Tom Wistrcill

[zips13]

Count me in as the first person to blast Tom Wistrcill for his handling of the hiring of Rob Ianello and the "coaching search" that he conducted in the wake of Ianello's firing. That being said, I also must give credit where credit is due. I firmly believe that Terry Bowden is a "home-run" hire for the University of Akron. Regardless of who initiated the discussions, Wistrcill is the one who did the hiring. Whether things work out in the long term is something we'll have to watch as it unfolds, but outside of Tressell(who I didn't think he should hire due to sanctions) this is better than any other name I heard on search list. That makes 2 hires for Wistrcill thus far that I believe will have an immediate and positive impact on Akron Zips Athletics. Rick Rembielak is also a solid hire.

[K92]

Thanks Tom Jr.

[Valpo Zip]

Count me in as the first person to blast Tom Wistrcill for his handling of the hiring of Rob Ianello and the "coaching search" that he conducted in the wake of Ianello's firing. That being said, I also must give credit where credit is due. I firmly believe that Terry Bowden is a "home-run" hire for the University of Akron. Regardless of who initiated the discussions, Wistrcill is the one who did the hiring. Whether things work out in the long term is something we'll have to watch as it unfolds, but outside of Tressell(who I didn't think he should hire due to sanctions) this is better than any other name I heard on search list. That makes 2 hires for Wistrcill thus far that I believe will have an immediate and positive impact on Akron Zips Athletics. Rick Rembielak is also a solid hire.

+1right on bro.

[Blue & Gold]

Rick Rembielak is also a solid hire.

This is true. Listed in another thread were Akron's 3 outstanding coaches in Porter, KD & T-Bow. I'd add Rembielak to that list.

What an outstanding lineup of head coaches the Zips have:

Caleb Porter - Men's Soccer

Keith Dambrot - Men's Basketball

Rick Remielak - Baseball

Terry Bowden - Football

[zips13]

Keener'92 If you this this is way off base, please elaborate...

[Zipmeister]

Keener'92 If you this this is way off base, please elaborate...

Too much eggnog 13?

[72 Roo]

Zip 13 I gotta agree with you. TW gets the credit here. I don't know why Keener took a jab at you. It wasn't deserved and he generally has good posts that don't go personal.

I'd also like to add to our list of outstanding coaches and toss out the name of Dennis Mitchell and Newt Engle. Our rifle team does a hell of a lot with limited support. It is all because of the passion and commitment of Newt. Mitchell is a fantastic coach. He has been tabbed as the head U.S. national coach when we had a dual meet with the UK a while back. He is the real deal. When you talk of coaches you want to keep forever his name is up with the best.

It's great to be able to say once again "It's good to be a Zip!"

Happy New Year!

[Zipmeister]

Zip 13 I gotta agree with you. TW gets the credit here. I don't know why Keener took a jab at you. It wasn't deserved and he generally has good posts that don't go personal.

I'd also like to add to our list of outstanding coaches and toss out the name of Dennis Mitchell and Newt Engle. Our rifle team does a hell of a lot with limited support. It is all because of the passion and commitment of Newt. Mitchell is a fantastic coach. He has been tabbed as the head U.S. national coach when we had a dual meet with the UK a while back. He is the real deal. When you talk of coaches you want to keep forever his name is up with the best.

It's great to be able to say once again "It's good to be a Zip!"

Happy New Year!

Dennis is doing the best that he can and your claim that the team's performance is all due to the passion and commitment of Newt undercuts the job Dennis is doing.

[Quickzips]

I'll give TW a little credit for recognizing the opportunity that was in front of him when Coach Bowden called, but let's not forget what a mess this coaching search was up until that point. TW had all but made us the laughing stock of college athletics in the way he handled this right up until the point that the phone rang with Coach Bowden on the other end. From the manner in which Ianello was fired, to being turned down by no less than 2 or 3 of our first choices, to the apparent lack of any type of real "search" this whole scenario was headed for a train wreck that would have made the Ianello hiring look like a feet of pure genius. TW got lucky in that a high profile coach with a history of success fell into his lap. He's not some super genius, and he certainly isn't the guy I want running our AD in the long term.

[Dr Z]

...when Coach Bowden called...

Just got back in the country, I have been without phone or internet service for a week. Is this true? Bowden come calling? I assumed Gerry set up an interview from the previous coaching relationship at Akron.

Edit: Sorry, just saw it confirmed here. Unreal!?!?

[ZipRoo]

I'll give TW a little credit for recognizing the opportunity that was in front of him when Coach Bowden called, but let's not forget what a mess this coaching search was up until that point. TW had all but made us the laughing stock of college athletics in the way he handled this right up until the point that the phone rang with Coach Bowden on the other end. From the manner in which Ianello was fired, to being turned down by no less than 2 or 3 of our first choices, to the apparent lack of any type of real "search" this whole scenario was headed for a train wreck that would have made the Ianello hiring look like a feet of pure genius. TW got lucky in that a high profile coach with a history of success fell into his lap. He's not some super genius, and he certainly isn't the guy I want running our AD in the long term.

So nice to see some common sense on this board.

[GP1]

I'll give TW a little credit for recognizing the opportunity that was in front of him when Coach Bowden called, but let's not forget what a mess this coaching search was up until that point. From the manner in which Ianello was fired, to being turned down by no less than 2 or 3 of our first choices, to the apparent lack of any type of real "search" this whole scenario was headed for a train wreck that would have made the Ianello hiring look like a feet of pure genius. He's not some super genius, and he certainly isn't the guy I want running our AD in the long term.

I'll give TW credit for recognizing the opportunity and taking advantage of it.

I don't hold anything against him for the way Ianello was fired. Coach I knew it was coming in advance. His mother's death was not something to be expected and looks bad, but I don't know what else TW could have done. To be honest, my father died a few years ago.... (Trying to put myself in Coach I's shoes here)...I would have like to have known I was getting fired before the funeral. One less bad event to think about. When it's over, it's over and I wouldn't want to be at a funeral thinking about getting fired the next week or whenever. It wasn't going to be long until Coach I found another job.

I would like to know if there were really 2 or 3 first choices before Paul.?.? There might have been some people who expressed interest, but there is a long way between expressing interest and signing on the dotted line. I do believe there was a search. Going out searching for someone who wants to take over a team that went 1-11 two years in a row couldn't have been easy; so in retrospect, I can see how it might have looked sloppy. Fire fast, hire slow is a good way to hire and it seems as if it might have worked for us this time around.

Long term as the AD? No. It seems as if this job has been on the job training for him. MT and MR didn't need on the job training. Because of their inexperience, they made some mistakes, but those mistakes were small and easily fixable. TW seems to make big mistakes that aren't easy to fix and leave a bad taste in the mouths of others.

[Captain Kangaroo]

To the relief of many, I will cease beating on Wistercill. I'm excited about basketball season, and have reason for football excitement for the first time in 3 years.

The incessant shilling-for, or beating-down Wistercill should have run it's couse for now. Both sides have stated their views at-length, and nothing fresh is presentable at this time.

It is time to focus on the teams and their respective seasons. Lots of good stuff going down on the hardwood and the gridiron in early 2012. Final Four opponent at the JAR Thursday evening, and a Bowden wearing Zips gear on the recruiting trail as we speak.

[zips13]

Meister, not for me...no. I was just stating my opinion.

[Zipmeister]

Meister, not for me...no. I was just stating my opinion.

Could you do it again (with all the words this time)?

[zips13]

Meister, not for me (let me bow down and kiss your ring since you are obviously superior to me in your University of Akron knowledge and anyone who states any opinion other than yours is wrong and deserves to be insulted in your child-like ways) no. I was just stating my opinion.

[Blue & Gold]

Keener'92 If you this this is way off base, please elaborate...

@ Zips13,

Zipmeister was refering to your above post, not to your original thoughts.

Just referencing your little typo, "Keener'92 If you think this is way off base, please elaborate..."

[zips13]

Got it. Thanks for pointing that out. Sometimes what I am thinking and what I am typing don't mesh. Meister, my fault...disregard that last post.

[72 Roo]

Zip 13 I gotta agree with you. TW gets the credit here. I don't know why Keener took a jab at you. It wasn't deserved and he generally has good posts that don't go personal.

I'd also like to add to our list of outstanding coaches and toss out the name of Dennis Mitchell and Newt Engle. Our rifle team does a hell of a lot with limited support. It is all because of the passion and commitment of Newt. Mitchell is a fantastic coach. He has been tabbed as the head U.S. national coach when we had a dual meet with the UK a while back. He is the real deal. When you talk of coaches you want to keep forever his name is up with the best.

It's great to be able to say once again "It's good to be a Zip!"

Happy New Year!

Dennis is doing the best that he can and your claim that the team's performance is all due to the passion and commitment of Newt undercuts the job Dennis is doing.

Meister ... I don't get how my praise for Newt Engle and what he has done over decades with the rifle team undercuts my high praise for our track program's Dennis Mitchell. I said he is nationally respected, having been a U.S. head coach, and I want to keep him forever. If that is somehow misleading I'm sorry I have not been able to convey my praise and respect for both. I think both program's are headed in the right direction with their leadership.

[K92]

Sorry. I was just making a smart ass comment. Guess I should have put the little smiley in there.

All the rush to exonerate TW is a little puzzling to me though. No real details have surfaced on the Bowden hire as to TW's level of involvement. It is my guess that T-Bow fell in his lap. I could be wrong and if so, I can eat a little crow on that point. But the bottom line for me is that we had to sit through two years of misery while we watched one of the absolute worst coaches in the history of college football systematically dismantle the the program, alienate almost all the fans and put up the most embarrassing losses in the history of Akron Zips football. TW wears the goat horns for that hire and it will take a big turnaround to me to ever be able to forgive Tom for such a monumental blunder.

I am looking forward to T-Bow resurrecting the progrum.

Go Zips!

[Zip_ME87]

To the relief of many, I will cease beating on Wistercill. I'm excited about basketball season, and have reason for football excitement for the first time in 3 years.

The incessant shilling-for, or beating-down Wistercill should have run it's couse for now. Both sides have stated their views at-length, and nothing fresh is presentable at this time.

It is time to focus on the teams and their respective seasons. Lots of good stuff going down on the hardwood and the gridiron in early 2012. Final Four opponent at the JAR Thursday evening, and a Bowden wearing Zips gear on the recruiting trail as we speak.

+1

I totally agree, CK. I'm excited about basketball season, especially the Final Four opponent at the JAR Thursday evening and the upcoming football season. I don't expect Terry Bowden to be able to fix all of our football woes in one season, but I think we'll see significant improvement. Beyond basketball and football, I'm very hopeful that the U23 Men will qualify for the Olympics and we'll see at least 2 former Zips on the USA Men's Soccer Team as well as our head coach leading them