A Blast from the Past

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So which former Columbia head coach do many longtime staffers say Pete Mangurian reminds them of?

Think "intense."

Now think even "intenser," (I know, I know, that's not a real word).

But longtime Lion fans and insiders know the most intense guy they ever saw was Jim Garrett.

And Jim Garrett is coming to a lot of people's mind when they interact with and see Coach Mangurian in action.

And let me say this about that:

Contrary to what you may have heard, being like Jim Garrett is a GOOD thing... (except in press conferences).  Garrett was intense, but he excepted nothing but victory and he was going to get us to the top of the mountain in the Ivies had the administration been able to handle his intensity.

Throw out one unfortunate comment at his first postgame news conference and maybe Columbia wouldn't have bailed on Garrett after his first season.

In fact, players on Garrett's '85 team tell me that the team took a vote when he was fired and more than 90% voted to go to the administration and ask for him to be rehired.

I have no fear that Mangurian will have the kinds of problems Garrett faced with the news media. We live in an age now where we all know how comments can get misconstrued even in sports. The Internet has educated us all.

I also have no fear that the 2012 team will go 0-10 like the '85 Lions did. So perhaps this is Columbia's chance to find out "what might have been," and a chance to put things right.

A Glimpse from the Spec

There are a few decent pieces of news from yesterday's piece in the Columbia Spectator about Coach Mangurian and his new staff.

I think the headline is that Mangurian and Lempa are looking to go with a 4-man front on defense. Most Ivy teams use the 3-4 and Columbia only switched to the 4-3 in 2010 before coming back to a 3-4 mostly this
season.

I also like the points Mangurian made about catching up on recruiting. The coaching change seems to be forcing some on-the-fence recruits or even some recruits with lukewarm "commitments" to reconsider Columbia.

                                                             Jerry Recco


Recco's Travels

My former broadcasting partner Jerry Recco remains the excellent play-by-play man for Columbia football and basketball.

His full-time gig is as the updates anchor for the "Boomer and Carton" radio show on WFAN here in New York City.

On yesterday's morning show Boomer and Carton revealed Jerry's Hellish schedule as he drove all the way upstate to cover the Columbia-Colgate basketball game, which the Lions won 66-59, and then turned right around to do the usual show on WFAN this morning.

Recco is a huge asset for Columbia and he deserves two things:

1) Real winning bball and football teams so his play-by-play will get more
attention

2) An eventual promotion to a play-by-play job with the Jets or the Nets,
etc.

                                                     Dennis Polian


More Polian Connections

Yes, I was remiss yesterday when I wrote about Bill Polian's firing with the Colts by not mentioning that his son Dennis was the head of football operations for Columbia for two seasons in 2003 and 2004.

Dennis is currently the director of football operations for Indianapolis. And while the team did dump his dad and his brother Chris on Monday, Dennis is still with the Colts as of today! That could be uncomfortable, but more power to him if he makes it work!

Hopefully, more Lion players like Craig Hormann '08, will get a chance to intern and work for the Colts organization thanks to the Polian connection.