MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[und63]

Congratulations to Ron Rose and his very supportive family on the selection as head coach of the IWU basketball "FIGHIN' TITANS".

We all remember that Dennie Bridges started as a high school coach many years ago, I have no doubt that Ron will continue in the great IWU tradition!

[emeritusprof]

"High school coach"?  Well, Rose has some experience as a university assistant coach, and it seems some folks were suggesting current assistants as good candidates.

He's got the tie to the school, solid playing and coaching experience, a master's degree, and the obvious desire to coach D3.  Not a bad deal for IWU, I'd say.

[Titan Q]

Congrats to Ron Rose.  Unfortunately, the only Ron Rose I know is a prfessional poker player I've seen on TV!  So, I can't comment much on this other than it seems like "the best D3 job" just got filled by a high school coach!

The last time IWU hired a high school basketball coach (Dennie Bridges, Plainfield H.S.) it worked out well.

[wheatonc]

Congrats to Ron Rose.  In talking with many Wesleyan supporters over the last few weeks, everyone gave glowing reports about him as a first class coach and as a person with impeccable character in how he treats his players.  Sounds like another great hire for Bridges. 

[Titan Q]

Congrats to Paul Ferguson for landing the head coaching job at Wheaton Academy.  A huge loss for the Thunder but a big plus for the Academy!  A nice article appears on the back page of today's sport's section in the Daily Herald.

Fergs is one of the really good guys in the CCIW.  This is great news and much deserved.

[pistol]

Thank goodness IWU finally hired a new coach. I was in the flight pattern of the flights from all over the country being re directed to the Bloomington International Airport, Hair Care and Tire Center.

A high school coach? From Bloomington!  So much for the national search for the best job in Division III .

Reminds me of the Sox hiring Terry Bevington, or George Bush elected president. Some people are just not qualified...   

[ecdubb420]

any person who makes a terry bevington reference is a friend of mine, though that comment will likely prove to be off base within a few years (because catastrophic failures like bush and bevington don't happen too often, and for some reason, I can't see IWU falling on their face with this great program).  Then again, one thinks that no one would have presumed North Park would have gone so bad so fast either 10-15 years ago.
I'm just glad that Baines and Scherer are still with Elmhurst, for now.

Expectations on Rose in his first year:
a) CCIW Tournament Bid
b) NCAA Bid
c) CCIW Title
d) .500 record
e) NCAA Tourney and beyond

[commonsense]

Congrats to Coach Rose and to IWU. Denny Bridges made a great hire. Rose is definitely qualified and being in Bloomington is an added benefit that will help him get a fast start.

I just listened to the press conference. Coach Rose is a really good coach, recruiter and person. He loves the game and is  passionate about coaching at IWU. My take is the Titans don't miss a beat and will be real tough for a long time.

[proudofLU]

I think you guys are going to be fine with this new coach.   After all, how tough can it be when you have the premier program in DIII ?  Everyone knows it, and there was such a wanton lust by hundreds of coaches to lead the program, I suspect the domination and consecutive national titles will just keep on coming. 

I will now crawl back into my tiny MWC hole and enjoy the table scraps that are left for us.  Have a good summer. 

[Knightstalker]

Congrats to Ron Rose.  Unfortunately, the only Ron Rose I know is a prfessional poker player I've seen on TV!  So, I can't comment much on this other than it seems like "the best D3 job" just got filled by a high school coach!

The last time IWU hired a high school basketball coach (Dennie Bridges, Plainfield H.S.) it worked out well.

Here out East in NJ, NJCU back then JCSC hired a local high school coach who had played for the Knights, twenty-five years and 464 wins later I think it has worked out fairly well.

[Greek Tragedy]

Congrats to Ron Rose.  Unfortunately, the only Ron Rose I know is a prfessional poker player I've seen on TV!  So, I can't comment much on this other than it seems like "the best D3 job" just got filled by a high school coach!

The last time IWU hired a high school basketball coach (Dennie Bridges, Plainfield H.S.) it worked out well.

It was tongue in cheek you guys, don't take my post as mean spirited or a "rip" on Ron Rose. 

[True Basketball Fan]

Coach Rose is a really good coach, recruiter and person. He loves the game and is passionate about coaching at IWU. My take is the Titans don't miss a beat and will be real tough for a long time.

I'm sure he is a good coach and person, but recruiter.  What recruiting has he done lately.......or ever?  Yes, he was at Wichita State and Olivet Nazarene, blah, blah, blah.  His recruiting responsibilities at those schools were not extensive.  He's definitely in for a challenge (unfortunately by himself), as the other league coaches are considerably better recruiters than in years past, and they all have larger staffs.  Also, IWU's average ACT is like 28 or 29.  

Bosko, Giovanni, Scherer, Raridon, even Littrell (especially with the year's recruiting class) were going to make life difficult for anybody hired at IWU.  The CCIW is not like it used to be, a change in dominance is on the horizon.  Actually it's already here. 

Good luck to Coach Rose and IWU!

[und63]

"Also, IWU's average ACT is like 28 or 29." 

"The CCIW is not like it used to be, a change in dominance is on the horizon.  Actually it's already here"

True Basketball Fan, perhaps fielding a team of intelligent basketball players is a key to the success and stability of a program.  You will notice I used TEAM, in place of PLAYER, on purpose in that you can recruit all the best basketball players in the world to your school and you still have no assurance of a successful program!  I've seen too many teams go down the drain with showboats, drop outs, ineligible, etc.  and everybody is left talking about what could have been.

"Change in dominance", I think you should get out your Hubel to see that horizon.  You're probably right, it's here with Ron Rose.

ATMHO

[und63]

I think you guys are going to be fine with this new coach.   After all, how tough can it be when you have the premier program in DIII ?  Everyone knows it, and there was such a wanton lust by hundreds of coaches to lead the program, I suspect the domination and consecutive national titles will just keep on coming. 

I will now crawl back into my tiny MWC hole and enjoy the table scraps that are left for us.  Have a good summer. 

Do you want us to wake you on Ground Hogs Day or in time for the D3 Final Four?

[Knightstalker]

Coach Rose is a really good coach, recruiter and person. He loves the game and is passionate about coaching at IWU. My take is the Titans don't miss a beat and will be real tough for a long time.

I'm sure he is a good coach and person, but recruiter.  What recruiting has he done lately.......or ever?  Yes, he was at Wichita State and Olivet Nazarene, blah, blah, blah.  His recruiting responsibilities at those schools were not extensive.  He's definitely in for a challenge (unfortunately by himself), as the other league coaches are considerably better recruiters than in years past, and they all have larger staffs.  Also, IWU's average ACT is like 28 or 29.  

Bosko, Giovanni, Scherer, Raridon, even Littrell (especially with the year's recruiting class) were going to make life difficult for anybody hired at IWU.  The CCIW is not like it used to be, a change in dominance is on the horizon.  Actually it's already here. 

Good luck to Coach Rose and IWU!

It should be fairly easy for a local high school coach to recruit players.  He knows all the local coaches, probaby a good number of the coaches in the state.  Players know him and know the type of system and program he runs, they know how successful he has been.  Players talk to each other so they know whether he is a hard ass or not etc.  As long as he maintains good relationships with former colleagues and delivers to the players he recruits he will succeed.  Chuck McBreen at Ramapo is a former HS coach from Hudson County NJ and he has been able to recruit players away from Charlie Brown at NJCU.  He works his connections.