The Book: 2007 Football

[CrazyCajun]

_ Another reason to get rid of the pepper. we need a better mascot and ID to put performance stippers on our helmets. _

im sure you got the sarcasm but i agree the pepper is terrible.

[MissingMandy]

_ Thanks to all for your opinions, I am just a different breed i suppose. My opinion is my opinion. I feel like there could be other ways to reconize players for their efforts. Maybe stickers for great plays, sacks, touchdown, game changing plays, INT....etc etc. Ohio State , Georgia, Florida State...etc etc do this. If you want to reward someone do it for all. Point out good things for everyone, not just one player a week. Sunbelt has weekly awards for as well.


The more stickers, the more plays that player has made for the TEAM.

MissingMandy, I know you have some beef with my opinion and that is ok, because you have yours. I feel if Ross Goodlett is such a good athlete, put him on the field and let him make plays. Steve Spurrier once said "if one guy doesnt work, put in his back up. If he doesnt work, put the other guy back in.

We should all expect the best every down and every play. That is where I was going with that. If we dont demand and expect the best, we wont get the best out of the players. _

It is a rare player that gets to play his true freshmen year especially an offensive linemen, they simply are not ready. It doesn't mean they aren't great players they need time to learn the plays and to grow. Ross use to be an offensive player (not a linemen) so I have to assume that since he is playing defense he too is learning something new. I have learned through years of dealing with football that it is best to leave who plays and who doesn't to the coaches. A true freshmen may be ready to play half way through the season, do you waste a year of their 5 years on half a season even a losing season? I don't think Spurrier would do that either. That's why the NCAA gives a player 5 years to play 4. Believe me when I tell you that if you insult one player you insult the whole team and that hits very close to home.

[Damon]

Do you think FSU doesn't hand out helmet stickers if the team loses? If that were the
case, the team would have hardly stickers on their helmets these past few years.

Individual accolades in conjuction with a loss or win are always taken in context. Immediate positive reinforcement works well on children and most animals, but human adults do not necessarily respond as well to that kind of behavior modifier.

I doubt that the players are going 100% effort in order just to get the award at Tuesday meetings. I know I wouldn't. They are going 100% because they want to win the game.

[MissingMandy]

_ Do you think FSU doesn't hand out helmet stickers if the team loses? If that were the
case, the team would have hardly stickers on their helmets these past few years.

Individual accolades in conjuction with a loss or win are always taken in context. Immediate positive reinforcement works well on children and most animals, but human adults do not necessarily respond as well to that kind of behavior modifier.

I doubt that the players are going 100% effort in order just to get the award at Tuesday meetings. I know I wouldn't. They are going 100% because they want to win the game. _

That is a very good point.

[IHateLaState]

_ Maybe that makes me an acceptor of mediocrity. I think it makes me more of an acceptor of reality. I still keep hoping to see the change in attitude for this program, but I am convinced it will take a change in altitude for that to happen. I do agree that the current situation is unacceptable. I feel most Cajun fans feel that way. The problem at this point is what do we do about it? THAT is the main bone of contention now. _

Guess I am talking more conceptual.... Why do we accept a situation where it is "predictable" that we are mediocre in the worst conference in the country after 6 years... Thats my gripe... Had I prognosticated I am sure I would have picked those losses as well... But I am screaming WHY??

I dont want to accept a mentality of.... oh well.. year 6.. 3-4 wins... thats the reality of things...

How do we change the reality? I say 6 years into the program is enough time for any coach to realistically EXPECT to be competing for a championship... but we are not... others on here tell me to be patient...

When do we say enough? As a Cajun fan I'll keep coming back but I would like there to be some accountability at some point. If year 6 "aint it" fine.... When??

My answer is NOW..... if we have to start all over.. so be it... hold the "picker of the coach" accountable... My other complaint is that we have an AD that neither sought nor wanted the job... we have what appears to me to be a collection of "Good ole boys" running this administration that is satisfied to hob nob with each other... have a good time with their media friends... and nothing changes... My hope is a new President will come in and change that good ole boy network...

I think this university can be every bit as "big time" as Southern Miss... as East Carolina...as.. dare I say it.. Central Florida... Troy.... We have one big Monster in this state... Troy has Bama and Auburn... Southern Miss has Mississippi State and Ole Miss... Central Florida has a ton of competition... We need to step up and say... We are going to be #2 in this state... Not you Tech... Not you ULM... not you Tulane.... and then DEMAND that those running the show put us on a path to that goal... and make reasonable progress towards that goal.... that when they are hired they be given a time certain to produce.... 6 years? sounds good to me... I agree there needs to be some funding advancements but dont hide behind that.... progress is demanded... small steps are accepted... let this be a 20 year program to achieve the level of the universities I mentioned above... but show progress.... each year.... put McNeese behind us once and for all... then ULM... then Tech... then Tulane....

A plan for Athletic progress should be part of the screening of a new President... to accompany academic progress and not be dwarfed by it....

A man can dream can't he???????

[TheFan]

_ and to address your points. everyone is going to jump at this and cry an moan but i;m going to go ahead and say it. The reason we are a young team is b/c the freshman and sophomores we have are better than the juniors and seniors we have. the reason for this is b/c these seniors were recruited when bustle first got here and are not at the level of the younger guys. a coach puts the best talent on the field, that is a good sign that we are getting alot better if you have freshman and sophomores beating out juniors and seniors. that means the talent level is getting better evry recruiting class. now what the coaches are going to do with it is a different story. these young guys are getting their experience and taking their lickings now but just wait in 2 years, whoever the coach is. just look at florida atlantic, for the past two years they have had the same problem with having freshman and sophmores taking their lickings and getting experience. Do you think its paying off? _

Thank you.....you hit the nail on the head.

[Kal]

_ _

Wow, I want some of whatever they are smoking.
I know we're not even quite halfway through the season yet and yes miracles do happen, but I can honestly see us going 0-12 this season.

[rhineaux]

_ Guess I am talking more conceptual.... Why do we accept a situation where it is "predictable" that we are mediocre in the worst conference in the country after 6 years... Thats my gripe... Had I prognosticated I am sure I would have picked those losses as well... But I am screaming WHY??

I dont want to accept a mentality of.... oh well.. year 6.. 3-4 wins... thats the reality of things...

How do we change the reality? I say 6 years into the program is enough time for any coach to realistically EXPECT to be competing for a championship... but we are not... others on here tell me to be patient...

When do we say enough? As a Cajun fan I'll keep coming back but I would like there to be some accountability at some point. If year 6 "aint it" fine.... When??

My answer is NOW..... if we have to start all over.. so be it... hold the "picker of the coach" accountable... My other complaint is that we have an AD that neither sought nor wanted the job... we have what appears to me to be a collection of "Good ole boys" running this administration that is satisfied to hob nob with each other... have a good time with their media friends... and nothing changes... My hope is a new President will come in and change that good ole boy network...

Have you ever placed a call(s) to David Walker, Scott Farmer, Ray Authement to tell them your thoughts? They might not enjoy it, but would appreciate it.

I think this university can be every bit as "big time" as Southern Miss... as East Carolina...as.. dare I say it.. Central Florida... Troy.... We have one big Monster in this state... Troy has Bama and Auburn... Southern Miss has Mississippi State and Ole Miss... Central Florida has a ton of competition... We need to step up and say... We are going to be #2 in this state... Not you Tech... Not you ULM... not you Tulane.... and then DEMAND that those running the show put us on a path to that goal... and make reasonable progress towards that goal.... that when they are hired they be given a time certain to produce.... 6 years? sounds good to me... I agree there needs to be some funding advancements but dont hide behind that.... progress is demanded... small steps are accepted... let this be a 20 year program to achieve the level of the universities I mentioned above... but show progress.... each year.... put McNeese behind us once and for all... then ULM... then Tech... then Tulane....

I know its a tired arguement, but don't most/all fo those out of state schools ahve student fees to work with, or at least start building with. One thing is for sure, they don't ahve a gov't that is afraid to see them be successful.

[IHateLaState]

_
I know its a tired arguement, but don't most/all fo those out of state schools ahve student fees to work with, or at least start building with. One thing is for sure, they don't ahve a gov't that is afraid to see them be successful. _

I hear you... which is why I said I would like a question such as the one I raised, "what are your plans to increase athletic funding?", be asked of the candidates for president. I am not an insider so I dont know what Dr. A has tried and failed to do... As my handle indicates I know the powers with-in this state do everything to keep us from advancing... However we will not have this opportunity for new blood in the administration again anytime soon. I would hope the new President comes in with a renewed vigor and a plan to attack the problem. Will he/she be successful? Time will tell but good Lord I don't want to hear "we cant do anything because of the big bad wolf"....

A once in a generation opportunity is upon us..........

[AstroCajun]

Ok, time to bring this thread to full circle.

Tuffguy started this thread with the suggestion that a lack of comments about the UCF game was maybe a sign that apathy was begining to set in.

Well, 80 posts later, that theory starts to take on water.

Regardless of how anyone feels about:

a) our 0-5 start (and it its a near universal dissappointment)
b) whether it's time for a change (fairly evenly divided on that one)
c) the motivation of those that do not want change
d) the motivation of those that do want change

...and I think that runs our complete gamut of thought...

The one thing that I don't see is apathy in this thread.

And whether there is disagreement on the best way to get there, the sense I get from this thread is that we all want our boys to be successful.

And that we'll all be there, rain or shine Saturday.

So, I'm ready to put this thread to bed.