[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=25772.29

City Baseball Program Needs a New Coach ... Again
Greg Geyer's contract not renewed by school board

Adam Parkhouse
Sports Editor, The News-Dispatch

For the fourth time in four years, Michigan City's baseball program is searching for a new coach.

The Michigan City Area Schools Board did not renew the contract of coach Greg Geyer, ending his stint as the team's coach after just one season, which finished with a 13-14 record.

"I did not resign. I would not resign," Geyer said late Wednesday. "I was looking forward to being the baseball coach."

Geyer also said "they took it to the board for non-renewal." He added "they" referred to MCHS principal Mark Francesconi and athletic director Bob "Bear" Falls.

Falls declined comment at this time.

Geyer said he was disappointed but not caught off guard. He refused any further comment on the advice of Michigan City Education Association President Phyllis Stark. Geyer wouldn't say if he was considering action against the school corporation.

At the end of the 2004 season, Rich Lenard stepped aside after three years (43-44 record) as head coach to tend to some personal issues. He was replaced by Will Porter, who coached the team to a 7-22 record before resigning following 2005.

Ryan Labis took over for Porter, and the Wolves went 7-19 under him, before he left, taking a teaching and coaching job at Valparaiso and making way for Geyer.

Geyer's only season wasn't without any success. The team went into the tournament with .500 record, and took La Porte into extra innings before losing 5-4 in the first rounf of the South Bend Clay Sectional at Coveleski Stadium.

[JHeath]

This could get interesting.

[Ang]

I'm speechless!

[Roger Kaputnik]

As usual, so is MCAS.

[Southsider2k12]

As usual, so is MCAS.

$60,000 a year doesn't go as far as it used to, does it?

[Southsider2k12]

A nice write up here, and a couple of interesting points.

First why was the baseball coach fired? We just hired a $60,000 a year communications director that we HAD to have, yet the things we really want to hear a comment on, get a big fat "NO COMMENT".

Secondly, this has obviously been a problem for a while now. 4 coaches in 4 years, means something else is going on. We need to hire a top level coach and stabilize the program, because the kids deserve better than this.

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...&TM=37883.8

City Baseball Falling Under Radar
Adam Parkhouse
Sports Editor, The News-Dispatch


Some excitement has been generated in select Michigan City High School athletic programs.

Mostly, the buzz comes from the hiring of a good handful of big-name coaches that have infused life into their teams and created interest in the fan base.

For instance, this past summer, MCHS announced the hiring of long-time Portage football coach Craig Buzea, replacing the resigned Bob Holmes. Also on that day, Bob Buscher, a successful coach at Andrean and Chesterton in the past, was tabbed to take over City's boys basketball program.

Just after that the legendary Sarah McFarland, a member of the 1995 state championship volleyball team, took over the program she helped make famous throughout the state.

But this week it became evident how much work is still left to be done. Baseball coach Greg Geyer's contract was not renewed at Tuesday's meeting of the Michigan City Area Schools board.

A contract not being renewed is tantamount to a firing. There's just no way around it. Reasons for the "non-renewal" have not been made clear by administration, and Geyer also couldn't shed any light on it.

I'm not saying Geyer's non-renewal is a bad thing or a good thing. The sample of his coaching career at MCHS just isn't large enough. He had one season, finishing at 13-14, which is nearly double the win total from each of the previous three seasons under three different coaches.

But I can tell you there were things about Geyer's regime that puzzled me. For instance, the Wolves played every single home date without an American flag on the pole in center field. Therefore, no national anthem was ever conducted.

That's an inexcusable lapse in judgment, or it's just plain laziness.

Another incident that took place showed Geyer's lack of communication within his own team. I reported once that a player - I'll leave the name out - was suspended for disciplinary reasons.

That player sat on the bench for a couple games, which is fine. Geyer or any other coach certainly reserves the right to discipline his team.

The problem is that Geyer apparently hadn't informed this player that he was suspended, according to the player's father. Rather, he just thought he was being left out of the lineup for some reason.

Again, that kind of thing simply can't go on within a team setting. If a player is being disciplined, and there's a legitimate reason for doing so, that's fine. But you have to at least tell the player and/or his parents that he's being punished.

But, on the other hand, Geyer's Wolves did win quite a few more games than the team had won in the previous few seasons. Also, City gave La Porte a great run in an extra-inning loss in the South Bend Clay Sectional.

The bottom line is, we're into another baseball offseason, and for the fourth time in four years, MCHS is in search of a new baseball coach.

This program needs stability. It's just not fair to the kids that put in their work to have to deal with this turmoil. Besides not being conducive to winning, it's also damaging to kids' futures in the game.

Yet another senior class will roll through this spring with its fourth different coach in four seasons. All this in a so-called "revenue sport."

It's time for baseball to be treated like the other major revenue sports. Get someone in that dugout who can do the job.

The kids deserve at least that much.

Contact Sports Editor Adam Parkhouse at aparkhouse@thenewsdispatch.com or 874-7211, Ext. 461.

[Roger Kaputnik]

I wouldn't know.

[Ang]

I don't know about the rest of the stuff, but concerning the American flag, it's the AD's job to make sure one is flying and it's the custodian's job to fly it. Being that Rich Lenard is now an Asst. AD, I am TOTALLY surprised this was an issue.

[Ang]

Mike Pease is the guy who spearheads the Drum & Bugle shows every year. I really like this guy. And no offense to Adam (you all know I love Adam), but Mike kinda hit the nail on the head...

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...&TM=41887.9

Coaches Not In Charge Of Flags
Hello Adam, I just got done reading your column about Coach Geyer [ "City baseball falling off radar," Sunday]. I'm not sure if I understand this correctly but are you saying it's the baseball coach's responsibility to fly the American flag and arrange for the National Anthem at the games? Where's the athletic director or the principal? It seems to me that the "inexcusable lapse in judgment" or "just plain laziness" you talk about falls on these two individuals, not the coach. Does the football coach have to run over to Ames Field before the game to make sure the flag is up? No, I believe the people at Plant Planning do it. Does he make arrangements for the band to play the National Anthem? I doubt it. What about soccer, track, or softball? Do those coaches run to the fields and raise the flag and arrange the playing of the National Anthem? The flag always flies in the gym so the basketball coaches don't have to worry about that. But does Coach Buscher make sure the pep band shows up for the Anthem? I don't think so.

My son played baseball for the Wolves in the late 90s (JV) and not one time was the National Anthem played. Why the big deal now? The American flag should be flown and the National Anthem should be played before every game.

Please understand, I'm not being critical of you. I'm just trying to figure this out. Whose job is it?

But if I were you, I'd get those tattered, faded flags outside The News-Dispatch changed and get some flags on the poles that don't have them or you may be out of a job. After all, isn't that the sports editor's job?

Thanks, Adam.

Mike Pease

Trail Creek

[Roger Kaputnik]

There were problems a couple of years ago with blatant favoritism from the coach (why don't they call them Managers in HS?), but he is gone.

[Southsider2k12]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=47507.28

Schools Didn't Back Coach Geyer
I was saddened to read baseball coach Geyer's contract wasn't renewed. He was a great coach and disciplinarian. That's what this is all about, parents not wanting their kids disciplined for breaking the rules.

Look at the schools and all the turmoil they're in, students threatening and hitting teachers at Elston and Barker and poisoning a teacher's drink. When discipline is needed, the school system turns a deaf ear.

Parents reap what they sow.

Barbara Marriott

Michigan City

[Roger Kaputnik]

The flag stuff is nonsense. I love the game and it hurts to say it, but from some stuff I have heard (but not investigated to see if true), it sounds like the there some stars on the team feel they are above reproach no matter what they do, and the parents back them; this hurts the game.

[Ang]

I couldn't agree more. It's really sad that a couple parents can dictate who gets to do what within the MCAS. Especially children of local political people. There was a boy's father who almost had Holmes fired (this boy has been in the paper recently for legal trouble himself and turned out to be not such a great kid). This Father is a well known political figure in MC. Jeff Freitag's reassignment was orchestrated by an athlete's mother who felt he didn't pay enough attention to the child. This child wasn't the BEST-good but not the best-player on the team and the parents are both involved in a HUGE controversy right now--we even have a thread at CBTL on the issue.
Now Greg Geyer is a victim of this "Parental Control over High School Athletics". I'm sure the person who orchestrated this has some political affiliation in MC-although I do not know that for sure.

[MC Born & Raised]

Hey everyone, Adam Parkhouse here. Good comments on the Geyer issue, but I thought I'd point something out. According to administration, it was Geyer's responsibility to make sure there was a flag flying. Rich Lenard had someone do it during his regime, and for whatever reason, it never got done last year.

However, ultimately I don't believe that's the issue that led to his non-renewal. In the grand scheme of things, that's pretty minor. I enjoy the conversation on here. Keep up the good work!

[Ang]

According to administration....

Do you believe anything they tell you? They can't even be honest with their own employees, you think they're going to tell the truth to the Press?!

Also, Lenard checked to see if the flag was up, but he had Bob from Plant Planning take care of it. Bob is the grounds keeper at the High School (or was while I was there).

Glad to see you here Adam! Keep up the good work. I love your editorials and think you're the best thing to happen to sports at the ND. I know I've made that abuntantly obvious in previous posts, but this one is directed right at you, Adam.

[Roger Kaputnik]

The flag issue is nonsense, even in this era of hyper(pseudo)patriotism. The real issue is control of the baseball program. Someone does not want the head coach to run the program autonomously.

[MC Born & Raised]

Do you believe anything they tell you? They can't even be honest with their own employees, you think they're going to tell the truth to the Press?!

Also, Lenard checked to see if the flag was up, but he had Bob from Plant Planning take care of it. Bob is the grounds keeper at the High School (or was while I was there).

Glad to see you here Adam! Keep up the good work. I love your editorials and think you're the best thing to happen to sports at the ND. I know I've made that abuntantly obvious in previous posts, but this one is directed right at you, Adam.

Well, even if he didn't do it himself, he made sure it was done. Again, there were likely some other things going on that led the non-renewal. Just saying that was one thing that might have bothered the powers that be.

And thanks for the kind words, Ang. It's certainly appreciated.

[MC Born & Raised]

The flag issue is nonsense, even in this era of hyper(pseudo)patriotism. The real issue is control of the baseball program. Someone does not want the head coach to run the program autonomously.

I agree, it's basically nonsense. But it also speaks to some level about organizational skills and an ability to full manage a large operation, which a high school baseball program is.

And, I believe "someone" does want it to run autonomously. They just want it done in a competent manner.

[Roger Kaputnik]

You may be on to something, MC Born. If the program was going well, someone would be getting the little things done. If the program is not going well, then every little thing will be picked up on. F'rinstance, Michael Jordan got away with murder during games because he was good and they were winning. A guy on a losing program (picture the Pacers) can't go out drinking and shooting up cars without it splashing all over the tabloids.

[Ang]

Well, even if he didn't do it himself, he made sure it was done. Again, there were likely some other things going on that led the non-renewal. Just saying that was one thing that might have bothered the powers that be.

That's Lenard for ya. It really IS the AD's job to make sure there is a flag flying, but Lenard was the most "on-top-of-it-guy" that I knew in MCHS Athletics, with the exception of Bruemmer. They both know how busy that office is and it's not beneath them to take on "the small stuff."

What I don't understand is that Geyer was winning. He had the best win/loss ratio in a long time. Obviously he was doing SOMETHING right. So why can him? IMO, Admin is in the habit of fixing things that aren't broken, though.