metrolax
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2008
- Messages
- 2,361
- Reaction score
- 290
- Points
- 83
If the U finally decides to get with the rest of the college football world and pony up
for good coaches and some follow through, I really believe that there are SEVERAL
coaches out there who would be successful at the U. Many of those have been
mentioned on this board already, some have not. Its not a one-in-a-million find.
It sounds like the U is finally going to do that.
Had they gone on the cheap like they have in many different areas, the pressure would
really be on to find the "right guy" in an intense way. That's a tough situation for anyone.
Let's not forget one thing that the U has over ALMOST every other major school in
the country: The enormous potential of the Twin Cities business community to power this
thing up. There is tremendous wealth in the Cities, and some highly visible business entities
that have shown an interest in the U athletic department.
Times have changed, and this gives me hope as well as lower blood pressure on this.
When Lou Holtz was here, he immediately realized the potential in the business
community and worked hard to network support from it. The Admin, however, put
the skids on that, and that had to be a contributing factor into his leaving.
And let's not forget the Dome, with all its inherent disadvantages, both artistically
and financially. You cannot evaluate coaches that coached during the Dome years
with the same criteria as with coaches who do/did not.
I have read often on this board..."Salem didn't get it done, Gutey didn't get it done,
Wacker didn't get it done, and Mason didn't get it done". People, they did about as well
as they could have- be realistic and intellectually honest on this. Salem's program
collapsed once they entered the Dome. Wacker simply wasn't a fiit for the Big Ten.
Gutey and Mason, however, had winning seasons while operating within an
extremely challenging 'money and support' environment.
The next coach, I believe, will have more support than has been received by a coach
at the U since the Bierman days- before the subconscious "de-emphasis" that started
to set the program back in the 50's. The U is finally beginning to see spending on
football as an investment, which can result in millions of dollars of free publicity
and advertising for the school.
If I'm reading the tea leaves correctly, this is what I see:
1) The rallying of the powerful Twin Cities business community- an entity which helped
get us TCF Bank Stadium and can do much more.
2) The willingness to raise and spend the dollars needed for a continuing investment
into football
3) The willingness to make certain that the next coaching hire is a solid one based on
the work of people with knowledge of the subject.
If all of these fall into place, the U can still hire the wrong guy, but the chances of that
go down. The beauty of it is that there are plenty of "right" guys.
If this all goes down as I'm beginning to see it, then there will be bright days
ahead for the U in football, regardless of whether the coach's last name is Chryst,
Frazier, Trestman, Bowden, or any of several people that can succeed here then.
In the meantime, I really hope that Horton and his Gophers win 5 straight, go 6-6,
get us into a bowl game, and make the next coaching hire VERY, very interesting. LOL
for good coaches and some follow through, I really believe that there are SEVERAL
coaches out there who would be successful at the U. Many of those have been
mentioned on this board already, some have not. Its not a one-in-a-million find.
It sounds like the U is finally going to do that.
Had they gone on the cheap like they have in many different areas, the pressure would
really be on to find the "right guy" in an intense way. That's a tough situation for anyone.
Let's not forget one thing that the U has over ALMOST every other major school in
the country: The enormous potential of the Twin Cities business community to power this
thing up. There is tremendous wealth in the Cities, and some highly visible business entities
that have shown an interest in the U athletic department.
Times have changed, and this gives me hope as well as lower blood pressure on this.
When Lou Holtz was here, he immediately realized the potential in the business
community and worked hard to network support from it. The Admin, however, put
the skids on that, and that had to be a contributing factor into his leaving.
And let's not forget the Dome, with all its inherent disadvantages, both artistically
and financially. You cannot evaluate coaches that coached during the Dome years
with the same criteria as with coaches who do/did not.
I have read often on this board..."Salem didn't get it done, Gutey didn't get it done,
Wacker didn't get it done, and Mason didn't get it done". People, they did about as well
as they could have- be realistic and intellectually honest on this. Salem's program
collapsed once they entered the Dome. Wacker simply wasn't a fiit for the Big Ten.
Gutey and Mason, however, had winning seasons while operating within an
extremely challenging 'money and support' environment.
The next coach, I believe, will have more support than has been received by a coach
at the U since the Bierman days- before the subconscious "de-emphasis" that started
to set the program back in the 50's. The U is finally beginning to see spending on
football as an investment, which can result in millions of dollars of free publicity
and advertising for the school.
If I'm reading the tea leaves correctly, this is what I see:
1) The rallying of the powerful Twin Cities business community- an entity which helped
get us TCF Bank Stadium and can do much more.
2) The willingness to raise and spend the dollars needed for a continuing investment
into football
3) The willingness to make certain that the next coaching hire is a solid one based on
the work of people with knowledge of the subject.
If all of these fall into place, the U can still hire the wrong guy, but the chances of that
go down. The beauty of it is that there are plenty of "right" guys.
If this all goes down as I'm beginning to see it, then there will be bright days
ahead for the U in football, regardless of whether the coach's last name is Chryst,
Frazier, Trestman, Bowden, or any of several people that can succeed here then.
In the meantime, I really hope that Horton and his Gophers win 5 straight, go 6-6,
get us into a bowl game, and make the next coaching hire VERY, very interesting. LOL