After firing, Air Force players under some pressure the rest of the season, too

February 10th, 2012, 5:34 pm · 11 Comments · posted by Frank Schwab

For the last four weeks of the season, the Air Force men’s basketball coaching staff will be under some pressure. While interim coach Dave Pilipovich makes sure to always mention he wants to make the experience enjoyable for the players, what’s left unsaid is that if the Falcons don’t turn things around after firing Jeff Reynolds, a new coach (and, most likely, new assistants), will be brought in.

The players won’t be under that kind of stress, but they will be under a different type of pressure.

When the players were brought in by athletic director Hans Mueh to discuss Reynolds early this week, they made it clear they did not want to play for Reynolds anymore. The players weren’t the reason Reynolds was fired – that decision was Mueh’s to make – but whatever they said behind closed doors that caused Mueh to fire Reynolds must have been damning, considering Mueh said publicly before he doesn’t believe in firing coaches during a season (“I don’t like changing coaching staffs once a season has started, midway through or whatever,” Mueh told me in November of 2010. “I just don’t believe in that. I don’t think that’s good for the players, I don’t think that’s good for the coaching staff, etc.”). Mueh said he had no joy making the change Wednesday, but felt it had to be done.

“There are very few that can stand up to Jeff in Xs and Os and basketball knowledge, but the relationship – or lack of relationship – that he built up with the team required me to make this change,” Mueh said.

The players and Mueh didn’t divulge what was specifically said in that meeting that caused Mueh to decide he needed to make a move. But the players made it clear during a press conference announcing the firing that Reynolds had lost the team.

“I think for the second half of the conference, everyone in the locker room believes we can win and compete with everyone in the conference,” senior forward Taylor Stewart said. “I think we lost our passion to get after it, I think, that we weren’t pushing each other as much as we probably wanted to, during practice and stuff. I think we possibly lost a little focus, but I think we have the ability to compete.”

For any athletic director to fire a coach in midseason, in large part because the players recommended it, is quite an unusual step for any team. Now, the players have to make sure the “elation” that Mueh said they displayed when he announced the change translates to the court.

The players said they will play hard for Pilipovich. For a team that had two listless performances in a row leading up to Reynolds’ firing, that would be a good start.

“We’re looking forward to the second half of the season; what’s in the past is in the past,” senior guard Shawn Hempsey said. “We’ve got a tough group of guys and we’re looking forward to coming together and excelling in the second half of the season and putting the right foot forward every game and coming together.”

With the players letting Mueh know they weren’t enjoying basketball anymore under Reynolds, and a change would rejuvenate them, it’s on them to validate Mueh’s unusual midseason decision.

“It was time to make a change and infuse a little energy and laughter and fun into this program and into those great athletes that are out there,” Mueh said.

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About this blog …

I'm Frank Schwab, Air Force beat reporter for The Gazette. I've been at the paper since 2003, and covered the Broncos for seven seasons. I covered the University of Wisconsin in the late 1990s, so I'm well versed in running football teams (Ron Dayne) and defensive basketball teams (Dick Bennett). I love to chat on www.twitter.com/GazetteAirForce, and will respond to comments and emails at frank.schwab@gazette.com.

For more coverage, visit The Gazette's Air Force Academy Sports page

FPC says:

February 10, 2012 at 7:16 pm

Frank,
You have got to pay closer attention..
1. Mueh said it has been bulding for the past two years.
2. When players go in to discuss the Head Coach to the AD, Mueh would be considered barbaric and incredibally stupid to allow Reynolds to Coach players who don’t want to play for him and were responsible for blowing the roof off Jeff Reynolds abuse.

Geez, Frank…what would yo prefer Mueh tell the players…tel me what you think about your Coach, now go play and practice under him for 5 more weeks????

Sometimes you write the silliest remarks! Get a grip!

Frank Schwab says:

February 10, 2012 at 7:36 pm

FPC, doesn’t bother me much that you take shots at me. You are biased, and also don’t really seem to know what went down. I never blamed Hans for making the move. Made sense to me. But that doesn’t mean the players didn’t have a major say in that. The players quit on the coach and then let it be known they wanted him gone. I don’t recall that happening too often in sports.

February 10, 2012 at 9:20 pm

Frank,
unlike you lazy sportswriters, I have to use objective evidence in making sense of events in my Engineering world, Pal.

Your words,” what ever they said behind closed doors to cause Mueh to fire Reynolds, must have been damning”

REALLY????
You mean just the fact that Mueh stated “the players were not willing to play under Reynolds for A, B & C
and the fact that Mueh layed out a
galf dozen reasons, you insert your own “damning” speculation and call yourself objective and sensible.

I challenge you to make sense in
your piece, and I am called biased.

Look…if you can’t take critique in your pollyanna script…then try doing somethung that requires a srandard of responsible credibility.
Thar was your word “damning”…appears you are the one who is biased and inferring without evidence. Of course tge players were the catalyst for the move at mid conf. If the meeting took place at the end of the year…the Coach would be fired at that time. It took place mid conf, thats why the firing was mid conf
Genius! No Pulizter or Technical Manuals with your name, Frank.
If I am biased, its leaning to the sude of the Players. You lean on the side if your speculation…abd you call me biased. I think you are projecting. Nice try, though…

Mike says:

February 10, 2012 at 9:27 pm

As an AFA grad, I was a bit perturbed by the statements coming from the players and the athletic director. While I disagreed with Reynolds’ apparent philosophical move away from the “Princeton offense” type system that made Air Force successful a few years back, I don’t like the reasons being given for his firing. The players weren’t smiling enough? They weren’t giving high-fives enough? They weren’t enjoying playing basketball enough? Really? The players stated that the biggest reason for their lack of enjoyment was the fact that they were losing. “I could care less if they don’t win another game,” Mueh said, referring to the rest of the season. So what is he going to do if they lose the rest of their games and aren’t smiling? If “everything we do at the Air Force Academy is about leadership and character”, why aren’t the players being taught to persevere despite frustrations and failures and tough it out? After all, the majority of Air Force basketball teams have had losing records. Instead, the AD has just taught the current players to blame their bosses for their failures and work to get them fired. The coach got them into a position to beat UNLV in overtime. But it was the players who choked with turnovers and missed shots. Now the players are saying they’re going to play their hardest for Coach Pilipovich, implying that they weren’t playing their hardest for Reynolds. But as long as they’re smiling…

February 10, 2012 at 9:38 pm

FPC, you’re a bit dramatic. “Barbaric”? Frank’s post was right on. It is apparent that the players practically mutinied. Unless they told Mueh some horrific stories of abuse, he should have told them to suck it up and do their job. They’re supposed to be training future officers, not future prima donnas in the NBA. In the Air Force, you don’t go whining to a general officer complaining about your colonel who happens to raise his voice at you. And you’re not always going to enjoy going in to work every day.

February 10, 2012 at 9:51 pm

Mike, it’s cool – when a guy comes out swinging with the “lazy sportswriter!” cliche, I know he’s really grasping.

To your coherent points Mike – yeah, honestly, I’ve been curious what the reaction would be if this situation unfolded at another school. Anyone who saw the Colorado State game could see the players had no intensity – and Stewart’s quotes drive that home (they can compete in the conference, but didn’t have the passion, etc.). So the players check out on the coach and then let it be known to the AD that they want the coach gone, and the AD fires the coach. It’s a rare occurence. Especially since the AD has stated very clearly that he did not believe in firing coaches midseason. I don’t blame Mueh that he fired Reynolds – the situation was beyond repair – it’s just incredibly unusual to see the players’ explicit dissatisfaction play such a major role in getting a coach fired. And now I think it’s fair to put a close eye on the players. They wanted this, so how do they respond? It’ll be interesting to follow, is all.

February 10, 2012 at 9:58 pm

Mike,
I don’t have the right to speak on AFA graduates. So I respect your views of perseverence. However, five seasons under a less than able Head Coach is in my experience much more dependent upon other ussues than, losing. Have you ever veen to a JR practice? It was not stomachable to hear this Man, JR, engage with the level of disdain he often showed the players.

I am in your camp regarding stucktoitness, but not when five seasons of poorly administered leadership is inflicted.

I have never been a fan of Dr. Mueh’s group if words, choice of terms….but, the fact that he asked them how they were doing, opened the door for dialog with Mueh. Then
he asked them to be honest, and
they were. I side with the players.

But, I also experienced my Active Duty with the, “shut up, and suck it up” model of leadership. It DOES
NOT foster successful learning environments. IMO

I HOPE THE FANS COME OUT TO SUPPORT THE TEAM TOMORROW NIGHT.

February 10, 2012 at 10:29 pm

I expected increased articulate support for your sports analysis from a man of your education, Schwab! Disappointing how the players become the demons to those who have been given the priviledge to write about their sport.

The players were asked, they were approached by Mueh…then they let it be known to the AD. Wow, You
suck at telling an accurate story,
Frank Schwab! You disappoint me…you tend to give your opinions and speculations in your articles, rather than producing the facts and letting your reader decide. I won’t read your crap if you cannot be accurate and truthful. Thats a reflection on you!

FalconFan5 says:

February 10, 2012 at 10:38 pm

FPC, lots of us have opinions and thoughts on all of this but taking personal potshots against Frank or anyone else is NOT “cool” and NOT “called for”. They certainly distract from your thoughts and opinions!

February 10, 2012 at 10:53 pm

“Wow, You suck at telling an accurate story.”

Thanks for stopping by, Hemingway!

Tony says:

February 13, 2012 at 3:47 pm

FPC and Schwab. How juvenile. Haven’t either of you read the guidance provided for comments?