I find it most interesting that he is in the business of coaching but lacks the perspective to see that criticism by fans comes with the territory. I doubt you'll find many coaches around the country who are successful with the "us versus them" attitude. Them being the fans.
He needs to be COACHING his players and making them understand that they can't listen to the outside criticism bc it will always be there when things go bad.
Instead he acted like a child. I guess you could call him a FAKE coach.
BTW Skip took up for Higgins last season in a much less childish way. He talked about wishing the fan base embraced Higgins more bc he stayed with Tech when he could have transferred. This was after students were changing we want J'Mar vs SCSU.
That's how you should handle it.
FWIW our S&C guy is a trainer not a coach.
Wrong, squirrel.
http://www.latechsports.com/staffdir/latc-staffdir.html
"Social Media Machismo" is not a good way to impress logical folk, but a fine way to water the weeds of discontent.
Im seeing something of LSU changing OCs this offseason?
I'll try to translate my impression of his statement. There are levels of fandom. The lowest level is supporting the team rather they win or lose. This is just entertainment to enjoy every Fall season, not a life or death situation. The boys try hard and I appreciate that. I support the program win or lose. We've gone to 4 bowl games in a row and won all 4; this Senior class has won more games than any other Senior class at this level.... times are great! I think this is what Hester believes a "Fan" should be.
The highest level of fandom is the guy who lives vicariously through the team. This is their pride and joy. This is their identity among their friends. A Tech loss is their personal loss. They invest money into the program and demand Access Bowls and Top 25 rankings and beating the teams that outclass them and if they don't, they want everyone fired and they quit on the team half way through the season. They become bitter and say derogatory things about the program in public. This is probably the guy Hester is calling a "fake fan." It's probably the wrong word to use because these are the most passionate fans, but I think he's saying this type of fan does more harm to the program than good.
I've been in both situations and I would encourage the ones Hester calls "fake fans" to move towards being supporters of the programs. There is much more joy in life and much less bitterness if you don't put your heart and soul into a bunch of kids you have no control over. But I also understand how hard that is. I'm still fighting it.
Yes. He's talking about you. You participate in a social media forum where, in his view, there is unfair criticism of the coaching staff and the team. He's lumping us all in together. That's been true of every coaching staff and many of our administrators since the inception of the Delphi board in the late 90s. You're one of "them".
And I find humor in reading the last few dozen posts from individuals who feel he's not talking about them. Because he is.
It was that way with many, many members of the coaching staff who worked all the way from Bicknell to today. From individuals who worked for Oakes through Tommy. If Hester felt strongly enough to post what he posted to social media I promise you he shares that viewpoint.
In many cases it's only after those same people leave here for other jobs that they realize just how much this board is really Romper Room. And just how tame of a fanbase we maintain.