Should a coach be held responsible for losing a money game?

[HoustonCajun]

_ Guys, guys. These past two games were money games. We were underdogged by plus 20 in each game. Lets rewind to after the Kstate game. Because to me these two games are a necessary evil. Money games are a dirty part of NCAA sports but we have to deal with it. Money games usually end the way ours did. I think we did well against LSU, and I think Bustle kinda shelved the playbook and wanted to get to 000 on the clock against Nebraska without anyone really hurt. The real season begins on Oct. 10th. We need 5 more wins to be a bowl team. A healthy defense, and a well oiled offense I think we can get there. North Texas looks beatable. FIU looks beatable. We get FAU at home we can beat them. ULM is at home we can beat them. Troy is not who they were last year and we get em at home. Arkansas State and Middle Tennessee are pretty good but our D is good so I think we have a chance. 2-2 in Non conference is honestly better than a bunch of us thought we would be. So lets get our panties unbunched, and rally behing this team for North Texas. Stuff your worries about us losing to two ranked teams by alot in the trash. Sun Belt play is our season. _

Look at a team like Rice last year. They lost to Tulsa 63-28, lost to Texas 52-10 and still came back to win 9 games and a 10th with a bowl victory. I predicted we would be 2-2 going into this bye week, while many thought we would be 1-3. My only disappointment is how bad we looked vs. Nebraska, not that we lost to them. We have a chance to get healthy again and have some winable games coming up. If we stay healthy, we can win 7 games and a bowl and we might even win the conference. Looks like the conference will be pretty balanced this year, so it should be interesting.

A disappointing loss - yes. A lost season - no. We get healthy, we win a couple getting to 4-2, then HC vs. FAU with a packed house and a win to go 5-2. Then, it gets really interested with the meat of our conference coming up.

[CajunFreak]

_ I say we fire Bustle TODAY... not even waiting till the end of the season. Then fire all his assistants... fire Walker, Farmer and Hebert... then fire Dr. Savoie. Oh... we should also fire all vendors. _

I have not read a lot of people calling for Rickey Bustle's head... Just questioning some of the play calling and game plan strategy.

God knows we are light years ahead of where we used to be and that is due to the hard work Rickey and his staffs over the years have put in. Not to mention the effort of many outstanding young men that have put on the Cajun uniform recently.

Some of you... need to relax and let fans be fans! Trust me when an individual CHOOSES to become a head coach they know they are going to hear criticism... I know I have heard my share as a coach! I also am humbled enough to know that some of that past criticism was warranted and learned from it. It is part of the JOB. I'm also sure Rickey and his staffs have thick enough skin to handle hearing it.

Guys... THERE WILL ALWAYS BE SUNDAY & MONDAY MORNING QB's! That is the fun of sports forums! If you choose to be a tax paying citizen and not sometimes question your elected/hired officials then fine. Just quit chastising those of us that do. I'm a tax paying citizen/Alum, former athlete, RCAF member, multi sport ticket holder and I think I have the right to question our elected officials/hired coaches sometimes.

[CajunCharlie]

_ the reason why we have such a talent gap is because we strive for mediocrity and successful players and big name players dont want to play for a team that expects mediocrity. They wanna play for teams who want to be the Best.

Yes its one step at a time, but if you honestly "think you can play with anyone" like Bustle quotes in an interview, then show some balls and back up what you say.

Yes its a money game but another reason why we get overlooked for bowl games is cause we cannot beat anyone credibly good enough to actually get any recognition. so we win sunbelt, and say we do it with a 7-5 record. We'll get over looked because the only teams we beat were sunbelt and mediocre teams. thats why we need to be 8-4 or better.

idk, yall can accept the .500 program we have, i dont like it. We need to do like Nelson Stokely did and actually have winning seasons again. I'm tired of mediocrity. _

I have a difficult time accepting your statement that we strive for mediocrity. That is so untrue. It is preposterous that you make that statement. To ensure that your statement is correct, contact any of the coaches, face to face, and ask if they strive only for mediocrity. Let us know the answer, please!

[BirdofParadise]

_ I have a difficult time accepting your statement that we strive for mediocrity. That is so untrue. It is preposterous that you make that statement. To ensure that your statement is correct, contact any of the coaches, face to face, and ask if they strive only for mediocrity. Let us know the answer, please! _

Yes, please let us know the answer. It's okay to wait two or three days for the swelling to go down before you speak.

[duggie85]

_ Since neither Hudson, Fouquier or Wingerter scheduled the money games you are right they don't accept it.

I may be wrong but I think what raginWaldo is saying is that "someone" by just scheduling these games is willing to accept a loss/losing.

P$ I understand the rationale _

Turbine, I know you didn't make the post, so please don't take it that im trying to argue with you, but if that is what he meant, is he trying to say the reason why we don't get good recruits is because of david walker and scott farmer????? I could be wrong, but I have never heard of an athlete say he isn't going to play anywhere because of the people in office.

I wish waldo would clarify his statement.

[Turbine]

I could be wrong, but I have never heard of an athlete say he isn't going to play anywhere because of the people in office.

I haven't either. They do look at image that is formed for the most part on your historical W-L record.

Money games are a business model many subscribe to, one that has short term benifits with long term repercussions.

Mainly you have more money to recriut with and fewer points to recruit to.

jmo

[duggie85]

_ I haven't either. They do look at image that is formed for the most part on your historical W-L record.

Money games are a business model many subscribe to, one that has short term benifits with long term repercussions.

Mainly you have more money to recriut with and fewer points to recruit to.

jmo _

Of course recruits are gonna look at our win-loss record, i completely agree.

Waldo just thinks our administration and coaches don't care about losing money games and he couldn't be any farther from the truth.

[duggie85]

_ What are we doing with the money. Not much it looks like. _

Pretty sure new softball stadium is being built and track/soccer complex, new baseball field with stadium later.....

[Cajun90]

I haven't either. They do look at image that is formed for the most part on your historical W-L record.

Money games are a business model many subscribe to, one that has short term benifits with long term repercussions.

Mainly you have more money to recriut with and fewer points to recruit to.

jmo

The flipside of that argument. I think you will find that the coaches DO recruit based on those games. These guys actually like the idea that they get to play in some of the top venues in the country. I don't think these kids come into our program to follow in the footsteps of others. They come in to be the difference makers and they believe that they are in fact the ones that will make the difference and that not only will they have the oppurtunity to play in Memorial stadium in Nebraska but they will change the program by coming out with a win.

Winning 2-3 games a year I believe can damage our recruiting. An even 6-6 or 7-6 record is tremendously easier to recruit with. You can walk into a kids home and tell him that he is the one to make a difference and bring this team to the next level and he can do that now instead of hoping to play his Jr. year at BCS Uni.

It is an up hill battle but it isn't impossible. Boise State did it and so can the Cajuns. It isn't about losing a couple of money games a year. Recruits understand that. They don't understand feeding at the bottom of your non-BCS conference. They want to know they come into a program that has a legitimate shot at a bowl game and the opportunity to play in some of the top venues in the country. Obviously I'm over simplifying this from the standpoint of academics, accomodations etc.

JMHO

[Jo Cajun Momma]

I have a difficult time accepting your statement that we strive for mediocrity. That is so untrue. It is preposterous that you make that statement. To ensure that your statement is correct, contact any of the coaches, face to face, and ask if they strive only for mediocrity. Let us know the answer, please!

Even GOD doesn't like mediocrity.
Revelation 3:15-16 “I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth."

Revelations 3:15-16