Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Get ready for some MACtion
Jack
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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by Jack » Mon Oct 06, 2014 6:18 am

78 wrote: They had a 20-point lead at half time today and lost. How is that a step in the transition process?
In every way possible.

Roadtrip
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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by Roadtrip » Mon Oct 06, 2014 7:56 am

Whip should have a team meeting this morning. Walk in, hit the remote button, show the CBS clowns laughing at UMass, click the off button, and walk out.

NilesGold
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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by NilesGold » Mon Oct 06, 2014 8:37 am

^ Only if he and his coaches watch it as well. There's plenty of blame to go around for the failures this season. Perhaps the most disturbing part of the losses is when Whipple lays the blame on his players.

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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by baseline47 » Mon Oct 06, 2014 8:40 am

Frustrating, terrible losses; hard to take. I imagine Coach Whipple has had some sleepless nights. But, no doubt he's already scouring the JC ranks looking looking for talented defenders. Oh yes, and a kicking game too. We can score, but sure can't defend.

p.s., we need a stadium.
"Drive the line!", "Baseline" Givens, Spfld. Tech. High.

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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by Roadtrip » Mon Oct 06, 2014 9:12 am

Yes, Niles, it's on Whip, as well. No doubt. He needs to tap his chest and own it so the guys know that to move forward they all need to get better.

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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by eldonabe » Mon Oct 06, 2014 10:11 am

NilesGold wrote:^ Only if he and his coaches watch it as well. There's plenty of blame to go around for the failures this season. Perhaps the most disturbing part of the losses is when Whipple lays the blame on his players.

It is ironic that this is exactly what Lappas used to do and he got absolutlely skewered for it.....

Sorry - I meant to say That Fuck-Head Lappas.... :wink:

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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by NilesGold » Mon Oct 06, 2014 10:47 am

^ Didn't Molnar get criticized for it as well? Maybe it's commonplace, but it doesn't sit well with me when a coach making a high six figure salary (or seven figure salary in some cases) blames his 18-24 year old players for mistakes, but doesn't take ownership for any of the blame.

baseline47
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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by baseline47 » Mon Oct 06, 2014 11:11 am

Whipple isn't perfect; he's made mistakes. No doubt he's frustrated. However, it's not fair to dump all the blame on the players either. They're doing the best they can. but, gosh there have been plenty of bone head plays on the field.

If you want to play the blame game, let's start with the AD John McCutcheon and the UMass administration which approved the upgrade in football despite not having an on campus home field! They followed that up by hiring the incredibly inept Charlie Molnar as head coach.

They need to find the $$ to upgrade McGuirk Stadium. How can any coach recurit w/ no home field?

I hope Whipple sticks around.
"Drive the line!", "Baseline" Givens, Spfld. Tech. High.

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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by njumass08 » Mon Oct 06, 2014 11:17 am

baseline47 wrote: If you want to play the blame game, let's start with the AD John McCutcheon and the UMass administration which approved the upgrade in football despite not having an on campus home field!
Well this one is actually more tricky. The MAC called and invited us and they told us they needed an answer right away, and that if we say yes we can't play on campus until we get a new press box.

If we wanted to make the jump, then we had to say yes right then and there. They weren't going to wait for us, JMU was on the next line if we said no.

Things happened quickly.
Looking forward to the 2022 UMass Football Season (Oh boy, just jinxed that one)

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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by eldonabe » Mon Oct 06, 2014 12:04 pm

baseline47 wrote:Whipple isn't perfect; he's made mistakes. No doubt he's frustrated. However, it's not fair to dump all the blame on the players either. They're doing the best they can. but, gosh there have been plenty of bone head plays on the field.

If you want to play the blame game, let's start with the AD John McCutcheon and the UMass administration which approved the upgrade in football despite not having an on campus home field! They followed that up by hiring the incredibly inept Charlie Molnar as head coach.

They need to find the $$ to upgrade McGuirk Stadium. How can any coach recurit w/ no home field?

I hope Whipple sticks around.
In theory what the AD and others sold to get this through made a lot of sense on paper. However the common man knew this was a bunch of bullshit. I was not against the move, but I do think the alternate home field option was aweful and we all knew it would fall short of expectations never mind NOT lure the local alums. The reality of it is that there were/are not any options that would have been much better or closer than Gillette so it was what it was.

Where they epically failed was that they hired a carrer journeyman assistant to get this thing started. IMO They were enamored with the title Notre Dame assistant and that is that. I do not profess to know who the right person was to hire at that time, but by the head scratching and the "Who the hell is this?" questions after the announcement, I think most knew it was already the wrong hire at the very least.

I am treating this season as our first real one as an FBS program with the footnote of the last two years being a transition period. We have a servicable offense and no defense or special teams right now. I say year 3 of Whip (which ironiclaly will also be their first an an independent) will be the year we look like we can at least hold our own in this division. Until then however, we will have more games like Miami to look forward to.

This wil not be a build it and they will come kind of thing (for a stadium). They need to make sure they can establish some kind of baseline first, before they sink $40 or $50 million (or more) into a 35K capacity stadium. The real test will be if/when they win enough to go to a bowl game. If the fan base is interested enough to follow the team in that kind of season them you will most likely see some stadium talk.... I don't see that kind of following no matter what happens - not in western mass at least, but we will see (hopefully).

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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by Swampy » Mon Oct 06, 2014 12:20 pm

"UMass' Stone of Sisyphus"
http://umass.247sports.com/Article/UMas ... s-31788367

I enjoy reading Bob McGovern's stuff a LOT.

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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by baseline47 » Mon Oct 06, 2014 12:22 pm

njumass08 wrote:Post by njumass08 » Mon Oct 06, 2014 11:17 am

Well this one is actually more tricky. The MAC called and invited us and they told us they needed an answer right away, and that if we say yes we can't play on campus until we get a new press box.

If we wanted to make the jump, then we had to say yes right then and there. They weren't going to wait for us, JMU was on the next line if we said no.

Things happened quickly.
I am an old geezer. One thing I've learned (often the hard way) is that when a person or an entity demands a decision right away, it's because they don't want you to take the time to carefully think about or evaluate all of the consequences of the decision.

Shortly after we joined the MAC, didn't Temple leave? So much for a rivalry game. Didn't anyone ask, "what about homecoming games "? Don't Alumni want homecoming games on campus? We got one this year, but there's no promise of one in the future. Also, did the AD known (or inquire about) the future demand that UMass commitment for all sports, or leave the MAC? Wasn't that was an unanticipated bombshell. If the AD/Administration new this, would we have still joined the MAC? We'd be playing MAC basketball? I don't think so.

Rather than make quick decision, I'd rather the AD and the administration take the time to thoroughly study a matter before making a reasoned decision.
"Drive the line!", "Baseline" Givens, Spfld. Tech. High.

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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by MJatUM » Mon Oct 06, 2014 12:42 pm

^^ If the decision was as instantly needed as NJ makes it out to seem, then I am all for jumping in head first and figuring it out as we go. I would rather struggle to swim in the ocean than barely float in a pool.*

* That analogy doesn't entirely work because I freaking HATE the ocean. There is at minimum 500 great whites around me at all times. At least thats how it feels.

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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by njumass08 » Mon Oct 06, 2014 12:53 pm

baseline47 wrote:
njumass08 wrote:Post by njumass08 » Mon Oct 06, 2014 11:17 am

Well this one is actually more tricky. The MAC called and invited us and they told us they needed an answer right away, and that if we say yes we can't play on campus until we get a new press box.

If we wanted to make the jump, then we had to say yes right then and there. They weren't going to wait for us, JMU was on the next line if we said no.

Things happened quickly.
I am an old geezer. One thing I've learned (often the hard way) is that when a person or an entity demands a decision right away, it's because they don't want you to take the time to carefully think about or evaluate all of the consequences of the decision.

Shortly after we joined the MAC, didn't Temple leave? So much for a rivalry game. Didn't anyone ask, "what about homecoming games "? Don't Alumni want homecoming games on campus? We got one this year, but there's no promise of one in the future. Also, did the AD known (or inquire about) the future demand that UMass commitment for all sports, or leave the MAC? Wasn't that was an unanticipated bombshell. If the AD/Administration new this, would we have still joined the MAC? We'd be playing MAC basketball? I don't think so.

Rather than make quick decision, I'd rather the AD and the administration take the time to thoroughly study a matter before making a reasoned decision.
Temple was invited to what was the Big East soon after we joined the MAC. This was set in motion by a lot of conference realignment. That also happened quickly and could not have been predicted.

Once Temple left the MAC, that gave the MAC the option (according to our contract with them) to give us the ultimatum that we join for all-sports or leave. We knew this was a possibility when we signed the contract, we just didn't predict Temple leaving before we even started playing MAC games. So yes, we did join the MAC knowing this could happen.

The school knew that the homecoming games would have to be at Gillette until we made the required renovations to the Press Box in Amherst, per the contract with the MAC. Once the press box was completed we would have homecoming back on campus, which started this year.

Joining the MAC and moving to FBS needed to be a quick decision because the MAC told us they needed an answer right away. Sometimes you have to make quick decisions to put yourself in the best position, even though it might be difficult.

I for one am glad our university finally decided they better do something before we ended up like Hofstra and Northeastern.
Looking forward to the 2022 UMass Football Season (Oh boy, just jinxed that one)

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Re: Game 6: Miami of Ohio

Post by Dickie Dunn » Mon Oct 06, 2014 1:04 pm

I don't have the video for it, but this was Jason Sehorn on College Football Daily on ESPNU reacting to the end of the game Saturday:
"I don't even know what the thinking was behind that one there. That one really makes no sense." ... (Rubs his face with both hands). ... "It just boggles my mind that that just happened. What ARE they thinking? I have no justification for that one. Zero confidence in their kicker."

"It's FBS football. You've got to have enough confidence in your kicker to make a 25-, 30-yarder to win a football game."

"I don't know if I can say much about that other than, WRONG!"
They also made fun of UMass replacing Miami atop the longest FBS losing streak list.

Oy!
Last edited by Dickie Dunn on Mon Oct 06, 2014 1:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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