Meldrum quote on DM

[jr4750]

From Nunes... Powerful...

"My very first memory of Coach Marrone was when he addressed the team for the first time. He allowed each player to set up a 15 minute introduction. So I signed up and decided to go first thing in the morning. I went into his office and started talking and he looked at me and said, "If this was an interview I would tell you to leave." I was so shocked and intimidated by his honesty and didn't know how to take it. I was in his office for maybe three minutes before I asked to leave. That was the last time I really talked to him until fall camp. I was in my third day of camp in 2009 when my wife (my then girlfriend) called me and told me she was pregnant. I had no idea what to do. So during my afternoon practice I was doing terribly and could not focus. Coach Marrone pulled me over to the side and asked me what was wrong. I told him that my girlfriend was pregnant and I was nervous and scared and didn't know what to do. He looked at me and said, "Do you love her?" I said, "Yes.". He then asked, "Are you going to marry her?" I responded, "Yes." He then said, "You have nothing to worry about if this is the girl that you want to spend your life with. Being a father is the best thing in life so enjoy it." I looked at him and knew everything was going to be alright. That day I respected him more then most people in my life. Coach Marrone is a brilliant man and an amazing coach. He has done wonders for Syracuse football and has given it a fighting chance. His knowledge of the game is incredible and he can see everything on the field. Coach Marrone is a huge role model for me!"

 

[BORZAK]

It's sad some don't see it. Maybe the board should have a half empty topic.

 

[CusefanATL]

marrone is the almost the anti-player coach. not that there is anything wrong with it... but 75% of his players are not going to respond like this. They are all intimidated by him. He is very very old school.

 

[VictorJ24]

I support our coach

 

[qdawgg]

marrone is the almost the anti-player coach. not that there is anything wrong with it... but 75% of his players are not going to respond like this. They are all intimidated by him. He is very very old school.

One thing I've discovered as teacher (and I'm fairly young), parent's (not everyone) these days spend so much time coddling their kids, when kids eventually come in contact with adults who believe in discipline, 2 things happen. At first they are taken aback and don't like it then they appreciate it and gain a respect that they didn't think they would have. That's what you are seeing in this article.

Life is tough, somebody has to teach that.

 

[CusefanATL]

One thing I've discovered as teacher (and I'm fairly young), parent's (not everyone) these days spend so much time coddling their kids, when kids eventually come in contact with adults who believe in discipline, 2 things happen. At first they are taken aback and don't like it then they appreciate it and gain a respect that they didn't think they would have. That's what you are seeing in this article.

Life is tough, somebody has to teach that.

im with ya.

 

[OrangePA]

marrone is the almost the anti-player coach. not that there is anything wrong with it... but 75% of his players are not going to respond like this. They are all intimidated by him. He is very very old school.

You would be right if only one-half the story were told.

The complete story allows the player to understand the discipline.

It does not end with the interview.

 

[qdawgg]

im with ya.

I think I understand what you were trying to say though. Many kids nowadays won't give a coach the time to allow this process to happen.

 

[007]

He is genuine and truly does care about his players. Ever player is told that his program "is not for everyone." The leadership and life lesson stuff is not just BS. DM lives it and holds the players accountable.

There will continue to be players that don't get it, or this style wont work for. But I am very interested to see what the accumulative effect will be for those players that do.

 

[CusefanATL]

You would be right if only one-half the story were told.

The complete story allows the player to understand the discipline.

It does not end with the interview.

but not every player. and not every coach.

75% will never understand his discipline. again, not saying there is anything wrong with it. but like i said, he ain't a players-coach.

 

[tep624]

75% is an exaggeration, otherwise we'd have a 75% attrition rate and it would be like pulling teeth to get a walk-on to hang around. I would think the ones signing up for the program would be aware of what they're getting themselves into, similar to the expected discipline and expectations you face when you enlist in the military. I doubt the recruiting coaches sell all puppy dogs and rainbows to prospective recruits and then pull a bait and switch once they're on campus.

For the inherited players, I'd say the percentage was more like 30% based on the attrition rate and for Marrone recruited players more like 10%.

And at some point in their lifetime, most of those kids will "get it".

 

[retro44]

Meldrum must have sensed how Marrone was going to respond to his his personal situation.Sometimes just watching how people react to certain situations you can learn so much more than just talking to them.Great story!!!!

From what i have heard Marrone is more like us than some here would think or know.The guy is a blue collar guy who supports the communities he resides in,and others who want him to give a speech or two

 

[OrangePA]

but not every player. and not every coach.

75% will never understand his discipline. again, not saying there is anything wrong with it. but like i said, he ain't a players-coach.

I'm not sure I know exactly what a "players' coach" means, but I think Marrone tries hard to empathize with what the young athlete is going through and what he needs to learn and experience.

And for me, that's good enough.

 

[BlackKnight76]

I think Marrone recognizes that he wasn't enough of a player's coach thus far, hence him moving his office and opening up a bit this spring.

 

[orangepassion]

I think Marrone recognizes that he wasn't enough of a player's coach thus far, hence him moving his office and opening up a bit this spring.

From where to where did he move it?

 

[BlackKnight76]

From where to where did he move it?

Not sure where it was but he moved it to where most of the other coaches offices and football facilities are now in order to make himself more available to the team.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

Not sure where it was but he moved it to where most of the other coaches offices and football facilities are now in order to make himself more available to the team.

He had an office on a different floor from the rest of the coaches. He said in an interview that he wanted to be around everyone else, so he could have human conversation with his players that didn't feel forced or nervous.

 

[Rocco]

Finally a good thread!

Doug will only help his players in the long run with this approach. They may not all see eye-to-eye with him now, but they will eventually appreciate it. I used to get ticked at my parents for stuff, but it turns out they were always 100% correct.

 

[gocraz4dasu]

The bipolar feelings of some people on this board on Marrone are hilarious. One day you are crucifying him saying we need to win now at all costs and his harsh personality is bad for recruiting. The next day everyone is praising him saying he deserves multiple years to build this team and how great his tough attitude is and how every kid needs it.

That is a good story, though

 

[Whitey23]

I think Marrone recognizes that he wasn't enough of a player's coach thus far, hence him moving his office and opening up a bit this spring.

Open up more to the players you mean, right? Cause he sure wasn't more open to the media and fans.

 

[BlackKnight76]

Open up more to the players you mean, right? Cause he sure wasn't more open to the media and fans.

Yeah

 

[retro44]

Open up more to the players you mean, right? Cause he sure wasn't more open to the media and fans.

i have been to a few of his luncheons and he was very open to the fans. he always answered the questions with an honest answer.

there are many others here who have been to the luncheons downtown. plus the guy was always on time

 

[SmilinBob]

Kids have to learn how to fight their own battles and not have mommy and daddy fix their every problem. I believe kids are "intimidated" by Marrone mostly because they don't know how to approach people of authority with questions or problems because mom or dad usually did it for them. People tend to make a lot of assumptions on perception instead of actually taking the time to actually find out because it's quicker and easier...maybe because we can get so much information so quickly today but sometimes a good old fashioned face to face is the best cure.