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APRIL 2005

(UPDATED WHENEVER I FEEL LIKE IT - BUT USUALLY ON TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS) April 28, 2005   ""It's not the mountain that wears you out; it's the grain of sand in your shoe." Robert Frost Click Here ----------->> <<----------- Click Here OUR SEASON - MADISON HS - PORTLAND, OREGON, 2004 A VISIT TO WEST POINT, NOVEMBER, 2004      NEW!A LIST OF SOME OF 2004'S TOP DOUBLE-WING HS TEAMS NEXT CLINIC- DETROIT --- for more info - 2005 Clinics   *********** Coach Wyatt, just wanted to give you a quick, thank you. I have used your Double Wing tapes and play book with great success. I have coached ages 7 to 15 in my 13 years of coaching football.And your system I preach when I have the 8 and 9 year old guards and tackles pulling while the B back is kicking out on 88 power or running outside cris-cross 47C. The parents and older team coaches just gather and watch. How can we be pulling,kicking out and reach blocking or running play action pass 6G with 8 year olds? I say ,to steal a line,I just "coach em up" using a proven DW system. Sincere thanks, Doug Dodge, Jacksonville, Florida *********** Over the past few years, DeLaSalle, of Concord, California has travelled to play St. Louis Prep of Honolulu, and hosted Evangel Christian of Shreveport. Last year, Bellevue, Washington hosted DeLaSalle (and ended DLS's record win streak), and this year a Miami team will travel to Tyler, Texas, Double-Wing power Clovis East (California) will go to Midland, Texas to play Midland Lee, and Long Beach Poly will go to Seattle to play Bellevue. It's cool and all that, but it's just a matter of time before there's a Nike Super League. *********** Bob Novogratz is an Army All-American, and a member of the Black Lion Board of Advisors. Bob's son, Bob and his wife, Cortney, just had twin boys, and named one of them Holleder, in honor of West Point hero Don Holleder, the inspiration for the Black Lion Award. Wow - with a name like Holleder Novogratz, he has to be a football player. Wrote General Jim Shelton, also a member of the Black Lions' Board, "Now playing quarterback for Army, HOLLEDER NOVOGRATZ!" I would love to be around to hear that. Myself, I'm betting it will be more like "Army tackle made by Holleder Novogratz." *********** Coach, When I watch your home games on the highlight tape I get hungry for Viet Namese Soup...how much did they pay you for the free advertising? #4 is a PLAYER coach, he is awfully good! #44 is a man child, soft hands as well. Fullback is a bowlingball (like Evan only faster). I am impressed, they were tough!  Now to dissect the plays... Brad Knight - Holstein, Iowa Damn right #4 is a player. He's Andy Jackson, the coach's son. He rushed for 1700 yards and scored 21 touchdowns. And hit like a hammer on defense. Coaches' sons are always good to have, especially so when they're very good players, too. #44, Alex Nalivaiko, was a first baseman in baseball. He was our left tackle in 2003 - wouldn't he have been a waste at tackle? The fullback, Damiean Young, was our right guard in 2003. Another case of getting kids in the right place. They were tough kids. Lemme tell you - the smell of that Vietnamese noodle soup cooking (across 82nd Avenue from our field) kept me going through many a cold practice! HW *********** No doubt you've already read this someplace... with the selection by the 49ers of QB Alex Smith as the number one pick in the NFL draft, Andrew Bogut's likely selection at number one on the NBA draft would make Utah the first college team ever to have number one picks in both NFL and NBA drafts. *********** After a couple of weeks back East, I knew I was back in Portland when I read an article in Sunday's Oregonian informing us about the preferred pronoun to use when referring to transgender people. Not that I ever gave it a lot of thought, but evidently many of them prefer "ze" to "he" or "she". "When in doubt," the article advises us, "ask a transgender person which pronoun is preferred." *********** David Gillin, a friend of my son, has had a number of jobs in show business, most of them owing to his great sense of humor. As an example, once, when negotiating a contract with Portland's KGW-TV, he insisted on an escape clause, allowing him to be released if he were offered the head football coaching position at Notre Dame. ***********Coach, I just wanted to let you know that the quality of your 1999 games is excellent. The ability to watch film of another Double Wing team is a great tool to have. Your team executes very well. One question is that I noticed that your Wings seem a lot tighter to the formation that the 1 yard by 1 yard you have mentioned in the playbook and seminars. In some instances they are almost halfway behind the TEs. Not that this is a problem &endash; I actually liked the formation run like that. I just wanted to get your thoughts. In the cases where they are behind the TE's, it was not by design. You will find that this is something that you will need to monitor from time to time, as wings seem to have a tendency to tighten up. Combatting this is one reason why I now have my wingbacks' shoulders square to the line of scrimmage. *********** GOOD TIP - As you know we do everything pretty much the same as you, with some different names to help our younger kids remember. We do the same as your "12-Step" program, only we called it, " the "10 Yard Velcro Drill" (that's the name we gave it before we heard the "12-Step"). We added what we call, "Drop the Bag". As soon as the blocker hits the dummy we tell the player holding the bag to drop the bag (we want to see their hands out to the side). If the blocker drives them back and does not maintain leg drive, and stay - as we call it - "velcroed", the bag will start to fall. If this happens, they get another chance and will do it over and over until they get the idea - to stayed "Velcroed" to the defender. Frank Simonsen, Cape May, New Jersey *********** From Right and Left formations, what do you think about running SP to the side where the back is behind the tackle. For example A 99 Super Power. Would the A back be able to go around the end and seal the LB? Has it ever been a problem to get your A back around to the LB in Tight stack. What are his steps. Let me know what you think. I would like to try and run it but I'm hesitant because it's different from their regular steps. I wouldn't think that I could get my A back around and onto an inside LBer, although I have had him lead outside the DE (good influence) and block the corner. To be honest with you, I almost think that you'd be better off running 77 Super Power back that way, with the A-Back going right (maybe with a bit of jump motion) to create a bit of misdirection. And from my Wing-T days: "G" blocking on the playside and leading through with both the A and B Backs (66-Super-G Lead, in our terminology), or just the B, with the A on the corner (66-Super-G) *********** I just saw a clip of Notre Dame's spring game. Some tailback scored, and half the offense did the 'ball is a bomb' routine. I guess you were right - they're just a regular football school now. Christopher Anderson, Palo Alto, California *********** I hope you are doing well.  Thank you again for all of the information on the double wing offense.  My coaches are now completely hooked and are anxiously waiting for the season to begin.  Great Job!!!! To make it a bit easier for our backs we decided that we were going to number the backs (2=Left wing; 3=fullback; 4=Right wing) and essentially have a three-digit play, ie- Tight-Rip-288 Power.  This indicates that the 2 back will be the ball carrier, the 3-back ALWAYS goes to the SECOND digit of the three digit plays; the ball goes to the 8 ; and the 4-back will either double down or wall off. Do you have a playbook template that you could send me so that I can customize our playbook based on this change?  If it is available electronically that would be great!  This way I can put in our plays and customize the playbook for our backs and linemen to study from.  Any help you could provide me would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm afraid I have nothing that would help you. Please excuse my frankness, but since I make my living giving people advice, permit me to give you some freely, which you can do with as you wish. Perhaps you are not aware, but I strongly discourage people from varying from my package. My concern is that your readiness to change a system that has been proven, over and over, before you've even started to run it means that the tinkering and tweaking is not likely going to stop there, and before you know it, you will not be running the same system that has brought success to so many teams. Again, please excuse my frankness, but I want my customers to have the best possible chance of success. *********** Army and ESPN have reached an agreement providing for live television coverage of every West Point home football game for the next five years. The deal will also include "home games at neutral sites," other than the annual Army-Navy game, which is contracted to CBS. The games will be also available live and free of charge to troops around the world. The contract calls for at least one game a year on a Thursday or Friday, and up to two contests in Saturday evening prime-time. Army's 2005 home game against Iowa State will be televised on Friday, Sept. 23 on ESPN2. And should Army become bowl-eligible, the Black Knights, which have left Conference USA and are resuming play this season as an independent, would be given special consideration for an at-large berth in one of the bowl games owned and operated by ESPN. "I can't begin to say what a big boost this is for our program," said head coach Bobby Ross. "I know people say that Dallas is America's team, but I think we are. In the past, the only opportunity they've really had to see us play was during the Army-Navy game. This gives them an opportunity to see each and every one of our home games. And let me say this, they are very interested." (The deal is very good, but while it does include at least one game on ESPN or ESPN2 each year, other additional telecasts will likely be split up between ESPN Classic, which not everyone can get, and ESPNU, its new college sports network, which at this point practically no one can get. Every game will be available on ESPN360 - whatever that is - and some will be offered as part of College GamePlan, ESPN's "subscription service.") On the heels of the ESPN announcement, Army officials also announced that they've added Notre Dame and Texas A&M to the schedule for 2006. They will play A&M in San Antonio. VERY interesting... undoubtedly, these will both be "home games at neutral sites" as referred to in the ESPN contract. (A & M would surely not give up a home game to play in San Antonio, a big Army town). I'm betting that the Notre Dame game will be played in Giants Stadium. All in all, a BOLD move, indeed for Army football. As an Army fan, I sure hope that by 2006 they'll be ready. *********** Given some very good career advice, a young Philadelphian responded in unusual fashion - he sued the people who gave it. Seems he was selling radio commercial time for the Eagles' radio network, and his company issued a pamphlet advising its salespeople against wearing such things as Dashikis (native African shawls) when calling on customers. The guy, who I presume is black, howled "discrimination," and I'll be damned if a jury didn't award him some $600,000. Now, besides the point that I doubt that this guy really suffered $600,000 worth of discrimination - or pain, injury, suffering, embarrassment, discomfort or whatever - I think that the company could have avoided such an idiotic decision (I mean, get over it, Mister) by addressing the issue in IBM fashion. Instead of dealing with what the employees could not wear, it should have specified standard attire. On the old (and accurate) theory that what you wear makes a lasting impression on the person you are trying to sell something to, IBM's founder, Mr. Thomas Watson, carefully prescribed what his salespeople would wear. Let it be known that Mr. Watson was not into self-expression, before Americans relied on costumes to do so. It was his belief that if his sales people dressed in such a way as not to offend the town banker, they would be able to call confidently on anyone, so IBM sales personnel wore the prescribed "company uniform": dark suit, dark shoes, white shirt, necktie(conservative) and, at least at one time, a hat. No exceptions. I know this to be true. I spent a year with IBM as a sales trainee. People joked about it, including myself and the guys I worked - but we had a choice. We could wear the company uniform, or we could go sell somebody's else's computers. As it happens, IBM at that time was awash in money, and it treated its employees very, very well, and few people took the latter option. *********** A California high school student who claims to practice Wiccan beliefs says a five-day suspension for wearing lipstick and makeup to school violate his right to free expression. The kid said the cosmetics - black lipstick and red eyeshadow - help him "express his neopagan religious beliefs in the supernatural," beliefs he shares with his mother, a Wiccan "priestess." According to the priestess, "After my divorce from his father,he became very depressed, and wearing the makeup makes him feel good." School officials based their suspension to the dress code in the student handbook, which states that when clothing "creates a safety hazard ... or when the dress constitutes a serious and unnecessary distraction to the learning process or tends to disrupt campus order," the student is in violation of the code. (The kid's hairdo was evidently not considered "a serious an unnecessary distraction" - he wears a red Mohawk.) Said a San Bernardino City Unified School District board member, "We don't suspend students just because. I suspect this student was a distraction to other students. We bend over backwards to provide our students better educational choices. I think this student needed to make a better choice." Does anybody hear bugles blowing "charge?" It ain't the cavalry fellas, it's the ACLU, and it's charging to the rescue of the kid. The local ACLU chapter claims that protections of the young Wiccan's freedom of expression and safeguards against gender discrimination appear to have been violated. Said an ACLU staff attorney, "High school is the time where many students are expressing themselves and really finding themselves and so to suspend the student is such a severe punishment it's wrong."  The kid planned on wearing the makeup when he returns to school on Monday. "If I can't wear makeup, then the girls or the staff can't wear makeup either," he told the San Bernadino Sun. Added the priestess, "My son shouldn't change the way he is." Of course not. He's perfect just the way he is, and provided he doesn't change a thing, he will undoubtedly become a useful and productive member of society, paying taxes so that other children will one day receive the same free public education that taxpayers are now providing him. *********** In your tape and clinic you strongly encourage the use of unbalanced formations. I was brainstorming for next year. Our interior O Line should look like this, returning varsity senior center, the two guard spots will be filled by three kids, a senior and two juniors, who started on JV, and saw some limited varsity time. All three of the potential guards can snap well. They have all snapped to this year's varsity quarterback ( last year's JV starter ). I was thinking of using this set up for unbalanced. Unbalanced right / guard over would mean that the left guard would snap. Right guard would snap for unbalanced left / guard under. My reasoning was that, it would increase the deception, by eliminating the shuffling of the line. I teach my D-line to look for formation shifts and unbalanced, usually a tackle or guard or TE trade spaces in the huddle or on the way to the line which is a bigger give away.  The drawbacks I can see would be potential for fumbled snaps, but again, I have 100% confidence in these 4 guys to snap the ball. The other drawback would be assignment confusion. I test ( paper and pencil ) the linemen so they have to know the assignment of all the other positions. What do you think Coach? Are the benefits not worth the hassle? Have you done this, or heard of anyone doing this? I have done this- the linemen come to the line crouched - but no hands down - and on signal, the entire line shifts one man to the right or one to the left. It's an interesting gimmick, but... I doubt that there are enough benefits to offset the fact that you will wind up with all five offensive linemen having to learn different positions and assignments. Knowing their assignments is enough as it is - and you still have to work on executing them. I doubt that this will leave you the time to develop much of a package. *********** More shots from my recent pilgrimage to the home of Orange County Choppers, Montgomery, New York.. So many bikes - so little money... That blue one says "NYPD" - bet they don't let just anybody ride it Montgomery, New York is NOT the New York of the hate-America crowd The ultimate in bobble-head dolls! *********** There may be no jersey number in football that means more to a college than the number 44 does to Syracuse. The number has been worn by such Syracuse greats as Jim Brown, Ernie Davis and Floyd Little. The most recent outstanding player to wear it was fullback Rob Konrad. So closely is the number indentified with Syracuse that the school's zip code is 13244. But it was never retired. Not until now. Over the years, it has been used as a recruiting incentive (psst! Hey kid - wanna wear the same number Jim Brown wore?), but with less than spectacular success. Interestingly, the top four rushers in Syracuse history - Joe Morris, Walter Reyes, Larry Csonka and James Mungro - wore numbers other than 44. *********** The Hagerstown Bears reunion... Perhaps the highlight of my recent eastern swing was a return to Hagerstown, Maryland, where I first started coaching, back in 1970. Three of the players from that team, the Hagerstown Bears, still live in the area, and after more than 30 years, I got together with them for a mini-reunion. The three former players are, from left to right, Ed Lewis, Charlie Kidrick, and Dave Lewis. (Their photos from the 1970 program are shown, too.) The "Lewis Boys", brothers from Boonsboro, Maryland, were big then, and they are big now. Eddie (79), 6-foot-6, an offensive tackle, admits to being "about 100 pounds" heavier than his playing weight of 270. He is now president of the UAW local at GM's Martinsburg, West Virginia parts center. Number 78, "Little Brother" Dave, 6-3, is pretty trim, close to his playing weight of about 250. He also played tackle, and was a very good one, pulling to lead our quick toss plays, in addition to being a great deep snapper. He's now a home builder in the Jefferson County, West Virginia area. Number 84, Charlie Kidrick, nicknamed "Killer" because of his tendency to take no prisoners as a linebacker, came from Shepherdstown, West Virginia and still lives there. He's now in charge of telecommunications at the VA Hospital in Martinsburg, and in his spare time coaches football at the local middle school. Few Bears alumni still live in the Tri-State area; many of the guys who played on those teams (1970-1972) came from out of town to begin with; and, sadly, all too many others have passed away. The amazing thing to me was that despite the passage of all those years, the four of us shared a bond that is as strong as it was when I coached and they played. On the right is Riverfront Park in Williamsport, Maryland, where we first practiced. Drive across the wooden planks of the one-lane bridg (thump-thump, thump-thump), then down a steep hill, and you're almost at river level (that's the Potomac River in the background; the bridge carries US Rte 11 across to West Virginia). It was hot as hell there, and humid, and the river stank (or was it the tannery about a quarter mile upstream?), and the mosquitoes would get fierce as the sun set - and I'd give anything to go back and hold one just more practice there with all of those guys. *********** I thought you would like to see this interesting but somewhat depressing note I received from an NFL tape-trader friend about how so much of the film of the early NFL championships and Super Bowls no longer exists. If you don't have the 1961 Championship Game then I would highly recommend it. It is the earliest known complete TV broadcast of a pro football game in existence. It is also Lombardi's first title win. The NFL did not televise football nationally until 1951. Pete Rozelle did not believe in keeping copies of the game in their entirety. He felt that replaying the games on TV would erode ratings for the live events. Thus most of the early days of the NFL are now gone forever. I'll give you an example. Even though 2 networks televised Super Bowl, just a few minutes exist of the CBS feed and none of the NBC feed exists. Super Bowl 2 is gone. The masters were destroyed. The masters of both Super Bowl 1 and 2 were taped over...with soap operas. A black and white kinescope copy of Super Bowl 4 has just surfaced. Until now tape traders were combining 8 mm footage shot from the press box with what existed of the telecast (the third quarter) and using the original radio call as audio. All that exists of the Super Bowl 5 telecast is the 2nd quarter. So how did the 1961 game survive the trash heap? The Canadian Broadcasting Company (CBC) televised the game live using a feed from NBC. They simply inserted their own commercials and hosted their own half time show. Ironic that the CBC thought it was a keeper but NBC didn't. Don Shipley, Washington, DC (I can assure everyone that after a tour of NFL Films facilities, the NFL is certain never again to make those early mistakes. HW) *********** Coach, I would like to tap into your video expertise. We have used the VHS cameras and tapes in the past.  Our camera is worn out and we need a new one.  Since the VHS cameras are obsolete now we need to go another direction.  I will give your our needs and then listen for your recommendation. We play three level of football and tape all games.  Usually freshmen play on Monday and sophomore and varsity games on Friday night.  We have a great camera man. We need to trade a VHS copy of the Friday night game tape early Saturday morning per conference scout rules. We do not do any computer editing or self scout.  We do not produce an elaborate highlight tape. I do have a double deck VHS dubber and other VCR's available. Based on that, what do you suggest? Since your needs are simple, you might want to stay with a full-size VHS camera. If you can find one. No muss, no fuss, no converting DV tapes into VHS. They are not what I would call "obsolete." Yes, they are big and bulky, too much camera for ordinary home use, but they're okay for taping a football game (provided that you have no further plans for using the tape). I'm just not sure anyone makes them anymore. Here is a site advertising some - http://www.1888camcorder.com/camcorders-full-size-vhs-camcorders.html Note that they're all "closeouts," and interestingly, they seem to be relatively high-priced, perhaps because they're in such short supply. *********** Mike Lude, former AD at Washington and then at Auburn, was Dave Nelson's line coach at Maine and then at Delaware, which really makes him the co-inventor of the Delaware Wing-T. (Read THE FIRST WING-T LINE COACH IN HISTORY) Mike's recently-released book, "Walking the Line," is a great read. From his boyhood in rural Western Michigan, to his playing days at Hillsdale College, from his service in the Marine Corps to his joining Dave Nelson as his right hand man, from his first - and only - head coaching job at Colorado State to his second career as an AD, starting at Kent State and moving to Washington and then to Auburn, Mike has seen it all, and he tells about it in a way that is both interesting and informative. Here's how to order a copy - go to www.huskyfever.com and down at the bottom right, look for "Walking the Line.") *********** The 2004 Madison High Highlights tape is now ready to ship. It runs about an hour and a forty minutes, and includes hundreds of plays from this past season, in which he turned a program that had gone 0-9, 1-8 and 2-7 into a 7-2 season. (MADISON HIGH, 2004)The real significance of our success, I think, is the way we were able to make use of the kids that we had. We were not overly talented, but we had a very tough, hard-working, unselfish group of kids, a few of them with unique gifts, and I think we coaches did a great job of putting them all in the right places - places where they could enjoy the most individual success, and at the same time make the greatest contribution to the team. I also think we did a great job of zeroing in on what it was that these particular kids did best, and not letting ourselves get too far from the basic plan. There is a certain emphasis on the "Multiple Wing" - you will notice that we did not remain in one formation - we ran at least one play from at least 20 different formations - but at the same time you will notice that we did not run a great number of different plays. (For example, you will be interested, I think, to see how many different ways you can employ "power" blocking.) If you are a Double-Wing coach or if you are even thinking of using some Double-Wing in your program, I think this tape will open your eyes. To order a copy of the tape, send $29.95 (check, money order or school P.O.) to Coach Hugh Wyatt - 1503 NE 6th Ave - Camas, WA 98607   "The Beast Was out There," by General James E. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about. --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN - RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2005 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD (FOR MORE INFO)

(UPDATED WHENEVER I FEEL LIKE IT - BUT USUALLY ON TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS) April 21, 2005   "We are moving toward a dictatorship of relativism which does not recognize anything as for certain and which hs as its highest goal one's own ego and one's own desires." German Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI   Click Here ----------->> <<----------- Click Here OUR SEASON - MADISON HS - PORTLAND, OREGON, 2004 A VISIT TO WEST POINT, NOVEMBER, 2004      NEW!A LIST OF SOME OF 2004'S TOP DOUBLE-WING HS TEAMS NEXT CLINIC- DETROIT --- for more info - 2005 Clinics   *********** On Monday, April 11, Mrs. Caroline Ruffner passed away. Her viewing was last Thursday evening in Alexandria, Virginia. Mrs. Ruffner was the wife of Major Don Holleder, who was killed in Vietnam on October 17, 1967, leaving her with four young daughters to raise. She later married Ernie Ruffner, a West Point classmate of Don Holleder who was himself a widower with three young children. With her approval, were we able to institute the Black Lion Award; without her approval, we would not have been able to proceed. God Bless Mrs. Ruffner and brave women like her, who take up the challenge of raising their families when war strikes down their men. *********** CLINIC UPDATES--- Next up will be Detroit, Saturday, April 30. *********** The Philadelphia clinic was held near Valley Forge, site of the most inspirational chapter of our nation's history. Tom Brokaw made a lot of money on his book "The Greatest Generation," about the people who fought World War II, and those people certainly were studs. But historian Steven Ambrose thought that the Greatest Generation was the people who fought the American Revolution. George Washington didn't find out who his loyal soldiers were until he and his troops had to spend an unbearably hard winter at Valley Forge. They had gotten their asses kicked by the British, who all the while Washington's troops scrounged for food and clothing were enjoying the warmth and food and women of nearby Philadelphia. Many of Washington's men deserted. But many didn't, and once they were down to a hard core that believed in themselves and in their cause and in their leaders, they drilled harder than ever and some spring, they were a well-trained fighting force. *********** IMPRESSIONS FROM WATCHING ARMY PRACTICES - I was able to time my visit to West Point - on my way from Philadelphia to Providence - so that I could catch a couple of Army's spring practices. First impression - Holy sh--! Look at all the players! There were 150 or so in uniform. (Coach Ross said he'd like to have as many as 175! Said it makes for better practice conditions. I guess so - with numbers like that, you could go three deep on your scout teams!) Practice is highly structured and despite the large numbers, players are kept active and things flow nicely. Practices last four hours, broken into 20 or so sessions of varying length, but seldom more than 10 minutes, and are controlled by the scoreboard clock. (They've been on the main field of Michie Stadium for all practices this spring because the grass fields are wet and unplayable, so they're able to use the scoreboards at both ends to keep track of which of the sessions they are on, and how much time remains in the session.) There is a fair amount of hitting. Even on a "non-contact" day, the Army players do get after it. Sounds like a return to the days when you might beat Army, but Army would beat you up. I thought 3 or 4 of their QB's looked fairly good. Zac Dahman, last year's starter, appeared to me to be clearly the best. The other three I noticed were Chase Laws (jr), David Pevoto (soph) and Connor Crehan (sr). Besides working on the basic running plays, they spent the rest of their time on play action passes, and - to my great surprise and delight - on some basic option stuff. Basic option stuff, but option nonetheless. Tailback Carlton Jones looked very good at tailback, but then he was one of the country's better running backs last season. Backups are inexperienced. Fullback - mostly a blocking back, since Army runs a lot of "I" - appears to be up for grabs. I was really pleased to see that runners go at least 25 yards - hard - on every play. Even when the defense stops for the whistle, the runner continues. The tight end position looks strong. The three-tight-end short-yardage package (in which the linemen get down in four-point stances) looks look. The first group of wide receivers looks okay, but the position does not appear deep. The offense drew most of Coach Ross' attention. He told me that this is not always the case with him, but a major focus of his concern this Spring is the offensive line, which is very inexperienced. The good news there is that former All-Pro Stan Brock is the offensive line coach. He is very hands-on, and does a great job with his kids. The not-so-good news is that he is bigger than most of them. Offensive execution overall was good - two officials were on hand to call penalties in all scrimmage situations - but there did seem to me to be too many dropped passes. I didn't get a chance to watch much of the defense, except during 7-on-7 and scrimmages. Army is running a 4-3, and the defensive line looks relatively small, but that isn't news at Army. Coach Ross felt that the linebacker position would be strong. The offense did move the ball fairly well in brief scrimmaging, but in fairness to the defense, it appeared to be staying pretty vanilla. Final note - I saw a sophomore place kicker named Andrew Folse really lighting things up at the end of practice with a couple of shots that looked as if they'd have been plenty good from 50 yards out. The most important thing I got from watching Army practice - when I finally retire, I want to be someplace where I can sit and watch a college football team practice. While at West Point, I managed to meet Army's first-ever Black Lion, Will Sullivan of Atlanta. If he looks lean and trim, it's because he is - he's just shed 30 pounds from his playing weight of 255. At the time the photo was taken, Cadet Sullivan was just 44 days from graduation, and a commission as an officer in the United States Army. His chosen branch of the service is Armored - tanks. (Note my Orange County Choppers hat.) The West Point Black Lion Award plaque, donated by the Army Football Club, will be unveiled this Saturday, and will be on permanent display in the Army locker room. Note that the Black Lion Award is a permanent part of Army football - there are sufficient plates for the names of another 37 recipients , (Left) West Point great Glenn Davis is buried within a handoff of the grave of his coach, Red Blaik, whose football-shaped marker is in the background *********** How's this for irony? With help from the state of New Jersey, the Giants are going to build a new stadium. That will leave "Giants Stadium" empty. Unless, that is, the Jets deal to build a stadium in Manhattan falls through, in which case they could be left as the only tenants left playing in - Giants Stadium. If that's the case, they should at least be allowed to sell the naming rights. *********** After the telecast of South Carolina's spring game - and with more to come - is it possible that ESPN realizes it is onto a new way to fill those otherwise dull spring Saturdays? *********** Don't know if any of you missed it, but Little Oscar ("Oscar Mayer has a way.. with B-O-L-O-G-N-A") was laid to rest last week, He was 82.     MORE SHOTS FROM ORANGE COUNTY CHOPPERS--- One of the great things about this gig of mine is the places I get to see, including in this case the home of Orange County Choppers, in Montgomery, New York (yes, New York - not California or Florida) about 30 miles from West Point, roughly halfway between Newburgh and Middletown... Surely you've seen that sign before! The Official OCC Store, Montgomery, New York The New York Jets' chopper - maybe you saw them building it on TV Man- talk about precious cargo! My son and I relax after a hard day of building choppers. And arguing. Me and The Boyz eagerly await any customer complaints. *********** Coach- While making the highlight video of this season I have noticed something I like to see very much.  My kids LOVE to block downfield.  They bust their humps to get out front, and we have become pretty good at "blocking in space".  Have seen several excellent downfield blocks on some of our longer runs.  Is it common to have the "want" to get downfield to block sometimes too quickly?  I have seen a couple of plays where perhaps we do not stay on a block at the line/linebacker level for quite long enough.  Any tips? Like you, we expect to see blockers downfield. And like you, we see them downfield. It is not by accident. In accordance with what Mike Lude was kind enough to share with me, for some time I have stressed that our blockers stay "welded" to their man. I tell our guys that there's nothing better than to see them downfield, still blocking that man. But we all know that a man will come off his block, and that's when we insist that if they're no longer blocking a man, they hustle downfield. TIP- On all blocking drils - and on all plays - we insist on a "12 Step Cure". We're not talking alcoholism here - it's just clever reminder, but we just insist that on every block, every blocker take 12 steps AFTER making contact. It has helped us get the point across that the contact is NOT the block - the block is what happens AFTER contact. This reinforces our point of staying welded to our man; it makes sure that at least one defender per blocker will not get involved in the play, no matter how long the play takes; it reinforces the idea that we want our blockers to work their way upfield; it keeps our blockers involved in the play longer, because if they don't get their "12" with the first guy they hit, they are going to have to work upfield to find somebody else to make up the difference; and, finally, I firmly believe it makes us a more physical football team overall. I think that this offense's blocking schemes, more than with most offenses, creates downfield blocking. I think that our emphasis on blocking at an angle while constantly working our way upfield contributes to it, and I know that our stress on maintaining footwork after making contact gets our blockers downfield. *********** Coach, I'm trying not to bother you on your vacation, but the News got me stirring. You forgot to mention that Fenway Park tickets are robbing fans blind to help buy all those rings. Edmond, OK banning "unconventional, outdated" football? Are we still playing with pads? "and allow the players to win or lose based on their abilities"? What? What about the smaller and slower kids? Isn't part of the lesson of sports that you don't have to be the biggest guy to win? I guess coach ego is more important than feelings. I saw the Arena League 'tackle.' Head down, again. Do we need to send these films to every coach in the country until every player is taught proper technique? I doubt most players are drilled in open-field tackling - just LBs and DBs, who are taught by ESPN to be headhunters anyway. You could see with every play that Curtis Williams was not taught or drilled to tackle safely. A tragedy in the truest sense. Christopher Anderson, Palo Alto, California *********** Condolences to the Mills family. The NFL, the Panthers, this community has lost a true leader, sportsman, and person. Remember to live life to the fullest! Darryall White, Fort Mill Middle School, Fort Mill, South Carolina Sam Mills' death to cancer is very sad. At a time when so many professional athletes are selfish jerks, Sam Mills stood out as a gentleman. And at a time when the pro scouts obsess over all their formulas, and all their height, weight, 40 speed and vertical jump measurements, Sam Mills proved that an undersized guy (5-9, 225) from a small college (Montclair State) should not be written off - because there is no way to measure heart and smarts. Not that any NFL team deserves any credit for "discovering" Sam Mills, because if it hadn't been for the USFL and the chance it provided him and other players who didn't measure up to NFL standards, he probably would never have made it to the NFL. (In the photo at left, that's coach White and Sam Mills. Sam Mills is the guy wearing the LARGE ring.) *********** Got a small dilemma. I've got this A back who is a great runner-slasher type. He had 19 tds in this offense last season and 11 tds the year before. I have a problem. This season we have the chance to go real far because we have 3 capable running backs and some decent backups also. Our A,B, and C back all have the chance to gain over 1,000 yds each. The problem I have is my A back, I don't know why he does this for attention or what but he's a gamer. During practices I feel like I'm taking more practice time watching him not carry out a fake or not block the proper way for the other backs than I am in watching the play develop. Last year I took the approach of being positive when he did something good or when he actually blocked correctly or did carry out a fake (sometimes I feel like I'm dealing with a child). I don't have any problems with the other guys on the team. It seems like everyone is pumped for the season and is toeing the line appropriately. Here's what I'm thinking of doing because both of his parents are both very supportive of me. I am going to arrange a meeting between myself, my A back and his two parents. I am going to tell them my expectations for the upcoming season, make parameters for this kid, tell him what I want in front of the parents and lay it all out. You see, I think this kid is out for himself and really could care less about winning or losing as long as he's the star. The bottom line is, we have other kids (not many) just as good as him. We're not a big school and I think he realizes that also and tries to play mind tricks with me doing things half ass just to get a rise out of me. What would you do in this situation? NAME WITHHELD ps: I think he is resorting back to his half ass bullsh-- because he is irregular with summer non-mandatory lifting and conditioning workouts. Almost the entire varsity team is there and he doesn't show and tells people its too hot Those kids are coach-killers. If you keep them around they will take advantage of you - and the other kids - any time they get a chance. You may try keep a tight leash on them, but eventually they will get you. They are basically sociopaths. They have no loyalty to a team. The rest of the team exists only to provide them with what they want. They believe that their talent will get them a pass no matter what happens. I think that a coach's going along with a kid like that in the hope that he can use the kid's talent without getting burned is why we wind up with guys like Lawrence Phillips making it all the way to the University of Nebraska. You are coaching a team game. One of the things we continually say to kids is that in football the team is more important than any individual, and now you're on the spot to back up what you say. If you cater to this kid in any way, and reward him even though he is a practice slacker, your kids will understand that you have two sets of rules. Trust me - I have heard kids talk about just such situations. Not much escapes their notice. They don't mention it to their coaches, but they know. I would not make it a project to try to "save" this kid. Only he can save himnself - if he can be made to realize that his attitude is self-destructive. I think in a case such as this the best thing for all concerned would be for that kid to sit one out. I would make it my project to get rid of his ass. If he basically laughs at the other kids who are working out while he's not, and then he plays and gets the glory, you will have no program. You definitely should meet with the kid and his parents. It's very possible that he's a pain in their ass, too. But first - before doing so - you should get your ducks lined up. First, decide exactly what it is that you demand from him. ("Demand," not "expect.") Then, I would strongly suggest you carefully discuss your plan with your principal and/or AD. Let them know that you are contemplating giving the kid and his parents an ultimatum - either he shapes up and meets every one of your demands, every day, or he doesn't play. (You could always kick him off, but if you can deal with his grumbling, it's a lot easier administratively to bench him than it is to kick him off. And you can always put him on the scout team.) But first find out if the AD/principal will support you. (If they won't, that will tell you something, too.) Also, make sure that one of them sits in on the meeting with you. It could save you a lot of grief later on. I think it comes down to whether you want to rent a program or build one. If this kid gets his way, and plays, you will have rented the program for another year. But once he's graduated, you're certain to have another problem kid - or two - and they might not have his talent. The future of your program depends on what your kids see you do about this guy. If you act boldly and decisively, you will be known as a man who says what he means and backs up what he says. *********** I thought it might be interesting to let you know what one Vietnam veteran - General Jim Shelton - thinks of Jane Fonda and her latest stunt - Dear Hugh: One of the most reprehensible human beings who lives in this country is a woman named Jane Fonda.Why is she allowed to live in the United States--why do media outlets continue to give her a platform to spout her justifications for unpunished treason--why does our society continue to bow to her putrid explanations for her unforgiveable behavior at a time when drafted American servicemen were being killed by those she praised. These are excerpts from a Wall Street Journal interview with Colonel Bui Tin, former member of the North Vietnamese General Staff in June 2002. "Tet 1968 was an American military victory. Our losses were staggering and a complete suprise. Giap later told me that Tet had been a military defeat, though we had gained the planned political advantages when President Johnson agreed to negotiate and did not run for reelection***Our forces were nearly wiped out by all the fighting in 1968.***We had to use North Vietnamese forces as local guerillas. If the American forces had not begun to withdraw under Nixon in 1969, they could have punished us severely***If Johnson had granted Westmoreland's requests to enter Laos and block the Ho Chi Minh trail, Hanoi could not have won the war. ***If all the bombing had been concentrated at one time it would have hurt our efforts. But the bombing was expanded in slow stages under Johnson and it didn't worry us." "Everyday our leadership would listen to world news over the radio at 9AM to follow the growth of the antiwar movements. Visits to Hanoi by Jane Fonda and former Attorney General Ramsey Clark and ministers gave us confidence that we should hold on in the face of battlefield reverses. We were elated when Jane Fonda, wearing a red Vietnamese dress, said she was ashamed of American actions in the war and would struggle along with us---those people represented the conscience of America---part of its war-making capability, and we were turning that power in our favor." THESE WERE JANE FONDA'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO OUR WAR EFFORT IN WHICH OVER 55,000 AMERICANS WERE KILLED. She should be extradited to North Vietnam or any other countries that are now considered to be enemies of our society. Jim Shelton, Englewood, Florida *********** Well it looks like I will be coaching with a new youth organization next season, one that "feeds" into the new High School in our area. I have not met with the HS coaches yet, but I am told they intend to run the "Power I" and would like to see the youth program do the same. I am not sure how strict they intend to be with that, but before I meet with them I would like to learn a bit more about that offense. Are there any resources that you would suggest on the Power I offense? What is your opinion on the adaptability of some of the DW principles to that offense? I have not coached much of the "I" in the past other than what we can do from the DW or wingT formations. Coach, You know how I feel about high schools insisting that their youth programs run their systems. To me, in most cases, it is a power trip by the high school coach. I can't think of many things more ridiculous that a high school coach who has never won insisting that successful youth coaches switch over to his system. I mean, why? Shouldn't he have to prove himself first? Hell, the guy could be gone by the end of the season. However, in this case you may have no choice. I like the Power-I as a changeup - but only as a changeup. Not as a steady diet. Unless you run option, I have found the Power I to be pretty much a tackle-to-tackle formation. You can run a fair number of our plays from power I. From our "RAM" formation, for example, we can run 2 wedge, traps both ways, 6-G (C-back leading through), 66 super power, 77 super power, 47-C, Red-Red. In my opinion, though, without our blocking schemes it isn't much of an offense unless you have superior talent.   *********** Q. I have heard the term "Wrong Shoulder", I thought I knew what it meant...but I don't. Can you explain that to me? A. A "wrong-shoulder" technique is one in which a defender against a kick-out or trap block, who normally would use his inside shoulder against the blocker, instead turns and takes on the block with his outside shoulder, thereby keeping his body inside the kickout block and defeating its purpose. *********** I get a fair amount of mail like this, and every so often I think it's a good idea for readers who may wonder if they can actually run the Double-Wing with young kids to hear it directly from a coach: Coach Wyatt, I just wanted to take the time to thank you for putting the tape together along with the play book on the double wing. I am the head coach of our freshman youth football team which consist mainly of 10 year olds. Last year we went 5-5 and scored 12 points a game on average. This year with the double wing we went 10 -1 (lost in the super bowl on 2 costly turnovers) and averaged a league leading 32 points a game. This offense is amazing and although not all of the other coaches in our league believe in it, my assistiant coaches, parents, players, and myself know that this is our style of offense and are commited to it.Thanks again and I will be in touch with you to inform you of our success. Coach Tony Rios, Highland Youth Football, Palmdale, California *********** Mike Lude, former AD at Washington and then at Auburn, was Dave Nelson's line coach at Maine and then at Delaware, which really makes him the co-inventor of the Delaware Wing-T. (Read THE FIRST WING-T LINE COACH IN HISTORY) Mike's recently-released book, "Walking the Line," is a great read. From his boyhood in rural Western Michigan, to his playing days at Hillsdale College, from his service in the Marine Corps to his joining Dave Nelson as his right hand man, from his first - and only - head coaching job at Colorado State to his second career as an AD, starting at Kent State and moving to Washington and then to Auburn, Mike has seen it all, and he tells about it in a way that is both interesting and informative. Here's how to order a copy - go to www.huskyfever.com and down at the bottom right, look for "Walking the Line.") *********** The 2004 Madison High Highlights tape is now ready to ship. It runs about an hour and a forty minutes, and includes hundreds of plays from this past season, in which he turned a program that had gone 0-9, 1-8 and 2-7 into a 7-2 season. (MADISON HIGH, 2004)The real significance of our success, I think, is the way we were able to make use of the kids that we had. We were not overly talented, but we had a very tough, hard-working, unselfish group of kids, a few of them with unique gifts, and I think we coaches did a great job of putting them all in the right places - places where they could enjoy the most individual success, and at the same time make the greatest contribution to the team. I also think we did a great job of zeroing in on what it was that these particular kids did best, and not letting ourselves get too far from the basic plan. There is a certain emphasis on the "Multiple Wing" - you will notice that we did not remain in one formation - we ran at least one play from at least 20 different formations - but at the same time you will notice that we did not run a great number of different plays. (For example, you will be interested, I think, to see how many different ways you can employ "power" blocking.) If you are a Double-Wing coach or if you are even thinking of using some Double-Wing in your program, I think this tape will open your eyes. To order a copy of the tape, send $29.95 (check, money order or school P.O.) to Coach Hugh Wyatt - 1503 NE 6th Ave - Camas, WA 98607   "The Beast Was out There," by General James E. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about. --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN - RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2005 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD (FOR MORE INFO)

(UPDATED WHENEVER I FEEL LIKE IT - BUT USUALLY ON TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS) April 15, 2005   "Pressure is something you feel when you don't know what you're doing."  Chuck Noll    2004 CLINIC PHOTOS :ATLANTA CHICAGO TWIN CITIES DURHAM PHILADELPHIA PROVIDENCE DETROIT DENVER NORTHERN CAL Click Here ----------->> <<----------- Click Here OUR SEASON - MADISON HS - PORTLAND, OREGON, 2004 A VISIT TO WEST POINT, NOVEMBER, 2004      NEW!A LIST OF SOME OF 2004'S TOP DOUBLE-WING HS TEAMS NEXT CLINIC- PROVIDENCE --- for more info - 2005 Clinics *********** On Monday, April 11, Mrs. Caroline Ruffner passed away. Her viewing was Thursday evening in Alexandria, Virginia. Mrs. Ruffner was the wife of Major Don Holleder, who was killed in Vietnam on October 17, 1967, leaving her with four young daughters to raise. She later married a West Point classmate of Don Holleder. With her approval, were we able to institute the Black Lion Award; without her approval, we would not have been able to proceed. God Bless Mrs. Ruffner and brave women like her, who take up the challenge of raising their families when war strikes down their men. *********** CLINIC UPDATES--- Next up will be Providence, this coming Saturday, April 16. Guest speakers at Providence will be John Irion, of Queensbury, New York High who has twice taken his team to the state final game; Mike Pucko, of Worcester, Mass., who turned around the West Boylston High program, and has the distinction of coaching the winning side (using the Double Wing) in the state All-Star game; and Bill Mignault, of Ledyard, Connecticut, winningest coach in Connecticut football history. Bill has been a high school coach since 1958, and he's been head coach at Ledyard since 1966. He has 295 wins, and his Colonels won state titles in 1986, 1991 and 1993. The day after the clinic, Bill will be presented with the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance's prestigious Gold Key Award. NOTE: I will be back East until the 19th, so if you're planning on attending the Providence clinic and haven't sent in your registration fee yet, you can, if you wish, pay $75 at the door. I regret to say that orders received while I've been on the road won't be shipped until my return. *********** PHILADELPHIA CLINIC - Jason Clarke, of Millersville, Maryland, has coached two 2 Anne Arundel County championship teams. In 2003, he was one of four outstanding youth coaches honored by the Baltimore Touchdown Club, and in 2004, his Wolverines went 12-0. Jason told the clinic that for him, the biggest factor in his success is "loyal assistants - because the offense is so different." I've seen his teams, and they run the Double-Wing to perfection. (He said he just laughs at the people who say you can't teach a kid how to trap.) He and his coaches give their kids 20-question written tests on what they've been taught - "you'll definitely know if a kid doesn't know what he's doing" - and they're always on the lookout for the question that everybody misses, because that means they didn't teach it as well as they could have. Tim McAneney coaches at Bishop Eustace Prep, in Pennsauken, New Jersey. Tuition there is $12,000 a year, and, in Tim's words, "our parking lot looks like a Mercedes-Benz dealership", yet according to Tim, his kids aren't soft, and he gives some of the credit to the Double-Wing. "We're a tougher team because we run this offense," he said. Bishop Eustace had gone 1-9 the year before Tim took over, and Tim's dad Vince, Vince, who was a head coach for 36 years (he retired in 1994 with 244 wins), told him, "Tim, I don't know..." And when someone asked Tim, "How many kids are coming back?" Vince happened to hear the question and said, "From a 1 and 9 team? You don't want anybody back!" Dad, of course, is a tremendous asset to Tim, who says, "He's 75, and gray-haired, but he's the first guy I speak to at halftime." The Double-Wing wasn't that tough a sell at Bishop Eustace, Tim said: "It was so far down, I could have done anything. We could have stood on our heads at practice and nobody would have noticed." Tim said he likes the Double-Wing because Bishop Eustace rarely has the kids to run anything else. For example, "We've only had one year when we had a quarterback returning." Twice, he said, he had to start a kid who'd never played quarterback. As a result, "We throw the ball 230 times a year - 200 times in the summer and 30 times during the season." Jack Tourtillotte, of Boothbay Harbor, Maine, has guided his team to state championships in 2002 and 2003 - not bad for a town that just five years earlier had debated discontinuing its football program. Jack went over aspects of Boothbay's passing and screen game. Boothbay has a powerful running game that depends heavily on all the basic Double-Wing plays, but as Jack said, "If you're going to win the big game, you've got to be able to throw the ball." *********** Jermaine O'Neal became the latest fool to use the tired, old "if they're old enough to fight for their country" argument to justify privileges for young people, few of whom have any intentions of ever fighting for their country. It's usually about the drinking age, but now it's about the NBA's proposal to impose a minimum age on players entering the league. I mean, come on - if you're actually in the armed forces, you deserve all the privileges of being an adult. But other than age, what does an 18-year-old serving in Iraq have in common with a spoiled brat high school kid driving a new BMW? Or with the next NBA phenom? The irony of the whole thing is that by combining the "old enough to fight" argument ("if you can fight at war at 18, why can't you play basketball for 48 minutes?") with insinuations that the proposed rule is also racist, young Mr. O'Neal helps make the league's argument - it would give kids a few more years in which some of them actually might become less stupid. *********** I haven't seen the play on which Al Lucas was fatally injured, and I really would rather not, but I have heard from numerous sources that he appeared to have tackled with his head down. And I hear the talk-radio guys saying that we need safer helmets. *********** One of the most incredible football museums in America is, unfortunately, closed to the general public. Its walls are covered with hundreds - perhaps thousands - of football posters, football photographs and football art, and covers of football programs and assorted magazines with football themes. There are artistic montages made up of football subjects. And there is an exhibit of the most extensive collection of football board games in existence. And the funny part is, it's not a museum at all. It might as well be, but it's actually the headquarters of NFL Films, in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. But its walls contain one of the most extensive displays of football memorabilia to be found anywhere, and to a football historian - or even one who respects the game's past - it is heaven. I had the privilege of touring the NFL Films offices Tuesday, and I managed to take a few photos. PHOTOS TO COME. *********** Eddie Robinson spent 57 years at Grambling College, now Grambling State University. He had only eight losing seasons and won 17 conference titles and nine national black college championships. When he retired in 1997, with a record of 408-165-15, he was the winningest college football coach in history. Not only was his on-the-field career unmatched, but the story of his climb to prominence as the head football coach of a small, historically-black state school in northern Louisiana paralleled and in some cases mirrored the Civil Rights movement itself. Now, Coach Rob is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, and hie health is declining, according to his wife, Doris. "It's a long, slow slide, but he keeps going down," She said. "His health isn't what it should be. He usually gets up for meals, but spends the rest of the day in bed." What makes all this especially sad is that efforts to establish an Eddie Robinson Museum, long talked about, seem to be stalled. The state legislature approved the project in 1999, but a series of budget cuts and disputes over a location nearly killed it. Now, the board that oversees the museum project, which hadn't even met for a year, has resumed meeting. John Belton, an attorney from Ruston, Louisiana who serves as chairman of the board, announced the founding of a fund-raising group, the Friends of the Eddie Robinson Museum. Belton said that a minimum of $5 million needs to be raised. "People have talked about it so long, discussed how much it would mean," said Doris Robinson. "I hope it will come about, but who knows when." *********** On my way to Providence, I stopped by West Point, and caught a couple of spring practice sessions. Hard to tell in just a couple of observations how good a team is going to be, but I was impressed by the overall organization (well. duh!), and by the crispness and enthusiasm of the practice. Also, by the numbers - since there are no scholarship restrictions at Army (where everybody is on scholarship) there were close to 150 guys in uniform. *********** Not too far from West Point is Montgomery, New York, home of Orange County Choppers. Anyone who's seen the TV show "American Chopper" knows Orange County Choppers, and being something of a fan, I suggested making a pilgrimage to the factory. My son was with me, and since the show is a big hit in Australia, I had not trouble getting him to come along. PHOTOS TO COME *********** Mike Lude, former AD at Washington and then at Auburn, was Dave Nelson's line coach at Maine and then at Delaware, which really makes him the co-inventor of the Delaware Wing-T. (Read THE FIRST WING-T LINE COACH IN HISTORY) Mike's recently-released book, "Walking the Line," is a great read. From his boyhood in rural Western Michigan, to his playing days at Hillsdale College, from his service in the Marine Corps to his joining Dave Nelson as his right hand man, from his first - and only - head coaching job at Colorado State to his second career as an AD, starting at Kent State and moving to Washington and then to Auburn, Mike has seen it all, and he tells about it in a way that is both interesting and informative. Here's how to order a copy - go to www.huskyfever.com and down at the bottom right, look for "Walking the Line.") *********** The 2004 Madison High Highlights tape is now ready to ship. It runs about an hour and a forty minutes, and includes hundreds of plays from this past season, in which he turned a program that had gone 0-9, 1-8 and 2-7 into a 7-2 season. (MADISON HIGH, 2004)The real significance of our success, I think, is the way we were able to make use of the kids that we had. We were not overly talented, but we had a very tough, hard-working, unselfish group of kids, a few of them with unique gifts, and I think we coaches did a great job of putting them all in the right places - places where they could enjoy the most individual success, and at the same time make the greatest contribution to the team. I also think we did a great job of zeroing in on what it was that these particular kids did best, and not letting ourselves get too far from the basic plan. There is a certain emphasis on the "Multiple Wing" - you will notice that we did not remain in one formation - we ran at least one play from at least 20 different formations - but at the same time you will notice that we did not run a great number of different plays. (For example, you will be interested, I think, to see how many different ways you can employ "power" blocking.) If you are a Double-Wing coach or if you are even thinking of using some Double-Wing in your program, I think this tape will open your eyes. To order a copy of the tape, send $29.95 (check, money order or school P.O.) to Coach Hugh Wyatt - 1503 NE 6th Ave - Camas, WA 98607   "The Beast Was out There," by General James E. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about. --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN - RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2005 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD (FOR MORE INFO)

(UPDATED WHENEVER I FEEL LIKE IT - BUT USUALLY ON TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS) April 12, 2005   "Don't save your pitcher for tomorrow;  it might rain tomorrow." Leo Durocher, Hall of Fame baseball manager    2004 CLINIC PHOTOS :ATLANTA CHICAGO TWIN CITIES DURHAM PHILADELPHIA PROVIDENCE DETROIT DENVER NORTHERN CAL Click Here ----------->> <<----------- Click Here OUR SEASON - MADISON HS - PORTLAND, OREGON, 2004 A VISIT TO WEST POINT, NOVEMBER, 2004      NEW!A LIST OF SOME OF 2004'S TOP DOUBLE-WING HS TEAMS NEXT CLINIC- RALEIGH-DURHAM --- for more info - 2005 Clinics *********** CLINIC UPDATES--- Next up will be Providence, this coming Saturday, April 16. Guest speakers at Providence will be John Irion, of Queensbury, New York High who has twice taken his team to the state final game; Mike Pucko, of Worcester, Mass., who turned around the West Boylston High program, and has the distinction of coaching the winning side (using the Double Wing) in the state All-Star game; and Bill Mignault, of Ledyard, Connecticut, winningest coach in Connecticut football history. Bill has been a high school coach since 1958, and he's been head coach at Ledyard since 1966. He has 295 wins, and his Colonels won state titles in 1986, 1991 and 1993. The day after the clinic, Bill will be presented with the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance's prestigious Gold Key Award. NOTE: I will be back East until the 19th, so if you're planning on attending the Philadelphia or Providence clinics and haven't sent in your registration fees yet, you can, if you wish, pay $75 at the door at both places. If you have sent out orders for materials in the last few days, I regret to say that they won't be shipped until my return. *********** Condolences and prayers go out to the family of Al Lucas, who died as the result of injuries suffered in an Arena League game. I find this hard to believe, but according to the LA Times, no football player has ever been declared dead on the field. I think they mean college or pro football. Several players have died shortly after games, including Detroit Lion receiver Chuck Hughes, who suffered a heart attack during a game in 1971, and collapsed as he headed back to the huddle after catching a pass. In college football, Mississippi's Chucky Mullins died 18 months after breaking his neck making a tackle in a 1989 game against Vanderbilt, and Washington's Curtis Williams died in 2002 after he was paralyzed from the neck down following a tackle against Stanford. *********** While bottom-line business people talk in terms of the economy of scale, there's Bill Gates, a fairly successful businessman himself, donating millions through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to help megasized schools downsize. Thank you. In 1996, the University of Michigan released the results of a study tracking progress on standard achievement tests at 800 high schools around the United States. Its conclusion: the ideal size for a high school is between 600 and 900 students. While I have no studies to back me up, I've worked in small high schools, and I agree. I think that from the standpoint of the welfare of the kids - which really should be uppermost in all considerations - smaller schools are superior. I am constantly amazed at the number of jumbo-sized high schools in America. Sure, they are a football coach's dream - a chance to have a team with 100 or so kids on the sideline on Friday night - but is there any other advantage to the super-sized school? What about the kids? I mean, one 2000-student school could have been two 1,000-student schools. True, it would mean twice as many administrators, but it would also mean twice as many sports teams, with twice as many opportunities for kids to play (not to mention twice as many coaching opportunities). Supposedly it is cost-effective to have bigger schools, but if cost is the determining factor in educating our kids, maybe we should be looking into ways to have the Chinese do it for us. *********** Coach- On your way to Texas be sure to swing through Holstein. I would be ready and willing to go. It is sad that society has become this way, and maybe it is time for us as football coaches (or anyone who coaches in general), who are underpaid (yet do not care about money) to send a message to parents who have a problem with us, and are far, far beyond the line of decency. I am in. Is this the reason we got into coaching? Johnny didn't play enough, you deprived him of his right as an upperclassman, blah. blah, blah. Best 11 play at G-H. That will NEVER change. Performance is all that matters to me. If some stupid parent wants to shoot me for that, so be it! But they better be prepared, as I own guns as well! (kidding, of course) Brad Knight, Galva-Holstein HS, Holstein, Iowa (Later- He killed himself...guess we are saved the trip to Texas. I bet he read your website after he did it and knew we were coming...) *********** Coach -- Coach Kinne (the Texas coach who was shot) is a former Mesquite Coach -- a very good guy who Coached on the 16-0 state championship team with my buddy who went to Tyler - Chapel Hill. Hes now the AD and HFC in Canton, where Joan and I purchased our farm..very small E. Texas town..the type of place you could call home. I met Coach Kinne at a clinic, and hes a real good guy. Keep he and his family in your prayers. Seems like Coaches need to receive combat pay these days! geeze... I'm sure they have a small army protecting him -- West Texas boys are quiet and tough -- like leather -- They'd sit back and let the law hand out the justice unless it wasn't "justice".. But East Texas boys are Just crazy! Maybe it's because they're so close to Louisiana, I dunno -- but there's no tellin' what they'd do to him if they got their hands on him! Scott Barnes, Rockwall, Texas *********** Coach, I would like to go to Texas with you. Would it be possible to send some administrators into the same room? Arnold Wardwell, Umatilla, OR *********** Coach, I've had regrets about not making the choice to serve my country in the military. Maybe joining you in Texas would fill the void I feel. Count me in. Mike Waters, La Joya HS, Phoenix, Arizona *********** I am still for going after this guy's ass, but on second thought, maybe we should start with the principal who knew that this guy had made death threats and did nothing about it. Shame on these spineless jellyfish who wash their hands of these matters and leave their coaches and teachers at the mercy of sociopaths like this guy. HW *********** It used to be that if guys were coasting in practice, coaches would assign them extra work. At one of the places where I've coached, we called such opportunities "bonuses." If a guy screwed up or broke a minor rule, or just loafed or failed to pay attention, we told him, "you've got bonus," and as soon as practice ended, while everyone else headed in, he'd go off with one of the coaches - and whatever other offenders there were - and perform his "bonus" chores. We've had kids do up-downs, or bear crawls. Or we've had them run a couple lengths of the field, doing a somersault every ten yards. One especially disliked bonus was "polishing the sled." (We had a cinder track around our practice field, so two guys would "polish" the bottom of the two-man Crowther sled.) At Arkansas, Coach Houston Nutt had his malingerers wear pink shirts. Oooh-whee. Did he get in trouble. Just as gays have pretty much taken over the "rainbow" (not to mention the word "gay"), breast cancer charities have appropriated the color pink, and Nutt got several calls from people offended by his "misuse" of a color. Coach Nutt, knowing when he is in a fight he can't win, has discontinued the use of pink jerseys. "The use of the pink jerseys was something we did to get the players' attention and give them a little extra motivation," he said. "It was never meant to discredit anyone and that color will no longer be used." Coach Nutt said several Arkansas football players have volunteered at the local Race for the Cure and that urged other Arkansans to continue to support Breast Cancer charities. *********** Old joke: Q. What are a redneck's last words? A. "Hey, y'all - watch this!" Virginia Beach police are kept plenty busy during the summer dealing with young people's indiscretions, so last summer it seemed like a routine stop when they noticed a young man staggering out of Chicho's, a bar on Atlantic Avenue, the city's main oceanfront thoroughfare. But what he told them led to an investigation which could result in Chicho's losing its license. He had, he told police, snorted salt, hot sauce and grain alcohol (I couldn't find out whether he did so separately or as a "mixed drink"); he'd been stapled with "an industrial strength staple gun" on his chest, stomach, buttocks, legs, back and - no doubt at least part of the reason why he was staggering - scrotum; he'd drunk "residual alcohol" (discarded drinks); he'd done a back flip off the stage, which had resulted in a broken collarbone; he'd made "snow angels" on puddles of urine on the restroom floor; he'd had his head shaved into a Mohawk by bar employees; he'd let another customer break a beer bottle over his head; and he'd been shot repeatedly with paint balls. Frozen paint balls. All to win a trip for two to Mexico. Now, Chicho's faces the possible loss of its license for various liquor law violations. And after all those "Jackass" stunts, the poor chump missed out on his trip to Mexico, anyhow. With an act like that, he thought he'd nailed it. Er, stapled it. But it turned out that at 21, he was too young to win the contest, advertised for entrants from 25 to 65. Oh, well - he would have had a hassle at the airport explaining the metal in his scrotum to the TSA folks. But after all he went through, if they weren't going to give him the trip, the least the guys at Chico's could have done was give him the rights to market the DVD. *********** Football Soviet Style... (Or, what American football will look like when the NFL takeover is complete) Coach, This is getting really out of hand. The Edmond, OK youth football legue is attempting to adopt a new policy aimed at making an "even playing field" and eliminating offenses which "win games because they use offenses no one else runs". The new rules will require that each team runs either a 3-3 or 4-3 defense and a spread, west coast, or I formation offense. On top of that you must use the league's pre fabricated playbook. (The A-holes actually tell you what plays to run and how to block them!) They give you pre designed blitz packages that each team can run. This is meant to "eliminate advantages gained by coaching strategy and allow the players to win or lose based on their abilities". In other words last year they got a look at something they hadn't seen and they couldn't stop it, so instead of figuring out how to keep us from running it down their throats, they will outlaw "unconventional and outdated offenses which don't promote the modern game". I'm glad I got out of the league when I could. Gabe McCown, Piedmont, OK-USA *********** Dear Coach, Hello again from Turkey! I haven't been able to write for quite awhile, but I do regularly follow your news section whenever I can. Hope eveything's allright with you. In our third year running the double-wing here, we've come quite a long way. However, injuries have hurt us quite a lot this year, possibly due to not being able to train on a proper field. We have come to use the wedge much less after the "helping the runner" penalties last year, and &endash; due to not practicing it as much &endash; are not that good at it. It is still there when we need it though, and just the fact that all opposing teams still expect it, with some linemen falling to the ground on every play, it makes other plays like 38G-O-REACH operate much better. Over the last year we've added 43 tackle-trap, 3brown-O, and 7brown-O to our playlist. 43 tackle trap, i believe, has averaged about 30+ yards the three times we've called it. On throwback passes to our tight end, he's all alone when he catches the ball, if only I could get it in the QB'S mind that he should hit the TE on the run! (Most times he had to turn back to get the ball) Our record right now is 4-1, but it should've been 5-0. In a very close game against a rival for the playoff spot, we played poorly on defense giving up runs for long yards. At the last minute we had a chance to finish it from their 4-yard line. It was 2nd down, and REACH plays had been working all day, and the defense was expecting an up the middle run. We ran 29G-O-REACH. Our substitute fullback bumped into the quarterback, and we lost the fumble. It was a disappointing score for us, since we needed that win to make the playoff spot. We can still make the playoffs with good performances from our next few games, so we are still working on it. What is most remarkable is that, in our next game, which we won 38-8, we calculated that compared to last year, we were &endash; at times &endash; playing with our 7th and 8th wings, and our 3rd fullback. Yet the system &endash; with the line pretty much intact &endash; was still on roll. I doubt that this would be very possible in any other system. Just a couple of weeks ago, I saw the other division's champion of last year pass 40+ times a game, since they had lost their 2 runningbacks to injuries, and lose to a much weaker opponent. And this with a squad of 47 players, we have 30 players, about 7 of which are now injured, and still find a way to go. For this, I take every chance to congratulate my players on a job well done. I will be leaving to complete my military service as of April 12. I will follow my teams progress over the following weeks, and I hope I can provide you with much more pleasant news. Regards, Kerem Ates, Gazi Warriors, Ankara - Turkey *********** It used to be a big deal to be awarded the game ball. ("The" game ball. "The," as in "the only one.") And many's the pro athlete who has worked free agency to get himself into a better chance to "get a ring." (As in "a championship ring," the kind of thing presented to the athletes and coaches as a memento of their great accomplishment.) If you thought it was absurd when you heard that NFL teams give out dozens of game balls after every game, you will laugh out loud when you hear that the Red Sox have ordered 500 (that's FIVE HUNDRED, not fifty) World Series rings. FIVE HUNDRED WORLD SERIES RINGS? Are you sh---ing me? I guess this is what happens when the players' union IS so busy defending drug users that it doesn't have time to defend the integrity of the very prize it players play for. Just one more example of how we cheapen the real prizes with Trophies For Everybody. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to have to order football letters for our cheerleaders. *********** Mike Lude, former AD at Washington and then at Auburn, was Dave Nelson's line coach at Maine and then at Delaware, which really makes him the co-inventor of the Delaware Wing-T. (Read THE FIRST WING-T LINE COACH IN HISTORY) Mike's recently-released book, "Walking the Line," is a great read. From his boyhood in rural Western Michigan, to his playing days at Hillsdale College, from his service in the Marine Corps to his joining Dave Nelson as his right hand man, from his first - and only - head coaching job at Colorado State to his second career as an AD, starting at Kent State and moving to Washington and then to Auburn, Mike has seen it all, and he tells about it in a way that is both interesting and informative. Here's how to order a copy - go to www.huskyfever.com and down at the bottom right, look for "Walking the Line.") *********** The 2004 Madison High Highlights tape is now ready to ship. It runs about an hour and a forty minutes, and includes hundreds of plays from this past season, in which he turned a program that had gone 0-9, 1-8 and 2-7 into a 7-2 season. (MADISON HIGH, 2004)The real significance of our success, I think, is the way we were able to make use of the kids that we had. We were not overly talented, but we had a very tough, hard-working, unselfish group of kids, a few of them with unique gifts, and I think we coaches did a great job of putting them all in the right places - places where they could enjoy the most individual success, and at the same time make the greatest contribution to the team. I also think we did a great job of zeroing in on what it was that these particular kids did best, and not letting ourselves get too far from the basic plan. There is a certain emphasis on the "Multiple Wing" - you will notice that we did not remain in one formation - we ran at least one play from at least 20 different formations - but at the same time you will notice that we did not run a great number of different plays. (For example, you will be interested, I think, to see how many different ways you can employ "power" blocking.) If you are a Double-Wing coach or if you are even thinking of using some Double-Wing in your program, I think this tape will open your eyes. To order a copy of the tape, send $29.95 (check, money order or school P.O.) to Coach Hugh Wyatt - 1503 NE 6th Ave - Camas, WA 98607   "The Beast Was out There," by General James E. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about. --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN - RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2005 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD (FOR MORE INFO)

(UPDATED WHENEVER I FEEL LIKE IT - BUT USUALLY ON TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS) April 8, 2005   "I am a soldier. I fight where I am told, and I win where I fight."  General George S. Patton Jr    2004 CLINIC PHOTOS :ATLANTA CHICAGO TWIN CITIES DURHAM PHILADELPHIA PROVIDENCE DETROIT DENVER NORTHERN CAL Click Here ----------->> <<----------- Click Here OUR SEASON - MADISON HS - PORTLAND, OREGON, 2004 A VISIT TO WEST POINT, NOVEMBER, 2004      NEW!A LIST OF SOME OF 2004'S TOP DOUBLE-WING HS TEAMS NEXT CLINIC- PHILADELPHIA --- for more info - 2005 Clinics *********** CLINIC UPDATES--- Next up will be Philadelphia, this Saturday, April 9 and Providence on April 16. Guest speakers at the Philadelphia clinic will be Jason Clarke, whose Millersville Wolverines 7th-8th grade team has won numerous Baltimore-area championships; Tim McAneney, of Bishop Eustace Prep in Pennsauken, New Jersey, whose program is on the climb as part of a massive turnaround; and Jack Tourtillotte, from Boothbay Harbor, Maine, who knows a thing or two about a turnaround, having taken the local high school program from near-extinction to a perennial state power. And there is a good chance that I can persuade Frank Simonsen to say a few words. Frank has been a very successful youth coach in Cape May, New Jersey for some 30 years, and he's still able to tell about it. Guest speakers at Providence will be John Irion, of Queensbury, New York High who has twice taken his team to the state final game; Mike Pucko, of Worcester, Mass., who turned around the West Boylston High program, and has the distinction of coaching the winning side (using the Double Wing) in the state All-Star game; and Bill Mignault, of Ledyard, Connecticut, winningest coach in Connecticut football history. Bill has been a high school coach since 1958, and he's been head coach at Ledyard since 1966. He has 295 wins, and his Colonels won state titles in 1986, 1991 and 1993. The day after the clinic, Bill will be presented with the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance's prestigious Gold Key Award. NOTE: I will be back East until the 19th, so if you're planning on attending the Philadelphia or Providence clinics and haven't sent in your registration fees yet, you can, if you wish, pay $75 at the door at both places. If you have sent out orders for materials in the last few days, I regret to say that they won't be shipped until my return. *********** The highlight of the Raleigh-Durham as far as I was concerned was the news that Eddie Cahoon might be returning to coaching. Eddie was head coach at little Mattamuskeet High in Swan Quarter, North Carolina, about as far east as you can get in Carolina without being on the Outer Banks. Eddie built a good, solid program at Mattamuskeet, coaching both the middle school and high school programs, running the weight room, and even sriving the bus - not only to and from away games, but also picking up kids for summer weight training and then delivering them home afterwards. Since he left Mattamuskeet a few years ago, they've had their problems on the field, and should the school board approve his rehiring, he'll have his work cut out for him. But if anybody can get the job done there, it's Eddie Cahoon. *********** When the ACC gears up this fall, North Carolina State will be ready. They are in the process of completing a 7,000 seat enlargement of Carter-Finley Stadium, along with a massive new press box and - naturally - "enhanced seating," for big donors. New capacity will be around 58,000. Not bad for a school that from 1954 through 1965 never played more than four home games because its stadium was so small. Don't know where they get their money - probably from those folks who'll be sitting in the new luxury seats - but they have a football center that is as good as it gets. The lobby portion is your basic "hall of fame" museum, with a very nice theatre where fans can sit and watch videos of NC State football history, and one very well done take-off on "24", taking the viewer from 8 PM Friday night before a game to 7 PM following the game. Outside the entrance to the football center is a most impressive sculpture of a pack of wolves, emblematic of the NC State nickname (Wolfpack). The new NC State Press Box and "Enhanced Seating" The Front of the NC State Football Center, and the Wolfpack Sculpture The new NC State Press Box Structure - Side View The NC State Football Center looms over the south end zone *********** Nehemiah Ingram is evidently not a very good basketball player. True, he was on the team at Temple University, but his coach, John Chaney, probably said more than he intended to when he referred to Ingram as a "goon," an old basketball term for a guy useful mainly as a mugger. Chaney put him into a game against St. Joe's, probably with instructions to mix things up, and presto - within minutes, Ingram had four fouls, one of which broke a St. Joe's kid's arm. But Nehemiah Ingram, whose basketball talents were publicly ridiculed by his coach, not a hopeless case. He is 6-8, 275 and not without athletic ability, and he's going to give Temple football a try this spring. Good decision. My question is - how many more are there like him? How many more big kids, who could probably have been good football players, but instead are wasting their wasting time on basketball teams whose coaches have no plans for them other than to use them as goons? How many great tight ends are sitting the bench on college basketball teams? And more to the point, how many of these kids were persuaded not to play high school football because they might get hurt and jeopardize their basketball "careers?" For that matter, if basketball coaches want goons, why don't they encourage them to play football? Wouldn't that make them better goons? *********** So Hanoi Jane Fonda is concerened about her legacy. (She is also interested in hyping sales of her new book.) She evidently thinks that people will forgive her for her treasonous activity during the Vietnam War. Let others forgive her. I say, f--k her. I well remember "AH-thuh" ("Arthur" in New Englandese), a crusty old New Hampshirite whom I met back in 1981. AH-thuh was a business acquaintance of my college roommate, and he had a beautiful home on Lake Winnipesaukee. Tied up to his dock was a vintage mahogany Chris-Craft speedboat, and when I commented on it, AH-thuh laughed heartily. He said that when they had been filming "On Golden Pond" nearby, the film's producers approached him about using his boat for some key scenes. It was just what they were looking for. Being a cagey Yankee businessman, AH-thu shook hands on the deal, and then happened to ask who was in the movie. "Henry and Jane Fonda," they told him. "JANE FONDA?" he shouted. "That goddamn commie? Nothing doing." *********** Reaqding that General Mills had entered into a deal with Major League Baseball to put baseball players on Wheaties boxes, Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle said that there were more appropriate cereals, and suggested a few: Cheaties Puffed Sluggers... Dirty Trix... Frosted Fans... Shredded Grand Jury Trancsripts 'n' Honey... Surly-O's... Sugar-Coated Alibis... Fruit Loopholes... Uncle Bud's Honey Bunches of Baloney... Great Toasted Balls o' Fire... I Can't Believe It's Not HGH... SpongeBob DropPants... *********** When it comes to their kid's education, Americans sure do talk the talk. Schools aren't doing their jobs, teachers are doing the jobs, blah, blah, blah. But keep an eye on those same parents when education conflicts with the kids' sports ("He didn't have time to do his homework because he had a soccer game last night and we didn't get home till late"). And never - never - will they allow school to take precedence over their vacation plans. A couple of weeks ago, I flew to LA. It was Friday, late in the morning - not normally a busy time of day in the Portland Airport, - but the Alaska Air Lines ticket counters were jammed. Mostly, the crowd was made up of families with little kids, headed for places south - Disneyland, and various Mexican resort destinations. Only one problem - Friday was a school day for those kids. Spring break didn't officially start until the end of the school day. *********** I had a nice visit Wednesday with Joe Miller, a Cornell grad who is actively involved involved with the National Football Foundation chapter in Richmond, and is working to establish a chapter in the Tidewater (Norfolk-Newport News-Hampton-Virginia Beach) area of Virginia. If there is anyone reading this who is interested in helping get a chapter involved there, as well as in Northern Virginia, contact me - coachwyatt@aol.com *********** I got this from a coach whose name and location must be kept a secret. It is NOT a put-on. Minutes from last PTSA MEETING. Concerns presented at meeting. * _____________________said that a few parents have approached her about some concerns with coaches. Two parents briefed the PTSA on their concerns with coaches who belittle and put down the students on teams. * A long discussion took place outlining concerns by parents on how coaches are made accountable, should there be more parental involvement, can coaches be suspended, and how coaches are selected. * _______________said that it often is hard because most complaints come at the end of the season instead of during the season. He suggested that parents need to gather information and present it formally. There is a process which involves meeting with the Asst. Superintendent and confronting the issues. * ____________ mentioned that she has heard that some students are frustrated, too. Often people are reluctant to say anything during the season for fear that playing time will be affected, * _______________suggested that a Parent and Student survey be established to see how things are going across the board. Perhaps the Booster Club can coordinate it. Attendees felt that this idea would be a good way for all coaches to see that teams can win with positive coaching. ____________ will look into this idea. *********** Hello Coach. Great news section. Your quote by GT. coach really drives home what I'm living by here. Ref to coach getting in trouble by saying get your black ass in the huddle. I must be getting older just turned 46 in March. I'm thinking a lot about the past. In Auburndale Ele School from 1st to 6th grade we had a PE teacher named Archie Chesnau.Best darn PE program in the county. For track he built parallel bars, horse, tumbling,etc.Best competitions in all sports. His favorite was flag football. This man developed a PE program that up to this day I have not seen anything come close to. He was a former Marine and knew how to boom his voice. He would call some of us,"Cuban Clown," when we really pissed him off. Sit us under a tree and would not let us participate. Best athletes in area always would be proud to say they came from Auburndale Elem.Always,always he would introduce us to college players, All City, All State players who would always come back to see Mr. Chesnau. Point is that I grew up without a father at home. I looked at Mr. Chesnau like the stern, loving, guiding man I yearned for. Looked up to him. Would welcome his yelling at me and most of all his walking towards the tree to talk to me and then letting me participate again. We have killed the Mr. Chesnaus in our country. We are suffering for it, and will continue to. The good that Mr. Chesnau did for me and many others was appreciated by my single Mom. I told her once that Mr. Chesnau called me a Cuban clown. She said well you are Cuban, And you can be a clown sometimes so you were a Cuban clown.Period. After already being a grown man I was out and about. I saw Mr. Chesnau.Called his name. He smiled and greeted me.My eyes watered. We are killing that.See you soon God willing, Armando Castro, Roanoke, Virginia (Great story. Most of us your age or older have at least one Archie Cheslau, and we are killing them off. Actually, what's killing them offr are the weenie mothers who want to protect their little babies at all costs, and furthermore, if there isn't a man in their kids' lives, they don't want one. Who needs men? HW) *********** Our backs are running too wide on the Super Power (1) Make their motion more shallow by having them aim at the B-back's heels (assuming the B-back's depth is correct) (2) Try running it with very little motion - or without out any motion (3) Tell your back to try to push with his inside hand on the back of the pulling tackle or the QB *********** Coach what would you do about this email I received? It really bothers me because I have kept a lot of players. I thought the football in general would be good for them. We compete in 2 exhibition tourneys that everyone plays in. I tell the kids right from the start that the best 11 will be on the field when it counts. If we are up by lots we play everyone. The problem this year is every game was within 10 points. I guess I am wondering if I should cut down to a roster where more kids will play or do I continue to carry a big squad where maybe some kids don't play as often as they like. Do I really need this hassle? This kind of thing gives you a kick in the pants you don't expect. From: (Address Withheld) ya know that you benched soooo many people thats why i and about 15 other people arent playing next year ! for myself and a few others we didn't even play in 1 regular or playoff game. to tell you the truth after each and every game i would come and wheap in spite of my self. YOU ARE NOT A REAL PERSON! how can you look in the mirrior! I HATE YOU! YOU SHOULD DIE BY GETTING RUN OVER BY A MAC TRUCK SEVRAL TIMES! I WISH YOU NOTHING BUT A THOUSAND DEATHS IN HELL ! AND MOST OF ALL YOU SUCK AS NOT ONLY A PERSON BUT AS A COACH UP YOURS DIE IN HELL SH-- HEAD FOR A THOUSAND AGOGONIZINGLY PAINFULL DEATHS IN HELL ,YOURS TRULY THE BENCH WARMERS Hmmm. I suspect that if you knew who he was, you would admit that this is not the first inkling you had that this guy is a pain in the ass. Above a certain number, the additional members of a squad are almost sure to be malcontents.   I do not relish the thought of having to deal with a large, bloated squad. My personal feeling over the years has been that I wasn't excited about keeping kids who did not have a reasonable expectation of playing.   Put it this way - if the highway is already at capacity, will extra cars on the road make the drive home more pleasant for everyone? Have you ever been at an airport when they announced that a flight was overbooked?   The problem is that this is exactly what school administrators want. They like the idea of seeing large numbers of kids running around on the practice field. It gives them a statistic to brag about. They are doing their share to prevent dropouts.   Unfortunately, this translates to a lot of discontent. In a day and age in which kids transfer when they're told they won't start, you can imagine the anger and frustration generated by not even playing, or not playing very much. I have always insisted on an "everyone plays" policy below the varsity level - certainly not at the varsity level - but even that didn't mean "everyone plays the same" or "everyone plays as much as he wants."   High school sports is often the first time, for many kids, that they run into something other than the feel-good, socialistic "trophies for everybody" policies that have guided their education and sports up to that point - and they don't know how to deal with it.   All they know is that the coach has screwed them over.   I guess that all you can do is stress your policies, right up-front, and let them know that playing time is scarce, and it has to be distributed on the basis of merit.   But I don't necessarily think that kids will gain the benefits of football just by being around.   I have NO patience with seniors who are turning out for the first time and expecting to play. I'd like to say to them, "ahead of whom?" Ahead of other seniors who have already worked for three or four years, often as the lowest on the food chain? Ahead of promising young players, who represent the future of our program?   It sounds like the whining of "the poorest among us," who have been convinced by shameless politicians that they deserve a tax refund - even if they haven't paid any taxes.   You are not paid enough - nobody is - to have to deal with crap like that. It is not a reflection on you. It is a reflection on a society that breeds the sort of people who believe that they somehow are entitled to whatever they want, whenever they want it.   Recruit for character. Coach the kids you want to coach.   And by all means - identify anybody like this guy and get rid of him. He sounds dangerous.   Actually, based on his what I've seen of his writing skills, I strongly recommend he forego football next fall and get some tutoring.   *********** Coach Wyatt,   Since you're coming to Philly this week I thought you might find this interesting.   Have you heard that Terrell Owens is now NOT happy with his 7 year $48 million dollar contract (which included a 10 million dollar bonus) that he signed last season?   I guess he'll try to tell us that he can't possibly feed his family on such a poor salary. Unbelievable!   Didn't Joe Paterno once say that no man is worth a million dollars???   I wonder what Joe's thoughts would be on Mr. Owens' current dilemma??? Hmmmm.   Mike Lane, Oxford, Pennaylvania   *********** Anybody want to join me on a trip to Texas?   I think we could persuade the taxpayers of the Lone Star State that they could save themselves a whole lot of money and effort if they'd just turn that motherf--ker who shot the high school football coach over to us for a couple of hours.   Yeah, yeah, I know - "don't be a vigilante... don't take the law into your own hands... blah, blah, blah."   Sorry - this one is different. Sports parents are out of control in this country, and somebody needs to send them a message - a very strong message - and I volunteer to help deliver it.   If this works, we could be on call to go anywhere we're needed - anywhere an out-of-control parent is making a football coach's life miserable.   Who's with me?   *********** Stephen R. Lewis, the president of Carleton College, in Minnesota, has proposed a new NCAA division for liberal arts colleges. He says that the nature of Division III creates imbalance between certain schools who approach competitive sports differently from smaller, more academically focused colleges. "If you're running a liberal-arts college," he said, "you don't want to have people on buses or on planes all the time, sitting around in airports when they should be back on campus." The proposed new division would require a commitment to liberal arts education, a maximum number of students, and "similar admissions standards for athletes and the general student body." *********** Mike Lude, former AD at Washington and then at Auburn, was Dave Nelson's line coach at Maine and then at Delaware, which really makes him the co-inventor of the Delaware Wing-T. (Read THE FIRST WING-T LINE COACH IN HISTORY) Mike's recently-released book, "Walking the Line," is a great read. From his boyhood in rural Western Michigan, to his playing days at Hillsdale College, from his service in the Marine Corps to his joining Dave Nelson as his right hand man, from his first - and only - head coaching job at Colorado State to his second career as an AD, starting at Kent State and moving to Washington and then to Auburn, Mike has seen it all, and he tells about it in a way that is both interesting and informative. Here's how to order a copy - go to www.huskyfever.com and down at the bottom right, look for "Walking the Line.") *********** The 2004 Madison High Highlights tape is now ready to ship. It runs about an hour and a forty minutes, and includes hundreds of plays from this past season, in which he turned a program that had gone 0-9, 1-8 and 2-7 into a 7-2 season. (MADISON HIGH, 2004)The real significance of our success, I think, is the way we were able to make use of the kids that we had. We were not overly talented, but we had a very tough, hard-working, unselfish group of kids, a few of them with unique gifts, and I think we coaches did a great job of putting them all in the right places - places where they could enjoy the most individual success, and at the same time make the greatest contribution to the team. I also think we did a great job of zeroing in on what it was that these particular kids did best, and not letting ourselves get too far from the basic plan. There is a certain emphasis on the "Multiple Wing" - you will notice that we did not remain in one formation - we ran at least one play from at least 20 different formations - but at the same time you will notice that we did not run a great number of different plays. (For example, you will be interested, I think, to see how many different ways you can employ "power" blocking.) If you are a Double-Wing coach or if you are even thinking of using some Double-Wing in your program, I think this tape will open your eyes. To order a copy of the tape, send $29.95 (check, money order or school P.O.) to Coach Hugh Wyatt - 1503 NE 6th Ave - Camas, WA 98607   "The Beast Was out There," by General James E. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about. --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN - RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2005 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD (FOR MORE INFO)

(UPDATED WHENEVER I FEEL LIKE IT - BUT USUALLY ON TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS) April 5, 2005   "Football is one of our great American games. It is the duty and responsibility of each of us to see that it is kept in its proper perspective, and that it is protected. We should see that it is used to attain the objectives that mean so much to our way of life."  Coach Bobby Dodd, Georgia Tech's greatest coach (1945-1966)    2004 CLINIC PHOTOS :ATLANTA CHICAGO TWIN CITIES DURHAM PHILADELPHIA PROVIDENCE DETROIT DENVER NORTHERN CAL Click Here ----------->> <<----------- Click Here OUR SEASON - MADISON HS - PORTLAND, OREGON, 2004 A VISIT TO WEST POINT, NOVEMBER, 2004      NEW!A LIST OF SOME OF 2004'S TOP DOUBLE-WING HS TEAMS NEXT CLINIC- RALEIGH-DURHAM --- for more info - 2005 Clinics *********** CLINIC UPDATES--- Next up will be Philadelphia, this Saturday, April 9 and Providence on April 16. Guest speakers at the Philadelphia clinic will be Jason Clarke, whose Millersville Wolverines 7th-8th grade team has won numerous Baltimore-area championships; Tim McAneney, of Bishop Eustace Prep in Pennsauken, New Jersey, whose program is on the climb as part of a massive turnaround; and Jack Tourtillotte, from Boothbay Harbor, Maine, who knows a thing or two about a turnaround, having taken the local high school program from near-extinction to a perennial state power. And there is a good chance that I can persuade Frank Simonsen to say a few words. Frank has been a very successful youth coach in Cape May, New Jersey for some 30 years, and he's still able to tell about it. Guest speakers at Providence will be John Irion, of Queensbury, New York High who has twice taken his team to the state final game; Mike Pucko, of Worcester, Mass., who turned around the West Boylston High program, and has the distinction of coaching the winning side (using the Double Wing) in the state All-Star game; and Bill Mignault, of Ledyard, Connecticut, winningest coach in Connecticut football history. Bill has been a high school coach since 1958, and he's been head coach at Ledyard since 1966. He has 295 wins, and his Colonels won state titles in 1986, 1991 and 1993. The day after the clinic, Bill will be presented with the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance's prestigious Gold Key Award. NOTE: I will be back East until the 19th, so if you're planning on attending the Philadelphia or Providence clinics and haven't sent in your registration fees yet, you can, if you wish, pay $75 at the door at both places. If you have sent out orders for materials in the last few days, I regret to say that they won't be shipped until my return. *********** Coach Wyatt - Coach Steve Smith is one of my New icons !!! That was great, he is 110% correct. My Gym teacher in HS who was a veteran H.S. football coach in the area for years, once told me, No matter what position the position coach coaches, If it's one kid or two kids that struggle , it MAY be the kid, But if it's the entire unit struggling ( O-line,Backfield,D-backs,etc) it is most likely the Coach. Coach What the hell is going on out in the Left coast ? I knew you guy's out there were a little flakey, but that principal at McKay high is an out and out screw ball !! is this the same Home state of an American Hero, Nate Sassaman ? Say It ain't so ? I thought we were bad out hear in the Peoples Republic WoW !!! Also Coach too bad Pope John Paul is about to check out (written Friday. HW) again one of my all-time Heroes,when he first took office he told that No Good Irish bleeding Heart Liberal Father Drinan ( Only In Massachusetts Do we Vote a Catholic Liberal Priest to Congress ), to make a Choice - He either serves Congress Or Serves the Vatican But he CAN'T do both !!! John Muckian, Lynn, Massachusetts *********** On the subject of the Pope... I am not a Catholic. But at a time when our popular media has so debased itself that dignity has no meaning , at a time when we hunger for leaders of integrity in politics, in business, in education - in the United Nations, for God's sake - Pope John Paul, a man of great dignity and integrity, was a living symbol of what we all could be. *********** I always look forward to our spring trip to North Carolina. It's a chance to see our daughter and son-in-law, both Duke grads who liked the Durham area enough to settle here when they married, and, of course, our three grandsons. And there aren't many places prettier than North Carolina in the spring. I'm not the biggest fan of hot weather, but springtime around here is awesome. I like to visit the Duke campus. It's always beautiful, but I think it's at is best in the spring. The basketball team is finished, of course - much to the delight of the fans of the University of North Carolina, just 15 miles away. (I don't think there's a more bitter rivalry in all of college basketball.) But there are lots of other things going on - there was a lacrosse game against Ohio State, and Sunday we caught a women's tennis match against Florida State. There's a lot to be said for living near a major college, especially one that's as accessible as Duke. I believe I've written before about my love of barbecue. (In the South, "barbecue" is a noun - it's the stuff you eat, and not the way you cook something. You don't invite a southerner over for "a barbecue." But you might invite him over for "barbecue." (If you understand that, you're probably a Southerner.) Best barbecue in Durham is either Bullock's, Dillard's, or a relatively new place called the "Q Shack." Best breakfast by far (if you're not yet at the stage in like where you listen to the doctor about what you should eat) is at Biscuitville, an appropriately-named place that serves almost anything on a biscuit - sausage patty, ham, bacon, smoked sausage, steak (chicken fried), pork chop (fried or grilled) and fried chicken - plus any of the foregoing with egg (fried or scrambled). Plus, of course, grits. The big news this time was that they've brought back the "breakfast bowl," layers of grits, scrambled eggs and cheese, topped off with a sausage patty. Biscuitville is just a local chain, with several locations around Durham, but such is its appeal to Durhamites that it has been in business since I started coming down here to visit almost 20 years ago. The key to its success is, naturally, the biscuits, and every store has a window through which the customers waiting in line to place their orders can watch them being made - by hand. On the wall, the owner, a man named Maurice Jennings, explained how he came by his buscuit recipe: it seems that when his elderly grandmother was nearing the end, she called him and his brother over to her bedside, and taking each of them in her hands, said, "I want to leave what I have to you two boys. One of you can have my biscuit recipe, and one of you can have the farm. Maurice, you're the oldest, so you can choose first." Maurice replied, "Grandmother, I'll take the biscuit recipe." *********** This was the first time I'd taken the time to look at Duke's relatively new Yoh Football Center, donated by a wealthy Philadelphia couple named Yoh. (I laughed to think of the problems a person with that last name would have had growing up in Philadelphia, where long before the hip-hoppers discovered it, "Yo!" was a uniquely-Philadelphia exclamation with an assortment of uses.) Outside the building is one of those plazas paved by bricks with peoples' names embossed in them - one of the more clever fund-raising devices to come down the pike. After a bit of searching, I came across not one, but three bricks dedicated to the memory of Bob Brodhead, Class of '59. Bob was my boss with the Portland Thunder. He later became Joe Robbie's financial assistant with the Miami Dolphins, where he offered me a job I wasn't able to accept, and then he became Athletic Director at LSU, where I spent a summer interning. Bob's career at LSU was controversial, to say the least, but he is the reason why LSU baseball and women's basketball are what they are today. He hired baseball coach Skip Bertman, easily one of the best coaches in the history of college baseball (Skip's now the AD at LSU) and he hired Sue Gunter, who built the women's program. And he helped restore some luster to the LSU football program by hiring Bill Arnsparger to coach the Tigers. Under Bob's leadership, LSU won the Bernie Moore Trophy given for all-around excellence in athletics, and in 1986 (I think it was) LSU became one of the few colleges ever to achieve the men's sports trifecta - a football bowl game (Liberty Bowl), a basketball Final Four appearance, and a College World Series. But Bob didn't understand the way politics works in Louisiana (who does?) and he got himself into some serious problems at LSU, many of them of his own making. He was fired, and wrote a book about his experiences at LSU, entitled "Sacked." He later served briefly as AD at Southeast Louisiana, but Bob had spent his whole life aiming for the Big Time, and he couldn't deal with the fact that for all his ability, after the LSU experience he just wasn't ever going to make his way back to the top. Embittered and disillusioned, he went into a tailspin. He left his wife, the mother of his three kids, for another woman, and his life went all to hell from there. Bob died of cancer in 2000. Before all of that, though, Bob was a football player. He was a high school all-star at Kitanning, Pennsylvania High, and he starred at Duke under the great Bill Murray. His understudy one season was a red-head named Sonny Jurgensen. (Duke was pretty good back then.) After Duke, he played briefly with the Buffalo Bills and then in Canada, then got a job with a Philadelphia accounting firm and played minor-league professional football in the Continental Football League for a team called the Philadelphia Bulldogs, coached by Wayne Hardin, and possibly the best non-NFL pro team ever to take the field. That led to a shot with the Cleveland Browns, which wound up with his accepting a job as their business manager. Bob spent nearly ten years with the Browns as Art Modell's right-hand man, although at one point he left to become GM of the Houston Oilers, a post he held for exactly 24 hours before resigning and returning to Cleveland. (Some guys figured out quicker than others that working for Bud Adams was not going to be pleasant). After spending a year working for a Phoenix adverstising magnate trying - unsuccessfully - to land a new NFL franchise for Phoenix, in 1975 he was hired as GM by the Portland franchise in the reorganized World Football League, and he hired me. That was 30 years ago this May, and it seems like yesterday. *********** The NCAA gouges fans for tickets to the Final Four, sits them high in the upper reaches of stadia better suited for football - and then screws them by prohibiting any replays on the Jumbotron screens, (for fear that the fans might become enraged at the officials and shower them with their $7 soft drinks). And now, after having gouged CBS for the rights to televise the tournament, the NCAA also wants to make sure that the folks at home stay chilled, too. Has anybody else noticed the total absence of meaningful replays during the Final Four? Whenever there was a controversial play on the floor that we all wanted to know more about, the only "replay" we'd get was an action video - mini-highlights of dunks and alley-oops - with absolutely nothing pertaining to anything controversial. Lame. *********** This is late, late, LATE. My apologies. I teach in Pinellas County (Florida), have coached here for many years, scouted and helped wherever I could to help my school's team. I followed the Coach ----- Saga when it broke this past year. Coach ----- (of Lakewood High) was ...uhhh..."re-assigned to other duties" for telling a young, wandering mind to "Get [his] black ass back into the huddle!". It was my sad duty to go to Lakewood HS several times to scout the Spartans or have to go to Lakewood to scout other teams that happened to be playing the Spartans. The reason?: What has become known (to the students) as "Th' Ho' Show' ". Half time rolls around and you are subjected to the sad display of (at most) nine (!) "band members" attempting to play some musical atrocity while the surrounding "beauties" dry hump everything in sight. I do not exagerate here. Of course, every student is gawking at the embarrassment going on at the 50, laughing at this shameful exhibition. Others must turn their heads. No one says anything. Lakewood leads the county, I believe, in lockdowns and security issues. If you called the EPA, it would have to assign the school to the Toxic Waste Site List, just behind Rocky Flats or Love Canal. Of course, Coach ----- had to go. You can't just say things like that these days. Imagine! Trying to get a student's attention in a game where lack of preparation and focus could get you seriously hurt, very quickly. It's a miracle he still is allowed to work in Florida. Don't they have re-education camps for those crimes? Please don't use my name, just this once. There have been drive-by shootings at Lakewood games. I might be next.... *********** Everytime I think things are bad here out east, I read your column and say "oh well, it could be worse". You got some weird stuff happening out there! Regards, Matt Bastardi, Montgomery, New Jersey (Bad? Weird? Things are so weird in the West that I watch real easterners - The Sopranos - to try to stay in touch with sanity! HW) *********** The argument that we should have more black coaches in the NFL is normally based on the fact that since such a high percentage of the players in the NFL is black, the percentage of coaches in the league should be comparable. Just one small problem with that - white or black, there is almost no connection between playing in the NFL and coaching successfully. In fact, having played in the NFL - especially in a starring role - is almost a guarantee that you won't make it as a coach. Get this - you have to go back to 1986 to find a Super Bowl winner coached by a guy who played as much as one down in the NFL. *********** If those of you who've ever been in a discussion of abortion think that it's difficult arguing over when life begins, how about deciding when your trash is no longer yours? Back in 2000, Portland police, investigating alleged drug use by a fellow officer, found traces of drugs in her garbage. Perfectly Kosher, according to the US Supreme Courtm which in 1988 decided that police do not need a search warrant before rummaging through someone's garbage, reasoning that "people could not reasonably expect no one to go through trash left in a place accessible to everyone." But not Kosher in Oregon, whose Court of Appeals ruled that placing one's property (a garbage can) by the curb is no different from parking one's car there, and consequently, police must get a search permit to look at its contents. The officer under investigation has been off work since 2000 with a "disability" claim. *********** Rich Kallok, head football coach at St. Paul's Cretin-Derham Hall since 1989, recently announced his retirement. He will stay on as an assistant principal at the private Catholic school. HIs record of 200-65 is among the state's best, with a state title (in the state's largest class) in 1999, and second-place finishes in 1992 and 2000. Cretin-Derham Hall has been in the last 15 state tournmaments. He's had plenty of good kids, including Matt Birk, who now plays for the Vikings, and Joe Mauer, who passed up Florida State to play catcher for the Twins. He admits that. "We've had a lot of great players," he said, "but we built our program on guys who were average athletes who over-achieved, who worked very hard and who would do anything for the program." A hard man to replace? Yes and no. Sounds to me as if they might not miss a beat. Seems that Kallok's "successor" is Mike Scanlon, who has served as co-head coach since 2000. *********** For what it's worth - only two of the starters on the Final Four teams Saturday were freshmen. Only one was a sophomore. The remaining 17 were juniors and seniors. To those who predicted that the NBA's skimming off all the high school superstars, and signing other stars after a year or two would kill the college game, I can only say, "Thank you, NBA!" Why, those guys from Illinois actually pass the ball - a lot - and it doesn't even seem to matter to them who scores! *********** The Minneapolis Star-Tribune editorial page told recently of coming across a nice little essay about the values of learning music, on the Web site of a Pennsylvania music teacher. They wanted to read the essay again, but having forgotten the Web site's address, they did a Google search using a key phrase, "Music is all these things, but most of all..." They got 129 hits, which means they found the very same essay on 129 different sites. Most belonged to teachers, band directors, or schools themselves. Clearly, if the essay was something that someone on any of those sites had created, 128 of them had some attributing to do. Some had actually done so. One had attributed it to one "Daniel R. Mooney," while a few others noted the author was "Anonymous." But many did nothing to indicate in any way that the author might be someone other than themselves. Some had taken liberties with the original text. Now, then, teachers - about those kids you've been complaining about... you know, the ones you say are always lifting material off the Internet and passing it off as their own... *********** Coach Wyatt, Three reasons for this e-mail, coach. First, I wanted to let you know I enjoyed the clinic in Burbank. As did my son and the two other coaches I brought with me. Next, I don't know if you keep a address book. If so, my e-mail has been changed. I have used the old address to order videos and clinics. Thirdly, I have noticed over the last couple years that the high school at which we coach freshman football has not been nominated in the best double wing teams section of your web site. The Dominguez Dons of Compton, California were 12-2 in 2004. One of those loses was in the CIF Southern Section Division lll championship game against Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks. Also our freshman team was the Undefeated, San Gabriel Valley League Championship team (10-0). Thanks again Coach, Mike Baumann *********** Mike Lude, former AD at Washington and then at Auburn, was Dave Nelson's line coach at Maine and then at Delaware, which really makes him the co-inventor of the Delaware Wing-T. (Read THE FIRST WING-T LINE COACH IN HISTORY) Mike's recently-released book, "Walking the Line," is a great read. From his boyhood in rural Western Michigan, to his playing days at Hillsdale College, from his service in the Marine Corps to his joining Dave Nelson as his right hand man, from his first - and only - head coaching job at Colorado State to his second career as an AD, starting at Kent State and moving to Washington and then to Auburn, Mike has seen it all, and he tells about it in a way that is both interesting and informative. Here's how to order a copy - go to www.huskyfever.com and down at the bottom right, look for "Walking the Line.") *********** The 2004 Madison High Highlights tape is now ready to ship. It runs about an hour and a forty minutes, and includes hundreds of plays from this past season, in which he turned a program that had gone 0-9, 1-8 and 2-7 into a 7-2 season. (MADISON HIGH, 2004)The real significance of our success, I think, is the way we were able to make use of the kids that we had. We were not overly talented, but we had a very tough, hard-working, unselfish group of kids, a few of them with unique gifts, and I think we coaches did a great job of putting them all in the right places - places where they could enjoy the most individual success, and at the same time make the greatest contribution to the team. I also think we did a great job of zeroing in on what it was that these particular kids did best, and not letting ourselves get too far from the basic plan. There is a certain emphasis on the "Multiple Wing" - you will notice that we did not remain in one formation - we ran at least one play from at least 20 different formations - but at the same time you will notice that we did not run a great number of different plays. (For example, you will be interested, I think, to see how many different ways you can employ "power" blocking.) If you are a Double-Wing coach or if you are even thinking of using some Double-Wing in your program, I think this tape will open your eyes. To order a copy of the tape, send $29.95 (check, money order or school P.O.) to Coach Hugh Wyatt - 1503 NE 6th Ave - Camas, WA 98607   "The Beast Was out There," by General James E. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about. --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN - RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2005 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD (FOR MORE INFO)

(UPDATED WHENEVER I FEEL LIKE IT - BUT USUALLY ON TUESDAYS AND FRIDAYS) April 1, 2005   "I have not become the King's First Minister in order to preside over the liquidation of the British Empire." Winston Churchill    2004 CLINIC PHOTOS :ATLANTA CHICAGO TWIN CITIES DURHAM PHILADELPHIA PROVIDENCE DETROIT DENVER NORTHERN CAL Click Here ----------->> <<----------- Click Here OUR SEASON - MADISON HS - PORTLAND, OREGON, 2004 A VISIT TO WEST POINT, NOVEMBER, 2004      NEW!A LIST OF SOME OF 2004'S TOP DOUBLE-WING HS TEAMS NEXT CLINIC- RALEIGH-DURHAM --- for more info - 2005 Clinics *********** CLINIC UPDATES--- Next clinic will be Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina - Saturday, April 2 at the Millennium Hotel, Durham. Next up will be Philadelphia on April 9 and Providence on April 16. Guest speakers at the Philadelphia clinic will be Jason Clarke, whose Millersville Wolverines 7th-8th grade team has won numerous Baltimore-area championships; Tim McAneney, of Bishop Eustace Prep in Pennsauken, New Jersey, whose program is on the climb as part of a massive turnaround; and Jack Tourtillotte, from Boothbay Harbor, Maine, who knows a thing or two about a turnaround, having taken the local high school program from near-extinction to a perennial state power. And there is a good chance that I can persuade Frank Simonsen to say a few words. Frank has been a very successful youth coach in Cape May, New Jersey for some 30 years, and he's still able to tell about it. Guest speakers at Providence will be John Irion, of Queensbury, New York High who has twice taken his team to the state final game; Mike Pucko, of Worcester, Mass., who turned around the West Boylston High program, and has the distinction of coaching the winning side (using the Double Wing) in the state All-Star game; and Bill Mignault, of Ledyard, Connecticut, winningest coach in Connecticut football history. Bill has been a high school coach since 1958, and he's been head coach at Ledyard since 1966. He has 295 wins, and his Colonels won state titles in 1986, 1991 and 1993. The day after the clinic, Bill will be presented with the Connecticut Sports Writers' Alliance's prestigious Gold Key Award. NOTE: I will be back East until the 19th, so if you're planning on attending the Philadelphia or Providence clinics and haven't sent in your registration fees yet, you can, if you wish, pay $75 at the door at both places. If you have sent out orders for materials in the last few days, I regret to say that they won't be shipped until my return. *********** The American Football Coaches Association is expected to comment shortly on the recent anouncement by the Department of Education that beginning with the fall of 2006, the federal No Child Left Behind Act will be extended to include interscholastic sports. The provision of the act specifically pertaining to football states as its goal, "All players will excel." Schools will be required to submit plans to the Department of Education no later than December 31, 2005, detailing a course of action to ensure that all students will play football at "varsity proficiency." Each of several groups of students - - male, female, physically or mentally challenged, non-English speaking, obese - will be evaluated separately, and using the 2006 season's results as a baseline, each group must show improvement over the previous year. Should any group fail to show improvement for two consecutive years, the school will be labelled "In Need of Improvement," and all of its players will be free to transfer to another school of their choice. A school which then fails to shed the "In Need of Improvement" label by showing improved player performances in every one of its groups will be labelled "Football Deficient." Its principal, athletic director and coaching staff will be reassigned and the school will face other sanctions, including having its equipment impounded and auctioned off on eBay.*** *********** Coach, I was wondering if you noticed that Bill Self did not shake hands after Kansas lost to Bucknell? I was watching and did not even see him on the floor. I checked here at school and there were other people who noticed. Arnold Wardwell, Umatilla, Oregon (I didn't see it, or you can be sure I'd have written about it. It is always unsportsmanlike and disrespectful not to congratulate the winning coach. Better coaches than Bill Self have lost bigger games than that, and they've still managed to suck it up and be men about it. It is their duty to their game and their profession. Who knows? Maybe there's a problem between the two coaches that dates all the way back to when they played against each other in junior high, or when they were both assistants at rival junior colleges and they were recruiting the same kid. That sort of thing I can maybe understand, if not forgive. But maybe it was just being peevish because Mighty Kansas - which had gone into something of a late-season swoon - had been upset by a Bucknell team that played its ass off. It was also noted that the Kansas players left the floor immediately, without shaking hands, but it has been pointed out to me by people who heard the Bucknell coach afterwards that he understood why. His kids had pulled off a HUGE upset, and such was their on-court celebration that it wasn't reasonable to expect the Kansas players to hang around waiting for the gaiety to subside. (It would be nice if coaches could ask their players to just take a minute out for the sake of sportsmanship, and then they can get back to their celebrating.) Whatever, that still doesn't excuse their coach. It is especially churlish when a guy coaching a Big-Time team with worlds of tradition and unlimited resources fails to congratulate the small-time opponent who just outcoached him. HW) *********** Greetings and Salutations, Coach, One of the guys who wrote in to the last "News" quoted his offensive coordinator as saying "...his system can only be run by smart players, players with "a feel for the game"..." This reminds me of this guy I coached with one year. All you ever heard was how great things would be "if only our kids could learn the system, the technique, etc." Before and after practice was a non-stop litany about the mental shortcomings of our players. One day after practice we were sitting in the coaches office listening to him p*ss and moan and I remembered this quote I had read somewhere. I still can't remember the source, but it goes something like this- "Before you complain that your kids can't learn something, make sure the problem isn't that you can't coach it." Well, when I came out with that, you could have heard a pin drop. Anyway, the "whiner" got a little p*ssed and stalked off, but our office was a "whine-free" zone from that day forward. I think that quote or paraphrase or whatever might be something we consider at times when we're getting frustrated at our player's lack of performance or understanding. It might be that we're doing what it takes to get the point across. Steve Smith, Middlesboro High School, Middlesboro, Kentucky (You hit it on the head. If we have a bunch of "stupid" kids, what's the sense in bitching? Our challenge as a coach/teacher is to come up with material they can use, and teach it in a way they can understand. HW) *********** Just Thinking Hugh: #1 Would a single person or entity be the least bit slighted, if we had kept the feeding tubes in Terri Schiavo, just long enough to clean up the bits and pieces of uncertainty??? #2 Is there any possible way that Michael Jackson could be a victim of racism when, as a black boy and black man, he was one of the greatest talents and biggest stars of all times, only to be jilted by young boys when he became a white man with an umbrella ?? #3 Have grown American men become so pathetic that the great looking young school teachers of America are going after their adolescent sons??? Oh!, my bad…Gender bigotry. #4 Why is it that according to the powers that be, My wife, a second grade teacher, is fully responsible for all of her students' self worth, well being, Life, Liberty, and their pursuit of happiness??? #5 Isn't it amazing how human feelings and emotions, that should be consistent with all mankind, are divided right down party lines????? Interesting isn't it? #6 How do so many coaches have success running an offense that the big time college and pro coaches won't run??? If it's legitimate, Why don't they run it???? I don't really want to know, nor do I care. haha Just thinking, Have a great clinic season, Larry Harrison, Snellville, Georgia PS. You can publish this if you want to and you can straighten me out if you need to! *********** If you live in or near a big city and its mayor is a bigger joke than Portland's Tom Potter, I invite you to make a case for him. Granted, the Honorable Mr. Potter has certain unfair advantages, the greatest of which is that he has already been pre-screened by one of the most wacked-out liberal electorates in the country. And he does have quite a local following ever since his days as police chief, when he proudly marched at the head of the annual Gay Pride Parade in support of his lesbian daughter, also a member of the force. (Sorry- my mistake. In Portland, they don't like to use words like "force." It's the Police "Bureau.") Oh, and the Green Weenies love him because one of his first acts as mayor was to participate in "Critical Mass," which takes place the last Friday of every month and consists of a LARGE number of bicyclists who ride through downtown during rush hour, holding up traffic as their way of punishing all those environment-killers who still insist on driving cars. Part of their act consists of ignoring traffic signals. Nice gesture by the guy who runs the city, but then, the city IS Portland. These last couple of weeks, Tom Potter has made me wonder if I'm really living in the United States of America. First was his refusal to allow Portland police to work alongside the FBI on the Joint Terrorism Task Force, dealing with matters of national security, unless he were given a "Top Secret" security clearance, something extended to no other mayor of any other American city. Not surprisingly, the FBI said "No", so there goes any chance of cooperation between the local police and the feds. (Muhammad, or Ahmad, if you're reading this and you're looking to set up a training camp, I can't say I blame you for considering Portland, Oregon.) Then, this past Monday His Honor was outed by the release to the news media of an e-mail one of his staffers sent to the executive director of the Mrs. Oregon America pageant. Back in January, the director had asked the good mayor for a letter of support. You know the sort of letter I'm talking about - the kind you see in All-Star game programs, where the governor welcomes people to Alabama and hopes they'll enjoy their stay, and then the mayor welcomes people to Montgomery and hopes they'll enjoy their stay, etc. Routine politician stuff. But Mayor Tom Potter's office replied, "Nothing doing." Actually, what the e-mail said was "We have reviewed your request and will have to decline issuing your pageant a letter," going on to add, "The city of Portland does not discriminate based on sexual orientation and recognizes everyone equally." The problem, see, is the "discriminatory" criteria of the pageant, which insists that contestants must be born female (there go any chances of a tranvestite winning) married (with a valid marriage to prove it) to a born male. So much for lesbians. Nothing unusual about having restrictions, argued the pageant's executive director, pointing out that no one thinks it unusual that Miss Black America is required to be black. Gays, of course, applaud the mayor's stand. Others scoff. Said a spokesman for the Portland-Based Defense of Marriage Coalition, "In order to be a Mrs., you must be married to a Mr." *********** Still in Oregon... When a teacher at McKay High School, in Salem, Oregon assigned his students to bring in photos of McKay grads on the job, one young woman brought in a photo of her brother, a Marine serving in Iraq, and a couple of his buddies. Principal Cynthia Richardson, though, was shocked - SHOCKED - to hear of this, and, noting that the school had a zero-tolerance policy regarding weapons, ordered the picture taken down. "What message am I sending to my students if I post that picture?" she asked. Since the real secret of Oregon is that actually very few Oregonians are simple-minded, politically-correct educator twits, the decision caused a bit of an uproar, and the principal finally agreed to a compromise, allowing the girl to post a photo in which her brother is shown kneeling next to an adorable little Iraqi boy, who is wearing a Marine T-shirt. There is no gun to be seen. But this thing isn't over yet. The school's nickname is the Scotsmen, and the school's mascot carries a mini-version of a Claymore, the large sword that some of you may remember from "Braveheart." He can even be seen waving it, in a video of a pep rally which can be seen on the school's Web site (http://mckay.salkeiz.k12.or.us/) Asked about that by a Portland TV station, principal Richardson said, "We may have to revisit that." *********** Still in the Northwest... Despite considerable opposition, the city of Vancouver, Washington railroaded through a taxpayer-financed hotel in the heart of its "downtown." The argument was that it would help revitalize the downtown, and it would provide jobs, presumably for Vancouver people. I rather doubt that it's going to do much for the downtown, which pretty much consists of pawn shops and homeless bums hassling what few pedestrians there are. Anyone staying in the hotel would be well-advised to stay inside the building and send down for room service. And as for providing jobs for Vancouver people... with the grand opening slated for July, and 200 or so jobs to fill, the hotel held job interviews this past week. Did I say "Vancouver people?" An interpreter was provided for those job applicants who didn't speak English. *********** Coach would you mind defining the box? I have a general idea but I want to be sure it's right - and is the tackle back the same? Thanks Coach Mike Huffman If you are referring to the Notre Dame Box made famous by Knute Rockne, it is basically a balanced-line single wing right or left. ND would line up in a T formation, then quickly shift to single wing right or left, and snap the ball the instant everybody was set. It was very difficult for defenses to adjust so quickly. That's the reason why everybody now has to be set for a full second after a shift. Another thing that made the Notre Dame box so difficult was the "nasty split" that the ends took, either splitting a defender out with them, or giving them a great angle if no one split out. It was that principle that eventually led to the development of the split-T. Tackles Back was an early formation in which coaches would bring their tackles back into the backfield to serve as extra blockers on power plays. It was one of the things that led to a rash of football deaths, and was one of the things that had to go when President Roosevelt (Theodore) ordered the college presidents to make the game safer. It's why the rules now specify that there must be seven men on the line of scrimmage at the snap, although watching some of the NFL offensive tackles and how deep they line up in order to get ready to block some of those defensive ends, it seems to be a rule that the pros ignore. *********** I have looked at the Double Wing and discussed it with some coaches and I am ready to install this spring. You mentioned in your Tip Number 4 that you had seen tape of a school utilizing the option as part of the package. As I have an option background I would like to explore this further. We have run some option, and that's one of the things I've been covering at my clinics. BUT... if you are an "option" coach, and you're hoping to make it the focus of your attack, I should caution you right now that although the Double-Wing may seem fairly simple in concept, it does take A LOT of fine tuning and repetition, which requires most of your practice time, and is a major reason why a good Double-Wing team will never have a very sophisticated passing or option game, or the converse - a team with a sophisticated passing or option game is not likely to be a good Double-Wing team. *********** I uased to work at Rich Brooks' U of Oregon camp with Mike Riley, back when he was defensive coordinator at Linfield College. Now, he's head coach at Oregon State. He's a really nice guy, and I believe he's a good coach, too. But damn - those kids he recruits could wind up being the death of him. Lately, they have been pulling stuff that wouldn't go at Miami, much less Corvallis, Oregon, a college town of about 15,000 people smack in the middle of logging and farm country. Yet it seems like every time one of his players does something wrong, instead of climbing up the offender's rear end, Mike jumps right in and embellishes his soft-on-crime image by appearing to defend the indefensible. You know how it goes - Boys will be boys, We all make mistakes, blah, blah, blah. Tuesday, on the eve of the first spring practice, he sloughed off his players' behavior as nothing unusual, using a reference I just couldn't accept. "It's like raising your own kids," he told the Portland Oregonian. Really? How many of "your own kids" have stayed out after curfew the night before a big sports trip, lying about their age to buy alcohol, taunting a stranger with racist comments about his interracial marriage, then finally sucker punching him unconscious? How many of "your own kids" would try paying a $20 cab fare with marijuana - and then beat up the driver when he insisted on cash? Hmmm. He says that's what raising his own kids is like? Whew. If he's got kids like that at home, Mrs. Riley has really got her hands full. *********** A young coach wrote me recently about coaching as a career --- Dear ---, Without knowing about your football background and what you can offer to a high school coach, I would advise, that you offer to work as a volunteer at a local high school.  This would be the right time of the year to approach coaches, since even if there aren't any positions right now, they will at least have your name in mind ifany do come up.  And if there are any openings, you can make yourselfvaluable by helping out in the off-season program. Hope that helps some.  Best of luck to you. Hugh Wyatt I am glad you mentioned that, coach. That's my greatest potential obstacle. You see I only have a yr of playing experience, and that was in high school. I am motivated anyway because I want to coach for mor than the love of the game. I wanted to go to your clinic on April 2n in raleigh (I live about 2 hours away). I figured I could make up my lack of playing experience by obtaining all the knowledge I can about technique and strategy, it's not rocket science....a coach once told me. I plan to finish my degree in psychology, coaching minor. I was also thinking of becoming cpr certified so I can bring that to thetable as well. I have always been "book smart" and believe it or not, at the age of 26 I am humble and willing to follow instructions. Thank you coach for responding to me so soon. My dream is to counsel and teach youth. Football is another passion of mine, if you merge the two you get a result that seems to me, a football coach. Well, at least something close to it. Do you think this is realistic? I appreciate again your prompt reply. I am indebted! Dear --- Nothing wrong with your career plans. I think it is important that you have a passion for what you want to do. I would suggest that you find out what's needed for certification in counseling, because that would give you a shot at getting into public schools. Again, having played is certainly an asset, but I would say that four years as a college player is worth maybe one year as a starting-out coach. The most important thing, still, is who you can hook up with - who will be the coach you learn under (I hesitate to use the trendy term "mentor", but that's what we're talking about). In the right situation, and assuming that you are a good learner, you would quickly close the gap between yourself and guys with years of playing experience. Your inspiration should be Charlie Weis. He never played college football, and he coached the offense for a Super Bowl champion, and now he's head coach at Notre Dame. *********** Coach Wyatt, I was wondering if you might have a set of team rules that our staff could look at. I think we need to get some other ideas and are in the process of redoing the team rules at ------- High. Hope you can help. I once heard Woody Hayes say "Discipline is 90 per cent anticipation," and it has stuck with me ever since. I believe that over my years of coaching, I have run into plenty of things that I wouldn't have had to deal with at the time if I had just known enough to anticipate them and had headed them off before the season even got under way, and I've covered them in the team rules ("expectations.") I believe that most kids basically want to please, but often as teachers and coaches we're not as specific with the kids as we should be about what it is that we expect from them. Instead, we often expect them to "learn on the fly," which can cause problems when a kid says, "nobody told me," or "I didn't know." I think it creates a much better learning climate, a much better work atmosphere, when those things are understood in advance, and you can let your rules operate in the background while you get to the more important job of teaching. At our pre-season meeting, with parents present, I give each kid a copy of our contract, which covers all our "expectations," and make sure each kid has a pen or pencil. I then show them a videotape - a PowerPoint presentation would work as well - explaining what each rule means, and I stop after each point and wait until each kid has put his initials next to each point on his contract, indicating that he understands the rule and agrees to abide by it. Coaches circulate around the room to make sure that everyone has initialed, and if not, to see if they can answer a question. If there are any questions on that particular rule, we deal with them right then and there. Only when there aren't any questions, and everyone has initialed his contract, do we move on to the next rule. (Obviously, if someone refuses to initial next to a point, he is indicating that he can't live with one of our rules. See you later. It's better to find it out now than after we get out on the field.) When we are done, we collect the contracts. We explain to the players that if it ever becomes necessary, we may have to refer back to the contract. For example, if a player gives a coach some guff at practice, we may have to call him off to the side and say, "do you remember that contract you signed? Do you remember when we said that you were expected to be coachable? Are we going to have ask you to sit through the rules video again?" NOBODY sets foot on that practice field unless he has seen the video and signed off on the contract. This applies to latecomers, too - the ones who might miss the meeting, or the ones who enroll in school late. For some reason, they often are the ones who give you the most problems. Maybe it's because it's already in their nature to resist structure, but whatever, we require those kids to see the video and initial the contract, too. I think that it is especially helpful for a newcomer wanting to become part of a team to understand where the coaches are coming from and what kind of team culture he is going to have to buy into if he's going to be successful. By the way, it is essential that you run these rules past your principal and/or AD first. In my experience, they unanimously have approved of this procedure. Hugh Wyatt PS- For what it is worth, for years I did this very same thing in my classroom - in all my classes - at the start of every school year. I would spend the first two or three days simple making sure that kids understood the rules. From that point on, I was free to teach, and the kids were free to learn. *********** Anne Maxson, a parent in Amherst, Massachusetts, is now a Homeschooler. She had considered withdrawing her son, Richard, from the local public school when she grew disenchanted with what he was learning. "The kids in my son's class knew more about bead work than spelling," she said. "I didn't like the whole language approach to teaching reading and the awkward way they teach printing," she added. "The books they assigned the children were boring, and Richard found himself correcting the third grade teacher's math errors." But what really tipped the scale for her was when the principal of Fort River Elementary School, Russ Vernon-Jones, decided to host a "blacks only" breakfast on school grounds for African-American staff and parents. Angered by the school's role in illegal discrimination, she notified the Boston Globe of the event, and although the breakfast was eventually ruled illegal by the town counsel, the principal received no reprimand for his role in arranging the low-diversity breakfast. And that was when Ms. Maxson made her decision that homeschooling was her only recourse. "I couldn't see my son going to a school where the principal had broken a federal law, and there were no repercussions," she told Isabel Lyman, in "The Homeschooling Revolution." *********** Mike Lude, former AD at Washington and then at Auburn, was Dave Nelson's line coach at Maine and then at Delaware, which really makes him the co-inventor of the Delaware Wing-T. (Read THE FIRST WING-T LINE COACH IN HISTORY) Mike's recently-released book, "Walking the Line," is a great read. From his boyhood in rural Western Michigan, to his playing days at Hillsdale College, from his service in the Marine Corps to his joining Dave Nelson as his right hand man, from his first - and only - head coaching job at Colorado State to his second career as an AD, starting at Kent State and moving to Washington and then to Auburn, Mike has seen it all, and he tells about it in a way that is both interesting and informative. Here's how to order a copy - go to www.huskyfever.com and down at the bottom right, look for "Walking the Line.") *********** The 2004 Madison High Highlights tape is now ready to ship. It runs about an hour and a forty minutes, and includes hundreds of plays from this past season, in which he turned a program that had gone 0-9, 1-8 and 2-7 into a 7-2 season. (MADISON HIGH, 2004)The real significance of our success, I think, is the way we were able to make use of the kids that we had. We were not overly talented, but we had a very tough, hard-working, unselfish group of kids, a few of them with unique gifts, and I think we coaches did a great job of putting them all in the right places - places where they could enjoy the most individual success, and at the same time make the greatest contribution to the team. I also think we did a great job of zeroing in on what it was that these particular kids did best, and not letting ourselves get too far from the basic plan. There is a certain emphasis on the "Multiple Wing" - you will notice that we did not remain in one formation - we ran at least one play from at least 20 different formations - but at the same time you will notice that we did not run a great number of different plays. (For example, you will be interested, I think, to see how many different ways you can employ "power" blocking.) If you are a Double-Wing coach or if you are even thinking of using some Double-Wing in your program, I think this tape will open your eyes. To order a copy of the tape, send $29.95 (check, money order or school P.O.) to Coach Hugh Wyatt - 1503 NE 6th Ave - Camas, WA 98607   *** April Fool!   "The Beast Was out There," by General James E. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about. --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN - RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2005 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD (FOR MORE INFO)