Blade's 10 Q's with Coach Van De Walle

[TG1996]

Thanks again and again, coach!

http://www.toledoblade.com/BGSU/2011/11 ... Walle.html

"I didn't know anything about BG before coming here. The campus has changed a lot. People have come and gone, which changes how you look at BG. It's still a wonderful college town with wonderful people. But I miss some of the things that we used to do as a department years ago. Athletics has become a business — a big business — and with that change you lose some of the "family" feel."

First part of that answer is awesomely true, the last line is sickeningly so.

[h2oville rocket]

Nice tribute to her- saw it this morning and came on to post it here. TG got the drop on me.

[Bubba Bo Bob Brain]

Thanks again and again, coach!

http://www.toledoblade.com/BGSU/2011/11 ... Walle.html

"I didn't know anything about BG before coming here. The campus has changed a lot. People have come and gone, which changes how you look at BG. It's still a wonderful college town with wonderful people. But I miss some of the things that we used to do as a department years ago. Athletics has become a business — a big business — and with that change you lose some of the "family" feel."

First part of that answer is awesomely true, the last line is sickeningly so.

So ... it wasn't just me that thought this happened especially over the past, say, 6 years? But then, maybe that's what the upper administration expects / expected out of the athletics administration.

I'm sure whatever else Denise does in the next phase of her life, it will influence people in a very positive way.

[Drago]

That quote is Coach V being as nice as possible but showing her frustration for the way GC runs the department. All the people that Ive talked to have said the same. There is no fun family atmosphere in and around athletics and it shows with the performance of the department. It's also why the community stays away. We have a brand new BB arena and can't draw 2000 people to a game.

[factman]

That quote is Coach V being as nice as possible but showing her frustration for the way GC runs the department. All the people that Ive talked to have said the same. There is no fun family atmosphere in and around athletics and it shows with the performance of the department. It's also why the community stays away. We have a brand new BB arena and can't draw 2000 people to a game.

Drago hit the nail on the head with a sledge hammer!

[Bubba Bo Bob Brain]

That quote is Coach V being as nice as possible but showing her frustration for the way GC runs the department. All the people that Ive talked to have said the same. There is no fun family atmosphere in and around athletics and it shows with the performance of the department. It's also why the community stays away. We have a brand new BB arena and can't draw 2000 people to a game.

While I'm not disagreeing with the basic premise here, I would point out that there are some bright lights in the athletic department and stand out ahead of the pack. I certainly don't know everyone, but I'd like to point out Mike Cihon, who always has postings on the athletics website the same evening of the games he covers, which include Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Soccer, and Tennis) and is a nice guy as well. I, for one, appreciate his dedication to his job, and I like to think that he does it for us, not merely because it's his job.