The Wedge Driver

[MichiganHerd]

The irony of this post suggests that the two true wedge drivers are calling others wedge drivers.

Try re-reading my take about 10 o'clock this evening, and do so three times in a row as fast as you can. Even herdfan06 would get his tongue twisted.

With that, I'm going to start hitting the jug, so happy new year you wedge driving bastards.

 

[i am herdman]

We took a chance on Lance West and that was a big time failure.
It’s like running a business. I don’t want someone’s buddy who has no to very little experience running a business, let alone an AD with a 30 Mil. Budget

You cant ruin your cash cow which is football. Marshall is ruining it

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

You cant ruin your cash cow which is football. Marshall is ruining it

We can’t. I prefer Hamrick stay. Just saying any new Ad better know what they are doing. Less state money, stagnant fan base, less money from the school - likely. It won’t be easy.

 

[herdfan06]

Try re-reading my take about 10 o'clock this evening, and do so three times in a row as fast as you can. Even herdfan06 would get his tongue twisted.

Hey @MichiganHerd learn how to tag. Will you even be awake at 10 this evening?

 

[MichiganHerd]

Hey @MichiganHerd learn how to tag. Will you even be awake at 10 this evening?

Ain't no way I'm playing tag with you

 

[herdfan06]

Ain't no way I'm playing tag with you

So you are saying you are going to play tag? 🙀

 

[Herdfan2019]

Did you not read “successful as an associate AD?” That means they do have experience. And might have been at a school with a lot more than a $30 million budget.

 

[Always The Herd]

Chuck Landon - I dont like when people rip on what I love. Makes it even more hard when it is done by someone you looked up to growing up, wanted to be like while growing up, and from someone with such a deep history with our programs. It hurts even more to see that Mr. Landon is able to use his position to voice opinions of others.

Isn't that what you are actually doing Mr. Perkins? You are presenting your thoughts/comments/etc. just like Chuck, me or anyone else on this board. Chuck Landon is all Marshall and I have nothing bad to say about him.

 

[Refiner's Fire]

Since this is an opinion post instead of a fact post, I will give my opinion. To say that the football program is stale is an understatement and by the fans not keeping season tickets, proves it. Other than just a very few, are many folks around town speaking of the prog in a positive way? Even when we were ranked this season ( due to teams with a pulse dropping from the schedule and replaced with terrible teams) and getting into the conference schedule (from bowl results, the very worst conference), how many games drew excitement? We aren’t just a bad team in an even worse conference, but there is zero excitement and it’s been a downward spiral for years. To accept this and not expect change, is not being re

 

[HerdGrad1999]

I have to admit.. when I read the title of this thread I thought golf. Then I thought that’s the weirdest hybrid I’ve ever heard mentioned. Then I thought...I’m going to buy it. Then I read the thread. I’m disappointed.

Me, I thought the Lavalette restaurant was opening back up and they were going to be doing delivery.

 

[MichiganHerd]

What baffles me the most, is that wedge drivers like perkins and ex-coach stowers talk down to a lifelong fan, @Herdmeister like he's not a true fan. This is a 72 year old man that's followed the Herd for more than 50 years, and because he has opinions that are different than the wedges, then they question his fandom.

By the way, Herdmeister is attending the Herd basketball games in Louisiana this weekend.

Wedges can kiss my black ass.

 

[W-S HerdFan]

This entire thread is inane. Either Mike will stay...or not. Doc will get an extension....or not. Trump will be re-elected POTUS......or not. Dan looks to have a potentially successful team. He will be back next year whomever is running the AD. Everybody has different perspectives. We are.... the market. The MU brand will rise or fall based on future results, not past performance. No one’s love or loyalty for the Herd should be questioned on here, and anyone who does is a jackass. Sam loves Marshall. Rifle loves Marshall. Meister absolutely loves Marshall!! Let this thread go out along with Old Man 2020. He has been a nasty sombitch all year; hope he rots in hell. Happy New Year you guys!

 

[Herdmeister]

I love all things Marshall. I defend all things Marshall. But now, there is a hard divide. Some things not on my side of the divide are:

Chuck Landon - I dont like when people rip on what I love. Makes it even more hard when it is done by someone you looked up to growing up, wanted to be like while growing up, and from someone with such a deep history with our programs. It hurts even more to see that Mr. Landon is able to use his position to voice opinions of others.

Bob Pruett - How in the world, could things be happening that would make me, of all people, talk ill will about Coach Pruett. Good Lord above, what am I thinking.

At the end of the day, I am consistent, and now that I am back on Herdnation, and I read peoples opinions of me, I KNOW, that I am the one that is consistent. I dont care what your name is, if you are a member of the Marshall Athletic department, I will defend you until the end. I will do my best to defend you even further, unless you fall into one of the above categories.

But, over the past decade I have learned, right or wrong, that there is one common denominator in our perfect little Marshall world. I can see it, do others see it? Or are others just ignoring it.

The D'antoni family.

Non existent for many, many years, at least as far as the public eye. Were they donating on the back side? I have no clue. All I know is that both our current, and former AD have had to deal with them, and they are controlling the program. Unfortunately for ALL Marshall fans, they only care about one sport.

Bob Marcum didnt, gasp, interview Mike D'antoni and offer him a job everyone knew he wouldnt take. D'antoni goes public about it. From that day on, Marcum was done. The internet community ran with it. "He's your problem now," was formed and that was the death nail for an AD that got us in a new conference, was paid only $70,000 a year, because he didnt want to tie up any more money with the program, and was a great ambassador for Marshall. Marcum was done well before any "bad" hires that he made.

Mike Hamrick hired Dan. Mike Hamrick took a TON of crap for hiring Dan. Mike Hamrick was hammered publicly by national writers for hiring Dan. But he did it. Mike Hamrick hired a Marshall guy, for you guys, and for me. We all loved it, and we love it now. How could you not like some of the success, the Hillbilly Ball, and the "ahh shucks" attitude. But, alas, all is not rainbows and sunshine now is it.

Nope. Our bball program has to share its facility with non revenue sports. Small disagreements become large disagreements, and large disagreements begin to drive wedges. People give information to some fans, and it is easy to see those opinions permeate message boards, forming opinions amongst fans, then EXPLODE onto social media. Fans reputations are being tarnished. Fans are being used as chess pieces in this game. I can see it. Others can see it.

Now we know that a D'antoni is on the BoG, and now, our AD's head is allegedly on the chopping block. For no reason, other than......

You can fill in the blank. But the blank is not filled with: a football reunion that some folks didnt agree with, backing a football coach who just won coach of the year and may not be retained, or not getting along with one of his major hires that he gave that person their first head coaching job.

There is one common denominator in all of this. Its pretty obvious.

The thing is, us fans on here, as long as we are on the right side of the grass, we are going to outlast everyone that comes and goes in these offices.

We all need to ask "who gets a pass," and "why." I am disappointed in so many people on here. There is no reason that people who love Marshall should disagree with me, and there is no reason that I should disagree with some of you.

At the end of the day, there is nothing we can do, and I am not going to change any of your opinions.

I love Coach D'Antoni the Head Basketball Coach at Marshall University. I love Doc Holliday the Head Football Coach at Marshall University. I love Mike Hamrick, the AD at Marshall University.

I just want normalcy again. I want to stay up and watch Hawaii lose a football game so Marshall gets to back into a bowl game at 6 - 6.

I want to print off signs and put in our car windows each week that say, "Beat LA Tech," or Beat WKU." All this started to fade at one point.

Like I said, you and I are going to outlast everyone involved in driving this wedge.

Stop letting it happen.

GO HERD...BEAT LA TECH!!! Twice this weekend please!!!

Aaron I used to really enjoy your posts even though many of them I disagreed with the one thing I never questioned was your love of all things Marshall and I always felt you were a huge fan. From defending Ron Jirsa, Mark Snyder Herrion etc you were always a fan of Marshall and Marshall alone.

Since you have came back to Herdnation you have changed. You are no longer a fan of Marshall but of individuals. You are the exact thing you chastise others about in the fact you are 100% agenda driven. You hammer the Dantonis because Mike Hamrick doesn’t like Dan. Don’t kid yourself the reason why he hired Dan was not because he was rolling the dice he did because the Chad Pennington of Marshall basketball Mike Dantoni pressured him to do it. Dan and Mike have been at odds since he started. I’m sure it’s both ways but to act like our AD is an angel in this and bares no responsibility in the bad relationship is beyond agenda driven.

Same with Coach Pruett. Coach Pruett isn’t perfect but to constantly disrespect the greatest coach in the history of our program is beyond comical. His records and achievements are unparalleled. In 9 seasons he was a FCS national champ, had 6 MAC East championships, 5 overall MAC championships, 3 heisman finalists, 2 of which were home grown not highly recruited players. His teams were in a bowl 7 of his 8 FBS seasons. The year we didn’t make a bowl we were 8-4 and the MAC only had 2 bowl bids for the MAC champ and the runner up. Incidentally that year we beat the number 6 team in the country on the road, a team who also won the Big 12 that year and played in a BCS game. Also the team we lost the MAC East to that year was to Miami of Ohio who happened to have a a future first ballot NFL hall of famer as their QB. He produced 3 first round NFL draft picks and over 20 players who actually played at least one season in the NFL.

You are willing to trash this coach and make little jabs in multiple posts simply because our Athletic Director doesn’t like him. No agenda there. Before you give me the Jim Justice stuff Hamrick didn’t like Pruett from the start, way before.
So lets see you trash 2 of the most popular coaches in our history. You trash one of the most popular basketball players in our history. You give no credence to the fact you seldom see some of the greatest football players in our history have anything to do with our program and now you consider them all malcontent ingrates. You do all of that because you have become not a fan but an agenda driven lackey. So please spare us all the agenda driven lectures and go back to being a fan of Marshall University not Mike Hamrick U or Doc Holiday U.

You are dead on with the reason Danny was hired.

 

[KyMUfan]

Long-time Herd fan. Go to virtually every home football and basketball game. Family was deeply affected by the plane crash. First time poster but don't let that discount what I am posting.

We all have biases and opinions based on our experiences and time frames. Recently someone posted that MU has always been a football school. In my lifetime, and prior to that, it has been more of a basketball school.

From Coach Henderson's teams of the 40s and 50s to Huck's Herd of the 80s MU basketball consistently outperformed football. It was several years after the plane crash before the football team begin having consistent success.

The 1980s were a great time to be a Herd fan with the Parrish/Chaump football teams and the aforementioned Huck's Herd in basketball.

Over the next 15 years MU football was elevated to unprecedented heights thanks to Coaches Donnan and Pruett while the basketball team struggled.

I don't understand why it seems to be an us or them scenario between MU football and basketball. I do get why people are indifferent to Coach Holliday. With some exceptions Coaches usually have a somewhat limited timeframe and he has been here for a while. He has remained aloof to the fans and supporters and seems to prefer to stay out of Huntington when not working. He doesn't have any signature wins and sounds like a broken record during interviews with "no question" being his favorite term.

I had a ton of fun following Herd football during the 1990s and 2000s. I've had just as much fun during the last few years watching the basketball team. I like having local talent on the basketball team just as it is nice having Wells or Zban at qb.

I've heard the rumors of the fight and saw the lack of effort the last three games. I also remember the offensive line carrying Byron down the field. I want the same mindset, heart and effort shown in the GMAC Bowl in both of these sports. I haven't seen it with many of Doc's teams.

He has had a good run similar to Coach Pruett. At the time many were saying it was time for BP to move on. I think Doc has become a distraction and will only become more so if he stays. Look at how this forum has become so divided..

This was a make or break year for Doc. Unfortunately it appears the last 3 games were the breaking points for many fans, myself included.

 

[Dallasherdguy]

I don't agree with everything said here, but will not impune anyone's love of Marshall. we all have different opinions.

Personally I will break it down to the way my boss does for me every year in my performance evaluation.

Doc meets expectations. My reasoning is, regardless of what we would like to by, we are a medocure football program. some of that is due to coaches over the years some of it is due to other factors. Does Doc expand our reach, NO, Does Doc potentially make the program better, NO. Does Doc make the program worse, NO. I would give Doc a meets expectations at best(just a tick above does not meet expectations). with that score after 11 years and the state of college football. I would like to see him retire and we all have a nice send off for a Wonderful person who is a son of marshall. If not he still needs to go, and would be much less of a positive send off.

Dan also meets expectations in my mind, however his plan seems to be much more proactive for the future, not an insider so only see what happens on the court and read was is going on here. I would put Dan in the Meets expecations with a lean to exceeding (alot depends on this season).

I really could care less about all the politialal BS going on. From what I ahve read here about that sounds like as screwed up as the federal poitical BS. (sorry for mentioning here but it does fit). Get rid of the politial BS and make the best decision for the university. Period!!!!!!!!!!!

BTW, for you grammer nerds, I can't type of spell.

 

[lexkyherdfan]

The only wedge driver is losing. Had we finished with a cusa football championship, we would all be holding hands and singing happy songs.

I don’t think I agree with that. We could go undefeated and win championships in back to back years and there are some that would still not attend or support football because Doc isn’t kissing their backside. I guess since I am not in either inner circle in Huntington I am an outlier because I support and want to see all Marshall sports win and I watch and cheer for all. that doesn’t mean I agree with everything but I support those players that out on the uniform.

 

[KyMUfan]

I don’t think I agree with that. We could go undefeated and win championships in back to back years and there are some that would still not attend or support football because Doc isn’t kissing their backside. I guess since I am not in either inner circle in Huntington I am an outlier because I support and want to see all Marshall sports win and I watch and cheer for all. that doesn’t mean I agree with everything but I support those players that out on the uniform.

I think there are a lot of reasons for a lack of support and one of them isn't necessarily because Doc isn't kissing their backside.

Younger generation isn't as interested in sports at any level for a variety of reasons. It seems like fewer students are attending the games. Attendance at high school games is also down considerably.

Depressed local economy.

Media sports saturation.

Aging local population and fan base.

Doc doesn't try to expand the fan base.

Games are boring, almost a reflection of Doc's personality.

Fewer rivalry games than in the past.

Several others.

 

[mlblack16.]

I don’t think I agree with that. We could go undefeated and win championships in back to back years and there are some that would still not attend or support football because Doc isn’t kissing their backside.

Bullshit. This is the typical drivel from those who realize John has no real accomplishments, so they fall back on the, "well, I guess NOTHING will make you guys happy then" argument.

Winning changes everything. You may have a very small select few who would act the way you're claiming, but those people are miserable in life and expect that from everyone. If Holliday was a winner, people would overlook his personality traits.

The fact that he has accomplished very few meaningful wins and has the audacity to then expect people to put up with his crap is what makes people even more pissed at him.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

I think there are a lot of reasons for a lack of support and one of them isn't necessarily because Doc isn't kissing their backside.

Younger generation isn't as interested in sports at any level for a variety of reasons. It seems like fewer students are attending the games. Attendance at high school games is also down considerably.

Depressed local economy.

Media sports saturation.

Aging local population and fan base.

Doc doesn't try to expand the fan base.

Games are boring, almost a reflection of Doc's personality.

Fewer rivalry games than in the past.

Several others.

Spot on. Well said.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

I like Doc from the point of his loyalty to the school and how he represents the school. He has delivered consistency to the program. I thank him and appreciate that.

If he would have had 3-4 titles and 4-5 division titles in those 11 years, we wouldn’t be having these conversations.

The fact he has only 1 title and 3 division titles in that time period in usually the weakest league in D1 football is disappointing and where the issue lies.

He is paid well to win football games and win titles. Almost doesn’t count - unless we just want to put a team on the field and say hell with it.
As RockDog posted last week, the program gets great support on all fronts. That’s not the issue.

The internal strife, the epic meltdowns and running the program as if it were untouchable are what I can’t get around.

As Aaron said, the program is bigger than one person and sometimes for the good of all, change is necessary. That time has come for Marshall football. Jmo

 

[DBS429]

If Hamrick does not recommend to Gilbert that Doc retire then I have no issue if he is also not retained. Our football program is an embarrassment. That has nothing to do with basketball. Mike needs to quit protecting his boy and do the right thing for Marshall Athletics. Feeling this way does not make me any less of a Marshall fan. Aaron you know Doc completely lost this team. You know this is not the first time. You know what happened was shameful yet you refuse to tell the truth because you a sheep. You can continue to keep your head in the sand, but the rest of us die hard fans will be cheering on a new era of Marshall football.

 

[KyMUfan]

As with most of you the state of MU football has been on my mind for some time. I really like Coach D'Antoni's and Coach Pruett's approach to the media I also have no problem with a no-nonsense approach like Doc has. I wanted and tried to like him from the get go but his personality makes it is hard to, especially with the product we currently have.

I took a WVU fan to a game at The Cam a few years ago. We passed Coach Dan on his way to the post-game media room. He looked up as we passed and told us thanks for coming to the game that night. I can't see Doc doing that but Dan made a fan out of my friend with that simple gesture.

When I said Doc and BP had similar runs I should have added without Pruett's signature wins (and even some gut-wrenching losses - i felt like we could win every game). Truth is fans are extremely fickle and fair-weathered and the honeymoon doesn't last forever. It didn't for BP and it certainly hasn't for Doc. A graceful exit would be the best for the program.

 

[i am herdman]

As The People's Moderator , I thought about handing out some warnings from this thread. In particular to Perkins and Coach Stowers. Then, I thought about it and there is just no use.

Anyone being objective knows Marshall football needs a change.

If Perkins and Coach Stowers want to continue calling people out and defending what is going on in terms of football then, that is on them.

 

[KyMUfan]

A couple of additional thoughts on attendance. I have access to some UK football and basketball tickets. Every couple of years I will go to a football game. It seems that attendance and enthusiasm is down there as well. It may just be a product of the times. It seems like many would also rather go to games at both places to tailgate rather than actually going into the stadiums to watch.

Lastly I think the NCAA bears some culpability as well. The P5 and G5 schism has only grown and is beginning to turn off fans. Everyone seems to like an underdog and the National Title game is almost like watching reruns. The playoff selection process is broken on so many levels - 5 conferences vying for 4 spots with little or no at-large consideration? And ND belongs in it this year??? It is actually having the opposite of its intended effect.

 

[Chris McLaughlin]

Good stuff @KyMUfan. You should post more often.

 

[KyMUfan]

Good stuff @KyMUfan. You should post more often.

Thanks and will certainly try to. Last few years have been so crazy I have barely had time to do anything. 2021 is a new year that hopefully will allow me to have a little more free time. I enjoy the forum and thanks for working it.

 

[raleighherdfan]

I can't see Doc doing that but Dan made a fan out of my friend with that simple gesture.

You're right. Doc WONT do that.

 

[Herd554]

John Wooden's Quote: Today is the only day. Yesterday is gone. I look forward to attending Herd Football games and Retirement with or without Doc.

 

[The Real SamC]

I don't understand why it seems to be an us or them scenario between MU football and basketball.

It is really pretty simple. Understand that realistic fans see no issues between the two sports, or the two coaches. But then there is this superfan turned rotten minority. They have the views of a 12 year old relative to MU football. MU is supposed to win every game because it is supposed to. A childish and pointless circular argument. To compound this childish view, they feel winning every game is really not that big a deal, because of the supposed ease in the conference, irrelevance of its bowl tie ins, and other such ho ha. Nothing that happens in football will ever suit this crew.

Then this minority doubles down on basketball. First they have the mythological great past for MU basketball, particularly the MD and DD era. MU has had a few up periods, but not many. Then they add to it this with this idea that, in this conference where at least a third of the teams make a total token effort at basketball, somehow, once, from 4th place, the team got on a hot streak and actually went to the NCAA and actually won ONE GAME versus another mid-major program of no particular merit. Having sat through the abject failure that was MU basketball from Huck's demise until DD, they have forgotten that making the NCAA and winning in it should be the MINIMUM standard required, particularly in a conference such as this, so weak in basketball.

This crew is eventually going to destroy both sports, with their delusion and derision.

 

[KyMUfan]

Basketball is different from football with more games, fewer players and moving parts. But it does seem that Coach D'Antoni's teams get better as each season progresses. I think this is evidence of being an excellent coach.

 

[muthed]

It is really pretty simple. Understand that realistic fans see no issues between the two sports, or the two coaches. But then there is this superfan turned rotten minority. They have the views of a 12 year old relative to MU football. MU is supposed to win every game because it is supposed to. A childish and pointless circular argument. To compound this childish view, they feel winning every game is really not that big a deal, because of the supposed ease in the conference, irrelevance of its bowl tie ins, and other such ho ha. Nothing that happens in football will ever suit this crew.

Then this minority doubles down on basketball. First they have the mythological great past for MU basketball, particularly the MD and DD era. MU has had a few up periods, but not many. Then they add to it this with this idea that, in this conference where at least a third of the teams make a total token effort at basketball, somehow, once, from 4th place, the team got on a hot streak and actually went to the NCAA and actually won ONE GAME versus another mid-major program of no particular merit. Having sat through the abject failure that was MU basketball from Huck's demise until DD, they have forgotten that making the NCAA and winning in it should be the MINIMUM standard required, particularly in a conference such as this, so weak in basketball.

This crew is eventually going to destroy both sports, with their delusion and derision.

Sam, when was the last time football got on a hot streak, got to the championship, and then went on to win it. I can answer that with a short reply. Never under Doc. Remember when we lost to WKU, 866 to 865? Should have been undefeated that
year. How many times did we lose a game we should have won, and FAU won the division? And then there is the epic meltdown of 2020. Need I say more?

 

[ARandomHerdFan]

It is really pretty simple. Understand that realistic fans see no issues between the two sports, or the two coaches. But then there is this superfan turned rotten minority. They have the views of a 12 year old relative to MU football. MU is supposed to win every game because it is supposed to. A childish and pointless circular argument. To compound this childish view, they feel winning every game is really not that big a deal, because of the supposed ease in the conference, irrelevance of its bowl tie ins, and other such ho ha. Nothing that happens in football will ever suit this crew.

Then this minority doubles down on basketball. First they have the mythological great past for MU basketball, particularly the MD and DD era. MU has had a few up periods, but not many. Then they add to it this with this idea that, in this conference where at least a third of the teams make a total token effort at basketball, somehow, once, from 4th place, the team got on a hot streak and actually went to the NCAA and actually won ONE GAME versus another mid-major program of no particular merit. Having sat through the abject failure that was MU basketball from Huck's demise until DD, they have forgotten that making the NCAA and winning in it should be the MINIMUM standard required, particularly in a conference such as this, so weak in basketball.

This crew is eventually going to destroy both sports, with their delusion and derision.

 

[Sean Hammond]

It is really pretty simple. Understand that realistic fans see no issues between the two sports, or the two coaches. But then there is this superfan turned rotten minority. They have the views of a 12 year old relative to MU football. MU is supposed to win every game because it is supposed to. A childish and pointless circular argument. To compound this childish view, they feel winning every game is really not that big a deal, because of the supposed ease in the conference, irrelevance of its bowl tie ins, and other such ho ha. Nothing that happens in football will ever suit this crew.

Then this minority doubles down on basketball. First they have the mythological great past for MU basketball, particularly the MD and DD era. MU has had a few up periods, but not many. Then they add to it this with this idea that, in this conference where at least a third of the teams make a total token effort at basketball, somehow, once, from 4th place, the team got on a hot streak and actually went to the NCAA and actually won ONE GAME versus another mid-major program of no particular merit. Having sat through the abject failure that was MU basketball from Huck's demise until DD, they have forgotten that making the NCAA and winning in it should be the MINIMUM standard required, particularly in a conference such as this, so weak in basketball.

This crew is eventually going to destroy both sports, with their delusion and derision.

Summation for anyone not wanting to read the same drivel he copy/pastes:

It should be a minimal requirement for basketball to finish a season as one of the top 68 teams out of 357 (top 19%), but it’s a perversion of reality for people to expect more than mere bowl participant in football.

 

[lexkyherdfan]

Bullshit. This is the typical drivel from those who realize John has no real accomplishments, so they fall back on the, "well, I guess NOTHING will make you guys happy then" argument.

Winning changes everything. You may have a very small select few who would act the way you're claiming, but those people are miserable in life and expect that from everyone. If Holliday was a winner, people would overlook his personality traits.

The fact that he has accomplished very few meaningful wins and has the audacity to then expect people to put up with his crap is what makes people even more pissed at him.

you are wrong as there are some that would never be happy with Doc leading Marshall and had we went undefeated this year there would still be complaints. It is how some are. I saw it all fall. You could see them complaining about wins. It is always well who are we beating? These teams suck etc. it wasn’t about us being a good team or we have a better team.

And before you go saying I am defending Doc I am not. I am the last person that thinks things are ok with our football program and it should remain status quo. how in the world could anybody think that? You can’t be 7-0 and ranked 15th and then lose next three like how we did and believe things are ok. So before you act like you know me and what I think step back from the key owed and get a clue because that is not me. You obviously have no idea my thoughts about Marshall football and Marshall Athletics as a whole.

Would winning bring back some fans?? Sure but I just know how some of our fans are. They would not accept Doc as HC as they were done with him. There have been plenty over the last 20 years make statements at one time or another that if things change they will come back to donating yet we still have roughly the same amount of BG members. There are always excuses to why a person won’t donate.

A prime example showed me in 2014 when we had a chance to go undefeated against WKU and we didn’t have more than we had at the game. Sure it was right after Thanksgiving but you would think that people would find a way to attend since it was a chance to go undefeated? I know I did. The same for the championship game. First one at home since our MAC days and we had how many there? Of course the excuse will be the weather. Well...I get that if you are elderly or sick but what about the thousands of other fans that chose to stay home and leave not watch a chance to see us win our first championship in CUSA. I know I didn’t stay home. That told me all I needed to know. There would always be an excuse.

 

[lexkyherdfan]

I think there are a lot of reasons for a lack of support and one of them isn't necessarily because Doc isn't kissing their backside.

Younger generation isn't as interested in sports at any level for a variety of reasons. It seems like fewer students are attending the games. Attendance at high school games is also down considerably.

Depressed local economy.

Media sports saturation.

Aging local population and fan base.

Doc doesn't try to expand the fan base.

Games are boring, almost a reflection of Doc's personality.

Fewer rivalry games than in the past.

Several others.

I agree with a lot of what you say but a lot don’t like Docs personality and that makes it easy to not like the program when it screws up. Many people have complained about that as much as the lack of success or the stupid play calling etc.

as I said in another post...my comments are not made in defense of our program lack of championships or major melt down this year. They are clearly made in my observation of some of our fans. Just because I support the kids on the field or court doesn’t mean I agree with everything that goes on in Our two major sports with our coaching. I can look at both program objectively and give constructive criticism. I have said many times it drives me crazy at our lack of success in “big games” in both sports against teams from a major conference.

 

[TwolfHerdfan]

you are wrong as there are some that would never be happy with Doc leading Marshall and had we went undefeated this year there would still be complaints. It is how some are. I saw it all fall. You could see them complaining about wins. It is always well who are we beating? These teams suck etc. it wasn’t about us being a good team or we have a better team.

And before you go saying I am defending Doc I am not. I am the last person that thinks things are ok with our football program and it should remain status quo. how in the world could anybody think that? You can’t be 7-0 and ranked 15th and then lose next three like how we did and believe things are ok. So before you act like you know me and what I think step back from the key owed and get a clue because that is not me. You obviously have no idea my thoughts about Marshall football and Marshall Athletics as a whole.

Would winning bring back some fans?? Sure but I just know how some of our fans are. They would not accept Doc as HC as they were done with him. There have been plenty over the last 20 years make statements at one time or another that if things change they will come back to donating yet we still have roughly the same amount of BG members. There are always excuses to why a person won’t donate.

A prime example showed me in 2014 when we had a chance to go undefeated against WKU and we didn’t have more than we had at the game. Sure it was right after Thanksgiving but you would think that people would find a way to attend since it was a chance to go undefeated? I know I did. The same for the championship game. First one at home since our MAC days and we had how many there? Of course the excuse will be the weather. Well...I get that if you are elderly or sick but what about the thousands of other fans that chose to stay home and leave not watch a chance to see us win our first championship in CUSA. I know I didn’t stay home. That told me all I needed to know. There would always be an excuse.

Blaming the fan base is ridiculous. Rockdogs post shot down that theory easily. When the AD wakes up and values the fan base and makes an effort to grow the fan base, then we can discuss.
Sutherland sucks as the BG director as well. How long has he been in that position and what’s the percentage growth of the BG.
The ROI must be abysmal.

 

[Treadmill MUsic]

Bottom line folks. If we would have beat Rice and UAB many of you would have been quiet like Church folks having an affair. Also, it really doesn’t matter if Mr. Hamrick is retained. Why? You want Marshall Fans to run? Ask them to open their checkbooks.

 

[mlblack16.]

you are wrong as there are some that would never be happy with Doc leading Marshall and had we went undefeated this year there would still be complaints. It is how some are. I saw it all fall. You could see them complaining about wins. It is always well who are we beating? These teams suck etc. it wasn’t about us being a good team or we have a better team.

And before you go saying I am defending Doc I am not. I am the last person that thinks things are ok with our football program and it should remain status quo. how in the world could anybody think that? You can’t be 7-0 and ranked 15th and then lose next three like how we did and believe things are ok. So before you act like you know me and what I think step back from the key owed and get a clue because that is not me. You obviously have no idea my thoughts about Marshall football and Marshall Athletics as a whole.

Would winning bring back some fans?? Sure but I just know how some of our fans are. They would not accept Doc as HC as they were done with him. There have been plenty over the last 20 years make statements at one time or another that if things change they will come back to donating yet we still have roughly the same amount of BG members. There are always excuses to why a person won’t donate.

A prime example showed me in 2014 when we had a chance to go undefeated against WKU and we didn’t have more than we had at the game. Sure it was right after Thanksgiving but you would think that people would find a way to attend since it was a chance to go undefeated? I know I did. The same for the championship game. First one at home since our MAC days and we had how many there? Of course the excuse will be the weather. Well...I get that if you are elderly or sick but what about the thousands of other fans that chose to stay home and leave not watch a chance to see us win our first championship in CUSA. I know I didn’t stay home. That told me all I needed to know. There would always be an excuse.

I believe I said there will always be some who won't be happy, no matter what, but you either can't read or glazed over it in your fit of rage.

Why isn't Holliday drawing crowds? I think he lays too many eggs for people to buy what he's indirectly trying to sell. I say indirectly, because he acts as if he doesn't give a shit if fans show up or not. He will occasionally tweet or say something, but it seems forced, as if Hamrick insisted he do it. After the embarrassing shut out AT HOME to a pathetic Rice team, why would you think people would show for the conference championship? Also, you do know there's a pandemic, right? That could've had a little something to do with attendance this year.

As for the past one other time we played a CUSA Championship at home, you already brought the fact we played WKU at noon on Black Friday. Probably would've had a much better crowd, but then, once again, John laid an egg and we lost. This letdown probably led to fans to believe Holliday was likely going to blow it again, just like when we went to Rice and got dominated for no good reason in 2013. He screws up too often to draw the same excitement and energy we had during the Donnan and Pruett years.

 

[lexkyherdfan]

Blaming the fan base is ridiculous. Rockdogs post shot down that theory easily. When the AD wakes up and values the fan base and makes an effort to grow the fan base, then we can discuss.
Sutherland sucks as the BG director as well. How long has he been in that position and what’s the percentage growth of the BG.
The ROI must be abysmal.

and it definitely is blame the fan base as a whole. There are just some within it that are one or the other. Make excuses for one but over look issues in another. We have a darn good fan base with what we have but there are plenty more out there. Some fans will always have an excuse to why they don’t donate or go to games etc. sure some are very valid excuses people can’t attend or be a donor but there are plenty that can be a donor yet don’t. If that was the case we would have more than 3,500 donors.

like I have said many times if each BG member would add just one member each year we could double our membership. Now the reality is that can’t/won’t happens so why wont half our membership add one donor? We don’t need an athletic department member telling us to do that. We as BG members can do that. It is just one new member a BG member could add. We all represent the BG when joining. Let’s use it to grow the support.

 

[lexkyherdfan]

I believe I said there will always be some who won't be happy, no matter what, but you either can't read or glazed over it in your fit of rage.

Why isn't Holliday drawing crowds? I think he lays too many eggs for people to buy what he's indirectly trying to sell. I say indirectly, because he acts as if he doesn't give a shit if fans show up or not. He will occasionally tweet or say something, but it seems forced, as if Hamrick insisted he do it. After the embarrassing shut out AT HOME to a pathetic Rice team, why would you think people would show for the conference championship? Also, you do know there's a pandemic, right? That could've had a little something to do with attendance this year.

As for the past one other time we played a CUSA Championship at home, you already brought the fact we played WKU at noon on Black Friday. Probably would've had a much better crowd, but then, once again, John laid an egg and we lost. This letdown probably led to fans to believe Holliday was likely going to blow it again, just like when we went to Rice and got dominated for no good reason in 2013. He screws up too often to draw the same excitement and energy we had during the Donnan and Pruett years.

once again you are wrong about me. I am not in a fit of rage. Just posting some factual information.

My general comments about people not showing up was in regards to 2014. I don’t care that the game was at noon on Friday after Thanksgiving. We were undefeated playing in a game to go undefeated and have a chance at a NY6 bowl yet we didn’t have 30,000 fans. I made arrangements to be there even in a tough spot. Again...the next week we are playing for an elusive championship at home for the first time since the MAC days and fans found a reason to not come or balling Doc for potentially blowing. Another game. We should have had more there. There was no reason not to unless you were elderly or sick. My older parents both came and sat in the cold/rainy weather because they knew what we were playing for.

This year is different. Don’t confuse two. We did well as anybody could with limited availability in tickets etc. this year is a whole unique oddness completely separate rid any other year. People that could attend any game and went should be commended. Especially those that drove from out of state during the pandemic.

also I think you and I are in agreement in a lot of points I just think there are plenty of examples of how some of our fans will be no matter what. And my belief Thoughts could be what I observe from afar and heat I deal with personally. And none of my beliefs are I defense in our football programs lack of CUSA championships or a lot of points people make especially about this year.