"The expectation is to win every football game." Diaco

[Dooley]

Eh, all of these comments and bold prediCTions should be taken in stride. Of course winning is most important. But if some of these nutty things actually deflect a little attention away from his players so that they can relax and play on the field, I'm all for it.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I hear you. Even I admit now that development was priority 1 a year ago, but they still were trying to win while developing, that's where the disconnect got lost.

All water under the bridge Matt but that is NOT what you wrote last year in a scathing indictment of the fans (specially BY posters). What you wrote in this post is exactly what many people said here. At the risk of instigating a novella from Spackler on the topic, it was a mistake to coach that way, IMO.

 

[UConn07]

All water under the bridge Matt but that is NOT what you wrote last year in a scathing indictment of the fans (specially BY posters). What you wrote in this post is exactly what many people said here. At the risk of instigating a novella from Spackler on the topic, it was a mistake to coach that way, IMO.

Can't argue with anything you said.

 

[Carl Spackler]

All water under the bridge Matt but that is NOT what you wrote last year in a scathing indictment of the fans (specially BY posters). What you wrote in this post is exactly what many people said here. At the risk of instigating a novella from Spackler on the topic, it was a mistake to coach that way, IMO.

At least he's talking about winning games now, and not winning at eating breakfast. I haven't forgotten last season. 41-0 loss to Cincinatti at home, followed by a loss at home to winless SMU. We regressed last season, worse than any time in the past.

Show me time is coming. My pitchfork is sharp.

 

[Kevin Caliendo]

The media guys eat this nonsense up, largely because its refreshing, an easy story and they are trained to kiss butt. the reality is the guy comes off like a buffoon. I hope someone reminds him of this crap when Villanova is about to receive the second half kickoff up 21-3 in front of about 6,000 people at the Rent.

His nonsense would be funny if it were done like John McKay in first few years with the expansion Bucs. But Diaco actually believes this crap and will again lose his team and fan base once the losses pile up. Oh, you expected to win but lost 56-0 at Missouri? Next he'll start saying the "players didn't execute." ;-)

 

[Exit 4]

The media guys eat this nonsense up, largely because its refreshing, an easy story and they are trained to kiss butt. the reality is the guy comes off like a buffoon. I hope someone reminds him of this crap when Villanova is about to receive the second half kickoff up 21-3 in front of about 6,000 people at the Rent.

His nonsense would be funny if it were done like John McKay in first few years with the expansion Bucs. But Diaco actually believes this crap and will again lose his team and fan base once the losses pile up. Oh, you expected to win but lost 56-0 at Missouri? Next he'll start saying the "players didn't execute." ;-)

We'll know in roughly 5 weeks if you are right. You maybe...I sure hope not.

 

[pepband99]

The media guys eat this nonsense up, largely because its refreshing, an easy story and they are trained to kiss butt. the reality is the guy comes off like a buffoon. I hope someone reminds him of this crap when Villanova is about to receive the second half kickoff up 21-3 in front of about 6,000 people at the Rent.

His nonsense would be funny if it were done like John McKay in first few years with the expansion Bucs. But Diaco actually believes this crap and will again lose his team and fan base once the losses pile up. Oh, you expected to win but lost 56-0 at Missouri? Next he'll start saying the "players didn't execute." ;-)

There's nothing wrong with expecting to win every game on your schedule. This if fluff, pure and simple.

If any of the horde had a pair, though, they would at least probe on Diaco's statement we would be in the playoff. That's undefendably insane.

 

[amory]

desmondconner10:04am via Twitter for iPhone
Diaco: "whatever we are this year we're going to be way better next year" #UConnFootball#AmercanKickoff

lol. we're a year away from being a year away!

 

[freescooter]

The media guys eat this nonsense up, largely because its refreshing, an easy story and they are trained to kiss butt. the reality is the guy comes off like a buffoon. I hope someone reminds him of this crap when Villanova is about to receive the second half kickoff up 21-3 in front of about 6,000 people at the Rent.

His nonsense would be funny if it were done like John McKay in first few years with the expansion Bucs. But Diaco actually believes this crap and will again lose his team and fan base once the losses pile up. Oh, you expected to win but lost 56-0 at Missouri? Next he'll start saying the "players didn't execute." ;-)

Wow. And they say I'm harsh on the guy!

 

[mikedog10]

The media guys eat this nonsense up, largely because its refreshing, an easy story and they are trained to kiss butt. the reality is the guy comes off like a buffoon. I hope someone reminds him of this crap when Villanova is about to receive the second half kickoff up 21-3 in front of about 6,000 people at the Rent.

His nonsense would be funny if it were done like John McKay in first few years with the expansion Bucs. But Diaco actually believes this crap and will again lose his team and fan base once the losses pile up. Oh, you expected to win but lost 56-0 at Missouri? Next he'll start saying the "players didn't execute." ;-)

You shouldn't hope for such things. If Villanova is up 3 touchdowns at any point in the game, we would be lucky to have 6,000 people there.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Sorry to be contrarian but last year most of what I heard was "we need to improve the culture", "these guys aren't in shape" and dozens of similar comments explaining how the program was in even worse shape than he imagined and major fixes were being made. So if he's now putting out the usual confident head coach statements that's fine with me. It shows (a) he has a higher degree of confidence than last year and (b) that he knows that winning is now an expectation of the fan base, and he's used his mulligan.

 

[amory]

I don't want to start a new thread for this, has our starting QB been announced yet or are we going to be using 4 like we did last year?

 

[huskymedic]

I don't want to start a new thread for this, has our starting QB been announced yet or are we going to be using 4 like we did last year?

dcsportsdept11:46am via TweetDeck
Diaco: "Bryant Shireffs separated himself as QB at the end of the spring." Says position will be settled two weeks before season starts

 

[huskymedic]

Sorry to be contrarian but last year most of what I heard was "we need to improve the culture", "these guys aren't in shape" and dozens of similar comments explaining how the program was in even worse shape than he imagined and major fixes were being made. So if he's now putting out the usual confident head coach statements that's fine with me. It shows (a) he has a higher degree of confidence than last year and (b) that he knows that winning is now an expectation of the fan base, and he's used his mulligan.

dcsportsdept 11:23am via TweetDeck
Diaco: "I've seen the invesment, been a part of the investment, and now it's time to win football games"

 

[Dooley]

Come on guys. All of this, Media Day, is about generating interest in your league and program. Nothing else. Mike Aresco opened the morning by declaring the AAC is a P6, for crying out loud.

We were one of the, if not the, worst programs in the country last season. The fact that anyone is talking UConn football on August 4th should be celebrated, not overanalyzed. Words do not equal wins. We know it, the players know it, Bob Diaco knows it.

We have all season to get all cranky and overanalyze the coach and team. Today isn't one of them. The head coach of the league's/country's worst team last season is getting the most press today. Even George O'Leary is hooked.

 

[mets1090]

The media guys eat this nonsense up, largely because its refreshing, an easy story and they are trained to kiss butt. the reality is the guy comes off like a buffoon. I hope someone reminds him of this crap when Villanova is about to receive the second half kickoff up 21-3 in front of about 6,000 people at the Rent.

His nonsense would be funny if it were done like John McKay in first few years with the expansion Bucs. But Diaco actually believes this crap and will again lose his team and fan base once the losses pile up. Oh, you expected to win but lost 56-0 at Missouri? Next he'll start saying the "players didn't execute." ;-)

Whatever. People probably laughed when Memphis talked about having a shot at winning the conference after going 2-10, 1-11, 2-10, 4-8, and 3-9.

 

[Carl Spackler]

I'd love to see what Diaco can do with publicity and entertainment when it comes to having a winning football team. I'm hopeful that it happens, because it is sure to be a fantastic ride.

Until then, people like me, aren't the ones that media day is meant to pump up and generate interest. I don't need that to get fired up. It's a new season, and if a player or coach can't get their emotion level up to where it needs to be, then they're not in the right sport. I'm very excited to get back to the stadium and get in the college football season groove again. Fans of this program, that will be at the stadium in September, don't need mashmallow fluff. We wan't red meat.

Proper preparation prevents poor performance.

 

[Kevin Caliendo]

I'm just pissed. There was no one on this board more vocal than me against the hiring of PP. It was a lazy hire pushed by the Big East football commissioner who got his first job from PP via their Cheshire ties. I was willing to give Diaco a shot. He was a "name" but he lost me after about three or four games when he stopped dealing with reality. His was one of the worst coached teams I had ever seen last year. There was little talent, but when fundamentals are terrible and play calling is terrible and schemes are poorly designed and clock management sucks....I don't want to hear about going undefeated and making the playoff. I want to hear about kids buying in, working hard, getting better. Even if he says those things, the headline will always be "We are going 12-0." Its idiotic. You are a three point underdog at home at FBS team in week one. Be humble and perhaps acknowledge you are lucky to have the job you have after the disaster of last season.

 

[Waquoit]

I DGAS about anything this guy says. He lost the courtesy of a respectful hearing during that debacle of a season last year. Just win or STFU, Bob.

 

[huskymedic]

Be humble and perhaps acknowledge you are lucky to have the job you have after the disaster of last season.

Really?? @Conference Media Day? LOL

 

[tduconn]

It's good to have confidence and instill confidence, if it doesn't reach no one else, at least it hits the players. Would you rather hear, 'well we finished 2-10 last year and we only got 42 votes in getting picked last by the media, so we might as well throw it in now?'

Exactly. Its like fledgling entrepreneurs on the "Shark Tank" that are ready to take on the major corps. and build their empire from scratch. Despite what "Mr. Wonderful" may suggest "you will be crushed like the cockroach you are" they move on to prove him wrong.

So in a similar position, what is better to say to your staff and players " Everyone thinks we'll be crushed......lets try to win a couple of games?" Or, despite what everyone else suggests say "We'll prove them wrong"

If I was an employee in a fledgling enterprise, I'd work harder for someone who thinks "BiG"

 

[epark88]

Eh, all of these comments and bold prediCTions should be taken in stride. Of course winning is most important. But if some of these nutty things actually deflect a little attention away from his players so that they can relax and play on the field, I'm all for it.

Geno is the master of this tactic; perhaps HCBD has been gleaning from the Legend...

 

[PRHusky]

So when Diaco talked about the first few games last season as if they were preseason games and rarely mentioned anything about winning, everyone complained. Now that he is actually saying he believes we can win every game, people are still complaining. Tough crowd...

Jury is still out on him, but give Diaco a break. It would not be the first time ever a coach "wasted" a season and then began turning things around quickly in year 2. That is what I am expecting.

 

[mets1090]

Really?? @Conference Media Day? LOL

Agree with this. It's silly to react negatively to these quotes. What would you prefer he say? It's not like he's predicting 12-0. If you're getting mad about these coach speak quotes, you're going to be mad no matter what he says. And I get that... 2-10 is not easy to swallow. I'm not going to be happy with the football program either until they start winning some more games.

But he can't stop talking to the media. That's part of his job. You can stop reading the quotes though.

 

[NYUConn]

WE WANT BAMA.