Is Bronco over sensitive about BC?

"From being booed in our very first home game that I ever coached to having those that don't like the way we play if we are beating someone 52-6, what I try to do is what is best for our program and then I hope that the supporters will back our program," Mendenhall said. "But, I am not unrealistic enough to know that every decision I make won't be popular. There probably will be frustration any time you are not having success and so I wouldn't be surprised if there is that right now, but it won't really have any affect on what decisions I make."

Daily Herald: Mendenhall not worried about outside perceptions



Let me preface my comment by saying that I think Bronco is a great coach and the perfect fit at BYU. I also agree that he doesn't always have to have an ear to the pulse of Cougar fans, because as they say, a coach who listens to the crowd enough will soon find himself sitting among them.



But this isn't the first time I've seen Bronco bringing up getting booed in his first home game. I was at the game, and I recall that the situation was 4th quarter, loosing 14-3, 4th and 5 from the BC 42. BYU's offense was across midfield one of the few times all game. Instead of going for it, Bronco decided to punt with his inexperienced punter. The punt was shanked and the ball went out at the 30, netting 12. The fans reacted with a mixture of grumbles and boos, not because of the poor punt--no one should ever boo a college player's lack of skill--but because of the decision not to go for it down by 11 in the 4th quarter.



The way I look at it is coaches are getting paid big bucks to make difficult tactical decisions, and fans who've invested time and money to watch the game should be able to give their feedback when the coach makes a bad decision. Coaches should understand that they are executive management and the paying fans and donating alumni are like shareholders. Shareholders have very limited, indirect control over who the executives and rightly so--it would be hard to manage a company if the executives had to keep getting the mandate of the shareholders. But every once in a while, the shareholders should be entitled to voice their displeasure over management decisions, and the shareholders may very well be right.



I think Bronco needs to look back at the BC game with a different outlook--he was a green coach who made a questionable call at best, and the passionate fanbase, tired of losing, called him on it the only way they could--vocally. What other alternatives do the fans have? Stand up and leave? Demand a refund? Not buy tickets for the next game or season?



Booing is the least financially damaging from the schools perspective and the most targeted response at the behavior with which the fans are disappointed--the coach knows the sequence of plays gave rise to the booing.

I don't think he is overly sensitive.



I think that was just an epiphany for him: he realized how fickle the fans were and decided from that point on to focus on the program itself and the long-term and let the fans be fans and let them come and go.



The reason it comes up so often is because the media likes to ask coaches about topics that the fans are riled up about, which brings Bronco back to that epiphany. It's not Bronco looking for opportunities to take digs at the fans, it's simply him referring back to the time he made the decision not to worry about it.

I love Bronco. But in this case, yes, he is over sensitive and needs to let it go. Every time he brings it up it makes him sound like a petulant child.

PS--I love the irony of this thread: Fans complaining and calling a coach petulant because a coach won't listen to their petulant complaints. If a tree falls in the forest....

snoscythe wrote:
I don't think he is overly sensitive.



I think that was just an epiphany for him: he realized how fickle the fans were and decided from that point on to focus on the program itself and the long-term and let the fans be fans and let them come and go.



The reason it comes up so often is because the media likes to ask coaches about topics that the fans are riled up about, which brings Bronco back to that epiphany. It's not Bronco looking for opportunities to take digs at the fans, it's simply him referring back to the time he made the decision not to worry about it.

Very well said Sno. In fact, I think that's exactly what he was saying in the qoute mingjai posted.



I think fans can be/are oversensitive about some of the things Bronco says.

snoscythe wrote:
I don't think he is overly sensitive.



I think that was just an epiphany for him: he realized how fickle the fans were and decided from that point on to focus on the program itself and the long-term and let the fans be fans and let them come and go.



The reason it comes up so often is because the media likes to ask coaches about topics that the fans are riled up about, which brings Bronco back to that epiphany. It's not Bronco looking for opportunities to take digs at the fans, it's simply him referring back to the time he made the decision not to worry about it.

Part of my point is that it's always about fans being fickle. Many of the fans have been involved in BYU football for 40 years, and they're not going anywhere--and sometimes they might have a point.



In this case, I think it was the loyal fans with above average football IQ showing that questionable calls and giving up will not be viewed positively. It's up to the coach to determine if he can ignore the fans' input or if perhaps the fans have a good reason. I guess my point is that sometimes coaches should look inside and determine if there was something that the coach has done that would justify the fans in booing, and if so is it something worth correcting.

Bronco is a person with feelings and being booed at his first game, was classless by the fans and hurt his feelings. If you guys had been in his position, or if 30,000 people booed you when you messed up at your job, you would feel the same way. I don't think he is being overly sensative, he is being human. This is why I keep harping on not boing coaches, or players of our own team at LES, it is classless. I don't care how much Bronco is paid, he puts his heart and soul into putting a good product on the field and if we boo it, it is a personal attack.

Yes. He is overly sensitive to the EXTREME over his first game against BC. He brings it up at least once or twice a year.



I invest a lot of time, money and emotion in the Cougars and the program. While it may not be on a par with how much he and the players put in - although you could make the argument that a fan's investment emotionally is higher than a player's or coach's. I will at times express my displeasure. It does not mean we won't continue to support the team. It doesn't mean I won't cheer afterwards either.



And like you said, Bronco needs to go back and re-examine why he "booed" in that game. He made a poor decision. At was stated in another thread, you can make a stupid decision, without being stupid yourself. Similarly, a fan can boo without really booing. If that makes sense.

frdbtr wrote:
Bronco is a person with feelings and being booed at his first game, was classless by the fans and hurt his feelings. If you guys had been in his position, or if 30,000 people booed you when you messed up at your job, you would feel the same way. I don't think he is being overly sensative, he is being human. This is why I keep harping on not boing coaches, or players of our own team at LES, it is classless. I don't care how much Bronco is paid, he puts his heart and soul into putting a good product on the field and if we boo it, it is a personal attack.

I guess I take a different approach. I think booing is tolerable in three situations: (1) poor officiating, (2) bonehead coaching, and (3) lazy effort. True fans are investing time, money, and emotions into the product on the field. Even though they have to deal with the ribbing at work when their team gets slaughtered, they're not going anywhere. Because true fans are committed to the team and will continue to buy apparel, show up for games, and openly root for the team, the true fan only has limited methods to show dissatisfaction. I find booing under the three circumstances outlined above acceptable for the true fan.



EDIT: My typing skills are terrible today.

Mingjai wrote:

Bronco is a person with feelings and being booed at his first game, was classless by the fans and hurt his feelings. If you guys had been in his position, or if 30,000 people booed you when you messed up at your job, you would feel the same way. I don't think he is being overly sensative, he is being human. This is why I keep harping on not boing coaches, or players of our own team at LES, it is classless. I don't care how much Bronco is paid, he puts his heart and soul into putting a good product on the field and if we boo it, it is a personal attack.

I guess I take a different approach. I think booing is tolerable in three situations: (1) poor officiating, (2) bonehead coaching, and (3) lazy effort. True fans are investing time, money, and emotions into the product on the field. Even though they have to deal with the ribbing at work when their team gets slaughtered, they're not going anywhere. Because true fans are committed to the team and will continue to buy apparel, show up for games, and openly root for the team, the true fan only has limited methods to show dissatisfaction. I find booing under the three circumstances outlined above acceptable for the true fan.



EDIT: My typing skills are terrible today.

Ok, I agree with the officiating, but booing our own coaches or players is classless. The reason why is you don't know what the coach is thinking when he makes the decisions he makes so it is a matter of opinion whether his decisions are bone headed. Bronco admitted that he made a mistake, especially when the punt blew up (see he can see hindsight 20/20 too). It is also a matter of opinion/speculation on whether a player is giving a lazy effort, since we are not in that players body and can't feel how hard he feels he is going on any given play. Everyone has their own opinion on this, but mine is if you are booing your own team, you are classless. Boo the refs and the other team till you are blue in the face but our own team are off limits.

Bronco is human. He has emotions. Just like fans. Fans that get all worked up over 2 bad games in a row. Fans overreact, and perhaps Bronco did too. Happens. No big deal, on either account.

I agree with sno on this topic. I've heard Bronco speak dozens of times over the last 5 or 6 years and every time he talks about being booed it's illustrating how he came to realize first hand just how fickle the fans were and how at that moment he realized he could never let himself be affected by the whims of the fans, because the fans will sway and turn with every change in coaching theory and turn sometimes mercilessly on 19 year old kids who have sacrificed a ton to be there.



And anyone whos ever heard Bronco speak will know that he's much more upset about the fact that the fans booed the punter than they are booing him. Bronco believes it is absolutely 100% classless to boo a player who has sacrificed more than any of the fans will ever understand to put on the BYU blue. I agree with him whole heartedly.

hawkwing wrote:
And anyone whos ever heard Bronco speak will know that he's much more upset about the fact that the fans booed the punter than they are booing him. Bronco believes it is absolutely 100% classless to boo a player who has sacrificed more than any of the fans will ever understand to put on the BYU blue. I agree with him whole heartedly.

I agree with you and Bronco on this--booing players' lack of skill or execution is not acceptable. But I didn't feel that the crowd was booing the punter but rather the coaches decision to punt in the first place, which is why I take a slightly different stance.

Mingjai wrote:

And anyone whos ever heard Bronco speak will know that he's much more upset about the fact that the fans booed the punter than they are booing him. Bronco believes it is absolutely 100% classless to boo a player who has sacrificed more than any of the fans will ever understand to put on the BYU blue. I agree with him whole heartedly.

I agree with you and Bronco on this--booing players' lack of skill or execution is not acceptable. But I didn't feel that the crowd was booing the punter but rather the coaches decision to punt in the first place, which is why I take a slightly different stance.

Bronco was offended when fans Booed Santiago after he shanked a couple of punts in his first ever game as a cougar.

We weren't booing Bronco. We weren't booing Santiago. We were booing the poor decision to punt and essentially concede the game. We booed the subsequent poor performance. Fans have also cheered vociferously for both Bronco, his wise decisions and his punters and their great kicks. I greatly appreciate feedback I receive in my line of work. Unfortunately for Bronco, we fans can't leave comment cards for him. We express our dissatisfaction for his decisions through boos and our great satisfaction through cheering.

kitic77 wrote:
We weren't booing Bronco. We weren't booing Santiago. We were booing the poor decision to punt and essentially concede the game. We booed the subsequent poor performance. Fans have also cheered vociferously for both Bronco, his wise decisions and his punters and their great kicks. I greatly appreciate feedback I receive in my line of work. Unfortunately for Bronco, we fans can't leave comment cards for him. We express our dissatisfaction for his decisions through boos and our great satisfaction through cheering.

I've heard Bronco's comments about his thought process when he called the punt in the BC game. He wanted to pin them deep and try to get the ball back quickly and have another shot at the TD. In retrospect, it was a bad decision because the punter blew the punt and we didn't pin them deep. He admits it was a mistake and he hasn't repeated it, it was still classless for fans to boo him in his first ever game as a Head coach, and he has never forgotten it.



Guys, I see where you are coming from when you say that booing is the only way to show dissatisfaction with the game. The coaches and players don't see it that way, they take it personally. Recently, Steve Sarkisian and John Walsh both made references to being booed by BYU fans in games and the comments made insinuated that it still hurts their feelings to this day. Feedback about the job from a boss is one thing, being booed by people that should be supporting a player on the field of play is a complete betrayal. It is classless.

Agree to disagree, I guess.



I do know that I've moved past that one booing incident six seasons ago. Bronco would do well to do so as well. But then, elite athletes and coaches are motivated by different things than "regular" people.

I have never boo'd Bronco or the players. I was at the BC game and boo'd that punt call. I love Bronco but I admit he seems a little thin-skinned when it comes to this issue. He has brought it up in dozens and dozens of firesides and public speaking events. Crap, he should have been used to booing when he was Defensive Coord. for Crowton. Crowton was boo'd a lot more than Bronco and he didn't complain about it.

QuarterbackU wrote:
I have never boo'd Bronco or the players. I was at the BC game and boo'd that punt call. I love Bronco but I admit he seems a little thin-skinned when it comes to this issue. He has brought it up in dozens and dozens of firesides and public speaking events. Crap, he should have been used to booing when he was Defensive Coord. for Crowton. Crowton was boo'd a lot more than Bronco and he didn't complain about it.

It was effective under Crowton too. We had the worst home record...ever in 2003. LES is supposed to be where our team plays with the support of the fans, when fans boo the team it is a betrayal by the fans. Kitic, I would imagine that Bronco will mention that day long after he retires from BYU. It is a personal attack by fans that are supposed to be supporting the home team. I don't think that the average fan can comprehend what it would feel like being booed by the group of people that players and coaches expect to be supported by. It is not the same as being criticized by a boss at work. It would be similar to having your wife and kids telling you that you are horrible father and husband.

You can only be offended if you choose to be. Bronco is clearly choosing to keep this incident close his heart and mind. He clearly needs it for his own motivation. But I think he would do well to move on.