Poll - What was more shocking?

[OG Goat Holder]

While I am still processing how the Arnett hire makes any sense at all* and am more shocked by that, going to a bowl at 5-7 was something I was hopeful for, but had been told by other people as recently as last week that there was no way it was going to happen for State this year.

I thought that going to a bowl was considered a huge advantage because it extended your practice time with the team plus the school got money for the appearance. Are those things not true anymore? Why are schools who didn't have big coaching changes turning them down?

*I don't hate the idea of the Arnett hire in terms of him doing the job. I just can't wrap my head around how it actually seems like a good idea to the athletic department staff. I sort of admire Lebby for being able to get comfortable with it.

It costs more to go to a minor bowl than the payout.

I’d rather spend time recruiting for next year. This year is over except those in the playoffs.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

Our powers that be probably told him he was making this change

Of course they did. And of course they also got the timing wrong.

Just another day in the sick toxic culture of MSU football.

 

[paindonthurt]

Why not just keep Arnett 2 years ago? Why hire nobody Hutzler? If Arnett’s willing to come back now, he was probably willing to stay on then.

The whole deal wreaks of grasping at straws.
I’m sure he’ll be better than Hutzler, but no faith has been restored in our football program or the leadership of our university.

 

[was21]

Discuss and answer.

Can't decide but they are both entertaining

 

[Anon2444666666]

c: how bad our basketball team is

 

[Dawg1976]

After striking out on everyone else Arnett shouldn’t be surprising. We’ve been to a bowl game as a 5-7 team so no shock there. I say it’s a coin toss.

 

[thekimmer]

Arnett hire made sense to me. I thought about that scenario when it looked like hustler was toast. Lebby's precarious status makes attracting good candidates difficult without an angle. Arnett fits that bill. He and his family love vegas and he is a competent DC.

The bowl game caught me completely by surprise because I didn't think there was a chinaman's chance to get one. Even though we did I am pleased but in no way do I see this as an accomplishment. It was just pure dumb luck.

 

[PapaDawg]

Did we reach out to Arnett or did Arnett contact us about his interest in the position?

 

[birdawg]

Better warn the local drive-thrus

 

[johnson86-1]

Discuss and answer.

Bowl game. It's not shocking to me at all that the DC hire wasn't on my radar. It's surprising it's somebody that we possibly are still paying a buyout to, but I just had completely written off the bowl game.

With the benefit of hindsight, the arnett hire is more surprising. Shouldn't have been surprised that a lot of teams opted out of bowls, and it is more surprising that we hired a DC that has more wins as head coach at MSU than our current head coach in half the seasons. But I had not expectations for DC and thought it was a done deal that we weren't going to a bowl.

 

[Trojanbulldog19]

Arnett, he wasn't on anyone's radar and nobody expected him to come back to msu in that capacity especially under Lebby.

 

[golferdog]

I'm surprised at both, but more surprised we got a bowl game due to all of the opt outs.
I figured we would botch the DC hire, but Arnett is still an upgrade from what we had.

 

[DawgTown Blues]

I voted bowl. I discussed last Wednesday (both in person and on one of the DC threads) the thought of Arnett. Before he was appointed HC, there was very little rumbling about his DC abilities. I believe most were happy.

 

[Ranchdawg]

I knew Arnett was a candidate so the bowl game for me. I didn't expect us to get a bid because we were so far down the list. A big shout out to all the opt out teams! THANKS!

 

[skip dog]

its a push

 

[floristgump22]

Honestly that whole 24 hour period was wild

 

[ugabully]

I always thought the practice time thing was nothing more than coach speak and nobody ever bothered to ask a coach who followed up a bowl appearance with a 2–9 season what the **** they were they doing in those extra practices.

In today’s environment, if a coach ever uses the extra practice line, the first question should be ‘How so when you’re going to have a whole new two deep in the fall?’

But if you have some guys that you want to retain, isn't working with those guys daily an opportunity? And isn't working with them good for keeping from doing some of the more ridiculous stuff college football players make the news for in the off season at least for a month?

You aren't the one who posted it, but I also have hard time believe that it cost more to the Duke Mayo bowl than State will get paid to go. I'm glad the Bulldogs got a bowl. Better to have a post season than no post season.

 

[ugabully]

It costs more to go to a minor bowl than the payout.

I’d rather spend time recruiting for next year. This year is over except those in the playoffs.

I don't believe the first part for this bowl. I can't see the breakdown of who gets what exactly, but I've seeing like 4.7 million.
You also have to keep the guys you've got now, and this is a month of daily contact to keep them from being recruited away, but I think they have some fun at the bowl.

 

[thatsbaseball]

I honestly can't decide.