Solution to the problem

[kansasCowboy]

I do not agree with a lot of the calls that Dave Christensen has made this season and he says the same thing week in and week out and that gets old, but I do believe it honestly to early to pull the plug on him. I say every coach needs five years, that fifth year guarantees that all the players on the team are that coaches recruits.

Give Dave time if he sticks around and he gets decent recruits we could have a decent team in a couple of years.

But I may still rip coach a new one on Poke Pride as he made some real stupid calls Saturday
against the Lobos.

I agree. But I'm afraid DC is headed towards the Joe Glenn path if doesn't fire Marty English and Arroyo. He needs to come to the realization these guys are not going to produce a championship. They aren't D-I quality.

My friends, you don't want to question my dedication and commitment as a fan of UW. But, since you did, here you go. I've been going to Cowboy games since I was three. When i was old enough to go to Laramie on my own I was at every football game, most, but not all basketball games and occasionally took in a women's basketball game and or wrestling match. Heck, I even went to volleyball games. Shoot, since Wendling played for them (and if you never caught it before, I played with Wendling in HS at Rock Springs) I got to go and hang out with the football team, even go and workout with the football team. I was right next to the camera when they took that video of Wendling jumping the 66" hurdle. At the age of 16 i was driving to road games from Rock Springs. SLC, Provo, Ft Collins, Colo sprgs, even Lawrence KS a few years back (01 I believe, too bad we lost). Since I've lived in Kansas, I haven't had the privilege to go to every home game. Reasons? One: I don't make that much money (farming) Two: I'm usually working (baling/coaching football) Three: Family expenses (Did I mention not making much money?). But guess where I am every saturday afternoon? Since we don't have The MTN I'm on the computer watching espn's gamecast or UW's gametracker, and then i'm back to work. My wife would tell you the same thing in a pretty annoyed voice, because I block her and the kid out to watch. Why? Because that is "My Time." That's the time where it's just me and my Cowboys! And , uhh, just so you know when we lose, I'm not one that goes postal, and starts cussing at the tv or computer or even radio. And I don't throw things. I don't take it out on my family either, as I've seen a few drunk "So called UW fans" do. I simply hang my head in disappointment, just like I do when my boys don't execute their plays right and we lose a winnable game. (Haven't done that much. 9-1 this year! Yeah!!!)
Now, when i finally get to go to the game, nothing has stopped me. Virginia in Laramie. I worked from 2 am to 11 pm all day friday, only to get home grab my wife and my bags and head through the night 10 hours to Laramie, where I stayed up all morning, went to the game, yelled loudly at the game. Stood all game long (where I had countless people telling me to sit! What the hell is that?!) So I felt obliged to speak my mind and tell them that since i had not slept since thursday night and drove all night to come to the game, that I wasn't about to sit! With the renewed energy I felt after a great Cowboy win, I was still wired enough to go out that night with friends and family and party till 2 am sunday morning. I then went to the hotel slept from about 3am to 6 am, got up, packed, and my wife and i were on the road 10 hours to home.
Virginia, UNM and UNLV I attended in 07. Ohio, Bowling Green and Utah in 08. UNLV, UNM in 09 and this year, SUU, Boise and AFA.All of them, hardly any sleep. Always rushing from work to get to the game, and then rushing right back to get to work. I'm a proud member of CJC and have been donating since I started (granted, I'm not wealthy...So, no. It's not a lot) The only reason I'm not a ticket holder is because my farming doesn't allow me to have every game off.
But do I represent where I live! Friday, my Cowboy football car window flag goes up, it doesn't come down till Monday.(Every week, doesn't matter if the Cowboys have a bye or not) Every Saturday me and my family are out and about in our Wyoming jersey's (Game day color's baby!) We even have a pic of all three of us out in our uni's.
Call it what you wish, but I think I can call myself a true Cowboy fan. Can you live up to that? I'm not asking anyone here to be like me. I'm just telling all the complainers to step off!

 

[Wind River Poke]

Kansas, I don't think there was ever a doubt about you being a true Cowboy fan. I just don't appreciate you telling everyone to step off if they complain. Saying a TRUE fan shouldn't complain. Crazy talk!
Without going into detail just let me say I am a veteran of Cowboy Football. Been at it long before you were born. So please don't pass judgment about my passion for Wyoming Athletics or being a true fan.
Keep up the good work on making what games you can and keep the passion.

 

[Kougar78]

I'm amazed to hear someone think that true D1 fans don't rant and rave over players and coaches. Been following Michigan lately? How about Notre Dame? I guess those team's message boards must not be populated by D1 fans either.

If no one on the message boards were complaining about the team's dismal season, then it would mean that Poke fans didn't give a hoot about football. Fair weather fans don't pay that much attention to the team. They attend big games (win or lose). They couldn't tell you their conference record if asked. Most of them I know prefer a close game regardless of the result. Fairweather fans don't post on message boards.

The great fear for hardcore fans is that we'll give a coach five years and the team remains mediocre or worse. Then the pattern will repeat...and repeat. It's hard to accept a bowl game and conference championship once every 7 to 10 years, but that's where we are.

 

[kansasCowboy]

Maybe I have a soft spot for the coaches since I've been in a similar situation, and you have fans calling for your head before you even get the program off the ground.
My example. My first team i coached was young...Call it even worse than UW. I had three seniors on my team (only one worthy to start) I had 5 juniors, 8 Soph's and 7 Freshman. Out of those 15 underclassmen, 12 started. We didn't do to hot. 0-8. I had fans and boosters calling for my head! Why? I don't know, because the year before I came they had 12 seniors and went 2-6. My next year we stepped up a little and went 3-5, then we dropped my third year do to injuries 2-6. All the while, stupid people calling for my head. Now I was the Head coach and also the O-coord. Because there were so many rumblings about my coaching (which I've proven in the last two years in Wyoming and Kansas that it works) At a boosters convention where all these fans go in our community, I got up during my speech and told everyone that I was stepping down as O-coord and would be conducting interviews for the position the next week, and that since we had such a plethora of Offensive experts in the area, I thought the position would be filled quickly. Needless to say, The so called know-it-all's shut there mouths the rest of the season and the next, and I kept my position as O-Coord, because no one showed up for an interview.The next year 6-3 (first playoff in 13 years).
I also had a parent of a player come to my practice and confront me in front of my team that I wasn't coaching properly. I looked him square in the eye and told him, "You are exactly right, I don't know the first thing about this game." Handed him my whistle, handed him my note pad and told him he was free to run the practice the right way. And walked to the stands and sat down and watched. He stood there for about 5 minutes wondering if I was serious or not. When the kids were done with stretches and were just standing around, he looked at my notes and then looked back at me. He then walked over to me and told me that he didn't even know where to begin. He never coached a practice before. I took advantage of this slightly embarrassed dad (who looked kind of like this guy) And told him,"If you cannot conduct a practice, then it's highly unlikely that you can run a gameplan. I would greatly appreciate it if you and the other dad's and uncle's and brother's and any other fan would quit critiquing mine until they could do it themselves. And could do it better than me." I quit after my playoff year and headed to Kemmerer (last year to be the O-Coord there.). Needless to say, no teachers wanted the coaching job after I left and a parent did take it over. They have yet to win more than one game since.
So, my soft spot for the coaches, until someone can actually complain with experience of the situation, not just general knowledge of the game or team, then complain, or call for a coaches head. I turned my program around, and no one thought I was doing it right. Since I left, they can't even get it off the ground.

 

[MrTitleist]

I saw this thread, then saw the banter between Wind River and Kansas, then thought of this clip, from the show Entourage (has strong language if little ones are around).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZvarRe-XVQ[/youtube]

 

[calpoke25]

It's hard to accept a bowl game and conference championship once every 7 to 10 years, but that's where we are.

We are far from being even in that position. I'd love to be in that position. We haven't won any kind of conference crown for 14 going on 15 years. I'd love one every 7 years.

 

[laxwyo]

Wow. I think I need to stop going to these boards.

As a parting statement: take a look at other very successful coaches in their second years at different schools (and no, Utah doesn't count as that program was already "there" when Whittingham took over).

Heck, even look at Tiller's second year. Patterson...

In Patterson's second year he went 10-2, what is your point? And Tiller did NOT lose to an 0-8 team, even in his first year.
I am the first to agree that a new coach should be given a chance to prove himself, get his athletes, and put in his system. I know it takes time...I'm not an idiot. But IF this coach has IT there should be some progression during the course of the season. He got out-coached by Locksley. Do you think that is progress?
There was a great post on GWG about how a coach needs to teach his team. Screaming in the face of players isn't always the answer.
I hope DC gets it done, I really do. But the evolution of this team doesn't appear to be happening.

He didn't get outcoached in the game. Fumbles and INT's are not a coaching problem. It's execution and it happens to everyone. I don't fault him for letting Herron try and redeem himself. You don't want to destroy a kids confidence....and it bit us in the ass.

 

[Wind River Poke]

I saw this thread, then saw the banter between Wind River and Kansas, then thought of this clip, from the show Entourage (has strong language if little ones are around).

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZvarRe-XVQ[/youtube]

Now that's funny! Nicely played.
Kougar nailed it. We are all on here because we all have a passion for the Pokes. So let's hug it out bitch!

 

[COS Cowboy]

For those of you saying you want a proven head coach and not some up an coming assistant, let me ask you this? Who would you rather have, Dan Hawkins or Chris Peterson? In 2006 Hawkins was the proven head coach, who was 53-11 and Peterson was the OC who had never been a head coach. Looks like Hawkins is going to be fired after losing his 39th game, while Peterson has only lost 4. Be carefull what you ask for, you just might get it.

 

[Asmodeanreborn]

Maybe I have a soft spot for the coaches since I've been in a similar situation, and you have fans calling for your head before you even get the program off the ground.
My example. My first team i coached was young...Call it even worse than UW. I had three seniors on my team (only one worthy to start) I had 5 juniors, 8 Soph's and 7 Freshman. Out of those 15 underclassmen, 12 started. We didn't do to hot. 0-8. I had fans and boosters calling for my head! Why? I don't know, because the year before I came they had 12 seniors and went 2-6. My next year we stepped up a little and went 3-5, then we dropped my third year do to injuries 2-6. All the while, stupid people calling for my head. Now I was the Head coach and also the O-coord. Because there were so many rumblings about my coaching (which I've proven in the last two years in Wyoming and Kansas that it works) At a boosters convention where all these fans go in our community, I got up during my speech and told everyone that I was stepping down as O-coord and would be conducting interviews for the position the next week, and that since we had such a plethora of Offensive experts in the area, I thought the position would be filled quickly. Needless to say, The so called know-it-all's shut there mouths the rest of the season and the next, and I kept my position as O-Coord, because no one showed up for an interview.The next year 6-3 (first playoff in 13 years).
I also had a parent of a player come to my practice and confront me in front of my team that I wasn't coaching properly. I looked him square in the eye and told him, "You are exactly right, I don't know the first thing about this game." Handed him my whistle, handed him my note pad and told him he was free to run the practice the right way. And walked to the stands and sat down and watched. He stood there for about 5 minutes wondering if I was serious or not. When the kids were done with stretches and were just standing around, he looked at my notes and then looked back at me. He then walked over to me and told me that he didn't even know where to begin. He never coached a practice before. I took advantage of this slightly embarrassed dad (who looked kind of like this guy) And told him,"If you cannot conduct a practice, then it's highly unlikely that you can run a gameplan. I would greatly appreciate it if you and the other dad's and uncle's and brother's and any other fan would quit critiquing mine until they could do it themselves. And could do it better than me." I quit after my playoff year and headed to Kemmerer (last year to be the O-Coord there.). Needless to say, no teachers wanted the coaching job after I left and a parent did take it over. They have yet to win more than one game since.
So, my soft spot for the coaches, until someone can actually complain with experience of the situation, not just general knowledge of the game or team, then complain, or call for a coaches head. I turned my program around, and no one thought I was doing it right. Since I left, they can't even get it off the ground.

I loved reading this. I know I go after coaches as well for things I honestly don't quite understand when it comes down to it (like when we kept running sideline to sideline against everybody - then against NM, all of a sudden we broke for 50+ yard runs on those plays more than once), but I'd like to think that after I calm down, I can think about it in a level-headed manner.
I haven't been a football fan for very long - as a matter of fact, I was completely "converted" in 2003 when we beat BYU at home and I was inside a crazy student section going absolutely nuts. This obviously leads me to drawing conclusions about stuff I really don't know much about - but I see others drawing the same conclusions as well, only to be proven wrong, so no biggie, right?

I do trust our coaches in the long run. I'm not sure our defensive coach will be successful long term, but I think DC knows what he's doing. Yeah, he's not giving the players an easy time, and somebody said parents call him an a-hole. Well, guess what? Players at the best schools don't get away with crap either. DC believes in accountability, and that's something that will benefit these players when they hit real life eventually.

Maybe it's just me coming from a military background, but I believe in discipline, hard work, and accountability. If it works for an undersized team in Air Force, it could work for Wyoming as well. We don't need to play their schemes, but we're also not going to be able to recruit the 300 lbs DT's that run 4.5 40's, because they're not interested in Laramie. So, we have to do the best with the guys we CAN get, and that means squeezing every bit of effort possible out of them. As we've seen, that leads to attrition, but in the long run, the players who come here will know what they get into, just like most recruits have an idea of what they get into with the military (or at least, I naively believe so).