My latest e-mail to Brandon and Christopher

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 1:44 am

This was addressed to Brandon, and cc'ed to Christopher:

Good morning, Gentlemen.

Since I know you two must be extremely busy, I'll make an effort to keep this brief. I am e-mailing again to voice my displeasure with Coach Brandon's continuous relations with the media in regards to his players. Coach, you have called out players by name in your postgame interviews and I think it has been extremely unprofessional for you to do so. It culminated with your comments about Corey Partridge following the embarassing loss to Kent State. Corey was one of the few players out there who was playing his heart out on Saturday. He was running great routes and going all out, but the passes just were not there for him to be able to make the plays we needed.

I do not know Corey personally, but he has played injured, and played hard throughout his time at BG. Just like when you called out Omar Jacobs publicly after the 2004 Toledo game, I think you have represented BGSU very poorly in this instance. I have lived and died with Falcon Athletics ever since I started at BG, just like my father before me. I attend all manner of sporting event, and I have donated a good deal of money to the Sebo Center project. I was flat out embarassed on Saturday. Being destroyed by a perennial doormat at home was one thing, but being embarassed by a coach making unprofessional comments to the media is an entirely different manner.

To conclude, Coach Brandon, I would request that you be more careful in the future how you address individual players in the media. Call them out in practice all you want if examples must be made, but please stop throwing your student-athletes under the proverbial bus. Remember, you are representing myself, and all Bowling Green Alumni when you take that podium. I implore you to act like it. Thank you again for your time.

MACMAN · Post by **MACMAN** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:25 am

nicely written.
I dont know what Brandon is doing, he clearly is misguiding the special teams, and has made some serious errors in recruiting to leave us as he said " young" I see no reasonable excuess there.
Then when it comes to answer for mistakes and errors he calls on the players. the players can only do what they are coached to do, and we all know and have seen we have good players, so GB needs to look in the mirror and look deeply at his snearing snarly smile before pointing his finger.

I am begining to realy question this guy as a Head Coach, but he has won us a ton of games and i credit him with that, but my god did he get hit in the squash, and not tell anyone.

BGGrad01 · Post by **BGGrad01** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:00 am

MACMAN wrote:and has made some serious errors in recruiting to leave us as he said " young" I see no reasonable excuess there.

I'm not a huge GB fan, but I don't dislike him as much as some on here. He is not to blame for the youth of this team IMO. Meyer's recruiting class between year 1 and year 2 (current redshirt seniors) has proven to be below average and the recruiting class between Meyer's resignation and Brandon's first year (current seniors and redshirt juniors) wasn't bad (Lichtensteiger, O'Drob, Nystom, Macon, etc). The redshirt sophomore class was listed as the #1 class in the MAC when they came in and this year's class was highly rated.

I think Meyer's poor recruiting between his two years here is to blame for our youth right now. I don't blame GB at all. In fact, I think he has done a solid job recruiting.

Great email BTW. Very well written and it summed up one of the biggest problems that I have with GB.

Holla@BG · Post by **Holla@BG** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:33 am

How can you say that Urban's recruiting classes were below average. His year 1 and 2 recruits were two of the most winningest classes in MAC history, going 37-12 and 35-14, respectively. Not to mention, they were largely responible for the first trip to the MAC title game since 1992 and two bowl game visits. Many of the players from those two classes provided many of the expectations that have many of you calling for Gregg Brandon's JOB!!!

Also, there is a reason so many freshmen are playing. Take a look at how many of GB's first recruiting class are still on the roster, he signed 26 that year. A large majority of his recruits have either quit or failed out of school, unforunately

. Therefore, all the freshmen on the two-deep can be attributed to the fact that he probably has no other choices. It is unheard of for 27 red-shirt or true freshmen to be listed in the two-deep. It's tough to win like that in D-IA, no matter the caliber of the players.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:39 am

This whole issue about recruiting and who signed what plaers and what impact Meyer's departure had on Brandon's first class has been kicked around on here ad nauseum.

Looking at the quality of the athletes we've brought in in the last three classes, I don't think recruiting is our problem. Effort and intensity were a larger issue for me than talent and "youth" on Saturday.

Redwingtom · Post by **Redwingtom** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:58 am

The coaches themselves did not commit 6 turnovers, they did not drop passes and they did not make errant throws and foolish penalties.

That being said, the coaches need to do a better job of putting the players we have into situations in which they can succeed while giving them proper motivation and preparation, which is clearly lacking at this point.

HoustonFalcon · Post by **HoustonFalcon** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:11 pm

I will agree with you RWT that it is not the coaches fault for turning the ball over, and it's not his fault for that our QB couldn't get the ball to the receivers etc. But what I do think is the problem is the fact that in the last two to three years our team has gotten softer and softer each year. I made a statement on here last year after rewatching the Wisconsin game, and people said that I was wrong. I said that Coach Brandon needed to have more fire on the sideline, let people know he was upset every now and then. Well, from what I've heard, things still haven't changed, and we are getting softer and softer on the field. And I'm sorry to say this, it might come as a surprise to some of you, but if Coach Brandon isn't yelling at someone on gameday, then he probably isn't doing it much on the practice field either. He isn't going to get quiet just because there are fans in the stands that might see him yell at a kid. He calls people out in the media, so I don't think that he is afraid of what others think of him in public. He needs to start really doing it on gameday when the clock is still running, and it could possibly do some good.

1987alum · Post by **1987alum** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:16 pm

I dunno. I think Brandon gets plenty fired up on the sideline. And yelling isn't the answer, anyway.

Falconfreak90 · Post by **Falconfreak90** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:30 pm

Redwingtom wrote:The coaches themselves did not commit 6 turnovers, they did not drop passes and they did not make errant throws and foolish penalties.

That being said, the coaches need to do a better job of putting the players we have into situations in which they can succeed while giving them proper motivation and preparation, which is clearly lacking at this point.

Tom,

That is the best summary I've seen yet. Perfectly said on all points.

GO FALCONS!!! BEAT OHIO!

BGSUFootballFan · Post by **BGSUFootballFan** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 4:18 pm

HoustonFalcon wrote:I will agree with you RWT that it is not the coaches fault for turning the ball over, and it's not his fault for that our QB couldn't get the ball to the receivers etc. But what I do think is the problem is the fact that in the last two to three years our team has gotten softer and softer each year. I made a statement on here last year after rewatching the Wisconsin game, and people said that I was wrong. I said that Coach Brandon needed to have more fire on the sideline, let people know he was upset every now and then. Well, from what I've heard, things still haven't changed, and we are getting softer and softer on the field. And I'm sorry to say this, it might come as a surprise to some of you, but if Coach Brandon isn't yelling at someone on gameday, then he probably isn't doing it much on the practice field either. He isn't going to get quiet just because there are fans in the stands that might see him yell at a kid. He calls people out in the media, so I don't think that he is afraid of what others think of him in public. He needs to start really doing it on gameday when the clock is still running, and it could possibly do some good.

I agree with you 100%. This team is starved for a disciplinarian and GB has never been that. It is not the coaches fault that players turn the ball over, but it is the coaches fault if they arent in that player's face letting him have it after he makes a bone head play. Some people think yelling isnt the way to go but it definitely is when you need to get the team/player's attention. By yelling, it shows the team that a) you care and it means something to you b) you expect more from them c) you think they can & should do better and most importantly d) if they dont start performing to what their capable of, you'll gladly replace them with another player who does want to play and give it his all no matter what is talent level or potential is.

This isn't Candyland, and this isn't a conversation with your 4 year old daughter on why you shouldn't eat a cupcake 5 mintues before dinner. This is college football and these are grown men. Most of them in their 20's and they know better than to play hapless football or make silly penalties and turnovers. Standing on the sidelines with your arms folded isn't going to get the job done and its NEVER going to fix any problem. Problems don't go away on their own and you can't hide from them otherwise they will snowball on you. In a way, by the team performing this BAD Saturday, shows that they are crying out for attention. They need some in your face, disciplined coaching to help them play better and reach their potential no matter how many D-1 games they've started. Not someone who is nice to them and a friend that they can call when they are in trouble. A coach's job is to be the guy who taught you what to do so that you didn't get into trouble, not the sap that forgives you and bails you out everytime. That's why being a parent is so difficult because you have to do both. Coaches get it easy because all they have to give is tough love, the other type can normally come off the field like usual...

I am a supporter of Brandon and will be as long as he is our coach. I think he is replaceable but we shouldn't be talking about that until after the season is over anyway. People are over-reacting which is normal for humans. Right now we could still go 7-1 in the MAC and that would no doubt be more than enough to get us to a bowl game. I think Brandon is a good, not a great coach, and of the names that have been brought up as a replacement none have been impressive enough to me to say that we should fire Brandon. I just think he'll always be a good coach and not a great one because he is so personable. He is too much of a nice guy and a friend to his players and as much as it may seem thats what the players need, it truly isn't and I hope he sees that in the future. Hopefully he will change his ways and this team will get things turned around before its too late this season. I would love to hear GB say something about adding an extra practice or going full pads or some type of punishment for the way the team played on Saturday. Otherwise I think we might be better staying on the bus in Athens this weekend...

falconfan1999 · Post by **falconfan1999** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:38 pm

You can't yell and scream at today's players and expect them all to respond. As a matter of fact most of them won't respond! How do I know? Well, I've been coaching since 1993 and I've yelled at my fair share of kids. More and more kids simply tune you out or cry to someone else about what a mean S.O.B. you are. You have to take a different approach for every kid. I wish it wasn't like that, that one size fit all, so to speak, but in 2006, Woody Hayes wouldn't cut it!

BGSU99 · Post by **BGSU99** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 8:45 pm

After the game against Buffalo, he dismissed it with the statement, "Buffalo is going to be a force in the MAC." Imagine my surprise when I turned on the postgame show Saturday (we couldn't get to the car soon enough after that one) to hear Coach Brandon say, "I saw this coming two weeks ago when we barely beat Buffalo." Hmmmmm ... interesting. He saw this coming two weeks ago, and yet we still got whipped by KSU by 35 points. I, like others, have gotten weary of GB's incessant bashing of the players in these postgame press conferences. Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall him saying something along the lines of "We got outcoached," or "We could have done a better job coaching." It always seems to be the kids' fault. Last time I checked, this was a team game, and Saturday certainly appeared to be a team loss to me (offense, defense, special teams, coaching).

NWLB · Post by **NWLB** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 9:07 pm

The problem for Brandon is that "once a players coach, always a players coach." Trying to turn things around by gripping the wheel too tightly, can burn credibility and fail to create results. Remainning a players coach while the ship is sinking can be just about as bad. Sometimes you just can't win, no matter what you do, and that is what I'm really worried about.

kdog27 · Post by **kdog27** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:00 pm

Jacobs4Heisman wrote:This was addressed to Brandon, and cc'ed to Christopher:

Good morning, Gentlemen.

Since I know you two must be extremely busy, I'll make an effort to keep this brief. I am e-mailing again to voice my displeasure with Coach Brandon's continuous relations with the media in regards to his players. Coach, you have called out players by name in your postgame interviews and I think it has been extremely unprofessional for you to do so. It culminated with your comments about Corey Partridge following the embarassing loss to Kent State. Corey was one of the few players out there who was playing his heart out on Saturday. He was running great routes and going all out, but the passes just were not there for him to be able to make the plays we needed.

I do not know Corey personally, but he has played injured, and played hard throughout his time at BG. Just like when you called out Omar Jacobs publicly after the 2004 Toledo game, I think you have represented BGSU very poorly in this instance. I have lived and died with Falcon Athletics ever since I started at BG, just like my father before me. I attend all manner of sporting event, and I have donated a good deal of money to the Sebo Center project. I was flat out embarassed on Saturday. Being destroyed by a perennial doormat at home was one thing, but being embarassed by a coach making unprofessional comments to the media is an entirely different manner.

To conclude, Coach Brandon, I would request that you be more careful in the future how you address individual players in the media. Call them out in practice all you want if examples must be made, but please stop throwing your student-athletes under the proverbial bus. Remember, you are representing myself, and all Bowling Green Alumni when you take that podium. I implore you to act like it. Thank you again for your time.

J4H, well written. I'm certain Brandon read/will read this. I have emailed him several times and he always quickly responds though I doubt he will this time.

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:34 pm

Yeah I wouldn't respond if I were him. I just hope he takes it to heart.

Mr. Christopher read it, and responded very graciously.

My latest e-mail to Brandon and Christopher

My latest e-mail to Brandon and Christopher

What?

The thing I found interesting about GB was ...

Re: My latest e-mail to Brandon and Christopher