Sustaining A Successful Program @ BG

Dayons_Den · Post by **Dayons_Den** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 8:52 pm

It hasn't been done since the days of Andy Anderson's cagers and Doyt Perry's gridders.

Why?

Why can't we sustain a successful program, in any sport really?

Over the last 50 years we have at one time or another sustained successful programs in: Men's Soccer- from inception through Mahler's time, Women's basketball- the Fran Voll era (we'll wait a few years to see if the current success can be sustained or if we will work to prople Miller up the ranks like we do in other sports, maybe baseball?, hockey during the late 70s and in to the early 90s.

In football and basketball we have been good at spurts. Generally among the better teams, especially considering we have the 2nd most Ws (or winning percentage) in MAC history, but never really sustaining a continuous 'program.'

This is probably more of an offseason or midweek post, but in reality I am over the Kent game and don't really want to rehash that game.

In looking at BG's limitation I would look at comparable scenarios in the MAC. Football wise Marshall and Toledo recently have sustained successful programs. Marshall did it in a tainted way, but what can we take from Toledo?

In basketball in the last 15-20 years Miami and more recently Kent has shown to be able to sustain a solid program with Ball State, Ohio U. and EMU appearing to do so at times as well.

Is it not possible any more for BG? Are there to many limitations? Too many sports to focus on? Not enough facilities? Do we only serve as a stepping stone coaching position? In the late 90s I entertained dropping football to IAA and focusing on basketball and hockey where we could produce on a national level in football (they have national playoffs in IAA), hoops, and hockey. Is it far fetched to think we should put our efforts behind one of the sports rather than the other?

Sorry for the manifesto, just stuff I have had on my chest.

Bleeding Orange · Post by **Bleeding Orange** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 8:58 pm

The bottom line is that people are willing to make excuses. The term "rebuilding" is not uttered by fans of winners. And, with the talent we have, we should not even be thinking about that word, or that philosophy.

So long as people are willing to make excuses for this coach, nothing is ever going to change. There needs to be a major paradigm shift in the thinking of the Bowling Green community if this program is ever going to reach its potential. And no, I am not saying that out of anger.

Dayons_Den · Post by **Dayons_Den** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:50 pm

Was this current spurt's "fat punter" moment last season when Omar went down?

orangeandbrown · Post by **orangeandbrown** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 10:06 pm

I don't think so Dayon. There were signs of this starting at Ball State.

Warthog · Post by **Warthog** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 10:07 pm

Dayons_Den wrote:Was this current spurt's "fat punter" moment last season when Omar went down?

Nope, we were already on the downhill then. I would say it was that second half of the UT game in 2004. We fell apart then and haven't been right since.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 10:23 pm

I trace it back to the NIU loss at their place in 2004. The game before that we drew a really good crowd for the SEMO game and drilled them (as we should have, it's a 1AA program) Then we went to NIU and got hammered in the second half. Even though Omar put up some gaudy numbers against some very bad defenses the rest of the year, there wasn't the same enthusiasm or interest in the program. I don't think we've drawn over 20,000 since

There's no intensity on the field and no intensity in the stands. I've been in louder crowds at Jerome library than the Doyt the last couple of years....louder and larger.

Frankly....I'm having a hard time believing that anyone still gives a crap.

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 10:23 pm

Warthog wrote:
Dayons_Den wrote:Was this current spurt's "fat punter" moment last season when Omar went down?
Nope, we were already on the downhill then. I would say it was that second half of the UT game in 2004. We fell apart then and haven't been right since.

When was Brandon's first game as Head Coach?

Rollo83 · Post by **Rollo83** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 10:25 pm

I think our athletic teams are pretty standard by MAC standards. Success in the MAC runs in cycles. If you look at the MAC in football and basketball, all teams have taken their turn in having success over the years. Sure, Kent has a nice run going in basketball right now and Toledo in football. But those things have a way of balancing out. Hell, Kent was the doormat of league their entire time in the MAC before Gary Walters got there.

Look at basketball over the last 15-20 years...OU, Toledo, BG, Ball State, CMU, EMU, WMU, Miami, Kent, and now Akron and Buffalo have all taking turns being thee team in the MAC.

Same thing in football...teams have a good run and then fall back in the pack. Sure, some schools have had a little more "tradition" than others, but they all come back to the pack eventually. Joe Novak spent a lot years at NIU befofre he got them on a winning track. I think the scholarship limits, and the loss of quality coaches to bigger programs keep any MAC school from being too consistent.

As Falcon fans we assume our lows are lower than others and our highs are higher than others. But, it all evens out. Maybe it's time for programs like Kent State, OU and Buffalo to thrive in football?

Warthog · Post by **Warthog** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 10:33 pm

Flipper wrote:There's no intensity on the field

Amen to that. I have to say that has got to come straight from Brandon. His always smiling face and never admitting how much we suck is the problem. If we had a coach that was intense, the team would play with intensity. We have a joke of a coach and our team looks like a joke.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 11:05 pm

Jacobs4Heisman wrote:
Warthog wrote:
Dayons_Den wrote:Was this current spurt's "fat punter" moment last season when Omar went down?
Nope, we were already on the downhill then. I would say it was that second half of the UT game in 2004. We fell apart then and haven't been right since.

When was Brandon's first game as Head Coach?

Actually it was his fourth game that it started to rear it's head. Against OSU.

He coached a pretty good game in Purdue. He should've retired then...

Falconfreak90 · Post by **Falconfreak90** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:24 am

Flipper wrote:I trace it back to the NIU loss at their place in 2004. The game before that we drew a really good crowd for the SEMO game and drilled them (as we should have, it's a 1AA program) Then we went to NIU and got hammered in the second half. Even though Omar put up some gaudy numbers against some very bad defenses the rest of the year, there wasn't the same enthusiasm or interest in the program. I don't think we've drawn over 20,000 since

There's no intensity on the field and no intensity in the stands. I've been in louder crowds at Jerome library than the Doyt the last couple of years....louder and larger.

Frankly....I'm having a hard time believing that anyone still gives a crap.

That's what I'm thinking now. AD Christopher has some things to think about. If we were struggling to put butts in the seats before, what now?

The thing that hurts me the most if the no intensity thing. I can live with players making mistakes but playing hard. But to not give it your best effort? There were very few players on the team that were ready to play yesterday and that falls squarely on the HC> This game was a turning point for me. I'm not confident in the staff, at this moment, to stop the slide. I didn't want to believe what guys like hammb, j4h and others were saying. But after yesterday, it's painfully clear.

ffejfalcon · Post by **ffejfalcon** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 10:55 am

Falconfreak90 wrote:
Flipper wrote:I trace it back to the NIU loss at their place in 2004. The game before that we drew a really good crowd for the SEMO game and drilled them (as we should have, it's a 1AA program) Then we went to NIU and got hammered in the second half. Even though Omar put up some gaudy numbers against some very bad defenses the rest of the year, there wasn't the same enthusiasm or interest in the program. I don't think we've drawn over 20,000 since

There's no intensity on the field and no intensity in the stands. I've been in louder crowds at Jerome library than the Doyt the last couple of years....louder and larger.

Frankly....I'm having a hard time believing that anyone still gives a crap.
That's what I'm thinking now. AD Christopher has some things to think about. If we were struggling to put butts in the seats before, what now?

The thing that hurts me the most if the no intensity thing. I can live with players making mistakes but playing hard. But to not give it your best effort? There were very few players on the team that were ready to play yesterday and that falls squarely on the HC> This game was a turning point for me. I'm not confident in the staff, at this moment, to stop the slide. I didn't want to believe what guys like hammb, j4h and others were saying. But after yesterday, it's painfully clear.

You're dead on FREAK...There is a problem at the top...And Hammb, I agree with you and everything you say...Except for the Charlie Frye support...We need a change unfortunately....

jmillerbg · Post by **jmillerbg** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 11:31 am

From what I saw on the sidelines yesterday (and I will admit that I was not focusing on it) D.J. Durkin was the only person (player or coach) that from a visual perspective seemed to give a crap about what was going on. He at least jumps around and tries to get the guy sfired up. I saw GB standing away from the team at some points in the game - certainly not trying to get anyone fired up.

orangeandbrown · Post by **orangeandbrown** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 11:44 am

There's more to coaching then jumping around. I know that is something fans focus on (that and fiery locker room talks), but there are other ways to motivate.

I think GB cares. I just think he is at a loss as to what to do.

ffejfalcon · Post by **ffejfalcon** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 12:02 pm

I believe a good coach would use the opportuntiy to "coach" the kids..That's what he's supposed to do....Get in their faces and teach them. Tell them what they are doing wrong so they learn from it....