No not that part

Why doesn't Lewis Black calmly explain why he doesn't like things? Why doesn't Gallagher sedately slice watermelons on stage? Breathless hyperbole is just Monroe's shtick. I either roll my eyes at it or take it with a grain (or shaker) of salt depending on how over-the-top it is. I respect his passion, even if I don't always love his techniques.

I realize that what I write here will anger many of you.

But I write this more with sadness than rancor.

Today, as usual Solich style, we played to keep this a close game, to get a lead, to tire out the clock, and get away with a W.

And, if we had done that, then I would have to admit that this was a good strategy, one that won the day..even if I dislike it. I just would have to admit it; fact is fact.

But, again on our last drive of the first half we made nothing--nothing, nada, zero--like a legitimate effort to score. Score at 14-14 in a game in which the offenses were struggling, we got the ball at our 21 with, I think, the better part of four minutes to go in quarter 2.

What we did--four runs, then a pass on third down is in no way geared to get us 6 and hardly geared to get us in position for a legit FG try. Minne stopped us, we punted, Minne got it with about :50 to go and ran out the half.

We seemed to fear a turnover, seemed as usual, to think something bad could happen and, so, made no real attempt to drive and score points. We approach as if a turnover is likely if we make any confident offensive effort. Very irksome. Incredibly conservative. Hello Wayne Woodrow Hays.

And, sorry, but to me that cost us the game.

Look at our offense--haven't we scored first drive in every game...and then spent almost the entire rest of the games (well in the close ones vs. Herd and today) doing about nothing. How could we give up a scoring opp--espec when our D was playing well and Minne was showing no particular effectiveness on offense?

It's ultra-conservative football that will win us some games, lose us some we should win--and win somewhat easily I'd say--and lead us not to a MACC.

I've seen bits of NIU, BG, WMU and seen the scores of Ball and kents (vs. Minne, Herd) and I don't see a MACC this year.

I hope I'm wrong.

I'll stop here as I have other thoughts, better put in a new thread, of what I see as a basic flaw.

Not sure which drive you're speaking of.

But you are as conservative as Solich. I get it.

But today, and so far, the facts are on my side. A loss today and no MACC in 10.


If you seriously think that four runs and, then a pass on 3rd and 9 at the end of the 4th quarter was anything but extreme conservative, total lack of faith/energy/confidence. then we'll never agree and you are the definition of conservative,

I definitely see BG putting 35 up in us but BG's defense is awful and I can OU lighting up the scoreboard as well.

What plays would you suggest they should have called more of, Monroe? Again, I was only going by the radio, but it sounded to me like the runs up the middle were somewhat effective, the sweeps and screens were a disaster, and the passing was somewhat effective in the first half, but not in the second half.

Perhaps that was why Ohio's passing was so much less effective in the second half.

I too am very appreciative of our coaching staff and am thrilled at how far Coach has brought us. I also realize that UM is a very good program. However, we need to get over looking at these type of games in terms of being money games and moral victories. We could have and should have won this game. We need to start playing more games with P5 programs and approaching them as games we need to and can win. If we ever hope to get to the next level these are games we should be playing and winning. Yes I want to win a MACC, but in order to get more recognition we need to win these types of games. Playing G5 games are ok, but if we want to improve, these are the games we should be winning.

colobobcat66 addressed the could have vs should have so aptly. Wish I could find it. Basically could have, yes, should have, not so much.

Message Read RE: Losing sucks
Posted: 9/26/2015 9:43:16 PM
allen wrote:
no moral victories here. We lost a game we should have won.

colobobcat66


I think the correct word is " we could "have won. The Gopher folks I talked to afterwards thought they should have blown us out. Should is overused. It was a close game that could have gone either way. I am disappointed, but extremely proud of the team. We lost to a pretty good team and could have won. I hope the injuries heal quickly.

What they were running was the plays that were the most effective at that point.

My opinion is that the biggest problem was not Ohio's offensive ineffectiveness, but rather that Minnesota has a very good defense. We will find out more about that in MAC play. The best defenses in the MAC seem to be Buffalo, Akron, NIU, and Kent State, but I don't think any of them are as good as Minnesota. If Ohio was able to get over 20 on Minnesota, hopefully they will be over 30 in every MAC game.


When your attention is Bobcat-centric, as ours is, it's easy to believe that, but realistically that is doubtful. I like Ohio's players, and think they make a great team, but I also recognize that they win with teamwork, hard work, and strategy more than with raw talent.

Bcat2, I think I may have quoted you quoting colorado66. I thought I was responding to you, until I saw the same quote from colorado66 in, I think, another thread. Colorado and I sat together at the game. Strange that he ran into such a different group of fans exiting the stadium than I did. Maybe they all sensed that I was born in Minneapolis and were being extra nice as a result. Well, I doubt that!

Ohio fans seem to get the most pumped up for playing a Big Ten team. The athletic department could make it a priority to have at least 1 Big Ten game on the schedule every year. Some G5 schools have the same impact of playing a P5 school at home and are easier to get onto the home schedule. Marshall, Temple, Cincinnati, BYU all come to mind.

One way to do it is to put multiple P5 schools on the schedule but that will be at the expense of home games. Bowling Green can go out and play 3 P5 schools on the road since they don't have much home support to speak of. Ohio is adamant on protecting its 6 home game schedule for season ticket holders. My thoughts are to use playing 1 Big Ten school every year on the road as a recruiting pitch and something the fans will know will happen every year. You can include the Big Ten game as part of the season ticket package for premium season tickets if desired. Going undefeated with a Big Ten win should be enough for a New Years Bowl. Over the long term those 2 and 3 team P5 schedules are going to mount losses.