A New Coach Brings One Critical Commodity

[WilsonHog]

Hope. A belief that things will get better, even if not right away.

The only emotion most Hog fans have right now is resignation.

[farmhawg]

Hope. A belief that things will get better, even if not right away.

The only emotion most Hog fans have right now is resignation.

Very true.

[moses_007]

Wilson, we are all so tired... of losing.

[JackTNHogfan]

Hope. A belief that things will get better, even if not right away.

The only emotion most Hog fans have right now is resignation.

Absolutely!

[TebowHater]

100%. Hope is what we no longer had after TCU and especially now. It is ok to be 6-7 for a couple years, so long as we have hope of what we are building.

Going 6-7 when you know it's the best you can do just yields resignation.

[my3boneheads]

A new coach also brings in 2 more years of mediocrity until he gets his players on board. If we go back to a spread offense it could take 4 years to get to an 8-4 season.

[rtr]

A new coach also brings in 2 more years of mediocrity until he gets his players on board. If we go back to a spread offense it could take 4 years to get to an 8-4 season.

Now that is a ridiculous notion.

[moses_007]

A new coach also brings in 2 more years of mediocrity until he gets his players on board. If we go back to a spread offense it could take 4 years to get to an 8-4 season.

Enos could take the players we have right now and convert the offense to a spread.  It does tend to open up more holes for running backs.  But you need great wide receivers too to properly execute it.

[HognotinMemphis]

Hope. A belief that things will get better, even if not right away.

The only emotion most Hog fans have right now is resignation.

That is basically my response to those fans who say who would we get any better than who we have now. Hope. Optimism. Hope that the next guy is better than Bielema. May not turn out that way but you have to try and have hope that it will be an improvement. The alternative is to keep what we know is certain mediocrity or worse.

[orvillesghost]

So true Wilson.

Though my age is beginning to make me wonder if ANYONE can ever get it done here.

Just tired of never being relevant in FB anymore...we all are I guess.

[Tarheelhawg]

The hope and distraction of a new coach search takes my mind off another gut wrenching close loss which is one thing Bielema has mastered.

[alohawg]

.

[Dominicanhog]

Been watching since the 60's and I would say I have less hope today as anytime in my life.. sure JLS was a disaster but you knew it was short term and I never felt this way with Nutt, Hatfield, Frank or Holtz and certainly not Bobby... maybe I'm just getting old and I know I don't respond to losses very well .....oh well, guess it's just football.

[alohawg]

I dunno, I felt pretty crappy after the epic butt kickings from USC and Tenn during the Nutt cracker error.

[phadedhawg]

Yeah a new coach brings hope, the same hope Charlie Brown has that he's gonna kick the football this time. 

A new coach sells tickets for a couple season but then the honeymoon period ends and it's back to carping for a new head coach. 

Granted, I'm not saying I want Bert to stay.  I'm just saying I'm not buying the new coach hype bc it never seems to change anything. 

[BDSCT51]

Been watching since the 60's and I would say I have less hope today as anytime in my life.. sure JLS was a disaster but you knew it was short term and I never felt this way with Nutt, Hatfield, Frank or Holtz and certainly not Bobby... maybe I'm just getting old and I know I don't respond to losses very well .....oh well, guess it's just football.

Same here! We're just lost in the wilderness of mediocrity for some time to come I'm afraid. Vanderbilt of the SEC West. Looking up to Kentucky and Duke...................................... IN FOOTBALL!!!!!!

[Atlhogfan1]

I dunno, I felt pretty crappy after the epic butt kickings from USC and Tenn during the Nutt cracker error.

Too many 0 for Octobers to have had faith in Nutt.  Bowl debacles like UNLV and Minnesota. The worst part with Nutt was we were trapped. It took him and his wife screwing up off the field to get enough pressure for change.

Unfortunately the buyout has fans feeling similar.  But that buyout isn't forever. 

[Letsroll1200]

I dunno, I felt pretty crappy after the epic butt kickings from USC and Tenn during the Nutt cracker error.

USC was elite. Auburn 56-3, not elite.

[DeltaBoy]

Hope. A belief that things will get better, even if not right away.

The only emotion most Hog fans have right now is resignation.

Pissed Off and Darksiding ! Jeff been here too Long and his pet 15 million dollar Pig Farmer got to go !

[hawgtime]

Hope. A belief that things will get better, even if not right away.

The only emotion most Hog fans have right now is resignation.

AMEN. we went out to breakfast in Tulsa this morning and ran into another Hog fan.  we spoke for about 5 minutes and he told me that he had no hope of winning today or having a winning season.  blah

[Dominicanhog]

I dunno, I felt pretty crappy after the epic butt kickings from USC and Tenn during the Nutt cracker error.

didn't we win 9 in a row after USC... not saying I thought he was a great coach but I never thought we we weren't going to win or at least had a good chance.. I'm sure I'll be over it in a day or two....

[PonderinHog]

didn't we win 9 in a row after USC... not saying I thought he was a great coach but I never thought we we weren't going to win or at least had a good chance.. I'm sure I'll be over it in a day or two....

Ten in a row?

[pigture perfect]

Just sick. Sick of wasting Saturdays hoping for A signature type win.

[ricepig]

I dunno, I felt pretty crappy after the epic butt kickings from USC and Tenn during the Nutt cracker error.

Yeah, I was thinking of Ronnie South QB'd team of 1967, it was pretty bad.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

Hope. A belief that things will get better, even if not right away.

The only emotion most Hog fans have right now is resignation.

That's what Nutt brought.

Played Alabama in Fayetteville and made em quit.

[Dark Helmet Hog]

We are likely stuck with this darn for at least one more year. If Long get's to make another hire, there will be little hope to go with it.

[Maginot]

I still have hope.  Hope of a resignation. Maybe two.

[hoglady]

Hope. A belief that things will get better, even if not right away.

The only emotion most Hog fans have right now is resignation.

In all of Nutt's years I've never seen it this bad.
Even the really stupid stuff the fan base did was driven by anger which was driven by caring.

Right now the anger isn't there - it's just apathy.

[orvillesghost]

The league is pulling away from us and has been been the last few years.

I guess part of this is frustration on my part and resignation but I really don't think we will ever be able to recruit well enough to be much better than a seven or eight win team.

Probably the constant losses are influencing my opinion.

[Hogs-n-Roses]

In all of Nutt's years I've never seen it this bad.
Even the really stupid stuff the fan base did was driven by anger which was driven by caring.

Right now the anger isn't there - it's just apathy.

That's because the Jeffies have sold everyone on the Idea of mediocrity is fine. Can't recruit here, average wins/losses, money available.....There is a propaganda machine at -play here in this state and even right here on this board.

[LRHawg]

It'd take a great coach and recruiter to reverse our recruiting fortunes. It would take a few years and we'd have to win big to have a shot at some big classes, but it could in theory,be done. kids will come here if they think we can win big. We'd probably need Saban to retire as well.

[Großer Kriegschwein]

In all of Nutt's years I've never seen it this bad.
Even the really stupid stuff the fan base did was driven by anger which was driven by caring.

Right now the anger isn't there - it's just apathy.

Much truth in this.

Everyone just wants Bret to salvage what he can until his buyout is manageable.

The apathy comes from the absurd buyout and the anger is directed toward who the fans believe is responsible for agreeing to it.

Our best case scenario is Bret reading the writing on the wall, moving to another school on his own to spare his reputation and national vitriol in the media against him. Financially, that may not be the best thing for him in the near term, but probably would balance out in the long term.

[navyhog24]

I have lost all hope as long as Jeff Long would be making the hire.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

In all of Nutt's years I've never seen it this bad.
Even the really stupid stuff the fan base did was driven by anger which was driven by caring.

Right now the anger isn't there - it's just apathy.

I think Nutt made it personal with the fans...creating the anger.  BB is likeable, so apathy instead of anger by from the fans.

I can't even stand the site of Nutt.  Irrational loathing, I know.  When BB's gone, I'll still like the guy.

[hoglady]

That's because the Jeffies have sold everyone on the Idea of mediocrity is fine. Can't recruit here, average wins/losses, money available.....There is a propaganda machine at -play here in this state and even right here on this board.

If that's what everyone is content with then no reason to spend 4 million on a coach with a 15 million buy out and millions upon millions on facilities. Just admit you're going to be the Vandy of the West (without the academic standing), pray for a bowl game every 5 years and be done with it.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

I have lost all hope as long as Jeff Long would be making the hire.

I agree.  Guy is probably a great administrator, but don't trust him to make a hire, but he'll be the guy to do it unless he leaves for greener pasters before that happens.

[hoglady]

I think Nutt made it personal with the fans...creating the anger.  BB is likeable, so apathy instead of anger by from the fans.

I can't even stand the site of Nutt.  Irrational loathing, I know.  When BB's gone, I'll still like the guy.

I was just mad at Nutt for wasting some of the most elite talent we've ever had by being more stubborn than Les Miles regarding his offense. What could have been done with a backfield of DMac, Jones and Hillis with a competent offensive mind. I will never forgive him for that.

[ricepig]

If that's what everyone is content with then no reason to spend 4 million on a coach with a 15 million buy out and millions upon millions on facilities. Just admit you're going to be the Vandy of the West (without the academic standing), pray for a bowl game every 5 years and be done with it.

Just because a school doesn't fire a coach on some fan's timeframe, doesn't mean there isn't the desire and will to win. He isn't going to be fired during the season, that's beyond obvious, so just cheer for the team and what needs to happen will happen, one way or another.

[hoglady]

Just because a school doesn't fire a coach on some fan's timeframe, doesn't mean there isn't the desire and will to win. He isn't going to be fired during the season, that's beyond obvious, so just cheer for the team and what needs to happen will happen, one way or another.

My comment had nothing to do with firing Bielema now - that thought never entered my mind.
It was directed at anyone who is content with what we are seeing now and think we can't do better.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

I was just mad at Nutt for wasting some of the most elite talent we've ever had by being more stubborn than Les Miles regarding his offense. What could have been done with a backfield of DMac, Jones and Hillis with a competent offensive mind. I will never forgive him for that.

The problem was all that talent was largely concentrated at the same position.  Need a lot more than that to win anything of significance.

[moses_007]

I was just mad at Nutt for wasting some of the most elite talent we've ever had by being more stubborn than Les Miles regarding his offense. What could have been done with a backfield of DMac, Jones and Hillis with a competent offensive mind. I will never forgive him for that.

Just imagine what Lou Holtz could have done that that stable of running backs.

[HognotinMemphis]

Yeah a new coach brings hope, the same hope Charlie Brown has that he's gonna kick the football this time. 

A new coach sells tickets for a couple season but then the honeymoon period ends and it's back to carping for a new head coach. 

Granted, I'm not saying I want Bert to stay.  I'm just saying I'm not buying the new coach hype bc it never seems to change anything.

It did change things from Nutt to Petrino. And hugely so. Get the right coach and it will be a sea change in right direction.

[hogginbama]

A new coach also brings in 2 more years of mediocrity until he gets his players on board. If we go back to a spread offense it could take 4 years to get to an 8-4 season.

And everyone will be screaming to fire them since they didn't turn it around in year 4 or 5.

[Bubba's Bruisers]

Just imagine what Lou Holtz could have done that that stable of running backs.

He won 10 in 2006.  Because it was the first time in a while he fielded an SEC caliber defense.  Then we irrationally start beating our chest chanting "dmac and Jones, dmac and Jones!!" prior to the 2007 season.  Nevermind the fact that we lost like our best 5 or 6 defensive starters.

[Iwastherein1969]

Same here! We're just lost in the wilderness of mediocrity for some time to come I'm afraid. Vanderbilt of the SEC West. Looking up to Kentucky and Duke...................................... IN FOOTBALL!!!!!!

mediocrity ?  man you are the "glass half full" type...we won't win a single conference game and CBB will have come full circle since year one of his tenure here....problem is there is no JLS to blame this time

[ricepig]

My comment had nothing to do with firing Bielema now - that thought never entered my mind.
It was directed at anyone who is content with what we are seeing now and think we can't do better.

You were addressing the fan's apathy with the program and suggested we not spend money and basically just pack it in for football, my comment was based on Nolan's theory that not all sickness is death, in other words, it will work itself out, just not in the timeframe some wish.

[hoglady]

You were addressing the fan's apathy with the program and suggested we not spend money and basically just pack it in for football, my comment was based on Nolan's theory that not all sickness is death, in other words, it will work itself out, just not in the timeframe some wish.

You misunderstood.
I was responding to the statement that we are being told to accept the mediocrity.
If we are willing to accept where we are now - then we should quit spending all that money and just become the Vandy of the West.

I in no way think that's what we should do - i know we can be better than we are now.

[HognotinMemphis]

There will not be planes flying over RRS to encourage fans to ask for Bielema's firing. But if this year is 2-6 or worse and he is back for next year, plenty of fans will be UPSET.

[Oklahawg]

Hope. A belief that things will get better, even if not right away.

The only emotion most Hog fans have right now is resignation.

Oddly, this is the best reason for a purge, imo.

There will not be planes flying over RRS to encourage fans to ask for Bielema's firing. But if this year is 2-6 or worse and he is back for next year, plenty of fans will be UPSET.

It will be a "slow boil" - rather than outrage it will be disinterest.

[codeHog]

Hope. A belief that things will get better, even if not right away.

The only emotion most Hog fans have right now is resignation.

this is why you HAVE to change coaches sometimes