The WVBR Sports Blog:
The Voice of the Big Red
The Voice of the Big Red
Happy Trails, Zach Spiker
Original Airdate: Monday, October 5, 2009. This is a part of the 93-Second Sports Shot series. 93-Second Sports Shots air weekday nights at 6pm.
If you're a fan of the Cornell men's basketball team, you've probably heard by this point that assistant head coach Zach Spiker has been hired as the new head coach for the Army Black Knights. Obviously, Spiker is elated at the opportunity to join the ranks of Division 1 head coaches after spending the last decade as an assistant, including 5 winning seasons at Cornell. But how should fans of the Big Red feel about this? Well, it's bittersweet.
At first glance, it seems like a negative. As the old saying goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Cornell is going for the ever-exalted 3-peat this year and any shift in the equation probably isn't the best thing. After all, Spiker has quickly built a reputation as one of the quickest rising young coaches in the game, and he has repeatedly received accolades from players as well as other coaches for his coaching, recruiting skills, and personability. In other words, not the kind of guy that you want to lose no matter what kind of organization you are.
On the other hand, an assistant coach can only do so much. As effective as Spiker has been at Cornell, you still have to place him behind names like Donahue, Dale, Wittman, Foote, and Tyler when it comes to Cornell's success. This shouldn't do anything to detract from what should be a 3rd straight Ivy League Championship for the Red.
On top of that, Spiker's hiring by Army adds yet another dose of legitimacy to a program that nobody knew about on a national level just three years ago. The mere fact that a Big Red assistant head coach gets chosen for an actively sought head coaching position speaks volumes about the program. It also speaks to the fact that Steve Donahue, who recommended Spiker for the position, is at a point in his career where other institutions and programs listen up close when he talks.
We here at WVBR wish the best of luck to Zach Spiker no matter which direction this new job takes him, and we also thank him for the major role he played in making Cornell the uncontested champion of the Ivy League. Based on his rapid upper movement to this juncture, a head coaching job at a major conference school might be in his near future if he enjoys success at Army. I get the distinct impression that he will.
If you're a fan of the Cornell men's basketball team, you've probably heard by this point that assistant head coach Zach Spiker has been hired as the new head coach for the Army Black Knights. Obviously, Spiker is elated at the opportunity to join the ranks of Division 1 head coaches after spending the last decade as an assistant, including 5 winning seasons at Cornell. But how should fans of the Big Red feel about this? Well, it's bittersweet.
At first glance, it seems like a negative. As the old saying goes, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Cornell is going for the ever-exalted 3-peat this year and any shift in the equation probably isn't the best thing. After all, Spiker has quickly built a reputation as one of the quickest rising young coaches in the game, and he has repeatedly received accolades from players as well as other coaches for his coaching, recruiting skills, and personability. In other words, not the kind of guy that you want to lose no matter what kind of organization you are.
On the other hand, an assistant coach can only do so much. As effective as Spiker has been at Cornell, you still have to place him behind names like Donahue, Dale, Wittman, Foote, and Tyler when it comes to Cornell's success. This shouldn't do anything to detract from what should be a 3rd straight Ivy League Championship for the Red.
On top of that, Spiker's hiring by Army adds yet another dose of legitimacy to a program that nobody knew about on a national level just three years ago. The mere fact that a Big Red assistant head coach gets chosen for an actively sought head coaching position speaks volumes about the program. It also speaks to the fact that Steve Donahue, who recommended Spiker for the position, is at a point in his career where other institutions and programs listen up close when he talks.
We here at WVBR wish the best of luck to Zach Spiker no matter which direction this new job takes him, and we also thank him for the major role he played in making Cornell the uncontested champion of the Ivy League. Based on his rapid upper movement to this juncture, a head coaching job at a major conference school might be in his near future if he enjoys success at Army. I get the distinct impression that he will.
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~No Surprise Here for Stephen Strasburg (Mon 8/30) 2 Comments
~Auburn All Star (Mon 8/16)
~World Cup - Lego Reenactment (Sun 8/15)
~Walters Injured (Mon 8/9)
~Amazing Catch (Thu 8/5)
~A-Rod* (Wed 8/4) 1 Comment
~The Quarterback who Cried Wolf (Tue 8/3)
~New York Jets Training Camp: Day 1 (Mon 8/2)
~New York Jets Training Camp Questions and Storylines (Mon 8/2)
~Greatest Baseball Injuries (Fri 7/30)
~Is the Evil Empire not that Evil? (Tue 7/27) 1 Comment
~Another No-Hitter (Mon 7/26)
~New York Jets Training Camp Questions (Thu 7/22)
~Ithacan Wins 25K Swimming World Championship (Thu 7/22)
~Do Sports Tell Us Who's Best? (Wed 7/21) 1 Comment
~Worst Sports Injury? (Wed 7/21)
~Last Thought on Lebron-Wade-Bosh (Tue 7/20) 2 Comments
~Riley Nash signs pro contract, leaves Cornell (Mon 7/19)
~Cornell Hockey adds six new players (Thu 7/15)
~No Surprise Here for Stephen Strasburg (Mon 8/30) 2 Comments
~Auburn All Star (Mon 8/16)
~World Cup - Lego Reenactment (Sun 8/15)
~Walters Injured (Mon 8/9)
~Amazing Catch (Thu 8/5)
~A-Rod* (Wed 8/4) 1 Comment
~The Quarterback who Cried Wolf (Tue 8/3)
~New York Jets Training Camp: Day 1 (Mon 8/2)
~New York Jets Training Camp Questions and Storylines (Mon 8/2)
~Greatest Baseball Injuries (Fri 7/30)
~Is the Evil Empire not that Evil? (Tue 7/27) 1 Comment
~Another No-Hitter (Mon 7/26)
~New York Jets Training Camp Questions (Thu 7/22)
~Ithacan Wins 25K Swimming World Championship (Thu 7/22)
~Do Sports Tell Us Who's Best? (Wed 7/21) 1 Comment
~Worst Sports Injury? (Wed 7/21)
~Last Thought on Lebron-Wade-Bosh (Tue 7/20) 2 Comments
~Riley Nash signs pro contract, leaves Cornell (Mon 7/19)
~Cornell Hockey adds six new players (Thu 7/15)
