[ludlpstudent]

+1

[ToTheLeft]

You don't fire a coach after going 8-3 and winning 75% of his games. I saw it happen and put a national program back 10 years. One of the biggest things you forget is it's not easy to hire a coach when they know their job isn't safe going 8-3 and sharing the conference. No one wants that job. I'm very glad you guys don't make these calls.

There were Nebraska fans who wanted Osborne to be canned in the late 80's early 90's. I'm glad that cooler heads were in charge 3 National Championships later that decade made the wait worth it.

It's probably in this thread, but I've gone over dispelling the "winning 75% of his games" thing. We play a ton of cupcakes. Win percentage isn't a viable measuring stick. Post-season appearances and success are the measuring stick. Performance against teams we're supposed to be "on the same level as" is the measuring stick.

A team that has such a great shot at beating NC State, as everyone here seems to believe, should have DESTROYED last year's Coastal team, and not had any trouble with Robert Morris. But allow for me, once again, to present some facts...

2007 was a good year for Rocco, and really can't expect much more than he delivered. No discussion needed.

2008's "Games that mattered"-

Away against Youngstown State - a team once thought to be a top 25 team, YSU turned out to be terrible. However, LU did go into a hostile environment and win against a ranked team. 1-0

Home against Lafayette - Hosting a team from an AQ conference, and a team that was competing for first in it's conference. LU did not look sharp, and lost on it's own turf. 1-1

Home against Elon - Arguably Rocco's best game to date. A dominant win over a possibly overrated, but still very talented, Elon team that had destroyed us the year before. 2-1

2009's "Games that mattered"-

Away against Lafayette - This Lafayette team wasn't as good as the last one, but at least he brought home the win. 3-1

Home against JMU - A middle of the pack CAA team that we just can't beat. 3-2

2010's "Games that mattered"-

Away against RMU - Playoff team, on the road, couldn't finish the game. 3-3

Away against JMU - See above note about JMU. 3-4.

Away against Ball State - A game against a bad FBS team, and a chance to prove that we can compete against a higher level than just the Big South. 4-4

Combine this with his record against CCU and SBU since this time, which are the main competition we have in the Big South, being 4-2, so I'd say his winning percentage is really based on his record in games that matter, which is 8-6, which is not 75%. The rest of the games are either ones we were never going to win (WVU) or should have won and did (WCU/DII's/St. Francis) or should have won and didn't (Presby).

This is since 2008, which is to be fair to him. 2007 we should have beat W and M and Toledo, but he was playing with a team full of not his recruits, and still did a really good job. 2006 was simply a rebuilding year.


And don't give me "sharing the conference". If we were Nebraska sharing the Big 12, that's one thing. This is the Big South. All of us want to leave the Big South so badly, we should be dominating it, if we're as good as we think we are.

[BJWilliams]

I think that if we go 3-1 OOC and go on to win the Big South outright that can be put to bed for at least a year

[ToTheLeft]

I think that if we go 3-1 OOC and go on to win the Big South outright that can be put to bed for at least a year

If we go 3-1 OOC and win the Big South outright, that's way, way more than enough. 3-1 OOC and winning the Big South outright means we're a top 7 team at the end of the year, unless "winning the Big South outright" means we lose a game but still win.

[From the class of 09]

I understand where we want to be but reality is we are not there. Before Rocco we were one of these cupcake teams that now apparently don't count towards our schedule. Also still no way you hire a decent coach to come to Lib when you fire a guy for going 8-3.

If Neb took a step back when they fired a successful coach, what would it do to a school like Lib?

[ToTheLeft]

I understand where we want to be but reality is we are not there. Before Rocco we were one of these cupcake teams that now apparently don't count towards our schedule. Also still no way you hire a decent coach to come to Lib when you fire a guy for going 8-3.

If Neb took a step back when they fired a successful coach, what would it do to a school like Lib?

So how long until we expect more out of a coach then mediocre?

When is just winning a bunch of meaningless games not enough?

[SumItUp]

I understand where we want to be but reality is we are not there. Before Rocco we were one of these cupcake teams that now apparently don't count towards our schedule. Also still no way you hire a decent coach to come to Lib when you fire a guy for going 8-3.

If Neb took a step back when they fired a successful coach, what would it do to a school like Lib?

So how long until we expect more out of a coach then mediocre?

When is just winning a bunch of meaningless games not enough?

Negative Nancy is back.

[jbock13]

This was and is DUMB.

Typical you. Just stirring up the hornet's nest yet again.

Sorry the tailgating thread didn't quite give you the kick you wanted.

[BJWilliams]

Man, we are already going at it. I sincerely hope we don't end up 1-3 or 0-4. The board may explode.

To be perfectly honest, I am expecting 1-3. I won't be one of the ones blowing up. We face good teams to start the season. Lehigh is GOOD, JMU is GOOD, RMU is okay and knows how to beat us, and NCSU is GOOD.

Now, if we drop one in the Big South, that's when things will blow up, from my perspective.

although Im sure if we go 1-3 youll be the first one on here tooting your horn and saying "see? see? we should have gotten rid of him!" but if we go 3-1 or 4-0 (longshot of that one), itll take a congressional subpoena to get you back in here probably

[jbock13]

I agree we'll go 1-3, but I'm not on the fire Rocco bandwagon.

[logic]

jbock I love you but 1-3 is out of the question. This team is too good, the stakes too high. 2-2 at the worst.

[jbock13]

By all means, I hope we go 4-0.

[ToTheLeft]

Man, we are already going at it. I sincerely hope we don't end up 1-3 or 0-4. The board may explode.

To be perfectly honest, I am expecting 1-3. I won't be one of the ones blowing up. We face good teams to start the season. Lehigh is GOOD, JMU is GOOD, RMU is okay and knows how to beat us, and NCSU is GOOD.

Now, if we drop one in the Big South, that's when things will blow up, from my perspective.

although Im sure if we go 1-3 youll be the first one on here tooting your horn and saying "see? see? we should have gotten rid of him!" but if we go 3-1 or 4-0 (longshot of that one), itll take a congressional subpoena to get you back in here probably

... really, BJ? I have 9500 posts and you think I'm going to leave if the football team does well?

Do you have me confused with checkmate or something?

[BJWilliams]

I was saying that with your new more negative view of LU athletics that if we did well you wouldnt exactly be the first person to offer any credit where its due

(and bear in mind that I have 8400 posts so its not like Im some greenhorn either)

[thepostman]

BJ as pessimistic as TTL is you are equally optimistic...

I good middle ground would serve you both well, even though I do agree with TTL on this issue.

[Stevev]

I agree with TTL as he seems to know what good competition is and really knows his stuff and communicates it very well on here. A little pessimistic but that is OK. As far as I am concerned, I would think that anything less than 2-2 to start the season would be reasons for some big changes at the top somewhere considering the resources we are dumping into football (Our budget, facilities improvements, recruiting, transfers, and so on). I'd be estatic with 3-1 or 4-0 and figure with that we are playoff worthy, a top 10 ranked team, and could run the table vs the Big South.

I am planning on coming down for the JMU game (and possibly some more home games later in the year) and looking forward to meeting some of you. The last time I came down I was impressed even with the loss to JMU and the terrible conditions I had to endure throughout the game.

[Schfourteenteen]

To be perfectly honest, I am expecting 1-3. I won't be one of the ones blowing up. We face good teams to start the season. Lehigh is GOOD, JMU is GOOD, RMU is okay and knows how to beat us, and NCSU is GOOD.

Now, if we drop one in the Big South, that's when things will blow up, from my perspective.

although Im sure if we go 1-3 youll be the first one on here tooting your horn and saying "see? see? we should have gotten rid of him!" but if we go 3-1 or 4-0 (longshot of that one), itll take a congressional subpoena to get you back in here probably

... really, BJ? I have 9500 posts and you think I'm going to leave if the football team does well?

Do you have me confused with checkmate or something?

Well if High Point gets a football team........

[BJWilliams]

Am I disappointed that we havent made the playoffs the last 3 years? Certainly I am. Would I classify it as a "pattern of failure"? I wouldnt. We havent had a sub .500 season since Rocco came here and teams that used to crush us into powder are now (in some cases) barely escaping with wins. He is second all time in wins and probably at the rate we are going, could eclipse Coach Rutigliano in about 5 years. Have we had some questionable losses? Oh most definitely...there have been a few that I shake my head at when I look back through the last few years. Do I wish we had a few more signature victories? Certainly I do. I have friends who go to JMU. Id love to finally put one over on them (especially since we have some guys who are looking at the Dukes). Do I think that this is Rocco's "last stand" (as some folks on here feel)? I dont. If that makes me a Pollyanna kool aid drinker then I wish more people on here had that view.

[ToTheLeft]

If that makes me a Pollyanna kool aid drinker then I wish more people on here had that view.

Then what would be the point of the board?

[BJWilliams]

TTL...I know I havent exactly been as public (in terms of posting it on the board with my feelings but I am frustrated with continually "just missing out". I want to see Liberty at the level of the Georgia Southerns and Appalachian States and William and Mary's and Delawares and Eastern Washingtons and one day the Texases, the USCs, the Nebraskas the Penn States, the Boise States. the TCUs and the Virginia Tech's of the world just as much as Im sure you do. Does it mean that I put those feelings on here? Not usually...but it does not mean that I dont have them. If change has to be made, then I want to see it made.

BYD, do I just want us to be "above average"? Above average is all fine and good but I do want us to be great...to be a regular top 5 team, to be someone that teams are practically ringing our phone off the hook to play (I was over on AGS and there are some McNeese State fans I talked to that would love to get something going with us) but not because we would be an easy mark, but because they know that we are good enough that we would be a "quality win" for them but to lose to us isnt a dealbreaker like losing to say...Morgan State.

[jbock13]

I want to see Liberty at the level of the... Virginia Tech's of the world

I can't agree with this. let's not be like the Hokie Turds.

Humor aside I get your point BJ. I just hate Tech.

[Rooster Cogburn]

Not taking the bait, not taking the bait. La la la la

[TDDance234]

Not taking the bait, not taking the bait. La la la la

You're welcome to bypass this thread when you click on the football forum--you're aware of this, yes?

[R i]

This was and is DUMB.

Typical you. Just stirring up the hornet's nest yet again.

Sorry the tailgating thread didn't quite give you the kick you wanted.

Drinks at an away game is a legit question that I am sure many have. And this coach thread was to see if people were just reacting to emotions at the end of last year. Both have been healthy discussions. If stirring up hornets' nests was my goal , I am 2-0. I have been around this baord too long for that.

By the way. Doesnt look like it was just emotional coach bashing. Thats good news. sorta.

[Rooster Cogburn]

Not taking the bait, not taking the bait. La la la la

You're welcome to bypass this thread when you click on the football forum--you're aware of this, yes?

well aware, just wish I could drop a nuke on it.