Four years, no winning season: At least Im graduating
I’m a patient man.
So patient in fact, I’ve waited four years to see a winning CMU football season, or even a .500 season.
My hopes were dashed for the fourth straight year Saturday, by Ball State. Wait, let me write that one more time: Ball State.
Junior quarterback Andy Roesch threw for five touchdown passes, breaking the record for Kelly/Shorts Stadium and embarrassing the CMU backfield, coaches and fans.
Now, I’ve been a fan of the Chippewas ever since I signed my letter of intent to come to CMU in 1998 (when we finished 6-5 tied for second in the MAC West division), but never in my time at CMU have I felt more disappointed to be a fan of our football team, and we’ve already won more games than last year.
At our current rate of improvement (one game per season) we’ll be undefeated just shy of 2008.
Though improvements are welcomed, winning more football games is not the crux of the problem.
I’m not asking for a National Championship and I’m not even asking for a finish atop the MAC West. All I want is .500, or at least the feeling that the team and coaching staff I cheer for week in and week out is giving a damn about what is they’re doing.
The effort, heart, determination and continuity has been on a slide since Head Coach Mike DeBord’s arrival. In fact, the one highlight of his time at CMU was the upset victory over Western Michigan at home in 2000. It’s also apparent in the individual successes of players as opposed to games won because of a team effort.
I’m incredibly sad to say that after watching some of the more disappointing losses this season (Ball State, Toledo, Northern Illinois and Boston College), we won’t put up much of a fight against the Broncos this time around.
The lackluster effort however has not only come from the team.
Perhaps some of these downward trends have come from the methods applied by the coaching staff. You don’t have to sit in the stands at a home game more than a quarter or two, before you hear how many people are fed up with screen passes and draws.
It’s also sad to see all the empty seats and dwindling tailgating numbers on Saturdays. Though I’m critical of my favorite team, I’ve still never missed a home game since 1998 and have even traveled to several away games. Maybe my whole outlook on the current state of the team would be a bit different if I didn’t believe there were a lot of other die-hard fans who are thinking in the same way I am.
I really hoped I wouldn’t have to write this column in the first place, but I can remain silent no longer.
It’s true: I won’t see a winning season before I go, but at least I can continue to cheer on CMU football as an alumnus.
Still, things like heart, determination and team continuity are important. But if I wanted to see that, I should have attended more field hockey games.
Life Assistant News Editor Daniel J. Eizans can be reached for comment at ane2@cm-life.com.
