Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (The worm sure does turn fast these days...)

[liturgical orange]

Tech is absolute shit.

Until the Texas debacle, it only beat Kansas and Baylor in Big 12 play.

Stop.

Did not realize this. No wonder it hurt so much.

 

[ChristmasTree30]

@Ketchum , you're still letting this aggy trash post on here? What's the rule about Inside the 40 Acres? (I feel like I've asked you this 10 times because y'all do a lousy job of policing the trolls. As in, really terrible job, and it's detracting from your product, which I won't be renewing after almost 17 years.)

Easy solution would to put any suspected Ag fan on ignore.

 

[Clarence50]

The last time a program hired away a coach with a national championship on his resume from the school he won the championship?

40 years.

Not hyperbole.

And, IIRC , it was aggy....

 

[drunk randoke]

* I might become the next Sugar Ray Leonard, but I am announcing my retirement from fantasy football

Very wise choice.

 

[trophies2]

a. They still believe he's elite.

b. I have doubts, but leave the door of possibilities open.

What doubts?

 

[j105593]

Man, I don't expect all of you to handle what is happening well.

yeah, some are in real denial about the reality of the situation. Between ou in the playoff and the jimbo hire, Herman has lost some luster and going 6-6 don't help. Texas needs this bowl win bad.

 

[golfpr3145]

In all of the expectations of the team this year I think they did fairly well. Look at the schedule and there weren't very many pushovers.. Other than Kansas,Baylor and San Jose most of the teams were pretty good football teams. Pretty tough schedule considering we were starting a freshman QB and a makeshift OL. The defense was one of the best in the country so with a little help from the incoming class i expect next year will be much more exciting. Let's be realistic about this year and understand what Herman was up against.

 

[Baconbeard]

And yet you kept warning fans that Tech was still a dangerous opponent. Twilight zone.

That’s because everyone is a dangerous opponent for Texas.

 

[leakycow]

Tks, I’m going rouge, I can’t stand the pro S-E-C crap in Atlanta, so hoping OU beats SEC.

Thankfully, the internet allows me to bypass local radio, but an all SEC champions game does no good for Texas.

Your perspective isn't just skewed by your geographical choice of habitat, it's twisted beyond belief. You can't possibly want ou to win this. That would be far worse than an all-SEC final.

 

[leakycow]

Very wise choice.

+1

You won't miss it. FF is a time-and-energy suck and you'll feel liberated as a tv-watching fan. No more rooting for just your guys or hoping to see ridiculous scoring scenarios.

 

[drunk randoke]

+1

You won't miss it. FF is a time-and-energy suck and you'll feel liberated as a tv-watching fan. No more rooting for just your guys or hoping to see ridiculous scoring scenarios.

But the opportunity to say you “own” Tom Brady is so fun.

 

[BRHornz]

I'm in agreement on Fisher. He will recruit very well and will use the talent to win more games than Sumlin sans Johnny Football. Will he win enough to get into the Final Four? Doubt it, but his team is likely to be relevant sooner than our beloved Horns. The current ags have talent, but were poorly coached. Jimbo was a great assistant and has been a good to very good coach, and I think this year was an anomaly. Then again, I may be wrong.

Thanks for the shout outs to Texas women -- they are currently our only hope for salvation. Tennessee will be a solid test on the road, and Stanford is a tough draw. Here's hoping.

I think we'll have success moving the ball on offense

I respectfully disagree. We suck on offense, period. If Vahe can't go, look at the O-line. And even if he does play, look at the O-line. Hope you are right.

We'll give up 30 without M and D; then again, maybe the subs will get the job done enough so that we'll put up 13 and come away with a W. I'll be watching from my living room -- can't bring myself to attend in person... unless I change my mind. I see two mediocre teams that will play to each others' level. Again, hope I'm wrong.

Hook 'em!!!

 

[FrancoBevo]

Nothing unreasonable about the worm turning take. Whatever the reality turns out to be, here's what each school has to sell; aggy - the myth of a national title by a national title winning coach; land thieves - a trip to the final 4; L$U - a winning record, a top 25 finish and a strong close to the season; TCU - being Texas' daddy in the most recent sets of data; Texas 6-6 and some new lockers.

That's the reality for recruiting over the next recruiting cycle. Maybe recruits can be convinced that it just takes time, maybe some of the Herman myth can still win one here or there, but the narrative 12 months later sure does look a lot different.

 

[BigSkyHorn]

Jimbo's hire was a good headline grabber and does bring a level of credibility to the Saggies but I also think the Jimbo saw the writing on the wall. His recent success was went Miami, FL and smaller ones like Central FL, South FL were in the dumps. They are coming back strong and even GA is right there fighting for his recruits. TX is not any easier to recruit but he has $75M guaranteed. If you think TX had a disappointing season it pales in comparison to FSU's dumpster fire. How could such a great coach fail so dramatically with all those 4 and 5 stars on his team. Over the past 5 years only AL and maybe Clemson and OSU had higher rankings. Was I happy about the Horns season - no. Do I think Herman is the right coach and will figure it out - Yes.

 

[MB-HORNS]

Man, I don't expect all of you to handle what is happening well.

The FIsher hire could go very bad for aggie but yes their is a chance they have won the lottery. He very well could be their Mack Brown on the recruiting trail. However is his gameday coaching is average but as we have see having elite talent makes avg coaches look real good.

 

[ORANGE_G]

J.K. Dobbins HUGE miss...

 

[LongHorn2021]

[QUOTE="The hire of Jimbo Fisher in College Station is an absolute game-changer and represents the single most dynamic hire that any school in this state has probably ever made.
[/QUOTE]

I don't want to take credit for this but another poster stated this hire was just like getting mack brown after 2010. Pretty good comparison.

 

[Ketchum]

The willingness to excuse the 5 win product Jimbo put on the field this year because of his past accomplishments is kind of funny. It's devoid of the reality of this season. Fisher's 2017 rivals Mack's 2010. He ran for the money, don't hate the player, but the dramatic flair over his hire is kind of funny coming off of a season where he won less games than they coach that just got run out of town.

Fisher is a good coach who was at the right place at the right time, as a 3 year HCIW to take over FSU. He already had roots put down. Miami sucked, Urban Meyer walked away, Dabo was just getting started at a weaker brand. His biggest threats early on in that conference were an aging Frank Beamer at V-Tech, Duke, and Georgia Tech. Clemson is now rolling under Dabo and he's lost 3 straight to him. He lost to Miami and he should send thank you cards to UF's athletic department and all of the ACC AD's for allowing that conference to be a bottom dweller among BCS and P5 conferences.

Reality is that he's lost 12 games in 3 years. He epic failed this season with the amount of talent that he's raked in at FSU. No wonder FSU said make a decision bro and go milk someone else, the juice ain't worth the squeeze.

Great coaches don't lose 6 games. If they do, it's early or they've lost it. Nick Saban lost 6 at Bama in year one, hasn't since, & never lost 6 at LSU. Meyer has never lost 6. Chip Kelly never lost 6. Bob Stoops never lost 6. Mack, 2010 not included, didn't lose 6 games for 20 years going back to 1989 at North Carolina. Harbaugh hasn't lost 6 at Michigan. Les Miles never lost 6 at LSU. Hell, up until 2006 when Bobby was struggling, he hadn't lost 6 games at FSU since 1976. The only time Bear Bryant lost 6 games was in his first year at Aggy. Tom Osbourne never lost 6 games at Nebraska. Pete Carrol lost 6 games in his first year at USC and never lost 6 again. Holtz lost 6 in year one at ND and never lost 6 again there. Jim Tressel never lost 6 at Ohio State. Even Lloyd Carr never lost 6 games at Michigan. Spurrier never lost 6 at Florida. Woody Hayes never lost 6 at Ohio State. Switzer never lost 6 OU. Frank Broyles never lost 6 at Arky. DKR never lost 6 here at home.

Bo Shembechler is about the only "great" coach who lost 6 games deep in to a tenure and was able to rebound and win his conference a couple of times.

Fisher is a good coach but he's not a great one. $7.5 million a year... whew buddy.. he better get more win's per million than their history suggest he can. This is going to be epic either way so let's hope we're on the right side of it as history suggests we will be.

Losing his quarterback in the opener was a big deal.

 

[Ketchum]

I think that is probably true personally. Two beautiful children, a happy family and a successful business. You should be. IMO you are spoiled by your and ut's previous success. Again just my opinion. Sorry your original statement struck a nerve with me. I'll crawl back in my hole now.

how am I spoiled?

 

[Ketchum]

Its not your fault but all we get every off season is things should finally be ok, we get the slow burn of increasingly negative information in season, and then it crashes hard at the end of the year. You should be used to writing like this. Hasnt changed in years.

Question is will it ever......

I don't think that's true, it's just the perception.

This was the first year I have picked the team to win more than 8 games since 2010.

 

[Ketchum]

Mailed in #10 again I see

hush your mouth and let me celebrate the Knights.

 

[Ketchum]

And yet you kept warning fans that Tech was still a dangerous opponent. Twilight zone.

more to do with Texas than Tech.

This isn't rocket science.

 

[Ketchum]

@Ketchum Who do you want to see be the 10th coach and who do you think it will actually be.

I think it will be someone with ties to Herman and it will be made with recruiting in mind.

 

[Ketchum]

Few sentences on football and the rest on basketball next time please

Noted.

 

[Ketchum]

Clemson is going to put a beat down on Bama Clemson has the defense to control the game and an offense to put up plenty of points.

@Ketchum, you've gotta quit doubting Dabo.

I've stopped doubting Dabo. Believe me.

I just think Alabama will be focused and dialed in this week. The Clemson/Alabama game is the national championship.

 

[Ketchum]

@Ketchum I saw the Del Conte question earlier in the thread. What’s the word on him? Is he even interested? If so, will that be the home run hire we need?

a. Yes, I believe he is, although very quietly.
b. I don't know about home run, but he'd be an excellent hire. I don't know that splashy, home run AD hires really exist.

 

[Ketchum]

You do realize that at least 6, maybe 7, of our defensive starters will skip the bowl game? Its going to take a hell of a lot more than 25 points to be Mizzou -- more like 50. Unless somehow our O line grows some balls, that ain't happening.

just three, but those three are critical.

 

[Ketchum]

Yes, but that doesn't mean he's a guaranteed winner at A&M. 2013, Winston, and Cook were a long time ago now for Fisher and he lost the competitive battle with Clemson, Miami, and now NC State, BC, Louisville and barely beat Duke. His team with his talent became a bottom dweller in that league. 2016, and 2015 he was a 3 loss coach (one of them to Herman at Houston). The last year he was really competitive was in 2014 until Mariota boat raced him out of the stadium, and put a half a hundred on him. He doesn't have that kind of talent at A&M against the competition, and he has to win right way because Sumlin went 8-5. Fisher is a good coach, and best available, but that's still not saying much. Out of all the coaches hired this year the best one in Florida was Frost. He will have more success at Nebraska than Fisher at A&M.

I never wrote that he was a guaranteed winner.

 

[Ketchum]

And if Sam doesn’t throw 2 absolute ridiculous passes in the 4th quarter, they don’t come close to beating Texas.

well, they were close enough to use two mistakes and win the game.

 

[Ketchum]

My guess is if you know that, then you probably know why. Care to share?

a. I don't believe Herman is a fan of his in general.I don't believe he ended his GA thinking to himself, "I hope one day I'm in a position to work with that guy, again!"
b. He already had his staff in mind last year.
c. Didn't like the way Brewster worked public channels to throw his name into the mix for a job he wasn't under consideration for.

 

[anon_f5t64h0z1z07t]

Regarding recruiting rankings, the Dallas Morning News periodically posts their Area/State/National top 100 list of prospects.They did this yesterday and I noticed they were 247 lists and not Rivals. I could be wrong but in the past it has always been Rivals. They also had an article that included quotes from Jeff Howe, etc.
@Ketchum , just curious if you were aware of this ?

 

[Ketchum]

@Ketchum , you're still letting this aggy trash post on here? What's the rule about Inside the 40 Acres? (I feel like I've asked you this 10 times because y'all do a lousy job of policing the trolls. As in, really terrible job, and it's detracting from your product, which I won't be renewing after almost 17 years.)

If you have some proof that someone is not who they say they are, feel free to help me out with an email that includes some detail.

The truth is, most people accused of trolls aren't trolls, they are just people being accused of being a troll because of an opinion/s they have others don't agree with.

 

[Ketchum]

That was a tough read @Ketchum. I think it was laced with a lot of hyperbole.

feel free to list specifics.

 

[Ketchum]

Ketch - What does Tom need to do this off season to have his confidence in this roster pay off?

Forgive me, I'm not sure I understand the question. Roster of players?

 

[Geoff From McCallum High]

Yes, but that doesn't mean he's a guaranteed winner at A&M. 2013, Winston, and Cook were a long time ago now for Fisher and he lost the competitive battle with Clemson, Miami, and now NC State, BC, Louisville and barely beat Duke. His team with his talent became a bottom dweller in that league. 2016, and 2015 he was a 3 loss coach (one of them to Herman at Houston). The last year he was really competitive was in 2014 until Mariota boat raced him out of the stadium, and put a half a hundred on him. He doesn't have that kind of talent at A&M against the competition, and he has to win right way because Sumlin went 8-5. Fisher is a good coach, and best available, but that's still not saying much. Out of all the coaches hired this year the best one in Florida was Frost. He will have more success at Nebraska than Fisher at A&M.

If this helps you sleep better go with it.