Sideline Slants

ORIGINALLY WRITTEN JOE KLEINSASSER
An open letter to Tabor College football coach Tim McCarty…

Dear Coach McCarty,

From what I’ve seen, you’re a no-nonsense kind of guy, so let’s cut to the chase. This is a fine mess you’ve gotten yourself into. And you’ve got no one to blame but yourself, your coaching staff and your players.

You took over a program that for the better part of its history languished at the bottom of the KCAC. In four short years, you’ve made the program respectable. If not for a mid-season swoon this year, you’d be hailed as a miracle worker. You were a few bad breaks away from having a breakout season.

Even though you have a right to be frustrated by the losses, take it from this long-suffering, diehard and occasionally cynical Tabor football fan-the progress of the program is still startling.

You’ve managed to go from no wins, to three wins, to five wins in your first three seasons as head coach. After starting 4-0 this season, an 8-2 record wasn’t a pipe dream. If you would have gone 8-2 this fall, K-State’s turnaround under Bill Snyder would have looked slow by comparison.

But alas, it didn’t quite work out.

You may not appreciate the humor, but Tabor’s football history is kind of funny. How does a brand new program attract a recruit, Rolland “Bay” Lawrence, who goes on to star in the NFL as an All-Pro defensive back for the Atlanta Falcons?

Never mind that Tabor didn’t win much in those days. At least they were entertaining.

In 1979, Tabor actually had a shot at the KCAC championship, but those hopes died shortly after the coin flip. Bethany scored early and often, and the rout was on. The Bluejay football program regressed, and other than an occasional two- or three-victory season, the program has languished near the bottom of the conference.

I doubt any team played in as many homecoming games each season as Tabor. Everyone wanted the Bluejays as their homecoming victim from late September through October.

Let me offer you what’s meant as a compliment. Congratulations on being second-guessed by fans. You don’t need a radio sports talk show to know that some fans and sports columnists are second-guessing some of your game decisions this fall.

This is actually a good thing. I can’t remember the last time Tabor fans second-guessed their coach. In the past, there wasn’t a reason to second-guess a coach because the outcome was decided well before the fourth quarter.

The only second-guessing by fans was why Tabor played football in the first place.

The loss to Bethany last month may have been inevitable, but when you won the toss and didn’t take the gale-force north wind in the first quarter, more than a few fans scratched their heads. It didn’t help when the entire quarter was played on your end of the field and the score was Bethany 21, Tabor 0.

Then there was the blocked punt by Friends in the last two minutes of a game that led to a much more disappointing loss. Rather than go for a first down on fourth down and a yard to go with the football near midfield, you chose to punt into the wind.

Bluejay fans in the stands had second thoughts the minute your punter lined up in punt formation because earlier long snaps were either low or getting to the punter on a short hop. The fans figured your defense wouldn’t allow Friends to drive 50 plus yards with no timeouts and time running out.

Injuries to key players also hurt you this fall. I know injuries are part of the game, but I can’t help but wonder what might have been if your team had stayed healthy.

Nevertheless, the future of Tabor football is brighter now than at any time since 1979. The jokes have stopped. Teams don’t automatically chalk up a “W” when Tabor appears on the schedule.

Know this: You’ve recruited well and you have instilled a sense of purpose and pride in the program.

As for being second-guessed, take heart. Hindsight is always 20-20, and hindsight says Tabor is fortunate to have you at the head of its football program.

More from article archives
Homecoming
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN DON RATZLAFF They come from different places and for different...
Read More