Soooo..... Glanville

Jerry's out, if you haven't heard by now.

http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=125839563980448800

I feel bad for Jerry, and for PSU that he couldn't get it to work,

The guy I don't feel so bad for is Canzano, who for three years put Jerry on the list of most influential paople in Oregon Sports.


And left off... well, you know.

Too bad for the program; it regressed under Glanville. PSU football is a tough gig. The smaller state schools down the valley suck up all the energy for football, and I sense little or no enthusiasm for the Vikings.

Is there an example of a commuter school that is also a successful big-time football school? Perhaps South Florida recently?

Ah! The snake oil salesman is gone. BooHoo. Glanville was a joke and has always been a joke! He didn't help PSU at all. Face it Walsh was a much better coach. I still think that PSU should have remained a level down. The previous president ( I believe her name was Ramally) could only boast of raising PSU to a higher athletic division. Then she split town very quickly.

Personally I see no reason why a school like Portland State, if adequately funded, can't be competitive with the likes of Weber State, Sacramento State, Northern Arizona, Eastern Washington, etc. The Montana schools have a great tradition and are the "darlings" of their state, but PSU is basically on the same playing field in terms of being a "stepchild" to bigger, flashier state schools with the rest of the Big Sky.

Glanville couldn't get it done... didn't bring in the right type of system or players. Get a good college coach in there, and you'll see results.

So if you build it, they will come? I heard that somewhere...

Exactly!

What drives me crazy sometimes is when a moribund program hired a "big name" coach in the hopes that that will generate buzz and interest. It can for a little bit, but if that coach doesn't deliver results... it's useless.

Get someone who can help you build a program and win games, and interest will follow. Winning does that. Vet, vet, vet your candidates and get the right guy. If you're patient, it generally will work.

Will PSU football still be played at PGE/Civic when it becomes an MLS stadium? Football really benefits from the whole pre-game tailgate atmosphere, which is not practical currently.

up7587 wrote:Will PSU football still be played at PGE/Civic when it becomes an MLS stadium? Football really benefits from the whole pre-game tailgate atmosphere, which is not practical currently.

Civic Stadium will be a much improved american football venue after the MLS remodel; not only from the general stadium upgrades, but with seats along the far sideline. In the current configuration, it is a dismal stadium atmoshpere for soccer or football. Add this "stadium experience" with the poor Win/Loss record and the lack of the tail-gating/pre-game traditions, etc, and you get the current results--poor attendance, lack of media/city interest, etc. I would think a casual football fan like myself would go check out games if the overall experience was more appealing...

Add on top of that, PSU's inability to fund raise to build the necessary support facilities... they just cant compete with the top half of the BSC. (I am still also even more baffled at the lack of progress to replace the Stott Center, with the recent success of the basketball program... a failure to capitalize on the opportunity; is there even the basics of a plan yet?! A fundraising strategy? Bueller?).

The new MLS configuration will help significantly. A new coach, with some wins, will help. I really agree that the tail gate/pre-game part needs to be worked out. Unfortunately there arent really even enough streets to block off around the stadium, and the whole shuttle bus thing isnt appealing... so what are the alternatives? try to get the bars/restaurants around there to do events? Trash the football field at Lincoln HS?

Well I know the Timbers have pre-game stuff and whatnot not too far away sometimes, perhaps that space could be looked into (it won't be huge, but you need to start...) I mean hell, you could even rent out some of the South Park blocks near campus or even the North Park blocks too It isn't THAT far away, people walk that far to Autzen and whatnot, heck even a shuttle service could be set up!

Since it is a commuter school, bringing in the community is really the only way to really build tradition without that core of on campus students.

it's official

http://www.portlandtribune.com/sports/story.php?story_id=125839563980448800

A few answers:

Yes, PSU will still share with the Timbers. Portland State actually helped out with the MLS bid and supported the campaign to remodel the park because they knew it was going to help their program as well.

There is a stretch of the street across from the stadium, next to a bar that is closed and used as a place for tailgating before games. Drummer is in the band that plays the PSU games. Maybe he can say a few things about pre-game or the atmosphere at Viking games. I can tell you the game I went to this year the crowd was pretty tame until the Vikings mounted a comeback. Not anywhere near a Timbers crowd in terms of size or energy.

Haha well in general soccer energy and football energy are a completely different type of equation... I mean you only have to be loud when your team is on defense in football, haha and even then, it's only for about 10-15 seconds of sustained noise...

I can't speak to pregame because the games I did make this year I made in time for the GAME. The atmosphere is so-so. Last few games were cold and/or wet, so that puts a serious damper on fans (not sure if that was weather or fans of a program that had a terrible year).

I had a lot of fun at the game the TA was there for, though. Tried not to heckle TOO much from the band.

Short list announced:
San Diego State offensive coordinator Al Borges
former Army coach Stan
Brock
Nevada defensive coordinator Nigel Burton
Cal Poly defensive
coordinator Greg Lupfer
Willamette coach Mark Speckman

Largely smaller school coaches/assistants with experience in a "PSU-like" program... Not flashy like the Glanville/Davis hire, but hopefully with some substance this time around...

Bobby Bowden is available...maybe he could pull an Eddie Sutton at USF so that he can keep pace with JoePa.