Need for preseason game?

[CameronBornAndBred]

Frank Beamer of VT said recently he is going to lobby for exhibition games. His reasoning is every other sport has them, and it gives the coaches and players a better view of strengths and weaknesses that are not so evident until you get into a real game situation. It makes sense to me, and it would be hard not to see the benefit especially after Saturday's game.
In an article on goduke.com, Cutcliffe sounds like he and the team were genuinely caught off gaurd by what happened that evening.

The loss Saturday was something that Cutcliffe never saw coming based on the effort his Duke squad had displayed during practice the week leading up to the game. "Our commitment has been monumental, unbelievable," Cutcliffe said. "What these guys have done and how hard they have worked, and that's why I feel so badly for the kids, because I let them down. I didn't see it. I had no idea we weren't emotionally ready coming out of that tunnel.

I would think a preseason game, even if not open to the public, would have been a great way to see just how well the team is prepared, physically AND mentally. It might not change the outcome of the game into a win, but at least a loss will be better to accept knowing that you were beaten by a better team as opposed to being beaten by yourselves. I hope we get exhibition games at some point.
Check out the article, it's a good read.
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml? ... =204789082

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

Frank Beamer of VT said recently he is going to lobby for exhibition games. His reasoning is every other sport has them, and it gives the coaches and players a better view of strengths and weaknesses that are not so evident until you get into a real game situation. It makes sense to me, and it would be hard not to see the benefit especially after Saturday's game.
In an article on goduke.com, Cutcliffe sounds like he and the team were genuinely caught off gaurd by what happened that evening.

The loss Saturday was something that Cutcliffe never saw coming based on the effort his Duke squad had displayed during practice the week leading up to the game. "Our commitment has been monumental, unbelievable," Cutcliffe said. "What these guys have done and how hard they have worked, and that's why I feel so badly for the kids, because I let them down. I didn't see it. I had no idea we weren't emotionally ready coming out of that tunnel.

I would think a preseason game, even if not open to the public, would have been a great way to see just how well the team is prepared, physically AND mentally. It might not change the outcome of the game into a win, but at least a loss will be better to accept knowing that you were beaten by a better team as opposed to being beaten by yourselves. I hope we get exhibition games at some point.
Check out the article, it's a good read.
http://www.goduke.com/ViewArticle.dbml? ... =204789082

I think you're on to something. After all the to do on ESPN this morning (I think it was ESPN) about football being the national game now (pro and college), the exhibition game model makes even more sense. For teams with more demand than tickets, it could open opportunities for more fans to come in person.... encouraging other revenue streams for the athletic departments which always need more money.

[devildeac]

Interesting words by Cut. He took most of the blame saying he did not realize the guys weren't mentally prepared.

I would have mixed thoughts about another game. They just expanded the season to 12 games recently so that either extends the season or eliminates the "bye" week/s. We were playing the 2008 I-AA National Champs for heaven's sakes and shoulda been mentally and physically ready with the ASU win over Michigan plastered all over the locker room as a reminder for a week before kick-off and the thoughts planted that you guys damn well better be ready for a fight when you exit the tunnel on Saturday night 'cuz we were't playing the Citadel that game :roll: .

[CameronBornAndBred]

We were playing the 2008 I-AA National Champs for heaven's sakes and shoulda been mentally and physically ready with the ASU win over Michigan plastered all over the locker room as a reminder for a week before kick-off .

I would have settled for a few photos of the scoreboard from our last meeting with Richmond.
You have a point about the longer season, but I think if you look at the preseason game as another practice, it makes some sense. Another way they could do it is how they handle some basketball preseason games. Two teams, one scrimmage, closed to public. No stats or scores posted. But at least we see somebody other than ourselves.

[YmoBeThere]

But at least we see somebody other than ourselves.

Agreed...and BTW I stopped looking in the mirror a while ago. I was always seeing the same thing.

[devildeac]

We were playing the 2008 I-AA National Champs for heaven's sakes and shoulda been mentally and physically ready with the ASU win over Michigan plastered all over the locker room as a reminder for a week before kick-off .

I would have settled for a few photos of the scoreboard from our last meeting with Richmond.
You have a point about the longer season, but I think if you look at the preseason game as another practice, it makes some sense. Another way they could do it is how they handle some basketball preseason games. Two teams, one scrimmage, closed to public. No stats or scores posted. But at least we see somebody other than ourselves.

Ooohh, a "secret" FB game just like some of our opponents and nayyyy-bors (ncsu reference here... :roll: )do down the road/s from us in MBB.

[YmoBeThere]

We were playing the 2008 I-AA National Champs for heaven's sakes and shoulda been mentally and physically ready with the ASU win over Michigan plastered all over the locker room as a reminder for a week before kick-off .

I would have settled for a few photos of the scoreboard from our last meeting with Richmond.
You have a point about the longer season, but I think if you look at the preseason game as another practice, it makes some sense. Another way they could do it is how they handle some basketball preseason games. Two teams, one scrimmage, closed to public. No stats or scores posted. But at least we see somebody other than ourselves.

Ooohh, a "secret" FB game just like some of our opponents and nayyyy-bors (ncsu reference here... :roll: )do down the road/s from us in MBB.

It hasn't seemed to help them much lateley, has it?

[devildeac]

We were playing the 2008 I-AA National Champs for heaven's sakes and shoulda been mentally and physically ready with the ASU win over Michigan plastered all over the locker room as a reminder for a week before kick-off .

Ooohh, a "secret" FB game just like some of our opponents and nayyyy-bors (ncsu reference here... :roll: )do down the road/s from us in MBB.

It hasn't seemed to help them much lateley, has it?

It helped the 'holes last year. I think this year is the 1st for the wolfies.

[bjornolf]

I don't think you need an exhibition game. You can get by with scheduling one of the scrubs from the FCS. If you want a game, you schedule one of the teams that was in the final four of the I-AA championship. If you want an exhibition, you schedule somebody who just missed the tournament, or one that got put out in the first round. The other team gets the money, and you get to see your guys in a game situation where they'd have to try to lose.