I've been wondering what the good and bad of having a bye week is during the middle of the season. Naturally, when a team like ASU has lost 4 straight, it can't hurt to take a week off and heal, possibly fire any lame-duck Offensive Coordinators, stretch out sprained ankles...
I found this on the bleacher report..
One thing that everyone does agree on however, is that bye weeks are necessary, even if you can't decide if they're good or bad. After all, these athletes are students too and this gives them a little extra chance to do that term paper, make a visit home or do all those other things so important to college students.
Woodie Hayes once claimed he lost a game because of an off week. His team had snowplowed 4 teams in a row and he said they spent the whole bye week getting patted on the back, patting each other on the back, and patting themselves on the back so much, that they were upset by creme puff because their backs were so sore.
So at least bye weeks provide an opportunity to point a finger to, no matter which side of the win your team was on. To me, it just lengthens the season another two weeks, and that isn't a bad thing when you've waited so long for it to come back.
Unfortunately for us, we have to deal with an extra week of mediocrity. This team was supposed to go somewhere in 2008, and play a bowl game of meaning in 2009. Instead, we'll be shocked and (pleasantly) surprised if ASU even makes a bowl game, seeing that it would have to go 4-2 just to be given the opportunity. With games against Oregon, OSU, and Arizona coming up, it's a tough road that we didn't make any easier for ourselves by losing to UNL-Freakin-V.
Finally, I wonder what is wrong with Thomas Weber. This is a guy who went from unknown commodity, to world-beating place kicker, back to mediocrity all in one fell swoop. I guess winning the Lou Groza doesn't make you a better kicker, it just signifies a trend of success that was unmatched over the course of any given season. Here's hoping he gets a new set of wheels and is able to take back his throne.