Franklin and PSU fans

[raleighpanther]

Many PSU fans are hating on their HC and QB. They know they're stuck. Their QB plays well in lesser games, but can't perform in the big game. He's coming back next year.
Regarding, Franklin, there is zero chance he gets fired, but at this point, they have no hope that he will ever win the big game.

Imagine if you were a HC who hated PSU fans and wanted to inflict pain on them. You would do exactly what Franklin has been doing. Get the HC job, win enough to keep getting more years and more money added to your contract, making you unfireable. And yet you lose every big game, teasing them by keeping the games close but losing in excruciating style. Over and over again. You couldn't script what he has been doing any better.

Read an article earlier that talked about how things are likely to get worse there. They are losing a lot of high end talent this year, and recruiting has weakened the past few years, and their transfer acquisitions are poor. Despite their huge fan base, they are behind with NIL funding. This year may have been their best shot at winning a natty for a long time to come.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

It's funny cause Pitt fans want them to keep Franklin, thinking he's holding them back. When in reality he's pretty close to maxing them out. Four points away from playing for a national championship. Why should they be any better than that?

 

[HailToPitt725]

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I hate how college football has become an “all or nothing” sport, where anything less than a national championship is a failure. 15 years ago, an 11-1 regular season record and an Orange Bowl appearance would be considered an outstanding season.

Penn State isn’t going to be the only fanbase feeling this way, either. As we get more consolidation, programs who are used to having great success may be humbled a bit. Not saying that’s a good or bad thing, but it’s different.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I hate how college football has become an “all or nothing” sport, where anything less than a national championship is a failure. 15 years ago, an 11-1 regular season record and an Orange Bowl appearance would be considered an outstanding season.

Penn State isn’t going to be the only fanbase feeling this way, either. As we get more consolidation, programs who are used to having great success may be humbled a bit. Not saying that’s a good or bad thing, but it’s different.

It was unique when people cared about bowls. Getting to/winning a bowl felt like an achievement, and it was a way for a school to have a satisfying/entertaining end to a season while still remaining in its lane, so to speak.

My friend didn't understand how I followed Pitt when they had a 0% chance to win a national title, and I remember telling him that college football just isn't like pro sports in a championship or bust regard.

At least in my mind it was like that. Maybe I just wasn't smart enough to the college football dynamic yet and people stopped caring about bowls long before I thought they did.

 

[HailToPitt725]

It was unique when people cared about bowls. Getting to/winning a bowl felt like an achievement, and it was a way for a school to have a satisfying/entertaining end to a season while still remaining in its lane, so to speak.

My friend didn't understand how I followed Pitt when they had a 0% chance to win a national title, and I remember telling him that college football just isn't like pro sports in a championship or bust regard.

At least in my mind it was like that. Maybe I just wasn't smart enough to the college football dynamic yet and people stopped caring about bowls long before I thought they did.

I absolutely agree with this; bowls used to hold much more value even 10-15 years ago. The Capital One Bowl and Outback Bowls, which are today’s Citrus and ReliaQuest Bowls, were considered must-watch TV even though they weren’t BCS bowls. Same with the Cotton and Chick-Fil-A Bowls. I think it started to mean less when ESPN Events taking over most of the bowls and adding so many that 6-6 and 5-7 teams were making them. Remember, it was only ten years ago that 7-5 and even 8-4 Sun Belt and MAC schools were missing out on bowl games.

But to your second point, that’s why I was actually against the expansion of the college football playoff. IMO, it’s a regular season sport and 10-2 or even 9-3 teams shouldn’t be rewarded with an opportunity to win a national championship, although that’s not to say those aren’t great seasons.

 

[Pitt2009]

It's funny cause Pitt fans want them to keep Franklin, thinking he's holding them back. When in reality he's pretty close to maxing them out. Four points away from playing for a national championship. Why should they be any better than that?

Penn State has an overinflated view of themselves. They were great in the 70s and a few year in the 80s. Post ‘87 national championship, Paterno finished in the top 10 in 6 of 25 seasons. You know how many times WVU finished in the top 10 between 1987 and 2011 (Paterno’s last year)? 6 times, the same as Penn State.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

Penn State has an overinflated view of themselves. They were great in the 70s and a few year in the 80s. Post ‘87 national championship, Paterno finished in the top 10 in 6 of 25 seasons. You know how many times WVU finished in the top 10 between 1987 and 2011 (Paterno’s last year)? 6 times, the same as Penn State.

I think Pitt fans also have an overinflated view of them. They're not Ohio State. Franklin does a pretty good job for what they are.

 

[Pitt2009]

I think Pitt fans also have an overinflated view of them. They're not Ohio State. Franklin does a pretty good job for what they are.

For sure. I think Franklin has done a great job at PSU.

 

[Baddest Cat]

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I hate how college football has become an “all or nothing” sport, where anything less than a national championship is a failure. 15 years ago, an 11-1 regular season record and an Orange Bowl appearance would be considered an outstanding season.

Penn State isn’t going to be the only fanbase feeling this way, either. As we get more consolidation, programs who are used to having great success may be humbled a bit. Not saying that’s a good or bad thing, but it’s different.

Agree with this wholeheartedly. The obsession with determining a "real" national champion has taken away a lot of what made college football unique.

There used to be important games and great storylines throughout the season besides just who would be playing in the Bowl Coalition/Bowl Alliance/BCS "title" game. Rivalries, conference title races, major bowl invite implications, etc. Now, you turn on GameDay in mid September and dudes are standing at some screen putting together mock playoff brackets.

 

[Zeldas Open Roof]

the few psu fans tha i associate with absolutely loathe him. it's weird too, i mean they make the final four basically and they are complaining, while we are sitting here at 7-6..

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

the few psu fans tha i associate with absolutely loathe him. it's weird too, i mean they make the final four basically and they are complaining, while we are sitting here at 7-6..

Its because they didnt do shit this season. There are possibly 20 teams who would have gone 13-3 vs their schedule. Were they any better than Clemson, who finished 10-4 but also beat SMU, but losses were to 3 top SEC schools plus Louisville?

 

[TD_6082]

the few psu fans tha i associate with absolutely loathe him. it's weird too, i mean they make the final four basically and they are complaining, while we are sitting here at 7-6..

Stupidity. Ohio State fans wanted to fire the guy that's going to win a Natty next week.

 

[Parkview57]

Compare OSU's play-off run to PSU...OSU beat Tennessee, Oregon, Texas, and will have to defeat ND to win the thing. The imposters, PSU, had SMU and Boise State....wow, nice run.....

although that’s not to say those aren’t great seasons.

As for 13-2 seasons being great, well college football regular season is set up to make money not crown a champion, to do it right (increase validity) you need divisions with home and home series each season like Pro sports, but no way that happens because in the past programs (blue bloods) needed to show 10-1 and NY day bowl games to get donors to give, (plus some poor MAC program to get destroyed in front of home crowd as well ) to keep everyone happy , money flowing etc. , its sorta etched in the minds of all of us.

 

[JD1976]

the few psu fans tha i associate with absolutely loathe him. it's weird too, i mean they make the final four basically and they are complaining, while we are sitting here at 7-6..

I’d say the majority of PSU fans that I know don’t like Franklin but recognize that he runs a good program, gets top recruits and wins enough to be in the conversation every year. They don’t like him personally for a myriad of reasons, but the overwhelming reason is that he doesn’t openly acknowledge the history of the program, namely JoePa.

Regarding NIL funding, Penn State does seem to be lagging compared to their peers. The general consensus is they were a year or two too late in getting their NIL machine ramped up and now they may not catch up to the OSUs and Michigan’s.

 

[Upg bobcat]

Agree with this wholeheartedly. The obsession with determining a "real" national champion has taken away a lot of what made college football unique.

There used to be important games and great storylines throughout the season besides just who would be playing in the Bowl Coalition/Bowl Alliance/BCS "title" game. Rivalries, conference title races, major bowl invite implications, etc.

Yes. Bowls meant more, and also conferences and conference titles meant more, too. The conference title was often a primary goal, and the bowl game was an extra reward, icing on the cake.

 

[HailToPitt1985]

It was unique when people cared about bowls. Getting to/winning a bowl felt like an achievement, and it was a way for a school to have a satisfying/entertaining end to a season while still remaining in its lane, so to speak.

My friend didn't understand how I followed Pitt when they had a 0% chance to win a national title, and I remember telling him that college football just isn't like pro sports in a championship or bust regard.

At least in my mind it was like that. Maybe I just wasn't smart enough to the college football dynamic yet and people stopped caring about bowls long before I thought they did.

Bowls have become diluted and the significance of each has diminished in the last 30 years. I agree that bowls should mean something and just getting to one is an accomplishment. Now it's just another exhibition game that many players opt out of. Now it's win everything including the NC or what you did is disappointing and meaningless.

The number of bowls should be reduced and do away with all of these other things that get 6-6 or 7-5 teams. Make college football mean something for the players and fans again other than having to win the whole thing.

 

[djbpitt]

Many PSU fans are hating on their HC and QB. They know they're stuck. Their QB plays well in lesser games, but can't perform in the big game. He's coming back next year.
Regarding, Franklin, there is zero chance he gets fired, but at this point, they have no hope that he will ever win the big game.

Imagine if you were a HC who hated PSU fans and wanted to inflict pain on them. You would do exactly what Franklin has been doing. Get the HC job, win enough to keep getting more years and more money added to your contract, making you unfireable. And yet you lose every big game, teasing them by keeping the games close but losing in excruciating style. Over and over again. You couldn't script what he has been doing any better.

Read an article earlier that talked about how things are likely to get worse there. They are losing a lot of high end talent this year, and recruiting has weakened the past few years, and their transfer acquisitions are poor. Despite their huge fan base, they are behind with NIL funding. This year may have been their best shot at winning a natty for a long time to come.

Spot on. The Notre Dame game was The Cult's version of WVU's 13-9.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

The number of bowls should be reduced and do away with all of these other things that get 6-6 or 7-5 teams. Make college football mean something for the players and fans again other than having to win the whole thing.

There will never, ever, be a time again when the men in ugly blazers will be able to fool, er, I mean convince fans that bowl games are important.

That doesn't mean that they won't be watched by (relatively) a lot of people on television, and that some of them won't have good attendance, and that some of them won't be good games. But people will never again think that a 9-3 team playing an 8-4 team in some random city in the south or west is actually important.

And the players will recognize that even more than the fans.

 

[TheWerewolfFromTwilight]

There will never, ever, be a time again when the men in ugly blazers will be able to fool, er, I mean convince fans that bowl games are important.

That doesn't mean that they won't be watched by (relatively) a lot of people on television, and that some of them won't have good attendance, and that some of them won't be good games. But people will never again think that a 9-3 team playing an 8-4 team in some random city in the south or west is actually important.

And the players will recognize that even more than the fans.

Yeah, I don't think you can put the genie back in the bottle. Opt-outs and pre-bowl transfers only cement that.

Contracts and playing for a "winner's pot" is the only thing I think might have even the slightest effect. Not sure how realistic either are, and even then they still wouldn't be part of thr tournament that matters.

 

[Saboteur II]

I think Pitt fans also have an overinflated view of them. They're not Ohio State. Franklin does a pretty good job for what they are.

I agree. The day after the loss to ND (a game they could have won) I ran into an old timer in the lobby of our condo here in FL. The guy was in a walker and had his PSU gear on (it’s been chilly here).
I said “wow. Tough game.” There is no sense gloating. He went to the game. He wasn’t bitter. But when I mentioned Franklin in a somewhat positive light, he had to contain himself. He did not share my sentiments.
We Pitt fans are long suffering and I hate suffering even though I am named after the 1st martyr. We have been underserved and taken for granted. We are as loyal as any fan base. Name me one (Purdue maybe) who has endured crap in one form or another over the last 42 years.
We need someone who thinks like a winner. They are few and far between.

 

[Burgh15]

I get the frustration with Franklin, but Penn State would have a tough time to find anyone who would do better. It was already pointed out, but Penn State is a tier-2 program and making it to the CFP semis is impressive. More than anything, there is not a better personality fit to be the face of that arrogant, cult-like program and fanbase.

 

[TIGER-PAUL]

I get the frustration with Franklin, but Penn State would have a tough time to find anyone who would do better. It was already pointed out, but Penn State is a tier-2 program and making it to the CFP semis is impressive. More than anything, there is not a better personality fit to be the face of that arrogant, cult-like program and fanbase.

They needed divisions dropped and expanding to finally make it.
Agree on Franklin, Joe was 13-33 v top5 with a B10 title every 10 yrs too.
Yeah, they're tier 2, but the cult will never believe and there's so many here that the local media will never portray them as less.
Oh well.