Rational case for Jose, the fans deserve it
This is my first post on Bisonville so these first two paragraphs are wordy, if you want to skip to my case for Jose go to the third paragraph (the first one frames it nice though I feel.) My favorite thing in Fargo is the Fargodome on a Saturday when the lights go off, Thunderstruck comes on, and every man woman and child can feel the excitement pulse through them as the bison run through the huge inflatable helmet. Drive 3 and 1/2 hours southeast on I-94 on a day our neighbors have a football game and you will find an atmosphere that pales in comparison to what Bison Game day brings to the table, how can I have the stones to say that? Having lived in Minneapolis the word that best describes Gopher fans is Apathetic while the one word for Bison fans; passionate. Eight national championships created a culture of Bison Pride that is ingrained in the people of this area, and the success of the 2006 and 2007 teams reinvigorated the city of Fargo and our pride in ways no one could foresee. What makes the bison so special is that for 4 hours on 11 Saturdays in the fall the people of North Dakota can go watch or listen to a group of guys who embody the absolute toughness of North Dakota. The Dakota's get a bad rap nationally but whose state is running a surplus? Say what you want but hard work being a core value of the region plays a part in that. If you watch closely when the Bison are winning football games, yes, it is in part due to good recruiting and athletic ability but all the real triumphs of the Bison are because, despite head coach who can be a real boob, the guys on the team buy into Bison Pride, which to them means being tougher than the guy on the other side of the ball. Watch closely and it is rare if ever that a team wants to bang heads with the Bison in the fourth quarter.
Bison nation was on an unprecedented high following the success of the 2006 and 2007 season. A number 1 pre-season ranking in 2008 made the rest of the season seem like a surreal nightmare and frankly speaking the Golden Child from East Grand Forks was primarily to blame. Five players from that 2008 team got serious consideration to play at the next level and three of them are currently on contract so for a team in the Missouri Valley Conference to struggle so much is in-excusable. I was one of the "Mertins haters," who was hurt and confused that such an athletic kid groomed by Steve the great who by all accounts is a smart guy could shit the bed so badly.
This season Mertins has shown hints of composure and played at an ok level. I won't quote stats or even indulge in breaking down his reading of open receivers or lack there of. But I will say this a 7-9 record as a starter is not an acceptable performance for the people of North Dakota. His play is at best a "C" for a fifth year senior and it seems like Steve Walker used to take dumps that had more on-field leadership and play making ability than Nick has ever shown. When Jeff "no journalistic integrity" Kolpak, who is one of the most outspoken opponents of Jose Mohler called for him on the broadcast last week you know it's time to make a change. Though it may not be popular to raise as an issue this early in the season you have to wonder if the Team-makers who insist their scholarship donations be given to local boys are in Bohl's ear. It was a steal for NDSU to get Jose Mohler to come up to Fargo from San Diego, an area brimming with talent at the quarterback position and an area where the local culture is exponentially more focused on developing quarterback potential then Minnesota and North Dakota. Sad to say but number 3 had more experience reading coverage when he was 15 than old Mr. Minnesota did when he graduated high school. If the Bison are going to be successful in division one, take note from the schools who are successful. Size of Minnesota and North Dakota aside, we do produce good athletes, how many are playing quarterback at a big school? Two, Nick Mertins and Adam Webber (don't know who the Sioux qb is and don't care.) Turn on any big time football game and a 1 our of 4 of the games will feature a quarterback from Southern California. They develop quarterbacks hands down, winter passing leagues and year round quarterbacks coaching from junior high on is just not heard of up here. Nick would be great at St. Cloud state burning white cornerbacks who only show one look but that’s not the case. Mohler's got the athletic ability and the pedigree, it really almost defies logic to keep a kid in there who will not get the kind of results that Bison fans expect, hopefully Bohl un-clouds his judgment and pulls the trigger.
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Originally Posted by CaBisonFan
