FB: North Coast Athletic Conference

[woosterbooster]

Wooster's local sports editor spends a majority of his Sunday column on the Schmitz "forced resignation" and who some of the potential candidates are, including a name (Hajjar) that I hadn't even considered. I have to give credit to the paper for being willing to write an article like this and to press the College about what really happened. It is not easy for a small paper to do this, especially in Wooster, where the school is very careful about crafting its image and clearly tries to influence how the paper covers them (i.e. never in a negative light).

http://www.the-daily-record.com/local%20sports/2012/12/16/scots-have-big-decisions-to-make-about-football

This article stinks.  Was it really necessary for this podunk paper to brag that they have "sources" that claim Schmitz was fired, and to put it in print?  Their brand of journalism is now nothing but a celebration of themselves.  One way or the other, the man is out of a job.  But they couldn't leave that alone, they had to kick him again while he was down.

[Pat Coleman]

I don't have a problem calling bull**** on a resignation in name only.

[seinfeld]

Wooster's local sports editor spends a majority of his Sunday column on the Schmitz "forced resignation" and who some of the potential candidates are, including a name (Hajjar) that I hadn't even considered. I have to give credit to the paper for being willing to write an article like this and to press the College about what really happened. It is not easy for a small paper to do this, especially in Wooster, where the school is very careful about crafting its image and clearly tries to influence how the paper covers them (i.e. never in a negative light).

http://www.the-daily-record.com/local%20sports/2012/12/16/scots-have-big-decisions-to-make-about-football

This article stinks.  Was it really necessary for this podunk paper to brag that they have "sources" that claim Schmitz was fired, and to put it in print?  Their brand of journalism is now nothing but a celebration of themselves.  One way or the other, the man is out of a job.  But they couldn't leave that alone, they had to kick him again while he was down.

I wonder what you would rather have them do. Print the names of the players who asked for his resignation? I think the paper has actually gone quite easy on Schmitz, given his role in pushing out a Wooster Hall of Fame player and very popular coach in Seth Duerr last year to just save his job for one more season. And if you know for sure something that was printed was in error, what exactly is it? Because if there is nothing, then I'm not sure how any of this is a cheap shot. The guy is a head football coach. Everyone knows the terrain with the position, even at Div. III. He also had a chance to speak on his behalf a number of times. He chose not to. Should the paper wait until he is ready before they post any kind of opinion?

[smedindy]

Why mollycoddle Schmitz or the College? Call it as it is.

[woosterbooster]

I don't know if anything was printed in error or not.  I don't know if Coach Schmitz resigned, or was asked to resign.  If it was the latter, but the college chose to put forth to the public that it was a resignation, I think that shows that they had respect for him and maybe The Daily Record should also.  Last week The Daily Record called for him to be fired.  It's likely that they got their wish.  Did they have to rub his nose in it?

[DPU3619]

I don't know if anything was printed in error or not.  I don't know if Coach Schmitz resigned, or was asked to resign.  If it was the latter, but the college chose to put forth to the public that it was a resignation, I think that shows that they had respect for him and maybe The Daily Record should also.  Last week The Daily Record called for him to be fired.  It's likely that they got their wish.  Did they have to rub his nose in it?

As somebody whose school has done this now thrice, I respectfully disagree.  If there's shady business here, we all need to know it.

[woosterbooster]

I don't know if anything was printed in error or not.  I don't know if Coach Schmitz resigned, or was asked to resign.  If it was the latter, but the college chose to put forth to the public that it was a resignation, I think that shows that they had respect for him and maybe The Daily Record should also.  Last week The Daily Record called for him to be fired.  It's likely that they got their wish.  Did they have to rub his nose in it?

As somebody whose school has done this now thrice, I respectfully disagree.  If there's shady business here, we all need to know it.

Shady business is one thing, and if this had such a smell I'd agree with you.  But when a coach and a school separate simply because of too many lost football games, that's another.  Can he not be allowed to go in peace? 

[smedindy]

Not everything is sunshine and roses. Did he jump or was he pushed? I think Wooster fans should know something about what kind of 'resignation' it was. And Wooster doesn't walk on water because their basketball team wins games.

[woosterbooster]

Not everything is sunshine and roses. Did he jump or was he pushed? I think Wooster fans should know something about what kind of 'resignation' it was. And Wooster doesn't walk on water because their basketball team wins games.

Sigh.  Can you, for a moment, pretend that this was another school?

If he resigned, he resigned.  If he was pushed, he was pushed.  My whole point is that if both the school and the coach are comfortable saying that he resigned, providing there were no misdeeds, then it should be left that way.  If either the school or the coach wants to say otherwise, then fine.  Otherwise the pissant local media should have the grace to leave it alone.

[ScotsFan]

I get what WB is saying.  Schmitz did nothing egregious during his tenure at Wooster other than start to lose more games than he was winning and not pulling off enough 'upsets' in his tenure.  He didn't break any NCAA or school violations.  If he and the powers that be at the College got together and decided they would part ways and allow Schmitz to leave on his terms, i.e. allow him to say he is resigning, who cares???  Why is there the need for people to seek out information to tell us all what we already knew anyways and that is that this was a forced resignation?!  Had there been NCAA violations or conduct detrimental to the school and they went about it this way, than I would say have at it and uncover the truth.  But this is a case where the school is seeking a change because of the pattern of losing that is developing under a coach that gave 18 years to the COW.  What exactly is the harm in just letting it go and accept the man's resignation without having to go out and dig up sources to scoop a story of how he was forced to resign?!

[ScotsFan]

Not everything is sunshine and roses. Did he jump or was he pushed? I think Wooster fans should know something about what kind of 'resignation' it was. And Wooster doesn't walk on water because their basketball team wins games.

Really???  WTF is that supposed to mean???  Who said anything about Wooster walking on water or even brought up the baskeball team???  Why in the hell do you Wabash folk always have to bring basketball into any conversation involving Wooster???  Sorry your Lil' Giants can't dominate the NCAC in both football and basketball?!  It just amazes me how you could turn a converstation about how the COW FOOTBALL coach was asked to step down into a dig on the basketball program?!  On second thought, I guess it doesn't amaze me as much as I thought it did?!      Smite away insecure lil giant karma police...   

[smedindy]

But the press shouldn't just lie low and sweep anything under the rug. It matters, perhaps, to non kool-aid drinkers on the circumstances of his departure.

Hey, ScotsFan, it was a dig at the mind-set more than anything. My point was, if you'd care to do some critical thinking, that because program X is wildly successful then that doesn't mean the whole school or athletic program doesn't deserve some criticism or outside examination from time to time. I've been around places where one program dominates and fans of that program can't bring themselves to think that someone or something else is wrong with the athletic department or school. It could have been ANY program at another school and I would have doubts about the 'nothing to see here - move along...' mentality.

So, please, spare the poor poor pitiful me and wafer-thin skin. I was trying to make a critical point there. Again, there's no implication of anything untoward about Wooster and it's basketball program; but I don't like the idea that you really shouldn't examine what happened at a school BECAUSE one of its programs is successful and the epitome of D-3.

Also, it matters if there was something ELSE to the departure. What this says to me is that Wooster finally is listening to people and making a tough choice that may not have been popular in the halls.
Unlike some groups, we Wabash posters tend not to be group-thinking borgs of compliance.

[ScotsFan]

The point is, nobody was insinuating any such notion that because Wooster has an excellent basketball program that the whole school or athletic program is beyond reproach?!  YOU were the one that brought that up! 

I'm no fan of Schmitz and I think you could have figured that out by my post following up last week's DR article as well as seinfeld's well written up posts.  And I think it doesn't take a PhD to figure out Schmitz was probably forced to resign.  I just feel like the man gave 18 years of his life to this school and if he was given the opportunity by the powers that be at the College to leave on his terms (publicly) than what is the harm of allowing that to happen?  Again, we're not talking about this being an attempt to cover up more egregious acts committed by Schitz.  Bottom line is he ultimately wasn't winning enough games and he resigned.  End of story if you ask me.  But if you like the idea of a witch hunt so you can find out the truth that we all already know, fine, I'm just not like that I guess.  And my opinion has NOTHING to do with having thin skin or because one of it's sports programs is among the most successful in DIII?! 

[wally_wabash]

Again, we're not talking about this being an attempt to cover up more egregious acts committed by Schitz. 

Greatest typo of all time. 

I'm inclined to side somewhat with WB and SF here actually.  I think some of what was written in TDR's follow up article was piling on just for the sake of piling on.  They already published their scathing critique of the coach and the program (sourced heavily from this forum).  Publishing more hearsay about player displeasure and on and on is a bit much.  I don't, however, have a problem with TDR calling it a firing if it was a firing (it was).  That much is fair I think. 

Now if TDR really wants to do good reporting, they'll turn the page and leave Mike Schmitz alone and write something about who might be the next coach...preferably something the rest of us don't already know or have already posted in here.   

[woosterbooster]

Again, we're not talking about this being an attempt to cover up more egregious acts committed by Schitz. 

Greatest typo of all time. 

I'm inclined to side somewhat with WB and SF here actually.  I think some of what was written in TDR's follow up article was piling on just for the sake of piling on.  They already published their scathing critique of the coach and the program (sourced heavily from this forum).  Publishing more hearsay about player displeasure and on and on is a bit much.  I don't, however, have a problem with TDR calling it a firing if it was a firing (it was).  That much is fair I think. 

Now if TDR really wants to do good reporting, they'll turn the page and leave Mike Schmitz alone and write something about who might be the next coach...preferably something the rest of us don't already know or have already posted in here.

Wally, thank you.