Messages

1816

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Rach leaves YSU football team.

« on: March 11, 2011, 11:52:44 AM »

It all comes down to how a person responds to these two questions.  First, what percentage of the football team that Wolford inherited from Heacock were legitimate FCS players?  Second, of that group, how many had the talent to restore our national prominence?  Those that had a high opinion of Heacock's recruiting abilities are alarmed at the massive turnover.  Those that felt that half the team under Heacock consisted of D2 players applaud the turnover.  Like all coaches, Wolford gets three years to prove himself.  If we fail to make the playoffs by 2012, I and many others will be calling for his removal.  But even if Wolford can not get the job done, it does not change the fact that Heacock failed.

1817

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Ladies fall 49-47

« on: March 08, 2011, 08:16:49 PM »

IP,

How dare you pick on one of the Hill/Martin athletes?  Ok, she missed ten layups but she could run faster and jump higher than anybody else on that floor.

With Brown back for two years, Schlegel returning healthy (hopefully,) and at least three new recruits that can probably actually play basketball, there is reason for cautious optimism.  But as IP stated last week, this rebuilding job is very, very difficult.

1818

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Tressel gone?

« on: March 08, 2011, 08:11:11 PM »

I don't give a rat's butt about Ohio State or any school except for YSU.  The last time I cared anything about Tressel was the day before he left.  This Ohio State infection is a disease that is worse than the Bubonic plague.

1819

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Scalzo's column today in Vindicator

« on: March 06, 2011, 06:02:35 PM »

Agreed. Magnificent post Chez.

I find myself in the ridiculous position of supporting Slocum coming back next year.  Not because he deserves it, but because I fear that Strollo will actually hire someone who is worse.
After a decade, Strollo's legacy is bad teams, an empty gym, and declining football attendance until Wolford arrived on the scene.  Many see this, but the board of trustees and the president continue to support the man.  Unfortunately, they are the only people that count.

1820

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Scalzo's column today in Vindicator

« on: March 04, 2011, 01:03:39 PM »

I would also like a new AD, but I don't condemn Strollo for failing to fix the men's basketball situation that was bad long before he was hired.  Although that would have been nice. My indictment against him as AD has these four counts:

1. deterioration of the football program
2. destruction of the women's basketball program
3. awful performances by women's sports, most notably volleyball and soccer, that are fully funded under Title IX
4. expansion of athletic bureaucracy with money that should be going to coaches and recruiting

1821

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Scalzo's column today in Vindicator

« on: March 03, 2011, 02:43:05 PM »

IP,

Understood. Thanks.

1822

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Scalzo's column today in Vindicator

« on: March 03, 2011, 11:29:24 AM »

IP,

Your statement that the board of trustees impacts the distribution of athletic funding stuns me.  Of course the board must approve the budget that division heads submit, but I had not heard of any "micro-managing" by the board, either within the academic divisions or within athletics, since the days of the Monus gang. Your contacts with athletic department personnel are well known, so can I assume that you know that members of the current board are indeed interfering in Strollo's spending decisions?  If so, could you mention names? 

1823

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Guins Visit Valparaiso in First Round of Horizon League Championship

« on: March 02, 2011, 12:16:56 PM »

Scalzo had a column in the Vindicator today in which he was honest and pulled no punches.  He reported that Slocum would be back for his option year, but he also suggested that Slocum was not the long-term solution.  Scalzo pointed out his lack of enthusiasm with fans and media and the customary high turnover rate during his tenure.

Scalzo also bluntly made two points that our bland media usually ignore.  First, this is "a poor recruiting area."  I still bump into people that believe that we should be recruiting the junk that comes out of our local high schools.  Second, he cited our "weak tradition."  Those of us that followed the Dom teams from South High fieldhouse to the two near Ohio Valley conference tournament misses (by Rice but with Dom's players) might be offended by that statement.  But it is true.  That success was ancient history.  Face it.  We have stunk for about 25 years!

Finally, Scalzo noted the lack of concern for this constant losing by the general public.  This is the most dangerous problem.  Most casual fans are beyond caring.  Most of our football fans don't even follow the basketball team, forget about attending games.  And Scalzo implies: how do you increase the financial commitment when nobody seems to care?  As distasteful as his comments are to the true fans on this site, they are right on the mark.

1824

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Rach leaves YSU football team.

« on: February 26, 2011, 10:11:55 PM »

This should not surprise anybody, and there will be many more players who leave before next September.  We endured the worst defense in the history of Youngstown State University last season.  I fully expect between 9 and 11 new starters to take the field against Michigan State. 

1825

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Lady Penguins Battle but Drop Heart-breaker at Wright State, 70-67

« on: February 21, 2011, 12:21:11 PM »

Lecter,

NCAA scholarships must be renewed every year.  So Boldon could pull them, but, to our credit, the university has rarely done that.  In this case, it is not the girls' fault that Hill and Martin misinterpreted their talent level and brought them here.  They have a right to earn their degrees on the university's nickel.  However, once next years juniors and seniors (except for Brown) understand that the incoming freshmen will get most of the playing time, they might freely elect to transfer down to D2 or D3 where they might be able to contribute.

1826

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Lady Penguins Battle but Drop Heart-breaker at Wright State, 70-67

« on: February 20, 2011, 05:50:48 PM »

IP,

You are right, as usual.  She is just a sophomore.  Hopefully, she will quit along with the other dead weight that Boldon is stuck with for several more years.  I certainly agree that Hill and Martin are two sides of the same coin, but at least Martin recruited Brown and Schlegel.  Also got that Rohrs girl who has now missed two years with injuries.  I wonder if she is a DI player?  I wonder if she will ever play basketball again?  Anyway, I am confident that Boldon will only recruit real basketball players and not athletes with limited basketball skills and zero basketball IQ.

1827

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Lady Penguins Battle but Drop Heart-breaker at Wright State, 70-67

« on: February 20, 2011, 12:31:25 PM »

Boldon is the right man for the job, if he does not implode until he can get a nucleus of his recruits into the program.  I watched the end of yesterday's game on the internet, and it set a brand new standard for "losing dumb."  With a one point lead and eleven seconds left, one of Hill's recruits missed a one-on-one.  Hey, no big deal - all of our basketball players regardless of gender choke on the free throw line.  But then it happened.  Boldon had left the free throw lane uncontested, to avoid just what transpired.  The Hill recruit, with no basketball IQ whatsoever, slammed right into the back of the Wright State rebounder, who promptly drained the free throws and another potential win went down the drain.

Boldon inherited a team with only two division I players, one of them a freshman who had never played a college game (and promptly got hurt before league play began.)  So with only one real DI player, this guy has played numerous competitive games against hopeless odds.  Next year, with Brown back, the freshman recovered from her injury, and three newcomers who, by default, must be light-years ahead of Hill's recruits, Boldon might actually start to turn this disaster of a program around.

1828

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: men win

« on: February 20, 2011, 12:12:31 PM »

A MAC team with a winning league record losing to the bottom team in the Horizon League.  I love it.  And the Cleveland media will complain some more about the MAC being a single-bid conference!  We would be a middle of the pack team in that league! 

1829

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Vikings win

« on: February 15, 2011, 12:18:27 PM »

In that controversial Vindicator interview with Strollo, Scalzo noted that in the past decade the Mahoning Valley sent about 20 athletes to the National Football League but only one kid played DI basketball for four full seasons (several began in such programs then transferred to a lower level.)  Those of you who criticize Slocum have plenty of shortcomings to emphasize, but the man cannot be blamed for failing to recruit nonexistent local DI prospects.  The absolutely putrid nature of local high school basketball might be the single most significant drawback for YSU, regardless of the head coach. If you do not believe that, try watching a televised replay of a local high school basketball game. 

1830

YSU Penguin Athletics / Re: Softball team eager to begin season

« on: February 10, 2011, 07:37:17 PM »

No pitching whatsoever last season.  Sure hope that has changed.