Released players on Women's BB team wanted to stay

[Lets_Talk]

This crap that is taking place at YSU just keeps getting worse. If one wants to argue that scholarships are year-by-year, and that this kind of thing often happens with a new coaching staff, that is one thing. If one wants to argue none of the 3 players were good enough to play D1(obviously not the case with Shar'Rae), that is another thing. Yes, Hvisdak was a walk-on, her scholarship was n ot guaranteed, but often it is players like Taylor that do all the SH!T work to help those who play in games be prepared for the opposition. As for Barger, kind of hard to know what she can/could do at this level if never really given a chance by Barnes.

If we were talking about 1 player, then I would by the "sour grapes" argument. But, we are talking about THREE players. And, worst of all is the way Barnes went about releasing these 3, and the treatment of these players. This shows a total lack of class and professionalism. This is akin to the kind of crap that was pulled by Cindy Martin, and we all know how well her tenure at YSU turned out.

As of now, Barnes had one season at YSU with a losing record of 15-16, which included wins over 2 non D1 teams. That is 13-16 against D1 teams. Yes, YSU went 10-6 in the HL and beat GB twice. This was likely the worst GB team by GB standards since YSU joined the HL. And, while Barnes proved he could get YSU to beat GB, his team lost 3 times to Wright State, the best team in the HL. I'm making this about Barnes, because more and more he comes across as a person who believes the team is all about him. One of those coaches that fails to realize the "no I in the word team" also applies to the coach/coaches.

Barnes is going to get what he wants very soon. A team of "his players". And, he had best produce teams the likes of what YSU had with Coach D. After all, he sure as heck seems to think he is that caliber of coach. Too bad he does not seem to be anywhere near the caliber of person as Coach D.

http://www.vindy.com/news/2014/apr/13/released-players-wanted-to-return/

[Wick250]

A disturbing article, but we are hearing only the players' side in this mess.  Barnes wisely will not debate it in public.  I have always believed that scholarships should be a four year commitment not easily broken by coaches or players.  I do wish that our coaches would stop allowing local kids to walk-on when they know that DI talent is lacking.  Hvisdak would have been much happier if she had gone to a Westminster or a Mount Union right out of high school.

[YsuPride]

YSU athletics is becoming a mess.  I agree a disturbing article and another media blow for YSU athletics.
Time for Strollo to go.

[guinpen]

A disturbing article, but we are hearing only the players' side in this mess.  Barnes wisely will not debate it in public.  I have always believed that scholarships should be a four year commitment not easily broken by coaches or players.  I do wish that our coaches would stop allowing local kids to walk-on when they know that DI talent is lacking.  Hvisdak would have been much happier if she had gone to a Westminster or a Mount Union right out of high school.

I agree, so far just 1 side has been heard, and maybe that is all we will ever know. You have to give a new coach the freedom to build his team. If anything it sounds like, if true, he is a little rough around the edges. Move on and win and this article will be forgotten about quickly.

[ysufan0505]

Hard to say on this one since its one sided. Kinda sounds like a lot of sour grapes. Two of the young ladies shouldn't be playing D1 basketball anyway.

[ValleyTalk]

It's one side of the story. Let's see if Scalzo gets the other side or if Barnes simply let's it go and moves forward. In the end, he knows the types of recruits he wants. If he feels he can snag a few more solid ones, to this already strong class, then all the power to him.

He is here to win. If he wins over the next few years, as it is looking like he will  then this will be forgotten.

[edpuskas]

It's one side of the story. Let's see if Scalzo gets the other side or if Barnes simply let's it go and moves forward. In the end, he knows the types of recruits he wants. If he feels he can snag a few more solid ones, to this already strong class, then all the power to him.

He is here to win. If he wins over the next few years, as it is looking like he will  then this will be forgotten.

Joe did reach out in an attempt to get YSU's side. He was told there would be no comment, aside from the statement that was released. We included that, and Coach Barnes' statement, in the story.

[Wick250]

I did not mean to imply any criticism of Scalzo when I referred to the story as "one-sided."  I assumed that he sought Barnes' input and that the generic response from Barnes would be all that was forthcoming.

I also agree that these three women received very bad advice by going public.  No prospective coach wants to hear a transfer bash a former coach, no matter the circumstances. 

[edpuskas]

I did not mean to imply any criticism of Scalzo when I referred to the story as "one-sided."  I assumed that he sought Barnes' input and that the generic response from Barnes would be all that was forthcoming.

I also agree that these three women received very bad advice by going public.  No prospective coach wants to hear a transfer bash a former coach, no matter the circumstances.

I know, Wick. I was mainly responding to ValleyTalk, who mentioned waiting to see if Joe would get the other side. Just wanted to make it clear that he did make the effort.

[jjysuwin]

The Vindicator's coverage of all events in the Valley is very laughable.

There is a majority among the season ticket holders I sit with who will not subscribe to the Vindy because of the lack of professionalism.

Name another editor of a news paper who posts on a message board to defend a writer, YOU CAN'T!

[jjysuwin]

It's one side of the story. Let's see if Scalzo gets the other side or if Barnes simply let's it go and moves forward.

You are 100% correct Valley. It is a very one sided piece. Thank you for pointing out that fact!

[edpuskas]

The Vindicator's coverage of all events in the Valley is very laughable.

There is a majority among the season ticket holders I sit with who will not subscribe to the Vindy because of the lack of professionalism.

Name another editor of a news paper who posts on a message board to defend a writer, YOU CAN'T!

So I don't have the right to point out that our reporter did, in fact, give YSU a chance to state its case? But you can make any baseless statement you like? Sorry. That doesn't fly.

[edpuskas]

It's one side of the story. Let's see if Scalzo gets the other side or if Barnes simply let's it go and moves forward.

You are 100% correct Valley. It is a very one sided piece. Thank you for pointing out that fact!

Reading comprehension seems to be an issue.

[IAA Fan]

JJ, with all due respect to the late great Pete Mollica ...Ed Puskas and Joe Scalzo have made YSU sports interesting once again. Pete just covered YSU as a stop-gap between football-Fridays. We hear (from the Vindy) about all YSU sports and they follow-up players after they leave. All of the complaining about "the status quot" being followed and then when someone does something about it ...we complain. I go for their articles first thing every day. Since Ed left the Trib, they only seem to care about Trumbull county players and events.

Look I have no real opinion, as I do not know all of the details. Certainly if those comments were truly made to the players ...then that was indeed a very poor way to act and an equally-bad example to set as a head-coach. Barnes should simply admit and apologize ...or let it go. So far he has chosen to let it go. For all we know it may be the university telling him what to not say. It is simply not fair to judge a man on this one report; but I do not blame Scalzo for writing it one bit and I enjoyed the article.

BTW: you will find that most valley sports media are on this board ...it is the best place to get info. We have some very knowledgeable people and we love our Guins.

[jjysuwin]

I disagree completely. And trust me, I'm a fan of media and subscribe to many news papers. Pete Mollica was the best writer this area has ever seen. No one was better at his job than he was. Look at all the coaches who felt he gave them fair coverage that attended his services. They all loved him, not because he was filling space in the paper, but because he was fair.

Ed knows my views on his sports section. He gets an email far too often from me regarding factually inaccurate statements his writers write. Honestly, I got tried of editing his writers work. I don't read much of it.

But like Valley Talk said, it would be interesting if the Vindy writers earn credibility and give both sides of the story. Saying coach Barnes was not available for comment is lazy. Pete would never end a story like that. He earned respect and would get an interview from the coach.

R.I.P. Pete, they don't make em like you anymore.