I would agree that recruting is important.  I was deciding between UWSP and UWL as a senior.  I visited UWSP first, believed some negative comments made about LAX, and ended up at UWSP without ever visiting UWL.  After 1 week at UWSP I new I made the wrong choice and went home.  After 1 year as a laborer and 1 year in a community college I enrolled at UWL.  I wrote a letter to coach Terry expressing my interest to play.  Not only did he remember me but he called immediately and invited me to play for him.  I learned an important lesson that I use to this day.  If one person (or coach) is bashing the competition, they are usually insecure about their own product (or team).

During my last few years at LAX, I was involved in showing players and parents around campus on ther recruiting visits.  Even though I had to be up early on a Saturday, I wanted to make sure they didn't make the same mistake I did.  I always told my story while leaving out the name of the school I originally went to because I did not want to bash them.

I don't know if this is relevent to the conversation, its just something I am passionate about.

I read a few day ago that LAX will have a D1 transfer coming from Madison.  According to the Tribune he was an o-lineman for the Badgers but will play D-line for the eagles.  I also read that he is an outstanding wrestler.  Does anyone on the West side of the state know any more about him, or what type of impact he will have on the Eagles tea next year?

La Crosse always seems to do well year after year.  When I played there it was football season all year.  The coaches do an amazing job of empowering the seniors to take it upon themselves to lead throughout the off-season.  The weight room is packed, the track is full, and the past season's tapes are rolling; all without a coach in sight.  It's quite amazing.  I'm sure it's this way at a lot of the WIAC schools, I was just always amazed at the amount of time put in year-long at a non-scholarship school.  Maybe that's why the WIAC tends to whip the schlarships schools in August and September!

Two thoughts on this whole WW coaching scandal.

1. Is it possible that although Z may have been the better candidate "football-wise" he lost out because of his attitude about the whole situation and did not get along with those in position of power (i.e the AD and major booster)?

2. Is a person more of a "wet-towel" if they let themselves be run over and hand a job to the person who is supposidly running them over, or if they stand up and give the position the less-desirable candidate?

Either way, I (unfortunatley) think WW will be a strong team again next year.  Coaches are hugely important, but it's the players that are actually on the field, and WW has some GREAT players on the 2007 team.

GO EAGLES!

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As far as number one, we all know the differences in qualifications between Z and Leipold and Z had the better qualifications. In fact, for those of us who went to the open forum, we got their exact resume that they presented to Plinske. While Leipold's was very impressive, Z's was better.

[/quote]

What, in your opinion, makes Z more qualified?  I don't know his qualification other then being the WW o-coord.  I briefly checked out LL's bio and it seems as though he has experience at a lot of different programs.

I know you can't measure a coaches value to a team based on statistics, but I thought I'd throw this out there.  I do believe that "Z" has been the O-coordinator for a while.  Here is how his offense has done the last few years:

2006 - 1st in total offense in the WIAC
2005 - 1st
2004 - 7th
2003 - 8th
2002 - 5th
2001 - 3rd
2000 - 4th
1999 - 7th
1998 - 1st

That's an average of 4th over a 9 year period.  Like I said, this does not make him a good or bad coach, I just thought outsiders may find it interesting when considering the argument of who "should have been" the coach.

Quote from: 1_For_27 on December 31, 2006, 04:35:24 PM
  Football is a loud and abrasive game.  Very similar to life.  Z tells it like it is and that is the way life is!!! 

Maybe that's why "Z" didn't get the job.  Having played football for a long time and at many levels; loud, obnoxious, abrasive and in-your-face doesn't always make you a great coach or translate into W's on the field. 

As far as Paul's football knowledge, I don't think that would have a large impact on who he hires.  That argument would mean that a "good" AD would have had to have played or coached every sport they oversee.  He hired an awesome wrestling coach there away from LAX, does that make him a "homer" for LAX?  PP must have wrestled in the past to be able to hire a great wrestling coach!?

I was also asked to expand on why I thought Paul isn't a "puss" or "wet towel."  I'm not here to give a biography on him.  Those who know Paul know what I am talking about.

As for the new coach at WW, I hope he does well because I enjoy the rivalry between LAX and WW.

Quote from: 1_For_27 on December 30, 2006, 01:28:50 AM
As I have been reading all of the former posts there is one major factor you are all leaving out.  DLK!!!!!  We all knew going into this year that this guy has a hard on for stan and was going to do everything in his power not to allow him to get the job.  Not to mention I heard that LL was good buddies with DLK's kid.  Politics are the real issue here.. And as far as Dr. P being intimidated I could tottally see that being true.  Dr. P is a wet towel and a bit of a puss if you ask me. Not to mention a uwl eagle at heart..  I was recruited by stan and would do anything for that man then and now..   it is a shame and a loss to all the underclassman who have to play for this new jack..  As stated before I am a warhawk and will bleed purple with whomever they have at the helm..  Don't leave dinks, you made so many players what they are today!!  Go hawks.. beat lax!!!

Wow.  Having dealt with Paul in the past and knowing a bit about his life, it's obvious you know very little about him.  I'm not on here to do any name-calling because I don't know you.  However, I felt strong enough about standing up for his character that I created an account just to respond to you.  It's been so long since I posted on here that I forgot my username, but this got me fired up

Go Eagles!