Page 1 of 4
Orono Coach Brad Ryan Gone?
Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 10:25 am
by Alohafriday7
I'm hearing another opening can be added to the list. Maybe "Steeler33" could comment on this?
Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 11:04 pm
by Imperial
I heard a few senior parents (some of whose players quit mid-season) basically created a lynch mob and forced Ryan's resignation. Too bad. Orono is getting the reputation of being Coach Busters.
Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 11:50 pm
by Bub
Steeler33...are u out there?
Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 10:19 am
by mnpuckfan21
I think this is a frickin' joke. The man brought the program to state the two years he was there, and because he is doing his job by playing the guys that are going to help them get to state he is being canned!?! Something doesn't fit there, I think these parents need to worry less about getting Ryan out of Orono and worry more about the message they are giving their kids, that as long as you complain long and loud enough, you can get your way. NEWS FLASH PARENTS, maybe your kid wasn't good enough in the first place, don't be mad at the coach because he is doing his job!
No I'm not from Orono, I'm not a player, I'm not a parent, I'm just a hockey fan who believe this is the biggest pile of crap the west metro area has seen in a long time. I hope Brad picks up someplace else, because the Orono program is losing out on a great coach! I've seen him in action.
What do they want?
Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 10:52 am
by BSM99
What is this? Orono's third coach in five years. The previous coach left under his own power and wasn't forced out, however this does make the 2nd coach of the last three that was pressured to resign.
Unless it was something "big" that Ryan did, this is a road that Orono may want to rethink.
Not a lot of job security in Spartanland!
Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:32 pm
by George Blanda
mnpuckfan21 - I, too, have seen Coach Ryan in action. And although I don't agree with coaches getting run out by parents, he was the biggest baby I saw behind any bench last year.
That said, he's had success at Orono. I have heard several complaints out of Orono, but like what was said...maybe their kid just wasn't good enough. Sometimes, the parents just need to get a clue.
The same thing has been happening up at Cathedral. A certain family's kids weren't playing and they pretty much forced out two coaches...and from what I've heard, have tried to get the third out.
Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:54 pm
by Blue&Gold
George Blanda wrote:mnpuckfan21 - I, too, have seen Coach Ryan in action. And although I don't agree with coaches getting run out by parents, he was the biggest baby I saw behind any bench last year.
That said, he's had success at Orono. I have heard several complaints out of Orono, but like what was said...maybe their kid just wasn't good enough. Sometimes, the parents just need to get a clue.
The same thing has been happening up at Cathedral. A certain family's kids weren't playing and they pretty much forced out two coaches...and from what I've heard, have tried to get the third out.
I heard the same thing. Heck, even when the kid was playing, they wanted to get the current coach out. Sometimes hockey would be better if the parents only got a tape of the game after, and wasn't allowed into the rink.

(Especially that family..)
Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:23 pm
by State Champ 97
Things like this are happening all over in every sport. It is sad a coaches work can't stand on its own merit. I hope there is more to this story than what is being said now but it wouldn't surprise me if there isn't.
Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:55 pm
by RLStars
Blue&Gold wrote:George Blanda wrote:mnpuckfan21 - I, too, have seen Coach Ryan in action. And although I don't agree with coaches getting run out by parents, he was the biggest baby I saw behind any bench last year.
That said, he's had success at Orono. I have heard several complaints out of Orono, but like what was said...maybe their kid just wasn't good enough. Sometimes, the parents just need to get a clue.
The same thing has been happening up at Cathedral. A certain family's kids weren't playing and they pretty much forced out two coaches...and from what I've heard, have tried to get the third out.
I heard the same thing. Heck, even when the kid was playing, they wanted to get the current coach out. Sometimes hockey would be better if the parents only got a tape of the game after, and wasn't allowed into the rink.

(Especially that family..)
Apollo would gladly take that coach. Send him over

Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 2:58 pm
by George Blanda
I don't think that coach would want Apollo. He's got the top high school job in St. Cloud.
Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:44 pm
by Blue&Gold
Actually, the thought was to send that family over to Apollo.

Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 3:49 pm
by George Blanda
I'll issue a no comment on that issue.
Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 5:02 pm
by power92
That's too bad. What's going to happen when Orono doesn't make to State?No more "cakewalk" to the tourny.
Parents meddling with HS hockey=BAD.
I've heard other instances like this from powerhouses like Champlin and Prior Lake. It has worked real well for them, eh?
LET THE COACHES COACH!
Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:02 pm
by Hockeyguy_27
power92 wrote:That's too bad. What's going to happen when Orono doesn't make to State?No more "cakewalk" to the tourny.
Parents meddling with HS hockey=BAD.
I've heard other instances like this from powerhouses like Champlin and Prior Lake. It has worked real well for them, eh?
LET THE COACHES COACH!
Brad Ryan was/is an excellent coach. He ran a tight ship and didn't succumb to butt-kissing. He reminded me of a Brad Buetow type of coach who was an old-school hardass. I guess if you don't play the political game and if you have a weak AD, you can be a good coach and get ousted. Someone else will hire Ryan and he will be successful again.
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 8:43 am
by MC12
No matter if the parents agreed with Ryan's coaching style or not, they should have no say in the issue. Administration needs to step up and support their coaches and their decisions. Too many districts cave into the parents cries and coaches are either forced to quit or choose to due to frustration from putting up with the crap. I've seen Ryan coach and have heard stories about crap he's pulled, but he must have done something right to have his team at the tourney the last 2 yrs. Doesn't matter what section they came from.
Posted: Sat Apr 14, 2007 9:20 pm
by breakout
MC12 wrote:No matter if the parents agreed with Ryan's coaching style or not, they should have no say in the issue. Administration needs to step up and support their coaches and their decisions. Too many districts cave into the parents cries and coaches are either forced to quit or choose to due to frustration from putting up with the crap. I've seen Ryan coach and have heard stories about crap he's pulled, but he must have done something right to have his team at the tourney the last 2 yrs. Doesn't matter what section they came from.
Apparently the coach had expectations of players and rules to abide by..........imagine that! The coach must have been insane
Clue: if the team did great he probably played the right kids. For the Orono lynch mob, teach your kids to work harder and avoid the bubble. If you are on the bubble anything can happen.
Teaching kids to work harder is a greater life lesson vs. protecting little buddy by getting the coach fired.
Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:51 am
by Alohafriday7
Let me get this straight..You take a team to state 2 years in a row and all of a sudden a few "parents" complain and you get fired? They're has to be more to it than that. I'm sorry but every coach deals with ice time issues for "little Johnny" on a daily basis. If the schools didn't stick up for the coaches we'd have 250 jobs open every year..Something just doesn't make sense here IMO.
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 4:01 pm
by 2pipesnin
I have the same question for the Cathedral comment. You guys are saying that one family took out two coaches, two years in a row. There are 30 to 35 other families on that team and one family took them out. I think you are leaving some thing out!!
Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2007 4:42 pm
by hockeydad
2pipesnin wrote:I have the same question for the Cathedral comment. You guys are saying that one family took out two coaches, two years in a row. There are 30 to 35 other families on that team and one family took them out. I think you are leaving some thing out!!
I don't know much about what happened at Cathedral, but I do know at private schools, one family can have quite a bit of pull if they have a history of being generous donors.
Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 9:34 am
by George Blanda
2pipesnin wrote:I have the same question for the Cathedral comment. You guys are saying that one family took out two coaches, two years in a row. There are 30 to 35 other families on that team and one family took them out. I think you are leaving some thing out!!
Research the situation a little bit, then get back to me.
Brad Ryan rumours
Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2007 3:04 pm
by iwatchalotofhockey
Well rumours running but whats new being a head coach. Lets just say that maybe Brad is ready for a change and all this parent talk is making a decision all the more easier.
Know the guy and his co-coach so you will be losing some good hockey guys that understand the game.
I remember a quote that a former Pee Wee coach of mine said while he was interview on MSC when they were up doing a Roseau vs Warroad game. Wally Shaver asked him what advise would you give to any youth coaches out there. His reply:
Don't let the uneccessary evils get to you. What does that mean well for those in the know and understand who that coach was and what he was all about it simply meant dont let the parents get to you. And this is a guy who has coached the likes of Neal Broten and several other star players so knew a bit about coaching.
So good luck to Brad and Eddy they both will latch on to a program.
Just tmy two cents
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:17 am
by 2pipesnin
And how does one research something like that?
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 2:38 pm
by Blue&Gold
hockeydad wrote:2pipesnin wrote:I have the same question for the Cathedral comment. You guys are saying that one family took out two coaches, two years in a row. There are 30 to 35 other families on that team and one family took them out. I think you are leaving some thing out!!
I don't know much about what happened at Cathedral, but I do know at private schools, one family can have quite a bit of pull if they have a history of being generous donors.
They don't have to be generous donors, at least in this case they weren't. But they can be the type to get folks to believe what they say, write letters and complain to every one that will listen, (and many who won't), call the AD every day, etc. you get the point. One family can make a situation so uncomfortable that a coach doesn't want to stay and hear it week after week. And they will prey on the weak minded and convince them that the coach is wrong/bad/etc. You can recognize them by how they seperate the weak from the herd and talk to them at the side, or back of the arena. Always harping on the coach. Or they stand across the ice and film the coach on the bench to use against them.
Now, I won't say anything about this beyond this post. George and I have been in the middle of it, and I'm not any more nor his he. I won't answer PM's either. The point I'm making by even saying this is that a couple of families can destroy a sport for a school, whether it's hockey or basketball or even football. It's a war to them, and they won't stop until they get a new coach, and then complain about them too.
Don't let those folks win!! Stand tough and support your program and your coaches!!
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 4:31 pm
by 2pipesnin
You have said plenty Mr Crandell....thanks!
Posted: Thu Apr 19, 2007 7:00 pm
by George Blanda
Blue&Gold is correct, 2pipes.
And way to call him out, you're so noble.
The truth is, a single family can cause some severe discomfort to a team. The family that has caused huge problems in St. Cloud will pick away until they get what they want. Three coaches didn't play their kid(s) and they tried to run all three. They must have thought the coaches were in cahoots or something. I know personally how annoying it is. After all, little Billy should have been playing over big Brian.
What's sad is that it's usually the parents with all the complaints, but the kids are accepting of the coaches decisions. I've even heard of some kids in St. Cloud apologizing for what their parents have put the team through.
It's a trend that's rapidly growing and it probably won't end.