Keeping alumni interested
It is with great sadness that I watch what has happened to my alma mater. I attended a school boasting a Top 25 basketball team a student section that filled up to capacity and a true sense of pride. Then we decided that we didn’t need football anymore (although somehow there is money for new soccer fields and a baseball stadium; yeah, those are revenue-generating sports). The Southern Conference dropped us after six championships in 15 years.
We now are in the embarrassing Atlantic Sun Conference, and yet we can’t even win there (I thought when we joined, at least we’ll be in the NCAAs every year). In the early ’90s, we scheduled teams like Gardner Webb and Belmont as the “easy win” games early in the year. Despite these shortcomings, we’ve chosen to actually give a contract extension to the coach who has failed to deliver anything to a school with our history.
Here’s a suggestion: Beg Mister Jennings to take over the program. If you really don’t feel that Jennings is ready for some reason, then do whatever it takes to bring John Shulman home from Chattanooga, although I don’t know that he’d really want to take what is now a step-down in jobs.
It is pitiful to see the mismanagement that has occurred on campus. I try to keep up, and I at least can wear my ETSU Golf hat with pride. But if the school wants to keep alumni, especially distant ones like me, interested, then changes are needed. Problem is, it might just be too late. BRIAN GRANGER Charlotte, N.C.

What did I say when Mister was hired?

"How soon will it be before people clamor for him to be the head coach?"

John Shulman? Surely this guy is not serious.

Quote:John Shulman? Surely this guy is not serious.

At least he didn't mention George Pitts.

At least this alumnus from Charlotte understands that something is bad wrong with basketball and athletics in general at ETSU. Why cannot the leadership see that?

I don't think Shulman would take the job if offered. He seems to have a bitter taste in his mouth because of the way Alan LaForce was discharged. He seems to make the ETSU game a really big deal every year. Even his players will tell the media that "coach really wanted this game".

Surely to heavens we can do better than Shulman. There are excellent coaches out there that would take the job and are a lot better than Shulman. The only reason that UTC is able to beat ETSU is because we have a worse coach.

Pushing for Shulman as the next coach speaks of an old money mentality.

Is there a reason to even debate this? Does anyone really think that Murry is going anywhere? Roy Williams, Mike Krzyzewski, Bruce Pearl and John Calipari could all be lined up outside Memorial Center begging for a job but it would do the Bucs no good unless there was a vacancy. Murry has to go before this debate is even worth having.

The question is- all things being equal- if you could trade Bartow for Shulman straight up- do you do it?

I say we go after Kevin Nickelberry and with the understanding that he allows Jennings to remain on his staff.

BTW did anybody else notice that Rodney English resigned from UTC?

R