Pete Dolan is officially out as head coach at UCSB

That is exactly what I’m saying. 4:14 kids were weeded out because they came in like their sh## didn’t stink. They couldn’t take their training to the next level and balance it with everything else that came comes with college. Especially UCSB.

Scott Smith came in and ran 10:10 for 2 miles after playing volleyball all summer. We all thought screw this kid. He ran 9:06 three months ago? Scott was naive. Pete gave him a break and look where he is now.

The point I’m making is a kid comes in with a 4:14 PR and expects everything to just fall into place. Everyone is going to cater him and running elite 8k/10k times will come easily. HELL NO. When that doesn’t happen, they blame everyone but themselves because they are 18-19 years old. Then they carry that quietly carry that grudge against the wrong person until an unfortunate event like this happens. Maybe you were in this program, maybe you weren’t. Take a look at your personal situation first and see who was at “fault” before you point the finger at Dolan.

Calicoach wrote:

You want to see how pathetic this generation along with being entitled has become? Get in the classrooom and teach a year. Same thing with coaching. They want to be rewarded for doing next to nothing.

Sure you have a portion of parents teaching their kids to work for material things and in general. But overall most kids in public schools think they deserve a medal for writing their name on paper. Wait I’m sorry, for capitalizing their name on their school given desktop.

Get real.

Lol. I have known plenty of teachers in public schools, and not very good schools. Kids aren't like that. My younger co-workers aren't like that. You are ranting and have no idea what you are talking about. You just sound like a senile, jaded, old man, yet you probably have everything that you could ever wish for.

You’re world is obviously then. “My co-workers aren’t like that.”

Let’s hear about your background? East coast prep school I’m guessing?

Small*

Calicoach wrote:

You’re world is obviously then. “My co-workers aren’t like that.”

Let’s hear about your background? East coast prep school I’m guessing?

Public school all the way, baby. Live in a city completely decimated by the post-industrial economy. People teaching at garbage schools. The kids are fine. The environment they grow up in is the problem, and massive ignorance and arrogance and power hunger of those with the responsibility to solve the problems in education.

Statement from Pete Dolan's lawyer:

http://cdn.letsrun.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/LT-Alums-060518-LR.pdf

I understand what you saw. What did you grow up in personally?

5tyk wrote:

I think it's sad when athletes start running the show. Privileged little ktaz syndrome!

Another A-hole who should not be coaching young runners.

Calicoach wrote:

I understand what you saw. What did you grow up in personally?

I don't want to tell you anything more about my background, as you're attempting to fit me into some hole that you envision. It's irrelevant to the point of this discussion.

Face Farter wrote:

Only 1/100 4:14 kid wanted to take running seriously?

No wonder he was fired.

Amazing how some people actually believe any kind of crap someone types on these boards.

1 out of 100.... yeah must have been a study done analyzing this... No wonder he was fired! Idiot.

Pete had some runners who didn't fit into the program and were cut or they quit; some because they weren't fast enough, some wanted to party, some weren't good teammates. This happens at all good programs. He also had some runners who did't fit in right away but gradually "got it" and became good runners and good teammates and part of UCSB running history. And he had others who were immediate good fits with the program; most probably fit into this category.

None of us mesh perfectly with every person in our lives, as coaches, teachers, co-workers, family members, acquaintances, etc. He is not a celebrity or public figure that deserves to be raked over the coals by anonymous and uninformed posters. He is a very good coach and a good person and got an incredibly raw deal by the UCSB administration.

Kids and parents today are indeed off the charts goofy. I disciplined a grade school kid 10 minutes of his recess time for goofing off in PE. He runs home and cries to mom and dad. At this point my dad would have gotten all over me for getting in trouble - but not anymore. The dad calls my principal to complain. Fortunately i have a really solid young principal who was having nothing to do with it and filled dad in on his sons behavior. Similar light discipline problem and recess penalty with another kid. Kid goes home and tells dad he got in trouble for sleeping in PE which wasn't true. Dad calls the principal and i let him know what the rules the kid broke etc. Again my dad would have been all over me for even falling asleep in PE - but this generation of kids and parents grab a phone and call to complain instantly. Again my principal enjoys investigating and getting right back on the phone to let the parents know what really is going on. Not a lot of administrators are willing to stand behind their teachers like that these days. From many of the teachers I talk to this is the new norm.

A female coaching colleague in another sport in a power 5 conference had almost the exact same situation occur as Pete. A couple disgruntled seniors complained that they felt uncomfortable at times. This woman is married with 2 kids and the university did a full investigation and found no wrong doing, but let the coach go in order to move in a new direction. The seniors lost starting roles a few years earlier when this coach took over a bottom dweller program. Lots of cowards out there calling the shots.

I was a 922 two-miler in HS who ran for Pete. There was certainly a high attrition rate at UCSB, and it was tough to get one-v-one attention, but his program was generally solid if you stuck it out and were fully committed. Personally, I struggled in the program because I ran too many miles too hard, and partied my a** off. Better mentorship could have corrected some of that, but ultimately it’s on me. A lot of talented guys in my shoes were the same, yet everyone blamed Pete. He could be a jerk, but who cares. You get out what you put in.

You give me hope. White men over 40 are cancer.

oldcrowbar13 wrote:

A female coaching colleague in another sport in a power 5 conference had almost the exact same situation occur as Pete. A couple disgruntled seniors complained that they felt uncomfortable at times. This woman is married with 2 kids and the university did a full investigation and found no wrong doing, but let the coach go in order to move in a new direction. The seniors lost starting roles a few years earlier when this coach took over a bottom dweller program. Lots of cowards out there calling the shots.

Crowbar- sorry to hear about your friend, what a raw deal. Sadly, I've heard too many situations like this, especially involving long term assistant coaches.

***When will college coaches unionize?***

Coaches have no representation. Menopausal HR workers don't care about you coaches--there's no incentive to work on your behalf. Union dues provide you with additional muscle against these bogus NCAA investigations.

What I find so funny is that just about everyone seems to admit this guy was a jerk. Go back and look at the other boards about him and you'll see it all over: some people survived because they had a certain personality, but others were cut/quit because he drove them out by being mean. Yet somehow it's other people's fault that he got fired? Newsflash - if you act like a jerk in the real world, you get fired. He's not a drill sergeant, he's a coach. The old guard doesn't seem to realize there's a difference between someone paid to prepare you for war and someone who is paid to help you achieve goals.

CircJerks wrote:

What I find so funny is that just about everyone seems to admit this guy was a jerk. Go back and look at the other boards about him and you'll see it all over: some people survived because they had a certain personality, but others were cut/quit because he drove them out by being mean. Yet somehow it's other people's fault that he got fired? Newsflash - if you act like a jerk in the real world, you get fired. He's not a drill sergeant, he's a coach. The old guard doesn't seem to realize there's a difference between someone paid to prepare you for war and someone who is paid to help you achieve goals.

I agree. Guys like Dolan and Metcalf just block opportunities for people who know how to work with...(wait for it)....other people.

Good F---ing riddance.

Yes, it is other people's faults! Pete did not get fired for being a Jerk (which he's not). He got fired for something that every distance coach in the world expects their runners to do: go running. Most weeks, this means running all 7 days - some days with the team (practice) and some days on your own. Apparently 1 runner didn't like to run every day and complained to the administration and because they are ignorant jackasses they fire the coach.

HEARTvivalareplica wrote:

You give me hope. White men over 40 are cancer.

Toxic shock syndrome, that's what you are.