Stranger and stranger…
[URL=http://ecupirates.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/082307aaa.html][B]Former Basketball Coach Ricky Stokes To Leave East Carolina[/B][/URL], ECUPirates.com
[URL=http://www.reflector.com/sports/content/sports/ecu/stories/2007/08/24stokes.html][B]Stokes out at ECU[/B][/URL], Greenville Reflector
[URL=http://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/ecu/story/681061.html][B]ECU buys out Stokes[/B][/URL], Raleigh News & Observer
I think Terry Holland’s ECU career thus far as been interesting… fired football coach, fired baseball coach, fired 2 basketball coaches and killed the entire men’s soccer program. Although, it appears the football and baseball programs are much better off…yet to be seen with hoops.
[QUOTE=ApexNiner;254897]I think Terry Holland’s ECU career thus far as been interesting… fired football coach, fired baseball coach, fired 2 basketball coaches and killed the entire men’s soccer program. Although, it appears the football and baseball programs are much better off…yet to be seen with hoops.[/QUOTE]
And for some reason their fans think they desrve to be in the Big East… :ponder:
I feel their football program is BigEast material. However, their committment to other programs can be questioned.
They probably have the biggest following for baseball as any in the state. Including UNC and their new baseball stadium is huge. BTW Can’t wait for our first game at Robert & Mariam’s!
No doubt. I didnt mention baseball because Big East isnt ECU baseball material. The baseball support for the Pirates in Greenville is impressive. I also will give them credit for the womens’ hoops C-USA championship last season. Last but not least, I hope the Pirates surprise some folks in Blacksburg next weekend.
Their football program is pretty good year in and year out and their baseball program is VERY good year in and year out. The rest of their athletic programs need work. I work with an ECU grad and a big fan of the program and it sounds like a lot of people felt like Stokes was hired because he was friends with Holland. I think Holland realized his mistake though and I wouldn’t be suprised if more to this story broke later.
I like Holland and think he’s been great for their program. He got rid of a fball coach that wasn’t producing and found a great coach in Holtz. From what I understand he’s really helped their scheduling too. Their OOC for football this year is; @Va Tech, Heels at home, @ WVA, NC State at home and I think an ACC team or two is coming to their house to play them in bball too.
It’s true that the ECU men’s hoops program is light years behind the rest of C-USA. We’ll see if the new coach can make any progress in getting the Pirates out of the cellar. Holland showed just a little too much loyalty to his former player when he hired Stokes, especially since the latter didn’t succeed in his previous position at Virginia Tech.