FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[tmerton]

This one has got to be the Tweet of the Day:

Tweet from: Austin Murphy‏@si_austinmurphy

"In addtn to his many other qualities, Fasch can bench more than any other head coach in U.S. So he's got that going for him. Which is nice."

It's worth noting that the above tweet followed this:

"For the second time in 60 years, the guys choosing head football coach at D3 St. John's of Minnesota get it right. Congrats, Gary Fasching."

[faunch]

Bob Sansevere:
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_22275266/new-johnnies-coach-gary-fasching-there-wont-be
This concerns me a bit...maybe Gary's just giving the company line...time will tell.

BS: What changes will you make to the program?

GF: I don't think there will be a lot of changes. I'm from the Gaglairdi coaching tree. There won't be a whole lot of changes. The organization of practice might be a little more organized than the way John did it. As far as the whole philosophy, that will remain the same.

BS: Will you retain most of John's staff?

GF: I will meet with all those guys and see how they fit in. Next week, we'll start worrying about that. We have a great staff, a loyal staff. My guess is, we'll find a place for them.

[SagatagSam]

After listening to Gary talking with Mike Max on WCCO a few minutes ago, he sounded much more comfortable than he did in the press conference this afternoon.

Didn't get a chance to listen. Any interesting details?

A lot of the same talking points. He is really emphasizing the developing of players within the program through a JV or futures game.

[SagatagSam]

Bob Sansevere:
http://www.twincities.com/sports/ci_22275266/new-johnnies-coach-gary-fasching-there-wont-be
This concerns me a bit...maybe Gary's just giving the company line...time will tell.

Gary has to walk an incredibly fine line, and no one is going to be 100% pleased with the rhetoric leading up to next season. (Although, a bunch of wins next season can change that tune in a hurry for people that want to pick apart his words before he even holds an official team meeting.)

If he carries on most of the tradition from John, some will say he's merely touting the party line that has been largely ineffective the last three years. If he does a complete overhaul, he's doing a disrespect to Gagliardi and the tradition he built.

As upset I have been with the performance of the team over the last few years, I have thought that while changes were necessary, they didn't have to do anything drastic. UST needed a major change--Caruso brought it. The same is not needed at SJU.

[sfury]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/185072611.html?refer=y

Todd Fultz, the most valuable player on the 1990 St. John's team, said he had communicated with "probably 40 different Johnnies" on Friday, and rattled off texts he said all carried the same message: "I'm shocked ... Sad to think about being average ... Too bad, this would have been great with Mike."

Fultz said alums "support Gary, everybody's happy with Gary," but getting over Grant is proving difficult.

[sjusection105]

We have kept occupied with the speculation of who will take over for John. Then after a successor is named there will be the inevitable bitching because the "wrong guy" was chosen- it doesn't matter who it is. Then we will accept and embrace the new coach after a brief period of bitching. After this we will begin to speculate on the new recruits as well as unlocking the hidden potential of the current players.

At this time we will get back to normalcy and start looking for a new job for Caruso 

As I predicted there would be much bitching & second guessing on part of the Johnnie faithful. I think Bennie summed it up best ----> why don't we let Gary actually be a head coach before we second guess his head coaching ability. After all Gary recruited Duffman, so he has an eye for hidden talent. If anyone can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear,it would be him. (Sorry Duff, I couldn't resist  )

When the structure of the new (old,reshuffled) staff is announced this will give us a peek into the future of what we may expect for 2013 & beyond. Also look for who the open date(s) for 2013 are filled with,if it's a couple UMAC teams, not good- a top tier WIAC or top tier IIAC team,then things look encouraging.Better yet, the Purple Raiders from Alliance,Ohio.

[OzJohnnie]

http://www.startribune.com/sports/185072611.html?refer=y

Todd Fultz, the most valuable player on the 1990 St. John's team, said he had communicated with "probably 40 different Johnnies" on Friday, and rattled off texts he said all carried the same message: "I'm shocked ... Sad to think about being average ... Too bad, this would have been great with Mike."

Fultz said alums "support Gary, everybody's happy with Gary," but getting over Grant is proving difficult.

The Trib are a pack of professional back seat, Monday morning quarterbacks. No writer there ever got in trouble for bagging a decision and they aren't about to change stripes now.

All i know is that about two years ago the mood in this board was very firmly of the "let Fasching take over and we'll be good" variety. I reckon he'll do very well and we'll all be very happy.

And lastly, you're all assuming that the job was offered to Grant and Faschnwas the second choice when Grant didn't work out. We don't know that actually happened. The committee may have picked Fasching as their first choice. And I bet they probably did.

[sfury]

Think you're killing the messenger a bit there, Oz. I know it's popular sport to do that when it's the Strib, but still.

Grant has been rumored as a candidate to replace Gagliardi since the '90s. And since that time all he's done is become the most dominant coach in MN state history (apologies to George Thole, etc.). Because of his name and pedigree, he's one of the most high-profile coaches in the state, in any sport, at any level. Him not getting the job is a *huge* part of the story to the outside world, and, obviously as well, to the SJU world. You have to write about that angle. You absolutely have to, especially when it's not the hometown paper. The SC Times, yeah, can do a big blowout on Fasching and cover that angle a bit more. But for most people who normally don't care at all about SJU or the MIAC or D3 -- not saying it's right or wrong or whatever -- Grant not getting it is the bigger angle and the Strib story will obviously reflect that (and to take it one more step, the majority of Twin Cities readers are going to care 10 times more about Grant's future than who becomes SJU coach).

Now, while I'm a Strib defender in many areas and in many sections of the paper (take that as you will), they certainly have flaws. The story at the end of the year on Gagliardi, speculating about his future, was, I thought, totally tone-deaf, partly because it was written by someone who obviously hadn't covered the Johnnies (it was almost like he thought Gagliardi was serious with his line about winning 2 games a year till 500 victories). Brackin on the other hand has covered MIAC/SJU/D3 for years. He knows his stuff. Faunch's bro made a good point about it could have/should have been mentioned that Fultz played for Grant and remains close to him. Although that doesn't change the fact the other alums reacted how they did. The story also contains people criticizing the search committee idea. Was there anyone on the board who liked the search committee plan? It's definitely a hell of a tough situation for Fasching. Not just replacing a legend -- which is so hard to do anyway -- but then having to defend yourself, simply because you landed your dream job and a job you've probably been preparing for for 10 years.

Gary deserves support, deserves congratulations, deserves the chance to show what he can do at the top. But the first-day story about the job? You have to write a lot about Grant. The Strib did.

[OzJohnnie]

I don't disagree that Grant not getting the job is an interesting story. I think there are multiple ways to pusue it. An editor could choose the "they're nuts up there for not taking Mike and we interviewed some people to prove it" or the "let's find out why SJU made the choice they did".

Essentially there are two ways to report the story: play it straight or go for the hyped angle. I reckon the Strib should consider changing from a green highlight color to yellow. A bit one sided?  Maybe.  But no more one sided than the story the Strib put up so no less than they deserve.

[sjusection105]

Congrats to Gary!  I'm uber excited to see what 2013 brings!!!    (Hopefully, a departure for Jimmy)

We may need to suspend your man-card for using this statement   

[faunch]

All 3 candidates had positives and negatives.  The important thing now is for the SJU faithful to support Gary and get behind his team.

[oldsju67]

Congratulations to Gary, not my horse in the race but will still support him!  Frustrated still by the lack of funding for ALL athletic programs at SJU, but specifically for a football team that has a national presence.  In an era where the majority of colleges and universities in all divisions would kill to have a dominate football program, we choose to cut corners and down play our recognized brand.  Baffling...

[johnnie_esq]

I am quite disappointed in the process-- it was an exorbitant waste of time and resources, and could likely have been handled better. It probably created more problems than it solved and was completely unnecessary, as it appeared to me from the outset that this was the intended outcome.  That isn't Gary's fault-- I lay that on the hands of management. 

That being said, here we go! Gary is a very good coach and is our guy, and I'm here to support him.  He has some bridge building to do, to be certain-- but knowing him, he is capable of doing it-- with help from the resources he can leverage.  But to get there he's going to have to describe his vision and sell it to us, and unless he does that, there will be questions.   Here's to ringing the new year and getting the Jays otherwise back to our accustomed place-- atop the MIAC, looking down on the Tommies.

[wildcat11]

Probably too early to comment but here's hoping SJU opens up the non-conference opportunities.   I would love to see an NWC team get a home-and-home with SJU in the future.

Best of luck to the new HC and here's hoping that SJU gets back to a national level of play soon...D3 is much more fun with the Johnnies in the title mix.

[faunch]

How many days from John's retirement to the naming of Gary as coach?  How about a pool on how many days it takes the Oles to name their new coach?  I've got some old sweatsocks and jock strap I'd be willing to give away.