As you can tell from my account name, I want to post just one item in my tenure on this board.  I am struck by the intensity and the interest from all of you that follow such teams as CURF, Benedictine, etc.   I think the list goes on...

Now to the purpose of my post.  I first met Coach Conwell when he was coaching at Carthage.  I kept in touch with him as he moved to CURF, and now I understand he is an assistant at Benedictine.  I found him to be a fair and honest person, who always worked hard no matter where he was at.  I don't know all of the details about his situation at CURF, but I do know that he returned quickly following significant surgery with the intent of trying to make the best of a not very good situation that was dumped on him when he got the head job.  That being said, he has since left CURF (or CURF left him), and knowing Coach Conwell as I do, I am sure that he wishes the current players only the best. 

I have read a number of somewhat disparaging comments about Coach Conwell on this board.  It seems like a number of them have been made and continue to be made by current or former players at CURF.  I don't want to name names, but if the shoe fits...I guess I would have to say to those players that find Coach Conwell an easy target for their lack of interest in the off-season conditioning program, or their non-involvement in the weight program, or just their not taking any responsibility for their actions, to wait a while until you have done something significant in your life before you find the time to criticize others.  Graduating from college does not qualify you to judge someone who has worked his whole life in the coaching profession for far less money while putting in more time at his job than I'll wager you do/receive at your job (probably not the best grammar, but I'll bet you get the idea). 

By all means, spend your energies talking about the year that CURF or Carthage or Elmhurst has had, but leave Coach Conwell and all the other coaches you want to criticize out of it.  If you get the chance, why don't you just say 'thank you?'

I didn't mean to preach, but take it from someone in his 60's who has both played on coached on the college level, Coach Conwell is a fine human being, and if you really feel the need to criticize someone, you ought to look elsewhere, because Coach Conwell is way out of your league.  I would probably wager most of what I got that none of you making the negative comments about Coach Conwell would ever say anything negative to his face.  Grow up, and recognize that life isn't always a bowl of cherries.  Sometimes life is a bitch, but learn to take responsibility for your actions.

That being said - it's a great time of year...start of college football.  Did not want to preach, but wanted to say this for a long time.