What is the reality of 6-7?

[Matt Cotcher]

I wrote this in a Wire post 2 weeks ago. After tonight, it's appropriate to discuss....

The difference between 7-6 and 6-7

It seems like yesterday, when Texas fans were enthusiastically prognosticating about the clean slate that was the season ahead of them. It was Charlie Strong's first year, and while there were plenty of unknowns lurking, optimism was high.

Then David Ash was concussed. Again. Then Dominic Espinosa was lost for the season. Then Strong started dismissing players.

All of sudden it's December, and Texas is 6-6. If we're being honest with ourselves, not many of us predicted six losses.

Charlie Strong got what he wanted: six wins and a bowl berth. The Texas Bowl is a nice way for this senior class to end their careers, and the benefit of bowl practices cannot be overstated.

Nevertheless, danger is lurking. A loss to Arkansas in the bowl game means that Strong's first year ends in a losing record at 6-7. Since John Mackovic took over in 1992, Texas has only had two losing seasons. Mackovic did it once in 1997 and Mack Brown did it once (2010).

Now, Charlie Strong faces the ugly opportunity in his first season at the helm. It may only be one game or a handful of percentage points, but it's a vast chasm between 7-6 and 6-7.

A big part of the story of Strong's tenure will be written in the Texas Bowl. The question is....what will be authored?

 

[Aaron Carrara]

You could see the disgust on Strong's face tonight.  

I also found his quote "You have to play with passion & energy. We don't do that" interesting.  

It wasn't "We didn't do that tonight."  

I don't think he likes this team that much.

 

[Sirhornsalot]

You could see the disgust on Strong's face tonight.  

I also found his quote "You have to play with passion & energy. We don't do that" interesting.  

It wasn't "We didn't do that tonight."  

I don't think he likes this team that much.

Agree and you heard Amhad say that on LHN tonight (and Rickey said it, too). He was not pleased with what he was left with when he arrived.

Then you saw the Tweets that were posted tonight where Diggs and another player said there needed to be some heart in that locker room or some such.

Disgust is a good word for what I saw on his face. I would really not enjoy being a Longhorn in this off season. The work outs are going to be brutal but on the other end, games like this will mean a lot more.

 

[Aaron Carrara]

Moot question:  Who are the leaders in the locker room on this team next year?

 

[utisdabomb12]

Moot question:  Who are the leaders in the locker room on this team next year?

Heard if he can get the job done. Just from speaking with him briefly and watching his demeanor, he has that quiet confidence. With how crappy QB play has been for awhile, if Heard can become the man at that position players will follow his lead. 

 

[java]

It is amazing to me that many young people today fail to realize that a person can speak quietly & politely, yet still enforce vigorously. I really don't understand it, but it happens quite often.

I had the opportunity to watch Wick during the game tonight. He works with his charges continuously. When they aren't on the field, he has them sitting around him, and he is correcting and teaching. At one point, Flowers took over and began letting one of the guys have it (obviously for screwing up) because Wick let him go with it.  Flowers was passionate.  I won't mention who it was directed at, but the player never changed position, whether Wick was talking or Flowers.  It was puzzling.

Charlie's body language on the sideline said it all. From my vantage point, it was easy to see who was engaged in the game and who wasn't. If I was on the losing end of a game, I wouldn't be horsing around on the sideline. To their credit, none of the qb's, d-linemen, or redshirt freshmen were, but a few were out there clowning around. I would be royally ticked off in Charlie's position.

 

[java]

btw, Heard, Freeman, and Bonny were all watching intently-all of the time. Heard was there to keep Swoopes warmed up, carry the clipboard. Basically, whatever was needed, he did.

Freeman and Bonny never took their eyes off of the game. Heard didn't unless he had another job to do.

Hook 'em!

 

[texasdalton]

btw, Heard, Freeman, and Bonny were all watching intently-all of the time. Heard was there to keep Swoopes warmed up, carry the clipboard. Basically, whatever was needed, he did.

Freeman and Bonny never took their eyes off of the game. Heard didn't unless he had another job to do.

Hook 'em!

I'm really excited to see Heard, freeman, boomy, Forman, and Poona ford step up next season. Swoops played 2A HS ball, Heard played 6A?, heard and those playmakers will improve this team. The biggest question mark is the OLine, we took a good class in '14 and are taking one in '15. We had no depth this season, something I'm confident we won't see happen again while Strong is running the show.

 

[java]

A couple of more items, I do not like the atmosphere of a professional sports arena.  The piped music, the constant infomercials, the flashing lights around the stadium, etc. are a distraction to the game.  I am opposed to alcohol sales at DKR, as well.  There were more drunks at this game than I have ever seen at a Longhorn game, or an OU game, for that matter.  It is not conducive to a good game experience.  If fans can't enjoy the game experience without having a beer, and if that is a make or break deal, then stay home.

I watched two Longhorns have a few words with two Arkies, and because they were all four drunk, none could let it go.  Security was watching and called an officer.  I had a front row seat, and it detracted from my game experience.  I don't appreciate it.  I am there to watch the game, not to watch a drunk make an ass out of himself or herself.

All in all, most of the drunks were Arkies, but there were Longhorns, as well.  Forget that noise, either take your chances the old-fashioned way, or stay home.  No beer sales in DKR.  Let the LHB play with impunity in DKR, and LHB, fire it up, early and often.  btw, travel 300, it's not difficult to Houston, for Pete's Sake!  Drown out the noise.

OK, end of rant.  Glad I was there, but do not want the AD to turn DKR into nrg-Reliant, their atmosphere sucks!

Hook 'em!

 

[Hiphopopotamos]

You could see the disgust on Strong's face tonight.  

I also found his quote "You have to play with passion & energy. We don't do that" interesting.  

It wasn't "We didn't do that tonight."  

I don't think he likes this team that much.

Thats probably an understatement.  I wouldn't be surprised if these players make him physically ill.

I expect we're going to see even more players shown the door this spring.  We're going to be very young next season.

I wonder how many freshman are going to play big roles on next years team

 

[GBT]

Lets hope the NFL doesn't come calling, or Charlie may bolt from this ship.

 

[java]

No way, GBT, he is getting his players in.  He is not leaving his guys!

Get real.  Loyalty means something to certain people.

 

[BevoBlake]

OK, end of rant.  Glad I was there, but do not want the AD to turn DKR into nrg-Reliant, their atmosphere sucks!

Hook 'em!

Glad I'm not the only one that doesn't want to see alcohol sales at DKR.

 

[Juan]

— Twitter API (@twitterapi) November 7, 2011

 

[Hiphopopotamos]

New rallying cry - 'At least we didn't lose by 34!'

 

[streettopeschel]

Lets hope the NFL doesn't come calling, or Charlie may bolt from this ship.

charlie being recruited by the nfl is pretty far down my list of concerns.

 

[streettopeschel]

Glad I'm not the only one that doesn't want to see alcohol sales at DKR.

y'all know people tailgate all day and smuggle booze into dkr and are shit faced drunk too, right ?

 

[Juan]

charlie being recruited by the nfl is pretty far down my list of concerns.

 

[Randolph Duke]

y'all know people tailgate all day and smuggle booze into dkr and are shit faced drunk too, right ?

I am sure if Patterson suggestion the elimination of alcohol sales at DKR, he would lose his job in short order.  The objections aren't the sales of alcohol. Rather, it allowing "them" to have it.

The reality is that there is a generational divide in how different segments of the fanbase choose to watch college football. Twenty years ago, there weren't sports bars with 60" high-def screens all over the place showing multiple games.  Also, twenty years ago, the fans weren't able to look up scores and stats on their phones in an instant. The people clamoring for alcohol restrictions on the great unwashed masses and other amenities the younger generation of fans want are the ones who are getting alcohol sales (and pretty much whatever other amenities they want) and are already purchasers of tickets. The strategy here isn't tough to understand. If you want to expand the fan base, you need to market to those who aren't currently season ticket holders. 

It's not a matter of continued exclusivity of alcohol sales to the elites or making sure existing season ticket holders are getting what they want. The question is what are the people providing the input to Steve Patterson willing to give in on in order to expand season ticket sales to the next generation. There is a window in which Patterson can engage younger alumni to sell them season tickets and develop their traditions and habits to include watching the games in person. Over the next couple of years, season ticket sales will decline further due to demographics and the ability of younger fans to choose single game ticket through StubHub as opposed to spend thousands on season tickets. Season ticket holders are also the ones most likely to donate to the program. Donations make up roughly 25% of total athletic revenues and are the difference between operating in the black or the red. 

We pretty much can already write it in stone that attendance next year will break the dismal marks set this year. The philosophy of "winning cures ticket sales problems because it always has in the past" is seriously flawed. Something has to change if the younger fans are going to become season ticket holders. Eventually there will have to be beer sales at DKR. It is one of the things younger fans want, even if the older fans don't want them to have it.