Alfred Golden: Man with 300-page plan for The []_[]

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Larry Coker and Randy Shannon were bad hires. Hires of convenience. Picking the low hanging fruit. Whatever you want to call it. Golden was actually a good hire. Due diligence was done and if anyone on tihis board says that they weren't initially impressed I question their truth. I really don't know why he hasn't worked out but I was all in initially. I hesitate to criticize his 300 page report. He really believed in it. It just didn't work.
It didn't work because he never strayed from his binder. He took his binder to be gospel when he should have been flexible enough to edit it when needed. He never did that. And to be honest he's just not a good coach. He wasn't good as a DC at UVA, wasn't good at Temple and has been **** here. He's in the wrong profession.

it was a bad hire period. I was hopeful when he was hired yes, but if you review his coaching resume its really ******. also, his defensive philosophy is a HORRIBLE fit for Miami athletes.

a real AD shoulda known all that
 
Count me as one of the people that thought he'd be a decent hire. He's a BAD COACH, and will not get anywhere near a good HC job after he leaves here. Too many people have seen right through him. Shame we got cheap (again) and didn't ****can him after the PITT loss.
 
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"When pressed about the details of the binder that Golden credits with forming the man he is today, the coach is evasive. "Dave, if you want to know my 12 favorite wing sauces, you need to be a member of this team. A member of the Wefence, like Chad Thomas out there." He motions towards the window overlooking the practice fields. The green expanse where Golden forges his champions. Out there under a blistering summer sun, Chad Thomas playfully bats at a ball of yarn Coach Donofrio throws at him. Jelani Hamilton chases a laser pointer being shined down from a scissor lift by DL coach Randy Melvin. On a field behind them, Brad Kaaya and Braxton Berrios engage in a thumb war.

The glance only lasts a few seconds and again I'm being stared down by Golden's intense eyes. "Do you want to know what it is? The secret? The secret to it all?" He leans forward and this time his voice is barely above a whisper. "What this book is all about?" I lean in towards him, ready to receive the idea that turns men into champions. "Habañero BBQ."

.

lol this is hilarious
 
Larry Coker and Randy Shannon were bad hires. Hires of convenience. Picking the low hanging fruit. Whatever you want to call it. Golden was actually a good hire. Due diligence was done and if anyone on tihis board says that they weren't initially impressed I question their truth. I really don't know why he hasn't worked out but I was all in initially. I hesitate to criticize his 300 page report. He really believed in it. It just didn't work.
It didn't work because he never strayed from his binder. He took his binder to be gospel when he should have been flexible enough to edit it when needed. He never did that. And to be honest he's just not a good coach. He wasn't good as a DC at UVA, wasn't good at Temple and has been **** here. He's in the wrong profession.

it was a bad hire period. I was hopeful when he was hired yes, but if you review his coaching resume its really ****ty. also, his defensive philosophy is a HORRIBLE fit for Miami athletes.

a real AD shoulda known all that

Al had a lot of the right words. After Larry and Randy, I was hopeful. However, early on there were clear signs of serious problems. In the MD game, the complete inability to adjust to repeated bubble screens had me pulling my hair out. Unfortunately it was prophetic. Al makes no change either because he is a complete moron or so prideful that he cannot admit he wasn't perfect to start. I can excuse the hire but not the retention. For him to still be here is inexcusable.
 
"When pressed about the details of the binder that Golden credits with forming the man he is today, the coach is evasive. "Dave, if you want to know my 12 favorite wing sauces, you need to be a member of this team. A member of the Wefence, like Chad Thomas out there." He motions towards the window overlooking the practice fields. The green expanse where Golden forges his champions. Out there under a blistering summer sun, Chad Thomas playfully bats at a ball of yarn Coach Donofrio throws at him. Jelani Hamilton chases a laser pointer being shined down from a scissor lift by DL coach Randy Melvin. On a field behind them, Brad Kaaya and Braxton Berrios engage in a thumb war.

The glance only lasts a few seconds and again I'm being stared down by Golden's intense eyes. "Do you want to know what it is? The secret? The secret to it all?" He leans forward and this time his voice is barely above a whisper. "What this book is all about?" I lean in towards him, ready to receive the idea that turns men into champions. "Habañero BBQ."

.

lol this is hilarious

Actually is sounds a little like someone who has gone over the edge and is lost in delusions.
 
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New Hurricane coach tells of vision.

What will be different about these same Miami players next year: "Finishing. The way we will run to the football on defense and finish plays. The way we'll finish plays on special teams, finish runs on offense, finish blocks, finish games. Finishing. That a glaring issue to me." It's the 300-page, spiral-bound book he took to his interview with Miami athletic director Kirby Hocutt. The book is printed in Miami's colors, says, "Deserve Victory" on the cover and, under that, "The Pillars of Performance" with a picture of the Greek Parthenon. On the pillar are words like "discipline" and "work." "Inside here is what I've developed over 14 years of coaching,'' he said. "The mission statements for coaching, the five rules for student-athletes – and I only have five."

What are they?
"That's for them,'' he said.

Golden did, however, show the page of the four-step progression players are expected to make from freshmen to seniors: from being directed, to being coached, to having a partnership to having empowerment.

"At the end of the day" Golden wrote down and added 3 more pillars to the ones he professed above. Being a legend in his own mind in thinking that he was gonna be the next Jimmy Johnson or the next Dennis Erickson, Golden had the nerve to patent his new and improved "THE 8 PILLARS OF PERFORMANCE". After all, wouldn't Golden become a highly paid speaker on the speaking circuit as the next big winningest coach from UM? The 8 pillars are:

CHOICE ATTITUDE PARTNERSHIPS GRATITUDE TEAM[SIZE=1]e[/SIZE] PASSION PREPARATION EMPOWERMENT

I had my elementary-age daughter in a summer 2-wk enrichment half day program at the Rec center titled "Girls Leadership" and all these attributes were in there. They had to break into 3 teams of 15 girls with a mission to organize and sell cookies for a worthy cause. But running a Football team full of testosterone-laden jocks, are these nice attributes and values sufficient for winning performances against other testosterone-laden jocks? Golden "talks" passion of Ed Reed, yet clearly and forcefully states (in the 2:00 mark) through his pillars that he did "not want high energy guys in the locker room" nor in his practices. WTF? Can you imagine Ed Reed in the UM locker room lame of high energy? Golden has never had any player development in the value for aggression on the field. The high energy he claims as undesirable in the locker room or in his practices, he professes to want it in the field of games. HTF are you going to muzzle an aggressive balla in the locker room and in practice -- so that the [coaches'] management of the locker room and players be very amenable and pliable -- while wanting high energy in games? It's an oxymoron in philosophy of the highest order. But Golden and D'Onofrio never grasped this stark irony or contradiction in managing people in an aggressive and highly competitive sports of Football. Sometimes, you have to wonder that not only does Golden need to go coach another team in New Jerser, PA, on in the BIg Ten, but whether he really needs to go into a whole other career as some nice CEO or something?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-5curiIdBE

Having now been unsuccessful coaches at managing the natural aggression of players and having failed to get the players to practice or play with aggression and high energy in games, this contradicted management creates discord among players and coaches. The essential people skills of caring for one and another, having a spirit of unity that would foster the optimal teamwork to win games become non-existent, and therefore undermine the very pillars that the super organized Golden espouses in his patented presentation of performance.

In the words of Don Solinger, Hall of Fame coach of multiple Championship at UM, when it comes to reversing the failure at UM “ it's not [just] about the Xs and Os, it’s not about all the organizational things. It’s about people. How to get people to become the best they can become and play the hardest they can play. That’s what it’s about. “I don’t see that coming out of those guys. So you’ve got to talk about that. You’ve got to – heck, we brought in a sports psychologist [under Butch Davis]. He helped immensely. He helped coaches, players, everybody. What’s wrong with that? I know for me, my ego ain’t that big. I see certain things and if you can help me, help me. If a kid can talk to me, tell me, man. Talk to me. I was just talking to [UM Sports Hall of Fame offensive lineman] Richie Mercier’s mother and dad and they were saying, ‘You guys loved the kids. It was very obvious.’ We went through some hard times, with winning and losing, but we believed in each other. We always believed in each other.” http://caneswatch.blog.palmbeachpos...r-talks-hurricanes-issues-supports-al-golden/

In a nutshell, is Don Solinger implying that Golden and D'Onofrio are not connecting with their players? If Players don't trust coaches, then do these players' managers become unapproachable, thus ineffective? He seems to imply that this regime is one with coaches with too high of egos. Does Golden show care by throwing his players under the bus as he outs players to the media?

Unfortunately for UM Footbal, having a national story line of so many NFL draftable players not winning enough games being the fault of Golden & D'Onofrio, can these coaches survive with their reputation [not taking a hit of incompetence] without thrashing players? How can Solinger think that Golden & D'Onofrio can suddenly care for players and become approachable now? The marriage of Golden and players [at UM] may well prove to be irretrievably broken...even if they miraculously start winning in 2015.
 
We've been lacking intensity under 3 different head coaches. You're telling me all these coaches muzzled the players? I mean why would u not want intense , nasty players? I honestly don't know what to think anymore. Part of me thinks Shalala point blank tells the HC she doesn't want to see any of that "that" stuff.
 
Time listening to Don Soldinger speak is time well spent.

Soldinger, who won national championships in 1987 and 2001 as a Hurricanes assistant coach, is as frank and forthcoming as you’ll find in college football. He spoke with the Post last week for a story on UM’s running back situation (premium link), and offered some extended thoughts on the state of the program.

In that interview, he said he supports Al Golden but isn’t sure his players have the same selfless attitude that made winners of some of the teams he coached.

Asked if UM can contend for the ACC title this year, Soldinger said, “I think so,” with a hopeful tone.
soldinger1.webp
Don Soldinger coaching up Frank Gore. (Miami Herald)

“I think they’ve got good athletes,” he said. “I think it’s a little bit of what’s going on in the high school community now. My wife teaches part-time at Southridge right now. [Three-time state champion coach] Billy Rolle just got the job down there – now you’ve got kids transferring in from all over the place. We never had that. I wanted community kids. I never wanted kids from other communities coming in. That’s kind of par for the course now. They don’t like what’s going on at their school, they’ll find another situation.

“I’m big on loyalty. I’m big on the character things. I can see that in the work ethic, character. To turn it around … these kids were like infants raised in that system. So if kids don’t go well for them, they ***** and moan. Stop *****ing and moaning.”

Soldinger, who spent 16 years at UM, was one of four assistants ex-UM coach Larry Coker fired after the end of the 2005 season. He hasn’t coached since. He has remained a familiar presence at UM in recent years – he became a UM Sports Hall of Famer in 2013 – and has shown up to watch practice on several occasions this spring. Still in kick-your-butt shape at age 70, he stays fit by riding his bike all over Miami-Dade County.

don-soldinger-clinton-portis.webp
Don Soldinger (left) poses with Clinton Portis last week in South Miami. (instagram.com/mattyports)
He was a guest speaker recently at a class in UM’s Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences and toted with him some attention-grabbing items: several championship rings, including the pair he won at UM, and a photo of the running backs he coached in 2001: “Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee, Najeh Davenport, Jarrett Payton, Frank Gore and Quadtrine Hill,” Soldinger said. “They all played pro ball. They all played at UM.”

Students looked at the photo, Soldinger said, and asked him the difference between the Canes of the 1980s, early 1990s and early 2000s and today.

“I said, ‘You guys are like this,’” he said, holding up his hands, palms apart, almost but not quite forming the ‘U’ hand signal. “That’s the way I see it,” he said. “I don’t see it closed. You’re out there individually trying to play a team sport. We were like this [he holds up the ‘U’].

“That’s a big difference. It didn’t matter when your number was called. You were doing it for the guy next to you and the guy next to him as well. I don’t see that happening now.”

So if that detrimental habit is ingrained in a generation of players, how does a coach break it?

“I think you’ve got to hammer it home. When you sit in my room, I’m going to teach you about football, but I’m going to teach you about life. Look at the backs – they were all in the league, most of them a long, long time. … They cared about each other. We were very close to the kids. I want kids talking to me.

“Somebody asked me what do you think’s happening over there? I don’t think anybody can, because you’re not in the inside. All you hear is hearsay. I happen to like Al Golden. I think he’s a sharp young guy. I think he’s very organized. But if I were to say something to him – just because the years I’ve been around, I’ve been around since ’68, a long, long time – I would tell any of those guys it’s not about the Xs and Os, it’s not about all the organizational things. It’s about people. How to get people to become the best they can become and play the hardest they can play. That’s what it’s about.

“I don’t see that coming out of those guys. So you’ve got to talk about that. You’ve got to – heck, we brought in a sports psychologist [under Butch Davis]. He helped immensely. He helped coaches, players, everybody. What’s wrong with that? I know for me, my ego ain’t that big. I see certain things and if you can help me, help me. If a kid can talk to me, tell me, man. Talk to me.

“I was just talking to [UM Sports Hall of Fame offensive lineman] Richie Mercier’s mother and dad and they were saying, ‘You guys loved the kids. It was very obvious.’ We went through some hard times, with winning and losing, but we believed in each other. We always believed in each other.”
 
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We've been lacking intensity under 3 different head coaches. You're telling me all these coaches muzzled the players? I mean why would u not want intense , nasty players? I honestly don't know what to think anymore. Part of me thinks Shalala point blank tells the HC she doesn't want to see any of that "that" stuff.

Well, in the words of former UM athletic director Sam Jankovich:

“The thing that bothers me more than anything is the team is not improving,” he said. “The team just doesn’t play with the intensity you need or seem to improve. I don’t think Miami has played well ["under 3 different head coaches" since joining the ACC.

It's hard to be intense when your coach thinks that high energy players "drains the locker room" and the coaches. Golden rules are about players being managed, "being directed", "being controlled", and being freaking choir boys; not a recipe for "the intensity" or aggression "you need to improve".
 
Time listening to Don Soldinger speak is time well spent.

Soldinger, who won national championships in 1987 and 2001 as a Hurricanes assistant coach, is as frank and forthcoming as you’ll find in college football. He spoke with the Post last week for a story on UM’s running back situation (premium link), and offered some extended thoughts on the state of the program.

In that interview, he said he supports Al Golden but isn’t sure his players have the same selfless attitude that made winners of some of the teams he coached.

Asked if UM can contend for the ACC title this year, Soldinger said, “I think so,” with a hopeful tone.
View attachment 29919
Don Soldinger coaching up Frank Gore. (Miami Herald)

“I think they’ve got good athletes,” he said. “I think it’s a little bit of what’s going on in the high school community now. My wife teaches part-time at Southridge right now. [Three-time state champion coach] Billy Rolle just got the job down there – now you’ve got kids transferring in from all over the place. We never had that. I wanted community kids. I never wanted kids from other communities coming in. That’s kind of par for the course now. They don’t like what’s going on at their school, they’ll find another situation.

“I’m big on loyalty. I’m big on the character things. I can see that in the work ethic, character. To turn it around … these kids were like infants raised in that system. So if kids don’t go well for them, they ***** and moan. Stop *****ing and moaning.”

Soldinger, who spent 16 years at UM, was one of four assistants ex-UM coach Larry Coker fired after the end of the 2005 season. He hasn’t coached since. He has remained a familiar presence at UM in recent years – he became a UM Sports Hall of Famer in 2013 – and has shown up to watch practice on several occasions this spring. Still in kick-your-butt shape at age 70, he stays fit by riding his bike all over Miami-Dade County.

View attachment 29918
Don Soldinger (left) poses with Clinton Portis last week in South Miami. (instagram.com/mattyports)
He was a guest speaker recently at a class in UM’s Department of Kinesiology and Sport Sciences and toted with him some attention-grabbing items: several championship rings, including the pair he won at UM, and a photo of the running backs he coached in 2001: “Clinton Portis, Willis McGahee, Najeh Davenport, Jarrett Payton, Frank Gore and Quadtrine Hill,” Soldinger said. “They all played pro ball. They all played at UM.”

Students looked at the photo, Soldinger said, and asked him the difference between the Canes of the 1980s, early 1990s and early 2000s and today.

“I said, ‘You guys are like this,’” he said, holding up his hands, palms apart, almost but not quite forming the ‘U’ hand signal. “That’s the way I see it,” he said. “I don’t see it closed. You’re out there individually trying to play a team sport. We were like this [he holds up the ‘U’].

“That’s a big difference. It didn’t matter when your number was called. You were doing it for the guy next to you and the guy next to him as well. I don’t see that happening now.”

So if that detrimental habit is ingrained in a generation of players, how does a coach break it?

“I think you’ve got to hammer it home. When you sit in my room, I’m going to teach you about football, but I’m going to teach you about life. Look at the backs – they were all in the league, most of them a long, long time. … They cared about each other. We were very close to the kids. I want kids talking to me.

“Somebody asked me what do you think’s happening over there? I don’t think anybody can, because you’re not in the inside. All you hear is hearsay. I happen to like Al Golden. I think he’s a sharp young guy. I think he’s very organized. But if I were to say something to him – just because the years I’ve been around, I’ve been around since ’68, a long, long time – I would tell any of those guys it’s not about the Xs and Os, it’s not about all the organizational things. It’s about people. How to get people to become the best they can become and play the hardest they can play. That’s what it’s about.

“I don’t see that coming out of those guys. So you’ve got to talk about that. You’ve got to – heck, we brought in a sports psychologist [under Butch Davis]. He helped immensely. He helped coaches, players, everybody. What’s wrong with that? I know for me, my ego ain’t that big. I see certain things and if you can help me, help me. If a kid can talk to me, tell me, man. Talk to me.

“I was just talking to [UM Sports Hall of Fame offensive lineman] Richie Mercier’s mother and dad and they were saying, ‘You guys loved the kids. It was very obvious.’ We went through some hard times, with winning and losing, but we believed in each other. We always believed in each other.”

Cradling an injured Malcolm was highlight of Golden's care; since then his best has been "tough love" exposing players flaws to the media while throwing them under for any little thing.
 
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Larry Coker and Randy Shannon were bad hires. Hires of convenience. Picking the low hanging fruit. Whatever you want to call it. Golden was actually a good hire. Due diligence was done and if anyone on tihis board says that they weren't initially impressed I question their truth. I really don't know why he hasn't worked out but I was all in initially. I hesitate to criticize his 300 page report. He really believed in it. It just didn't work.

should have been 304 pages.
 
Thats it!!! Im back in, I believe now

I feel it Tre! I'm really feeling it now! I feel . . . no . . . just gas.

Bean burritos.

Stay away from those when you're reading about how awesome Golden is.

Because in a few minutes, you'll find out for yourself how your 'feelings' just turned to ****.
 
Our next coach needs to be the coach who comes into the interview and pulls out of his back pocket a folded piece a paper with one pillar on it with the word win on it.
 
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