The View From Section 241 — Army

[The Viking]

Benedict is in a tough spot on this. While we would like him being as forthcoming as possible on who is playing and for how long, he also knows that would negatively impact uconn attendance - perhaps by anywhere from a third to even a half.

His goal is to get this football program to the level where the ACC and Big 12 takes us seriously.

Quite frankly, We don't have the option others may have of turning down a bowl game. Both from an image and a financial standpoint.

It also makes us look better as a program if we get decent turnout to bowl games. Having Fenway 70 percent empty would not have been a great look image-wise for the fanbase.

As someone who went with a decent size group, we all knew the risk that was presented before us in terms of game outcome. The Bell thing threw everyone off but in the end i look at it simply as this and i mentioned it in another thread.

The only things as fans we control is our support of the program. If there were all backups playing i still would have gone because my presence and financial support benefit the program.

Ultimately its my view that as a fanbase we aren't in the position to complain about not being in a P4 conference and then opt out ourselves of not attending a bowl game that is drivable distance because we dont like the players who have actually chosen to put the jersey on one last time.

But to each their own.

 

[Alum86]

You have mentioned multiple times that JF is recovering from some injury. Is that a reported fact or just rumor?

That may be incorrect and Joe was an opt out to avoid injury before auditioning next month. Chief even gave it the benefit of the doubt that he has a month to heal in case he got dinged up. Regardless, he made his choice and we knew ahead of time. It’s Evers and the radio silence that irks me.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

That may be incorrect and Joe was an opt out to avoid injury before auditioning next month. Chief even gave it the benefit of the doubt that he has a month to heal in case he got dinged up. Regardless, he made his choice and we knew ahead of time. It’s Evers and the radio silence that irks me.

I agree…Evers is more annoying. He would have given them a fighting chance…but I guess he didn’t have enough confidence in himself to play the game.

But I am still curious…is it a fact that Fagnano was injured and needed time to recover or was that just a rumor? If he truly was injured and needed time to recover before pro day and senior bowls, then that is completely logical.

@ZooCougar has mentioned multiple times that he was injured…that’s why I was asking, was that a fact or just a rumor?

 

[Chief00]

I would say that the bowl games still matter to the fans. That is pretty obvious by the responses here and the number of people who went to Fenway. They might matter to the players but that is based on circumstances. Us last year and 2022, Army this year. But once Mora left it was difficult to keep the players focused and involved. They don’t know what their future holds in a new regime so are looking to get in the portal even if it is just in case. The assistants were only partly focused. Mostly they were looking for or planning on moving to their next job. And while I like Sammis, he is nowhere ready to be a head coach at this point. He really didn’t do a good job on the sideline or in getting buy in for the game. I also think the opponent didn’t help. A P4 opponent would have generated some juice with then team. Army didn’t nor would any G6.

It all started with Mora. Character and ethics do matter. When the leader abandons his group and goes against what he preached, bad things follow.

 

[ZooCougar]

That may be incorrect and Joe was an opt out to avoid injury before auditioning next month. Chief even gave it the benefit of the doubt that he has a month to heal in case he got dinged up. Regardless, he made his choice and we knew ahead of time. It’s Evers and the radio silence that irks me.

Chief? Good grief. Who cares what he thinks. I heard from multiple places unconfirmed that he wasn’t 100%. That doesn’t confirm it but it makes sense.

 

[FfldCntyFan]

It all started with Mora. Character and ethics do matter. When the leader abandons his group and goes against what he preached, bad things follow.

I don't know if I would go that far Chief, but something did happen among at least some of the players, where they felt they really were no longer a team and basically once the head coach was gone, they were done with the football program.

Wheile I could see some players feeling a bit betrayed, or having a gripe about abruptly losing their head coach, that should have been directed towards the departing coach, not the school or the program.

I can see pinning some of this on Mora as the message some of our players delivered was an every man for himself attitude, which cannot work in any team sport and absolutely cannot work in football.

Whether it was due to directly providing that message or by implication because the buck stops at the guy in charge, the culpability starts with Mora and continues through everyone who (at least mentally) checked out of the program when he announced his departure.

Mora is allowed to pursue whatever career opportunities he believes are in his best interests. Whether he did or did not do anything to lead the players who did opt out to believe they were immediately free agents once he announced his move is up to speculation. I also believe that Mora did us a favor, actually a couple of favors. First by digging us out the hole we were mired in when he was hired. Second, by moving on, as I believe we wouldn't have seen much beyond what we saw this past year under his leadership. By hiring Candle, we traded up and it shouldn't be too long before we see this on the playing field.

 

[freescooter]

I don't know if I would go that far Chief, but something did happen among at least some of the players, where they felt they really were no longer a team and basically once the head coach was gone, they were done with the football program.

Wheile I could see some players feeling a bit betrayed, or having a gripe about abruptly losing their head coach, that should have been directed towards the departing coach, not the school or the program.

I can see pinning some of this on Mora as the message some of our players delivered was an every man for himself attitude, which cannot work in any team sport and absolutely cannot work in football.

Whether it was due to directly providing that message or by implication because the buck stops at the guy in charge, the culpability starts with Mora and continues through everyone who (at least mentally) checked out of the program when he announced his departure.

Mora is allowed to pursue whatever career opportunities he believes are in his best interests. Whether he did or did not do anything to lead the players who did opt out to believe they were immediately free agents once he announced his move is up to speculation. I also believe that Mora did us a favor, actually a couple of favors. First by digging us out the hole we were mired in when he was hired. Second, by moving on, as I believe we wouldn't have seen much beyond what we saw this past year under his leadership. By hiring Candle, we traded up and it shouldn't be too long before we see this on the playing field.

I agree with this interpretation. Mora didn’t tell Fagnano and Bell not to play. That was a decision each of them made. In the past he was able to convince guys to stay and play but that didn’t happen this time.

Over all though, I am very thankful to have had Jim Mora as our head coach for 4 years. Remember what he inherited. No winning seasons since 2010. Previous 5 years we were 3-9, 3-9, 1-11, 2-10, 1-11. Mora got us bowl eligible in his first year with a true freshman 3rd string quarterback and his best running back quitting after 4 games to preserve his eligibility to transfer. After a step back the next year he won 9 games twice. He had multiple wins over P4 opponents. And importantly he modernized the football program operations and w ith donors and showed that UConn could indeed put a good team on the field. It would have been a very different situation if UConn had finished with 2 straight 6-6 seasons.

So I think he set us up to continue to be successful. Candle seems very impressive. 10 straight years without a losing season. Excellent recruiter. I’m thankful to Mora and excited for the future of this program.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

I don't know if I would go that far Chief, but something did happen among at least some of the players, where they felt they really were no longer a team and basically once the head coach was gone, they were done with the football program.

Wheile I could see some players feeling a bit betrayed, or having a gripe about abruptly losing their head coach, that should have been directed towards the departing coach, not the school or the program.

I can see pinning some of this on Mora as the message some of our players delivered was an every man for himself attitude, which cannot work in any team sport and absolutely cannot work in football.

Whether it was due to directly providing that message or by implication because the buck stops at the guy in charge, the culpability starts with Mora and continues through everyone who (at least mentally) checked out of the program when he announced his departure.

Mora is allowed to pursue whatever career opportunities he believes are in his best interests. Whether he did or did not do anything to lead the players who did opt out to believe they were immediately free agents once he announced his move is up to speculation. I also believe that Mora did us a favor, actually a couple of favors. First by digging us out the hole we were mired in when he was hired. Second, by moving on, as I believe we wouldn't have seen much beyond what we saw this past year under his leadership. By hiring Candle, we traded up and it shouldn't be too long before we see this on the playing field.

I think you are spot on here. This bowl game isn’t that important in the big picture. The big picture is that Mora brought the program back and now Candle has a chance to take it to an even higher level. I hope that Candle’s success will make us completely forget about the mess that was this bowl season.

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

Chief? Good grief. Who cares what he thinks. I heard from multiple places unconfirmed that he wasn’t 100%. That doesn’t confirm it but it makes sense.

That would make sense…but UConn nor Fagnano has said this…so it seems silly for you to keep parroting this talking point as if it is fact.

 

[Husky25]

This will be my first last and only post on the Bowl game (I know. This matters only to me)...

I went to the game with three really good friends, my son, and his friend who also happened to be the son of one of the other guys. The experience was a blast, but at the end of the day, the game itself felt like something out of the late Diaco era. UConn scores first, the D keeps it close for a half, but at the end of the day, neither faction had the horses to compete. What's worse is we all knew it going in.

Mora was gone before the bowl game was even announced, and left behind a backhanded "compliment." I thought it was poor form considering he had exactly zero coaching prospects not more than 4 years prior. Then the opt-outs rolled in. I get it. It was the same bowl game as last year and some players have pro aspirations, but for Bell to opt back in, only to get fans' hopes up before play a single series (and being a major reason UConn went 3 & out) was an equally crap move.

I also understand that it's merely entertainment for us fans & alums and any post season game outside the playoffs and NCG (i.e. 90% of them) is an exhibition, but all the personnel movement (1. early LOI day, 2. coaching, and 3. portal declaration) should be to be moved to mid-January. Also players should really be required to declare playing before the bowls are announced.

Bowl games are a bonus for cash-spending fans just as much as they should be for the players. It's wonderful that eggs are cheaper, but generally (and for reasons that will remain unsaid, yet understood by most) disposable income is getting tight all around. I was in NYC when the bowl was announced and was half disappointed on the train home that UConn wasn't invited to the Gasparilla Bowl or any other game farther away. The decision would have been so much easier.

 

[ZooCougar]

That would make sense…but UConn nor Fagnano has said this…so it seems silly for you to keep parroting this talking point as if it is fact.

It makes a bunch of sense. So it’s an educated hunch. So believe whatever you please. No sweat off my back.

Also it’s not great idea to advertise to the world that you have an injury.

 

[ZooCougar]

I don't know if I would go that far Chief, but something did happen among at least some of the players, where they felt they really were no longer a team and basically once the head coach was gone, they were done with the football program.

Wheile I could see some players feeling a bit betrayed, or having a gripe about abruptly losing their head coach, that should have been directed towards the departing coach, not the school or the program.

I can see pinning some of this on Mora as the message some of our players delivered was an every man for himself attitude, which cannot work in any team sport and absolutely cannot work in football.

Whether it was due to directly providing that message or by implication because the buck stops at the guy in charge, the culpability starts with Mora and continues through everyone who (at least mentally) checked out of the program when he announced his departure.

Mora is allowed to pursue whatever career opportunities he believes are in his best interests. Whether he did or did not do anything to lead the players who did opt out to believe they were immediately free agents once he announced his move is up to speculation. I also believe that Mora did us a favor, actually a couple of favors. First by digging us out the hole we were mired in when he was hired. Second, by moving on, as I believe we wouldn't have seen much beyond what we saw this past year under his leadership. By hiring Candle, we traded up and it shouldn't be too long before we see this on the playing field.

Chief’s take is beyond stupid. The kids who played were playing hard. They just got beat. Plain and simple.

 

[CL82]

For what it's worth, the whole Mora departure, player opt out saga has left me feeling disconnected from the team. The butt whooping at Fenway didn't matter because it really wasn't a butt whooping of the team that I followed all season. The departures now don't matter. The recruiting and commitments do matter, but at this point, I just don't care that much about them.

In a way, that's a good thing because the Candle era will start with a clean slate. Unburdened by the expectations of the two prior seasons. I'd love to see Cam back, but I'm not expecting it to happen. I'm also not expecting it not to happen. I just don't care.

For me at least, part of what makes college football enjoyable is the continuity and watching guys develop year to year, watching guys who played together become a unit. In this era of de facto free agency, where every year you've practically got a new team, it's just harder to care. Don't get me wrong, I'll be all in and watch Coach Candle build his team. If they are successful, I'm sure I'll get sucked in.

But here's the difference, if they aren't successful, well, at least as of today, I don't care very much. It used to be that are bad seasons made me miserable. I'd still watch the games, but they were actually unpleasant to sit there and power through. Again, as of today, I just don't care. Effectively the powers that be have gutted everything about college football that made it great and unique and have left us with a watered down semi pro league.

That's where I'm at right now. We'll see what happens as the team comes together.

 

[Alum86]

Also it’s not great idea to advertise to the world that you have an injury.

Good point. We probably will never know. Good luck to him in whichever of the 3 games he was invited.

 

[ZooCougar]

Good point. We probably will never know. Good luck to him in whichever of the 3 games he was invited.

It’s not about the game. It’s about getting a week of face time and practice in front of the front office of every single NFL team and probably the UFL too.

 

[Chief00]

I don't know if I would go that far Chief, but something did happen among at least some of the players, where they felt they really were no longer a team and basically once the head coach was gone, they were done with the football program.

Wheile I could see some players feeling a bit betrayed, or having a gripe about abruptly losing their head coach, that should have been directed towards the departing coach, not the school or the program.

I can see pinning some of this on Mora as the message some of our players delivered was an every man for himself attitude, which cannot work in any team sport and absolutely cannot work in football.

Whether it was due to directly providing that message or by implication because the buck stops at the guy in charge, the culpability starts with Mora and continues through everyone who (at least mentally) checked out of the program when he announced his departure.

Mora is allowed to pursue whatever career opportunities he believes are in his best interests. Whether he did or did not do anything to lead the players who did opt out to believe they were immediately free agents once he announced his move is up to speculation. I also believe that Mora did us a favor, actually a couple of favors. First by digging us out the hole we were mired in when he was hired. Second, by moving on, as I believe we wouldn't have seen much beyond what we saw this past year under his leadership. By hiring Candle, we traded up and it shouldn't be too long before we see this on the playing field.

The head of the snake was taken out and what was left wasn’t pretty. As you stated it is a team sport but that was not our outlook in Boston. Everyone had their own agenda. It was a mess.

 

[Chief00]

It’s not about the game. It’s about getting a week of face time and practice in front of the front office of every single NFL team and probably the UFL too.

I think he talent but don’t delude yourself. NFL teams like guys who show up even at less than 100%.

 

[Purple Stein]

For what it's worth, the whole Mora departure, player opt out saga has left me feeling disconnected from the team. The butt whooping at Fenway didn't matter because it really wasn't a butt whooping of the team that I followed all season. The departures now don't matter. The recruiting and commitments do matter, but at this point, I just don't care that much about them.

In a way, that's a good thing because the Candle era will start with a clean slate. Unburdened by the expectations of the two prior seasons. I'd love to see Cam back, but I'm not expecting it to happen. I'm also not expecting it not to happen. I just don't care.

For me at least, part of what makes college football enjoyable is the continuity and watching guys develop year to year, watching guys who played together become a unit. In this era of de facto free agency, where every year you've practically got a new team, it's just harder to care. Don't get me wrong, I'll be all in and watch Coach Candle build his team. If they are successful, I'm sure I'll get sucked in.

But here's the difference, if they aren't successful, well, at least as of today, I don't care very much. It used to be that are bad seasons made me miserable. I'd still watch the games, but they were actually unpleasant to sit there and power through. Again, as of today, I just don't care. Effectively the powers that be have gutted everything about college football that made it great and unique and have left us with a watered down semi pro league.

That's where I'm at right now. We'll see what happens as the team comes together.

We've gone from playing in a traditional fantasy baseball league to playing in a daily fantasy league.

The lack of continuity sucks. The chance to perpetually reinvent yourself is great if you know what you're doing. I think Candle does.

 

[AllHusky]

We’ll all be watching!