Saturday, September 27, 2008

Abysmal

We never try to get too down on college athletes. Without sounding condescending, we realize that 99 out of 100 EMU football players aren't going pro and are giving their all at the highest level they'll play at. We'd actually hold someone like Daniel Holtzclaw, Eastern's outstanding linebacker to a higher standard, we're using him as an example, this is NOT His fault, we're not making THAT point.

We also told you we'd always tell the truth and the fact is, this is not a program on the rise, it's not growing even in small increments. It's stuck back near the bottom of the heap. Northern Illinois is an OK team but no great shakes. They shouldn't be 37-0 better than Eastern at Eastern on Eastern's Homecoming. Toledo shouldn't have been 41-17 better. Eastern Michigan is simply not competing at the same level as mediocre (and no insult intended to Toledo or NIU fans, you kicked the crap out of Eastern) MAC teams. Head Coach Jeff Genyk has had time, Eastern's Athletic Department has been patient with him, even sticking by him after a 1-11 season in 2006. They're simply not on the same level as these other teams. Throw out the stats, toss out the turnovers, that's not the story, that's burying the lead. The Buffalo Bulls were as bad as EMU when they came into the MAC, and they are now the top dog in the MAC Eastern Conference (they lead CMU right now in the third quarter but by barely). Ball State was in the same boat as Eastern a couple three years ago as well. Now they compete for the conference crown. It obviously can be done.

If simply being able to have success against Central and Western Michigan is the goal, program fulfilled. If it's been almost 20 years since your last conference title and that drought shows no end in sight, it's time for the good Doctors, EMU President Dr. Susan Martin and Athletic Director Dr. Derrick Gragg to either offer an extension to Genyk to show support and show players yes he IS the man here or prepare to get a search team together NOW, on the QT. Martin and Gragg are both impressive people, that being said, they have a decision to make.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

As an EMU grad, I want soooo bad for EMU to put together a good football team that we can all be proud of. My first EMU game, I was just telling someone tonight, was in the mid-80s when the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders visited and packed the house (before the addition of umpteen thousand empty seats). Even with our celebrity guests, EMU was getting clobbered. At one point, a guy from my floor stood up with his trumpet and played Taps...it was the only thing you could hear in the whole stadium. C'mon Hur...er...Eagles. Let's go!

Johnny Action Space Punk said...

It's never really gotten any better since like 1990-1991. Good players have played here, some pretty good pros as well but the program never seems to take that step forward they so badly need.