This was the right article at the right time. To Mike Houston's credit (X<3), he is repairing much more damage considering Thompson was in for the typical 2 yrs while Scottie Montgomery (yikes) was afforded 3 very long, poorly performing years. Houston is rebuilding faster than expected imho given the depth of the hole he's digging Pirate Nation out of.

Glad to read your honest and realistic view of ECU football, and frankly an column that could be written about ECU athletics as a whole. This is a breath of fresh air after reading Brett “ACC” Friedlander’s column earlier this week.

This is somewhat beside the point of the article, but I find interesting that the one play called out from the football game was the muffed kickoff late. I think that the bigger failure was that 4th and 20 SMU conversion for the TD from the ECU 31 right before it. For the ECU d not to stop that was pretty much inexcusable, and frankly in my view made the Pirates undeserving of the "W." ...but undoubtedly they are improving, and significantly. They will roll over UConn. Tulsa will be a legit test, but, barring a step backward (thinking USF), I anticipate them taking that one, also.

His record thus far is dependent upon what he was left with. Hold your fire until about a year from now and again in two years.

Brett ... you can 't see the forest for the trees. You are better than this. Good time for a break this next weekend..

Friedlander said this: "There comes a time when the call for patience becomes white noise, because regardless of how bright the future might be — and it is for both the Pirates football and basketball programs — it always seems as if the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train. That time has arrived. ECU and its fans deserve better than what they’re getting." Are you kidding, playing two nationally ranked team as this team did after the history of the past three years? What would you say if the Pirates has played LSU and Alabama reasonably well but lost? Would the light still be coming? Did you eve consider what the scores would have been if last year's coaching staff was still here?

Brett is far from an ECU beat writer. Check out his Twitter bio. Nothing there about ECU, only that he has covered the ACC since Moses parted the Red Sea. So maybe it makes more sense that he’d write such nonsense, a veiled attempt to divide Pirate fans who are, at this point, willing to give progress time to come to fruition in wins.

absolutely, couldn't believe what i was reading

What in the world is wrong with you Brett? Football Pirates getting close, horrible article!

Houston has a great won loss record. But. What is his record in the Big Boy League?

Relax folks, a wise coach once said when rebuilding. You lose big, then you lose little, then you win little, and then , you win big! Anybody with an objective point of view can see the dramatic improvement in the players, the team, the coaching staff, the whole program period. Houston is Top notch. I'm also for the first time in a long time optimistic for the BBall team. Lets stop the silly nit picking and recognize what's going on here. We were on the bottom, the bottom! I'm truly excited for the future of our football program. I have total faith in Houston. Give him time. Quality man, quality coach, he'll build it the right way. Go Pirates! Keep rowing!!!!

Rome wasn't built in a day and winning football and basketball teams in this conference aren't either - with the expedited rate of improvement it isn't a stretch to see us developing veteran players and taking down the Cincinnati's and SMU's on the field and on the court in 2020.

Anyone with a clue about Pirate Football couldn't have realistically expected more than a 6-6 finish this year. As a long time Pirate Club member and season ticket holder, I surely didn't. This years performance isn't wearing me down, it's giving me hope. Hope that we had no reason for the past 3-4 seasons. We made correctable mistakes, that cost us legitimate chances to win against not only top tier conference opponents but top 25 ranked teams, all while playing freshmen and sophomores. They will learn to win. We are close, really close. The future is bright.

Normally, I enjoy reading your comments. However, especially given current circumstances, it is one of the most ridiculous columns I have ever read. Like one of the posters above said, where was this column two years ago in the second year of Scottie, and the 6th, 7th, or 8th year of Jeff Lebo? I feel you have some axe to grind against current administration? While in no way do I 'accept' the way things are, the progress made in football, and promise of a highly ranked recruiting class, give me the "hope" that we have turned the corner. Next year, if things are the same, would be the time for this column. With regard to basketball - They have to get some progress this year. The loss to Navy is hopefully one in the "bad loss" column. It's way too early in the season to cast them in such a negative light.

Ah, the hypocrisy of those that can never be happy with our existing coaches, wanting to "move to the next level" where our coaches can't possibly take us, who destroy our athletic program, then whine and complain because the current coaches can't recover from the years of terrible leadership in less than a season. You reap what you sow by how your support the team and who you support in leadership.