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Date Posted: 06:22:19 06/11/04 Fri
Author: sader1970
Subject: RI Reception - Coach Gilmore
We had our reception for Tom Gilmore last night in Providence. He's one very impressive young man and I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to hear him speak do so. I understand that Coach Gilmore, AD Regan and Phil Gibson will be making the rounds not only to Jersey but NY as well and they've already been to Cincinnati and Chicago.
Tom Gilmore is a class act, well spoken and quietly confident. He looks beyond the obstacles and instead sees opportunities and gives the distinct impression that he'll know how to "sell" the uniqueness of Holy Cross to recruits.
When I asked him about playing the likes of Duquesne and Marist, ever the optimist, his response was "don't you think THIS is the year we'd want to play them?" He wants to play some A-10 teams and even talks about trying to play U Conn, even though they are 1-A because he thinks we can "catch" them and play them in a couple of years after we've gotten better and they think they'll get an easy win against us. He thinks we can get Army back on the schedule again. Dick told me that the team's recent California trip was covered by the payday we got playing Army. I asked Dick and Tom about possibly scheduling a home and home against Sacramento (watch for the story in the HC Magazine in the fall issue about the hepatitis outbreak of 1969 and our connection with that school). Essentially Coach Gilmore said not to be looking for many west coast trips on the schedule in the future. In addition to the large expense, it very difficult traveling-wise and the impact on preparation. He didn't rule it out but you can tell he'd be very reluctant.
I asked about the continuous late game fade of last year's team and the fact that the defense gave up too many big plays. The latter problem he thinks can be resolved with different defensive schemes based on his review of game films (he thought we just weren't playing the right schemes) and the former is not so much strength and conditioning, though he said they are working on that too. It is more an attitiude adjustment.
He did say that he and his staff are doing a lot of recruiting in Ohio and Illinois, areas that he's familiar with from his past positions and one that he thinks is ripe for us. We talked at some length about central Ohio where I had lived for 7 years and H.S. football is BIG.
He also said that though they didn't get a LOT of recruits in this class, they got some good quality freshman coming in especially in the defensive back area (where, IMO, we REALLY needed help). He seems very high on running backs Silva (one of the new co-captains and a Rhode Islander) and Akande as well as QB O'Neil. It sounds like he'll be happy if our offense is as good as last year's as he seemed to agree it wasn't the offense but the defense that needs the improvement. He said our receivers are not at the level of Confessor or Larsen but they are "solid" and it will depend on the line how well we do on offense.
In summary, the program seems to be in very solid hands and here's a guy, through sheer force of will, is not going to let this program fail.
A basketball note: Regan says that Ralph is at HC "until he retires" and wouldn't elaborate.
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Re: RI Reception - Coach Gilmore - 1970 -- Rick, 13:14:05 06/11/04 Fri
Excellent report 1970 !
However....
"....and even talks about trying to play U Conn, even though they are 1-A because he thinks we can "catch" them and play them in a couple of years after we've gotten better and they think they'll get an easy win against us. "
THIS idea/thought is absolutely ridiculous and I'm disappointed that Gilmore - or anyone else at today's Holy Cross - would even broach this.
The idea of a non-athletic scholarship school that has fallen so woefully behind it's Patriot League level bretheren in adjunct aid to it's student-athletes being remotely competitive on the gridiron with a I-A state school awarding a full compliment of 85 full athletic scholarships is beyond the relm of rational thinking.
I need not remind anyone here of how much more talented and I-AA nationally ranked HC teams with 70+ athletic scholarships in the 1980's were thoroughly beaten by Boston College. Nor should I have to remind anyone how badly Colgate - as far ahead as that program is over HC - was thrashed by I-AA power Delaware with 75 athletes on full athletic scholarships.
Uconn has it's stadium, it's sights and it's finances firmly on being a major college football power with bowl games and they have positioned themselves on a fast track to achieve those goals.
As long as we remain in the Patriot League sans a return to awarding full athletic scholarships, we have no business dreaming of playing the likes of a Uconn in football. Best to focus on being competitive with the likes of Duquesne....a game at this juncture that looks like a toss-up....maybe.
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Re: RI Reception - Coach Gilmore - 1970 -- 2004 Alum, 13:39:09 06/11/04 Fri
Did any of you on this board actually play any sports at Holy Cross? It seems you all have lots of information and criticism of our beloved Alma Mater but aren't truly supportive. You say you are, but you are exactly the problem with athletics at HC. You jump on the bandwagon when the teams are winning, and you trash the administration when they are losing. Give the coaches and administration a break. I'm sure most former HC athletes would have liked to win more but I'm also sure that none of us would trade our experience for anything in the world. That's it for now.
I'll respond to your posts...
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Former Athlete... -- HC1843, 16:37:24 06/11/04 Fri
and lived three of four years with other athletes.
This being said, this has nothing to do with my supporting HC sports through good and bad. Athlete or not, we as alumni should not support bad decisions by the AD and the overall admin.
If you want a rubber stamp please go elsewhere. If you want good dialogue and debate then please stay, contribute and enjoy.
Cheers.
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Re: RI Reception - Coach Gilmore -- sader1970, 13:37:39 06/11/04 Fri
Rick, U Conn is not at the level of BC when our team got whipped but I agree that they have set their sights high (my son is a grad student there).
Coach Gilmore, to quote from the most recent HC Magazine says success down the road "will be to win the Patriot League championshps, progressing to the national play-offs and then getting all the way to the national championship. And I believe that we can do that."
This gentleman is very confident that he and his staff will return HC football to prominence and I would say that his goals are loftier than the administrations yet it is my view that he fully understands what support he will and will not get.
He's also talking about having an "alumni tent" for all home games and the food concessions will be improved as he wants going to the games to be fun events.
Let's see what happens in the next year or two.
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Re: RI Reception - Coach Gilmore -- JRGNYR, 08:45:41 06/12/04 Sat
When was the last time a football coach at Holy Cross talked about the playoffs and the national championship?
I'm becoming happier and happier that Tom Gilmore was made the coach. We're years away from postseason play, but it's great to have a coach in here who is such an optimist, and so confident. He's got my full support.
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to: JRG -- sader1970, 10:54:40 06/12/04 Sat
I don't know if you've seen coach Gilmore yet at one of his tour stops, but if you haven't, you'll be even more optimistic after meeting him. This young guy has charisma and I just can't see the kids on the team not taking to him.
Now, a lot of folks can talk a good game but based on what we heard on this board from the Lehigh folks, he should be able to back up his words with action.
I'm going to take a chance that I'm not crossing the line here but after our reception, I dropped Coach Gilmore an e-mail to thank him for attending our Club's reception and to clarify a question I asked him about him being described to me by both Fr. McFarland and Frank Vellaccio as "intense." It was meant by both men as compliments but I was afraid the way I framed the question might have been construed as negative (I forgot to also include the word "focused" that they used). Here's his response:
"I did not take the question as negative last night. I enjoy talking about the program and about football in general. I have always been reluctant to talk about myself but I know that I have to do it more now because people are trying to learn more about me. However, I think intensity is much easier to observe in action rather than talk about. So I'm glad that I was able to answer the question adequately. Thanks for coming last night and I hope that everyone will jump on board in support of the program. I'm confident that we will get things turned around when that happens."
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Re: JRG, Come on Down! -- NTKHC64, 11:56:22 06/12/04 Sat
JRG:
Take a night off from the station and come down to the Shore to see and hear Coach Gilmore next Tuesday. I know this is difficult for you but I'm sure it will be worth it. In any event, I'll be reporting on the goings on. Remember we also have Coach Flaherty and Athletic Director Regan to boost interest in one of our Olympic sports and to allow you critics of the AD to show up and offer your constructive criticism. It's not too late to sign-up!
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I'd love to... -- JRGNYR, 20:21:31 06/14/04 Mon
I'm actually kicking myself now for not having taken a day off to do this, given all the positive energy Gilmore is giving off and the rave reviews he's getting so far. Alas, I can't make it, but I'll be looking forward to the recaps.
I'm already making tentative plans for Homecoming vs. Lehigh, @ Lafayette and maybe even @ Georgetown.
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