Coach P

[businesslawyer]

Well, with the kind of recruiting we had before, we stalled at about the top 35 or so in a "peak" season. I think everyone is excited that we are getting players that may help us break into the top 25. We weren't going to do it with just "under the radar" type players.

Finally, we are winning some recruiting battles. Something the previous regime could not do.

I agree with everything you just said 100%. None of that has anything to do with the fact that winning football games for the sake of winning football games should at all times be the primary focus.

 

[pj]

BL, I half agree. The part I agree with is UConn's chances of winning a national championship. If UConn's chances of finishing ahead of Penn State in any given year are 20%, and if there are 15 Penn States nationally, then UConn's chances of finishing ahead of all 15 are 1 in 5^15 = 1 in 30 billion. So, in 30 billion years we'd win once, but the life of the universe is much less than 30 billion years.

On the other hand, let's say Penn State is competitive with 14 other top programs; then it's chances of winning are 1 in 2^15 = 1 in 32,000. That's much longer than any Nittany fan's lifetime. Does that means Penn State fans shouldn't think of winning a national championship because it's so unrealistic that it would shield them from rationality? But yet their team would have as good a chance as any other team.

Here's what I believe: "Let your reach exceed your grasp." "Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect." We should seek perfection, even if it is unattainable. Seek to be the best possible. Then enjoy the journey of falling short. Stay rational, but stay hopeful, and keep your goals high.

Yes, we need to win the Big East. We need to improve how we rank nationally. We need to build our fanbase. We need to reach the level Penn State is at. And then we need to compete for the national championship.

 

[sdhusky]

We need to have a run like what Coach P did at SU.

He does that over the next decade and we'll all be thrilled and hopefully not feel as entitled as the SU fans were in screaming that he be replaced by GROB after his first losing season.

 

[pj]

BL, I half agree. The part I agree with is UConn's chances of winning a national championship. If UConn's chances of finishing ahead of Penn State in any given year are 20%, and if there are 15 Penn States nationally, then UConn's chances of finishing ahead of all 15 are 1 in 5^15 = 1 in 30 billion. So, in 30 billion years we'd win once, but the life of the universe is much less than 30 billion years.

On the other hand, let's say Penn State is competitive with 14 other top programs; then it's chances of winning are 1 in 2^15 = 1 in 32,000.

Oops, my math was wrong. Chances are much better because quality is not randomly distributed. If UConn is better than Penn State in any given year, it's probably better than a lot of the leaders too. Penn State's chances would be 1 in 15 and UConn's would be more like 1 in 100. Definitely worth aiming for a national championship!

 

[metsfan2323]

I don't think it's possible here.

That is a reasonable opinion. I disagree with you and I am glad you are not the coach.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

You had already made your opinion of me very clear. You think I am an idiot.

BTW don't be an idiot, I was refering to a national championship, Edsall was never going to get us over that finish line, he didn't think it was possible here.

I don't think you're an idiot. You're just very wrong on a couple of issues.

Do you know there were grumblings in the late 90's that Calhoun could never get us to the Final Four?

 

[metsfan2323]

Do you know there were grumblings in the late 90's that Calhoun could never get us to the Final Four?

And the only thing that matters is the coach never believed that. Calhoun is an unreasonable certified maniac and we as fans owe him a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.

I don't think P is crazy, but he seems to have surrounded himself with a couple of lunatics in DeLeone and Brown. It's probably by design.

 

[Santini35]

http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday...pasqualoni-would-like-to-expand-your-mind-son

 

[UConnDan97]

At risk of continuing a somewhat pointless discussion about the national championship...

If we are going to really compare our chances of a national championship vs. Penn State, then it has to be said that our chances are better, given equivalent teams. Biz's point about fanbase is only partially true; the part that leads to recruits that can go undefeated in any given year. But the reason that UConn's chances are better than PSU with equivalent teams is that our chances of going undefeated in the Big East are better.

Let's say Penn State goes 10-2 or 11-1 (loss to OSU or a Wisconsin type). With that same team, we likely go 12-0. Then it is up to those idiot voters whether we or PSU go on to play that 1-loss SEC team (that will get in no matter what) and give us a "puncher's chance" at the title. So long as our schedule contains Louisville, Cincy, Rutgers, USF, Pitt or Boise, and a couple of non-conference like NCState, we will likely be chosen.

Now let the "you're wrong!" begin...

 

[businesslawyer]

And the only thing that matters is the coach never believed that.

Eh. Am I glad Calhoun thought he could win a national championship? Of course I am. But he could.

If I were a Belgian, would I be happy if my Prime Minister believed that, with just a few more tax dollars, he could make Belgium more powerful than the U.S.? No, I wouldn't because he would be throwing resources away towards an unreachable goal.

You want leaders to be aggressive in their goals. But leaders who are stupidly aggressive in their goals fail, and normally only give up after they have taken their institution down with them.

 

[Palatine]

Eh. Am I glad Calhoun thought he could win a national championship? Of course I am. But he could.

If I were a Belgian, would I be happy if my Prime Minister believed that, with just a few more tax dollars, he could make Belgium more powerful than the U.S.? No, I wouldn't because he would be throwing resources away towards an unreachable goal.

You want leaders to be aggressive in their goals. But leaders who are stupidly aggressive in their goals fail, and normally only give up after they have taken their institution down with them.

A national championship should be the stated goal of the program. We have as much chance as BYU did when they accomplished it.

 

[businesslawyer]

At risk of continuing a somewhat pointless discussion about the national championship...

If we are going to really compare our chances of a national championship vs. Penn State, then it has to be said that our chances are better, given equivalent teams. Biz's point about fanbase is only partially true; the part that leads to recruits that can go undefeated in any given year. But the reason that UConn's chances are better than PSU with equivalent teams is that our chances of going undefeated in the Big East are better.

Let's say Penn State goes 10-2 or 11-1 (loss to OSU or a Wisconsin type). With that same team, we likely go 12-0. Then it is up to those idiot voters whether we or PSU go on to play that 1-loss SEC team (that will get in no matter what) and give us a "puncher's chance" at the title. So long as our schedule contains Louisville, Cincy, Rutgers, USF, Pitt or Boise, and a couple of non-conference like NCState, we will likely be chosen.

Now let the "you're wrong!" begin...

No, you are right. It is far more likely that we win a national championship than that we are the best team in the country (determined by being able hypothetically to win a best of seven, neutral site series against any other team in the country). Or, as I said about WVU, you happen to go undefeated in a year where only 1 other BCS team goes undefeated, the polls and computers give you enough respect and you beat a team that is "better" than you one time. Under the system that is going away at least, that is possible. But still well under a 1% chance of happening in any year.

Nor is my point, at all, about how far we one day will go as a program. I hope it is further than reasonably possible. My point remains that you don't win and lose games in order that you can get more excited about recruiting. You get excited about recruiting as a means to win more games. Unless, as someone else so aptly pointed out, you are a fan of Rutgers.

 

[UConnDan97]

My point remains that you don't win and lose games in order that you can get more excited about recruiting. You get excited about recruiting as a means to win more games. Unless, as someone else so aptly pointed out, you are a fan of Rutgers.

100% agreed. Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing...

 

[Dann]

http://www.everydayshouldbesaturday...pasqualoni-would-like-to-expand-your-mind-son

isnt that just a gem

 

[mattp]

if you look at the list of national champions in the past there's no reason to think we couldn't join them one day. obviously it seems unlikely, but so does Washington, BYU, SMU, and plenty of other teams that have been awarded one in the past. if anything can be learned from Boise it's that the disadvantages of having no tradition and a small stadium in a worthless TV market can be overcome. It seems to me that the "traditional powers" look more vulnerable than ever. Texas had a losing season not long ago, Miami hasn't really been relevant since leaving the BE, USC and PennState had their issues, and so forth.