Thanks for the kind words, Bob.  I was hoping to meet you in Pittsburgh.
Sorry I didn't recognize you.  The past two Frozen Fours have been most
enjoyable meeting many friends from around Clegg hockey and spending
enjoyable hours with my high school senior son, Ben.

I think the release of Whitehead at this time has been inadvertently poor
timing.   Montgomery, though not my favorite, would have been a great
candidate; I'm happy he'll have a great chance to show his stuff at DU.

When I first read Corkum's letter, I was surprised that he knew and could
express every problem the Maine Internet crazies (their label!) had with
Whitehead.  When I reread it, I realized while it was a great call to arms,
it was, as someone said here, throwing his boss under the bus.   I asked
the opinion of a couple of people I trust.   When they described the letter
and UMaine complicity as "outrageous" and "outlandish", the outrageous term
stuck with me and that's why I used it.

So I'm hopeful someone on the search committee has better connections and
ideas than us, and can find an individual to build the program in all
respects to bring it to where we all want it.

Cheers, Wayne
On Apr 26, 2013 1:18 PM, "John" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Corkum posted his message on USCHO (or had Laura do it incognito) and
> Laura posted it on Facebook.  I'm guessing - and this is only a guess -
> that Laura tried unsuccessfully to talk him out of it.  Some of Corkum's
> message was exactly what the fan base wanted to hear, but it wasn't very
> professional.  Aside from looking like a campaign message, he
> unceremoniously threw Tim under the bus.  Again, the fan base may have
> eaten that up but from a professional standpoint, that was a huge mistake.
>  It now feels like a coup has taken place in Orono whether that is what
> happened or not.  If the school removes the interim tag it feels more like
> a fait accompli than solid coaching hire.  If the school shocks everyone
> and picks someone else (please don't let it be Cronin!) Corkum is going to
> have a hell of a time getting a new job with that message hanging over his
> head.  What head coach is going to want a guy who publicly campaigns for a
> job by blaming everything on his old boss?
>
> At this point I would go for Gwozdecky even if it costs the school more
> money.  Look at it as an investment and realize all the return he can give
> you in terms of ticket sales, merchandise and the like.  The school already
> admitted that it needs all those things to pay Whitehead so make the bold
> choice and get the revenue train rolling.  There's also the rumor that
> wherever he ends up is where some of his recruits, currently committed to
> Denver, will end up.  But in the end, I think we get Corkum.  Whether it is
> a good choice or not, it feels horrible.
>
> John
>
>
> On Fri, Apr 26, 2013 at 8:28 AM, Fitta, Robert <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
>
>>  Was Corkum's facebook post the same message I saw on USCHO?
>>
>>  Wayne I have a feeling you are about to be disappointed.  I think it is
>> either Corkum or Cronin.  By some of your earlier posts it did not sound
>> like you were a huge Montgomery person either so curious who your favorite
>> was or is?
>>
>>  By the way I walked past you inside the Consol and only realized it
>> after you and I had gone another 20 feet away from one another so did not
>> conduct a chase to introduce and say hello.
>>
>>  You joked, and said it was an inside joke, but whomever it is better be
>> an upgrade or we have gone seriously downhill quickly.  After being a Tim
>> supporter for years seeing the glaring holes in the soph., jr., and senior
>> classes last year from a recruiting standpoint finally confirmed we needed
>> a change.  I am not a Cronin the person fan, but he did seem to have things
>> going in the right direction at NU and had recruited Gaudreau and Gillis to
>> go to NU, no small feat!  Loved Corkum as a player at Maine and the NHL and
>> he has been a solid soldier until his campaign, could be a good head coach,
>> but does he have the ability to run the entire organization.   It is
>> evident that one of Tim's problems was he was uncomfortable handing things
>> off to others and thus rubbed many the wrong way with his management style.
>>
>>  Only time will tell, but the hour glass is quickly running out on this
>> search committee.  And having been involved in a search committee before
>> you can find all the candidates you want so long as you find the candidate
>> that is already wanted by the group doing the hiring. Personally I would
>> take Gwodzecky let him get things on track and have someone inline to
>> replace him in 5 years.
>>
>>  Bob Fitta '83
>>
>>   From: Wayne Smith <[log in to unmask]>
>> Reply-To: The Maine Hockey Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
>> Date: Fri, 26 Apr 2013 01:06:25 -0400
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Subject: Re: Coach search
>>
>>  What John said!
>>
>> Also, while Pellerin years ago wanted to return to UMaine to coach
>> someday, I've heard his interest is NHL now.  If Cronin was to get an
>> interview, I'd be very disappointed ... probably enough to not want to be
>> seen as a fan of the team.  While some Maine fans have praised Corkum for
>> his Facebook post (via the SID!), I found it ... outrageous for a candidate
>> to say and very disappointing since it was via the Athletic office.  Bad
>> show all around.
>>
>> Gwozdecky may be limited to the states of Alaska and Maine if he's
>> looking for a college head coaching job.  I suspect DU let him go because
>> his retirement payments would have been a huge increase going forward.  So
>> even if Gwozdecky's base salary requirements weren't that great, I suspect
>> they'll be impossible for UMaine to swallow.
>>
>> So, barring other good candidates appearing, we'll be left with one that
>> has not appeared to fill in the weaker points of Whiteheads coaching, and
>> when Whitehead was fired, hasn't acted in a classy manner.    Boy, am I
>> pessimistic :-(
>>
>> Cheers, Wayne
>> On Thu, Apr 25, 2013 at 6:51 PM, John <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>> I don't feel the list is legit.  If the school, or someone close to the
>>> committee, leaked this list, I assume Tremblay (and perhaps Gendron) is a
>>> head fake while the committee takes a closer look at Gwozdecky.  In the
>>> end, I think the job is still Corkum's.
>>>
>>>
>>> On Thu, Apr 25, 2013 at 6:44 PM, DERON TREADWELL <[log in to unmask]>wrote:
>>>
>>>> Why is Gwozdecky not on this list?
>>>>
>>>>  I hear Tremblay is out.
>>>>
>>>>  Also hear another Maine kid has gone elsewhere, Winkler to
>>>> Northeastern.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, Apr 24, 2013 at 5:15 PM, Anthony DelMonaco <
>>>> [log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>  There was talk on the Maine Hockey Facebook group of Red Gendron,
>>>>> Sean Tremblay, Pellerin and Corkum being the search committees "final
>>>>> four". Not sure if there is any truth to that but seems like a good bunch
>>>>> to choose from.
>>>>>
>>>>>  Tony
>>>>>
>>>>>   ------------------------------
>>>>> *From:* Wayne Smith <[log in to unmask]>
>>>>> *To:* [log in to unmask]
>>>>> *Sent:* Wednesday, April 24, 2013 5:07 PM
>>>>> *Subject:* Coach search
>>>>>
>>>>>  Hi all,
>>>>> Is there any word on the search process?  Anyone know of people that
>>>>> have applied or being looked at besides Corkum?
>>>>> At least some think we'll have an interim head coach for some time.
>>>>> Anyone want to start a petition to hire Whitehead?  ;-)   (Sorry,
>>>>> inside joke)
>>>>> Cheers, Wayne
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>   --
>>> "Victory? Victory you say? President Obama, not victory. The shroud of
>>> the dark side has fallen. Begun the Age of Austerity has."
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> "Victory? Victory you say? President Obama, not victory. The shroud of the
> dark side has fallen. Begun the Age of Austerity has."
>