[baseball1974]

From what I understand, he was given the opportunity to coach one final year and then retire. Would this not have been what you are asking for ?

I've been very good friends with Ivan since before he started at Russell and I can tell you nothing hurt him worse than how they treated him. He tried several times to retire and the administration would always come back with more responsibility and things of that nature, and that's what happened with that last offer they gave him several years ago. They basically told him if he continued to coach that last year then his role would be downgraded to a sideline spectator. And remember he was still coaching under a previous agreement that was not yet up and he was going to retire when that was up and just like he always had, he was going to fulfill his agreement that he made. He was under the impression Russell would as well? Considering Ivan has forgotten more about football that most coaches will ever know in a lifetime, it was a complete lack of respect to have him sit and watch someone else do his job for a year.