KSU and a National Championship...

[Racquetball_Ninja]

This new character S. Parker and all of his questions about that fateful night in the Big XII Championship game got me to thinking and I have two questions:

1.  Will we ever be that close to a National Championship Game again?
2.  Will we eve see that kind of talent on a K-State team again that was stacked on both sides of the ball and had great chemistry?

For the love of all that is good and holy I just don't see it happening and that's a pretty tough pill to swallow as a K-State fan.

[Pittcat]

Salvation will arrive my son.  The question is, can Prince recognize it and harness it?

[The Whale]

Look within your heart -- you know the answer


 

[waks]

No.

[970Cat]

Probably not, but just as the events of 98 showed us, nothing is for certain.  So don't be certain that it can't or won't happen. 

[ChicoRodriguez]

Basketball...definitely
Football...maybe

[fatty fat fat]

True, but k Oklahoma State Missouri, Iowa State, Kansas, Baylor, Texas Tech etc... have never even experienced a season like that.

[Bullfn33]

How would you respond to a similar question in 1989? 

In less than 10 years the worst division I football program in the country assembled THE top ranked team during the 1998 season and came seconds from a NC birth.  Our team right now is somewhere between that team and the 1989 team.  KSU will be playing football for a very very long time, maybe another 1000+ years, who knows.  Ever is a long time.  Of course we can do it.  Any team can do it. The question becomes time.  I think we have the same chance of going back to 1989 caliber teams as we do reaching the NC, whatever that means.  The soonest possible opportunity would probably be in 8-10 years.  The odds of that are not very good but Snyder's odds in 1989 were much much worse...and he did it.

[S. Parker]

This new character S. Parker and all of his questions about that fateful night in the Big XII Championship game got me to thinking and I have two questions:

1.  Will we ever be that close to a National Championship Game again?
2.  Will we eve see that kind of talent on a K-State team again that was stacked on both sides of the ball and had great chemistry?

For the love of all that is good and holy I just don't see it happening and that's a pretty tough pill to swallow as a K-State fan.

I think yes, and here's why...

1) There is a huge power vacuum in the north. I don't see Kansas or Iowa State ever being anything in fooball. The north needs KSU to be strong, and given that you have a tradition of success in football now, you have something to build off of.

2) Speaking of building off your success, there were a ton of great players under Snyder who watched what made him successful and learned. Sooner or later, some of these guys are going to end up being good coaches, and they'll come back to KSU. They'll be loyal too, which is very important, because KSU lacks the budget to get into bidding wars for coaches. There are other Snyders out there who will dedicate their lives to your program, and I'm willing to bet a couple of them are on old KSU rosters under Snyder.

3) You guys have good facilities. They aren't other-worldly, but they are well-kept and nice. Nebraska fans that go to your games grudgingly concede that they like your stadium, though they never admit it around your fans. I'm being honest.

4) You have a great fan-base, and it is fairly sizable. I am amazed by the numbers you guys can pull on gopowercat.com. Some coach is going to love that. Your fan base is also really passionate...equal to Texas, Nebraska, and TAMU in my opinion. (Sooner fans are fair-weather.)

5) The area around Manhattan is beautiful, Manhattan is a nice college town, and from what I hear, Aggieville kicks ass. You just need a guy who knows how to sell it.

6) In all seriousness, Ron Prince might be a great coach. He is recruiting really well right now, and I watched the Texas upset on youtube recently, and he called an amazing game. He gouged Texas again and again with big plays. Furthermore, the other changes he made last year with Patton, etc, worked well. As we speak, you are an offensive line away from having a really great team.


Like I said, KSU has a tradition now. There is plenty to build on.  

[Super PurpleCat]

This new character S. Parker and all of his questions about that fateful night in the Big XII Championship game got me to thinking and I have two questions:

1.  Will we ever be that close to a National Championship Game again?

Why not?

2.  Will we eve see that kind of talent on a K-State team again that was stacked on both sides of the ball and had great chemistry?

It's possible.  That team had alot of Juco talent.

For the love of all that is good and holy I just don't see it happening and that's a pretty tough pill to swallow as a K-State fan.

C'mon.  The 1997-1998 team came together at a time when Nebraska and Colorado were taking turns slapping us around like a kindergartner drunk on Nyquil.  We can do it agian.

[cireksu]

In Football Great defensive schemes can stop a great offense if you have less talent.  It is tougher on offense to move and score against a defense with much more talent.  However one or two special players and a solid group of olinemen and role players can tip the scales.  Special teams can also be coached up and turned into a unit where the talent level is marginal in terms of success.

So yes with the right components at the right time, lightning can strike again in manhattan.

[ksu_FAN]

In Football Great defensive schemes can stop a great offense if you have less talent.  It is tougher on offense to move and score against a defense with much more talent.  However one or two special players and a solid group of olinemen and role players can tip the scales.  Special teams can also be coached up and turned into a unit where the talent level is marginal in terms of success.

So yes with the right components at the right time, lightning can strike again in manhattan.

Special teams is probably the #1 priority in Prince's philosophy at K-State. 

[KSt8er]

I still can't get used to this from a husker, ....it hurts my head.  And well said to boot, OUCH.

This new character S. Parker and all of his questions about that fateful night in the Big XII Championship game got me to thinking and I have two questions:

1.  Will we ever be that close to a National Championship Game again?
2.  Will we eve see that kind of talent on a K-State team again that was stacked on both sides of the ball and had great chemistry?

For the love of all that is good and holy I just don't see it happening and that's a pretty tough pill to swallow as a K-State fan.

I think yes, and here's why...

1) There is a huge power vacuum in the north. I don't see Kansas or Iowa State ever being anything in fooball. The north needs KSU to be strong, and given that you have a tradition of success in football now, you have something to build off of.

2) Speaking of building off your success, there were a ton of great players under Snyder who watched what made him successful and learned. Sooner or later, some of these guys are going to end up being good coaches, and they'll come back to KSU. They'll be loyal too, which is very important, because KSU lacks the budget to get into bidding wars for coaches. There are other Snyders out there who will dedicate their lives to your program, and I'm willing to bet a couple of them are on old KSU rosters under Snyder.

3) You guys have good facilities. They aren't other-worldly, but they are well-kept and nice. Nebraska fans that go to your games grudgingly concede that they like your stadium, though they never admit it around your fans. I'm being honest.

4) You have a great fan-base, and it is fairly sizable. I am amazed by the numbers you guys can pull on gopowercat.com. Some coach is going to love that. Your fan base is also really passionate...equal to Texas, Nebraska, and TAMU in my opinion. (Sooner fans are fair-weather.)

5) The area around Manhattan is beautiful, Manhattan is a nice college town, and from what I hear, Aggieville kicks ass. You just need a guy who knows how to sell it.

6) In all seriousness, Ron Prince might be a great coach. He is recruiting really well right now, and I watched the Texas upset on youtube recently, and he called an amazing game. He gouged Texas again and again with big plays. Furthermore, the other changes he made last year with Patton, etc, worked well. As we speak, you are an offensive line away from having a really great team.


Like I said, KSU has a tradition now. There is plenty to build on.  

[purplehiatt]

I'm gonna go ahead and say it.  I think we need top notch facilities....and we don't need to scale back, go big or go home.  Now where we get the $$$...beats me.

[970Cat]

I'm gonna go ahead and say it.  I think we need top notch facilities....and we don't need to scale back, go big or go home.  Now where we get the $$$...beats me.

The $$$ is going to have to come from some rich Soybean/Corn farmer once Ethanol and Biodiesel take over the energy market.  Or maybe we could get some rich wind-power tycoon.  Kansas has got plenty of that. 

[Tulsa Cat]

2008 we play for the MNC (that would be in January 2009).  Write it down. In stone.  I have spoken.   

[ksu_FAN]

I'm an optimist.  I'm not sold we'll ever be that close again in my lifetime.  I can see some more 03-type seasons, but I'm not sure we'll ever have something quite like 98 again. 

And I know, this kind of thinking is part of the problem.

[turbowildcat]

I'm an optimist.  I'm not sold we'll ever be that close again in my lifetime.  I can see some more 03-type seasons, but I'm not sure we'll ever have something quite like 98 again. 

And I know, this kind of thinking is part of the problem.

I mean everything set up perfect for the 1998 season, nu had a new quarterback in crouch, the south teams were not quite as strong. But mainly we had one problem, they had put the big 12 championship game in place therefore ruining our NC season, whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy?

[cireksu]

I'm an optimist.  I'm not sold we'll ever be that close again in my lifetime.  I can see some more 03-type seasons, but I'm not sure we'll ever have something quite like 98 again. 

And I know, this kind of thinking is part of the problem.

We had the talent to compete for one in 98, 00, 02, and 03.  The 02 team was the most flawed and it lost by 7 points combined to the big 12 champ and runner up.  Needless to say, I don't think it's a terrible stretch of the imagination to say that it could be done again.

[superwillie8]

It'll happen again, I just hope it's in my lifetime.  I think if Prince can accomplish a 7-5 or better season this year, then I honestly think he'll have an opportunity to do it within 5-10 years.  I think we'll be STRONG contenders for the North in 2008 and 2009 (with Freeman and Prince getting established).  Once you make the Big 12 Championship game, ANYTHING can happen.  I'm hoping for a BCS game before Freeman leaves, I could care less which one.     

[Pike]

It'll happen again, I just hope it's in my lifetime.  I think if Prince can accomplish a 7-5 or better season this year, then I honestly think he'll have an opportunity to do it within 5-10 years.  I think we'll be STRONG contenders for the North in 2008 and 2009 (with Freeman and Prince getting established).  Once you make the Big 12 Championship game, ANYTHING can happen.  I'm hoping for a BCS game before Freeman leaves, I could care less which one.     

I'm not putting my hopes that high, but maybe any January bowl game would be nice.

[Tulsa Cat]

Every year we have a chance.  Every team does.  Just win all your games.  We are in the Big XII.  We go undefeated, don't have too many other major undefeated teams and we will play for the MNC.  Take it one game, one quarter, one series, one play at a time.  Execute the plays.  Don't make mental errors.  Exceed expectations and you can triumph.  Ninety percent of winning is in your mind.  Believe.  BELIEVE.  Through the sheer force of out combined will we can win the MNC. 

Who's with me? C'mon.

[hemmy]

In 25 years when I have more money than Bill Gates ever did I will be sure and donate to the KSU cause 

[Powercat Matt]

Every year we have a chance.  Every team does.  Just win all your games.  We are in the Big XII.  We go undefeated, don't have too many other major undefeated teams and we will play for the MNC.  Take it one game, one quarter, one series, one play at a time.  Execute the plays.  Don't make mental errors.  Exceed expectations and you can triumph.  Ninety percent of winning is in your mind.  Believe.  BELIEVE.  Through the sheer force of out combined will we can win the MNC. 

Who's with me? C'mon.

Auburn going undefeated in 2004 while playing in SEC pretty much crushed those same thoughts i had.

[The Whale]

Every year we have a chance.  Every team does.  Just win all your games.  We are in the Big XII.  We go undefeated, don't have too many other major undefeated teams and we will play for the MNC.  Take it one game, one quarter, one series, one play at a time.  Execute the plays.  Don't make mental errors.  Exceed expectations and you can triumph.  Ninety percent of winning is in your mind.  Believe.  BELIEVE.  Through the sheer force of out combined will we can win the MNC. 

Who's with me? C'mon.

It'd be a lot easier to see us going undefeated at some point in the future if Prince would just take the Snyder approach to scheduling -- Cupcake non-con, and try to run the Big XII slate.  Win out the in Big XII, and you'll be in the NC discussion, no matter how shatty your non-con is.  At the very least it should guarantee a bowl game every year* which helps with practice time and recruiting.  Playing 1 - 2 tough non-cons games makes it that much harder to stay undefeated.




* Non-con scheduling results not applicable to Mangino

[Tulsa Cat]

Your missing the genius of Princes approach.  Beat a big name "Auburn" and they (you know them, those people) can't say you have a weak schedule and are not deserving.  We win out, we go to the MNC.  That simple.

As to what happened at Auburn a couple years ago.  Like I said too many undefeated teams.  There is an element of luck in winning a national championship.  Some years a lot of luck.  Like when NU kicked the ball foe a TD and the 5th down games.  OU had some lucky breaks their last MNC outing.  But the truth is you make your own luck.  Play hard, play smart, don't let up, focus, have goals, make them high, reach for them. and don't let any body tell you what you can't do.  We can win it all.  Heck its almost already done.  If you just believe.

[cireksu]

Every year we have a chance.  Every team does.  Just win all your games.  We are in the Big XII.  We go undefeated, don't have too many other major undefeated teams and we will play for the MNC.  Take it one game, one quarter, one series, one play at a time.  Execute the plays.  Don't make mental errors.  Exceed expectations and you can triumph.  Ninety percent of winning is in your mind.  Believe.  BELIEVE.  Through the sheer force of out combined will we can win the MNC. 

Who's with me? C'mon.

Auburn going undefeated in 2004 while playing in SEC pretty much crushed those same thoughts i had.

Yeah, I used to think that too, but it still depends on how good the confrence is.  If you beat 1 top ten and 3 top 25 teams in confrence you should get in no matter what your noncon looks like.

[S. Parker]

Look at NU lucky kicked ball and 5th down games

We had the lucky kicked ball in 1997, but the 5th down was the Colorado buffs, not us.

I would point out that our luck has sucked for the most part. Penn State players have admitted publicly that we won the national championship in 1982, and that their win came due to a last-minute drive where there was a phantom penalty, a player catching the ball three yards out of bounds, and a player trapping the ball for the touchdown. We are the 1982 champs, and I can show you an article to prove it.

In 1993 we had the phantom clipping call against us in the FSU game that cost us the winning touchdown.

In 1983, we stupidly went for 2 instead of just kicking a field goal and being national champs. It was on Miami's home field.

If Nebraska was lucky, we would have three more championships.

[Tulsa Cat]

I would point out that our luck has sucked for the most part. Penn State players have admitted publicly that we won the national championship in 1982, and that their win came due to a last-minute drive where there was a phantom penalty, a player catching the ball three yards out of bounds, and a player trapping the ball for the touchdown. We are the 1982 champs, and I can show you an article to prove it.

In 1993 we had the phantom clipping call against us in the FSU game that cost us the winning touchdown.

In 1983, we stupidly went for 2 instead of just kicking a field goal and being national champs. It was on Miami's home field.

If Nebraska was lucky, we would have three more championships.

My point exactly.  Bad luck for NU good luck for their opponent.  1983 NU made their own "bad Luck" going for 2.

As for bad-missed calls, hey they are part of the game.  Some you win, some you lose.  Win by 21 points and they do not matter.  Luck only plays a role in close games. 

My point is that its not always the best team, the fastest team, the strongest team, the highest ranked team, or the team with the most 5 star recruits that wins.  It the team that scores the most points.  There is NO reason we cannot be that team each and every time we play.

[S. Parker]

My point is that its not always the best team, the fastest team, the strongest team, the highest ranked team, or the team with the most 5 star recruits that wins.  It the team that scores the most points.  There is NO reason we cannot be that team each and every time we play.

I agree. Prince demonstrated this against Texas perfectly last year.

In reference to your other point about bad calls, isn't if funny how whenever there is a major referee screw-up that results in a team getting a championship, it keeps happening against Missouri? (CU in 1990 and NU in 1997).

Poor Missouri.