Blaine Taylor

[SeaGrizluvr]

A former player under Blaine Taylor:

http://instagram.com/p/VW_jRaSX8e/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Gaeilge1]

Sorry to hear this, both from the standpoint of Blaine Taylor and ODU. I will admit to speding a late night or two with Blaine when he was in town. Don't know what has happened at ODU this year or whether this was a one time thing or a deteriorating pattern. However I am bothered about what seems to be a trend toward a no tolerance policy among a good deal of our society.

Given his record at ODU one would think/hope that possibly giving him a leave of absence to get some help would have served both parties better than simply letting him go. Maybe this did happen, I don't know, but it just seems with more stories like this we have lost our compassion as a society.

I recognize that its a fine line between compassion and best interest. I'm just hoping they had this conversation.

 

[EverettGriz]

G1, Blaine was coaching college players, and evidently showed up to do a radio program drunk, and then showed up 30 minutes to coach a game in the same shape. I'm all for tolerance, but there are lines that must not be crossed, and I would almost guarantee that a sober Blaine would agree with me 100% on this point: If you show up intoxicated to coach college kids, you're gone. Period.

 

[Gaeilge1]

I'm certainly not arguing that ODU did not have the right or the justification, and I agree that there are some lines that just can't be crossed. I'm more concerned about whether this was one time situation or a repeating pattern that could have been dealt with long before it got to this point. I don't know the answer but it being just a one time episode seems somewhat out of character to me.

 

[mtgrizrule]

I guarantee if anyone at my job shows up drunk, badly hungover, or stoned, job is gone asap. I do know of people who have been offered leave of absence, to go rehab, they refused, and in turn let go.

It sucks to lose your job. I do hope he gets the help he needs.

 

[keena52]

I'm certainly not arguing that ODU did not have the right or the justification, and I agree that there are some lines that just can't be crossed. I'm more concerned about whether this was one time situation or a repeating pattern that could have been dealt with long before it got to this point. I don't know the answer but it being just a one time episode seems somewhat out of character to me.

I know my job would be gone right away, but OSU gave Sutton chance after chance, and finally axed him?

 

[keena52]

I'm certainly not arguing that ODU did not have the right or the justification, and I agree that there are some lines that just can't be crossed. I'm more concerned about whether this was one time situation or a repeating pattern that could have been dealt with long before it got to this point. I don't know the answer but it being just a one time episode seems somewhat out of character to me.

I know my job would be gone right away, but OSU gave Sutton chance after chance, and finally axed him?

Just depends on the field we are in, and college bball programs are no different. OSU chance after chance, and ODU one and gone? Atleast that we know of, OSU has alot more media coverage than ODU does though..

 

[MissoulaMarinerFan]

Oh my god?? Keena52?????? I really like what you have to say? But I may need to "foe" you so I don't have to read all your question marks??? Seriously. See how annoying that is????????????????? :mrgreen: :thumb:

 

[UMGriz75]

I'm certainly not arguing that ODU did not have the right or the justification, and I agree that there are some lines that just can't be crossed. I'm more concerned about whether this was one time situation or a repeating pattern that could have been dealt with long before it got to this point. I don't know the answer but it being just a one time episode seems somewhat out of character to me.

Whew, I've been coaching for over 30 years now, and it's just a rule of thumb, no beer before workouts, not even wine at dinner, and not on game day either. Afterwards, if the kids want to have a couple at dinner, I'll have a couple, but that's it, and no driving. The whole thing is just too important to show up with any smell of alcohol; you're dealing with the kids, real kids, parents, fans, you just don't. Ever.

 

[keena52]

I'm certainly not arguing that ODU did not have the right or the justification, and I agree that there are some lines that just can't be crossed. I'm more concerned about whether this was one time situation or a repeating pattern that could have been dealt with long before it got to this point. I don't know the answer but it being just a one time episode seems somewhat out of character to me.

Whew, I've been coaching for over 30 years now, and it's just a rule of thumb, no beer before workouts, not even wine at dinner, and not on game day either. Afterwards, if the kids want to have a couple at dinner, I'll have a couple, but that's it, and no driving. The whole thing is just too important to show up with any smell of alcohol; you're dealing with the kids, real kids, parents, fans, you just don't. Ever.

And who are you? I know you wont answer, but coaching for 30 years, and obviously coaching grown adults.. Are you one of the Griz greats that moved on, and still have that lingering need to always be a Griz? :clap: Just asking, cause if you are Morril, Montgomery, Heathcote, or ?? Dont matter if you are but being a Griz fan and coaching for 30 years is a good thing :clap:

 

[keena52]

I'm certainly not arguing that ODU did not have the right or the justification, and I agree that there are some lines that just can't be crossed. I'm more concerned about whether this was one time situation or a repeating pattern that could have been dealt with long before it got to this point. I don't know the answer but it being just a one time episode seems somewhat out of character to me.

Whew, I've been coaching for over 30 years now, and it's just a rule of thumb, no beer before workouts, not even wine at dinner, and not on game day either. Afterwards, if the kids want to have a couple at dinner, I'll have a couple, but that's it, and no driving. The whole thing is just too important to show up with any smell of alcohol; you're dealing with the kids, real kids, parents, fans, you just don't. Ever.

And who are you? I know you wont answer, but coaching for 30 years, and obviously coaching grown adults.. Are you one of the Griz greats that moved on, and still have that lingering need to always be a Griz? :clap: Just asking, cause if you are Morril, Montgomery, Heathcote, or ?? Dont matter if you are but being a Griz fan and coaching for 30 years is a good thing :clap:

Your opinion is spot on as well, and you know if chances are given? Most likely they will be broken without sever consequence. Thats why I brought up OSU's Sutton. Chance after chance, and no change.

 

[keena52]

Oh my god?? Keena52?????? I really like what you have to say? But I may need to "foe" you so I don't have to read all your question marks??? Seriously. See how annoying that is????????????????? :mrgreen: :thumb:

Working on it buddy.. It is an obvious problem/addiction.. :thumb: Your not the first to mention it, and at first I blamed it on Busch Light, but have recently realized that it may stem much deeper than that? oops. Only time will tell :thumb:

 

[mtgrizrule]

Oh my god?? Keena52?????? I really like what you have to say? But I may need to "foe" you so I don't have to read all your question marks??? Seriously. See how annoying that is????????????????? :mrgreen: :thumb:

Working on it buddy.. It is an obvious problem/addiction.. :thumb: Your not the first to mention it, and at first I blamed it on Busch Light, but have recently realized that it may stem much deeper than that? oops. Only time will tell :thumb:

Or you have an obsession with innocently getting under someones skin with :thumb: and ?'s. :thumb: :lol:

 

[keena52]

Oh my god?? Keena52?????? I really like what you have to say? But I may need to "foe" you so I don't have to read all your question marks??? Seriously. See how annoying that is????????????????? :mrgreen: :thumb:

Working on it buddy.. It is an obvious problem/addiction.. :thumb: Your not the first to mention it, and at first I blamed it on Busch Light, but have recently realized that it may stem much deeper than that? oops. Only time will tell :thumb:

Or you have an obsession with innocently getting under someones skin with :thumb: and ?'s. :thumb: :lol:

Its all good huh?? :?:

 

[Zirg]

Finally, Blaine gets whats coming to him! He has always been a major alcoholic and a complete jerk to non-friends/suck-ups. Lots of other D-1 coaches drink and have had issues;Larry Eustacey for example. If you win, administrators tend to overlook such things. I don't know if his alcoholism is why he was fired, but I do know he continued drinking at ODU after claiming he "quit" in Missoula. Obviously, he was fired mainly for his terrible record, but to get fired this late into a season that is a major sign that it is more than the record.

Anyone that knew him or went to certain bars in Missoula when he coached saw him all the time downtown or at the Press Box. Back then that made him seem like a "people's-person" and one of the guys. For a while, I agreed. I thought it was cool that he went to the bars to hang out with regular Missoulians after games. Many bar-owners and patrons pumped up his already bursting ego. The Griz were winning and all was good. He finally (I've heard he got several free-passes previously) got arrested in Missoula when he passed out drunk in a (church?) parking lot after 2am with his car running (or something close to that). I might have a few details wrong, but I am not worried about sullying an innocent person's reputation. I tried to look it up, but there are no Missoulian archives that far back, but he definately got arrested in a very-public DUI case. Imagine if Gwen Florio was here then.

After this incident he "claimed" he quit drinking, yet could still be frequently seen drinking an O'Doul's at Missoula bars. This was his way of proving that he was done with alcohol? What an idiot. He just could NOT stay away from the partying scene. When he got to VA, he eventually started drinking the real thing again. I am not sure when or how long he perpetuated the charade, but very reliable sources say he's been back on the sauce for a while now.

I dealt with Blaine professionally (at least "I" was professional) and he was a complete ass. He was trashed, as usual, at a private event and majorly inconveniencing a co-worker of mine (whose wife called several times wanting him to come home), so I tried to help him get away from Blaine. I waited and waited and waited to tell my co-worker that his wife was worried about him, but Blaine never shut up. I finally butted-in after a half-hour. I'll never forget Blaine's "if looks could kill" glare at me. lol Blaine hated me, but I think I saved my buddy's marriage.

If you counter with "Blaine was always super nice to me...you are way-off base, zirg", I don't doubt you for a second. He wasn't ALWAYS an ass, and he DOES know how to coach. His reign at UM coach were very good times and I know he is/was capable of being a charismatic, likeable character. But I have seen his dark side and it isn't pretty. He was, and I am sure still is, an ego-maniac. If you aren't there to stroke his ego and agree with him and listen to his incessant jabbering, he is not a pleasant person. Looks like it finally caught up to him.

 

[scottsdalegriz]

I believe the car running incident actually happened up at the marina Kay in bigfork. Maybe it happened in Missoula as well a but I know it happened up there.

 

[AllWeatherFan]

Sorry to hear about Blaine's troubles.

I will say this: He was a helluva basketball player when he was a kid.

 

[Grizbeer]

I believe the car running incident actually happened up at the marina Kay in bigfork. Maybe it happened in Missoula as well a but I know it happened up there.

the car running in Missoula DUI was Brian Marso. This was his second DUI while a coach for the Griz. He got one when he worked here for Kennedy, left, Tinkle hired him back and he passed out at 4:00 am in the Taco Bell Drive thru.

Too bad for Taylor, hope he gets whatever issues he has solved. He is a great coach, even if he might not be a good person. BTW I really hope people (or at least UM administration) don't judge a coach (or athletic director) based on their personal interactions with the person, and how nice he was to them or how much smoke he blew up their ass. That is a guaranteed way to have a loser coach ad a loser program.

 

[UMGriz75]

I'm certainly not arguing that ODU did not have the right or the justification, and I agree that there are some lines that just can't be crossed. I'm more concerned about whether this was one time situation or a repeating pattern that could have been dealt with long before it got to this point. I don't know the answer but it being just a one time episode seems somewhat out of character to me.

Whew, I've been coaching for over 30 years now, and it's just a rule of thumb, no beer before workouts, not even wine at dinner, and not on game day either. Afterwards, if the kids want to have a couple at dinner, I'll have a couple, but that's it, and no driving. The whole thing is just too important to show up with any smell of alcohol; you're dealing with the kids, real kids, parents, fans, you just don't. Ever.

A Are you one of the Griz greats that moved on, and still have that lingering need to always be a Griz?

Call it a profound lack of ambition to ever go through the process of packing up and moving, ever again. But, it's a great place to be. I can't think of any place I would rather be.

However, coaching carries its own special burden; and that's why you just have certain rules, and you just don't break them.

I sympathize with Blaine if that is really an addiction problem. And I am sure we all know someone who "went there," and you always wondered why and how that can happen to intelligent people who do in fact know better, but just can't control it. In particular, when you see an athlete who dedicated and focused on training and hard work to get to be a successful athlete; there's some keys to success there, hard work, discipline, setting all the rules to make the workouts, meet academic eligibility, stay out of trouble, and following those rules.

And you'd think as they become coaches their habits would be meaningfully set for them.

And then something goes wrong.

And I've seen it, and I still don't understand it.

But, as I also noted, I enjoy having a beer with the players, but only after it's all said and done and the day is over and the place and time and circumstances are appropriate. And yeah, some of them still have to drink tea or pepsis. Some of the best times I can remember outside of the family is a Hefeweizen and a hamburger celebrating some good results. That's when I actually look forward to it and spending that time with the kids. And I remember all of them, their faces and what good times those were. Maybe the beer tastes a little better when its reserved for those special occasions.

To show up to a practice or a workout even having had a Coors Light or a dinner wine is incomprehensible to me and I've never tolerated it in coaches around me. There's just a bottom line rule there. I have the same rule for power tools.

To show up to a radio show and a game that way ... oh wow, it must be a severe and debilitating problem. And someone like Blaine undoubtedly knows better, which just underscores how terrible that disease truly is.

Best wishes to him, and that things get turned around for him and his family.

 

[Zirg]

My recollections were damn close on that incident 18 years ago. Here is a report I found. I knew there was a church parking lot in the story somewhere. I was only wrong about the engine running.

"Taylor hit rock bottom in August 1995. On one particular night, a drunken Taylor backed his car into a light poll and then drove his car across the street to a church parking lot where he turned it off and went to sleep. After police found him while checking on the light post, they measured his blood alcohol level. It was allegedly .247, more than twice the legal limit."

Only "twice' the legal limit? Ahhh, the good ol days.