Confused --- Back when you were cutting class, I assume as some other poster posted, at Wartburg, there were us who were visiting schools with Loras Coaches, filling out financial aide forms for student athletes, and promoting Loras not just to FB recruites but other sports including basketball, swimmers, volleyball players, baseball players, not because we got a check for it, as you obviously did, but because we wanted to give something back.   I earned my right to criticize.  Leaving in March is a BIG THING and not a plus on his resume.  He was 3-7 enough said.  I for one dont find a lost to Uof D a big thing as they have been hustling and you have to respect their hard work. 

"Klieman was on the right track, if any of you had/have seen some of those freshman running around last year, I am sure you would agree. I think Osterberger will continue in the right direction. He is an excellent recruiter as well. Things can only go up. "

What is with the Love affair with Kleiman.  He was 3-7 and best yet he bolted in March.  If that is the right track then we are in trouble.

Wrong Show! Sorry to disappoint you, so dont stay out on that limb too long.  But I can tell you that I know plenty of alums who kids were not. 

I dont know where Loras is fishing, but other private schools outside of IL are still recruiting the CCL and they are having success getting students to their schools.  Loras has no problem calling Chicago alums asking for money, but they seem to have a problem recruiting their kids or their schools.  Complain about lack of alumni support, I wonder why.  In the 70s and 80s Loras used to have a Chicago alumni lunch that attracted close to 400-500 people each time, now they can bearly get a 100.  Bottom line Loras has done a horrible job of nuturing their Chicago alumni base. 

Loras has a rich history in getting CCL kids.  Wally Fromhart, of Mt Carmel, in the post war years, brought tons of ex CCL (many WW2 vets) like all americans Bob Hanlon and Jimmy Arnebery to Loras and that continued up until they dropped football.  When football returned to Loras in 1970 it was again CCL alums who were some of the dominant forces on the committee to bring back football.  Brother Rice Grads, George Skias and Steve Murray were the leaders and the first captains.  Three out of the four students heads of the club football program over its 10 year life were from the CCL. The Loras teams of the 70s were had nearly 40-50 % Chicago Catholic League and ESCC Players.  The 80s-90s brought such players Diehl (Bro Rice), Dietz (Gordon Tech), Johnson (St Rita), Speros (St Rita), Griffin (Fenwick) &  Davis (not CCL but Marist) and I better stop as I am going to forget some and I dont want to slight their contribution.

You are right Catholic Schools are no longer run by priest and nuns but their mission is still the same.   Maybe Loras's mission has changed but those schools havent.

Good for you.  Now that you have all the free time on your hand with your college career done,, go back and look at rosters from the 70s and 80s and if you are real ambitious go back and look at them from the 40s and 50s. There were alot more than 5 CCL'ers on a team of 100 back then.  There used to be a least 5 on the team from your beloved brother Rice.  There have been alot of us involved in recruiting for Loras for a lot of years.  We can all drink the Loras koolaide but the reality is Loras has not cultivated the CCL.  Blaming it on financial aide is a lame excuse.

Confused - Wont put it on this board, but will email you the coach, the kids name and whatever else you like to know.  And yes he is still on staff there.  

Confused...

"You want to talk about why Chicagoland kids aren't going to Loras. I will guarantee you it is 90% financial aid. The Illinois schools are able to give so much more than an Iowa school for an Illinois kid, it works the other way around for Iowa and Iowa kids. Not every kid will choose to go solely based on aid, but if the school in Illinois is giving me 8 grand more in aid compared to an Iowa school, I am going to the school in Illinois. Loras does recruit the Catholic league. I will give you not to the extent that it used to do so. "


First of all you have to talk to the kid first before you speak financial aide and that isn't happening.  How do you explain the recent increase in CCL kids going to out of state D3 programs such as Carroll, Carthage, St. Norbert's, St Thomas, Wabash, DePauw, Manchester, John Carroll, Wittenberg or any of the Wisconsin State schools and the D!AA non scholarship schools like Valpo, Drake, Butler and Georgetown University over the last 10 years?   They sure seem to find a way to get those kids! Bottom line Loras isn't interested in these kids and you can use the financial aide package as an excuse, but these are kids from Catholic schools which traditionally sent kids to Loras, Loras has chosen to ignore them.  I will give you and example, last year I had a athlete who was cash paying, no financial aide needed, who was being recruited by many D3 and even D1aa as a preferred walk-on, I was told by a loras coach, "well have him call me, we don't recruit the Chicago Catholic League".   Ironically this kid who had Loras Family connections as well as family connections from a prominent Dubuque family eventually got a ride somewhere else.   


So the new facility and the low endowment is the Chicago Alumni's fault.  Got it.  So Loras doesn't recruit their schools. Loras doesn't even recruit their kids. (Do you have any idea the number of legacy sons that have gone on to play at other D3 schools that were not even contacted by Loras, some ended up being all conference, and even earning All America).  And you wonder why? 


What goes around comes around.

So Confused you dont think Loras will miss a beat in recruiting.  Now I went to BV's roster and noted there was only one kid form Illinois on the roster and he was from East Moline.  What does this hire say about Chicagoland recruiting especially the Chicago Catholic League?  I was recently told by a Loras coach that Loras doesnt recruit the CCL, well I guess this move supports that agenda.  Not a great message to Chicagoland Alums who have tried to help. 

Lets be real clear here regarding his "returning to Home".  Loras is not his home, Dubuque is his home, but if he loves the place so much  as someone on the IApreps page said, then why didnt he go to Loras.  He didnt, he went to Drake, and there were plenty of candidates who are alums who would have liked to "go home" and coach at LC. 

I am not by any means a Bierie Guy in fact not a fan of his at all , but there were some good kids who played for him over the years who have gone on to coach on the college level.  Why weren't they given a chance?

Great list coachr.  I think Hoskins was a COE grad, but a great list. 

Don't know any of them personally but I say start there.

Sure everyone would like the young successful coordinator you described, but lets be real the passionate Coach Klieman resigned in March not November, not December but MARCH.  March is not the buyers market for coaches.

Nice idea regarding getting invoived but since when has Loras ever embraced its alumni's opinions especially its football alumni.

Interesting analogy, but IU basketball and Loras football are a bit of a stretch.  Loras is now on the hot sieat, they have to find a coach during the time of the year that most of the candidates have already secured head coaching jobs or signed contracts for 2006 or have left the profession.  Loras with the exception of last season has had one guy at the helm for 26 yrs and he never won the IIAC title.  My point is if you have to take a chance then do it with someone who has a passion for the place not someone who just sees it as a bus stop.  At this time of year the candidates are not all from the A list, mostly B list guys.  Take a young Loras grad and let him get a shot.  The perfect person for the job was 3-7, how much worst can a young coach do.

Dont discount Alumni support and fan support, it pays dividends for a long time.

Yes, there are better times to leave a job.  Right after the season or right before the annual coaches convention is the normal time, where schools have time to review available candidates.  All that being said, I am sure the guy has his reasons but lets not kid ourselves here Loras is taking one on the chin here.  It is the end of March and the thick of D3 recruiting.

I think it says volumes for the Wartburg program and their tradition if the situation of former players you described is true.  The real question is how does Loras get there?  Not sure I have the answer but I still feel having a Loras kid at the helm is a real good start in that direction.  This is my opinion, I have no relative that is a coach or friend looking for a job or personal agenda but have been around enough college football programs to know that tradition comes from within.  

Hostility no. (Never been a big Bierie fan but this situation has nothing to do with that)   Could not pick this guy Klieman out of a line up if I had to.  But felt the same way when he was picked.  There had been some great Loras "grad" coaches over the years who I understand werent even interviewed.   That isn't right and the current situation is evidence of what goes around comes around.  I am sure that Kieman is going for good personal reasons and you can never fault a guy with a family for doing that but the timing is not reall good.  Again my point is that they should look within first or recent Loras staff members.  Tradition starts by taking care of your own, so lets see what the Duhawks do.

I believe Bierie recommended the guy who is bolting on them so I hope they look for recommendations elsewhere.  Hoskins at Rockford  has some young Loras guys on his staff besides Helminiak.  Wasnt there a kid name Johnson from Chicago who went on to St. Xavier?

Resignations happen all the time but  the timing of this one is not in Loras's favor.   My whole point is if you have to take a chance with a candidate because of the timing of this resignation then take a chance with a young Loras grad.  Loyality can make up for some inexperience.

Obviously you want the best man, but look from within first.  You want to build a tradition at Loras then look to someone who has walled the walk first. 

Maybe the next coach wont leave after a year if he has an emotional attachment to the place.