Accepting mediocrity PSA

[stymeman]

I just wish our realm of the D1 football landscape gave us hope and a bit of a better bowl game and something to play for and meaningful games, selection to a playoff of us lesser haves as well. Power 5's get their ways and we just stand back and take the scraps, tv and all, oops and transfer portal scraps too.....Year 10(if that happens) I would hope for a MWC title, but those are few and far between

 

[Wyovanian]

I guess that's where myself and a lot of other folks I have discussions with that are passionate about the program, differ from some views on here. I believe things can get better. If this is the best it gets, then why continue to invest large $ into facilities and pay a head coach top-MW money only to have middle of the road MW results every year?

Yes, what you mention is the praise Bohl I'm referring to. In other threads, criticism of Bohl is shot down because of how he over-performed this year. I'm happy that we exceeded expectations, and I'd rather be 7-5 than 2-10, for sure. However, from my seats, Bohl should be criticized for letting program expectations fall this year and should be held accountable for what's happening with the portal - whether that's players leaving for lateral moves or not actively recruiting the portal to backfill. I mentioned it in another thread, but what we're seeing in the portal isn't the same as what other programs are seeing. Programs are losing masses of players due to coaching changes, or players that are unhappy with playing time. We're losing starter after starter, many of which are leaving laterally. And from my outside perspective, Swen's comments of "Bohl's system isn't his style" is why many players are leaving. What happens if we see another 5-10 enter the portal, and once again we're top-5 youngest teams in the country? Bohl gets a pass on conference championship desires because we're too inexperienced again?? We're going to be okay with Vegas pegging us at a 2-3 win team, and Bohl gets us to 5-7 wins because he's constantly backfilling with Freshman and Sophomores?

IMO, the negatives out-weigh the box-checking to me and some I don't agree with. I don't believe he has a team-first program; I believe he has a coach-first program. He consistently berates the defense, when his conservative offense has cost us numerous games over the years. He rarely takes accountability. The no-nonsense check box could be construed as overly-conservative and not able to relate to players. I just don't see what's going on in Laramie as healthy, and I'm worried that Bohl peaked in 2016-17 and the slow downward spiral is occurring, potentially leaving the program in terrible shape when he does decide it's time.

And yes, winning the MW is being a top-mediocre program, but that's all that is attainable as a G5 program in today's environment (maybe getting throttled in the opening round of a 12-team playoff). It's all relative. We've only even sniffed the MW championship once, so I guess you could say that we aren't even mediocre (Sagarin and other ranking services would agree).

I can bitch and moan all day long on here, but the only way anything changes is if Bohl decides it's time to hang it up. So for now, we deal with what's occurring and what Bohl puts on the field.

Exactly. I might add that the folks who want to consider five bowl games as somehow exceptional, well dear fans, we live in an era where 5-7 can get you a bowl game.

 

[Wyovanian]

I guess that's where myself and a lot of other folks I have discussions with that are passionate about the program, differ from some views on here. I believe things can get better. If this is the best it gets, then why continue to invest large $ into facilities and pay a head coach top-MW money only to have middle of the road MW results every year?

Yes, what you mention is the praise Bohl I'm referring to. In other threads, criticism of Bohl is shot down because of how he over-performed this year. I'm happy that we exceeded expectations, and I'd rather be 7-5 than 2-10, for sure. However, from my seats, Bohl should be criticized for letting program expectations fall this year and should be held accountable for what's happening with the portal - whether that's players leaving for lateral moves or not actively recruiting the portal to backfill. I mentioned it in another thread, but what we're seeing in the portal isn't the same as what other programs are seeing. Programs are losing masses of players due to coaching changes, or players that are unhappy with playing time. We're losing starter after starter, many of which are leaving laterally. And from my outside perspective, Swen's comments of "Bohl's system isn't his style" is why many players are leaving. What happens if we see another 5-10 enter the portal, and once again we're top-5 youngest teams in the country? Bohl gets a pass on conference championship desires because we're too inexperienced again?? We're going to be okay with Vegas pegging us at a 2-3 win team, and Bohl gets us to 5-7 wins because he's constantly backfilling with Freshman and Sophomores?

IMO, the negatives out-weigh the box-checking to me and some I don't agree with. I don't believe he has a team-first program; I believe he has a coach-first program. He consistently berates the defense, when his conservative offense has cost us numerous games over the years. He rarely takes accountability. The no-nonsense check box could be construed as overly-conservative and not able to relate to players. I just don't see what's going on in Laramie as healthy, and I'm worried that Bohl peaked in 2016-17 and the slow downward spiral is occurring, potentially leaving the program in terrible shape when he does decide it's time.

And yes, winning the MW is being a top-mediocre program, but that's all that is attainable as a G5 program in today's environment (maybe getting throttled in the opening round of a 12-team playoff). It's all relative. We've only even sniffed the MW championship once, so I guess you could say that we aren't even mediocre (Sagarin and other ranking services would agree).

I can bitch and moan all day long on here, but the only way anything changes is if Bohl decides it's time to hang it up. So for now, we deal with what's occurring and what Bohl puts on the field.

Exactly. I might add that the folks who want to consider five bowl games as somehow exceptional, well dear fans, we live in an era where 5-7 can get you a bowl game.

 

[307bball]

Exactly. I might add that the folks who want to consider five bowl games as somehow exceptional, well dear fans, we live in an era where 5-7 can get you a bowl game.

Who are you referring to?....literally nobody is happy with the results that Bohl has acheived.

I suppose I should clarify...nobody that posts on this message board or are in my circle of Cowboys fans are happy with the results of the Cowboy football program. Is there an article out there in the media that I'm missing? As far as I can tell...the biggest achievement that posters on this message board are willing to give Craig Bohl is that he has been able to get us up to mediocrity...not that we have arrived anywhere. FYI...that is not an endorsement of him....that is an indictment of the depths that this program has sunk to. I don't see the celebrations of his accomplishments anywhere.

 

[Wyovanian]

Exactly. I might add that the folks who want to consider five bowl games as somehow exceptional, well dear fans, we live in an era where 5-7 can get you a bowl game.

Who are you referring to?....literally nobody is happy with the results that Bohl has acheived.

I suppose I should clarify...nobody that posts on this message board or are in my circle of Cowboys fans are happy with the results of the Cowboy football program. Is there an article out there in the media that I'm missing? As far as I can tell...the biggest achievement that posters on this message board are willing to give Craig Bohl is that he has been able to get us up to mediocrity...not that we have arrived anywhere. FYI...that is not an endorsement of him....that is an indictment of the depths that this program has sunk to. I don't see the celebrations of his accomplishments anywhere.

You're really parsing language here. What is your fascination with "celebrating"? There are numerous posts where people use the bowl game metric to defend Bohl's record.

Your defensive posture is exactly what I'm referring to as the "good 'nuff" chip on the shoulder that seems to be such a part of our state's culture. There is a broad degree of acceptance of mediocrity across so many aspects of Wyoming life. Head-in-the-sand/ we-hate-change backwards rubism seems to challenge so much potential for upward growth here. Bohl's stubbornness seems so often to be a reflection of the fan base. There is no such thing as stasis. Change is either happening for better or worse, visionaries get in front of it, sheep hope it goes away.

 

[307bball]

Who are you referring to?....literally nobody is happy with the results that Bohl has acheived.

I suppose I should clarify...nobody that posts on this message board or are in my circle of Cowboys fans are happy with the results of the Cowboy football program. Is there an article out there in the media that I'm missing? As far as I can tell...the biggest achievement that posters on this message board are willing to give Craig Bohl is that he has been able to get us up to mediocrity...not that we have arrived anywhere. FYI...that is not an endorsement of him....that is an indictment of the depths that this program has sunk to. I don't see the celebrations of his accomplishments anywhere.

You're really parsing language here. What is your fascination with "celebrating"? There are numerous posts where people use the bowl game metric to defend Bohl's record.

Your defensive posture is exactly what I'm referring to as the "good 'nuff" chip on the shoulder that seems to be such a part of our state's culture. There is a broad degree of acceptance of mediocrity across so many aspects of Wyoming life. Head-in-the-sand/ we-hate-change backwards rubism seems to challenge so much potential for upward growth here. Bohl's stubbornness seems so often to be a reflection of the fan base. There is no such thing as stasis. Change is either happening for better or worse, visionaries get in front of it, sheep hope it goes away.

I think the parsing language is going both ways here....You yourself make the claim that fans feel like Craig's achievement of 5 bowl games is "exceptional"...yet I can find nobody on this message board that feels like we are living in "exceptional" times for the Wyoming program. You also continue to accuse the board in general and me specifically of harboring a "good 'nuff" attitude despite repeated clarifications that I personally am not at all happy with the state of the program...and not only that but I cannot find a group of fans that either in real life or on this board that feel like what we are getting is "good 'nuff".

Now...if you want to level your accusations at the administration...I think you and I have a lot of common ground. The backwards mentality of people in our great state can be breathtaking at times. I agree with what you say about change. As far as Crag Bohl in particular he is completely within his right to point to the Bowl games and modest success in comparison to what came before. It's not that it's wrong for him or his fan's to point that out...it's just that does not hold much water for me (at this point) unless I think we are continuing to build or get better. I've said multiple times that I see no evidence that is happening.

Please then clarify for me what I have written that would make anybody believe I'm stoked that Bohl is here? He's here until he doesn't want to be, with an administration that is not interested holding him accountable to improving the one area that would actually make us a conference championship caliber team. That is unacceptable to me...and you....and everybody else that posts here. But we aren't in charge are we? I'm taking issue with the implication that the group of fans that you and I are interacting with are somehow ok with "settling" for what we have gotten in regards to competitive football results. If those fans exist...I have not met them...even the casuals are not ok with the way the BSU game ended. The only thing that the administration cares about is (apparently) home attendance and donor money. I'm not following that part closely but from what I understand...that has gone well under Bohl's regime. Anyways...whether or not the fans are happy with the results or they harbor the "good 'nuff" attitude that you accuse them of having (which they don't), Bohl is not going anywhere anytime soon.