ispeakjive

If stats alone won games, Warren Moon and the Oilers would have won three or four Super Bowls.  Back in the day when the Spread Offense was known as the Run and Shoot they racked up tons of yards and points.  This isn't fantasy football where raw stats win.  You can have the same issue with a defense - lots of yards, but timely stops and plays.  Nederland has been known for that even five or ten years ago.  It is a team game and stats can be misleading.  PNG had more yards, but lost.  How do you account for that? 

I am right here and I have been for the last 20 plus years. 

You know what they say about lies, damn lies and statistics.

Even in some of the deep playoff runs we gave up yardage.  The main stat is the 'W'.  But, I have noticed that both OC and DC look better when they are flush with talent.  Schemes, etc. are solid IMHO, it is just about executions.  Better players execute better than average ones.  Quite the concept. 

I have a hard time understanding how it is bumpkin to want to see the program win and develop.  You have to know your market and the market here, maybe more so than other college towns, is going to dictate that you win in order for the program to be supported.  Any premature bump to FBS and 3-8, 4-7, etc. seasons will kill the program.  Again. 

The size of the town doesn't matter, it is your recruiting and fan base that dictate what you can do with your program.  But, since you mentioned it, La. Tech and ULM have really raised their national profile by playing, FBS, haven't they. 

It is not bumpkin to develop what you have instead of having grandiose plans that fall flat.  Lamar is a great, regional university, and it is not bumpkin to accept that and develop it under the constraints that are there.

[quote name="UNLV" post="867115" timestamp="1286384026"]
Typical bumpkin Setx mentality. Lets all forget that Beaumont is bigger than Monroe and Ruston combined and that LU is bigger
than UL-Monroe and La tech.
[/quote]

Call me crazy, but I would rather the program strive for championships in FCS than aspire to 6-5 seasons in FBS and hopefully get one Tuesday night game a year while playing in the lower levels of FBS.  I truly hope that it is not what Dr. Simmons and Coach Tubbs brought the program back for.  I could care less if there are ever any nationally-televised games as long as the program is winning.  I would be willing to wager a pretty sizeable bet that neither Troy nor Middle Tennessee State garnered any additional students on their campuses from playing a Tuesday night game on ESPN in the first week of October.  Let's assume we go to the Sun Belt.  Do you think Middle Tennesse State would pack them in at the Stadium more than Sam Houston or SFA?  I would say no.

I am not blaming the kids from any particular season, just stating facts as you always demand of everyone else.  And, after inferring that I was blaming the kids, you failed to address any of the other issues I brought up.  That speaks volumes, in my opinion. 

To just say that replacing the DC would "improve the defense 1000%" lacks any basis in fact.  You are losing your clothes, emperor.

[quote name="smitty" post="866893" timestamp="1286336628"]
First of all, AGAIN, I don't blame the kids.  Missed tackles and giving up yards, I blame the coaches and DC in particular.  Like I said before, I'll leave blaming the kids to others!   ;)


[quote author=ispeakjive link=topic=73772.msg866879#msg866879 date=1286335093]
Even if they are very talented, it is unrealistic to expect a sophomore-heavy defense to shut teams down week in and week out.  In my opinion, you can afford to do that with a year like this where your offense is solid.  If the talent is not great on defense I think it is unfair to blame the DC.  If you look back at the good defenses from the past five or ten years, they were loaded with talent: Piletere, Sanchez, Cobb, Johnson, and so on.  With all due respect to the last couple years' kids, there was a little drop-off.  This group can and will be good.  

If you want to criticize or judge a DC, do it on scheme or how he adjusts during games.  I think all of that is solid right now, we have just lacked playmakers the last couple years.  Throw out last year and this is a rebuilding year.  

Now, if you want to look at an example of a DC not scheming or adjusting properly, look no further than the PNG  DC last Friday.  With all due respect to our neighbors across the tracks, they never adjusted to or stopped the Wildcat and that was a big factor in the game.  I was shocked (and glad) that they never stepped up to stop Sonnier ripping it up the middle.  

Show me something like that Smitty and then I will quit drinking the Kool-Aid.  Saying they miss tackles or give up yards doesn't cut it.    
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[/quote]

What fact do you base that on?

[quote name="smitty" post="866889" timestamp="1286336469"]
You have my answer. You may not like it but you have it.  Bring in a new DC and you will see an 1,000% improvement.  No doubt in my mind!    ;)


[quote author=The-NHS link=topic=73772.msg866862#msg866862 date=1286333935]
I still have yet to see your expert review on how we should be a better defensive team. I'm not talking about your typical change the DC answer. I want your expert review on how our defense can be better. Anyone can get on here and post Fire the DC. Lets see a little more substance.
[/quote]
[/quote]

Did any of you care about the hotly-contested Troy v. Middle Tennessee State on ESPN showcasing two low-level FBS teams no one really knows or cares about? 

My guess is neither did anyone else.

I'm sure the Sugar, Rose, Fiesta, Orange, Cotton, etc. Bowl committees were dialed into that game as well.  Lamar should be envious.

Even if they are very talented, it is unrealistic to expect a sophomore-heavy defense to shut teams down week in and week out.  In my opinion, you can afford to do that with a year like this where your offense is solid.  If the talent is not great on defense I think it is unfair to blame the DC.  If you look back at the good defenses from the past five or ten years, they were loaded with talent: Piletere, Sanchez, Cobb, Johnson, and so on.  With all due respect to the last couple years' kids, there was a little drop-off.  This group can and will be good.  

If you want to criticize or judge a DC, do it on scheme or how he adjusts during games.  I think all of that is solid right now, we have just lacked playmakers the last couple years.  Throw out last year and this is a rebuilding year.  

Now, if you want to look at an example of a DC not scheming or adjusting properly, look no further than the PNG  DC last Friday.  With all due respect to our neighbors across the tracks, they never adjusted to or stopped the Wildcat and that was a big factor in the game.  I was shocked (and glad) that they never stepped up to stop Sonnier ripping it up the middle.  

Show me something like that Smitty and then I will quit drinking the Kool-Aid.  Saying they miss tackles or give up yards doesn't cut it.    

I'll take young and talented over senior dominated and average any day.  The potential for improvement is there and I think there is a lot of upside to this group.  The DC is constant but neither he nor Neumann have any control over the talent level.  As best I know neither one of them were present at conception for any of their players.  They have to play the hand they were dealt and they have a pretty good hand right now on offense. 

I don't disagree with you in the long run about that kind of yardage, but if your offense compensates that dictates how you play for that particular season. 

No one is saying that the defense did not give up a lot of yards or that PNG put up a lot of points.  But the undeniable facts that you can't dispute are that the Dogs won, the defense made the stops they needed to, the starting middle linebacker is out with an injury, and that we are starting a lot of Sophs on defense.  There are your facts.

Everyone would love to see the defense pitch shutouts every week, but that is not realistic with any team.  Good coaches and staffs play and coach to their strengths and the strength of this team is the offense.  If the defense can keep us in games (regardless of the yards given up), you hope that the offense does its job and the wins come.

But, I am sure these facts are irrelevant to you since I have not recorded a million posts. 

Sincerest apologies, Smitty.  I pegged it wrong.  You are just a veteran, naysaying tool. 

Love, Newbie

I'm thinking somewhere down the line there may have been a Smitty, Jr. that Smitty believed was a budding defensive superstar at Nederland who didn't get the playing time he thought he deserved.  Heck, Spell has been there long enough that maybe it was Smitty himself.  His criticism is too personal, persistent, and irrational to not be rooted in something personal.  

Bottom line on last night is that Nederland beat a good offensive team.  Good teams find ways to win when they are not firing on all cylinders.  PNG had a lot of yards, but stops were made when they were needed and the offense did their job.  With all the underclassmen starting and contributing on defense I don't think an NFL defensive coordinator would make a difference in the defensive performance.  The young kid will get better and hopefully thing will gel.  

http://media.photobucket.com/image/beating%20a%20dead%20horse/redwall011/beating_a_dead_horse.jpg?o=1

You should either start a petition or go to school board meetings and ask for Coach Spell to be fired or reassigned.  If you believe that strongly, put your name to it and get the ball rolling.  I am sure Mr. Madding and the board will comply with your request immediately.  

Allow me to go ahead and save you some time and a few posts, Smitty:

-Too many yards last night;
-Too many points given up;
-Defense is still terrible;
-We shouldn't have won;
-Good teams will beat us;
-DC is awful and should be replaced;
-I am smarter than all of you

That should just about cover it.  Please feel free to give it a rest for a day or so while some us enjoy a good win.  

[quote name="smitty" post="863940" timestamp="1286037498"]
What's up Bear backer?  I see your team won.  Great.  Well, my team did win.  It's good to beat PN-G any time.  But the concerns I have still exist to the tune of 516 yards.  You might beat bad teams, like we did, but you want consistently beat good teams giving up that many yards.  That's only common sense.  Educated or otherwise.   ;D


[quote author=elhector1 link=topic=73772.msg863829#msg863829 date=1286028402]
[quote author=smitty link=topic=73772.msg862617#msg862617 date=1285957426]
Sad to say but here goes:   PN-G  35    Nederland  14
[/quote]

From the semi-educated Bear backer...

Guess your "educated" self got "schooled" by the team you supposedly pay taxes to. 

How does that crow taste?  Just like chicken?
[/quote]
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Then, we may have done that from my driveway.  I lived right behind the stadium and several of Nederland's finest gathered there for the festivities. 

Bigdog, what year was that?  I did that too one year. 

[quote name="bigdog" post="861400" timestamp="1285852095"]
Launched waterballoons from behind the PNG side at Bulldog stadium once. :)
[/quote]

The plain and simple truth is four or more wins this season would be stellar.  Even with the Juco players, this is a young team and young program that will take at least two years to get off the ground.  And yes, there will be other games like last Saturday, but there will also be games they win that they shouldn't. 

Yeah, I can definitely see how you can equate dropping a I-AA program in the late 1980's that was not a playoff contender and didn't draw fans with cheating your way to a National Championship with a dirty coach and players on the take from agents and boosters.  You definitely got me there with that zinger. 

I do agree with you though that the fan base does not get bigger with blowout losses, but not in the fourth game of the program.  If this is happening week after week or into next year, I will be the first to get on here and agree with you.  But the  sky is not falling because of one bad game.  I just don't buy that.  In fact, I don't know that you can fully evaluate Woodard and his staff until the fourth year of play.  Alot of the contributors now are Juco transfers.  I think that was smart, but it is definitely a short-term gain.  You will have to see how his first group of recruits comes together before the book can be written.  It will be bumpy here and there, but I think the ingredients are there to put together a powerhouse FCS program. 

But weren't you one of the people on here a week or two ago saying how they LU should start planning the jump to FBS now? 

[quote name="UNLV" post="859396" timestamp="1285627512"]
[quote author=ispeakjive link=topic=73498.msg859089#msg859089 date=1285608367]
UNLV:

At first I was kind of stunned by the sheer foolishness of your comment, especially the part in bold, and wondered how you could make such a claim.  But, then, I realized that since you attended UNLV, you are definitely very familiar with an athletic program that embarasses the school, the game, the community, and the fans.  Heck, Jerry Tarkanian and the Runnin' Rebels practically created slimy, modern-day, AAU and Division I basketball.  So, after being at UNLV for a while, you may have a good perspective on embarassing programs.  Thanks for the insight.  Maybe you should take some of the many dollars you are earning with your UNLV degree and create a slush fund like your alma mater used to have back in the day and give it to Coach Woodard, then we won't have to worry about anymore embarassing losses.  Problem solved, the UNLV way. 
[/quote]
UNLV can't hold LU's jock when it comes to scandals. Dropping football and the regents getting a big fat pay raise.
The Silver Bowl and Thomas N Mack was always full. LU should learn from UNLV.
[quote]
In all seriousness, your comments on this and other LU threads are assinine sometimes.  I don't know about any other LU alums or residents of the Triangle, but I sure didn't wake up Sunday morning and questions why I choose to support the university or live here.  It was a very bad loss, but from a start-up program playing their fourth game against the sixth-ranked team in the nation.  Give it a rest.  Maybe they did lay down, but I don't think that is anything out of the ordinary for a new program with most of the players just getting their feet wet in FCS play.  The entire program, coaches and fans included, will grow from this loss and move forward.  And I for one am not going to let a naysayer like you who doesn't even really have a rooting interest in the program dampen my excitement for having football back and Lamar. 
[/quote]Fan base does not grow from 71-3 loses. I was there in the stands in the late 70's and 80's, were you?   
LU don't need the community saying 'same ole' Lamar.
[/quote]

UNLV:

At first I was kind of stunned by the sheer foolishness of your comment, especially the part in bold, and wondered how you could make such a claim.  But, then, I realized that since you attended UNLV, you are definitely very familiar with an athletic program that embarasses the school, the game, the community, and the fans.  Heck, Jerry Tarkanian and the Runnin' Rebels practically created slimy, modern-day, AAU and Division I basketball.  So, after being at UNLV for a while, you may have a good perspective on embarassing programs.  Thanks for the insight.  Maybe you should take some of the many dollars you are earning with your UNLV degree and create a slush fund like your alma mater used to have back in the day and give it to Coach Woodard, then we won't have to worry about anymore embarassing losses.  Problem solved, the UNLV way. 

In all seriousness, your comments on this and other LU threads are assinine sometimes.  I don't know about any other LU alums or residents of the Triangle, but I sure didn't wake up Sunday morning and questions why I choose to support the university or live here.  It was a very bad loss, but from a start-up program playing their fourth game against the sixth-ranked team in the nation.  Give it a rest.  Maybe they did lay down, but I don't think that is anything out of the ordinary for a new program with most of the players just getting their feet wet in FCS play.  The entire program, coaches and fans included, will grow from this loss and move forward.  And I for one am not going to let a naysayer like you who doesn't even really have a rooting interest in the program dampen my excitement for having football back and Lamar. 
[quote name="UNLV" post="858096" timestamp="1285510157"]
[quote author=the-riot07 link=topic=73498.msg858047#msg858047 date=1285489621]
wow all the bevil haters on here think they know it all...but did the back ups throw any touch downs or break any records or even move the ball? NO so shut up about everything being bevil! You win as a TEAM and lose as a TEAM! the whole team sucked tonight and SFA is very good!
[/quote]I am not a Bevil hater, but he did thrown in the towel. The team and coaches all cowardly threw in the towel. When it
was 50-3, I saw a Lamar player let a SFA player score. Then whole second half LU ran draw plays. LU didn't try to come back. LU
didn't try to score for at least some respect. I thought Jason Garret was playing calling since LU only ran 5 plays the whole game.
I didn't expect LU to win or be a close game, but I did expect them to play hard. They didn't. [b]They embarrassed the school, the community,
the game, and fans.[/b] If you don't want to play football or coach football, GET OFF THE TEAM.
[/quote]

Randy Crouch gave a great interview.  Very classy and poignant.  Y'all are lucky to have someone like that.

Vidor - home of the classy, gracious winners...

Anybody know how long until basketball season starts?????

This Nederland fan will be rooting for a PN-G freshman this year.  My heart goes out to this kid.  May God comfort you as you deal with your unimagineable loss.

Smiley, I don't think that you and I disagree as much as you think.

My son goes to Central.  I have no problem with the academics or athletics there, but there are a lot of people who do.  In my opinion, it is the better school.  I think that the transfers from Central to C.O. are ridiculous, whether it is because of athletics or anything else.  I also know several people who have transferred their kids to C.O. and I just don't get it.  If you are right about the transfers being for athletic purposes, I think that would be news to the teachers and administrators at Central. 

I live on the same side of town as you do and I stand by my comment.  By and large there are more people like you and me who are involved and engaged with their children in the C.O. zone than there are in the Central zone.  That's not a swipe at anyone or any group in particular, but just the way it is.

I worked in the district for a while, too and I would love to continue this conversation.  P.M. me if you get a chance.