Lofty expectations

 

 

Every year at the start of every college football camp the fans and media pile on lofty expectations for their respective teams and conferences. Many just cannot look into mirror and see that there team in all probability does not have what it takes to get to the next level of play. We all know of the perennial power house in college football and that even changes from time-to-time. Most would agree that Miami or Florida State would not implode like they did and be pushed to the level of a mid-major which essential means they may upset someone once in a while and make it interesting but they are not going to challenge nor be in any real talk or consideration of a national title anytime soon.

 

We hear it every year and we it about the same teams that it is there year to collect the crystal football because they all the "components" in place to win. The usual suspects in this lineup are the Penn State, Michigan, Notre Dame, and the king of all talk the Clemson Tigers. Since Bowden was named head coach all you have head is the "fact" that they are in the title mix.

 

This is the same team that has only been able to finish each season not with disappointment but rather with the actual expectation from most of the college football world. Even some of my Clemson Tigers friends realize what the outcome will be year-in-year-out that the expectation is far beyond the realities. We all want to cheer for a Bowden to do well because it is a family that is steep in college football tradition but the reality is the fruit of this generation is not the same as pop Bowden that built the Bowden brand.

 

We constantly hear, year after year, how the pieces of the puzzle are now in place for success and an ordained path to greatness and immortality. I will say this and that is the following coaches will never win a national championship unless the voters keep them at number one because of bias and we all know bias exists with the voters.

 

Tommy Bowden head coach Clemson. The only way he gets a BCS national Championship trophy is if he steals one. While I do not believe he is a bad coach the reality is he is not a winning coach.

 

Charlie Weiss head coach Notre Dame. A man that was labeled a genius by the NFL media and college media when hired at Notre Dame in which they said he will have a BCS title in 4-years. All those that proclaimed the second coming should resign and cover the Jamaican bob-sledding team. Weiss has proven he is inept at best as a head coach of a major or should I say former major college program.

 

Rich Rodriguez head coach Michigan. His time in the sun is pretty much over. His biggest problem is going to be finding and keeping any quality assistant because of his proven ability of being deceitful. If you can't tell the truth who is going to believe you in the future.

 

Nick Saban head coach Alabama. All of Alabama was head over heels when Saban was hired and many LSU fans and faithful cringed when this happened. Will lightening strike twice for Nick Saban? No it will not for same reason as Bowden, Rodriguez and a host of others. He lacks quality assistants and does not have the talent necessary nor will he. Saban is damaged goods and I suspect he will persona non gratis in two years.

 

Mark Richt head Coach Georgia. I will get loads of flak for this one but I will stand buy it and challenge those that disagree to a death match. I like him as a head coach and believe him to be a class act with a great understanding of the game. He is a player's coach and with that should answer everyone's question on why he will not win. Any player that says" I love my coach" during his playing years is either a major liar or the coach is soft. I hated my coaches. The head coaches, position coaches, strength and conditioning coaches every single one of them. Today I believe them to all be a great bunch-o-guys for the most part but then they sucked balls.

 

Bret Bielema head coach Wisconsin. What can I say my team, my school, where I played but the reality is after Alvarez you get Bret and this one is not Favre. He fits right into the mold of a player's coach. He is fun, nice guy that has talent but he does not have the killer instinct to crush his opponent's throat when they are down. He will have winning seasons he will get press but the reality is the boosters and fans will demand more than just 8 or 9 wins a season. They want big 10 titles and the rose bowl at a minimum and Bret is not the man and it pains me to say it.

 

So frankly I grow tired of hearing the pundits pontificate about the same teams every year. Some say it all adds to the excitement of college football and brings forth the conversation that is so needed. I guarantee you this if there were no polls no talking heads to spew their expertise on the subject because they have watched or played football the conversation will continue.

 

I doubt Lisa, Marty Walker, RevRythm and many others on here would sit quietly by because Krik Herbstreit or some other sports wonk has not made a "serious comment" about who will win the BCS National Championship. Every year, according to these sport wonks, USC, OU, Texas, Ohio State, Florida, Clemson are going to "win it all" and no one else stands a chance. Right!!!

 

Last year they had USC and LSU in the big game. While one team made it the other faded. This happens every year so I will tell you who will not be in the BCS national championship game this year.

 

USC - not the same team from a couple years ago. They lack any killer instinct have no proven leader at QB and the team does not have the depth it did 3-years ago. If the faithful believe that mark Sanchez is going to get it done then I have some prime sea front real estate in Laughlin.

 

Texas - rebuilding on defense and they will lose at least three games.

 

Florida - will lose games they should win and people will begin to question Urban Myer.

 

Georgia - has one of the toughest schedule and they will lose two games and be out of it.

 

LSU - Yes they will have an impact defense again this year but it will grow tired as the year wears on and the offense is suspect at the QB position. LSU fans expect 3 maybe 4 loses this year.

 

Ohio State - one of the most talented teams in the nation that will lose to Wisconsin and another team that we can list as an "unidentified co-conspirator."

 

Michigan - You lose five games this year and deserve it because you ran a good coach out the door and replaced him with a coach with very little back-bone.

 

Wisconsin - Seriously who brought this one up? In two years they will be looking for a new head coach.

 

Clemson - Not even close. The cycle will continue because of coaching

 

Penn State - Joe Pa is a legend but sometimes legends need to be just that.

 

While I am at it let me put on the list that all the Notre Dame Fans will shout in jubilation when they beat the following teams.

 

San Diego State - seriously they should bring in dozer and dump trucks and bury the stadium and deny they ever had a football program. The only program that imploded faster is well... Notre Dame.

 

Michigan - They will beat Michigan because Michigan is dysfunctional at best and everyone will hoot and holler we beat Michigan. If they lose to Michigan exactly how bad is Notre Dame?

 

Navy - ha ha ha.

 

 

 

First of all I want to thank all my brothern in arms around the world and the many friends I made and the ones I lost. My heart goes out to their family and friends.

So with the many sport stories, blogs that I have missed during my brief stint overseas I will quote Vince Lombardi...

"What the hell is going on out there."

 

 

Okay sport fans this is my last Blog until I return from the Middle East. Duty calls and when it does I answer. I want to give a shout out to some people I will be seeing up close and personal.

I want to congratulate the New England Patriots and the New York football Giants for winning their respective conference championship and facing off in the upcoming super bowl. I won't get into detailed breakdown of who, what and when in this game because we all know the Patriots are a very good team and the Giants seemed to come from nowhere to make a point about how good they can be. Even Ely Manning found his oats in the previous Patriot game with an almost come from behind victory. What that game showed is that the Patriots, while talented and well coached, they are beatable and not as great as many want to believe.

 

I equate this Super Bowl to the San Diego and San Francisco 49 super bowl of years past. That was a west coast super bowl that did not garner the national attention that many tried to hype and hope for. It was a very low TV rating and this "super" bowl may break that record. Lets face it the fans have Patriot fatigue unless of course you're a Patriot fan and from what I have seen on television they are fat ass bastards and not very pleasant to look at. Fat and ugly is not a way to go through ones life. But I guess it's all the inbreeding and everyone wanting to look like Uncle Ted.

Another fat ass that should have given up the game (political) years ago.

But I digress it's about football or is it?

 

What is more important is that NASA has discovered life on Mars and they have  pictorial evidence.

Not only is there some sort of human type being on mars but after careful review of the pictures sent back by the Mars rover it is evident there are also massive turtles that roam the planet as seen is the picture below.

 

This is what we need to be focusing on. How can we as Americans create a colony on this planet and exploit it? If these beings are large enough I am sure Belichick, or Pete Carroll are currently talking with NASA to bring these beings to earth to play some ball.

It appears that this Martian Man has just thrown a pass by the looks of his poise in the picture. College and NFL coaches obviously will not be far behind in getting them signed.

 

Another picture reviewed a giant phallus (above)and when Paris Hilton learned of this she was uttered to say "that's hot."

But when Pamela Anderson heard the news she immediately called a judge to have the penile object betrothed to her and rushed to the airport.

While Carmen Electra posed in anticipation.

 

Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have already sent staffers to mars to get Martian man registered for the eventual Martian electoral showdown.

Barack was quoted as saying "Martians are people too and we are the same and should be treated as such and I am the only candidate that can bring Martian and Earthlings together in these trying universal times."

Not to be outdone Hillary immediately issued a press release that stated "as a bi-sexual Martian myself I understand the plight of Martians and how the republicans and the Bush administration have neglected Martian economic funding. Funding which I will make available to all Martians."

 

Al Gore was overheard saying he invented Martians. "I can prove I left a Gore Angel on Mars" he was quoted as saying.

 

Not to be outdone John McCain immediately wants to erect a space fence.

Mitt Romney said he did not believe in Martians then said he did.

Huckabee prayed they were friendly and said he would find a way to get them the medical services they desperately need.

Fred Thompson just looked old and confused and asked for a script writer.

Anybody that has taken this seriously really needs lots of help. Peace out!!!

In college athletics there are universities around the nation that understand college athletics generate funds not only for the athletic department but for the general fund of the university as a whole. Those universities have developed a sound tradition not only on the field of play beyond that. If you look at fundraising for the top ten universities in the nation they have won championships in ever major and sub-major and minor sporting activity. They have developed the necessary facilities both in sport and academics that translates into attracting highly competitive athletes to their respective campuses.

 

We all live within or grew up with a college in our hometown or to the place we now call home. In my case I grew up in a small college town that was a power house of division III athletics. We were such a powerhouse that the school shuttered its football program even though it produced over 20 NFL players and one of the nations premier head coaches (Bud Grant). Even more so this college and city was known for its hot bed of hockey talent and today that tradition continues. For such a small town it even produced 5 of the nations top major league baseball players to ever set foot on diamond. For the most part I grew up with most of these kids. We all played together as kids or my older brother were their friends during a time in our country when things were simpler.

 

Today's college athletics is different and far more competitive than in those "glory days." With it has come more restrictions on scholarships and minority athletics which translate into more opportunities at more colleges throughout the country and the development of minor sports. These are all good things that help promote competition and fairness.

 

With that in the town that I now live and a university I do support with the purchasing of season tickets and with donations to the athletic department to help promote and support not only the local university but today's student athletes and the coaches whom I have come to know over the many years. This local university is known as University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) the home of the Ragin Cajuns that has produced many a fine athlete such as Bo Lamar, Brian Mitchell, Jake Delhomme, Ike Taylor, Charles Tillman, Orlando Thomas and a host of others.

 

Since the arrival of Ricky Bustle as the head coach of ULL football program from Virginia Tech the program and athletics in general has seen more investment into athletics. This is through the collective effort of Ricky Bustle and Tony Robichaux (ULL men's baseball). The inherit problems with ULL athletics is at the top with the soon to be retired president Ray Authement. Since Mr. Authement's arrival back in 1975 athletics have not been properly funded and Mr. Authement publicly stated on more than one occasion that athletics were not a primary concern to his administration.

 

ULL primary funding mechanism is through the State of Louisiana general education fund for higher education. It is a formula that is in it's self is poorly funded and managed. But this in itself is no excuse and not an excuse Mr. Authement tends to use as crutch or try to subvert attention toward instead of looking in the mirror to see where the failure actually lies. All Louisiana colleges have this funding available to them and only LSU does not take any funding from the state for athletics or building maintenance or construction. So those funds are split between the other colleges. ULL funding from the state is approximately 4.2 million and with private donations and ticket sales etc the total budget comes in at under $9 million. ULL ranks lower in private donations than most Division II schools and probably any Texas High School and at least three High schools in Louisiana (John Curtis, West Monroe and Evangel). ULL does not have an athletic fund raising arm like many of its counterparts in the Sunbelt. Such schools as Central Florida, Florida Atlantic and even UL- Monroe have such foundations and raise more in private donations than ULL could imagine.

 

One of the primary obstacles in fund raising around here is the mind set of many in the community. The tired and obsolete chants of "well if they won I would give them money." Or "I don't like coach Bustle." In which that argument translates into "he is not from here" and hence I don't like him so I won't give money to the program. But the reality in the end with this is that those with that mindset have entrenched athletics into mediocrity and under achievement by their low brow thinking. But then again they are just following the lead of the man at the top in Mr. Authement.

 

I keep hearing how ULL has to be competitive within the Sunbelt and that is when I say they have to be competitive in the NCAA Division 1 athletics in which the Sunbelt is part. It's a mindset of low expectations by the fans that have doomed athletics. It is brought on by those that do most of the finger pointing and fail to open their pocket books to help promote athletics around the country. Because of this diminished foresight by the University President and the community they are not able to attract quality coaches, albeit Bustle and Robichaux and Lotief. The baseball and softball programs were good before the arrival of those coaches but they had some magic acts they had to perform to maintain talent and competitiveness. This region of the country is loaded with talent but the university lacks the funding to expand its facilities and make real improvements in athletics and academics to help support and attract those athletes necessary to be competitive. It takes money, lots of money every year to develop and implement a successful program within athletics and $9 million a year just does not cut it.

 

Recently the university added on to is training facilities and finally have an indoor practice facility. While the training room is a dramatic improvement over what it was once the indoor practice facility was done on the cheap from the get go. Soon after it was built toxic mold was found which made the facility useless. Instead of dipping into the building fund which sits at tens of  millions dollars for the university general fund Mr. Authement took the cheap way out and built a facility that in the end is already obsolete and not practical for today's college athletics. The university has tried to eradicate the mold twice with no success. Maybe a proper building contractor, design, and funding should have been considered before hand.

 

My dissatisfaction with this administration is obvious but it's not just me within the community of real supporters of athletics. The people with the money in the community want to see serious efforts and change in the mindset of those charged with the advancement of athletics. Things as simple as proper funding for assistant coaches. As an example ULL needs a new offensive coordinator since the old when to Southern Miss for more money. Its not just a few dollars its $40,000 more dollars than what ULL considers. While Bustle understands what is needed since he came from a successful program at VaTech he has hit nothing short of a brick wall while at ULL.

 

His recruiting budget is non -existent as with the other programs. He and others take money out of their pocket to go on recruiting trips. A couple years ago when the team had to travel to the Northwest for a game coach Bustle paid for the vehicles to transport the equipment because the University refused to do so. To make matters worse which has continued to strangle hold athletics when ULL gets the "pay for play" games with LSU, Texas, Washington, etc those funds have not gone back into athletics but instead to other departments such as Engineering, etc.

How much of a joke is funding at ULL there are coaches such as Lotief that they refuse to pay her a respectable salary but allow her husband to be co-head coach and give him a matching salary to make up for such a poor pay scale that they should be paying her in the first place. This also happened to the former head ladies basketball coach. "We can't pay you that but we can pay you and your wife half of that to reach that amount." How stupid are they? Sad part is no one in the community even questions it. Needless to say the ladies coach bolted after last year for a more sound and properly funded athletic program at Cincinnati. So ULL loses its first and only successful ladies basketball coach because it will not give him a salary in which he can support his family.

 

Such a stellar commitment should not go unrecognized.

 

But that is nothing. A booster, whom I know very well, pays for the secretary to the baseball program because the university refuses to fund that along with some of the others mentioned above.

 

It is beyond sad it is almost criminal that a University that wants to classify itself as "major" treats departments as third world countries and generally abuses them as if punishing them because they dare to try to be successful.

 

I personally have no hope for the future since the successor to Mr. Savoie is a former ULL employee and system employee. Mr. Savoie has already publicly stated that football needs to win but fails to state how he is going too properly fund athletics so winning can become the standard. It appears to be some-ole-same-ole good boy mental fatigue when it comes to athletics at ULL.

 

I like the coach's at ULL, Bustle, Robichaux, Loteif, and the others do the best they can with what they are given and that is nothing compared to other universities. In his 32-years at the helm of ULL Mr. Authement can be commended for improving academics at the school and getting all the federal funding he can find and help raise tens of millions for academics. I just wish he would have put one-tenth that effort towards athletics. If he did it would be in better financial shape than it is.

 

So I lay the entire fault with athletics at his feet. Since he is the one that made many a bad hire because he fails to fully understand what it takes to be a winner on a competitive field of play. Maybe he should have years ago put down the bottle and instead took on another cause which is in his area of responsibility toward athletics. But before he decided to retire he felt a propaganda campaign and the continued under funding of athletics would help his reputation in that area. Sadly no since many understand where the fault lies. It lies in his inability to fully comprehend what a successful athletic program can mean to a community and for that he gets an F.

 

I fully expect some to instead of stepping up to the plate and start taking ownership and pride and put their money on the table to help make ULL athletics what it can be they will attack the messenger and this will just further prove my point that this community is apathetic towards success and fail to understand what is really is transpiring before them and want to blame the coaches when all along they are just playing the cards they have been dealt by Mr. Authement.