As Snow falls in Ypsilanti a dark cloud continues to hover over the football program as another "defeated" season 0-6 looms. A game on Friday which maybe a million people watched after Notre Dame (led by former cmu coach and emu coaching target Brian Kelly) dispatched of North Carolina. EMU not only blew the lead thanks to some err decisions EMU failed to cover the spread.
Hi Chris meet Rob you are the same guy. You have brought us out of the depths of despair to respectability but now you have been here almost a decade could we maybe get some trophies? No? Oh ok well you can stay here with us and our great food and city.
EMU will head down 94 W this week to compete against a Broncos team who looks great at times but beatable last week. This game could've been for the Michigan MACtion Championship but EMU ran a speed option play and pitched the ball to the turf.
I do want to type this. I do not want either coach fired. I think we saw with the lions what happens when you think "Good is not enough" hire your best friend who may or may not have raped someone and torpedo a team back a decade. However, I hope our coaches learn they brought up expectations (good thing) Now go beat Northern Illinois and Toledo.

(11-30-2020 08:51 AM)fanfrompowellspub Wrote:  As Snow falls in Ypsilanti a dark cloud continues to hover over the football program as another "defeated" season 0-6 looms. A game on Friday which maybe a million people watched after Notre Dame (led by former cmu coach and emu coaching target Brian Kelly) dispatched of North Carolina. EMU not only blew the lead thanks to some err decisions EMU failed to cover the spread.
Hi Chris meet Rob you are the same guy. You have brought us out of the depths of despair to respectability but now you have been here almost a decade could we maybe get some trophies? No? Oh ok well you can stay here with us and our great food and city.
EMU will head down 94 W this week to compete against a Broncos team who looks great at times but beatable last week. This game could've been for the Michigan MACtion Championship but EMU ran a speed option play and pitched the ball to the turf.
I do want to type this. I do not want either coach fired. I think we saw with the lions what happens when you think "Good is not enough" hire your best friend who may or may not have raped someone and torpedo a team back a decade. However, I hope our coaches learn they brought up expectations (good thing) Now go beat Northern Illinois and Toledo.

Agree 100%.

I did not like that Caldwell was fired. His record at Detroit was actually quite commendable given the dark history of Lions' football.

But no, someone thought they knew better. "The grass is greener" is usually not a good philosophy (but true at Rynearson as one moves from the playing field to the green adjacent areas).

I continue to be amazed how such smart, well paid professionals including those with the Lions, MAC, etc. continue to 'out smart themselves.' (I'll repeat what I posted at the time and have since: The MAC should NOT have postponed the season. Period. I would have petitioned the NCAA to move up the season one week and move a conference game to the front of the schedule. MAC screwed their schools. We screwed Coastal Carolina and Army who would have played us if we had not cancelled on them.

If it is too dangerous to play CFB in September, December ain't going to be better, but WORSE. Dr. Fauci has been saying that ad infinitum. Dark winter coming. Dark winter coming. Vaccine won't be ready yet.).

The high minded were afraid of 'appearances' if CFB was played while students were not on campus. During a pandemic is not time for 'ivory tower' high minded ness. If players want to play and fans want to watch (yes they do), then play. Allow players to opt out if they wish, as some have.

I'll try to find it in print, but less than 3K of Covid deaths occurred to those <40. That mean 260K+ were for those aged 40+.

As I understand it, the primary movers to postpone the season came from U. presidents who are M.D.s

MAC, as a league, led by the university presidents screwed up royally.

P.S. I know we don't have university presidents reading here but a little advice:

If you aren't the 800-lb gorilla (in the room) you follow, not lead.

If you lead, then the 800-lb gorilla may decide he wants to lead and go in an opposition direction, you are screwed.

That is what happened to the MAC. They went first and then the 800-lb gorillas decided to take charge and the MAC ended up, completely helpless and hopeless. Completely wasted FB season.

The mistake wasn’t firing Caldwell...I respected him, but he couldn’t beat a good team to save his life. The mistake was hiring Patricia and even Quinn to begin with. “The Patriot Way” has rarely worked outside of New England, and now we are yet another example of it. Hopefully Sheila finds someone from an organization with a history of drafting well, like the Ravens or the Chiefs.

(11-30-2020 04:27 PM)EagleSam Wrote:  The mistake wasn’t firing Caldwell...I respected him, but he couldn’t beat a good team to save his life. The mistake was hiring Patricia and even Quinn to begin with. “The Patriot Way” has rarely worked outside of New England, and now we are yet another example of it. Hopefully Sheila finds someone from an organization with a history of drafting well, like the Ravens or the Chiefs.

Agree 100% on the Patriot Way.

Please Ford family take a page out of the Mike (not Chris) Ilitch Tiger playbook. Spend big money to hire a proven GM, like Dave Dombrowski. Then spend a bunch more to hire a great coach, like Jim Leyland. Then really open up the purse and pay a true professional like Pudge Rodriguez to come play here, even in the sunset of his career.

Those three hires dramatically changed the Tiger organization and the Lions need a culture change for sure. Their two best players in my lifetime, Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson left far too soon because the Lions are just an absolutely horses--t operation.

(11-30-2020 05:29 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(11-30-2020 04:27 PM)EagleSam Wrote:  The mistake wasn’t firing Caldwell...I respected him, but he couldn’t beat a good team to save his life. The mistake was hiring Patricia and even Quinn to begin with. “The Patriot Way” has rarely worked outside of New England, and now we are yet another example of it. Hopefully Sheila finds someone from an organization with a history of drafting well, like the Ravens or the Chiefs.

Agree 100% on the Patriot Way.

Please Ford family take a page out of the Mike (not Chris) Ilitch Tiger playbook. Spend big money to hire a proven GM, like Dave Dombrowski. Then spend a bunch more to hire a great coach, like Jim Leyland. Then really open up the purse and pay a true professional like Pudge Rodriguez to come play here, even in the sunset of his career.

Those three hires dramatically changed the Tiger organization and the Lions need a culture change for sure. Their two best players in my lifetime, Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson left far too soon because the Lions are just an absolutely horses--t operation.

I agree with you, Jerry, on the Tigers. Mike I. decided he was tired of losing, got in good with Scott Boras who trusted his vision for the Tigers and then as you indicate he spent and brought in Leyland.

Then Leyland retired and Brad watched things fall apart.

(11-30-2020 05:50 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-30-2020 05:29 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(11-30-2020 04:27 PM)EagleSam Wrote:  The mistake wasn’t firing Caldwell...I respected him, but he couldn’t beat a good team to save his life. The mistake was hiring Patricia and even Quinn to begin with. “The Patriot Way” has rarely worked outside of New England, and now we are yet another example of it. Hopefully Sheila finds someone from an organization with a history of drafting well, like the Ravens or the Chiefs.

Agree 100% on the Patriot Way.

Please Ford family take a page out of the Mike (not Chris) Ilitch Tiger playbook. Spend big money to hire a proven GM, like Dave Dombrowski. Then spend a bunch more to hire a great coach, like Jim Leyland. Then really open up the purse and pay a true professional like Pudge Rodriguez to come play here, even in the sunset of his career.

Those three hires dramatically changed the Tiger organization and the Lions need a culture change for sure. Their two best players in my lifetime, Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson left far too soon because the Lions are just an absolutely horses--t operation.

I agree with you, Jerry, on the Tigers. Mike I. decided he was tired of losing, got in good with Scott Boras who trusted his vision for the Tigers and then as you indicate he spent and brought in Leyland.

Then Leyland retired and Brad watched things fall apart.

Dombrowski is the GM you bring in to push the chips to the center of the table. Made the WS in Detroit with that philosophy. Won a WS in Boston doing the same thing.

Difference between the two organizations was how quickly they moved on from him after he decimated the farm systems.

(11-30-2020 05:59 PM)truEMU07 Wrote:  

(11-30-2020 05:50 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-30-2020 05:29 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(11-30-2020 04:27 PM)EagleSam Wrote:  The mistake wasn’t firing Caldwell...I respected him, but he couldn’t beat a good team to save his life. The mistake was hiring Patricia and even Quinn to begin with. “The Patriot Way” has rarely worked outside of New England, and now we are yet another example of it. Hopefully Sheila finds someone from an organization with a history of drafting well, like the Ravens or the Chiefs.

Agree 100% on the Patriot Way.

Please Ford family take a page out of the Mike (not Chris) Ilitch Tiger playbook. Spend big money to hire a proven GM, like Dave Dombrowski. Then spend a bunch more to hire a great coach, like Jim Leyland. Then really open up the purse and pay a true professional like Pudge Rodriguez to come play here, even in the sunset of his career.

Those three hires dramatically changed the Tiger organization and the Lions need a culture change for sure. Their two best players in my lifetime, Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson left far too soon because the Lions are just an absolutely horses--t operation.

I agree with you, Jerry, on the Tigers. Mike I. decided he was tired of losing, got in good with Scott Boras who trusted his vision for the Tigers and then as you indicate he spent and brought in Leyland.

Then Leyland retired and Brad watched things fall apart.

Dombrowski is the GM you bring in to push the chips to the center of the table. Made the WS in Detroit with that philosophy. Won a WS in Boston doing the same thing.

Difference between the two organizations was how quickly they moved on from him after he decimated the farm systems.

Dombrowski (I know he got fired by the Tigers) would be a perfect hire for the next season or two. The farm is re-built. Need a GM and mgr. (Hinch) who can sell the Tigers as a team on the rise like HOUS. (I assume Hinch took the job because the Tigers rebuild reminded him of HOUS).

(11-30-2020 06:08 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-30-2020 05:59 PM)truEMU07 Wrote:  

(11-30-2020 05:50 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(11-30-2020 05:29 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(11-30-2020 04:27 PM)EagleSam Wrote:  The mistake wasn’t firing Caldwell...I respected him, but he couldn’t beat a good team to save his life. The mistake was hiring Patricia and even Quinn to begin with. “The Patriot Way” has rarely worked outside of New England, and now we are yet another example of it. Hopefully Sheila finds someone from an organization with a history of drafting well, like the Ravens or the Chiefs.

Agree 100% on the Patriot Way.

Please Ford family take a page out of the Mike (not Chris) Ilitch Tiger playbook. Spend big money to hire a proven GM, like Dave Dombrowski. Then spend a bunch more to hire a great coach, like Jim Leyland. Then really open up the purse and pay a true professional like Pudge Rodriguez to come play here, even in the sunset of his career.

Those three hires dramatically changed the Tiger organization and the Lions need a culture change for sure. Their two best players in my lifetime, Barry Sanders and Calvin Johnson left far too soon because the Lions are just an absolutely horses--t operation.

I agree with you, Jerry, on the Tigers. Mike I. decided he was tired of losing, got in good with Scott Boras who trusted his vision for the Tigers and then as you indicate he spent and brought in Leyland.

Then Leyland retired and Brad watched things fall apart.

Dombrowski is the GM you bring in to push the chips to the center of the table. Made the WS in Detroit with that philosophy. Won a WS in Boston doing the same thing.

Difference between the two organizations was how quickly they moved on from him after he decimated the farm systems.

Dombrowski (I know he got fired by the Tigers) would be a perfect hire for the next season or two. The farm is re-built. Need a GM and mgr. (Hinch) who can sell the Tigers as a team on the rise like HOUS. (I assume Hinch took the job because the Tigers rebuild reminded him of HOUS).

Dombrowski is currently on the executive team that is trying to bring a major league team to Nashville. Supposedly that's why he declined an interview with the Angels, which to me, would be a more appealing position than Detroit.

BTW, I was reading a thread suggesting that the MAC should have gone for spring ball and explained why.

The original poster pretty well nailed the idea that we will have vaxs by the end of the year and maybe by March 1 things might be looking better.

As reported in the press. We should have 40M doses from the 2 manufacturers by the end of 2020. As dosing is 2 doses 1 month apart, the plan is to give first shot to the 40M persons in the highest tiers. 20M doses would go to medical personnel as well as LTC patients and staff. Those are the highest risk and easiest to vaccinate because of the nature of those populations (e.g., hospital workers, and group homes like nursing homes where patients and staffs are at one place). I can see athletes being in a high tier because they are high risk because of the nature of FB, basketball, etc. They can't social distance like say a 35 year old stay at home mom. BTW, I would include Catholic Priests in a higher risk group, becausing giving Communion requires close contact.

As I understand it, the young develop antibodies quickly and strongly. Couple weeks after their 1st shot they may already have pretty decent protection.

so maybe the truncated season was the worst possible choice, but I like a comment I made: NCAA FB doesn't have a commish (unlike NFL, NBA, etc.) so while the pro leagues made a consistent plan, CFB was 'every league for itself.'

If the MAC went spring ball by themselves. Then their best players would have been poached off their rosters by the power 5. Once everyone else was going in the fall the MAC had to do the best to protect their rosters.