I'd like to share a letter Des Werthman '93 sent today to Dianne Murphy, and several other members of the Athletic Department.
It speaks for itself:
Dianne,
I played football at Columbia until the 1992 season and achieved many accolades on a personal level. In fact, at the college level I was undoubtedly the most decorated Columbia football player since John Witkowski, I am a member of the Columbia Hall of Fame and still retain certain individual records at the school.
However, I have watched the last two seasons and have been completely disappointed in what I have seen take place. I fully understand that turning this program around takes time and it was done once in my lifetime under Ray Tellier. However, it did not stick. A few coaches later and we have one of the most abysmal teams on record under a coach who is totally in over his head. Furthermore, he has treated players with a total lack of respect, put our recovery on even more of a pathetic path, angered many alums, and alienated many of his current players.
I have read countless correspondences from players parents, which you will undoubtedly see at years end, and can only say that I am disgusted with what I have read. I have never and will never be a party to a maniacal plan to kill a persons dreams or hopes and this coach is doing that and more. I have spoken to his former players at Cornell and former players in the NFL and they all have given similar reports.
Until Columbia hires a person who can lead and bring Columbia the success it deserves I cannot support or be party to this.
So, I am requesting that I no longer be a member of the Columbia Hall of Fame and any and all records I hold at Columbia be stricken from the record books. Please take down whatever plaque or description you have of me and no longer print any of the records I hold in any of the programs going forward.
You see, individual awards never mattered to me. I only wanted the team to win and when I went to Columbia I had hopes and dreams of turning the program around as, I am sure, many of the current student athletes did. However, the University is doing them a disservice every time they have to go out on that field under this person you refer to as a coach. I have played for great coaches and great teams; yet none have broken the mold like the person, since I don't qualify him as a coach, that you currently have on your sidelines.
This is not the Columbia football that the greats like Cliff Montgomery or Sid Luckman wanted to have on the field. This is an abomination to everything the players that went before me tried to create and dreamt about. It is a personal affront to all of those that have put their blood, sweat, and tears into creating. There are ways to achieve success, but since success has rarely been achieved by this coach, I can honestly say this is not one of the ways. It is a recipe for disaster.
To continue down this path is one of stupidity and apathy and I choose not to be a part of it nor do I want my name associated with it. I do not think you will have a problem with taking my materials down, but if there is one, please let me know since there have been enough legal precedence out there now to solidly back up my stance on what could certainly be deemed promotional material.
Desmond Werthman
CC 1993
91 comments:
Spec should print this on the first page!
Anyone who doesn't know Des, he was one of the all-time greats. Many thought he should have gotten league MVP in 1992 instead of Dartmouth's Jay Fiedler. And that's saying something. Des did it all-- great linebacker. Great fullback. Great kicker.
OUTSTANDING Thank You Desmond for researching and then putting in your own personal aspects to this situation.
If I can only tell all these Bloggers and the Columbia staff what occured to my son under PM, I am just so proud that my son, although loves the players and wants to see them win very badly, that he continues to try and move forward and past the abuse he felt from PM and even some of the supporting staff. It's almost mental abuse.
THANK YOU!! I hope you I heard! I hope the Executives of Columbia see this letter.
Desmond Wertham Columbia Football Bio http://www.gocolumbialions.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=9600&ATCLID=206184361
A letter should be sent to Robert Kraft and former Athletic football Alumni.
Cieslack and Delany recognized in the weekly honor roll. http://www.ivyleaguesports.com/sports/fball/2013-14/releases/Football_Weekly_Release_-_Week_10
Thanks for this, Des. I'm afraid that we'll get change only if you and other formers players make a statement. Thanks for leading the way.
Des, your letter really deserves broader distribution. Would you consider passing a copy on to the Spectator?
Also Des, please pass it on to Robt. Kraft
I have passed the letter on to Spec
Well, Herr Murphy got the message and fired a football coach today, or as we call it, the Women's Soccer Coach. That ought to show Pete.
It wasn't a firing, believe me. McCarthy was one of the best. He bailed. Big vote of no confidence in Dianne.
Wow, strong stuff. Personal note to Des: don't let a bad coach like Pete and what he is doing to destroy CU football compel you to abandon the great accomplishments you achieved. Pete will be gone, maybe a year, maybe 2. His legacy will be forgotten and yours will survive.
Google his Facebook and post on his page how you feel. He's reading it for sure. He has already blocked me - an excellent sign he is getting the message loud and clear. Everyone should hammer him from all angles.
I hope you are right, Jake. He is a good one. However, the language of the release was just like that of the one regarding Mike Zimmer who was unfairly fired.
If PM stays, I don't see how he is going to be able to recruit any good NEW players given the crap storm that is occurring on this blog (and now, also in the spectator). If he doesn't resign or get fired, things are going to get worse for the current players and the program. Ironically, if he stays, this blog will end up having contributed to the further downward spiral of the program. If you pick a fight like this, you better win it, otherwise it is lose/lose. Good luck.
Kevin McCarthy was indeed told that his contract would not be renewed. A horrible act on Dianne's part.
he was not able to recruit going forward after this year anyway. The blog isnt the cause of this debacle.
There is nothing you can say on this blog that hurts recruiting more than going 0-10 and losing by 34.5 points per game.
Wrong, You can denigrate someone's character, temperament and people skills. You can spread unsubstantiated gossip about things going on inside the program. You can question the motives of every single person around the program- the president of the school, the AD, Ray Telleir, the chairman of the board of the university, PM and the assistant coaches. You can make it sound like only a fool would come to CU to play football.
"You make it sound like only a fool would come to Columbia to play football." Um, since you put it that way....
If your kid today had a choice between Princeton, Harvard, Yale, and Columbia -- what would you advise? Columbia?? Why? To play for Coach Mangurian?
Maybe there are all these great players out across the country, and they're dying to come to CU and play for Coach Mangurian -- but they change their minds BECAUSE OF THIS BLOG. They were all set to come but they got turned off by seeing "the motives of every single person around the program" questioned.
"Mom, dad, the football blog denigrated the people skills of Coach Mangurian. I'm going to Harvard!"
Have you ever heard the expression "where there is smoke, there is fire". It is obvious, unless your employment is dependent upon Mangurian staying, we have an inferno here and any comments to the contrary is a biased non objective opinion of what is going on with the football team.
More bad news for Columbia-- Dartmouth just announced that Teevens is returning for another year. He has had some success at improving lousy programs.
My position is based only upon verifiable results. First, we have lost by historic proportions. Second, in four of our five road losses the home team scored at will and in fact put in excess of 50 points on us even while emptying their benches. Third, we have not won a single away game in four years. These are facts, not opinion.
"If your kid today had a choice between Princeton, Harvard, Yale and Columbia..."
I think the other Ivies lose kids to HYP every year.
Okay, that's fair about HYP winning most of the recruiting battles regardless. But Columbia should be able to toe-to-toe with the other Ivies.
If one can get Kraft upset at DM then there is a chance of change. One the other hand it is good to see that a lot of people have passion for Columbia football. That can be a good thing and can only help recruiting.
what possible reason would there be to not extend Kevin McCarthy? He is a class act, recruits. incredibly well and fields very competitive teams. that actually win.
That letter is incredible! Did Bill Campbell read it?
Is that letter for real? Did someone call Des to confirm? if so, I have never seen such an indictment of a program.
It isn't an indictment. It is showing my disgust with what has taken place and is taking place. I wish the greatest success for Columbia and did everything I could to try and improve it as did many others before and after me. However, I see nothing good coming of what is taking place. I do want to be clear that I do not hold Bill Campbell responsible. Any person that has played, coached and donated for and to Columbia obviously wants to see it win.
Des
Des,
Add one more tackle to your total.
Hope it ends up as a "pancake".
Des,
I want to thank you for such a heart felt letter. It is a privilege for this university to have someone that stands up for what they believe in, and to be as passionate towards doing the right thing. I agree with every single thing you said, and also hope for change to a positive envoirment where student athletes can flourish. Thank you.
Jim Wanamaker
Assume for the moment that PM doesn't get fired and doesn't resign. Explain to me how what is was going on this blog going to help the program.
If he doesn't resign or get fired its a helpless situation for the team. The outcome on the field speaks for itself.
Columbia has sucked forever. Why would anyone choose to go to CU over those schools? Maybe that's the reason that no coach has been successful at Columbia over the last 50 years. The next coach will probably fail also.
Not an answer to the question. How does this stuff help?
If they are smart enough to get into Columbia or another Ivy league school they can see through some sour grapes.
another non answer and a fairly unintelligible one at that.
Des,
As one of CU football's oldest alum fans and its most fanatic one, I appreciate the bold statement you have made, and your unselfishness in renouncing your Columbia Hall of Fame membership. Your sacrifice is
stunning, but I wish you'd reconsider not only for your own sake but for Columbia and all it's players and fans. I remember you vividly as our stalwart middle linebacker who doubled as the fullback when we had the ball at the opponent's goal line. Your accomplishments, and those of all the players, do not belong to this coach or AD or President. They belong to the players, to the program and its great moments in the past and to its fans.
This blog helps by showing there are former players and others who care about the program and want the kids who participate to have a chance at fulfilling their dreams.
The blog shows that the long gray line of cronies and incompetents who have controlled the program for half a century are now being challenged by some new and legitimately aggressive voices.
That seems like plenty to me. But finally, this blog evinces the true Columbia tradition of irreverence in the face of puffed-up authority, the tradition that recoils at kow-towing to "the chairman of the Board of Trustees" or other such banquet speakers. I say, fuck 'em all. And someday I still hope to see that spirit on the field.
nice sentiment too bad you ruined it with silly profanity. It still doesn't answer question, how does this stuff help the program improve if PM doesn't leave?
To one of cu's oldest fans...I spoke with some of the people who I attribute much of my success to about what I had done and that was the one and only reason I hesitated, but those people (some of my teammates) all agreed with what I was saying.
To the anonymous that keeps asking how does this help if Pete stays, well, it certainly let's people in the decision making positions that some of the former athletes are not happy with the lack of progress and direction the program is heading in. It also gives people an outlet to let their thoughts and feelings be known. I would hope that it doesn't fall on deaf ears.
Des
Truth is, and I think you all know it, it doesn't help. If you don't dethrone PM, it actually hurts the program.
At this rate, CU will start to attract football players who will use their football skills to get admitted and then "change their mind" over the summer and quit the team without ever attending one practice.
To: how does the blog help? You seem to want a positive team spirit response, wave the foam finger and cheer regardless of the situation.
There are big problems affecting CU football and this blog shines a light on those issues. The problem is not with the players. It is with the coaching and administration. You see the results for yourself.
Why would there be any positive sentiment regarding CU football when the people running the show are inept, irresponsible and without remorse? The real question is how will this blog further instigate real change so the student athletes who play CU football have a fighting chance to succeed.
No one is stopping you from cheering. You just won't find that here right now.
Total agree with Al.
I don't know it won't help, what I know won't help is the status quo, which from you constant badgering on the blog, seems to be what you want. Well, let me put it like Pete would put it to his players. If you aren't on board then get the fuck out because you are dragging us down and don't ever think of saying what I just said to you to anybody because this is a tight knit family and nobody gives a shit about you unless you are on our side. You aren't up to the standards I want.
Does that work better for you?
Des
I hope you have physical proof of the letters etc of who you have talked to. The people in charge have made their decisions and its time for all of you to accept them and get behind the program and be positive.
Why is it you always blame the coaches and administration? I as a player in my day took responsibility for my actions on and off of the field. These kids are acting along with a lot of you younger ex players like you are entitled.
Des: we have nothing but respect for you and the way you worked at every level of life, giving 100% of your abilities along the lines of excellence. You cannot remove that from any record books. If you believe this was the best way you could help our boys and Columbia football I cannot argue.
However, this is senior week: the last time these lions will suit up in the locker room, see their names on their lockers, their jerseys hanging there waiting for them to don one final time. The final warm up, the final anthem, their final game. They will be filled with emotion, trying their best to leave everything they have on Kraft Field. Their emotions will center on their shared experiences with their class and team mates. Yes they would love to be ending with some wins, but they are not concerned with firings and blogs, exposes or unfounded accusations. These young men want to go out with and for each other.
This week let's focus on the players, especially the seniors, rather than administration, coaching or bitter feuds between commenters. I for one am looking forward to wrapping my arms around my son at midfield on Saturday. I am and will be proud of him and his senior team mates for committing to and keeping their promises to each other, despite outcomes mostly out of their control. Go Lions. Beat Bears.
To anonymous, the only decisions I have seen are bad decisions and last time I checked I was not required to get behind something I don't believe in or think is right.
So I will not go quietly into that good night nor do I think will a lot of my brethren.
You see you obviously know nothing about me. I am ornery, don't like losing, was the youngest of 10. So telling me to get behind a losing proposition, well that just doesn't register.
Des
WOW just read the letter. So embarrassed for you.
To the parent above. It is about the players and their parents. My intent was to never detract from that. I hope you have a magnificent day on saturday with a win to boot. You and your son have my utmost respect for sticking this out and seeing it through.
As I would say to my uncle who went to Brown...what is the color of shit? BROWN
Des
Can't we all just get along!
Criticize reults. They are clearly bad. Don't spread unsubstantiated gossip about people's attitudes and actions. Stick to the facts and drop the name calling and character assassination. Some guys like PM, some guys don't. No one outside the team is in a position to distinguish sour grapes from legitimate complaints. Anything said here is gossip. Not helpful to anyone.
Every college sports team has a blog or message board to discuss the state of the program, no matter how ugly the truth may be.
That, along with the expectation of winning, should not come across as a travesty to any poster here.
Pete's control freak, my way or the highway personality and misplaced egotistical crap isn't gossip. It's FACT. Find one person other than Bill Belichick who has anything good to say about the man. And you know Belichick will have just a sentence or two saying he's a "solid football guy" (meaning he was loyal when on his staff).
To those who ask "how this blog helps?' I would ask a similar question: how does it help the Columbia football program when its Head Coach repeatedly and publicly blames all of the team's woes on a lack of talent among the upperclassmen? How does it help when he refuses to take any responsibility for the current state of the program? How does it help when he implements policies and coaching methods that are questionable at best -- and lead to lopsided
losses -- and then refuse to publicly or privately shoulder any of the blame? How does it help when he runs off players? How does it help when he drops upperclassman down (or off) the depth chart with little regard for its effect on the team or its current state of competitiveness? Do any of these things help?
If Coach Manguruian believed that the cupboard was so bare when the job was offered to him that he could not field a competitive team, Columbia should have hired someone with a different mindset. If he came to that belief early in his tenure, Columbia should have asked him to either change his tune or find another job that promised him more success. But to allow him to run this program the way he has -- throwing young amateur athletes under the bus at every turn -- is an error that Columbia University should address one way or another.
Almost every player on this team was recruited by other Ivy League schools. Apparently those schools also thought they had the talent to compete and succeed in this League. Looking back, many of these players now believe they would have had a better experience and greater success at those institutions. I believe the current head coach is largely to blame for this circumstance. These players have a right to believe that while they have fully honored their commitment to Columbia, Columbia has not honored its commitment to them. How does allowing that sense of betrayal to exist help?
This blog may not help much -- but as others have pointed out, it doesn't hurt much either. The same is not true for the University's actions and inaction.
Des: I should not have used "however". It was two separate comments. We will enjoy our day like you did a fews years back.
You seem to miss the point intentionally. If PM is still here next year, then you are basically telling all current prospects to stay away because PM is a bad human being (based on sour grapes and gossip). That takes away his only sales pitch which is: come here, play early and help me turn this program around. That screws any chance for the current guys to ever be on a winner. You are burning the village down to save it.
Des, this is the old Lion fan again. I admire your guts and your determination to do what you think is best. Your exploits on the field are secure no matter what. You can take the boy out of the Hall of Fame but you can't take the Hall of a Fame out of the boy. And thanks for being "ornery." We need more of that.
To those who feel protest is useless, what's the alternative, accepting another 60 years of failure?
I always raise a chuckle by saying I know how to become immortal...refuse to die until Columbia has an undefeated season. But actually that's more sad than funny.
who said it is based on sour grapes and gossip outside of you?
why is that his only sales pitch? on one of the other threads there was a list of over 10-15 reasons to come to Columbia. Certainly playing early is a nice advantage, but he has already used that on the first two classes he brought in. So, he can maybe get another two yeas of that and then what?
i think most people here have said he is a bad coach and there is nothing from this season that would suggest otherwise.
i understnad what you are attempting to say, but the facts dont match up and your thought process is based upon assumption and faulty logic based upon the facts we know from the games.
All football coaches are my way or the highway. That is football culture everywhere. What a bunch of wusses.
Sour grapes in what respect? That is a phrase used to describe "the attitude of affecting to despise something because one cannot or does not have it oneself." So your warped interpretation means people here are upset because they don't get to choose who the coach is? People should just support the coach because he's the coach?
It doesn't matter if recruits are turned away because Pete Mangurian is perceived as a bad head coach. What you see as gossip are repeat patterns observed by numerous people along Pete's career. He's better suited as a position coach, not as leader of a collegiate team. The evidence is there anywhere you look. You can't hide the results of personal interactions and you can't change perception. That is why Pete is doomed as CU coach one way or the other.
You can be my way or the highway if you are effective but if you are ineffective and try to obtain respect through authoritarian means, you lose your team. Pete is not Nick Saban. Saban can be an overlord because he's proven himself. Pete has done nothing throughout his career to make players want to buy into his methods.
Old Lion fan, that is funny. You have to have bring levity into this discussion.
Des
If PM is as horrible a guy as you all assert, who in their right mind would want to play for him? You are attacking his program at a personal level not just on an X's &O's level. The personal stuff is all gossip and sour grapes from whining parents. Helicopter parents shocked that a football coach won't tell their kid he is great when he isn't. Who says it's my way or the highway, oh my. If the team was 7-2 none of you would care about any of this sour grapes crap or if PM is arrogant, egotistical, etc. He would be the man. Hypocrisy anyone?
well, guess what? the team is winnles and this is where we are at and not 7-2.
I am curious how you know it is gossip and wining parents? please enlighten me as to the facts. Seriously, if you have knowledge that many of these things are just conjecture and gossip I would love to hear the truth.
"If PM is as horrible a guy as you all assert, who in their right mind would want to play for him?"
That's a great question!!!
NOBODY, I repeat, NOBODY has offered any positives to the Pete Mangurian experiment. The only thing I can think of is that he created a great punter, but for the wrong reasons; over use...
Oh my goodness. Some of you sound like battered wives. OF COURSE we have the right to get rid of a poor performing coach and OF COURSE we can make things better! We are going to get rid of Mangurian and Murphy too. We're getting very close. We're probably just one more big donor and star former player away.
Again, this debate should only be about verifiable results. If Pete had not been losing by historic proportions then I suppose that most of us would have said that he is at least pointed in the right direction. But it is the manner in which we have lost which is trump. Even when Ray first came into the league he knew how to put a product on the field which kept us competitive. Likewise Norries. The only parallel I can see is the final year of the Shoop regime, and even that season wasn't as bad as this. So I don't see much of a choice other than to cut our losses after Saturday. Nor do I see much of a choice in getting rid of Murphy, since I question how any good HC candidate would want to work for her. Finally, I really hope that our seniors can go out as winners on Saturday. They have earned it.
Just read Des' letter. It is stunning how often the word "I" or "me" occurs. That says a lot. It's not about you Des, the self-proclaimed "undoubtedly most decorated Columbia football player since....".
Des,
Des,
Your letter to Dianne is amazing. It may be the most unselfish gift any alumni has made to the program. I am proud to be your friend and teammate.
Go Lions,
Bob
Great comment old lion. Criticize the man's performance by the results on the field. We can clearly and indisputably see what is happening on the field. We don't really know the truth or falsity of the other stuff.
To anonymous above speaking of I's and me, it is amazing given its written from his perspective.
Perhaps the athletic department will let you take some basic writing classes.
I am still trying to figure out how the hell we let Chip Kelly get away!!????!!
.....and Coach Foxxy!
Gary Carleglio - the best!!!!
And of course, Tom Gilmore. But we can get Gilmore back.
I found Werthman's letter seemingly more indicative of how stuffed full of himself he currently is than anything else. Take him out of the Hall of Fame? Remove his accomplishments? Really, Des, that's a bit much. In fact, the whole letter is a bit much.
(It also wasn't all that hot a letter grammatically.)
We are now a totally divided and fractious football "community." Congratulations to all and sundry involved in that process. Recruiting has probably been set back another five years.
Is this what you really wanted to happen, Jake? And is someone right now currying the white horse some loud, obnoxious sorts posting here seemingly expect Greg Toal to come riding in on?
Oh well, you're the titular leader of this whirlwind full of dirt, innuendo and half-formed accusations. Live with it as best you can.
I hope we all have noticed how everyone, (by the way "everyone" against us is TWO PEOPLE!! I've checked the ISP's of all the commenters), who criticizes our efforts offer NO actual defense of Mangurian, Murphy or our undeniable record on the field.
And we are not fractured by any means. The two negative commenters here are two out of 3,000 daily visitors. We are 100% united.
Can anyone tell me if there are any online M.O.C.A. refresher courses that I am able to sign up for?
Firstly, the "football community" has always been divided it has never been a concerted effort, just read the blog and experience the CU football program, something you seemingly have not.
The old boy network tries to give the appearance of unity, but it is anything but that.
Recruiting-the record under Mangurian has quashed recruiting for years to come. He did not need the blog to do his dirty work.
speaking of grammar; people in glass houses should not throw stones.
First to Des: glad you had a chuckle. I'm ornery too, I know nobody is immortal but I still hope to see an undefeated team.
To those who say HYP get all the good recruits, I say our Admin should care more and try harder. ALSO, what's so hot about Yale lately? Princeton was terrible a couple of years ago, now they're on top of the world. Dartmouth has the most Ivy titles not H, Y or P. Brown has a strong team every year. And remember Penn? A frequent champ and contender. So the HYP thing is just an excuse for the disinterested.
It's interesting Jake, that you claim there are but "two" commenters who don't agree with you and certain other loudmouths. (You seemingly have a somewhat different understanding of "agreement" than I do, it's that or those "two" just have unlimited time during which to post arguments contrary to the prevailing drift here.)
But you also never commented when someone previously asked you how many posters in fact have actually pushed on this site for Greg Toal, even if without apparently any real personal contact with him or even approximate knowledge of Toal's career dreams.
What is especially dismaying is your apparent resort to urging a sort of Orwellian "groupthink" upon this site, to the extent that if someone doesn't agree with the thinking of the virtual lynch mob currently forming up here, then perforce they're way wrong, should maybe even be drummed off this website.
For my personal case, however, I'll save you the trouble. I'll continue to read this stuff but I won't post,there's a sort of unfocused mob mentality here now that reminds me of nothing so much as those instant peasant mobs which always arise, torches and pitchforks in hand, towards the end of those old Universal Frankenstein-Wolfman movies of the 30's and 40's.
And Des Werthman, despite his undeniable athletic achievements, really does sound too sure of his own relative importance. I don't think you can "tell" the administration"to take down your Hall of Fame citation nor erase your records simply because you feel like it. So Des's letter sounded hubristic in the extreme to me. He truly should just remain grateful that, whatever his feelings about CU football now, the current administration thought highly enough of him to honor him in the first place. Instead, he tells them to shove it. That's profoundly mean-spirited, I suggest.
(Oh well, John Kerry once pulled something similar and later was elected Senator from MA despite it.)
Well, since you asked it is just one or two people here who have pushed for Greg Toal. I'm not sure what that proves or doesn't prove.
It's also just rich that you criticize Des for basically identifying himself in a way you deem too egotistical when you actually don't bother to identify yourself at all!
To anonymous above, I am just one spoke in a very large wheel. I am grateful to the teammates and coaches who made me better. To the defensive line without whom I would never have been able to achieve the accomplishments and I have told this to a few of them. I am sorry you feel the way you do, but to be grateful to the administration, the same administration by the way, that basically tore down any progress all prior players achieved, is insanity at its finest. My "sense of self-imprtance" as you wrote is no match for the singularly amazing sense of self-importance that is being demonstrated by this current administration and coach.
Unlike you, many of my teammates and I are honorable men and women and stand up when an injustice is being done.
For the record, I requested, which is defined as "an act of asking politely or formally for something."
Des
Congrats Des!!! Unknown to the program and the alumni community for the last bunch of years with the exception of seeing your name in the program. Way to reintroduce yourself. "You see, individual awards never mattered to me." Sure they do--this just screams self-promotion. Despite your records, your heroics on the field are now as relevant as Jake Novaks. Congratulations- you are wood.
What years did Jake Novaks play and what does "you are wood" mean?
I am dumbfounded by some of these negative posts toward Des. I had the pleasure of playing with Des and have known him on a personal lever for over 20 years. I cannot believe some of you are questioning his sincerity. Des is a selfless person with unquestionable integrity who cares deeply for the kids and the program. I know that this letter was not an easy thing for Des to write and it speaks volumes about his character. For those naysayers, I fail to see what he has to gain for putting his feelings about the program in writing. Furthermore, Des did not write an anonymous post, rather, he signed it and stands behind his convictions. I say Bravo to you my friend!
Greg Abbruzzese CC ‘91
I watched both of you play (Des and Greg) and you certainly represent the best of Lion football...that alone qualifies you to weigh in on this disturbing issue. It will be very interesting to see how this all turns out, although I believe the scales are tipped in favor of DM and PM at this point, if only for bureaucratic imponderables.
I believe it was preseason 1990 when Des was found sitting on Low library steps and refused to play or be a part of a team of players that he believed didn't prepare hard enough in the off season to even expect success during the upcoming campaign. Upperclassmen and Captains persuaded him...he was suspended by the staff for 2 or 3 games before he was allowed to pursue his touted career, that aided in laying some foundation toward modest CU football success '94,95'96' built on that type of work ethic, belief, trust and dedication.( as well as an injection of talented student athletes ) comparable to other Ivy teams. Without that healthy balance between players, coaches, and leadership at the top then NO program stands much of a chance... especially one with the unsuccessful history that Columbia has. I spoke of this episode to my players this season as our team was struggling through our first losing season in over 30 years...why the Des story? To let them know that you are entitled to nothing without the work ethic, dedication, trust and leadership...it's that chemistry that makes for a successful team. That chemistry and bond that comes from that trust and leadership and a little bit of talent will give you the best shot at success. Without those healthy ingredients, you have little chance at best. Go Lions! CoachE
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