One Minute
Nine months of build up to the new college football season. Nine months to read about all the lessons learned from last year’s dismal showing. Nine months to learn about all of the new players who are going to push the team back up to a respectable level.
Then, approximately one minute into the new Fighting Texas Aggie Football season I was already looking past this season and telling myself “maybe we can be respectable next season.”
It is not like I expected Texas A&M to defeat the #20 Utah Utes. Although, I did think they would be able to play with them for a little while. I mean, they are the Utes and we are the Aggies. They come from Utah. Sure, everybody says they are the chic pick to break into the BCS games this year. But, they are from Utah.We are the Aggies. The Aggies are we. Defeating lesser states happily.
Utah? Top twenty? What is the world coming too?[1] I turned off the game when the Ags were down 34-7 I think. I try not to dwell too much on the actual score, since my team did so little of it. But, the game was over for me long before the Utes had 34 points, 41 points or even 14 points.
The game ended for me, just barely one minute into the game. The first series of the game. The Utes are facing third down and eight yards to go. They complete a pass, block a hapless Ag, and then we watch as this crazy Ute runs 78 yards for the touchdown.
Uh-Oh! One minute! Actually, I think it was like one minute and twenty some odd seconds. Game over. Spirit broken. Talent gap exposed. Coaching gap exposed.
Coaching gap? Oh, yes my friend. This is my real issue today. How is it that we've now had about twelve or thirteen games under Coach Fran and we still haven't seen any coaching?
Has any A&M team in recent memory rolled over and died faster than a Coach Fran "coached" team? How many times do we have to watch the team take the field with such a poorly constructed battle plan? Exactly how difficult is it to make in game adjustments to at least slow the bleeding?
I know. I know. It's always a lot easier sitting in my comfy couch than standing on the sidelines trying to keep the troops in line. But seriously. We were all seeing the same thing. The number of miscues is so numerous I'm not even going to get into listing them. But rest assured, we were severely out coached in game one of this suddenly very long looking 2004 football season.
Everybody said that we should bring in Coach Fran because he's such a great coach. Look what he did at TCU. Look what he did at Alabama despite NCAA restrictions. Well, my friends. That may be so. But I'm not a TCU fan, nor am I a fan of the Crimson Cheating Tide.
Note: I admit the irony in that last statement; given A&M's own problems with cheating alumni. But that is material for a rant on another day. My apologies to the twelve or thirteen 'bama alumni who are not guilty and don't deserve that bad rap. [2]
Ummm, where was I? Oh yeah. "Coach." Here's the deal. This is theoretically big time college football. Last year means little and 5 years ago means nothing. Or else R.C. would still be on the sidelines calling his 5 offensive plays (actually, that's two running plays with variations to run the plays the other direction plus one trick play known in some parts as the forward pass).
So, with the power vested in me by nobody, I here by strip Dennis "Coach Fran" Franchione of the word "coach" in his nickname until further notice.
Of course, Fran alone sounds kind of girly and it is not like I hate the man. I have no animosity towards him personally. So, I don't think it is right to call him Fran. To me the only Fran on TV is Fran of Mad About You.
And goodness knows nobody wants to run around saying 'Franchione' too much because who really thinks they are saying that name correctly? So, until further notice I'm just going to call him Dennis.
So Dennis, please prove me wrong. We don't have to win a whole bunch of games. It is not all about winning. We just need those kids to go out there and show some pride and put the 'Fight' back into Fightin' Texas Aggie Football. Then we can talk about putting the 'c' word back into your title. Cool? Thanks Dennis.
[1]: My apologies to the state of Utah. I have turned my bitterness towards you unjustly. You have a fine, fine football team that played superbly and will likely do very well throughout this season. And, I've vacationed in your state and found it very beautiful and relaxing. But, I'm from Texas and in my heart Texas will always be superior to just about everywhere else.
[2]: My apologies to the state of Alabama. I guess I've passed through your state before but I can't remember anything of significance. But I do know that Allison Moorer wrote a very fine song about your state called Alabama Song and I work with a girl from Alabama who must be one of the nicest persons on earth. So, umm, sorry if I ruffled your feathers. But, could you guys get your program under control please? I hear R.C. Slocum is available. He has a good track record of running clean football programs.
Posted by on 09/06 at 09:55 PM