The Bobcat Nation

Great article in the Great Falls Tribune about the upcoming Big Sky Football season. The excitement is building and it wont be long before the pads will be poppin.

http://www.gftribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ ... 40337/1006

Kramer has called out a lot of players and positions. I just hate when he does this in the press. The press should be used to praise your players. Can someone teach Kramer - Press Relations 101.

It's a great interview. I'd much rather read what players and coaches have to say than the opinions of a sportswriter.

BobCatFan wrote:Kramer has called out a lot of players and positions. I just hate when he does this in the press. The press should be used to praise your players. Can someone teach Kramer - Press Relations 101.

Of course when he does praise players then we often hear criticism that he overhyped those players (overrated/underrated thread, for instance) when they don't play up to expectations. It's really a no-win situation.

Did you notice that BH incorrectly stated that um won 7 straight BSC Championships?
He is still living in denial.
mq - we need to make a trip to mazolla and show baby your championsip ring.

Looking forward to the season, this get's my blood pumping!
One thing I don't understand, K says alot he doesn't trust so n so, then calls them out. I don't think there is anything wrong with calling out players, but, I don’t think it builds much trust, especially when you say you don’t trust their play. Not sure the calling out has achieved the desired results. Seems like we got players and coach not trusting each other. Perhaps this is why we have not truly come together as a team and jelled. Part of coaching football is building confidence without the soft stuff, football aint touchy feely.

The talent is there, figure out a way to put it together, jell a team, and it's gonna be one helluva of a season! Go Cats, put the team together, it’s there!!

Maybe this is the year we finally put all parts of the game together. Ever since Johnson left, our ground game has been mediocre at best. Up until last year, our defense had been stellar. And just last year we saw what TL is fullyu capable of. If we can return to our former glory on defense, have a solid running game, and continue to be able to make big plays through the air, there is no reason we can't win the BSC outright, and maybe even host a playoff game.

The Cats have been known for having one good part of a complete team. Let's put them all together!

theblackgecko wrote:It's a great interview. I'd much rather read what players and coaches have to say than the opinions of a sportswriter.

Interview with players and coaches you are always going to hear the good and not the bad. Plus you have to read a lot of cliches… Sportswriters will give you an honest assessment of what they have seen and heard. You are more likely to hear the facts from a sportswriter then a football player of coach.

BobCatFan wrote:Kramer has called out a lot of players and positions. I just hate when he does this in the press. The press should be used to praise your players. Can someone teach Kramer - Press Relations 101.

Couldn’t agree with you more. Why would a coach need to use the media to get the attention of a 20-year-old? Kramer’s players will listen to what he has to say he doesn’t need to use the media to get their attention.

Personally, I don't believe he does "call out" players in the media. I think Kramer just says what he feels and lets the chips fall where they may. I'm certain that he does everything he can to motivate kids OUTSIDE the media. What you perceive as "calling out" I call simply telling it like it is. I'm positive that he DOESN'T trust his receiver corp 100% right now. I'm positive that he DOESN'T know who his kicker will end up being at this point. Those are the only 2 areas where he was critical and I'm sorry, those comments didn't offend me in the slightest. I'm pretty sure that if I were a kicker or a receiver for the Cats right now, I'd know that my status was uncertain, regardless of whether or not I read it in the paper and that the only way to prevent that is to work harder and get better.

Why should a coach be ostracized for speaking what's on his mind? If a kid is underperforming or a disappointment, why can't a coach be honest & say so?

El_Gato wrote:Personally, I don't believe he does "call out" players in the media. I think Kramer just says what he feels and lets the chips fall where they may. I'm certain that he does everything he can to motivate kids OUTSIDE the media. What you perceive as "calling out" I call simply telling it like it is. I'm positive that he DOESN'T trust his receiver corp 100% right now. I'm positive that he DOESN'T know who his kicker will end up being at this point. Those are the only 2 areas where he was critical and I'm sorry, those comments didn't offend me in the slightest. I'm pretty sure that if I were a kicker or a receiver for the Cats right now, I'd know that my status was uncertain, regardless of whether or not I read it in the paper and that the only way to prevent that is to work harder and get better.

Why should a coach be ostracized for speaking what's on his mind? If a kid is underperforming or a disappointment, why can't a coach be honest & say so?

I really don't think he was calling out his players either. He is the coach of the team and he knows there are still some issues at key positions this year going into camp/season. Just because the recievers gelled and played well towards the end of the season doesn't mean these guys can start getting big heads and thinking it will come easy this year (not saying they will do that, but some of them may). Kramer still wants these guys to work hard and in the offseason/fall camp so they are ready for this year and that is why I think he is saying some of these comments. These kids will see some of them and go ... "Don't trust us?" I'll show him etc. If it is done right it can be a very good motivating tool. Parcels/Cowher/Shanahan do the same type of motivation. Yes, you don't go WAY overboard and make the player look bad, but it's kind of a gentler ribbing to say nothing is set in stone going into this season. What you have done in the past has no bearing on on how you are going to perform this year so you better WORK and BE READY. That is what I read into those statments of his anyway.

His choice of words may be construed as a little salty but the three areas he sited, receiving corp, kicking game, and defensive secondary were huge problems at different times last season. Of the three only the receivers made progress as the year progressed. I am also very concerned with the kicing game and secondary as we enter the season. He said what 90% of us are thinking - so his words may have a little bite to them. I can live with that.

WYCAT wrote:His choice of words may be construed as a little salty but the three areas he sited, receiving corp, kicking game, and defensive secondary were huge problems at different times last season. Of the three only the receivers made progress as the year progressed. I am also very concerned with the kicing game and secondary as we enter the season. He said what 90% of us are thinking - so his words may have a little bite to them. I can live with that.

His words are also why the Cats are picked 3rd to 4th in preseason conference and only in the mid teens in the national preseason polls.

I think this team can come together and build off last years disappointing season end and make a strong run in the playoffs.

Cat Pride wrote:

WYCAT wrote:His choice of words may be construed as a little salty but the three areas he sited, receiving corp, kicking game, and defensive secondary were huge problems at different times last season. Of the three only the receivers made progress as the year progressed. I am also very concerned with the kicing game and secondary as we enter the season. He said what 90% of us are thinking - so his words may have a little bite to them. I can live with that.

His words are also why the Cats are picked 3rd to 4th in preseason conference and only in the mid teens in the national preseason polls.

I think this team can come together and build off last years disappointing season end and make a strong run in the playoffs.

Yeah, I think he is almost doing the opposite of what he used to do the last 2-3 years. I have a really weird feeling he is talking this team down a little and is going to SPRING some things on people this year. I just have a hunch that this team will be a good one this year.

CARDIAC_CATS wrote:I just have a hunch that this team will be a good one this year.

I think this team is going to do something SPECIAL this year.

I think Kramer is protecting himself with these sort of comments. First off let me say that I have no problem with these kind of comments, he isn't calling out anyong in specific (well I guess maybe Bolton).

I feel he is trying to keep expectations at a moderate level for once. Ever since Lulay took the helm, Kramer has done nothing but generate hype and excitement about Bobcat football, which is a positive. But he may soon be a victim of his own sucess if he continues to hype a football program that doesn't deliver. I think he realizes he will be in trouble if the Cats go 6-5 again this year with no BCS title. Personally, if Kramer can't at least make a respectable showing in the playoffs next year (that means if we lose, we play a hell of a game), I'm going to start questioning whether or not a change is needed for head coach.

I think the printed word comes off a little different than the spoken word. In Kramer's case I think that if you were listening to him on TV or even radio what he is saying wouldn't have the same edge to it as it does in print. He usually has this "I-hate-to-say-it-but-it's-true" look on his face with a half-smile when he's doing what some are saying is "calling someone out in the media."

Calling someone out in the media is more point blank and I think of Bill Parcells and Terry Glenn. "She's having a tough time catching the ball in the cold weather." Or whatever he said. Kramer did call Ryan Johnson out in the media, but I don't compare what he says here to that and he has said many times that was a mistake on his part.

I am reading this completely different. I don't see him calling anyone out, even Bolton. What I see if a veteran starter is returning, then it's one thing. However, if it a new player to MSU, he is not ready to turn anything over to someone that has not earned it on the field (except maybe Siataga (a transfer from Sacramento City CC) and Kolone (a transfer from Arizona, that played in the spring).

They have multiple players at all the positions in question and the feeling of competition is good. No reason to decide who the winner is before the 3rd game of the season.

On the Transfers and CBs, they recognizes that they all look great on paper and/or in the past at other places, but until they prove they can do it at MSU, he is interested in proven guys.

I don't see anything wrong with what he said about Bolton. Bolton was 50% last spring and they are going to have a competition to see who can do the job. If the JC transfer comes in or Fisher performs, it will not be taking the job away from Bolton, it's a job that Bolton never earned through a season and it is still open. If Bolton wins it this year and has a good year, then next year would be different. That did not happen last year.

On Siataga and Kolone, they want big and strong at the DL (different from the small guys in the past that got over powered late in the game). As mentioned previously, the 3-4 needs to tie up OL and give room for the LBs to run free. They want the linebackers to scrape and make the plays."

Totally agree with your perception of the interview BLF.

Uncle Rico wrote:Did you notice that BH incorrectly stated that um won 7 straight BSC Championships?
He is still living in denial.
mq - we need to make a trip to mazolla and show baby your championsip ring.

98, 99, 00, 01, 02, 03, 04 = 7

co-champs by the kitties means the Griz won too

Who has the conference championship trophies and rings.
Not missoula.