I Do Not Get It

[Buffalo Brad]

I think it is interesting the comments we are seeing about MM in various threads. . Folks do not think he was responsible for hiring JL and it was all RG. He cannot recruit. Cannot close. Does not manage the game well. Is too emotional. Is too nerdy. Success due to anyone else on staff besides MM. I am sure other things have been said that I am forgetting and leaving out.

So many have doubts about the guy who came in and in 4 years got CU to be playing for a conference championship. Not sure why there is so much negativity and where it is all coming from. How many predicted that this season would go the direction it did? Is he Saban, no he is not. Is he perfect, no he is not. But he is the first coach to come into this dumpster fire of a program and actually turn it around.

Right now I am damn happy to have him around and glad he is our coach. Love how he represents the University and seems to be doing it the right way. We are back to winning, actually have expectations of getting back to bowl games regularly and being ranked.

Is he methodical and have a vision for what he wants in his coaches and program? To me it appears he does. Does he move as fast as we would like him to on hires, apparently not. Has he completely blown the opportunity given to and now, in my opinion, earned by him. No he has not.

Bottom line, I think MM has earned a bit of latitude by getting the Buffs back into relevancy and playing well. We will not win 10 every year but we are going to be winning more than we lose and there will be more meaningful games played in November and December in the years ahead. The future is bright for the Buffs and while it is not all due to MM, he has had a hand in it, a big one. For that I am grateful to him and glad that he is in Boulder.

 

[96 Buff]

Tl;dr

 

[sackman]

MM should have earned himself a long rope, but that would make some people admit they were wrong.

Can't have that.

 

[Johnny Juzang]

Amen. The bleating is tiresome.

 

[SINKRATZ]

Mac had a great season (December notwithstanding). I don't think you'll find anyone who says otherwise. He's gotten all the praise a coach can get for that accomplishment, and deservedly so. But that doesn't make him infallible and it doesn't buy him unquestioning loyalty from me.

As as fan who participates in a fan message board, I'm not interested in just trusting the coach unconditionally. I'm not a football coach and don't know what it's like to run a P5 program, but I'll continue criticize moves I think are questionable and praise his successes. I don't think that's out of line for fans and certainly not for message boards.

 

[Buffnik]

Mac had a great season (December notwithstanding). I don't think you'll find anyone who says otherwise. He's gotten all the praise a coach can get for that accomplishment, and deservedly so. But that doesn't make him infallible and it doesn't buy him unquestioning loyalty from me.

As as fan who participates in a fan message board, I'm not interested in just trusting the coach unconditionally. I'm not a football coach and don't know what it's like to run a P5 program, but I'll continue criticize moves I think are questionable and praise his successes. I don't think that's out of line for fans and certainly not for message boards.

I think that most CU fans would have voted Leavitt DC of the year (which he didn't win) and would not have voted MacIntyre for COY.

In fairness, MacIntyre doesn't sell himself and Leavitt went out of his way to brand himself & craft his image with CU fans.

 

[buffaholic]

There's been 3 big complaints of MacIntyre:

1. He brought his staff with him from SJSU. I personally see why he did it now. I don't think he had the rolodex. He wasn't going to pull anyone from Cutliffe's staff at Duke. His NFL ties were sort of worthless. He knew these guys and they knew how to work with him. He had to change the system our kids new, and the culture. He valued having a group of guys who could hit the ground running, rather than spend all of Dec/Jan hiring. Imagine how long that would have taken!

2. His early recruiting. It was weak, but we were the dregs of CFB. He's not a super-recruiter. But he's pretty good when a guy like Chev gets him in the Living Room, especially with Mom and Dad. Say what you want, but this past season shows that it was "good enough".

3. How long he takes to hire people, especially in the Dec/Jan timeframe. Again - his Rolodex. He hired Chev fast because he knew him. He was in the Rolodex already, but lonely in there. No doubt the man is deliberate and values making the hire he feels is right over the timeliness, even though it's Dec/Jan.

In the end, the time it took him to hire the DC will likely have little to no effect on our class.

And, he didn't just have one "great season". He accomplished the biggest turnaround in memory. Really astounding turnaround that is very rare in CFB. Really rare.

 

[White_Rabbit]

Mac had a great season (December notwithstanding). I don't think you'll find anyone who says otherwise. He's gotten all the praise a coach can get for that accomplishment, and deservedly so. But that doesn't make him infallible and it doesn't buy him unquestioning loyalty from me.

As as fan who participates in a fan message board, I'm not interested in just trusting the coach unconditionally. I'm not a football coach and don't know what it's like to run a P5 program, but I'll continue criticize moves I think are questionable and praise his successes. I don't think that's out of line for fans and certainly not for message boards.

This is where I'm at. Last year was incredible and beyond what I thought was even possible heading into the season. I was being optimistic and hopeful when I predicted 6 wins during the preseason. Mac has done an unequivocally good job at CU to get us to where we're at.

That said, I'm going to call it like I see it. I don't see the greatness in this DC hire. He doesn't have a history of success for the position we hired him for. I still have faith in Mac, but this hire worries me and makes me wonder if we're going to squander the position we're in. Mac has earned the benefit of the doubt, though, so lets see how it plays out.

 

[buff4bcs1985]

Mac had a great season (December notwithstanding). I don't think you'll find anyone who says otherwise. He's gotten all the praise a coach can get for that accomplishment, and deservedly so. But that doesn't make him infallible and it doesn't buy him unquestioning loyalty from me.

As as fan who participates in a fan message board, I'm not interested in just trusting the coach unconditionally. I'm not a football coach and don't know what it's like to run a P5 program, but I'll continue criticize moves I think are questionable and praise his successes. I don't think that's out of line for fans and certainly not for message boards.

I'm with brad. Too many people on this site(you may or may not be included in this) are unwilling to give him the benefit of the doubt or cut him the slack he's earned. No one says he's infallible or is deserving unquestionable loyalty...CUT THE MAN SOME SLACK, He's earned some leeway here... FFS he got this team to 10 wins, He won the Damn Division and a vocal portion of this site act like we only won 3 games and then he kicked y'all dog or banged your wives (sorry if it seems like im singling you out, I'm not). He's earned a reprieve from the overwhelming and unyeidling bitching and unrealistic expectactions

 

[PAC MAN]

I guess some Buff fans are difficult to please.

 

[MiamiBuffs]

If one thing is certain fans are never satisfied.

 

[SINKRATZ]

I'm with brad. Too many people on this site(you may or may not be included in this) are unwilling to give him the benefit of the doubt or cut him the slack he's earned. No one says he's infallible or is deserving unquestionable loyalty...CUT THE MAN SOME SLACK, He's earned some leeway here... FFS he got this team to 10 wins, He won the Damn Division and a vocal portion of this site act like we only won 3 games and then he kicked y'all dog or banged your wives (sorry if it seems like im singling you out, I'm not). He's earned a reprieve from the overwhelming and unyeidling bitching and unrealistic expectactions

With all due respect, I don't owe Mac s**t. He had a great season, no question, but I'm a fan not his boss so he doesn't need me to cut him slack and I'm not going to.

I think it's good and healthy to keep the pressure on our program and coaches to perform if we want to get better rather than just sitting back and riding the high of last season and assuming that means everything is roses going forward, but to each his own. I don't see it as whining, I see it as being a fan with higher expectations.

I hope you and Brad see the irony in starting a thread where you complain about bitching and whining where your approach is to bitch and whine about how fans should be treating Mac - he's a grown man, he doesn't need internet freedom fighters protecting him from message board criticism.

 

[Randy.Watson]

With all due respect, I don't owe Mac s**t. He had a great season, no question, but I'm a fan not his boss so he doesn't need me to cut him slack and I'm not going to.

I think it's good and healthy to keep the pressure on our program and coaches to perform if we want to get better rather than just sitting back and riding the high if last season and assuming that means everything is roses going forward, but to each his own. I don't see it as whining, I see it as being a fan with higher expectations.

I hope you and Brad see the irony in starting a thread where you complain about bitching and whining where your approach is to bitch and whine about how fans should be treating Mac - he's a grown man, he doesn't need internet freedom fighters protecting him from message board criticism.

Thank God we have fans like you to hold the coaches and program accountable! We fans need a reminder that we can't just sit back and rest on our laurels if we hope to repeat what we did last year. I know I have been staying sharp this off-season and keeping mental pressure on the staff, lets hope it pays off in 2017!

Or it could be that you should just dial it back a bit and enjoy the success that we are finally having, while simultaneously realizing that, short of buying tickets, nothing you think or do really affects the program at all. Relax, bro.

 

[Highlander]

With all due respect, I don't owe Mac s**t. He had a great season, no question, but I'm a fan not his boss so he doesn't need me to cut him slack and I'm not going to.

I think it's good and healthy to keep the pressure on our program and coaches to perform if we want to get better rather than just sitting back and riding the high of last season and assuming that means everything is roses going forward, but to each his own. I don't see it as whining, I see it as being a fan with higher expectations.

I hope you and Brad see the irony in starting a thread where you complain about bitching and whining where your approach is to bitch and whine about how fans should be treating Mac - he's a grown man, he doesn't need internet freedom fighters protecting him from message board criticism.

Sink - what do you believe is a realistic expectation for 2017 on the field?

 

[Duff Man]

MacIntyre is an easy guy to root for, so I have no problem admitting I have been wrong about a lot of things. The 2016 season has earned him the benefit of the doubt, we shall see where the program stands in 3ish years (arbitrary, but also the length of Eliot's contract).

 

[BuffNut99]

At a minimum, Mac needs to spring for a new tailor.

 

[SINKRATZ]

Thank God we have fans like you to hold the coaches and program accountable! We fans need a reminder that we can't just sit back and rest on our laurels if we hope to repeat what we did last year. I know I have been staying sharp this off-season and keeping mental pressure on the staff, lets hope it pays off in 2017!

Or it could be that you should just dial it back a bit and enjoy the success that we are finally having, while simultaneously realizing that, short of buying tickets, nothing you think or do really affects the program at all. Relax, bro.

Look, I'm not telling anyone how to be a fan, I'm just telling you how I feel - you're free to do what you like. But starting a thread complaining about message board posters cutting our HC some slack is about as bitchy and whiny as it gets.

I enjoy the debate and discussion been people with contrarian views, that's a big reason I come here. If you guys are going to whine about people having views that are different from your own, maybe message boards aren't for you.

 

[BuffGAP]

It's hard for fans to feel really great based on how the season ended. Yes it was a magical year, but it couldn't have ended much worse. Some of MM coaching decisions were very questionable- playing a hurt Sefo, ultra conservative play calling, poor game management, game preparation etc.

We were stacked with a senior class and had excellent leadership last season. The next two years will be very telling of MM. We're all hoping for the best, but I don't think he deserves a long leash. This program still has a long way to go.

 

[Bufffan68]

He's a really good coach and deserves the credit due. Who hired our great assistants? Who built the culture? Who won a P5 division championship w G5 talent? Those were his recruits JL was coaching. The 3-4 scheme we run is his not jl's.

The dude won the top asst coach award as D.C. at Duke and was a finalist for COY honors at SJSU and swept the COY awards at CU.

I fell off the Mac bandwagon after Hawaii but I'm so glad I was wrong.

He's def not above criticism but I don't get what looks like animosity and dismissivness by some folks.

 

[Randy.Watson]

Look, I'm not telling anyone how to be a fan, I'm just telling you how I feel - you're free to do what you like. But starting a thread complaining about message board posters cutting our HC some slack is about as bitchy and whiny as it gets.

I enjoy the debate and discussion been people with contrarian views, that's a big reason I come here. If you guys are going to whine about people having views that are different from your own, maybe message boards aren't for you.

In all seriousness, this post says a lot about how you view message boards and interactions here, thanks. I definitely have a better understanding of how you're approaching things and will consider that going forward.

For me, I'm just a guy who went to CU and have fun following the team and keeping that connection to a state and school that I love. If it wasn't fun for me to follow the team anymore or I was getting so hung up on micro details that I have zero control over, I'd probably walk away from it. But that's me. I suppose everyone has their reasons for being a fan and express their "fandom" in different ways.

 

[Duff Man]

24/7 sunshine pumping is boring and contrived.

 

[SINKRATZ]

Sink - what do you believe is a realistic expectation for 2017 on the field?

7 wins, and win a bowl game. Top 25 recruiting class for 2018.

I won't be calling for Mac's head if we fall short of that goal, but I do want to see us parlay the success of 2016 into some sustained momentum for this program rather than it being a blip. Since the end of November it has felt like we were losing all momentum. I hope closing out this recruiting class strong will give us another shot in the arm heading into spring.

 

[pcbuff]

This is my crazy conspiracy theory based upon nothing.

Leavitt was pushed for by RG to Build an escape plan if the season started the way previous years had. MM kicked ass and Leavitt is gone. MM earned the right to hire his replacement and found a guy who is not a threat, and who he can mentor(control).
We'll see how it works. I will give him the benefit of the doubt, as I did Tumpkin in the Alamo bowl. Tumpkin fell on his face, although it seems like his job may not of been his top priority in the weeks leading to that game.
I thought we would reach higher with this hire. I'm still living in the eighties, and see CU as a top 25 program that some years will play in the conference championship game and some seasons will bust into the top 10 in national rankings and with facilities that are the best in the damn country. I guess I see us as way above Duke.
So, I won't bash this hire any more and will continue to support MM. But I certainly understand doubt doubt and even anger at this hire. We are fans and we are starved for continued success.

 

[Buffnik]

This is my crazy conspiracy theory based upon nothing.

Leavitt was pushed for by RG to Build an escape plan if the season started the way previous years had. MM kicked ass and Leavitt is gone. MM earned the right to hire his replacement and found a guy who is not a threat, and who he can mentor(control).
We'll see how it works. I will give him the benefit of the doubt, as I did Tumpkin in the Alamo bowl. Tumpkin fell on his face, although it seems like his job may not of been his top priority in the weeks leading to that game.
I thought we would reach higher with this hire. I'm still living in the eighties, and see CU as a top 25 program that some years will play in the conference championship game and some seasons will bust into the top 10 in national rankings and with facilities that are the best in the damn country. I guess I see us as way above Duke.
So, I won't bash this hire any more and will continue to support MM. But I certainly understand doubt doubt and even anger at this hire. We are fans and we are starved for continued success.

The thing about that theory that I always questioned is that it doesn't make sense to me that you'd plan to promote from within if you're firing the HC for the program failing.

I could see JL being looked at as someone who was in line to be promoted if the program succeeded and HCMM left for another job. That makes sense to me. But it doesn't resonate with me that you'd promote someone from inside a failure. Even Bohn knew not to do that when Cabral took over for Hawkins' train wreck as interim HC and almost turned it to the point of getting bowl eligible.

 

[pcbuff]

The thing about that theory that I always questioned is that it doesn't make sense to me that you'd plan to promote from within if you're firing the HC for the program failing.

I could see JL being looked at as someone who was in line to be promoted if the program succeeded and HCMM left for another job. That makes sense to me. But it doesn't resonate with me that you'd promote someone from inside a failure. Even Bohn knew not to do that when Cabral took over for Hawkins' train wreck as interim HC and almost turned it to the point of getting bowl eligible.

I would say that he was the outsider, and not part of the failure. But, I also understand and concede your point.
It really doesn't matter. We have a new D.C., and I hope he keeps this D in the top half statistically in college football next year.

 

[sackman]

24/7 sunshine pumping is boring and contrived.

As is 24/7 pissing and moaning.

 

[Duff Man]

As is 24/7 pissing and moaning.

Of course.

 

[Buffnik]

I would say that he was the outsider, and not part of the failure. But, I also understand and concede your point.
It really doesn't matter. We have a new D.C., and I hope he keeps this D in the top half statistically in college football next year.

Absolutely.

As a quick P.S. - I think your theory was actually the one that JL wanted to mold perception/ opinion toward and it's why he held himself apart from things. He was trying to position himself as the guy who needed to take over the program. That's my theory on things, fwiw.

 

[cu62nu36]

7 wins, and win a bowl game. Top 25 recruiting class for 2018.

I won't be calling for Mac's head if we fall short of that goal, but I do want to see us parlay the success of 2016 into some sustained momentum for this program rather than it being a blip. Since the end of November it has felt like we were losing all momentum. I hope closing out this recruiting class strong will give us another shot in the arm heading into spring.

Those are reasonable expectations and MM should be held accountable to these.

 

[goalline]

Absolutely.

As a quick P.S. - I think your theory was actually the one that JL wanted to mold perception/ opinion toward and it's why he held himself apart from things. He was trying to position himself as the guy who needed to take over the program. That's my theory on things, fwiw.

I'm sure that's why he took the Oregon gig. It all fits. He goes there for 2 years, long enough for MMac to blow it, then swoops in to save CU in 2019 or so.