"Take care of youself, Han. I guess that's what your best at..."
by Smokin Herb Grigsby on Dec 11, 2009 1:50 PM CST
78 comments
Brian Kelly jumping ship to Notre Dame yesterday reminded me quite a lot of the conversation between Luke and Han in the hangar before the first battle of the Death Star. Lines of dialogue like the header and "You're turning your back on them" are almost too appropriate and obvious, but unfortunately for the Cincinnati players who deserve the most credit for their 12-0 season and second consecutive BCS berth, there'll be no "WOOOOHOOOO, You're all clear kid..." moment here.
To a sentimental sap like myself, it's really offending to me how the media and many fans still seem to accept coach's abandoning their players like this. Kelly won't be returning for Cincinnati's bowl game, just like DickRod didn't return for West Virginia's. And while this is sort of standard operating procedure for coach's who receive new jobs during the pre-bowl season lull, it's really disappointing to watch this continue. In an age when football is arguably at an unprecedented height of popularity, and the recruiting process for FBS schools is becoming more and more high profile, schools around the country have more opportunities to pull their teams out of obscurity and become successful programs when everyone is on board. But due to old traditions and conventions about how things should be in the college football atmosphere, with a little help from the green, fans will likely never see a drastic change in powers in college football. It's extremely disappointing, as Kelly spouts off about integrity and "the difficulty of transition", that the media and fans accept this kind of turncoat bullshittery.
The point I'm trying to get to here is how lucky us Iowa fans have been. I have little doubt that most of you recognize this, but the fact that KF has gone all in on this program for over a decade in this atmosphere is quite unreal. We have a coach who believes in his program, not dollar signs or hopes of even higher prestige. The world could use more coaches like Kirk Ferentz... but maybe the world doesn't deserve it.
1 recs |
78 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
I like this comment
“The world could use more coaches like Kirk Ferentz… but maybe the world doesn’t deserve it.”
At first glance I saw this as a bit cynical. After a second read, I think that you might be on to something here. The current college football environment was not one that occurred accidentally. People have to buy into a system in order for it to be fully established. Think ESPN: It wouldn’t exist without an audience…
More Coaches Like Ferentz
I cherish every year that he decides to stay at Iowa. He clearly was mentored by Hayden Fry, as demonstrated by his loyalty, longevity, and overall demeanor as the guy in charge. He’s not as outspoken and cocky as Fry was at times, but he’s one hell of a guy. I really hope he wins the Coach of the Year Award (it will finally have some credibility behind it, considering Satan Saban, and [REDACTED] are two of the infamous recipients).
They took the bar, the whole fucking bar!
by recoveringfratguy on Dec 11, 2009 2:12 PM CST reply actions
I fully expect Hawkaloogie to comment on this, for obvious reasons
by YouCanPutYourEddsInIt on Dec 11, 2009 2:15 PM CST reply actions
I figured if anyone would appreciate the geekiness, it would be him.
/O'keefe'd
by Smokin Herb Grigsby on Dec 11, 2009 2:18 PM CST up reply actions
nerds FTW!
I for one welcome our pimpled, spectacled overlords, hopefully they create this flavor of robotic overlords:
Keeping wildlife, an amphibious rodent, for uh, domestic, you know, within the city - that aint legal either, Dude.
by AcrimoniousAngerererer on Dec 15, 2009 8:50 AM CST up reply actions
Hey! I am NOT bespectacled.
I wear contact lenses now.
by Bucketochicken on Dec 15, 2009 11:57 AM CST up reply actions
Spectacled or not
we can all agree on one thing: Tricia Helfer. I would eat out her pooper with a melon ball scooper.
/O'keefe'd
by Smokin Herb Grigsby on Dec 15, 2009 4:18 PM CST up reply actions
Did you see the Big Band Theory episode...
Where the one character was having a fantasy about Starbuck in the bathtub – the one with the new GF – where the actress who played her is in the tub telling him to go after a real girl?
I sure hope you have a real girl, or one that’s reasonably durable enough that she doesn’t pop at a critical moment.
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
by Leftcoast Hawk on Dec 15, 2009 4:23 PM CST up reply actions
Big BANG
My bad.
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
by Leftcoast Hawk on Dec 15, 2009 4:23 PM CST up reply actions
That's a mighty fine log ya got there, son.
Gee whiz, thanks mister!
by Bucketochicken on Dec 11, 2009 2:58 PM CST up reply actions
Everyone needs a log!
“What rolls down stairs alone or in pairs
Rolls over your neighbor’s dog?
What’s great for a snack and fits on your back?
It’s Log, Log, Log!
It’s Log, Log, it’s big, it’s heavy, it’s wood.
It’s Log, Log, it’s better than bad, it’s good!
Everyone wants a log! You’re gonna love it, Log!
Come on and get your log! Everyone needs a Log!”
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
by Leftcoast Hawk on Dec 15, 2009 3:28 PM CST up reply actions
I miss Ren and Stimpy.
"You don't become a Hawkeye fan, You're born with Black and Gold in your veins." - Me
by BStylin Hawkye on Dec 15, 2009 4:00 PM CST up reply actions
I had a farting Ren doll. Kept it in my office.
Very few people appreciated the humor. Bastards.
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
by Leftcoast Hawk on Dec 15, 2009 4:23 PM CST up reply actions
That would have been awesome to have.
"You don't become a Hawkeye fan, You're born with Black and Gold in your veins." - Me
by BStylin Hawkye on Dec 15, 2009 4:26 PM CST up reply actions
Its LOG!
“What rolls down stairs alone or in pairs
Rolls over your neighbor’s dog?
What’s great for a snack and fits on your back?
It’s Log, Log, Log!
It’s Log, Log, it’s big, it’s heavy, it’s wood.
It’s Log, Log, it’s better than bad, it’s good!
Everyone wants a log! You’re gonna love it, Log!
Come on and get your log! Everyone needs a Log!”
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
by Leftcoast Hawk on Dec 16, 2009 2:47 PM CST up reply actions
I agree with the sentiment, and wouldn’t trade Ferentz for anything. But, let’s be clear – KF is very well compensated for his trouble. And, he was rewarded by Bowlsby on his way to Stanford as a sweet “fuck you” to the Iowa legislature. The head coaching arms race is getting more expensive (Mack Brown just got a $2 million per raise to $5 million), so Kirk’s compensation package isn’t an outlier, but market in-line.
Oh my. I just noticed in the SBNation recent stories section a picture of McCoy and Tebow with their arms around each other. It’s violently disturbing.
I am the only person that wants to see DickRod have another losing season?
I think, in a way, Michigan’s collapse this year – despite the ‘good recruits’ – does not bode well for DickRod next year. Let’s put it this way – if he was THAT great of a coach, he should have not had the collapse he did IF the talent was as good as the pundits say it was.
In my mind, there’s a HUGE difference between winning at WV and winning at UM. Totally different levels of conferences…
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
It reminds me of Notre Dame the past few years.
Either the coaching is sub-standard or the talent is overrated because of the helmets they’re wearing.
At least in Michigan’s case though I do have some sympathy for Rodriguez and the lack of talent he had on the defensive side of the ball. Aside from Warren, I doubt there was a single soul in that secondary you’d want to see in the Iowa secondary.
We had souls like that in our secondary.
And Norm made them better.
"You don't become a Hawkeye fan, You're born with Black and Gold in your veins." - Me
by BStylin Hawkye on Dec 11, 2009 4:11 PM CST up reply actions
More like Phil Paker, but OK.
And even if we did, we tried to avoid sending them out there to get used and abused. No surprise that the years we did have to send out some middling guys in the secondary (06-07) that our results were barely better than Michigan’s this year.
TY for the clarification.
"You don't become a Hawkeye fan, You're born with Black and Gold in your veins." - Me
by BStylin Hawkye on Dec 11, 2009 4:21 PM CST up reply actions
I dunno... I would like to see the Yanda block on UM next year, several times
On the various personages that are dumb enough to sign with Michigan, play for DickRod and play in the secondary…
Doesn’t really matter who on our team who does it, as long as its done repeatedly and with the proper amount of contempt. I think I watched that block from the ‘06 ISU game at least 20x the other day. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of watching it. There’s something… both purifying and slightly dirty about an extremely violent but legal block that removes teeth fillings, possibly causes retinal detachment and makes the opposing players nuts draw up into his scrotum for the rest of season.
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
by Leftcoast Hawk on Dec 11, 2009 4:55 PM CST up reply actions
The talent is really really young
Carr had not recruited well his last few years, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and they lost a lot of talent after his last year. Because of that, RichRod is still playing catch-up in a lot of ways. The fact that his system is so much different from the one Carr ran only exacerbated the problem. He’s bringing in good talent, but to expect it to win right away is just unrealistic. He’s a gigantic douche and I see why people hate him, but he’s also proven to be a good coach won everywhere he’s been. I don’t see why that won’t be the case at Michigan, he just needs more time.
RichRod's...
record as a head coach is not overly impressive. And remember, West Virginia had some tradition before he got there, it is not like he invented that place.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_Rodriguez
I predict he will be fortunate to win 7 games next year. And that means he might get fired, or at the very best, he will be on the extreme hot seat for 2011. And we don’t even know if any bad things will come from the investigation into the extra practice hours.
Here is the 2010 Michigan schedule:
September 4 v. Connecticut
9-11 @ Notre Dame
9-18 Massachusetts
9-25 Bowling Green
10-2 @ Indiana
10-9 Michigan State
10-16 Iowa
10-30 @ Penn State
11-6 Illinois
11-13 @ Purdue
11-20 Wisconsin
11-27 @ Ohio State
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
by WaterlooChazz on Dec 11, 2009 11:48 PM CST up reply actions
I don't see how you can look at the WVU record and say it's not impressive, but okay
At least 8 wins all but one year, 3 ten win seasons, 4 years where he won at least a share of the conference title, and 2 BCS Bowls is pretty good. No, he didn’t build it from the ground up, but he left it better off than it was when he got there.
Agreed
I really hate the line of argument wherein you discredit someone’s accomplishments based on what his predecessor(s) did. By that line of thinking, Ferentz isn’t a good coach because Hayden Fry was also successful at Iowa for prolonged amount of time. We all know that’s patently ridiculous and that Ferentz is a good coach, because we judge him on his own merits. Why not afford Rodriguez the same consideration?
I got more rhymes than Wade Lookingbill's got dunks
Because he's a douchebag?
Oh, you’re making a serious statement.
Yeah, you’re right. Damn. I can’t go anywhere with this one.
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
by Leftcoast Hawk on Dec 15, 2009 3:30 PM CST up reply actions
I said "not overly impressive."
Sure, his run at WV was good. But those high win totals sometimes look better than they really are. Also, sometimes (like late in RichRod’s WV days) doing well in the Big East just means you were one step better than a bunch of just OK teams who traded losses with each other.
I will go through RichRod’s good years (everything after his first year there) at WV and tell you if he beat a decent team (just OK, 5 to 7 wins) or good (8 wins or more) team.
You can find yearly records here: http://www.jhowell.net/cf/scores/WestVirginia.htm
2002: Good (won @Pitt, @VTech, BC). Just OK (won @ Cincy). Everything else that year was losing or beating pretty bad teams. Lost by 26 points to a Virginia team in the Continental Tire bowl and UVA was 8-5 going in to that bowl.
2003: Good (won VTech, @BC, Pitt) Just OK (won @Syracuse who was 6-6), and lost by 2 points to a good Miami team. Lost Gator Bowl by 34 points to a Maryland team that was 9-3 going into the bowl.
2004: Good (won @UConn). Just OK (won Maryland, Syracuse). Lost Gator Bowl by 12 points to a Florida State team that was 8-3 going into the bowl.
2005: Good (won Louisville, won Sugar Bowl by 3 points against a Georgia team that was 10-2 going into the bowl [in Atlanta because of Hurricane Katrina]).
Just OK (won @Rutgers, UConn, Pitt, @USF).
2006: Good (Beat Georgia Tech who was 9-4 going into the Gator Bowl. Beat Maryland, Cincy and Rutgers). Just OK (Beat @ECU, @Pitt).
2007: (RichRod did not coach the Fiesta Bowl, as he was headed to Michigan). Good (Beat ECU, Mississippi State, @Rutgers, @Cincy, @UConn).
Just OK (Beat @Maryland, Louisville) Lost at home to a Pitt team that finished 5-7.
While it is nice that he won consistently at Glenville State (either NAIA or DII when he coached there) after his first three years, I can’t vouch for the competition. If the same teams that are in that conference today were there in RichRod’s time, that means it had these teams: U of Charleston (WV), Concord U (WV), Fairmont State (WV), Seton Hill (PA), Shepherd U (WV), West Liberty U (WV), West Virginia State, West Virginia Wesleyan. It sounds like a conference that any coach on the rise can win in. Just ask Alford about his days at Manchester College.
RichRod’s time at Tulane (when he was O Coordinator) was successful (12-0 and helped Shaun King become a big name). I don’t know what Clemson’s offense was like when he was O Coordinator there, but Clemson was 6-6 and 9-3 in those two years.
Again, I’m not saying RichRod is bad. I’m just saying that he might not be as awesome as a lot of people think, and it seems to be showing at Michigan.
And to OPS: If you look at Don Nehlen’s record at WV, it is nearly as impressive as what Fry did at Iowa. I would argue that Ferentz had to come into Iowa after Fry had really let it fall off, whereas RichRod took over in 2001 after Nehlen had gone 7-5 in 2000. So I am saying RichRod did not have to do a full re-build job there.
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
by WaterlooChazz on Dec 12, 2009 5:29 PM CST up reply actions
I can't believe I'm defending fucking Michigan.
But the UConn, @ND, Mass, BG, @Ind, Ill, and @Pur games look pretty winnable. Illinois is a mess, Indiana is scrappy but lacking in talent (and a non-headcase HC), Purdue and ND look like they will be rebuilding a bit. Getting MSU, Iowa, and Wisco in Ann Arbor is nice for them, too.
That schedule
looks like a 5-7 season to me. But maybe he gets his defense up and running. I just think he’s like three years away.
"I think it's safe to say our concerns are many." -- Kirk Ferentz
We'll see, I suppose.
I have a tough time believing their defense will be as terrible next year. Losing Graham and Warren hurts, but if the rest of their defense makes even moderate improvement, they should be a more respectable outfit.
No offense
But do you trust Greg Robinson to develop players?
"Andrew Jones....SEND IT IN, BIG FELLA!" - Bill Raftery, 4/2/09
by ReadingRambler on Dec 12, 2009 9:00 PM CST up reply actions
I vote NO.
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
by WaterlooChazz on Dec 12, 2009 9:22 PM CST up reply actions
I’ve heard that he did well with the Broncos and for one year at Texas. But he didn’t do well with the Broncos after Elway and everyone else left, was bad at Kansas City, and he was only at Texas for a single year and their defense was unspectacular and was about the baseline of what a talented team like Texas should be.
"Andrew Jones....SEND IT IN, BIG FELLA!" - Bill Raftery, 4/2/09
by ReadingRambler on Dec 13, 2009 12:04 PM CST up reply actions
A quick run through, and I can see 6-6
Black and Gold Blood: Cubbie Blue Heart
Follow me on Twitter: @MattLaCasse
by MissouriHawk on Dec 14, 2009 12:18 PM CST up reply actions
I don't know.
I was thinking more along the lines of 6-6 at best, 5-7 more likey, but possibly 4-8. 2 BXI wins with a possible 3rd.
"You don't become a Hawkeye fan, You're born with Black and Gold in your veins." - Me
by BStylin Hawkye on Dec 14, 2009 12:48 PM CST up reply actions
Assuming he starts, how many games before they break Tate in two...
Or hijack his FB (or whatever) fan page he’ll have up along with Heisman hype?
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
by Leftcoast Hawk on Dec 15, 2009 3:34 PM CST up reply actions
I don't know. I'm kinda torn.
But I do hope he continues to employ the bane of Syracuse football.
"Andrew Jones....SEND IT IN, BIG FELLA!" - Bill Raftery, 4/2/09
by ReadingRambler on Dec 11, 2009 6:30 PM CST up reply actions
They are sort of similar situations
in that they are both pretty ridiculous. “I can’t believe that mercenary we hired doesn’t have any team spirit!”
Brian Kelly is quite a mercenary. I wonder if he really cares about anything; or anybody
I love this blog!
Scruffy looking nerf herder.
/O'keefe'd
by Smokin Herb Grigsby on Dec 11, 2009 6:23 PM CST up reply actions
This thread could end up being like the digestive tract of the old awful Sarlacc.
by Bucketochicken on Dec 12, 2009 6:43 PM CST up reply actions
Unless it freezes before you reach the first marker...
by Bucketochicken on Dec 14, 2009 8:28 AM CST up reply actions
...And I thought they smelled bad on the outside!
/O'keefe'd
by Smokin Herb Grigsby on Dec 14, 2009 10:57 AM CST up reply actions
Get in there, you big furry oaf! I don't care what you smell!
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Will you look at this? Somebody threw out a perfectly good couch...
by Bucketochicken on Dec 14, 2009 11:36 AM CST up reply actions
He better have those players on the winning-ridge by next season or there'll be hell to pay.
Seriously, what isn't better with bacon?
by The Bacon Explosion on Dec 14, 2009 1:37 PM CST up reply actions
I'm waiting for a Dune reference now.
I might be waiting a while.
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
by Leftcoast Hawk on Dec 15, 2009 3:31 PM CST up reply actions
Mu'ad D'hib no longer needs the weirding module
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
by Leftcoast Hawk on Dec 16, 2009 2:45 PM CST up reply actions
Alicia Witt is super-hot. But not in that movie.
But only because she was only 5 years old.
by YouCanPutYourEddsInIt on Dec 16, 2009 9:53 AM CST up reply actions
Virginia Madsden was extrememely hot in the movie
Too bad she only got 5 seconds of screen-time.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Glad you qualified that...
Because I was going to get really worried about you if you had not done so. Whew.
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
by Leftcoast Hawk on Dec 16, 2009 2:46 PM CST up reply actions
Just bought Book 1 for my wife on Monday night.
by Bucketochicken on Dec 16, 2009 3:00 PM CST up reply actions
Save yourself the time
Just by the DVD of the movie version that SciFi channel did a few years ago.
I ate the blue ones ... they taste like burning.
Oh yeah, we'll do that too.
But the books are fantastic.
The first 4 anyway. Haven’t read beyond that.
by Bucketochicken on Dec 16, 2009 3:23 PM CST up reply actions
The books "written" by his son with Kevin Anderson
Are awful. Anderson is a scriptwriter and the chapters are so short they’re written for people with the attention span of a crack infested gnat.
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
by Leftcoast Hawk on Dec 16, 2009 3:29 PM CST up reply actions
Brian Herbert?
Yeah, I saw those and just assumed they were retarded.
by Bucketochicken on Dec 16, 2009 3:44 PM CST up reply actions
beyond retarded
Although unlike Palin’s book, they’re probably OK to actually read before using the pages as toilet paper. But – that’s not saying much.
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
by Leftcoast Hawk on Dec 16, 2009 5:07 PM CST up reply actions
Here's the thing with him leaving before the bowl game
It absolutely fucking sucks for Cincy’s players, and I feel bad for them. I also think it sucks that he couldn’t tell them earlier and they had to learn from ESPN. But at the same time, he needs to get to Notre Dame as soon as he can so that he can stabilize recruiting. If he waited until after the bowls, then they lose a ton of momentum there, and possibly a big chunk of the class. It’d have been a nice gesture to stay and coach the team through the bowl game, but he’d be hurting himself in the long run.
Also, on Ferentz, he’s definitely a classy guy and I’m really happy to have him. But let’s not kid ourselves, that contract is a HUGE part of the reason he’s still here. With that in place, he can afford to be loyal and stick with a school he’s comfortable with, rather than jump ship for a bigger job. If he wasn’t making as much, I think he’d probably have left for the NFL or a bigger program awhile ago.
My dad...
is 59 years old and every time Ferentz’s salary (or any Iowa or ISU coach’s, for that matter) he has a near-heart attack and says these guys should be “paid for performance.”
I am 28, and I understand that if you want a quality coach, you have to pay the proper amount. Sometimes, even if you are paying well, you get pretty crappy coaching.
We are fortunate to have someone as stable as Ferentz and his staff. With coaches (and their agents) it is all about not insulting them with below-market money, or woefully inadequate facilities, or other things. Ferentz has usually had a nice mix of money and facilities. Also, Ferentz has given a nice amount of that money back to the university: I think it was $500 k to a mix of the college of liberal arts at Iowa, the UIHC Children’s Hospital, and others.
One thing I see that could become a slight issue in a few years is replacing the “bubble.” ISU and many other programs have a nicer indoor practice facility, and that is one less thing Iowa can point to and say we are among the best.
I've sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn't want to do it. I felt I owed it to them.
-- Judge Smails
by WaterlooChazz on Dec 12, 2009 12:10 AM CST up reply actions
The bubble is on the agenda to be replaced.
The Carver renovations are top priority right now, but I think the bubble will be replaced pretty soon, too.
I was wondering
How one spends $2,000,000 a year in Iowa City. Giving back to the University is a nice touch, even more so when it isn’t in the athletic department.
Seriously, what isn't better with bacon?
by The Bacon Explosion on Dec 14, 2009 1:40 PM CST up reply actions
I know how I'd spend it...
They’d have to break me out of my house on a flatbed truck afterwords! Bojames big beers would be flowing, pork tenderloins at Mickey’s, the entire menu at Quinton’s, chicken alfredo from Zio Johno’s, pancheros!!
So that leaves me with about $1,999,800….
Maybe buy back Olive Court and then not run it like a Nazi concentration camp?
Keeping wildlife, an amphibious rodent, for uh, domestic, you know, within the city - that aint legal either, Dude.
by AcrimoniousAngerererer on Dec 15, 2009 9:08 AM CST up reply actions
Here! Here!
Someone with common sense needs to buy back Olive Ct.
"You don't become a Hawkeye fan, You're born with Black and Gold in your veins." - Me
by BStylin Hawkye on Dec 15, 2009 9:37 AM CST up reply actions
Don't forget the various value meals
Double-cheese at MickeyD’s for a buck!
Doublestack at Wendy’s for a buck!
Of course, the anti-cholesterol medicine and angiograms could set you back a few bucks.
"Wow. You know you have problems when even the cheerleaders know you suck." ~ Pain in the Sash
by Leftcoast Hawk on Dec 15, 2009 3:33 PM CST up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
