Why blame Coach Bower?

[jmack]

First of all let me say I am disappointed in the season so far for USM and I feel the frustration that many fans feel, but I'm tired of Bower getting ALL of the blame. I'm not quite sure what fans here in Hattiesburg expect, but Bower has done a fair job with what he has to work with. Want to fire him? Who can we afford to get any better? Just take a quick look at the stats and you can see he hasn't done that bad of a job.


COACH W L T PER,
P.W. Underwood 31-32-2 47.7%
Bobby Collins 46-32-2 57.5% (Glory Years)
Jim Carmody 37-29-0 56.1%
Curley Hallman 23-11-0 67.6%
Jeff Bower 100-70-1 58.2%

[aaron]

USM loses in the last half of the game, that means he is being out-coached.

[jmack]

I see local athletes that get overlooked here in this area and then we go to some small town in Alabama to recruit. But, on the subject of Bower being replaced. Lets just say he leaves at the end of the year. We place an ad with the NCAA that we want to hire a football coach here in Hattiesburg. A top coach will require 1.5 to 2 million, a top 25 coach will demand 750,000 - 1 million, and SEC, BIG TEN, ACC etc.. coach 500,000-750,000. These guys would want to bring their assistants that are also paid well. All of these are out of the question. The best we could do is get a young up-and-comming coach and keep him 2 or 3 years before he moved on.

Be careful what you wish for.

[aaron]

Tell me why South Carolina can do it and we can't. A top 25 coach brings top 25 teams, which brings top 25 size crowds, which buys top 25 amounts of merchandise, which pays for that coaches salary, assistant's salary, and stadium expansions without bond issues.

[JB2379]

I blame Bower because of his recruitment tactics. As someone mentioned earlier, Bower and his staff hardly ever look at the local kids. If you want to fill the stadium, recruit local kids, because you know that all of their family and friends will be there. Also, just like in year's past, our offense is so predictable - run, run, pass.

[EddieD]

What do you think the Ole Ball Coach is getting paid at South Carolina? What about John Thompson or Tyrone? What are they getting paid to be Co-DC's?

[jmack]

Tell me why South Carolina can do it and we can't. A top 25 coach brings top 25 teams, which brings top 25 size crowds, which buys top 25 amounts of merchandise, which pays for that coaches salary, assistant's salary, and stadium expansions without bond issues.

Spurrier, 59, replaces Lou Holtz, as the Gamecocks coach on Monday after six seasons with the Gamecocks.
"Trustees approved a seven-year contract that will pay Spurrier $1.25 million a year. Incentives could increase that to $2 million annually.

I can give you 2 million reasons why we can't.

[aaron]

He makes anywhere from 1.5 to 2 million. Ironically, that's about the same amount we'll lose in ticket sales ($1 million projected) and a bowl game (Liberty pays 1.3 million per team) this year. Now do you still want to tell me we can't afford a top coach? Or that we can't afford not to?

[jmack]

Even with the 1.3 million dollars payout we still only break even at best after revenue sharing and expenses. And thats assuming you go to the Liberty Bowl every year.

[aaron]

USM netted almost $500,000 from it's bowl game last year and it only paid $750,000. How can you say that most of that will go elsewhere? You realize that is 1.3 million per team right? Tell me, why would you care about going to a bowl game then? Benefits not on paper? Increase in attendance the next year? Bigger schools with better revenue sharing the next year? Yeah, your right, we're wasting our time by going to bowl games. Let's keep Bower.

[tha Dean]

Jeff Bower is one of the most talented coaches in the nation. Period.

[AlphaMale]

Maybe USM can lure away USC's coach, that will surely put us on the map. We'll really rake in the money.

[fuzzis]

So, admittedly, I don't pay a lot of attention to college sports because the emphasis is a little different in the West, but I would assume that perhaps there could be a parallel situation with our basketball coach? True he is tainted with scandal, but he was good and commanded a high salary *before* his problems surfaced. What impact has he had...or is it too early to tell?

fuzzis

[EddieD]

still to early to tell, give him another season or two, no doubt he can coach. What if in 2 or 3 seasons he wins a conf. usa championship, gets southern miss. back to the NCAA tourney, then I think he will hit the road to some place bigger and better. Same with football, say Coach Bower leaves, we hire some young guy on the way up, and he will do the same thing Curly Hallman did. So, maybe there is something to say about Coach Bower's loyalty. He is a good coach, He has one of the most difficult recruiting jobs in the country, the southern miss athletic dept. runs on a bare bones budget. Its a tough job!

[EddieD]

one of them southern colloquialisms. I think.

[jmack]

We all have a taste for champaign but a pocketbook for rootbeer.

[JB2379]

I agree with you Doc, i think we need to hire Tyrone Nix as head coach. They guy is a smart recruiter who knows both sides of the ball fairley well. I'm not sure how much South Carolina is paying him, but hopefully he would consider coming back if USM offered him the head coaching position with a decent salary. Then again, why would Tyrone want to leave an SEC school to come back to Southern Miss and Conference USA.

[EddieD]

Schnellenberger = played for the Bear at Kentucky, coached for the Bear in the 60's(couple of 3 national championships) while he was basically the offensive coordinator, Head Coach Baltimore Colts, and then assist. Coach for Don Shula with the Dolphins and now you know how the University of Miami found out about him.

Jimmy Johnson = I think 1966 or 1967 he Coached at Picayune, He brought a big slow picayune team to Petal one Fri. night to face a small quick Petal team. The score ended up something close to this because my memory has faded Petal 52 Picayune 0

[jmack]

Take a look at the 2005 rankings and see where USM and Coach Bower compare to other Conference USA and SEC teams.

Sargin Ratings--


U.S.M 53
Vanderbilt 68
UCF 69
Memphis 70
Arkansas 75
Ole Miss 78
Marshall 84
Kentucky 88
E. Carolina 97
Army 99
Miss. State 100
UAB 104
Tulane 117

Others larger schools:
Kansas 54
Baylor 55
Kansas State 66
Utah 72
Arizona 79
Washington 89
Oklahoma State 92

[aaron]

wow, Bower has one of the lowest scores on the chart. If a President of a company saw sales decline 25% in a year, with an actual increase in sales in the overall industry he'd be fired instantly. I can only wish that someone else would believe that Bower is as good as you say, and offer him a contract for more than the $400,000 that he gets from USM.

[jmack]

The big win over Alabama you made reference to was one of the worst teams Alabama had up to that point. I think Bear was on a decline and it wasn't the same Alabama that had fielded teams in the past. You are correct however about the record against BIG teams but thats not the point people. I'm not trying to be negative, just realistic. Let me say this as plan as I can: USM will NEVER, EVER be a Michigan, USC, GEORGIA or LSU. It ain't gonna happen. Sure, they will have dream seasons like Tulane did a few years ago going 12-0 but so far as there ever being a national championship contender here forget it. I'd like to trade my car for a Lambo but its not gonna happen,

[tha Dean]

When all is said and done, Jeff Bower is a great coach for this level of football. We are lucky to have him. :smt006

[tha Dean]

yes. ;)

[AlphaMale]

I believe the best team USM has had was the 1981 team that beat Florida State. Even then we only went to a mid bowl and were blown out by Missouri. I remember a guy name Gaylord was MVP and he played great for Missouri. I'm not sure anyone can get them to the a major bowl unless the go 11-0 and blow out everybody.

[EddieD]

Missouri dominated that game! It was very cold and Reggie was ineffective that night, they were a very physical team and dominated us up front. We intercepted a pass for a touch in the 3rd quarter, then we took Reggie out and my Ol' Bud Davy Sellers threw a touch to Louie Lipps right at the end of the game. Dang it was cold!

[EddieD]

I was there! I am telling you they dominated the game. The 19 - 17 score doesn't tell the whole story Doc, like I said earlier we scored a defensive touchdown and then a long pass with less than a minute to go, otherwise its 19 - 3. It was a struggle that night for us offensively, cold, wind whipping, and defensively they dominated the game.

[tha Dean]

Bower. Best USM coach ever. Period.

[jmack]

I was researching USM's football from 1950 to present.
Here are some of the bigger schools we have played and it looks as though we can blame more than Bower for not winning the big games.

Alabama 5-33
Auburn 4 -14
Florida 0-4
Georgia 2-3
Kentucky 0-2
LSU 1-1
Ole Miss 6-12
Miss St. 12-12
Tennessee 0-4
Texas A&M 0-4
Penn St. 0-2

We have been to 15 bowls since 1950. 6 wins 9 loses.
Bower is 4 - 4 the rest combined were 2 - 5.

Jeff has won twice as many as all others combined since 1950.

[lamarrebel]

I'm not a USM glad, but I've always been impressed with Bower has been able to accomplish. USM's "The Rock" could be more appropriately named "The Pebble" because it is so small as compared to so many other
Division I schools, including several in Conference USA. He operates on a smaller budget and in the shadow, perhaps unfairley, of Ole Miss and State. All of the bowls, C-USA titles, and winning seasons are a tribute to the work he's done.

[tha Dean]

Bower. Best USM coach ever. Period.

[jmack]

I'm not a USM glad, but I've always been impressed with Bower has been able to accomplish. USM's "The Rock" could be more appropriately named "The Pebble" because it is so small as compared to so many other
Division I schools, including several in Conference USA. He operates on a smaller budget and in the shadow, perhaps unfairley, of Ole Miss and State. All of the bowls, C-USA titles, and winning seasons are a tribute to the work he's done.

Well said. There is a difference in wishfull thinking and reality. You seem to know the difference.

[aaron]

For some reason, you continue to look at USM as if it were a public school and some state board appropriates the athletic's department money and that's all poor Jeff Bower has to work with. That's true with the education budget to some degree. This is not the case, however, with the athletics department which has as much to work with as it brings in revenues per year. Other schools have just outgrown us. MSU football revenues is up 20%, South Carolina's is up 23%, USM is down 25%.

It's almost as if you don't think that USM could actually grow. It has access to the same talent pools, a large population base, and revenue streams as MSU or Ole Miss. So, start to start looking at USM football as a company. And as a company, it is failing.

Or don't, continue to look in from the outside, and we'll continue to fund a poorly managed school and football program. They will continue to ask for money from the city, state, and federal governments. Which, by the way, will only promote sloppiness.

[aaron]

Ahh yes, thanks for reminding me Doc, I had forgot for a moment about Richard Giannini's pay raise in 05 from $209,000 to $221,000, and wait it doesn't stop there. He's getting $261,000 in 06. Is this guy saving lives? Wanna take a look at any team at USM since 2000 when he signed on and tell me the athletics program is better? The guy helped raise $43 million in pledges to the program (windfall from the 1999 team most likely and which was probably wasted), and saw the Athletics Center doors open.

[jmack]

For some reason this has turned into a "you think USM is not a good school? post. If you look at the title of this post, its "Why blame Bower?"
I've tried to focus in on being positive about Bower. He still is the winnest coach in Conference USA history (brief history) at 63-26 70.8%. You could ask anyone outside of the local fans and they would say that is a pretty good percentage. I love USM. Both my sisters went to USM as did I. I was the eagle mascot at one time and my sister was cheerleader, senator and homecomming court and taught there. We all love USM and I just hate seeing people complain about the team all the time. I have been around and heard all this before with every coach we've had since I attend USM. I'm not sure if these are really USM fans or others trying to put down the University for their own agenda (Ole Miss, State supporters). Who knows. All I know is I love the University.

[EddieD]

Amen!!

[aaron]

For some reason this has turned into a "you think USM is not a good school? post. If you look at the title of this post, its "Why blame Bower?"
I've tried to focus in on being positive about Bower. He still is the winnest coach in Conference USA history (brief history) at 63-26 70.8%. You could ask anyone outside of the local fans and they would say that is a pretty good percentage. I love USM. Both my sisters went to USM as did I. I was the eagle mascot at one time and my sister was cheerleader, senator and homecomming court and taught there. We all love USM and I just hate seeing people complain about the team all the time. I have been around and heard all this before with every coach we've had since I attend USM. I'm not sure if these are really USM fans or others trying to put down the University for their own agenda (Ole Miss, State supporters). Who knows. All I know is I love the University.

Well, I haven't even started on the rest of the management at USM, so yes, this is still about Bower and the overall decisions made by the USM athletics department. If we didn't like USM as a school, do you think we'd take our time to post about changes that need to be made? We are just looking at things from a broader perspective and know that when you take a look at everything involved in the the football game that most people just sit down and watch, that USM has a lot of room for improvement. Those improvements start with management. They end with increased revenues, better draft picks, more wins, and happier fans.

[jmack]

"Larry, these people haven't heard a word I've said"


http://www.achievement.org/achievers/kin0/large/kin0-022.jpg

[tempatv]

how bout we get off SACS probation and then start worrying about the team. without accreditation, we'll be lucky to even have a team. when our diplomas arent worth anything, we'll definetly have problems recruiting players :smt022

[fuzzis]

how bout we get off SACS probation and then start worrying about the team. without accreditation, we'll be lucky to even have a team. when our diplomas arent worth anything, we'll definetly have problems recruiting players :smt022

SACS probation has been handled. We've been told to have a good Christmas.

fuzzis

[EddieD]

Unfortunately, State and hottie tottie, refuse to play Southern Miss., they won't even agree to play in a bowl game(liberty bowl), but you lost me with the Delta State comment, when has or will Southern Miss play Delta St. in recent memory?

[EddieD]

My recent memory and your recent memory are two different things, I was thinking more like Jackson St. in 02, you just went back a little farther.

[EddieD]

I had to look back, we played them in 90' & 91. Beat them 12 - 0 and 25 - 7.

[jmack]

Thats because I played at McComb. 1975

[aaron]

I was under the impression, perhaps wrongly, that the legislature had considered a mandate that interstate college football rivals would be on the horizon. Was I dreaming?


I remember this too. Maybe it's in federal court or something, because I know MSU or Ole Miss wouldn't want to waste their time on us.

[EddieD]

I believe you are right Hawk, the legislature considered this 5 or 6 years back, but it died, Ole Miss and State have to much stroke in the North Miss. dominated legislature to let that happen. At least thats the way I remember it going down.

[jmack]

a new-gained respect for podunk schools.

Hawk I'm hurt.

[R1ZOOM]

The recurring theme I see here is "Jeff Bower is the greatest ______ in C-USA history". Well that's all nice and good but the fact of the matter is C-USA sucks. It's down at the bottom of the barrel. To me this is like saying Jeff Bower is the best toilet scrubber of the toilet scrubbers, so lets give him some credit. Who wants to be a toilet scrubber? And don't even get me started on his piss-poor lack of recruting efforts for local area talent. I'll be glad to see him go.................................if he ever does. As long as he's at USM we'll be stuck with low-end mediocrity. We can expect to have winning seasons, but only because we are playing jokes of football teams. It's common knowledge that almost every credible team we play beats us into the ground, and it's something Hattiesburg residents have come to expect. Nobody notices anymore because losing to decent competition is the norm and beating poor unheard of teams is the staus quo.

[jmack]

Which is it R1Zoom, is it Jeff Bower, Conference USA or USM you don't like? From your post you sound like an Ole Miss or Miss. State alum. If USM sucks as bad as you say and they are ranked 53 while Ole Miss is around 70 and Miss. State is holding steady at 100 or more, then I take it you think they suck even more. Wow, the whole state sucks. I suggest that if you are unhappy with the local teams you run over to Wal-Mart and buy a Tennessee hat (oops they suck too), I mean go jump on the USC bandwagon then you can hold up your little foam #1 finger and piss us all off.

[TheGenius]

The power of negative thinking is far greater than that of positive thinking.

[R1ZOOM]

Which is it R1Zoom, is it Jeff Bower, Conference USA or USM you don't like? From your post you sound like an Ole Miss or Miss. State alum. If USM sucks as bad as you say and they are ranked 53 while Ole Miss is around 70 and Miss. State is holding steady at 100 or more, then I take it you think they suck even more. Wow, the whole state sucks. I suggest that if you are unhappy with the local teams you run over to Wal-Mart and buy a Tennessee hat (oops they suck too), I mean go jump on the USC bandwagon then you can hold up your little foam #1 finger and piss us all off.

Much to the contrary, I'm a USM graduate who loves the school and hates to see it do poorly. If I didn't care about the school then I would not feel so strongly about the football program. I think the school has good talent and could do a lot better. I am deeply disappointed to see its potential restrained by a poor coaching staff. USM deserves, and is capable of, much better.

[aaron]

I would start with Bower, then see who the new coach recruits. Spurrier wisely snapped up Nix and Thompson from us, knowing that they were some of the best defensive coaches in the nation. When's the last time someone tried to hire Bower?

[tha Dean]

Coach Bower. Best USM coach ever.......Period.

[TheGenius]

It is said that a man with a hole in his mattress is will be seen in the spring.

[wilebill]

Time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana.

Guess who said that.

[R1ZOOM]

Letter to the editor from today's HA calling for Bower's resignation

http://hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051116/OPINION03/511160336/1014/OPINION

[JB2379]

it's about freaking time that another letter was written calling for Bower resignation or termination. Folks, after the Houston loss, i just don't see much hope for this team with Bower's poor playcalling. And once again, I see that the Alabama Crimson Tide are the Mississippi state champs again this year. They beat us, Ole Miss, and Mississippi State. We could have at least done our part in preventing the Tide from claimimg another Mississippi state championship.

[jmack]

I guess we should demand that all 3 coaches resign. How could we possibly let a team ranked #3 (1 week ago) defeat all 3 of us?

[noway]

This is what will happen we will Beat Tulane go 6-5 win the bowl game 7-5 break about even on the money from the bowl game.. Then jmack & all the other bower supporters can say look " A winning season, we won our bowl game, what do you expect from the usm athletic budget.. "

Im tired of 7-4, 7-5, 6-6, and bowl games that suck. I have not said much about it but its time to get rid of bower and try something else.

[R1ZOOM]

This is what will happen we will Beat Tulane go 6-5 win the bowl game 7-5 break about even on the money from the bowl game.. Then jmack & all the other bower supporters can say look " A winning season, we won our bowl game, what do you expect from the usm athletic budget.. "

Im tired of 7-4, 7-5, 6-6, and bowl games that suck. I have not said much about it but its time to get rid of bower and try something else.

I couldn't agree more Noway, and you need to call J.L. and ask him about his post game experience. ;)

[noway]

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051121/OPINION03/511210326/1014/OPINION

Bower walks on water?????

[Sir Mickey Mouse]

WOW


BCS... Bows for Christmas Season because we're sitting at home?


(Also, I know a lot of people who dropped the BellSouth rip off $50 a month for a phone that only rings from telemarketers. That has nothing to do with status. Why worry about two or three numbers when you take your cell everywhere?)

[R1ZOOM]

the guy who wrote this is apparently quite dillusional, honestly though, the guy who wrote this isn't playing with a full deck, I've met him, he used to, and might still, work at Shadow Ridge golf club

[JB2379]

The guy that wrote that letter sounds like an idiot. Jeff Bower walks on water? Is he serious? If Jeff Bower walks on water, that means Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno created the universe. But seriously, this guy really has guts to write such a crazy letter and use his real name.

[noway]

I know the guy that wrote the letter.. He has a full deck just a diehard USM fan.. He is always on Tv or in the paper waving the usm flag dressed in black & gold. It did sound like a threat to me. If im not mistaken him & Bower were neighbors in Petal.

[JB2379]

Hey Doc, there are a bunch of idiots at the American. That's why they published it. Not sure what they were trying to prove though.

[noway]

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051121/OPINION03/511210326/1014/OPINION

Bower walks on water?????


Maybe He did walk on water at one time

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051123/OPINION03/511230323/1014/OPINION

[noway]

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051125/OPINION03/511250333/1014/OPINION

Mr. Berry ("USM head coach 'walks on water,'" Nov. 21), please, stop drinking your water and have it tested immediately. Apparently it is making you irritable and causing you to hallucinate. David Garris ("Bower should be replaced," Nov. 16) is not the only Eagle fan thirsting for something more than mediocrity. There are many of us on "Loyalty Field" and around campus every game day pulling for our beloved team who are beginning to wonder if Jeff Bower is the right choice for the future of USM.


Now take That LOL!!!!

[noway]

I saw on the news tonight that Defense Cordinator for South Carolina (remember tyrone nix?) Promtoed to assistant head coach.. What happen at USM? Blame Bower Otay

[noway]

Nix, 33, coached at Southern Mississippi for ten years before joining South Carolina this season.
"If I am away from the team, Tyrone deserves to be in charge," Spurrier said.

[Sir Mickey Mouse]

And that's always in the Top 5 with the Gators, turn the South Carolina program around into a power in a few games, Spurrier, right?

[tha Dean]

USM is going to a bowl and now I ask all of you putting down Coach Bower to EAT CROW. I told you he was the best coach ever at USM.

[EddieD]

Dean-O! You are hard to figure! You talk smack on some subjects, then are very serious on others. I hate to say it but your pretty close on the Bower subject. Jeff Bower is one of the best coaches to have coached at Usm. I would rank him right there with Coach Vann and Bobby Collins. I know this might not be the popular on MH, and this just my opinion and you know what they say about opinions, everyone has one.
On another subject, I don't think Jeff Bower had anything to do with Ty Nix leaving Usm. I think there were multiple reasons for leaving. Nix and John Thompson are close. How could any coach in his right mind turn down a chance to work for Spurrier and see how he thinks, but most importantly I think Tyrone understands that if he wants to be a Head Coach at a D-1 school whether its Southern Miss, Alabama, or Utep he had to go out and prove he could do it somewhere besides Usm.

[Tully Mars]

USM is going to a bowl and now I ask all of you putting down Coach Bower to EAT CROW. I told you he was the best coach ever at USM.

So let me get this straight, Bower is the best coach ever for leading us to a stellar 6-5 record and earning a bid to a second rate bowl that may rank in the top 500 nielson ratings?!? Lord have mercy, the stadium they are playing the NO Bowl in is not even a bowl...Seating capacity of 31,000???

Let's take a quick glance at the win column for Southern this year...

First we beat McNeese State - Impressive record of 5-4 beating powerhouses such as Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston State

Next we dropped the hammer on East Carolina - 5-6, WOW

Then we took on UCF - 10-2 yes, an impressive record and they even got to play Tulsa in the CUSA Championship game (probably the only admirable win we got this year)

Next comes UAB - another 5-6 record beating the likes of Rice and Troy State.

Next came the Thundering Herd of Marshall - 4-7 Oooooh!

Finally, we wrapped up the season with a glorious win over the 2-9 Tulane Green Wave.

Come on folks wake up and smell the astroturf, Southern's performance this year was mediocrity at its finest. We certainly have done better and hopefully will again in the future but this year provides us with bragging rights for nothing. :smt070

[jmack]

Well I have to agree that this season was disappointing, but I also realize this was not your average season. Katrina sent the staff and players scrambling for a place to relocate and prepare for the season while other teams never missed a beat. I don't think football was a priority for many days after the storm. And weeks later we had another strong hurricane strike and postpone yet another game. No team at USM has ever had to play scrambled schedule like this team and it had to effect them. Let's not be to critical of the team.

[Tully Mars]

Well I have to agree that this season was disappointing, but I also realize this was not your average season. Katrina sent the staff and players scrambling for a place to relocate and prepare for the season while other teams never missed a beat. I don't think football was a priority for many days after the storm. And weeks later we had another strong hurricane strike and postpone yet another game. No team at USM has ever had to play scrambled schedule like this team and it had to effect them. Let's not be to critical of the team.

My post was more of a response to quotes from the Dean and EddieD:

USM is going to a bowl and now I ask all of you putting down Coach Bower to EAT CROW.

Jeff Bower is one of the best coaches to have coached at Usm.

I hardly think that this is a season to gloat over. Knowing Coach Bower, I am sure that he is none too proud of this year's performance either.

[noway]

Alabama - 1-14
Auburn - 1-2
California - 0-2
Florida - 0-3
FSU - 0-1
Georgia - 1-1 (haven't played them since '96)
LSU - 1-0 (haven't played them since '94)
Nebraska - 1-2
Penn State - 0-2
Tennessee - 0-3
Texas A&M - 0-3
Virginia Tech - 1-1

That's a 6-34 (0.15 winning percentage) against "major" opponents.

This is the problem of course we have a winning record every year and go to bowl games.. .. So does everybody else.. Seriously 28 (twenty eight) bowl games

[Tommy9854]

And his recruiting is suspect. My old high school had a defensive back who has gone on to have an outstanding NFL career and was an All-American at Stanford. USM didn't give him the time of day. One year when had a high school All-American line backer who would have gone to USM in a heartbeat...if someone would have only called, written, anything.
Wouldn't happen to be talking about Tank Williams would you? He went to Stanford and is now playing for the Titans?

[jmack]

USM netted almost $500,000 from it's bowl game last year and it only paid $750,000. How can you say that most of that will go elsewhere?



How can I say that?

"Giannini expects break-even bowl trip."
Hattiesburg American -page 3B 12-21-05

This bowl also paid out $750,000 and we made our budget according to the Hattiesburg American (pg 3B). These bowls are a reward and for fun and we never make any money on these games.

[jmack]

So all the people who cite our limited resources just say we should take our mediocrity and be happy with it?

I'd rather see a young coach come in and build a program only to leave it for another competent person to keep building. Ever heard of Miami? That is exactly what they did. Miami wasn't even on the radar until they hired Howard Schnellenberger. And look at the laundry list of names that came after him:

Name one of these guys you had ever heard of before they became coach at Miami. Schnellenberger brought the team back to the top 20 for the first time since 1966 by finishing 18 in 1980. By 1983, he had led Miami to the national championship.

Wait a minute, you want to see USM get a coach like Schnellenberger? OMG, you're kidding right?

The mighty Schnellenberger's record at Lousiville was 54 wins and 56 losses and 2 ties.

A 49% winning percentage in 10 seasons at Louisville.
Hell, I think even Noway could be a winning coach at Miami.

[Conveyor Belt]

At what point is the building over? I guarantee that in the corporate world, being a loser after 5 years would mean your job.

[Biggie]

Its called building a program jmack. You start off losing more than you win.

Building? That dude had 10 years at Louisville and lost more games than he won and was getting paid a million dollars a year.

[Tommy9854]

Building? That dude had 10 years at Louisville and lost more games than he won and was getting paid a million dollars a year.

Jeff Bower only averages 6 wins a year, which is BARELY winning, and this year 6 wins won't be a winning season. So, I wouldn't go bashing a coach that won more than 9 games in a season just because he lost a few more.

[Tommy9854]

Schnellenberger makes Bower look like an even bigger joke.

Sorry, that's not possible.

[Biggie]

The three seasons prior to Schnellenberger taking over Miami, they posted seasons of 2-8, 3-8, and 3-8. His first year, Miami posted a 5-6 record. Then they went 9-3, 9-2, 7-4, and then 11-1. And, oh by the way, they won the National Championship that year.


Doc, man you funny dude.

Damn, man you got me laughing so hard I can't hardly type.
Hey man let me know who you we gonna get to take us to the National Championship at USM.

Man, Doc, you a funny dude. :smt046

[Tommy9854]

Doc, man you funny dude.

Damn, man you got me laughing so hard I can't hardly type.
Hey man let me know who you we gonna get to take us to the National Championship at USM.

Man, Doc, you a funny dude. :smt046

And people wonder why Bower always pee's his pants when playing teams like Bama. Because the attitude like that. He is content with saying, "Hey, we played a BCS team like Alabama close for 3 1/2 quarters".........He should only be content with winning. Hell, he couldn't even beat them when they only won 3 games in a season.

[Biggie]

I'm sure with your kick ball experience you could coach them to a victory.

[Biggie]

I was a lifeguard in high school and one thing I always noticed about children who couldn't swim but would still try to play in the deep end...they would simply hold on to the edge for dear life and splash as many good swimmers as possible.

Keep splashing Biggie...keep splashing.

I'd think I'd hang on for dear life to if I had to depend on you to guard me.

Did you pay extra attention to the little boys splashing?

[Biggie]

Let's take it to the "Who cares about you watching kids swim" thread.

[Derrick B]

Yea lets get back to Bower His claim to fame. We'll get beat by anyone, anywhere, anytime. Sure he has a good winning % He's been a coach there along time. It's time for a change. Back in Brett Farve's day, he had a great team since then not so good. The best game I ever went to I guess though was USM vs TCU 3 years ago when they were ranked number 9. I was at the bottom of the south goal post that was the best ting I ever heard when the goalpost broke