Shafer's letter to team before BC game
- Thread starter Rocco
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sutomcat
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Agreed. Great guy.
I am very grateful that the team was able to get him a win in his last game here. And that he was carried off the field by his players. He deserved a good ending after all the adversity he faced. He made mistakes and was by no means perfect but wow, he had some really bad luck with injuries. I hope that bad mojo goes somewhere else now.
I am very grateful that the team was able to get him a win in his last game here. And that he was carried off the field by his players. He deserved a good ending after all the adversity he faced. He made mistakes and was by no means perfect but wow, he had some really bad luck with injuries. I hope that bad mojo goes somewhere else now.
Rocco
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I will also add that we're losing one hell of a leader in Rob Trudo. Shafer handpicked him to read his letter to the team and to lead the meeting. He asked Trudo to have each of the seniors' offer their thoughts as well.
This Friday, though, Shafer didn't address the team. He couldn't. Around 7:30 p.m., he pulled redshirt senior guard Rob Trudo, a team captain, into an adjacent room and handed him a stack of papers.
"There's no ***ing way I'll be able to say this tonight without getting all emotional," Trudo recalls Shafer telling him. "I want the seniors to run the meeting."
Shafer hugged Trudo and cried on his shoulder for a moment. Then Trudo returned to the meeting room and waited for the rest of the team to file in.
"It changed my complete mood from relaxed and focused up to, 'OK, this is some serious s*** now,'" Trudo said. "You see Superman cry … you know what I mean?"
The other players who had arrived early could tell Trudo's demeanor had changed. Some of those who walked in noticed, too.
Trudo glanced down at the letter as he waited for the clock to reach 8 p.m. It was titled: "For The Love Of The Game." He read through it.
When all the players were seated, Trudo asked redshirt senior offensive linemen Nick Robinson and Ivan Foy to hand out copies to everyone.
"Look, I need 10 or 15 minutes for some serious s*** right here," Trudo announced, his mind unable to escape the thought of Shafer crying minutes earlier. "Shafer, whether you love him or you hate him, he dedicated the last seven years of his life to this community.
"The least you can do is show some respect in this meeting. Give me your silence and attention."
Trudo began reading.
This Friday, though, Shafer didn't address the team. He couldn't. Around 7:30 p.m., he pulled redshirt senior guard Rob Trudo, a team captain, into an adjacent room and handed him a stack of papers.
"There's no ***ing way I'll be able to say this tonight without getting all emotional," Trudo recalls Shafer telling him. "I want the seniors to run the meeting."
Shafer hugged Trudo and cried on his shoulder for a moment. Then Trudo returned to the meeting room and waited for the rest of the team to file in.
"It changed my complete mood from relaxed and focused up to, 'OK, this is some serious s*** now,'" Trudo said. "You see Superman cry … you know what I mean?"
The other players who had arrived early could tell Trudo's demeanor had changed. Some of those who walked in noticed, too.
Trudo glanced down at the letter as he waited for the clock to reach 8 p.m. It was titled: "For The Love Of The Game." He read through it.
When all the players were seated, Trudo asked redshirt senior offensive linemen Nick Robinson and Ivan Foy to hand out copies to everyone.
"Look, I need 10 or 15 minutes for some serious s*** right here," Trudo announced, his mind unable to escape the thought of Shafer crying minutes earlier. "Shafer, whether you love him or you hate him, he dedicated the last seven years of his life to this community.
"The least you can do is show some respect in this meeting. Give me your silence and attention."
Trudo began reading.
Rocco...one could imply from the underlined portion of the letter, that some of the players may not have been all in for HCSS. Do you have any inside information?
KellySyracuse
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damn. I have no words
Rocco
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Trudo fought through his own tears as he read Shafer's message, interspersing a handful of personal anecdotes and directives of his own. About how Shafer was there for anyone who needed help on the field or off it. About how Shafer established brotherhood in a locker room that was "cliqued out" in 2011 and 2012. About how even Shafer's assistants are viewed my many as family.
"Think about everything Shafe's done to you, done for you," Trudo told his teammates, "all the personal relationships he's built."
Trudo reflected on the idea of the love of the game. He saw redshirt senior quarterback Terrel Hunt, who Trudo believes would kill to play another snap; Hunt suffered season-ending injuries each of the last two years and was denied a sixth season by the NCAA. He thought about himself, playing through a torn MCL down the back half of a 3-9 2014 season. He spoke to the 110- and 400-meter sprints the team ran each preseason camp, the extra dead lifts and squats and early morning runs.
And finally, Trudo called up each senior to give their parting words to the team.
"I think that was the hardest thing that I've here done here," Trudo said, "was leading that meeting."
At the end, Trudo made it clear that Shafer's message was meaningful, to the point of emotionally moving most in the room, but his motivation was wrong.
Saturday wouldn't be about the love of the game.
"When we go out and strap up tomorrow," Trudo said, "we're strapping up for Shafe."
As Cole Murphy's game-winning field goal sailed through the Carrier Dome uprights about 19 hours later, Trudo gave Shafer a bearhug on the sideline that lifted him off his feet. Moments later, Trudo and Robinson carried Shafer off on their shoulders.
The memory of his teammates' demeanor after the meeting stuck with Trudo all the way through the weekend.
"They knew it was bigger than just what it was," Trudo said. "It was bigger than just the game. We wanted to send Shafe off the right way."
Well, they sent Shafe out on a high note with a win over our rival. Great ending.
"Think about everything Shafe's done to you, done for you," Trudo told his teammates, "all the personal relationships he's built."
Trudo reflected on the idea of the love of the game. He saw redshirt senior quarterback Terrel Hunt, who Trudo believes would kill to play another snap; Hunt suffered season-ending injuries each of the last two years and was denied a sixth season by the NCAA. He thought about himself, playing through a torn MCL down the back half of a 3-9 2014 season. He spoke to the 110- and 400-meter sprints the team ran each preseason camp, the extra dead lifts and squats and early morning runs.
And finally, Trudo called up each senior to give their parting words to the team.
"I think that was the hardest thing that I've here done here," Trudo said, "was leading that meeting."
At the end, Trudo made it clear that Shafer's message was meaningful, to the point of emotionally moving most in the room, but his motivation was wrong.
Saturday wouldn't be about the love of the game.
"When we go out and strap up tomorrow," Trudo said, "we're strapping up for Shafe."
As Cole Murphy's game-winning field goal sailed through the Carrier Dome uprights about 19 hours later, Trudo gave Shafer a bearhug on the sideline that lifted him off his feet. Moments later, Trudo and Robinson carried Shafer off on their shoulders.
The memory of his teammates' demeanor after the meeting stuck with Trudo all the way through the weekend.
"They knew it was bigger than just what it was," Trudo said. "It was bigger than just the game. We wanted to send Shafe off the right way."
Well, they sent Shafe out on a high note with a win over our rival. Great ending.
Rocco
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There will always be players that may not like their HC for a variety of reasons... playing time, approach, etc. I do not have any information I will share here, but I will tell you the overwhelming majority of the players were on Shafer's side.
Millhouse
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Shafer is not far away from being a very good head coach. Some time away to really watch the whole country play football rather than having to be so focused on your own team and your 12 opponents might help him see the light on offense. if that ever happens, look out. the best combination is a defensive guy with a great offensive system. they're just so darn rare which is why I want them to get an offensive guy. i don't want to let the perfect be the enemy of the good. But most of what you need from a head coach is there, it was just a few things that messed it up for him. i want to see him succeed bad.
Rocco
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I agree. I would imagine we will see Shafer landing something soon, unless he has told his agent he wants to take a year off. I have a tough time seeing that because the man is so passionate about the game to be away that long.
Maybe he would be willing to help out in a volunteer role at Ithaca during Wolf's senior year. Would love to hear him as an analyst on ESPN.
MSOrange
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I'm a little worried ESPN might have to put the games on a 5 second delay with Shafer as an analyst with how excitable he can get at times .
Full_Rebar
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I kind of wish someone at SU had stepped in and pushed for a seasoned OC right off the bat. Of course, that would mean Gross and Frazier doing something, but the reality is that the two guys Shafer picked destroyed his chances. I know the defense was worse this year, but we all knew that it would be rough on that side of the ball because of the losses from last year. We needed an offense to match the scoring, not a stall-ball variation of Cubit.
It would be untrue to just claim that Shafers problems was just his offense. He struggled with game and clock management. Also something that can be learned but you have to know that you need to learn it. I don't believe Scott viewed it as a problem.
You think this season was Lester's fault? I don't.
AZOrange
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Yeah I agree. Also it's fine to be emotional and to play with some emotion, but there's a reason we're here today. It's not enough to play with emotion, to play "tough", etc. you have to be calm, execute fundamentals, take advantage of opportunities, etc. these teams did none of those things. I wish him the best at his next stop and hope he learned something here...
Full_Rebar
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No, it was a collective disaster, but take 2014 out of the comparison and this wasn't a good offense. Go back in each game and look at the 1 good half, 1 awful half pattern. That isn't all about youth. I don't think he, or McDonald, were ready to be ACC OC's.
I'd love to see Shafer coach a team like Army, Navy or a MAC school, he'd be perfect in a place like that imo. I loved his passion and the way his family loved and supported him and know he will be a success wherever he goes.
orange79
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I posted this in the articles thread also, but since it was quoted here...
From the article (with my emphasis):
Trudo fought through his own tears as he read Shafer's message, interspersing a handful of personal anecdotes and directives of his own. About how Shafer was there for anyone who needed help on the field or off it. About how Shafer established brotherhood in a locker room that was "cliqued out" in 2011 and 2012. About how even Shafer's assistants are viewed my many as family.
Well, that's interesting. Locker room issues under FHCDM...
From the article (with my emphasis):
Trudo fought through his own tears as he read Shafer's message, interspersing a handful of personal anecdotes and directives of his own. About how Shafer was there for anyone who needed help on the field or off it. About how Shafer established brotherhood in a locker room that was "cliqued out" in 2011 and 2012. About how even Shafer's assistants are viewed my many as family.
Well, that's interesting. Locker room issues under FHCDM...
Finwad32
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Pretty sure Philip Thomas punched Ryan Nassib in the mouth. Maybe after Rutgers or USF? Can't remember for sure.
Millhouse
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i agree with that. he needs to see the light there.
bothsocksup
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If Frost says no, and he was Coyles guy, this may have been a bad time to fire Shafe. Not the wrong decision, but bad timing
Rocco
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Yes it was something like this for sure... along with several other incidents.
If we do not have a coach hired by the end of the weekend, things could start looking that way. I think we will though.
