Blade Reports Brandon Extension Likely

[hammb]

Defense improved because the last four games were against EMU, BUffalo, Akron and Toledo...no exactly the power teams in the league...and please don't write back and tell me Buffalo is a good football team...or that Toledo with freshman QB was a high-powered offense.

Why not? Buffalo scored points on people, and UT had the best offense in the conference, mostly because of an outstanding back. Did they miss their QB? Of course. Should the performance be completely dismissed. No.

I think Brandon showed a lot this year....with his players. He deserves two years, and more if we win the MAC next year. We could do lots worse.

Both teams only won five games this year...Toledo only 3 MAC wins. "Best offense in the conference?" Are you kidding me? Does CMU, Ball State or even BG's offense get a sniff here? Please don't measure our defense against the Toledo and Buffalos of the world.

http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootba ... _1:col_2=6

Toledo ranked #2 behind CMU in scoring offense, and #2 behind CMU in yards per game (only .1 yard behind).

CMU improved their ypg marginally in the championship game, but it was enough to move them a little ahead of UT in total offense. Going into the BG game UT definitely had the best offensive numbers in the conference.

Now I'm not going to lie, I think playing UT without their starting QB takes a LOT away from that offense. They're likely middle of the road if they don't have him all year. Still, don't sell UT short. Parmele is one hell of a RB, and we did a great job on him (surprisingly to me).

I'm still not sold that the final two games weren't just an aberration, but at the same time, don't discount the accomplishment. Quite a few teams failed to stop UT's offense as well as we did.

Brandon showed a lot of improvement this year, and as my title on this board will show you, it's not like I've been the rosey Brandon lover on here. I'm still not sold on him as a long term coach...he reminds me a lot of Lloyd Carr. Good enough to win a lot of games, but not good enough to transcend our conference. Still, looking at his salary and the rest of the coaches in his salary bracket, there certainly isn't anyone else I'd really think is a major improvement. For that matter looking around the MAC, I'm not sure there are any other coaches I'd rather have. I like what Turner Gill has done at UB, the same goes for Temple's coach, but I think Brandon is among the best coaches in this conference. Not to say that's a real ringing endorsement, but it's still the truth.

One reason that I think I get so frustrated with coach Brandon (and I think others on here as well) is that I don't think we get the most out of our talent, and I think it's been that way for quite awhile. However, in that vein he's done a good job of keeping us among the most talented teams in the conference. There is something to that.

I'm on board with an extension. I wouldn't commit for more than 2-3 years, but I think he's earned that. I still have my doubts, but he's done enough for me to earn a chance to win with his players. Next year will be the first year that he's had all of his recruits with the talent/experience matched up well enough to be among the favorites in the MAC. Let's see if he can get it done.

[Globetrotter]

Defense improved because the last four games were against EMU, BUffalo, Akron and Toledo...no exactly the power teams in the league...and please don't write back and tell me Buffalo is a good football team...or that Toledo with freshman QB was a high-powered offense.

Why not? Buffalo scored points on people, and UT had the best offense in the conference, mostly because of an outstanding back. Did they miss their QB? Of course. Should the performance be completely dismissed. No.

I think Brandon showed a lot this year....with his players. He deserves two years, and more if we win the MAC next year. We could do lots worse.

Both teams only won five games this year...Toledo only 3 MAC wins. "Best offense in the conference?" Are you kidding me? Does CMU, Ball State or even BG's offense get a sniff here? Please don't measure our defense against the Toledo and Buffalos of the world.

http://www.sportsline.com/collegefootba ... _1:col_2=6

Toledo ranked #2 behind CMU in scoring offense, and #2 behind CMU in yards per game (only .1 yard behind).

CMU improved their ypg marginally in the championship game, but it was enough to move them a little ahead of UT in total offense. Going into the BG game UT definitely had the best offensive numbers in the conference.

Now I'm not going to lie, I think playing UT without their starting QB takes a LOT away from that offense. They're likely middle of the road if they don't have him all year. Still, don't sell UT short. Parmele is one hell of a RB, and we did a great job on him (surprisingly to me).

I'm still not sold that the final two games weren't just an aberration, but at the same time, don't discount the accomplishment. Quite a few teams failed to stop UT's offense as well as we did.

Brandon showed a lot of improvement this year, and as my title on this board will show you, it's not like I've been the rosey Brandon lover on here. I'm still not sold on him as a long term coach...he reminds me a lot of Lloyd Carr. Good enough to win a lot of games, but not good enough to transcend our conference. Still, looking at his salary and the rest of the coaches in his salary bracket, there certainly isn't anyone else I'd really think is a major improvement. For that matter looking around the MAC, I'm not sure there are any other coaches I'd rather have. I like what Turner Gill has done at UB, the same goes for Temple's coach, but I think Brandon is among the best coaches in this conference. Not to say that's a real ringing endorsement, but it's still the truth.

One reason that I think I get so frustrated with coach Brandon (and I think others on here as well) is that I don't think we get the most out of our talent, and I think it's been that way for quite awhile. However, in that vein he's done a good job of keeping us among the most talented teams in the conference. There is something to that.

I'm on board with an extension. I wouldn't commit for more than 2-3 years, but I think he's earned that. I still have my doubts, but he's done enough for me to earn a chance to win with his players. Next year will be the first year that he's had all of his recruits with the talent/experience matched up well enough to be among the favorites in the MAC. Let's see if he can get it done.

So week 8 you want him gone and week 12 he deserves 2-3 more years?

[Jacobs4Heisman]

So week 8 you want him gone and week 12 he deserves 2-3 more years?

You're being completely ridiculous. Many agree with a lot of your criticisms of Brandon, but an awful lot changed in those last 4 games. 4 games ago, Brandon had not been to a bowl game with "his" players, and he had not beat Toledo in a long time. He also hadn't had a winning record for 2.5 seasons. Now he's done all that, and his team absolutely dominated the biggest game of the season.

You need to get a grip here. He deserves a short extension, and he's going to get one.

[Flipper]

We're not giving an extension for winning two games...we're giving him an extension for winning eight and getting a bowl bid. Trying to twist reality to suit some hypothetical situation is just the type of pointless mental masturbation I was cautioning against.

I've yet to hear you offer a credible argument for not extending a winning coach...

[Schadenfreude]

Flip what would you say had we went 2-2 in the last 4 games and not made a bowl game? What would the sentiment be here regarding Brandon

What if Spartacus had been given a Cessna?

What if the Germans had attacked Pearl Harbor?

[Globetrotter]

We're not giving an extension for winning two games...we're giving him an extension for winning eight and getting a bowl bid. Trying to twist reality to suit some hypothetical situation is just the type of pointless mental masturbation I was cautioning against.

I've yet to hear you offer a credible argument for not extending a winning coach...

I am not sure you are really willing to explore the idea that Brandon may not be deserving of the extension. What you call mental masturbation i call mental exercise. Tomato, Tomatoe.

I do understand the side that wants to extend Brandon, I don't understand why it is such an obvious decision nor do I understand the venom against those who don't want to extend.

[hammb]

Yes, a lot changed in those last 4 games. We played our best football down the stretch (for a change). To me that is worth something.

Moreover, I give him 2-3 years because I don't think you can just let him go into next season. It's a horrible way to run a program to let coaches become lame ducks. You either extend or fire. I don't think you can fire him after he turned the thing around and got the team rolling down the stretch. If they win their bowl game it would be a very good season for us.

I don't think we can justify firing him now, and I don't think you can let him go into the last year of the contract. That leaves an extension as the only option.

[Globetrotter]

Yes, a lot changed in those last 4 games. We played our best football down the stretch (for a change). To me that is worth something.

Moreover, I give him 2-3 years because I don't think you can just let him go into next season. It's a horrible way to run a program to let coaches become lame ducks. You either extend or fire. I don't think you can fire him after he turned the thing around and got the team rolling down the stretch. If they win their bowl game it would be a very good season for us.

I don't think we can justify firing him now, and I don't think you can let him go into the last year of the contract. That leaves an extension as the only option.

Weeks ago, when the team was doing poorly, I believe you were saying that BG does not have the resources to buy out a football coach so we would have to sit through another season of Brandon and you discussed how painful that would be. Now you say that the only options are a buyout or firing with a year to go or an extension. I understand your reasoning now and understood your reasoning before, but when you combine the two they severely limit our options to one, extension. If we cant buy someone out, and we cant let them coach in the last year of a contract, what other options do we have?

[templefootballfan]

you get a real good answer next yr on Brandon, next yr non-conf games are Pitt, VT, Wym, Boise & Minn at home.

[hammb]

I understand your reasoning now and understood your reasoning before, but when you combine the two they severely limit our options to one, extension. If we cant buy someone out, and we cant let them coach in the last year of a contract, what other options do we have?

If I said that before, I apologize. I think I was wrong. I do believe that we have the resources to buy out a football coach's contract. I don't think we have the resources to make a habit of it, but I do believe that we could find the money to do so if we wanted to.

Looking at the Sebo, the new hoops arena coming, etc, I think there is a lot more money in this alumni base than we have been previously thought to believe. I do believe if Christopher deemed a change necessary the money would be there.

[BGorDeath]

Flip what would you say had we went 2-2 in the last 4 games and not made a bowl game? What would the sentiment be here regarding Brandon

What if Spartacus had been given a Cessna?

What if the Germans had attacked Pearl Harbor?

Germans?

[The Niz]

Sparticus' Cessna is the exact thing I was looking for Flip to say.

GT, what if we went 0-12? How's that for hypothesizing?

Flip is exactly right about your arguments. What you write is exactly what our ENG 112 teachers here in BG make us read to show us what poor articles look like. Completely unfounded and always stubbornly circling bad points cause they aren't creative (or smart I went there) enough to do any better. If you are a BG grad, I have no idea how you pulled it off, because there is no way you could have passed you persuasive essay in ENG 112 and that means you couldn't graduate.

Since I'm under 30 years of age, and obviously immature and not above name calling; you're a dumb dumb head.

[Globetrotter]

Sparticus' Cessna is the exact thing I was looking for Flip to say.

GT, what if we went 0-12? How's that for hypothesizing?

Flip is exactly right about your arguments. What you write is exactly what our ENG 112 teachers here in BG make us read to show us what poor articles look like. Completely unfounded and always stubbornly circling bad points cause they aren't creative (or smart I went there) enough to do any better. If you are a BG grad, I have no idea how you pulled it off, because there is no way you could have passed you persuasive essay in ENG 112 and that means you couldn't graduate.

Since I'm under 30 years of age, and obviously immature and not above name calling; you're a dumb dumb head.

First, let me address your hypothetical, if we went 0-12, that is so far out of the realm of what actually happened that it is not worth discussing. That is an illogical hypothetical. Let me slowly explain how I came to my hypothetical so you can understand. Try to avoid being distracted by shining objects or sweet hats cocked to the side. The fact is that we were 4-4 and the sentiment here was that if we could, we should show the coach the door. I agreed with that sentiment. The first 8 weeks combined with 2006 signaled a program in trouble. Yet, four weeks later we are extending the man? A logical question is what made the big difference. How can you logically have such a polar shift in feelings about the coach? Had we went 0-4 we would still be talking about him being gone. So what about the middle, what about 2-2. Thats a logical middle point to go to to advance discussion. I asked the question because I legitimately wanted to know. The shift occurred in many people and I am not sure why because it did not occur in me. Would the same thing have happened had we not went 8-4? What if we went 8-4 and by circumstances outside of our control (2 mac conference championship game teams eligible for the bowls before us and another team with an 8-4 record lets say) we don't make a bowl? Does he still get extended. I was asking Flipper how he measured success here. I wanted to know if there was a line of wins where once you cross it the sentiment shifts to the opposite side.

This is the kind of thread I expected from you and several others. Piling on from some clones with no real opinions for themselves. Speaking of not creative. Do you just wait to see what Flipper posts and then try to chime in something similar? For the record, For all of my faults, and there are many, I graduated Magna Cum Laude from that institution with a degree in Public Relations and another major in Political Science. I am currently in law school at the Ohio State University and not paying to do so, (although I will likely be switching programs because I have realized my passion is not in the law.) During my time at BG I was both an intern in the Athletic Communications office and a volunteer on Game Days. My father ran track and played basketball at the University and was coached by the man whose name graces the Arena. I was blessed with neither his height nor his athletic ability. I was blessed with learning a lot about Howard Komives and Nate Thurmond from a man who had to guard them in practice and the merits of High jumping before the Fosbury Flop. Anything else you want to know?

I would love for you to tell me exactly where my points were unfounded. I would love for YOU to tell me where I brought up irrelevant information that did not back my discussion or where I advanced arguments that lacked merit. I would love for you to define and then give examples of my "completely unfounded and always stubbornly circling bad points cause they aren't creative (or smart I went there) enough to do any better." There is a difference in not agreeing with a line of thinking and that line of thinking lacking reasoning. I would love to see an independent thought forwarded by you concerning my reasoning.

I could have told you exactly what you, flipper, 87 and HammB would write before I even typed my statement on why I thought he should not get an extension. Flipper brought some logic to the table but wrapped it in his usual (atleast when directed at me) juvenile persona. 87 piled on much like you and added little else. And then we have HammB, the voice of reason, who is the youngest of the group (save yourself) but gave his opinion and then moved forward and we actually had a discussion about it and I further understood his point of view. I even responded to him with what could have been perceived as a somewhat flippant answer , which I did not intend to do, but he did not bite,Thanks HammB.

Niz, Flip or 87 we can advance this in PMs if you wish.

[The Niz]

I bit my toungue until I couldn't stand reading your drabble anymore. Didn't wait to "Pile On" and only called you out on your assumption that people over the age of 30 are mature and under are not. For being so highly educated you sure did miss out on the whole satirical idea of things.

Most of your pountless arguing and cicrcling is based on the attendance. It seems like everyone here has asked you what you expect GB to do and you havn't answered anyone yet. What hasn't he done to improve the numbers. I'll tell you what he does that I have heard or seen: He brings his team to other sports to support everyone. He rallies the students at all functions he attends, which is more than he needs to. Facebook messages which is interesting. He has great relationships with fans, see freak. I'll bet I havn't even scratched the surface of how much he actually tries to do.

If you could have told us all what we would post before we posted why didn't you address everything you knew we would say right off the bat and save us all the reading of you telling people they are immature.

The shift in opinion of GB makes perfect sense to me. We were performing poorly, so we were upset. We just won four in a row. We are happy. The team did exactly what we wanted them to do and stopped being Flaky.

Being 0-12 is just as realistic as losing 2 of the last four. All of college football was a circle jerk this year and anything and almost everything that could have happened did happen.

[Globetrotter]

I bit my toungue until I couldn't stand reading your drabble anymore. Didn't wait to "Pile On" and only called you out on your assumption that people over the age of 30 are mature and under are not. For being so highly educated you sure did miss out on the whole satirical idea of things.

Most of your pountless arguing and cicrcling is based on the attendance. It seems like everyone here has asked you what you expect GB to do and you havn't answered anyone yet. What hasn't he done to improve the numbers. I'll tell you what he does that I have heard or seen: He brings his team to other sports to support everyone. He rallies the students at all functions he attends, which is more than he needs to. Facebook messages which is interesting. He has great relationships with fans, see freak. I'll bet I havn't even scratched the surface of how much he actually tries to do.

If you could have told us all what we would post before we posted why didn't you address everything you knew we would say right off the bat and save us all the reading of you telling people they are immature.

The shift in opinion of GB makes perfect sense to me. We were performing poorly, so we were upset. We just won four in a row. We are happy. The team did exactly what we wanted them to do and stopped being Flaky.

Being 0-12 is just as realistic as losing 2 of the last four. All of college football was a circle jerk this year and anything and almost everything that could have happened did happen.

To be fair I never said everyone under the age of 30 was immature. I said that people over 30 should be mature. I am 27 and I do not have the wisdom of Flip or 87. But I also don't try to bully people or berate them. I know better then that. The tone of my posts is always positive when directed at individuals in this forum unless I am responding to a direct attack. (attack is a strong word)

Tone, in print is usually hard to read and I apologize for not getting it.

As far as attendance goes, I said it before I and I will say it again. urban went to every dorm, every student group every sporting event. This problem was not caused by Gregg Brandon. But Gregg Brandon is the face of Falcon Football. I would like to see him do everything possible to get peoples butts in the seats.

"If you could have told us all what we would post before we posted why didn't you address everything you knew we would say right off the bat and save us all the reading of you telling people they are immature."
I think this is a really good point, however had I told you what you would type you would have typed something different. Kind of like when people know they are being studied they act differently then if the investigation is happening when they are unaware.