Bobcat Attack - Ohio Football

Ohio Football Topic

Topic: Some perspective

Page: 1 of 1

Recovering Journalist

General User

Member Since: 8/17/2010

Location: Cleveland, OH

Post Count: 1,864

person

mail

Recovering Journalist

mail

Posted: 12/19/2010 8:43 AM

settings_applications edit_note

The team that just got embarrassed on national TV was never great this year. They weren't bad, but, like Miami and Temple, they feasted on terrible East teams. Even our best two wins require some grains of salt. Even our best game -- when we pounded Miami in Oxford -- that game was statistically even, and we were helped greatly by Miami's turnovers, penalties and the gifted non-touchdown. We beat Temple as they were heading into a total collapse. Then, with everything on the line, we lost to a sub-500 Kent team that looked better than Ohio on every single down. Our team was painfully inconsistent all year.

Mind you, I'm not complaining too much. Unlike many on the board, I realize eight wins beats being EMU or Akron. I'm getting a bit old, but it wasn't too too long ago when I was in Athens, and the team was really awful all year. Every year. For a lot of years.

They didn't show up last night and it left me angry and disheartened, but eight wins may well be more than I saw in four years of school. Given the costs and difficulties associated with competing in DI football for an underfunded program living in the shadow of the empire of the poisonous nut, they've had a good run and I hope it continues. Yes, I want to see more -- I'm a fan and I'm greedy like everyone else. But I also know that justifiably ranting about a very mediocre eight-win season beats what Akron fans are doing right now.

Last Edited: 12/19/2010 9:20:32 AM by Recovering Journalist

OUE+Z Grad

General User

Member Since: 12/9/2010

Post Count: 56

person

mail

OUE+Z Grad

mail

Posted: 12/19/2010 8:54 AM

settings_applications edit_note

Recovering Journalist wrote:expand_more

The team that just got embarrassed on national TV was never great this year. They weren't bad, but, like Miami and Temple, they feasted on terrible East teams. Even our best two wins require some grains of salt. Even our best game -- when we pounded Miami in Oxford -- that game was statistically even, and we were helped greatly by Miami's turnovers, penalties and the gifted non-touchdown. We beat Temple as they were heading into a total collapse. Then, with everything on the line, we lost to a sub-500 Kent team that looked better than Ohio on every single down. Our team was painfully inconsistent all year.

Mind you, I'm not complaining too much. Unlike many on the board, I realize eight wins beats being EMU or Akron. I'm getting a bit old, but it wasn't too too long ago when I were in Athens, and the team was really awful all year. Every year. For a lot of years.

They didn't show up last night and it left me angry and disheartened, but eight wins may well be more than I saw in four years of school. Given the costs and difficulties associated with competing in DI football for an underfunded program living in the shadow of the empire of the poisonous nut, they've had a good run and I hope it continues. Yes, I want to see more -- I'm a fan and I'm greedy like everyone else. But I also know that justifiably ranting about a very mediocre eight-win season beats what Akron fans are doing right now.

I agree. People can talk about how easy our schedule was, but we used to be the ones who made others schedule easy. Right now, the East Division just happens to be the weaker division in the MAC. There's nothing we can do about that.

Mark Lembright '85

General User

ML85

Member Since: 8/22/2010

Location: Highland Heights, OH

Post Count: 2,460

person

mail

Mark Lembright '85

mail

Posted: 12/19/2010 9:08 AM

settings_applications edit_note

All very true. During my 4 years there the students mainly viewed the football program as just an excuse to see the 110. Things are looking up, but we still have to get over that ^!%!$ bleepin' hurdle and win the big game!

Valley Cat

General User

Member Since: 12/28/2004

Location: Jackson Twp., OH

Post Count: 1,246

mail

Valley Cat

mail

Posted: 12/19/2010 10:14 AM

settings_applications edit_note

I hated last night literaly made me ill. I do have to admit that looking at the big picture of the 2010 season this team was decent and accomplished a ton considering some of the obstacles but overall the future has more potential.
Was I confused by playing man coverage all over the place against that team essentially giving them exactly what they wanted? Sure. Was I baffled by the decision to go with Bates series after series while Boo sat? Sure. Was I screaming at the TV to get Flading some help in the form of a tight end or a back to chip? Yep.
The frustration was there and actually bothered me most of the night. I guess a couple of thoughts come to mind though as I run through threads from the hundreds of lurkers who decide they are going to make posts 7 through 10 of their BobcatAttack.com posting career extra special by blasting other posters and the program for being pathetic or other expletives.
I take great pride in being an Ohio Alum. I wear it on my sleeve and quite often on my bald head. I was furious last night big time but I have to keep in mind where this program has come from. I was embarrassed last night, it was rough to watch. On several occassions I wanted to turn the stupid thing off. But I also sat in Peden the first season of Grobe my freshman year and endured the BK era. This prgram used to be a butt of jokes. It has come a long way. Ohio University means a lot more in my life that just the football program but it certainly has made my Saturdays more toterable as wins ountnumber losses.
I am not saying getting to a bowl game is good enough and accepting last night's performance is easy. I want this program to win the MAC every year, I want it to go kick the snot out of Marshall and punch Rutgers in the face next season. I guess my point is that the football program is taking steps in the right direction. Not sure what last night was other than disappointing but I think that the football program continues to expand its level of respect not only on the campus but among alums.
So I will take a few days, fume, make excuses to myself just like I did after the Kent game, the Ohio State and Toledo games and spend more time in the recruitting form (thanks Doc and Ted among others for your hard work by the way). From there I will head to the spring game and renew season tickets and get excited about 2011. One mess of a night for me doesn't destroy another winning season. Not what we wanted for 2010 but certainly not a step back. Consistently winning in the MAC ain't easy and there are hundreds of examples of that.

John C. Wanamaker

General User