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Post by scottbeach on Nov 19, 2018 0:14:18 GMT -5
We have just seen what I consider a fairly comparable university to WCU, that just re-started their football program 4 years ago, gain a bid to the FCS playoffs. In an institution where people are held accountable, some employees would face hard questions about their production. Is there anyone in authority in Cullowhee that will seek answers? This situation is embarrassing. The money has been asked for and given for scholarships by the Catamount Club. It may not be all they wanted but certainly is an increase in what they have had.
By now, I would have hoped for a playoff bid yet we are on this 7 win, 3-4 win roller coaster the last few years. I read and hear a lot of philosophies of what needs to be done. But who has the authority or the presence to set things in motion to do so? I understand the lack of a chancellor hurts but some of this started before we lost him.
I stayed away from Cullowhee for many years after graduation. I like Coach Speir personally but whether it is the staff's recruiting strategy, their schemes, their motivational skills, their coaching accumen, we are at a plateau. I hate to see anyone fired but some things have got to change- new philosophies, different strategy, I don't know needs to be done but "its" not working to a capacity I think many of us would like to see. Its not just football, other than track, the athletic program just seems to meander along.
We get a lot of media coverage for our band, our increasing student body, our low tuition, our beautiful surroundings but sports is just blah. We had fairly good attendance for football even after it appeared the season would not turn out well. I fear that will not last too long.
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Post by bonsaiburke on Nov 19, 2018 5:56:48 GMT -5
Have you not been reading any of the threads in this place recently?
I only ask because it has been discussed to death.
To sum it up the administration needs to invest more in sports and Speir needs to make changes to his staff if he wants to remain as the coach. You have arguments about whether he can actually bring us a championship but those circle back to the administration. Long story short I don't see Speir getting fired for those calling for it in the off season. If he actually produces a winning season I can see the AD giving him a 2-3 year extension. We are not replacing the press box so don't ask (I won't go into the practice field fiasco).
Anything else that needs to be covered?
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Interested Fan Observations
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Post by Interested Fan Observations on Nov 19, 2018 7:13:09 GMT -5
I posted this on another link earlier and probably should have posted it here:
Many have talked about investment in the program, but you are only scratching the surface:
The same coaches that don't stick around because of poor compensation are the coaches responsible for what is usually a two or three year investment in recruits. They leave for better compensation and the recruits lose interest in WCU or follow the coach to the new team. You end of with multiple Defensive Coordinators in 5 years and you start 9 freshman on defense that are being coached with a new or different defensive scheme. WCU has one of the top offenses in the FCS and you have one common theme, a fairly consistent coaching staff.
For those that really care you should ask deeper questions. Compared to other SoCon schools how does WCU recruiting budget compare? Are our coaches allowed to stay on the road as long as other SoCon programs, make multiple visits to really understand the character of the players they are recruiting, etc.
You like to compare WCU to Appalachian but here is the thing you need to dig deeper into. Jerry Moore was close to termination for his first 5 years at Appalachian because he took over a terrible program with bad character and cleaned house. Now if you look at the final results here is what you have, Moore compiled a 215-87 record in his 24 seasons at Appalachian State, including 10 Southern Conference championships, 18 postseason appearances and an unprecedented three-straight NCAA Division I FCS/I-AA national titles (2005-07). In 31 years as a head coach, Moore was 242-135-2, (55%) which is good for 15th all-time among NCAA Division I coaches. Moore passed coaching legends Bo Schembechler (234 victories), Billy Joe (237) and Woody Hayes (238) on the all-time wins list.
I hope the members only board is focusing on what is important to take WCU to the next step. Maybe a coaching change is the right answer, but the school has made multiple attempts to change the staff and the current staff is the only staff in many years to deliver at least one 7 year winning season in a lot of years. Starting so many true freshman on defense is a recipe for a 3 win season and getting to this point started 3-4 years ago with all the defensive staff changes.
Maybe instead of spreading out money from the money games that the football team plays (sometimes 2 per season), they should make an investment in the part of the athletic program that is helping to fund the rest of the athletic program, namely the football program.
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Post by tigers95 on Nov 19, 2018 8:05:33 GMT -5
When Football becomes a priority then you will see changes. I heard the Band will be preforming at the Macy’s Day Parade again this year.
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Post by Mad Catter on Nov 19, 2018 8:13:20 GMT -5
When Football becomes a priority then you will see changes. I heard the Band will be preforming at the Macy’s Day Parade again this year.
What does the band have to do with the football program?
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Post by tigers95 on Nov 19, 2018 8:27:37 GMT -5
When Football becomes a priority then you will see changes. I heard the Band will be preforming at the Macy’s Day Parade again this year.
What does the band have to do with the football program?
They appear to be doing very well. Look at the empty Seats after halftime and you will see what the band has to do with football. We let on like the crowds come for the football games lol. 3-8 seasons don’t keep the stands full. My statement was the Football Program needs the support or focus that the Band has.
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Post by FLCATAMOUNT on Nov 19, 2018 8:50:27 GMT -5
Have you not been reading any of the threads in this place recently? I only ask because it has been discussed to death. To sum it up the administration needs to invest more in sports and Speir needs to make changes to his staff if he wants to remain as the coach. You have arguments about whether he can actually bring us a championship but those circle back to the administration. Long story short I don't see Speir getting fired for those calling for it in the off season. If he actually produces a winning season I can see the AD giving him a 2-3 year extension. We are not replacing the press box so don't ask (I won't go into the practice field fiasco). Anything else that needs to be covered? Yes it has been discussed to death, but if you follow the money, you will see what is wrong. Overall support for the Athletic Programs at Western have remained flat during the previous regime. By overall, I mean the total that the Catamount Club delivers to the University, the amount that the university allocates out of general funds, gate receipts, corporate sponsorship, etc. The Total has remained flat In that same time period since 2012, giving to the Catamount Club has more than tripled. What the administration and BOT has been doing is reducing the amount from the general fund proportionate to giving from outside sources to keep the total amount of giving to around the 2012 giving levels. So if corporate sponsorships go up by $50K, the administration cuts the amount they contribute by that amount, etc. etc. Same thing for the Catamount Club giving. Essentially, we are being duped. The slogan should be, give more to the Catamount Club so that we can cut funding to athletics so that we can pay for other academic and pet projects that we really care about. Now I know that the Legislature has cut funding during this time period also, but I think we should demand that if the Catamount Club or some other area of giving to athletics go up that the University has to put in the same amount of increase instead of cutting funding to athletics. That my friends is what is happening and why you do not see any improvements in athletics. Check the numbers and tell me why funding to athletics has remained flat. Chancellor Belcher was a great man and great cheerleader for athletics but when it came to putting the money where the mouth is, not so much at all. So the systemic problem is not one set of coaches but rather an attempt by the university to leave athletic funding stable and force as much as possible to being funding privately and using the additional funding to athletics to fund other more important priorities to the folks in charge. Or bait and switch which sadly in this case is probably legal but deceptive at best.
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Post by Mad Catter on Nov 19, 2018 11:36:08 GMT -5
What does the band have to do with the football program?
They appear to be doing very well. Look at the empty Seats after halftime and you will see what the band has to do with football. We let on like the crowds come for the football games lol. 3-8 seasons don’t keep the stands full. My statement was the Football Program needs the support or focus that the Band has. You can say the band is doing well because it isn't under the athletic programs. When I was there it was funded by the department of music and a requirement if you wanted to be part of the music program at WCU. The raise money through the Tournament of Champions and selling gear to the band participants.
*Of course some of this could have changed as it has been nearly 10 years
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Post by The Cats on Nov 19, 2018 15:27:29 GMT -5
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Post by jim64 on Nov 19, 2018 16:18:59 GMT -5
What does the band have to do with the football program?
They appear to be doing very well. Look at the empty Seats after halftime and you will see what the band has to do with football. We let on like the crowds come for the football games lol. 3-8 seasons don’t keep the stands full. My statement was the Football Program needs the support or focus that the Band has. You seem to know right much about the Band. How much money is the University putting into a Band that consists of 500 or more students? How are their travel expenses paid or what is the overall cost to the University including Music Scholarships?
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