The View From Section 241 — Army

[ZooCougar]

I am curious on your thoughts on how you would have handled this bucket of cr-- situation differently. No one should alienate their fans and doubt that was the intent. I think Benedict has done an excellent job overall and this was a terrible situation. I prefer to judge him on the entirety of his work rather than one awful month in which he got a lot right (if you believe in Candle at all).

Benedict should have gone in front of the team and gave an inspiring speech like Henry the 8th and then snapped his fingers and then Joe Fagnano would have parachuted into Fenway to save the day. Easy.

 

[businesslawyer]

I am curious on your thoughts on how you would have handled this bucket of cr-- situation differently. No one should alienate their fans and doubt that was the intent. I think Benedict has done an excellent job overall and this was a terrible situation. I prefer to judge him on the entirety of his work rather than one awful month in which he got a lot right (if you believe in Candle at all).

I don’t understand the starting point — that if someone has done a good job overall, he can’t be criticized. Whether it’s a friend, a politician, a coach or an AD. Benedict has done a good job during his tenure here. But that means one can’t criticize him if you think he screwed something up royally?

In this instance, there were so many conflicting rumors that I don’t pretend that I know exactly what happened. But I know enough to think that while the rumors were flying around he needed to tell the fan base SOMETHING, even if all he could say was something like the following: “I know you all are seeing these rumors. Following Coach Mora’s departure, we are in fact aware that a material number of players have communicated that they do not intend to compete in our Bowl Game. We can’t provide further information now because the coaches and I are still trying to get as many as players as possible to finish the season. We will try to provide further clarity when we get close to the game and it is clear who will be there and who won’t be. We thank you for your patience,

 

[ConnHuskBask]

Yeah. UConn should go out of the way to alienate the few fans they have. Brilliant point.

What about AD Dave apologizing would alienate people?

 

[ZooCougar]

Yeah. UConn should go out of the way to alienate the few fans they have. Brilliant point.

Wait. What is he supposed to apologize for?

 

[Chin Diesel]

Only post game analysis I care about is anyone who played defense and wants to return next season is forced to sit down and watch their game film with the incoming staff.

Completely predictable with the weather and the offense being neutered, but there was a whole lot of 90% effort by a lot of players on a lot of plays.

 

[businesslawyer]

Folks can analyze this all they want, but this is not a UCONN problem this is a college football problem. These players are young and they are simply behaving based on what they observe. Coaches, athletic departments, conferences and the NCAA have made in very clear that you look out for your own self interest first and foremost. And make no doubt about it.......that interest is MONEY! The idea of student athlete, love of the game, brotherhood, etc. is for the most part......crap.

Major college athletics needs to bifurcate soon into a segment of full fledge professional athletics with the schools as sponsors of those franchises; and another segment that resembles something along the lines of amatuer sport with academics. The former is going to compete with the NFL, NBA and WNBA. Don't see that going particularly well.........

You are both right and wrong. The problem is college football’s, but it is a unique problem to us. Every other Division 1 school in the country, FBS and FCS, is playing the regular season for at least one of a conference championship or a place in a national championship tournament. We are not. We are playing to get into the best bowl game we can and demonstrate our level by going and winning it. A bowl for us is not a consolation prize — it is the prize.

 

[businesslawyer]

Only post game analysis I care about is anyone who played defense and wants to return next season is forced to sit down and watch their game film with the incoming staff.

Completely predictable with the weather and the offense being neutered, but there was a whole lot of 90% effort by a lot of players on a lot of plays.

Eh. I’m not willing to blame our poor defensive play on lack of effort. There was a lack of talent and depth, and the lack of depth meant that the front 7 were playing far more downs than they were used to. And it’s not like the defense was good over the course of the season.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Eh. I’m not willing to blame our poor defensive play on lack of effort. There was a lack of talent and depth, and the lack of depth meant that the front 7 were playing far more downs than they were used to. And it’s not like the defense was good over the course of the season.

Agree it wasn't a complete lack of effort and the defense, even at its best and full strength, was flawed all season. That being said, I definitely saw some plays where the pile was still moving or the play wasn't over and UConn's players watched the play end rather than finishing plays. So, I gave it an overall 90%. I can be moved off that number, but no way would I say the defensive players were fighting 100% like their playing time and scholarships depended on it.

 

[businesslawyer]

Benedict should have gone in front of the team and gave an inspiring speech like Henry the 8th and then snapped his fingers and then Joe Fagnano would have parachuted into Fenway to save the day. Easy.

Is that your Nelson Muntz imitation, attacking a position that absolutely nobody put forward? Or if I’m old and feeble minded, please be kind enough to point out the post where someone said that. Thanks.

 

[ZooCougar]

Is that your Nelson Muntz imitation, attacking a position that absolutely nobody put forward? Or if I’m old and feeble minded, please be kind enough to point out the post where someone said that. Thanks.

It’s a joke about the ridiculous idea being put forward that Dave Benedict could have somehow “fixed” this situation. They did the best they could under suboptimal circumstances.

Coach left.

Joe opted out to get healthy

No bowl tie in so with a 9 win season we ended up in Boston again which is old hat for some, but a far better payday. We have bills to pay after all.

Can we please shut this down and look forward instead of moaning about a condition affecting all of college football and that the school has no ability to remedy?

Please, pretty please with a cherry on top?

 

[businesslawyer]

Is that your Nelson Muntz imitation, attacking a position that absolutely nobody put forward? Or if I’m old and feeble minded, please be kind enough to point out the post where someone said that. Thanks.

What don't you understand? You (presumably facetiously -- my apologies if I misinterpreted) said that Benedict, in effect, should have magically snapped his fingers and JF would have played. So I am asking whether anyone who disagrees with you, apparently, by thinking DB should have done more, actually said anything like the argument you shot down? And assuming they did not because I don't remember that (again, my apologies if I missed something) I was comparing that tactic to Muntz telling anyone that thinks the Big East is materially down in basketball that they must want us to go back to the American.

 

[businesslawyer]

It’s a joke about the ridiculous idea being put forward that Dave Benedict could have somehow “fixed” this situation. They did the best they could under suboptimal circumstances.

Coach left.

Joe opted out to get healthy

No bowl tie in so with a 9 win season we ended up in Boston again which is old hat for some, but a far better payday. We have bills to pay after all.

Can we please shut this down and look forward instead of moaning about a condition affecting all of college football and that the school has no ability to remedy?

Please, pretty please with a cherry on top?

My response crossed yours. Sorry for the inconvenience. I'll leave it as saying there may or may not have been anything he could have done to get more players to play (not JF, who right or wrong had a rational reason) but that is a different question than whether better communication with the fanbase was called for.

 

[uconndogs]

You are both right and wrong. The problem is college football’s, but it is a unique problem to us. Every other Division 1 school in the country, FBS and FCS, is playing the regular season for at least one of a conference championship or a place in a national championship tournament. We are not. We are playing to get into the best bowl game we can and demonstrate our level by going and winning it. A bowl for us is not a consolation prize — it is the prize.

Your assuming the kids care about that. I don't think many do and it's perfectly logical that they don't given the behavior they witness from everyone else. Two years ago FSU crapped all over the Sugar Bowl. ND just bowed out of a bowl this season. Kiffen just left his team that was entering into the CFP. Mark my words, it's only a matter of time before some players bypass the CFP to assure their NFL payday.

As a side note, the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that Joe F. and Bell made mistakes not playing (or whatever the hell Bell did or didn't do). You hire for skill AND character and both showed a serious lack of that with their decisions.

 

[gioff2323]

You read this board enough you could easily conclude there are fans who dream of the days of going 1-11 with no nfl talent on roster

 

[Palatine]

I can say with full confidence that Joe's decision to leave his teammates and the university on their own neither hurt or helped Joe's chances with the NFL.

And anyone defending Benedict's position to circle the wagons and give out no information is defending mickey mouse tactics.

In both cases, the decisions have minimal or no impact on anything in the future. But both choose the low road.

 

[ZooCougar]

You read this board enough you could easily conclude there are fans who dream of the days of going 1-11 with no nfl talent on roster

Yes. I pine for the days where nobody would opt out despite the fact that we struggled to beat Yale and got doubled by Holy Cross at home.

Also it’s impossible to have a 3500 yard passer in a northern school where it’s cold and windy.

 

[ZooCougar]

Your assuming the kids care about that. I don't think many do and it's perfectly logical that they don't given the behavior they witness from everyone else. Two years ago FSU crapped all over the Sugar Bowl. ND just bowed out of a bowl this season. Kiffen just left his team that was entering into the CFP. Mark my words, it's only a matter of time before some players bypass the CFP to assure their NFL payday.

As a side note, the more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that Joe F. and Bell made mistakes not playing (or whatever the hell Bell did or didn't do). You hire for skill AND character and both showed a serious lack of that with their decisions.

This is exactly right. As fans this is what we might care about.

Some fans project their hopes and dreams onto the players. Pretty sure many of them were as non plussed as some of us were about the destination.

 

[ZooCougar]

My response crossed yours. Sorry for the inconvenience. I'll leave it as saying there may or may not have been anything he could have done to get more players to play (not JF, who right or wrong had a rational reason) but that is a different question than whether better communication with the fanbase was called for.

It’s not an inconvenience. I’m just seeing some pretty questionable comments in many places suggesting that Dave is omnipotent and somehow could have delivered a different set of conditions and results.

After closing a deal with his #1 target he had figure out which dumb bowl accept, he took the one with the bigger pay day.

 

[Waquoit]

This entire discussion is folks handling the paradigm shift differently. One thing I remember from that training film is that when the paradigm shifts, everything goes to zero. The old rules no longer apply. Those that think they still do are just banging their heads against the wall in vain.

 

[freescooter]

Is that your Nelson Muntz imitation, attacking a position that absolutely nobody put forward? Or if I’m old and feeble minded, please be kind enough to point out the post where someone said that. Thanks.

And it was Henry V not the VIII who gave the famous speech. LOL

 

[ZooCougar]

And it was Henry V not the VIII who gave the famous speech. LOL

Nah look up Henry the 8th’s speech to Parliament history guy….

 

[uconndogs]

This entire discussion is folks handling the paradigm shift differently. One thing I remember from that training film is that when the paradigm shifts, everything goes to zero. The old rules no longer apply. Those that think they still do are just banging their heads against the wall in vain.

Totally agree. It is a paradigm shift. While I do wish for the old days I fully accept they are not returning. Given that reality, as a fan I will decide if I still have much if any interest in college football. It’s certainly a diminished interest and it will show in my attendance and viewership. I suspect I am not alone.

 

[freescooter]

Nah look up Henry the 8th’s speech to Parliament history guy….

Ok. I was thinking of the St Crispin’s Day speech at Argincourt. Seemed like the one that would have fit our situation and made Joe and Bell want to play😉

 

[Purple Stein]

Totally agree. It is a paradigm shift. While I do wish for the old days I fully accept they are not returning. Given that reality, as a fan I will decide if I still have much if any interest in college football. It’s certainly a diminished interest and it will show in my attendance and viewership. I suspect I am not alone.

For me, sports are part of the rhythm of life. In spring and summer, I've got baseball on the radio. In the fall, it's college football on TV. Most of it is just background noise to me. Each sport has different sounds and they are sounds I anticipate and enjoy. They help me mark place and time. No different than the angle of the sun, etc.

As a fan, I really only follow UConn closely, then some FCS schools. I dive in and out of FBS, and I do think that the Big Ten and SEC really don't understand how they are ultimately hollowing out their product. Crazy how the rise of two power conferences, who want all the air, has me paying more attention to the CAA than anything.

 

[uconndogs]

For me, sports are part of the rhythm of life. In spring and summer, I've got baseball on the radio. In the fall, it's college football on TV. Most of it is just background noise to me. Each sport has different sounds and they are sounds I anticipate and enjoy. They help me mark place and time. No different than the angle of the sun, etc.

As a fan, I really only follow UConn closely, then some FCS schools. I dive in and out of FBS, and I do think that the Big Ten and SEC really don't understand how they are ultimately hollowing out their product. Crazy how the rise of two power conferences, who want all the air, has me paying more attention to the CAA than anything.

Really appreciate this perspective. College athletics is about something different than professional athletics (or at least it used to be). That is being greatly diminished and I have to believe that over time that will diminish its appeal to many fans. The more the differentiation is reduced between the NFL, NBA and WNBA, those entities become primary competitors, and it's hard to believe that will be a good thing for college athletics.

 

[ZooCougar]

I can say with full confidence that Joe's decision to leave his teammates and the university on their own neither hurt or helped Joe's chances with the NFL.

And anyone defending Benedict's position to circle the wagons and give out no information is defending mickey mouse tactics.

In both cases, the decisions have minimal or no impact on anything in the future. But both choose the low road.

If he’s trying to get to full health before spending a week of practices in front of scouts from every NFL team then it’s undoubtedly helpful.

 

[rich1122]

Folks can analyze this all they want, but this is not a UCONN problem this is a college football problem. These players are young and they are simply behaving based on what they observe. Coaches, athletic departments, conferences and the NCAA have made in very clear that you look out for your own self interest first and foremost. And make no doubt about it.......that interest is MONEY! The idea of student athlete, love of the game, brotherhood, etc. is for the most part......crap.

Major college athletics needs to bifurcate soon into a segment of full fledge professional athletics with the schools as sponsors of those franchises; and another segment that resembles something along the lines of amatuer sport with academics. The former is going to compete with the NFL, NBA and WNBA. Don't see that going particularly well.........

USC had 7 opt outs. It’s just a big mess. Eventually nobody will be interested in this product offering.

 

[KryHavok]

Like last year's bowl game, I was out of the country on vacation, so I was nervous all day Saturday and prayed for a great outcome. We didn't get that outcome, but the fact that we got a chance to play in a later bowl game and go for 10 wins is a tremendous improvement over what we had to endure post RE1-era.

I would have preferred coaches and players stay to honor commitments, but let's face it, this is not the same game we grew up watching. It's morphing into something else, hence our expectations need to adjust accordingly. We now have a new head coach who is building his staff and bringing in players.

I don't see a bleak future, but neither do I see things as rosy. We're still in a precarious situation with no conference and nothing to play for except pride. I will look forward to next year knowing we can compete...other than that, all I can do as a son of the nutmeg state and an alumnus of the school is to support UConn with all my heart. Bring on 2026, I'm psyched!!!!

 

[UCan3]

Like last year's bowl game, I was out of the country on vacation, so I was nervous all day Saturday and prayed for a great outcome. We didn't get that outcome, but the fact that we got a chance to play in a later bowl game and go for 10 wins is a tremendous improvement over what we had to endure post RE1-era.

I would have preferred coaches and players stay to honor commitments, but let's face it, this is not the same game we grew up watching. It's morphing into something else, hence our expectations need to adjust accordingly. We now have a new head coach who is building his staff and bringing in players.

I don't see a bleak future, but neither do I see things as rosy. We're still in a precarious situation with no conference and nothing to play for except pride. I will look forward to next year knowing we can compete...other than that, all I can do as a son of the nutmeg state and an alumnus of the school is to support UConn with all my heart. Bring on 2026, I'm psyched!!!!

I agree.

As I reflect, I think some too harsh on the young QB who has few targets to throw to but think played respectably given circumstances with most top receivers out.

The defense showed their warts, again with some key players out. The defense needs to reinvent itself next year - Mora's decision did not impact this topic.

The issue of who sat out / who played is bigger than UConn. It is a NCAA Division 1 issue - the bowl games are now an afterthought in many instances. NIL clouds this further as you might expect scholarship players and especially those who got paid extra $$$ to suit up for every game.

That is the only issue I struggle with - maybe NIL should come with a hook to play every game? But even that I can see some phantom injuries coming up. A problem with no great solution.

This issue is larger than UConn. We don't like outcome of Saturday's game but neither did UNC last year.... We didn't as a board seem to preoccupied w/ topic last year but now it comes full circle.

The end result on Saturday was as predictable as January being cold in the Northeast

Next year and the next few are huge questionmarks.

But anyone not excited by what's ahead needs to reexamine what it means to be a fan. We've hired a very good coach. He's bringing lots of good recruits with him - perhaps better than we had coming in w/ Mora?

For players that are leaving, my best to you but we are entering a new era and it "is what it is" and time to roll with the changes!

 

[ShakyTheMohel]

If he’s trying to get to full health before spending a week of practices in front of scouts from every NFL team then it’s undoubtedly helpful.

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