Winning isn't everything ... it's the ONLY thing

Whoops quote of the day:

"We're gonna go win eight in a row and go to Detroit where we deserve to be, and we work hard every day for it." _ Miami quarterback Dan Raudabaugh, one day before losing to Temple, 28-10


Err, Whoops ...

Bruce Francis is a God and other cogent thoughts ....
By Mike Gibson
Spent much of the week going online and reading the thoughts of Temple's football fans.
They pretty much split into two spheres:
One, the sizeable group who said, "Blah, blah, blah ... maybe we expected too much" and "it takes five years to build a winner" and "maybe four or five wins is progress this year. " .... blah, blah, blah.
Phooey.
Then there is the group who I counted myself firmly with and maybe even its CEO.
"The time for talk is over" ... "it's time to win now" ... "four or five wins is NOT progress; not when you really won five the year before and not when everybody is back.. " and ... "no excuses, just win, baby."
Count Saturday's 28-10 win at Miami as a victory for the latter group.
I don't have time or patience to wait five years.
There is NO REASON Temple can't win right now in this league and this year.
There is NO REASON Temple can't run off four or five straight wins.
Or six.
There are no more Penn States on the schedule and Temple has already proven to be more than the equal of anyone else on it.
Temple running backs and receivers have the kind of speed I haven't seen any of the other MAC teams have.
I have not seen a better wide receiver in the MAC than Bruce Francis who, in my mind, is as good a wide receiver as we have seen at Temple since Leslie Sheppard and Bruce is better than Sheppard, who was pretty good with the Washington Redskins.
I told Bruce Francis' dad at the UConn tailgate that Bruce is a pro.
The last dad I told that to was Raheem Brock's and the kid has a Super Bowl ring.
On the other side of the ball, Temple's defense was arguably the best in the league last year.
This year, there can be no argument.
Temple has a dominating, intimidating, defense that is just hitting its stride.
"They have high-caliber athletes," was the way Western Michigan offensive guard Phil Swanson put it.
"I haven't seen us dominated at the line of scrimmage this year like we were against Temple," Western Michigan head coach Bill Cubitt said. "That's a concern."
It should be to the rest of the MAC, too.
Consider this.
Before Temple beat Army, 35-7, the MAC message boards were full of "good luck, Owls" and "win one for the conference" and other similar wishes.
Nowhere did anyone post how bad Army was.
Yet AFTER Temple beat Army, 35-7, the only posts you saw on the MAC boards were, "Congratulations on the win but that's really the worst Army team we've seen in years."
Notice the juxtaposition?
It's insidious anti-Temple stuff couched in pro-Temple remarks.
Let's face it.
The leader of this group is Huron Dave, a guy who has a blog on Phillyburbs.com who would like nothing more than to see Temple meet the MAC media expectations of fifth in the East.
Not gonna happen, even with a slow start.
Chester Stewart had a confidence-building fourth quarter, thanks to two spectacular catches by Bruce Francis.
With this defense, and the great Adam DiMichele returning on Oct. 21, that should be enough.
Ahh yes.
Yesterday, in addition to Temple's 28-10 thumping of the MAC East defending champions on their home turf, Army won at Tulane.
44-13.
The same Army team that lost to Temple, 35-7.
The same Tulane team that hung with Alabama (20-6) and East Carolina (28-24).
Next week, it's league champion Central Michigan.
If Central Michigan can fall to Georgia, 56-17, it certainly can lose to Temple, 56-17.
Or 18-17.
Either one, I'll take it.
From now on at Temple, winning is the only thing.
We, the fans, players and coaches should expect no less.