Texas Football: Is "We're Texas" the reason we're 5-7?
by 54b on Apr 14, 2011 4:18 PM CDT
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Print[UPDATE] - My apologies, apparently this subject matter has been covered ad nauseam here. But it still doesn't explain this.
As if he were describing an incurable disease, Mack Brown referred to a "sense of entitlement" on multiple occasions last fall when explaining away the travails of the disastrous 2010 football campaign. What Coach Brown meant by that is debatable as he didn't go into great detail, but I think we can reasonably infer that he felt the players and coaches lacked the urgency and effort necessary to play championship level football because they probably figured they could beat most teams on talent and reputation alone.
But was a sense of entitlement the key reason the Longhorns experienced their first losing season in over a decade? Well I'd probably argue that overall talent level and immaturity at key leadership positions played bigger roles in the demise, but if the players and coaches (as well as fans and media) were and are convinced Texas could and can still win most games simply by showing up, I'd include that as a pivotal factor as well.
Put another way, if we think the Emperor might have pneumonia, refusing to explore the idea that he might not be wearing warm enough clothing can be just as bad as, if not worse than, telling him all he needs to do to get better is surround himself with better doctors.
That said, the idea that a sense of entitlement can have a deleterious effect on a football program is hardly an assertion anyone would waste much time arguing against anyway. And its literary divulgence is far from novel. In fact, our fearless editor PB wrote an excellent (and somewhat prophetic) article in the 2009 edition of The Eyes of Texas Preview Guide in which he elaborated upon his theory as to how the "We're Texas" mindset has been unhelpful to the development of the football program, most notably UT's tardiness to the integration party.
But I'm not here to put a fresh coat of poly on Peter's bean or remind you that the "must have" gift for Longhorn diehards this Christmas-in-July shopping season is the 2011 edition of The Eyes of Texas Football Preview Guide (shameless plug).
No, I'm here to pose the question: Where does this sense of entitlement, this incurable disease, come from?
(Find out if I actually make a salient point after the jump...that explains why they call it "the jump" anyway.)
Is it simply the product of overconfidence gleaned from being part of a football program that averaged 10 wins a season for the better part of a decade and appeared in two National Titles?
Is it the result of unrealistic expectations created by modern day snake oil salesman masquerading as recruiting experts and a ratings-driven media, both of whom appear to care less about reporting facts and more about cashing in on hype?
Is it because the players are from what demographers have dubbed "Generation Y" or "Millennials," a portion of the population roughly defined as children born after 1980 (and 67% of BON readers). The basic theory is that because this generation benefited from childhoods that that coincided with a time of economic prosperity (the 90's and early OT's) as well as a movement by parents to lesson the competitiveness of childhood activities like sports by awarding trophies just for participating, this group of kids has a greater sense of entitlement and do not respond well to traditional means of motivation such as "breaking a kid down to build them back up" - something the Army and football coaches alike made their livings on for the better part of the 20th Century.
Or could it be that in this brave new post consumerism era we live in where we tend to blame the institution before the individual,Longhorn Nation as a whole and its "We're Texas" zeitgeist are the source for this sense of entitlement? ("I learned it by watching you, dad!")
It's no mystery that we fans of the University of Texas have always walked a fine line between swagger and arrogance. And no where is that dichotomy more prevalent than in our institution of higher learning's handcrafted tagline, "We're Texas."
When we win, "We're Texas" is an affirmation of our confidence. When we lose, it's an albatross of arrogance run amuck.
And whether you love the phrase or think it's just the pipe dream of two doped up ad agency copywriters throwing tag lines against the wall, the reason it ultimately stuck and was able to tap into the Burnt Orange Zeitgeist is because it does reflect the UT bravado as a whole and it is an extremely efficient and addictive catalyst for unleashing the the pride we feel inside.
Problem is, in my eyes anyway, "We're Texas" isn't an imperative. It's a statement of fact. When you think about it, the phrase practically assumes we've already won because well, "we're Texas and you're not." Unfortunately, we're also 5-7. And I don't hear anybody yelling that with pride and I've yet to see a bumper sticker or T-shirt with "We're below .500" on it.
Regardless, I still don't know that I'd argue that our overzealousness is the sole source for this sense of entitlement anymore than I'd argue that we should even try to cure ourselves of it.
But should the Longhorns' marketing machine or even Mack Brown himself be in the market for a new theme for 2011, I'd recommend a catalytic imperative that has gotten the job done before and one that I know will get it done again...
"Hook'em Horns."
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It was either this or my ongoing story about off-track betting in the Himalayas.
It’s a smaller story, but I know you’ve been following it.
Be nobody but yourself in a world that desperately wants you to be like everybody else.
Were you not paying attention when me and few other BONizens
created a shit storm by making a very similar point about the tagline? Or was this a literary raindance to bring about the return of the shitstorm?
"The only sport that should be cried over is tee ball."
- don't remember who said it, but I like it.
Apparently not
Oh well, sometimes you swing and miss. Shitstorms happen.
Be nobody but yourself in a world that desperately wants you to be like everybody else.
"Shitstorms happen." Haha. Classic 54b
By the way, considering your substantial prowess with humorous prose, I’d rather hoped you’d put out the ultimate version of Big 12 teams as classic rock groups, pop stars, or what have you. Perhaps it’s in the works. I know that whole thing has almost become trite by now, but you could blow it out of the water.
"The only sport that should be cried over is tee ball."
- don't remember who said it, but I like it.
Still working on "If Big XII Teams were Porn Stars"
But Baylor has proven difficult to work with.
Be nobody but yourself in a world that desperately wants you to be like everybody else.
haha. I guess they would be one of those late night movies on a cable movie channel
"The only sport that should be cried over is tee ball."
- don't remember who said it, but I like it.
Maize N Brew
I never laughed so hard in my life as I did when I read that post they did on the Big XII teams as cheerleaders. It was hilarious and I laugh just thinking about it.
Dont' be such a baby.
Link? I'm too lazy to look for it myself.
"The only sport that should be cried over is tee ball."
- don't remember who said it, but I like it.
If only there'd been 674 comments instead of 673, surely I would have seen that post
I’ll fail better next time.
Be nobody but yourself in a world that desperately wants you to be like everybody else.
I won't speak for Paleface, but in no way was I suggesting that you shouldn't have done the post.
I was just joking about the shitstorm. I for one love a good shitstorm, though.
"The only sport that should be cried over is tee ball."
- don't remember who said it, but I like it.
A shitstorm does require an extra thick umbrella, though.
Some BONers’ umbrellas didn’t seem to be quite thick enough for my previous post.
54b: I applaud you for not reading everything on this site. You, sir, must have a life.
See ya later, alligator.
by Paleface Horn on Apr 15, 2011 10:45 AM CDT up reply actions
What are you saying about those who do read the whole site?
Hmmmmmmm? And the shitstorm rolls on…
"The only sport that should be cried over is tee ball."
- don't remember who said it, but I like it.
if the shoe . . ..
Hook ’em, HT!
See ya later, alligator.
by Paleface Horn on Apr 16, 2011 2:51 PM CDT up reply actions
HOOK 'EM!!
Join me in my campaign to get TT back.
"The only sport that should be cried over is tee ball."
- don't remember who said it, but I like it.
You're not serious, are you?
Surely nobody reads the whole site.
See ya later, alligator.
by Paleface Horn on Apr 16, 2011 2:53 PM CDT up reply actions
No. I rarely read the fanposts unless the subject line catches my eye.
I read the majority of the main page posts.
"The only sport that should be cried over is tee ball."
- don't remember who said it, but I like it.
I'll take you back a few years.The in-season collapse didn't begin in 2010.
It happened totally to a couple of Fred Akers’ teams:
**His 1980 bunch that got ambushed by SMU while sitting at No. 2 in the poll. With the national title hope gone, we lost to Tech the next week and ended up dropping five of our final seven games.
**1984, when we started 6-0-1 (tying OU), and were No. 3 in the poll until losing to Houston, a defeat that began a streak of 4 losses in 5 games to end the season.
I don’t believe entitlement was an issue on those teams, or in 2010. I think it was an “eyes on the prize” mentality, where the eyes should have been on the next practice, the next play, the next series — not the MNC. We died last fall because the players (and coaches, and that was a big part of the equation) kept looking over their shoulders at what was lost instead of focusing on Iowa State and Baylor and Kansas State.
by edsp on Apr 14, 2011 4:45 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
But...but...but........we ARE Texas. Aren't we?
Ok really, I certainly understand the premise and pride certainly goeth before the fall, but I don’t see anything wrong with a little swagger (not that you’re advocating that at all…just sayin’). And make no mistake, we don’t corner the market on swagger/arrogance/whatever. “THE Ohio State University,” “Da U,” et. al. seem to fit that mold too.
Part of me hopes it was arrogance that led to last year’s debacle. Arrogance can be fixed…fast. Hell, if there isn’t a tad of humility by now there never will be. And let’s further hope that that humility breeds hard work and a dedication to never revisit 2010.
And here’s another vote for your ‘new’ team theme. Hook ’em.
We're going to play like we're in a bad mood.
Indeed
We are Texas. And we’re the Alamo. And we’re the Chisolm, the Pecos, the Billy the Kid, the Holiday and the Earp. The great expanse. Where the hell else has there been “Texas Sweet Crude”. Chicago may the city of “est” but we’re a whole big state of “est”. We are the only state in the union of states that was once a freaking country! We have bragging rights because we earned them, in spite of what others will have you believe.
And king of football of which two unmistakable and iconic emblems represent: Bevo and Star.
Damn straight we have entitlement. We were born with it.
- follow me @ http:/twitter.com/TXStampede
by TXStampede on Apr 14, 2011 6:22 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Almost correct
Hawai’i was a country too. But they don’t play football, do they?
Still a Blaine Irby fan
by patienthornsfan on Apr 15, 2011 3:15 AM CDT up reply actions
California was also it's own country very briefly.
But I don’t believe they were ever recognized as their own nation – unlike Texas.
But they don’t play football, do they?
Not since we stole their football coach.
by BrooklynHorn on Apr 15, 2011 1:28 PM CDT up reply actions
Who dat?
"The only sport that should be cried over is tee ball."
- don't remember who said it, but I like it.
Akina, I think
See ya later, alligator.
by Paleface Horn on Apr 16, 2011 3:27 PM CDT up reply actions
June Jones
By, “we” I meant the state of Texas.
by BrooklynHorn on Apr 16, 2011 4:50 PM CDT up reply actions
This comment is what's wrong with "we're texas".
And Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and Billy the kid have nothing to do with Texas. Why don’t you go ahead and claim Earnhardt and hot dogs while you’re at it.
by Mark Mandingo on Apr 15, 2011 10:50 AM CDT up reply actions
Hey, it sounded good when he typed it.
Don’t let the facts get in the way of good dramatic writng.
Hey Mandingo
Every been to Hico, TX? Birthplace of Billy the Kid.
- follow me @ http:/twitter.com/TXStampede
I'm sure other teams suffered from entitlement before and still had successful season.
It was a perfect storm. All hell broke loose. Pandora’s box opened. Imaginationland was taken over by terrorists.
Coaches got lazy and didn’t work well each other. This moved over to the players and the rest of the program. Talent is/was still there…we just might be behind in development.
People sure paid for it. Hopefully it doesn’t happen again but success can bring laziness.
"Football's so important in Texas. On the West Coast, it's a social. On the East Coast, it's a culture. Here, it's a religion."
-- Major Applewhite
I second this response
and mostly the first part. Look at the USC team UT beat for the NC. Remember the Leinart whine fest at the end of the game? I wonder if he still thinks they had the better team.
Lack of development is more detrimental than entitlement in my opinion. Let’s just get back to Hookin’ ’Em and being Texas will speak for itself.
Two things will never change...Jesus loves us and UT is awesome.
One of you stat guys with lots of time on your hands ...
… please look up how many of the guys from either team, USC & UT, did the best in the NFL. If Texas ended up having the most NFL talent on the field that night, then let’s use it to further enjoy that sweet sweet night. If USC ended up NFLing the best, then forget I ever asked.
"figured they could beat most teams on talent and reputation alone."
Yup, that’s FSU for the last decade.
Not any more than
The Buckeyes saying THE Ohio State University caused their players to sell their uniforms for tattoos, or caused their coach to cover up that fact and lie about it.
While I do think the Horns teams of late have shown too little heart and not enough fire, it’s just marketing. Marketing doesn’t play on the offensive line. Marketing doesn’t make recruiting mistakes. Marketing doesn’t fail to patrol the weight room, or break promises to head-coaches-in-waiting.
This program needed a dose of humility, and it got it. I wish it hadn’t happened, but I’m glad it’s behind us now. And if everyone on that team, from coaches to ballboys, gets their head on right and comes out and performs like a team that doesn’t get any respect — which, let’s face it, is what they are right now… then we’ll be Texas again.
Simplicity is always the secret, to a profound truth, to doing things, to writing, to painting. Life is profound in its simplicity. - Charles Bukowski
To fail like we did last year
It takes a combination of factors. One of them does seem like it was a lack of urgency that started years earlier and resulted in not recruiting as hard as they should and not respecting every opponent. That does lead to other factors like a dip in talent, like at offensive line, and lack of leadership. Confidence is good, but when a team forgets what got them to the point of such confidence, then it turns into groundless arrogance pretty quick as they lose their edge.
by TheElusiveShadow on Apr 14, 2011 4:53 PM CDT reply actions
Recruiting extension from years gone by
Just curious if maybe there’s something to be said for that internal measure of heart/passion/drive, etc. This is stretching the use of my limited marbles, but an article in EOT by PB or collaborative from a couple years back specifically (to the best of my recollection) cited how MB and others decided enough was enough on getting the highest rated recruits, but concentrated instead on getting kids that flat out wanted to play for Texas. Essentially, the high recruits weren’t responding well when they got the proverbial/literal punch to the mouth, while those that were personally invested in being at Texas, not necessarily as a pit-stop to greater things, were more resilient. (To the author, if that’s off, sorry.)
Are we Texas? Oh yeah.
But, does each player and effectively each team have to earn that right? Without question.
TMQB always does a great end of the year write-up about his all scrub team, those NFL players that have been passed over either via the draft, traded, waived, etc, and how he believes that potentially yields an extra drive, some extra motivation to go to the next level, to respond to coaching, etc. Maybe, just maybe, something like that could have occurred on our beloved 40 acres.
I’d also hazard a guess, as has been pointed out here repeatedly, that when players were getting snaps and ABSOLUTELY not executing as they should be (see, wide receivers and downfield blocking, as prime example, as the line is a little too easy), where’s the incentive for the next kid?
Accountability is accountability. Bring that back, and maybe that drive comes back across the board, rather than on a player by player basis. Playing X on 11 didn’t serve us well last year, so if the new staff can boost that level, I believe that good things may happen.
Just my two cents, from a recovering jackass fan from last season.
-idiot
But...but...
…I don’t want to change my license plate…‘Hook ’Em Horns’ wasn’t available.
But seriously, it seems to me that ‘Hook ’Em Horns’ has always been the imperative that holds Longhorn nation together and shows the world who we are. ’We’re Texas’ is just an also ran, less relevant in our identity than ‘Hook ’em Horns’ or ‘Texas Fight’.
Great read as always 54b!
Uncle. Enough already. In the words of Apollo Creed:"ain't gonna be no rematch" Mercifully, thankfully, the eyes of Texas will no longer be on Nebraska. Oklahoma never inflicted this kind of torture. Please Mack Brown, take your whips and chains and leave the good folks of Nebraska alone! - Omaha World Herald 10-17-10
CPF
Isn't "We're Texas" a fan statement only?
Do the players or coaches say it to each other?
"I live in the tower with Coach Brown." -Bevo
It was the motto Mack Brown chose for the 2009 Team
Got’em a championship appearance so it can’t be all bad
Be nobody but yourself in a world that desperately wants you to be like everybody else.
No, they just forgot the apostrophe last year.
“WERE Texas” isn’t that far off from “WE’RE Texas” … but it has a whole different meaning.
by robthecob on Apr 15, 2011 4:43 PM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
2008 and 2009
Both were great years in terms of wins, but both years I felt we were a football team with very little margin for error. We relied upon a 70% passer to make our offense run; Lord knows we couldn’t run the ball. Once we lost that guy, our offense had nothing to fall back on. Contributors were bad recruiting and development among the OLs and RBs.
Frankly, I’ve also always wondered if Mack’s public style doesn’t remove some of the edge from his teams.
Well put on the "margin for error"
It took near miracles to beat Nebraska in ‘09 and Ohio State in the bowl the year before. We dodged about 27 bullets to beat OU in ’09 and needed, probably, the best game of Mack’s and GD’s careers to beat OU in ’08.
Biggest difference in those two years and 2010, I thought, was the lack of BIG, POSITIVE plays from the special teams. We did nothing in the punt block and return areas, were mediocre at KO coverage. We kicked decent when the offense got the ball as far as the 30-yard-line. Yeah, the offense sucked. Mack wanted to run, Davis did not, we lacked the personnel to make it happen, and — staff and players — we put a half-ass effort into rushing the football. When that didn’t work (big surprise), we had to rely on another 70% passer. Which we didn’t have, of course, but we also didn’t have Shipley or three departed senior O-linemen (and then Allen and Huey got hurt).
I need a good hypnotist to get 2010 out of my head for a while.
Fumbles killed us
UCLA and Oklahoma are different games (not saying we’d win) if we fall on 3 fumbles.
We’d have a respectable season if Shipley was back there covering punts and demanding double team/bracket coverage and catching balls.
Last years team had no "Eye of the Tiger"......
and all that goes with that. Also missing was a QB destined to play on Sundays like our last two.(and don’t tell me GG has all the tools…..so did Simms, but neither of them had or has “IT”)
If they outlaw Willie Nelson, only outlaws will be Willie Nelson
by MeatchickenHorn on Apr 14, 2011 6:17 PM CDT reply actions
Sorry to poke fun here, but...
The cover for last year’s Eyes of Texas magazine is pretty funny, in retropect.
by KratosWasASooner on Apr 14, 2011 9:01 PM CDT reply actions
Keep your Oklahoma comments to yourself boy......
or I will have to go over to Crimson & Cream and talk about Oklahoma’s horrid BCS Bowl record the last 10 years, notwithstanding your recent defeat of that Connecticut Juggernaut in the Fiesta Bowl.
If they outlaw Willie Nelson, only outlaws will be Willie Nelson
by MeatchickenHorn on Apr 14, 2011 10:19 PM CDT reply actions
eh..
Do as you must, I guess. Figured you would think it’s funny too.
by KratosWasASooner on Apr 16, 2011 6:08 PM CDT up reply actions
Texas is Texas
Always has been, always will be! We are the team the others love to beat – no matter what our record.
We will never be confused with Tulane, Rice or Vanderbilt – simple as that.
"you can't be a great defense in a casual manner!" Manny Diaz
by Snide Aside on Apr 14, 2011 11:11 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
Furthermore
Because “We’re Texas”, name me a team that doesn’t get up for us and tailors their season around us?
"you can't be a great defense in a casual manner!" Manny Diaz
Austin Icebats?
Be nobody but yourself in a world that desperately wants you to be like everybody else.
Ive never had pic of a scantilly clad attractive female in a Texas jersey
Make me throw up a little in my mouth. Thanks 54b.
by BoddickerIsClutch on Apr 15, 2011 10:00 AM CDT reply actions
Sorry that comment was aimed at Snide Asides comment...
“We’re Losing” was my slogan last year. But we did be Nebcrapska!
Maybe..
“tailoring” the season was a bit strong, but I assure you that UCLA AND Kansas State both damn well knew Texas was on their schedule and and were high as a kite for the game!
"you can't be a great defense in a casual manner!" Manny Diaz
I can agree with UCLA, but not Kansas State
by that point in the season, it was expected that Kansas State would stomp a mudhole in you, which they did
"Entitlement" = Lipstick on the Pig
The big reason entitlement is used is because it is so easy to fix. Just don’t be entitled. Voilla! The real problem was not enough talent, and flashy recruiting. Sure you get the speed guys, but then you cannot fit them on to the field. Where was the beef? OL recruiting? We had one of the worst QBs in the Big XII. No above average RBs, no above average OLs, no above average TE’s, no impact WRs and the problem is entitlement? You can guys can buy that – but I am selling. The road back will be hard and not an overnight success. Fortunately, looks like Mack brought in some nice additions to the coaching staff – but they are in for more than a 1 year rebuilding process.
Change isn't good or bad it just "is". Don Draper of Madmen
I fear you speak the truth.
See ya later, alligator.
by Paleface Horn on Apr 15, 2011 11:18 AM CDT up reply actions
This should be rec'd
Team record generally reflects the talent level on the field. Period
This.
You could have been the most entitled, arrogant MFers on the planet, and if you had a dominant offensive line to run behind, it wouldn’t have mattered what your mindset was, because you would have dominated.
People who point to a sense of entitlement are trying to ignore a lack of talent in one of the most important areas, the offensive line.
Don't blame "We're Texas." Entitled fans don't excuse an entitled program.
Big fan of BoN, and definitely agree that entitlement on behalf of the players and coaches contributed to our 5-7ness. But blaming the slogan and/or any fan entitlement it may cause is just reaching.
The "We’re Texas" campaign is not about our football program. Watch the ads – they talk about the "thinkers and dreamers and doers of tomorrow." "We’re Texas" is meant to remind us that we have nationally recognized degree programs, get to live Austin, and churn out alumni that go on to "change the world."
"We’re Texas" after a loss means, "You may have won this one, but our university as a whole is still a hell of a lot better than yours." It goes beyond football. It means: feel good about being a Longhorn, because you should – we’re better than other universities, often in sports, but in many other ways too. We’re Texas. Whether that translates as entitlement or well-rounded pride in the face of defeat is on the individual fan.
A slogan doesn’t cause entitlement in the locker room – not enough to make a previously dominant program go 5-7. A team culture of entitlement comes from the players and coaches. Did entitlement cause upperclassmen to skip workouts and give poor effort, because they felt their reps were guaranteed, having "bled for the program"? Yes – lack of accountability built that entitlement culture. Did entitlement cause GDGD to stop game planning? I’d bet yes – he never thought Mack would fire him, and he expected talented kids to save his ass like seasons before.
5-7 is the result poor enforcement from coaches, lack of leadership from upperclassmen and key positions, lack of accountability for players to play their best, and lack of accountability on the coaching staff. That’s on the players and coaches, not the fans and their slogan, however entitled.
Just my two cents. Thanks for all the great reads, keep them coming.
Don't disagree with you and I think the campaign is spot on
Only debating whether the spirit the campaign reflects and imbues – the same spirit that has permeated the 40 Acres long before the latest campaign – is a reason for this sense of entitlement and thus a factor in being ill prepared to perform at the highest levels on the gridiron.
Be nobody but yourself in a world that desperately wants you to be like everybody else.
Enough of this Mumbo Jumbo
No need to make everything so confusing. Mack Brown’s entitlement speech was nothing but his dwindling inability to function intellectually at the level of a top 10 head coach. It was nothing but an excuse, a cover up, a lack of Brown’s ability to look back and see what actually happened.
Why Texas went 5-7 in 2010, after 9 years with 10 or more wins, after 162 consecutive weeks on the AP top 25:
First and foremost, Mack Brown’s inability to look over the field activities as they unfolded during Spring and Summer practice and see that his staff was not doing the work of teaching, drilling, practicing, coaching our team to play their positions with college level precision. Hence, what you saw was WRs that couldn’t hold the ball, fumbled, couldn’t get any separation. Then you saw RBs that couldn’t improvise, explode, hold the ball, and get anything over -2 yards. You saw top 10 defense because Muschamp was the only one doing their job.
Weight and conditioning trainer was in the office reading comic books. Greg Davis had managed to scrape together 24 offensive positions, where Boise St., according to Harsin had 76. Team coordination at the games consisted of an entirely no huddle offense for every single game, every single play, with a clown’s arrangement of coded hand signals from the sidelines each play.
Heck, Texas would have probably done better if the entire coaching staff, except for Muschamp, wouldn’t have just gone to a bar and sat out the practices.
Bottom line, not entitlement, total lack of motivated, efficient, college level precision coaching. And who’s job is it to make sure that happens. The dude that describes Texas as “getting their swagger back,” and “we’re out here to have fun.”
If you add all of the above that I’ve said to the fact that we had lost all of our playmakers, Shipley, McCoy, Lawrence, Ulatouski, then you get a team that has no playmakers who didn’t receive one ounce of useful coaching throughout the Spring and Summer.
Brown thought that Gilbert was just going to go out there and do some good ol’ Texas magic, without ever receiving any college level precision coaching.
Entitlement, swagger, fun … nonsense. Mack Brown totally blew it, he didn’t have a clue. He’s been used to not working, with Vince Young winning championships, Colt McCoy and Shipley winning games.
Brown just totally spaced out what his job was. At least the coaches are working hard this year, so we’ll probably have a far better season, but I doubt I’ll ever forgive Brown for not telling Muschamp way before the season was over that the job was his.
btw, Mack Brown has shown some of the best stats of any Texas coach, and I have never been a Mack hater, until last season, when I realized that he didn’t have a clue what he was doing.
So, you're saying that we just had bad coaching, 'cept for Saint Muschamp?
Just try to be clear next time you want to say something, okay? Don’t be so veiled in your accusations.
I just re read it, and I don’t see any ambiguity. It Seems pretty clear to me. Mack blew it. Muschamp would have given us a better change to return to top 25 this year than Mack. I never said he was a Saint (maybe sarcasm?), I said he would be the better head coach of the two of them.
Full sarcasm was in effect. Lighten up.
I was kidding. Your point was very clear. So clear that I thought your rant was truly funny.
Right on, Dude.
Except I’m okay with Muschamp leaving. I don’t like the way he sounds in pressers. I like the way our new guys sound. Seriously, I think it would be difficult to say which coach(es) would be better for us. I too blame Mack primarily for last year’s debacle. But I’m willing to forgive if he gets it right this time.
See ya later, alligator.
by Paleface Horn on Apr 15, 2011 5:12 PM CDT up reply actions
you call it lack of "college level precision coaching"
I call it a lack of talent.
You put way too much blame on the coaches in your rant. I’m not saying they are blameless, because they’re the ones ultimately responsible for bringing in talent and the product put on the field, but you make it sound like the only reason y’all lost 7 games last season was coaching, and the simply isn’t true.
Lack of leadership is on the players. Lack of heart is on the players. Being quitters is on the players.
the problems were
1. lack of talent brought in by the coaches and 2. lack of coaching by the coaches. The only thing right last year was the pom squad. Fortunately the coaches didn’t have a finger in that pie.
See ya later, alligator.
by Paleface Horn on Apr 16, 2011 7:54 AM CDT up reply actions
yeah, lack of talent. that’s what Texas has.
by Displaced Longhorn on Apr 16, 2011 8:37 AM CDT up reply actions
who was your starting OL last year?
who were your starting RBs? Think any of them would start for any other Big 12 school? I could see Whitaker, maybe, if he could somehow avoid injuries. Baylor had better players at RB last year than you did. BAYLOR.
Who were your starting WRs? Other than Mike Davis, would any of them start for any other Big 12 team?
Who was your starting TE?
When the best you can trot out there at OL, RB, WR, and TE is what you put on the field last season, that is called a lack of talent.
Muschamp's not a saint
I never said Muschamp was a Saint. Please don’t distort my message. What I said was that he was the only one who had any part of the team working at college level proficiency last year. And I’m not saying we had bad coaching last year, I’m saying we had nothing close to coaches that were working on college level precision plays, drills, routines. I’m saying we had “no” coaching except for the defense, who played at college level proficiency, except for 2 games. I don’t know what the other coaches were doing, and it seems like Brown doesn’t know either, which, imho, is quite unacceptable for a $5 million dollar coach. I would expect something pretty close to sensational for being the top paid coach in the NCAA.
And they’re not accusations. They’re the only logical conclusion an intelligent person can come to. The players sucked cause the coaches forgot what their jobs were, to teach and drill college level precision football, and it was Mr. $5 million dollar man who’s job it was to oversee that it got done.
I’m also saying Muschamp had a better chance than Brown at returning the beloved Horns back to top 25, and Brown thought of himself instead of the team. Both Fred Akers and Darrell Royal retired on their worst year. Brown didn’t want to give up his $5 million. Regardless of how Muschamp sounds, he produces results. I think that’s what football is about, results.
It's a team game.
I think the both the players AND the coaches were equally to blame last year. Such incompetence was spread to both sides of the ball. I would argue that the defense was thoroughly to blame last year too as they were whipped in several matchups (UCLA, a&m, KState, OKState, etc…) when the offense also struggled. You can heap ALL blame on Mack if you want but Muschamp lost the edge too. If you’re gonna heap blame on Coach Mack as captain of the ship, then you’ve just as well gotta heap blame on Muschamp for the defense folding in several games. The perception that the other coaches took the year off is simple hyperbole. UT went 5-7 and ALL players and ALL coaches were fully to blame. Mack has taken full responsibilty for the debacle, as he should, but the rest of the gang all had their embarrassing moments as well.
I’m not really interested in arguing, friend, but your Mack-blame and Muschamp-love is showing. And many of us out here don’t think a 1st-year head coach was going to right the ship as well as the seasoned head coach that got us here. We can agree to disagree there.
Are you sure you are a Longhorn?
Coaches with winning records like Mack Brown have stadiums named after them – as opposed to coaches at A&M, with the winningest record in school history – they just get fired!
"you can't be a great defense in a casual manner!" Manny Diaz
Marketing
Didn’t some marketing firm get paid a fortune to brand test a bunch of slogans and this is what came out of it? No doubt they also came up with “We’re Idaho”, “We’re Minneapolis”, and “We’re Here, We’re Queer.”
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. If they get mad, you're a mile away AND you have their shoes.
Good Morning, Em!
See ya later, alligator.
by Paleface Horn on Apr 16, 2011 7:56 AM CDT up reply actions
Hi Paleface!
Long time no see.
Whoever said laughter is the best medicine had clearly never tasted Scotch.
Hmmm
Where did I read something about being “endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights”?
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. If they get mad, you're a mile away AND you have their shoes.
Don't believe everything you read.
See ya later, alligator.
by Paleface Horn on Apr 16, 2011 2:55 PM CDT up reply actions
I think this "entitlement" issue is mostly BS
If you ask me, it’s nothing more than typical Mack Brown coach-speak. What I saw last season weren’t players that were entitled to winning. It’s players that simply aren’t that good at playing football and won’t sniff the NFL.
The reality is Mack and staff have really dropped the ball the last few years with lazy recruiting, and Brown’s strategy of promising high school juniors a scholarship while passing on the late blooming seniors have really killed us. Wouldn’t it be nice to have Michael instead of Whaley right now?
Look at the crap we’ve thrown out there recently at O-line, WR, RB, and TE. Really? This is an entitlement issue? Seems to me it’s a recruiting issue or at least a player development issue.
But what do you expect Mack to tell the media. “I fucked up recruiting and my players suck”. Obviously not. Now I can see the coaches having an issue with entitlement and laziness. That’s why I’m glad Brown essentially started from scratch with all the new hires.
by goingforthecorner on Apr 16, 2011 12:36 PM CDT reply actions
Where is this bad recruiting crap coming from?
We have basically been in the top five recruiting class lists for the past 10 years and NOW we have recruited bad? My God, Colt McCoy was overlooked by everyone but us – Shipley as well.
We have one bad year and Longhorn fans are ready to throw Mack Brown under the bus?
Go to College Station if you want to be like that – it is a mantra over there.
WAY too many fair weather fans on here!
"you can't be a great defense in a casual manner!" Manny Diaz
Really, so Colt and Shipley working out totally cancels out with recruiting busts at RB, OL, TE and key defensive positions?
our 0 championships in the Colt era and 5-7 suggest otherwise.
by goingforthecorner on Apr 16, 2011 8:17 PM CDT up reply actions
uh, not sure where you got this idea that Jordan Shipley wasn't highly recruited
because that simply isn’t true
he was a four-star recruit also offered by A&M, OU, and Tech
and McCoy was offered by A&M, Ga Tech, Missouri, Purdue, and Kansas State
hardly an overlooked player
Incorrect
UT, atm and Kansas Stae were the only schools that offered – and atm and Kansas State don’t really count as they mostly only chase UT rejects!
"you can't be a great defense in a casual manner!" Manny Diaz
Uh huh. Riight.
BTW, if texas didn’t offer Cyrus Gray or Jeff Fuller or Christine Michael or Luke Joeckel or Jake Matthews, you need to fire your coaching staff, b/c they suck at talent evaluation.
I should add
if you think Kansas State chases texas rejects in their recruiting, you really have no idea what Bill Snyder is doing in Manhattan, and need to leave the conversation now. When is the last time texas pulled a player from Kansas?
What does pulling a player from Kansas
have to do with anything – particularly this discussion? I thought it was a basketball state, do they play football in Kansas? Mack SELECTS from the state of Texas, basically anyway.
Do you, an aggy, really want to compare recruiting wars with UT – really?
"you can't be a great defense in a casual manner!" Manny Diaz
Who said that?
I simply used Colt and Shipley as examples. What recruiting busts? Year before last they were wonderful and last year they sucked? Would you rather have had Techs, Iowas, Baylors or the collies recruiting classes?
Are you sure you aren’t an aggy in disguise?
"you can't be a great defense in a casual manner!" Manny Diaz
uh, if you're talking about beergut..
…that’s the lamest disguise I’ve ever seen.
by vy til i die on Apr 17, 2011 11:41 AM CDT up reply actions
This
our 0 championships in the Colt era and 5-7 suggest otherwise.
We played for a Nat’l championship and got screwed out of a Big 12 by the land thieves.
If you think the quality of recruiting classes is wholly dependent upon the number of championships you win then you will live in perpetual disappointment and frustration with UT.
In spite of the fact that the collies finally had a decent season last year, would you still trade UT’s athletes for theirs? We have one bad year and you are one and done?
Does this reply meet your approval or should I be even more specific?
"you can't be a great defense in a casual manner!" Manny Diaz
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