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Article: An open letter to the CU community

"Will that Embree turn out to be a good hire? I wish I had a crystal ball. I think the worst case is that he'll build a solid foundation, leave a roster than can compete, and set the table for someone else to come in and win quickly.

But the administration needs to be prepared to make a move in a different direction if we're not seeing the right signs with recruiting and the on-field record after 3 years.
The administration also needs to be prepared to make some changes to give Embree all the tools he needs to compete on equal or favorable terms with the top BCS programs. We need to support him, but be prepared to thank him and move on too."

Great insight and good post. Thanks 'Nik...

With where CU was with the last HC I think Embree needs 5 years. CU needs continuity with a solid staff. Embree deserves 5. Hawkins didn't. Embree has the pedigree, he's young and he "gets it" in my book. If CU starts firing every 2 to 3 years there will never be stability.

As for the rest of your post, completely agree and well said.

Embree needs time, and CU no matter who tries to bring us down will eventually rise to the top again. CU represents greatness, and always will...
 
How do you think I feel as a lifelong Cubs fan and CU alum? I feel like my fandom of each has started to merge into a combined state. That's not good.
 
Excellent write-up, 'Nik. I share your concerns virtually across the board. However, I'm determined to keep doing my small part to help us succeed. The frustration is getting old, but we must keep soldiering on, voicing our concerns, and getting this mother****ing football program/ athletic program to where it deserves to be!

I should add that I'm living proof that athletics can influence one's college decision. I grew up in an area where kids flocked to ACC and SEC schools, but something about CU's gutsy fights against Nebraska in the 90's stuck in my head and always made CU a school I loved. When it came time to look at colleges, CU was the last school I visited and I was sold. Now, I obviously didn't make my decision solely based on athletics, but you get the idea. Success in athletics sells your program and improves your school academically. It sickens me to see Virginia Tech's rise academically while we've seemingly stagnated over the last decade.

This is the most crucial period in our athletic department history. It's imperative we do not **** this up, and that's certainly by no means guaranteed.
 
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Spot on post, Buffnik. I can't find a single thing to dispute in all of that. As a native Coloradan who has spent 9 years in the CU education system, its been disappointing on so many levels to see CU flounder.

1. Our leaders are not committed to marketing the University ... through its marketing division: Football.
2. I'll go one step further and say we need to be very quick on the trigger in regards to Embree. Results have been worse than Hawkins, recruiting is very poor and there is no national hype. Tough luck Embree; you were left a disaster from Hawkins, but you also were vastly under qualified. The media recently ranked you as the worst coach in the pac12.

On the bright side,
1. We have the Pac12 golden ticket. Money, exposure, stability and a clean slate.
2. Tad's one of the best basketball coaches in the nation and I hope our admin pays him so. To see what a great coach can immediately do for a downtrodden program, alums/boosters should look no further than across campus to Tad's office. Then apply that standard to Football with Embree and ask why.
 
I will throw this out there and you all can lambaste me for it: Pete Carroll will be ready for a return to college ball in 2015 ...

Just saying.
 
Great stuff Nik! I think you're spot on across the board.

And the biggest surprise to me? You're not a CU alum. I always assumed you were.
 
Great letter Buffnik I have had these thoughts recently but I am not as good at putting into words the way you did. Brick by Brick but we need the best builders to complete the work.

Go Buffs
 
Great post Nik! I agree with you almost entirely. Embree may be on a shorter leash than anyone realizes. I've stated before that I wonder if he isn't the long term solution. Either way, He's at least got us heading in a better direction in recruiting. If he isn't the answer long term, an upper tier coach will certainly benefit from his efforts. I'm not a CU alum either. I chose to take a scholarahip at a D2 school rather than take CU's walk on offer. Oh well. I grew up in CO and ever since I knew what football was, I loved CU and hated the huskers. Go Buffs!
 
With where CU was with the last HC I think Embree needs 5 years. CU needs continuity with a solid staff. Embree deserves 5. Hawkins didn't. Embree has the pedigree, he's young and he "gets it" in my book. If CU starts firing every 2 to 3 years there will never be stability.

I agree. CU needs some stability, and needs to cool its expectations for a while. I'm talking to the people that think getting into the NC conversation is only 3-5 years away for any program with the right coach. If we hire Nick Saban, maybe it would be. But too many programs chase that dream thinking the next guy HAS to be better. Or if we spend more money, we'll get a better coach. Doesn't always work out like that. Perception may give Embree 3 years, but I don't think that's realistic for anybody in his position. It's really not even enough time to build a solid foundation given the current state of the program.
 
Spot on post, Buffnik. I can't find a single thing to dispute in all of that. As a native Coloradan who has spent 9 years in the CU education system, its been disappointing on so many levels to see CU flounder.

1. Our leaders are not committed to marketing the University ... through its marketing division: Football.
2. I'll go one step further and say we need to be very quick on the trigger in regards to Embree. Results have been worse than Hawkins, recruiting is very poor and there is no national hype. Tough luck Embree; you were left a disaster from Hawkins, but you also were vastly under qualified. The media recently ranked you as the worst coach in the pac12.

On the bright side,
1. We have the Pac12 golden ticket. Money, exposure, stability and a clean slate.
2. Tad's one of the best basketball coaches in the nation and I hope our admin pays him so. To see what a great coach can immediately do for a downtrodden program, alums/boosters should look no further than across campus to Tad's office. Then apply that standard to Football with Embree and ask why.

The university just hired a Chief Marketing Officer, a guy from the NBA, so I don't think your first point is valid any more.

And Embree "vastly under qualified"? A highly recruited player, NCAA coach for 10+ years and an NFL coach for years. Again, I don't think your point is valid. He may lack HC experience, but I don't think that makes him "vastly under qualified".
 
Very interesting, inspired post. Hard to argue with most of it. I do agree with others who have said he should really get more time, but ONLY if we see steady progress. I know we are going to be crazy young this year, but if we don't get close to 6-6 and we end up with just 3 or 4 wins that is not acceptable.

But if he gets 5-6 this year and 6-8 next year than he is showing his system can work and capable of achieving steady improvement-than 5 years should be his window.
 
Very interesting, inspired post. Hard to argue with most of it. I do agree with others who have said he should really get more time, but ONLY if we see steady progress. I know we are going to be crazy young this year, but if we don't get close to 6-6 and we end up with just 3 or 4 wins that is not acceptable.

But if he gets 5-6 this year and 6-8 next year than he is showing his system can work and capable of achieving steady improvement-than 5 years should be his window.

That was what I meant by having the right trajectory after 3 years.

For instance, Barry Alvarez took over at Wisconsin and went 1-10, 5-6, 5-6 (with an increase from 2 to 3 conference wins in year three). That's showing things are headed in the right direction. In year 4, Alvarez went 10-1-1. Very few coaches are ever going to match the Harbaugh performance, an an oft-used example, of going 4-8, 5-7, 8-5. In year 4, Harbaugh went 12-1. Those are the standards for turning around a program seen from some of the best college coaches I've seen in my lifetime.

Let's say that Embree goes from 3-10 (#36 recruiting class), to 5-7 and then 5-7 again while keeping our recruiting classes in the top 40. I'd be in favor of a 4th year. But I'd expect a breakthrough to a bowl game and top half of the conference that year or I'd feel like we'd need to move in a different direction.
 
The university just hired a Chief Marketing Officer, a guy from the NBA, so I don't think your first point is valid any more.

And Embree "vastly under qualified"? A highly recruited player, NCAA coach for 10+ years and an NFL coach for years. Again, I don't think your point is valid. He may lack HC experience, but I don't think that makes him "vastly under qualified".


I use the term 'Marketing' in a figurative sense. A dominant football team IS the University's whole and only marketing division. Look at how it winning has affected Oregon. Doesn't have to do with any new suit CU hires and what minor branding effort he/she attempts.

Embree was an unknown tight ends coach in the NFL and an assistant HC and tight ends coach at UCLA. CSU's new coach has a better resume than that.
 
The football program is struggling because of Boulder, not because of the handful of people currently employed in important positions. Boulder might be the number one city for feminism on Earth. It's the undisputed #1 destination for women rock climbers. 'Nuff said. It's very hard to see big-time football fitting into today's Boulder. Maybe they can have a women's mountain bike skills class at half time, with a seminar on natural food start-ups after the game. Get your ice cold acai berry smoothy! Every woman in Boulder over 50 is using estrogen pills, and that contaminates the air and water. That's why Embree has man-boobs.
 
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The body can only go where the head leads it.

When do we get Nik's evaluation of CU'S regents?

The R or D associated with these elected officials is less important than their position on Ws and Ls.
 
Good to see PD getting on board with winning championships. My issue is that he is a puppet for Benson who I se as the main roadblock to our moving forward. Benson needs to go. We need someone in the president's role that is not only a politician but is a person who sells the vision for success for CU. Do not react but be a visionary and a leader. Be a sales person and sell the **** out of it to the legislature, the press, and the alumni.
 
The football program is struggling because of Boulder, not because of the handful of people currently employed in important positions. Boulder might be the number one city for feminism on Earth. It's the undisputed #1 destination for women rock climbers. 'Nuff said. It's very hard to see big-time football fitting into today's Boulder. Maybe they can have a women's mountain bike skills class at half time, with a seminar on natural food start-ups after the game. Get your ice cold acai berry smoothy! Every woman in Boulder over 50 is using estrogen pills, and that contaminates the air and water. That's why Embree has man-boobs.

haha...this post made me laugh.

thanks alice.
 
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