Gus/fan relationship

[Abbygpaw 36]

In all fairness, chat rooms such as this are not accurate gauges of fan support. The comments are disproportionately posted by fans who are mad, frustrated, and disappointed. That’s just the nature of the site. However, whether Gus is criticized or complimented on this site makes ZERO difference in how the team performs on Saturdays. The team is poorly prepared and the the performances are mediocre at best. I can cheer all week long but that will not make Bo Nix a composed QB or turn below average linemen into SEC quality athletes. It’s time.to move on. 

[Amwest20 139]

17 minutes ago, AUght2win said:

The idea of a coach being affected by fan support...

Gus' life: Full time Dad and Husband. Assuming he goes to church. Coaches 80 hours a week. Travels non-stop. Recruits non-stop. Speaking engagements. Booster meetings. TV interviews. Etc.

When on earth would he have the time or mental capacity to worry about fan support? When does he even see fans or interact with them? That world is so incredibly insulated and constant that what we say couldn't matter less to a guy like Gus.

The fan base hate has to affect a coach’s performance.  
 

maybe not, I’ll agree.  
 

If I were a coach I’d want the fans support....but I’m not him.  

[leglessdan 1,934]

3 hours ago, Amwest20 said:

The fan base hate has to affect a coach’s performance.  
 

maybe not, I’ll agree.  
 

If I were a coach I’d want the fans support....but I’m not him.  

My opinion on that is he's got 49 million reasons to not give a s*** about what fans think. The last 3 years are pretty evident of that. On the other hand...if he does and what we've seen the past 3,4 or 5 seasons are any sort of indication of whether he's truly committed to evolving as a coach, then he most definitely is not capable. 

[Amwest20 139]

I’ve came to a conclusion.  All Auburn fans love Auburn.  A prototypical fan is likely to be very critical of the coach, especially when the performance on the field is bad.  
 

Some are so disappointed, they they vocally express that they hope he continues to fail this year so we don’t keep him.  I think that is said just frankly because they believe he can’t turn it around this year... or ever

If he magically won a championship, I trust that people would support him more.

In other words winning cures everything.  We’re not winning.

 

 

[Amwest20 139]

We win.  
 

A lot of fans still hate him and have no respect for the guy.
 

Today has reinforced the reason I posted this last Sunday.

[AUFriction 1,179]

On 10/18/2020 at 11:28 PM, Amwest20 said:

Very few people want him as head coach.

Many believe he’s incompetent.

Many bash him On a daily basis.

All Are legal actions and everybody has reasons for how they feel.  
 

Why is it that nobody wants him to succeed though?  Im referring to every   single year.  It’s logical to believe a coach would perform better if he just had more overall support from the fans.  Why can’t we root for our coach?  
 

I’m hoping for honest answers rather than petty ones.  

My PhD is in psychology, so I’ll try to check personal feeling out of it and just respond with why As I psychologist I think the relationship has been so odd. Expectations are everything to fans. If fans expect to have a coach that yields 8 wins and he yields 9, that’s a win because they’ll believe he overperformed. In the case of Gus, there are two things going against him. First (and people on here will deny it aggressively), our two rivals are in the midst of almost unheard of levels of success, especially bama. People are looking at the success of our rivals and are extraordinarily upset that we aren’t having the same success. Regardless of the fact that it isn’t statistically likely that we’d ever hire that kind of coach, it has stroked people’s desire to have that kind of coach. This one is honestly not on Gus. We are never going to hire a nick Saban, and, if we did, there’s a substantial portion of the fan base that wouldn’t accept the win at all cost mentality of that coach. 

The second factor is completely on Gus. This second issue is that we almost always start very poorly and finish strong. This leads us to start every year with high expectations and ultimately to have those expectations crushed with a loss to 1-2 teams we shouldn’t have lost to. So, it comes down to the wild inconsistency within seasons. 

[nixtosanders94 2,180]

1 minute ago, AUFriction said:

My PhD is in psychology, so I’ll try to check personal feeling out of it and just respond with why As I psychologist I think the relationship has been so odd. Expectations are everything to fans. If fans expect to have a coach that yields 8 wins and he yields 9, that’s a win because they’ll believe he overperformed. In the case of Gus, there are two things going against him. First (and people on here will deny it aggressively), our two rivals are in the midst of almost unheard of levels of success, especially bama. People are looking at the success of our rivals and are extraordinarily upset that we aren’t having the same success. Regardless of the fact that it isn’t statistically likely that we’d ever hire that kind of coach, it has stroked people’s desire to have that kind of coach. This one is honestly not on Gus. We are never going to hire a nick Saban, and, if we did, there’s a substantial portion of the fan base that wouldn’t accept the win at all cost mentality of that coach. 

The second factor is completely on Gus. This second issue is that we almost always start very poorly and finish strong. This leads us to start every year with high expectations and ultimately to have those expectations crushed with a loss to 1-2 teams we shouldn’t have lost to. So, it comes down to the wild inconsistency within seasons. 

Your first premise is just plain wrong and one of the things that people who defend Gus use a lot and its a complete non-starter.  

Myself, a lot of folks on this board and 99.9% of the Auburn fans I talk to and interact with on a daily/weekly basis(and its a lot) have no expectations of winning like bama is.  Auburn has really never won that way and no one except the most un-initiated AU fan would expect that. 

We do expect better than averaging 4-5 losses per year over a 6 year period, being 7-16 against our 3 biggest rivals and 0-11 on the road against said rivals.  For some the 2-5 bowl record is a big issue but for myself it really isn't just because most bowl games have been rendered meaningless.  

Its also the WAY we lose the games.  The inexplicable lack of offense from the "offensive guru".  The inexplicable roster management and personnel decisions.  The lack of QB development.  The lack of OL recruiting.  I could go on but all of this has been hashed and re-hashed repeatedly.  Bottom line is if Gus had not lost twice to what were seen as down UGA squads and blown that big lead in Baton Rouge and not embarrassed himself with terrible offensive performances against Clemson(whirly bird) and meltdowns like Tennessee a couple of years ago and USCe this year then I think a lot of us would give him more of a break.  Bottom line is obvious to anyone willing to admit it...This is what Auburn is with Gus Malzahn.  8-4 type team with maybe the occasional 9-3 or 10-2 but he really hasn't even proven he can do that.  There are plenty of teams in the nation who would be happy with that but some feel we raised the bar by winning it all in 2010.  Maybe we didn't I don't know.  But the narrative that AU fans want to win like bama has been winning to be happy is just plain wrong.  

[Amwest20 139]

13 minutes ago, AUFriction said:

My PhD is in psychology, so I’ll try to check personal feeling out of it and just respond with why As I psychologist I think the relationship has been so odd. Expectations are everything to fans. If fans expect to have a coach that yields 8 wins and he yields 9, that’s a win because they’ll believe he overperformed. In the case of Gus, there are two things going against him. First (and people on here will deny it aggressively), our two rivals are in the midst of almost unheard of levels of success, especially bama. People are looking at the success of our rivals and are extraordinarily upset that we aren’t having the same success. Regardless of the fact that it isn’t statistically likely that we’d ever hire that kind of coach, it has stroked people’s desire to have that kind of coach. This one is honestly not on Gus. We are never going to hire a nick Saban, and, if we did, there’s a substantial portion of the fan base that wouldn’t accept the win at all cost mentality of that coach. 

The second factor is completely on Gus. This second issue is that we almost always start very poorly and finish strong. This leads us to start every year with high expectations and ultimately to have those expectations crushed with a loss to 1-2 teams we shouldn’t have lost to. So, it comes down to the wild inconsistency within seasons. 

Nicely put.  Makes much more sense to me now. 

[AUFriction 1,179]

11 minutes ago, nixtosanders94 said:

Your first premise is just plain wrong and one of the things that people who defend Gus use a lot and its a complete non-starter.  

Myself, a lot of folks on this board and 99.9% of the Auburn fans I talk to and interact with on a daily/weekly basis(and its a lot) have no expectations of winning like bama is.  Auburn has really never won that way and no one except the most un-initiated AU fan would expect that. 

We do expect better than averaging 4-5 losses per year over a 6 year period, being 7-16 against our 3 biggest rivals and 0-11 on the road against said rivals.  For some the 2-5 bowl record is a big issue but for myself it really isn't just because most bowl games have been rendered meaningless.  

Its also the WAY we lose the games.  The inexplicable lack of offense from the "offensive guru".  The inexplicable roster management and personnel decisions.  The lack of QB development.  The lack of OL recruiting.  I could go on but all of this has been hashed and re-hashed repeatedly.  Bottom line is if Gus had not lost twice to what were seen as down UGA squads and blown that big lead in Baton Rouge and not embarrassed himself with terrible offensive performances against Clemson(whirly bird) and meltdowns like Tennessee a couple of years ago and USCe this year then I think a lot of us would give him more of a break.  Bottom line is obvious to anyone willing to admit it...This is what Auburn is with Gus Malzahn.  8-4 type team with maybe the occasional 9-3 or 10-2 but he really hasn't even proven he can do that.  There are plenty of teams in the nation who would be happy with that but some feel we raised the bar by winning it all in 2010.  Maybe we didn't I don't know.  But the narrative that AU fans want to win like bama has been winning to be happy is just plain wrong.  

I’m not downplaying what you say. I’m just saying it is also likely a factor. Us having such a terribly inconsistent coach who can’t seem to play full seasons is irritating. Having our rivals win with such success rubs salt in the wound. I can’t speak to you, but I hear the same stuff from my friends as well. Then, when their guard is down, they’ll complain about how we should be beating our rivals more than they beat us or otherwise make statements to suggest that they really are upset by the fact that we aren’t winning like bama and UgA are. If this was the only issue, few would want him gone. But it is clearly exacerbating the “we need to win now” feelings in a lot of fans making them less patient than they’d otherwise be. 
 

In fact, during last season, I pulled some numbers out showing that Gus has been almost at par with some of the more respected coaches in Auburn history. The response was overwhelmingly the same. “Well, whose to say we can’t break that trend and win more than we ever have.”

Again, not defending Gus. My patience has also worn thin on the annual unexplainable loss of two. But there’s plenty of Auburn fans that subconsciously want what Bama has, and they just wont admit it. That group has been leading the replace Gus charge since about 2014.

[nixtosanders94 2,180]

Just now, AUFriction said:

I’m not downplaying what you say. I’m just saying it is also likely a factor. Us having such a terribly inconsistent coach who can’t seem to play full seasons is irritating. Having our rivals win with such success rubs salt in the wound. I can’t speak to you, but I hear the same stuff from my friends as well. Then, when their guard is down, they’ll complain about how we should be beating our rivals more than they beat us or otherwise make statements to suggest that they really are upset by the fact that we aren’t winning like bama and UgA are. If this was the only issue, few would want him gone. But it is clearly exacerbating the “we need to win now” feelings in a lot of fans making them less patient than they’d otherwise be. 

I can't argue that maybe sub-consciously this could be a factor although truthfully there are two things I would say about bama...1) I'm not unhappy with Gus's record against them.  3-4 is actually respectful considering.  I'm much more flustered by his record against UGA and LSU along with the overall inconsistency.  2) bama has won so much I'm kinda numb to it at this point.  I use to dread them winning the natty and having to listen to the morons from across the state crow about it for a year but honestly they just sound like idiots anyway and it just doesn't bother me anymore.  

I would also say that until the part of our fanbase that does use them as some sort of measuring stick, whether its wishing we could win like they do or being happy with mediocre seasons just because we happen to beat them, Auburn will continue to struggle as little brother in this state.  

And btw I would've liked your response but I'm out of likes.  

[AUFriction 1,179]

1 minute ago, nixtosanders94 said:

I can't argue that maybe sub-consciously this could be a factor although truthfully there are two things I would say about bama...1) I'm not unhappy with Gus's record against them.  3-4 is actually respectful considering.  I'm much more flustered by his record against UGA and LSU along with the overall inconsistency.  2) bama has won so much I'm kinda numb to it at this point.  I use to dread them winning the natty and having to listen to the morons from across the state crow about it for a year but honestly they just sound like idiots anyway and it just doesn't bother me anymore.  

I would also say that until the part of our fanbase that does use them as some sort of measuring stick, whether its wishing we could win like they do or being happy with mediocre seasons just because we happen to beat them, Auburn will continue to struggle as little brother in this state.  

And btw I would've liked your response but I'm out of likes.  

FYI... amended my response as you were replying.

[aubaseball 2,696]

Some people on here are completely clueless.   If the objective is not to beat Alabama every year, then you are not a true auburn fan.   Here is the reason I say it.   If Auburn is fielding a team capable of competing and beating Alabama, it’s a team capable of beating anyone.   And folks, that’s all any real fan wants! A chance to win every game!!!!   It’s not saying that you are going to win every game, it just means that you have everything in order and you know what you are doing as a coach.   

Can anyone with eyesight say Auburn is on par with talent with Alabama and Georgia?

[Farmer Brown 2,391]

I don't know any Auburn fans who are happy with Malzahn, and I know a lot of them. 

[hutchids 227]

58 minutes ago, nixtosanders94 said:

Your first premise is just plain wrong and one of the things that people who defend Gus use a lot and its a complete non-starter.  

Myself, a lot of folks on this board and 99.9% of the Auburn fans I talk to and interact with on a daily/weekly basis(and its a lot) have no expectations of winning like bama is.  Auburn has really never won that way and no one except the most un-initiated AU fan would expect that. 

We do expect better than averaging 4-5 losses per year over a 6 year period, being 7-16 against our 3 biggest rivals and 0-11 on the road against said rivals.  For some the 2-5 bowl record is a big issue but for myself it really isn't just because most bowl games have been rendered meaningless.  

Its also the WAY we lose the games.  The inexplicable lack of offense from the "offensive guru".  The inexplicable roster management and personnel decisions.  The lack of QB development.  The lack of OL recruiting.  I could go on but all of this has been hashed and re-hashed repeatedly.  Bottom line is if Gus had not lost twice to what were seen as down UGA squads and blown that big lead in Baton Rouge and not embarrassed himself with terrible offensive performances against Clemson(whirly bird) and meltdowns like Tennessee a couple of years ago and USCe this year then I think a lot of us would give him more of a break.  Bottom line is obvious to anyone willing to admit it...This is what Auburn is with Gus Malzahn.  8-4 type team with maybe the occasional 9-3 or 10-2 but he really hasn't even proven he can do that.  There are plenty of teams in the nation who would be happy with that but some feel we raised the bar by winning it all in 2010.  Maybe we didn't I don't know.  But the narrative that AU fans want to win like bama has been winning to be happy is just plain wrong.  

How you finished your statement is dead on. I dont expect 11+ win seasons every year like bama has. But in the last 10 years, Auburn has won a national title and played for another. Auburn has had multiple top 5 classes in recruiting, pay Gus top 5 money, and have top 15 facilities. With that kind of recent success and massive investment, Auburn shouldn't have 6 straight 4+ loss seasons. Auburn shouldn't be uncompetitive against our top three rivals. They should beat teams like Minnesota and UCF. Auburn wis, but they win like a Mississippi or Iowa historically has. That's not what the school has invested into the program and some fans are expecting the on field results to match the investment.

[AUFriction 1,179]

11 minutes ago, aubaseball said:

Some people on here are completely clueless.   If the objective is not to beat Alabama every year, then you are not a true auburn fan.   Here is the reason I say it.   If Auburn is fielding a team capable of competing and beating Alabama, it’s a team capable of beating anyone.   And folks, that’s all any real fan wants! A chance to win every game!!!!   It’s not saying that you are going to win every game, it just means that you have everything in order and you know what you are doing as a coach.   

Can anyone with eyesight say Auburn is on par with talent with Alabama and Georgia?

It should be an objective in the same way our objective is to win the national championship every year. If we aren’t driving toward it something is wrong, but it is also unrealistic to expect us to meet that goal. Bama and UGA have built in advantages that we just don’t have. First and most importantly, our rivals carry a large fan base of unaffiliated fans because they are seen as the “state’s team.” The majority of Auburn’s fan base is alumni, relatives, of alumni, close friends of alumni, etc. The percentage of people that have no connection to Auburn that root for Auburn is relatively small in comparison to our rivals. That means it is an uphill battle to recruit a lot of players within Alabama and georgia. These kids have often grown up being fans of our rivals. It takes a heck of a pitch to woo them away from the school they grew up hoping to come to. 
Second, look at the alumni. Most of Auburn’s most successful students are scientists and engineers... mostly middle to upper middle class with relatively small spheres of influence. Bama in particular graduates a lot of lawyers, journalists, etc. Those fields give Bama influence over a lot of things that make it easier for them to succeed. 
Third, the bulk of bama’s fan base has a win at all cost mentality. You might not know it from this forum. But most of the Auburn fan base puts playing with class above winning. It’s why we haven’t laid claim to several championships we probably could get away with claiming. That mentality made Saban the right coach for the program. The closest coach we had to a Saban like coach was Terry Bowden. The fans never completely embraced him, which I believe contributed to his downfall.

[GwillMac6 20,803]

On 10/18/2020 at 11:28 PM, Amwest20 said:

Very few people want him as head coach.

Many believe he’s incompetent.

Many bash him On a daily basis.

All Are legal actions and everybody has reasons for how they feel.  
 

Why is it that nobody wants him to succeed though?  Im referring to every   single year.  It’s logical to believe a coach would perform better if he just had more overall support from the fans.  Why can’t we root for our coach?  
 

I’m hoping for honest answers rather than petty ones.  

This is how I feel every game and every season Gus is still our coach. 

[AUght2win 6,899]

4 hours ago, aubaseball said:

And folks, that’s all any real fan wants! A chance to win every game!!!!   It’s not saying that you are going to win every game, it just means that you have everything in order and you know what you are doing as a coach.  

Not true in the slightest.

Results. Results. Results. Hardware. Championships. We are not Ole Miss. We are Auburn. We don't just want to compete. We expect to win, and we know there is nothing the likes of Alabama, UGA, and LSU can do that we haven't or can't. 

It's year 8. Gus has no excuse to be so horrible against the Big 3, he has no excuse for allowing UGA to sprint away from us, he has no excuse for ALL the big game flops - Sugar Bowl, Peach Bowl, Outback vs. Minn, 2 to Clemson, Outback vs. Wisky. 

Auburn has a very good history. And AU's stock has been rising since Bo went over the Top. We are now seeking to take the next step and become a consistent, perennial top 10 team. Gus can't do it. Time to move on. 

[gr82be 14,521]

6 hours ago, AUFriction said:

it is also unrealistic to expect us to meet that goal. Bama and UGA have built in advantages that we just don’t have. First and most importantly, our rivals carry a large fan base of unaffiliated fans because they are seen as the “state’s team.”

Not SEC of course but Clemson says hello. 

6 hours ago, AUFriction said:

You might not know it from this forum. But most of the Auburn fan base puts playing with class above winning. It’s why we haven’t laid claim to several championships we probably could get away with claiming

Why are these mutually exclusive in some people's mind? I think Alabama and Clemson play with as much class as anyone and they win championships. I may not like the smugness of a lot of Bama's fans but their team can back it up on the field. 

 

7 hours ago, AUFriction said:

The closest coach we had to a Saban like coach was Terry Bowden. The fans never completely embraced him, which I believe contributed to his downfall.

I think Dye was closer to having a Saban attitude than anyone else at Auburn. Different time of course but he knew he could win at Auburn and he did. And he should have had one of those NCs that we don't claim too. Bowden had other embracing issues besides the fans. He also apparently didn't like his running backs to be taller than him.