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Date Posted: 11:43:25 02/27/03 Thu
Author: The Naut
Subject: Dear Gene Doris,

If the media is correct, you gave Coach O’Toole three mandates for this season to evaluate him at the end of his contract. The team had to have a winning season, the team had to show improvement, and the coach had to show improvement. If I evaluate each one of these separately, obviously the team has had a winning season, and I believe the team showed improvement (although we may have regressed a bit toward the end of the season), and I believe Tim has improved his demeanor as a coach and learned from some of his past mistakes. Based on that, and from what I have read in the Connecticut Post, I believe you are probably looking to extend his contract.

My suggestion to you is to invest in him, not just in salary and contract extension, but in teaching him how to be a better coach. In the corporate environment that are management coaches who are brought in to “coach” top executives in certain aspects of their management styles which will make them better managers. I would like to believe that there are some very accomplished retired basketball coaches who would like nothing more than to pass on their experiences and learnings to a young head coach to make him a better coach in the future. I believe, as do many alumni, that Tim has done a very good job bringing talented and athletic basketball players to Fairfield. Where he has been sorely lacking is in his bench coaching, and his ability to critically analyze and adjust accordingly during a game. He has done a very good job with the team defensively, but his substitution patterns seem to be scripted, and his offensive sets seem to struggle. I am concerned that there is no one for him to learn from, so he will not grow and improve this aspect of his coaching, unless there is some investment from the Administration.

I would suggest taking some of the savings from the elimination of the hockey program and my beloved football program (since I played when it was just a club sport and was there when the program was eliminated, but I digress), and find an accomplished coach who would be willing to take Tim through each game film and critically analyze how he could have done things differently. He may be able to open Tim’s eyes to different offensive plays, but most importantly, he may be able to help Tim grow as a bench coach, and recognize how some of his game decisions disrupted the flow of the game. Tim would need to be open to this coaching and embrace it, and realize that this is an investment by the Administration to make him a better coach, something that will serve him now and for years to come. That would be up to you to make happen.

You can’t just expect Tim to become a better coach with time. You need to give him the tools to make that happen. I sincerely hope that if you are planning to extend Tim’s contract, that you recognize that he still has a lot to learn, and that you invest in him to speed that learning along. It will be an investment which will pay dividends.

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Replies:

[> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- STAGAL, 12:19:57 02/27/03 Thu

Nicely written, well thought out, and a good idea. Make sure you send the letter to GD. Wouldn't you think, however, that having coached under such notables as Coack K and Boeheim that TOT would have learned some of this stuff?


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[> [> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- The Naut, 12:42:59 02/27/03 Thu

You would think, but in his roles there, he may have been learning more about the whole coaching experience and not focusing on the x's and o's because it wasn't his responsibilty at the time. It's also one thing to look over someone's shoulder to see what they are doing, and quite another to critically evaluate your own decisions.


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[> [> [> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- JoeStag, 12:52:20 02/27/03 Thu

I think hiring an established, experienced x's and o's offensive coach would be a great replacement for Roshown Mcleod. Especially someone who can also help us transition to a more outside shooting team. There should be some good, older Division 2 or Division 3 head coaches that might want to get an opportunity at Division I.


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[> [> [> [> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- The Naut, 13:00:01 02/27/03 Thu

I agree, but we need to get someone whom TOT will listen to and respect. He needs to learn, and from everything I am hearing, he is headstrong about how he does things. This may be an unfair assessment, since I have no concrete knowledge of how he interacts with his assistants, but if he treats them as people who he simply directs to do things, we are not going to move forward, becasue it's still not going to improve his bench coaching ability.


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[> [> [> [> [> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- Stagman, 13:24:52 02/27/03 Thu

The assistants are supposed to learn from the head coach, not the other way around.


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[> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Unfair Assessment -- TruthRuth, 15:57:25 02/27/03 Thu

Naut - you were correct in that you were making an "unfair assessment" above regarding TOT and his dealing with his assistants - you might want to be a little more responsible in making passing judgements based strictly on guesses and stay away from assumptions in areas which you have absolutely no concrete idea about....


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[> [> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Unfair Assessment -- The Naut, 17:40:54 02/27/03 Thu

Thank you for chastising me oh great and knowledgeable one!


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[> [> [> [> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- Bridgeport, 17:16:49 02/28/03 Fri

Hello !!!!!
TOT will not be coached by any expert, in any subject EVER.

General Lee on the field in Pa. years ago-- " lets go boys "


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[> [> [> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- Rave, 13:10:33 02/27/03 Thu

Naut,
Do you think T.O.T. would go for something like that? If he was amiable to something like you propose, which I endorse also, he could have done it in the past and could do it now. Doesn't he have an assistant's job opening? This guy doesn't take criticism well. That assistant coach's job will be filled by a rookie, guaranteed.....


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[> [> [> [> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- Champ, 13:59:24 02/27/03 Thu

Even Calhoun acknowledges publicly that he has learned things through George Blaney.

TOT is probably still feeling a bit defensive and insecure. I like the Gene Doris letter for that reason: it's a "let me help you succeed" approach. The wise manager jumps on board.

TOT must learn that leadership isn't about being a dictator, but building a support team who supply the skills and knowledge that you may lack. The best leaders are the most humble and admit they only motivate their experts to accomplish the task.


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[> [> [> [> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- The Naut, 14:18:33 02/27/03 Thu

I have no idea whether he would be willing to do it or not, that's why I think the Administration should get involved. If TOT can't acknowledge that he still needs to learn, then we're all in bigger trouble than we realize.


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[> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- Stag '89, 13:50:55 02/27/03 Thu

C'mon get real. You sound like your describing some pimple-faced teenager. This is an adult who has shown an inability or unwillingness to listen to others. Ask McLeod how hard headed and set in his ways the man is. Face it, we got him for another few years because the talent level won out over his incompetence this season. With Oscar and Nick gone next year, and no bangers in slight, expect us to visit the bowels of the MAAC once more. UGH!!!


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[> [> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- The Naut, 14:09:08 02/27/03 Thu

Not at all. I have people here making over 2 bills a year that we have brought in coaches for. They acknowledge where their weaknesses lie, and are committed to work to change them. Granted, this doesn't translate directly to basketball, but it is in no way a reflection of teaching a pimple-faced teenager. If Doris sits TOT down and tells him he needs to work on his bench coaching, and brings in someone to help him do that, TOT is an idiot if he doesn't take advantage. It does nothing but help his career.


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[> [> [> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- Running Man, 14:48:32 02/27/03 Thu

You guys cannot be serious. Rare is the head coach who is willing to be "tutored" by a subordinate. Does anyone realize how huge the egos are for people who are head coaches? These are individuals who are consistently in the public's view. The cardinal sin is to offer any overt sign of weakness. Moreover they don't take criticism well. I remember that Bill Raftery was one of John Thompson's best friends until he had the temerity to suggest that Thompson's Georgetown teams were too physical. Thompson went ballistic and the friendship nearly ended.


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[> [> [> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- Stag '89, 15:23:54 02/27/03 Thu

If you have an understanding of the business world as you say, don't you think Doris has tried to get TOT to be more receptive to help? His actions show that he either does not understand or will not accept suggestions from others. Hard for some to understand. You look at those business leaders who once dominated their businesses such as Kozlowski, Ebbers, and the top brass at Enron; their egos or hubris simply would not allow them to accept that they are no smarter or shouldn't be allowed to operate on a standard apart from the rest of us. Please, do not misunderstand, I am only comparing head strong behavior, not ethics.


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[> [> [> [> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- Fair Play, 16:50:09 02/27/03 Thu

I think you all are living in another universe. First of all this so-called great season we have been having had a a lot to do with luck. How many games game down to beating the buzzer or a questionable call? A seasoned coach would have been able to take this talented team and create a powerhouse. TOT has been given his opportunity to succeed, unfortunately for us, lady luck was on his side for most of the season so his contract will most likely be renewed. But to suggest that an assistant coach be brought in to tech O'Toole is absolutely ridiculus. TOT would never go for the idea because he wouldn't want to show any sign of weakness. And I don't think you would be able to find a "good" coach to work with him. The fact is that once this season is over and TOT loses the heart of this team (Garcia, Delfico, and Deng) there will be nothing to save him. If Gai was smart he'd transfer out of here before it's too late.


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[> [> [> [> [> Heart of this Team? -- Rave, 17:10:07 02/27/03 Thu

Fair Play,
You really think Oscar and Nick are the key to this team? What were the numbers for Oscar? 65 turnovers and 8 assists? You plug in Maxwell and Bell for those guys and let them play, we would be much better. Come in and watch a game every now and then.


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[> [> [> [> [> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- The Naut, 17:38:55 02/27/03 Thu

I wasn't talking about an assistant coach - I was talking about bringing in a proven former coach who TOT would respect and be open to listening to. Hell, the whole idea is a shot in the dark because I don't think it will work, but it's going to take TOT a very long time to learn it on his own.


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[> [> [> [> [> [> Re: Dear Gene Doris, -- Rave, 08:07:54 02/28/03 Fri

The key phrase here is ; is T.O.T receptive to this idea? I think we all know the answer to that. Remember one thing, Gene Doris was the head coach at Stepinac when Tim played there and I believe he was a college asst. for awhile. Don't you you think Gene offers his advice to Tim occasionly? You can bring the donkey to the pond, but you can't make it drink the water....Ego,Ego,Ego.


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