Positivity
My first MGoPost
I think we need to visit the positive side of our last game. What we've seen the past few years makes us quick to roll our eyes. However, I think there is a lot of good to take away.
-We would have not won this game last year. Why? Offense. not just the fact we are denarded now, but, he does play into it. We can do soooo much more with less risk this year its scary. No one had to key on tate like the nard dog. meaning you could stop our running game by stopping only one part. And big plays were possible but with MUCH more risk last year. We stretch a team out so much with real good options, we can eliminate the risk that would have killed us in a game like this. Imagine what more turnovers would have resulted in. yeah.
-We showed nothing on defense. I know, we don't have much to show, but, scheme wise, We played the most vanilla defense I've seen for 3 weeks and we're 3-0. If your not motivated, playing on your heels and not calling anything to help that out, what happened saturday is going to happen. Now, it did get close, but, it got close real quick at the end, so I can see why we didn't panic into anything. That was a very tight, passive and unprepared defense. AND, we're 3-0. I don't think there is a lot in the playbook, but, there has to be some get em' off the field plays to unleash. We got in position to get off, just needed that little extra from somewhere.
-Cam Gordon found out what being the deepest guy on the field gets you. More interceptions then jumping routes with crappy angles.
-The offense learned never to get off the gas.
-Their pissed like only a loss could get you pissed.....and we're 3-0
September 20th, 2010 at 6:00 PM ^
Before anyone else responds to this thread......please cut the guy some slack and remember this is his first post. We don't need the KGB posters here with their "HOW MANY THREADZ LIKE THIS" posts and stuff.
Welcome to the MGoBoard and I hope to see you contribute.
September 20th, 2010 at 6:01 PM ^
This is a trend now. Everyday a new one.
Hey did anyone else know that we are 3-0?
September 20th, 2010 at 6:10 PM ^
September 20th, 2010 at 6:17 PM ^
TomVH usually post excellent recruiting updates. I love TomVH's post, they are very informative. I'm just saying, most people on this board are pretty rational, we don't need a daily reminder not to jump off the ledge. I'm thinking about Bowling Green now and hoping we put that bad performance behind us.
September 20th, 2010 at 7:39 PM ^
Even so, whats the harm in threads like these? They sooth your nerves, give reason to be optimistic, and are more fun to read than Freep's junk.
If you have a problem with someone trying to convey his own reasons for being optimistic to the mgoblog community, then why are you even clicking on a thread titled "positivity"?
September 20th, 2010 at 7:48 PM ^
September 20th, 2010 at 6:16 PM ^
I would rather 100 posts like this over 1 post about MSU and/or its fans.
To the OP. Welcome.
September 20th, 2010 at 6:19 PM ^
I may be over reacting but it seems like everyone is trying to convince us everyday that everything will be ok. I don't think anyone on the board is crowning us the national champ or yelling DOOOM.
September 20th, 2010 at 6:27 PM ^
Having modded this board long enough, trust me, there are some of those posts. Most of those posters have been excised. Some are still on a 3 day suspension from starting threads.
September 20th, 2010 at 7:04 PM ^
Others are dead.
September 20th, 2010 at 7:15 PM ^
Im with you on this, I do hate the extremes and the calls to bring people back to life.
My post is more about how impressed I am with where we are. Not a call to bring you back from doom
Go to youtube and lookup RichRods first game against ND. The funny thing is that I came away feeling halfway good about our team after that game. Looking back, what a joke. I also got sick of hearing "he doesn't have his players yet" The "don't panic" phrase of that year.
Maybe I should rename it appreciation instead of positivity so it'll be read for its intention.
September 20th, 2010 at 6:19 PM ^
Agree with FA. Disagree with one point of the OP's. We win this game last year too.
September 20th, 2010 at 6:37 PM ^
I tend to side with the OP (thought we would've lost this one with 08, 09 teams), but upon further review, I have one question before I decide: Are we playing them with a healthy Tate and Molk or the team held together by gauze and Doublemint towards the back end of the conference season?
September 20th, 2010 at 6:44 PM ^
Our offense was vastly better with a healthy Minor than without. If we still had him around, paired with Denard in the backfield, we'd be unreal.
September 20th, 2010 at 7:10 PM ^
Yeah, we would be unreal for all 3 games he wasn't hurt.
September 20th, 2010 at 7:19 PM ^
September 20th, 2010 at 6:45 PM ^
Take it this way. We were in a bit of panic at the end of the half. Do you think even a helthy Tate and Molk gets us those back to back touchdowns? Maybe, I just have more trust in how this ofense resonds. I don't hate on Tate becuase he isn't the happening running....but, he did find some interesting ways to turn it over trying to make plays. Nard Dog hasn't.
September 20th, 2010 at 10:11 PM ^
would have won this game last year as well. BG alone would have created enough of a pass-rush to produce a turnover or at least a drive killing sack or two. Minor rage also could have done some major damage.
September 20th, 2010 at 6:21 PM ^
3-0 isn't my main point, its the whiping of the sweat "woo" we get to add. My point is I see the teams entire progression along with handling a fragile situation that is our defense.
I posted only because I didn't see anymore else claim we would have not won this game last year. I think it was possible, but, I honestly don't think we would have pulled it out.
I am sorry if this appears to be clutter, Im excited to contribute and grumble at quick reactions (though sometiems just). I see good things on the horizon and I really think we, the seen fanbase, actually play a big roll in how things play out.
September 20th, 2010 at 6:26 PM ^
I'm not sure if we would have won the game last year but I am more inclined to say we would have. I agree about seeing bright things in the future for this team, I do too. I do think that some of the grumbling is just after UMass though.
All that being said I am just taking this team week by week. It should be an exciting ride.
September 20th, 2010 at 6:29 PM ^
It might just be a sign of how incredibly abused we've been as a fan base, but I saw the fact that we did not, in fact, end the day with an incredibly embarrassing and humiliating loss followed by endless posts full of rationalization, agony and kittens as a sign of improvement.
Don't know if it qualifies as improvement if it's a matter of "They failed to disappoint, hooray!" but you know what? I'll take it.
September 20th, 2010 at 6:33 PM ^
If you think this is a stupid topic then don't read it....and don't post in just to complain.
September 20th, 2010 at 6:51 PM ^
I like your post and keep up the good work. My first post was yesterday and I got creamed with all sorts of sarcasm. I got down voted and up voted 5 times last night. I've been on mgoblog for just a short time and it amazes me how people will go out there way to tear somebody down. So take it with a grain of salt.
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<br>It's good the team is angry and they should be.
September 20th, 2010 at 7:22 PM ^
+1. Now you're back at zero. Missed your post yesterday but I can say when MGOPosters are stressed about our team there are some that can't wait for the next MGOnegbang. Don't take it personally and hopefully you'll continue post around here.
September 20th, 2010 at 7:42 PM ^
The post was about how many wins we get this season after starting 3-0.
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<br>It didn't help that my iPhone put the post up 3 times and it went down hill from there.
September 20th, 2010 at 7:03 PM ^
I'm here for the posbang?
September 20th, 2010 at 7:15 PM ^
Every day that passes is another day that this team gets better, more mature, and more able to execute the schemes that our coaches run. I look at our defensive roster and our incoming recruits and I can see a very bright future.
September 20th, 2010 at 7:30 PM ^
...they won the game and are 3-0 so that's a good thing. The team looks better than last year's with the same record, which augurs for more wins than in 2009.
The defense will either get better or it won't. If the do, we'll all be very excited when they win one or two they weren't expected to win and we finish in the top half of the conference. If they don't, we'll all be happy (but in a meh, disappointed way - yes we'll be happy and disappointed all at once) when they finish at or just above .500 and squeak into a bowl.
Rollercoaster season, here we come. Live it, love it. This team is not 'Bama, so a loss should not be met with homicidal rage. Keep it in check for next year. Then you can blow a gasket if they don't make the great leap forward.
e-opinion only.
September 20th, 2010 at 7:49 PM ^
One thing to keep in mind is that Lloyd's teams were never really able to bury "inferior" teams like UMass (remember Ball State a few years ago?, obviously we remember App State).
We've been nearly losing to teams we're supposed to crush for quite some time now. This game was a slip-up, but it's nothing new. Hopefully we can learn from it and kick some ass from here on out.
September 20th, 2010 at 8:27 PM ^
"Never" able to bury inferior teams?
Man, the revisionist bullshit and the excuse making for this sorry ass coaching staff are in full bloom.
You "Appy State ARRRRGGGGH" angry motherfuckers can't have it both ways.
The last two seasons have been the most embarrassing in the history of this program, and the UMass game had better be seen by you Rich Rod apologists as a warning not to get too giddy.
But you'll never learn and you will drum out any shot of realism or anyone who doesn't believe this staff is the greatest thing since the pocket pussy (which most of you probably need).
September 20th, 2010 at 8:55 PM ^
This game was frighteningly reminiscent of Ball State in 2006 with one significant exception. We actually had a good defense that year (last time) and a loss would have been comparable to what happened in THE HORROR.
September 20th, 2010 at 10:21 PM ^
Lets just write it off as a bad day. We were a bit too pumped after the Notre Dame game and just didn't come ready to play like we should have. Also, the defense should keep improving and we still have a good chance to put up alot more "W"'s when you consider our upcoming schedule. GO BLUE!!
September 21st, 2010 at 12:28 AM ^
I'm trying to see the glass as half-full with the defense. If you look closely at the UMass' drive chart, you'll see that only one drive started inside their own 20. Most coaches get conservative when they are inside their own 20 and end up punting as a result (see drive #4.) The other two times they started inside their own 30, they punted and got a TD. They basically had their whole playbook to use the entire game because our special teams (punt and kickoff) were unable to pin them back all day long. And their last two drives for TDs were only 25 and 26 yards long. Sure, I would have loved to see us hold them down, but the object is to win the game. When we got up 35-17, that was likely going to happen, unless we fumbled a punt, fumbled an interception, AND gave up an on-side kick. I don't blame GERG for going completely vanilla. I expect to see a -20 to -30 for RPS because we didn't even try to disrupt their offense. Why show Wisconsin, MSU, Iowa, PSU, and OSU how we plan to shut down a power running game?
From: http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/stats/091810aaa.html
UMASS 1st U35 15:00 Kickoff M12 10:00 *FIELD GOAL
UMASS 1st U49 09:12 Interception M48 06:46 Punt
UMASS 1st U33 03:35 Kickoff M00 14:25 *TOUCHDOWN
UMASS 2nd U15 12:25 Punt U42 08:38 Punt
UMASS 2nd U21 04:45 Missed FG M00 01:17 *TOUCHDOWN
UMASS 2nd U36 01:01 Kickoff M45 00:45 Fumble
UMASS 2nd U36 00:16 Kickoff U34 00:00 End of half
UMASS 3rd U26 12:29 Kickoff U50 09:55 Punt
UMASS 3rd U30 06:18 Kickoff M00 13:47 *TOUCHDOWN
UMASS 4th U27 11:57 Kickoff M35 09:49 Interception
UMASS 4th M26 09:49 Fumble M00 05:15 *TOUCHDOWN
UMASS 4th M25 03:33 Punt M00 02:05 *TOUCHDOWN
September 21st, 2010 at 1:02 AM ^
The poor play on defense nearly cost us a loss to a FCS team. Not attempting to disrupt their running game when it was shredding us is insane.