Keep in mind, trying to glean insight from a postgame interview or press conference is not going to put your figer on the pulse of this program. Most talk coming from coaches these days (not only Novak, but virtually all of them) is designed to be as un-controversial as possible. And if that means that it's boring , or lacks the always overrated "fire and passion" that so many Chicago Meatballs think is the only way to approach life, so much the better.

It is meant to be forgotten the next day. People are calling for an Ozzie-like tantrum. First off, Ozzie's a buffoon in his dealings with other human beings. Second, to do crap like that to students (and that's what they are) in public is showing that one has no idea of one's obligation as an educator, which is what Novak is.

To blow on his team when they may not have anything better to give is poor coaching. If it needs to be done, I trust that it is being done safely away from our eyes, which is a good thing.

COHUSKIE Wrote:Please Joe retire, we need a coach with some fire and passion!

Fire and passion is fine but if the next coach sacrificies on ounce of the integrity that Joe brought to this program NIU gets no more alumni dollars from me. I will write to the AD and tell him just that as soon as it is announced that Joe is leaving.

TheNEWguy Wrote:Ozzie Guillen tried to save his job with his broken English rants, and clearly lacks class. Joe Novak is a class act and will not hang players out to dry in public.

By the way, Do you chew out a 1 - 5 team. I think they know they suck.

Guillen may lack class - but he doesn't lack that ring. At the pro level, Guillen, Piniella or whoever else have the right to call out highly paid professionals. In my opinion, part of the problem with Joe calling out his players (which he won't) is that none of them are listening. When you're missing extra points and getting false starts from veterans, the players have checked out. Part of that is on Joe for discussing retirement.

People are always talking about Joe's integrity, but I don't recall any of the previous coaches here being in trouble for violating any rules - didn't they also have integrity? The fact is Joe is going to leave this program with his record under .500. He is a losing coach - period. Yes, he has done a lot (or just happened to be here at the right time - who can say for sure) but it is clearly time for him to go.

Just for clarification:

I didn't mean to imply that former NIU coaches lacked integrity. However, Joe has brought a level of integrity coupled with the national awareness of it that we have not enjoyed before. Look at our football graduation rate. We are on par with Norhtwestern's and way, way above the typical state university.

Huskie-82 Wrote:

COHUSKIE Wrote:Please Joe retire, we need a coach with some fire and passion!

Fire and passion is fine but if the next coach sacrificies on ounce of the integrity that Joe brought to this program NIU gets no more alumni dollars from me. I will write to the AD and tell him just that as soon as it is announced that Joe is leaving.

Well said!!!

niufan99 Wrote:

Huskie-82 Wrote:

COHUSKIE Wrote:Please Joe retire, we need a coach with some fire and passion!

Fire and passion is fine but if the next coach sacrificies on ounce of the integrity that Joe brought to this program NIU gets no more alumni dollars from me. I will write to the AD and tell him just that as soon as it is announced that Joe is leaving.

Well said!!!

You guys act like fire, passion, and winning are mutually exclusive with integrity, and as long as Joe has integrity the other three don't matter.

Rock Bottom Wrote:

niufan99 Wrote:

Huskie-82 Wrote:

COHUSKIE Wrote:Please Joe retire, we need a coach with some fire and passion!

Fire and passion is fine but if the next coach sacrificies on ounce of the integrity that Joe brought to this program NIU gets no more alumni dollars from me. I will write to the AD and tell him just that as soon as it is announced that Joe is leaving.

Well said!!!

You guys act like fire, passion, and winning are mutually exclusive with integrity, and as long as Joe has integrity the other three don't matter.

What coach has never had a losing season in the 00's? Think about it.

Oh Joe Novak you say?

So he wins...

So fire and passion have nothing to do with anything. How about give me a winner. If joe wants to stick around why not? He wins. Gosh, once in the 00's he can have a losing season...I think we can let that slide.

IF he returns next year and has the same issues, then talk. But one bad year in the 00's is acceptable.

Huskie-82 Wrote:

COHUSKIE Wrote:Please Joe retire, we need a coach with some fire and passion!

Fire and passion is fine but if the next coach sacrificies on ounce of the integrity that Joe brought to this program NIU gets no more alumni dollars from me. I will write to the AD and tell him just that as soon as it is announced that Joe is leaving.

I agree, but I want to see a fire and passion to win. There was absolutely no sense of urgency from Joe. I have not seen a sense of urgency from him since I can remember. His tone of voice appeared to say oh well, its over anyways.

TheNEWguy Wrote:

Rock Bottom Wrote:

niufan99 Wrote:

Huskie-82 Wrote:

COHUSKIE Wrote:Please Joe retire, we need a coach with some fire and passion!

Fire and passion is fine but if the next coach sacrificies on ounce of the integrity that Joe brought to this program NIU gets no more alumni dollars from me. I will write to the AD and tell him just that as soon as it is announced that Joe is leaving.

Well said!!!

You guys act like fire, passion, and winning are mutually exclusive with integrity, and as long as Joe has integrity the other three don't matter.

What coach has never had a losing season in the 00's? Think about it.

Oh Joe Novak you say?

So he wins...

So fire and passion have nothing to do with anything. How about give me a winner. If joe wants to stick around why not? He wins. Gosh, once in the 00's he can have a losing season...I think we can let that slide.

IF he returns next year and has the same issues, then talk. But one bad year in the 00's is acceptable.

This is not one bad year, this is much more than that. If I had to put a finger on the major downtrend in this program I would say it started to rear its ugly head with the loss at home to Ohio U.

TheNEWguy Wrote:

Rock Bottom Wrote:

niufan99 Wrote:

Huskie-82 Wrote:

COHUSKIE Wrote:Please Joe retire, we need a coach with some fire and passion!

Fire and passion is fine but if the next coach sacrificies on ounce of the integrity that Joe brought to this program NIU gets no more alumni dollars from me. I will write to the AD and tell him just that as soon as it is announced that Joe is leaving.

Well said!!!

You guys act like fire, passion, and winning are mutually exclusive with integrity, and as long as Joe has integrity the other three don't matter.

What coach has never had a losing season in the 00's? Think about it.

Oh Joe Novak you say?

So he wins...

So fire and passion have nothing to do with anything. How about give me a winner. If joe wants to stick around why not? He wins. Gosh, once in the 00's he can have a losing season...I think we can let that slide.

IF he returns next year and has the same issues, then talk. But one bad year in the 00's is acceptable.

After this season Joe will have 12 seasons with us and STILL not have a winning record - THAT is what is unacceptable. Plus, it is not that he has a losing record this year, it is how incredibly bad this team is. He doesn't win - he loses. Joe himself, ad nauseum, says the single goal of the team is to win the MACC - yet he hasn't done it a single time. Not once. How many more years should we give him? Time to move on.

But...This is ONE bad year.

Winning seasons and bowl bids are good years.

You talk over and over how you sat through losing seasons, so, guess what we haven't had a losing season in YEARS.

Every week in his press conference Joe talks about how good the next opponent is, makes it seem like we're playing LSU. For cripes sake we're playing SIU, Idaho, Temple. I agree, I think he's lost the fire. Need an emotional younger coach , just need a change. Joe WAS great for the program.

oilgasusa Wrote:Every week in his press conference Joe talks about how good the next opponent is, makes it seem like we're playing LSU. For cripes sake we're playing SIU, Idaho, Temple. I agree, I think he's lost the fire. Need an emotional younger coach , just need a change. Joe WAS great for the program.

Why would emotion at the PRESS CONFERENCE matter?

Would you prefer we give the other team bulletin board material?

I just think he's so demoralized he's setting us up for a loss.

oilgasusa Wrote:I just think he's so demoralized he's setting us up for a loss.

He is just giving coach speak.

Look back to 03, every team we played was a "good team".

I think he's been pretty consistant in not givin any other teams something to put up in the locker room

TheNEWguy Wrote:

oilgasusa Wrote:Every week in his press conference Joe talks about how good the next opponent is, makes it seem like we're playing LSU. For cripes sake we're playing SIU, Idaho, Temple. I agree, I think he's lost the fire. Need an emotional younger coach , just need a change. Joe WAS great for the program.

Why would emotion at the PRESS CONFERENCE matter?

Would you prefer we give the other team bulletin board material?

I see where youre going with the bulletin board angle, but at the same time, its also good to have a coach who is straight up confident in their team...he hasnt seemed confident in this team once, not even in training camp...it almost seems like a "eh, whatever" approach for this year. Thats why i really really think he is indeed going to retire after this season.

TheNEWguy Wrote:But...This is ONE bad year.

Winning seasons and bowl bids are good years.

You talk over and over how you sat through losing seasons, so, guess what we haven't had a losing season in YEARS.

So, what's your point? Since we went to a bowl 2/12 of Joe's years we should put up with crappy seasons like this without complaining and wanting a new coach. We haven't beaten a BCS team since 2003, so big deal, we have a record a game or two over .500 most years of this win streak while playing in the MAC - one of, if not the worst, I-A football conferences.

TheNEWguy Wrote:

clcfball11 Wrote:If Novak doesnt retire, i will have absolutely ZERO excitement for NIU Football in 2008. What a sad state of affairs. WE NEED A FRESH START!

Really?

Anderson alone makes me want to watch NIU football. A year older for everyone out there getting experience intrigues me. Alex Kube with another year under his belt?

Paul Blalock (or Grady or Harnish) 08 give me hope too!

Ok i guess youre right...as you can see by my avatar that ive had for 3 months, im a big justin anderson fan, and i played ball against kube in high school and knew hed be a stud in college as well...there is indeed some young talent, but i just feel like its going nowhere with Novak coaching

TheNEWguy Wrote:

oilgasusa Wrote:Every week in his press conference Joe talks about how good the next opponent is, makes it seem like we're playing LSU. For cripes sake we're playing SIU, Idaho, Temple. I agree, I think he's lost the fire. Need an emotional younger coach , just need a change. Joe WAS great for the program.

Why would emotion at the PRESS CONFERENCE matter?

Would you prefer we give the other team bulletin board material?

No team needs material against us - WE SUCK!!!

What was Joe doing recruiting in 2001-2002 wehn we had winning records - this team SUCKS!!

Bye Bye Joe!