Fritz extension?

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posse
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Re: Fritz extension?

Post by posse »

I believe Judge Cassibry was big time donor, and he wanted Ron Tolman, Ellender's OC to be fired, and Bennie refused.....
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Re: Fritz extension?

Post by CT Wave »

posse wrote:I believe Judge Cassibry was big time donor, and he wanted Ron Tolman, Ellender's OC to be fired, and Bennie refused.....
Yeah, I remember hearing about "donor" influence leading to his firing. So maybe I do understand it, but sure did not make sense to me. Cannot be a good practice for the donors to fire the coaches.

Thanks for sharing this information.
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Re: Fritz extension?

Post by WaveProf »

USA Today (the worst of all newspapers IMO FWIW) has an article on P5 coaches on the hot seat next year. They end by listing who the top G5 candidates to move up will be. Willie Fritz is listed.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/c ... 943591001/
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Re: Fritz extension?

Post by GreenieBacker »

I pretty much stopped reading after #3. The SEC got Stronger.
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Re: Fritz extension?

Post by long green »

WaveProf wrote:USA Today (the worst of all newspapers IMO FWIW) has an article on P5 coaches on the hot seat next year. They end by listing who the top G5 candidates to move up will be. Willie Fritz is listed.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/c ... 943591001/
He was mentioned out of 13 guys. Two G5 HC's were hired to coach P5's in a busy year this offseason.
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Re: Fritz extension?

Post by Baywave1 »

Again I want a guy who is wanted elsewhere. If we're good enough we'll figure out how to keep him or her. If not, then let's be ready to hire the next best person available.
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Re: Fritz extension?

Post by wavedom »

Baywave1 wrote:Again I want a guy who is wanted elsewhere. If we're good enough we'll figure out how to keep him or her. If not, then let's be ready to hire the next best person available.
This.
We deserve so much better
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Re: Fritz extension?

Post by WaveProf »

LG—-I’m not worried about him going. 1) I don’t think they’ll come after him. 2). I don’t think he’d go if they did. 3) it wouldn’t be disaster if he did so long as we still have TD to choose his replacement

I posted it because: 1) it’s a good sign that people are noticing, and in that context it’s yet another example of us undervaluing our own people. 2) it’s a sign that the extension was necessary. You pave the way to retention by being ahead of the curve, not behind it
Last edited by WaveProf on Thu Dec 28, 2017 1:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Fritz extension?

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WaveProf wrote:LG—-I’m not worried about him going. 1) I don’t think they’ll come after him. 2). I don’t think he’d go if they did. 3) it wouldn’t be disaster if he did so long as we still have RD to choose his replacement
Scary thought Prof. Was that a Freudian slip or some other type of mental malfunction?
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Re: Fritz extension?

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CT Wave wrote:
WaveProf wrote:LG—-I’m not worried about him going. 1) I don’t think they’ll come after him. 2). I don’t think he’d go if they did. 3) it wouldn’t be disaster if he did so long as we still have RD to choose his replacement
Scary thought Prof. Was that a Freudian slip or some other type of mental malfunction?
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Re: Fritz extension?

Post by TUPF »

CT Wave wrote:
GreenieBacker wrote:wwave, some of oldtimers still feel burned by the 10 year extension that we gave Bennie Ellender after the 1973 season, an extension that later seemed unwise. On the other hand we've also seen Tulane's tried and true "Frugal Approach": bring in a cheap assistant and if he wins some offer him a little more. And that has been, for the most part, a dismal failure. I think its time we come to terms with the fact that the coaching landscape has changed, radically. Thus your final conclusion:

If they didn't think he could be them man then you get rid of him now. With the current landscape you can't hedge your bets. You either go strong in on a hand you think has good odds, or you fold, cut your loses and start again.

Is dead on. Well put.
Disagree about your complaint on the Ellender extension. Guess I am an oldtimer now, but I believe the mistake was firing Bennie after some hard luck seasons. The man could coach and recruit and loved Tulane. Never understood his firing.
I come with perspective of a freshman having arrived in August 1974 when all anyone could talk about was the previous season’s upset of LSU. The earth moved. I get it. And 5-0 in early Fall 1974 looked like more of the same. Then QB Foley broke something and the season fell apart. One player lost and the team imploded, which tells me we were on borrowed time. The next season was worse.

If Ellender could recruit previously, he certainly had no backup QB and if he could coach he certainly did not adapt with different personnel. What we were left with was incredibly boring football, literally 3 yards and a cloud of AstroTurf, and we were losing. Boring football that wins will have its proponents but not when it’s losing. I love Tulane too but if I am not doing what I’m paid to do, I’m gone.

Also, just on principle I don’t agree with a ten year contract for any one person’s employment. Too much changes. Moreso in sports. For me, five years is a stretch for the right circumstances but no more. Five years ago was the iPhone 5. Time marches on.
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Re: Fritz extension?

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Oops :oops:
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Re: Fritz extension?

Post by CT Wave »

TUPF wrote:
CT Wave wrote:
GreenieBacker wrote:wwave, some of oldtimers still feel burned by the 10 year extension that we gave Bennie Ellender after the 1973 season, an extension that later seemed unwise. On the other hand we've also seen Tulane's tried and true "Frugal Approach": bring in a cheap assistant and if he wins some offer him a little more. And that has been, for the most part, a dismal failure. I think its time we come to terms with the fact that the coaching landscape has changed, radically. Thus your final conclusion:

If they didn't think he could be them man then you get rid of him now. With the current landscape you can't hedge your bets. You either go strong in on a hand you think has good odds, or you fold, cut your loses and start again.

Is dead on. Well put.
Disagree about your complaint on the Ellender extension. Guess I am an oldtimer now, but I believe the mistake was firing Bennie after some hard luck seasons. The man could coach and recruit and loved Tulane. Never understood his firing.
I come with perspective of a freshman having arrived in August 1974 when all anyone could talk about was the previous season’s upset of LSU. The earth moved. I get it. And 5-0 in early Fall 1974 looked like more of the same. Then QB Foley broke something and the season fell apart. One player lost and the team imploded, which tells me we were on borrowed time. The next season was worse.

If Ellender could recruit previously, he certainly had no backup QB and if he could coach he certainly did not adapt with different personnel. What we were left with was incredibly boring football, literally 3 yards and a cloud of AstroTurf, and we were losing. Boring football that wins will have its proponents but not when it’s losing. I love Tulane too but if I am not doing what I’m paid to do, I’m gone.

Also, just on principle I don’t agree with a ten year contract for any one person’s employment. Too much changes. Moreso in sports. For me, five years is a stretch for the right circumstances but no more. Five years ago was the iPhone 5. Time marches on.
My perspective predates your by a couple of years. Left Tulane in the spring of 1973. Saw Coach Jim Pittman win the Liberty Bowl over Colorado and when he left for TCU, the NOLA sports cognoscenti said "What's left for Pittman to do at Tulane? Best LSU? HAHAHA.

He was 3-8 his first season. Went 6-5 his second season including the infamous fifth down game against Miami. The LSU game that year was lost 3-9 with the ball inside their one yard line as time expired. The third season was 9-3 including the victory over LSU that you referenced. The fourth season started out 5-0. The Steve Foley broke his leg against GA Tech. Foley was a very gifted athlete who went on to a long and successful pro football career. Losing QB Foley clearly took the heart out of that team. Yes, the next season was only 4-7 with victories over Ole Miss, Clemson, Boston College, and West Virginia. No wonder he had to be fired.

I have no disagreement with your comments on 10 year contracts. However, not sure that football coaches are like iPhones. Maybe more like weapon systems! Anyway, that is enough of this ancient history for me.
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Re: Fritz extension?

Post by TUPF »

CT Wave wrote:
TUPF wrote:
CT Wave wrote:
GreenieBacker wrote:wwave, some of oldtimers still feel burned by the 10 year extension that we gave Bennie Ellender after the 1973 season, an extension that later seemed unwise. On the other hand we've also seen Tulane's tried and true "Frugal Approach": bring in a cheap assistant and if he wins some offer him a little more. And that has been, for the most part, a dismal failure. I think its time we come to terms with the fact that the coaching landscape has changed, radically. Thus your final conclusion:

If they didn't think he could be them man then you get rid of him now. With the current landscape you can't hedge your bets. You either go strong in on a hand you think has good odds, or you fold, cut your loses and start again.

Is dead on. Well put.
Disagree about your complaint on the Ellender extension. Guess I am an oldtimer now, but I believe the mistake was firing Bennie after some hard luck seasons. The man could coach and recruit and loved Tulane. Never understood his firing.
I come with perspective of a freshman having arrived in August 1974 when all anyone could talk about was the previous season’s upset of LSU. The earth moved. I get it. And 5-0 in early Fall 1974 looked like more of the same. Then QB Foley broke something and the season fell apart. One player lost and the team imploded, which tells me we were on borrowed time. The next season was worse.

If Ellender could recruit previously, he certainly had no backup QB and if he could coach he certainly did not adapt with different personnel. What we were left with was incredibly boring football, literally 3 yards and a cloud of AstroTurf, and we were losing. Boring football that wins will have its proponents but not when it’s losing. I love Tulane too but if I am not doing what I’m paid to do, I’m gone.

Also, just on principle I don’t agree with a ten year contract for any one person’s employment. Too much changes. Moreso in sports. For me, five years is a stretch for the right circumstances but no more. Five years ago was the iPhone 5. Time marches on.
My perspective predates your by a couple of years. Left Tulane in the spring of 1973. Saw Coach Jim Pittman win the Liberty Bowl over Colorado and when he left for TCU, the NOLA sports cognoscenti said "What's left for Pittman to do at Tulane? Best LSU? HAHAHA.

He was 3-8 his first season. Went 6-5 his second season including the infamous fifth down game against Miami. The LSU game that year was lost 3-9 with the ball inside their one yard line as time expired. The third season was 9-3 including the victory over LSU that you referenced. The fourth season started out 5-0. The Steve Foley broke his leg against GA Tech. Foley was a very gifted athlete who went on to a long and successful pro football career. Losing QB Foley clearly took the heart out of that team. Yes, the next season was only 4-7 with victories over Ole Miss, Clemson, Boston College, and West Virginia. No wonder he had to be fired.

I have no disagreement with your comments on 10 year contracts. However, not sure that football coaches are like iPhones. Maybe more like weapon systems! Anyway, that is enough of this ancient history for me.
Thanks for that perspective. It’s amazing how a slightly different snapshot in time changes one’s perspective. One question: was Ellender’s offense “boring” yet effective when you were there? Greeniebacker and others will tell you his nickname became “up the middle, up the middle, up the middle, punt” after Foley went down. 1975 in particular was excruciating.
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Re: Fritz extension?

Post by CT Wave »

The best way to review Ellender's offense is to watch the tape of the 1973 victory over LSU. College football back then was a different game than what they play now. Much more conservative for sure. But so was NFL football back then.
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Re: Fritz extension?

Post by CT Wave »

CT Wave wrote:
TUPF wrote:
CT Wave wrote:
GreenieBacker wrote:wwave, some of oldtimers still feel burned by the 10 year extension that we gave Bennie Ellender after the 1973 season, an extension that later seemed unwise. On the other hand we've also seen Tulane's tried and true "Frugal Approach": bring in a cheap assistant and if he wins some offer him a little more. And that has been, for the most part, a dismal failure. I think its time we come to terms with the fact that the coaching landscape has changed, radically. Thus your final conclusion:

If they didn't think he could be them man then you get rid of him now. With the current landscape you can't hedge your bets. You either go strong in on a hand you think has good odds, or you fold, cut your loses and start again.

Is dead on. Well put.
Disagree about your complaint on the Ellender extension. Guess I am an oldtimer now, but I believe the mistake was firing Bennie after some hard luck seasons. The man could coach and recruit and loved Tulane. Never understood his firing.
I come with perspective of a freshman having arrived in August 1974 when all anyone could talk about was the previous season’s upset of LSU. The earth moved. I get it. And 5-0 in early Fall 1974 looked like more of the same. Then QB Foley broke something and the season fell apart. One player lost and the team imploded, which tells me we were on borrowed time. The next season was worse.

If Ellender could recruit previously, he certainly had no backup QB and if he could coach he certainly did not adapt with different personnel. What we were left with was incredibly boring football, literally 3 yards and a cloud of AstroTurf, and we were losing. Boring football that wins will have its proponents but not when it’s losing. I love Tulane too but if I am not doing what I’m paid to do, I’m gone.

Also, just on principle I don’t agree with a ten year contract for any one person’s employment. Too much changes. Moreso in sports. For me, five years is a stretch for the right circumstances but no more. Five years ago was the iPhone 5. Time marches on.
My perspective predates your by a couple of years. Left Tulane in the spring of 1973. Saw Coach Jim Pittman win the Liberty Bowl over Colorado and when he left for TCU, the NOLA sports cognoscenti said "What's left for Pittman to do at Tulane? Best LSU? HAHAHA".

He was 3-8 his first season. Went 6-5 his second season including the infamous fifth down game against Miami. The LSU game that year was lost 3-9 with the ball inside their one yard line as time expired. The third season was 9-3 including the victory over LSU that you referenced. The fourth season started out 5-0. Then Steve Foley broke his leg against GA Tech. Foley was a very gifted athlete who went on to a long and successful pro football career. Losing QB Foley clearly took the heart out of that team. Yes, the next season was only 4-7 with victories over Ole Miss, Clemson, Boston College, and West Virginia. No wonder he had to be fired.

I have no disagreement with your comments on 10 year contracts. However, not sure that football coaches are like iPhones. Maybe more like weapon systems! Anyway, that is enough of this ancient history for me.
"You're not here on scholarship to lose. I didn't recruit you to lose. Losing is abnormal; losing is unusual; losing is unacceptable. That's not what we're here for."
Bob Knight
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Re: Fritz extension?

Post by posse »

1309th WAVE wrote:https://twitter.com/PeteThamel/status/9 ... 5828175872
Source: Tulane and Willie Fritz are deep in discussions on a multi-year contract extension. Details expected to be finalized soon.

Fritz is 57, say we give him around 2 mil annually with a sizable buyout, if he gets the program up to his usual winning standards will that be enough for him to retire with us? I'd think after a long career coaching successful teams in backwaters he'd like to get some financial stability out of it.
Any word on the status of Fritz new contract? Terms? Significant salary increase for coordinators and assistant coaches?
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