Mark Snyder's peers did him a favor.
The Conference USA head football coaches picked Marshall to finish a lowly fifth in the six-team East Division.
Thanks, fellas.
Snyder needed that.
After three consecutive losing seasons, the last thing Marshall's head coach needed was high expectations. Snyder gets more than enough of those from Herd fans.
But, now, thanks to his fellow coaches, Snyder can sell his young players on an underdog attitude. And let's face it, that's the easiest sales job in athletics.
Any player worth his competitive salt is easily inspired by disrespect. That's the motivational tool the C-USA coaches handed Snyder Thursday with their annual preseason poll.
Only lowly UAB was picked to finish below Marshall.
That's insulting.
That's a slap across the facemask.
And Marshall's players should be offended enough to do something about it.
Which is precisely the psychological ammunition Snyder needed. Now, he can play the underdog card. Now, he can instill the us-against-the-world mentality. Now, he can appeal to his players' pride.
The mantra for 2008 becomes "Nobody believes in us. ... except us."
The Conference USA football coaches couldn't have been more accommodating. Or more timely.
With Snyder facing a make or break season -- Marshall must reach a bowl or his job is in serious jeopardy -- he needs every break, every advantage. That's exactly what Snyder's fellow league coaches handed him this week. They served it up on a preseason platter.
Even at $4.09 per gallon, they pumped a whole tank-full of gasoline on the Herd's competitive fire.
And that's priceless.
Just ask Skip Holtz.
The C-USA coaches did East Carolina's head coach the same favor in 2006, predicting the Pirates to finish dead-last in the East Division. Holtz has been reaping the benefits ever since.
East Carolina parlayed its insulting 2006 preseason prognostication into a 7-5 regular-season record and the Pirates' first bowl appearance since 2001. ECU lost to South Florida, 24-7.
Holtz continued to build on that success last season, leading East Carolina to another bowl berth. This time the Pirates upset Boise State, 41-38.
That was a program-defining victory.
And the root of that success was the 2006 C-USA coaches preseason poll.
Maybe the '08 poll will plant a similar seed for Marshall.
So, once again, thanks, C-USA coaches.
Mark Snyder appreciates your help.
- It is my heart-felt duty to bid a sad farewell to Brent Parker. He was a friend of sports. He was a friend of Marshall. And he was a friend of mine.
We lost him this week much too soon, as the Charleston funeral home director passed away at the age of 59.
Parker was a special man.
Anyone who had been a die-hard Cleveland Browns fan as long as him would have to be special. I can hear his laugh about that distinction even now.
Those are the fond, unforgettable memories he blessed me with.
Parker also blessed our community with his eldest son, Eliot, who teaches at Marshall and is a sports radio personality with WRVC-AM.
The radio this doting father listened to Eliot's broadcasts on sat in front of Parker's casket at his funeral.
That's how proud he was.
And I am proud to say this man was my friend.
Give my regards to Otto Graham, Brent.
Chuck Landon is a sports columnist for The Herald-Dispatch. Call him at 526-2827. E-mail him at clandon@herald-dispatch.com.
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