UNO

[89rabbit]

Re: UNO

My favorite quote from Stig was "The first half was a positive".  Yea compared to the second half which was abysmal.  Most coaches would not call giving up 10 points off of turnovers and trailing 13-10  at the half a positive.

He just said he "can't see didley from the sidelines" and he will "have to see the films" to figure out what happened.  Maybe that is why we don't adjust during the games.  The things he says kill me.   :   I am embarrassed for him.   :-[

I love SDSU I am just very very disappointed.  

Go SDSU!

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: UNO

I have cooled off (a little) now. Yes, I too am in agreement that we need a change. for too long we have accepted mediocrity at football, Coach Stig I hear is an exceptional person but that doesnt translate to wins. To start each year there is always so much optimism only to have it dashed 3-4 weeks into the season. With our move up next year we need to start over at the top of our football program. Coach sometimes just seems completely out of touch with whats going on. It sounded like we sucked the first half... We should have had the lead at that point. and we totally melted down during the 4th qtr. We have the horses... We just continually make mistakes, and it appears we lack leadership.

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: UNO

If we dont run the table for the rest of the games this year (highly unlikely the way we sounded today). I cant help but think that Stig will be replaced. I cant see our Athletic Dept and Alumni putting up with this any longer.

[JACKGUY]

Re: UNO

Ditto. I was not able to go or listen to the game as I was traveling. Sounds like turnovers and dumb mistakes have taken us down again. Not much more to say other than I'm anxious for Basketball season!

[SDSUFAN]

Re: UNO

Guys
I was at the game, and I am very disappointed as you guys are.  I shook hands with Coach Stig before game.  He rubbed the top of my right hand for good luck.  Looks like I may have to cut off my right hand and learn to be lefty for writing and driving etc. My right hand was not a good luck charm ;D

I do think we played two very good defensive teams these past  two weeks and we have come up empty and embarrassed.  

I do agree with the notion that the SDSU Family of fans and alumni seem to be happy with a mediocare football program.  Its been that way since 1963, when with the National championship in Basketball and the rise of a football program in the  the neighbor's yard 190 miles north of Brookings that we (SDSU) started saying "Wait till basketball season and then by God, we will make a difference."

In 1962, NDSU was 0-10 and Ralph Ginn's top assistant NDSU'S Head coach Bob Danielsen  was fired and in 1963 entered the Coach Mudra and a great staff. The rest is history. The President did the firing and he also made a committment to winning and raising resources for athletics.  They started their Teammakers club and raised a ton of dough.  They have 6 or 8 national championships to show for these efforts and energized fandom besides.

I think for this to happen at SDSU, its going to have to take one of us to win the Power Ball lottery and a give a huge donation to SDSU for the purpose of rebuilding our football program.

Bob Danielson's(the fired coach) oldest daughter Sharon was in my class in junior and senior high school and I was confirmed at First Lutheran with her as the first class in the new scantuary in the fall of 1956.
Shortly after Bob got the call from Fargo, and Sharon who was very proud of her Dad, and the rest of the family moved to Fargo. Sharon in school often expressed how proud she was of her father. Bob was a class guy, no doubt about that.  Likewise she was probably sad and embarrassed when Dad was fired in 1962.

One of the many problems that Bob Danielsen ran into in Fargo was a very under funded football program.  No wonder he could not win. It was not his coaching believe me, it was the talent pool that his recuriting budget would allow him to recruit. The players were no where as talented as those that were to follow under Mudra et al. He basically had ND kids and often the ones that UND did not want.

My point is coaches and their families have feelings just like the rest of us, and I feel Stig is doing his best with what he has got in terms of talent, experience and resources.

Look at the media guide for who was winning the NCC between 1949 to 1963, the Ralph Ginn era.  UND, UNI and SDSU mostly.  NDSU was not winning the NCC nor was USD.

In fact in the late 1950's, it was often a three way tie for last place between NDSU, USD and Augie.

SDSU had started the Jackrabbit Club before the Teammakers came into existence, but as time went on they got out in front.  SDSU stayed away from Sioux Falls except when there were alums who donated freely.  The Shock Brothers who owned the big Dairy in Sioux Falls where big time supporters and there were a few others.   At that time, they did not try to get to the business community that much.  Things have gotten better, but not remarkably so. Kind of average in fund raising still in Sioux Falls. This has to change despite the Argus Leader.

I personally feel that we have more of a resource problem then a coaching problem.  

There seems to be so many things needed to be done and so few resources to get there.

As far as Coach Stig, I like him and respect him, but his days could very well be numbered.  I dont know, but then again we all have our days  numbered in some way or another.

We are going to lose some good seniors Kevin Brown, Landis, Ben Studer, and a few others but basically there are a bunch of good young players on this team. They are going to make a ton of mistakes this year and that seems to have happened since Sept 6 upset win over NWMSU.

Watson, who apparently has a shoulder injury seem to be very quiet today.  Also since they said a silent prayer for Donnie Parsons before the game, the guys may not have been totally focused. The silent prayer was a class act on behalf of UNO's atheletic Dept. I think this game may have been hard on Watson.

This would have been a game where Omaha Benson High fans and friends would have gotten to see Parsons play.  Josh Davis No 80, had a number fans, family in the crowd since he played at Omaha Burke.  So the UNO game is always a homecoming for our Jacks from Nebraska and Omaha particularily.

I am sure dealing with Parson's untimely death will be a problem for the guys for the rest of the is seaon.

I did not have my radio tuned on during the game so did not hear that Watson was dealing with an injury until I was back in my car.

Tony Robinson No 8 showed some quickness at times with those draw plays and got 44 yards, but it would have been more impressive if had been 144 or 244 yards.  Maybe we will see that in the near future.  He is very quick but small.

The schedule was not something that a young team like ours  could go 4-0 on the road.  I just think that this team is basically talented more so than some our other teams in the recent past, but not experienced and confident to win all four road games.  

This may sound like excuses, but I keep hoping it will get better. I guess thats about all we can do.

[89rabbit]

Re: UNO

SDSUFAN,

You know I like and respect you and your opinions.  You have been watching SDSU games since before it was SDSU (it was still SDSC) and before I was born.  

However, I must respectfully disagree with you.  I have heard from many people (that I know and respect) that Coach Stig is the Salt of the Earth and that his players love him.  These are good things.  He may even be a great coach.  It just seems that with our program with its limitations he is not a good fit.  That does not make him bad, dosen't even make him a bad Coach, but it might make him a bad coach for SDSU at this time.  I don't say these things with the intent to hurt anyones feelings, I offer them up merely as my opinion as a concerned fan.

I have never met Coach Stig, I have only met Dr. Oien once.  I am certainly not a big doner.  I don't even pretend to understand the inner workings of the SDSU Athletics department.  I must defer to you when you say that after 1963 we adandoned our responsibility to fully fund our football program.  I of course was not yet born, so all I know is mediocre Jackrabbit football, save 1979 (my first year of truely following the bunnies).

What I hear you saying is don't blame Coach Stig, he is doing all he can with what he has.  I will conceed this to be true.  Yet the fact remains the job of being more the mediocre is not getting done.  Again, not a slam on the Caoch just a statement of fact.  

Living in Kansas City and being a baseball fan, I had been told that the Royals could not win because they are a small market team.  I have seen the community lose hope and be scolded for not coming out and supporting the team.  Coach Stig reminds me of Tony Muser, former manager of the Royals.  A nice man, a man who knew baseball a man who could not get it done.  He replaced Bob Boone who was not a nice guy but also couldn't get it done under the Royals situation.  In comes Tony Pena with basically the same situation but has completely turned the organization around.  I own a "I beleive" T-Shirt.

Until such time as Dr. Oien finds ways to increase funding, and I think he needs to and will, we need a Tony Pena type guy.  Someone who can get the job done with what we have at hand.  As you know I was a huge fan of Coach Daly, he seemed to have us on the right track.  I offer up his success as proof that it can been done at SDSU.  He was my Tony Pena before Tony Pena.  He restored my hope that things where and would get better.   I don't have that hope now and that is why as a fan I would like to see a move made.

One last example that I will offer up.  One that hits a little closer to home perhaps.  Lets look at the difference between Jim Thorson and/or Brad Soderburg and Scott Nagy.  Folks charged with the same jobs with the same resources and vastly different outcomes.  

I love SDSU and our Jackrabbits, I just need hope that someday we can be more then mediocre. Please say it can be so!

[Charger13]

Re: UNO

I don't think that Stig is to blame for all the problems we've had, but I think we could do better. We definately have the resources to do better than we have in the past. I think dicipline is often our problem and that reflects the coaching staff. I think Stig is a great guy and he probably gets along good with the players, but that's not necesarily what they need. In my past experiences with coaches, the ones that try to be friends are the ones that are lacking in dicipline. Players don't need a new bestfriend they need a coach.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: UNO

89rabbit:
Your respectful disagreement is accepted. I guess we just don't know at this point in time as to what we are to expect for an outcome of this year.

Going into next year, its going to be real hard to figure out things out.

I thought the Dokpe poll that had SDSU rated after the NWMSU game was nuts and I think I am right on that point. We just are not a contender this year.

If Morningside and UNC had stayed in the NCC, I suppose we would be 1-2 in the NCC, but UNO, NDSU, UNC and UND have been very hard to beat on the field.

I see Southern Utah just got by Western Oregan by one TD. So maybe we wont be totally winless next year.

Who knows a coaching change may be in the works. I am not that close to Dr. Oien. When it comes to personnel matters, he really clams up which is the right thing to do. I am sure Dr. Oien is watching and listening. Also I think he will make a change when he feels its appropriate. Outside pressure may move that change up.

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: UNO

One thing that bothers me about our football program is,that it seems incomplete. We keep hearing about our "new" or finally "completed" stadium and luxury suites and practice facilities, but I have not even seen blueprints for this. I believe there are fundraising efforts in place for this project. I wish these things were open and available to the public and alumni. I think if we had a more tangible plan, one that we all can all see and be a part of working to achieve it. We could all participate and do it together. Next week when I'm in Brookings I'll be making my first large donation (large by my standards), because as an Alumni I will do anything I can to make us successful. but I would like to see some type 3 or 5 year plan to bring our football program to where it needs to be.
SDSU with very few exceptions excells in athletics, most of our athletic programs have been D1 caliber for years.
Mens Basketball-Outstanding
Womens Basketball-Outstanding (the best in the nation)
Wrestling-We have probably been a D1 top 25 for the past 20 years.
Womens Volleyball-Outstanding
Baseball-up and down but usually pretty good
Track and field/XC-Outstanding
I am just using these to illustrate that we dont have a problem really anywhere but football, I realize we have had a brutal schedule this year. We tragically lost a player and we have been on the road the last 4 weeks,
we are 2-3.
I hope my point is getting accross. If we could all see what we are working towards It would helpful in achieving the goal.

[JACKGUY]

Re: UNO

Texas Jack Fan,

I agree with you completely. You keep hearing about all the grand plans and yet I have not seen anything that brings these new amenities to life. I understand these things take money and we all have to do our part to make them a reality. I look at the facilities we have at Coughlin and compare them to NDSU and other D1AA schools that we will be competing with from a recruiting standpoint and its going to be tough. I think people would be more apt to open the checkbook if they saw what there money was going towards. The Jacks administration really needs to step up the Marketing Campaign for both individual donors and Corporate donors. I think Coughlin has the potential to be an unbelievable home advantage. After going to Fargo I came away impressed with the facitlity but not the atmosphere. Coughlin needs to become the sports venue in South Dakota. I heard from NDSU fans over on the Bison site that they think college football belongs inside, and I couldn't disagree more. I like all the natural
noise and surroundings of Coughin. It is time to step-up and add seats east side and endzones with suites and permenent seats. We also need to sit down with Daktronics and determine what can be done to add a state of the art scoreboards with replay etc. I also had hoped that plans to add chairs on the student side of Frost would proceed ahead as planned but this project was delayed. Its time to get going with some of these projects and get the Jack faithful behind them with their wallet and enthusiasm.

[SDSUFAN]

Re: UNO

I too am getting impatient with the lack of announcements and evidence of good things happening.

I dont know whats going on anymore. The SDSU Foundation has yet to distribute its annual report for year 2002 and that year ended nine months ago. That report might give some clues.

The Mildred White bequest has not been announced either. This is to be nearly 3 million bucks endowment for athletic scholarships.

I could not disagree that we seem to have all hat and no cattle so far.