Perspective

[MontanaHog]

It's worth taking a look at the late entries on the game thread on Hineygate--the Ohio State message board on scout.com. A lot of the posts are virtually verbatim for those on MMQB: "Fire the DC." "Can no longer be a Meyer supporter." "We're soft." "Unable to make halftime adjustments."  All this from fans of a team that won a championship a couple of years ago.

I'm just as frustrated as everyone else. It's hard to stomach the defensive ineptitude and second half collapses. But a lot of fan bases overreact. I think we're overreacting now. If Bielema fails to learn from his mistakes this season, he'll be gone soon enough. In the meantime, I'll look forward to signing day, spring ball, and next season. Go Hogs!

http://www.scout.com/college/ohio-state/forums/3154-hineygate

[PossumFan]

Get ready to be accused of accepting mediocrity, or worse.

[007 License To Squeal]

But a lot of fan bases overreact. I think we're overreacting now. If Bielema fails to learn from his mistakes this season, he'll be gone soon enough.

Overreacting? Really?  He guaranteed his team would play a full 4 quarter game after a sterling 1st half....then the Hogs got their teeth kicked out in the 2nd half. There is a SERIOUS problem on the hill, and it isn't a lack of talent.

[Hoggie17]

Our fan base is not over reacting, this has been going on with our program for 5 yrs, not 1 game in the NC finals.

[SemperFi]

OSU fans are definitely overreacting, Hog fans have reason to be angry. It's been a bit over the top at times and folks lose their perspective on things, but we all love our Razorbacks and want to see a team that competes and not collapse like what we've all witnessed the past two games. I think OSU fans are embarrassed by the shut out, but once reality sets in they'll be back on the bandwagon. The Razorback football team as well as the basketball team need some serious overhauling.

[Hoggie17]

OSU fans are definitely overreacting, Hog fans have reason to be angry.

To compare our fan base to the OSU fan base is like saying an orange is an apple.  We have reason to be upset.

[depressed_fan]

No matter how much a program wins, these days when a team loses or sometimes just doesn't win by enough, there's always a faction of the fan base calling for a certain coach to be fired. The last 2 times Ole Miss has beat Alabama, there's been a few Alabama suckers calling for Saban's head.  That's b/c they live on an emotional roller coaster and one loss meant their whole world of happiness for an entire weekend just came crashing down.

No matter who wins the NC, either Clemson or Alabama fans will immediately want a change a coaching change in the aftermath. If Bama loses the fans will find solitude in the fact Kiffin is leaving, and the loss will be his fault. If Clemson losses a small percent of their fan base will say, lets fire Dabo b/c he can't beat Saban, he can't get us to the next level. It's the state of emotion some people live in. To me it's hilarious to read it.

[rude1]

I disagree, if your team has won a NC and was playing in the final four again this year, you are probably over reacting. When your  program  is 10-22 in the conference and less than .500 under the leadership of your current staff, you should genuinely be concerned about the direction the program is heading in.

People should go to other fan bases message board, then you will see we are no different from any other fan base when it comes to how we handle losing.  It is truly what have you done for me lately today in athletics. Saban is a hero right now, but let him miss making it to the final four for one season and you will a section of their fan base who will decide he is now past his prime and unable to keep up with the changes of the game. Let him miss two in a row and you will really hear the howling and gnashing of teeth.

[Inhogswetrust]

To compare our fan base to the OSU fan base is like saying an orange is an apple.  We have reason to be upset.

I've worked in Columbus Ohio. I know a former player for Woody. Their fans are somewhat arrogant but generally nice. They think they should win every game and if not then at least beat big blue.

[ATLHog]

I'll give u perspective: I sat on the Bama side of field yesterday and watched how Saban's squad quickly adjusted and shut down a well coached, fast, determined Huskie team while also course correcting his own team's mistakes in real time. I kept an eye on Saban the entire game and was envious of how he DEMANDED top performance out of everyone in Crimson the entire game. Ruthless, prepared, fully engaged every minute of every game = Alabama dynasty. There's perspective for you.

[ballz2thewall]

I'll give u perspective: I sat on the Bama side of field yesterday and watched how Saban's squad quickly adjusted and shut down a well coached, fast, determined Huskie team while also course correcting his own team's mistakes in real time. I kept an eye on Saban the entire game and was envious of how he DEMANDED top performance out of everyone in Crimson the entire game. Ruthless, prepared, fully engaged every minute of every game = Alabama dynasty. There's perspective for you.

this.

[MontanaHog]

Our fan base is not over reacting, this has been going on with our program for 5 yrs, not 1 game in the NC finals.

Sorry, but posts like this drive me crazy. Obviously Bielema had nothing to do with the first of those five years. Given the state of the program when he took the job, I think we have to overlook the '13 season as well. So I think we really should focus on the last three.

We finished strong in 2014 and beat an admittedly weak Texas. But still, it was Texas. I think a lot of us thought we could see the light at the end of the tunnel. Last year saw another slow start, but again a really strong finish plus a bowl win. Most of us were feeling pretty positive at that point. With all the returning defensive starters, we had to be better on that side of the ball this year, right?  Now we just had to figure out how to play in September.

Fast forward to after the TCU game. The defense looked better, we're ranked,and beat what was thought to be a solid team on the road. 90% of us are pretty happy. Hell, 10% of any large group would condemn motherhood and apple pie.

So it's really just the last 10 games or so that have us all upset.  Granted, that's a more statistically significant sample than one playoff game for OSU. But there were some good wins in that stretch too (Ole Miss, Florida).  So saying that we've suffered through a lost half-decade is incorrect.  That's why I'm calling most of the MMQB comments overreactions.

I totally agree that there are some major changes needed. I can tolerate some losses as we build. But for some reason, the fight exhibited in Bret's teams before this year just wasn't there this season. That has to change in 2017. If not, I'll join you in calling for Bielema's job.

[PossumFan]

Yeah, lots of fans do overreact. Last year, a friend of mine insisted that Tony Bennett should be fired after Virginia experienced an epic collapse in the second half against Syracuse in the Elite Eight ... a collapse as bad as the one the Hogs had Thursday evening. This despite the fact that Bennett had won 89 games over three seasons, two ACC regular season titles and an ACC tournament. Yes, I realize Bielema is a different story because he hasn't been nearly that successful. I just offer this to illustrate that overreacting fans exist just about everywhere.

[Redhogs]

I'll give u perspective: I sat on the Bama side of field yesterday and watched how Saban's squad quickly adjusted and shut down a well coached, fast, determined Huskie team while also course correcting his own team's mistakes in real time. I kept an eye on Saban the entire game and was envious of how he DEMANDED top performance out of everyone in Crimson the entire game. Ruthless, prepared, fully engaged every minute of every game = Alabama dynasty. There's perspective for you.

As compared to our lost clueless windbreaker roaming the sideline? One is an engaged winner and the other, well, just lost.

[Redhogs]

It's worth taking a look at the late entries on the game thread on Hineygate--the Ohio State message board on scout.com. A lot of the posts are virtually verbatim for those on MMQB: "Fire the DC." "Can no longer be a Meyer supporter." "We're soft." "Unable to make halftime adjustments."  All this from fans of a team that won a championship a couple of years ago.

I'm just as frustrated as everyone else. It's hard to stomach the defensive ineptitude and second half collapses. But a lot of fan bases overreact. I think we're overreacting now. If Bielema fails to learn from his mistakes this season, he'll be gone soon enough. In the meantime, I'll look forward to signing day, spring ball, and next season. Go Hogs!

http://www.scout.com/college/ohio-state/forums/3154-hineygate

I assume ESPN over reacted when they thought there was no way Bert should keep his Job after that disaster in Charlotte?

[MontanaHog]

I assume ESPN over reacted when they thought there was no way Bert should keep his Job after that disaster in Charlotte?

Ahhh, ESPN. The antithesis of perspective. For them, overreacting is the business model.