Tom Minkel to hang it up after 2016

[BobDole 967]

Prepare your doomsday shelter please!

 

http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/m-wrestl/spec-rel/063015aaa.html

[silver-medal 670]

Chandler will join Heffernan, McFarland and Pariano as a Big Ten Head Coaches from the greater Cleveland area.  Congrats to Roger Chandler.

[WildTurkey44 321]

Somewhere MSU158 is drinking early today

[BobDole 967]

Rumor has it that Minkel will be taking over the golf program. He seems to do well getting the lowest score at Big 10's and NCAA's.

[Serial_Thriller 77]

Rumor has it that Minkel will be taking over the golf program. He seems to do well getting the lowest score at Big 10's and NCAA's.

 

*rimshot*

[MSU158 1,537]

It pains me to say, but this really isn't a change.  Expect more of the same.  Roger is a nice guy, but he is Minkel's guy.  The fact they aren't even interviewing potential candidates says it all.  The Athletic Department has no substantial interest in the Wrestling program and this transition will make the least waves.

 

Again, expect little to no change.

[BAC 107]

I have nothing against Roger Chandler, but I question their decision to just hand the position to him without any competitive process.

 

Why not open up the head coaching position to other candidates?  Chandler can apply, and if he's the best candidate, he'll get it. But maybe there's a superstar coach out there that might be interested in the position too.  By just handing the position to Chandler, you lose any chance of getting a possibly superior candidate.

 

This misguided sense of loyalty is the mistake that MSU's AD made already with Minkel.  After guiding his team to the cellar of the B1G for more years than anyone can count, everyone knows he should've been fired long ago.  But they stuck with him, as though he was king for as long as he wanted the crown.  And now the king is passing the crown to his son, who may or may not be the fittest to rule.

 

I can appreciate that there are benefits to this approach, in that it allows a period of transition and promotes continuity.  But when you're consistently the worst team in the B1G, is continuity really what you want?  Handing the job to the top assistant without a competitive application process only makes sense when you have a superstar on your hands, like Bobby Douglas handing off the job to Cael.  I can't say for sure whether Chandler qualifies, but after 18 years at MSU, isn't he one of the architects of those consistently bottom-dwelling teams?  And as head assistant the last 4-5 years, I would've thought that recruiting and talent development are among his principal responsibilities.

 

PSU's coaching search unexpectedly landed them Cael, followed by 4 NCAA titles.  ASU's coaching search landed them Zeke Jones, who promptly brought in 4 of the top 15 recruits in the country.  Does Chandler have the star power and skill to turn around MSU's abysmal history?  I don't know.  But what I do know is that MSU has forfeited any chance of landing someone who might be even better at it. 

 

But I wish Chandler the best.  Anyone's better than Minkel.

Edited June 30, 2015 by BAC

[Tofurky 596]

Not to bag on MSU, but, to some degree, I have to believe what MSU158 says above. Who runs the MSU room most days? Who does the brunt of their recruiting? MSU has had one All-American since 2010. Since 2003, only one guy not named Simmons or Gomez has AAed. Does Minkel really hold Chandler back that much that Roger's influence isn't felt? If that's the case, why would he have stuck around for 18 years?

 

Who was the assistant coach during the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons when they were mighty?

 

I do share in the rejoicing that Minkel will finally stop being greedy, take his pension and leave MSU, but with a good amount of reluctance.

[merr6267 18]

I know that one of the assistants in the mid 1990's was Dave Dean who coached a few high school team titles at Lowell High School, and is the father to a one Gabe Dean.

 

He coached a clinic at my high school during my freshman year, but that's the only experience I have to his coaching, and I was just a pup who knew nothing . . .

 

I am also worried that Chandler may not be the man to lead the program.  I know nothing of his coaching, but his name will not bring in star power from within the state, let alone the rest of the country.  

[LkwdSteve 141]

Upon review, given the circumstances, sentiments, being expressed here, are things that have to be said.

 

I wonder if other MSU program alums will air opinions.

[Holtfan 48]

The more things change, the more they remain the same.

While on a personal level I like Roger Chandler, I am with MSU158---how does this change anything? 

Two decades of mediocrity likely followed by two decades more. 

On a bright note, with the departure of Minkel I doubt we will have another Fekete incident. 

[cornercoach 448]

... Roger is an avid duck hunter- that could have some positive carryover ..........

[Bloate 61]

It'th duck theason.

Image from http://www.animationartgallery.com/images/wbl/WBLFF1021.jpg.

Edited June 30, 2015 by Bloate

[wrestlingnerd 2,593]

With the amount of blue chip coaching talent available right now, not to speak of the terrible job all MSU coaches have done for decades, handing over the program to Chandler says it all: We don't give a sht.

[silver-medal 670]

Very good points are being made but let's consider that Chandler may have moves he wants to make that none of us can see coming.  New assistants?  More forceful efforts at recruiting now that he no longer has to justify Minkel as head coach?  Or perhaps he can land a true stud assistant who's very presence instantly helps attract talent?  

 

Things may not change a lot.  But then again they might.  

[gimpeltf 1,531]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-k5J4RxQdE

[Sheerstress 102]

Not to bag on MSU, but, to some degree, I have to believe what MSU158 says above. Who runs the MSU room most days? Who does the brunt of their recruiting? MSU has had one All-American since 2010. Since 2003, only one guy not named Simmons or Gomez has AAed. Does Minkel really hold Chandler back that much that Roger's influence isn't felt? If that's the case, why would he have stuck around for 18 years?

 

Who was the assistant coach during the 1994-95 and 1995-96 seasons when they were mighty?

 

I do share in the rejoicing that Minkel will finally stop being greedy, take his pension and leave MSU, but with a good amount of reluctance.

 

Along with Dave Dean (Gabe's dad), it was Joe Pantaleo.  

 

Joe played a HUGE role in getting the Spartans from the Big 10 outhouse to the penthouse in 1995.  All the starters with whom he worked eventually made All-American.  Minkel fired him after the 1995-96 season, and they soon after began to slide back down to where they are today.

[npope 156]

As a public institution, I was under the impression that all position openings required 1) public posting and 2) a competitive review of candidates. That doesn't sound like that is what has happened here. Is it possible that the handing of the reins over to Chandler at this point is a premature/incorrect statement? 

[Flying-Tiger 615]

Minkle getting a farewell tour followed by the immediate hiring of an assistant is extremely odd. I thought that kind of treatment was reserved for successful coaches….. and hear I figured I'd have to worry about MSU going after Casey Cunningham, silly me. 

Edited July 1, 2015 by Flying-Tiger

[spartan 3]

There will be no change at MSU. Chandler is a St. Ed's alum and tell me who he has brought in from Ohio? Look at their current roster, almost all Michigan guys with a couple California and one Kentucky kid. How does anyone believe that this will change? Michigan University has had a couple of nice recruiting classes and most of the Michigan kids they get have been practicing at MSU (with Chris Williams) for years. If they could not get those kids with Chandler as the Associate Head Coach and Williams as the assistant, how are they going to get them now? I am being told that Wedland is in charge of their recruiting. Nothing against him, but not a personality or talent that will bring kids in. Look at this year's recruiting class, compared to any other Big 10 school. It is not even close. They have a couple of very talented kids on the current team that I watched wrestle like they just wanted the season to be over at the Big 10's. How can you reward Chandler for that type of results?

[BobDole 967]

Chandler is the director of Michigan's youth association which means he has other commitments outside of MSU that take his time from recruiting and coaching.

[wreferee 7]

If ever there was good news (Minkel's finally leaving), bad news (but not until after one more miserable season) and worse news (Chandler will be his "replacement")........

[SetonHallPirate 835]

Esteemed Senator from Kansas, one does wonder how long that combination of head coach at Michigan State and director of MYWAY would last.

[BobDole 967]

I can't really see much changing in that realm, Mr. Esteemed Computer Wizard.

[Coach_J 2,053]

Wrong to not open the job up to a national search.  Having sent a kid to wrestle at MSU, I can say that the problem runs deeper than Minkel.