FB: Ohio Athletic Conference

[Dr. Acula]

Cleveland Browns just hired 1999 Mount Union grad Brent Stehik as their executive vice president, chief revenue officer.

I found this bio on Brent

* Brent Stehlik enters his third season with the Padres, his first in the role of senior vice president, business operations. Stehlik joined the Padres as senior vice president, ballpark operations in May 2010, and was promoted to his current role in October 2011. He oversees all aspects of revenue generation and marketing including ticket sales and operations, corporate sponsorships, concessions and merchandising, sales and booking of non-baseball events, revenue-generating capital projects, entertainment, marketing and creative services.

* Stehlik reduced ballpark operating costs by more than $2M per year and served as the lead negotiator on contracts with outsourced building partners. In addition, Stehlik oversaw the expansion of the Padres' non-baseball events department, which led to a net profit increase of more than 120 percent and a gross profit increase of nearly 60 percent from 2010 to 2011, marking the highest profit margin since the opening of Petco Park.

* Under Stehlik's leadership, the Padres in 2010 and 2011 increased annual attendance in back-to-back seasons (not following a strike) for the first time since 1988-89. In addition, the club achieved the first year-over-year increase in season ticket base in the history of PETCO Park in 2010, and did it again in 2011. New season ticket sales increased seven-fold from 2009 to 2010 and increased by another 45 percent from 2010 to 2011.

* Prior to joining the Padres, Stehlik was director of business development for the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys, where he was involved in the overall ticket strategy and several key projects, including the creation of the group sales department. In addition, he focused on increasing revenues across all of the Cowboys and Legends platforms.

* Stehlik has held additional roles as vice president, ticket sales and service for the Arizona Diamondbacks, chief operating officer of the Frisco RoughRiders (MiLB) and director of group sales for the Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL).

* Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Stehlik graduated from the University of Mount Union in 1999, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sport business and a double minor in business administration and computer information systems. He and his wife, Molly, have a daughter, Sophie, and two sons, Boone and Griffin.

It sounds like he worked with Alec Scheiner while with the Cowboys.  Scheiner was hired a Browns President on Dec 18th.

I doubt anyone who knew him at Mount is surprised by his success.  Just one of those guys that's universally well liked.  He's a hard worker with a great personality.  A recipe for success. 

[Mr. Ypsi]

Also, just as an FYI, in regards to the Cleveland Browns, some people may not know that the current GM Tom Heckert (who, from media reports i.e. sources? say will be fired after the final game today along with the HC) was formerly the head coach at Adrian College for several years in the 1980's before he left for Cleveland.

Tom Heckert was born in 1967.  Would have been 12 or 13 in 1980 and 22 or 23 in 1989.

Tom Heckert, Jr., was born in Adrian in 1967.  A Tom Heckert was HC at Adrian College from 1973-81.  The GM's father?

Mr. Ypsi you are correct except from what I read Tom Jr. was born in Youngstown, OH in 1967 but his family moved not long after he was born to the Toledo Ohio area when Tom Sr. was hired to coach football at Maumee High School near Toledo. A few years later, the elder Heckert received a job at Adrian College, where he eventually served as head coach from 1973 to 1981.

Serves me right for trusting Wikipedia!   His bio there lists Adrian as his birth place, but since his dad didn't start coaching there until 6 years later, I DID wonder.  Quite possibly he would consider Adrian his 'home town', since he starred at Adrian High, before going off to Hillsdale College.

[Craft_Beermeister]

Also, just as an FYI, in regards to the Cleveland Browns, some people may not know that the current GM Tom Heckert (who, from media reports i.e. sources? say will be fired after the final game today along with the HC) was formerly the head coach at Adrian College for several years in the 1980's before he left for Cleveland.

Tom Heckert was born in 1967.  Would have been 12 or 13 in 1980 and 22 or 23 in 1989.

Tom Heckert, Jr., was born in Adrian in 1967.  A Tom Heckert was HC at Adrian College from 1973-81.  The GM's father?

Mr. Ypsi you are correct except from what I read Tom Jr. was born in Youngstown, OH in 1967 but his family moved not long after he was born to the Toledo Ohio area when Tom Sr. was hired to coach football at Maumee High School near Toledo. A few years later, the elder Heckert received a job at Adrian College, where he eventually served as head coach from 1973 to 1981.

Serves me right for trusting Wikipedia!   His bio there lists Adrian as his birth place, but since his dad didn't start coaching there until 6 years later, I DID wonder.  Quite possibly he would consider Adrian his 'home town', since he starred at Adrian High, before going off to Hillsdale College.

A good link on Heckert that gives some background on life and working with his dad.  http://www.ohio.com/news/top-stories/game-day-for-browns-gm-tom-heckert-1.196708

[mr_mom]

Congrats to Pierre and London for winning their way into the NFL playoffs tonight.  Go OAC!

[formerd3db]

You guys are right. My bad (in part, a result of faulty memory/getting old and not checking my football library files before posting; and...a poor showing for someone who has written on MIAA football history. ).  Indeed, it was Tom Heckert, Sr. who was Adrian's head coach, not Jr., GM of the Browns.  And Sr. was at the Browns before he went to the Dolphins as noted.  After Bill Davis having his last 3 teams tie for the MIAA championship with Alma (and then going on to Michigan State as an assistant as I recall - along with Denny Stolz, Alma College head coach who went there also as an assistant before becoming Head Coach), Tom Heckert, Sr. laid the ground work for Adrian's improvement in teams, winning a championship in 1980, before he went to the NFL.   Ron Labadie took over for Heckert at Adrian, winning a championship in 1983 and Labadie also went on to the NFL Dolphis from there.  Thereafter, former U of Michigan player/current Siena Heights University Head Coach Jim Lyall took over at Adrian.

At any rate, thanks for correcting my mistake and the record.  Nonetheless, it is always gratifying to see that some of the DIII former players and coaches have progressed on to the NFL in the past in various capacities.   Also, as the Browns fired Shurmur yesterday as expected (and probably Heckert Jr. is reportedly on the way out), it will be interesting to see who the Browns end up hiring in those positions and where Heckert and Shurmur end up.  From media reports today, Shurmur is anticipated/expected to get an offensive coordinators job somewhere in the NFL.  Although he was at his alma mater Michigan State and then Stanford before going to the NFL, I think it would be less likely he would consider going back to the college ranks after being in the NFL for these past several years.

One final comment...most of you probably know this also, but Shurmur's uncle the late Fritz Shurmur coached in the NFL with the Packers and Rams and was a star player in his own college playing days at Albion College in our MIAA.

[NCF]

Congrats to Pierre and London for winning their way into the NFL playoffs tonight.  Go OAC!

That was a fun game to watch-especiallly after forcing myself to watch the Packers lose earlier in the day and eliminate the Bears. Happy New Year to alll.

[Raider 68]

Congrats to the D3 guys in the playoffs! I would to see Pierre and the Redskins have a good run, not
sure how long they will last!

[raiderpa]

Happy New Year to all D3 posters...Thanks for the many postings and great discussions over
the past year.  I look forward to another great year from Pat and the boys, and, Lord willing, another year of health and friendship.
Best Wishes to all.

[edward de vere]

London Fletcher's inner-city hell.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/redskins-linebacker-london-fletcher-has-grown-from-boy-in-peril-to-nfl-elder-statesman/2013/01/05/01f8e1d2-5734-11e2-8a12-5dfdfa9ea795_story.html

[Mr. Ypsi]

London Fletcher's inner-city hell.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/redskins-linebacker-london-fletcher-has-grown-from-boy-in-peril-to-nfl-elder-statesman/2013/01/05/01f8e1d2-5734-11e2-8a12-5dfdfa9ea795_story.html

Wonderful story.  Thanks for the link.  +k

[bambord]

I watched Johnny Football, for the first time, with great excitement.  Allowing for major provincialism on my part, the kid honestly reminds me of Kevin Burke - awesome.

pt

[formerd3db]

A pretty good bowl game last evening with the Go.Daddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Alabama.  Kent State just couldn't quite do it, even though their defense was stopping the Arkansas State running game.  The difference was that Kent State's defensive secondary played poorly as did their offense when it got down to the red zone and not scoring when they needed to.  I was impressed with Arkansas State though and they've come a long way since joining the FBS in the 1990's.  Still, Kent State had a great season at 11-3.

[Kira & Jaxon's Dad]

From the www.Footballscoop.com:

Delaware (FCS): Head coach K.C. Keeler has been let go. Will update.

[BillyRayJimBob]

I see Junior Collins name on the West Offense Roster for the upcoming East-West Shrine Game (Saturday, January 19th @ 4:00 PM EST, St. Petersburg, FL).
I have not seen any press release/announcement, whether that be UMU, local (Alliance) newspaper, or anywhere else.
I am going to be down there for the long MLK holiday weekend; how do I convince the wife to give up a Saturday afternoon/evening, to sit indoors, in Florida (when we are supposed to be escaping the winter north), in order to watch football??

The Dover, DE, newspaper does not say much more (details) about K.C. Keeler:

"On Monday afternoon, the University of Delaware fired Head Coach K.C. Keeler after 11 seasons with the Blue Hens.
Keeler was hired back in 2002 and even signed a 10-year extension in 2008. He helped lead the Blue Hens to three 1st place finishes, including an NCAA Division I-AA Championship back in 2003.
In his 11 seasons, the Blue Hens were 86-52 and reached the FCS Title game three times.
He will be forever linked with being the man who took over for legendary Head Coach Tubby Raymond. While his run could not match Raymond's, Keeler's regime will be remembered as a successful period of Blue Hens football.
The timing of the firing is a bit odd, and may come as a shock to many around the U of D family. While no reason has been reported as of yet, there is certainly reason for skepticism. This is normally the time of year that college teams try to lock up top recruits.
More to come as it becomes available...."

[Pat Coleman]

You might want to check the Wilmington News Journal as well -- they're a little closer to campus.