“When I found out he was first offered a job and realized the offer he’d received was from Green Bay, I was a little surprised because [that would be such] a tough job to let go and we were expecting to have our whole coaching staff back next season,” Welch said. “But as soon as this job came up, I knew it was going to be tough for him to say no. As a player I wanted him to stay, but as his friend, I know he made the right choice.”
Although he had already taken the opportunity to inform Welch, Mazzoleni notified the team of his decision via e-mail the morning of the 16th, and the Gamblers announced the hiring at an afternoon press conference within hours of the announcement of his resignation.
“[The chance to return to Green Bay] provided us with an opportunity to go home, for our children to know who their family is, to do all the things we thought a family should do,” Mazzoleni said. “The downside [of being in New England] was that it is just you and your family. There are no kids or relatives around, so you miss out on things. That was one of the major parts of our decision, and you can’t put a price tag on that.”
According to Mazzoleni, the new post offers the chance to coach a more “diverse” squad—one composed of players at most two years from the college or professional ranks—while presenting new obstacles with the added responsibilities of general manager.
“It’s very similar to what we’ve been doing,” Mazzoleni said. “But there are great new challenges since there is a draft—and I’ll be formulating our draft strategy—and I can trade players.”
The search for a replacement—and just the fifth Crimson coach since 1950—began immediately.
“I know there’s going to be a lot of qualified applicants applying for the job,” Welch said, noting that the position will probably be filled quickly to ensure recruiting doesn’t suffer. “It’s well known nationally. And Harvard kind of put itself back on the map nationally these last few years. We’re not going to have any problems finding a great, qualified coach for next year.”
—Staff writer Timothy J. McGinn can be reached at mcginn@fas.harvard.edu.