FIRE EVERYONE!

[onceacat]

If you lose every coin flip game, maybe it's not a coin flip? At some point the randomness isn't randomness. There's nothing wrong with admitting that we're still a half step behind the DSUs. How often do they lose close games at home against teams that some consider are comparable opponents? Just because we should have won the last two home games doesn't mean that we are at their level and a few things broke the wrong way. I still think we'll get there, as long as Vigen is here, but we're not quite there yet. Real close though.

If you lose a game because the replay crew ignores the rule about overturning the call on the field, yeah, its actually random.

Give NDSU credit for the blocked point & give SDSU credit for the OT win. And, yeah, you are right...if NDSU & SDSU consistently make those plays in OT, maybe they are slightly aghead. But the difference is pretty slight.

Its not as though the sky is falling here.

I’m only speaking for myself here as people tend to get pretty extreme both ways.

We’ve known for over a year the possibility of starting this season 0-2. Two very good teams to face out of the gate. I still believe the Cats are very good and I think we can run the table at least till the brawl. I think we can get a seed.

I’m just very very tired of losing to the Dakotas. Sure the games are fun. That’s great. I love competitive games. But when it comes to the sports teams that I personally root for and in the case of the Cats invest in; I want them to WIN. I’m so tired of hearing that we’re right there with the Dakotas simply because we can compete with them. I love that we can compete. Love that they no longer dominate us. But so tired of playing these guys, thinking we can win, but expecting to probably lose, and then act like I’m super happy that we competed well. It just doesn’t mean anything.

Tom used a mogul skiing analogy earlier. And I agree that if you’re a good skier and lose a few races you don’t sell your skis. You find a way to get better. I’m not advocating the Cats do anything extreme. I love that we’re very good and I love our head coach. But that skiing example isn’t really what is happening with our football program so it was kinda apples and oranges to me.

What if there were 3 skiers, Tom, Jim and John. Tom’s a decent skier but not as good as Jim and John. In fact, John used to absolutely crush Tom but as of lately he still wins, but Tom is at least competitive. Jim kinda came out of nowhere and he always beats Tom almost every race and even beats John.

Tom’s mother loves Tom very much and tells all her friends that of all the skiers around, no one is better than her son. If anything Jim and John are equally as good as Tom, but not better. Despite the fact that every time they have raced, Jim and John have beat Tom every time but once!

I’d be more inclined to agree with Tom’s mother if Tom started beating Jim and John; and not just being really close to beating them or perhaps beating them if only a few more things would or wouldn’t have happened.

Yeah, no one is telling anyone that the Cats are better than the DSUs. If this were a track meet & one of the two DSUs beat the Cats by a tenth of a second every single time, no one would freak out because the Cats kept winning bronze or silver.

To take the skiing analogy a little further: Say your daughter was consistently on the podium with Lindsay Vonn & Mikala Schifferin....but family members complained constantly about "only" consistently winning second and third.

You'd tell them where to shove it.

And then your kid would get back to the grind & figure out what details to change to try to bump that one last spot & finish first instead of second.

You sure wouldn't fire coaches or techs or act like the sky was falling.

[Helcat72]

In years past I would be fuming on the way home to Helena about incompetence or poor coaching or players that are not competing. We have enjoyed the last 4 years of the best teams we have ever had at MSU including the championship years (because of how players have been getting better and better).

Last night didn't even bother me. I enjoyed the game immensely. I was disappointed at the fumbles, but the game was fabulous!

SDSU is a great team. That will be proven later on in this year. Vigen has given us some of the best fan experience of my 76 years. That started in 1966 with Jim Sweeney, Dennis Erickson, Jan Stenerud and Don Hass. Just look at the attendance. You are crazy to question our coach. He feels worse than you that the game went as it did. Do you think his coaching made us fumble or kept us from scoring touchdown like Tommy did? Thank the Bobcat gods for Brent Vigen!

[SparkCat]

“Acting entitled” has become this board’s equivalent to divorced spiteful women using the phrases “gaslighting” and “narcissist”

Two phrases I’m sure you’ve heard a lot over your life.

[Cataholic]

In years past I would be fuming on the way home to Helena about incompetence or poor coaching or players that are not competing. We have enjoyed the last 4 years of the best teams we have ever had at MSU including the championship years (because of how players have been getting better and better).

Last night didn't even bother me. I enjoyed the game immensely. I was disappointed at the fumbles, but the game was fabulous!

SDSU is a great team. That will be proven later on in this year. Vigen has given us some of the best fan experience of my 76 years. That started in 1966 with Jim Sweeney, Dennis Erickson, Jan Stenerud and Don Hass. Just look at the attendance. You are crazy to question our coach. He feels worse than you that the game went as it did. Do you think his coaching made us fumble or kept us from scoring touchdown like Tommy did? Thank the Bobcat gods for Brent Vigen!

Great post!

[Cataholic]

“Acting entitled” has become this board’s equivalent to divorced spiteful women using the phrases “gaslighting” and “narcissist”

Two phrases I’m sure you’ve heard a lot over your life.

I had the same thought

[TomCat88]

In years past I would be fuming on the way home to Helena about incompetence or poor coaching or players that are not competing. We have enjoyed the last 4 years of the best teams we have ever had at MSU including the championship years (because of how players have been getting better and better).

Last night didn't even bother me. I enjoyed the game immensely. I was disappointed at the fumbles, but the game was fabulous!

SDSU is a great team. That will be proven later on in this year. Vigen has given us some of the best fan experience of my 76 years. That started in 1966 with Jim Sweeney, Dennis Erickson, Jan Stenerud and Don Hass. Just look at the attendance. You are crazy to question our coach. He feels worse than you that the game went as it did. Do you think his coaching made us fumble or kept us from scoring touchdown like Tommy did? Thank the Bobcat gods for Brent Vigen!

I don't think the FCS has had three teams this good over a four year stretch in its history. NDSU is probably the best team in the history of the FCS by a long way, but SDSU is no slouch, and I'd stack their 2022 and 2023 teams up against anyone back-to-back champions in the history of the FCS. They've been good for quite a while now. MSU is the newcomer on the scene and even though the Bobcats were in the 2021 title game and 2022 semis, I don't really think they arrived until 2023 and while that season didn't go as well as the previous two, I thought that was their second-best team of this four-year stretch. We'll see if they can stay in there with the DSUs. I wouldn't bet against them. I can't wait for the next matchup between any two of these schools. I hope MSU can keep scheduling them and crossing paths with them in the playoffs.

[KIX]

That pass interference call in OT was what saved SDSU. Hats off to them. Great win for them. Their fans were awesome and have a ton of great things to say about MSU and our program/atmosphere. Best of luck to the Rabbits and I would say that we have some things to fix but we are easily a top 4 team even after tonight.

I think the 4th and one deep in our territory with 12 men on the field was far more impact full. SDSU drove down and put MSU in horrible field position....once again. And weburned all three of our timeouts prior.

[KIX]

I hope I’m wrong and my frustrations with Vigen are nothing more than small missteps. I hope he’s thinking of all the things to fix this and beat them in the playoffs. I hope all of the people not seeing anything wrong are right. If thats the case it means the plane is gonna be one trophy heavier taking off from Frisco that the plane that left Bozeman. That will be a great day.

If that’s not the case then something has to be done to beat the dsus and the gris in missoula. I think that starts with a new HC. Am I right? Who knows

Either win in which case I’m wrong about Vigen and my skepticism was overplayed or my detractions of Vigen are anccurate and I think a change of leadership is in order.

I don’t think that’s unreasonable. I would hope we can agree that being a Bobcat is great and winning makes it that much sweater. I hope Vigen accomplishes the goals he was hired to achieve. If he doesn’t show him the door.

I think Vigen had to have lost track of all the mistakes made that we haven't witnessed in years...I know i did...

[KIX]

There was a question making the rounds when Sterbick was hired to the effect of “Your teams have been throwing the ball a lot, but MSU is most usually among the top rushing teams, if not #1. Do you run your system, or do you adapt to what the players bring.” In the video interview he said that he could/would adapt to the tools that were available. Some of us reported feeling better after that.

That did not look like the #1 rushing team in the nation.

The rushing attack was inept, random and very inconsistent. There was no compliment between the rush and pass as at. No flow or rhythm.

[BelligerentBobcat]

Remarkably, Vigen is the only coach in football history to have semifinals 4 times and championship game twice without having ever won a big game. Truly, one of the greatest flukes of our time.

[Bobcat4Ever]

… keep heading into the storm and don't look back.

To say I’m a Julius Davis fan is an understatement — a fan of his player persona and of Julius himself. I’ve never met the man but I’ve followed his story. I loved the post he made announcing why he was staying at MSU, and just the fact that he did that. And, along with Brendan Hall, expressing how playing at MSU restored their love of football, and made a positive difference in their lives.

Yes, we lost again — and until we defeat the Dakota States two or three times in a row, playoffs included, we have certainly not caught them. However, for me, yesterday was the first matchup with the Dakota States where I felt going in that we would win the game. I guess that’s why this one stings so much.

As long as this team values players like Julius and lets them be leaders I am a fan. And we will get where we want to go. On into the storm …

[ilovethecats]

If you lose every coin flip game, maybe it's not a coin flip? At some point the randomness isn't randomness. There's nothing wrong with admitting that we're still a half step behind the DSUs. How often do they lose close games at home against teams that some consider are comparable opponents? Just because we should have won the last two home games doesn't mean that we are at their level and a few things broke the wrong way. I still think we'll get there, as long as Vigen is here, but we're not quite there yet. Real close though.

If you lose a game because the replay crew ignores the rule about overturning the call on the field, yeah, its actually random.

Give NDSU credit for the blocked point & give SDSU credit for the OT win. And, yeah, you are right...if NDSU & SDSU consistently make those plays in OT, maybe they are slightly aghead. But the difference is pretty slight.

Its not as though the sky is falling here.

I’m only speaking for myself here as people tend to get pretty extreme both ways.

We’ve known for over a year the possibility of starting this season 0-2. Two very good teams to face out of the gate. I still believe the Cats are very good and I think we can run the table at least till the brawl. I think we can get a seed.

I’m just very very tired of losing to the Dakotas. Sure the games are fun. That’s great. I love competitive games. But when it comes to the sports teams that I personally root for and in the case of the Cats invest in; I want them to WIN. I’m so tired of hearing that we’re right there with the Dakotas simply because we can compete with them. I love that we can compete. Love that they no longer dominate us. But so tired of playing these guys, thinking we can win, but expecting to probably lose, and then act like I’m super happy that we competed well. It just doesn’t mean anything.

Tom used a mogul skiing analogy earlier. And I agree that if you’re a good skier and lose a few races you don’t sell your skis. You find a way to get better. I’m not advocating the Cats do anything extreme. I love that we’re very good and I love our head coach. But that skiing example isn’t really what is happening with our football program so it was kinda apples and oranges to me.

What if there were 3 skiers, Tom, Jim and John. Tom’s a decent skier but not as good as Jim and John. In fact, John used to absolutely crush Tom but as of lately he still wins, but Tom is at least competitive. Jim kinda came out of nowhere and he always beats Tom almost every race and even beats John.

Tom’s mother loves Tom very much and tells all her friends that of all the skiers around, no one is better than her son. If anything Jim and John are equally as good as Tom, but not better. Despite the fact that every time they have raced, Jim and John have beat Tom every time but once!

I’d be more inclined to agree with Tom’s mother if Tom started beating Jim and John; and not just being really close to beating them or perhaps beating them if only a few more things would or wouldn’t have happened.

Yeah, no one is telling anyone that the Cats are better than the DSUs. If this were a track meet & one of the two DSUs beat the Cats by a tenth of a second every single time, no one would freak out because the Cats kept winning bronze or silver.

To take the skiing analogy a little further: Say your daughter was consistently on the podium with Lindsay Vonn & Mikala Schifferin....but family members complained constantly about "only" consistently winning second and third.

You'd tell them where to shove it.

And then your kid would get back to the grind & figure out what details to change to try to bump that one last spot & finish first instead of second.

You sure wouldn't fire coaches or techs or act like the sky was falling.

I’d never call for a coaches firing anyway. I love our coaching and love our program. What I disagree with is the notion that there is a TOP tier that includes NDSU, SDSU, and MSU. But I guess that depends on how you view sports. For me winning championships is the Mecca of success. But you’ll never hear me suggest we’re bad or not a good program because we’re not winning championships. We are a very good program and right there to hopefully win championships soon. But being competitive doesn’t put us in the same tier. Beating those guys does.

So if my daughter was a skier in your scenario, I’d be super proud of her. I’d believe she was good enough to some day beat those other girls. I’d be proud of her accomplishments and always supportive. But if they were constantly winning gold, and she never did, I certainly wouldn’t be telling people she’s just as good…….

[onceacat]

If you lose every coin flip game, maybe it's not a coin flip? At some point the randomness isn't randomness. There's nothing wrong with admitting that we're still a half step behind the DSUs. How often do they lose close games at home against teams that some consider are comparable opponents? Just because we should have won the last two home games doesn't mean that we are at their level and a few things broke the wrong way. I still think we'll get there, as long as Vigen is here, but we're not quite there yet. Real close though.

If you lose a game because the replay crew ignores the rule about overturning the call on the field, yeah, its actually random.

Give NDSU credit for the blocked point & give SDSU credit for the OT win. And, yeah, you are right...if NDSU & SDSU consistently make those plays in OT, maybe they are slightly aghead. But the difference is pretty slight.

Its not as though the sky is falling here.

I’m only speaking for myself here as people tend to get pretty extreme both ways.

We’ve known for over a year the possibility of starting this season 0-2. Two very good teams to face out of the gate. I still believe the Cats are very good and I think we can run the table at least till the brawl. I think we can get a seed.

I’m just very very tired of losing to the Dakotas. Sure the games are fun. That’s great. I love competitive games. But when it comes to the sports teams that I personally root for and in the case of the Cats invest in; I want them to WIN. I’m so tired of hearing that we’re right there with the Dakotas simply because we can compete with them. I love that we can compete. Love that they no longer dominate us. But so tired of playing these guys, thinking we can win, but expecting to probably lose, and then act like I’m super happy that we competed well. It just doesn’t mean anything.

Tom used a mogul skiing analogy earlier. And I agree that if you’re a good skier and lose a few races you don’t sell your skis. You find a way to get better. I’m not advocating the Cats do anything extreme. I love that we’re very good and I love our head coach. But that skiing example isn’t really what is happening with our football program so it was kinda apples and oranges to me.

What if there were 3 skiers, Tom, Jim and John. Tom’s a decent skier but not as good as Jim and John. In fact, John used to absolutely crush Tom but as of lately he still wins, but Tom is at least competitive. Jim kinda came out of nowhere and he always beats Tom almost every race and even beats John.

Tom’s mother loves Tom very much and tells all her friends that of all the skiers around, no one is better than her son. If anything Jim and John are equally as good as Tom, but not better. Despite the fact that every time they have raced, Jim and John have beat Tom every time but once!

I’d be more inclined to agree with Tom’s mother if Tom started beating Jim and John; and not just being really close to beating them or perhaps beating them if only a few more things would or wouldn’t have happened.

Yeah, no one is telling anyone that the Cats are better than the DSUs. If this were a track meet & one of the two DSUs beat the Cats by a tenth of a second every single time, no one would freak out because the Cats kept winning bronze or silver.

To take the skiing analogy a little further: Say your daughter was consistently on the podium with Lindsay Vonn & Mikala Schifferin....but family members complained constantly about "only" consistently winning second and third.

You'd tell them where to shove it.

And then your kid would get back to the grind & figure out what details to change to try to bump that one last spot & finish first instead of second.

You sure wouldn't fire coaches or techs or act like the sky was falling.

I’d never call for a coaches firing anyway. I love our coaching and love our program. What I disagree with is the notion that there is a TOP tier that includes NDSU, SDSU, and MSU. But I guess that depends on how you view sports. For me winning championships is the Mecca of success. But you’ll never hear me suggest we’re bad or not a good program because we’re not winning championships. We are a very good program and right there to hopefully win championships soon. But being competitive doesn’t put us in the same tier. Beating those guys does.

So if my daughter was a skier in your scenario, I’d be super proud of her. I’d believe she was good enough to some day beat those other girls. I’d be proud of her accomplishments and always supportive. But if they were constantly winning gold, and she never did, I certainly wouldn’t be telling people she’s just as good…….

Has anyone said the Cats are 'just as good' as the DSUs?

Or have they said that the Cats were on the losing end of bunch of coin flip games?

This (and other) threads are in the realm of 'Vigen is terrible', the Cats will be lucky to make the playoffs, the Cats cant compete with the DSUs, etc.

Its pretty bonkers when the Cats are clearly competing, just not coming up with the win.

[PHAT CAT]

Enough already.

[ilovethecats]

If you lose every coin flip game, maybe it's not a coin flip? At some point the randomness isn't randomness. There's nothing wrong with admitting that we're still a half step behind the DSUs. How often do they lose close games at home against teams that some consider are comparable opponents? Just because we should have won the last two home games doesn't mean that we are at their level and a few things broke the wrong way. I still think we'll get there, as long as Vigen is here, but we're not quite there yet. Real close though.

If you lose a game because the replay crew ignores the rule about overturning the call on the field, yeah, its actually random.

Give NDSU credit for the blocked point & give SDSU credit for the OT win. And, yeah, you are right...if NDSU & SDSU consistently make those plays in OT, maybe they are slightly aghead. But the difference is pretty slight.

Its not as though the sky is falling here.

I’m only speaking for myself here as people tend to get pretty extreme both ways.

We’ve known for over a year the possibility of starting this season 0-2. Two very good teams to face out of the gate. I still believe the Cats are very good and I think we can run the table at least till the brawl. I think we can get a seed.

I’m just very very tired of losing to the Dakotas. Sure the games are fun. That’s great. I love competitive games. But when it comes to the sports teams that I personally root for and in the case of the Cats invest in; I want them to WIN. I’m so tired of hearing that we’re right there with the Dakotas simply because we can compete with them. I love that we can compete. Love that they no longer dominate us. But so tired of playing these guys, thinking we can win, but expecting to probably lose, and then act like I’m super happy that we competed well. It just doesn’t mean anything.

Tom used a mogul skiing analogy earlier. And I agree that if you’re a good skier and lose a few races you don’t sell your skis. You find a way to get better. I’m not advocating the Cats do anything extreme. I love that we’re very good and I love our head coach. But that skiing example isn’t really what is happening with our football program so it was kinda apples and oranges to me.

What if there were 3 skiers, Tom, Jim and John. Tom’s a decent skier but not as good as Jim and John. In fact, John used to absolutely crush Tom but as of lately he still wins, but Tom is at least competitive. Jim kinda came out of nowhere and he always beats Tom almost every race and even beats John.

Tom’s mother loves Tom very much and tells all her friends that of all the skiers around, no one is better than her son. If anything Jim and John are equally as good as Tom, but not better. Despite the fact that every time they have raced, Jim and John have beat Tom every time but once!

I’d be more inclined to agree with Tom’s mother if Tom started beating Jim and John; and not just being really close to beating them or perhaps beating them if only a few more things would or wouldn’t have happened.

Yeah, no one is telling anyone that the Cats are better than the DSUs. If this were a track meet & one of the two DSUs beat the Cats by a tenth of a second every single time, no one would freak out because the Cats kept winning bronze or silver.

To take the skiing analogy a little further: Say your daughter was consistently on the podium with Lindsay Vonn & Mikala Schifferin....but family members complained constantly about "only" consistently winning second and third.

You'd tell them where to shove it.

And then your kid would get back to the grind & figure out what details to change to try to bump that one last spot & finish first instead of second.

You sure wouldn't fire coaches or techs or act like the sky was falling.

I’d never call for a coaches firing anyway. I love our coaching and love our program. What I disagree with is the notion that there is a TOP tier that includes NDSU, SDSU, and MSU. But I guess that depends on how you view sports. For me winning championships is the Mecca of success. But you’ll never hear me suggest we’re bad or not a good program because we’re not winning championships. We are a very good program and right there to hopefully win championships soon. But being competitive doesn’t put us in the same tier. Beating those guys does.

So if my daughter was a skier in your scenario, I’d be super proud of her. I’d believe she was good enough to some day beat those other girls. I’d be proud of her accomplishments and always supportive. But if they were constantly winning gold, and she never did, I certainly wouldn’t be telling people she’s just as good…….

Has anyone said the Cats are 'just as good' as the DSUs?

Or have they said that the Cats were on the losing end of bunch of coin flip games?

This (and other) threads are in the realm of 'Vigen is terrible', the Cats will be lucky to make the playoffs, the Cats cant compete with the DSUs, etc.

Its pretty bonkers when the Cats are clearly competing, just not coming up with the win.

Well, yes. Tom specifically said the top tier of FCS football is NDSU, SDSU and MSU. He’s said it a bunch over the last few seasons and I’ve disagreed every time. We’re a great program. Have made championship games. On a great run and I think we’re in for another great season. I’ve never said otherwise.

All I have EVER said is that until we BEAT those teams, and not just once in 5 or more tries, I don’t believe we’re in that tier. I’m surprised it’s a debate but it is. I’d put those two at the top, us and a few others in the tier below them, then everyone else.

But yes, some have most certainly said we’re just as good as those teams and you either missed the many posts, or are just trying to argue to argue which I feel like you do with me for whatever reason.

[tetoncat]

The Cats have 4 seniors on each side of the ball on 2 deep. That youth has talent but no way they were ready to play at top level this early. They will continue to get better and hopefully peak in Jan.

[BelligerentBobcat]

I’ll say this.

After these two losses, this team more than knows what they need to do to win. They know where they’re weak. They know what mistakes to fix, and the mistakes that were made are for the most part, easy to fix. I would much rather have this loss now, than later. Now they have the entire season to fix and improve, and they will. The coaches here have been good, despite what many think. The talent is good. Young, but good. I feel bad for what San Diego is about to get thrown at them.

[ilovethecats]

I’ll say this.

After these two losses, this team more than knows what they need to do to win. They know where they’re weak. They know what mistakes to fix, and the mistakes that were made are for the most part, easy to fix. I would much rather have this loss now, than later. Now they have the entire season to fix and improve, and they will. The coaches here have been good, despite what many think. The talent is good. Young, but good. I feel bad for what San Diego is about to get thrown at them.

No doubt! I personally think we run the table at least until the brawl. Hopefully after.

[CodyCat]

I’ll say this.

After these two losses, this team more than knows what they need to do to win. They know where they’re weak. They know what mistakes to fix, and the mistakes that were made are for the most part, easy to fix. I would much rather have this loss now, than later. Now they have the entire season to fix and improve, and they will. The coaches here have been good, despite what many think. The talent is good. Young, but good. I feel bad for what San Diego is about to get thrown at them.

No doubt! I personally think we run the table at least until the brawl. Hopefully after.

Really? What makes you think that?

[ilovethecats]

I’ll say this.

After these two losses, this team more than knows what they need to do to win. They know where they’re weak. They know what mistakes to fix, and the mistakes that were made are for the most part, easy to fix. I would much rather have this loss now, than later. Now they have the entire season to fix and improve, and they will. The coaches here have been good, despite what many think. The talent is good. Young, but good. I feel bad for what San Diego is about to get thrown at them.

No doubt! I personally think we run the table at least until the brawl. Hopefully after.

Really? What makes you think that?

I think we are a really good team. I thought that this summer and losing a tight game at home doesn’t change my opinion on that. I don’t thin our schedule is incredibly difficult. And because I feel like fans overreact big time good and bad early in the season.

But as annoyed as I am with once again coming up short to a Dakota, I still feel like we’re a great team