Leatherneck Nation

I don't get this whole thing that we can't compete in the valley anymore. Maybe not SDSU and NDSU but as recently as 2017 we went 5-3 in the valley. Nielson was 5-3 at WIU and went to USD and has been basically the same there. SIU made it to the second round of the playoffs but we very easily could have beaten them this year. The run at ISU is coming back down to earth since the national championship game run. UND isn't anything special they went 3-5 in the conference. Indiana St and youngstown state aren't ever going to be great again either. MSU is great for now but does anyone really think Petrino is going to stick around there. UNI isn't what it use to be there pretty much a .500 team every year.  

leatherneckcountry wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 7:06 am I don't get this whole thing that we can't compete in the valley anymore. Maybe not SDSU and NDSU but as recently as 2017 we went 5-3 in the valley. Nielson was 5-3 at WIU and went to USD and has been basically the same there. SIU made it to the second round of the playoffs but we very easily could have beaten them this year. The run at ISU is coming back down to earth since the national championship game run. UND isn't anything special they went 3-5 in the conference. Indiana St and youngstown state aren't ever going to be great again either. MSU is great for now but does anyone really think Petrino is going to stick around there. UNI isn't what it use to be there pretty much a .500 team every year.  

 

A lot of this stems from just being part of the "Fellowship of the Miserable".  It's easier to say "we can't" then to do anything about changing it.  I am not calling anyone out, in my opinion if you are an active member of this board then you are a passionate fan.  And we need lots more of those.  We can absolutely be competitive in this conference.  But 1 man isn't going to swoop in and magically save us.  It's going to take effort on everyone's part to get things turned around.  There was also a question of funding.  I can tell you, that Coach Hen has OVERWHELMING support by the football Alumni.  I think we are going to see this turn into some $$$ pretty soon.  

People complain about funding.  Are you a member of the LC?  And, if so, have you recruited others to do the same?  Do you participate in the P&G auction, or the day of giving? You don't have to be a $1,000 donor to make a difference.  
People complain about low attendance.  Are you a season ticket holder, or do you come back for a couple games a year because you live far away?   If yes to either, are you bringing 2,3,4 friends with you?  

If you want to help, you want to make a difference, but you're not sure what you can do.  Reach out to me, I have a lot of ideas that we have put in place through our parents group that I would be more than happy to share.  

leatherneckcountry wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 7:06 am I don't get this whole thing that we can't compete in the valley anymore. Maybe not SDSU and NDSU but as recently as 2017 we went 5-3 in the valley. Nielson was 5-3 at WIU and went to USD and has been basically the same there. SIU made it to the second round of the playoffs but we very easily could have beaten them this year. The run at ISU is coming back down to earth since the national championship game run. UND isn't anything special they went 3-5 in the conference. Indiana St and youngstown state aren't ever going to be great again either. MSU is great for now but does anyone really think Petrino is going to stick around there. UNI isn't what it use to be there pretty much a .500 team every year.  


 

I agree with this. We might not be able to spend as much, but across the conference, we generally have a reputation of being the team that does more with less...the one that can be scrappy and can scare/shock a few teams even in a strongly "down" year. With regards to NDSU...it's not like we're alone in not being able to compete at their level...almost nobody in the FCS can compete at their level, and most that do for any length of time find themselves getting a FBS invite. They blew out all of their non-conference opponents this year, including the first two rounds of the playoffs, with the one exception of James Madison, who already spends like a top-level G5 FBS program and will get a chance to prove it when they join the Sun Belt in 2023 (or maybe 2022 if they can get everything worked out). And with SDSU, who knows what'll happen now that they've lost their OC (former Leatherneck Coach Jason Eck who was just announced as the new HC at Idaho). They'll probably still be quite good, but will they continue to be essentially neck-and-neck with the Bison?

Everyone else in the conference is beatable for us...we skip USD and UND the next two years, so we've got fully winnable games against YSU, ILSU, and INSU. We took SIU to OT last year, which tells me that if we play up to our potential, we could compete against nearly anyone in the conference with the possible exception of the XDSU's. OOC games are against a tough UT-Martin (they went 10-3 and had a surprise win over Missouri State in the first round of the playoffs before losing to Montana State), Minnesota (that's going to be a L), but then we have our home opener against Southern Utah who just went 1-10 and are going to be breaking in a new HC as well. I'm not saying we're going to make the playoffs next year, but I think we can probably win a few more than we have been and be more competitive in the games we don't win.

Also: https://www.wgem.com/2021/12/21/wgem-sp ... r-program/
 

From my perspective, this looks like this dudes running for office. 

Headline: LOCAL BOY COMES HOME AND SAVES WIU.

Jeesh, I would vote for that guy,

On yet another note I love the pre-made resume binder complete with trademark infringement (Federal copy-write) infringement. Or was that WIU's scrubbed and polished version hot from press? It's pan-tone was PERFECT!  Sorry Warren Zevon.

I love it, as a story, Unless this young man can move Heaven and Earth I can't see anything getting funded. No funds no bueno.  I was a hard no, then softened, Now have regained my senses.  

This guy may be everything he said but is going to get slaughtered in the MVFC. The one with (depending on who you ask), Four flagship schools and every single member out spending us.  

Am I wrong when this wears off in a while, (It does make me feel better though) like Santa and the Mandalorian.

We're going to find out we have the most likable, affable good intentioned coach in the D-I ranks minus the Wins.
 


Good Lord, can you be any more depressing and negative? I don't think any of us are expecting a miracle his first season, but I think we are optimistic that he can be an effective coach. I'm certainly glad I don't need you to review any of my work/talents. I don't think anyone is good enough for you. 
 
*rant over*

WIU brings Leatherneck back to lead football program.
From Pen City Current:
https://www.pencitycurrent.com/2021/12/ ... l-program/
 
 

wiu712 wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 12:52 pm WIU brings Leatherneck back to lead football program.
From Pen City Current:
https://www.pencitycurrent.com/2021/12/ ... l-program/
 
 




 

I had to scratch my head a couple of times wondering where "Pen City" was then it donned on me, the Pen Factory in Fort Madison.  I wonder how many people under age 50 have ever used a fountain pen.  Fountain pens today are about as common as the Wing T formation.

Fort Madison also famous back in the day for their rodeo.  I climbed the fence at that rodeo one day to shake the hand of Michael Landon riding by on his assumed horse from Bonanza.
 
 
 

Sheaffer Pen has a museum in Fort Madison:  https://sheafferpenmuseum.org/

The Fort Madison Rodeo is still in existence: https://www.tristaterodeo.org/
 
 

From a former coach at Western and in our league…

Leatherneck57 wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 2:12 pm From a former coach at Western and in our league…

 

What
 

leatherneckcountry wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 2:18 pm

Leatherneck57 wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 2:12 pm From a former coach at Western and in our league…


 

What
 

 

The add image to post button has stopped working. He texted me the photos that were supposed to be attached...