Batter Up

The Fake Lonnie Finch · November 10, 2009

All of this are now in this thing for different reasons - blind faith, morbid curiosity, loyalty to the coach, loyalty to the players and school. Whatever reason, I say - again, for the second time this year - hold off on the firing talk.

Saturday was atrocious. Of the past 33 games, well...most have been atrocious. But, I'm a man of my word. I said we'd be 2-7 after nine game and 3-9 on the season. FIU is bad. Army is bad. And, Arkansas State...well, they shouldn't be bad, but they are (they have the least excuse of all for their performance this year, actually).

I'm not the sunshine pumper in here, but, as much of a dadgum roller coaster as this thing has been with Todd Dodge, we could be cranked up on top again next week...before we hit the loop-de-loop ending with Army and Arkansas State. The ride could be wild, but rewarding. As with all roller coaster rides, at the end you're either (1) excited, (2) scared, of (3) vomiting your lunch at the next batch of passengers. A win or two and I think we're excited about next season. One win, we're still scared about the direction. Three losses...well, get the barf bags ready.

I kind of view Todd Dodge as a baseball player now, hitting at six in the lineup. He's too good to put in the bottom third, too inconsistent to hit in the top third, and has just enough occassional pop in his bat to get the ball over the fence - but, he strikes out alot.

I see this point of Dodge's career as him standing at the plate with two outs in the ninth and the winning run on second. He's got two strikes and keeps fouling off pitches. We're out there in the crowd, some mumbling under our breaths because our team's fate is in the hands of a batter who hasn't always been clutch. But, we also know deep down that he has it in him to knock the hide off the thing. So, we'd be no more surprised if he struck out than if he homered.

And, that's just it. That's what these final three games are. Us waiting to see if the guy who suppposedly has the talent and skill to deliver will deliver. He ate up minor league pitching, but the breaking balls up here are killing him. Can he finally deliver?

The showdown is perfect. On the mound is FIU, a school with a history of making him look bad at the plate. Big whiffs. Big, big whiffs against FIU in the first two at bats. Can he crank it up on them?

Look at this...I'm so eager for us to succeed, I'm losing my sports mind. I think I'm getting the space madness.

eulessismore · November 10, 2009

All of this are now in this thing for different reasons - blind faith, morbid curiosity, loyalty to the coach, loyalty to the players and school. Whatever reason, I say - again, for the second time this year - hold off on the firing talk.
Saturday was atrocious. Of the past 33 games, well...most have been atrocious. But, I'm a man of my word. I said we'd be 2-7 after nine game and 3-9 on the season. FIU is bad. Army is bad. And, Arkansas State...well, they shouldn't be bad, but they are (they have the least excuse of all for their performance this year, actually).
I'm not the sunshine pumper in here, but, as much of a dadgum roller coaster as this thing has been with Todd Dodge, we could be cranked up on top again next week...before we hit the loop-de-loop ending with Army and Arkansas State. The ride could be wild, but rewarding. As with all roller coaster rides, at the end you're either (1) excited, (2) scared, of (3) vomiting your lunch at the next batch of passengers. A win or two and I think we're excited about next season. One win, we're still scared about the direction. Three losses...well, get the barf bags ready.
I kind of view Todd Dodge as a baseball player now, hitting at six in the lineup. He's too good to put in the bottom third, too inconsistent to hit in the top third, and has just enough occassional pop in his bat to get the ball over the fence - but, he strikes out alot.
I see this point of Dodge's career as him standing at the plate with two outs in the ninth and the winning run on second. He's got two strikes and keeps fouling off pitches. We're out there in the crowd, some mumbling under our breaths because our team's fate is in the hands of a batter who hasn't always been clutch. But, we also know deep down that he has it in him to knock the hide off the thing. So, we'd be no more surprised if he struck out than if he homered.
And, that's just it. That's what these final three games are. Us waiting to see if the guy who suppposedly has the talent and skill to deliver will deliver. He ate up minor league pitching, but the breaking balls up here are killing him. Can he finally deliver?
The showdown is perfect. On the mound is FIU, a school with a history of making him look bad at the plate. Big whiffs. Big, big whiffs against FIU in the first two at bats. Can he crank it up on them?
Look at this...I'm so eager for us to succeed, I'm losing my sports mind. I think I'm getting the space madness.

Of course, you're right, although I think it would really take two wins for us to get excited about next season. I don't see why we don't at least stand a chance against FIU; they're without their brialliant receiver/return man Ty Hilton, the Army fans sound impatient for their coach to invent the forward pass, and the ASU fans sound ready for anyone but Roberts. So, has anyone come up with a theory as to why Arky State has done so poorly? Reading their board, it sounded like the only coach they were convinced they didn't want was Steve Kragthorpe, for leaving points on the board just before halftime against ASU when Louisville was on the ASU 2 and had 4 incomplete passes to end the half, then with an 11 point lead in the second half, starts passing and lets ASU back in it with Louisville throwing an INT. I guess that just makes the whole coach hiring business seem so odd; Kragthorpe seeming like such a genius at Tulsa, and is falling prey to the expectations game at Louisville. I think Dodge can come away with 2 more wins IF he can avoid what he mentioned in his postgame interview last Saturday, of "expecting to win". I think reasonable expectations would be for the coaches to come up with their best game plan and for the players to play hard and smart on every down.

Edited November 10, 2009 by eulessismore

NM Green · November 10, 2009

why was the "expecting to win" comment so disturbing? I am just curious because I am missing the agregiousness in the statement and would like clarification. I would hope he was expecting to win. It was ULM and they are stout on D, but they are still ULM and as a fan I sure expected them to win. ULM played a practically perfect game. I kept waiting for that break or to cause a break and nothin ever came our way - frustrating!

GMG

NT91 · November 10, 2009

NT will win one more game. One for each mo. of the season.

eulessismore · November 10, 2009

why was the "expecting to win" comment so disturbing? I am just curious because I am missing the agregiousness in the statement and would like clarification. I would hope he was expecting to win. It was ULM and they are stout on D, but they are still ULM and as a fan I sure expected them to win. ULM played a practically perfect game. I kept waiting for that break or to cause a break and nothin ever came our way - frustrating!
GMG

I guess because it was almost the first thing he said; I don't recall him saying anything about "planning" or "preparation" before that. It just seemed odd to me, but it's just a personal opinion.

LongJim · November 10, 2009

I think I'm getting the space madness.

Hey! Take it easy, cap'n!

Charlie NT 73 · November 10, 2009

"Batter Up"! I liked FLF's story! The story sums up the view of the football program and Coach Dodge.

Believe me, I want Coach Dodge, his staff, and the team to be successful. I do believe this staff and

team can make it happen. This team had 3 wins silp away. If NT had won these games, NT would be

5-4, and everyone would be jumping on the bandwagon saying "I told you so!".

Maybe the ULM team was better than what many fans thought. ULM's team was pretty darn good if you

ask me. Their defense was very good. The NT offense laid an egg, it happens in college ball and the pros.

The offense will have another record year, has produced stars this season (Riley D, Dunbar, Carey, and Jackson to

name a few), most of the starting OL returns (with Noble, Flax, comming off R/S in 2010), and everyone already

knows about WR's Stadford and Cole will play in 2010. I am very excited about the future of the offense!

The defense. Last year, he defense gave up 45 points a game, this year the defense is giving up 30+ points a game

I guess that is improvement. NT can not trade TD's all game long, so I believe Deloach and his defensive staff will

keep developing the players and the defensive team for next year too. (Phillps, Cook, Hill, Cantley, Robertson,

are darn good defensive players that are really coming on strong this season)

The last 3 games, FIU, Army, Ark ST will provide a challenge to finish the season on a positive side. If NT can win

any or none of these games remains to be seen. I would consider a 5-7 season a success for the team to build on.

I will go to the games, and continue to support Coach Dodge, the staff, and the team!

UNT Mean Green · November 10, 2009

Great excerpt TFLF. You nailed it.

Texas Stranger · November 10, 2009

I kind of view Todd Dodge as a baseball player now, hitting at six in the lineup. He's too good to put in the bottom third, too inconsistent to hit in the top third, and has just enough occassional pop in his bat to get the ball over the fence - but, he strikes out alot.

Are you suggesting Todd Dodge as the Ian Kinsler of football coaches ?