BetterInLakePlacid
New member
It's looking like Chris Brooks is the new coach and an announcement could come as early as tomorrow.
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Coach Wil Nichol leaving UWSP
- Thread starter Wormser-PointRC
- Start date
Re: Coach Wil Nichol leaving UWSP
Brooks spent the last three seasons as the head coach of the Rio Grande Valley (Texas) Killer Bees of the Central Hockey League. In his three seasons as coach at the professional level, he led the team to an 87-86 overall record and playoff appearances in two of his three seasons.
Prior to his time at Rio Grande Valley, the Stratford, Ontario, native spent nine years at Western Michigan University, six as an assistant coach and three as the associate head coach. His roles at WMU included coordinating the Broncos’ recruiting efforts, preparing scouting reports, evaluating game video, and organizing the Bronco Summer Hockey Schools. He also managed the practice plan and team travel. In addition, Brooks served as an evaluator for USA Hockey at Michigan Select Festivals in 1999. Brooks began his career as an assistant coach at Western and was promoted to associate head coach in 2006. WMU’s recruiting classes from 2002-08 produced eight NHL draft picks. In addition to those players, many others went on to sign free agent deals with NHL and minor league clubs.
As a player, Brooks lettered four seasons as a player at WMU (1992-96) and finished as the eighth-leading scorer in school history, compiling 57 goals and 127 assists for 184 points. A playmaker with excellent on-ice vision, Brooks led WMU in assists four straight seasons and twice captured the team scoring title (1992-93, 1994-95). He was a member of two NCAA tournament teams (1993-94, 1995-96) and was the recipient of the CCHA’s Rookie of the Year award in 1993. He also received Honorable Mention CCHA All-Academic status
Brooks spent the last three seasons as the head coach of the Rio Grande Valley (Texas) Killer Bees of the Central Hockey League. In his three seasons as coach at the professional level, he led the team to an 87-86 overall record and playoff appearances in two of his three seasons.
Prior to his time at Rio Grande Valley, the Stratford, Ontario, native spent nine years at Western Michigan University, six as an assistant coach and three as the associate head coach. His roles at WMU included coordinating the Broncos’ recruiting efforts, preparing scouting reports, evaluating game video, and organizing the Bronco Summer Hockey Schools. He also managed the practice plan and team travel. In addition, Brooks served as an evaluator for USA Hockey at Michigan Select Festivals in 1999. Brooks began his career as an assistant coach at Western and was promoted to associate head coach in 2006. WMU’s recruiting classes from 2002-08 produced eight NHL draft picks. In addition to those players, many others went on to sign free agent deals with NHL and minor league clubs.
As a player, Brooks lettered four seasons as a player at WMU (1992-96) and finished as the eighth-leading scorer in school history, compiling 57 goals and 127 assists for 184 points. A playmaker with excellent on-ice vision, Brooks led WMU in assists four straight seasons and twice captured the team scoring title (1992-93, 1994-95). He was a member of two NCAA tournament teams (1993-94, 1995-96) and was the recipient of the CCHA’s Rookie of the Year award in 1993. He also received Honorable Mention CCHA All-Academic status
BetterInLakePlacid
New member
Re: Coach Wil Nichol leaving UWSP
Anyone think anything is fishy about Wil's story? He is not listed by any NHL team on their websites nor are there any press releases about it. Teams release press releases on everything. Why would he not be listed?
There is something I never trusted about him and don't trust about his side of the story on this.
Anyone else have any more information?
Anyone think anything is fishy about Wil's story? He is not listed by any NHL team on their websites nor are there any press releases about it. Teams release press releases on everything. Why would he not be listed?
There is something I never trusted about him and don't trust about his side of the story on this.
Anyone else have any more information?
BetterInLakePlacid
New member
Re: Coach Wil Nichol leaving UWSP
After digging into this a little more with some contacts I got, I am pretty sure that he got canned. I found out the following:
1) He burned many bridges on his way out of town
2) He requested that a member of the committee to hire the new coach not be on the board, even though this member has been a part of the athletics program for over 20 years and his opinion is highly regarded
3) He wrote the University a nasty letter when Noreen wasn't named a finalist for the job, regardless of no one really thinking that Noreen was a good candidate to begin with
4) He did not show up to work the last couple months he was employed
There is more details that I have gotten from people, but I am 99% convinced that he was fired by Frank O'Brien as O'Brien's last task before he left his position as A.D.
After digging into this a little more with some contacts I got, I am pretty sure that he got canned. I found out the following:
1) He burned many bridges on his way out of town
2) He requested that a member of the committee to hire the new coach not be on the board, even though this member has been a part of the athletics program for over 20 years and his opinion is highly regarded
3) He wrote the University a nasty letter when Noreen wasn't named a finalist for the job, regardless of no one really thinking that Noreen was a good candidate to begin with
4) He did not show up to work the last couple months he was employed
There is more details that I have gotten from people, but I am 99% convinced that he was fired by Frank O'Brien as O'Brien's last task before he left his position as A.D.
Re: Coach Wil Nichol leaving UWSP
I don't know where you did your digging, but let me throw my two cents in to maybe help you out.
1. I don't know if he burned any bridges, but it is true that he was not to happy about being left out of the selection process.
2. The person you refer to as being a well respected, 20 year member of the athletic dept. was also the person whose son either was cut, quit,or just choose not to try out the first year Wil was the coach. So the fact he may still had an ax to grind may have been the reason Wil was not allowed in the selection process, and that Noreen who Wil thought should at least get a look got nothing.
3. Same thing I heard.
4. I never heard this.
I think this was in the works far before the annoucement on 1/4/11. I look back to the golf outing in September, one of the two major items in the silent auction was a signed Ovechkin jersey, maybe just coincedence but I don't think so.
I don't know where you did your digging, but let me throw my two cents in to maybe help you out.
1. I don't know if he burned any bridges, but it is true that he was not to happy about being left out of the selection process.
2. The person you refer to as being a well respected, 20 year member of the athletic dept. was also the person whose son either was cut, quit,or just choose not to try out the first year Wil was the coach. So the fact he may still had an ax to grind may have been the reason Wil was not allowed in the selection process, and that Noreen who Wil thought should at least get a look got nothing.
3. Same thing I heard.
4. I never heard this.
I think this was in the works far before the annoucement on 1/4/11. I look back to the golf outing in September, one of the two major items in the silent auction was a signed Ovechkin jersey, maybe just coincedence but I don't think so.
BetterInLakePlacid
New member
Re: Coach Wil Nichol leaving UWSP
Tucker6,
Thanks for your input. I agree on your point to an extent on number two, but I know for a fact that Miech's son quit on his own accord (he was my neighbor for a year). He never felt he got a fair shot, but that should be irrelevant to them looking for the replacement. As for point number one, I do know that he erased all of his files on his work computer before he left and basically sabotaged any records he had.
I am not trying to rail the guy, I just feel something wasn't right and that there are parts of the story that are missing that should be filled in.
Tucker6,
Thanks for your input. I agree on your point to an extent on number two, but I know for a fact that Miech's son quit on his own accord (he was my neighbor for a year). He never felt he got a fair shot, but that should be irrelevant to them looking for the replacement. As for point number one, I do know that he erased all of his files on his work computer before he left and basically sabotaged any records he had.
I am not trying to rail the guy, I just feel something wasn't right and that there are parts of the story that are missing that should be filled in.
BetterInLakePlacid
New member
Re: Coach Wil Nichol leaving UWSP
Did anyone else hear that Anthony Noreen is the new head coach of the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL? Congrats to him, but in the article he had some interesting quotes about the character of Wil Nichol. Anthony always has been a stand up guy but I have to question his high opinion of Wil, especially since we now know the supposed Washington Capitals job does not exist and never did. I know I’ve brought some of this up before but I just don’t understand why Nichol would lie about such a thing.
Something really doesn’t make sense when you pair it up with some of his other antics since “resigning”. Why delete all the files off his work computer? Why run around town badmouthing the program to anyone who will listen? Why go out of his way to sabotage every sponsor the program and leave the new guy hanging high and dry? Why stop showing up for work? Why go into hiding? Where’s he at now, anyway? Boston? Sheesh what’s next? Breaking up marriages? It’s one thing to burn bridges, but it’s another to roll the gas truck over and torch every bridge one might have to his alma mater. I have to wonder why would he be so bitter if he resigned to take the “job of his dreams”? Oh right, there was no such thing. Guy probably got gassed. What else explains the childish hostile behavior?
Now of course plenty of people already know the answers to all those questions as his raging insecurities infected the team to the point where it was more than obvious at times on the ice. The whole league knew it and now the whole town knows it too thanks to his antics. I wish the guy the best but admit there’s a lot of work there to be done. For a coach who subscribed to such concepts as “Family” and “The Pointer Way” its remarkable how the creator of such motivational genius was completely incapable of living up to them himself.
A little advice for you, Wil: Bumper sticker slogans and third grade psychology don’t win games and don’t make champions even though they sound cute for a season or two. The efs aren’t out to get you and your used car salesman act won’t ever win you loyalty. The problem isn’t everyone else, Wil. The problem is you. Do yourself a favor and try to not focus on everything other than what is important in a coaching career, assuming you are smart enough to know the difference, which you're not. If you work hard on those you might someday show the ability to hold a job longer than four years. In the meantime feel free to drop by every now and then and let us know how that non-existent dream job with the Caps is working out.
As an alumnus of UWSP who doesn't appreciate a slime ball, I just had to rant on this a little bit.
Did anyone else hear that Anthony Noreen is the new head coach of the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL? Congrats to him, but in the article he had some interesting quotes about the character of Wil Nichol. Anthony always has been a stand up guy but I have to question his high opinion of Wil, especially since we now know the supposed Washington Capitals job does not exist and never did. I know I’ve brought some of this up before but I just don’t understand why Nichol would lie about such a thing.
Something really doesn’t make sense when you pair it up with some of his other antics since “resigning”. Why delete all the files off his work computer? Why run around town badmouthing the program to anyone who will listen? Why go out of his way to sabotage every sponsor the program and leave the new guy hanging high and dry? Why stop showing up for work? Why go into hiding? Where’s he at now, anyway? Boston? Sheesh what’s next? Breaking up marriages? It’s one thing to burn bridges, but it’s another to roll the gas truck over and torch every bridge one might have to his alma mater. I have to wonder why would he be so bitter if he resigned to take the “job of his dreams”? Oh right, there was no such thing. Guy probably got gassed. What else explains the childish hostile behavior?
Now of course plenty of people already know the answers to all those questions as his raging insecurities infected the team to the point where it was more than obvious at times on the ice. The whole league knew it and now the whole town knows it too thanks to his antics. I wish the guy the best but admit there’s a lot of work there to be done. For a coach who subscribed to such concepts as “Family” and “The Pointer Way” its remarkable how the creator of such motivational genius was completely incapable of living up to them himself.
A little advice for you, Wil: Bumper sticker slogans and third grade psychology don’t win games and don’t make champions even though they sound cute for a season or two. The efs aren’t out to get you and your used car salesman act won’t ever win you loyalty. The problem isn’t everyone else, Wil. The problem is you. Do yourself a favor and try to not focus on everything other than what is important in a coaching career, assuming you are smart enough to know the difference, which you're not. If you work hard on those you might someday show the ability to hold a job longer than four years. In the meantime feel free to drop by every now and then and let us know how that non-existent dream job with the Caps is working out.
As an alumnus of UWSP who doesn't appreciate a slime ball, I just had to rant on this a little bit.
norm1909
Larry Normandin
Re: Coach Wil Nichol leaving UWSP
If some is "unbelievable" I think they might be a Sociopath
If some is "unbelievable" I think they might be a Sociopath
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Re: Coach Wil Nichol leaving UWSP
I just checked out the Capitals web site and Wil is listed as a scout, so I think we can finally move forward and start thinking about what the team will look like minus the 4 seniors, and the 7 players not returning from last years team. Good luck to coach Brooks can't wait to see this years addition.
I just checked out the Capitals web site and Wil is listed as a scout, so I think we can finally move forward and start thinking about what the team will look like minus the 4 seniors, and the 7 players not returning from last years team. Good luck to coach Brooks can't wait to see this years addition.
norm1909
Larry Normandin
XYZ
Smoking in the selection room.
Re: Coach Wil Nichol leaving UWSP
Walcott, Hallmark, Graham, Phillippi, Skjodt, Wurden and Johnson....maybe?
Walcott, Hallmark, Graham, Phillippi, Skjodt, Wurden and Johnson....maybe?