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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Give and Take: Letter

Verlin’s tirade proves it’s time for a change

The childish behavior of University of Idaho men’s basketball coach Don Verlin displayed at the Northern Arizona game on Feb. 21 was a fiery slap-in-the-face to anyone connected to the university in any capacity.

Verlin’s meltdown was more than just throwing a binder in the stands behind the team bench. His real coup-de-grace was relentlessly chewing out/throwing out a team assistant (while the ball was in play) with the last name of “Helbling” – a very well-known Moscow family. The Helbling family has donated a lot of money to the university over the decades. Go figure.

I challenge UI athletic director, Robb Spear, to replace coach Verlin with a coach who can walk the talk and truly inspire players to be their best. That’s what educators/coaches are hired to do.

The Vandals lost that game and Coach Verlin proved it’s time for change. The University of Idaho deserves so much better. Let’s get it right this time.

Other Big Sky teams have done it and look where they are now. Restore the proud Vandal heritage and let’s “Go Vandals” now!

Gary Ackerman

Spokane Valley

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We welcome letters of up to 200 words on all sports and outdoors topics. All letters are subject to editing. Writers are limited to one letter every 30 days. Please include your signature, street address and telephone number where you can be reached for verification.

Send to: Letters to the Sports Editor, The Spokesman-Review, 999 W. Riverside Ave., Spokane, WA 99201, or fax to (509) 744-5655, or email to sports@ spokesman.com.

S-R sports staff

Sports editor: Joe Palmquist

Assistant sports editor: David Oriard

Outdoors editor: Rich Landers

Copy editors: Tyler Grippi, Michael Stephens

Reporters: Jim Allen, Thomas Clouse, Chris Derrick, Greg Lee, Jim Meehan, Jacob Thorpe