New Coach?

[Tricky_Falcon]

I'm more impressed with DVDM in this press conference. I think he gets it and has a clear vision. I feel much better about this hire.

[footballguy51]

I love that there is a recognition that student apathy has become real. If you want the students at the games, you can't just give away free things and expect them to show up. The giveaways were always promoted by President Rogers, not Moosbrugger. That was even more telling than anything. DVDM says let's get the athletes out to the student body. Either DVDM or Coach Simon said you can't keep asking the students to come to you; you have to go to them and show them that you care. Only when you show that the student athletes are also part of the student experience will the students want to be involved in the athletics.

They both get it. The student section has been embarrassing at every sporting event except hockey. The hockey environment is just different and the students go because they have made their own environment there. The basketball student sections have been embarrassingly empty for the past few years and the football section has been absent for almost a decade.

As a recent student, I can tell you it was getting less and less fun to go to games because they kept coming up with rules for what you could and couldn't do and kept limiting where you could sit. It became a chore and it wasn't as much fun as it once was. Bring back the fun and the students will come.

[maskedopining]

I'm more impressed with DVDM in this press conference. I think he gets it and has a clear vision. I feel much better about this hire.

Agree with you on this…seems to be the first AD since Krebs that has really taken the time to intentionally understand the BGSU community.

I will just add that it seems that DVDM really wants us to go find the Southern Utah game at Kansas on YouTube this weekend!

[BillyLP]

I'm more impressed with DVDM in this press conference. I think he gets it and has a clear vision. I feel much better about this hire.

I thought his comments about always watching the bench was really interesting. He seemed to imply that he was not impressed with the attitudes of the coaches and players at BG (which, how could you be, but still seemed to be a bit of a passive aggressive nod towards it).

[Falconfreak90]

I love that there is a recognition that student apathy has become real. If you want the students at the games, you can't just give away free things and expect them to show up. The giveaways were always promoted by President Rogers, not Moosbrugger. That was even more telling than anything. DVDM says let's get the athletes out to the student body. Either DVDM or Coach Simon said you can't keep asking the students to come to you; you have to go to them and show them that you care. Only when you show that the student athletes are also part of the student experience will the students want to be involved in the athletics.

They both get it. The student section has been embarrassing at every sporting event except hockey. The hockey environment is just different and the students go because they have made their own environment there. The basketball student sections have been embarrassingly empty for the past few years and the football section has been absent for almost a decade.

As a recent student, I can tell you it was getting less and less fun to go to games because they kept coming up with rules for what you could and couldn't do and kept limiting where you could sit. It became a chore and it wasn't as much fun as it once was. Bring back the fun and the students will come.

Well said, although the students have been showing up for football...until MACtion kills attendance. Hoops students have been non existent for a while. Having a packed student body at all games is so important. Give them reasons to come out....Of course winning is the main thing but let them have fun.

I'm excited about this hire. Welcome to the nest, Coach Simon!

[Falconfreak90]

Strong first hire by DVDM on paper. Hope we're not pulling this thread up in four years and talking about how stupid we all look for praising this move. With the portal and smaller roster sizes in basketball, Todd can have success here quickly if the right moves are made.

Time will tell. There are no guarantees but Coach Simon seems to be almost the perfect pick at the right time. It will def get bettter.

[mbenecke]

I'm more impressed with DVDM in this press conference. I think he gets it and has a clear vision. I feel much better about this hire.

I thought his comments about always watching the bench was really interesting. He seemed to imply that he was not impressed with the attitudes of the coaches and players at BG (which, how could you be, but still seemed to be a bit of a passive aggressive nod towards it).

He takes pride in an active bench. He said at Southern Utah, they would get a bench warning every game and he would be disappointed in the games they didn't. He also said they basically never let guys make threes in front of our bench in the corner, and that he would get on the bench guys if that did happen. He said it's their responsibility to be good teammates and to not let that happen.

Seems to be big on energy and competition. I dig it.

[guest44]

That might have been the most refreshing press conference in the last decade of BGSU athletics. AD who gets it, basketball coach who gets it. The part where he just changed his approach based on rule changes and talking to NBA people was my favorite part. Attention to detail.

[mbenecke]

That might have been the most refreshing press conference in the last decade of BGSU athletics. AD who gets it, basketball coach who gets it. The part where he just changed his approach based on rule changes and talking to NBA people was my favorite part. Attention to detail.

ALERT: GUEST44 WITH A POSITIVE POST

Agree with this take, though. Seeing competence is so refreshing.

[guest44]

That might have been the most refreshing press conference in the last decade of BGSU athletics. AD who gets it, basketball coach who gets it. The part where he just changed his approach based on rule changes and talking to NBA people was my favorite part. Attention to detail.

ALERT: GUEST44 WITH A POSITIVE POST

Agree with this take, though. Seeing competence is so refreshing.

For the record, I did praise Bob Moosbrugger for his candor in the presser to fire Mike Jinks. It would be my last praise of Bob Moosbrugger.

[Falconwriter]

That might have been the most refreshing press conference in the last decade of BGSU athletics. AD who gets it, basketball coach who gets it. The part where he just changed his approach based on rule changes and talking to NBA people was my favorite part. Attention to detail.

ALERT: GUEST44 WITH A POSITIVE POST

Agree with this take, though. Seeing competence is so refreshing.

Piggybacking on this...a coach that actually adjusts play on the court to get as much of an advantage as he possibly can!

Be still my heart.

[Flipper]

Found it interesting that DVDM mentioned that the one question he asked every candidate in their interviews was (paraphrasing) what kind of relationship do you have with your current school's women's basketball and volleyball coach.

Shows a focus on hiring people who can work within the department... I like that

[Siborg]

Found it interesting that DVDM mentioned that the one question he asked every candidate in their interviews was (paraphrasing) what kind of relationship do you have with your current school's women's basketball and volleyball coach.

Shows a focus on hiring people who can work within the department... I like that

They have to share the Stroh center so there would be a lot of contact. It makes me wonder if there were issues in those relationships. Nothing nasty, just that maybe someone was not good at holding to a schedule and adversely impacted another's time in the facility.

[hammb]

Found it interesting that DVDM mentioned that the one question he asked every candidate in their interviews was (paraphrasing) what kind of relationship do you have with your current school's women's basketball and volleyball coach.

Shows a focus on hiring people who can work within the department... I like that

They have to share the Stroh center so there would be a lot of contact. It makes me wonder if there were issues in those relationships. Nothing nasty, just that maybe someone was not good at holding to a schedule and adversely impacted another's time in the facility.

Nothing would surprise me with the way things have been run here, but I'm not reading too much of the past into it. I took it more as seeing DVDM as an AD that sees the value in turning BGSU athletics into a giant team/community. One that embraces its role in the greater BGSU community. And in turn the greater BGSU community returns the favor by embracing athletics.

I've always said that our HCs have to be marketers and face of the program types. Van der Merwe is taking that up to the next level by also becoming the face of BGSU athletics. He's out there on twitter and in the public. He talks to fans and major boosters and students. His presence is beyond refreshing considering the guy he replaced didn't even have his email address published in the online directory. He is not only welcoming interaction, but responding and LISTENING to what he's being told.

It is VERY clear to me already that Derek Van der Merwe understood that a major problem at BGSU was the culture and leadership within the Athletic Department. He's not here just to ride the status quo, he's trying to change that. Now we all know ultimately it will have to manifest itself in wins, but I am very encouraged by what we've seen thus far in his short tenure.

[TalonsUpPuckDown]

I met DVDM in the Ice Arena lounge during his first couple of days on campus and talked to him for about 5-10 min. Nice conversation. Didn't really think anything of it. Fast forward a couple of weeks and I pass him in the Ice Arena concourse. He recognizes me, stops, and chats for a minute. What in the actual F is happening here? It's gotta be a one time thing, right? Yeah, no. I see him two weeks later, same thing happens.

I'm a mid-level Falcon Club donor but these interactions have me looking to up my donation for next year.