Tidwell resigns at Warren County!

[rastabob]

Here are just some random observations and opinions:

 

1) Yes, Tidwell was probably gone after this year. However, leaving in the middle of the year is not the answer. I always tell my kids that if they don't think they will finish the year, they shouldn't try out. If they make it and quit, they are taking the place of someone else who would be tickled to have it. This is what Coach Tidwell has done. How can any of the new coaches possibly tell a kid he shouldn't quit when the going gets tough if that is precisely what their previous coach/role model did????

 

2) Why is it that the answer always seems to be, bring in someone new from outside the system. That is the answer of this administration for almost every sports hire in the last few years. (Tidwell, Woods, Campbell, Fritz, Kiel, Turner, etc, etc, etc.) The coaches at Warren County from Warren County should take this as an insult. There is no reason the coaches that are there should not get the chance to run the program. This is not a shot at Dryden, I think he is a great guy and a very good coach. However, consider Madewell, Lytle, Watson, etc. for this job and don't go on an exhaustive candidate hunt outside the county and state. Everyone wants to know how to get confidence in the program..... It's to hire people that believe in the program and in Warren County, people that care, people that are from here. Bottom Line!!!

 

3) Players, don't take this as an example of what you should do when the going gets tough and tougher. I know that Tidwell is a great guy. He seemed to be a decent coach. However, ducking and running in the middle of the season is not the example the kids should follow. I can understand quitting after the season, but what does quitting in the middle of it teach. Players, you should just try harder, try something new, then try that harder, and repeat before you quit.

 

Good luck Pioneers, some of us still respect, love, and encourage you.

 

2) b. another thing about hiring inside the system....... The only sport that consistently does this is baseball. (Brown, Walker, Holt) The only sport to win a state championship in the last 25 years.... baseball. Do you think this is a coincidence? I don't. Hire from inside, you get someone who cares, someone the kids trust, and someone who will stick with you.

Edited September 30, 2003 by rastabob

[jcm]

Tidwell was asked to resign by the principal - I got that from Tidwell directly. He also made sure the team understood that on Monday. Kind of tacky to do that in the middle of the season.

 

The players presently on the team like and respect Dryden. I think the will respond well to him. He's not a screamer but respected for his knowledge of the gane. I think he is logically the best choice although Madwell would be a closed 2nd. I believe his plans are similar to what ELA suggested in a previous thread - make football fun - work on fundementals - loosen things up a bit and take some risk.

 

Seven Srs. and Six Jrs. with the balance of the 40 to 45 team being Soph. and Freshmen. I think they will play as hard as they can. Lets give them our support for the rest of the season.

 

I am curious how the "quiters" will respond. Will they try to get back on? Will they be allowed by Dryden? By the Admin? What should the consequence be for quitting on your team during the season? ( I Hope they get back on with consequences).

[heyitsme]

More than likely, if the principle asked the coach to resign, the 'order' to remove the coach came from member(s) of the school board and/or the director of schools.

The principle was only the messenger, in my opinion.

[rastabob]

This is an interesting situation. The principal is a former football coach himself. At least one of the members of the school board is a former coach. I wonder why they would decide to go ahead with this instead of waiting 5 weeks. The turmoil this will cause for the players and the coaches is astounding. I am sure some of the coaches aren't necessarilly happy, but they are anxious to try their own stuff. Does the administration think that cutting Tidwell loose will somehow cause a miraculous turnaround on the field. It doesn't work like that. Do they think that by cutting Tidwell loose it will absolve them of any responsibility with the lawsuit. That won't happen either. I just wonder how a decision could be made that this would be better than waiting until the end of the season.

[FairInMyFavor]

The principle was only the messenger, in my opinion.

The principal is where it all starts. Look at any winning program and you'll find a strong, supportive principal.

 

It was Hulon Watson who was principal at Riverdale at the time Coach Gary Rankin was hired. Mr. Watson was committed to building a winning at Riverdale so he went out and hired a good man for the job...and then he supported Coach Rankin in every way. Nobody can argue with the results.

 

Riverdale was/is lucky to have Coach Rankin, but they were even luckier to have Hulon Watson as a principal to get it done. Maybe Warren County could coax Hulon Watson out of retirement and let him have at it. He would know what to do and how to get it done.

[jcm]

I don't think this is something that Tidwell did of his own accord, so jcm, what was Tidwell's attitude about this?

I don't want to speak for him but I believe he is disappointed, but not bitter. Nothing negative said about anyone on the team (including all former players), the staff, or the school admins. He's handling this like a gentleman.

[Idunk2]

What has been the reaction of the players and remaining staff?

[smith52]

eagle79

Did you play at WC? I was there 88-90.

Edited September 30, 2003 by smith52

[ERA]

I believe when you have a program that had so many losing seasons, they learn how not to win. In other words, the dive is too deep to pull out. A new high school coach has the pressure to win and to win now. If it isn't happening the first year, it better happen the second, hence, he might be spending all his time trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. If the talent ain't there (a good coach can surmise that in 3 practices) it ain't gonna happen.

 

That's when you reel in the feeder program at the lower levels and push them hard, win win win at the younger levels with hard work and good weight rooms. When that comes through your high school, you start with a silk purse. In four to five years, you have a SYSTEM if you have the right people in place underneath. Most are not that patient nor will they be. "It's now or never!"

 

Too many times, great expectations with a big name coach in a small community winds up imploding on itself because of it. Parents get upset wondering why their kid isn't playing or playing well enough to win. Well, it's just too late to be learning the basics at high school level when everyone else around you is playing near collegiate level. If the coach turns his attention to the younger team, all heck breaks out. "My Johnny is a senior, why ain't he playing?" Tell me how many times you have heard that?

 

My point, none of the above is meant as a model of what's going on in Warren County because I just don't know but I will say that the model above fits most athletic problems in high schools across the state.

Edited September 30, 2003 by ERA

[ELA]

Too many times, great expectations with a big name coach in a small community winds up imploding on itself because of it. Parents get upset wondering why their kid isn't playing or playing well enough to win. Well, it's just too late to be learning the basics at high school level when everyone else around you is playing near collegiate level. If the coach turns his attention to the younger team, all heck breaks out. "My Johnny is a senior, why ain't he playing?" Tell me how many times you have heard that?

Very good post!

[BDURHAM]

2) b. another thing about hiring inside the system....... The only sport that consistently does this is baseball. (Brown, Walker, Holt) The only sport to win a state championship in the last 25 years.... baseball. Do you think this is a coincidence? I don't. Hire from inside, you get someone who cares, someone the kids trust, and someone who will stick with you.

Warren County won the state championship when Ron Brown was the head coach. He is not from Warren County.

[kellraiser]

Keith Maxwell has won one or two state championships as golf coach.

Edited September 30, 2003 by kellraiser