The End May Be Nearing

[ZooCougar]

Let's see which writer has the nuts to be the first to break ranks.

Honestly, given this bunch. I think it is more likely that we'll see calls for Coach P to get "more time" than it will be for us to see calls for his removal.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

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.

Every single one of those scenarios has been written about.

People hear want them to take the next step and call for their jobs. You want them to pull a Feinstein.

 

[gioff23]

Yes, there is nothing we have seen more in his very brief tenure that Warde bends to the will of otehrs. Look how he rolled over for Calhoun and named Ollie coach .... for 7 months. All the wailing in the world by a few miserable bloggers will not leave an AD feeling forced in to bending to the will of others. I am guessing he is doing a review of the entier state of the athletics program, as he sees fit. Perhaps we could write an editorial on how we should be in the Big10.

 

[mattp]

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?

This is what I don't get, why do people care if the beat writers write a scathing editorial or not? Is it that you need to read something agreeing with your opinion to feel better about it? We all know the situation, more importantly Manuel knows the situation, so what do we care if Silver, Jacobs, or Des agree with it? If you have an opinion you feel strongly about, why do you need it parroted back to you?

 

[MattMang23]

The end is not nearing. We are making great progress and moving forward. The coaching staff hopes to only give up five sacks this week. Coach P told me himself on twitter. @fauxcoachp

 

[businesslawyer]

Well, I assumed Nostical meant something when he wrote "The end is near" as the name of the thread.

 

[jdb50]

I heard Joe D mention that after the game our locker room was the quietest he had heard in a long while, this was most likely why he wasn't very loud when asking his questions. I will say this, Ryan Wirth ran right over to the band and stood there for the fight song after the game. Whoever is going to hire that kid is going to get one quality individual.

 

[businesslawyer]

Got it. That makes perfect sense if that's the case.

 

[Husky25]

Yes, there is nothing we have seen more in his very brief tenure that Warde bends to the will of otehrs. Look how he rolled over for Calhoun and named Ollie coach .... for 7 months. All the wailing in the world by a few miserable bloggers will not leave an AD feeling forced in to bending to the will of others. I am guessing he is doing a review of the entier state of the athletics program, as he sees fit. Perhaps we could write an editorial on how we should be in the Big10.

Who exactly was available 3 weeks before Midnight Madness? Can't eactly blame Manuel for Calhoun pulling a Dean Smith on him.

 

[Kgun7]

We've got a faux coach P twitter account and a faux columnist calling for the removal of P and his staff ... now all we need are faux fans that leave before the end of an overtime game ...

 

[sportsart]

This is what I don't get, why do people care if the beat writers write a scathing editorial or not? Is it that you need to read something agreeing with your opinion to feel better about it? We all know the situation, more importantly Manuel knows the situation, so what do we care if Silver, Jacobs, or Des agree with it? If you have an opinion you feel strongly about, why do you need it parroted back to you?

Fair point but lets look at it this way. Don't people read newspapers, online or off, to find out what's going on in the world? Don't they want the truth? Don't they want to feel like honest questions are being asked?

If fans have fair and reasonable questions in their mind isn't it the job of the reporter to know what people are thinking and ask these reasonable but tough questions?

Not only are we far behind in the sense of tradion and fan support in CT our beat writers are behind as well.

Do you think beat writers for LSU, Alabama, and other big time programs print fluff and don't ask tough questions? Actually don't have an answer to that one.

 

[ktuck911]

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.

Just wondering, did u write this article yourself? Or did someone else write? Is there a link to it?

 

[gioff23]

Who exactly was available 3 weeks before Midnight Madness? Can't eactly blame Manuel for Calhoun pulling a Dean Smith on him.

The 3 week thing could have been avoided if Manuel had done what JC wanted. He made it clear - I'm the boss; you had a Hathaway, how'd that work out? I applaud his making it clear he would make decisions he felt were best for the U., and not any individual. Again, my point is that editorials, BY whining, etc. ain't gonna force his hand. He'll do his assessment and evaluate the entire program. I have faith in him.

 

[MattMang23]

We've got a faux coach P twitter account and a faux columnist calling for the removal of P and his staff ... now all we need are faux fans that leave before the end of an overtime game ...

We're covered there. Those are better fans than I. I didn't even go into the game.

 

[Nostical]

Drumbeats may get started on a Boneyard, but real pressure comes from a much more public forum. Until the din includes big time boosters, state legislators that contol purse strings for University projects, respected local media and others, it's just a lot of background noise. A lead editorial in the Courant, for example, would get the attention this subject deserves. So, where is our Ben Bradlee and who are the local Woodward and Bernsteins?

 

[huskymedic]

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......

You do realize these post game interviews occure in a corner of the locker room and the same whispered tones are the same for all the interviews (coach and players). Listen this week...

 

[huskymedic]

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.

Take out a paid op/ed in the Courant!

Each of the beat writers have criticized the short-comings discussed herein in their own styles... folks appear to just not like the answers/responses/comments. It's not what "they"want to hear even if it's the truth.

 

[Husky25]

The 3 week thing could have been avoided if Manuel had done what JC wanted. He made it clear - I'm the boss; you had a Hathaway, how'd that work out? I applaud his making it clear he would make decisions he felt were best for the U., and not any individual. Again, my point is that editorials, BY whining, etc. ain't gonna force his hand. He'll do his assessment and evaluate the entire program. I have faith in him.

To me, what you wrote above doesn't jibe with what you wrote before. In one post you said that Manuel rolled over for Calhoun, in the other, you say that Manuel showed Calhoun who's boss.

Yes, there is nothing we have seen more in his very brief tenure that Warde bends to the will of otehrs. Look how he rolled over for Calhoun and named Ollie coach .... for 7 months...

Unless you're saying that the 7 month try out is Manuel's way of standing up to Calhoun. Please don't misunderstand me, I'm sincerely curious in the point you are trying to make. BTW, I fuly agree with your statement re: editorials, BY whining and Manuels impending full-program assessment...I'm still gonna complain or interject my opinion when I see a reason too though...

 

[Nostical]

Just wondering, did u write this article yourself? Or did someone else write? Is there a link to it?

No, it was me. But thanks for the compliment.

 

[Husky25]

Drumbeats may get started on a Boneyard, but real pressure comes from a much more public forum. Until the din includes big time boosters, state legislators that contol purse strings for University projects, respected local media and others, it's just a lot of background noise. A lead editorial in the Courant, for example, would get the attention this subject deserves. So, where is our Ben Bradlee and who are the local Woodward and Bernsteins?

Did I miss the UConn equivelent to Watergate? Woodward and Bernstein were investigative journalists. Completely different than a beat writer. Just my educated guess, but the Washington Post White House pool reporter in 1974 did not have a relationship with "Deep Throat."

 

[Nostical]

That's right Husky, but where are the local media guys who want to break out of the mold and make a name for themselves? This isn't Watergate, but it still requires a call to action. That often means swimming against the current of polite compliance with the status quo..

 

[huskymedic]

That's right Husky, but where are the local media guys who want to break out of the mold and make a name for themselves? This isn't Watergate, but it still requires a call to action. That often means swimming against the current of polite compliance with the status quo..

Break out of what mold... reporting the truth?

Hell - even the Daily Campus is taking the middle of the road approach for now and I don't think they need to worry about access.

"Public opinion of head coach Paul Pasqualoni has been rapidly changing as of late. In this very column I defended Pasqualoni just a few weeks ago and I stand by those words. I don’t think firing the head coach of a football team in a middle of season is warranted, especially when you already have three wins in hand. That being said, if the remainder of the season does not include at least three more wins, it may be time for the Pasqualoni era to end in Storrs, Connecticut. Before we start calling for Pasqualoni’s head on a silver platter let’s see what happens with the rest of this season. I understand that Husky fans are upset, and they should be. But there are still five games left to play. It’s not time to hit the panic button but it’s certainly not too early to glance down at it."

http://www.dailycampus.com/sports/it-s-quickly-slipping-away-from-us-1.2929238#.UH_ezcU0WSo