Michael Scott

Great post - well said. Not being good at your job doesn't make you evil, mean, cruel, a deciever, or anything else along those lines. I also do not think most on the board mean anything personally - they have just dehumanized the situation to where Dickey is a giant cartoon character pinata they can take shots at.

Agree on the paid employee part and we pretty much agree here. It just seems that until NT starts its own sports marketing/management/business program through KINE or COBA, we will always have outsiders. That's how the field works and a master's degree is starting to become a requirement to get a job anywhere. IF NT found a way to pipeline its own students into internships that trained them to do the job, that would be a start, but right now it does not look like anyone on campus is even thinking that way. BTW, I agree - the radio network comments aimed at GMGers is just goofy - if you do not like what an internet board says - why read it? Why would high levels officials feel the need to say that stuff?

I agree with almost all of your "teachings" posted day in and day out, but why pile on who I am assuming is Hank? He's been here and thrown support behind the school longer than many of us alumni and friends of the university and has been through it all - besides, he's an employee, what else can he say? He seems like a smart guy - smart enough to know this all sucks and smart enough to know not to bash it on the air.

Only pathetic to some - they'll be plenty of spin on this from everyone in the coming months.

Isn't there usually a specialist in most programs in charge of that - like external sales or something of that sort? Who runs that in the AD? Also, isn't it a bit hypocritical to treat the AD with kid gloves on marketing promotions failures and go after the people below him? I love RV and what he has done for us, but ultimately isn't stuff like this on him?

Someone sure does.

Thank you for taking my sarcasm laced bait - people sleep in on Thanksgiving is about the lamest excuse yet. I'd rather pretend everyone who doesn't come is a stoner hippy, but the reality is there are many sports fans on campus who feel no connection to the team and are more fired up about the A&M/UT game Friday morning.

That's why most early football games nationwide are empty each week. NT football is just most of the students 3rd or 4th option even when they are on campus - and based on what they've seen this year - who can blame them?

Are tortillas THAT powerful!?

You'll have to repeat that it was sarcasm over and over again until it clicks for everyone here.

Agreed - did not mean to imply the problem is offense only - although when an offense cannot hold on to the ball for more than 3 plays everything is magnified on the other side. I think our non-adjusting gameplan puts so much pressure on a defense that is still learning what it is doing (this does not absolve them for not having a good year however - just helps underscore it.) Its like being the crappy kid on a volleyball team and having the other team keep serving right at you time after time. I also think many of the nations top defenses can also hold on to the ball and pound it out (or pass) when needed. Seems like this holds everywhere but the SEC for some reason. Defensive rank 1 Miami (Fla.) 2 Virginia Tech (#23 rushing) 3 Alabama (#65 rushing) 4 West Virginia (#8 rushing) 5 Ohio St. (#28 rushing) 6 Texas (#2 rushing) 7 LSU (#53 rushing) 8 Connecticut (#31 rushing) 9 Florida (#51 rushing) 10 Auburn (#19 rushing) Thanks for the stats Jim.

I wasn't on here before - and I do not even think Dickey needs to be fired this year. I have sat in stands and called out plays for awhile, even during wins - and while it is nice to win- the system has always been lacking when it comes to beating a team with a better line or equal talent. Now the talent gap, for whatever reason, has closed and we are seeing the 2 win results. I think Cobbs and Jamario and several other players are pretty great, but that does not mean I support the offense. Winning the Belt games was and is a nice opiate to not deal with the underlying problems, but now it looks we're out of drugs. From being around NT, the Dickey bandwagon is not new this year or even last year - many people made their minds up long ago. I do not think I have seen much kneejerking, nor will we if both backs post 250 a piece next week. They are great, the system sucks, lets give it one more year and blow it up if things don't go well. If next year doesn't go well, let's pray that the long term damage to the program is minimal.

A&M is 5-5, a championship season by our standards. I did not know the offensive coordinator oversaw team success and ran the defense. Also, I know it did not happen this year - they fired him and now they have a consistent top 30 offense - which we have never had in the Dickey era (or most likely ever- but I am not 100% sure on that.) Their defense underperformed this year and they will mostly likely fire the D Coordinator instead of making excuses for him. I do not want to make this into a Big XII board like so many love to do, I am just stating that your facts seem to be a wild mish-mash of crap with no real point. I'd be happy to debate anything you can offer that applies to anything NT-related.

TAMU is 16th in the country in offense.

You mean someone used a wild, absurd, nonrelatable example to not really make a point? On this board? Now let's stop feeling like OU, put in the Texas Tech offense, hire coach Fran, and get back to being the Yankees of the Sun Belt.

Gosh, I guess I am a dimwit. My spelling error should have shown you that. I did not read that you were A-State and you are not in the "ifs and buts" positivity business that many on this board sometimes enjoy. I misread your post as a excuse thread for some reason. If that games took place in Mean Green Land, many just say if we did not do all of the things you mentioned (turnovers, penalties, etc.) we would have won and all is well. Forget the 300 yds on the ground - it was all just a few mistakes here or there. Your analysis does bring up an interesting point though: can anyone in this conference play disciplined, low turnover/ mistake football against out of conference opponents more than once every year or two? Sorry to piss you off after a rough weekend. I know it sucks to feel good about yourself and how you are playing in conference and then have a crappy to barely decent OOC team kick you in the groin and take you out of the game in less than 2 quarters.

Should we put out a safety watch for the women in your neighborhood then?

I thought the original (1975) did not have a happy ending at all because everyone was assimilated and the women replaced. Wasn't that the entire point of the movie and book - an intended warning for society? (NOTE: please don't debate the point of the movie with me because I really do not care) You must be confused with the remake that was as big a failure as this football season's been. It's a good parallel, but I prefer the oft quoted Zoolander rant (modified for DD) "Who cares about Darrel Dickey anyway? The man has only one play for Christ's sake! Blue Steel? Ferrari? Le Tigra? They're the same play! Doesn't anybody notice this? I feel like I'm taking crazy pills! "

We make excuse for other SB schools on this site now? Did FIU decide to start all cripples against WKU to keep it close?

Beck was a great guy too - and a great student

Or prairie dog

Lol - only the lower half of the building smells like urine/locker room - but poor semantics. I'm gonna go halfway take a dump now

If and when the Sun Belt can beat MAC, WAC, and MWC or the dregs of the Pac 10 and Big 12 on a semi-consistent basis most of the grumbling will go away. The conference probably needs to shore up the whole beating I-AA schools as well. The schedules have improved lately for most teams with regards to body bag games but the results have yet to change. I am reserving evaluation until next year - hopefully it will be a big step towards respectability.

They do have a difficult job and for one would never choose that level of pressure - we agree on that. Everytime I see Dickey in the offseason it amazes me how different he is when he gets to sleep, see his family, etc. I cannot imagine the toll the job would take on you - especially when you are not doing a good job or the team is underperforming. My earlier posts on how hard a job working in athletics are apply to coaches - although they get 6-10 times what most of the staff gets and the chance to really shine and succeed. Its like all the other high pressure, public jobs out there - but no one held a gun to their head or did not warn them that it is a public job. I guess we agree that the job is hard - I think the reaction to your statements came more from how they were expressed than anything else. To argue that coaches should be shielded from criticism or handled with kids glove just does not hold water to many on this board.

Shhh - don't let anyone know we have a losing record...