It is a story that will not have a happy ending….regardless of the outcome.
From all appearances the Brick Township Board of Education will soon hire Patrick Dowling as a teacher and the successor to Warren Wolf as head football coach of the Green Dragons. That move could come at a special meeting tomorrow night. Last night the Township Council cut nearly a half-million dollars from the defeated school budget at a meeting which saw Wolf and about 100 of his supporters question the decision to hire someone from outside the Brick community as just the second coach in school history.
The 81-year old legend retired after 51 seasons and publically and privately requested that his replacement be a “Brick boy.” Despite that Superintendent Walter Hrycenko selected Dowling to take over the storied football program although he has not been officially hired. Dowling was the head coach at Allentown last season and before that coached at Monroe and would also fill an opening in the Special Education department.
As word has leaked out over the past few weeks Wolf and his supporters have been vocal critics of the superintendent and school board for not giving the job to longtime assistant coach Len Zdanowicz, who is already established as a teacher and coach in the high school. Wolf has gone as far as rescinding his retirement and saying he would return to the sidelines, a move that received no comment at the most recent Board meeting. As a longtime fan and admirer of Coach Wolf I would hope that move was made to simply drive home a point because I do think he retired at the right time.
Last night’s Council meeting did not include any school officials and was simply an opportunity for the pro-Wolf side to show their support once again. The Council did unanimously approve a resolution urging the school board to hire from within when it is practical but that is more a statement then a mandate.
It is disappointing that this story has gotten to this point because again no matter what it will not end on a happy note. If and when Dowling is named it will likely mean Wolf goes into hibernation where as a Brick boy getting the job would have kept him around as the “grand old man.” Meanwhile Dowling deserves a better fate….its tough enough to replace a legend but to do so under these circumstances is more than anyone should be asked. Stay tuned…more in future reports.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
3 comments:
If Brick can't pass their budget what are they doing hiring a coach that is going to cost the district more money! If you ask me there is SOMETHING that isn't right here. Are we the taxpayers in Brick missing something? Stay with the the coach that is qualified and already works in the Brick school district who has proven himself to be a good loyal and capable candidate. Shame on Brick's BOE and the Superintendent!!!!!!!!
A very observant viewpoint on NJO.com Forum page:
The problem is Warren Wolf. Do you not understand the perception of this struggle? He is overstepping what a former head coach can do in the hiring process. He is rallying his ex players and now teachers and administrators to revolt against their bosses which is the Board of Education and the Superintendent's office. It is quite rebellious, immoral, ignorant, and unprofessional. He looks like an ego maniac. "My town" he says - the tax payers elected these folks on the board who in turn hired the Super. The Board and the Super speak for the "town" of Brick not a football coach. He has forever tarnished his image with his lack of competency as a coach in his waning years and now this public fiasco that HE has caused. The town is acting like the people in North Carolina who DID NOT want to hire coach Boone in the movie "Remember the Titans" because he was not "one of their own". Brick has stunk the past fifteen years with "Brick" boys as coaches. They need a fresh perspective and the board and the super have made their choice. The choice they are charged with making. They are doing their job. However, a disgruntled former coach who has overstayed his welcome has decided to overstep his bounds. The board allowed him to coach after he retired at his pleasure which is a luxury that the board DID NOT have to allow. By right, a contracted teacher that desired the position was being denied the ability to have certificated position. The board bent plenty for Warren including hiring all his ex players and even promoting many of them to administrative positions. Sour grapes brick boys.
that is incorrect...coach wolf did not rally me or the majority of others...I did a lot of rallying myself...you seem very subjective instead of objective, if you were there then you would know the my town comment was following "our town", meaning the people who live in Brick. The Brick team just won a championship this year...and you say stunk??? What? Dowling is stepping into a team that has half of their starters returning from last year, I am sure he will do well, at least I hope so. However, this has nothing to do with winning in of itself, it has to do what Coach created in the program-life principles such as moral integrity, honor, respect for others, discipline, acting instead of talking, never running up the score (putting 2nd and 3rd string in) etc etc etc. Your perspective is off VL, anyway, I will help the boys keep these things in the program.
Post a Comment