Fennelly- Another Collapse Just Won't Cut It

[Matt]

My advice is to simply ignore all the rankings except two-- the final two BCS rankings, one before the final game and the one before the bowl games. By that time, the pretenders are shown for what they are and the good teams shine through.

mike...you want to grow the fanbase and donors but then shone off rankings as meaningless simply because they change over time, week to week.

getting media coverage and recognized as a top program is what will help draw in fans and grow our donor base.

sure, it also brings attention that is unnecessary and sometimes cruel...but my whole point in this whole thing is....

that is what happens to big time programs.  if we as a fanbase get so pissy when we read something we don't like that we go off the deep end...then we gotta long road ahead of us with a lot of frustrated fans.

[MikeG]

My advice is to simply ignore all the rankings except two-- the final two BCS rankings, one before the final game and the one before the bowl games. By that time, the pretenders are shown for what they are and the good teams shine through.

mike...you want to grow the fanbase and donors but then shone off rankings as meaningless simply because they change over time, week to week.

getting media coverage and recognized as a top program is what will help draw in fans and grow our donor base.

sure, it also brings attention that is unnecessary and sometimes cruel...but my whole point in this whole thing is....

that is what happens to big time programs.  if we as a fanbase get so pissy when we read something we don't like that we go off the deep end...then we gotta long road ahead of us with a lot of frustrated fans.

I didn't say rankings don't apply to the overall success of the program (in fact, I listed it as an important item to fans and outsiders). I merely stated that I don't give a crap about the rankings until the final weeks. That is my personal stance on them-- and worrying about them is not in my wheelhouse.

[LakeBull]

The accomplishment of ranking second showed the team had the talent to compete nationally at a very high level.   The subsequent collapses showed that we lacked the depth to play at that high level for a whole season.     We have slowly improved depth, but we still have some holes.   All this is just growing pains.    Our program is still a work in process.    We have come a long way and have the ability to hang with anyone, but if our depth has come to the level it needs to be is a question that will only be answered by the upcoming season. 

Was the ranking deserved?   The team kicked butt to get that ranking, doing more than anyone else.   Heck yes, it was deserved.  The sad thing is that the subsequent collaspe overshadows one of the programs high water marks and a major reason why anyone outside of Florida has heard of USF. 

[Guest hm101]

would some of you here rather be Utah? how do suppose they feel about their outstanding season but receiving no respect in the polls? is that better than an artificially high ranking and fewer wins (USF '07, Notre Dame '09)?

[Triple B]

I honestly feel that if there is another big collapse mid season, Leavitt will be on the hot seat.

agreed.  if we start out strong and beat FSU, go 4-0, get ranked in the top 20 and then go on to lose 3 straight again....we will NEVER live down the 'mid season collapse' tag.

NEVER?? ... EVER?? A tad overeactionary, aren't we?

[windbane]

I honestly feel that if there is another big collapse mid season, Leavitt will be on the hot seat.

agreed.  if we start out strong and beat FSU, go 4-0, get ranked in the top 20 and then go on to lose 3 straight again....we will NEVER live down the 'mid season collapse' tag.

NEVER?? ... EVER?? A tad overeactionary, aren't we?

Yeah...we're going to go out and beat FSU then lose to Syracuse.  Come on.  Now, we could lose the next game against Cincy, then Pitt, WVU, and Rutgers.  Maybe we'll lose those 4 then close out by beating UL, Miami, and UConn.  Then we'll have completed a nice mid-season collapse and finish 3-4 in the Big East but have beaten 2 state "powerhouses."  That would add to our mid-season collapse tag.

However, 2 seasons is just a coincidence and there's no reason that should be considered a trend other than conference games aren't easy.  There's no reason that even if the above happens that we'll not be able to shed that tag should we ever win the Big East.

[Guest]

Two seasons is a coincidence... the fact they happened IN A ROW points to a possible trend. 

Much like getting two aces in a row on the 'up' portion of 7-card poker.  Other betters see two aces and think you could have more, when in reality all you have is a pair of aces.  The real check is the third card.

[Matt]

ok...NEVER might of been the wrong word...but how about....10 years of NOT doing it to erase 3 years of doing it.

thats just the laws of nature.

you hear 10 good things about someone but you hear 1 bad thing and that bad can outweigh all that good