I don't think anybody on here pretended to be Tom-Tom.

And whoever that is acting like their Tom-Tom get a life

I Know exactly what im talking about.. i played for Garrison and saw him talk negative about a couple of players to recruiters from big time schools. This is the reason why Ryan O'hara, Jason Martin, and Thomas Herring left because he told the University of Oregon recruiter that Ryan O'hara had a bad attitude and was uncoachable just because he liked to tell Garrison what he sees on the field and what plays he should run.. Thats a good mature high school quarterback but Garrison didnt see it that way and the same thing about Jason Martin. He also told the University of Colrado the same thing about Nick Gholar. Thomas Herring left cuz he was good friends with them and he didnt want to be in the same situation if he stayed. Thomas would of not went strait to USC if he stayed at Monrovia for all 4 years. I personally got letters out of Garrison's office in the trash and gave them to some players that he never attempted to give to some of Monrovia's big time players in my days. SO BEFORE YOU THINK YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR TALKING ABOUT, TALK TO THE PREVIOUS PLAYERS WHO WENT THROUGH ALL OF THAT. AND I BET YOU HAVE NO FAMILY WHO PLAYED FOR HIM SO YOU HAVE NO IDEA BUT FOR YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH HIM. I KNOW PEOPLE THAT WILL SAY THE SAME THING ABOUT HIM CUZ I KNOW PEOPLE EVERY YEAR FROM WHEN HE GOT THE VARSITY JOB. FROM DAMIEN GRIFFIN, AKIL HARRIS, AND EVEN JUSTIN YUILLE WHO COACHED AT MHS RECENTLY WHO WILL SAY THE SAME THING.

anon,

you do not know what you're talking about. i am curently a player at MHS and Coach Garrison does a great job getting me recruited. Even when he stepped down, he continued to talk to colleges and get me recruited. Don't come out here talking bad about him when you obviously dont know what you're talking about. Just let the man for once enjoy some time without people criticizing him.

Im glad Garrison is leaving.. Maybe the next coach will actually focus on getting kids scholarships. Many kids who lived in Monrovia didnt attend MHS or transfered because of Steve Garrisons reputation of not getting kids to the next level. Yea kids have gone to Div. 1 schools out of Monrovia but they had a lot of exposure or had amazing stats such as Akil Harris or Mike Ainsworth. Most people dont know that Terrel Thomas(USC starting CB drafted by the giants) lived right down the street from MHS for all 4 of his high school years but decided to go to school at Rio Mesa High because he had family tell him that most kids dont go the next level from MHS without going to a JUCO first. In 2001 MHS should of been back in the CIF championship game but many players tranfered or couldnt play for discipline reasons such as Ryan O'hara(QB), Jason Martin(CB/WR), Thomas Herring(OL/DL/TE), Eddie Gilmore(CB), Ray Lewis(TE/WR/CB), Mike Adams(DB), Nick Gholar(RB/WR/CB) and a couple of JV players such as their star QB Bryant Moore who dominated in his fresman and sophmore season who would have probabply played saftey at the varsity level who didnt play. All these players got all league honors in the previous season with the exception of Mike Adams and Bryant Moore. Gholar and Gilmore were sophmores and Herring was a fresman and they had pretty good seasons on the varsity level when they played so there second season would have been much better i think. Plus they had Jesse Canada(WR) all area first team in his sophmore season and if Terrel Thomas would of attended MHS they would of been the best Team in the history of MHS in my opinion.

GA,

I'm sure people from the current staffs (Varsity through Frosh) have applied, as well as I'm sure a bunch of outside candidates have applied.

My top choice is a quasi-insider. Coach Lujan was OC and O-line coach in the mid-90's, a championship JV head coach in 1995, the sixth grade state champ coach and then a league champ coach as he turned Azusa around. He has remained very active in the community and has always been successful, whether he was starting and running a child reading program, running the golf program or commentating on the varsity football games for KGEM.

Few people know that Lujan's 1995 JV team went on to win our first RHL title as juniors and then as seniors were the first group to advance to the CIF finals in 1997. His sixth grade state champs turned into the 11-1 squad in 2002. This guy teaches life-long lessons that we need back at the high school.

Coach Lujan does things the right way, always. He is also very vested in the Monrovia community and would take our program to the next level.

NY
I would be curious to know the applicants.
Good chance it may be internal?

Ex-Falcon,
It is highly improbable that every key skill guy left the school. Besides, if we get the right head coach, then we are back in business.

Let's leave Garrison alone to enjoy his 100+ victories and wish him the best. Coach G would wish us the best.

This is an exciting time. Change can be a good thing. If somebody of Fil Lujan's caliber takes over, I would expect to see many kids transfer back. I hope our search committee takes the right approach with this.

New York,

That mioght be true but, this year is very different every skill postion player left the school. Everybody thought that this would his year to win a championship but not anymore. Before all of this happened i sure his family was ok all of a sudden he what to spend more time?. He should have left 4 years ago. all those players and every year maybe 1 Scholarship i think he cares about winning and not about the players. its good Somebody else is going to get a look at it. that what happens in the big city.

I posted this a few days ago in response to the same post by Ex-Falcon on the Tribune blog.

"Ex-Falcon,
There was a much bigger exodus Spring 2001 when Herring (Fremont then USC), Martin (Muir then UofA) and O'Hara (Muir then UofA), Eddie Gilmore (Claremont) and Mike Adams (Duarte) transferred. Coach Garrison stuck around then and had an 11-1 season in 2002.

15 years is a long-time at any job. I think it shows a lot of self-awareness to take a step back and recharge."

His players left so he left,and the ones that have'nt left will leave. What a weak move he needs to leave.

I don't think there are elgibility issues if you go from a public school to a private school and vice versa as long as the public school is your home school.

I was told the kid that transfered to Colony has family out there, but with the new rules, I'm not sure how that flies with the CIF, or if they're just letting anyone go. I'm sure the Charter Oak and Amat kids also have family in the area, but, under the new rules, doesn't there need to be a guardian or parent at the residence to make it work? Like I said, it appears Monrovia signed off on the transfers and wished the kids well, but how it works in the CIF's hands is anyone's guess.

I guess the question needs to be asked, is this a problem with our soceity? And if so how can CIF say no to a legitamate concern for safety?

how'd Monrovia let a guy like that get away? (Tom-Tom)

Scott, is violence in the city a good enough excuse for kids to be popping up at Bishop Amat or Charter Oak? Or even Colony which is in the IE? The colony transfer looks like it is an address change but who knows?

Tom-Tom graduated Fremont in 2004 and now plays at USC.

NY makes a interesting point...how many STUDENTS in general are bailing because of this? Here the focus is on cream of the crop fballers, but how deep will the impact spread? Teaching staff vacancies, reduced enrollment?
I'm with the Stang Fan as far as being pissed and frustrated losing homegrown talent...disappearing right in front of you. Frustration for not being able to shut the door on the exodus. Frustration for not being able to offer or match or exceed whatever carrot other schools dangle so successfully. You look forward to these very kids under Friday night lights, YOUR Friday night lights.
Wishing them well goes without saying, but the fact it totally sucks is just as true.

New York, it was confirmed that the aformentioned players left citing the violence in the area as a reason.
The question remains, will these kids have a factual place of residence should the CIF look into it? Apparently, all the transfers were signed off on, but how the CIF handles it could be another story. Thropay was a freshman, so he falls under the new CIF one-time transfer guidlines. The older players, I was told it's case-by-case matter. I attempted to talk with the higher ups at the CIF office, but they were out. I'll keep digging.

where did thomas herring go?

For the sake of factual accuracy, the 2002 team went 11-1, losing at Lompoc in the second round. The 2001 team took some lumps following the exodus.

Scott, any word on the goings on with this?

Stangfan:

It hurts for a minute, but when it comes to recovery A new coach and new found spirit may be just what the doctor ordered at MHS...I still think we can win league and probably advance pretty far in the playoffs with the remaining crew. If Williams stays and we go with a wishbone offense, we could do a lot of damage with whoever they schedule. Yes having the QB go to Bishop Amat was a big blow but we have some pretty gifted Qb's who might take advantage of his absence. NY is right, when our 3yr starting QB and 3yr Starting wide reciever decided to go to Muir for their senior seasons everyone thought that Monrovia was at a real loss...Also 6'6 320 All american Thomas Herring, but each of those guys were replaced by players with the same desire to win and Went to the CIF finals the very next year, as a matter of fact QB Parry was actually a much better passer and runner than his counterpart Ryan O'hara. But only time will tell. I wish you were a coach...Monrovia would be a great place for your football intelligence to start.

Stang Fan,
As a Monrovian, I will be happy reading about the successes of all our kids, no matter where they finish high school.

The thing I am disappointed with is that we seem to be in a position where we are not protecting all our citizens and offering strong college prep for all our student athletes. Or if we try to, then we are not succeeding because sometimes perception is reality and right now we know what the perception is... That said, we are probably on par with most other area public schools in that department. The SGV is under seige from mediocrity in prepping student athletes for success beyond high school.

With Monrovia specifically, I am still sad to learn of Coach Garrison retiring, but at the same time I am happy for him to be able to recharge the batteries. As I mentioned earlier, Coach Garrison´s tenure has made this HC position pretty desirable, far more desirable than when he tookover 15 years ago. We need to find the right guy.

If we get the right head coach (a couple names have been mentioned so far below) then we will actually be able to achieve new highs by next year. This year could be a bit rocky if all the purported transfers come to fruition. I remember about 7 years ago we lost Thomas Herring (USC), Jason Martin (UofA) and Ryan OHara (UofA) as well as some other studs all at once. It only took us a year to bounce back.

(By the way, the school district should be concerned because every student is worth several thousand dollars in school revenue that we need. It´s not as if our costs decline dollar for dollar when kids leave.)

Again, M-town, I FEEL your pain. It's a shame that things beyond the control of the school and the football program can lead to the team falling apart like this. To the current Cats, KEEP YOUR HEADS UP!!! Things like this can absolutely demoralize a team, but you gotta stay strong and positive and make a personal commitment to make yourselves better.

Is it just me, or are you Cats not as pissed off as I'd expected you to be. I know there is no use in crying over spilled milk, but damn, there has got to be SOME frustration.

it's not uncommon to see fil lujan around MHS but he's been around campus since garrison's resignation.

Cat Alum,
I agree with what you said about Coach Lujan. I call him Coach because I played for him two years when he was part of Garrison's varsity staff. He was also part of Garrison's predecessor's staff for a year. He has also coached elsewhere including turning Azusa into a league champ.

Coach Lujan's credentials and commitment to Monrovia (not just football) are remarkable. His character, though, is unmatched. We can go into detail later if Coach Lujan expresses interest. At the very least, I hope that he too would be part of a search committee for our next head coach.

I wonder if Wayne Nunnelly would be interested.

Wow, Brandon Golden down with the C.O.? in Covina/Glendora area...I had the honor to coach on the M-town Freshman team (10-0) with Brandon. That was a fun season. Charter Oak has produced great players through out the years. Most recent superbowl champion (Colts) Jason David attended Charter Oak HS. I had the honor to attend Jason's summer camp last July. I wish Brandon best of luck. See you at the games Brandon.

DAWWGER

Insider,

Brandon Golden went to Charter Oaks, Dwight Smith to Colony.

GA

Well put, it has becoming increasingly hard each day for some of us Monrovians to pick up the paper for fear of reading of another senseless and tragic passing of any individual.

As a parent I too would be looking out for the safety and well being of my children even if that means leaving the city I love so dearly.

My whole point which one individual called “condescending” regarding “new blood” pumped into the program is far from the truth. I just feel that as much as Coach G has done for our program maybe it’s time to bring in someone who could possibly touch and breathe new life into our community in a different way. This is in no way a direct attack, lack of respect or any type of dis to any present or past SGV coach out there.

With the opportunity we have been given, I would just like to see a “new” face for a lack of a better description take over the M-town program, that’s all.

move forward

Point taken on the piping in of new blood.

I have lived in the SGV for some 50 years, so it is hard to believe the RECENT media saturation highlighting several incidents of violence in Monrovia is at the root of ALL
players fleeing the area and as SOME have intimated, possibly even part of Coach G's decision. Personally, I think not.
Parents are obviously concerned, maybe some scared, but that is the case of any parent in El Monte, Rosemead, San Gabriel...also TC or Arcadia...where crossover gang activity routinely occurs.
Then again, not being in the city and knowing the pulse...maybe this is the spark. Judging by the comments here alone, it at least appears a contributing factor, without doubt.

As it hit the community very hard, the recent shootings in monrovia has also hit the football team hard. A number of players including dwight smith, josiah thorpay and brandon golden have left for other schools, mainly ESGV schools. Knowing this, it wasn't as surprising hearing his resignation.

I think Fil Lujan would do wonders. I would also like to see Coach Rycroft back on our sidelines as well.

This new blood thing is obnoxious. Condescending.

harry welch was let go agian?

GA,

No one ever questioned MM’s football aptitude or challenged what he did at TC. What I stated was some of us Monrovians would like to see some new blood pumped into the Wildcat program.

Much respect to New York but he does not speak nor does he represent the entire M-town nation.

New stadium, new HC, life would be so good. Hey, I hear Harry Welch is out of a job, now that’s the kind of coach who would really bring instant credibility to M-town, quick, fast and in a hurry.

Just a thought on who I would like to see take over and who I think would do a great job is Fil Lujan. He has been the commentator for the games for a while now and knows the kids well. I believe he also played at Fresno State so he knows the game really well. I do not think there is a better man for the job and I am sure Garrison would agree.

move forward.....

hopefully NY's comments lend some perspective as to why I reference Mooney's name...many M-town supporters on this blog and elsewhere have voiced respect for Mooney's football aptitude...and my comments are simply that..neither an endorsement or "lobby" as you state.

The Wildcat program should benefit from having Coach G remaining on campus during the leadership transition and hiring period. Now and into summer is prime time for team leaders and seniors to hold things together and lead by example. Losing a strong voice like Garrison will take some adjusting. The kids will rally and work hard...as was the case last year at TC when Backus took the reins. There is a degree of "shock" among players...and for a multitude of different reasons.

Best of luck to Coach G. Oh yeah..."move forward...one more thing, I never played for MM, you are reading the wrong bio.

O-cat - where are you man?

On Holiday in Argentina and Brazil, but even this news reached me.

Coach Garrison deserves a ton of credit for leading Monrovia football out of our dark ages of the late 1980's and early 1990's and back to prominence. Coach Garrison's foundation has made this a very attractive opportunity for the next coach.

I played for coach Garrison during four of the best memory-filled years of my life.

Going forward, I hope our school finds his replacement the right way. We need to form a committee that is comprised of representatives from: principal's office, AD's office, alumni player, and a respected local coach. If Coach Mooney is not interested in the job, I hope he would consider helping us find our next coach.

More to come later.

Ive always enjoyed watching Steve's teams over the years. Always well coached, even though people tend to focus on their athletes. Steve handles himself so well in the fishbowl, that is football coaching.

I respect a man for making his family #1 in his life. I want to thank Mr. Steve Garrison for giving me the coaching opportunity at MHS. Life is full of choices and at every given moment choices are expected as the best interest of the person.

Steve, you will always be a mentor and a hall of famer in my book.

David Alonso

What a tremendous loss to the Rio Hondo League. Steve Garrison was a wonderful role model and a tremendous coach.

He was really liked by his players, the other coaches and the Referee's. Yes, even the Ref's love Steve.

It wasn't uncommon to have Steve attend the Referee's annual banquet and bring some Monrovia gear to be raffled off to benefit the association.

He had a tough job of balancing the egos of the "me first" athletes of today and having them fall into the team concept of success.

He will be missed and the one thing Steve will be known for is the discipline he brought to his players. Steve understood that Discipline was something he did for his players and not to his players.

I wish him well and I hope he gets to spend time with his family because God knows that is very important.

All the best.

Jim "What A Guy" Mulligan
District Manager of the Year!
District 91 "Home of the Life Cup"
SGVFOA

GA, let's move forward with new blood not old. Props to Garrison for realizing that now is the right time to move on. When coaches leave schools that they have been at for years for whatever reason "new careers" etc. doesn't mean that they should be at the head of the list of every opening. Not dissing on anyone but M-town needs a coach that has won the "big one" or at least been to the dance regardless of the outcome.

League Championships are nice but this is High School football, we want a CIF Championship and with the talent that is in M-town thats all that should be excepted.

I'm sure as a former player of Mooney's, he appreciates your lobbying and keeping his name out there as a possible candidate for every single HC position that opens up.

If the powers to be guiding M-town are serious about putting us on the map, I would strongly encourage them to take a look in the opposite direction, east bound on the 210 to a school in the foothills for the next M-town coach who could really come in and guide us to that elusive CIF Championship. I really doubt though that he woud even give it consideration but oh well thats why they call them dreams!!!!!

Great coach at Monrovia for many years. Classy person, but a good thing that we at TC will not have to face a Garrison-coached Wildcat football team for years to come, if ever.

was this expected by anyone?

Any members of Garrison's staff ready or groomed to take the head coach spot?

I know who NY would like to see on the sideline...but word is he is a happy camper at SM