BOULDER — It was a feeling for a Colorado football fan as rare as a sun-soaked November day in the mid-70s. The Buffs led comfortably and two men enjoying the day at the Flatirons Golf Course driving range were firing up their cellphones.
They couldn’t wait to text taunts to friends and family with Kansas ties.
Somehow, that 45-17 lead evaporated. The cellphone updates couldn’t begin to convey the magnitude of the collapse as CU caved in at Kansas and lost 52-45.
“I’m not entirely surprised,” Eric Tabor said. “I have a bunch of friends who went to KU. I was just about to send a bunch of text messages to rub it in a bit.”
His golf buddy, Tucker Brown, also said he wasn’t shocked.
As for getting rid of embattled CU coach Dan Hawkins, Brown said: “Either that or he needs to figure out what his game plan is. It might be time for an adjustment.”
On a day meant for golf, hiking or biking in Boulder, the game, which was not televised, was on the radio in the Flatirons pro shop. One man heard an update and said, “CU is very good at giving up points right now.” Another bemoaned, “But I thought it was 45-17.”
Two men wearing CU gear said they were athletic department employees and declined comment.
“It’s a disgrace,” said Donald Brenner, a Denver attorney and a longtime Buffs donor. “It’s going back to the day of Chuck Fairbanks. Hawkins should do the right thing and resign. He is just clearly in over his head.”
One fan posted a “Fire Dan Hawkins” online petition in the readers’ comments on the The Denver Post’s game story about the loss. By 6:30 p.m., there were 985 online signatures.
The petition, addressed to CU athletic director Mike Bohn, states in part: “CU football coach Dan Hawkins has embarrassed our proud football tradition on and off the field and caused damage to our program that will take years to rectify . . .”
, a CU message board that on Colorado’s best days attracts few Hawkins fans, predictably melted down. For a while, the discussion threads were split between the collapse and Hawkins’ world-record brief postgame interview with KOA 850 AM. A universal clause in coaching contracts includes a radio show.
Most of the messages dwelled on a coaching change.
The most clever subtitle was borrowed from a newsletter: “Dead Dan Walking.”
Natalie Meisler: 303-954-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com
