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Bruce Barnum
- Thread starter forestgreen
- Start date
faithinviks
Active member
In all due respect to the regular posters here...at some point you are going to have to take off the rose colored glasses with our current leadership. When your "coach that wants to build" took over 3 years ago the team did not need to be rebuilt. We had just won 4 games but lost 4 by a few points, most of that frustration coming from our offensive play calling. So Burton is gone and we elevate the previous offensive play caller???. Fortunately we had one of the best senior laden defenses in our history. That combined with a new QB transfer we shocked the world at 9-3 just three years ago.
Since then we have gone 3-18. The team is doing worse than it ever has in history if we end up 0-11 after next week. Tonight I heard we had the "End of Season" Banquet before the end of the season. In what used to be a well planned family involved year end celebration the seniors were fed pizza that was brought in. Parents were not notified ahead of time to avoid having too many in attendance. I have seen this team gradually decline for over two years and all I hear is excuses for why we need to rebuild. We definitely need to rebuild as of today. That was not the case when Barnum took over.
I respect the desire in these strings for those who want desperately to see us succeed. However, with this AD who does not understand football or value wins over losses and with this Coach who seems to be a nice guy but is a better coordinator than a leader, I will admit to feeling like @Alan. Change and improvement will only come with change and commitment to improvement. If not, our best hope in the years ahead is to win 1-2 conference games a year.
This weekend sent me over the edge. For the foreseeable future it will be best for me to be a quiet voice. I will practice what I taught my kids..."If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all".
Since then we have gone 3-18. The team is doing worse than it ever has in history if we end up 0-11 after next week. Tonight I heard we had the "End of Season" Banquet before the end of the season. In what used to be a well planned family involved year end celebration the seniors were fed pizza that was brought in. Parents were not notified ahead of time to avoid having too many in attendance. I have seen this team gradually decline for over two years and all I hear is excuses for why we need to rebuild. We definitely need to rebuild as of today. That was not the case when Barnum took over.
I respect the desire in these strings for those who want desperately to see us succeed. However, with this AD who does not understand football or value wins over losses and with this Coach who seems to be a nice guy but is a better coordinator than a leader, I will admit to feeling like @Alan. Change and improvement will only come with change and commitment to improvement. If not, our best hope in the years ahead is to win 1-2 conference games a year.
This weekend sent me over the edge. For the foreseeable future it will be best for me to be a quiet voice. I will practice what I taught my kids..."If you can't say anything nice, then don't say anything at all".
bigskyconf
Active member
Not much faith there, faith...
Coming in to this season, I knew it was going to be tough and I even posted that before the season began. Many people were quick to point out, "We have this person here, we have that person coming back, we have these here, (on and on and on)", but I thought that the coaches and the media actually had us about where we should be (10th). I said next year we should be good, not this year, and I still think that way. People said that we had all this senior leadership coming back, but I saw then (and saw it during the year), the only senior leadership on this team came from Kraght and Crecelius. No other senior did anything this year or in years before to make me think, this is someone to get behind (other than those two). Perfect example was this last game, with 4 seniors on the OLine playing their second to last game in their careers, and no one can recognize who's coming on a blitz? Come on.
I am encouraged by the play of the undecrclassmen this year than by any of the seniors. Alexander has shown me some leadership qualities. Both Talley and Martin have me excited for next year. Tamopoeau has been a bright spot all year. On defense, I like what I've seen these last couple games from Ah Sam, Yunker and Kofe.
The question mark is Barnum, but if he wants two years, well, he has two years. By then he'll either be run out of town by the handful of fans that are left at that time (think Harold Hill in "The Music Man"), or this team will be something special. I hoping by then we all can chalk this up to some sort of abomination.
Coming in to this season, I knew it was going to be tough and I even posted that before the season began. Many people were quick to point out, "We have this person here, we have that person coming back, we have these here, (on and on and on)", but I thought that the coaches and the media actually had us about where we should be (10th). I said next year we should be good, not this year, and I still think that way. People said that we had all this senior leadership coming back, but I saw then (and saw it during the year), the only senior leadership on this team came from Kraght and Crecelius. No other senior did anything this year or in years before to make me think, this is someone to get behind (other than those two). Perfect example was this last game, with 4 seniors on the OLine playing their second to last game in their careers, and no one can recognize who's coming on a blitz? Come on.
I am encouraged by the play of the undecrclassmen this year than by any of the seniors. Alexander has shown me some leadership qualities. Both Talley and Martin have me excited for next year. Tamopoeau has been a bright spot all year. On defense, I like what I've seen these last couple games from Ah Sam, Yunker and Kofe.
The question mark is Barnum, but if he wants two years, well, he has two years. By then he'll either be run out of town by the handful of fans that are left at that time (think Harold Hill in "The Music Man"), or this team will be something special. I hoping by then we all can chalk this up to some sort of abomination.
faithinviks
Active member
@bigskyconf I am guilty as charged...lost my faith. Regarding your comments, first, you would be surprised about senior leadership. From what I hear we had good positive leadership from Kraught, Wood, Outslay, Bach and Riley. Second, we are actually down to only 3 senior OL, one of which has played hurt for 4 games and will require surgery after the season. Third, we were blitzed all game which could have been addressed more effectively by coaches if we had gone to a 2 TE set. The OL was very frustrated; 5 can't take on 6-7.
My discouragement comes from watching a team that in 2014 lost 4 games by a TD or less with an improving defense but we decided to cut loose Coach Burton. We did not need to rebuild, the consensus was we needed a leader to take us to the next level. 2015 with Burton's kids and a QB transfer we had an amazing year. But in 2016 we slid back to where we had been or worse and now in 2017 we are winless (I think the only time in PSU history we went winless was in 1952). Since we last beat EWU to end our season in 2015 we are going to end up 3-20.
We are now worse than the Burton era when you consider he took over a team that truly did need to be rebuilt in 2010. We are fast approaching Glanville-era type of performance. It is historically bad and today we in fact do need to rebuild. This is not a loss of faith it is factual.
Now...Putting on my rose colored glasses I do agree with your assessment of a couple freshmen and sophomores. I would also add Sorensen to your mix as he will be the only bright spot at OL the next couple years. I hope we are all surprised, that would be nice. But I'll make you a bet today. I am a big believer in leadership on the sidelines. You can't overcome that weakness regardless of who is on the field. If we win more than 2 conference games next year with this leadership team I will print out this string of comments and "eat my words". My heart wants you to be right, my head says you won't be...
My discouragement comes from watching a team that in 2014 lost 4 games by a TD or less with an improving defense but we decided to cut loose Coach Burton. We did not need to rebuild, the consensus was we needed a leader to take us to the next level. 2015 with Burton's kids and a QB transfer we had an amazing year. But in 2016 we slid back to where we had been or worse and now in 2017 we are winless (I think the only time in PSU history we went winless was in 1952). Since we last beat EWU to end our season in 2015 we are going to end up 3-20.
We are now worse than the Burton era when you consider he took over a team that truly did need to be rebuilt in 2010. We are fast approaching Glanville-era type of performance. It is historically bad and today we in fact do need to rebuild. This is not a loss of faith it is factual.
Now...Putting on my rose colored glasses I do agree with your assessment of a couple freshmen and sophomores. I would also add Sorensen to your mix as he will be the only bright spot at OL the next couple years. I hope we are all surprised, that would be nice. But I'll make you a bet today. I am a big believer in leadership on the sidelines. You can't overcome that weakness regardless of who is on the field. If we win more than 2 conference games next year with this leadership team I will print out this string of comments and "eat my words". My heart wants you to be right, my head says you won't be...
VikThunder
Active member
Barnum will literally be the first coach in college football history to not be fired or resign after going winless in his third year.
VikThunderous said:
Not so!
Tom Holmoe went 0-7 (they actually won three games but had to vacate them for ineligible players, but they were technically winless) in his third year at Cal in 1999 and coached two more seasons.
Also, I can kiss that last 20 minutes of my life goodbye trying to find that gem of information...
bigskyconf
Active member
VikThunderous said:
The season is not over yet.
If we have to stay home, it is only fair to make sure EWU stays out of the playoffs.
Remember Glanville had more wins over EWU (2) than Idaho State (1). :nod:
hno:bigskyconf
Active member
Alan said:
i'd say it was when Alan decided to watch DIII football. For me, I can't think of a worse punishment. :lol: :nod:
faithinviks
Active member
Stories like this talking about a possible grass field at Providence, added to the leadership problems we've been discussing don't help our situation... https://www.stumptownfooty.com/2017/11/14/16640244/timbers-offseason-off-field-storylines
"Vikings football has now been through multiple reboots since the glory days of the late-1980s and early-1990s, with turnarounds on each horizon that turned out to be mirages. We’re at the point, therefore, where Portland State has to consider putting the program to the sword and the City has to consider the significant opportunity cost involved in keeping the Vikings in a facility that is far beyond Portland State’s proven capacity to utilize".
"Vikings football has now been through multiple reboots since the glory days of the late-1980s and early-1990s, with turnarounds on each horizon that turned out to be mirages. We’re at the point, therefore, where Portland State has to consider putting the program to the sword and the City has to consider the significant opportunity cost involved in keeping the Vikings in a facility that is far beyond Portland State’s proven capacity to utilize".
bigskyconf
Active member
faithinviks said:
Timbers writers make me laugh, especially when they think they know everything about PSU football. :lol:
bigskyconf said:
Ask Portland baseball fans about Mr. Merritt Paulson's thoughts on other sports sharing his soccer stadium. PSU's remaining a tenant at Providence Park will come down to politics and Mr. Paulson has already demonstrated much skill in that discipline. I really don't think our AD would be much of a match if Mr.Paulson wants to push us to Hillsboro.
bigskyconf
Active member
Alan said:
I still have yet to see anything from the Timbers executives that state that PSU football needs to find a new home (at least publicly). Most of these uninformed comments (I would say all, but I'm sure there are some detractors) come directly from Timbers fans and bloggers. I understand Paulson's thoughts towards baseball, but I did agree with him that a stadium configured for baseball does not fit with a stadium configured for soccer. However, football does.
GreenGiant
Active member
Looks like Barnum skipped the call this week with the media. Hmmmmm......
Canzano interviewed Coach Barnum yesterday:
John Canzano
@johncanzanobft
Portland State football coach Bruce Barnum said he supports new on-campus football stadium plan… wants players to make a walk to games.
https://soundcloud.com/kxtg-the-bald-faced-truth/bft-interview-bruce-barnum-14
John Canzano
@johncanzanobft
Portland State football coach Bruce Barnum said he supports new on-campus football stadium plan… wants players to make a walk to games.
https://soundcloud.com/kxtg-the-bald-faced-truth/bft-interview-bruce-barnum-14
bigskyconf
Active member
Alan said:
???
Thank you for your support.
All John Canzano has proven is that he has no influence on virtually anything within the city limits of Portland.
I would like to know why Alan says what he says... because I'm not hearing anything bad about the prospects of sharing in the Lincoln proposal. Not hearing anything else, mind you. Usually, something's gone amiss by now... for instance, the massive skepticism about Portland Diamond Project is enhanced by the extension granted a couple weeks ago.
Otherwise, the whole "positive vibes" thing is meaningless in 2019. The i's have to be dotted, the t's crossed, the palms greased, and only then do you get to approach the design review process. That what will matter here.
I would like to know why Alan says what he says... because I'm not hearing anything bad about the prospects of sharing in the Lincoln proposal. Not hearing anything else, mind you. Usually, something's gone amiss by now... for instance, the massive skepticism about Portland Diamond Project is enhanced by the extension granted a couple weeks ago.
Otherwise, the whole "positive vibes" thing is meaningless in 2019. The i's have to be dotted, the t's crossed, the palms greased, and only then do you get to approach the design review process. That what will matter here.
bigskyconf
Active member
It's a loaded question. Ask the football coach and AD whose teams are playing 20 miles away if they would like the opportunity to play on campus, what kind of answer would you expect? Anything less than "I'm all for it" and I too, would be questioning the current state of the program. Both Barnum and Cleary should not be criticized for answering Canzano as such.
