YSU

YSU
Krizancic toutedas next hoops coach
Fanfare:
I have been a loyal YSU sports fan as far back as I can remember and would like to offer my opinion of what I feel has gone wrong in selecting a coach.
After the retirement of Coach Dom Rosselli, some 20 years ago, YSU has tried hiring big and small college coaches during that time. They have not been very successful in winning and building a solid program.
With the exception of Mike Rice and Dan Peters, the other YSU head coaches had no experience as a head coach at any level; therefore they were learning to be a head coach at the Division I level.
The coaches were given ample time to build a program, however, they failed to do so, for one reason or other.
We have not had a winning program for most of the past 20 years and have recruited very few players from the tri-state area (Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia) during that time.
In fact, many of the recruits were junior college players from all over the country, with two years of playing eligibility left. Is it any wonder that the fan base has dramatically eroded since Coach Rosselli's retirement?
It has been quoted by the YSU A.D. that three of the most important requirements for the next coach are: the ability to recruit and keep players in the program; how well he fits into the YSU community with the fans and students; and the ability to build and develop a sound program that can compete in the Horizon League.
I totally agree with the philosophy and I'm certain the fans and students would endorse it. I would like to suggest the selection committee consider a new approach and consider a successful and proven Division I high school coach as the next YSU head coach.
The head coach I would like to recommend is Mentor High School's Bob Krizancic, whose career I have followed since he began his career at Girard in 1980.
He coached 13 years at Girard, winning the Div. II state championship in 1993. At Mentor, his teams have won numerous league titles, sectional and district championships.
His teams have appeared in the Sweet 16 eight times throughout his career. Bob took losing programs at both schools and produced 21 winning season in 25 years as head coach.
I believe this is a prime example of his ability to develop winning programs and his total commitment to the school and the program.
As for recruiting, I'm certain coach Krizancic has an established network of high school and college coaches in the tri-state area he can rely on his recruiting efforts. Also through his experiences in the tri-state area, tournament participation throughout the USA, basketball camps and major college and coaching all-star teams in Europe and Hawaii during the past few years.
How he fits into the YSU community is probably one of his greatest assets. He's a YSU graduate, three-year letterman under Rosselli and he and his program has earned the respect as one of the top ones in the state and surrounding areas, in both basketball and academics.
I believe coach Krizancic would be a quality candidate as the next YSU coach.
Louis F. Ruggiero
Girard
STEROIDS
Dahlberg's columnproves McGwire's point
Fanfare:
Once Congress got involved in the baseball steroids issue something had to happen. I wish to quote Mark McGwire, "Asking me or any other player to answer questions about who took steroids in front of the television cameras will not solve the problem."
If he answers no, he simply will not be believed. If he answers yes, he risks public scorn and endless government investigations.
I quote Sammy Sosa, "To be clear, I have never taken illegal performance-enhancing drugs."
Now I reference Tim Dahlberg's column (Vindicator 3/20/05). I quote, "McGwire and Sosa already did Major League Baseball a favor by drawing fans back to the ballpark in 1998 while those in charge of the game pretended they had no idea why so many baseballs were flying out of the ballparks in St. Louis and Chicago."
Neither gentleman admitted to steroid use and they're already guilty. Mark's quote was right on.
John R. Cunningham
Salem