I never want to see the Buffs lose for any reason. If Dan Hawkins wins football games he can say all the silly stuff he wants. Just win.
In 2005, I was rooting as hard as possible for a team and program that appeared to have the school, administration, press, state legistlature, DA's office, Boulder PD, and much of the community trying to hang them, any hope of it coming back under Barnett imploded. We lost 4 straight, including 100-6 combined to NU and UT. Heart broken.
It was also very clear and would become clear that the recruiting classes of '04 and '05 (Gary's last) during this above "Scandal" and the '06 class that Hawk would bring in with about 1 month to assemble, would have very little contributors for a variety of reasons.
I told people, this is going to really come home and hurt in '08 and '09 when these kids should be upperclassmen. The '07 kids are what is now our RS Junior class. The '04/05/06 classes were really poor. Check the NFL draft the last few years.
If someone would have told me then, "we are going to be really bad for awhile, and even in 2009, we will suck, but our young guys will be getting a lot of experience as we attempt to built talent and depth and in 2010 we are going to be back to bowl games and perhaps top 25 - and the program will finally be perceived as turning a corner and recruiting will pick up nicely", I would have said "I WILL TAKE THAT". Hell yes.
I can't figure out 2009. Obviously Dan had higher hopes as well with his 10 win forecast. Maybe he can't coach, but maybe, just maybe, it needed another year. Either way, he got the year.
I'm optimistic about 2010 - I always am. If we lose early, fine, let's start looking for a new coach. But I'm not ready to root against them to get a new coach because I think he may not be the guy. Hell, he may be the guy! Win 10 freakin games and you are my guy Dan. I will put up with all the silly crap you say - and it will probably become entertaining once again.
BTW, Mac says the most irritating things but everyone loves it because he was winning. If he was losing, you'd think he was nuts....
We'll know something in 3 weeks.