[Mick]

Really not much in the mood for doing (dialogue) donuts at the moment, which, unfortunately, is what a continuation of this discussion would entail. (And if you don't quite grasp what I mean by "doing donuts," Mick (admittedly, it's not the greatest metaphor ever), that's cool; probably just as well that you don't.)

"If I don't grasp what 'doing donuts' means?"  Jesus, how patronizing.  Even if I hadn't grew up in California with a Buick Gran Sport 400, 400 cubic inch engine with four barrel Rochester carburetor throwing out 280 HP (couldn't afford the Stage 1 Special Package), series 50 on the back, series 60 on the front, I would know what "doing donuts" means, it's self explanatory.  BTW, if you need me to explain any of what I just wrote, just PM me.  Happy to discuss my shady tree mechanic credentials with you any time.  Cars I've rebuilt include that Buick, a Karmann Ghia and a Fiat Spyder 850.  My mother taught me how to change the oil when I was 11 and gap spark plugs and tune a car when I was 12.

Yeah, I'll try and dope out what "doing donuts" means.  Maybe I can crack the code.

Just briefly stopping by to add a figurative explanation point (and a literal one as well, while I'm at it) to the point that I had trusted (perhaps unwarrantedly) would be readily inferred from a reading of the Rittman background summary that I posted earlier. (Probably should have said, "One very obvious reason why it might well be the case that there's an exceedingly successful coach somewhere "out there" who would be[i] quite [/i]interested in assuming the top position at this one helluva progressive and prestigious school can be inferred from the following"--a clearer clue that would have been, methinks.) Anyway, the inference intended to be drawn was/is as follows:

Should a search for a successor to Hanson be conducted at season's end, that search hardly need be limited to candidates with head coaching experience!

I have no idea whether or not Bernard looked outside the head coaching ranks in his failed 2014 search, but, if not, it may be that he was looking for gold in all the wrong places.

Have a nice evening, Mick.

I don't know if Muir looked at assistants or not.  He didn't end up with one.  Hiring assistants can be a challenge, often -- or usually -- there's a reason they're assistants and not head coaches.  Whole different job description, whole different mindset being in charge.

And speaking of being in charge...I've run groups of up to 90 people.  In a quarter-century of managing people, I have never -- not once -- fired someone for an activity in which I hadn't discussed the core issue with them multiple times, had it in reviews, etc.  Rittman filed false time reports.  That's literally the easiest thing in the world to check.  Practice times are scheduled, a beginning and end.  They should be intermittently monitored.  The sense I got from Rittman's reaction was that the day he got fired for cause was the first time he'd ever heard about this from management.  That takes nothing away from his guilt, he made his own bed.  But I wonder if Muir was aware of it before he was blind-sided by the parents.

If Rittman had counseling sessions and warnings before from Muir and if Muir had clearly communicated both expectations and penalties, then I take it all back.  But I don't get the sense that occurred.

Have a swell day, Owen.

[Mick]

Really not much in the mood for doing (dialogue) donuts at the moment, which, unfortunately, is what a continuation of this discussion would entail. (And if you don't quite grasp what I mean by "doing donuts," Mick (admittedly, it's not the greatest metaphor ever), that's cool; probably just as well that you don't.)

"If I don't grasp what 'doing donuts' means?"  Jesus, how patronizing.  Even if I hadn't grew up in California with a Buick Gran Sport 400, 400 cubic inch engine with four barrel Rochester carburetor throwing out 280 HP (couldn't afford the Stage 1 Special Package), series 50 on the back, series 60 on the front, I would know what "doing donuts" means, it's self explanatory.  BTW, if you need me to explain any of what I just wrote, just PM me.  Happy to discuss my shady tree mechanic credentials with you any time.  Cars I've rebuilt include that Buick, a Karmann Ghia and a Fiat Spyder 850.  My mother taught me how to change the oil when I was 11 and gap spark plugs and tune a car when I was 12.

Yeah, I'll try and dope out what "doing donuts" means.  Maybe I can crack the code.

Just briefly stopping by to add a figurative explanation point (and a literal one as well, while I'm at it) to the point that I had trusted (perhaps unwarrantedly) would be readily inferred from a reading of the Rittman background summary that I posted earlier. (Probably should have said, "One very obvious reason why it might well be the case that there's an exceedingly successful coach somewhere "out there" who would be[i] quite [/i]interested in assuming the top position at this one helluva progressive and prestigious school can be inferred from the following"--a clearer clue that would have been, methinks.) Anyway, the inference intended to be drawn was/is as follows:

Should a search for a successor to Hanson be conducted at season's end, that search hardly need be limited to candidates with head coaching experience!

I have no idea whether or not Bernard looked outside the head coaching ranks in his failed 2014 search, but, if not, it may be that he was looking for gold in all the wrong places.

Have a nice evening, Mick.

I don't know if Muir looked at assistants or not.  He didn't end up with one.  Hiring assistants can be a challenge, often -- or usually -- there's a reason they're assistants and not head coaches.  Whole different job description, whole different mindset being in charge.

And speaking of being in charge...I've run groups of up to 90 people.  In a quarter-century of managing people, I have never -- not once -- fired someone for an activity in which I hadn't discussed the core issue with them multiple times, had it in reviews, etc.  Rittman filed false time reports.  That's literally the easiest thing in the world to check.  Practice times are scheduled, a beginning and end.  They should be intermittently monitored.  The sense I got from Rittman's reaction was that the day he got fired for cause was the first time he'd ever heard about this from management.  That takes nothing away from his guilt, he made his own bed.  But I wonder if Muir was aware of it before he was blind-sided by the parents.

If Rittman had counseling sessions and warnings before from Muir and if Muir had clearly communicated both expectations and penalties, then I take it all back.  But I don't get the sense that occurred.

Have a swell day, Owen.