The Bobcat Nation

Our OOC schedule is very hard this year, and frankly it worries me because of the typical slow starts the Kramer era teams have been cursed with. Would you rather have a Griz schedule (it's not a bash Griz fans, your schedule has been deemed the easiest in the Sky, and ours the hardest), or would you rather have the toughest schedule?

I myself am happy with it. I think the talent this team has going into the season has bred a lot of confidence in the team. I like to see us facing a challenge before the conference. Maybe this can shake a little of the confidence from the team and make them realize how hard this season will be!! Then we can play the conference schedule with a fire that will make them unstopable

The only problem I have with our schedule is that by year end, we could be a damned good football team but if we stumble early, we could be outside looking in come playoff time.

I find it hard to believe, especially after Kramers preaching about the importance of home-field in the playoffs the past few seasons, that we set up this OOC schedule. If we go 3-1, GREAT; I have no doubt we'll be playing in December.

BUT, if we go 2-2, even though that would be respectable given the 4 opponents we face, there's no way we could afford to lose more than 1 conference game & make the playoffs.

And, if the worst case happens and we go 1-3 (no way we go 0-4), we have to win the auto-bid which again means not more than 1 conference loss and probably some tie-breaker help to boot.

I really would've liked to have seen OSU, Cal-Poly, and then a couple of lower-echelon IAA teams to make it VERY likely we'd go 2-2 at worst...

Have to agree with El Gato on this one. While the schedule is very exciting and challenging, it is a self induced bumpy road. I look at the bad guy's schedule and feel they built a schedule around their slow start getting a QB settled in. They have a money game, but also have gimmie readjustment games to work out kinks.

I would much rather have a user friendly schedule that would not put us in a do or die situation within the first four games of the season. This schedule leaves no room for an off game, or a stumble. If we get 2 losses early, there is incredible pressure for each and every conference game. While I would like to say at the end of the season, we got there the hard way, I am not holier than thou, I would still be happy to say we got there even if it was a little smoother ride to get there.

What really scares me is if we have significant injuries, no room in this schedule to work in backups or shift players. Also, the team has to regain composure fast after the OSU game. I would love to be in the locker room for the first two motivational speeches. This is a Cardiac schedule, get your defibrillators ready!

This is the best schedule in years. I want to play quality teams EVERY game and I want as many rivalry games as possible (NDSU). I hate driving the 1000 miles to watch MSU play Adams State. We only have six home games (most years) and 11 total games (most years) so I want them to be good games. I wish we played Georgia Southern, Furman, UMASS, Delaware or Western Kentucky every year. It is only 11 games so each one should be tough and exciting. If you don't have the depth or can't get up for only 11 games then you don't deserve the playoff's!!!

Unfortunately, teams can work their schedules to where they don’t have to be at the top of their game for all 11 games, just look at our rival’s schedule. It pisses me off that a team with a tougher schedule really does not get consdieration for the more difficult schedule. Did UM soften their schedule based on what they expect to have this year? Nonetheless, if they make it their schedule could be the biggest single contributing player on the team. Would that cheapen the experience of sitting in your home stadium at a playoff game?

gtapp,

I'd much rather play the teams you mentioned AT HOME IN THE PLAYOFFS OR IN CHATTANOOGA than as an OOC challenge in September.

Look, I'm not selling us short; I think this team may be as good as we've ever fielded, certainly since 84. That being said, however, we all know how difficult it is to go 9-2 or even 8-3. When the team has a bad outing against a weak opponent (like the aformentioned Adams State) BUT STILL WINS, that only aids our attempt to secure home-field playoff games. An "off day" in September this season, however, will drive one more nail in the coffin. OSU means we start 0-1; that means we MUST be 8-2 or better over the final 10 games or we're out of the playoffs again. To me, that's unacceptable; this program is now at the point, IMO, where the playoffs should be expected, year in & year out, with the only question being how many post-season games will be in Bozeman?

That's the bottom line, really. This schedule leaves no margin for error. Some may like that before the season even starts but if we are watching the Griz on TV in December, that tough schedule ain't gonna mean sheeit!

El_Gato wrote:
This schedule leaves no margin for error. Some may like that before the season even starts but if we are watching the Griz on TV in December, that tough schedule ain't gonna mean sheeit!

"margin for error".....Does error mean a loss or does it mean numerous mistakes during the game that we can't overcome?

If you mean mistakes during a game, I would say that years previous we wouldn't be able to overcome to pull out a win. I feel this years team has the experience, confidence, and offensive power to overcome mistakes that have haunted us in the past. Plus, for the same reasons, I don't expect us to make as many.

Gato...come on......we both know the grit won't be playin' football in December.

Actually, I hope they are.

It's going to be amazing when we beat them in Bozeman twice in the same season! When we pull that off, instead of the Streak, we'll be talking about The Sweep!!

AHHHHH I finally figured it out!!!

OOC = Out of Conference

Took me 12 hours

MslaCat.... HaHa Ha..... that was good... sure glad you are there now... Ha... thanks for the laugh!

El Gato, I am with you all the way! SWEEP! What a great theme that will be! But always hope for both shools to do well... just the Bobcats to do much better! Here's to the CATS having a GREAT 2005!