits are what make the program and there has to be a balance between the two. Gwoz is on the brink of becoming a legend like Murray if he can get one or more additional NCAA titles at DU. He could become like Jo Pa, Wooden, Krzyzewski, MacInness, etc. by coaching the rest of his career at DU if he so chooses. If he were to leave for another college coaching position, I think the DU program would significantly suffer as most recruits would follow him as well as a good part of his staff. DU right now is an extremely competitive D-1 school in hockey, skiing and lacrosse. It would not surprise me to see the lax team make a run for the NCAA title in the next few years with Tierney at the helm. Not many schools are in the running for 3 national titles every year and, without Gwoz, the DU hockey team would probably fall significantly as a national power. There are very few potential coaching replacements out there with Gwoz's track record.
Dmann, keep in mind that only the recruits coming in next season have signed LOIs. All of the others are verbal committments which are not binding if a player changes his mind. If Gwoz were to leave, the players with verbals could just tell DU they aren't coming. It could also come down to where players with LOIs could ask to be let out of them because the coach is leaving. What looks like a rosy recruiting future could certainly turn quickly the other way if Gwoz were to leave.
Excellent post by rpihockeyrock. DU needs to step up and get Gwoz re-signed. Right now the program is a well-oiled machine with Gwoz re-loading every year rather than re-building. Players want to come play for Gwoz much like they did Murray. If there is doubt in a recruit's mind about the future of Gwoz, DU could be looking at re-building rather than re-loading. The coach and the recruits are what make the program and there has to be a balance between the two. Gwoz is on the brink of becoming a legend like Murray if he can get one or more additional NCAA titles at DU. He could become like Jo Pa, Wooden, Krzyzewski, MacInness, etc. by coaching the rest of his career at DU if he so chooses. If he were to leave for another college coaching position, I think the DU program would significantly suffer as most recruits would follow him as well as a good part of his staff. DU right now is an extremely competitive D-1 school in hockey, skiing and lacrosse. It would not surprise me to see the lax team make a run for the NCAA title in the next few years with Tierney at the helm. Not many schools are in the running for 3 national titles every year and, without Gwoz, the DU hockey team would probably fall significantly as a national power. There are very few potential coaching replacements out there with Gwoz's track record.
Dmann, keep in mind that only the recruits coming in next season have signed LOIs. All of the others are verbal committments which are not binding if a player changes his mind. If Gwoz were to leave, the players with verbals could just tell DU they aren't coming. It could also come down to where players with LOIs could ask to be let out of them because the coach is leaving. What looks like a rosy recruiting future could certainly turn quickly the other way if Gwoz were to leave.
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dggoddard
New member
Re: All Things Denver XXIX
Very interesting post by rpihockeyrock.
I have to agree with everything said, but wonder about the hockey season ticket totals. How are they counting Friday, Saturday and Full season tickets?
Clearly Gwozdecky wants to be paid the highest salary in D-1 hockey and I'm sure he wants to financially reward those who have been loyal to him.
Based on RPIHockeyRock's numbers and Chambers articles its paints a picture of DU's Athletic Department hemorrhaging money and having very few revenue streams available.
Very interesting post by rpihockeyrock.
I have to agree with everything said, but wonder about the hockey season ticket totals. How are they counting Friday, Saturday and Full season tickets?
Clearly Gwozdecky wants to be paid the highest salary in D-1 hockey and I'm sure he wants to financially reward those who have been loyal to him.
Based on RPIHockeyRock's numbers and Chambers articles its paints a picture of DU's Athletic Department hemorrhaging money and having very few revenue streams available.
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Puck Swami
New member
Re: All Things Denver XXIX
Great post, and thanks for making it. We obviously want the best for the program, and we both agree that Gwoz is the best long term option for the Pioneers.
Here are some of my points:
In 2009, Mike Chambers ran a base salary rundown of WCHA Coaches:
Alaska Anchorage — Dave Shyiak, $110,000 in 2009-10, contract through 2011-12
Colorado College – Scott Owens, financial terms unavailable, contract through 2012-13
Denver – George Gwozdecky, base and length unavailable
Minnesota – Don Lucia, $222,789 in 2007-08, contract through 2011-12
Minnesota Duluth – Scott Sandelin, $150,000 in 2009-10, contract through 2011-12
Minnesota State- Mankato – Troy Jutting, $138,000 in 2008-09, expected to sign contract extension
Michigan Tech – Jamie Russell, $116,759 in 2008-09, contract through 2011-12
North Dakota – Dave Hakstol, $210,000 in 2007-08, contract through 2011-12
St. Cloud State – Bob Motzko, $167,000 in 2008-09, contract through 2014-15
Wisconsin – Mike Eaves, $229,511 in 2008-09, contract through 2013-14
If your current base salary figure for Gwoz is of $240,000 is correct (and if Chambers' figures are correct) Gwoz still likely has the highest base salary in the WCHA (or near it), and with other income like bonuses, camps, his total compensation is likley in the mid 300s - probably less total compensation that Lucia or Eaves when you add up the other stuff, but for a top program, Gwoz is still very much in the ballpark, and I'm guess his total compensation package is still in the top 5 for the sport, or very close to it. All these programs know exactly what the other coaches make.
Getting top 5 compensation is great when the program is a top 5 program. Lately, the DU program has not finished well from an NCAA standpoint (five consecutive underachieving postseasons - in your words "not acceptable". We all agree that Gwoz really gets it done in the regualr season, and in the classroom and his kids don' get into trouble. If you weight NCAA tourney performance highy, as I do, the 8-3 decade record is nice, but not winning an NCAA game since 2005 trumps it.
Gwoz' contract deosent expire until 2014, which IS several years from now, according to how I count. If I were Gwoz, I still have time to get leverage back for a better deal. But if you are DU's adminstration, why would would you be in any hurry to renegotiate a contract for a program that hasn't won an NCAA game since 2005? There are two sides to any contract negotiation, and while almost every DU fan is calling for a new deal for Gwoz (in fear of him walking) I think it's fair to look at the stalemate from the perspective of both sides. I think DU is telling Gwoz that they have paid for excellence before and they'll do it again, but they need to see better NCAA finishes before they give up the big money again -- fair expectation?
As for basketball, I don't think comparing Gwoz and his staff to Scott and his staff makes much sense. D-I basketball IS a different animal. A lot of DU hockey fans don't like DU pushing hoops. But those fans may not understand that D-I athletics, and the $25 million spent on it, is part of a bigger strategy at DU to become more of a national university. Strategically, hockey may be the flagship sport at DU in term of revenue, but it is limited in terms of what it can do for DU nationally. The reality is that hockey means a lot to those of us who love and appreciate the tradition, but it pales in comparison to national recognition. In other words, we could win the hockey NCAAs for 5 years in a row, and still not get as much regongition nationally as one NCAA tourney run in hoops to say, the sweet 16.
Salary wise, there is far more pressure on D-I basketball coaches, and Scott's package is in the middle of the D-I coaching ranks, and nowhere near the top 50 in his sport. Basketball coaches get fired much more often than hockey coaches do, and even if DU is overpaying in hoops for the assistants, there is an expectation of winning, and if DU finishes with a losing season this year, my guess is that they only get another year or two after this year to win or they are out.
AS for hockey season tickets, DU season ticket base may be holding steady, but I know that sales are down overall, and the casual fans aren't coming out as they did a few years ago. Part of that is the economy, part of that is schedule and part is performance.. Once again, when you want to renogotiate a coaching contract, it helps if you are putting more butts in the seats now vs then. You have much more leverage with sellouts.
As for recruiting, I agree about perception of stability is important in coaching. But at the end of the day, I want our recruits to come to DU becuase of the school, the tradition and the pride as much as I want them to come for a coach. If Rocco thinks he's going to have a better hockey experience at UND, more power to him. UND is a great hockey school. I want kids at DU who want to be here because they like DU and what we offer beyond just the coaches. If coaching is the top driver, that kid should probably be playing junior hockey. Coaches come and go. The program stays.
Finally, I also wonder about DU's committment to hockey sometimes. But then when the school goes to the trustees and forks out $60,000 to get the players to Albany on the same plane last year when they NCAA said they wouldn't pay for a charter, it tells me they are committed to the sport. The program has what it needs to compete for titles and recruits.As for marketing budgets, I understand why they need to builld it for hoops, as they have 5,000 empty seats to fill vs 1,000 seats to fill with hockey.
Great post, and thanks for making it. We obviously want the best for the program, and we both agree that Gwoz is the best long term option for the Pioneers.
Here are some of my points:
In 2009, Mike Chambers ran a base salary rundown of WCHA Coaches:
Alaska Anchorage — Dave Shyiak, $110,000 in 2009-10, contract through 2011-12
Colorado College – Scott Owens, financial terms unavailable, contract through 2012-13
Denver – George Gwozdecky, base and length unavailable
Minnesota – Don Lucia, $222,789 in 2007-08, contract through 2011-12
Minnesota Duluth – Scott Sandelin, $150,000 in 2009-10, contract through 2011-12
Minnesota State- Mankato – Troy Jutting, $138,000 in 2008-09, expected to sign contract extension
Michigan Tech – Jamie Russell, $116,759 in 2008-09, contract through 2011-12
North Dakota – Dave Hakstol, $210,000 in 2007-08, contract through 2011-12
St. Cloud State – Bob Motzko, $167,000 in 2008-09, contract through 2014-15
Wisconsin – Mike Eaves, $229,511 in 2008-09, contract through 2013-14
If your current base salary figure for Gwoz is of $240,000 is correct (and if Chambers' figures are correct) Gwoz still likely has the highest base salary in the WCHA (or near it), and with other income like bonuses, camps, his total compensation is likley in the mid 300s - probably less total compensation that Lucia or Eaves when you add up the other stuff, but for a top program, Gwoz is still very much in the ballpark, and I'm guess his total compensation package is still in the top 5 for the sport, or very close to it. All these programs know exactly what the other coaches make.
Getting top 5 compensation is great when the program is a top 5 program. Lately, the DU program has not finished well from an NCAA standpoint (five consecutive underachieving postseasons - in your words "not acceptable". We all agree that Gwoz really gets it done in the regualr season, and in the classroom and his kids don' get into trouble. If you weight NCAA tourney performance highy, as I do, the 8-3 decade record is nice, but not winning an NCAA game since 2005 trumps it.
Gwoz' contract deosent expire until 2014, which IS several years from now, according to how I count. If I were Gwoz, I still have time to get leverage back for a better deal. But if you are DU's adminstration, why would would you be in any hurry to renegotiate a contract for a program that hasn't won an NCAA game since 2005? There are two sides to any contract negotiation, and while almost every DU fan is calling for a new deal for Gwoz (in fear of him walking) I think it's fair to look at the stalemate from the perspective of both sides. I think DU is telling Gwoz that they have paid for excellence before and they'll do it again, but they need to see better NCAA finishes before they give up the big money again -- fair expectation?
As for basketball, I don't think comparing Gwoz and his staff to Scott and his staff makes much sense. D-I basketball IS a different animal. A lot of DU hockey fans don't like DU pushing hoops. But those fans may not understand that D-I athletics, and the $25 million spent on it, is part of a bigger strategy at DU to become more of a national university. Strategically, hockey may be the flagship sport at DU in term of revenue, but it is limited in terms of what it can do for DU nationally. The reality is that hockey means a lot to those of us who love and appreciate the tradition, but it pales in comparison to national recognition. In other words, we could win the hockey NCAAs for 5 years in a row, and still not get as much regongition nationally as one NCAA tourney run in hoops to say, the sweet 16.
Salary wise, there is far more pressure on D-I basketball coaches, and Scott's package is in the middle of the D-I coaching ranks, and nowhere near the top 50 in his sport. Basketball coaches get fired much more often than hockey coaches do, and even if DU is overpaying in hoops for the assistants, there is an expectation of winning, and if DU finishes with a losing season this year, my guess is that they only get another year or two after this year to win or they are out.
AS for hockey season tickets, DU season ticket base may be holding steady, but I know that sales are down overall, and the casual fans aren't coming out as they did a few years ago. Part of that is the economy, part of that is schedule and part is performance.. Once again, when you want to renogotiate a coaching contract, it helps if you are putting more butts in the seats now vs then. You have much more leverage with sellouts.
As for recruiting, I agree about perception of stability is important in coaching. But at the end of the day, I want our recruits to come to DU becuase of the school, the tradition and the pride as much as I want them to come for a coach. If Rocco thinks he's going to have a better hockey experience at UND, more power to him. UND is a great hockey school. I want kids at DU who want to be here because they like DU and what we offer beyond just the coaches. If coaching is the top driver, that kid should probably be playing junior hockey. Coaches come and go. The program stays.
Finally, I also wonder about DU's committment to hockey sometimes. But then when the school goes to the trustees and forks out $60,000 to get the players to Albany on the same plane last year when they NCAA said they wouldn't pay for a charter, it tells me they are committed to the sport. The program has what it needs to compete for titles and recruits.As for marketing budgets, I understand why they need to builld it for hoops, as they have 5,000 empty seats to fill vs 1,000 seats to fill with hockey.
dggoddard
New member
Re: All Things Denver XXIX
The DU athletic department is heavily subsidized by the students' tuition. Who is actually paying Joe Scott's salary? You may be surprised to find out; the U.S. taxpayers.
Tonight on CNBC (7 PM MT) there will be a special about the potential student loan crisis and $1 trillion in student loans. As DU continues to hike up tuition every year to record levels, we have to assume that more of our students are going to be stuck with student loans they might never get out from under.
The DU athletic department is heavily subsidized by the students' tuition. Who is actually paying Joe Scott's salary? You may be surprised to find out; the U.S. taxpayers.
Tonight on CNBC (7 PM MT) there will be a special about the potential student loan crisis and $1 trillion in student loans. As DU continues to hike up tuition every year to record levels, we have to assume that more of our students are going to be stuck with student loans they might never get out from under.
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Puck Swami
New member
Re: All Things Denver XXIX
Only men's basketball and football generate national recognition. Football is played to win nationally at 50 schools, and everyone else is cannon fodder for those lucky 50. DU can't compete at that level. Basketball is played seriously by 100 schools or so and everyone else is cannon fodder for the lucky 100. DU has figured it doesn't cost that much to try to get into the top 100. But perhaps to get there sustainably, they are going to need a coach who can recruit nationally, and the jury is out on that one.
If you look at DU's sports mix, they are very successful in those sports that fit the expensive, affluent demographic that DU's primary student body reflects. Soccer, hockey, lacrosse, gymastics, golf, tennis and swimming are sports dominated by affluent suburban kids, and DU does great in those sports, because there are plenty of the who can handle the schoolwork and even more of them to full out the rosters without scholarships. For example, men's lacrosse has 12 scholarships and a roster of 40+ kids. Do the math, and DU is coming out ahead cash flow wise from all those walk-ons paying full tutition.
Only men's basketball and football generate national recognition. Football is played to win nationally at 50 schools, and everyone else is cannon fodder for those lucky 50. DU can't compete at that level. Basketball is played seriously by 100 schools or so and everyone else is cannon fodder for the lucky 100. DU has figured it doesn't cost that much to try to get into the top 100. But perhaps to get there sustainably, they are going to need a coach who can recruit nationally, and the jury is out on that one.
If you look at DU's sports mix, they are very successful in those sports that fit the expensive, affluent demographic that DU's primary student body reflects. Soccer, hockey, lacrosse, gymastics, golf, tennis and swimming are sports dominated by affluent suburban kids, and DU does great in those sports, because there are plenty of the who can handle the schoolwork and even more of them to full out the rosters without scholarships. For example, men's lacrosse has 12 scholarships and a roster of 40+ kids. Do the math, and DU is coming out ahead cash flow wise from all those walk-ons paying full tutition.
Re: All Things Denver XXIX
http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_16907770First, if you haven't done it already go to
http://letsgodu.blogspot.com/
and read the story about the Jesse Martin and his family.
Merry Christmas to the Martins!
On a lighter note. the Denver Post has a story about Paul Statsny and Matt Duchene's Victory "Bang Bang" dance.
http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_16907770
Here's the dance:
http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_16907770First, if you haven't done it already go to
http://letsgodu.blogspot.com/
and read the story about the Jesse Martin and his family.
Merry Christmas to the Martins!
On a lighter note. the Denver Post has a story about Paul Statsny and Matt Duchene's Victory "Bang Bang" dance.
http://www.denverpost.com/avalanche/ci_16907770
Here's the dance:
MagnessMan
D-1 Hockey Nut
Re: All Things Denver XXIX
I agree that rpi's post was interesting. The guy knows the college game (most likely from the inside). There aren't too many people that can take PS to school but he did. I think the Athl. Dept at DU is terribly managed. There is a whole lot of fat, that should and could be trimmed. Hockey is THE program. Sign George and do it ASAP. The good recruits just keep coming.
I agree that rpi's post was interesting. The guy knows the college game (most likely from the inside). There aren't too many people that can take PS to school but he did. I think the Athl. Dept at DU is terribly managed. There is a whole lot of fat, that should and could be trimmed. Hockey is THE program. Sign George and do it ASAP. The good recruits just keep coming.
Re: All Things Denver XXIX
OK, that was almost a disaster for my keyboard, very funny Old P.!! I remember an article about the incoming players for that year and it said something like, the coaching staff were all smiles when they signed Lance Momotani.He was one of our top recruits as I recall. I thought he was pretty good. Or am I remembering this through beer goggles (as usual)?
OK, that was almost a disaster for my keyboard, very funny Old P.!! I remember an article about the incoming players for that year and it said something like, the coaching staff were all smiles when they signed Lance Momotani.He was one of our top recruits as I recall. I thought he was pretty good. Or am I remembering this through beer goggles (as usual)?
manurespreader
Still upright
Re: All Things Denver XXIX
Well not to butt in, but I would totally agree that signing gwoz would be a really good idea for DU. Though I disagree that there are not talented coaches out there, finding them is not all that easy. ( though you know miami did pretty good).I know a lot of coaches and the guys who can really, really motivate and who become icons, are really rare. Some guys who are not all that good a coach are good at recruiting, or have other ways to mask their weaknesses. Also the UMTC posters have been posting that lucia is making over 400K. just fyi, true or not who knows. The other salaries are generally accurate imho. I would bet a lot of money that psu would hire gwoz in a heart beat if they could. You can bet one thing, the top is hard to maintain and the fall can be precipitous, ask rich rod and UM football.
Well not to butt in, but I would totally agree that signing gwoz would be a really good idea for DU. Though I disagree that there are not talented coaches out there, finding them is not all that easy. ( though you know miami did pretty good).I know a lot of coaches and the guys who can really, really motivate and who become icons, are really rare. Some guys who are not all that good a coach are good at recruiting, or have other ways to mask their weaknesses. Also the UMTC posters have been posting that lucia is making over 400K. just fyi, true or not who knows. The other salaries are generally accurate imho. I would bet a lot of money that psu would hire gwoz in a heart beat if they could. You can bet one thing, the top is hard to maintain and the fall can be precipitous, ask rich rod and UM football.
rpihockeyrock
New member
I am not looking to put anyone in their place. PS makes some valid point and there are 2 sides to the stalemate. DU administration had to do something with Bball. We are in an awful league, with poor geographics and awful academics. Even though the WAC isn't looking so great right now with attractive schools already gone or looking to leave, its still a move in the right direction with the " Bball push" and hopefully even better things to come.
PS can justify the stalemate with Gwoz anyway he wants and there are some valid points. Our national sports world is run by hoops and football. Also, this school still gives 25 mill to athletics and unfortunately they don't look at it as hockey profits over 1 mill and Bball loses over 1 mill, they lump it all as one. The issue is they still they overpayed for the basketball staff. Go tell Gwoz that we aren't going to pay you because you aren't winning NCAA games right now. Even though you have won 2 Natty titles, instead we are going to make a Bball coach who was getting fired at Princeton top dollar in his league. The Bball program has won how many NCAA game? Why the standard for Gwoz and not Scott?
The bottom line is Scott came in and rolles over a desperate and weak administration and is robbing the bank. Gwoz rightfully wants his now and DU is going to draw the line in the sand? PS what would you do if you were Gwoz? Another reality is that Penn State will come calling, as will Michigan State and maybe even Wisco and Gwoz will be gone and it going to be the 70's and 80's all over again. Say what you want and justify it as you may, but remember this post as a "I told you so".
Puck Swami
New member
Re: All Things Denver XXIX
What would I do if I were Gwoz?
Here are my 10 points of advice:
1. Win another NC. That will open the bank for you for sure and erase all the bad finishes of the last five years instantly. Cement the legend!
2. If you can't win an NC (very hard, I know), at least win some NCAA games. Prove that the program can still compete when it counts most. This will also help get you the new deal. DU has proven they will pay for great NCAA results. Make 'em pay.
3. Don't worry about what basketball makes/gets. It's mostly irrelevant from your employer's standpoint. That analogy just likely makes them cranky.
4. You've still got 3-4 years left on the current contract. Use them to get more leverage. They know what everybody makes. Be smart. Don't fire warning shots.
5. Keep your contract stuff internal. DU hates getting egg on their face and in the media. They just hate it. They just aren't used to much scrutiny.
6. Get out in the community more and show DU more of what an amazing guy you are. Some people see you as a little bit aloof. Prove them wrong. Sell some tickets. Get into the dorms and get students out. Be like Shawn Walsh and take a bullhorn into the cafeteria before the games.
7. Get the rest of the hockey team to show up at a DU student play. Lamont concert or other non-sports student events. That could make you golden on campus and blow-away the stereotype that the hockey team thinks they are special. Your camp-out ticket buy each year make you popular. More of that!
8. Get more entreprenurial. Look at all the money Coach Tierney is making with all his ventures. You can do more than kids camps...
9. The Trustees make the big contract decisions. Take Pat Bowlen to lunch if you haven't already. He's had a rougher year than you have.
10. Raise some money and get your scholarships and your coaching positions endowed. Nothing talks like money. You are the one coach who has the kind of local network to get it done.
Follow these 10 little tips, and you'll be set for life.
What would I do if I were Gwoz?
Here are my 10 points of advice:
1. Win another NC. That will open the bank for you for sure and erase all the bad finishes of the last five years instantly. Cement the legend!
2. If you can't win an NC (very hard, I know), at least win some NCAA games. Prove that the program can still compete when it counts most. This will also help get you the new deal. DU has proven they will pay for great NCAA results. Make 'em pay.
3. Don't worry about what basketball makes/gets. It's mostly irrelevant from your employer's standpoint. That analogy just likely makes them cranky.
4. You've still got 3-4 years left on the current contract. Use them to get more leverage. They know what everybody makes. Be smart. Don't fire warning shots.
5. Keep your contract stuff internal. DU hates getting egg on their face and in the media. They just hate it. They just aren't used to much scrutiny.
6. Get out in the community more and show DU more of what an amazing guy you are. Some people see you as a little bit aloof. Prove them wrong. Sell some tickets. Get into the dorms and get students out. Be like Shawn Walsh and take a bullhorn into the cafeteria before the games.
7. Get the rest of the hockey team to show up at a DU student play. Lamont concert or other non-sports student events. That could make you golden on campus and blow-away the stereotype that the hockey team thinks they are special. Your camp-out ticket buy each year make you popular. More of that!
8. Get more entreprenurial. Look at all the money Coach Tierney is making with all his ventures. You can do more than kids camps...
9. The Trustees make the big contract decisions. Take Pat Bowlen to lunch if you haven't already. He's had a rougher year than you have.
10. Raise some money and get your scholarships and your coaching positions endowed. Nothing talks like money. You are the one coach who has the kind of local network to get it done.
Follow these 10 little tips, and you'll be set for life.
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Re: All Things Denver XXIX
Did you call me Old Pee? I wasn't intending to rag on Momotani,exactly. I don't recall ever seeing him play. I was trying to conjure up an era we'd all just as soon forget. However, if we screw this up, we could be heading back there. And fast. One of the things the Big Ten schools have going for them is long institutional memories and successes in football and basketball that give them a certain cachet, even with hockey recruits. For sure, DU has none of that (okay, we did beat CU's championship football team with "Whizzer" White) but we don't have football now and we've torn down the stadium! As an example of what I'm talking about, you walk into the Illini Student Union and they've got an oil painting about the size of a box car of Red Grange on the wall. Now that's tradition. Not wanting to change the subject here, but where are the oil paintings of Masterton and Maggie? Got it.
Our tradition is hockey (okay, we've won lots of titles in skiing, but almost nobody except us and Bob Beattie cares) and that means we don't have anything else to fall back on. The Big Ten schools all have some period of excellence in either football or basketball (or both) to nurture them through the lean periods. Why even Minnesota has the Murray Warmath days. We have none of that and never will. So let's nurture, preserve and protect the tradition we do have. And stop kidding ourselves that replacing Gwoz would be about the same as getting a new facilities management guy--just plug him in and watch him fix those toilets.
Did you call me Old Pee? I wasn't intending to rag on Momotani,exactly. I don't recall ever seeing him play. I was trying to conjure up an era we'd all just as soon forget. However, if we screw this up, we could be heading back there. And fast. One of the things the Big Ten schools have going for them is long institutional memories and successes in football and basketball that give them a certain cachet, even with hockey recruits. For sure, DU has none of that (okay, we did beat CU's championship football team with "Whizzer" White) but we don't have football now and we've torn down the stadium! As an example of what I'm talking about, you walk into the Illini Student Union and they've got an oil painting about the size of a box car of Red Grange on the wall. Now that's tradition. Not wanting to change the subject here, but where are the oil paintings of Masterton and Maggie? Got it.
Our tradition is hockey (okay, we've won lots of titles in skiing, but almost nobody except us and Bob Beattie cares) and that means we don't have anything else to fall back on. The Big Ten schools all have some period of excellence in either football or basketball (or both) to nurture them through the lean periods. Why even Minnesota has the Murray Warmath days. We have none of that and never will. So let's nurture, preserve and protect the tradition we do have. And stop kidding ourselves that replacing Gwoz would be about the same as getting a new facilities management guy--just plug him in and watch him fix those toilets.
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dggoddard
New member
Re: All Things Denver XXIX
Lots of good points made by everyone as usual.
Lets just assume for a second that the season ended today. The NCAA Tournament would look something like this.
East Regional (Bridgeport, Connecticut)
1 Yale vs 16 Robert Morris
8 Notre Dame vs 9 RPI
Mid-West Regional (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
2 Minnesota-Duluth vs 15 Alaska
7 Nebraska-Omaha vs 10 Miami
Northeast Regional (Manchester, New Hampshire)
4 New Hampshire vs 14 Union
5 Boston College vs 11 Michigan
West Regional (St. Louis, Missouri)
3 North Dakota vs 13 Maine
6 Denver vs 12 Boston University
So if I'm to understand DU's position, if DU doesn't beat Boston University, Gwoz doesn't deserve a restructured contract. Second place in the WCHA, Jesse Martin out for the season, Beau Bennett currently injured, weakness at the center position and a team loaded with Freshmen and Sophomores. Not to mention that there will be less that 50 DU fans in St. Louis.
To me DU owes Gwozdecky not for what he can do for the school in the future, but in large part for what he has done for the school in the past. Like the current Derek Jeter vs. Yankees contract saga, Gwoz needs to be paid for past performance and be given a contract that will see out his days at DU.
Gwozdecky orchestrated the biggest moment in DU athletics on April 10, 2004. DU's 1-0 victory over Maine. That seminal moment changed the university, the athletic department and the hockey program forever. Just pay the man.
Lots of good points made by everyone as usual.
Lets just assume for a second that the season ended today. The NCAA Tournament would look something like this.
East Regional (Bridgeport, Connecticut)
1 Yale vs 16 Robert Morris
8 Notre Dame vs 9 RPI
Mid-West Regional (Green Bay, Wisconsin)
2 Minnesota-Duluth vs 15 Alaska
7 Nebraska-Omaha vs 10 Miami
Northeast Regional (Manchester, New Hampshire)
4 New Hampshire vs 14 Union
5 Boston College vs 11 Michigan
West Regional (St. Louis, Missouri)
3 North Dakota vs 13 Maine
6 Denver vs 12 Boston University
So if I'm to understand DU's position, if DU doesn't beat Boston University, Gwoz doesn't deserve a restructured contract. Second place in the WCHA, Jesse Martin out for the season, Beau Bennett currently injured, weakness at the center position and a team loaded with Freshmen and Sophomores. Not to mention that there will be less that 50 DU fans in St. Louis.
To me DU owes Gwozdecky not for what he can do for the school in the future, but in large part for what he has done for the school in the past. Like the current Derek Jeter vs. Yankees contract saga, Gwoz needs to be paid for past performance and be given a contract that will see out his days at DU.
Gwozdecky orchestrated the biggest moment in DU athletics on April 10, 2004. DU's 1-0 victory over Maine. That seminal moment changed the university, the athletic department and the hockey program forever. Just pay the man.
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