In the game thread , Steve said EMU was “playing good ball”. I just about lost my mind. I know he’s the sunshine man, but I also think he intentionally pushes an AD narrative that everything is fine. All the time. Why? Who knows? But I suspect access is his reward.

I flew from Texas for this game, and I can tell you that things are not fine. Not only did we not play well, we were dominated. Let me count the ways:

-There’s the final score: 45-21
-WMU outgained us by more than 100 yards (421-317), with most of our yards coming in the 4th quarter when the competitive phase of the game was already over.
-WMU ran for 252 yards (4.3 per carry). We ran for 28 yards.
-We committed 10 penalties, most of the stupid variety.
-We committed 4 turnovers, WMU had 1.
-WMU possessed the ball for 13 more minutes than we did.
-WMU had 4 sacks, and pressured the QBs on every pass.

We were dominated in every way a team can be dominated. And WE were the ones with “one of the best coaches in the MAC” coming off of a bowl win with all momentum and MAC title aspirations. And WMU was supposed to be a complete rebuild with a new coaching staff, on the verge of being eliminated from bowl contention with a 2-6 record.

We were 3 point underdogs at home to this team, and the game was not competitive for one moment.

Every single person associated with the program should be ashamed. Coaches, players, announcers, trainers, support staff, etc. They were humiliated by a program at its nadir. Just wait until WMU gets some momentum.

The offense in particular should be embarrassed. Look, we all know the various QBs on the roster aren’t FBS material. But our offensive line was completely destroyed. They looked like they were playing Michigan today. They didn’t give any of their QBs much of a chance. On the rare occasions that they did, the QBs were not able to do their jobs. So what we have is a complete systematic failure as a unit. In Creighton’s 10th year.

You can blow me off as a single alienated voice in the wilderness, and point to past CC successes, but this is the beginning of the end for the Creighton era. This was too much of a debacle to blow off as an isolated incident. And before you ignore my feedback, how many of our alums are flying in from across the country to watch games? Probably not many. I’m lucky to be able to do so. But I know the AD reads these boards, and you better believe I won’t be coming back again anytime soon. If you are going to give a coach a lifetime contract for mediocrity, you better be sure that he is capable of reaching even that low of a bar.

Dear holybovine,
It's too bad you came to see a terrible game, and there certainly isn't anything to hang our hat on. However, I would wait to see what develops at Western in the next couple of years. It seems like you are already making them MAC champs in the next few years, I wouldn't go that far.

When I posted it, Smith had came in and the game was turning.

I'll check the time stamp to indicate when I made that post.

(10-28-2023 04:39 PM)holybovine Wrote:  In the game thread , Steve said EMU was “playing good ball”. I just about lost my mind. I know he’s the sunshine man, but I also think he intentionally pushes an AD narrative that everything is fine. All the time. Why? Who knows? But I suspect access is his reward.

I flew from Texas for this game, and I can tell you that things are not fine. Not only did we not play well, we were dominated. Let me count the ways:

-There’s the final score: 45-21
-WMU outgained us by more than 100 yards (421-317), with most of our yards coming in the 4th quarter when the competitive phase of the game was already over.
-WMU ran for 252 yards (4.3 per carry). We ran for 28 yards.
-We committed 10 penalties, most of the stupid variety.
-We committed 4 turnovers, WMU had 1.
-WMU possessed the ball for 13 more minutes than we did.
-WMU had 4 sacks, and pressured the QBs on every pass.

We were dominated in every way a team can be dominated. And WE were the ones with “one of the best coaches in the MAC” coming off of a bowl win with all momentum and MAC title aspirations. And WMU was supposed to be a complete rebuild with a new coaching staff, on the verge of being eliminated from bowl contention with a 2-6 record.

We were 3 point underdogs at home to this team, and the game was not competitive for one moment.

Every single person associated with the program should be ashamed. Coaches, players, announcers, trainers, support staff, etc. They were humiliated by a program at its nadir. Just wait until WMU gets some momentum.

The offense in particular should be embarrassed. Look, we all know the various QBs on the roster aren’t FBS material. But our offensive line was completely destroyed. They looked like they were playing Michigan today. They didn’t give any of their QBs much of a chance. On the rare occasions that they did, the QBs were not able to do their jobs. So what we have is a complete systematic failure as a unit. In Creighton’s 10th year.

You can blow me off as a single alienated voice in the wilderness, and point to past CC successes, but this is the beginning of the end for the Creighton era. This was too much of a debacle to blow off as an isolated incident. And before you ignore my feedback, how many of our alums are flying in from across the country to watch games? Probably not many. I’m lucky to be able to do so. But I know the AD reads these boards, and you better believe I won’t be doing this again anytime soon. If you are going to give a coach a lifetime contract for mediocrity, you better be sure that he is capable of reaching even that low of a bar.

Sadly I agree with you. Every phase we have looked awful except special teams punting and Fg kicking. I am not ready to do give up on Creighton but he’s never winning the MAC because if you haven’t done it in 10 years then it’s not going to happen. I do love his APR and in general we are very competitive in the MAC. I will accept 6-6 unlike WMU who fired their coach due to mediocrity. If however we start falling into 4-8 seasons it’s time to rethink our future. I’m not a Wetherbe fan whatsoever.

(10-28-2023 06:29 PM)emu steve Wrote:  When I posted it, Smith had came in and the game was turning.

I'll check the time stamp to indicate when I made that post.

EMU started turning it around late in the first half and 3rd quarter.

(10-28-2023 04:39 PM)holybovine Wrote:  In the game thread , Steve said EMU was “playing good ball”. I just about lost my mind. I know he’s the sunshine man, but I also think he intentionally pushes an AD narrative that everything is fine. All the time. Why? Who knows? But I suspect access is his reward.

I flew from Texas for this game, and I can tell you that things are not fine. Not only did we not play well, we were dominated. Let me count the ways:

-There’s the final score: 45-21
-WMU outgained us by more than 100 yards (421-317), with most of our yards coming in the 4th quarter when the competitive phase of the game was already over.
-WMU ran for 252 yards (4.3 per carry). We ran for 28 yards.
-We committed 10 penalties, most of the stupid variety.
-We committed 4 turnovers, WMU had 1.
-WMU possessed the ball for 13 more minutes than we did.
-WMU had 4 sacks, and pressured the QBs on every pass.

We were dominated in every way a team can be dominated. And WE were the ones with “one of the best coaches in the MAC” coming off of a bowl win with all momentum and MAC title aspirations. And WMU was supposed to be a complete rebuild with a new coaching staff, on the verge of being eliminated from bowl contention with a 2-6 record.

We were 3 point underdogs at home to this team, and the game was not competitive for one moment.

Every single person associated with the program should be ashamed. Coaches, players, announcers, trainers, support staff, etc. They were humiliated by a program at its nadir. Just wait until WMU gets some momentum.

The offense in particular should be embarrassed. Look, we all know the various QBs on the roster aren’t FBS material. But our offensive line was completely destroyed. They looked like they were playing Michigan today. They didn’t give any of their QBs much of a chance. On the rare occasions that they did, the QBs were not able to do their jobs. So what we have is a complete systematic failure as a unit. In Creighton’s 10th year.

You can blow me off as a single alienated voice in the wilderness, and point to past CC successes, but this is the beginning of the end for the Creighton era. This was too much of a debacle to blow off as an isolated incident. And before you ignore my feedback, how many of our alums are flying in from across the country to watch games? Probably not many. I’m lucky to be able to do so. But I know the AD reads these boards, and you better believe I won’t be doing this again anytime soon. If you are going to give a coach a lifetime contract for mediocrity, you better be sure that he is capable of reaching even that low of a bar.

There is ZERO reason for giving a MAC coach a contract extension based on such a low-bar of performance. Murphy's 20 wins playing cupcakes and Creighton going to a bowl despite only playing one payday game unlike most MAC schools is just insane.

(10-28-2023 06:36 PM)emu steve Wrote:  

(10-28-2023 06:29 PM)emu steve Wrote:  When I posted it, Smith had came in and the game was turning.

I'll check the time stamp to indicate when I made that post.

EMU started turning it around late in the first half and 3rd quarter.

Steve, I think what Bovine is eluding to is deeper than that. How on earth do we even have to dig out of a 21 point t hole at home before we can turn it around?

I love Creighton but this year he has totally blown it. He admitted in his presser this was a coaches loss. I just don't understand in year 10 how we do this coming g off a 9-4 season. I understand we lost talent but thats what the portal is for. I'm a huge EMU football fan but for the first time today I turned the game off.

I think it's fair to give CC his flowers for turning this ship around, and I also think it's fair to question his inability to identify a QB, inability to develop an offensive scheme for the talent he has for this year and most importantly I think Weatherbee has to ask himself if CC can get EMU over the hump. If we go 2-1 to end the year with a bowl berth does anyone on this board believe this coaching staff and players have earned it given our play this season? This year has not given us one single half of play that we were remotely clicking. It's been brutal and lastly the schedule this yr was perfect. It doesn't get easier next year.

(10-28-2023 05:49 PM)Ken Barna Wrote:  Dear holybovine,
It's too bad you came to see a terrible game, and there certainly isn't anything to hang our hat on. However, I would wait to see what develops at Western in the next couple of years. It seems like you are already making them MAC champs in the next few years, I wouldn't go that far.

Thanks Ken. What WMU does isn’t really important. Will they be MAC champs someday? Who knows?

My point is that we will never get there with Creighton.

(10-28-2023 06:29 PM)emu steve Wrote:  When I posted it, Smith had came in and the game was turning.

I'll check the time stamp to indicate when I made that post.

Turning around when down 21-0? Okay.

(10-28-2023 06:42 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(10-28-2023 04:39 PM)holybovine Wrote:  In the game thread , Steve said EMU was “playing good ball”. I just about lost my mind. I know he’s the sunshine man, but I also think he intentionally pushes an AD narrative that everything is fine. All the time. Why? Who knows? But I suspect access is his reward.

I flew from Texas for this game, and I can tell you that things are not fine. Not only did we not play well, we were dominated. Let me count the ways:

-There’s the final score: 45-21
-WMU outgained us by more than 100 yards (421-317), with most of our yards coming in the 4th quarter when the competitive phase of the game was already over.
-WMU ran for 252 yards (4.3 per carry). We ran for 28 yards.
-We committed 10 penalties, most of the stupid variety.
-We committed 4 turnovers, WMU had 1.
-WMU possessed the ball for 13 more minutes than we did.
-WMU had 4 sacks, and pressured the QBs on every pass.

We were dominated in every way a team can be dominated. And WE were the ones with “one of the best coaches in the MAC” coming off of a bowl win with all momentum and MAC title aspirations. And WMU was supposed to be a complete rebuild with a new coaching staff, on the verge of being eliminated from bowl contention with a 2-6 record.

We were 3 point underdogs at home to this team, and the game was not competitive for one moment.

Every single person associated with the program should be ashamed. Coaches, players, announcers, trainers, support staff, etc. They were humiliated by a program at its nadir. Just wait until WMU gets some momentum.

The offense in particular should be embarrassed. Look, we all know the various QBs on the roster aren’t FBS material. But our offensive line was completely destroyed. They looked like they were playing Michigan today. They didn’t give any of their QBs much of a chance. On the rare occasions that they did, the QBs were not able to do their jobs. So what we have is a complete systematic failure as a unit. In Creighton’s 10th year.

You can blow me off as a single alienated voice in the wilderness, and point to past CC successes, but this is the beginning of the end for the Creighton era. This was too much of a debacle to blow off as an isolated incident. And before you ignore my feedback, how many of our alums are flying in from across the country to watch games? Probably not many. I’m lucky to be able to do so. But I know the AD reads these boards, and you better believe I won’t be doing this again anytime soon. If you are going to give a coach a lifetime contract for mediocrity, you better be sure that he is capable of reaching even that low of a bar.

There is ZERO reason for giving a MAC coach a contract extension based on such a low-bar of performance. Murphy's 20 wins playing cupcakes and Creighton going to a bowl despite only playing one payday game unlike most MAC schools is just insane.

Exactly Jerry! Thank you. Sometimes I feel like I’m taking crazy pills. Why do we anchor ourselves like this to average coaches? If they are worth a damn, we WANT them to eventually leave for something bigger!

I went to a wedding yesterday - and it was killing me that I was not at the game, but I listened when I could on the radio. Listening to this game reminded me of the dark times of keystone cops EMU football. We would make a play and then shoot ourselves in the foot. I had to turn it off after the multiple penalties of lining up offside or unsportsmanlike conduct.

Thank goodness for this forum. It gives us a chance to vent and also to laud our successes with other likewise fans who love EMU. Creighton has placed our historically moribund football program into a situation where we now feel like we have a chance to win where ever we play! Heck, some of us were picking EMU to beat Minnesota on the road. In the past, we felt good about the loss looking presentable.

In our fickleness, however, after a win, we want to extend a coach's contact and after a loss we want to fire everyone. We can't know what is going on in the locker room. We are just 10 months from winning a bowl game that we felt would launch us into a MAC championship this year. Were mistakes made this year? Absolutely, but let's remember how difficult it is to hire and keep a talented head coach in the MAC who isn't rising too fast to get poached by a power 5 school.

Let's rely on Creighton's body of work, and look forward to righting the ship these last few games and starting over next season.

(10-28-2023 08:56 PM)holybovine Wrote:  

(10-28-2023 06:42 PM)Jerry Weaver Wrote:  

(10-28-2023 04:39 PM)holybovine Wrote:  In the game thread , Steve said EMU was “playing good ball”. I just about lost my mind. I know he’s the sunshine man, but I also think he intentionally pushes an AD narrative that everything is fine. All the time. Why? Who knows? But I suspect access is his reward.

I flew from Texas for this game, and I can tell you that things are not fine. Not only did we not play well, we were dominated. Let me count the ways:

-There’s the final score: 45-21
-WMU outgained us by more than 100 yards (421-317), with most of our yards coming in the 4th quarter when the competitive phase of the game was already over.
-WMU ran for 252 yards (4.3 per carry). We ran for 28 yards.
-We committed 10 penalties, most of the stupid variety.
-We committed 4 turnovers, WMU had 1.
-WMU possessed the ball for 13 more minutes than we did.
-WMU had 4 sacks, and pressured the QBs on every pass.

We were dominated in every way a team can be dominated. And WE were the ones with “one of the best coaches in the MAC” coming off of a bowl win with all momentum and MAC title aspirations. And WMU was supposed to be a complete rebuild with a new coaching staff, on the verge of being eliminated from bowl contention with a 2-6 record.

We were 3 point underdogs at home to this team, and the game was not competitive for one moment.

Every single person associated with the program should be ashamed. Coaches, players, announcers, trainers, support staff, etc. They were humiliated by a program at its nadir. Just wait until WMU gets some momentum.

The offense in particular should be embarrassed. Look, we all know the various QBs on the roster aren’t FBS material. But our offensive line was completely destroyed. They looked like they were playing Michigan today. They didn’t give any of their QBs much of a chance. On the rare occasions that they did, the QBs were not able to do their jobs. So what we have is a complete systematic failure as a unit. In Creighton’s 10th year.

You can blow me off as a single alienated voice in the wilderness, and point to past CC successes, but this is the beginning of the end for the Creighton era. This was too much of a debacle to blow off as an isolated incident. And before you ignore my feedback, how many of our alums are flying in from across the country to watch games? Probably not many. I’m lucky to be able to do so. But I know the AD reads these boards, and you better believe I won’t be doing this again anytime soon. If you are going to give a coach a lifetime contract for mediocrity, you better be sure that he is capable of reaching even that low of a bar.

There is ZERO reason for giving a MAC coach a contract extension based on such a low-bar of performance. Murphy's 20 wins playing cupcakes and Creighton going to a bowl despite only playing one payday game unlike most MAC schools is just insane.

Exactly Jerry! Thank you. Sometimes I feel like I’m taking crazy pills. Why do we anchor ourselves like this to average coaches? If they are worth a damn, we WANT them to eventually leave for something bigger!

Serious question…
Where is the lifetime contract talk coming from?
I can only find that he signed a contract extension through 2025 in 2021.

(10-29-2023 07:44 AM)KPJ Wrote:  Serious question…
Where is the lifetime contract talk coming from?
I can only find that he signed a contract extension through 2025 in 2021.

He gets a year extension every time we win 6 games. WMU did something similar with Tim Lester.

(10-29-2023 08:09 AM)holybovine Wrote:  

(10-29-2023 07:44 AM)KPJ Wrote:  Serious question…
Where is the lifetime contract talk coming from?
I can only find that he signed a contract extension through 2025 in 2021.

He gets a year extension every time we win 6 games. WMU did something similar with Tim Lester.

So then, technically, he’s extended through 2027 with 6+ wins in 2021 and 2022.

(10-29-2023 08:11 AM)KPJ Wrote:  

(10-29-2023 08:09 AM)holybovine Wrote:  

(10-29-2023 07:44 AM)KPJ Wrote:  Serious question…
Where is the lifetime contract talk coming from?
I can only find that he signed a contract extension through 2025 in 2021.

He gets a year extension every time we win 6 games. WMU did something similar with Tim Lester.

So then, technically, he’s extended through 2027 with 6+ wins in 2021 and 2022.

Yes, that’s my understanding.

(10-29-2023 08:13 AM)holybovine Wrote:  

(10-29-2023 08:11 AM)KPJ Wrote:  

(10-29-2023 08:09 AM)holybovine Wrote:  

(10-29-2023 07:44 AM)KPJ Wrote:  Serious question…
Where is the lifetime contract talk coming from?
I can only find that he signed a contract extension through 2025 in 2021.

He gets a year extension every time we win 6 games. WMU did something similar with Tim Lester.

So then, technically, he’s extended through 2027 with 6+ wins in 2021 and 2022.

Yes, that’s my understanding.

To clarify, I believe it is every time EMU makes a bowl game, the contract automatically extends by a year. Which is is essentially the same thing as 6 wins as Bovine is suggesting…and contract would currently extend to 2027 as KPJ suggests…
https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports...332741002/

Bovine, great initial post! We don’t fully agree about the value of Chris Creighton’s record, I am more content with competitive mediocrity than you. But I definitely understand your and other posters discontent with that. And even moreso understand it this year given 3 blow out losses so far this year especially given the opponents. So no arguments there.

But I will defend Steve in this matter. I do think he has sunshine coming out of his behind- but that is probably a good trait to have. I think it may rub some posters the wrong way. And if some posters are more critical of the circumstances, might rub Steve the wrong way. I think we ALL get “locked” into debates on here- it is our passion for EMU, which is maybe a good trait too. Maybe we all can learn to read the room a little better or compromise or something (ie, maybe I won’t post on Emoni Bates as much? )

I guess more evidence of my reality testing and less sunny, I'm predicting EMU MBB to finish 12th in the MAC.

(10-29-2023 12:00 PM)emu steve Wrote:  I guess more evidence of my reality testing and less sunny, I'm predicting EMU MBB to finish 12th in the MAC.

I am not ready to face that reality!

(10-29-2023 12:00 PM)emu steve Wrote:  I guess more evidence of my reality testing and less sunny, I'm predicting EMU MBB to finish 12th in the MAC.

I have us at 11 or 12. We are having a disappointing football season. Some of that is Coach Creighton raising the expectations with his own words. Certainty there appears to be misunderstanding of the talent on this year's team compared with last year's team. Add new coaches and new ways of doing things. Add injuries. But clearly this year's team lacks the talent an maybe the heart of last year's team. Or the coaches / players are not playing up their potential.