Oh the times, they are a'changin.....

[clob94]

14 months ago I joined this site. A first for me. I'd never paid much mind to fan sites, chat rooms et al. I did so because I saw something on the horizon that I was not comfortable with. I saw an athletic director that was totally disrespectful to the words and advice offered to him by one of his most important resources pools: the knowledge of former players.

I watched at jet pack patterson shunned any former player that offered advice or opinions as to the direction of the football program. I then watched as he formed relationships with former players that were "yes men". If you eve slightly disagreed with him, you were shunned by him and his ever growing band of hired cronies.

After I came to the realization that jet pack wasn't going to listen to those with experience I threw up my hands and walked away from my university in disgust. I joined this site to air my frustrations, get things off my chest, and to warn fans that CARE and LOVE this school about the impending doom we were approaching.

Then jet pack did what I knew was coming from day one. He hired a coach based on his own agenda. He hired a coach that would look on jet packs resume. He hired a coach that he knew would piss of the big cigars and he wanted to show them he was in charge. He wanted to stamp his finger print on the program in a way that would show everyone who's in charge. By alienating the large boosters and many of the former players, his tin pot dictator approach had to be swallowed by many of us. He made it nearly impossible to get access to the program. Former players who openly disagreed with jet pack (like myself) were not welcome at our former home. Big money donors were shunned and openly criticized for speaking out. And jet pack did this in a very politically savvy way.

Let's just call it what it is. Nobody likes talking about it. Jet pack even made mention of it when he was fired.
"I'm proud of all that we've accomplished in our short period of time here, including the historical hires of our football and basketball coaches."

What's so historical about it? Didn't you hire the best men for the jobs? (for the record I think the shaka hire was excellent!)

This comes down to one thing. Jet pack wanted to be the AD that hired black coaches.

There. I said it. I'm still here. No lightning bolts have hit me. Problems I have with hiring an AA coach? Zero.
Problems I have with hiring the wrong coach, be he black or white? Thousands. And you're seeing those problems now. The same problems I came in here and warned you about 14 months ago. The same problems I was ridiculed for bringing up. I was attacked on here. Called a racist. Called a troll, a gemba, a gooner; I was called every name but jesus christ and I think his name was invoked a few times--- "jesus christ your an idiot you a$$hole!".

Jet packs single minded agenda is the reason we are where we are today.

For the record: and I've said this since day one, I like charlie strong. I think he is a GREAT guy. The kind of guy I'd be comfy giving my house key to. The kind of guy I'd want baby sitting my kids(if I had any). The kind of guy I would give my bank account numbers to. The kind of guy I'd want coaching my defense.

But he's not a head coach at this level. Sure, he's a great fit at Louisville, a basketball school. He would be great at north Carolina, he'd be great at UCF, I think he'd be pretty dang good at Miami. But he's not a "fit" for Texas.

It has nothing to do with the color of his skin. It has nothing to do with his character. I like the cut of his jib. But I wouldn't let him run my financial firm. I wouldn't let him run the oil company I'm invested in. I wouldn't want him being the president of my bank. That doesn't mean I don't like the guy, I just know what's in his wheel house. Those things aren't in his wheel house, and neither is being the head football coach at Texas.

I will also admit, I prayed that I was wrong. Literally. No joke. I asked God on numerous occasions to prove me wrong. That's how much my school means to me. With all the problems in the world I asked God to help my school. Silly right? But here we sit. 18 games into this and I defy anyone to show me any signs of a "group or team improvement". We aren't getting better across the board. We aren't. No phase of our team has improved. Blame youth. Blame turds. Blame Mack. Blame whatever. It's about developing talent. Coaching up players. We aren't doing that.

I can handle losses. They hurt. I hate losing more than I like winning. But when you lose because of mental errors, that is not acceptable. When you get beaten by better physical athletes, I can deal with that. When you get embarrassed? Not acceptable. When your team quits? Not acceptable. When your freshman DB tweets out at halftime during a blowout about transferring, you have officially lost your locker room. You've lost your discipline. You've lost your ability to lead the troops. You've lost your team.

Was it a knucklehead move made by a young knucklehead freshman? Sure it was. But a kid that's getting plenty of playing time as a freshman should be HAPPY about playing and be looking forward to the future. A future that has a light at the end of the tunnel. But this kid (and many others) don't see a light. They see more dark days ahead, otherwise why tweet about transferring. It shows you how far in the woods these kids think we are.

Look, we tried. We tried to bring in an alpha dog guy to clean up a mess. A guy that from day one was put in a position to fail by an AD that was an idiot. When you put crap in, you're going to get crap out. Jet pack was crap. I feel for charlie. I truly do. He can't succeed. He was put in a position where it was impossible for him to succeed. We have to live with jet packs mistakes and charlie will have to pay the ultimate price for it. He will walk away set for life financially and he deserves that at least. We allowed an AD to take a good man and put him in over his head. And now it's time to get the right AD who in turn will hire the right coach. (see michigan)

I like charlie strong. I just don't like him at Texas.

 

[Longneck 80]

...This comes down to one thing. Jet pack wanted to be the AD that hired black coaches...

That was a good post clob. I have posted on my home site something that I never intended to post here...that coach Strong being AA is the reason he gets a third year. No way Texas wants coach Strong to be the only coach in their history (correct?) to be fired after 2 years. I don't believe they will.

 

[2300 Nueces]

Clob, excellent post. I see what you are saying but I believe our problems go even deeper than what you are implying. Not only do we have a potential coaching issue but what Dodds did with the LHN has essentially put one foot out the door to going independent while keeping the other in the house by staying in the Big 12. We have other schools that are very upset about our money deal with ESPN and this is hurting our image and has begun to bleed over to recruiting. Of course winning changes things but I believe some of our competitors have "gone all in" with respect to recruiting. I am not going to name them, but their track record speaks for themselves. So as a result, we are in a pickle. We need to create a buzz and recruit better but winning football games looks to be slipping from our grasp. There are a couple of possible solutions but no guarantees.

1. Fire CS and hope like hell we have not pissed on the camp fire and cannot attract the best coaches available. With the right hire we could create some buzz and possibly turn some things around.

2. Make up our mind on where we want to be. IMO, we cannot keep going as a member of the Big 12 with an independent TV contract. The long knives are out and we have a few in our back. Dodds was a puss in that he wanted the money without the consequences. We drop LHN or go indie.. Going indie would create a lot of buzz and if done correctly could put Texas at the lead of the changes that are coming in terms of realignment in the not so distant future which means more interest from the best HS players.

Correct me if I am wrong but please make sense.

 

[westx]

Clob, you got dumped on when you first began posting on Orangebloods because everybody that has a negative message with a new or low post count gets the same treatment. Me, you and everybody that I can remember kind of goes though an initiation until people are sure where you are coming from. People on here are used to trolls and fakes messing with us from other sites. Now that you have been on here, I think most people like you and have an interest in what you have to say. That wasn't the point of your post, but, I wanted to address it.

As to the main point, I can't argue with most of your content. I support Strong and I am not ready to give up on him. The facts of the state of our performance are on your side at this point, so if this were a debate competition you would win. People are complaining "after two years..." but, the fact is that Strong has had one full season and 1/2 of a season. I concede that the direction has not been improved. It has been lateral in my judgement.

As to your point about a "fit". I always hated to this day that comment by Craig James when Mackovic got fired about him just not being "Bubba". The right "fit" is subjective to you. It really means nothing as long as you win and you are ethical in how you run your program. Most of our players are African Americans so do you think a southerner with a draw is the right fit for them? You seem to know some influential people with connections to the program but, just because somebody is a right fit for you and the VIPs doesn't translate to the the masses or the players being recruited. Hell, who can even define "the right fit"? I don't buy the right "fit".

As to your point about Patterson intentionally hiring an AA vs the best available candidate for the HC at Texas. I don't think you win this argument. I'll repeat what I said in another post. Charlie Strong had more credentials and qualifications than 90% of the coaches that get hired at the D1 level. 1. He was a DC for two iconic coaches in Meyer/Holtz 2. Won a national title as a DC 3. Ran a solid program as a HC with impressive results. What more do other coaches accomplish before they get their chance? You are essentially saying that Patterson looked for the best AA coach available, as opposed to what I am saying that he hired the best qualified HC that happens to be an AA.

 

[clob94]

It's no secret that Texas ruled the big 12 from day one. Tom Osborne didn't want to merge the conferences because he knew Texas would overwhelm every one financially. Then the big 12 head quarters were moved from St. Louis to Dallas-- and Dr Tom saw the writing on the wall.

TCU an Baylor are recruiting some thugs. Look, you can't build a winning team without a turd or two. You need that turd to make sure you have an edge to your team. But that can balloon quickly--- see Miami.

The media glare at this university is BLINDING to say the least. A coach MUST be media savvy in order to achieve. Charlie strong is not media savvy. You have to be able to make adjustments on the fly. Charlie isn't that guy. This job is unlike ANY other job in the country. Michigan is a blue blood, a TRUE blue blood, but the media isn't as ferocious in Michigan as it is in Austin. Harbaugh is benefiting from that and he's making it go his way.

We have to have a ROCKSTAR as a coach. I know it sucks to say that, but in today's 24 hour news cycle world, social media, instant gratification driven media- you have to have a coach that embraces that and can manipulate to his favor.

Who can do that? Top of the list--- Jon Gruden.

Every night, when a high school QB goes to lay his little head on his pillow, he is DREAMING of being good enough one day to sit in Chuckie's QB camp on ESPN and here the magic words "spider 3 y banana". Just ask Andrew Luck. Ask RGIII. Ask Jameus Winston. Ask Johnny clipboard.

EVERY high school qb and I mean EVERY DAMN ONE OF THEM, has practiced their interview with Gruden in their mind. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Well, hows about you come to Texas and PLAY for Jon Gruden. Sit in his office every day. Learn from him. Break down film with him. We have the money and we were THIS close to getting him two years ago; albeit at a HUGE pricetag.

Jon Harbaugh comes to mind as well. His time with the ravens is getting stale--- they gave Flacco WAY too much money to build a superbowl team around him again. He's got his ring already--- and did you see the ooooooo and ahhhhh look in his eyes while he was on the sidelines of the Michigan Maryland game? He was soaking it up. Taking it in. In short- he was LOVING it. Do you think he looks over at little brother killing it at Michigan and thinnks to himself "Oh MY! How I would LOVE to come coach in college and kick little brother's ass again". I promise you, that thought crossed his mind at least once.

Mike Tomlin-- Do I even need to list his resume? Alpha dog. Super bowl champ. So hip and cool he oozes it. And the fact that he's a bad ass coach is just a bonus. Media savvy all the live long day. Ya, kids would HATE to play under a guy that won a super bowl and can tell you EXACTLY what you have to do to make it to the league. His time is Pittsburgh is winding down. Big Ben is now Old Ben and Troy and the rest of the D are gone. Now is the time to get Tomlin.

All these men are PROVEN winners that have WON at the highest level. We botched the snap when we didn't hire Jim Harbaugh. Our AD went so far to say that "Harbaugh will never leave San Fran without a ring." Great call dipsh!t.


All of these men have the ability to fix what ails us. And all can do it in less than 2 years. They can handle the bright lights. They can handle the egos. They can handle the schedule. The wear and tear that it is to BE the head coach at Texas.

 

[outhereincali]

Fwiw, I've been told that Patterson lost the support of Strong and Smart pretty quicly. His cuts affected the walk on program that is so important in college athletics.

 

[Longneck 80]

...I am saying that he hired the best qualified HC that happens to be an AA...

...your thoughts that any coach that displays the current and likely near future results at Texas gets cut loose...except Strong?

 

[2300 Nueces]

It's no secret that Texas ruled the big 12 from day one. Tom Osborne didn't want to merge the conferences because he knew Texas would overwhelm every one financially. Then the big 12 head quarters were moved from St. Louis to Dallas-- and Dr Tom saw the writing on the wall.

TCU an Baylor are recruiting some thugs. Look, you can't build a winning team without a turd or two. You need that turd to make sure you have an edge to your team. But that can balloon quickly--- see Miami.

The media glare at this university is BLINDING to say the least. A coach MUST be media savvy in order to achieve. Charlie strong is not media savvy. You have to be able to make adjustments on the fly. Charlie isn't that guy. This job is unlike ANY other job in the country. Michigan is a blue blood, a TRUE blue blood, but the media isn't as ferocious in Michigan as it is in Austin. Harbaugh is benefiting from that and he's making it go his way.

We have to have a ROCKSTAR as a coach. I know it sucks to say that, but in today's 24 hour news cycle world, social media, instant gratification driven media- you have to have a coach that embraces that and can manipulate to his favor.

Who can do that? Top of the list--- Jon Gruden.

Every night, when a high school QB goes to lay his little head on his pillow, he is DREAMING of being good enough one day to sit in Chuckie's QB camp on ESPN and here the magic words "spider 3 y banana". Just ask Andrew Luck. Ask RGIII. Ask Jameus Winston. Ask Johnny clipboard.

EVERY high school qb and I mean EVERY DAMN ONE OF THEM, has practiced their interview with Gruden in their mind. EVERY SINGLE ONE. Well, hows about you come to Texas and PLAY for Jon Gruden. Sit in his office every day. Learn from him. Break down film with him. We have the money and we were THIS close to getting him two years ago; albeit at a HUGE pricetag.

Jon Harbaugh comes to mind as well. His time with the ravens is getting stale--- they gave Flacco WAY too much money to build a superbowl team around him again. He's got his ring already--- and did you see the ooooooo and ahhhhh look in his eyes while he was on the sidelines of the Michigan Maryland game? He was soaking it up. Taking it in. In short- he was LOVING it. Do you think he looks over at little brother killing it at Michigan and thinnks to himself "Oh MY! How I would LOVE to come coach in college and kick little brother's ass again". I promise you, that thought crossed his mind at least once.

Mike Tomlin-- Do I even need to list his resume? Alpha dog. Super bowl champ. So hip and cool he oozes it. And the fact that he's a bad ass coach is just a bonus. Media savvy all the live long day. Ya, kids would HATE to play under a guy that won a super bowl and can tell you EXACTLY what you have to do to make it to the league. His time is Pittsburgh is winding down. Big Ben is now Old Ben and Troy and the rest of the D are gone. Now is the time to get Tomlin.

All these men are PROVEN winners that have WON at the highest level. We botched the snap when we didn't hire Jim Harbaugh. Our AD went so far to say that "Harbaugh will never leave San Fran without a ring." Great call dipsh!t.


All of these men have the ability to fix what ails us. And all can do it in less than 2 years. They can handle the bright lights. They can handle the egos. They can handle the schedule. The wear and tear that it is to BE the head coach at Texas.

Bro, make it happen!

 

[westx]

...your thoughts that any coach that displays the current and likely near future results at Texas gets cut loose...except Strong?

I want to see improvements now just like anybody else. I also don't like what I currently see. But, I am just not going to have an opinion on Strong's fate till after next season.

 

[clob94]

I want to see improvements now just like anybody else. I also don't like what I currently see. But, I am just not going to have an opinion on Strong's fate till after next season.

Fair enough. But westx, let me ask you this: If given the choice to change direction at the end of the season, assuming losses to OU, Baylor, likely Tech, maybe WVU and wins over Iowa St and Kansas with a toss up at Kansas st---- let's say we end up 5-7. Are you willing to risk another year of that? What happens if OU beats us by 40 and Baylor scores 70 points on us? Briles will try. He hates our guts and will kick us while we are down.

If these things happen--- then what?

 

[DHHorn]

If there is not noticeable improvement by the end of the season you have to start looking. It is not just that they are young, they don't do the small things that makes a team good. Why does it always look like the other teams defense has twice as many players on the field? Why can't our receivers get open? Why can't our running backs break a tackle? Why can't our defense stay in ther gap? Special teams, WTF?

 

[clob94]

If there is not noticeable improvement by the end of the season you have to start looking. It is not just that they are young, they don't do the small things that makes a team good. Why does it always look like the other teams defense has twice as many players on the field? Why can't our receivers get open? Why can't our running backs break a tackle? Why can't our defense stay in ther gap? Special teams, WTF?

Either its poor execution or poor coaching------- or a combination of both.

 

[westx]

Fair enough. But westx, let me ask you this: If given the choice to change direction at the end of the season, assuming losses to OU, Baylor, likely Tech, maybe WVU and wins over Iowa St and Kansas with a toss up at Kansas st---- let's say we end up 5-7. Are you willing to risk another year of that? What happens if OU beats us by 40 and Baylor scores 70 points on us? Briles will try. He hates our guts and will kick us while we are down.

If these things happen--- then what?

I have a difficult time answering hypotheticals, so I am not dodging the question. We all have different tolerance levels and the big risk is whether we act too quick or too late. I honestly feel right now is "too quick" even though my stomach is churning in frustration. Texas has had one of the toughest schedules in the country and the Big 12 is in an up year. It is a bad time to be an average or below average team. Be that as it may, it is up to Strong to meet the challenge. If I play out the hypothetical that the blowouts continue, I don't think I could stay in his corner. I'll leave it at that.

 

[Belldozer1]

Clob is right. You gots to have some of those straight up thugs to be good.

 

[mm42]

Clob is right. You gots to have some of those straight up thugs to be good.

Are you guys willing to go full thug life to win (see Baylor/TCU). May have dipped your toes in the water with Boyd. Kid can play.

 

[DHHorn]

Are you guys willing to go full thug life to win (see Baylor/TCU). May have dipped your toes in the water with Boyd. Kid can play.

Loves to FaceTime and Twitter...I know I'm getting older but nothing about that says thug. Immature and self centered, maybe.

 

[mm42]

Loves to FaceTime and Twitter...I know I'm getting older but nothing about that says thug. Immature and self centered, maybe.

You maybe right, I hope so. He was my second favorite player in your class behind Hill. He may have had a rough time growing up, but that certainly does not make him a thug. I really like his edge, and need to remember these guys are just kids.

 

[UT1997]

Clob is right. You gots to have some of those straight up thugs to be good.

Ideally, you want 3 things in a recruit: A). eilte-level on field talent, B). common sense and discipline to stay out of trouble, and C). have academic aptitude. Whole lot of guys with B and C, several with A and B, only a handful with A,B, and C. And about 70-75% of the guys with A+B+C are at Stanford. (Richard Sherman, Andrew Luck, Toby Gerhart were all HS valedictorians). The other 20-25% are scattered around the country, and we're not getting them.

Post 2005 title, we've wasted so many schollies on guys who were just somebody's brother, or son, or well-connected. Guys come on campus, get lazy, and ride it out.

Other than Stanford, every other program that has sustained a top5-10 run of several years has been a thug program. I'm not saying we need to go Barry Switzer, but we need the type of guys who plan to be here only 3 years and go 1st/2nd round in the draft.

And a coach with a strong enough personality to keep the thugs just somewhat contained, but without the core values propoganda. Nobody things of the Patriots as a thug team, even after they bring in guys like Corey Dillon, Aqib Talib, Randy Moss, Aaron Hernandez, etc...

 

[ObviouslyATX]

For anyone else who thought this post is a big piece of self servicing, here's the TLDR version:

This comes down to one thing. Jet pack wanted to be the AD that hired black coaches.
.

 

[oldhorn2]

For the record....I am pretty much all in on Clob

 

[RealBear]

Baylor score 70 points on the horns down on the Brazos this year it won't be because we hate you it'll be because we can!

Hell, lots of Teams hated Texas over the years but it was because of Texas kicking their asses! We love you a whole lot more now!