usdguy99
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Post by usdguy99 on Sept 6, 2013 6:39:08 GMT -6
Don't get me wrong, Boots was an exceptional D-II coach, but he was just that...a D-II coach. Joey is a great guy, but I don't think he is D-I coaching material.
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Post by coyote70 on Sept 6, 2013 7:23:07 GMT -6
Boots gave the University a lemon. Time to make lemonade out of it.
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Post by azsod73 on Sept 6, 2013 8:53:11 GMT -6
A recent edititorial from the Yankton paper. I don't agree with a number of the opinions/conclusions expressed but it is a pretty good look back to the sad state of affairs 25 years ago. It was an era of an indifferent University Administration and an utterly incompetent Athletic Administration Department.
The sudden departure this week of Dave Boots as men’s basketball coach at the University of South Dakota took everyone by surprise, but that was only fitting. It’s almost as surprising as the way he arrived in Vermillion 25 years ago, as well as what happened afterwards. And as I write this, I have to pause. Twenty-five years. That’s more than a generation; Boots had for the last several years been targeting recruits who weren’t even born when he first took the Coyote reins. That’s one sobering measure of the man’s enduring success.
Back in 1988, the USD men’s basketball program was sobering in a much different way. It was an underfunded fiasco and a perennial doormat in the old North Central Conference; anytime the team won, it felt like an upset. As a USD alum, I can tell you that my expectations were permanently anchored quite low. Up to that point, the team had recorded just five winning seasons in my lifetime, so I’d been trained well
In April 1988, what we didn’t expect, first off, is what happened when the U began a dysfunctional hunt for a new coach.
I was a sports writer here at the time, and the Press & Dakotan staff — which also included sports editor Kevin Henseler and sports editor emeritus/eternal Coyote Hod Nielsen — kept close tabs on USD’s search. This process stalled into a slow, embarrassing ordeal — Hod called it “bungled” in one of his columns — undertaken by a search committee with generally little basketball background. The application process was opened in mid February and then reopened six weeks later. It dragged on interminably, and it highlighted the funding deficiencies in and the lack of administrative commitment to the school’s athletic programs. Meanwhile, valuable recruiting time was being fumbled away. Clearly, the basketball program’s sad-sack reputation had been richly earned.
“The basketball history of University of South Dakota,” Hod wrote with dismay on Feb. 12, 1988, shortly after the coaching search began, “is a history of losing.”
(As a footnote, any resemblance this situation had to the USD women’s basketball program’s crash and burn several years later was probably systemic and quite predictable.)
But that wasn’t the worst of it. The school eventually lost control of the process to an impatient, carnivorous media circus — somewhat common now, but starkly foreign to us back then — with journalists from Sioux Falls, Sioux City and elsewhere working to outdo one another to stay ahead of this story. In that pre-social media age, reporters floated broad rumors that were officially denied — in effect, offering the job to individuals before the more discreet due process had played out.
It was maddening and discouraging. I remember Hod shaking his head one day at another speculative story fired off from one of the larger regional media. He had known the reporter responsible for years, and Hod said he couldn’t figure out what the guy was doing by issuing such presumptive pieces, which seemed geared more to generate headlines themselves than to tell the actual story.
Those were not bright days for USD fans by any measure. I seem to recollect that when one much-talked-about coaching prospect arrived on the campus for an interview, the school received a bomb threat; what an inviting impression that must have made. And yet it seemed somehow symbolic of the whole situation.
Finally, as relatively high-profile names flew onto and slipped off of the radar, USD officials settled on their man at the end of April: A guy from Augsburg College in Minnesota that not many of us had really heard of. Dave Boots — whoever THAT was — was finally chosen to breathe some life into the floundering program.
There was the requisite press conference, at which the soft-spoken new coach was introduced and said all the right things, as most new hires do. I was there taking photos, and I suppose his words were a tonic of some slight hope for me. But my inner cynic probably spat it all out reflexively as vacant rhetoric that held no bearing on the program’s entrenched historical arc. I had, after all, seen too much — or rather, not nearly enough — to believe, accept or even dream otherwise.
But that’s not the way it played out. USD posted a winning record in Boots’ debut season — the school’s first winning mark in a decade — and ascended continually thereafter. Five years later, he guided the U to back-to-back national tournament berths. The Coyotes transformed from perennial also-rans to annual contenders. Every winter, they seemed to reload, not rebuild, as Boots — aided by a new commitment from the school’s administration — helped turn the program into a well-run machine.
The last couple of years have been tough for the Coyote men, to be sure. It happens to everyone — but it’s only happened lately in Vermillion after 23 straight winning seasons of Boots’ brand of basketball. Nobody would have predicted that back in 1988 in the wake of the clumsy process that brought him to the U. Nobody would have expected his 503-225 record at USD with 16 seasons of 20 wins or more. Nobody would have guessed his teams would earn six NCC championships and, later in Division I, a Great West Conference title, as well as 10 postseason tournament berths.
More than all that, Boots changed Coyote fans. Success became a wintertime ritual in Vermillion, not a lonely, wistful anomaly. We began expecting more, wondering if, this year, the team would be good or if it would be REALLY good.
As Hod might say now, Dave Boots changed history. And nobody could have foreseen that in April 1988. (By the way, Hod liked Boots from the get-go.)
It’s an amazing — and I dare say unmatchable — legacy marked by a generation of memorable winter magic, all of which arrived so unceremoniously 25 years ago in the unlikeliest of places. But all’s well that ends well, as they say. And in sum, the Dave Boots era ended quite well indeed.
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Post by Yote 53 on Sept 6, 2013 10:47:30 GMT -6
I guess when you are reminded how it all began you are also reminded of how spoiled we've been for 25 years. As long as I have been first a USD student and now alumnus I have never known USD men's basketball to be bad. I've come to expect success. Those expectations can only be attributed to Coach Boots. I know in recent years Coyote fans have been a little frustrated with the transition to D1 and Coach Boots has taken the brunt of that frustration. Now some are expressing their frustration at how and when Coach Boots retired. Well, done is done, it's time to move on.
I guess all that's left to say is Thank You Coach Boots. You took a dumpster fire program and brought it to new heights. In the end you left it in a much better place than when it was entrusted to you and that's all anybody can ask for.
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Post by golfingyote on Sept 6, 2013 14:48:32 GMT -6
As expected, Joey James was named interim head coach today, with a national serach to follow the upcoming season. I, for one, am excited to see what kind of energy and philosphies a young coach can bring to the program. Joey gets one season to prove himself then ultimately will have the chane to throw his hat in the ring when this season is all said in done. In the end, this was Herbster's only real choice here and its time for coyote fans to get behind Joey.
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Post by flashtaco on Sept 6, 2013 14:59:54 GMT -6
As expected, Joey James was named interim head coach today, with a national serach to follow the upcoming season. I, for one, am excited to see what kind of energy and philosphies a young coach can bring to the program. Joey gets one season to prove himself then ultimately will have the chane to throw his hat in the ring when this season is all said in done. In the end, this was Herbster's only real choice here and its time for coyote fans to get behind Joey. Kind of like the "national search" conducted when Saylor left and Herbster stepped in? Let's not kid ourselves. Short of JJ being an epic fail or a player revolt. JJ is the head coach for at least the next 3 years.
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Post by golfingyote on Sept 6, 2013 15:18:14 GMT -6
As expected, Joey James was named interim head coach today, with a national serach to follow the upcoming season. I, for one, am excited to see what kind of energy and philosphies a young coach can bring to the program. Joey gets one season to prove himself then ultimately will have the chane to throw his hat in the ring when this season is all said in done. In the end, this was Herbster's only real choice here and its time for coyote fans to get behind Joey. Kind of like the "national search" conducted when Saylor left and Herbster stepped in? Let's not kid ourselves. Short of JJ being an epic fail or a player revolt. JJ is the head coach for at least the next 3 years. Works for me. I know many people close to the situation who think Joey is more than capable. I hope he proves the doubters wrong.
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Post by flashtaco on Sept 6, 2013 15:23:01 GMT -6
Kind of like the "national search" conducted when Saylor left and Herbster stepped in? Let's not kid ourselves. Short of JJ being an epic fail or a player revolt. JJ is the head coach for at least the next 3 years. Works for me. I know many people close to the situation who think Joey is more than capable. I hope he proves the doubters wrong. I don't doubt that he is a good choice and I will support him. Just not a fan of the timing and binding the school/athletes/ad.
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Post by coyoterj on Sept 6, 2013 15:32:08 GMT -6
Not many of us had even HEARD of Dave Boots in 1988 when he took this program and turned it into a winner. We know, not only WHO Joey James is, but what he is too...CLASS!!!!
It would be fun to start a thread and list former Coyote Men's BB players under Coach Boots, that went on to be successful coaches in their own right. The FIRST 2 that come to mind are Shane Murphy and John Hemminway. Those two gentlemen took their own passion for the game and the knowledge gained from Coach Boots and became winning coaches themselves.
I know there are others, but the bottom line is this, Joey James is READY to meet this challenge head on, WITH OUR SUPPORT!!!!!
Just remember, there are only 2 things in this world we can control, our EFFORT and our ATTITUDE!!!!!
We are very proud to call Joey James, The Head Coach at the University of South Dakota.
GO GET 'EM JJ!!!!!!
Rod (RJ) Pattison
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Post by azsod73 on Sept 6, 2013 16:02:49 GMT -6
Not many of us had even HEARD of Dave Boots in 1988 when he took this program and turned it into a winner. We know, not only WHO Joey James is, but what he is too...CLASS!!!! It would be fun to start a thread and list former Coyote Men's BB players under Coach Boots, that went on to be successful coaches in their own right. The FIRST 2 that come to mind are Shane Murphy and John Hemminway. Those two gentlemen took their own passion for the game and the knowledge gained from Coach Boots and became winning coaches themselves. I know there are others, but the bottom line is this, Joey James is READY to meet this challenge head on, WITH OUR SUPPORT!!!!! Just remember, there are only 2 things in this world we can control, our EFFORT and our ATTITUDE!!!!! We are very proud to call Joey James, The Head Coach at the University of South Dakota. GO GET 'EM JJ!!!!!! Rod (RJ) Pattison Gotta go with RJ on this, some of us may not like the way Boots handled his departure but that is on him and not Joey James. By most accounts I have heard, Joey has been handling the bulk of the recruiting for a number of years. This is pretty much confirmed in the press release. So I support James, his team, and I hope they have a tremendous season.....GO YOTES!
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Post by coyotega on Sept 6, 2013 23:05:29 GMT -6
Joey James is probably a wonderful human being, but I would prefer someone who has been mentored by a variety of coaches, not just one.
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Post by notkiotees on Sept 7, 2013 7:22:53 GMT -6
I don't think we will see a Boots clone.In todays Argus, James says they will play more man to man defense. As lead recruiter these are his guys,I think they will play hard for him.Can they beat the Bizun? Time will tell.
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Post by GoYotes on Sept 7, 2013 9:44:57 GMT -6
Great interview with Coach Boots by Mark Ovenden & Mike Henriksen on Calling All Sports. callingallsportssd.com/_DisplayAudio.php?File=CAS 9-6-1-2013.mp3 Quick summary was that Coach didn't feel he had the "fire in his belly" to give 100% to the program and that if he couldn't give 100% he would be cheating the program.
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Post by sd4life on Sept 7, 2013 17:16:18 GMT -6
Great interview with Coach Boots by Mark Ovenden & Mike Henriksen on Calling All Sports. callingallsportssd.com/_DisplayAudio.php?File=CAS 9-6-1-2013.mp3 Quick summary was that Coach didn't feel he had the "fire in his belly" to give 100% to the program and that if he couldn't give 100% he would be cheating the program. I hate it when people say that. It's such a cop out. Be a man and be honest.
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Post by Coyote Fan on Sept 7, 2013 22:41:34 GMT -6
Why don't we just give Boot's the benefit of the doubt and move on. Take what he says at face value as he has done nothing for us not to do anything but that. Regardless of opinions he is going to be remembered as an icon by most when the history of mens basketball is written. I would rather give James the interim tag for 1 year as long as Herbster follows through with a national search thereafter. If the national search ends with James being the best possible solution than so be it. I don't want this to be the kind of situation like how Glenn was hired with no real sifting through the candidates for the best possible hire. USD's coaching searches tend to go better when they don't put on the blinders to certain candidates before everyone gets a real chance at the position. It would be one thing if USD was at the top of the Summit and winning NCAA tourney births but that is not quite happening just yet. Let James handle the reigns for a year and than let everyone in that wants a shot thereafter.
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