Nichols coaching vacancy brings speculation

Regarding MacKinnon release……
There are definitely two sides to every story and hoops may have something here, exposure???
J. MacKinnon is a straight forward guy, no sugar coating to him. Like him for it or not, that’s him! Personally I would rather be dealt with like that rather than the blind sided and not so courageously way he was sidelined today. Looks like the AD may have taken the high road??? Only he and Jim know that.
He spent countless hours in the gym as an assistant coach for Greg Plumb. Plumb would probably agree that he assisted well. He sacrificed his personal and business time, most every weekend, for boys to come in to the gym and improve their skills; Saturdays, put shots up with the gun and Sundays, skill work. Need more guys like that.
During those years and many hours, one could reasonably assume that the AD (Rob Stewart) and the administration knew “who and what” Jim “was and is”. One might also expect, that an institution such as Nichols would discuss and review the program objectives and protocols to achievement. Now they all of a sudden want to go in another direction? What direction is that??????
It is no surprise to anyone (though they deny it) that many of the MMA schools recruit or should we say, strategically position themselves to accept individuals they desire: anyway you shake it, it is recruiting and why not. If an individual who qualifies academically (can dribble or skate), is approached or introduced to one of those fine institutions and qualifies for admission;
Who get’s hurt? What is the harm? Who loses, other than the coaches that don’t work as hard in the off season with: AAU, church leagues, extra practice time and finding those that over achieve.
Those lucky individuals may have doors opened for them in life, that may never have. I personally don’t see the harm, especially if it is restricted to pre high school applicants; which I heard was the case.
Basketball suffers in the WNY area. The sport and the kids, need more guys like Jim MacKinnon, sacrificing his time, coaching and building individuals and teams that win. Last time I looked that was a good thing. In real life, everybody doesn’t make the team or get the promotion. You have to go out there and get it. If that is the reason for Jim’s separation then he should be proud of why it became.

Catholic Ball

Don’t be surprised if Jack Herlan ends up with that job!

Bill

LOL, Jack Herlan? Nichols may not have to look very far for the next coach, but not as far as Kenmore Ave

Catholic Ball

LOL if you like but Nichols could use a coach with a mustache!

guest

Unfair…..
Who ever said life is fair? Tell McKinnin how fair it was to dump the upper classmen in favor of the freshmen without them earning it. McKinnin got what he deserved. Good riddance!

you get what you deserve

Mr unfair…as you stated there are two sides to every story and you painted one side. Unfortunately it is not based on really what happened. I am sure the AD did not want to have to conduct two searches in two years…there is more to the story and the school made a good decision.
I would suggest that we move on and look forward to the future, and hope that whomever the next coach may be, he or she can help Nichols basketball return to the respected tradition that it has been in the past.

bert

so you think less talented seniors should play bevause they are seniors? was plumb wrong for playing reagan and canestro as freshmen instead of 2 seniors? mackinnon was trying to return them to the respected tradition of the past. thats why he brought in a bunch of young talent. my question is how did plumb survive so long? nichols should have won 4 straight cups.

Ernie

Your actions and conduct have consequences. Unfortunately for Coach Mac he made his bed and is now lying in it. Too bad he didn’t have some common good sense. He might not have been canned if he did.

jackherlan

It would take a truckload of cash to get me to give up my other coaching job at SJCI or a round at Augusta. 🙂

Nichols Student

It shouldn’t matter if a player is a freshman or not if he or she should play or not. Honestly, McKinnon was not the reason was losing. It was because those stupid upperclassman that were too stubborn to understand that a group of freshman was better than them. Instead of working with the freshmen, they decided to do there own thing. If the upperclassman played with the freshmen, Nichols would have had a better season.

Upperclassmen

Cam…er….Nichols student….maybe you should spend more time in English class before you decide to talk trash…

Bill

If parent/player complaints is what did Jim Mac in then thats a shame. Every coach and AD hears that stuff every single year. Anybody with even a sliver of basketball knowledge knows those freshmen were better than the upperclassman, they earned their minutes as well. The juniors and senior on that team got as much playing time as they would have no matter who was coaching, and firing Jim doesn’t solve that playing time issue for next season

SJCI

I could care less about McKiinnon or Nichols, but reading these comments and hearing some of the shady stuff he did it’s surprising he lasted till the end of the season. It sounds like he created an atmosphere that caused dissension within the team. And didn’t he get fired at Canisius a long time ago?

Nichols School

I like how you assume this is one of the players from the team but its not. I came to the games and i saw what happened and you upperclassmen got him fired. Anyone who knows basketball knows those freshman were good and you all ruined their season.

S Taplin

Everyone chill – I have news that will make all the Nichols fans happy – in 2013 I am bringing my talents to the Nichols school.
And a certain coach who made a Class A state final in 2006 will be coming with me.
Nichols school – 2013 Class B Fed Champs.

KCJ

The freshman class did a good job on the court. Jamar Waters is a young talent player and might bring his talent back to buffalo next season.I strongly believe Waters left because of bad coaching decision by Makinnon. Can’t wait to see if the other 3 freshman are going to stay or leave.

Dark TML

The Nichols job would be perfect for a former Sweet Home coach. He could recruit players like he did at Sweet Home but now without district residency requirements.

Truth Be Told

Right on Dark TML regarding Sweet Home. Also, isn’t the purpose of going to a great academic school like Nichols the education combined with the sports program? I hope KCJ is wrong. Waters was given the rare opportunity to attend a great school. So Waters if you bring your talent back to Buffalo, you may hit the same dead end as others. Same with the other freshmen. Feel free to hit the road and see what you do post high school. The problem with a lot of these kids are they, and most of their parents, have illusions of basketball grandure and a great education at a school like Nichols is just an afterthought.

student

Jamar left Nichols because of academic problems, not Coach Mac. Best candidate may be in house for Nichols

Professor

I’m sure Coach Mac was let go for legitimate an appropriate reasons.He just never seemed to be a good choice for the coaching position. Neither was Coach Plumb. Nichols AD Stewart said they would prefer to hire a teacher or someone on staff.

wiseguy

The key word is prefer. I’m sure they would prefer if the kids already attending Nichols were good basketball players also so they wouldn’t have to recruit. It’s all lip service. If Schintz wants that job, it is his! Don’t think Schintz wants to teach at Nichols. He already has a day job!

student

Don’t forget only Mac was fired, rest of staff had their contracts renewed, possible candidates among them

#cant wait to go to canisius/cityhonors/timon/niagaracatholic

Maybe if the upperclassmen would spend more time being teammates as opposed to complaining about playing time that was RIGHTFULLY taken by 4 freshman who won’t be returning next year to a team of complainers (upperclassmen).this is FACT.

Can you really blame the underclassmen?

Don’t forget the parents in the corner of the Gymnasium repeatedly yelling at 3 fourteen year olds.I watch all the games and an involved heavily with the Nichols School/athletics. This was not Coach Mackinnon’s fault. This is a lack of leadership outside of the coaching staff. No talented upperclassmen= whining about playing time.

Nichols Alumni

Do you blame the freshman for wanting to leave? Coaching was not the problem.Go to the games, you’ll quickly find that parents (of the upperclassmen) harrass the freshman specifically. Hey, they won 5 games last year . They won ten this year with four fourteen year olds. Maybe the Parents are the ones who should be coached. Im surprised that the AD didn’t kick off the upperclassmen for creating a horrible enviorment for younger and more talented freshman. I won’t be attending any games next year . It is honestly pathetic how the parents acted towards KIDS. The Nichols Athletics department and Parents should be ashamed of themselves.
-goodluck

dissapointed

I heard Chris miner and Cam Lewis will return to City Honors and MAYBE stay at Nichols; Tanner Schmidt is going to Canisius , Nichols or Clarence. It’s Sad how the season went, these freshman could’ve made another historic run in states. doesn’t sound like coaching to me.

dissapointed (part 2)

Upperclassmen….I’ve said enough.

guest

kids bouncing from school to school is never a good thing, coaches have to RECRUIT kids that can succeed at these places,academically and athletically. mackinnon should of known what he was getting into, and tried way to hard to bring in to many kids at once. This caused a hostile enviornment. He was his own worst enemy running around gyms all yr. making promises to kids and not thinking about the kids that pay $20,000 that already go there. Believe this Nichols will be back, ut will take some time

Pistol Pat

I think Nichols should hire Dan Bazzani and return to the NFL. Jack, you play Augusta National? I am becoming a St. Joes fan! And can I just say the greatest name I’ve ever seen on this blog is Dark TML.

Alum

I think the freshman are in wait and see mode, want to see who the next coach is before making a decision. I think the smart hire is their Jv coach, did a great job with that team and is young and hungry for a chance to succeed

embarrassing

This blog and comments are a direct reflection of what happened this year at Nichols….the new piece to the puzzle was Mackinnon. I think its obvious where the problem started. Poor leadership, making promises, and lies lead to a result like this. The focus needs to be on a return to the positive Nichols basketball tradition, not the past.

jackherlan

Pat- I wish. I also coach the golf team at SJCI and it would take something as big as a round @
Augusta to get me to leave. It really was just a joke. Now, if they offered a teaching job and I could double dip and collect my retirement ala Coach Schunk we could talk.

Reggie Agdbeko and Stan Weir

Taking my talents to South beach. I will be post graduating at Nichols school next year with another current senior.

Other guy

Riverside assistant Bill Russell is emerging as a strong candidate after Eric Fields Jr. declined an interview.

Nichols needs a Leader!!

Heard AD was already in contact with O’Hara Junior Varsity Coach regarding the vacancy. I am an Nichols Alum and frequently going to high school basketball games and the Nichols team was a mess this year. They need a committed leader as a Coach FIRST then he can show the team how to lead. I’ve met the O’Hara JV Coach and he’s a gym rat, basketball nut, and really would improve what has already been started at Nichols. And Waters did leave for academic reasons, not to do with Mackinnon.

bball

Why would they hire a JV coach from another school?

guest

I agree with bball, I’ve actually heard that the current Nichols JV coach is a strong candidate for the job. Would also make for a smoother transition

Nichols secretary

Here is a list of who has been contacted for an interview so far:
Greg Plumb, Paul Shitzius, Jack Herlan, Pat Monti, Roger Weiss, Eric Fields Jr., Bill Russell, Jim Walker, Sil Dan, Guilio Colangelo, Mary Jo Monnin, Ben Hayes, Chad Kelly, Patrick Moran, Mansa Habeeb, Hoopster, Major, Tom Parotta, Juice Carter, and Cookie.

Nichols needs a Leader!!

Varsity Coaches are made at the JV level. Why bring in another “experienced” Varsity Coach like MacKinnon who thinks he’s bigger than the school or basketball program?

Phil Vance

The answer=John (jack) Bowen Vance.

Phil Vance

He can shoot the three ball!

Professor

What is this? Jeopardy? You give us the answer and we try and firgure out the question?

Guest

Schmidts best move would be clarence, immediate impact there, canisius he would not get playing time and waist another year, nichols he would have to go through another transition year – then he would have waisted two years of his career. Not sure where the other two freshman are thinking.

jj43

March 12, 2012

Why would Scmidt want to go back to a team like Clarence that will be average at best in ecic 1 for at least the next 3 years? There are lots of places he could make an impact, but I assume he will also want to win.

Schmit Fam

Clarence actually had 2 sophmores starting.. funk and jost. 6’4 sophmore funk (who’s brother tyler a freshman playing at canisius) is already a good player. If schmidt goes there clarence is back baby. 6’6, 6’4 frontline.

jj43

Clarence has zero chance of beating Jamestown in the next 3 years even if Scmidt brings the other freshman with him. Stop getting so excited about the possibility of 2nd. Ands Funk doesn’t play at Canisius. He walked on to Parottas team but never plays and if they get a real coach that brings in real talent, Funk won’t have such a good seat for their games.

WT716

A couple of rumors I heard from my sources. Nichols talked to Canisius JV coach Joe Zera about the varsity position but he turned it down because they do not have any openings in the math department at Nichols.
And the big news, which I cannot disclose just yet, but there was some activity going on at Canisius College which head coach Tom Parrotta had a big hand in. Not sure if the news will ever come out.

Professor

Joe Zera would have been a teriffic fit. It would seem that there won’t be a shortage of quality coaches looking into that job. It looks like Nichols will be upgrading their coaching position big time.

Gus Macker

Not surprised Zera would rather stay at Canisius. Their JV team would beat Nichols varsity.

Gus Buster