What IF....

[Rambler]

Wasn't he a ST coach at Va Tech? . _

Isn't it the time of the year for a Bustle/Beamer timeline?

[DestinCajun]

_ It's slower than everyone would like because it is not there. Reaching 6 wins in 2005 and not getting past that mark for the next 3 seasons (including 3 wins and a loss to a D-1AA in 2007) is not improving...it's being stagnant...and if it happens again this year, one could argue that it's more like moving in reverse.

That's why the line between 6 & 7 wins is so important this year. Everyone knows that Bustle has the ability to win 6 games. It's been done to death. But, he's never shown that he can take the next step. If he plans to be the Head Coach at this, or any other university, then he had better show that he has the ability to get beyond mediocrity, and it needs to happen this season. _

I believe everyone who actually follows the Cajuns program agrees with that.

What most outsiders and some so called Cajun fans don't recognize and understand is how bad the situation was when Coach Bustle arrived. When I say bad, I mean "across the board bad". I mean "A to Z bad" and "top to bottom" bad.

This why Bustle got such a huge break his first 3-4 years. Vince Lombardi and Knute Rockne and Bear Bryant all rolled into one could not have won here in that timeframe.

Now, those years are behind us and the end of the typical 4-5 year span for building a program is upon us and it's time to show results. Bustle has a full roster of players, as a good group of assistants as we've had in a long time and last season we had hallmark game attendance. It's now or never.

[ULtimateCajun]

I feel that if Bustle can't get us over the hump this year, then yes, we need to go a different direction. I think 6-8 years is plenty of time to see if a coach has the chops to make it in D-1 football. "But our schedule prevents us from having a good season!" you say. I agree our schedule some years is very tough. BUt do you notice that it seems like every team in the sunbelt has at least one upset of a BCS team or has come very very close. We have not. We are still hanging on to A&M 1996. That A&M game might as well have been in 1945 because it does nothing for me now.

With the RCAF in place and this being the last year of Bustle's contract (I think) this is the pivitol year. This is put up or shut up time. Either do it or move on. I'm tired of "next year", "we're young", "our schedule is too hard", "wright waters F-ed us" etc.... No more excuses. Win games or we will find someone who will. (hopefully). And I don't not like Bustle, there just comes a point where you can either do your job effectively or you can't. We'll see this year.

[Spydaman70507]

_ Isn't it the time of the year for a Bustle/Beamer timeline? _

Bustle will never walk in Beamer shoes. Bustle needs to find the next Mike Vick in order to try to kiss Beamer feet

[Just1More]

_ I believe everyone who actually follows the Cajuns program agrees with that.

What most outsiders and some so called Cajun fans don't recognize and understand is how bad the situation was when Coach Bustle arrived. When I say bad, I mean "across the board bad". I mean "A to Z bad" and "top to bottom" bad.

This why Bustle got such a huge break his first 3-4 years. Vince Lombardi and Knute Rockne and Bear Bryant all rolled into one could not have won here in that timeframe.

Now, those years are behind us and the end of the typical 4-5 year span for building a program is upon us and it's time to show results. Bustle has a full roster of players, as a good group of assistants as we've had in a long time and last season we had hallmark game attendance. It's now or never. _

You are correct. We have, however, finally reached the point where we either get that 7 plus win season or we have to make the "upgrade". The people that harped on a football coaching change prior to this coming year were doing so prematurely, for a variety of reasons. Right now... despite other issues in our athletic department, football has to pull this year off, or we have to do a coaching "upgrade". You reach a point in your support organization... and especially with RCAF going from infant to toddler by the end of next football season... that you cannot afford... no matter the immediate financial hit... to keep the coach after this many years of .500ish football, at best.

Should it come down to having to do a coach "upgrade", last year will prove to be even more sad for Bustle. Untimely and widespread injury took his most promising year away. We did not "earn" the Indy Bowl... but there was as much logic to provide that bowl berth to UL as to NIU... and we got bit by partisanship. You cannot leave your chances to people that will go out of their way to leave you out.

It is not healthy for us to discuss the coaching situation, IMO, at this time. But, I think that it is not unreasonable to quietly consider what needs to happen. We have gone far too long distancing former fans and not bringing in new ones. Football is not a tag-along program. It has to be the biggest beast in the athletic program. When football is not pulling the rest of the animals along in its wake, it is an anchor. We simply cannot afford to pull 150 tons of concrete and steel by a ladies softball program anymore. The boys have got to step it up this year for Bustle or else.

[anhil8tor]

_ I bet Mitchell is above our pay grade. _

He is working for a radio station in Washington. I bet he is paid fairly well.

[Jason]

_ He is working for a radio station in Washington. I bet he is paid fairly well. _

Actually I think he just got fired....

[Big Buds]

He is working for a radio station in Washington. I bet he is paid fairly well.

B. Mitch is working for a radio station in Philadelphia,PA.