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My personal musings about anything that gets on my radar screen--heavily dominated by politics.

2005-12-10

On A Less Serious Note

As a graduate of the University of Colorado, one who watched every single home game and Bowl game during my four years from the often-uncomfortable bleachers of Folsom Field and elsewhere, I am still a big fan of Colorado football. So I was very pleased when CU managed to secure the services of Coach Gary Barnett seven-odd years ago.

I am, likewise, unsurprised at the rather abrupt end of his tenure.

Four years of scandals he was able to survive. Slightly above-mediocre play, ocassionally reaching heights of excellence, were enough to keep him in place. Recruiting that forced him to rely on an un-recruited quarterback trying to throw to largely undistinguished receivers would not have been enough to force a change. I suspect that, if that was all there was to worry about, even losing the last three games of this season by a combined score of, like, 312-16 would not have driven him away.

But to lose those three games while accumulating hundreds of yards of penalties, many of them in 15-yard increments, shows that he had lost control of his team. When a team is unable to maintain its own self-discipline in the face of adversity, it shows that the cohesive bonds of 'esprit de corps' have broken down, that student leadership is lacking, and that the sort of fear of failure that usually accompanies success are all missing. And you cannot long maintain a program if those ingredients are lacking.

Whoever gets to take over this program has a lot of housecleaning to get to work on. But as one who witnessed the Orange Bowl victory over Notre Dame in 1991 for the National Championship, I am optimistic that this program can become elite once again. I don't know if it will ever compete for the Title again, but it can be very good.

As for Barnett, I suspect he will find himself in a very good job again shortly, where I expect he will do a very good job. Sometimes a change of scenery is good for everyone involved, and I wish Barnett well.
Posted by: Michael / 12/10/2005 01:26:00 AM

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