FB: Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference

[JacketsFan]

Altor: "You, sir, are the eternal pessimist."

Who stepped on your ventilator tube, altor? I'm not a pessimist. I'm a realist. A pragmatist. The four years my son played at DC, I watched the current head coach use the former head coach's recruiting class as the base he was apparently trying to build on and he had two years where he had a nice run going. Unfortunately, he insisted on sticking with a lousy QB and he quit recruiting outside the state. This can't all be laid at the door of short funding. The man doesn't know how to recruit. If he did, he wouldn't have an O-line that looks like a box of Dunkin Donuts, a QB that can't throw a shuttlecock across a badminton net or an offense that looks like a Three Stooges skit. For the first couple of years or so, I was working hard down here hooking him up with potential recruits. Then he started showing a total lack of interest. After awhile, I quit hearing from him altogether. I used to take time off work and drive to schools in the area and talk to them about DC football. But when the head coach appears to stop even appreciating the efforts others are making for him gratis, his ship ain't to float for long. I think the same thing happened with another former DC player on the West Coast if I'm not mistaken.

DC got beat again today. No small surprise. Yeah, I know, I'm just a pessimist. Let me set you straight on something, amigo. In gunnery practice, the range instructor showed us how to set our sights a little higher in order to hit the ten ring on the far down range targets. I never did have a range instructor tell me to aim for the middle of the target. Start doing that and you end up where DC is right now - Maggie's Drawers. And unless something changes ASAP, I don't see DC winning a single game this season. If they don't do something asap, they're to be wearing Maggie's Drawers the rest of the season. Losing is in their heads and it's taking a toll. Can y'all understand this? Here, boy, let me put some butter on them grits. It'll make them taste better.

[SaintsFAN]

I've found that sugar helps make the grits taste better, Joe. 

Completely agree with your assessment though

[Jackets Backer]

DC got beat again today. No small surprise. Yeah, I know, I'm just a pessimist. Let me set you straight on something, amigo. In gunnery practice, the range instructor showed us how to set our sights a little higher in order to hit the ten ring on the far down range targets. I never did have a range instructor tell me to aim for the middle of the target. Start doing that and you end up where DC is right now - Maggie's Drawers. And unless something changes ASAP, I don't see DC winning a single game this season. If they don't do something asap, they're to be wearing Maggie's Drawers the rest of the season. Losing is in their heads and it's taking a toll. Can y'all understand this?

I understand it. Losing is in there heads, has been the last couple of years. That mentality has to change if this program is going to join the Mount and Franklin at the top of the HCAC heap.

DC should've nailed the coffin shut against Manchester today in the first 8 minutes. The Spartans gift-wrapped it for them and DC said nah, we don't want it. DC recovered a fumble at the MC one, recovered another at the MC 30 and on their third possession started at midfield and ended up with a grand total of 7 points with some of the greatest field position in the history of football. Plus they dropped an interception that would've went for an easy touchdown in the first quarter. Could've scored 28, 17 at the very least.

[cave2bens]

I've found that sugar helps make the grits taste better, Joe.

Geez, SaintsFAN - that's a big, hell no!  Either a pinch of salt, pepper, or red-eyed gravy (a country ham grease-coffee concoction) or shrimp and cheese in 'em.  Sugar is reserved for rotting teeth in tea. 

Completely agree with your assessment though

AMEN!!!  Something about if one can't say anything nice...  but the cheerleader outfits weren't hard on these old eyes.

[JacketsFan]

Saints, if y'all come down heah and put sugah in yo grits, y'all leave us no choice but to walk over to yo table, tip our Confederate hats politely, and say, ""Excuse me, Suh, Y'all ain't from around heah, are y'all?" We will then nod our heads in the general direction of the parking lot and cheerfully invite y'all to leave.

Brother Bob's got it right. It's butter, salt, pepper and/or gravy. Or, if you order fried eggs, you can even chop up them in the grits. It you really want a treat to make your carotids crackle, you can mix up some flour in your cooked grits, dice up some sweet Vidalia onion in it, make patties with the mixture and fry it in a  skillet of bacon grease.

You nailed it, Lynn. The DC train started at Victory Station and then the dumb conductor proceeded to head down the wrong tracks towards Perdition.

[cave2bens]

You nailed it, Lynn. The DC train started at Victory Station and then the dumb conductor proceeded to head down the wrong tracks towards Perdition.

Best comment I've heard was an hour ago from an alumnus bud  - the unbeaten DC team was honored at Homecoming yesterday...

"The level of incompetence was such it made me want to puke..."

Pretty good lineup of old guys there - Lichtenberg, England, Gifford, Jeff Smith, Dave Scott, Rocky Tisdale, Mike Wright, and Ben Davis from the "good old days"

[Adam Sayer]

The hardest part about building a winner is changing the perception. I don't think that is anything people don't know, however, when was the last time you heard of a coach, who had some years in at a school, turn around the program? It doesn't happen. Turnarounds come about when you bring in someone new. Actually, I don't remember any coach, who had multiple lackluster years at an institution, turn that team into a consistent winning program.

The great example I was part of is MSJ. Prior to Rod Huber being hired, the best year MSJ ever had was 5-4. They had 7 losing seasons, 1 winning season (the 5-4 year), and 2 .500 seasons. Rod was hired, and though the turnabout took time, MSJ is now a rock solid program. Rod was a coach during the bad times, but not the head coach.

I guess what the past states, unfortunately for you DC fans, as long as the current coach is there, you aint gonna win anything.

[formerd3db]

The hardest part about building a winner is changing the perception. I don't think that is anything people don't know, however, when was the last time you heard of a coach, who had some years in at a school, turn around the program? It doesn't happen. Turnarounds come about when you bring in someone new. Actually, I don't remember any coach, who had multiple lackluster years at an institution, turn that team into a consistent winning program.

The great example I was part of is MSJ. Prior to Rod Huber being hired, the best year MSJ ever had was 5-4. They had 7 losing seasons, 1 winning season (the 5-4 year), and 2 .500 seasons. Rod was hired, and though the turnabout took time, MSJ is now a rock solid program. Rod was a coach during the bad times, but not the head coach.

I guess what the past states, unfortunately for you DC fans, as long as the current coach is there, you aint gonna win anything.

Well Sayer, you are correct on some of your comments above regarding perception and attitude changes.  However, with all due respect, I disagree with you on the other aspect i.e. a coach being at a school for a number of years having lackluster seasons before turning the program around.  While rare, it does happen - case in point, Jim Lyall of Adrian College (you are perhaps a little too young to remember, just being recently out of your college playing days ).  The former University of Michigan standout under the late Bo Schembechler has been Head Coach at Adrian since the 1990 season and had several lackluster seasons before turning Adrian's program around to a consistent winning program:  Lyall's record:

1990 4-4-1
1991 4-5
1992 2-7
1993 2-7
1994 3-6
1995 6-3
1996 3-6
1997 8-0-1
1998 5-4
1999 2-7
2000 2-8
2001 2-8
2002 7-3
2003 8-2
2004 6-4
2005 8-2
2006 5-5
2007 7-3
2008 8-2
2009 pending

Just noting this "for the record".

[Adam Sayer]

Touche'

[formerd3db]

Thank you!

[SaintsFAN]

Add to what Formerd3db said, Rod Huber was on staff at MSJ when they sucked.  He was the defensive coordinator.  I'm sure there are examples of what Adam is saying, but IMO, Rod Huber is not one of them.

[Jackets Backer]

Not to get off topic here but what the heck happened at MSJ? Their website is actually pretty nice now.

[cave2bens]

Not to get off topic here...

Good idea, before the Maumee Marauders and Tiffin River Trollops put out contracts, and a couple of us end up in Wohn's Pond with cement overshoes 

[Jackets Backer]

Good idea, before the Maumee Marauders and Tiffin River Trollops put out contracts, and a couple of us end up in Wohn's Pond with cement overshoes

They may have already struck. Actually there was a dead body found on the Back 40 at DC a couple weeks back.

[KYGrizzly]

Looks like the interesting game this week in HCAC action could be the matchup between Hanover and Mount St. Joe's.

Does anyone think Hanover has a chance in this game?

I know you are not supposed to compare scores of games from common opponents, but they did play Rose down to the wire last week which Mount St. Joes beat by 7, and they both put up over fifty points against Anderson.  I believe their overall record is only 1 - 4, but the overall record for the D3 schools they have played out of conference is about 9 - 2 and D2 Butler is undefeated in which they lost by a similar score that Franklin lost to Butler by.

Could Hanover be the surprise team in the conference this year since they were picked to finish second to last in the pre season ratings.

Just wandering what anybody else's take is on this game.