TIM FINN NAMED NEW HEAD COACH AT BAYTOWN LEE

[panamamyers]

He was clearly right about the death by design. Opening a third high school has been an abject disaster by any metric one would like to use.

[Peppermint Patty]

76 applicants. 

List to be posted in tomorrow's Baytown Sun.

[Peppermint Patty]

By Michael Pineda 

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A grand total of 76 coaches filed resumes with the Goose Creek CISD in hopes of landing the Baytown Lee head football coaching job. The Ganders have gone 1-29 over the last three seasons but apparently that did not deter a healthy mixture of head and assistant coaches.

On Monday, the district invited nine coaches for first interviews. The names of those coaches have not been divulged. The interviews will take place Thursday and Friday with another round of interviews slated for next week. GCCISD Athletic Director Bernie Mulvaney is intent on bringing a candidate’s name before the school board during their meeting May 8.

 

In looking at the field, two current Lee assistants applied for the job. Walter Fortune, who has prior head coaching experience at Tarkington and Hardin. Fortune was the offensive line coach this season. Also applying was offensive coordinator Cory Sims.

There were a number of coaches with Lee ties who applied for the job. C.E. King assistant head coach and former Lee coordinator Clint Riley applied, as did Jaymond Cleveland. Cleveland is a former wide receiver for the Ganders and serves as the Dayton offensive coordinator. Brad Shea is an assistant at Dallas Skyline and was an assistant at Lee from 2009-11. Another interesting coach with Lee ties is Kirk Botkin, the defensive coordinator at South Carolina State. He played for the Ganders in the late 1980’s and went to Arkansas. He has been an assistant coach in the SEC.

Mark Crooms, who played at REL and served as a defensive assistant coach for the Ganders, also applied. He is currently a defensive coordinator at Dickinson.

A number of coaches with Sterling ties also have thrown their hat in the ring for the job. The past two Sterling offensive coordinators Roger Williams and Gary Brewton each applied. 

Current defensive coordinator Lance Bryan also applied for the job. 

Liberty head football coach Chad Taylor led his team to a 10-3 record this season and applied for the job. He used to be a coach at Sterling and his wife is a teacher in the school system. Pearland Dawson defensive coordinator Shannon Carter has also been a coach at Sterling and applied for the job.

There were a number of head coaches that applied for the job.

College coaches that have applied include Cody Crill, the Navarro Junior College Coach who went 6-3 this season. Wayne Schroeder has college coaching experience at Sul Ross State and is listed as a professor at Incarnate Word. Cody Roelof is the UCLA scouting analyst. 

 Several of the coaches finished under .500 while others have been breaking even over the past several years. Tim Finn went 8-3 at Wharton this past year and had a good run as a Texas City assistant and head coach. Pat Reineke went 8-3 with Houston Madison while Todd Doughty was 10-2 at Electra, a small school near Wichita Falls. 

Former head coaches that stood out included JD Jordan, an assistant coach at Deer Park who had a good run at Alief Taylor and Jerry Malone, who is an assistant at Beckville who had a winning record at Marlin. 

Applicants filed for the job across the nation including a number from Florida. Yulee head coach Robert Ramsey coached Derrick Henry. Michael Fraunfelter is listed as a minister and resides in North Dakota and is a defensive coordinator for a small school.

[PlayActionPass]

All I can say is WOW, and Nederland and Central had less than 10 applicants each?

Lee has been a dumpster fire since Dick left and they built the new school, yet they get this quality applicant pool.

[Blockdownandkickout!]

5 minutes ago, PlayActionPass said:

All I can say is WOW, and Nederland and Central had less than 10 applicants each?

Lee has been a dumpster fire since Dick left and they built the new school, yet they get this quality applicant pool.

paying a head coach 98,000 or more tends to get people interested. even if it means going 1-29 everyone has their price. 

[PlayActionPass]

Money talks, I understand. But who the heck wants to get their doors blown off every week for two years and then have to explain in an interview why you took the job in the first place. HOWEVER, most coaches are arrogant enough to think they can win anywhere, so I guess I answered my own question.

[WOSgrad]

1 hour ago, PlayActionPass said:

Money talks, I understand. But who the heck wants to get their doors blown off every week for two years and then have to explain in an interview why you took the job in the first place. HOWEVER, most coaches are arrogant enough to think they can win anywhere, so I guess I answered my own question.

The coaches who applied probably think that they can do no worse than previous coaches.

Also, Baytown is a growing city, and even though I kidded with the Baytown folks in another thread, a very nice place to live.  It looks like many folks who applied have some sort of connection to Baytown and/or Lee High, so they want to be the one who restores Lee back to its glory days under Dick Olin.

And yeah, $98,000/year for a non-AD position doesn't hurt the argument for moving to Baytown.

[Peppermint Patty]

5 minutes ago, WOSgrad said:

The coaches who applied probably think that they can do no worse than previous coaches.

Also, Baytown is a growing city, and even though I kidded with the Baytown folks in another thread, a very nice place to live.  It looks like many folks who applied have some sort of connection to Baytown and/or Lee High, so they want to be the one who restores Lee back to its glory days under Dick Olin.

And yeah, $98,000/year for a non-AD position doesn't hurt the argument for moving to Baytown.

On the bright side, you are the Campus AD. 

[BlackShirts5]

Stick around long enough and they may be playing 4a or 3A  football. Then maybe they will compete.

[panamamyers]

Lot better pool than I had expected.

[2wedge]

Why would Chad Taylor apply for this job? He is back at home in Liberty and has seemingly turned that program around. After one year of success he decided it's time to go try and head out? Based on that list above, he has no shot at this job which makes it even more tragic. I am beyond shocked at that news.

[WOSgrad]

52 minutes ago, 2wedge said:

Why would Chad Taylor apply for this job? He is back at home in Liberty and has seemingly turned that program around. After one year of success he decided it's time to go try and head out? Based on that list above, he has no shot at this job which makes it even more tragic. I am beyond shocked at that news.

I don't know that it is so shocking given the ties that the Baytown Sun article says that he and his family have with Goose Creek ISD.  He is a former coach and his wife teaches in the Goose Creek ISD.  And I am quite sure that the $98,000 offer would be a bit of a salary bump from Liberty ISD.

[2wedge]

1 hour ago, WOSgrad said:

I don't know that it is so shocking given the ties that the Baytown Sun article says that he and his family have with Goose Creek ISD.  He is a former coach and his wife teaches in the Goose Creek ISD.  And I am quite sure that the $98,000 offer would be a bit of a salary bump from Liberty ISD.

While I agree with that logic, it kinda takes the luster off of the "hometown boy coming home" narrative he spun when he got the Liberty job in the first place. Plus, is that money really worth getting your doors blown off each week?

[camsdad]

25 minutes ago, 2wedge said:

While I agree with that logic, it kinda takes the luster off of the "hometown boy coming home" narrative he spun when he got the Liberty job in the first place. Plus, is that money really worth getting your doors blown off each week?

How is an educator's retirement calculated?

[WOSgrad]

53 minutes ago, 2wedge said:

While I agree with that logic, it kinda takes the luster off of the "hometown boy coming home" narrative he spun when he got the Liberty job in the first place. Plus, is that money really worth getting your doors blown off each week?

I understand that.  However, most coaches look at losing teams like girlfriends look at bad boyfriends.  They are convinced that they are the ones that can change things.  While the Panthers were not in the dire shape that the Ganders are now, they were not exactly blowing the doors off when he took over, yet under his tutelage they were just a couple of red zone fumbles away from competing for a regional championship.  That probably gives him the confidence to believe that he can achieve like results at Lee.

[Peppermint Patty]

1 hour ago, camsdad said:

How is an educator's retirement calculated?

Average your highest 5 years.

 

[oldschool2]

19 hours ago, 2wedge said:

Why would Chad Taylor apply for this job? He is back at home in Liberty and has seemingly turned that program around. After one year of success he decided it's time to go try and head out? Based on that list above, he has no shot at this job which makes it even more tragic. I am beyond shocked at that news.

 

Let me explain:

The 30 years after coaching...are more important than the 30 years coaching.  A coach retirement is based on the average of the highest 5 years.  Let's assume he's making about 75K at Liberty. (I honestly don't know but that seems about par).  If his highest 5 years are 75K...his retirement is based on that average. (75K)

However.. If he spent 2 years at GCISD.  His new average is based on 75K x 3 + 98K x2.  Making his 5 year average go from 75K....to 84K.  An extra 9K a year retirement for the rest of your life makes the term "Hometown" not mean diddly squat.

THAT is why he (and every other coach) would apply for a job making more money even if it means getting your brains beat in for 20 games.  There are only about 10-20 schools per classification (roughly) that have a consistent shot at a state title anyway.  Coaches know that.  I'm will to bet that towards the end of a career it's more about retirement than it is glory. 

[setxguru]

I agree with the more $ theory 100%.  I think sometimes people, not just on this board, but everywhere, that are not familier with teachers and their retirement don't understand how difficult it is to find jobs in education that pay much at all. Therefore if you are a Head Coach, principal, superintendent etc... then you have to take that opportunity when it presents itself. I also think 20 schools per classification possibly having the ability to win a title may be sufficient for 5A and 6A but definitely not 4A on down. Just my opinion!

[puddleofmudd]

And the new head coach for the Ganders is..... what's the word?

[Steven Avery]

On 4/28/2017 at 8:54 AM, oldschool2 said:

Let me explain:

The 30 years after coaching...are more important than the 30 years coaching.  A coach retirement is based on the average of the highest 5 years.  Let's assume he's making about 75K at Liberty. (I honestly don't know but that seems about par).  If his highest 5 years are 75K...his retirement is based on that average. (75K)

However.. If he spent 2 years at GCISD.  His new average is based on 75K x 3 + 98K x2.  Making his 5 year average go from 75K....to 84K.  An extra 9K a year retirement for the rest of your life makes the term "Hometown" not mean diddly squat.

THAT is why he (and every other coach) would apply for a job making more money even if it means getting your brains beat in for 20 games.  There are only about 10-20 schools per classification (roughly) that have a consistent shot at a state title anyway.  Coaches know that.  I'm will to bet that towards the end of a career it's more about retirement than it is glory. 

This is exactly why RSS got Aduddell from Clear Lake..he just came over and bumped his retirement package over for 3 years while taking the program back to the stone ages....The good ole boy AD hired his good ole boy buddy....terrible hire.....It'd be the same reason why the last lee coach and the rss coach that got ran off for booster club fund issues came over as well.  Goose Creek has to be one of the highest paying jobs in the area...so as the AD, you have to use that leverage to your advantage to actually find a coach that doesnt want only that benefit....cut through the BS and find someone that is or wants to be part of the community.....Last few coaches just drove into Baytown daily and had no interest in living there.. I would think Riley being that he is a "Lee" guy fits that mold...

 

Honestly though, I think they need to shut down Lee and make it a 9th grade campus...look at all of their sports, they are absolutely terrible in virtually everything....I think they have made the playoffs maybe a couple of times in any mens sport since GCM opened....Baseball and Football squads can not compete. 

[oldschool2]

24 minutes ago, joebob said:

This is exactly why RSS got Aduddell from Clear Lake..he just came over and bumped his retirement package over for 3 years while taking the program back to the stone ages....The good ole boy AD hired his good ole boy buddy....terrible hire.....It'd be the same reason why the last lee coach and the rss coach that got ran off for booster club fund issues came over as well.  Goose Creek has to be one of the highest paying jobs in the area...so as the AD, you have to use that leverage to your advantage to actually find a coach that doesnt want only that benefit....cut through the BS and find someone that is or wants to be part of the community.....Last few coaches just drove into Baytown daily and had no interest in living there.. I would think Riley being that he is a "Lee" guy fits that mold...

 

Honestly though, I think they need to shut down Lee and make it a 9th grade campus...look at all of their sports, they are absolutely terrible in virtually everything....I think they have made the playoffs maybe a couple of times in any mens sport since GCM opened....Baseball and Football squads can not compete. 

 

Do you blame him?  I don't. 

That's exactly how this business and every other business works.  I would venture to say that in whatever profession you do your priorities will or did also shift towards putting yourself in the best position (monetarily) possible.

[Steven Avery]

No that was my point..I dont blame him, I blame the AD for letting it happen...Hire someone that really wants to be in Baytown and not just for the additional retirement difference. The AD has made one bad hire after another and for whatever reason gets a free pass. 

46 minutes ago, oldschool2 said:

Do you blame him?  I don't. 

That's exactly how this business and every other business works.  I would venture to say that in whatever profession you do your priorities will or did also shift towards putting yourself in the best position (monetarily) possible.

 

[oldschool2]

58 minutes ago, joebob said:

No that was my point..I dont blame him, I blame the AD for letting it happen...Hire someone that really wants to be in Baytown and not just for the additional retirement difference. The AD has made one bad hire after another and for whatever reason gets a free pass. 

 

 

I would think that it's a double edged sword.  Will probably go with the applicant with the best looking resume.  Someone with a lot of experience winning or maybe even someone with a reputation of (on paper) turning programs into a positive direction.  The flip side to that is you take a chance on someone towards the end of their career.  A lot of times it takes time to amass an impressive resume.  Especially in the coaching world.

Unfortunately, the GCM schools fit the mold of the type of school condusive to build someone's retirement.  They have never been successful.  Baytown is split into 3 pretty big high schools...none of which have a reputation of being recently successful.  And..it's impossible to know if someone is coming there for intentions of riding it out or boosting their salary average.  Even if they're in year 10-15 they could still base their salary off of a couple years at GCM.

Baytown schools are in a bind.  Only thing you have going for you is the fact that it's a competitive/attractive payscale. Otherwise you wouldn't even get a lot of applicants.  Just take it for what it is.

[BlackShirts5]

1 hour ago, joebob said:

No that was my point..I dont blame him, I blame the AD for letting it happen...Hire someone that really wants to be in Baytown and not just for the additional retirement difference. The AD has made one bad hire after another and for whatever reason gets a free pass. 

 

GCM wasnt a bad hire on the football side. RSS and REL maybe.

[Steven Avery]

1 hour ago, oldschool2 said:

I would think that it's a double edged sword.  Will probably go with the applicant with the best looking resume.  Someone with a lot of experience winning or maybe even someone with a reputation of (on paper) turning programs into a positive direction.  The flip side to that is you take a chance on someone towards the end of their career.  A lot of times it takes time to amass an impressive resume.  Especially in the coaching world.

Unfortunately, the GCM schools fit the mold of the type of school condusive to build someone's retirement.  They have never been successful.  Baytown is split into 3 pretty big high schools...none of which have a reputation of being recently successful.  And..it's impossible to know if someone is coming there for intentions of riding it out or boosting their salary average.  Even if they're in year 10-15 they could still base their salary off of a couple years at GCM.

Baytown schools are in a bind.  Only thing you have going for you is the fact that it's a competitive/attractive payscale. Otherwise you wouldn't even get a lot of applicants.  Just take it for what it is.

 

Thats where Dick Olin had a point....Riley has a vested interest in the community and knows the Baytown traditions.....lets face it you can hire vince lombardi to coach the ganders in todays world and its not going to matter....Atleast hire someone that was there when they were successful, that knows the culture that did work, and has a vested interest in district/community...and I say that not knowing Riley from a hole in the ground. but I know everyone that I know speaks highly of him.

 

The original GCM football coach was ok...he didnt try to leave after his 3 years like aduddell did, he was pushed out by the bad AD...Im not just talking football in terms of bad hires, Im talking across the board in all sports there has been some very bad hires. The AD thinks he is the smartest guy in the room and the people in Baytown are just a bunch of uneducated rednecks.