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The Times They Are A-Changin’
July 7th, 2009, 11:46 am · 34 Comments · posted by Jake Schaller
For the last two seasons, covering Air Force football was an incredibly unique gig for writers.
Player and coach availability was as good or better than pretty much anyplace else. You could get Troy Calhoun after every practice, and you could talk to his players and assistants before and after practices.
On top of that, you could watch practice and write about it. It was great.
Not anymore.
To be honest, I knew changes were coming. As I often discussed with Gazette columnist David Ramsey and with jealous beat writers who covered other programs, the access wouldn’t last long. Especially with the program’s recent success and the increased attention that came with it.
But, I’ve got to say, I didn’t think things would change this much.
After reading the new “media guidelines” released by the academy this morning, I had to jump on the web and see if I’d been scooped on a big story: “Bill Belichick Hired to Run Air Force Football.”
Juniors and seniors available only in a pair of half-hour windows on Monday and Tuesday once the season starts. Sophomores and assistants available only in the same Tuesday half-hour window. Far fewer opportunities with Calhoun. Worst of all, no writing about practices.
Now, believe me, I know nobody wants to hear a sports writer complain. We get paid to watch and write about sports. Doesn’t get much better than that. And this isn’t much different than what you’d find at most media-unfriendly schools like, say, my alma mater, Notre Dame. And, really, it’s not much different from the Air Force men’s basketball program’s media guidelines. So I’m not going to whine about how this affects me. I’ll deal.
But so I don’t have to answer individual e-mails this August about why our coverage has changed, I thought I’d spell out how the changes affect this blog and you, the reader.
–You’ll no longer find daily practice updates here. The last two preseasons I’d write posts of about 400-500 words after every practice. They’d contain my observations – funny comments I heard, thoughts on who performed best, how position battles were going and descriptions of the top one or two plays of the day.
Now, however, while practices Mondays through Wednesdays are open to the media and public, reporting “on anything that happens” during those practices is prohibited. That also means …
–Forget about finding out about injuries here. Can’t write about them. I’m hoping we’ll get injury reports, but maybe we’ll just have to wait until game days to see who runs out onto the field.
–Don’t expect to find out too much about the freshmen. They’re available to the media only after games in which they participate. I guess we could ask Calhoun about a freshman that stands out in a preseason practice, but we’ll have to hope that freshman stands out on Monday or Saturday – the only days Calhoun is available after practices once school starts on Aug. 6.
I guess I’d suggest heading over to the Scout.com message board, but fans won’t be allowed to write about what they see at practice either. If they do (or if I do) practices will be closed to everyone.
On the bright side, there’s nothing in the new guidelines regarding dogs predicting the results of games. So the BlogDog will keep his gig.
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About this blog …
I'm Frank Schwab, Air Force beat reporter for The Gazette. I've been at the paper since 2003, and covered the Broncos for seven seasons. I covered the University of Wisconsin in the late 1990s, so I'm well versed in running football teams (Ron Dayne) and defensive basketball teams (Dick Bennett). I love to chat on www.twitter.com/GazetteAirForce, and will respond to comments and emails at frank.schwab@gazette.com.
For more coverage, visit The Gazette's Air Force Academy Sports page
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Maybe all the heat the Hans and his cronies are taking about baseball and the garbage going on there is getting to he and his cronies on the hill. Sounds like the new Sup will be locking you press guys out soon. I can’t believe that with all the good writing you do up there they would tighten down on you Jake!!! You know its not coming from Calhoun! He is too straight up a character for that garbage. I would say this was a Hans move in order to protect he and his despicable staff from the possibility of incurring any more wrath from the football fans. Certainly he is still feeling it from the baseball folks with the poor job he is doing there. I am disappointed in Gould though as I thought he would bring about a bigger change in the AFA and get rid of the dead weights that have been holding down several sports at the AFA. Every morning I read the paper I look to see what athlete in what sport is leaving the Academy thanks to our AD and his wonderful coaching selections. C’mon General Gould, get some footballs and get rid of this AD and staff. You were once a player! There is way too much going on in the tabloids daily for some of this talk to not be true. Do your own investigation. Should not the AFA come first and foremost? These kids deserve better! Ask them! After all they won’t do anything but provide you the truth!
A stroke of genius by the brainiacs at AFA.
Doubt my words?
Just look at what restrictive media politcies have done to aid the men’s basketball program.
I rest my case.
Make that policies.
David…who shut you and Jake out do you think? Has to be Hans and his support staff. I can’t see Gould doing that his first task at the AFA. Certainly there would be other things the Super would have to confront especially the way it was left to him…Sounds like good old fashioned censoring by Hans and his staff. If they don’t like what they see in print they will just limit it! Maybe the Cadets need to do what they are doing in China and Iran and all over the world where voices want to be heard. Maybe they need to riot! My money is on the 4000+ Cadets! I think they can take them! Hans its time to leave! Take your people with you! Gen. Gould please step up! Its fourth and 98 to go! Your an old football player I am certain even you could call the right play! Don’t play politics with these fine young men and women! They deserve the best and they are getting the worst!
What a shame. I agree it looks more like Mueh’s fingerprints than Calhoun’s, particularly after Mueh’s comments to David Ramsey that he posted on his blog the other week.
As a grad stationed out-of-state, I can tell you that Jake’s reporting over the past couple of years has made me more interested in USAFA football, more inclined to travel to Colorado to see a game (which I have done), and given me more positive insight than any other source of information out there.
Hans …. when you cut the Gazette’s access to the athletic department(which has been 90%+ positive in terms of its coverage), what you’re really doing is cutting ME — a graduate with an above-average income and a lot of interest in AFA athletics — off from the program. I am now LESS likely to be a contributing supporter, financial or otherwise, and will feel LESS of a day-to-day connection to the program. Can’t you see that??? Shame on you!
MKL — PERFECTLY STATED ….ditto, ditto, ditto. Does not appear to be very much foresight in this move.
David, Are you saying that the mens basketball team went WINLESS in conference play because of the restrictive media policy? It’s like saying the reason Burtschi, Welch, McCraw and their fellow teammates were the players they were was because they knew someone was there to write about them. I don’t understand what you mean by aiding the program??
Ah, a literalist in our midst.
Obviously, restricting the media did not aid the basketball team.
But, no, I’m not saying the team went winless in conference play because of the policy. They went winless because they couldn’t shoot, pass, defend or rebound.
For more on my views of the new policy, go here:
http://daveramseysez.freedomblogging.com/‘
Hans is in the “bunker” in full battle dress. This has Mueh’s fingerprints all over it. Used to be Hans was only at war with David Ramsey. Jake Schaller is now just been added to the Mueh hit list. That leaves it up to you Irv Moss of the Denver Post to hammer away at the TRUTH. This is a classic case of an Air Force bureaucrat in full “self-preservation” mode. Pathetic!!!!!
NOT ANOTHER PENNY for this athletic department until the AD is relieved of his “command”!!!!
There is, of course a valid football reason to cut off access and reporting on practices. I enjoy Jake’s writing tremendously, and his practice reports and injury reports have given us significantly more insight into what’s going on with the team than we’ve seen out of the media in decades. Nonetheless, I was wondering last summer how much of Jake’s material was being posted on bulletin boards throughout the Mountain West Conference. He provides some fairly telling insights on talent, who’s hurt, who played well in practice, who is in the doghouse, etc. Many times these were only Jake’s impressions, but I could see a coach who needs every edge and every single advantage thinking to himself that this flood of information coming out of his program is only helping the other side prepare.
College football is, ultimately,entertainment, and you have to keep people interested. One way to do that is to keep feeding the media and draw attention by allowing access to your players and activities. Another way is by simply winning (the third way is to construct your stadium in a downtown bar district so that the games become essentially a social watering hole for 30,000 people-only the Cubs have been able to do that). There may be some punitive element here, but let’s not forget that in the big-time business of college football, even a slight competitive advantage can be everything. This may simply be an effort to sharpen Air Force’s limited positives.
I don’t buy it. If Jake’s blog was such a threat to the team’s success, why would a shrewd guy like Troy Calhoun have allowed the level of access to continue as it did during last year’s successful season? He’s as capable of “coach speak” as the next guy — as he’s demonstrated a couple of times when he really didn’t want something to get out.
No . . . IMO this is a Hans Mueh backlash at what he perceives to be negative coverage. What he inexplicably doesn’t seem to realize is the fact that he’s throwing the baby out with the bathwater, as described in my post above.
Look, I’m as loyal a fan as they come (heck, I was one of the 20 folks faithfully attending b-ball games during the Reggie Minton years), but this and the baseball situation REALLY have me irked. And let me be very clear, on the off chance that Hans Mueh actually looks at this blog from time to time . . . it’s not the Gazette’s coverage that has me irked; it’s the athletic department’s failure to explain its positions and actions (or lack thereof) to the graduate community.
I can somewhat understand the restrictions on access to the cadets..they have zero time….but I don’t understand the restrictions on the coaching staff. They should be talking to reporters/media like crazy – especially if they can go off the record and offer more background. Coaches can study film at night and at home..and if their making the big bucks, talking to the media is big part of the job.
David/Jake,
Let’s remember where TC most recently came from…that’s right the NFL. Alot of “gamesmanship” using the media against one another by those teams as there is so much parity across the league. Seemingly inconsequential statements made during the week are designed to have an effect on Sundays.
I would like to know who is responsible for the new “limited access” of the media. Is it TC? Is it Mueh? Is it a vast left-wing conpriracy? Where is the sports information director in all of this? Is it a vindictive act by the entire department or individuals therein for previous controversial articles? I would like to know the root cause otherwise you are leaving this open to wild specualtion and I don’t think that’s good for the program, school, or department.
Curse,
The new guidelines were sent out in a mass e-mail from the sports information director. I had heard earlier in the summer that Calhoun was talking now and then with the SID about altering the media policy, so I know Calhoun wanted to make some changes. And he’s got such a firm handle on the program that I’d be shocked if these changes were simply foisted upon him without his input.
I’ll start of by saying I think we have a group of outstanding FALCON fans who have expressed legitimate concerns about this topic and have also offered up some great views on why these changes may have come about and their impact. Thanks to all of you for your unyielding support of AF football and the institution that helps to produces the world’s greatest Air Force with fantastic leaders.
I think AF fans and possibly the fans at the other SAs have some of the best access to players and coaches out of all the institutions fielding teams in DI football. Coach Calhoun has gone out of his way to provide individuals and groups I have brought to him and his staff full access to any area of the practice fields and have taken their limited time during and after practice to interact with their current and new found fans. Jake’s commment mentions nothing about that type of access being restricted and I know he roams freely amongst the players and coaches during practice. I think he would have commented if he had been told that free range was being fenced in.
In this modern day of instant communications I can understand why a HC with the character of Coach Calhoun want’s to give his player sthe opportunity to be the first one to talk to family members about an injury. Can there be an impact on a game if the opposition gets information on the injury of a specfic player several days in advance? I think most of us would say yes, I think the staff of Navy would like to know ASAP if a key player is out, because depth at SAs is always a problem. No TEAM should be dependent on one player, but leadership and “playing time” are benefits that cannot be dismissed when a starter is not able to suit up.
In terms of Jake’s access to Coach Calhoun, his staff and players, I think we have to remember this is their place of work and there has to be some structure as to when interviews can be conducted and what can be discussed with cadets who have to answer not only to a HC, but the military structure within the AFA and the U.S. Air Force. Jake is a damn good reporter, I doubt he will have any problems coming up with stories that tell AF fans more than just the Xs and Os of what he sees at practice, like digging deeper into what makes the SA player unique or more information on the opposition.
I believe most football fans, and in particular SA football fans understand the need for what the military terms OPSEC or operational security i.e. don’t let the bad guys know what you’re up to.
The majority of fans are looking for information that pertains to how their team and favorite player did on game day, not what they did at practice. Limiting what is said about the prep for a game makes sense to me and I know Jake is a professional and will do his best to provide his readers with informative material that isn’t going to tip off the enemy!
With access to instant communications, fans have to be responsible for what they say on forums, blogs etc. I don’t know what was said to Jake about fans from the Scout.com board commenting on what would be deemed sensitive information, but during the last two years of participating on that board I can think of only one instance where a poster gave out information that could have had a negative impact on the team. With that said, there is no doubt in my mind that the poster was acting with every good intent, but being a FALCON FANATIC and wanting to share the good things he had seen at practice, failed to follow OPSEC and review his material before he posted it on the board.
Again, I don’t know what was said to Jake about gaining information from Scout.com board members, but the way it was presented was there was a direct threat made to him to close down practice to fans if they didn’t comply with posting procedures. Well I don’t believe anyone at the USAFA has control of what is said on the Scout.com board, but I do know the Department of Athletics monitors what is said there. IF and I place an emphasis on IF there was a threat made to shut down practices based off of fans participation on that board, there is a huge problem in how the AD conducts business. The simple solution to fans talking about sensitive information on the board is to simply ask the person who administers the board, Falcon Mike, to make a statement that clearly outlines the need to maintain OPSEC and support your team with common sense being the primary guideline for what is and isn’t “sensitive” in nature.
Threats towards loyal fans with good intentions would be a stupid move on the part of any athletic department, but given the struggles that the AFA currently has in filling Falcon stadium, a failure to take the time to engage the people who have unyielding loyalty and display feverent support of your premier sports program with constructive dialogue, would be a disaster. I hope someone from the AFA Athletic Deparment will post their concerns on the board and seek some input on how we can work together in better supporting the program and institution we love!
THUD…Bravo…well written and Jake and Dave should be shaking in their boots with your eloquence! BUT! We, who live, eat and breath AFA sports and who pick up the paper each morning count on the insight and comments from the players and coaches. While I totally understand your points and they are all valid you are missing one crucial point and that is those of us that attend as many USAFA functions as possible as they are the best and affordable ticket in the Springs deserve better. This current AD and his staff of religious fanatics are destroying sports as we have come to expect over the years at the Academy. Calhoun which was a gift from God to the academy, (Not your god Hans!), dropped in his lap. Coaches with the caliber of Calhoun would line up to coach at AFA if it weren’t for the current AD and staff. They are positively the worst group to infiltrate the academy in years. Then add their miserable coach selections to the mix, their attitude that winning doesn’t matter and its only image that is important is the reason we watch pitiful D1 sports except football and thats only because they can’t mess with Calhouns success. Give Hans another year or so more time and we’ll lose Calhoun. Top caliber coaches are avoiding USAFA sports. Until a credible AD is brought in and a support staff whose true interests are not only academic excellence but excellence in sports as well we will continue to see empty seats and lack of fan support. Alums are turning away in droves because of the current AD and his admin dept. The money will begin to dry up as well. Gould needs to act before its too far gone and clean house of these people with intentions that are not good for the academy. Remember its the Alums who also pay the bills Hans and they want you gone! Your chair side chats are nauseating and that smug smile looks almost evil. GO AWAY HANS we don’t want your censorship!
I will definitely miss Jake and David’s insight if access is diminished. However, I would give Hans Mueh the benefit of the doubt and not make the assumption that he is trying to punish the gazette or the media in general.
Look at it objectively — first, Coach Calhoun comes most recently from the NFL and the NFL model has always been to close practice and give the media only what is required by the NFL Commish. Second, if you look at college football today, the sad trend has been to limit media and fan access to coach, athletes and practice. Fianlly, Thud may be right. If fans are sharing sensitive information about practice, that needs to stop. Coach Calhoun has a job to do and he can’t have unwitting fans sharing information.
I hope the policy changes for the fans sake.
Let’s everybody take a deep breath and count to 10, especially Mr. Ramsey. Jake, your posting was very well written and insightful and I have enjoyed your practice posts. David, not so much … no wonder the future of the newspaper is on the same path as the dinosaurs.
David, why would it be a good experience for an 18-22 year old to answer tough questions as you said in your blog. Seriously? Yes, these players are in the public eye and so are you. After you write a poor column (there are plenty to choose from) and/or make mistakes, does anyone stick an microphone in your face and ask you to explain it. Nope, you just slither back in your hole. And your more recent post, why in the world would Shaun Carney respond to that. If he denies saying it then your hnext eadline is “AFA QB calls Navy coach a liar”. Come on!
Back on topic. People, wake up and grab a clue. Athletic directors and sports information directors don’t set media policies. If they did, every sport’s policies at each institution would be the same. It comes from the coach, plain and simple. Why does Jeff Reynolds, have a different policy than Troy Calhoun? Because the coach sets them. Period. Not the AD.
The reason schools are closing practices completely (AFA is not by the way, you can still attend practice), is the bloggers. Read the posts. Uninformed people now have a voice to thousands … and quickly. Here’s the drill, player gets hurt at practice and somebody sees it happen. In order to be the first one, the information ends up on a blog site and mom and dad may read this before the team doctors have even evaluated the kid. As a parent, I would not be happy. Secondly, players who missed practice, position changes, players hot and not go very quickly from the practice field into the opponents hands. As everyone should know, football is a game of tendencies and the slightest tidbit could give the opponent an advantage. Thud, you are right on about this and I don’t even know what opsec means.
As for limiting the time with the cadets and coaches. Coaches want to win games, that should be easy for everyone to understand. Does talking to the media every day help them win games? No. Does watching film on the opponent, creating the practice plan, helping players get better and contacting recruits help the team win. Absolutely.
This should not be the last reason, but the cadets have very limited time. Would a cadet be better served working on a paper or studying for a test or talking to the media. Hmmm, think about it. I’ve been to practice and watched the players stay on the field long after practice is over waiting to do an interview. Ramsey said he requested a two or three minute interview with Carney. I’ve been to practice. Including waiting time, its never 2 or 3 minutes, more like 15 with follow up questions. Time could be better spent in other places. The cadets have to learn how to manage their time to survive. Maybe it’s time the media learn to manage their time as well and follow the guidelines.
Totally agree with Mountain Man….
I’ll say it again: David Ramsey is making a mountain out of a molehill.
Mtn Man…nice plant! Everyone take a breath…please. Open your eyes to whats going on at USAFA sports. Athletes are leaving in every sport due to poor coaches, poor coaching and poor coach selections. All of the criticisms out there are about horrible coaching and leadership from the AD on down. This isn’t about a player getting hurt and his parents finding out first. These kids are in the military not pre-school. No one is leaking mystic secrets at post practice or game interviews. This is about Hans and his horrible staff that keep allowing poor coaches to stay, and the best coaches run away because of what they see and hear. They read the blogs and news like everyone and they know there is trouble where there should be none! USAFA has the ability to recruit not only the finest coaches but players alike if the right people are behind the recruiting. When you leave the job to incompetents you get the results you expect. If Gould doesn’t step up soon and do something then he is going to get the same reputation as the Sup he replaced. I don’t need to post that here. Everyone knows he cared little for the problems in sports as a whole and was happy to leave the Hans mess to Gould. The military is amazing! What they will allow and call it protocol! Hans and staff would have been fired years ago with the results that USAFA sports have put up. He doesn’t have the dignity to resign or any where to go for that matter so why should he. This is why our journalists are getting snubbed. Its outright censorship!
Fantastic,
You may be letting your hatred for hans mueh and his staff show through and cloud your vision. I think mountain man is accurate that coaches dictate the access to their teams and that is why there isn’t a set policy across the athletic department for access and that each team is different. Why look for the million dollar answer when the fifty cent answer will do. It seems simple that Coach Calhoun wants to limit access for whatever reason and mueh and his staff are respecting his wishes.
Hans Mueh was both the Shadowy figure on the grassy noll, and the gunman who took down The Notorious B.I.G. I would blame him for Tupac, but he is still alive. Do not get me wrong, I am not a big fan of hans, and you will not see me at a game or practice sporting a halter top with the “HANS” painted on my gut. If this came from him, it would be the same across the board, everysport, no exceptions. Blogers here should pick up on that since they are all convinced they could run an athletic progam. You still have more access than any other D-1 program in the nation. Do I really need read another story about Player X playing high school ball with the son of inspector 12 at the fruit of the loom factory? NO, stick to relevant information, and throw in some good scouting reports of upcoming opponents so that we know where nicholls state is located, we could really use info about our pre conference basketball opponents, maybe build a little interest in who the birds bring in their nest, it would be nice to sit amongst other well informed fans who actually possess a bit of relevant sports knowledge that does not start and end at Jacob Burtschi’s shoe size. Jake and Dave do a good job and this is just against the gazette, but all media outlets. No personal offense should be taken. Let the kids work on their academics more and the coaches get home a little bit earlier to their families. They will be a better team for it. Most importantly let them keep private matters in the the locker room that need to stay there, such as injuries and academy suspensions. Any info we have, is also available to the opponent. This could be good for us fans and the gazette. We could get articles about other air force sports on non interview days, how about where are they now with former af athletes instead of high school kids no one cares about or ever heard about. What about an expanded conference round up once a week, behind the scenes article with other branches of the dept. The possibilities are there for a better gazette and a more knowledgeable fan. I am glad the blogdog can still make his picks, It would have been a sad day to see him standing in line at the kibble kitchen waiting to feed his family. When the blog dog has been banished, then the powers to be at the academy have crossed the line!!!
As an interested baseball fan (not sure why), why have more facts not been brought to the table and written about what is gooing on there. 9 of a possible 25 returning player have left and 18 new freshmen are not going to get it done in 2010.
BBscott:
Thats easy about baseball. If you read these blogs often you could have read a string a week or so ago and yet baseball continues. Worst coaching staff on the hill, Hans hand picked! Win loss record that would have gotten coaches dismissed years ago anywhere else in D1 and a head coach that has documented cases against him of verbal and physical abuse of his players. These are documented cases. All Gould would have to do is line up the remaining players that haven’t quit or been cut and ask them to verify the incidents and they would have a moral obligation to tell the truth and Gould would see what a mess he has on his hands with Hans and his disciples. Its a shame Hans and staff don’t have to follow them same moral codes. Press is getting shut out because there are more and more of these incidents going on and as always our wonderful military generals would rather stick their heads in the sand, cover their eyes and put their fingers in their hears. I wish more alums would get involved because these cadets can’t raise an eyebrow without repercussion or they would come forward. Cmon Gould step up!
I guess my point is, if things are that bad why isnt the press and/or the parents stepping in. This seems, from the blogs, to be right up there with previous issues that the AFA has had to deal with. The longer that I live the more and more amazed I am that knit-wit peole who are toatlly inadequate have jobs iin important places and they continue to get by. I guess there are a lot of people out there that are satisfied with mediocrity and no holds people to high expectations and high standards anymore. How in the world after 6 years could you justify extending a contract of a guy that has won and average of 11 games a year???? What are you telling the players that are there, the new recruits and more impoatntly the people who support the AFA. Would people except that type of losing if and when these players are sent out to defend our country?
BBscott..I totally agree with you and if I was a parent of one of those kids the AD on down would be looking for work like the rest of the country. The press can’t do anything without a cadet coming forward. From what I know of cadet life if they did come forward then they might as well just leave the school then they would be liable for a very expensive education. If they didn’t leave the AFA they would find a way to make that cadet that came forward miserable and ruin his career. The administration on the hill is not much better than the circus in Washington right now. Its all politics and unfortunately it sucks the life out of too many fine cadets that leave early and might have been outstanding officers and contributed greatly as officers in their future careers. We sport fans talk about sports but its not all sports. The world was promised change by our new commander in chief and the AFA better figure that out as well or they will be on the chopping block of this country in a hurry. I had heard this Gen. Gould was a good egg and I am still hoping he will investigate all the comments flying about these and many other blogs. There has to be some truth in it as why would so many baseball players be leaving. I don’t think these players are intimidated by 18 new recruits of which will probably be 15 after basic and then 12 by fall ball. You are correct this is the same story as in recent years and one has to wonder how people keep their jobs. But after all it is the government! What do you expect!
Thought this was an article about football practice being closed to the media. Seems some of you have an ax to grind about baseball. either you guys or your kids where not as good as you thought. the kids who get cut are usually bad, look at their stats some of these kids would have a hard time getting picked up for a team at four diamonds. Those who quit do so on their own accord. Here a couple more facts about af baseball most on these posts are unaware of:
1. Randy Spetman, not Hans hired Mike Hutcheon, Hans came aboard in 2004, after Hutcheon’s first season.
2. Baseball at the academy has always been bad, Hutcheon plays very few d-2 games, no longer do they play the police academy on a regular basis.
3. Even Paul Maneriri’s struggled, now he has a NCAA ring.
4. Generals have their head buried in the sand on the sitution because thier heads are where they should be in iraq and afghanistan, not listening to the petty grumbliings of a select few about a subject so trivial.
5. Other than football, hockey, and Mbb being mediocre. ALL TEAM SPORTS at the academy are crappy. It is o.k!! The mission at the academy is to produce leaders of character, All 27 sports excell at this. Just look at their media guides profiles of alumni.
6. Even if a kid gets cut or quits, HE makes the decision to stay in the academy, and become a good officer and leader, not the coach. Who wants to follow a quiter anyway?
Actually, I have no connection to the AFA except that a friend attended here and actually had a good baseball career. I guess it’s easier to justify the fact that they arent good instead of holding people accoutable for what they do or dont do. Coach Mineriri may have struggled, but certainly not to the extent of the last 6 years. And contrary to your statement that it’s ok to be crappy, it isn’t, no matter how you look at it. You’re a typical guy that justifies everything off, makes excuses and holds no one accoutable for anything.
Bluefan…How dare you minimize the efforts and hard work of all the cadets both male and female that not only take course schedules in a semester that most of their competition takes in a year and say they are all crappy. You obviously are part of the problem on the hill and my guess is you are one of the Hans grape juice drinkers or one of the baseball coaches. It appears to me that your not or ever have been part of the military system as anyone that knows better would have never commented on all teams being crappy as you put it. These kids give their all and its not about wins and losses. It is about character and that is what some of the comments here have been about. Something you are extremely lacking in. Does it matter who hired Hans…look at his record of failure since he’s been there. We are not talking about wins and losses but failure period. As for the generals on the hill again you show your ignorance as those officers could not be further from the front lines you refer to if they tried. Their jobs are to maintain the academy and not the troops in Iraq and Afghanistan! The only thing your even remotely correct on is that the blog has gotten off track from the focus on media and lack there of. The great thing is that these fine young men and women that are the future of our country that you refer to as crappy athletes make it safe for people like you and I to speak out with repercussion. One more thing Dont ever compare Hutcheon to Paul Maneriri…Paul has a future…Hutcheon doesn’t. You need to apologize to the athletes of the USAFA for the fine job they do and take 20+ HOURS a semester while they do their best. If you look at the records since your stating facts Maneriri put many 20+ game winning seasons as well. I don’t think the police force was on the schedule either. You should be ashamed of your comments and you call yourself a bluefan! I think not!
Obviously I am many posts behind, so here we go. AFA Fantastic, I’m not a plant. My brother attended the Air Force Academy and is currently flying to defend our country … that means your country and mine! I lived in Springs for eight years and recently left and duriing my time and my connection with my brother , I grew to love Air Force athletics. You are so misguided, I am not even going to comment on each points. For an outsider, I think I have a pretty good understanding of college athletics and have been around numerous programs.
Why does everyone keep going back to the baseball issue. Does anyone on this board have any facts (or a life for that matter), I think not. AFA Fantastic’s pure hatred for Mueh has reached the level of insanity. Did you flunk his chemistry class at some point? Yes, baseball has issues and always has. Its part of the sport.I also coach little league and the parents of 10-year olds are obviously the same as the parents of college kids. My kid did nothing wrong and is great, so they say. I’m also a parent and sometimes my kids make mistakes and sometimes they are just not very good at something. Unlike AFA Fantastics, who is qualified to run a multi-million dollar athletic department with knowledge gained by sitting behind a computer blogging.
AFA Fantastic, don’t let hte facts get in the way of your rant, but many of Mainieri’s teams that won 20 games included several Division Ii wins. One year, they beat Division III Colorado College six times, including once at Sky Sox stadium when the CC coach got tossed in their final game. Were you there? No, I was, freezing my cajones off.
bluefan, makes some great points, but he is jaded. Not everyone is crappy. Let’s put some of the baseball issues aside for a second and take a look at the other 20 something sports. Lacrosse had a great season under a first-year coach (hired by mueh), a golfer is in a qualifier for the Masters and a baseball player, yes a baseball player, was a first-team All-American. And how about hockey, you talk about a program winning with class under one of the best coaches ever in any sport at the Academy. And, oh by the way Hans hater, Hans was the chair on the committee that hired Serratore. Hmmm. Sometimes you hit a home run and sometimes you pop up.
This dead horse is dead! Feel free to chime back in, but I’m done until the next issue comes up. Mountain Man out.
More facts:
I think with my head not my heart
I Do not care for Hans, but he does get an overly bad rap on this blog.
the cadets are outstanding
Never did i say the kids were crappy, the teams as far as sports teams go are crappy, How do i know?
Every women’s sport went o for the season in mwc play…. the men’s soccer team scored one goal all season at home. Lacrosse had a suprising season, and finished .500 beating two teams in a blizzard..
Hans record of failure ? One ncaa at large basketball birth. one ncaa final four. He hired bzdelik. He approved changing hockey conferences..Three consecutive ncaa apperance later. In no way do i drink the kool-aid,,,,but put Lax aside and you will find the most sucessful service academy lies within colorado springs…..get off their backs!!!!
should read nit final four, not ncaa
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