The End May Be Nearing

[Nostical]

This is the kind of article we should be seeing from our local press.


The end may be nearing.
If Warde Manuel is to take control of his own destiny, and raise the fortunes of the UConn football program, then Paul Pasqueloni has five games left to prove he deserves a crack at a 3rd season coaching the Huskies. Five more games to prove this team can start faster, finish stronger, put away inferior teams, protect fourth-quarter leads and not fold in the amazing way they did on Saturday against a Temple team that for 3½ quarters couldn't get out of its own way.

The Huskies lost a game that good teams, winning teams, teams that are trying to vie for the Big East title simply don't lose. UConn had a 7 point lead with less than 3 minutes to play---at home---against an opponent that had shown little in the way of a passing game all afternoon. Yet it was a pass play, with less than a minute remaining, that sent the game into overtime. Whether the defense was prepared for Temple's formation is up for debate, but the players appeared confused and, as seems to be his penchant, Coach P did not call a time out to get organized----and this just a week after losing to Rutgers while inexplicably saving time outs at a crucial point at the end of the first half. In both instances the puzzling response from the coach was the same--"we were in good shape, no need to call a time out". Really?

Good teams step on a floundering opponent's neck, particularly at home. But even after displaying a surprisingly diverse and robust offense during the first quarter, the Huskies eschewed going for it on 4th and 1 from the Temple 43 and decided instead to punt. The resulting loss of momentum and swagger was palpable. That swagger, born of offensive success to that point, simply disappeared. While Temple's defensive coaches made several necessary adjustments, there were few counters by the Husky offensive brain-trust. Field goals then drifted agonizingly wide and a game that had started with such promise slipped away, leaving the Huskies and their fans departing East Hartford shaking their collective heads.

UConn is now a decidedly unimpressive 3-4 and while Athletic Director Warde Manuel has never been vocal about exactly how far Coach P has to take the Huskies this season in order to keep his job, it’s pretty clear that finishing with a worse record than last season and sitting home for a second consecutive year without the benefit of a Bowl game, would be solid grounds for a coaching change.

The Huskies don't have to win the Big East---no one realistically expects that---yet the chance for a Bowl bid, while no doubt challenging, is still there for the taking. Still, while technically not out of it, their seven game sample has made it increasingly clear that every weekend will be an adventure and any win hard to come by. These Husky players have talent and the coaches won't stop trying, but the simple fact is the clock is ticking and time is short. You can be sure of one thing, Mr. Manuel and Ms. Herbst will be extremely interested observers. Coach P will certainly be working hard to prepare for Syracuse and beyond, and may even talk of seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, but my hunch and my fear is that what he's actually seeing, is an oncoming train.

 

[Srqhusky]

We have a football aggressive president and she is going to do what is in the best interest for uconn. As I said before the coaching situation will take care of itself.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Sounds like the Boneyard's greatest hits from the last 2 weeks.

 

[gars44]

This is the kind of article we should be seeing from our local press.


The end may be nearing.
If Warde Manuel is to take control of his own destiny, and raise the fortunes of the UConn football program, then Paul Pasqueloni has five games left to prove he deserves a crack at a 3rd season coaching the Huskies. Five more games to prove this team can start faster, finish stronger, put away inferior teams, protect fourth-quarter leads and not fold in the amazing way they did on Saturday against a Temple team that for 3½ quarters couldn't get out of its own way.

The Huskies lost a game that good teams, winning teams, teams that are trying to vie for the Big East title simply don't lose. UConn had a 7 point lead with less than 3 minutes to play---at home---against an opponent that had shown little in the way of a passing game all afternoon. Yet it was a pass play, with less than a minute remaining, that sent the game into overtime. Whether the defense was prepared for Temple's formation is up for debate, but the players appeared confused and, as seems to be his penchant, Coach P did not call a time out to get organized----and this just a week after losing to Rutgers while inexplicably saving time outs at a crucial point at the end of the first half. In both instances the puzzling response from the coach was the same--"we were in good shape, no need to call a time out". Really?

Good teams step on a floundering opponent's neck, particularly at home. But even after displaying a surprisingly diverse and robust offense during the first quarter, the Huskies eschewed going for it on 4th and 1 from the Temple 43 and decided instead to punt. The resulting loss of momentum and swagger was palpable. That swagger, born of offensive success to that point, simply disappeared. While Temple's defensive coaches made several necessary adjustments, there were few counters by the Husky offensive brain-trust. Field goals then drifted agonizingly wide and a game that had started with such promise slipped away, leaving the Huskies and their fans departing East Hartford shaking their collective heads.

UConn is now a decidedly unimpressive 3-4 and while Athletic Director Warde Manuel has never been vocal about exactly how far Coach P has to take the Huskies this season in order to keep his job, it’s pretty clear that finishing with a worse record than last season and sitting home for a second consecutive year without the benefit of a Bowl game, would be solid grounds for a coaching change.

The Huskies don't have to win the Big East---no one realistically expects that---yet the chance for a Bowl bid, while no doubt challenging, is still there for the taking. Still, while technically not out of it, their seven game sample has made it increasingly clear that every weekend will be an adventure and any win hard to come by. These Husky players have talent and the coaches won't stop trying, but the simple fact is the clock is ticking and time is short. You can be sure of one thing, Mr. Manuel and Ms. Herbst will be extremely interested observers. Coach P will certainly be working hard to prepare for Syracuse and beyond, and may even talk of seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, but my hunch and my fear is that what he's actually seeing, is an oncoming train.

That is a well-written piece. Email it Jacobs with publication rights.

 

[mattp]

To be fair, you can't really blame the press for not putting pressure on P. That's Warde's job and I guess also Susan's job. A reporter getting themselves blackballed doesn't really go anybody any good.

 

[Husky68]

To be fair, you can't really blame the press for not putting pressure on P. That's Warde's job and I guess also Susan's job. A reporter getting themselves blackballed doesn't really go anybody any good.

Yes you can.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Yes you can.

I'm sure that Dez, Silver, Daignault, and the others went to bed last night thinking......."the hell with what my opinion is, I'm going to write whatever Husky68 feels and thinks should be said in my article today."

Ever think that maybe they don't agree with everything said here on the Boneyard?

 

[ZooCougar]

So, who will be the first beat writer to brave the waters and write something like this?

Right now they all seem to be suffering from group think.

Hey Ken Davis. You want to build a following? Get it done man.

 

[Husky25]

To be fair, you can't really blame the press for not putting pressure on P. That's Warde's job and I guess also Susan's job. A reporter getting themselves blackballed doesn't really go anybody any good.

True. But the press cannot also ignore the collective mood of the fan base either. Sometimes objectively critiquing the program - taking into account the fan base disposition, future donor revenue, past results, and future rewards - is all the pressure you need. I'm 95% sure that Athletic Director Manuel is aware of and reviewing all of the above though various avenues.

 

[Husky25]

So, who will be the first beat writer to brave the waters and write something like this?

Right now they all seem to be suffering from group think.

Hey Ken Davis. You want to build a following? Get it done man.

This is not the responsibility of the beat writer.

 

[ZooCougar]

I'm sure that Dez, Silver, Daignault, and the others went to bed last night thinking......."the hell with what my opinion is, I'm going to write whatever Husky68 feels and thinks should be said in my article today."

Ever think that maybe they don't agree with everything said here on the Boneyard?

If you follow on Twitter, there have been some subtle jabs already.

I think DC has bought what Coach P is selling, he engorges himself with it every night and then gargles with the rest.

Ed D, definitely agrees. He has made some snarky tweets. Jeff Jacobs, not a beat writer I know, is one more bad loss away from calling the staff a bunch of fools.

Silver might be in the same position as Ed.

Silver, by the way has done a clever thing in outsourcing his criticism to a former player.

 

[ZooCougar]

This is not the responsibility of the beat writer.

Okay, who will be the first writer? And where can I look up the official responsibilities of a beat writer.

I understand getting blackballed, I get it. I started a thread on Media Criticism two weeks ago defending them.

But there is a point where blackballing is ineffective because if they all go critical, then Coach P can't blackball the entire local media. It's funny how that works.

 

[Husky25]

If you follow on Twitter, there have been some subtle jabs already.

I think DC has bought what Coach P is selling, he engorges himself with it every night and then gargles with the rest.

Ed D, definitely agrees. He has made some snarky tweets. Jeff Jacobs, not a beat writer I know, is one more bad loss away from calling the staff a bunch of fools.

Silver might be in the same position as Ed.

Silver, by the way has done a clever thing in outsourcing his criticism to a former player.

The Fat White Guy (Rob Lunn) could have the appopriate credibility too.

 

[Nostical]

I get it Mattp, but acting with a fear of being blackballed is what makes some folks into public heroes

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I get it Mattp, but acting with a fear of being blackballed is what makes some folks into public heroes

They are simply not (nor should they) going to risk their journalistic capital during the season. Nobody is getting fired before the first weekend in December. When the smoke clears and the dust settles after that we'll see who says what. Right now, on October 18th I'd say it would take a miracle to win more than 2 more games. I can't see how P survives that.

 

[Doggie Style]

Okay, who will be the first writer? And where can I look up the official responsibilities of a beat writer.

I understand getting blackballed, I get it. I started a thread on Media Criticism two weeks ago defending them.

But there is a point where blackballing is ineffective because if they all go critical, then Coach P can't blackball the entire local media. It's funny how that works.

I don't know if anyone caught Joe D's post-game interview on the radio w/P last game, but I couldn't believe the submissive tone he took with the Coach. It was like he was whispering in his ear, scared to ruffle any feathers or displease P in anyway. Honestly. I thought it was pathetic. Its one thing to tread lightly because you are the on air personality for the program, I get that. But it is something completely different to act like a submissive little B****. Ask your question like a man, and let the Coach answer it like a man, which he did, period! It is what it is, what happened on the field won't change regardless how softly you ask the question, so save some dignity. Joe D gets more annoying by the minute, as if that possible......

 

[Husky25]

They are simply not (nor should they) going to risk their journalistic capital during the season. Nobody is getting fired before the first weekend in December. When the smoke clears and the dust settles after that we'll see who says what. Right now, on October 18th I'd say it would take a miracle to win more than 2 more games. I can't see how P survives that.

At the end of the day, I can't imagine that AD won't force a Coach GDL re-(i.e. disignated for)-assignment.

 

[Chin Diesel]

This is the kind of article we should be seeing from our local press.


The end may be nearing.
If Warde Manuel is to take control of his own destiny, and raise the fortunes of the UConn football program, then Paul Pasqueloni has five games left to prove he deserves a crack at a 3rd season coaching the Huskies. Five more games to prove this team can start faster, finish stronger, put away inferior teams, protect fourth-quarter leads and not fold in the amazing way they did on Saturday against a Temple team that for 3½ quarters couldn't get out of its own way.

The Huskies lost a game that good teams, winning teams, teams that are trying to vie for the Big East title simply don't lose. UConn had a 7 point lead with less than 3 minutes to play---at home---against an opponent that had shown little in the way of a passing game all afternoon. Yet it was a pass play, with less than a minute remaining, that sent the game into overtime. Whether the defense was prepared for Temple's formation is up for debate, but the players appeared confused and, as seems to be his penchant, Coach P did not call a time out to get organized----and this just a week after losing to Rutgers while inexplicably saving time outs at a crucial point at the end of the first half. In both instances the puzzling response from the coach was the same--"we were in good shape, no need to call a time out". Really?

Good teams step on a floundering opponent's neck, particularly at home. But even after displaying a surprisingly diverse and robust offense during the first quarter, the Huskies eschewed going for it on 4th and 1 from the Temple 43 and decided instead to punt. The resulting loss of momentum and swagger was palpable. That swagger, born of offensive success to that point, simply disappeared. While Temple's defensive coaches made several necessary adjustments, there were few counters by the Husky offensive brain-trust. Field goals then drifted agonizingly wide and a game that had started with such promise slipped away, leaving the Huskies and their fans departing East Hartford shaking their collective heads.

UConn is now a decidedly unimpressive 3-4 and while Athletic Director Warde Manuel has never been vocal about exactly how far Coach P has to take the Huskies this season in order to keep his job, it’s pretty clear that finishing with a worse record than last season and sitting home for a second consecutive year without the benefit of a Bowl game, would be solid grounds for a coaching change.

The Huskies don't have to win the Big East---no one realistically expects that---yet the chance for a Bowl bid, while no doubt challenging, is still there for the taking. Still, while technically not out of it, their seven game sample has made it increasingly clear that every weekend will be an adventure and any win hard to come by. These Husky players have talent and the coaches won't stop trying, but the simple fact is the clock is ticking and time is short. You can be sure of one thing, Mr. Manuel and Ms. Herbst will be extremely interested observers. Coach P will certainly be working hard to prepare for Syracuse and beyond, and may even talk of seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, but my hunch and my fear is that what he's actually seeing, is an oncoming train.

That is a well-written piece. Email it Jacobs with publication rights.

If you do decide to send it out, I suggest you spell Pasqualoni's name correctly. It's one of those credibility thingies.

Otherwise, good points throughout.

 

[defense]

Great post Nostical. Like everyone on the BY, I wish for a successful finish of the season. In my dreams, I'd love to finish 4-1 and be willing to put up with Coach P for next year. However, no bowl should mean P gets canned immediately after the season.

 

[uconnric]

This is not the responsibility of the beat writer.

Correct, it's not the job of the beat writers. Jacobs, yes, as he writes the sports editorials.

It's incredible that there are people on this board who don't think the football coaching situation is being closely watched by the Pres. and the AD. You really think they have to be notified by us?

 

[businesslawyer]

I'm trying to make sure I understand the thread. We are concluding that "The end may be nearing" because Nostical writes what would be a good column if he was a sports columnist for a Ct paper?

 

[Palatine]

I'm sure that Dez, Silver, Daignault, and the others went to bed last night thinking......."the hell with what my opinion is, I'm going to write whatever Husky68 feels and thinks should be said in my article today."

Ever think that maybe they don't agree with everything said here on the Boneyard?

Anyone with a casual interest in football can see this coaching staff is struggling. Saving TOs because you're afraid of a sack? Showing no confidence in your offense? Not getting lined up in the last two minutes.? Folding whenever there is a tiny bit of pressure? You don't have to be Vince Lombardi to see these things playing out in front of your eyes. EVERYBODY notices.

The sportswriters certainly see what we are seeing unless they are wearing blindfolds.

 

[Husky25]

I'm sure that Dez, Silver, Daignault, and the others went to bed last night thinking......."the hell with what my opinion is, I'm going to write whatever Husky68 feels and thinks should be said in my article today."

Ever think that maybe they don't agree with everything said here on the Boneyard?

Even if they wanted to, the beat writers really shouldn't publish conjecture without the appropriate corroboration. a) It is not their job, and b) It’s a career limiting strategy.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

I'm trying to make sure I understand the thread. We are concluding that "The end may be nearing" because Nostical writes what would be a good column if he was a sports columnist for a Ct paper?

Details, details. What's really important is the collective mindset that "The end may be nearing". UConn football has invested too much to risk further set back at the hands of PPzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. And BTW, it probably would be a good column. Maybe?

 

[Nostical]

Absolutely Pal,. that's why one of the writers should step to the front and make the case. And one of the truisms of journalism is that its the controversial that gets the ratings and the readership.