Coach Mac today
Stadium Journey interviewed former Columbia Head Coach Larry McElreavy and it included a large amount of Columbia content including Coach Mac's thoughts on the program right now.
It should be noted that McElreavy at one time or another, had close professional ties to two people who loom large on Columbia's radar screen right now: Rick Taylor and Joe Moglia.
McElreavy knows both of these men quite well and I know he would be a good source for them if Taylor's affiliation with Columbia continues and if Moglia decides to consider taking the coaching job here.
Some of the kinds of players and regions of the country McElreavy recruited well for Columbia have been ignored ever since, especially the New England preps. He also had a very good eye for offensive line talent. Any new regime at Columbia would be wise to look at all of those deficiencies and address them.
As far as Taylor's report, we do know that it was presented to President Lee Bollinger and presumably outgoing Athletic Director Dianne Murphy on Thursday. I agree with those who believe the general public will never see even an executive summary. But stranger things have happened.
For me, getting our hands on the report is not really all that important. Much more important is what I and so many others have been saying for months now, and that is what Bollinger says and does in the coming weeks.
We all saw and read the absolute garbage Bollinger said about football and athletics last year. His words had an impact as we all endured another terrible year for football as a result. We knew it was going to happen as soon as those words hit the Spectator's presses. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. Take some time to read the 100+ comments on the post I linked to at the beginning of this paragraph to get an idea just how many of us knew what was in store this past season. It seems only Bollinger didn't see it.
When Bollinger made that statement it sent a strong message to the fans, the alumni, the potential recruits and our opponents that Columbia really didn't give a damn about winning or even a degree of respectability for football.
Smarter words and actions by Bollinger this time around can easily have the opposite effect. Yes, even the words alone could help. I have no problem if he waits to say those words until he hires a new A.D., but he has to say something substantive and positive soon. And he should talk at least in general terms about what Taylor suggested to him in his report.
Because Murphy is out and so is Mangurian, Bollinger's words and actions are more important than ever. Unless he wants to lean on Bill Campbell or Jonathan Schiller for help here, Bollinger is on his own.
Let's see what he says and give him a chance to say it.
7 comments:
Its funny how he does not appear to have one bit of remorse for being such a dishonest and deceiptful person, and I am only talking about his players...
He has respect for the kids at CU who were recruited before he got there but who stayed with him? What a joke! He did everything he could to get people to quit, even going to the extreme of lying about them and slandering them.
Such a class act...
Jake, this is dead on.
While it is unlikely we will ever see the actual report, we will know soon enough if Mr. Bollinger is taking this, and us, seriously. And by "us", I don't mean you or me, I mean his entire constituency.
For well over a year, we have been asking him to make a public, formal statement (which will not cost a bloody nickel)affirming this institution's endorsement of athletics (not just football) as a necessary and beneficial component of our university.
Sort of an "Athletic Emancipation Proclamation". This would send a clear message to faculty, students, staff and alums that athletics is to be regarded with the same respect as any other funded department. Don't believe for a minute that much of the schism we have seen over the years on campus re athletes has not been a direct result of this lack of respect from the admin.
We'll know in a few months just how serious CU is. Deeds, not Words.
WOF- are you referring to McElreavy?
Coach, yes, he was a terrible person
Off the subject.
Can someone tell me why the Columbia Band is so obviously anti-establishment. It seems to me that their on field antics are indictitive of the administration's disrespect for Ivy
League football in general.
You old timers may know this already,
but I am stumped.
The "world's cleverest band" has been cavorting in their inimitable manner since the '50s, according to a former Drum Major of same.
My only bitch about them, because the ones I met have been great individuals, is that their narrative (over the PA system) is usually unintelligible, so that the clever (hopefully) dialogue is not understandable. Parallel with that, the songs they play are not usually discernible. And the secret sauce is the combo of narrative, relevant music, and the marching formations. Lose 2 out of 3, and it's a no-go.
Too bad. Why can we understand the game announcer and not the band announcer?
Dawg,
Thank you. Not sure I get the rolling around on the ground, but they do get your attention.
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