Reasons to still love Dan Dakich as our head coach...

[ZiggyZoomba]

I know there's a lot of indecision and debate concerning his future here, but you gotta love a coach who says things like this!

"I know my situation, I'm supposed to care about wins and losses, but I just want to see guys play really well.

"Even after the game [at Miami], it wasn't like that sick feeling when we lose. At least guys played. We've just got to build on it."

From Maureen's article in today's Blade:
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 1/SPORTS09

[Tech83]

I would love to hear another podcast with you talking with Maureen about the current state of BG Basketball, both men's and women's. I enjoy reading her articles and I really enjoyed your last "talk" with her.

[ZiggyZoomba]

I'd love to hear that too...

[JimmyZ11381]

I know there's a lot of indecision and debate concerning his future here, but you gotta love a coach who says things like this!

"I know my situation, I'm supposed to care about wins and losses, but I just want to see guys play really well.

"Even after the game [at Miami], it wasn't like that sick feeling when we lose. At least guys played. We've just got to build on it."

From Maureen's article in today's Blade:
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 1/SPORTS09

I have the same feeling about Coach Dakich, which is why I'm really on the fence about seeing him stay or go. I want him to win here really bad because he's a guy who really truly cares about his players on and off the court. I'm holding out hope that somehow, someway, this team can come together by the time the MAC Tourney rolls around and do the unthinkable.

Go Falcons
BEAT THE FLASHES!!!

[Globetrotter]

I know there's a lot of indecision and debate concerning his future here, but you gotta love a coach who says things like this!

"I know my situation, I'm supposed to care about wins and losses, but I just want to see guys play really well.

"Even after the game [at Miami], it wasn't like that sick feeling when we lose. At least guys played. We've just got to build on it."

From Maureen's article in today's Blade:
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar ... 1/SPORTS09

I have the same feeling about Coach Dakich, which is why I'm really on the fence about seeing him stay or go. I want him to win here really bad because he's a guy who really truly cares about his players on and off the court. I'm holding out hope that somehow, someway, this team can come together by the time the MAC Tourney rolls around and do the unthinkable.

Go Falcons
BEAT THE FLASHES!!!

It is best for both parties if he leaves at this time. It would be even better if he left on good terms.

[Jacobs4Heisman]

My favorite pro-Dakich reason is that he makes kids go to class and do well, and punishes them if they don't.


Basketball wise, it was pretty clear going into this season that it might be best for both parties to go in another direction. Nothing has happened so far this year to make me think otherwise.

That doesn't mean I don't like Dan. He's my favorite BG coach, and he has been ever since I came to BG.

[Falconfreak90]

I feel very similar to what's been posted. I think Coach is a great dude, very down to earth, honest and hard working. His players GRADUATE which is a huge plus in my view. The bottom line is W's and L's...and winning titles and getting to the Dance. I can see both sides of this discussion.

Coach has been a great ambassador for BGSU and had success in his years here....

I am pulling for him to get the job done but cannot ignore the 3200 empty seats in AA on any given night.

Josh and I will be at the game tomorrow night at Kent.

GO FALCONS!

[hammb]

This is why I love Dan. He's a great guy, and always has the right attitude. I still believe he can be a winning coach again.

Unfortunately, I just think all parties involved need a change in direction. I'll wish him the best of luck where ever he may go, I just don't think this is the right place for him any more.

Despite how some people on here think I feel, he's been my favorite coach (outside of Urban) since I went to BG as well. If he were to leave there would certainly be some things about him that I would sorely miss.

[BGGrad01]

I will simply echo the comments of others regarding Dan as a person and the type of men he produces after they go through the basketball program. They come out of the program ready for pro basketball somewhere (with their degree) or they get their degree and head off into the world to become successful.

I like that it seems as if he has taken this season on just like any other. I appreciate his hard work in spite of essentially being a lame duck coach.

Top DD memories:
1. Coming out before games with his coat on backwards during the '00-'01 (?) season.
2. The game he jogged onto the floor to pick up a dead ball, dribbled behind the back and made a layup. I think that was Miami. Students loved it.
3. I took him in FT shooting contests at Dance Marathon two years straight. Pretty cool of Dak to come out there late in the second day to give us a boost. I don't remember Urbie doing anything like that.

I hope he can give us some more memories as this season goes on. Whatever happens, I wish Coach the best.

[JoeFalcon]

I feel very similar to what's been posted. I think Coach is a great dude, very down to earth, honest and hard working. His players GRADUATE which is a huge plus in my view. The bottom line is W's and L's...and winning titles and getting to the Dance. I can see both sides of this discussion.

Coach has been a great ambassador for BGSU and had success in his years here....

I am pulling for him to get the job done but cannot ignore the 3200 empty seats in AA on any given night.

Josh and I will be at the game tomorrow night at Kent.

GO FALCONS!

Great post Freak.

On paper, a strong case can be made for a change. But the old saying "Be careful what you wish for, it might come true" comes to mind.

EMU made a change and still stinks. Same for CMU and Ball State. NIU brought in a coach with an impeccable resume and top notch facilites a few years back and still stinks. Tim O'Shea took 4 years to make Ohio win.

Dakich knows the league and has won, which is more than about half the MAC can legitimately say.

I'm hoping he can give us a reason to believe we can get back again.

[Flipper]

I think Dan is a great guy too, but I think he has a blind spot. I really admire the committment he makes to his players. He pushes them to develop as basketball players and he pushes them to develop as people.
He is a team first guy...I am positively convinced that if Dan regards you as a teammate he will do ANYTHING to help you.

The Kris Wilson situation is a perfect example of the lengths he is willing to go to help his kids....and I believe he thinks of them as being "his" kids. That is how devoted he is to that aspect of his job.

I think he has run into problems here because he has not pushed himself to develop to the same extent he has his players. I appreciate the fact that he grew up under the influence of Bobby Knight. I understand that the notion that "The Captain's rule is law" is deeply ingrained in his philosophy, but that doesn't mean you have to be unwilling to change.

I think that people will "bend" more in your direction if first bend a little in theirs.

[orangeandbrown]

Couple points...

It is a little unfair to say Central "still stinks" since their coach has only been their for 1/2 of a season.

Beyond that, I agree. A New Coach will not necessarily be better.

Someone is going to turn our basketball program around. I hope it is Dan Dakich, but he isn't going to get unlimited time to show its working.

[HoustonFalcon]

I have been saying it all year. If we can show some improvement the rest of the MAC season, I want Coach Dakich to be given a one year contract. I want to see how much progress this team can make in the offseason. And I truly believe that the message that Coach sent out about team basketball during the second half of the Miami game is going to help. As someone pointed out, the team scored 38 points. If you can keep that pace up for two halves of basketball with everyone playing well, you win quite a few college games. Let's see if the message has sunken in to everyone, and how they do. But if the rest of the season rolls along, and there is no improvement in the play of the team, then I think that a change is probably best for everyone. Like everyone before, I DON'T want coach to leave, I want and his influence on the kids to be at BG, but sometimes a change is the best.

[Globetrotter]

I think Dan is a great guy too, but I think he has a blind spot. I really admire the committment he makes to his players. He pushes them to develop as basketball players and he pushes them to develop as people.
He is a team first guy...I am positively convinced that if Dan regards you as a teammate he will do ANYTHING to help you.

The Kris Wilson situation is a perfect example of the lengths he is willing to go to help his kids....and I believe he thinks of them as being "his" kids. That is how devoted he is to that aspect of his job.

I think he has run into problems here because he has not pushed himself to develop to the same extent he has his players. I appreciate the fact that he grew up under the influence of Bobby Knight. I understand that the notion that "The Captain's rule is law" is deeply ingrained in his philosophy, but that doesn't mean you have to be unwilling to change.

I think that people will "bend" more in your direction if first bend a little in theirs.

Great point and it made me think of something I had not yet considered. Dakich has been under Knight his entire career. And I all but expected him to land a job back on his staff, if he wished, and there was not another opening available. But in reality, wouldnt it serve him well to be a top assistant at another top school with a coach who teaches a different way. What a learning opportunity for him. Learn a new offense, explore a new way to motivate and have a relationship with players, then head back to the head coaching ranks. I cant think off hand who would be a great guy for him to work with but I do think biting the bullet and playing second fiddle for a year would be extremely beneficial for his future.

[kollege stewdent]

Let’s be honest. If you were an up and coming SR in high school and all the teams in the MAC (lets just say in Ohio) were recruiting you, you went a looked at each gym, Kent, OU, Miami, Akron Toledo and BG then looked at all the facilities and the student base fans that attend the games. Which school would you pick? A lot of HS players watch college ball and the see gyms and student fans like Duke, NC, and Virginia Tech and have high expatiations. Well when reality sets in they go to the college with the best or closest to what they have seen on TV. Unfortunately BG is not one of those schools.
We don’t average 3 to 4 thousand fans a game. Even the Women’s team that currently is rank in the top 20 in the nation average under 1400 fans. So apparently wins and championships don’t bring the fans out.

DD has done the best he could with what he has. Also, doesn’t some of the blame land on our assistance coaches or recruiters? If you give DD the choice between 3 Fords, you are not going to get a Mercedes. Plus, someone mentioned why we have signed similar types of players. We had Sims and Guerin, why Bland? Again, could it be that there were not 6’7+ guys that wanted to come to BG. I really don’t know.

I like DD and hope he gets at least one more year. We have 2 SR’s, one has heart but has not been productive, one JR (His first year at BG) and the rest or FR and SOPH.