What is my motivation?
by Pablo M on Sep 28, 2009 8:42 AM CDT
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I have posted several times and I have seen everyone here from Seth down who are missing what my motivation is. My motivation is seeing the program improve every year and to eventually get to a National Title. Some think that I am hating on Potts, or the offense or the team in general.
Far from the truth. I respect Potts. Love his toughness. But I got to say, I am disappointed in his leadership skills and mental awareness on the field. Leach has given the golden seal of approval for Potts to be the starter this season. Thus that is who will lead our team. So that means I know that Potts will start every game this season bar injury.
So why did I call for Potts to be benched you may ask? How many remember the game that Harrell was benched because he did not get his head in the game and was making these same kind of errors Potts is making. Thus Benching is not Replacing. Thus having him sit a quarter or two will wake him up and perhaps snap some proper fire for the offense. So I am not calling for a brand new QB to be new starter. Though if one comes in and plays lights out and puts up 70 points then what?? I may have to reconsider the idea of Benching as a replacement. But that is not my motivation.
I am very much a hardcore Texas Tech Supporter, Texas Tech Graduate, Booster, Red Raider Club Member, Donor to the University worth major $. I speak simply for one purpose. Have Texas Tech as a Tier 1 university with the nations top programs including football which I love.
So everything I say is for the improvement of the program. I am not some fair weather fan. I am very consistent in my views. Those who have been around long enough will see that I have said these same things year in and year out. I talk about the big picture.
One thing everyone can take to the bank! I will never throw the players or team under the bus. Potts is the starter. But he needs lots and lots of help. So ignoring Potts going to give him the help he needs? Sometimes tough love is the best medicine. But you will never see me calling a player out and just trash him. I have not done this to Potts. Though some may disagree. What have said is that Potts needs to step up and become the leader of the team that he is not right now. If that is not a vote of confidence in a guy then you all need to look in the mirror and ask yourselves some hard questions.
I have asked repeatedly for Potts to step up and be the Tech team leader. That is not something you ask for a guy you do not want or do not like being the starting QB. Thus I challenge. I point out things that are what they are. Sometime we just do not like what it is. Sometimes we love what it is. We are in a rebuilding year. But we should not have a rebuilding back to the basics type of season.
So think about what it is that I am saying next time you all decide to throw your hate and threats of personal violence my way.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Double-T Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Double-T Nation's writers or editors.
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I AM throwing him under the bus.
We are fans. We have opinions. We are not paid by the team or in any way affiliated with the actual decision making at Texas Texas Tech University or its athetic department. I’m going to go ahead and say it. I am not a Taylor Potts fan at all. I wasn’t before the season started but I decided to give him a chance. Now, at this point in the season, I really do not have faith in Taylor Potts as the starting quarterback. I don’t. I think Shefield should start next week against New Mexico and if he plays as well as he did in the 4th quarter of the Rice game, then he (in my opinion) should start the rest of the year.
Now go ahead and say I’m not a Tech fan! Why, as a fan, do I have to like every player on the team? He throws sidearmed! I can’t get past that. He called a time out before snapping the ball on the first play from scrimmage against Rice. He wasted a much needed time out in the 4th quarter of the UH game. He is not what they call “quarterback smart” in my opinion.
So are you all going to jump all over me because I have a negative opinion about one player on the team that I have loved since I was 6 years old? The team I grew up watching. As I a fan, we reserve the right to have a damn opinion. Did all you Cowboys fans like TO?
The team is not going to actually listen to my opinion anyway, so what does it matter?
Pablo M...I agree
Well said. We can be fans and still offer opinions on what we think might be best for the team.
Wasn’t too long ago that Harrell took over as the starter. Watching Sat night, some of the things Potts was doing reminded me a lot of what Harrell did his first year as starter. I would argue Potts if further along that Harrell his first year, but it’s really about decision making.
When Leach pulled Harrell out for a few series his first year (maybe a qtr or so), it gave him a chance to observe the game from a different view point. When he came back in, he made better decisions and performed better.
I think the same could happen with Potts and he could learn a lot by seeing what the defense is trying to do while watching a series or two.
Ultimately I think coach put Potts in bad situations Saturday night (read: run the dang ball in 4th qtr) and Potts made some poor decisions with the ball. One thing that is apparent to me, Harrell wasn’t going to sit back and accept his receivers dropping balls like we have seen this year. Potts should demand excellence from his receivers. That would be a good start on being a leader.
Britton
Where has Britton been the past two weeks? The only time he is even mentioned in a game is when he is getting personal fouls for late hits. He is our speed guy and we need him to stretch the field.
ed britton
is a liability to have on the field. Not only is he penalized seemingly 1-2 times a game, he has dropped passes at the same rate… it is not worth it to have him out there
beat me to it......
" Answers -- Become Resources."
Without Questions; There are limited Resources...
vs. Houston
He also had 0 catches for 0 yards against Houston. He did have a personal foul whether it was a bogus call or not. -15 yards production isn’t going to cut it. I am right.
Britton does have a habit of screwing the pooch. (I can still see ‘in my head’ that TD pass he dropped against UT last year.)
With that said, the late hit called against him at Houston was completely bogus. I recorded the game and have watched the play 3 or 4 times. No way that was a late hit. Torrez was still upright fighting for yardage when Britton hit another DB running toward the play. You can see the flag come in before Torrez hit the ground.
Tough times call for tough measures
Frustration doesn’t help the process. You can be critical Pablo. Pretty sure the Constitution allows that. So onto the team Players play the game. Its team sport. No one person makes or breaks a team. QB is just the most visible symbol. As far as Potts leadership capabilties well I’m pretty sure he passes the glance test with Leach. And the Captain has not hesitated to bench folks for non performance. In this phase of the season it’s all about mental toughness, in this offense especially – execution and imposing your will on the opponent. Just remember what we all want – the continued improvement and success as we climb to Tier 1 status. Note to self enjoy the ride. There are 60 or 70 division 1 programs out there hurting way worse than we are. Everybody lighten up.
"do routine things routinely"
I'm not going to go back and look thru all your post....
And I’m asking this honestly. Have you pointed out good things as well as bad things? Maybe point out the positive stuff too…. I’m asking not accusing….
If you have then all is well…..
" Answers -- Become Resources."
Without Questions; There are limited Resources...
Pablo M
BTW Pablo forgot thank you for being a monetary contributor to all the Raider support structures. I personally hate my extortion money paid out to be a fan. Guess its a necessary evil. Stadium Arms races etc. Oh right money talks b@#$%^ S*#$ walks. Got it.
"do routine things routinely"
I too think it’s absolutely retarded to disrespect a viewpoint that doesn’t blow completely unwarranted and undeserved smoke up the tailpipe of every person affiliated with Texas Tech. Being disappointed and pissed does not make one a bad fan.
If we all agreed 100% of the time, this site would be the biggest bucket of fail on the internet.
I think Potts sucked a** the other night. I think he’s a tough dude, but he’s a lousy QB so far. Mental midget with game management and pocket awareness. But that’s life. He’s our guy. For now.
man we are on the same page...
throw in Leach’s piss poor coaching in that game also. We can all be mad and still be fans!
What he really sucked at
was changing the play to a run when UH had 3 down lineman almost every snap. I cannot understand this for the life of me. The few times he DID manage to do that, we gained about 10 yards a carry.
You have cooled off Pablo, but post-game, every post of yours was about Potts’s inability as a player and frankly I’m tired of it. I don’t mind you discussing what is the subject of this thread, the desire for Leach to treat his QB the same as any other position where the player is giving less than 100% (Detron, Swindall, etc). I can agree to that, if the QB is playing poorly, making bad decisions, etc. Sit him, let him figure it out, and put him back in the game with a clear head and a new determination.
But some of the things you (and others, it’s just that you were the most vocal) said this weekend crossed the line from discussion of players and coaches to personal attacks, and that’s not cool.
Re: Personal Attacks
Kayakyakr – You make a great point. Sometimes this is splitting hairs, but I think it is okay to be critical of the group or even the position group (receivers, linebackers, etc). But it does cross the line with you call out one of the players specifically.
Now this is tricky when we are talking about QB b/c it’s just one guy. I think is inappropriate to call out effort or desire (how can you know for sure) and completely uncool to throw in personal attacks.
I just want to make the point that as a Tech community we should NOT treat these guys like they are professional players. They are going to make poor decisions, bad plays and let their emotions get the best of them. So I don’t have an issue with saying we need better QB play or better receiver play. But I take exception when someone says “Joe Blow cost us that game.” And sometimes it’s worse than that.
by imisswesttexas on Sep 28, 2009 12:12 PM CDT up reply actions
So if the QB is terrible, you have to say the QB position is bad? How silly. You guys act as if these players are 3rd graders with sensitive little feelings. You can be critical of a player, it’s okay. You can say he sucks, if you want. That’s okay, too. Just know that some won’t agree with you, and that’s ALSO okay.
Saying someone sucked is ok, but referring to someone as a mental midget is never ok, no matter what the forum.
Not exactly what I meant...
Feel free to say what you want. Doesn’t really effect me one way or another. You can say Potts sucked if that is what you think. Frankly if you say ‘our QB sucked tonight’ everyone knows who you are talking about.
My comments were meant to be more along the lines of pointing out a specific player for their performance or whatever criticism you want. I just don’t see the point or think it is necessary. You can get your point across without calling the guy names.
As for the coaches, call them out directly all you want. They are the guys getting paid big money to have the team coached up.
Anyway, do as you wish. But just remember a lot of people would have thought Harrell was a “mental midget” his first year starting and he turned out okay.
by imisswesttexas on Sep 28, 2009 3:15 PM CDT up reply actions
Kayakakr
Interesting.
Post game, I gave an honest assement of the QB who made several of the offensive calls in the game. I have never changed from my position from Saturday but being more reserved in my choice of words to those who are overly sensitive because they are overly blind to some faults.
I Praised Potts when it was the thing to do. I still give him credit when it is due. But the truth is as solid as it can be, Potts just has not stepped up to be the leader he needs to be.
Its unfortunately unfair for some people with type 3 personalities at being QB on a football program no matter the level from peewee to Pros. The QB position demands that the QB be a leader of the offense and that means Potts has to drag those who are not pulling their weight kicking and screaming to be engaged in practice, study and in the game.
Secondly, Potts just has not met expectations given by himself and Leach for this season. As I have said before, I may or maynot be unfair in how I look at the position of QB. However, it goes with being a QB in a top program. This is not the Sunbelt conference and this is not a team that is 120th in the nation and breaking in a Raw Freshman at virtually every position.
An example, I am not quick to blame Offensive line for not blocking when there is a blitz with 6 defensive players. Sometimes, the QB just has to get rid of the ball. Other times, the Tailback has to simply step up and take on a DE and block rather than count to 2 and take off.
I understand what is going on. Point out if you can a problem Offensive lineman! You can not because there is not one. Does the line make mistakes and made some good ones? Yes they have. But its not a common down after down series after series issue.
What gets me Kaykyakr, is that I have stood behind Potts when dust settles. I stood with Potts all week long before the game. I then was critical for him making high school freshman type of mistakes but I was not throwing him under the bus. I simply just would like to see Potts get his head on straight. Thus I would fall nearly silent on Potts if he would simply stand up and be the leader he needs to be.
What makes all this really sad is that its something so easy to fix. I suggest that you listen to the Cowboys post game interview in their win over the Panthers. You may actually learn something that applies to Texas Tech right now. Its something about Leadership and attitude and how that effects mental ability to make plays in the game.
This is what I am really getting at with Potts. Does Potts have all the tools to be a great QB for Tech? Yes. All he needs to do is get his head on right and step up and take hold of the bull by the horns so to speak and lead if not drag his team mates to victory if necessary. This is what is missing right now. Because the difference right now between where the team is and where we want it as far as offense and special teams is concerned is leadership and attitude. Its time that Potts get in face of receivers who are not running the right routes, dropping balls or players getting penalties that are just plain stupid. There has to be a time to see Potts being animated and down right Angry. Potts needs to be as animated as he was about being in a Rodeo for his team. That is all I am asking for.
Its time that the players police themselves. Because coaches can demand and do things at practice, its the players which motivates and keeps each other in check and in focus to the goal. That is the current problem.
Leach needs to hold Potts accountable for his mistakes,,just like he does everyone else on the team. I’ve seen Leach bench the off. lineman ,receivers and running backs for sloppy or stupid mistakes,and after 4 games, Potts should be held to the same litmus standard. If not,Team unity and confidence will be lost.
I suspect if Leach thought the same about Potts, he'd do the same thing...
He hasn’t ever seemed to hold back or play favorites… I don’t know why we think this would be the case with Potts… I’m not saying I disagree with the ideas expressed here, but I imagine there’s a lot more going in to these kinds of decisions than just what we happen to see on Saturday…
by Houston Raider on Sep 28, 2009 4:39 PM CDT up reply actions
I just think that we as fans need to accept what comes with success, and that is having increased expectations from everyone involved. I think we need to stop making excuses for our team and celebrating "effort." Wins are all that matter in CFB, and after last year I thought our program really matured and would be able to move past sustaining these types of losses. For now, it appears true that last year was just a one-time thing for us. Success usually breeds success, so I thought this year’s team would use what they learned from last year and be able to handle pressure situations in big games, instead of playing down to the competition. Maybe it’s because I’m a currently a student and Tech has been much stronger historically during my time being a fan, but I have just come to expect more consistency, better performance, and more mental and physical toughness from my team. I am not willing to "take things for what they are" anymore and make excuses of why Potts is not doing great or why the team is not "there" yet. They should be, and that is the attitude we should all have. That doesn’t mean I HATE the team, but I do HATE the poor calls, bad throws, penalties, lack of discipline, road struggles, playing down to the competition, and inconsistencies in general.
I think you hit the nail on the head about heightened expectations.
20 years ago, close losses to two ranked teams, while not a source for celebration, would not have caused so much angst – among the fans or players. Now that we’ve had a taste of success, we (meaning us and the players) have much less patience. Little problems become larger. Repeated errors become a crisis. We expect more because we know (or think) we are capable of more. Judging from what I see on other boards, it is a universal characteristic.
Nail on Head!
The issue now is that Everyone expect Tech to take it to the next level. Average and below average efforts and performance is no longer accepted.
So for those with the Good ole boy attitude this does not sit well. Why other expect Tech to reach for the stars every single season even when its not possible.
I am in the boat that the program must improve. That rebuilding is holding your own while not destroying the record. 7-5 seasons are no longer welcome. It may be a reality but not welcome. In the Spike era, it was a blessing to get to 7-5 with the occational 8-4. Prior to Spike, Tech was lucky to be 6-6 or 4- 12. Before that 4 of 10 with the occational good seasons like 1976.
The point is that most Boosters and major Supporters demand a higher level of effort than from times past. We are expecting Texas Tech to achieve what Texas and Oklahoma has now. This means improved record to no less than 8-4 with an average of 10-2.
This is the standard now.
I suggest those who are Red Raider Club members especially those who are full or AD Council ones will all tell you that we expect as close to 10-2 as possible as the norm for the program.
So yea, Expectations are high. If this kind of thing happened at any other top program, Coaches get fired. No, I am not calling for Coaches to get fired this season. Which has not happened now in 6 seasons. So I am mostly happy with what is happening coaching wise.
But expectations will never be what it was 10 years ago or 5 years ago. With success comes more responsibility and higher standards. Its time everyone accept it.
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