“We maybe have been guilty of building a façade that maybe didn't reveal the hole that we were in and the severity of the situation we were in associated with the program,” Bohn said.
Now is this just his way of dodging a bullet? Sounds very much like one of those excuses Dan Hawkins told us all about in his 10 wins or no excuses speech.
The first step to recovery is acknowledging there is a problem. I appriciate Bohn's latent self-awareness.
Bohn has done an admirable job setting the table for Hawkin's success over the past four years. He has worked his marketing magic to get people to forget the pseudo-scandal and get people back into Folsom. He did his part to generate interest in the program.
But the product on the field didn't match the marketing. It has been all sizzle, and no steak.
If Bohn has a fatal flaw, it's focusing in on the "business stuff" while giving Dan Hawkins unchecked trust and authority to run the football program.
As fans, we are duped because we bought into the marketing, hook line and sinker. We were sold on tradition and progress. But when it comes to game day, the fans and the viewing public have been served up two nationally televised examples of bad football in the same week.
Any restaurant owner knows that customer loyalty starts in the kitchen. A terrible meal in a fancy dining room won't win you many customers. Leftover hamburger helper served up on a silver plate is still hamburger helper.
To shift metaphores to the movie business, Bohn has just produced and released the NCAA equivalent of Ishtar or Gigli. It's not enough to have a nationwide release. The movie has to be good, too. CSU is sitting on Slumdog Millionaire. CU fans are walking out of the theatre.
It will be hard for Bohn to trick the fan base twice. Getting his message into allignment with his product is critical for his success.