Plethora

Huge Story

March 22nd, 2006

The following is probably my second greatest story ever written for the paper. I would like to quickly warn readers that there is a pretty noticeable error in the story dealing with last names, titles, and quotes, which got messed up because of the jump and rearranging quotes. Dammit. Anyways here it is.

The Story

Southwest Minnesota State University has changed Mike Power’s duties at the university from 25 percent instructor and 75 percent head of women’s basketball, to 100 percent instructor. The news came Tuesday, March 21, posted online at the smsumustangs.com website.

The Mustangs went 7-21 on the season including a first round exit in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference tournament to conclude their season. As the losses piled up Power became increasingly negative towards the team in the media, according to some players.

“[Power] said something to us and then something else to the public,” said Abby Oakland, a freshmen undeclared student.

Controversy arose in the women’s basketball department after Power held a meeting with returning players and, according to players, had told nearly half the team he would help them find another school but that they didn’t fit in his system. The meeting led some players to approach school President David Danahar feeling such a bold move was unprofessional.

“It came as a complete shock to me since I had one year left,” Tasca said. “I don’t think it’s right to release players like that, especially since he was only here one year.”Though the reason for the change is a personnel change and therefore cannot be discussed in detail by employees of SMSU, a few of Powers’ former players sounded off on what the felt was an appropriate change.

“[Power was dismissed] because he didn’t do anything to prove himself this season and what he did at the end of the season, in creating his own team and getting rid of people,” said Betsy Tasca, a junior sports management student.

Tasca was one of the players told they didn’t fit Powers’ system.

“After last years’ dismissal of [Kruger] I was really disappointed with the school,” said Kelly Crimi, a senior exercise science student. “After this years’ dismissal I gained some respect for SMSU because I didn’t feel they brought in a coach to match the character of Kruger.”

Crimi, along with Sara Leidall, each received postseason NSIC honors.

“[The athletic department] is just trying to let this all sink in and try and do what has to be done,” said Howard Gauthier, second year athletic director of the dismissal. “It’s always difficult when you make a change.”

Players’ that had problems with their coach of one year also expressed their dissatisfaction with Power’s effort at the end of the season.

“He didn’t work with us, he didn’t care and his attempt to clean house with us was just disgusting,” Crimi said.

“I feel like he didn’t even try to work with us,” Tasca said.

SMSU now must look ahead to finding a new coach for the Mustangs. Some of the current and graduating Mustangs, though unimpressed with Power’s performance, say they would’ve preferred Kruger as their coach.

“[The women's basketball program] was such an elite program before all this happened,” Crimi said. “It sucks because I didn’t get to play my last year with [Kruger].”

“I would be happy to play with [Kruger]. I have a lot of respect for him and [Kruger's] a great coach,” Oakland said.

Despite some players’ negative feelings about the season and their coaches performance and attitude, some feel that SMSU just wasn’t the right place for Power.

“I think he was a good person and has a good coaching philosophy, [Power] just didn’t adapt it well with our team,” Oakland said.

Power was unavailable to comment.

There it is. First greatest was my three-part story about sex in college.

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