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Wishbone Master · 11-09-2011, 04:17 AM

Ever since Bill Walsh College Football became College Football USA '96 and featured all of the top division teams, I have scratched and clawed to win a national title with Eastern Michigan. I am not from Michigan, nor do I have any ties with Michigan or to the MAC, but each year the new version would be released and I would dutifully sign on with the Eagles. I gave myself four simple rules: No changing the schedule, no playoff system (back when that was possible), gameplay on Heisman, and no created prospects.

Seven seasons at one time, ten years another - even 12 frustrating Autumns in one case - I tried and tried. Once, in NCAA '07, I went undefeated three years in a row. Didn't matter. It was never enough. Even on those rare two or three occasions over the course of many years in which we managed to sneak into the title game we never had enough firepower to shock the world. Inevitably the cravings for a national title would overcome me and I would be forced to move on to an easier challenge, like Wake Forest or Marshall. Yet each summer with the new release, there I was again in tiny Ypsilanti, attempting the impossible.

Last year, in NCAA '11, it finally happened. I started the year ranked highly enough, my opponents all had good years to pull up my computer ranking, and enough of the big boys suffered 2 defeats. The Eagles were granted their shot. Like any good coach I went through a highly detailed scouting report - researching every player rating for both teams, poring over the game-by-game stats for each of our combined 26 games on the season - the whole nine yards (that's not a football catchphrase btw). When the gun sounded and EMU had escaped with a 22-21 win over Florida, no other ride from the sideline ever felt so sweet.

Opening the cellophane packaging this year I was suddenly struck with a new enigma. After 15 years, my mission was complete. Where to go now? What godforsaken, no-offensive line having, Tuesday night game playing, miserable little FieldTurf podunk village would I be guiding to glory? "Hmm. Looks like Louisiana Tech has their own custom field entrance. Oh, and they're in the WAC, so they have southern pipelines but a good opportunity for a national recruiting map? They've never won much of anything really? Sounds perfect." I miss my snow games (and frankly, I miss Ypsilanti) but it is time. Babies are being born, people are dying, and it's been three days since the last conference realignment. Life moves on.

11-09-2011, 04:17 AM	#1
Wishbone Master Rookie OVR: 0 Join Date: Nov 2011	First Post - 5 Most difficult programs to win with - a 15 year EMU saga. Ever since Bill Walsh College Football became College Football USA '96 and featured all of the top division teams, I have scratched and clawed to win a national title with Eastern Michigan. I am not from Michigan, nor do I have any ties with Michigan or to the MAC, but each year the new version would be released and I would dutifully sign on with the Eagles. I gave myself four simple rules: No changing the schedule, no playoff system (back when that was possible), gameplay on Heisman, and no created prospects. Seven seasons at one time, ten years another - even 12 frustrating Autumns in one case - I tried and tried. Once, in NCAA '07, I went undefeated three years in a row. Didn't matter. It was never enough. Even on those rare two or three occasions over the course of many years in which we managed to sneak into the title game we never had enough firepower to shock the world. Inevitably the cravings for a national title would overcome me and I would be forced to move on to an easier challenge, like Wake Forest or Marshall. Yet each summer with the new release, there I was again in tiny Ypsilanti, attempting the impossible. Last year, in NCAA '11, it finally happened. I started the year ranked highly enough, my opponents all had good years to pull up my computer ranking, and enough of the big boys suffered 2 defeats. The Eagles were granted their shot. Like any good coach I went through a highly detailed scouting report - researching every player rating for both teams, poring over the game-by-game stats for each of our combined 26 games on the season - the whole nine yards (that's not a football catchphrase btw). When the gun sounded and EMU had escaped with a 22-21 win over Florida, no other ride from the sideline ever felt so sweet. Opening the cellophane packaging this year I was suddenly struck with a new enigma. After 15 years, my mission was complete. Where to go now? What godforsaken, no-offensive line having, Tuesday night game playing, miserable little FieldTurf podunk village would I be guiding to glory? "Hmm. Looks like Louisiana Tech has their own custom field entrance. Oh, and they're in the WAC, so they have southern pipelines but a good opportunity for a national recruiting map? They've never won much of anything really? Sounds perfect." I miss my snow games (and frankly, I miss Ypsilanti) but it is time. Babies are being born, people are dying, and it's been three days since the last conference realignment. Life moves on.