Sipple: Husker fans would be wise to heed Dantonio's words

[Saunders]

Nebraska football fans, and even top athletic department officials, would be wise to heed the wisdom of Mark Dantonio. Dantonio remembers precisely what he stated in late November of 2006, when he was introduced as Michigan State's head coach. He said it was imperative that everybody — coaches, players, administrative personnel and fans — move forward in the same direction. He recalled those words last week during Big Ten Media Days in Chicago. Michigan State's patience and resolve were tested in 2009, Dantonio's third season, when the Spartans finished 6-7 (4-4 Big Ten).

http://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/sipple/steven-m-sipple-husker-fans-would-be-wise-to-heed/article_a2c553c6-287b-5ced-bb7d-def4322968e0.html

While I think his overall point is correct, I feel it's important to Riley to get out of the gate quickly. The next 3 years, our schedule gets tremendously harder, so we can't really afford a slow progression. if Riley were to turn in a 7 win season in year 1, I'm curious to what the national reaction would be.

 

[True2tRA]

Shift to Lincoln. If Nebraska endures a rocky start to the Mike Riley era, would Husker Nation show similar patience? Or would it splinter into factions? Granted, Riley enters a different situation than what Dantonio encountered in 2006 at Michigan State. The Spartans were only 22-26 under previous head coach John L. Smith, whereas the Huskers were 67-27 (.713) under Bo Pelini.

Firing a 9-4 coach complicates matters. I hear from plenty of folks who will regard anything fewer than nine wins this season as a failure. I disagree with that line of thinking. I think it's prudent to take into account that an entirely new staff is teaching new systems, techniques, ways of thinking and communicating. It's important that a staff can put down a solid foundation without having to worry about job security. Again, look at Michigan State

I find myself in complete agreement with Sipple on this article. That doesn't happen too often. Good read.

 

[zoogs]

Firing a 9-4 coach complicates matters.

Sipple's still teeth-gnashing about the administration firing a 9-win coach. It might be couched in some generic enough article, but to me (and with all due respect to Sipple), it's more of that same bluster. Bo thoroughly, completely, objectively earned his way out and by now, it should be abundantly clear to everybody why. Future success (or lack of it) will have had nothing to do with the fact that, agree or disagree with it, there was nothing really complicated about the decision.

 

[Saunders]

Firing a 9-4 coach complicates matters.

Sipple's still teeth-gnashing about the administration firing a 9-win coach. It might be couched in some generic enough article, but to me (and with all due respect to Sipple), it's more of that same bluster. Bo thoroughly, completely, objectively earned his way out and by now, it should be abundantly clear to everybody why. Future success (or lack of it) will have had nothing to do with the fact that, agree or disagree with it, there was nothing really complicated about the decision.

He's not just pulling it out of his arse though. Just yesterday I was listening to the USA today Football Four podcast, and they talked about it. George Schroeder basically said Nebraska isn't an elite school (Paul Myerberg disagreed) and he questioned the fanbases sense of entitlement for wanting Pelini gone, and he's hardly alone. It was a real narrative across the national CFB media.

 

[louisianared]

Firing a 9-4 coach complicates matters.

Sipple's still teeth-gnashing about the administration firing a 9-win coach. It might be couched in some generic enough article, but to me (and with all due respect to Sipple), it's more of that same bluster. Bo thoroughly, completely, objectively earned his way out and by now, it should be abundantly clear to everybody why. Future success (or lack of it) will have had nothing to do with the fact that, agree or disagree with it, there was nothing really complicated about the decision.

He's not just pulling it out of his arse though. Just yesterday I was listening to the USA today Football Four podcast, and they talked about it. George Schroeder basically said Nebraska isn't an elite school (Paul Myerberg disagreed) and he questioned the fanbases sense of entitlement for wanting Pelini gone, and he's hardly alone. It was a real narrative across the national CFB media.

If Pelini finished with 9 win season that were filled with competitive games and a positive culture then I would agree.

However Pelini wasn't fired due to wins/losses but more due to how we lost at times and the fact that he was becoming an embarrassment and not a positive ambassador for the university.

Elite team or not I would expect any university to make that same call.

 

[Landlord]

Firing a 9-4 coach complicates matters.

Sipple's still teeth-gnashing about the administration firing a 9-win coach. It might be couched in some generic enough article, but to me (and with all due respect to Sipple), it's more of that same bluster. Bo thoroughly, completely, objectively earned his way out and by now, it should be abundantly clear to everybody why. Future success (or lack of it) will have had nothing to do with the fact that, agree or disagree with it, there was nothing really complicated about the decision.

I agree with your point but I don't think Sipple's quote is to that end. I still think what he said right here is true - it's not a criticism it's just the reality that the situation is more complicated than if we fired a coach that was around .500

 

[Hayseed]

You can debate and hedge your bets all you want ,but no matter who the coach is it will be hard to win consistently in these super-conferences with many big money donors and winning traditions as big as or bigger than ours. It's not the Big 8 anymore.

I think fans will be okay as long as the team isn't sloppy and directionless.It'll take a recruiting wave to get back on top and that wave will most likely come from top recruits around the country believing that we're going the right direction and that we have a plan that's capable of competing for championships. Showing a stout defense would be a good way to start.

 

[True2tRA]

Firing a 9-4 coach complicates matters.

Sipple's still teeth-gnashing about the administration firing a 9-win coach. It might be couched in some generic enough article, but to me (and with all due respect to Sipple), it's more of that same bluster. Bo thoroughly, completely, objectively earned his way out and by now, it should be abundantly clear to everybody why. Future success (or lack of it) will have had nothing to do with the fact that, agree or disagree with it, there was nothing really complicated about the decision.

I agree with your point but I don't think Sipple's quote is to that end. I still think what he said right here is true - it's not a criticism it's just the reality that the situation is more complicated than if we fired a coach that was around .500

That^.

I don't think that was the point he was making Zoogs, and believe me, I'd be a guy more than willing to jump Sipples case for his never-ending defense of Pelini.

Firing a 9 win coach purely does complicate the matter. It leaves an expectation and a very high one. 9 wins was not a bad mark at all. It complicates things because when you fire a coach and hire a new one, the fans immediately expect better or you'll hear the "why did we fire the last guy for this"? comments.......

It makes Riley's job a bit more difficult because the 9 wins was attainable for the last guy, and could very well be for Riley too. It's the 10-11-12 wins that are the hard part. Those were against teams that are far closer to our level or above it at this point. Those are the challenges on Riley's plate.

 

[NUance]

Firing a 9-4 coach complicates matters.

Sipple's still teeth-gnashing about the administration firing a 9-win coach. It might be couched in some generic enough article, but to me (and with all due respect to Sipple), it's more of that same bluster. Bo thoroughly, completely, objectively earned his way out and by now, it should be abundantly clear to everybody why. Future success (or lack of it) will have had nothing to do with the fact that, agree or disagree with it, there was nothing really complicated about the decision.

He's not just pulling it out of his arse though. Just yesterday I was listening to the USA today Football Four podcast, and they talked about it. George Schroeder basically said Nebraska isn't an elite school (Paul Myerberg disagreed) and he questioned the fanbases sense of entitlement for wanting Pelini gone, and he's hardly alone. It was a real narrative across the national CFB media.

If Pelini finished with 9 win season that were filled with competitive games and a positive culture then I would agree.

However Pelini wasn't fired due to wins/losses but more due to how we lost at times and the fact that he was becoming an embarrassment and not a positive ambassador for the university.

Elite team or not I would expect any university to make that same call.

Agree 100%. Pelini was done in by the blowout losses, and by his childish behavior that reflected poorly on the university. His record of stringing together nine-win seasons may have bought him an extra year or two at Nebraska.

 

[Saunders]

Firing a 9-4 coach complicates matters.

Sipple's still teeth-gnashing about the administration firing a 9-win coach. It might be couched in some generic enough article, but to me (and with all due respect to Sipple), it's more of that same bluster. Bo thoroughly, completely, objectively earned his way out and by now, it should be abundantly clear to everybody why. Future success (or lack of it) will have had nothing to do with the fact that, agree or disagree with it, there was nothing really complicated about the decision.

He's not just pulling it out of his arse though. Just yesterday I was listening to the USA today Football Four podcast, and they talked about it. George Schroeder basically said Nebraska isn't an elite school (Paul Myerberg disagreed) and he questioned the fanbases sense of entitlement for wanting Pelini gone, and he's hardly alone. It was a real narrative across the national CFB media.

If Pelini finished with 9 win season that were filled with competitive games and a positive culture then I would agree.

However Pelini wasn't fired due to wins/losses but more due to how we lost at times and the fact that he was becoming an embarrassment and not a positive ambassador for the university.

Elite team or not I would expect any university to make that same call.

Oh I agree, but nationally, they aren't going to dig all that much. They just look and see the string of 9-10 wins, and write a story.

 

[RADAR]

We are not "elite" because of the last 7 years of Bo. He had hit his ceiling and was a jacka$$ to boot. Riley hired an elite staff, he will do fine despite all the teeth knashing about 9 wins. Sipple's pity party is growing stale. He had to write something because his reporting of recruiting improprieties on Stephenson proved false.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

I can't find it now, but it was someone in the national media who pointed out that while Bo Pelini's 7 consecutive 9+ win seasons were matched only by Nick Saban, Pelini also had fewer wins against ranked opponents and more blowout losses than any Top 30 or Top 40 ranked program (iirc) during that same time.

So it wasn't just our imagination.

 

[TGHusker]

so is Sip going to be to Riley what Dirk was to Bo? Sip needs to change his tune less he lose all credibility.

 

[NUance]

so is Sip going to be to Riley what Dirk was to Bo?

No chance of that happening. Sip isn't as talented a writer. Or as much of a d!(k. :lol:

/ between the two, I'd much rather read Sip.

 

[Landlord]

Riley's staff is not elite. I think they're good and capable, but there's no use in calling them what they aren't.