JOE SHARP FORCED TO RETIRE

[MarkL]

I'm pretty confident Joe would not want any former players to stop supporting the program just because of what happened. I sincerely hope that any former players who said they would stop supporting the program said that as a knee jerk reaction and change their minds.

[Falconfreak90]

I'm pretty confident Joe would not want any former players to stop supporting the program just because of what happened. I sincerely hope that any former players who said they would stop supporting the program said that as a knee jerk reaction and change their minds.

+1.

[SB-50]

Text of an email from a former BG coach. He's currently at another IA school and was here briefly under GC:

This is BS about Sharpie. The people that are running the athletic department have ruined the falcon spirit that has fueled BG for years. They don't understand tradition and family and why BG has been successful for so many years. Doing this to Joe is just another episode that proves it. I am going to send some e mails and explain my disgust with what is going on and I will spread the word so others do the same. What can we do for Joe? Let me know.

[Falcon Commander]

I found this comment interesting from Coach Clawson:

On the situation regarding equipment manager Joe Sharp: "The Sharp family has done so much for so many people," coach Dave Clawson said. "Joe and his family have done a lot for Bowling Green. We're certainly going to miss him. He was great to me and our entire staff when we made the transition here. We wish him well, and we miss him. We hope we can have him involved with our program in some capacity because he means so much to so many people." - per John Wagner, The Blade

[takeoffeh]

I found this comment interesting from Coach Clawson:

On the situation regarding equipment manager Joe Sharp: "The Sharp family has done so much for so many people," coach Dave Clawson said. "Joe and his family have done a lot for Bowling Green. We're certainly going to miss him. He was great to me and our entire staff when we made the transition here. We wish him well, and we miss him. We hope we can have him involved with our program in some capacity because he means so much to so many people." - per John Wagner, The Blade

Maybe he'll be the new AD!

[BGorDeath]

Text of an email from a former BG coach. He's currently at another IA school and was here briefly under GC:

This is BS about Sharpie. The people that are running the athletic department have ruined the falcon spirit that has fueled BG for years. They don't understand tradition and family and why BG has been successful for so many years. Doing this to Joe is just another episode that proves it. I am going to send some e mails and explain my disgust with what is going on and I will spread the word so others do the same. What can we do for Joe? Let me know.

Not to nitpick, but "successful for so many years?" Football stunk in the Ankney era, most of the Blackney era and according to many the Brandon era. Hockey has stunk for 13 years straight. From what I gather, the equipment manager is the biggest key to success, so Moe Ankney and Buddy Powers should still be coaching.

[MarkL]

Text of an email from a former BG coach. He's currently at another IA school and was here briefly under GC:

This is BS about Sharpie. The people that are running the athletic department have ruined the falcon spirit that has fueled BG for years. They don't understand tradition and family and why BG has been successful for so many years. Doing this to Joe is just another episode that proves it. I am going to send some e mails and explain my disgust with what is going on and I will spread the word so others do the same. What can we do for Joe? Let me know.

Just my $.02, but what I'd say folks can do for Joe is see if GC and Clawson can find another position for him. See if they can suggest him in some sort of alumni coordination role or something regarding keeping in contact with Falcon Football alumni.

[Redwingtom]

Ummmm....

Guys.....

If you're going to make a "fired" equipment manager the cornerstone of our football program, we got serious issues.

[KPAFalcon]

Is there a Hall of Fame for Equipment Managers?

[JoeFalcon]

BG should stand for tradition and family.

It shouldn't stand for favoritism, cronyism and false martyrdom.

[Flipper]

The University HAS to take action on alcohol related offenses. Failure to adress the situation agressively could lead to all kinds of liability concerns should an accident or other incident occur...not to mention the message it sends in general. Binge drinking is a huge issue on college campii...you can't afford the kind of message that letting alcohol related offenses slide would send.

Could there have been some other penalty? Perhaps..but given the fact there were some very strongly worded reprimands issued in the past, would it have mattered? The bottom line is that a 54 year-old man was given a very clear set of guidelines and he thumbed his nose at them. I'm having a hard time seeing GC as the bad guy here....

[factman]

It helps to know the whole story behind the "reprimands" and the "witch hunt" some members of the athletic department administration go on, before you draw any conclusion as to what the outcome should be. What is written is not always entirely accurate and in many cases exaggerated. As was mentioned before, it is very interesting how the "public information'" became available for this case, but has still not been available for the budget and scholarship cuts, that was ask for many months ago. Why is this? Very simply, one puts a good light on the AD and the other paints a very dark and dreary picture that most of you would not be happy with.

[SB-50]

I was on campus Friday afternoon. I visited with the head of HR and Coach Clawson was gracious enough to give an audience to this old has-been. Our previous discussions have been confirmed. The decision re Sharp was made by GC and the President. This decision was based upon many factors and was not made lightly. All involved are desperate to have Sharp involved with the Program. Many ideas were discussed and exchanged. It was widely known, and based upon the uproar unmistakably clear, that the Sharp family is as important, if not more, to Falcon Football than any AD, Coach or University President. Due to this, Joe's continued association with the University is paramount.

I want to believe that those on this board are avid BG Football fans. Knowing this, the sarcasm and flippant remarks about Joe are surprising, and a little disappointing. The same players supported on this Board also hold Joe Sharp in very high regard. I would hope, by proxy, all of Falcon Nation does as well.

Reaction to the situation is simmering a bit, and I expect attitudes to mellow through the summer. Everyone knows that Joe's actions presented the University with a difficult decision. It has been difficult to observe a good friend endure this hardship.

ROLL ALONG
WIN THE MAC
GO FALCONS

[SB-50]

It helps to know the whole story behind the "reprimands" and the "witch hunt" some members of the athletic department administration go on, before you draw any conclusion as to what the outcome should be. What is written is not always entirely accurate and in many cases exaggerated. As was mentioned before, it is very interesting how the "public information'" became available for this case, but has still not been available for the budget and scholarship cuts, that was ask for many months ago. Why is this? Very simply, one puts a good light on the AD and the other paints a very dark and dreary picture that most of you would not be happy with.

Scholarships were cut by the NCAA due to poor Academic Progress Report (APR) scores. I know in 2009 we received an 8 scholarship reduction due to the APR 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08 academic years. Eight scholarships doesn't sound like alot, but it's over 1/3 of the starting 22. Things have been corrected and we're back to the full scholarship allotment.

[factman]

The APR cuts have nothing to do with what I am talking about. These are budget and scholarship cuts that have been made by GC to most of the sports other than football, that the press has been trying to get information on, that the department will not disclose.