It's Time for a Fan Rebellion

LuvMaroon · Post by **LuvMaroon** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:06 am

You guys are hilarious! 20 Years ago Don Read developed the University of Montana Grizzlies into a year in year out 1-AA power, that not only win the Big Sky Conference routinely, but are in the NC mix regularly. A bad year for us is being Co-Champions with you guys or Eastern Wash. Both those schools recently had a short span of decent success, led mostly by the best Quarterbacks either school has had in 30 years! Now that those 2 talented QB's are gone, look where the 2 are at, fighting each other to stay out of the basement of the Sky! Lulay was INCREDIBLE!!, But he gave you the false impression that your program had raised itself to the level of the GRIZ.

You talk about being Montana's team, but that was back in the 60's early 70's, we are in the year 2006 now, that was a LONG, LONG time ago. And don't bring up the 84 or 85 team, or whatever year it was, because in case you forgot they sandwiched that season in between a couple of 1-10 seasons.

You are right in that to build a program the right way, you need more good Montana kids. But most of those chose UM, wouldn't you? Look at the History of the past 20 years. Look at the game atmosphere at UM (23,000 screaming fans every week, in the BEST stadium in 1-AA). Kids want to be a part of that. You can't blame them!

GoGRIZ!

BR GRIZ · Post by **BR GRIZ** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 10:18 am

Weltercat wrote:As much as it pains me to say it, the friz bandwagoners that come over here and imply that we are the “University of California at Bozeman” are right. Not that I have anything against players from California, I just think that it is not the way to build the foundation of a football program in Bozeman Montana. Most players from intercity California turn their noses up at the thought of going to Bozeman and we get them after they wash out of some other program or have no other options. In the mean time, most of the Montana kids are encouraged to walk on and earn a scholarship.

I may be wrong here but I believe Adam Cordiero and Kane Ioane were recruited in Mike Kramer’s first recruiting class. Keep in mind that he found them during the midst of that horrible loosing streak to the friz. My point is this; the kids are out there and we must win the recruiting battle within our own state. We should win or loose with kids from Montana. Make MSU Montana’s team again. I am absolutely convinced that there is plenty of kids’ right here at home that can compete at the big sky level. Our program will be second rate to the friz until we win the recruiting battle here within the state. It takes a lot of guts to do that because coaches always see those JC guys saving the immediate season, but that is no way to build a program. Mike Price at UTEP is a classic example of this. He may put together a good team for a year or two or a game or two but he has never build a solid program anywhere with all the transfers.

I am from Butte, I don’t consider myself ancient and I can remember when nearly everyone there was a cat fan and the high school players went to MSU. I no longer live there but from what I hear people in Butte are voting Republican and sending there kids to school in Missoula. I think there are a lot of old dead miners rolling around in there graves.

I think MSU is still suffering from the bad karma of getting rid of Sonny Lubick. If he was still coaching the cats the Butte guys would still be going to Bozeman and Montana Kids would be getting first crack at the scholarships. He is the toast of the town in Fort Collins Colorado and they have a winning program.

On the lighter side, this last weeked I heard the story of a gentleman from Butte whose father recently died. About a week before the father's death, the father asked the son to register him as a republican. The son asked why, because his father had been a life long democrat. The father responded with something to the effect of "when I die I want there to be one less of the bas#ards!"

rabidgrizfan · Post by **rabidgrizfan** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:10 am

As a griz fan I am a little concerned as well over your recent lack of success. I root for Montana teams first the GRIZ then on down because we do have a lot of Montana kids playing. But if Kramer doesn't get something figured out soon he's going to find a pink slip and you'll find someone that knows what is going on and then as a GRIZ fan I'll start to get nervous

tetoncat · Post by **tetoncat** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:37 am

So I wonder how many of you that are now using the Hysell argument and how he really was not that bad were calling for his head. No conference championships yet some of you now want Kramer out with 3 co-championships because it is not enough. Sounds like a double standard. Same thing with Lubick. Many people wanted him out and now because he is successful, we can look back and say what a stupid decision that was. There will always be a group wanting the coach gone. Even in a successful program it happens. Win a couple NC and then go 6-5 and you were not good enough to keep the program solid. It is all based on the level of expectation. Kramer has raised it so there fore will be punished based on it.

GreenDay17 · Post by **GreenDay17** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 1:24 pm

Never called for Cliff's head and won't call for Kramer's head.

Just tired of the lack of respect Cliff gets for the progress the program made during his tenure. It was much like the progress the program has made during Kramer's time, except that Cliff began with a team much less ready to compete in the BSC than Kramer.

CARDIAC_CATS · Post by **CARDIAC_CATS** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 1:56 pm

GreenDay17 wrote:Never called for Cliff's head and won't call for Kramer's head.

Just tired of the lack of respect Cliff gets for the progress the program made during his tenure. It was much like the progress the program has made during Kramer's time, except that Cliff began with a team much less ready to compete in the BSC than Kramer.

I agree. Cliff was a good coach and is a great guy as well. Cliff was the pioneer before Kramer that started putting our program on the map. Health problems just took its toll and there is nothing worse than lingering back problems.

bobcatmaniac · Post by **bobcatmaniac** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 2:13 pm

I almost puked every time they interviewed Hysell on tv. If he had that much enthusiasm with the team it is no wonder they didn't do well. At least Kramer is personable.

bkmurf · Post by **bkmurf** » Mon Sep 25, 2006 2:44 pm

Mike Kramer has been a college football coach for quite some time. This makes his current performance and the performance of the Bobcat football team all the more mystifying.
We are seeing crucial players injured every week. While our players seem strong these injuries lead me to believe that they are not well conditioned. When the quarter bell sounds the visiting team jogs to the opposite end of the field, while our Cats huff and puff and stroll down. Sure, TV time-outs give them plenty of time, but what a surge this must give our opponents when they see how physically out of shape our guys are. Football is a seriously athletic event. Conditioning should be a top priority. Is it?

We are seeing mental mistakes at an unbelievable rate. Key advances called back on stupid mental mistakes and penalties by our Offensive team. Serious opponent advances allowed or made possible by even more penalties on the defensive side. Players lined up out of position breaking key plays on both lines. Players confused and disorganized forcing wasted time-outs. These are discipline issues and all go back to the head coach and the philosophy he hands down to his staff and the team.

This last weekend the Eagles must have been very nervous going into the fourth quarter. Playing a home team that beat CU. Just 9 points down and only needing two scores. Two scoring opportunities called back on holding penalties. It was just too good to be true. Frankly, I’m sure the Eagles thought they were looking down the throat of their fourth loss this season.
Alas the Bobcat coaching staff shows what they were made of. Not only [i]not [/i]managing the clock, they treated the critical quarter like it was the first of the day. Running short passes and dives down the middle for 1 and 2 yard gains. Taking at least 15 – 20 seconds off the play clock on each play. Lets be honest, the Bobcat coaching staff was our worst enemy and EW’s best friend in the fourth quarter on Saturday. I’m sure it was all the Eagles could do to contain their excitement as the game unfolded.

Time management is fundamental football, something we seem to lack as well as physical fitness and discipline.

While Kramer’s entire tenure has been marked by oddities, these three basics need to be present in any successful program.

In talking about Kramer’s career here you need to not only look at the overall win loss record (something currently stacked on the loss side), but the nature of the games. We’ve lost games that should have been cake walks. We’ve won games that should have been blowouts. We’ve seen more fluke plays and games in the last 7 years than almost any other program I can remember. This isn’t solid predictable play; it seems to be chance and luck.

Maybe it’s time to get back to basics.