[twgin]

Too discouraged to make much sense of this.  On one level, we are 8-2, incredibly successful, seem to be recruiting well, great present situation and prospects for the future.

On another level, we are stuck one level below where we want to be, which is competing for a National Championship.

We don't get blown out pretty much ever, and we win a lot of close games, but inevitably we lose some close ones.  I think we all feel that the games we have lost, starting with the Fiesta Bowl a few years back, were games we coulda, shouda, would have won except for some better game strategy and better late game tactics.  I just don't believe that David Shaw, for all of his other absolutely great qualities, is an elite game strategizer or game play caller.  Further, I think his end game mojo is at best average.  I think he plays passive aggressive PC football, doesn't want to embarrass anyone, doesn't want to appear to be running up a score ever.  He plays not to lose and because of our great talent, gets away with it most games.  Our coach and as a result our team has zero killer instinct.  We don't play cruel anymore.

And I do think we have great talent despite the lack of a premium tight end or two.  We are neither using the talented players we have (Montgomery, Rector, Cajuste, Pratt, Whitfield, Young, perhaps Sanders, maybe Trojan) nor are we integrating these parts into a cohesive whole.  Look at $C's play calling in the first half last night; they had a plan, a scheme, a strategy and for a good half they had our elite defense scratching their collective heads.  Contrast that to our plodding, herky jerky game plans; no continuity, no flair, no unpredictability.

Harbaugh coached like a Patton, Shaw coaches like a Grant (no disrespect to Grant, he was a Titan, but he got his nose bloodied a few times, just like us).

I'm proud of our team, program, school.  We do it the right way and we have enormous success; I'm thankful for all this.  But I weep for what could have been.

[twgin]

Too discouraged to make much sense of this.  On one level, we are 8-2, incredibly successful, seem to be recruiting well, great present situation and prospects for the future.

On another level, we are stuck one level below where we want to be, which is competing for a National Championship.

We don't get blown out pretty much ever, and we win a lot of close games, but inevitably we lose some close ones.  I think we all feel that the games we have lost, starting with the Fiesta Bowl a few years back, were games we coulda, shouda, would have won except for some better game strategy and better late game tactics.  I just don't believe that David Shaw, for all of his other absolutely great qualities, is an elite game strategizer or game play caller.  Further, I think his end game mojo is at best average.  I think he plays passive aggressive PC football, doesn't want to embarrass anyone, doesn't want to appear to be running up a score ever.  He plays not to lose and because of our great talent, gets away with it most games.  Our coach and as a result our team has zero killer instinct.  We don't play cruel anymore.

And I do think we have great talent despite the lack of a premium tight end or two.  We are neither using the talented players we have (Montgomery, Rector, Cajuste, Pratt, Whitfield, Young, perhaps Sanders, maybe Trojan) nor are we integrating these parts into a cohesive whole.  Look at $C's play calling in the first half last night; they had a plan, a scheme, a strategy and for a good half they had our elite defense scratching their collective heads.  Contrast that to our plodding, herky jerky game plans; no continuity, no flair, no unpredictability.

Harbaugh coached like a Patton, Shaw coaches like a Grant (no disrespect to Grant, he was a Titan, but he got his nose bloodied a few times, just like us).

I'm proud of our team, program, school.  We do it the right way and we have enormous success; I'm thankful for all this.  But I weep for what could have been.