Something has got to change already

[San Diego Falcon]

Every single one of those departures has a story and a reason behind it, some of them at the fault of Dakich and probably most of them not.

I'm not in the "Fire Dakich now" camp, but do you really think that most of the departures had nothing to do with the head coach? All of the exact reasons and circumstances are different, but he is the one common denominator in each of these stories.

[BGSUSynchroSk8r2006]

Every single one of those departures has a story and a reason behind it, some of them at the fault of Dakich and probably most of them not.

I'm not in the "Fire Dakich now" camp, but do you really think that most of the departures had nothing to do with the head coach? All of the exact reasons and circumstances are different, but he is the one common denominator in each of these stories.

I never claimed that most of the departures had nothing to do with Dakich. I said that not all of them did, just like not all of them were due to other factors.

[BGSU33]

Honestly, at this point in time, after all the transfers, losing seasons, and quite frankly, and the bullshit surrounding our program, I’m just ready for a clean, fresh start with it all. I don’t even care who’s at fault or who’s to blame anymore, because the fact of the matter is, we have a lot of problems with our program and it’s not getting any better. Every year it’s the same damn things. I’m just ready for a clean and fresh start all the way across the board. If that means a new coaching staff or if that leaves us with an entire team of walk-ons next year until we can build this team back to what it can become, then so be it. But what we have been trying to do and what we have been trying to do it with clearly is not the answer anymore. I can’t say I’ve ever been embarrassed about my school or a program here, but I cannot say that anymore. This all has gotten out of control and enough is enough.

[Falconboy]

Honestly, at this point in time, after all the transfers, losing seasons, and quite frankly, and the bullshit surrounding our program, I’m just ready for a clean, fresh start with it all. I don’t even care who’s at fault or who’s to blame anymore, because the fact of the matter is, we have a lot of problems with our program and it’s not getting any better. Every year it’s the same damn things. I’m just ready for a clean and fresh start all the way across the board. If that means a new coaching staff or if that leaves us with an entire team of walk-ons next year until we can build this team back to what it can become, then so be it. But what we have been trying to do and what we have been trying to do it with clearly is not the answer anymore. I can’t say I’ve ever been embarrassed about my school or a program here, but I cannot say that anymore. This all has gotten out of control and enough is enough.

I feel your pain dude. I dont' know what to say anymore , so I guess I wont say anything.

[BleedOrange]

Honestly, at this point in time, after all the transfers, losing seasons, and quite frankly, and the bullshit surrounding our program, I’m just ready for a clean, fresh start with it all. I don’t even care who’s at fault or who’s to blame anymore, because the fact of the matter is, we have a lot of problems with our program and it’s not getting any better. Every year it’s the same damn things. I’m just ready for a clean and fresh start all the way across the board. If that means a new coaching staff or if that leaves us with an entire team of walk-ons next year until we can build this team back to what it can become, then so be it. But what we have been trying to do and what we have been trying to do it with clearly is not the answer anymore. I can’t say I’ve ever been embarrassed about my school or a program here, but I cannot say that anymore. This all has gotten out of control and enough is enough.

Every departure has a story behind it. The players' reasons for leaving, without a doubt, have been numerous, complex, nuanced, and individualized. However, a major factor in any player's decision to stay or leave MUST be the coach. Bad luck comes in spurts, but ultimately, luck regresses to the mean. While I believe that Dan Dakich is an excellent man, I also must believe that there is a systematic problem with his approach that is driving disproportionate number of players away. After all that we've seen and heard, and the consistency of it, it's foolish to believe otherwise. Something just isn't working.

I myself want a fresh start. As a fan, I want a different product, one that's viable and exciting. When I consider the $100, 7 hour proposition of attending a basketball game at BGSU (I live near Akron), I could do without the vague, sinking feeling that my support is all for naught, and that I won't be witnessing something that's effective or progressing.

I've tried to imagine what Dan Dakich is going through emotionally right about now, and it's hard to bear. Because of who he is, I want desparately for him to succeed, and I think he will. Unfortunately, at BG, he seems to be in a rut that he can't break out of. He will see success again, but I think that he too needs a fresh start. I've picked at and complained about his program (and I promise to do the same to every coach we have), but I will ALWAYS be a fan of Dan Dakich.

[fulch]

I'm not one to call for a coach's firing. It's just not in me, but I am damn close right now. The team has just not gotten it done this year, and I'm not sure the future looks too bright (I know we lack talent, and we play hard, but how exactly did the cupboard get this bare?). We've had three losing seasons in the past four years, and in none of those years, did I feel we had a legit chance to win the MAC tournament. That's four years without a sniff of what our ultimate goal should be: the MAC tournament championship and that elusive bid to the Big Dance. Four years seems to qualify as more than just a few down seasons to me. When you consider this and the recent beatdowns, a losing record at home, and (you guessed it) the mass exodus of transfers, what other conclusion can you come to besides some sort of a change?

Sorry, just had to get this stuff off my chest. I've been reading all of the pro and anti-Dakich stuff, and the "Fire Dakich" side really does have the better arguments IMHO.

[Columbus Falcon]

Dakich I believe to be a good coach but maybe not the greatest recruiter. When he was winning he was doing a lot of that with Larranaga's players (wish he was still here right now). I don't know what it is but is his personality so abrasive that it runs kids the wrong way?

[BGSU33]

Jim Larranaga, who wasn’t exactly the most well-liked coach for the BG faithful, coached at BG for 11 seasons. He posted seven winning seasons and four losing seasons and won one MAC title and went to the NIT three times with no NCAA appearances. His last four years, they were all winning seasons including his last year which was one of the best years ever for a BG team. Dan Dakich has coached at BG for nine seasons and has five winning seasons and four losing seasons and won one MAC title and went to the NIT two times with no NCAA appearances. He also had two of BG's best seasons ever, but his last four years have consisted of three losing seasons and has more transfers or defections than, well, probably any coaching era in the history of BG basketball.

You can make an argument either way who was or is the better coach at BG over the last 20 years of BG hoops, but the fact of the matter is, Larranaga had us competing and basically reloading during his last four years, while Dakich hasn’t had anywhere near the success following his WVU departure and return and we have been rebuilding the past four years. Larranaga went out on a high his last season at BG, while Dakich is suffering through likely his worst season ever. And there are people on this board that want to talk about whether or not this is Stan Joplin’s last year at Toledo or laugh that Jeremy Fears took a leave of absence this year at Ohio??? We’ve got more problems in our own house than any team in the MAC, and we need to worry about ourselves and find a way to get it solved - now.

[HoustonFalcon]

There is a difference in being a recruiter, and being a coach that can't keep his kids in the program. Coach Dakich has brought in some good talent, but they haven't stayed.

[Columbus Falcon]

If the AD is going to make a change I believe he is going to wait until after the season.

AD Krebs has many things to consider:

Academics/Athletics
Recruiting
$$$ (Contract Buying Out)
Attendance
Trends within the program
Booster Pressure
Pressure from his/her boss(es)

[BleedOrange]

I'm not one to call for a coach's firing. It's just not in me, but I am damn close right now. The team has just not gotten it done this year, and I'm not sure the future looks too bright (I know we lack talent, and we play hard, but how exactly did the cupboard get this bare?). We've had three losing seasons in the past four years, and in none of those years, did I feel we had a legit chance to win the MAC tournament. That's four years without a sniff of what our ultimate goal should be: the MAC tournament championship and that elusive bid to the Big Dance. Four years seems to qualify as more than just a few down seasons to me. When you consider this and the recent beatdowns, a losing record at home, and (you guessed it) the mass exodus of transfers, what other conclusion can you come to besides some sort of a change?

Sorry, just had to get this stuff off my chest. I've been reading all of the pro and anti-Dakich stuff, and the "Fire Dakich" side really does have the better arguments IMHO.

We're 9-17 right now and my bet is that we'll finish at 9-21, barring a fluke. Furthermore, for next year, we return two players that are good AND experienced: Samarco and Marschall. T-W-O. The term "rebuilding" is just inappropriate. Unless we have a wildly good recruiting season in the Spring, it's difficult to imagine anything other than a struggle next year as well.

(Edit: I'm thinking that Matt's feet will either prevent him from returning or hamper like they did this year, heavan forbid.)

[BGSU33]

We're 9-17 right now and my bet is that we'll finish at 9-21, barring a fluke. Furthermore, for next year, we return two players that are good AND experienced: Samarco and Marschall. T-W-O. The term "rebuilding" is just inappropriate. Unless we have a wildly good recruiting season in the Spring, it's difficult to imagine anything other than a struggle next year as well.

(Edit: I'm thinking that Matt's feet will either prevent him from returning or hamper like they did this year, heavan forbid.)

I agree the term rebuilding may be a stretch for our teams, but in the comparison of the terms rebuilding vs. reloading in hoops, we are certainly rebuilding year after year – and from the ground up.

As for even being able to say next year we’ll return two players who are good and experienced, sadly, with the way the last four years have gone for us, I simply cannot fully believe to expect anything about returning anyone until I actually see them return. It’s very sad to say, because it used to be if a guy was a freshman, sophomore or junior, he’d be back, but things just haven’t worked out that way with us. Without a doubt I would LOVE to see everyone back next season (including Wright for that matter). But past history strongly suggests, we can’t assume anything with our players. And before what I'm saying gets misconstrued, I am not at all saying more players besides Wright certainly will not return, I’m only stating the fact that many of them have not in recent years and I am worried it could continue to happen again. I hope like hell it doesn’t. But after all that has happened with our program, how in the world can we bank on anyone coming back for sure? Seriously. Wright just got an extra year of eligibility back to compete as a fifth-year senior and he’s gone with a few games left this season, Lewis was an All-MAC player and our top returner with high hopes of being a star and he bolted, and the list goes on and on for whatever reasons (homesick, proximity, disgruntled, etc.). As much as I want to see everyone else back, I’m worried they may not. or even, that we might not get a chance to see a promising guy like Sullivan ever suit up. I’m not saying it’ll happen, I’m saying I hope like hell it doesn’t. But I'd be lying to say it’s not always going to be in the back of my mind as a worry.

[Flipper]

John Floyd is a good shooting guard. He isn't a very good PG though. Moon is a decent defensive stopper off the bench. There, we're up to four guys already...

[BGSU33]

John Floyd is a good shooting guard. He isn't a very good PG though. Moon is a decent defensive stopper off the bench. There, we're up to four guys already...

That's counting four "IF" they come back, that's the whole point, the "if" part. It's not who is “supposed” to be back, it's who “will” be back. And aside from Samarco, Marschall, Floyd and Robinson as mentioned earlier, we also need Sullivan, Lefeld, Moten, Clements, Phillips, Radivojevic, Freeman and Guerin. We need all of them, that is how you build a team. We just lost one of our better players before the end of the season even got here who had another year left to play. On top of that, we’ve lost like nine guys in three years and this off-season hasn't even gotten here yet. We are just sitting on pins and needles anymore with this issue. Too often we simply dismiss losing an underclassman who hasn’t played much or proved much after a season or two as not that big of a big loss, only to later see these guys come around and turn out to be very solid players down the road somewhere else by the time they are upperclassman. And this is why we continue to struggle, aren’t able to develop depth, and can’t reload and are always back to rebuilding. The losses have got to stop or we’ll never get this turned around.

There's no doubt in my mind we can field a pretty good team next year if everyone else returns, Sullivan comes on board, Miller works out, Sims and Larsen have an impact, etc. But it's all about if. It's been that way for the last four years and will be that way leading into next season. Until we get this problem corrected, make a change, do whatever we need to do, we're going to continue this cycle and the 101 excuses as to why we face this problem will continue to arise. It’s just got to stop already.