Imagine being the new hire to be the face of Cowboy Basketball. You get off Big Scare Airlines at Laramie Regional Airport and then it hits: You gotta sell a tired fanbase on yet another rebuild, repair a brand your detached boss allowed (and still allows) to be diminished, find a whole bunch of guys who can actually play, and provide fans with a competitive product they’ll be willing to invest in for a 2nd season.
And then the 45 mph wind blows open your briefcase, sending your folder of recruiting profiles to Kimball.
I only see Foster as a player viable for the immediate future—others have been unable to break out of/develop past AE’s coaching limitations, and many are the same player as they were the first time they took the floor. But we’ll keep more than just him.
I think the first year could be like 2011-2012. Shyatt and Burman needed wins so we scheduled non-conference games vs. Western State, Portland State, Maryland Eastern Shore, Utah Valley (twice), UC Irvine, Sioux Falls, and Idaho State (twice). Contrived winning to give fans the notion the program is competitive again. Return five guys from a roster that went 10-21 (3-13) the previous year… and go 21-12 (6-8). Poof..winning.
Unfortunately, the magic trick got old, the conference became average at best, and, the program began the decline. 3 CBI tournaments one NCAA bid (cough) and a 46-52 conference record in five seasons—and we started losing to some of those weak programs)
So you’re the FNG: Do you do what Shyatt did, keep a core of 3-4 players that show promise, bring in a bunch of new players (a lot of them freshmen), and schedule primarily winnable games at home? You can pacify a fanbase and blow up weak non-conference schedules while having your a$$ handed to you in conference in the short term, but what gets built?
Do you start over again, endure lots more losing, and build it your way…can it be done with a fanbase that already doesn't care?
Do you try to load up with JC’s and be competitive right away and re-ignite a dead fanbase?
I’m tired of losing. If I were emperor, I'd replace 2/3 of the roster with the Region IX all-star team, promise all of them 30 minutes a game and try to win immediately. New faces please….
And then the 45 mph wind blows open your briefcase, sending your folder of recruiting profiles to Kimball.
I only see Foster as a player viable for the immediate future—others have been unable to break out of/develop past AE’s coaching limitations, and many are the same player as they were the first time they took the floor. But we’ll keep more than just him.
I think the first year could be like 2011-2012. Shyatt and Burman needed wins so we scheduled non-conference games vs. Western State, Portland State, Maryland Eastern Shore, Utah Valley (twice), UC Irvine, Sioux Falls, and Idaho State (twice). Contrived winning to give fans the notion the program is competitive again. Return five guys from a roster that went 10-21 (3-13) the previous year… and go 21-12 (6-8). Poof..winning.
Unfortunately, the magic trick got old, the conference became average at best, and, the program began the decline. 3 CBI tournaments one NCAA bid (cough) and a 46-52 conference record in five seasons—and we started losing to some of those weak programs)
So you’re the FNG: Do you do what Shyatt did, keep a core of 3-4 players that show promise, bring in a bunch of new players (a lot of them freshmen), and schedule primarily winnable games at home? You can pacify a fanbase and blow up weak non-conference schedules while having your a$$ handed to you in conference in the short term, but what gets built?
Do you start over again, endure lots more losing, and build it your way…can it be done with a fanbase that already doesn't care?
Do you try to load up with JC’s and be competitive right away and re-ignite a dead fanbase?
I’m tired of losing. If I were emperor, I'd replace 2/3 of the roster with the Region IX all-star team, promise all of them 30 minutes a game and try to win immediately. New faces please….
