Then, there's also the fact that despite the miraculous turnaround... We still fired Dickey at the first semi-viable opportunity. It wasn't exactly roses and sunshine, and the streak wasn't enough to make people (administratively or in the fan base) forget the overall track record.
And Plumm (among others) was adamant that that turnaround wasn't enough to merit the man keeping his job, that RV should have followed through on his termination instincts and forced Dickey out BEFORE that miracle run. That it would have been better for the long term health and ultimate success of our program. That even though a miracle DID happen that saved his job, Dickey was still a godawful coach who nobody wanted and only managed to "succeed" against our terrible conference mates and a very rare OOC game, usually low-grade competition.
If I had it in my signature, this is where I'd defer and point out that if a Dodge miracle DOES happen, it will now have to come almost entirely against our conference mates and possibly/hopefully an OOC game against low-grade competition.
I, too, still hope to see Dodge turn the ship around and pull off what he needs to accomplish to keep his job (and, by extension, get us back on track as a football program). But even more than that, I'd love to see a little intellectual honesty here, and perhaps an admission that we're playing by a completely different set of rules then what was vocally (remember the rants about "fishin' with Bobby Ray"?) set forth just 4 short years ago. Especially in light of the relative track records and circumstances leading up to the Moments Of Truth for each coach, as so astutely put forth by CaribbeanGreen.
One more time: I want this season to finish with 7 or more wins, and I want for all of this to be a pointless waste of virtual breath.
But if it wasn't good enough to make people forgive and forget the start (not the end, which had enough ugliness in the Flanagan situations alone to justify Dickey's termination) of the last guy's tenure... Why would it be good enough now?
I don't ask for myself. Because if and when Dodge does start winning, I will very quickly and happily put all the godawful shame of the past 3 and a quarter seasons in the past and embrace the wins and the coach leading us to them.
But I still remember what people said 4 years ago when they looked back on Dickey's inauspicious start. What does it say when the same people are now using that as the benchmark for potential success?