Leatherneck Nation

Just to clarify, I did mean Tommy Bell, not TVA. I understand the conflict there, but that was awhile ago and I would have hoped that page was turned and more progress would be tangible by now. I'm very hopeful Tanney can pick up where Tommy left off.

Lynx wrote:If Taylor's name was released lets see the other names on the committee. Do you seriously think Taylor will be involved?

It wouldn't surprise me if he is involved. Not sure if he'll have much of a vote on the final decision, but I think his thoughts and opinions will be listened to.
Despite the fact that he's a sophomore, he's a smart kid...conference all-academic second team with a 3.66 GPA...and local.

I feel like students (especially student-athletes) from Macomb who go to Western have a unique perspective as compared to other student-athletes. Western isn't just the university that we attend for 4-5 years and then head off somewhere else and maybe come back once a year for Homecoming. For us, Western is "home". Since birth, Western has been an integral part of our lives. If you play youth football, you quite often will play at Hanson Field; if you run track in HS, your home meets are at Hanson Field; your senior prom...in the Union Grand Ballroom; your graduation...Western Hall. Half of your friends in school...their parents work at Western. Hell, I'm currently sitting in my office in Horrabin Hall just down the hall from where I went to kindergarten through 2nd grade. I don't know Brett personally, but if he cares about the university half as much as the people that I know who are Macomb/Western people, then he knows how important this decision is to get right.

I think that his perspective is probably a good one to have.

Here is the committee!

http://goleathernecks.com/news/2015/12/ ... um=twitter

huskie wrote:Here is the committee!

http://goleathernecks.com/news/2015/12/ ... um=twitter

Specifically, The eight person committee includes: John Biernbaum (associate vice president, Student Services), Laurie Black (Registrar's office), Dr. Tom Cody (Faculty Athletic Representative), Cathy Early (WIU Board of Trustees and Athletic Department Hall of Fame member), Dr. Algerian Hart (coordinator of Graduate Program, Kinesiology), Amy Spelman (director of WIU Alumni Association), Brett Taylor (football student-athlete) and Tanney, who will serve as Chair of the committee.

Actually what I meant was Tanney is doing a good job engaging with the football alumni and they are responding to him and Assisatant AD Michael Jones. Bell wasn't here long enough to make a difference. Let's keep in mind that Bell was the one showing the stadium renovation plans to recruits and then nothing was ever started except plans, drawings and renderings! We are picking up the pieces and working on a plan to make it a reality!

I played in every stadium that was mentioned in an earlier post and outside of having one large side with bleachers at ISU or NIU these weren't anything special! Believe me...the old Astro Turf fields sucked! The other side was no more than bleachers that a HS would have. You also have to remember NIU and ISU were Division I back then and we were Division II. We always held our own with them.

When we played at Youngstown State we did play in high school stadiums...they didn't have one for many years until they built what they have now. The best stadiums I played in were Las Vegas, then Charger Stadium (San Diego). UNI Dome and the Rubber Bowl in Akron. I feel that Western had the best stadium in the conference outside of Akron and the UNI Dome. The others were crap including national power Northern Michigan. Western had the BEST grass field in the Midwest!!!

As far as the search committee is concerned...They are a "Committee" and will have equal say no matter what their age! Brett Taylor will have a big influence in the decision making process because the committee members will listen to what he and his teammates need in a coach to continue the success they've started...PERIOD! Plus that kid will be playing on Sunday's in a couple of years especially if he repeats the season he had this year. That was the best decision they could have been made except I feel they should have had a football alumni involved. Like a Frank Winters or John Pasananti etc. That player could have shared the traditions and experiences of playing football for the Leathernecks.

I spoke with Brett in lengths yesterday as I mentioned...he is very positive and many players are stepping up to keep the team focused and positive. They know they have the talent to be REALLY good next year and they will be. It was an old middle linebacker exchanging words with a young middle linebacker who is a great kid that knows what they have. He will do everything in his power to help this team be successful!

Former Neck

Story about the search committee as seen on tonight's 6PM WGEM Sports with Sean Barie:
http://www.wgem.com/story/30822682/2015 ... head-coach

The only time the Master's requirement was put in was when TVA was already friends with Gravina and he wanted him to be the women's coach. He knew Gravina had his Master's so he put that in the requirements. At the women's Final Four that year TVA asked Ty Margenthaler to meet with him about the job. Ty, like most knew the"deal" TVA had wanting Gravina. TVA tried to tell Ty how important it was to have a Master's. Ty listened for a short while then told TVA he wasn't interested in the job anyway! Jack didn't raise no dummies!

Not trying to be a scrooge.....But I seriously question the knowledge of some of these individuals on the search committee, when it comes to hiring a Division I football coach. Can someone please explain to me what I am missing...

Story about the coaching search as seen on tonight's KHQA-TV-7 Sports with Will Wilson:
http://khqa.com/sports/do-or-die/search ... ball-coach

Dittos Buck. Not one former player on the committee. John Pazzanatti (sp?) or Frank Winters are two that come to mind. With today's technology they could have had members outside Macomb on the committee. I hope they listen to what Brett Taylor says.