Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

[joeboo22]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

Wow, pretty powerful statement against USD. Either tell us what you've learned or don't make damaging statements. You are wrong in doing so, regardless if we are rivals.

I don't view it as a damaging statement.

First of all, I think USD did the right thing, and I condone them for it, they got the bull before they got bucked

2nd- I'm done with telling the stories of what I heard (from solid people) but I will paraphrase it, I know a handful of players, as well as other people close to the program, or close to the former coach. What I heard from those people, what they got away with, what they saw, etc. makes me believe that USD is lucky it didn't get too far, and is also lucky that the public didn't get a hold of it. (and these are not top line recruits by any means) From everyone associated with the team that I've talked to since the coach was canned, had a similar response- not really surprised, and something on the lines of it wasn't because of the on the field issues, though those didn't help.

[rabidrabbit]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

This is a horrible situation underway at a normally highly respected FCS school. Let's avoid naming SDSU names, without backing info.

Edits made to those posts id'ing specific individuals.

Keep it non-rumor, especially of SDSU. SDSU can, and has had some issues, and they are never pleasant as Jacks go through the legal process.

Let's watch and not snipe much.

Barkeep Rabid

[SF_Rabbit_Fan]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

There a good, bad, and somewhere in-between people in the world. Some of them happen to play college athletics, some are in the military, some are politicians, and so on. Consequences for bad behavior usually happen sooner or later. Individuals aren't held accountable, responsibility sometimes goes up a rung. When the next rung isn't held accountable, responsibility goes up the ladder again. Repeat until someone feels the pain (it might be 1, 5, or 10 years later).

In its simplest form, the previous paragraph probably reasonably describes the situation at Montana and any other high level firing. Player/Head Coach/Athletic Director/President/... If the president doesn't handle it, some of the responsibility then shifts to him.

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

The following was posted on the Grizz forum:

"O'day and Pflu are neither victims nor fall guys. They made the mistake, as other coaches have ie Jim Tressel, of not acting like leaders in the face of adversity. The win at all cost, hiding the ball, coverups, and manipulation is what cost them their jobs. Here are some indisputable examples:

1. Tazer Indicedent: They did literally nothing in the form of any kind of discipline. Despite the tazing, the players behavior was inappropriate at best in relation to the officers coming to the house. It could be argued that the best thing that happened in the case was that the players were tazed. It allowed them to cry foul on the officers, to shift the focus off their stupid behavior. Regardless, the coach and AD did nothing but a quarter suspension in a meaningless game. Guilty or not guilty of a crime, they sent no message to the players or the community about how they would deal with a problem player, i.e., we don't care if it is criminal behavior or not, it is unacceptable behavior. To further compound the problem, O'Day, Plugrad and VP Jim Foley marched the players down to a known booster lawyer with connections in the criminal justice system, with the hopes that the case could be quietly taken care of for free. Unfortuneately for them, it wasn't quietly taken care of, then the publicity and media coverage swarmed. The lawyer booster Datsopoulous then publicly (and stupidly) proclaims he is taking the case for free. Blatant NCAA violations. The Darla Keck idiot show of attacking the cops was on. All stupid publicity moves. Attack local cops vs. short term players, nice decision. Yet what the did Pflugrad and O'Day do....nothing. They should have suspended the players and let the system run its course and then deal with the players as they saw appropriate. But either way, firmly discipline the players to send a message to the community and other players, that this type of crap won't be tollerated.

2. December 2010, rape allegations. Pflugrad and O'Day, both aware of a gang rape allegation by players against a University student, do nothing to discipline any of the alleged perpetrators.

3. December 2011, rape allegations. Pflugrad and O'Day, both aware of a gang rape allegation by players against 2 University student athletes, do nothing to discipline any of the alleged perpetrators. In fact, despite the information play the players in the National Semifinal game against Sam Houston State.

4. Jordan Johnson, rape allegation. Pflugrad and O'Day, put Johnson back on the field despite current investigation and complaint of rape allegation. Their reasoning, TRO turned into Civil Agreement, which still restricted Johnson from being within 1500 feet of alleged victim. Also, as soon as Johnson reinstated, Pflugrad publicly proclaimed Johnson's high character, leaderships skills and values, despite continuing allegations. Can you be any more stupid?

So cry for these 2 guys all you want, I for one will not. They were the best 2 people in a position of power to do something to send a message to the players and community what this program is about, and that the program and University was bigger than any of the players. Instead they acted like children and showed no leadership characteristics whatsoever. They forgot about who the real victims were or at least potentially were, for that they made their own bed."







This is probably one of the best posts I have seen on this situation. If this doesn't show a good reason for canning them, I don't know what would. Like SF Rabbit just said, if you are in a position of authority and some of your subordinates (in this case players ) are messing up, you better damn well take care of it or someone above you will hire someone who will. The situation in Missoula has just made me sick for the last few years. It seems the football players were givin free reign up there.

Makes me even more proud to be a Jack.

[Nidaros]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

Jeff Kolpeck of the Fargo Forum did an interesting column on the Montana situation:

http://www.inforum.com/event/article.../group/Sports/

Jeff is a good writer an in this column, he says the Montana U president had a enough. I thinking that with the NDSU President Chapman, having his own problems with NDBofE, he did not want to excericise his "enough" policy at the time he could have. To their credit Gene Taylor and Bohl, they did clean up the mess.

[Theee Catrabbit]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

Popped onto egriz for some reading. That is one delusional fanbase. A few of them are right on track though and are thinking with their heads.

[hareball]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

Popped onto egriz for some reading. That is one delusional fanbase. A few of them are right on track though and are thinking with their heads.

few being the key word

[Rabbit74]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

Royce Engstrom the president at Montana was previously at USD. He is a very good administrator and a very nice person who is not afraid to do what needs to be done. He and I have worked together on many things over the years. He would not have made this move without very good reason.

[JackJD]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

Royce Engstrom the president at Montana was previously at USD. He is a very good administrator and a very nice person who is not afraid to do what needs to be done. He and I have worked together on many things over the years. He would not have made this move without very good reason.

When my oldest son was at USD, he became well acquainted with Engstrom and speaks very highly of him.

A casual reading of news reports over the past couple of years would lead many to conclude they were recruiting a few bad eggs and then didn't react properly when problems occurred.

I sent an email to an acquaintance in Missoula and suggested those who like to chase conspiracies may want to consider the fact that USD will be playing at Montana September 1....hmmmmm. [That same Missoulan sent me a very nice Nike Griz polo shirt -- like a $70 item from the bookstore -- after the devastating second-half debacle when SDSU was last at Missoula. No accompanying letter or explanation. Just a shirt.]

[MontanaRabbit]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

When my oldest son was at USD, he became well acquainted with Engstrom and speaks very highly of him.

A casual reading of news reports over the past couple of years would lead many to conclude they were recruiting a few bad eggs and then didn't react properly when problems occurred.

I sent an email to an acquaintance in Missoula and suggested those who like to chase conspiracies may want to consider the fact that USD will be playing at Montana September 1....hmmmmm. [That same Missoulan sent me a very nice Nike Griz polo shirt -- like a $70 item from the bookstore -- after the devastating second-half debacle when SDSU was last at Missoula. No accompanying letter or explanation. Just a shirt.]

Maybe you should send him an SDSU shirt. At least our players haven't been constantly smeared in the newspapers.

I'm a lot close than most of you to this mess and it's been clear to me for quite sometime that the leadership was lacking.

And yes, the majority of the people on Egriz are delusional.

[JackJD]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

Maybe you should send him an SDSU shirt. At least our players haven't been constantly smeared in the newspapers.

I'm a lot close than most of you to this mess and it's been clear to me for quite sometime that the leadership was lacking.

And yes, the majority of the people on Egriz are delusional.

A shirt will be sent but I'm biding my time until we meet them on the field and close the deal with a win.

And, aren't fans on most message boards some degree of delusional (as least in the eyes of those who support other schools)? I personally think SDSUfans.com is one of the most sane boards but I know fans from other schools who are reading these words are falling out of their chairs laughing. But, what the heck, they're all delusional!

[Nidaros]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

A shirt will be sent but I'm biding my time until we meet them on the field and close the deal with a win.

And, aren't fans on most message boards some degree of delusional (as least in the eyes of those who support other schools)? I personally think SDSUfans.com is one of the most sane boards but I know fans from other schools who are reading these words are falling out of their chairs laughing. But, what the heck, they're all delusional!

Falling off of chairs seems to happen often on the USD board. Just saying... I had no idea Engstrom had worked at USD. He has done the right thing.

[yoteforever]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

Falling off of chairs seems to happen often on the USD board. Just saying... I had no idea Engstrom had worked at USD. He has done the right thing.

Nidaros my friend, that was a somewhat cheap shot thrown in from left field. Would you agree? Or am I being delusional?

[yoteforever]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

A shirt will be sent but I'm biding my time until we meet them on the field and close the deal with a win.And, aren't fans on most message boards some degree of delusional (as least in the eyes of those who support other schools)? I personally think SDSUfans.com is one of the most sane boards but I know fans from other schools who are reading these words are falling out of their chairs laughing. But, what the heck, they're all delusional!

I personally think that the very small USD board is the most sane with maybe the exception of one poster, and that person has done a good job the past few months of articulating good ideas. I think your board has some sanity to it, but ......................you have a percentage of your own posters and themes that non-SDSU posters might find delusional. I will leave personal attacks out but one theme that comes to mind is WE WERE FIRST, WE WERE FIRST. Yes you were, but isn't that somewhat delusional in dragging it in on almost every debate between the schools? As my friend Nidaros says.......just saying.Last night on Sirius college sports radio they interviewed Bill Walton. He comes from JackJD's and my era, and he said that rivals back then hated each other and always will, but you can respect your rivals. Make sense? So I guess I am really pissed off you made it to the NCAA men's tournament before us but I respect the hell out of the fact you made it. I absolutely disdain the blue and yellow, but respect your recent accomplishments. And posters like JackJD I will always want to beat his butt in any competition between the schools, but I will respect him and the outcome.So from hear on out, as Bill Walton says, I hate the Jacks...........(but i do respect you). I therefore want to carry on in the future healthy debates between the schools, on topics where both schools benefit, on the rivalry itself, but I will do so in a respectful manner. HATE STATE

[Nidaros]

Re: Montana Athletic Director and Head Football Coach FIRED.

Nidaros my friend, that was a somewhat cheap shot thrown in from left field. Would you agree? Or am I being delusional?

No my friend, you see comments over on your board thats says we (SDSUfans.com)are delusional and totally irrational. Why do they refer to us as bunnies? Thats about the kindest useage you will find.I do not feel welcome over there and have not commented for a long time. This is not a cheap shot, but a statement of fact. You are not being delusional, just ignoring facts. Some over at your board are like your self and looking for mutual respect, but others besides Coyote Fan will jump on you for saying very little. I never had the pleasure of meeting Boyce Engstrom, but suspect he is very thorough guy who wants the best for his institution. His bold step of firing the AD and Coach are indicitive of his desires.