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BOULDER – Crisp, fall air has started settling in along the front range of Colorado, with that too, the reminder of winter, which is coming. But the air in Boulder is different this fall.
It smells of a self created rise which has gathered together little evidence of real climbing skills, up to this point. Instead, that air smells suspicious, almost like a climber stuck on the second flatiron on the verge of calling in the police for a rescue, so he can decline and give up his ascension.
That climber, it feels like, might be the Colorado Buffaloes football program.
A rise that began with a rather disastrous fall, the Buffs are trying to regain their former glory. Glory that is well documented and deserved. Nevertheless, nothing in sports is promised. As the program found out in the past ten years, anyone at anytime can suffer from a slump in sports—or worse.
Yet it’s time for that slump to end and if it doesn’t happen this year, one has to question if it will ever happen under the current regime that has held the reigns for the last four years.
It’s clear as day that Colorado has climbed out their darkest nights. Obtaining better talent every year through recruiting and developing lesser heralded recruits, plus improving aesthetically both on and off the field and building world class facilities. This has generated momentum within the fan base and the program itself that led to this whole idea of a rise at all.
But the bottom line being wins and losses, this rise has plateaued perhaps before it ever truly ascended. Mike MacIntyre has yet to win more than four games in Boulder, with bowl eligibility eluding him because of late game collapses, slightly missed opportunities, and injuries. And if the Buffs performance doesn’t better their win-loss record this season, it will be more than fair to ask whether or not this climb is rising or if this climb is now heading towards the same territory the program and those around it thought they’d left behind.
The rise needs to reach a peak, now. The rise has gained in elevation and passed over a few ridge lines on the way, but a bowl game being a peak, it’s time to get there or turn back before nightfalls. This is college football in 2016—excuses don’t fan flames and they don’t sign contract extensions.
What would nightfall be?
Nightfall would be, all of this built up momentum and hype which has created “the rise” collapses. Nightfall would be this program being in the same place that it was when MacIntyre took over, resultless. Nightfall is encroaching. Nightfall is scary. There’s only one way to succeed with its fast intrusion.
Win.
The time has come. It is now bowl or bust for MacIntyre and his Colorado Buffaloes. He and his team have set their goals, with the culmination of them being a bowl. With that in mind, the time is now for MacIntyre to be held accountable—six or that’s it.
It wouldn’t be fair to MacIntyre or the Buffaloes to say progress hasn’t been made in the past few years. It is fair to say the time is now for that progress to become accomplishment.
If this rise doesn’t reach a 14er this year, it will be just another footnote in the storied past of Boulder, a footnote too easily forgotten. If the Buffs can reach a huge stepping stone in the rise, it could be an even bigger clue as to what things might be to come. The moment is now, this is the year, it either happens or it doesn’t. This season, the Colorado Buffaloes need to get to their long treasured bowl game, otherwise, press a reset button.
Jake Shapiro
Continue reading...
It smells of a self created rise which has gathered together little evidence of real climbing skills, up to this point. Instead, that air smells suspicious, almost like a climber stuck on the second flatiron on the verge of calling in the police for a rescue, so he can decline and give up his ascension.
That climber, it feels like, might be the Colorado Buffaloes football program.
A rise that began with a rather disastrous fall, the Buffs are trying to regain their former glory. Glory that is well documented and deserved. Nevertheless, nothing in sports is promised. As the program found out in the past ten years, anyone at anytime can suffer from a slump in sports—or worse.
Yet it’s time for that slump to end and if it doesn’t happen this year, one has to question if it will ever happen under the current regime that has held the reigns for the last four years.
It’s clear as day that Colorado has climbed out their darkest nights. Obtaining better talent every year through recruiting and developing lesser heralded recruits, plus improving aesthetically both on and off the field and building world class facilities. This has generated momentum within the fan base and the program itself that led to this whole idea of a rise at all.
But the bottom line being wins and losses, this rise has plateaued perhaps before it ever truly ascended. Mike MacIntyre has yet to win more than four games in Boulder, with bowl eligibility eluding him because of late game collapses, slightly missed opportunities, and injuries. And if the Buffs performance doesn’t better their win-loss record this season, it will be more than fair to ask whether or not this climb is rising or if this climb is now heading towards the same territory the program and those around it thought they’d left behind.
The rise needs to reach a peak, now. The rise has gained in elevation and passed over a few ridge lines on the way, but a bowl game being a peak, it’s time to get there or turn back before nightfalls. This is college football in 2016—excuses don’t fan flames and they don’t sign contract extensions.
What would nightfall be?
Nightfall would be, all of this built up momentum and hype which has created “the rise” collapses. Nightfall would be this program being in the same place that it was when MacIntyre took over, resultless. Nightfall is encroaching. Nightfall is scary. There’s only one way to succeed with its fast intrusion.
Win.
The time has come. It is now bowl or bust for MacIntyre and his Colorado Buffaloes. He and his team have set their goals, with the culmination of them being a bowl. With that in mind, the time is now for MacIntyre to be held accountable—six or that’s it.
It wouldn’t be fair to MacIntyre or the Buffaloes to say progress hasn’t been made in the past few years. It is fair to say the time is now for that progress to become accomplishment.
If this rise doesn’t reach a 14er this year, it will be just another footnote in the storied past of Boulder, a footnote too easily forgotten. If the Buffs can reach a huge stepping stone in the rise, it could be an even bigger clue as to what things might be to come. The moment is now, this is the year, it either happens or it doesn’t. This season, the Colorado Buffaloes need to get to their long treasured bowl game, otherwise, press a reset button.
Jake Shapiro
Continue reading...