Todd Williams
Todd Williams
I for one can only hope that this "rumor" is true. It would be great to see him out of there though. Knowing the little squirrel he is I could see him, "Pulling a Kiffin" in the middle of the night. An individual like Clark would skip town before being fired or "relieved of his duties." Which apparently amount to 8th place finishes in the SEC and overall declining programs with both genders. It’s a wonder though, this time and space we live in where an individual can do such a poor job and still continue to have job security. Well, I guess some are luckier than others...George Costanza landed a job with the New York Yankees back in the day. Oh wait, that's television. Its make believe - like the idea Clark could run both programs, and do it well. If you had told me, when he was given the position, that he would have run the men's program in to the ground...now, yes, that's something I could have wrapped my head around. And yes, this really is Patrick Gildea, former Volunteer who graduated in 2003. I am sure Clark has a troll on these boards, or two...I hope the message somehow gets relayed back to him with kindne...oh never mind. And yes, I still know what training shoes y'all are wearing.
p.s. Please forgive the, give or take, 7th grade reading level of my post. It was a rushed. Similar to the hiring of Clark a few years back.
Solemnly & Irreverently,
Patrick Gildea
Very funny that there is a token white guy on staff. It is so hard to find talented successful white coaches these days...
Good job JJ! Hold the basement of the SEC tight.
WHO WILL PROTECT THIS HOUSE!!
Who in their right mind can defend Clark at this point? All those Clark supporters had two point that they were hanging their hat on... 1) They said that JJ was a middle distance coach and he had never coached men's T&F, so we should give him 2 years to get things straight. Well, he's been in the Director position for 4 years now and both teams suck, including the middle and long distance crews (he is supposed to be a mid-distance specialist, no?). 2) People whined like little bitc--s that JJ didn't get to bring in his own staff (like any Olympic sport coach gets to bring in w whole new staff). Well, when Clark and interim AD JOAN CRONAN started plotting when Mike Hamilton was fired, JJ got his way. The day Hamilton was fired, Clark let go of 26 year vet George Watts (who in one year coached ETSU men's and women's to school record performances and runner up spots in the A-Sun) and Norbert Elliot. He brought in his own people...AND...we still suck! Not to mention the woman he wanted as his distance coach since he took the reigns 4 years ago QUIT after 6 months on the job. So yeah... we're a bit annoyed and to be quite honest, this level of bitching and whining by the alumni is NOTHING compared to what it was 4 years ago when Hamilton was in the decision process. We effing told you so!
Watts has already awakened ETSU. Watch out.
A wet blanket could have awakened ETSU. After 50 yrs of the same schtick anything was going to work. They saw "progress" under Milner too. Not to take away from the progress that has been made, but a lot of coaches could've made the same gains. Those kids are talented, finally they get a chance! Lets just see how long he sticks around at ETSU until another SEC job opens up....
The entire situation leaves so many alums distraught and angry and as each of us speak up we can let it be known we don't want this next hire done without a true national search and hiring someone who can completely turn this thing around and quick. We are too proud a program to endure this.
I know that a coach who had an Olympian on this past years' US Olympic team in the sprints was not even interviewed by JJ because he was "not qualified" to be the sprint assistant as he instead hired a "yes" man coach. Well YES its time to go and hire a real head coach and a staff to match.
clark wasnt assistant, he was head coach women's track, won two championships....since taking over both he's fell off like 50 cent once he went pop..... nah mean?
This is Oregon in 5 years.
Norbert Elliott should be re-instated along with Watts
Word on the streets is that Bev Kearney has reginstered fo vote in Knoxville. This is a mistake, she is not a men's coach. Hire a man to coach co-ed track.
IT KILLS YOUR BRAIN CELLS, SON !!
I'm not wearing panties, Bruce Jenner for head coach and I'll show the world !
Word on the street was Jon Gruden had enrolled his kids in a Knoxville private school. The streets in Knoxville are noisy these days...
Clark's not going anywhere until after the season. Heck, we still have to go to the "JJ Olympics (Penn Relays)" and bring home a few wagon wheels so he can show the clueless AD and his people how successful Tennessee is.
He hasnt got the horses to win anything on the track at Penn. On the distaff side, Michigan is going to be there so....no-ah-ah. He will eventually be let go, sue the University and they will give him some settlement. Thats the way it goes these days. Universities with deep pockets (license to raise fees and tuition etc).
JJ got the job yes , Athletic director made the hire , watched the demise and failed to either give him support or fire him. Lack of judgment in understanding the skill set of a head track and field coach by the AD is really is what is in question. This inability needs to be addressed.
If the alumni are financing the track program beyond 50 % of its budget then they do have a say. If not , shut up.
U think ur annoyed wrote:
Washed up? Sorry we gave so many years to build and carry on a proud tradition......to see it go down the tubes. If he did his job the SEC way and not Villanova way we'd be relevant. We would have supported him and his staff if they included the rich tradition and shown progress, it's not a personal attack on JJ but a desire to get back to our winning ways. If you support this staff then volunteer your time and get this back to where it needs to be!!
Taking a crack at Nova is really uncalled for. It is an astoundingly successful program.
Agreed! Let's stick to cracking on Tennessee and JJ Clark.
The current men's distance coach, Rodney Stoker, is a promising young coach, though, and doesn't reallty deserve to be tarred and feathered with his boss. Did great things with very little in NAIA.
It is a very good program, my point was that that formula doesn't work in the SEC. I personally have known and raced several Nova alums and have a lot of respect for them. JJ is a product and that's the only reason I said it.