The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Firstly, don't let the posters drive you back to hibernation. If they don't like what you have to say, tough titty. Say it anyway. Especially if it something original to add to the discussion.

Secondly, this post is very interesting. I had thought that Buzz Peterson had accepted this job the middle of this week. I was surprised to see this happen over the last few hours. Sounds like there was some odd gyrations coming from the TCU AD's office. I wonder if this is over...

KENTVILLE said "If Christian is smart he'll leave now while he still has some 'value' left."

SMART move !!!!!

It is a smart move for Jim. Just compare his choices:

1. $600K base vs. $200K at KSU
2. Multiple NCAA bids in the conference vs. one kill yourself bid in the MAC
3. Big money being put into athletic renovations underway vs. trying to speed up a MACC renovation
4. First class air travel to all the games vs. a bus through beautiful Ohio.
5. The sunshine of Fort Worth duing basketball season vs. freezing through Northeastern Ohio.

TCU was an easy move for Jim. I love the Flashes, but I'd sure make this one if I were him.

Great job, Coach Christian. Best of luck.

http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/3545852

FlashFan Wrote:It is a smart move for Jim. Just compare his choices:

1. $600K base vs. $200K at KSU
2. Multiple NCAA bids in the conference vs. one kill yourself id in the MAC
3. Big money being put into athletic renovations underway vs. trying to speed up a MACC renovation
4. First class air travel to all the games vs. a bus through beautiful Ohio.
5. The sunshine of Fort Worth duing basketball season vs. freezing through Northeastern Ohio.

TCU was an easy move for Jim. I love the Flashes, but I'd sure make this one if I were him.

Great job, Coach Christian. Best of luck.

http://www.recordpub.com/news/article/3545852

Quote:The MWC had at least one at-large qualifier in each of the last seven years. Over the last nine years, it has received 20 NCAA bids, including 11 at-large berths.
The Mid-American Conference's last at-large bid was back in 1999.
As a private university located in Fort Worth, TCU has deep enough pockets to give Christian the resources he needs to help the Horned Frogs to their first NCAA Tournament berth since 1998.
The school is involved in a $255-million facelift that includes major upgrades to its athletic facilities. It has already completed a beautiful, new $5-million, 22,000-foot basketball complex separate from the 7,200-seat Daniel-Meyer Coliseum. The new facility boasts two full practice courts, coaches offices and a state-of-the-art weight room.

KSU fans, alums, and students have never shown the level of support needed for our program be able to compete for established coaching talent. This is a big step up and a great opportunity for Coach Christian.

Polish Hammer Wrote:

AlphaFlash Wrote:It was hard. I can't figure how these guys get athletes to come to their school, promising them the world. Then they run out the door, throwing dollar bills into the wind.
For the last couple of times this happened, I was going along with the benefit of the doubt. Thinking that its the nature of the beast, the M.O. of the mid-major. But now I'm really thinking its greed. Pretty simply put.
I know, we should be greatful to have coaches other schools want. WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP! What if we actually had a coach with a little loyalty.
I'm sorry, I'm bitter and its late, but I don't wish him the best. Thanks for the memories Jim Christian, but ouch. Definately OUCH!

Not sure why you keep harping on this it's the nature of the beast. Should he turn down tripling or even quadrupling his salary to stay somewhere that isn't his home or alma mater out of 'loyalty'? If so I'd call it stupidity instead. The kids go there to better themselves in life and so do the coaches. Would you expect a kid getting offers from major schools to turn them down to sign with the Flashes? Then why should JC?

Thats a fair question bro. I got some sleep now, so my tyrants are over. Here is why I'm salty about all this.
Say you are a parent who's son is going to Kent State to play basketball for Jim Christian..
You see Kent beat St. Mary on tv. you are proud that your kid is going to be playing for such a team, with such a coach. You see Kent State win the MAC. You start to wonder about this guy that was in your living room asking your son to commit to 4 years of playing bball and education to his university. You wonder is this guy who is asking my son to commit to this school committed himself?
I idolize Miami. Coach Coals is someone I look up to.
He is also someone who can easily walk into a livingroom and ask for an 18 year old to commit to his program, not because they were ranked or because they went to the NCAA Tournament. He is asking them to commit because he is committed. That kid's parent will be satisfied knowing that this coach is going to be there for their son for the next 4 years. and that this guy knows the university, the rules, the social system, etc...
But I know, I was just told from a friend on the phone the same thing he told me the last 2 times this happened:
"wishful thinking."

Say you are a fan of Kent State that wants Jim Christian to stay with all of your heart. He listens to you, turning down better opportunities for himself and his family, opportunities that may never come again. Some would say he is showing his loyalty.

Just suppose Jim Christian stays and runs into some bad luck. A few guys get hurt. Someone doesn't work out. A few MAC teams get better. Days of the MAC Championships and trips to the dance past. Seasons of .500 are a regular occurance. Are these same fans asking Jim to show his loyalty now going to show it back? Or are they going to be calling for his head?
Given the reaction to a bad half in an NCAA game after a phenominal season, Jim Christian knows the answer to this. So do I. Fans demand loyalty from coaches in good times and are slow to return it in bad times.

Take the chance, Jim. You never know if it will come again. Thank you for all that you've done here and best of luck at TCU.

axeme Wrote:Go easy on the Akron folks. Next year they have to face the hard truth about the Dambrot era now that it's fully established. It's not going to be pretty. And to finish behind us and our rookie coach may be more than they can handle.

Zips fans also don't know how to handle having a successful basketball coach leave for potentially greener pastures because theirs usually leave as a result of being fired.

I'll never get Zips fans. They laugh at Kent for losing to BG and getting knocked out of the top 25, meanwhile Akron never gets a sniff of the rankings. They laugh at Kent for getting thumped in the NCAA Tournament, meanwhile Akron has not made the Tournament since 1986. Now they laugh at Kent when Christian leaves, meanwhile the "tradition" at Akron is for the basketball coaches to be asked to leave.

Do Akron fans not understand that they're laughing at success while at the same time celebrating the few chewable scraps the school's basketball program has produced over the last 19 years? What a mystifying bunch.

AlphaFlash Wrote:

Polish Hammer Wrote:

AlphaFlash Wrote:It was hard. I can't figure how these guys get athletes to come to their school, promising them the world. Then they run out the door, throwing dollar bills into the wind.
For the last couple of times this happened, I was going along with the benefit of the doubt. Thinking that its the nature of the beast, the M.O. of the mid-major. But now I'm really thinking its greed. Pretty simply put.
I know, we should be greatful to have coaches other schools want. WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP! What if we actually had a coach with a little loyalty.
I'm sorry, I'm bitter and its late, but I don't wish him the best. Thanks for the memories Jim Christian, but ouch. Definately OUCH!

Not sure why you keep harping on this it's the nature of the beast. Should he turn down tripling or even quadrupling his salary to stay somewhere that isn't his home or alma mater out of 'loyalty'? If so I'd call it stupidity instead. The kids go there to better themselves in life and so do the coaches. Would you expect a kid getting offers from major schools to turn them down to sign with the Flashes? Then why should JC?

Thats a fair question bro. I got some sleep now, so my tyrants are over. Here is why I'm salty about all this.
Say you are a parent who's son is going to Kent State to play basketball for Jim Christian..
You see Kent beat St. Mary on tv. you are proud that your kid is going to be playing for such a team, with such a coach. You see Kent State win the MAC. You start to wonder about this guy that was in your living room asking your son to commit to 4 years of playing bball and education to his university. You wonder is this guy who is asking my son to commit to this school committed himself?
I idolize Miami. Coach Coals is someone I look up to.
He is also someone who can easily walk into a livingroom and ask for an 18 year old to commit to his program, not because they were ranked or because they went to the NCAA Tournament. He is asking them to commit because he is committed. That kid's parent will be satisfied knowing that this coach is going to be there for their son for the next 4 years. and that this guy knows the university, the rules, the social system, etc...
But I know, I was just told from a friend on the phone the same thing he told me the last 2 times this happened:
"wishful thinking."

Wishful thinking indeed. These kids will still be taken care of, will still get a good education FREE and I'm sure JC feels he left them in good hands. Despite the huge raise and better working conditions I'm sure this wasn't an easy decision for JC to make, hopefully these fine young men he recruited to Kent State are mature enough to realise he had to make this decision and do what's best for him and his family. Call it greed or selfishness all you want, few if any would turn down that deal.

Akron U. basketball? A picture tells a thousand words...