FWIW Conversations with Brad Soderberg

[Grizzled_Jack]

Incoming Lindenwood coach spoke at a St. Charles service club today. Interesting enough of 28 in attendance, two of us were from SDSU.

His main rah-rah speech was a reminiscence of being on board when the UW program turned around. However given his audience he made reference to his two years in Brookings. Primarily that he considered SDSU-USD one of America's great rivalries. Said he ENJOYED dodging rabbits when playing in Vermillion. Fondly remembers the cowbell given to him upon leaving and said he'd miss all the cowbell action if returning to the campus.

Most of the questions from the crowd were about Kramer. Hoped he would have a chance to coach him at SLU but not to be. He's NOT transferring to Lindenwood (no lie).

Thinks NAIA coaching will be interesting. Less worrying about rules than NCAA. I should have asked him what Lindenwood with 14,000 students (although they count funny and it's really not that big) is doing in an NAIA conference where the next biggest school is about a fifth its size.

Privately--
1. Didn't know Fred Oien had retired. Had no real problem with him during his tenure.
2. Stays in some contact with John Stiegelmeier.
3. Highly impressed by memories of Hobo Day.
4. Biggest recruiting problem at SDSU was getting outside kids to visit campus, once they did the basketball facilities were a big plus.
5. Amazed by how seriously everyone in the state likes pheasant hunting.
6. Talked about Daktronics.

[Nidaros]

Re: FWIW Conversations with Brad Soderberg

Thanks Grizz for the report. I really liked Brad as a person and he did his best at SDSU. Having ties to Dick Bennett, many did not expect him to be around forever, including Fred Oien. I think he left Coach Nagy with a good program.

I am not surprised that you could have a private conversation with him. He it that kind of guy and no doubt enjoyed an update from SDSU alums.

[NoVaJack]

Re: FWIW Conversations with Brad Soderberg

However given his audience he made reference to his two years in Brookings. Primarily that he considered SDSU-USD one of America's great rivalries. Said he ENJOYED dodging rabbits when playing in Vermillion. Fondly remembers the cowbell given to him upon leaving and said he'd miss all the cowbell action if returning to the campus.

(no lie).



.

Nice report, Grizz... The highlighted line is what I have been trying to argue. Sometimes you don't appreciate the really good things in your own back yard.

[Grizzled_Jack]

Re: FWIW Conversations with Brad Soderberg

Nice report, Grizz... The highlighted line is what I have been trying to argue. Sometimes you don't appreciate the really good things in your own back yard.

A year or so ago I was strongly in favor of renewing ASAP. There are so many complaints on this board (and USD's) about fan behavior, "we're beyond that, you're to blame, you crapped in the women's shower, etc." that I changed my mind and thought things should be put on hold for a decade or so until we had a new generation of fans.

Living for thirty-three years in a state whose biggest rivals were murdered in the Lawrence Massacre (after tearing the place up in the Sacking of Lawrence), I never quite understood what all the commotion was about. Neither, apparently, did Soderberg. He appreciated dodging the flying mascots. Can't do that in North Dakota.