The View From Section 241

[businesslawyer]

I left midway through the third quarter. Not because I was cold -- after the weather fiasco three weeks ago, I was dressed more than warm enough. But because I just didn't care any more. If the players don't care, why should I stay? Why should I come? Why should I write this (and I only am because I am going to be very short).

That was just awful. Players (especially on offense) didn't show any desire or heart whatsoever. Defense tried for a while, but then gave up. It would have been wholly irrational for them not to give up. And we were pushed around on specials like it was men playing against boys. Not wasting a second more of my time discussing anyone individually.

Our players are not good enough. We would not be a good team if Lou Saban had stepped in in August. Our coaches -- well, how many times did Hank Hughes defense know what we were going to run before the play developed? How often did we do that to them? Our coaches can not fairly be judged based on losing with this talent, but if you are asking instead whether our coaches have done anything to give us confidence to make us thing they can win with better players, the answer is absolutely not. "In Diaco we trust" is fine as a game plan, and this year hasn't proven he can't win here, but nothing he and his staff have done have come near proving they can win here or anywhere else either.

That's it. Will I go to the SMU game? Maybe if it's at noon. Can't imagine that I'd waste a Saturday night hauling my butt out to see this team play again in September. And, for the first time ever, I'm not sure that I even want to renew. I'm sure I will, but it will feel more like a charitable contribution that I feel I need to make than something I want to do.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Well that was inspiring.

 

[Carl Spackler]

BL: I was down to myself and a good friend in my crew. Both of us alum. None of my regulars had the go ahead for another night of partying. I had with me, the group of 6 more new season ticket holders I had roped in this season. Friends from high school years, and here and there since, ex-military. None of them UConn alumni. There was plenty of room for the 8 of us to sit together where my seats are. Early in the season, BYU - Boise - not so.

I had to convince them to stay for at least the first possession of the second half. THey were out at half, but I talked them into it, based on that single defensive possession that pushed Cincy back from the 1st and goal at the 4 - to a field goal. Told them they were just young, and inexperienced when Cincy ran the same offensive play twice for a TDs, and we failed to defend it the second time.

When we quickly gave up another TD, it was time to go for everybody. I apologized, as I have many times, to them and many others, over the past 4 seasons now, for getting them to spend their money on this product.

They all indicated positive hope for the future, and were interested in renewing - because they enjoyed the company, the tailgating. The tailgate, has been by far the most positive and producting and enticing thing about UCONN football - from this single voice of mine perspective for 4 years. What's happening inside the stadium, is a vacuum. Until they get better on the field, it's useless to put any more money in there IMO.

As it is with most of the people that I've been going to games with over the past decade, and it's not large group, rotating it's been - It's not often that we can get away from our families, our regular commitments, and hang out, drink beer, shoot the sh----t, and eat cooked meat, and watch football. I mean "get away from our families" in the best way possible. Anybody that's ever been married to guys like I hang around with and have worked with, are grateful when we go away for a while. But it gest harder and harder to justify, to the families, when it's turning into just another party, rather than actually a menaningful football game.

I honestly don't know if I will re-up my season tickets next year, my feeling right now, is that I probably will get one or 2 at most, and buy up as many parking passes as possible.

I'm a UCONN diehard through and through, and my money will find it's way back into UCONN somehow. RIght now, hockey is looking very interesting. Perhaps I'll go a season of hockey tickets or something - those I'm sure I'll be at least able to give away, if I can't use them. I've had basketball seats for a long, long time - not giving those up.

We've had our spits and spats BL in the internet forum world, but I do respect you. I think you nailed it on the head, the past 4 years of UCONN football, have turned my investment, into a charitable donation.

I can only hope, that this season was a throw away season - which is no way acceptable to me - because the alternative - that they were trying , and put this much more on coaches than players in my view.......is just too pathetic.

129 yard of total net offense. Zero points. 3 quarterbacks taking snaps. Game 10 of the season. Yikes.

Last thing, and I'm sorry to babble so long on your thread, I really am.

I defended Paul Pasqualoni for a long, long time based on nothing but a respect I had for the guy as young person many years ago, and and expectation that the guy knew what he was doing. I learned my lesson, with Coach P, to never, ever trust that a football coach knows what they are doing, based on anything else except results.

I defended Diaco at length, after that Army game, and I won't do it again.

It's about results, and we aren't seeing them. Where you, and I and perhaps others are with regarding our time and money commitments, is NOT entirely on Diaco's performance as a head coach leading this team in 1 season, but his failure this season, has not helped.

 

[Uconnalliance]

Boy the dark clouds are rollin in BL is at a loss for words,cant agree more about renewing, right now those lower level season tickets at the XL are looking good for mens hockey,it has turned into the most painfully season to watch,god the Tampa Bay Bucs highlight film from the 0-14 1978 season looks more enjoyable.

 

[ZooCougar]

Welp

 

[stephen Henry]

I left midway through the third quarter. Not because I was cold -- after the weather fiasco three weeks ago, I was dressed more than warm enough. But because I just didn't care any more. If the players don't care, why should I stay? Why should I come? Why should I write this (and I only am because I am going to be very short).

That was just awful. Players (especially on offense) didn't show any desire or heart whatsoever. Defense tried for a while, but then gave up. It would have been wholly irrational for them not to give up. And we were pushed around on specials like it was men playing against boys. Not wasting a second more of my time discussing anyone individually.

Our players are not good enough. We would not be a good team if Lou Saban had stepped in in August. Our coaches -- well, how many times did Hank Hughes defense know what we were going to run before the play developed? How often did we do that to them? Our coaches can not fairly be judged based on losing with this talent, but if you are asking instead whether our coaches have done anything to give us confidence to make us thing they can win with better players, the answer is absolutely not. "In Diaco we trust" is fine as a game plan, and this year hasn't proven he can't win here, but nothing he and his staff have done have come near proving they can win here or anywhere else either.

That's it. Will I go to the SMU game? Maybe if it's at noon. Can't imagine that I'd waste a Saturday night hauling my butt out to see this team play again in September. And, for the first time ever, I'm not sure that I even want to renew. I'm sure I will, but it will feel more like a charitable contribution that I feel I need to make than something I want to do.

Your posts are always measured and insightful, and while I agree that the football team still would not be 'good' even if Lou Saban were coaching, I respectfully disagree about the coaches not being judged based on losing with this talent. It seems apparent that UConn does not have the talent to compete with Cinci, but the team certainly has enough talent to compete with and beat Army, Tulane and USF. UConn has sufficient talent to have made many of our current losses far more competitive and more than enough talent to have not produced the abysmal effort yesterday. If a single player is not playing with desire or heart, then that is on that player, but if most of the team is not playing with desire or heart, it might well be because they lack confidence in the coaching staff.

Other highly successful coaches have lost badly in their first year, so coach Diaco should definitely be given the benefit of the doubt. But going forward his 'talent 'for coaching is becoming an area of concern.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Welp

Trust me. When you come home to your wife - who is the most accepting and amazing woman you have ever known, and can deal withyour issues and habits and existence - come home hammered and stinking and having forgotten to text or call and she doesnt know if you are alive or in jail or in a hospital or what -after another night out with your old buddies, and the team lost 41-0?

Tough to justify doing it again.

 

[Dooley]

And, for the first time ever, I'm not sure that I even want to renew. I'm sure I will, but it will feel more like a charitable contribution that I feel I need to make than something I want to do.

I think this sums up best what I'm feeling too. I was a Whaler fan and always came back for more so this is really no different. But it would definitely feel more like some sort of UCONN civic duty that I needed to do, not what I want to do.

 

[Nostical]

My buddy Jeff who is a freelance sideline camera rig driver handled the game last night at the Rent. He does all kinds of games--for ESPN, FOX, CBS, etc. (Sunday he'll be at Lambeau for Pats v Packers.) He does games all over. He texted me during the 2nd half asking "What happened to the Huskies? It looks like they've quit"
Too many people have made that statement. That they didn't seem to care. Bizlaw said it here. Maybe they're right. Maybe being called "a mess" publicly at the Tuesday presser gave the players the incentive to ratify their coach's public observation. I hope not. I hope we were simply outclassed by a better team.

 

[Carl Spackler]

My buddy Jeff who is a freelance sideline camera rig driver handled the game last night at the Rent. He does all kinds of games--for ESPN, FOX, CBS, etc. (Sunday he'll be at Lambeau for Pats v Packers.) He does games all over. He texted me during the 2nd half asking "What happened to the Huskies? It looks like they've quit"
Too many people have made that statement. That they didn't seem to care. Bizlaw said it here. Maybe they're right. Maybe being called "a mess" publicly at the Tuesday presser gave the players the incentive to ratify their coach's public observation. I hope not. I hope we were simply outclassed by a better team.

My recurring thought since basically halftime last night, is that the end of season can't come fast enough.

The education of a coach. UConn is invested. I want payback in wins and conference titles.

 

[chapwilvaug72]

there is no investment in human capital if said capital is not trainable, especially when investor cannot afford to wait for trng ROI which should have indicated to search committee that a trainee hire was the wrong path for huskies circa 2014 with precarious situation of foosbal program

definition of not trainable: trainee performs task x and gets poor result y

trainee performs task x and gets poor result y again and either asks why or does not comment at all and just continues on merry way in oblivious fashion

guess what huskies have on their payroll?

 

[J187Money]

Trust me. When you come home to your wife - who is the most accepting and amazing woman you have ever known, and can deal withyour issues and habits and existence - come home hammered and stinking and having forgotten to text or call and she doesnt know if you are alive or in jail or in a hospital or what -after another night out with your old buddies, and the team lost 41-0? Tough to justify doing it again.

That's easy. Call. You haven't learned that by now?

 

[Carl Spackler]

That's easy. Call. You haven't learned that by now?

Nope, and it's awful. Awful, awful, awful. Awful the way it makes me feel when I see the look, and awful the way I know I've made her feel. Lots of stuff easier said than done sometimes. Worst thing about me.

Someday I'll get it fixed, hopefully before she stops worrying about me. IDK, I guess I'm just never worried about coming home, and I know where home is. We've been together a long, long time though, so that's good. I would call and talk more, when I was a world away, than sometimes I do when I'm less than an hour drive away hanging out with the boys.

 

[Greathusky]

I left midway through the third quarter. Not because I was cold -- after the weather fiasco three weeks ago, I was dressed more than warm enough. But because I just didn't care any more. If the players don't care, why should I stay? Why should I come? Why should I write this (and I only am because I am going to be very short).

That was just awful. Players (especially on offense) didn't show any desire or heart whatsoever. Defense tried for a while, but then gave up. It would have been wholly irrational for them not to give up. And we were pushed around on specials like it was men playing against boys. Not wasting a second more of my time discussing anyone individually.

Our players are not good enough. We would not be a good team if Lou Saban had stepped in in August. Our coaches -- well, how many times did Hank Hughes defense know what we were going to run before the play developed? How often did we do that to them? Our coaches can not fairly be judged based on losing with this talent, but if you are asking instead whether our coaches have done anything to give us confidence to make us thing they can win with better players, the answer is absolutely not. "In Diaco we trust" is fine as a game plan, and this year hasn't proven he can't win here, but nothing he and his staff have done have come near proving they can win here or anywhere else either.

That's it. Will I go to the SMU game? Maybe if it's at noon. Can't imagine that I'd waste a Saturday night hauling my butt out to see this team play again in September. And, for the first time ever, I'm not sure that I even want to renew. I'm sure I will, but it will feel more like a charitable contribution that I feel I need to make than something I want to do.

I can not believe that I bought a 3 game package based on Diaco's speech at the alumni dinner. I have SMU and Cincy remaining.

I was inspired now I am deflated!

 

[ZooCougar]

I can not believe that I bought a 3 game package based on Diaco's speech at the alumni dinner. I have SMU and Cincy remaining.

I was inspired now I am deflated!

If it makes you feel better, we played Cincy this weekend.

 

[J187Money]

Nope, and it's awful. Awful, awful, awful. Awful the way it makes me feel when I see the look, and awful the way I know I've made her feel. Lots of stuff easier said than done sometimes. Worst thing about me.

Someday I'll get it fixed, hopefully before she stops worrying about me. IDK, I guess I'm just never worried about coming home, and I know where home is. We've been together a long, long time though, so that's good. I would call and talk more, when I was a world away, than sometimes I do when I'm less than an hour drive away hanging out with the boys.

Just need to text and check in a couple of times. That's all. Makes a world of difference.

 

[Carl Spackler]

Just need to text and check in a couple of times. That's all. Makes a world of difference.

I know. Not the first time it's happened, and I stopped promising it would be the last a long time ago. There is no excuse. It's one of my flaws.

Anyhoo - that Zoocougar response about playing Cincy made me laugh pretty hard. Always count on the boneyard for a good laugh.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

Trust me. When you come home to your wife - who is the most accepting and amazing woman you have ever known, and can deal withyour issues and habits and existence - come home hammered and stinking and having forgotten to text or call and she doesnt know if you are alive or in jail or in a hospital or what -after another night out with your old buddies, and the team lost 41-0?

Tough to justify doing it again.

What a drama queen. You still need to call your wife and check in?

 

[Duncan Idaho]

He felt he had to throw a blanket over this entire season. Unfortunately, he didn't have one of those Men in Black flashy thingies, Bene Gesserit Voice or Jedi Knight powers. Only his press conferences. Not quite as effective.
I'm extremely interested in seeing what transpires next year. Looking forward to it actually.

 

[John]

Trust me. When you come home to your wife - who is the most accepting and amazing woman you have ever known, and can deal withyour issues and habits and existence - come home hammered and stinking and having forgotten to text or call and she doesnt know if you are alive or in jail or in a hospital or what -after another night out with your old buddies, and the team lost 41-0?

Tough to justify doing it again.

man, remind me to stop by your tailgate next time~!

 

[Carl Spackler]

What a drama queen. You still need to call your wife and check in?

I absolutely should, a hell of a lot more than I do. maybe actually writing it, typing it out - probably for the first time ever, will help not repeat the mistakes. There is something to be said, about the chalkboard reference I made about Diaco last week - writing the same sentence over and over on the chalkboard.

Whatever - I'm taking BL"s thread to new directions of WTF tangent is this?

Us diehard UCONN alum aren't going anywhere - but the direction of this football program and the results that have been achieved, are simply going to make choices happen, that weren't choices before.

edit: and again, the sentiments that I, and others, have expressed are not entirely on what Diaco has done through his first year, it's an accumulation of things since 2010 football season ended. What is certain, is that Diaco's first season and the choices, actions and activities that have led to the results - have not helped.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

I absolutely should, a hell of a lot more than I do. maybe actually writing it, typing it out - probably for the first time ever, will help not repeat the mistakes. There is something to be said, about the chalkboard reference I made about Diaco last week - writing the same sentence over and over on the chalkboard.

Whatever - I'm taking BL"s thread to new directions of WTF tangent is this?

Us diehard UCONN alum aren't going anywhere - but the direction of this football program and the results that have been achieved, are simply going to make choices happen, that weren't choices before.

Go to the SMU game Carl. Join my tailgate. I'll be a party of 1.

 

[Excalibur]

The one reason for hope was that the players seemed to be buying in. Now we've lost that as well . . .

 

[Greathusky]

If it makes you feel better, we played Cincy this weekend.

Damn! I was looking at my basketball ticket for Cincy! I just have SMU left.

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

The one reason for hope was that the players seemed to be buying in. Now we've lost that as well . . .

This. With the exception of the 2nd half of the Temple game, the team played hard and never quit. I forgave them for the Temple collapse after the 2nd half KO debacle. Regrettably, I watched the entire Cincy game yesterday. Team quit. Reminded me of UCF game last year. Flat quit from the opening whistle.