Not a lot of buzz here after today's big win

[BlueDogs]

Though I don't completely agree, I have to say the point about paying for talent is what TDH and others don't get. Getting a big name college coach is expensive. Plus, we aren't exactly a destination program for football. I just don't think UConn is willing to pay top dollar for a football coach who will put UConn football in the top ten, we want an overseer who takes the team bowling on a regular basis, graduates the players, and keeps the Nevin Shapiro types away from the kids so the NCAA doesn't come sniffing around. If it isn't obvious already, winning the Orange Bowl is not a priority here. We can argue about whether it should be, but it would be a pointless exercise.

Good points. I'd (and think most of us hardcore folks) want a great product and believe it is possible. Hey, if we were in the next 10-25 on a regular basis with a strong schedule, I'd have no doubt the fan base would grow and the overall atmosphere would be different. I still remember the Indiana game like yesterday. Perfect day against a Big 10 opponent and a place jacked and alive. Even the night West Virginia game or Pitt night game, the Rent was rockin. Then, I think about yesterday...man, we need to wake up.

 

[BlueDogs]

I demand excellence!!! (has it happened yet??...)

Send your demands to UConn. If I were in charge, I would have been in the Governor's office and meeting with legislative leadership making it happen. Funding a great staff and putting together the financial packages to underwrite (buy) to get us where we need to be...B10, ACC, Big12, SEC... anywhere we can bring in marquee competition and turn the Rent into a economic and jobs creation machine. But, as Jungle pointed out, there is not the vision for that. I call them small dreamers and small thinkers.

 

[UConnDan97]

Send your demands to UConn. If I were in charge, I would have been in the Governor's office and meeting with legislative leadership making it happen. Funding a great staff and putting together the financial packages to underwrite (buy) to get us where we need to be...B10, ACC, Big12, SEC... anywhere we can bring in marquee competition and turn the Rent into a economic and jobs creation machine. But, as Jungle pointed out, there is not the vision for that. I call them small dreamers and small thinkers.

I have to do all that?!? That seems like a lot of work. I'll just show up late to the game and leave in the third quarter, like half of the UConn "faithful", so that I don't have to suffer 17 minutes of traffic hell. Tell them to send me my excellence in the mail...

 

[whaler11]

I have to do all that?!? That seems like a lot of work. I'll just show up late to the game and leave in the third quarter, like half of the UConn "faithful", so that I don't have to suffer 17 minutes of traffic hell. Tell them to send me my excellence in the mail...

What are you defending at this point? The mediocrity that has set in?

Sarcastically mocking those who believe this level of play is unacceptable?

I know you don't get this yet: This team is not good. This staff is not good enough. If it turns out I'm wrong I'll gladly come back and admit it - but I'm not. This is not going to end well.

 

[UConnDan97]

What are you defending at this point? The mediocrity that has set in?

Sarcastically mocking those who believe this level of play is unacceptable?

I know you don't get this yet: This team is not good. This staff is not good enough. If it turns out I'm wrong I'll gladly come back and admit it - but I'm not. This is not going to end well.

I'm mocking $%king idea that writing a letter to your governor makes your team win 10 games, that's what I'm mocking. I know YOU don't get that yet, but it's not how it works...

 

[whaler11]

I'm mocking $%king idea that writing a letter to your governor makes your team win 10 games, that's what I'm mocking. I know YOU don't get that yet, but it's not how it works...

Writing letters won't work. It still has a better chance of working than accepting mediocrity.

I know exactly how it works. Schools that employ coaches like PP go nowhere.

If this AD and President have any intention of competing in the 'big time' they will fix it. If they don't our ticket is punched and we'll be in a place where beating Buffalo seems like a good day.

 

[BlueDogs]

I have to do all that?!? That seems like a lot of work. I'll just show up late to the game and leave in the third quarter, like half of the UConn "faithful", so that I don't have to suffer 17 minutes of traffic hell. Tell them to send me my excellence in the mail...

Funny thing is, I been a season ticket holder since the day they announce they were going D1. Sit through every game to the end. Ive been there when there were probably a few thousand left. I love the game for what it is. Ive heard about 5,000 fans remaining sound like 30k watching them mount a fercious comeback with only 8 minutes left and lose... Seen so many can't remember which. We are the core. So, mock away, and we'll see whose left in the end. I'll be there, and maybe you and a few thousand others. Then what? Reconstitute the Yankee conference? Rebuild Memorial and take a nice stroll over to a game and then get some Ice Cream at the barn. Maybe go apple picking? Dude, your problem is you don't know the past. Those fans you mock are the ones who allow us to be a part of big football. You lose them and we're done.

 

[UConnDan97]

Writing letters won't work. It still has a better chance of working than accepting mediocrity.

I know exactly how it works. Schools that employ coaches like PP go nowhere.

If this AD and President have any intention of competing in the 'big time' they will fix it. If they don't our ticket is punched and we'll be in a place where beating Buffalo seems like a good day.

Did it ever occur to you that instead of "accepting mediocrity" that I might actually believe that PP is a good coach? I know that it might escape you, but I believe that PP is a good hire and a good coach.

You and others may wish to ask yourselves the question; "Is this a better team this year than they were last year?" How many people could honestly say that we aren't better this year than last year, even after having lost two gigantic DL's, two gigantic OL's, and wide recievers like Kash and Isiah Moore? Jerome Junior is gone, too, and yet we're still better. We're starting a new QB, and yet we're still better. When comparing our amounts of three-star recruits (and four star transfers) to years past, WE ARE STILL BETTER!!

But I know that nobody on this forum is going to back that up, because everyone believes that Coach P's too old and they're tired of conservative ball (even though they had a decade of it with the last guy) and they believe that Mike Leach would have done better with the same personnel. I'll stick to my beliefs until I see something that makes me believe otherwise...

 

[UConnDan97]

Funny thing is, I been a season ticket holder since the day they announce they were going D1. Sit through every game to the end. Ive been there when there were probably a few thousand left. I love the game for what it is. Ive heard about 5,000 fans remaining sound like 30k watching them mount a fercious comeback with only 8 minutes left and lose... Seen so many can't remember which. We are the core. So, mock away, and we'll see whose left in the end. I'll be there, and maybe you and a few thousand others. Then what? Reconstitute the Yankee conference? Rebuild Memorial and take a nice stroll over to a game and then get some Ice Cream at the barn. Maybe go apple picking? Dude, your problem is you don't know the past. Those fans you mock are the ones who allow us to be a part of big football. You lose them and we're done.

I don't have a problem with my knowledge of the past. I think that you might have that problem, though. I appreciate that you are a season ticket holder and I'm sure that you are one of the ones that stays until the bitter end. But that doesn't make you right when you say that having Buffalo on the schedule positions us for mediocrity. It doesn't make you right that this state is somehow not making the right investments in the football program. You talk about writing the Governor. About what??? The over 90 million dollar stadium that we have? The Shenkman or the Burton? The best facilities in the country, and ponying up 1.5 mil for a known-name head coach instead of taking a chance on Hank Hughes?

I think it's you who doesn't understand your past, my friend...

 

[BlueDogs]

I'm mocking $%king idea that writing a letter to your governor makes your team win 10 games, that's what I'm mocking. I know YOU don't get that yet, but it's not how it works...

UConn Dan, you suffer from learned helplessness.
One letter does nothing. 1,000 do a lot more, and 2,000 even more so. For each letter written, you assume another 1,000 feel the same way but don't write.

In any case, that's not the point, genius. The point is people vote with their money. So, while you have your head up your ass think it smells like roses, the rest will be saying this stinks.

Fair share of wise guys here that are short on wisdom.

 

[UConnDan97]

UConn Dan, you suffer from learned helplessness.
One letter does nothing. 1,000 do a lot more, and 2,000 even more so. For each letter written, you assume another 1,000 feel the same way but don't write.

In any case, that's not the point, genius. The point is people vote with their money. So, while you have your head up your ass think it smells like roses, the rest will be saying this stinks.

Fair share of wise guys here that are short on wisdom.

Oh enlightened one!! I see the light now!! If I write a letter (saying God knows what), and if you write a letter, then we'll beat Rutgers. Right?

I cannot change whether a "fan" wishes to leave Husky Nation or not. The Governor, et al., have made plenty of investments in this program for it to succeed. I can also take some solace in the fact that our new AD is a former player and knows a thing or two about football. He has given his full support as well. I know that everyone thinks that we should be Alabama right now, or at the very least, West Virginia, but it is unrealistic to do so. Extremely unrealistic. Okay, Einstein?

 

[whaler11]

Did it ever occur to you that instead of "accepting mediocrity" that I might actually believe that PP is a good coach? I know that it might escape you, but I believe that PP is a good hire and a good coach.

You and others may wish to ask yourselves the question; "Is this a better team this year than they were last year?" How many people could honestly say that we aren't better this year than last year, even after having lost two gigantic DL's, two gigantic OL's, and wide recievers like Kash and Isiah Moore? Jerome Junior is gone, too, and yet we're still better. We're starting a new QB, and yet we're still better. When comparing our amounts of three-star recruits (and four star transfers) to years past, WE ARE STILL BETTER!!

But I know that nobody on this forum is going to back that up, because everyone believes that Coach P's too old and they're tired of conservative ball (even though they had a decade of it with the last guy) and they believe that Mike Leach would have done better with the same personnel. I'll stick to my beliefs until I see something that makes me believe otherwise...

I apologize then. I thought anyone who could log into the internet and type coherent sentences would realize that PP is not a good coach. And on top of not being a good coach is a terrible match for the school's needs.

Of all the silly things that have ever been posted here. It's surprising the team is better off without Jerome Junior?

Before you celebrate 'being better' you may actually want to wait until they prove they are better. They have done no such thing to date.

 

[UConnDan97]

I apologize then. I thought anyone who could log into the internet and type coherent sentences would realize that PP is not a good coach. And on top of not being a good coach is a terrible match for the school's needs.

Of all the silly things that have ever been posted here. It's surprising the team is better off without Jerome Junior?

Before you celebrate 'being better' you may actually want to wait until they prove they are better. They have done no such thing to date.

I should have said "with young players in the safety positions." Better?

Somehow, I would have figured you to say that we aren't a better football team now than we were a year ago. The stats seem to say otherwise, and my eyes seem to say otherwise, even after having lost some NFL-level personnel.

Remember when we were going into the spring game and everyone was saying to themselves, "Holy crap. We lose Martin and Reyes in the middle of our defense. We have another year of JMac if this Whitmer kid or if Cochran don't beat him out. We lost Mike Ryan and our center Moe Petrus, along with our backup center Bardzak, so our O-Line is going to be screwed. No Kash. No Isiah Moore. What the hell are we going to do??" I guess that didn't happen, huh. I guess that nobody was panicking that we were going to be 2-10, right?

 

[BlueDogs]

I don't have a problem with my knowledge of the past. I think that you might have that problem, though. I appreciate that you are a season ticket holder and I'm sure that you are one of the ones that stays until the bitter end. But that doesn't make you right when you say that having Buffalo on the schedule positions us for mediocrity. It doesn't make you right that this state is somehow not making the right investments in the football program. You talk about writing the Governor. About what??? The over 90 million dollar stadium that we have? The Shenkman or the Burton? The best facilities in the country, and ponying up 1.5 mil for a known-name head coach instead of taking a chance on Hank Hughes?

I think it's you who doesn't understand your past, my friend...

Let me really clear. We have 100 MM plus invested. So we agree there. Now, big leap. If people stop coming, then the revenues start falling. Further, if the general watching interest devlines, then TV revenue will follow. Then,the cost of those facilities start accelerating the collapse of the program because of deficits. This means less recruiting, less money for coaches, less money for promotion and so on. So, if continue to play and struggle against opponents that have interest to the mainstream fans (those that are just fine watching SEC on TV to watch "real college football"), we can watch these games with a few of our 5,000 closest UConn football friends on a good day. I would like nothing better than HCPP to be doing great things, but he's not.

 

[UConnDan97]

Let me really clear. We have 100 MM plus invested. So we agree there. Now, big leap. If people stop coming, then the revenues start falling. Further, if the general watching interest devlines, then TV revenue will follow. Then,the cost of those facilities start accelerating the collapse of the program because of deficits. This means less recruiting, less money for coaches, less money for promotion and so on. So, if continue to play and struggle against opponents that have interest to the mainstream fans (those that are just fine watching SEC on TV to watch "real college football"), we can watch these games with a few of our 5,000 closest UConn football friends on a good day. I would like nothing better than HCPP to be doing great things, but he's not.

Just so that we're even more clear, what do you believe the key ingredient to maintaining attendance and interest is? (please don't just say "winning" like Charlie Sheen would)

 

[BlueDogs]

Just so that we're even more clear, what do you believe the key ingredient to maintaining attendance and interest is? (please don't just say "winning" like Charlie Sheen would)

Quality schedule with national brand opponents. A big conference affiliation. Top level coaches being paid the $$ to turn the program into something special. My view, could be wrong but that seems to be the formula elsewhere.

 

[UConnDan97]

Quality schedule with national brand opponents. A big conference affiliation. Top level coaches being paid the $$ to turn the program into something special. My view, could be wrong but that seems to be the formula elsewhere.

Okay, so now we are talking about tangible stuff. Much easier to be clear about what we believe, and here's what I believe:

1) We will be playing Michigan and Tennessee in the upcoming years, as well as having NCState and Maryland this year and next. There is already talk of scheduling ND in Fenway, although it's not clear to me whether that is more than just a rumor. We are also bringing Virginia into the schedule as well.

2) Contrary to popular belief, a conference has to ask you to be a part of it. You don't just show up at their doorsteps and say, "Hey, we're in."

3) We are paying Coach P, a known name and a former NFL guy, 1.5 million per year so that we didn't have Hank Hughes get his first coaching job here (I like Hank, so I don't want that to sound negative, but it is what it is). That sum of money was more than Holgorsen was getting at WVU last year (although they may have re-upped his contract for the Big12 thing, I don't know).

It's not like the state and the university aren't trying to address those concerns, and it's not like I don't share those concerns. All those things are happening, along with the great facilities. So it ultimately comes down to who people believe should be (and could be) the head coach here. I can assure you that I have heard plenty of answers to that question on the Boneyard over the past two years...

 

[TouchdownHusky]

Quality schedule with national brand opponents. A big conference affiliation. Top level coaches being paid the $$ to turn the program into something special. My view, could be wrong but that seems to be the formula elsewhere.

What part of this are people not getting? Good point and definitely doable at UConn. People need to stop worring about how many people are in their seats at kickoff and start worrying about the product on the field (the playcalling, the effort, the stupid mistakes, the recruiting, the marketing of the program, etc).

 

[J187Money]

I don't see why this is so crazy. Even in our most successful year, we got blown out by Temple. People have unreasonable expectations about this program, imo.

Wow. When we hear the tale of the infamous Temple game 20 years from now, we will hear that we lost by 100 and then marched around after the game with Jonathan's head on a pike.

I was there. I still contend that if the officials blew the whistle after Todman was stacked up for about 4 seconds before someone tore his arm off and ran the ball back we still win that game. There were about 4 bad plays in that game.

 

[Waquoit]

Did it ever occur to you that instead of "accepting mediocrity" that I might actually believe that PP is a good coach? I know that it might escape you, but I believe that PP is a good hire and a good coach....

It's over, Danny. It's OVER!!

 

[J187Money]

Wow. When we hear the tale of the infamous Temple game 20 years from now, we will hear that we lost by 100 and then marched around after the game with Jonathan's head on a pike.

I was there. I still contend that if the officials blew the whistle after Todman was stacked up for about 4 seconds before someone tore his arm off and ran the ball back we still win that game. There were about 4 bad plays in that game.

I will also add that even had we won that game, we still would have been in the Fiesta Bowl (all other things being equal) and since our receivers couldn't catch that day, we still would have been thumped. FWIW.