By Dylan Wilhelm • Of the News-Register • 

Support pours in for ‘Coach Rose’

Amid the news of Linfield men’s basketball coach Shanan Rosenberg’s suspension, former players, assistant coaches and others rushed to show support for Rosenberg across social media.

Rosenberg has been suspended since there was a verbal altercation with a fan during the teams’ season finale at Whitman on Feb. 18.

A parent was continuously heckling Rosenberg, to which Rosenberg responded with a comment along the lines of “we can talk outside after the game.”

During a meeting with Dr. Garry Killgore, Linfield’s Director of Athletics, he was given 21 days to decide on a proposed severance agreement. That 21-day period expires on Mar. 17. Rosenberg has obtained legal counsel.

Former players are saying that the moment, while clear his frustration got the better of him, is not indicative of who Rosenberg is, with many saying that “Coach Rose” has served as a father figure for dozens of players over his decade at Linfield.

Ryan Cali played under Rosenberg at Foothill College, a junior college in Los Altos Hills, Cali. After his two seasons, Rosenberg got the job at Linfield, and Cali followed, playing two more seasons at Linfield before joining his coaching staff for three more.

“Aside from really any other player that has played for him at Linfield, I’ve known him the longest of anyone,” Cali told the News-Register. “I have the unique perspective of being on both sides of it, where I have played for him and coached with him.”

Cali described Rosenberg as “a fair and honest man” and says that Linfield would end up regretting the decision to move on from him, if that is the end result.

“If Linfield was to lose Coach Rose, it would be a huge loss to the college,” Cali said. “It would be a huge loss to the young men that come through that program that have the opportunity to have their lives touched from Coach Rose.

“A lot of who we are as (alumni), is a byproduct of what Coach Rose taught us and instilled in us… All of these people that walk through his program will then go out into the world and make a larger impact because they’re better people as a result of being with Coach Rose.”

Some people shared their sentiments on social media, including Rem Bukamas, the current Director of Player Development at the University of Arizona.

“Coach Rosenberg is one of the best people and coaches I have ever met,” Bukamas tweeted. “His mentorship and guidance has helped me grow as a young coach since the day I met him!”

Former Portland State player Jacob Begin also tweeted out support, tweeting “Coach Rose is amazing! Even when choosing to not become a Wildcat his first year at Linfield he has always kept in contact. An amazing and passionate Coach and human.”

Linfield alum Kyle Maloof was critical of the school in his tweet, tweeting “Coach Rosenberg is being wrongfully suspended and the athletic director is making it personal. Destroying one of the best D3 programs on the West coast.”

Cali told the News-Register that around 30 of letters of support were sent for Rosenberg by alumni and former players. He noted that many of them aren’t about basketball, but more about what Rosenberg has done for them off the court.

Cali shared an excerpt from his letter, noting that while this is his message, many of the messages of support echo the same sentiment:

“For many of us, Coach Rose was a father figure, a force of fortune, and a loving, do anything for you type of influence in our lives. I can’t tell you how many times I saw coach go to extreme lengths to make sure his players could genuinely feel how much he loved and supported them.

“We all knew without a shadow of a doubt that if we needed him, he’d be there for us. That type of love and commitment from a coach is not only rare, it’s special. It’s what has created the culture of Linfield basketball. His love for others has bled into every single team at Linfield since he’s been here.

“If you want to talk about the success that Linfield has had on the court, look off of it. The influx of talent, although much improved, isn’t responsible for the success that has been on the court. It’s the unique bond that we’ve shared as players that are a direct result of the love that Coach Rose has poured into us and the standard that he set at Linfield.”

Some believe that the suspension is unwarranted and is the result of a personal dispute between Rosenberg and administration.

If true, Cali said that that would shed a dark shadow on the university he once called home.

“I would be lying to say that this doesn’t change things with the way that I view Linfield,” Cali said. “Because I don’t necessarily want to represent with that message. I don’t want to attach myself to the school if this is the type of decision they come to at the end of the day.”

The ‘Cats have won two conference titles under Rosenberg, in the 2019-20 and 2021-22 seasons. This year, they suffered their first losing season in seven years, going 10-15, including a 7-9 mark in conference play.

Comments

jane

Perhaps the 'administration' who overplays his power for personal reasons at the expense of the students, university, and community should be the one suspended.

jane

I would hate to see Coach Rose choose to leave due to the way he is treated by administration. Davis needs to fix this.

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