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I hear that a lot and I've never understoood that attitude. I watched the BCS selection show and I was hooting and hollering like it was the '95 Orange Bowl. No one else deserved that spot any more than we did.I remember not wanting to go to that Rose Bowl because it didn't feel earned. I honestly thought it would curse us. Obviously I couldn't see the future.
Joe Pa's exit had it's own extremely weird and sick circumstances, but it was definitely an example of a guy hanging on too long.And Joe Paterno
Solich was a great head coach. Who wouldn't be happy with top ten finishes half the time, NC game appearance, Heisman winner, and a conference championship now? Solich and TO both took over NC dynasties, and Solich accomplished more in his first 6 years than TO did in his first 6.
No one else deserved that spot any more than we did.
Different definitions of great.Solich is not a great head coach. A great head coach would have been able to win the MAC at least once in 12 years.
He may have been a decent head coach. But his problem was he was a terrible offensive coordinator. He tried to be Tom but he wasn't.
Not within the system at the time. It was practically impossible for a 2 loss team to move ahead of a 1 loss team. Maybe in the current system, Florida may have had a chance.Florida did, but too often people think two very small losses is more indicative of a team's strength than one big loss.
Florida's losses to Auburn and Tennessee were by a combined 5 points. I don't need to list ours.
YepTO retired for about 3 reasons.
1. He felt he owed it to his wife.
2. He promised Frank the job and he was a man of his word.
3. He thought his health was failing. I don't think he thought he could keep up the rigors too much longer.
I think he regretted retiring and I think he regretted it very soon after he retired. He is a type A can't sit still type of a personality. Why do think he ran for congress? He was board.
I think he would have liked to have stayed at least 5 more years or so.
Not within the system at the time. It was practically impossible for a 2 loss team to move ahead of a 1 loss team. Maybe in the current system, Florida may have had a chance.
I just watched the 97 CCG against A&M on the other thread. Tom wanted A. Green to come back the next year, Newcome was showing brilliance as a true freshman and Davidson was beginning to shine. There were 9 true freshmen on the 97 team who were contributing already. Now the 98 team ended up wt a lot of unfortunate injuries that played a role in their 4 loss season but I wonder if that would have changed under Tom- don't know. I believe Tom would have won at least 2 more NC as recruiting and coaching would remained at a high level. It was a fluke that the 99 team didn't but due to that fumble at texas.... I wonder if Tom lived with regrets afterwards or if he was clear in his conviction and never looked back.I remember hearing Tom say in an interview that he really didn't want to leave coaching and wished he would've stayed at least one more year. But I think his family (Nancy especially) had had enough. Coach Solich got shafted by Steve Pederson. Frankie did everything they asked him to do and he still got fired! Oh the road not taken!
I just watched the 97 CCG against A&M on the other thread. Tom wanted A. Green to come back the next year, Newcome was showing brilliance as a true freshman and Davidson was beginning to shine. There were 9 true freshmen on the 97 team who were contributing already. Now the 98 team ended up wt a lot of unfortunate injuries that played a role in their 4 loss season but I wonder if that would have changed under Tom- don't know. I believe Tom would have won at least 2 more NC as recruiting and coaching would remained at a high level. It was a fluke that the 99 team didn't but due to that fumble at texas.... I wonder if Tom lived with regrets afterwards or if he was clear in his conviction and never looked back.