Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Dear Bretti and Ward: An Open Letter

Dear Frank and Troy,

Thank you for showing your interest in becoming UAA's new Head Coach for hockey. But, you're definitely not welcome.

The intent here isn't to be rude but to let you know exactly how UAA fans feel about your potential hiring. If you have any familiarity with the University of Alaska Anchorage's program then you know that since our founder Brush Christiansen left the program we UAA fans have been saddled first with a D-3 numbnuts and then we got an out and out liar as coach. We finally have a coach who is making the program go in the right direction.

Coach Shyiak is doing a great job and has the complete support of the school and it's fan base. I can't imagine why you've actually submitted an application under the current immigration related circumstances but you should know you won't have the support of this blogger and/or the UAA fanbase. Best of luck with your future endeavours that don't include stabbing an existing head coach in the back.

Most Sincerely,
Donald

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

EXACTLY. We don't want a new coach. Getting a head coaching job because of a loophole is pretty low.

Anonymous said...

Very interesting letter. With the job being posted any one who fits the criteria that was posted could apply for the job. Both coaches have more than 5 years of coaching at the D-1 level. They have both been Head Coaches. And both are able to work in this country. Also not just these individuals but three others that the hockey world doesn't know yet. The ADN stated that if an american applied for and met the qualifications he would be in line for being the one employed. Bretti and Ward and possibly 3 others look to meet those qualifications. The question is donald how does it get to this point? If a canadian applied at your place of work would that person without the right paper work be employed. Probably not.

Donald Dunlop said...

It gets to this point because because an asshole that pretended head coaching was his dream job blew the program off. At that point there were two choices:

Start another nationwide search ....

or

Hire the guy that finished second in the last national search ...

Dr. Cobb made a good decision by hiring Shyiak without another national search. It was a decision that gave the program the quickest possible turnaround. Foundering for weeks and possibly months during the off season would have certainly kept some kids from signing with the team. Having the quick turnaround was the best thing to do.

The immigration laws that are affecting this situation were put in place to protect "high tech" american jobs from qualified applicants from overseas. Specifically, there are a shitload of good computer programmers from India that would like nothing better than to work in America. This law protects Americans working in that and other high tech industries. It's stupid and a complete hypocrisy to the U.S.'s general policy of fair trade. Nevertheless it is what it is.

Not that "how did it get to this?" was really a relevant question at this point.

The relevant question is does any American "really" want to backdoor his way into this job? It's tacky that these guys even applied.

Anonymous said...

If a canadian applied at your place of work would that person without the right paper work be employed? WELL, I don't recall any other applicants at the time they hired Shyiak. He ALREADY has this job. Period.

And there are only 2 other candidates we don't know about, since Shyiak himself re-applied and is one of the five.

Give it a rest.

Anonymous said...

IF we had these applicants email addresses, we'd all tell them they are not wanted or welcome in Anchorage!!

Anonymous said...

If the candidates meet the qualifications and the job was posted as open then the university should not be shocked that individuals applied. I think after reading both Ward and Bretti's coaching resume the university is going to have a tough time saying thy are not qualified. Ward has a load of coaching experience all the way to Pro. Bretti coached at UAA for Brush Christiansen.

Anonymous said...

Donald, don't you think the only reason Bretti and Ward applied for the job is to show the rest of the college hockey world that they are interested in being a head coach? Seriously, I don't believe they think they will get the unopen job.

Anonymous said...

If these guys wanted the job they should have been around two seasons ago.

It's disgusting that a (unlikely) future coach could ruin what a great team we have improved to be.

Donald Dunlop said...

444:
Yes. My first draft contained a statement along those lines. It was long winded though and that was one of the things that didn't get into the post. And technically, it is an "open" job. Bretti and Ward have emblazened themselves with the ugliness of actually applying for the job regardless of their intentions.

Anon @ 10:04:
Cobb hired Shyiak without any sort of search and/or open hiring process. He did so for the sake of continuity. Shyiak had been the #2 candidate when Hill was hired. Cobb made a good move at the time because of the way Hill bolted. This immigration issue is an unfortunate unintended consequence that could only be dealt with by reopening the position.

Jeff said...

I really hope shyiak doesnt lose his job. WHat do you think the odds are that this will happen? Also,if there is a new coach i think he'll have a hard time winning the teams cooperation. Especially shyiaks recruits.

Donald Dunlop said...

I would have said the odds of any actual coach applying would be 20-1 but at least two assholes that "seem" to have at least minimal qualifications have blown that. Of course I'm the guy that said Hill wouldn't go back to UofM to be an assistant the first couple of days that rumor broke. The whole thing about coaching being a "fraternity" certainly seemed to have meaning but I honestly don't know what to think now.

IF (a really big "if") by some twist of ugly fate Shyiak is replaced then it's a no win situation as far as I can see. The arena would empty (except for me standing behind the bench with a sign saying "We STILL don't want you" and yelling obscenities at whoever got the job). The assistants wouldn't have their hearts in it. I'd recommend that any existing players forget about trying any harder than they need to maintain their schollies and just focus on their studies. The program would once again become the brunt of jokes.

I do know that Cobb will do whatever he can to make sure it doesn't happen. But then it seems all it takes is one ineffectual mid-level management dumbass at the Department of Labor who's miserable because his wife cheated on him the week before to screw it all up for Shyiak and UAA.

LetsGoMavs said...

Donald- what the heck are you talking about on my blog? I haven't kept up much but from what I'm gathering is that UAA may get rid of your coach over some weird crap? What's up (give me the short, non-rant version). If they do need one though, I'll gladly send you Jutting!! :)

LetsGoMavs said...

Ok...now I'm up to speed. I read about the situation over at the WCH blog. That sucks for you guys..but why didn't your coach get a dual citizenship years ago?

It feels like crap to you, but this happens all the time with Canadians that aren't dual. I know a guy that's an attorney who was almost booted out of the US too, because the US limits how many "aliens" can be in our country and does pay attention to the more educated ones, that could possibly be taking jobs from Americans.

Sorry dude, I can't support you on this. I think your coach made the mistake and is only facing the consequences that he knows are out there for it. I suppose I could help you out and come to UAA and marry him, making him a citizen. Would that make you happy? :) Even if I married him, I'm NOT cheering for the damn Seawolves! ha ha.

Anonymous said...

From what I can piece together online, here is Troy Wards experience:

Troy Ward

1984-1987: Asst. coach of Wisconsin Eau-Claire

1990-1993: Asst. coach of Denver

1993-1995: USHL head coach

1995-97: Assistant coach of the Indianapolis Ice.

1998-2000: Penguins asst. coach

7/31/00: Head coach of Trenton Titons. (Lasted only 1 year).

7/30/01: East Coast Hockey League's new Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations

5/6/02: University of Wisconsin Assistant Coach

2005: Vice President of Hockey Operations with Next Testing

1/2006: Head coach of the BCHL Salmon Kings (left because of my current family situation in the
United States)!!!

2006: Broadcaster and game analyst for CSTV

Doesn't seem like he is committed to coaching.

Donald Dunlop said...

LGM:
Your parental-like chiding of Dave Shyiak for not becoming a U.S. Citizen on a more accelerated timeline is certainly a "high principle" and must be reason enough for the UAA program and it's fanbase to get fucked by the U.S. Dept. of Labor.

LetsGoMavs said...

Donald! I wasn't being mean...I just asked WHY he didn't get dual citizenship long ago, as I guess this is an issue many educated Canadians encounter in our country and they're aware of this. Just curious why. But then again, I suppose he's thinking the same thing.

Be nice, I offered to come up and marry him to help you out:)

Donald Dunlop said...

LGM:
You looked at the issue. You decided that it was more important to maintain a superior attitude about when other people should or shouldn't have gotten things done versus supporting the fraternity of college hockey fans. It's all good. After all ... it isn't like hockey is some game that was created in Canada or populated densely with Canadians.

The best thing you could have done with my request for your support would have been to ignore it. Your choice to offer only some sort of maternal chiding for his apparent failure to "get dual citizenship years ago" was both unecessary and ill-advised.

Good luck with your blog. Bye.

LetsGoMavs said...

Donald, Donald, Donald-- is this an agree with me or don't say anything at all deal? Seriously, I don't know enough about the issue to take a stong point OR write a letter. Why don't you just write the letter for me and I'll sign my name to it:) That way it'll seem legit and that I know what I'm talking about.

I do feel bad for th position your team is in though. That just sucks. That immigration law seems kinda silly, but after the person who almost got booted for it explained it to me, it made more sense.

Really though, good luck with it and don't be such a crabby pants! Have people picket at UAA when/if they do interview the other people. Maybe they'll all back out then.

Donald Dunlop said...

LGM:
My bad. I shouldn't have asked you.

LetsGoMavs said...

I wasn't being a smarty pants. If you really want to write a letter for me, I'll sign it.

Seriously, think about the picketing thing. I mean, would you want to accept a job when you go to the interview and you're met with people hating you?

Donald Dunlop said...

LGM:
I wish I'd thought about something to send them a message. Like maybe .. um ... bloggers letting them know that they wouldn't be welcome in Anchorage through a collective "open letter" that demonstrated our solidarity.

But I'll make sure the AD's secretary calls me to tell me the date and time of their private interviews.

Donald Dunlop said...

LGM:
The bloggers that help me with this will do so because they understand how shitty it is for members of the coaching fraternity to stab another member in the back.

Or ... They'll help because they know when/if the chips are down in their own backyard that I'll be there to toot whatever horn they ask me to toot.

Or ... They'll help for no other reason than for the sake of solidarity amongst the few bloggers that post about college hockey.

Or ... They won't help for whatever reason they decide they can't. But nobody else I've asked will come here and blame the head coach of the team I write about for "scabs" trying to stab him in the back and get a job via the backdoor.

I already told you I made a mistake in asking you to help. It isn't a mistake I'll make again. I said it was "all good" in an effort to allow you to exit gracefully.

If you have anything further to say you should choose to do it privately via email since my "jerk" factor here will multiply exponentially otherwise.

Anonymous said...

Anon @ 5:10. IF these coaches applied earlier, that makes an even greater case against them. They weren't qualified enough to get the job then, and they aren't now.

Anonymous said...

hey donold liaiting to the badger game and mankato proving agian why they are the dirtiest team one of there kids tried to kick bucky the kid had no helment.

Donald Dunlop said...

I watched Mankato/Bucky. The refereeing wasn't the best. Mankato ended up with PP's after the scrum they started and Hunt missed a clear CFB against Bucky only calling a 2min boarding.

Sags and Braun went on a bit too much about Mankato being the most penalized team I thought. They've had a couple of big scraps that added to their total and some other teams haven't had such scraps.

Not to say that Mankato's reputation for thuggery isn't earned. But listening to Sags you'd have thought they were the second coming of Satan.

Kyle Whitney said...

I agree with suze's earlier post. Troy Ward has not come close to showing a solid commitment to a coaching position in his career. If you don't stick in one place for more than three years, then how in the world are you ever going to be able to recruit and build a college hockey team. College coaches are always judged after four seasons, because that's the first that they have their own recruits. Troy Ward may never see that fifth season in his life.

Donald Dunlop said...

Kyle:
Thanks for your post on your blog. I'm waiting for something but will be thanking everyone who made their opinions known in an upcoming post in the next couple of days.

And yeah ... Ward wouldn't get a D1 job at any school with a resume full of an apparent lack of committment.

Anonymous said...

amen

Post a Comment