settle down

[Schnauzer]

I think it is funny that there probably are not two better words in the English language to get people angry and worked up into a lather than... "settle down". Pretty ironic, no?

Well, now that I have you all upset and angry... consider this:

I was viewing these boards with great interest last summer. It seemed as though someone would post a "How do you think the season will go" thread almost on a daily basis. As people weighed in, there were a few blue sky homers that would say 9-3 or better, a few jaded doomsdayers that would say 4-8 or worse, and then the vaaaaaaaast majority predicted a finish somewhere between 5-7 and 8-4. This isn't scientific but if my memory serves me the two most common predictions were 7-5 and 6-6. At that same time, there were almost NO threads suggesting Brewster should be fired.

So, fast forward to late October and the team is sitting at 4-4 and probably heading for a final record of 6-6, or maybe 7-5 if they can find a way to beat Michigan State. All in all the team appears to be heading towards a year that exactly meets the fanbase expectations and slightly exceeds the "expert" journalist predictions.

My question is this... what in the line of talent has all the "fire Brewster" people seen since last August that would lead them to believe the record should be much better, and the coach should be fired before any of his recruits reach upperclassman status? If Brewster should be fired, I'm assuming the team is underperforming compared to expectations. If expectations were 6-6 in August, apparently people have seen things this season that would lead them to believe the team should instead be 10-2. That is a lot of good news. What players have gone above and beyond to the point you now think the team should have actually been in contention for a conference title?

Or, could it be that people are overreacting and need to "settle down" and let Brewster grow his program?

 

[thailleagle]

I don't think Brewster should be fired that's Hawkeye.......

I do however understand peoples concerns with him though.......

 

[dpodoll68]

I think it is funny that there probably are not two better words in the English language to get people angry and worked up into a lather than... "settle down". Pretty ironic, no?

Well, now that I have you all upset and angry... consider this:

I was viewing these boards with great interest last summer. It seemed as though someone would post a "How do you think the season will go" thread almost on a daily basis. As people weighed in, there were a few blue sky homers that would say 9-3 or better, a few jaded doomsdayers that would say 4-8 or worse, and then the vaaaaaaaast majority predicted a finish somewhere between 5-7 and 8-4. This isn't scientific but if my memory serves me the two most common predictions were 7-5 and 6-6. At that same time, there were almost NO threads suggesting Brewster should be fired.

So, fast forward to late October and the team is sitting at 4-4 and probably heading for a final record of 6-6, or maybe 7-5 if they can find a way to beat Michigan State. All in all the team appears to be heading towards a year that exactly meets the fanbase expectations and slightly exceeds the "expert" journalist predictions.

My question is this... what in the line of talent has all the "fire Brewster" people seen since last August that would lead them to believe the record should be much better, and the coach should be fired before any of his recruits reach upperclassman status? If Brewster should be fired, I'm assuming the team is underperforming compared to expectations. If expectations were 6-6 in August, apparently people have seen things this season that would lead them to believe the team should instead be 10-2. That is a lot of good news. What players have gone above and beyond to the point you now think the team should have actually been in contention for a conference title?

Or, could it be that people are overreacting and need to "settle down" and let Brewster grow his program?

Great post. The problem is that the weak-minded among us overreact (positively if we win, negatively if we lose) to every single game and polarize themselves on opposite ends of the spectrum. Luckily for us, ADs don't evaluate coaches and their staffs on the basis of a single game.

I said 6-6 before the season started. I thought we'd lose to Air Force, and beat Wisconsin, but otherwise, I've been exactly right. I also feel we'll lose to MSU and Iowa, and beat Illinois and SDSU. I know I am not alone with these predictions.

Would a better coach be able to coax 7 or 8 wins out of this team? Probably, but I don't think Zombie Vince Lombardi is interested in the Minnesota job. Let's support the coach we have and keep this program on the right track.

 

[wait!what?]

Dpodoll also said that he would give me a gazillion bajillion dollars if ILL. came into the TCF game without a Big Ten win. 1 more to go!


True, tho that folks overreact, it takes more than 2 years to over turn 40 yrs of futility. I am in as a Gopher FB fan for the long haul, which will taste even sweeter when the wins come.

 

[KoolAid]

Luckily for us, ADs don't evaluate coaches and their staffs on the basis of a single game.

I don't disagree with you, but I think a lot was made of Mason's game against Texas Tech. If I remember correctly, Maturi even said something along the lines of "If we hadn't lost in this fashion, I don't think we would be looking for a new coach."

But certainly none of Brewster's losses can even be compared to the Tech game.

When Maturi looked compares the final record with his own pre-season expectations, there probably won't be many differences. Therefore Brew isn't leaving this off-season and he will be left with 2010 as his make or break season.

 

[Khaliq]

Let's support the coach we have and keep this program on the right track.

I don't feel duty bound to do that. Support the team financially, with my presence and by cheering them on game day? Absolutely. However I look at the coach and team as separate entities, and I do not look at criticism of the coach as an attack on the program.

 

[Threefinesweethams]

I wholeheartedly agree that the "fire Brewster" rhetoric is overheated and way premature. However, it is not all just the W and L, it is also the evidence of whether the team is on-track or not. Even in the losses, you look for signs of progress that demonstrate the ability of the staff to teach, to game plan, develop the players, and make the adjustments to get the most out of the talent on the field. What is driving the discussion is the lack of progress in the very same things that have plagued this team for 2 years. This has been evident even in some of the games we have won. If we had lost to Ohio State 20-17 in a hard-fought battle we probably would not be having this discussion.

We need to beat Michigan State, or have a close and hard-fought loss, or it could get really ugly. If we come out and show no offense and get blown away again, look out. If we win, then Brewster will have shown he can rally his players and the doomsayers will back off.

 

[NewEngland_Gold]

Based on my sense of the GHer community...

from quite a distance...is that the majority of posters have relatively reasonable expectations for the Brewster regime: recruit above-average talent, develop that talent effectively and eventually be in a competitive position relative to the mid/upper tier of the BT with a shot at the title every few years.

Neighboring rivals have been able to accomplish this, so the general feeling seems to be: why not us? U facilties/stadium are now top-notch, the growing TC-metro area dynamic and the University itself a highly regarded, nationally-recognized teaching/research educational institution.

Most GHers also seem to have enough maturity to realize this will take several years given 40 years of generally lower-tier field performance and modest support from the U administration over that period. Further, most seem to understand that it takes a fair amount of time to get the right mix of talented players in the pipeline and then actually producing above-average results in order to meet those objectives.

Although I am very personally supportive of TB's recruiting efforts and his growth in developing as a HC, I am not in the camp of blind support when certain areas affected directly by coaching are obviously off track to even casual fans. These areas or "problems" have been discussed repeatedly on this board and I believe are legitmate concerns of ardent fans because they are coaching correctable: elimination of stupid penalties, lack of player discipline, poor O execution due to missed assignments, poor pass catching by obviously talented players, poor tackling in several games and throughout this season, a mostly one-dimensional offense focusing heavily on Decker. Others can add to this list and they have done so through the first half of the season.

Yes, much of this would be overlooked if the Gs were in contention for the BT title, but they are far from that objective at this point in the season, essentially last in the BT in most O and D statistical categories as has been posted on this board.

Perhaps some of this is due to TB's inexperience as a HC and the revolving door at the coordinator level as many have pointed out here, as well as other issues inside the program which are not visible to those on the outside. In any case, GHers do have direct exposure to what's happening on the field and I believe the board has an obligation to point out issues that are coaching correctable and have less to do with any percieved or actual talent gap that the Gs may have relative to opponents.

As been pointed out in the "Wills post", this board is read by a very large GN audience: GHers, fans, players, hs players, recruits, player families, alums, opponent fans and of course, coaches. One of the functions of GH is to reflect the sentiment of the most passionate fans of GN. At times that will be very upbeat and positive, and at times down and negative. That's all part of the fun, drama and excitement of collegiate fb and it's important for those running the program to get a thoughtful, constructive and intelligent perspective...and perhaps a reality check...from those in the stands on an ongoing basis IMHO.

 

[Maximus]

it takes more than 2 years to over turn 40 yrs of futility.

This is year three...so that would be 43 years of futility.

In conference games only:

TOTAL OFFENSE
9. Iowa 306.0
10. Michigan 298.0
11. Minnesota 277.0

TOTAL DEFENSE
9. Illinois 414.2
10. Indiana 416.8
11. Minnesota 440.4

 

[thailleagle]

Dpodoll also said that he would give me a gazillion bajillion dollars if ILL. came into the TCF game without a Big Ten win. 1 more to go!


True, tho that folks overreact, it takes more than 2 years to over turn 40 yrs of futility. I am in as a Gopher FB fan for the long haul, which will taste even sweeter when the wins come.

Maybe you missed the 1999 & 2003 season........

 

[GVBadger]

I think it is funny that there probably are not two better words in the English language to get people angry and worked up into a lather than... "settle down". Pretty ironic, no?

Well, now that I have you all upset and angry... consider this:

I was viewing these boards with great interest last summer. It seemed as though someone would post a "How do you think the season will go" thread almost on a daily basis. As people weighed in, there were a few blue sky homers that would say 9-3 or better, a few jaded doomsdayers that would say 4-8 or worse, and then the vaaaaaaaast majority predicted a finish somewhere between 5-7 and 8-4. This isn't scientific but if my memory serves me the two most common predictions were 7-5 and 6-6. At that same time, there were almost NO threads suggesting Brewster should be fired.

So, fast forward to late October and the team is sitting at 4-4 and probably heading for a final record of 6-6, or maybe 7-5 if they can find a way to beat Michigan State. All in all the team appears to be heading towards a year that exactly meets the fanbase expectations and slightly exceeds the "expert" journalist predictions.

My question is this... what in the line of talent has all the "fire Brewster" people seen since last August that would lead them to believe the record should be much better, and the coach should be fired before any of his recruits reach upperclassman status? If Brewster should be fired, I'm assuming the team is underperforming compared to expectations. If expectations were 6-6 in August, apparently people have seen things this season that would lead them to believe the team should instead be 10-2. That is a lot of good news. What players have gone above and beyond to the point you now think the team should have actually been in contention for a conference title?

Or, could it be that people are overreacting and need to "settle down" and let Brewster grow his program?

That is all true. However, it is not illegal to overachieve once every 30 or 40 years.

 

[KoolAid]

That is all true. However, it is not illegal to overachieve once every 30 or 40 years.

I like you GV

 

[MLF89]

Missin Importnat Defensive Stat

Maximus, you seems to not include what I think is the most important defensive stat, which is scoring. In reality, isn't that what really counts? As far as I know, which isn't a whole lot, it is the number of points made and given that determine the outcome, not yards. I will give you that offensively there is alot to be desired since the Gophers rank 9th in the conference, but, defensively, the Gophers rank 5th. And that doesn't include necessarily those "patsy" games that most of the other teams have played already this year (though Syracuse is open to debate).