FOOTBALL, GIRLS BASKETBALL: Do not adjust your sets, Sanders, Jensen leaving Blair

Old school Viking fan,

I'm not going to debate you on Blair beating PHS, because one of my 2nd string JV players (Takorio) from PHS started safety for the mighty Vikings in a varsity game and played a lot! Blair had a great year in their conference. Tip's a great coach and I believe too, he could have pulled a victory out in the Bowl one of those years, but no education and you have no power! My bro got his like it or not!

Man TIP should just go back to marshall and put them on the map again like 04, 05.

To Huckster&StangFan, Coach Tip And Coach Howard must know something about X'&O',all they been doing is beating teams with really noting to work with. Muir is not the Muir of old.They don't have 10 D-1 players like in the past and to do what Coach Howard has done is great,and we all know if Coach Tip would have got the P.H.S. job they might have rung the bell one of those year.Oh-Yea BLAIR WOULD HAVE SMASH THE DOGS LAST YEAR!!!! VIKING 4 LIFE!!!!

Old School Viking Fan,

I don't see Tip at Muir, The Huckster is right, he's not really a Muir type of cat. BTW, I know I've shared my affinity of one Lavell "Tip" Sanders, however, I don't know if I'd want him to coach at Muir. Now he would most certainly succeed, there is no question about that, but I don't think he is a guy who could get us over the hump. To be honest, neither can Coach Howard. Old School Viking Fan said it best when he mentioned that both men are their BEST at coaching young men in LIFE, which so many of our young brothers need. FOr that alone, I truly respect both men.

However, when it comes to X's and O's and the ability to run a TRUE football program, well......I would not give a ringing endoresement for either coach. Tip is a better coach than Howard and he works best turning around traditionally weak schools. On the other hand, Howard has the ability to surround himself with knowledgable coaches and he really stepped it up big-tme for our program when we needed it most. Both men are great for our young men, schools, and communities, but I think Muir needs a little bit more than that if they want to take it to the next level.

Old school Viking fan,

PHS would never win the bell? News flash! We haven't won it for 15 years now, so if Tip shows up PHS's problems will still be the same! Tip, is not a Muir person anyway, I'm really angry because we didn't get a chance to put a whipping on those Vikings! I'm sad to see a good coach like Tip leave, because it was good for all our programs in Pasadena to be winning.

Thanks Coach TIP for trying to bring us back to life last season was alot of fun. It was good to see kids happy to wearing their Blair gear and talk alittle trash back to kids from other teams around town.Now it's over big time. You & Coach Howard together at Muir ,PLEASE MAKE IT HAPPEN!!! Coaching kids in sports & life are what you and coach Howard do best.So why not team up?P.H.S. would never win the bell.

Wow...tough blow for a Blair programs that looked to have turned the corner. They had a great run last year. Tip to South Pas? One can dream...

HS sports fan,

The coach / faculty member relationship is all about being on the same page and establishing credibility.

Believe me, many coaches want more than to see their players hit the minimal GPA to be athletically eligible. The scholar-athlete goal often becomes reality because of cooperation between coach/teacher/parent...and of course the drive within the kid himself.
Nowhere was this more obvious to me than when Mooney led the Rams. He had a knack for softening hard heads and without doubt, the charisma to get people to believe. I can be a cynical bastard and he reeled me in like a mackerel. You could sense an air of cooperation and like-mindedness...and behind it, determination.

I really do not disagree with you. I just feel the goal should be excellence in both academics and athletics. Coaches have traveled the education trail and most serve as strong role models in assuring their players find the classroom. In the case of Blair, I don't think the outcome would have been any different if Tip taught Biology 101.

Stang fan I am not Gamal Smalley either. My post was to seek information. I often find that in many cases there is a "Rest of the Story" and the truth lies in between.

One thing is apparent in Pasadena School District, coaches are continually hired who are not teachers/educators and have little contact with administration and the student body during school hours. When I attended PUSD all my coaches were teachers and taught subjects like math, english, history, physiology and yes, physical education. It is difficult to establish and maintain a relationship with school administration if you are not on campus or know if kids are gooing to class. Crutchfield had the same problem at Duarte being at odds with the administration.

Sanders, Crutchfield and others in PUSD are excellent coaches and fine individuals but they will consistently be at odds with the administration because their only contactis sports. Sports are important, but must be combined with education for the reasons mentioned above. Who this really hurts is the kids as you can see from their comments. The kids deserve better no matter who is at fault.

P.S. I would tolerate a 7-5 season every year if these kids could read, write and graduate.

Tip Sanders is a class act. What he brought to Blair was respect for the team and taught them to respect each other. He was MORE than just a coach to the team. I am sure that almost anyone in the Mid Valley or SGV would want to have him coach their team (if they wanted to win with pride!)

do you know anything about Keppel's new football coach Raul Solis?

I talked with a couple Blair kids, they are blown down. One is a recent tranfer, a kid who was looking to shine as a wide receiver. He's got a split family - and I don't think he would have chosen to play for Blair, were it not for Tip, and the success the Vikes had last year. He is not quitting - and no one else should either.
Any successful prep program anywhere has more than just a great head coach, it takes a staff, faculty, admin, alum and a slew of dedicated support people to remain competitive year after year..and especially to "grow" and improve all athletics on campus, not just fball.
I hate to see once again a SGV school take a step backward in athletics. Was the departure of these two men welcomed? Surely not by those most affected..the kids they coached. Were complaints or requests ignored, were personality conflicts stirring the pot?

It is not likely a single name on that "instant" candidate list will surpass what "could have been" were Tip on the sideline this season. I can't see this as a "sprinkler war"...more a case of whats important to me means nothing to you.

All of us report to someone - often someone linked or crucial to our personal accomplishments. When that someone lacks vision, passion or both - and has deeper roots than you, one intelligent move is to leave. One fact remains - Tip did an outstanding job last year - and now is gone.

any chance Jensen would like to come over to Bonita?? Heaven knows their girls basketball program needs a REAL coach. Bonita has alot of potential, but in the 3 years baumunk has been there, their record has been embarrassing...

And also, Coach Jensen's resignation had nothing to do with "the rumor that he made a disparaging comment to a female player during a game." That situation was dealt with by the player, her mother, Mr. Boccia, Smalley and Coach. Read Viking Student's post, he (or she) has it right about that.

OK, first off, I AM NOT SMALLEY. Scott can attest to this. I have met him and talked with him during games. I am a Blair girls basketball mom.

Curious George, no Coach Jensen leaving had NOTHING to do with him not getting an assistant athletic director position. Rio Fan, you're on the right track, at least in my opinion. It's been a hard year for some of the coaches. We have now lost Tip and Jensen, as well as the girls varsity volleyball coach (my daughter also plays on that team), and at least one other that I know of.

Yes academics are very important, which is why even if she had the opportunity to play at another school, I would not transfer my daughter. But for a lot of students, athletics is the only thing they really have. It's what keeps them in school and doing what they need to graduate.

I'm disappointed with what's happened. It's put the brakes on what's been a great year for Blair athletics. Hopefully, we'll get coaches who will be able to continue what Coaches Tip and Jensen have started.

I love coach tip, he didn't mess around with us and made us work hard, but he could have told us he was leaving. We all thought we were gonna work out somewhere else in may, like across the street or at PCC. It isn't cool that we don't have a 6 period pe class, but who's supossed to coch it. Coach isn't a teacher, so he couldn't and not everybody was working out when we had it. They messed it up for the rest of us that were doing stuff during 6th period. All you guys posting on here are really not doing anything for us. It's just causing problems for us with everyone blaming people. I don't know about Coach jensen. Some of my friends didn't like him and I heard he pissed some of the girls off with what he said. But I don't care, he don't care about dena anyway. I just want to know what is going on, and for all you guys to shut up, you are not solving the problem.

Blair Fan/VikingWorld/HS Sports fan/ aka Gamal Smalley (allegedly):

Stop. Just stop. Please...for the love of all that is holy, just STOP!!!

If you are going to put a list together, could you at least spell some of the "candidate's" names right. It's Darick Holmes, not Derrick. And it is Marcus Robertson, not Robinson. After all those years of announcing and producing those old "High School Game of the Week" games and seeing these two former Stangs play in the NFL, you can't even spell their names right? Awful....just plain awful and embarrasing.

Please, Mr. Smalley, I know you graduated from Muir and all, but please stay away from Muir's campus. AT ALL COSTS!!!

BTW, someone please tell our boy Dawwger to STOP drinking the kool-aid...immediately.

Does anyone know whether their was a problem with the Blair football players being academically ineligible. It takes a lot of practice time to develop a successful football program which can affect an athlete's grades. Could this have been an issue? Only asking the question.

Can anyone confirm or deny that the reason Jensen resigned was due to the fact that because of the success he had the demanded to get an ast. athletic director spot (which would give him more money)?

I can honestly say that the worst decision Blair IB has EVER made, was to hire Mr, Gamal Smally. He has made the job of EVER coach atBlairalmost literally imposbile, which explains why the Girls' Volleyball Coach quit in the Middle of the season, and Why Coaches Jensen, and Tip are leaving now, beacuse they are fed up.

As the for "Inapporpriate Comment", made by Jensen. It was something that he said that was COMPLETELY taken out of context. None of the girl's took it seriously, and it definetly wasnt harrasment or anythig of the source. The only issue was that Gamal heard it, and then Got Jensen (SOMEONE ON HIS SIDE?!?!?!) suspended for a game.

Blair is losing a LOT.

Stang Fan,

You cleared the holster faster than I did, but let me unload anyway.
Once greater detail and fact show up, I anticipate this crap is going to spin through the air..hover awhile, then land directly in the lap of Principal Boggia and AD Smalley. The post from "Blair Fan" is another slanderous shot at the two men, built on insult and with further intentions of defaming both coaches. The post is someone bidding "good riddance" to a couple Blair black eyes, as though they were failures and brought only mediocrity or worse to the program. Dude!!!..these are coach of the year award recipients.
As far as the applicant "name droppers" thrown in...is it not a little early to be in possesion of a candidate name list???

Stang Fan is correct, I live in Dena and know kids and players from Blair...the optimism was reborn through Tip...statements otherwise are outright bull#$%@.

Man, this sucker has cat box odor stuck all over it.

sstress,

The situation and disapointment for you and your son is a real one. When Mike Mooney left TC - I had anticipated my son would be playing under him - a coach I saw as one truly able to teach and motivate. It was tough being unable to change a situation that was out of your hands.

I can only suggest you continue strongly supporting your son- and encourage him to work even harder as the season nears.
This may seem a setback now, but it is also another example of how the game of football unknowingly prepares kids for the real world challenges out there. His goal should be the same, fight for a starting position, execute every play at 100% - and constantly improve his game every day through pride and hard work. From your comments it is obvious your support will aid him in being sucessful.

Rumor has it that several former college All-Americans and NFL players from the Pasadena area are being considered for the Blair Football coaching job. Names being tossed around include Derrick Holmes, Marcus Robinson, Michael Dennis, John Brown and Ken Jones. Tip Sanders is a big loss but there are a lot of young coaches who are ready to step in and run the ship. How bad could it have been to quit after only two seasons. Blair could end up stronger than ever with a staff that won't quit on the kids. As for the Girl's Basketball Coach, he was not from the area and no one knows much about him other than he was a great self promoter. There will be a dynamic coach that will take his place and it will be someone who truly believes in the kids.

I was brought to the attention of a particular blogger a couple months back who posted on this site many times using various Blair monikers. Another blogger mentioned that the repeated Blair postings were being written by none other than Blair AD Gamal Smalley. Whether this is true or not is anyone's guess, however, after reading "VikingWorld's" post I must say I believe this to be true.

If in fact Mr. Smalley is "VikingWorld," well.....let's just say I am THRILLED that he isn't the Athletic Director at Muir. Here are a couple of his jewels:

"...What kind of coach would give up on the kids simply because the district tried to make the filed better?"

"...Blair needs coaches that will fight for the team, school and community...?"

"...Blair needs coaches that are passionate about developing young people and who are not afraid to roll up their sleeves to make it happen?"

"...It takes heart and determination to be a player but it takes just as much to be a coach?"

"...Blair will prevail and the Vikings will continue to soar?"

Are you FRICKIN KDDING ME??????????????????????????????? This dude is a CLOWN!!!

First of all, Tip did NOT quit merely over some damn sprinklers. Like the article mentions, that was just the last straw. Blair has ALWAYS been known as a school that short-changes the sports programs for a VARIETY of issues. The sprinklers were just one of MANY hinderances created by the school that blocked Tip from running a consistently successful program.

Secondly, Tip didn't fight for his team? ANYONE and I mean ANYONE who leads Blair High School to a 9-2 record and a share of the RHL has done some serious "figthing" along the way. Anyone who has EVER been associated with Blair can certainly vouch for that. Ridiulous!

It's also ludicrous for anyone to question Tip's passion about developing young people. That has been his passion for over 30 YEARS!!!! This man has dedicated his LIFE towards the development of young people. Ask ANYONE in Dena!!! From his many years in Pop Warner to all of the high schools that he's coached at, Tip has helped helped and nurtured many a young lad and taught them ALL about what it takes to be a man, valuable citizen, husband, brother, father, etc.

Heart and determination? Again, if you can turn BLAIR HIGH SCHOOL into a legitimate contender NO ONE has the right to question your determination. And the fact that Tip even bothered to go to a school that doesn't care for its athletic programs illustrates the heart that he does have for these kids.

Finally, I sincerely hope that Blair will prevail and continue to soar...HOWEVER, you don't lose TWO coaches of the year and just pick up and move on. It's not going to happen. It goes without saying, "books come first." We all know and believe that. Yet, what Tip did for that school and the community is something NO SCHOOL BOOK in the world can accomplish. Those kids were supremely confident, happy, optimistic, and so full of life when you would see them around town. Parents and fans were again proud to wear their Blair gear at the grocery store or Blockbusters. A buzz floated around the school and the community like never before....and now it's GONE...out the door with Coach Tip. Sad, sad, sad..........

In the Business of coaching the Rio Hondo league has been on somewhat of a Merry Go-round. Mike Mooney at San Marino...Tip Saunders...Maybe Monrovia or LaSalle?.. Coach Garrison at LaSalle?...or who' knows...La Canada?... this will be an interesting year for the West San Gabriel Valley. So late in the year for all of these importantant changes to your Football staffs could be very interesting for some of the teams who had to deal with these losses....

I am devastated by the news and when my son finds out he will be disappointed. He has been preparing for the new football season, only to find out his coach QUIT!

I am sure coach Tip has his reasons for resigning and he will be missed, but the kids are the ones left in limbo!

Me too, we need him in this community.

Maybe Tip realized that only his resignation would generate enough community interest to gain the support he needs to fight through the red tape. I hope Tip is open to staying if the football program receives enough support.

I don't believe this was a snap decision by Tip; I think your right New York this was the straw that broke the camels back. This has been brewing for quit some time, I heard about this relationship going sour back in December. I hear that Blair's administration (Mr. Boccia) was reneging on just about everything the football program was promised and now to wipe out spring football was probably to much to take. This is not about sprinklers it is about respect and the lack thereof the PUSD gives the students and the parents, one can only take so much.. Who loses? The young men Tip mentors and their families who are helped by his positive role model. Plain and simple the community loses.

I hear Jenson was expected to resign for different reasons, one being the rumor that he made a disparaging comment to a female player during a game.

The AD Gamal Smalley is a Muir grad; he played basketball for Muir in the mid 70’s. I don’t know if this is his call but Tip is the right man for the job and he should have tried harder to keep this Pasadena icon in place for the good of everyone.

This recent field issue was probably just the straw that broke Tip's back. Scott G needs to pursue this one and do some digging.

Tip is a Dena legend and Jenson was one of us, a class act, yes. Someone should check-out what the AD is smokin' to let this happen? He doesn't seem fazed, maybe he's part of the problem?

Why do coaches quit if they can't get it their way?????????? It is all about them? or is it about the students? Adversity in many ways, is part of the PROGRAM...you have to adapt and row with it. Is like a little kid crying at a candy store.....i want, i want, i want. We can sit here all day complain, complain, and wish for the school board or the school ADMINS to support the football program and crap does not happen.

Dealing with adversity and adjusting with what you got, is more respected by your players at the end of the day.

DAWWGER

In my dealings with Blair, Dave Jenson was a class act. Win or lose he would conversate with a smile and not a bad word about anyone.I guess tip Sanders was the same.This will effect the lives of many Blair athletes and in adverse ways. Good luck to both of those gentleman. They are truely going to be missed.

Losing these two coaches is a big blow to Blair athletics.

Blair IS having spring practice and NEVER decided to cut it out! As far as the sprinklers, what kind of coach would give up on the kids simply because the district decided to make the field better. Blair needs coaches that will fight for the team, the school, and the community even if it means fighting against administration. Blair needs coaches that are passionate about developing young people and who are not afraid to roll up their sleeves to make it happen. Blair will prevail and the Vikings will continue to soar. It takes heart and determination to be a player but it takes just as much to be a coach.

Boy, this is a sad day for the kids at Blair. Coaches like this are hard to find.

Unfortunately this is another reason why parents don't send their kids to PUSD schools. Yes - education comes first .. but the lives that this man touched - as well as the fact that both coaches were turning the program around ... sigh ... don't people get it???

While I think it should have been easy to work around that issue one thing I took exception to was this...

“With the budget cuts, Blair is more concerned about the IB (International Baccalaureate) program than a sports program.”

Well, shouldn't a school be more concerned with academics?

That whole direction and bullcrap is flat out unbelieveable. The man turns around the program, and they can't reschedule a sprinkler installation to help him out. What a croc!! A good principal would have brought his garden hose from home and watered the field - and allow Tip to do his thing.
Two resignations show where things are going. This sucks for the community, the kids and the RHL. Who would want to apply for the job under these circumstances...

So much for "building a program"

And the hits keep on rollin..........

Tip's departure is devastating news for the Rio Hondo League. I fully expect Stang Fan to recruit him over to Muir.