eulessismore

I cannot imagine that the coaching staff hasn't noticed these overall problems with the kicking game. We can only hope they get them corrected, but we'll know for sure by this time next year. We cannot get our won-loss record turned around without fixing the kicking game. This recruitment seems to indicate they take the problem seriously.

Hey, what about the students? I guess the student side looked wide open for the last couple of home games I attended, but the Green Brigade always turns out in force.

I've heard before that Iran has one of the highest birth rates of any country, but elsewhere, I heard that sex was such a repressed topic that people had to watch the internet to learn how. Those two ideas seem somehow contradictory. Maybe there's not enough information about contraception on the Internet.

Anyone interested in what it's like to live in a formerly communist country (I say formerly, because the Communist Party in China is that in name only, and only exists to perpetuate itself in power), should talk to a woman who works in my office who is a naturalized citizen of the United States, originally from the "Republic" of China. When I told her that my impression of the Chinese economy is that of the purist, most unregulated capitalism, while nominally Communist. She agreed with me. After she became an American citizen, she said she did it because she wanted to be a part of the greatest country on Earth. But, if anyone here thinks that Russian, China, or any present or "formerly" (I say "formerly" because I'm not convinced the "oligopolists" are anything but apparatchniks from the old Communist Party who "reinvented" themselves as economic reformers in the best tradition of organized crime) Communist state, should ask themselves if we have something to gain by following their example. Really though, anyone who is completely opposed to environmental standards and fair treatment of gays and lesbians would have found plenty to love in the old Soviet Union. Indeed, there are many who oppose peace, freedom, and the rule of law who would find much to love in the "new" Russia, according to the article linked here: Was Whittaker Chambers Wrong? It seems that Whittaker Chambers, a hero to the Conservatives of the era when I followed Goldwater, viewed the "possible" defeat of Communism (really, he doesn't seem to have thought that possible) as a false goal compared to finding God. Indeed, there are many ideas in that linked article for social conservatives to love, but it hardly glosses over the disappointments in the era following the Cold War; as in the following paragraph: "The UK’s Daily Mail newspaper tells of Russia’s new claim to the North Pole. It speaks of Putin’s “astonishing bid to grab a vast chunk of the Arctic—so he can tap its vast potential oil, gas and mineral wealth.” One British diplomatic source has warned, “‘Putin wants a strong Russia, and Western dependence on it for oil and gas supplies is a key part of his strategy. He no longer cares if it upsets the West.’”21 Meanwhile, the New Yorker, hardly a bastion of conservative thought, devoted an article to suspicious deaths of some of Putin’s critics.22 All nations want to be strong; that, in itself, is not the issue. A strong Russia as an ally of the United States would not be a problem. The question is whether Putin wants to be an ally or whether instead he seeks to re-create the Cold War. Many commentators fear the latter. If true, Reagan, of course, could not have foreseen this turnabout. This does not tarnish his victory, but it does remind us that although the times change, human nature remains unchanged." But, if a Russian presentation of the failures of secularism seems comforting (and yes, I'm a proud secularist), I'm doubtful that any of us here would find the new "religious freedom" of Russian all that comforting, unless one is a Russian Orthodox, or an adherent of a denomination considered "normal" by the Russian government. Perhaps the eminent Russian writer Dostoevsky expressed the blending of Russianism and Orthodoxy in a way that defines it's blending, "Our people is immeasurably higher, nobler, more upright, more capable, and filled with a different, higher, Christian idea, which Europe with its dead carcass of Catholicism, and its stupidly self-contradictory Lutheranism, cannot even understand." No, we're not perfect, and I'm sure that many of you are disappointed about the government which it's voters put in place, but I'll take America.

Well, that could be really great! I do think at least part of the FG/PAT (and also the punting) attempts being blocked were due to poor blocking on the part of our special teams. Whether or not that is the case, kickoffs are not dependant on that; having someone kick them through the back of the end zone would be a big help. I wonder what our stats are for the opponents starting field position after kickoffs; it seems to have gotten worse from about the 3rd game through the end of this season. One thing is that this kid can also punt; Atterberry is good (does better with good protection), but we can't count on not needing a backup. I think that Atterberry was playing hurt after some part of the Arkansas State game.

If he wins this year, will you change your avatar?

Something good!

That should get their attention. Honestly, what basis is there for such an exemption; their "charitable" work of welfare for the wealthy?

The running back could score on Alabama.

Dan Jenkins, that great golf writer that he is, has to write a book about this.

I guess I was thinking of asking what this meant, but then realized I'd have to care.

Sort of like the basketball NCAA vs NIT tourneys?

I don't know about that, CMU is good.

Do not be a burrito.

Oh, that wasn't the field goal kicker who kicked that? I did not know that. Yeah, seeing that kick go out of bounds had an ominous feeling about it, that's for sure.

I saw Nebraska and Texas (from inside their own 1 yard line) going from under center.

So, why didn't Boise State become national champion (notice no capital letters?) when they beat Oklahoma? Man, I just lost all that respect I had for your opinions.

The defenders of elitist status quoism win the day, as their script requires.

So, really, this is a perceived projection of future potential apathy. Maybe we really have reached the end of football chat till...signing day? I refuse to put as much effort into apathy as this theory would require; it's easier to just sit through a game in a monsoon rain.

Can you imagine the emotional swing for that fine Nebraska kicker, making that very solid 4th of 4 field goal attempts to put Nebraska in front by 2 with about 2 minutes remaining, then sending it out of bounds on the following kickoff to give Texas great field position. Is this directional kicking thing something that coaches call to outsmart themselves?

Don't try that at programs of classical music. Of course, in their day, what we now call classical composers were rock stars.

For better or worse, that's what it comes down to in any sport. I used to think North Texas seemed ok with mediocrity, but now that we've fallen below that, we can see that only winning will make us happy. My goal (and my wife did say "Good luck with that") is for UNT football to be at a level of excellence comparable to UNT Music.

1. Were they playing in the second week of the year and we weren't? Did they have to play in a monsoon and we didn't? 2. Granted, their starter that night (Boo Jackson?) was already playing hurt. Then, he got knocked out of the game early enough that his backup (Theo Scott) came in and actually played better. I think it was when Scott got hurt last night that Ohio's hopes of winning (against Central Michigan) were gone. Also, as we all know, our starting quarterback got hurt; Tune came in and promptly threw a pick six, giving them their first lead of the game. In all fairness, it was a bad coaching decision to have Tune go out and start passing at that point, and Tune played well enough after that to send it into over overtime. But, they had QB injury issues and we didn't? 3. We weren't really stomping Ohio at any point. We had a chance to go up by a large enough margin just before halftime, down inside the 10 and the clock running out, to kick a field goal on a night when our kicking game was going well, and Dodge opted to go for it on fourth and short. If everything else went the same, if we had attempted and made that field goal, it would have been the difference in winning and losing. I haven't looked at the entire Ohio schedule, but I don't think they stomped anybody. I think they beat another team in the same fashion they did us, with a late or overtime touchdown and 2 point conversion. What is there to suggest that Ohio was capable of "stomping" anybody at any point in this season? 4. It might have made a big difference in our season if we had beaten them, as it would have given us 2 wins in a row for the first time in longer than Dodge has been here, and some here say that team confidence can be a factor in whether a team wins or loses. I do blame Dodge for going for it on 4th in that game, when I think the FG would have made a difference. 5. Did we almost fire Dodge? I don't really know, but I don't think RV was prepared for it at the time. Maybe there is reason to believe that "having played games closer than we did his first two years" is valid. I personally question his overall philosophy, which seems to be "build up a big lead and force them to pass on every down". If that is in fact his plan, it seems like a might be tough, to go from "losing by less than a touchdown" to building insurmountable leads. I'm willing to buy season tickets for one more year to see, whether or not that is true, what happens. I was certainly not opposed to the Dodge firing, but did find many of the arguments, pro and con here, to basically present arguments that I found lacking any logical or factual basis. Personally though, I don't understand why people can't be reasonable and see things my way. Some say that NCAA recruiting rules would require a decision to have been made before today, for a sufficient time window for recruiting. I don't know if that's true. Ever since coach firings, particularly the Solich firing (remember him?) have been getting enough media play to cause some to think; hey their loss, our gain, I have wondered whether some years might be better than others to pick up a head coach at a salary we are willing and able to pay. Just trying to point out a few things, although some of them are in disagreement with what you wrote. And also, just so as not to say coaches or game plans or or rational processes rule, what about luck? What about Ohio's starting quarterback getting hurt and replaced by one who played better and helped them have a better season than last (or that most predicted) until that replacement quarterback was hurt last night?

The fans are not the problem; see references to Army game and also consider Homecoming. Yes, I was disappointed at the student turnout for the WKU game, but human nature is what it is. We had lost 5 games in a row at that point, and we need to look at things realistically: at some point, if we're going to fill a 28k, or 30k, or whatever it's called, stadium consistently, we'll have to start winning more games. Period.

Folks, I started a thread about it once (wish I could find it now, but Wife wants me elsewhere); but I'll repeat it to anyone who doubts it: The fans are not a problem.