New ULM Head Coach

[CajunJack55]

So you would take 4-0 in bowls over 4 conference titles? That's what I'm arguing. The conference title means more. I'm sorry but as long as the bowl pool is watered down with 5-7 and 6-6 teams it's not that big of an accomplishment.

Yes, and conference championships for mean much either when you have to "share" every year.

[USL1970]

It seems to me that at the beginning of each year, a team's goal is to win the conference championship and then move on to whatever is next.

Bowl games are almost like participation trophies now, with the exception of those going for the national championship.

I don't rank HUD that high because he has not won an outright conference championship. The bowl victories are good memories, but the mark of great coaches lie in the conference championships and the national championships.

[CrazyCajun]

It seems to me that at the beginning of each year, a team's goal is to win the conference championship and then move on to whatever is next.

Bowl games are almost like participation trophies now, with the exception of those going for the national championship.

I don't rank HUD that high because he has not won an outright conference championship. The bowl victories are good memories, but the mark of great coaches lie in the conference championships and the national championships.

Just some perspective...we could have went 13-0 with an access bowl victory and we wouldn't have been outright champs. He won a co-championship at 6-2 and nothing at 7-1. We could win an outright championship at 6-2 or 5-3 and share one at 8-0...to make a blanket statement like that doesn't make sense. When you don't play everyone or no championship game, outright championships are no longer totally in our control.

[CajunAmos]

From a national and recruiting perspective, the visibility of a bowl game would seem to play more into your image than a conference championship does.

[USL1970]

In coaches contracts, a conference championship is typically rewarded higher than a bowl victory.

Maybe a former coach can add some light here, but the most important first step is to win a conference championship and that is the main goal at the start of the season.

Several 5-7 teams this year will play in a bowl, and none of them would like trade a bowl victory for a conference championship. Bowls are good memories and have luster, but there are just too many of them to say a bowl win is better than a conference championship.

Although there is always a cinderalla story like Boise beating Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl several years ago.

[CrazyCajun]

In coaches contracts, a conference championship is typically rewarded higher than a bowl victory.

Maybe a former coach can add some light here, but the most important first step is to win a conference championship and that is the main goal at the start of the season.

Several 5-7 teams this year will play in a bowl, and none of them would like trade a bowl victory for a conference championship. Bowls are good memories and have luster, but there are just too many of them to say a bowl win is better than a conference championship.

Although there is always a cinderalla story like Boise beating Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl several years ago.

Just last year a 10-2,7-5,6-6 teams were held out of bowls from our own conference.

[Just1More]

5-7 teams didn't make bowls then.

13-0 teams make bowls. And we weren't a 5-7 team when we did. We were 8-4. You stated that no one cares if we make/win a bowl. I know of few outside of UL that care if we win the conference. I guarantee you that as we try to win conference championships, and make it to bowls, the athletes we have and recruit are very happy about the bowl ending their college season. Dismissing the value of bowls to our program is missing the mark. And I hate to tell you, but there are 5-7 and 6-6 teams that can beat the SBC conference champion in a given year. I know this broke loose because of McNeese... and no... they have nothing at their FCS disposal that equals our 9-4 seasons capped with bowl victories in the Superdome in front of a mass showing of our fans on national TV.

[Clutch0364]

13-0 teams make bowls. And we weren't a 5-7 team when we did. We were 8-4. You stated that no one cares if we make/win a bowl. I know of few outside of UL that care if we win the conference. I guarantee you that as we try to win conference championships, and make it to bowls, the athletes we have and recruit are very happy about the bowl ending their college season. Dismissing the value of bowls to our program is missing the mark. And I hate to tell you, but there are 5-7 and 6-6 teams that can beat the SBC conference champion in a given year. I know this broke loose because of McNeese... and no... they have nothing at their FCS disposal that equals our 9-4 seasons capped with bowl victories in the Superdome in front of a mass showing of our fans on national TV.

To each there own. I prefer conference titles. Was I happy to win bowls sure but not as happy as I'd have been if we won titles.

No 5-7 team should make a bowl. When you have teams with losing records making bowls it shows how much of a sham the entire system is. That's my opinion and no one will change my mind on that point.

[CajunEXPRESS]

05 we shared a title with 3 teams but that team was a lot of fun to watch down the stretch. 2011 was better for the amount of wins and the excitement that had finally taken hold of program. I'd feel the same about that season with or without a bowl win though.

I stand by the fact that I'd much rather have conference titles. I have always looked at bowls as lagnaippe. Win or lose, there is not much to them.

Again it's nothing to do with you. It's a reward for the players. It's a recruiting tool for the coaches. It's a little bit more visibility for the brand.

If you're trying to set up wishes? I'm not in the least bit sure that the current and future players would prefer a light weight conference title or a light weight bowl victory. They get a trip, and bling with one and the other hardly anyone remembers. Jake's team co champs no bowl. Des team co champ no bowl. Pretty hollow titles.

[Just1More]

To each there own. I prefer conference titles. Was I happy to win bowls sure but not as happy as I'd have been if we won titles.

No 5-7 team should make a bowl. When you have teams with losing records making bowls it shows how much of a sham the entire system is. That's my opinion and no one will change my mind on that point.

I don't disagree that 5-7 teams shouldn't be making bowls. But to dismiss all bowls outside of the top 8 is pretty severe. And since we weren't 5-7 and neither were our bowl opponents, I'm still not dismissing our bowl appearances as irrelevant against conference championships. The two are not contradictory. We still have conference championships as a goal, as well as becoming bowl eligible and defeating another bowl eligible team from another conference. We gain more exposure on every level with bowl wins than we do conference championships in football. I do recognize the cheesy nature of the over exploitation nature of too many bowls... and agree a conference championship should be our key objective... on route to the best bowl situation we can garner.

[CrazyCajun]

Anybody know how many times this 5-7 thing happened before? As opposed to how many times deserving teams were left out? If they start cutting bowls...want to guess which bowls will get cut first? So remember that when the SBC goes back to 1 tie in and you watching 2, 6-6 P5's go at it while a 9-3 second place Cajuns sit at home.

[CajunJack55]

Anybody know how many times this 5-7 thing happened before? As opposed to how many times deserving teams were left out? If they start cutting bowls...want to guess which bowls will get cut first? So remember that when the SBC goes back to 1 tie in and you watching 2, 6-6 P5's go at it while a 9-3 second place Cajuns sit at home.

Just a hunch, but I would imagine that Arizona Bowl with no tv deal would be one o the first up.