The Bicknell issue...

[WonderDawg]

Markay!
I agree with Your post, I will not support the football program as long as our Administration continues with the present coaches. There is no imagination, passion, disipline or teaching of players with the present staff. I support the baseball program, because of what the coach is doing and I am very excited about Tech's three wins. How soon we seem to forget. Unless we stand together nothing will ever be changed. I am sorry, but I remember when TECH use to be very good in all of the sports they competed in. I can still remember Jimmy Sturdavant (Msp) set the hurdles record. I can remember the great baseball teams. and Jackie Morland and the basketball games with Northwestern.
We must get back to the wining ways and we will not do this with the present administration.

[CARTEK]

My problem is no longer with Bicknell. The UTEP loss was devastating, but his record has improved by one game each year. With the exception of Ark, Clemson, & So.Carolina, I really believe that Tech was the BEST team not to make a bowl last year.

He is, in my opinion, improving as a gameday coach. Slowly ... too slowly for many on this board ... and I am not going to argue with them. Their expecatations are totally justified.

The Fresno game should be placed in Rose's pocket. He coached the defense and offense in that game...saw it with my own two eyes. He was in both sideline huddles the last 20 minutes of the game. Yet, Bicknell continues to wander the sidelines like the Jews in the desert. JBIII is a clueless coach with zero leadership capabilities.

[nadB]

JBIII is a clueless coach with zero leadership capabilities.

And, what might you expect ?? Apparently he fell into the H.C. job strictly by LUCK ??, when Crowton bailed out at just the right time to (potentially) totally ruin our recruiting for that year, and "certain folks" might have thought they had to take some fast action ?? What background/experience did jb3 have which might qualify him for a Div. IA H.C. position ?? ( other than being the flutie-hiker, o.c. ) And, then the dude REALLY lucks out, and we win the WAC in 2001, riding on Crowton's coat tails, and he gets a contract extension ?? Who else was even considered for the job ???????????

Duh, even little Division II Henderson State University looked at 70 applicants for their H.C. job, screening for successful folks who were self-starters and could show that they had been WINNERS. They picked Scott Maxfield (Louisiana Tech graduate) who had a fine resume from the j.c. ranks. (By the way, Brad Laird interviewed for that job as one of the four finalists).

NO TELLING how many REALLY QUALIFIED applicants Louisiana Tech might get if the football H.C. job was opened up ?? At present, there are only ~ 121 Division IA H.C. jobs in this whole USofA -- counting "Wild Card U" -- (it's not that many; there are only 100 US Senator jobs, and there is probably one hell of a lot more football coaches out there who want to improve their lot and move up than there is aspiring US Senators), and Louisiana Tech ended the 2004 season # 61 in at least one NCAA Div. IA Power Rating. We are in a pretty decent football conference, being ranked (by some folks) above the MAC, Sunbelch, CUSA and Independents. e.g., http://www.jhowell.net/cf/cf2004.htm

The football H.C. job at Louisiana Tech is a Damn Good Job.

And, don't we deserve a Damn Good football H.C. (or, at least one who has a Winning Attitude, as opposed to a whining attitude ??)

all jmo, o.c.

[Rooster]

And, what might you expect ?? Apparently he fell into the H.C. job strictly by LUCK ??, when Crowton bailed out at just the right time to (potentially) totally ruin our recruiting for that year, and "certain folks" might have thought they had to take some fast action ?? What background/experience did jb3 have which might qualify him for a Div. IA H.C. position ?? ( other than being the flutie-hiker, o.c. ) And, then the dude REALLY lucks out, and we win the WAC in 2001, riding on Crowton's coat tails, and he gets a contract extension ?? Who else was even considered for the job ???????????

Duh, even little Division II Henderson State University looked at 70 applicants for their H.C. job, screening for successful folks who were self-starters and could show that they had been WINNERS. They picked Scott Maxfield (Louisiana Tech graduate) who had a fine resume from the j.c. ranks. (By the way, Brad Laird interviewed for that job as one of the four finalists).

NO TELLING how many REALLY QUALIFIED applicants Louisiana Tech might get if the football H.C. job was opened up ?? At present, there are only ~ 121 Division IA H.C. jobs in this whole USofA -- counting "Wild Card U" -- (it's not that many; there are only 100 US Senator jobs, and there is probably one hell of a lot more football coaches out there who want to improve their lot and move up than there is aspiring US Senators), and Louisiana Tech ended the 2004 season # 61 in at least one NCAA Div. IA Power Rating. We are in a pretty decent football conference, being ranked (by some folks) above the MAC, Sunbelch, CUSA and Independents. e.g., http://www.jhowell.net/cf/cf2004.htm

The football H.C. job at Louisiana Tech is a Damn Good Job.

And, don't we deserve a Damn Good football H.C. (or, at least one who has a Winning Attitude, as opposed to a whining attitude ??)

all jmo, o.c.

Excellent post

[dawg80]

"Earth calling checkerboard......Earth calling checkerboard."

Hopefully, Mr. checkerboard has gotten the message. Bick is woefully unqualified to be a Div I headcoach. And, apparently, 6 years of doing it hasn't taught him much of anything either.

I believe, if given 6 years, I could learn to do anything. Even be a brain surgeon! Maybe checkerboard will volunteer to be my first patient. His brain needs some adjusting.

Jesting aside, being a headcoach, in any sport, at any level, is not easy. You have to be a hardass, play the heavy, fuss and demand a lot from the players and assistant coaches. There is no such thing as being someone's friend. That, I think, is part of Bick's problem.

[Bigdog13]

And, what might you expect ?? Apparently he fell into the H.C. job strictly by LUCK ??, when Crowton bailed out at just the right time to (potentially) totally ruin our recruiting for that year, and "certain folks" might have thought they had to take some fast action ?? What background/experience did jb3 have which might qualify him for a Div. IA H.C. position ?? ( other than being the flutie-hiker, o.c. ) And, then the dude REALLY lucks out, and we win the WAC in 2001, riding on Crowton's coat tails, and he gets a contract extension ?? Who else was even considered for the job ???????????

Duh, even little Division II Henderson State University looked at 70 applicants for their H.C. job, screening for successful folks who were self-starters and could show that they had been WINNERS. They picked Scott Maxfield (Louisiana Tech graduate) who had a fine resume from the j.c. ranks. (By the way, Brad Laird interviewed for that job as one of the four finalists).

NO TELLING how many REALLY QUALIFIED applicants Louisiana Tech might get if the football H.C. job was opened up ?? At present, there are only ~ 121 Division IA H.C. jobs in this whole USofA -- counting "Wild Card U" -- (it's not that many; there are only 100 US Senator jobs, and there is probably one hell of a lot more football coaches out there who want to improve their lot and move up than there is aspiring US Senators), and Louisiana Tech ended the 2004 season # 61 in at least one NCAA Div. IA Power Rating. We are in a pretty decent football conference, being ranked (by some folks) above the MAC, Sunbelch, CUSA and Independents. e.g., http://www.jhowell.net/cf/cf2004.htm

The football H.C. job at Louisiana Tech is a Damn Good Job.

And, don't we deserve a Damn Good football H.C. (or, at least one who has a Winning Attitude, as opposed to a whining attitude ??)

all jmo, o.c.

Guys ,
Some of you correct me if I'm wrong but didnt JB3 get the job because he was willing to keep all of the asst.'s. (And then the good ones promptly left over the next few years.)

[nadB]

Guys ,
Some of you correct me if I'm wrong but didnt JB3 get the job because he was willing to keep all of the asst.'s. (And then the good ones promptly left over the next few years.)

I don't remember // I've tried to block it out of my mind and forget // Who, if anyone else, was even considered for the job at that time ??

Recruiting is essentially over for this year. Too bad they couldn't put the word out right now that the H.C. job at Louisiana Tech University is OPEN for interested applicants to start applying, with a new H.C. choice to be made immediately after jb3 finishes out his present contract or leaves or gets fired ?? (BTW, I do understand why this will not/cannot be done at this point in time, at least not publicly, for sure :icon_wink )

Not to suggest that jb3 should be mistreated by Louisiana Tech or its fans in any form or fashion. Gotta give him "credit" for some longevity, I guess ?? If jb3 wished to stay, he should certainly be encouraged to apply for the job like any other candidate; and, if his qualifications and experience and record were better than all the other applicants ; then, the administration could re-hire him.......................If such were true, I could live with that.

jmo

PS-- I would REALLY like to be an ENTHUSIASTIC SUPPORTER of our present football H.C. Unfortunately, I am of the opinion he has not "grown into the job"; and, I know damn well (from a lifetime of observation) that "a zebra never changes its stripes".

We need a change.

again, jmo, Duh

[grimey]

I hate to be a pain here, but I ask this question, and it is not a sarcastic one, how many teams has Tech beaten in the last 6 or 7 years with records of above .500? I am sure someone has those stats somewhere. I am pretty sure it is not very many. I may be wrong that is why I ask.

[Cal&Ken]

Not to suggest that jb3 should be mistreated by Louisiana Tech or its fans in any form or fashion. Gotta give him "credit" for some longevity, I guess ??

Where else would he go?

[Designated Hitter]

Guys ,
Some of you correct me if I'm wrong but didnt JB3 get the job because he was willing to keep all of the asst.'s. (And then the good ones promptly left over the next few years.)

That is corret. Oakes had just renewed most of the assistants prior to Crowton leaving just before signing period. Tech would have owed quite a bit of severance pay by having a new guy come in and want say over all assistant hires. Thus, it became a political money decision by Oakes.

[nadB]

Where else would he go?

I think you've just addressed the longevity matter quite handily.

[LBP]

Comparing following Tech and being patriotic to the USA is comparing apples to oranges. In the USA we get to vote for our prez and at Tech we do not get to vote for who our coach is. If Tech cared any at all of what their fans think, JB3 would not be our coach. Don't be rating this recruiting class so high, so quickly, remember a person that usted to work for the democratic party has a hand in writing these recruits' resumes. When they mention all of these races they ran, why didn't they list their times? Why don't they list their 40 times?

[LostInOzBulldog]

Comparing following Tech and being patriotic to the USA is comparing apples to oranges. In the USA we get to vote for our prez and at Tech we do not get to vote for who our coach is. If Tech cared any at all of what their fans think, JB3 would not be our coach. Don't be rating this recruiting class so high, so quickly, remember a person that usted to work for the democratic party has a hand in writing these recruits' resumes. When they mention all of these races they ran, why didn't they list their times? Why don't they list their 40 times?

True, so True