Dave Christensen had reason to be irritated with Troy Calhoun and Air Force’s football team. Yes, Connor Dietz’s exit from the field after he lost his helmet in the fourth quarter was suspicious. Was Dietz really hurting? Let’s just say he pulled almost exactly the same exit after losing his helmet against Michigan. (NCAA rules dictate a player miss a play after losing his helmet.)
But Christensen had no grounds for such public fury. Why did he choose to shout at Calhoun on the field?
You got me.
Wyoming had plenty of time to salvage victory. It’s not as the Dietz exit was a massive factor in the game. The Cowboys had every chance to win.
And they didn’t.
There’s a place for restraint in life. Christensen would have been much more wise to wait a day or two and call Calhoun to express his displeasure. Or he might have asked a Wyoming athletic official to call Air Force athletic director Hans Mueh to register a protest.
Acting out on his rage in front of several thousand people was indulgent and silly. It cheapened Christensen. It cheapened the Wyoming football program.
I think falling to 1-5 was as much a factor in Christian’s tirade as Dietz “faking” an injury.
Seems that Christensen would be ecstatic that AF had to go to their backup QB in that situation, no matter if he had 30 seconds, or 1 hour, to warm up. Plus with Getz out with injury, and Wyoming STILL couldn’t stop the run?
Now having read DC comments, and watched the video of his post-game press conference, I have only one word to describe him: JERK.
This guy is a complete idiot…that play did not lose the game, it was his team’s “inability to execute” (his words) in the second half.
No wonder Wyoming’s fans are calling for his firing….I’m a strong Troy Calhoun fan, but if he acted like that I would want him to leave, too.
How about his wife being on the field to get in between them, and their sid elbowing TC out of the way, whole thing was ridiculous. He can be seen swearing BS at the Troy when it happened.Troy should have just walked away after saying good job, not wink at his players and laugh when DC brought it up. The play in question was very bush league, but I do not see how it affected the outcome of the game. Did it allow Pearson to get his arm loose for a called run? Did it allow AF to save a timeout it never used? AF continued playing too far off the WYO srecievers in the second half, Wyo receiver were awful second half, and qb threw some bad passes at feet on short screens that would have moved the chains for them. Wyo flatout choked in the second half and DC knows it, and took his frustrations out on the wrong side of the field.
The Feisties do whatever it takes to win, we just flat out leave it all on the field and never give up. We may not have the most talent, but we play with heart and brains and do whatever it takes.
DC is a joke. He and his QB should have been disciplined by the MWC last week.
I would not be surprised if he got one this week.
Like that had something to do with the game and it’s outcome?
DC is a moron. His comments were childish and idiotic. When he says that his job is to teach his kids principles and ethics and integrity and how he is not sure what they are teaching on the other side. Are you kidding me? How stupid are you? How can you make those comments about one of our service academies? If you really want to teach your “kids” how to be “men” maybe you should look at how the young men and women of the AFA live their lives. Maybe you could pick up a thing or two as well.
Sad display by a HC on his way out. 1-5 does not promote job security.
Our HC TC needs his cadets to win the next three too become bowl ready. CIC is gone and MWC is unlikely so it’s bowling or bust.
Beat New Mexico Lobos.
Sad display by a HC. 1-5 does not promote job security.
Our HC TC needs his cadets to win the next three too become bowl ready. CIC is gone and MWC is unlikely so it’s bowling or bust.
Beat New Mexico Lobos.
But he is right that AF football behaves terribly and reflects poorly on service academies. TC is a pompous, arrogant, holier than thou, jerk who is just a slightly above average football coach
MDS….please share one example to back up this claim you make?
Sounds like jealousy?
RJP….good call….
would guess Navy
u cant get much classier than T Calhoun!
MDS = Navy or Boise St fan!!!
To the Feisties who never quit and do what it takes to win….
I saw he just apologized for his behavior. I have heard that what actually was said would shock anyone from any school anywhere in our country.
I wonder if those that had live video on the tantrum will post it?
Emotions get out of control sometimes. Usually about the time a hard-fought game gets out of control. Going ballistic over the AF QB injury and substitution makes no sense. The effect was to give the WY defense extra time to get ready to stop the next play. If they had been able to do that, the WY coach would have been sending roses to AF.
Dave. You being ‘suspicious’ of Dietz’s faking an injury is silly. About as silly as me arguing that you write articles like these because you don’t like how Calhoun has treats the media (and you!) in the past.
Both are possible and believable… but likely untrue
Here’s a ilink to Dave Christensen’s press conference after the AFA-Wyoming game.
http://www.wyosports.net/university_of_wyoming/football/cowboys-can-t-close-deal-against-falcons/article_114130ba-15c4-11e2-a7ba-001a4bcf887a.html
Mr. Ramsey,
What is the reason for implementing the “If the helmet comes off, you have to leave the field” rule? Seems defense are taking advantage of this rule by doing whatever they can to get the helmet off (legal or not). I saw it in AFA vs Mich. If the Wyoming is encouraging players to “pop a top”, then he can not complain about what happened.
DR’s comments give the impression he did not actually watch either game.
V. Michigan, CD’s helmet was ripped off (intentionally? In order for QB to have to sit a play?) by the defense. CD sat the required play – no delay – and returned. If anyone, Air Force had reason to complain – not Michigan.
V. Wyoming, CD got crushed down near the goal line – watch the replay if you don’t believe it. He attempted to limp-off (against the wishes of EVERY football coach and trainer). He, wisely, thought better of it, sat down and removed his helmet.
A normal injury time out ensued and CD sat the next play as required by the INJURY TIME OUT, not the helmet removal. He was able to return after Wyoming’s ensuing possession – a quite common occurrence.
The only legit complaint would be if you believe that CD faked his injury. That is a preposterous notion. Intentionally losing your starting QB to preserve a worthless Time Out? Has that ever happened anywhere?
DC is clueless and wrong – I’m surprised DR is justifying this nonsense.
Finally something interesting about AF athletics. The QBs helmet has come off a couple of times and a grown man w/no future as a coach lost his temper. Can’t wait for the AF basketball season to start…until then I’ll go back to watching the paint dry on my fence…just kidding about AF basketball…I’ll just find something else to paint.
The whole helmet deal had nothing to do with the game or Wyoming getting their butt beat. That small amount of time allowed them, wy, to get ready and try and defend air force, it actually gave them more time against their very up tempo offense. What a bunch of crap!
Did the Wyoming coach used to coach w/ TC at AF? Did he leave under good terms? Wyoming did not look professional in the post-game exchange – ugh. MWC will be looking in to it -
Hey ’84, Dave Christensen came to Wyoming from Missouri. He had been the offensive coordinator there and did a good job in helping develop QB Chase Daniel–who is now the QB behind Drew Brees in New Orleans. Christensen has not coached at AFA.
On TV It looked like TC sought DC out after the game, not the other way around.
I talked with Dietz about 30 minutes after his slow exit from the field. And I’m going to be the only one on this discussion who talked with him immediately after the game.
He was fine. He told me his head felt “great.”
So I will repeat what I said. His slow exit was suspicious. And it was almost exactly the same exit he took at The Big House in Michigan. Was there a little gamesmanship going on? I would say yes. Is this some serious breach of ethics by Dietz and Troy Calhoun? No. Christensen spent the week deceiving everyone about Smith’s injury. No big deal. That’s how football works.
But for anyone to say I’m defending Christensen is ridiculous because I believe Christensen’s behavior after the game was laughably ridiculous. Dietz’s exit had nothing to do with the outcome of the game. And, as Calhoun said, Wyoming had as much to gain from the delay as Air Force did.
Go ahead and disagree with what I wrote. That’s fine. I wrote what I believed. You go ahead and write what you believe. For those of you who believe I’m out to get Air Force and Calhoun, go ahead and believe that, too. It’s not the truth, but go ahead and believe it if it makes you feel better.
I get along well with Calhoun. We have had our professional disagreements, but both understand that’s just part of our jobs. We spent 30 minutes talking last Monday at his office about Cody Getz, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Red Blaik, Doc Blanchard, Glenn Davis, Chris Gizzi, Fisher DeBerry, and the movie Argo.
Enjoy your Monday everyone.
Dave…
GOOD post and fair!
Did you hear exactly what was said out of DC’s mouth?
As a Wyo fan, I was embarrassed, but not surprised, by DC’s reaction after the game. While he said his reaction was the product of what he considered gamesmanship, it most likely was the result of frustration with a series of close losses that have destroyed the season for the Cowboys. DC is considered “socially challenged” by many up here, a trait intensified under the stress of losing.
Mike,
Nice post and honest. I have heard the same from his wife who I have been told was also on the field the other night?
What is going on with their administration?
Thanks East Coast Falcon – i should have done a search on Christensen and his previous football ties to Mizzou – appreciate the info.
Will make for some interesting follow-on during next year’s AF-Wy game…if Christensen is still around…
Another week – another foe to focus on – and i got a tix to the game. New Mex doesn’t look like the old new mex we’re used to..
THE MWC just officially reprimanded mr congeniality.
If Dietz was faking, more power to him. That’s called keeping his head (pun intended) in a tough situation. And if it was suspicious, its up to the officials to make that call. Obviously they didnt think it was suspicious.
Another thought – it is very possible that Wyoming was trying to knock off the helmet to get him out for a play, In that case, as they say, turnabout is fair play…
DC got “out coached” in the second half….and outscored 14-3 in a game he was freaking DOMINATING in the first half.
The biggest thing that affected WYO was…..halftime and a coach who lost it again in a close game.
“So I will repeat what I said. His slow exit was suspicious. And it was almost exactly the same exit he took at The Big House in Michigan”.
dr, What do you mean by that? My memory of the event is that the Mich. player ripped CD’s helmet off, probably to get DC out of the game and should have been flagged. It looked like a dirty play to me. I didn’t see the WYO event, but it sounds totally different.