Post by stillaphoenixphan on Jun 3, 2013 10:35:42 GMT -6
While of course I support the team and program, I find it a little unsettling when every time a kid leaves there seems to be this sort of opinion and commentary on this board to the effect that: good riddance, he was a bad fit, he had a bad attitude, he does not belong on a Division 1 squad, etc. etc.
These players did not force their way in to the program - they were recruited, no? I view every kid leaving as a failure in recruiting. If a kid is a bad fit for the style of play, or has bad chemistry with the other guys already on the squad, then whose fault is that?? Shame on the staff for not being able to identify these things on the front end and to vet these things out to prevent them from happening.
We know that Cougill bounced around a bit prior to coming to UWGB, and if you Google Cole Stefan, you won't have to look hard to find some text questioning his background character/commitment even going back to Minnetonka High School days.
Kind of reminds me of the Oakland Raiders or other pro teams that sign players (see Randy Moss) that have some skeletons in their past, with the hope that THIS time they will turn the corner. I hope that's not what is going on here - it is not worth the gamble.
I don't disagree with many things you said. In every program some of the players don't work out. When recruiting every one tells you what you want to hear. It's sifting out the truth to get results and I'm sure Coach is learning this.
I think you misunderstood some of the comments on players. When you get to 1-2 yrs remaining your options are limited and many players go to a lower division so they don't sit out a year or lose 1 of the 2 years you have left if you stay D1. Example Cole would probably lose a year and only play 1 year if he stays D1. So common sense says he'll probably go D2 or NAIA so he can play next year and compete for 2 years instead of 1. Bross was a project and Coach hoped he would push AB in practice. I'm also sure Bross said how willing he was to work hard to improve. He came in soft and worried more about other things than BB. Not the picture of some one willing to put all his effort into getting better. Coog's I agree with his history no matter how much talent he was bound to be trouble. He had been the first 2 years and always had excuses not answers. Yes he was a bad choice and then finding all the stuff about his mother he should have been left alone.