Future Schedules

[marceagfan5]

Interestingly, it looks again this year like a team will need 8 wins to get into the playoffs. This 7 win bit is sort of an old wive's tale. Very few 7 win teams have ever gotten in historically, so really you need to aim for 8... maybe even 9 next year with the 12 game sked. If you put 2 FBS teams on your schedule as lose to both, you've suddenly created a situation where you need to run the table on your remaining games to get a home playoff game and probably force yourself to go 8-1 over the remaining 9 games just to taste the playoffs. I just hate it when we don't put the odds in our favor.

I'd rather schedule a roady with Duquesne for $50k than go to Toledo for 3x that amount just because one is a very probable win and the other a very probable loss.

We have 2 FBS and a D2 next year, followed by a road game to Sam Houston. Next years schedule may be one of the worst ever. The odds of us winning either FBS game will be slim (toledo/osu are worlds better than Idaho/wsu), if we don't win at Sam Houston next year, we would most likely have to win the conference auto bid to make the playoffs.

Not sure what is behind the scheduling and why in the world we are playing at Toledo. We should have scheduled a home and home with South Dakota and the return home game should have been in place of going to Toledo.

Maybe one of the FBS teams will buy us out...

Agree with what you said. If this year's performance is indicative of next year's, then it is safe to say that road games against Oregon State, Toledo, and Sam Houston State make this the hardest non-con sked we've ever had. This is just terrible scheduling and an atrocious schedule.

Any guesses on how the heck we can change it??? Do we really need these body bag money games so much that we play 5 home games in a 12 game season, the only non conf game is a D2....the Griz are pissed they have 6 home games, but we have to settle for 5, and only 4 of them count...

They talk about the fact we need money for the gateway project...if we keep scheduling ourselves out of the playoffs and winning seasons like this, a lot of our new fans, and money will go away...

 

[LDopaPDX]

The way we're scheduling, we need to win the Big Sky auto-bid to be a playoff contender. It seems like our AD has bought into the theory that only 7 wins gets you into the playoffs, when in reality 8 wins are needed to get you in and that probably turns to 9 next year.

I can see taking a game with Oregon State or similar for $400+k. What I don't get is scheduling Idaho, or worse Toledo, for $150k. Toledo might be the worst game ever, because they have no name recognition to boost our program, but they are a damn fine football team. Getting home games with D-I teams is something we've always done in the past, but for some reason, we seem almost incapable of it now.

 

[marceagfan5]

The way we're scheduling, we need to win the Big Sky auto-bid to be a playoff contender. It seems like our AD has bought into the theory that only 7 wins gets you into the playoffs, when in reality 8 wins are needed to get you in and that probably turns to 9 next year.

I can see taking a game with Oregon State or similar for $400+k. What I don't get is scheduling Idaho, or worse Toledo, for $150k. Toledo might be the worst game ever, because they have no name recognition to boost our program, but they are a damn fine football team. Getting home games with D-I teams is something we've always done in the past, but for some reason, we seem almost incapable of it now.

Agreed, Toledo is one of the top mid major FBS programs. We have to travel across country, won't get paid much because they are not in a BCS conference, and the odds of us winning are very slim. There is no reason to be playing Toledo. I like one game a year against a Pac 12 or Big 12 school, but to add in an FBS mid major school as well sucks.

Hopefully we start to schedule more of the home/home type situations with Sam Houston and the likes. It just seems that we always get stuck with the short end of the stick with the opening game (on the road).

I don't care if we schedule non-schollies like Drake or San Diego, but not these crap mid level 2nd FBS games. Guarantee NDSU would love to schedule a home/home with us, they did with UM and MSU. Maybe the Big Sky can help setup like a yearly non-conf game for all teams in the MVC against all teams in the BSC.

Maybe I am missing something with our schedule and it would be nice if someone could enlighten me if I'm wrong. I just don't understand the 2 FBS games (Idaho 2012, Toledo 2013) and how in the world we went to South Dakota in 2011 for probably pennies instead of asking for a return game or paying them to come here. That single game cost us the playoffs last year, by the time we started conference play the team was gassed from being on the road soo much and the injuries began to pile up....

 

[akd148]

Any more word on OSU trying to buy us out for next year? Would love to get rid of at least one of the FBS games if possible, would prefer it to be Toledo, but there was earlier talk about OSU wanting out of our game.

 

[Screamin_Eagle174]

Any more word on OSU trying to buy us out for next year? Would love to get rid of at least one of the FBS games if possible, would prefer it to be Toledo, but there was earlier talk about OSU wanting out of our game.

I tend to doubt they'd try to buy us out again. The game next year is a reschedule after they bought us out in 2010 so they could play TCU. Instead we played Nevada.

 

[JoinTheEAA]

It would be nice if our "fans" posted facts not speculation on this board. Our 2012 schedule was challenging but we made it to the semi-finals. It is funny anyone complained about us scheduling Idaho in 2012. Know the facts, we are not being paid $150K for the Toledo game. Look at the schedule Sam Houston State played this season. Look at our #2 seed. The constant negativity from people who continually complain during the most successful run our football program has ever had has grown stale. Have faith in our coaches and athletic director, things are going well. Merry Christmas.

 

[marceagfan5]

It would be nice if our "fans" posted facts not speculation on this board. Our 2012 schedule was challenging but we made it to the semi-finals. It is funny anyone complained about us scheduling Idaho in 2012. Know the facts, we are not being paid $150K for the Toledo game. Look at the schedule Sam Houston State played this season. Look at our #2 seed. The constant negativity from people who continually complain during the most successful run our football program has ever had has grown stale. Have faith in our coaches and athletic director, things are going well. Merry Christmas.

I can agree we should be happy with what we have done in 2010 and 2012, but we can also want to keep that going into the coming years. Do you really think our 2013 schedule puts us in the best position to win? Toledo and OSU are light years better than Idaho and WSU, and if we didn't beat Idaho this year, we wouldn't have been seeded, and I guess that is my biggest issue. We shouldn't have to beat an FBS team on the road to have a good playoff seed or to keep us in the playoffs. 2013 is a 12 game season, which gives us an extra game, so we have 4 non-conf games and the only home game we have scheduled is a D2.

In all honesty, if a team like App St, Montana, or NDSU only scheduled 5 home games (one of them a D2), 2 of them against FBS opponents in a 12 game season, do you think their fans would appreciate or stand for that, hell no. The comments on here would be "G" rated compared to theirs...The Griz are pissed they only have 6 home games next year...

Don't get me wrong, and I'm sure I speak for the others that don't like the scheduling on this board. We just want what is best for the program, best for the team and players. Our complaints against the schedule are just frustrations as we want to see the team put in the best position to win football games. I 100% trust the coaches and the decisions made and I know there is a lot more that goes into the scheduling than what we know, we just want whats best for the program now, and in the future.

We are all on the same team here....Merry Christmas....

 

[clawman1]

It would be nice if our "fans" posted facts not speculation on this board. Our 2012 schedule was challenging but we made it to the semi-finals. It is funny anyone complained about us scheduling Idaho in 2012. Know the facts, we are not being paid $150K for the Toledo game. Look at the schedule Sam Houston State played this season. Look at our #2 seed. The constant negativity from people who continually complain during the most successful run our football program has ever had has grown stale. Have faith in our coaches and athletic director, things are going well. Merry Christmas.

I can agree we should be happy with what we have done in 2010 and 2012, but we can also want to keep that going into the coming years. Do you really think our 2013 schedule puts us in the best position to win? Toledo and OSU are light years better than Idaho and WSU, and if we didn't beat Idaho this year, we wouldn't have been seeded, and I guess that is my biggest issue. We shouldn't have to beat an FBS team on the road to have a good playoff seed or to keep us in the playoffs. 2013 is a 12 game season, which gives us an extra game, so we have 4 non-conf games and the only home game we have scheduled is a D2.

In all honesty, if a team like App St, Montana, or NDSU only scheduled 5 home games (one of them a D2), 2 of them against FBS opponents in a 12 game season, do you think their fans would appreciate or stand for that, hell no. The comments on here would be "G" rated compared to theirs...The Griz are pissed they only have 6 home games next year...

Don't get me wrong, and I'm sure I speak for the others that don't like the scheduling on this board. We just want what is best for the program, best for the team and players. Our complaints against the schedule are just frustrations as we want to see the team put in the best position to win football games. I 100% trust the coaches and the decisions made and I know there is a lot more that goes into the scheduling than what we know, we just want whats best for the program now, and in the future.

We are all on the same team here....Merry Christmas....

So marc, I'll ask you the same question I've asked dopa in the past and get no reply, is our AD malicious in his actions and TRYING to hurt the program? Or is he just not capable of putting together a satisfactory schedule?

 

[marceagfan5]

Clawman-
Honestly...I don't think its either of those 2 things, definitely not the first scenario. I think its more about $$$ than anything.

Here is my issue...we can't change conference games, we can only schedule our non-conference games, so I'll go back to 2008, when our schedules really started to become an issue and just address our non conference games.

2008- 3 non conf games - 2 road FBS games, 1 home D2
2009- 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 1 road FCS, 1 home D2
2010 - 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 1 neutral site D2, 1 home FCS
2011 - 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 2 road FCS
2012 - 3 non conf games - 2 road FBS, 1 home FCS
2013 - 4 non conf games - 2 road FBS, 1 home D2, 1 road FCS

So in the past 6 seasons (including next year) the games we can control we scheduled:

13 Road Games, 1 Neutral site, and 5 home games.

If we look at games that count towards playoff eligibility (take out the D2's) we have the following non conference games:

13 road games, 2 home games that count towards playoff eligibility.

We have definitely had our most success the last 3 years, but we have also had our best teams and our best coach. If we want to keep it up, we need to schedule better (cough) like the 2010 year (cough).

I'm not trying to be negative but just trying to show everyone that we haven't scheduled the best. The only year we really had more home games than road games was 2010 (and that counts our Seattle game as a home game) and we know how that went...why not follow a pattern that works? This year was a freak year, Idaho isn't really an FBS level program, and until we beat Idaho, we had lost our last 9 FBS games, and the game we won before the 9 game FBS losing streat was Idaho. So unless we continue to schedule Idaho as our FBS game, we shouldn't schedule 2 FBS games in a year.

 

[clawman1]

Clawman-
Honestly...I don't think its either of those 2 things, definitely not the first scenario. I think its more about $$$ than anything.

Here is my issue...we can't change conference games, we can only schedule our non-conference games, so I'll go back to 2008, when our schedules really started to become an issue and just address our non conference games.

2008- 3 non conf games - 2 road FBS games, 1 home D2
2009- 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 1 road FCS, 1 home D2
2010 - 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 1 neutral site D2, 1 home FCS
2011 - 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 2 road FCS
2012 - 3 non conf games - 2 road FBS, 1 home FCS
2013 - 4 non conf games - 2 road FBS, 1 home D2, 1 road FCS

So in the past 6 seasons (including next year) the games we can control we scheduled:

13 Road Games, 1 Neutral site, and 5 home games.

If we look at games that count towards playoff eligibility (take out the D2's) we have the following non conference games:

13 road games, 2 home games that count towards playoff eligibility.

We have definitely had our most success the last 3 years, but we have also had our best teams and our best coach. If we want to keep it up, we need to schedule better (cough) like the 2010 year (cough)

So you think you are more knowledgeable about the $$$ issues within the EWU athletic dept than the AD? Or do you think he is inept at managing money?

 

[marceagfan5]

Clawman-
Honestly...I don't think its either of those 2 things, definitely not the first scenario. I think its more about $$$ than anything.

Here is my issue...we can't change conference games, we can only schedule our non-conference games, so I'll go back to 2008, when our schedules really started to become an issue and just address our non conference games.

2008- 3 non conf games - 2 road FBS games, 1 home D2
2009- 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 1 road FCS, 1 home D2
2010 - 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 1 neutral site D2, 1 home FCS
2011 - 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 2 road FCS
2012 - 3 non conf games - 2 road FBS, 1 home FCS
2013 - 4 non conf games - 2 road FBS, 1 home D2, 1 road FCS

So in the past 6 seasons (including next year) the games we can control we scheduled:

13 Road Games, 1 Neutral site, and 5 home games.

If we look at games that count towards playoff eligibility (take out the D2's) we have the following non conference games:

13 road games, 2 home games that count towards playoff eligibility.

We have definitely had our most success the last 3 years, but we have also had our best teams and our best coach. If we want to keep it up, we need to schedule better (cough) like the 2010 year (cough)

So you think you are more knowledgeable about the $$$ issues within the EWU athletic dept than the AD? Or do you think he is inept at managing money?

I'll be the first to admit I know there is more to scheduling than I know, and they are definitely more knowledgeable about $$$ within the department than I am...but...I'll turn it around and ask you a question then...

If we aren't willing to pay $50k-$75K to bring in an FCS team or we need the money so bad that we have to schedule 2 FBS games a year instead of a FCS home/home, how in the heck are we going to fund a $40-$50 million dollar stadium renovation. I get there are donors out there, but not that amount, it took forever to get the donations for a scoreboard and that was barely 1 million.

Ugh...sorry about the rant...I love the staff AND the admin, I just wish we have better schedules. I know there is a lot more that goes into it, far beyond what I know, and that is why they are paid to do what they do and I trust in it, but I can assure you there are companies and donors out there that have similar concerns and questions.

 

[clawman1]

Clawman-
Honestly...I don't think its either of those 2 things, definitely not the first scenario. I think its more about $$$ than anything.

Here is my issue...we can't change conference games, we can only schedule our non-conference games, so I'll go back to 2008, when our schedules really started to become an issue and just address our non conference games.

2008- 3 non conf games - 2 road FBS games, 1 home D2
2009- 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 1 road FCS, 1 home D2
2010 - 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 1 neutral site D2, 1 home FCS
2011 - 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 2 road FCS
2012 - 3 non conf games - 2 road FBS, 1 home FCS
2013 - 4 non conf games - 2 road FBS, 1 home D2, 1 road FCS

So in the past 6 seasons (including next year) the games we can control we scheduled:

13 Road Games, 1 Neutral site, and 5 home games.

If we look at games that count towards playoff eligibility (take out the D2's) we have the following non conference games:

13 road games, 2 home games that count towards playoff eligibility.

We have definitely had our most success the last 3 years, but we have also had our best teams and our best coach. If we want to keep it up, we need to schedule better (cough) like the 2010 year (cough)

So you think you are more knowledgeable about the $$$ issues within the EWU athletic dept than the AD? Or do you think he is inept at managing money?

I'll be the first to admit I know there is more to scheduling than I know, and they are definitely more knowledgeable about $$$ within the department than I am...but...I'll turn it around and ask you a question then...

If we aren't willing to pay $50k-$75K to bring in an FCS team or we need the money so bad that we have to schedule 2 FBS games a year instead of a FCS home/home, how in the heck are we going to fund a $40-$50 million dollar stadium renovation. I get there are donors out there, but not that amount, it took forever to get the donations for a scoreboard and that was barely 1 million.

Ugh...sorry about the rant...I love the staff AND the admin, I just wish we have better schedules. I know there is a lot more that goes into it, far beyond what I know, and that is why they are paid to do what they do and I trust in it, but I can assure you there are companies and donors out there that have similar concerns and questions.

You can ask me all the hypothetical questions you want but I am not going to jump to conclusions about what I do not know the details. I trust that Chaves is doing the best he can with what he has to work with. I am confident he and Baldwin want the most favorable schedule possible. Rants on this site are not going to educate Bill on how to schedule as he is far more knowlegable, has much better connections and will do everything he can to help the athletic program and the University be seen in positive light.

 

[marceagfan5]

Clawman-
Honestly...I don't think its either of those 2 things, definitely not the first scenario. I think its more about $$$ than anything.

Here is my issue...we can't change conference games, we can only schedule our non-conference games, so I'll go back to 2008, when our schedules really started to become an issue and just address our non conference games.

2008- 3 non conf games - 2 road FBS games, 1 home D2
2009- 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 1 road FCS, 1 home D2
2010 - 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 1 neutral site D2, 1 home FCS
2011 - 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 2 road FCS
2012 - 3 non conf games - 2 road FBS, 1 home FCS
2013 - 4 non conf games - 2 road FBS, 1 home D2, 1 road FCS

So in the past 6 seasons (including next year) the games we can control we scheduled:

13 Road Games, 1 Neutral site, and 5 home games.

If we look at games that count towards playoff eligibility (take out the D2's) we have the following non conference games:

13 road games, 2 home games that count towards playoff eligibility.

We have definitely had our most success the last 3 years, but we have also had our best teams and our best coach. If we want to keep it up, we need to schedule better (cough) like the 2010 year (cough)

So you think you are more knowledgeable about the $$$ issues within the EWU athletic dept than the AD? Or do you think he is inept at managing money?

I'll be the first to admit I know there is more to scheduling than I know, and they are definitely more knowledgeable about $$$ within the department than I am...but...I'll turn it around and ask you a question then...

If we aren't willing to pay $50k-$75K to bring in an FCS team or we need the money so bad that we have to schedule 2 FBS games a year instead of a FCS home/home, how in the heck are we going to fund a $40-$50 million dollar stadium renovation. I get there are donors out there, but not that amount, it took forever to get the donations for a scoreboard and that was barely 1 million.

Ugh...sorry about the rant...I love the staff AND the admin, I just wish we have better schedules. I know there is a lot more that goes into it, far beyond what I know, and that is why they are paid to do what they do and I trust in it, but I can assure you there are companies and donors out there that have similar concerns and questions.

You can ask me all the hypothetical questions you want but I am not going to jump to conclusions about what I do not know the details. I trust that Chaves is doing the best he can with what he has to work with. I am confident he and Baldwin want the most favorable schedule possible. Rants on this site are not going to educate Bill on how to schedule as he is far more knowlegable, has much better connections and will do everything he can to help the athletic program and the University be seen in positive light.

Can't argue with that, and we ALL want whats best for EWU...have a Merry Christmas Clawman

 

[spaceap6pack]

All things change when we finally that FBS team in 2013 (no, I did not count Idaho Potato) . . . See you all in the stands Aug 31st!

 

[LDopaPDX]

It would be nice if our "fans" posted facts not speculation on this board. Our 2012 schedule was challenging but we made it to the semi-finals. It is funny anyone complained about us scheduling Idaho in 2012. Know the facts, we are not being paid $150K for the Toledo game. Look at the schedule Sam Houston State played this season. Look at our #2 seed. The constant negativity from people who continually complain during the most successful run our football program has ever had has grown stale. Have faith in our coaches and athletic director, things are going well. Merry Christmas.

I can agree we should be happy with what we have done in 2010 and 2012, but we can also want to keep that going into the coming years. Do you really think our 2013 schedule puts us in the best position to win? Toledo and OSU are light years better than Idaho and WSU, and if we didn't beat Idaho this year, we wouldn't have been seeded, and I guess that is my biggest issue. We shouldn't have to beat an FBS team on the road to have a good playoff seed or to keep us in the playoffs. 2013 is a 12 game season, which gives us an extra game, so we have 4 non-conf games and the only home game we have scheduled is a D2.

In all honesty, if a team like App St, Montana, or NDSU only scheduled 5 home games (one of them a D2), 2 of them against FBS opponents in a 12 game season, do you think their fans would appreciate or stand for that, hell no. The comments on here would be "G" rated compared to theirs...The Griz are pissed they only have 6 home games next year...

Don't get me wrong, and I'm sure I speak for the others that don't like the scheduling on this board. We just want what is best for the program, best for the team and players. Our complaints against the schedule are just frustrations as we want to see the team put in the best position to win football games. I 100% trust the coaches and the decisions made and I know there is a lot more that goes into the scheduling than what we know, we just want whats best for the program now, and in the future.

We are all on the same team here....Merry Christmas....

So marc, I'll ask you the same question I've asked dopa in the past and get no reply, is our AD malicious in his actions and TRYING to hurt the program? Or is he just not capable of putting together a satisfactory schedule?

I never heard you ask me this before. I like Chaves, but his scheduling is shit. He'd obviously prefer Eastern win, so cut it with the snark. No one doubts that, or suspects he's somehow "malicious."

But the AD is supposed to be the biggest advocate for building a winning football program outside of the head football coach. And no one can argue these schedules which are always road-heavy and among the most difficult in the country are advantageous. I have no idea why he struggles to schedule adequately, but he seems to do it all the time. Maybe he's too busy with other issues and needs to delegate this to an associate AD. I've followed EWU for decades now and no other AD (Raver, Zornes, Barnes, even Hamilton) has had the routine problem with building a schedule that seem exist now.

Seriously, as pointed out earlier, our Western Oregon game next year will be the first non-con opponent in Cheney in September in 4 years. How does that work?

 

[LDopaPDX]

Clawman-
Honestly...I don't think its either of those 2 things, definitely not the first scenario. I think its more about $$$ than anything.

Here is my issue...we can't change conference games, we can only schedule our non-conference games, so I'll go back to 2008, when our schedules really started to become an issue and just address our non conference games.

2008- 3 non conf games - 2 road FBS games, 1 home D2
2009- 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 1 road FCS, 1 home D2
2010 - 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 1 neutral site D2, 1 home FCS
2011 - 3 non conf games - 1 road FBS, 2 road FCS
2012 - 3 non conf games - 2 road FBS, 1 home FCS
2013 - 4 non conf games - 2 road FBS, 1 home D2, 1 road FCS

So in the past 6 seasons (including next year) the games we can control we scheduled:

13 Road Games, 1 Neutral site, and 5 home games.

If we look at games that count towards playoff eligibility (take out the D2's) we have the following non conference games:

13 road games, 2 home games that count towards playoff eligibility.

We have definitely had our most success the last 3 years, but we have also had our best teams and our best coach. If we want to keep it up, we need to schedule better (cough) like the 2010 year (cough)

So you think you are more knowledgeable about the $$$ issues within the EWU athletic dept than the AD? Or do you think he is inept at managing money?

I'll be the first to admit I know there is more to scheduling than I know, and they are definitely more knowledgeable about $$$ within the department than I am...but...I'll turn it around and ask you a question then...

If we aren't willing to pay $50k-$75K to bring in an FCS team or we need the money so bad that we have to schedule 2 FBS games a year instead of a FCS home/home, how in the heck are we going to fund a $40-$50 million dollar stadium renovation. I get there are donors out there, but not that amount, it took forever to get the donations for a scoreboard and that was barely 1 million.

Ugh...sorry about the rant...I love the staff AND the admin, I just wish we have better schedules. I know there is a lot more that goes into it, far beyond what I know, and that is why they are paid to do what they do and I trust in it, but I can assure you there are companies and donors out there that have similar concerns and questions.

You can ask me all the hypothetical questions you want but I am not going to jump to conclusions about what I do not know the details. I trust that Chaves is doing the best he can with what he has to work with. I am confident he and Baldwin want the most favorable schedule possible. Rants on this site are not going to educate Bill on how to schedule as he is far more knowlegable, has much better connections and will do everything he can to help the athletic program and the University be seen in positive light.

I know a few people around Eastern (to say the least), but this is a hypothetical coming ONLY from me (and as such might be 100% wrong). Does anyone think our horrendous basketball program might be a huge part of the problem?

NCAA b-ball attendance is down on the whole. Payouts ain't what they used to be. We don't draw dick at home, mostly because we never win. The Big Sky does split revenues, but with some of the newer programs like Sac State and Portland State playing in small HS gymnasiums coupled with a conference reaching new lows of talent each year, conference money is worse now than ever. Our head basketball coach makes a lot more than he used to. It doesn't take a business wizard to think expenditures up + revenues down = problem.

Maybe our football program is getting sold down the river to pay for EWU basketball. Frankly, I'd cut our b-ball program in a millisecond if we could add a hockey program. Clearly, the Big Sky doesn't care if the b-ball program exists or not, as evidenced by the number of teams who are football members.

Rambling thoughts...

 

[LDopaPDX]

Another sticky issue for 2013 is our conference schedule, which is really bad and would be more discussed if it wasn't for the bigger issue of the non-conference games.

We don't have a single conference game until Oct. 5, and then have 8 consecutive. In other words, we go 5 weeks without a pre-scheduled game and no bye week opportunities. How many coaches want their bye week after 3 games? The best we could've done is having it on the 5th week. Only 2 Big Sky teams play 8 consecutive.

 

[kalm]

It would be nice if our "fans" posted facts not speculation on this board. Our 2012 schedule was challenging but we made it to the semi-finals. It is funny anyone complained about us scheduling Idaho in 2012. Know the facts, we are not being paid $150K for the Toledo game. Look at the schedule Sam Houston State played this season. Look at our #2 seed. The constant negativity from people who continually complain during the most successful run our football program has ever had has grown stale. Have faith in our coaches and athletic director, things are going well. Merry Christmas.

Sam Houston is a bit of an outlier with their run. They are the first non-seeded team in quite awhile (at least 4 years) to make it to the Chipper. We have a NC caliber team next year, and possibly the talent to do what Sam has done this year as an 8-3 team. But remember, some people had them as a bubble team and they were one loss away from not making the playoffs at all. Just like we've experienced with injuries, the line between legitimate contender and finishing the season in November or on the road in the first or second round of the playoffs is really that thin.

I'll admit that I'm not privy to the financials either, and you can't assume you'll always make deep runs so you can't throw all of your scheduling eggs into the advantages of getting seeded, hosting playoff games, and possible NC's basket. But the revenue from apparel sales, donations, and exposure for the school and the athletics program has to be significant. The economic impact for the entire town of Cheney is significant. All of this leads to continued revenue increases down the road. So the risk might boil down to for-sure revenue from Toledo vs. speculative revenue if we could find an OOC FCS replacement and make a deep run. But as mentioned earlier, striking while the iron is hot might be a risk worth taking.

It is perfectly reasonable to question next year's schedule. Chaves is s smart and successful administrator so I still find it hard to believe that we have any better choices than Toledo and the DII. None the less, those two games make a crappy schedule for a very good team that deserves as many chances as possible to achieve.

 

[Seattle Eagle]

Great post Kalm. Questioning the schedule doesn't make you a bad fan. By all accouts this is a questionable schedule that does not set the team up for success but rather provides them with huge adversity early on in the season. I like the AD and think he's doing a tremendous job overall but the 2013 schedule is for the birds and does not set us up well at all for te playoffs. SHSU is not a good example. They had a horrible schedule this season but were talented enough to overcome that. Unfortunately it looks like we will have to do the same next season while running the gauntlet in a very competitive Big Sky Conference.

 

[EAGLEFUZZ]

Enough with the victim talk..lets reload and play the hand we are delt. Lets make the most of all the games as fans. As I see it make plans to be in Corvallis on Labor day weekend. :thumb: