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OCTOBER 2006

Are We Going to Have to Start Suing Cheaters? (See"NEWS") The Sun Coach Takes His Act to "60 Minutes!" (See"NEWS") "Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." (Proverbs, Chapter 8, Verses 10-11) My Offensive System My Materials for Sale My Clinics Me October 31, 2006 - "To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson *********** "I just read about the 50-game Fox schedule for high school basketball and the ESPN full schedule for top-25 football teams. I assume by the year 2010 we'll have kindergarten championships on some sports network." NBA Commissioner David Stern *********** Is it possible that Bill Belichick (or "Bell Billichick", as Warren Moon called him on TV Monday night) knew that it was Hallowe'en, and he came to the game dressed as a ragpicker? Or was that ragged-sleeve sweatshirt thing something that some f--king apparel company is trying to foist off on us as the latest fashion? *********** Make me laugh... the NFL's new onside kick rule stipulates that there must be at least four men on both sides of the kicker, preventing teams from overloading one side or the other. Supposedly, it was done in the interest of "player safety." Okay. That's noble. But I wonder if those guys who are so concerned about player safety have noticed the hands-in-the-pockets "tackles" that defensive backs keep launching on defenseless receivers. *********** COLLEGE OBSERVATIONS--- Remember Big Mouth Charlie whining about Tennessee and Florida passing up Notre Dame last week? Apparently the computers heard him, because for some reason, after Notre Dame beat Navy and Tennessee beat South Carolina, the computers moved the Irish ahead of the Vols, even though none of the polls did. And the computers begin given the weight that they are, Notre Dame is now ahead of Tennessee in the BCS standings. I simply can't deal with the knowledge that those cute little dollies in short skirts waving their pompons and acting like ditzes at service academy games are only a year or two away from being officers. I swear I keep hearing Mike Gottfried saying "Illinoise." Aargh. Whew. A week ago, Michigan State came back from 35 points down to beat Northwestern, and suddenly all was well again in East Lansing. And then Indiana drubbed them, 46-21, and John L. Smith is no doubt in trouble again, and Steve Mariucci's boosters are salivating at the thought of getting their man in there. Through three quarters of play, Wisconsin and Illinois had ZERO penalties between them. By game's end, Wisconsin had been penalized once for 10 yards, Illinois twice for eight yards. Illinois QB "Juice" Williams, a true freshman, is the real deal. He can run and he has a gun. In fact, once they get some receivers who can catch his passes, they are going to be very tough. Give Ohio State credit - nine of their 11 offensive starters are Ohio kids, and their fullback, Stan White, Jr., from Baltimore, is the son of a former OSU great. Call it wishful thinking. During the Oregon State-USC game, color guy Petros Papadokos (former USC running back) used the term "self-destructing" to describe Oregon State on five different occasions. Give Papadokos his due - as a USC punt sailed through the air, he said, "this is a returnable punt." And damned if OSU's Sammie Straughter didn't return it 65 yards for the Beavers' second score. "Football is Everything," eh? Marlin Briscoe HS, eh? Nice try, Nike. Yeah, football is everything. Except the Portland newspapers disclosed that Nike will spend at least $189 million over the next five years in a sponsorship deal with Futbol Club Barcelona. That's one team! Nike sponsors 23 clubs and 19 national teams, plus several individuals such as Brazilian Ronaldinho. USC did not look like national championship material Saturday. Twice running back Chauncey Washington, who earlier in the week distinguished himself and the allegedly great university that employs him by explaining why he has had eligibility problems - "nobody likes to go the school" - fumbled because he was not protecting the ball, and once the USC kick return man brought the ball out from seven or eight yards deep in the end zone. Yee-haw. Temple beats Bowling Green and snaps a 20-game losing streak. Thumbs down on meddling ADs... I like Nebraska, but I am not a diehard fan. If I were, I would be pissed and demanding some answers - not from coach Bill Callahan, but from the AD. He's the guy who fired Frank Solich for going 10-3 in 2003. (9-3, actually, because they didn't let Solich stay around for the bowl game that he'd coached them to). And now, in Bill Callahan's third year in Lincoln, he has three losses already this season, and unless he wins out, he will not, in his three years at Nebraska, match the record for which the AD forced Frank Solich to walk the plank. Oh, and speaking of AD's outsmarting themselves... the guy who passed Dick Tomey the black spot at Arizona has to be on the spot himself in Tucson. Tomey, the inventor of the killer "Desert Swarm" offense, was 95-64 at Arizona when he was let go. After an unproductive spell with John Mackovic in control, Arizona then went with Mike Stoops, hoping it was in the family genes. Now in his third season, Stoops has gone 3-8 in 2004 and 3-8 in 2005, and he has just three wins this season - one a shocker over BYU in the season opener, but the other two against Stephen F. Austin and Stanford. Yee-haw! USC goes down to Oregon State. It's the Trojans' first Pac-10 loss in over three years. And lemme tell you - the way they came back, after being down 23 points, they DO have big-play people. USC lost while Charlie Weis was home, enjoying a cheeseburger or two. Texas Tech had ZERO yards rushing in the first half. They ended up with MINUS ONE for the game. Heard the announcer say that the Washington Huskies had a "baker's dozen" of penalties, when he meant 12. Sorry, buddy, that's a dozen. A Baker's Dozen is 13. THIRTEEN. Bakers (people who worked in bakeries, for all you young guys) used to give customers a little something extra when they bought a dozen rolls, or crullers, or whatever. In Louisiana, it is called lagniappe (lan-YAP) - giving the customer a little something extra. Lord, it was great to watch the Washington State Cougars hand it to the mighty UCLA Bruins, who are now 4-4 and exposed as phonies, their four wins coming over Utah, Rice, Stanford and Arizona. This is another place whose puke of an AD threw a good coach, Bob Toledo, overboard, and replaced him with Karl Dorrell, a guy who had no solid credentials whatsoever. Damn! The Washington Huskies lost in overtime for the second week in a row, to Arizona State. Last week it was to Cal. And now, with games left against Oregon, Stanford and Washington State, they have to win at least two to qualify for a bowl game. I make no secret of the fact that I admire Tyrone Willingham. His Washington Huskies, picked to finish at or near the Pac-10 cellar, started out 4-0. But I think that the way he has had to deal with the latest setbacks - the loss of his first two quarterbacks - while managing to get into OT the last two weeks, first against Cal and then against Arizona State, says a lot about what he's getting done at Washington. He never whines, he never makes excuses, and his kids are playing hard. The Apple Cup game (at Washington State) is going to be a war. An example of Tyrone Willingham's class... Jim Lambright, former Washington player and coach who served as a loyal assistant to the great Don James and then succeeded James, probably is a bitter man. He was let go by AD Barbara Hedges, who then hired Rick Neuheisel, perhaps dazzled by Skippy's pink-cheeked good looks. Neuheisel started the Huskies on the downward spiral that they are only now beginning to reverse, thanks to Tyrone Willingham, and I was really pleased to hear Coach Lambright interviewed at Saturday's Washington-Arizona State game. He was asked about his relationship with Coach Willingham, and he said, "Coach Willingham has told me I can be as involved as I want to be." When was the last time you saw a team's punter also returning punts? Not bloody likely, right? But there was Washington State's Michael Bumpus doing just that Saturday. Normally the Cougars' return man, Bumpus was pressed into action against UCLA when the Cougs' first two punters went down with injuries. Said WSU coach Bill Doba after the game, "We were like a junior high team - we're lining up at halftime (under the stands) and seeing if he can take a snap and get a kick off." For the record, Bumpus, who hadn't punted since high school, punted twice - once for 35 yards, once for 36 yards. I heard them say that the president of the Florida State booster club wants Bobby Bowden to resign. Better think carefully about that one, fella. We've probably all suffered the indignity of being someone's homecoming opponent, and those extra-long, 20-minute halftimes can be a pain in the ass. But I'll bet there's no other coach alive who's had to put up with what Coach Donald Hill-Eley went through last Saturday. Coach Hill-Eley is the coach of Morgan State, and Morgan was in Tallahassee for Florida A & M's homecoming. At halftime, while coach Hill-Eley steamed, the FAMU band played. And played. And played. And played for - are you sitting down? - almost an hour. *********** I am livid right now.  We played a high school tonight that cut our B back and QB on super power for the whole second half.  I even called a time out and  talked to the officials - they said they "could not see it".  We will wait and see how our QB is on Monday. I spoke to their coach after the game and I said "You know how you were cutting my fullback and QB?"  He said, "yeah."  I told him that is illegal and he probably injured my QB.  He just stared at me. I am not a big one for lawsuits, and I don't like what excessive litigation has done to our society, but on the other hand if the fear of lawyers is enough to get school administrators to take slides out of playgrounds and tell kids they can't play tag, I'll bet they'd piss their pants to learn they were being sued because someone's kid was injured by an unsafe tactic taught by one of their coaches. If your kid is hurt, I really think his parents should "lawyer up." Give the lawyers my phone number. I'd be willing to donate my time to walk them through the game tape. Whatever it takes to put the brakes on the cheaters who are beginning to infest the game. *********** Coach, Been meaning to keep you informed. Two games into the playoffs. Won the first in a shoot out 50-44. 299 yards rushing and another 254 passing (8 out of 10). We took on the 2nd ranked team in the state and upset them 22-14 this afternoon. Lost to them earlier this season 28-0. Lost our starting QB last play of the half. He is OK with a mild concussion, but our senior back-up (TE) stepped up and lead the team to 3 scores in the second half. One of the main reasons we changed to this offense is that you don't need a stud at QB, and it gives smaller lineman a chance to compete. IT PROVED IT TO ME AGAIN this year. Thanks for all the help. We have the third ranked team and last year's Champ next Friday for the section championship. Rematch from last year. We will now play for a chance to go to state. Sincerely, Chris Davis, Murray County Central HS, Slayton, Minnesota P.S. You all going to have a clinic back in Minnesota again sometime soon? If not, we will see you in Chi-town. *********** I love college ball - there are no "meaningless games" to the kids in uniform. Those OSU kids have a memory that will last a lifetime. If it were pro ball, unless it were a playoff game, it wouldn't stick in the collective mind. Big upsets help recruiting in college. If it were pro ball, a mediocre team beating a good team (OSU vs USC) would get OSU a worse draft position. You think recruits visiting OSU yesterday weren't wowed? Christopher Anderson, Palo Alto, California You only get "Meaningless games" when you have playoffs and you elevate them to the level of importance that all pro sports (and college basketball and baseball) have, and the regular season is simply a means of getting to the playoffs. *********** Good morning Coach! Coach ----- here from -----. I am the Offensive Coordinator for our JV team. Our linebackers are getting blocked 5 yards off the line of scrimmage. The linebackers wait for the contact. I need some drills and technique to help the kids. Do you have any suggestions? I can no longer watch as these kids are frustrated and have no help or teaching. Our Defensive Coordinator runs a 4-3 cover 2. I appreciate your help as always. By the way, the 6g, 7g and Wedge I've added and have really made a difference this year. If you have my "Safer and Surer Tackling" tape you have some drills on there that would help a lot. If they're standing upfield and catching blocks, I suspect they're looking into the backfield instead of reading their keys. I don't know what your LBers' keys are, but I suspect that they might not be confident in what they're doing, and that's reflected in their hesitancy to attack the play. It sure sounds as if they're looking into the backfield, trying to figure out what's going on back there, and while they are, blockers are getting on them. It never hurts to have them get in a good linebackers' stance - one guy at a time - and give them a key to certain situations (play at you, play away, play outside, drop-back, roll out, etc) and go over their reactions - at a walk. Very slowly. Stop them immediately and correct them when they've stepped or reacted incorrectly. Do this over and over at a slow pace - don't worry about boring them - until they are very confident, and only then should you speed up the drill. *********** You don't realize how colorless and drab the can NFL look until you look at it on a big-screen TV. Eagles-Jaguars. Yecch.. Except for the dull, green field, it might as well be in black and white. *********** GEORGIA - Nathanael Greene 36 Curtis Baptist 0, Hey Hugh, Hope all is great with you!!! And we take our record to 6-3 with 2 games left. We are really giving up so much size and strength to the upper echelon in Class "A" that it's mad, silly, goofy, and ridiculous. We keep winning the games we should win and I guess that is a good sign. Whether we can play with the big boys or not down the stretch has yet to be seen. Most folks would put us in the middle of the pack somewhere without any chance of winning a playoff game due to the large number of really good teams this year. But that is why we play them. I don't care about anyone believing in us except us. As long as my kids believe, we'll make others prove to us they are better. I'll keep you up to date as we finish up the regular season and line up in the post season. thanks a million, Coach Larry Harrison, Head Football Coach, Nathanael Greene Academy, Siloam, GA *********** Coach: The season came to an abrupt end on Friday and I am just starting to come to the realization that there is no practice on Monday. I had the rare opportunity to coach these seniors three years in a row since I was their sophomore coach two years ago. It will be tough seeing this group graduate. I know Jon was giving you updates on our season but in the end we had over 3,000 yards of offense with a team that had a below average offensive line (four had never played as a lineman in a varsity or soph game!) but they just never stopped working at getting better. I am really proud of these kids and of course I am even more proud of the Double Wing. The flexibility still amazes me as I installed things this year that I never thought possible five years ago. Anyway, the reason I am emailing was to find out if I could register our varsity team as a Black Lion Award team? Bill Lawlor, Crystal Lake Central HS, Crystal Lake, Illinois *********** NEW YORK- Oakfield-Alabama 55, Avon 14 - Coach - We won our second sectional championship ever tonight (also second in 4 years). We beat Avon 55-14 in the Section V class DD championship. Halftime score was 42-6. We ran 54 times for 446 yards. A Back Cory Kumpf had 10 carries for 76 yards and 2 TD's. B -back Anthony Molaro had 13 carries for 165 yards and 2 TD's. C back Matt McCracken had 13 carries for 105. We started with superpower and got it rolling from there. 2 trap @3 was a killer and we ran a bit of 88 G reach (including follow) and used slot quite affectively again. We officially went 0-1 passing, but we did hit a 2 pt. conversion from 13 yards out (penalty). We are 8-1 and have scored 40 or more points in the last 4 games (ever since our loss to Pembroke). We now will play Batavia ND (our week one opponent) who we beat 14-8 in triple overtime in the driving rain (we fumbled 13 times on off. def. and special teams). John Dowd, Oakfield, New York *********** IOWA --- Galva-Holstein 39, West Monona 20 - They scored 3 td's with their varsity in the 4th quarter vs. our JV kids. Reward for being 8-1 is facing our friend Coach Forman and Manning at their place. How many Superpowers will be run Wednesday night? LOL (Floyd Forman at Manning is an Iowa coaching legend, and he has won state titles running the double wing. HW) *********** Coach- Haven't contacted you in a long time, but, thought you would enjoy this story. You might not remember, but, you came out to West Seneca West in 2001 when Jim Kuhn was head coach and helped us install the double wing offense. During the next four years, I was the head JV coach and my team had a record of 28-4-1 with three undefeated seasons using the double wing offense. Jim eventually went to the Wing T offense with some success. Last year Jim surprisingly resigned and I took over the Varsity team. I used all of the double wing terminology. Now for why I am emailing you now...This year you may have read about the surprise snow storm Western New York experienced. It canceled the last two weeks of our season and put us right into the playoffs in horrible weather conditions. We didn't have school or practice for almost two weeks. I wanted to have something in for the sloppy weather that I could teach very easily so I dusted off the double wing playbook. Last night in the first round of the playoffs we were playing a larger physical team and were having a problem moving the ball. (We have a lot of speed and big play capability but in the heavy rain and sloppy field we couldn't play our game) In the first half we could not get a first down and were losing 6-0. Our opponents were beating us up front and getting a lot of penetration. In the second half we came out in double wing and they couldn't stop us. We scored three unanswered touchdowns to win 20-6 running nothing but 88/99, 47/56 counter, and 2 trap at 3. They had no answer. I hope all is well with you and yours. I had to tell you of another double wing success story. Joe Cantafio, Varsity Football Head Coach, West Seneca West Senior HS, West Seneca, New York *********** Coach -- long time since I've sent something to you. We are 8-1 and heading into the state A semi-final game this week-end against one of the state's remaining 9-0 teams. I was looking for some information on the rugby/torpedo punt (alignments & assignments). Do you know a quick source that would be filled with great information? I have not been able to locate a great source yet. Here it is, from a formation we call "Over Stud." For years, a friend of mine used this as his only punt formation. As you can see, there are plenty of other things you can run from this, so it is very difficult for the opponents to set up a return. *********** Coach Wyatt: I just want to say thank you so much for your help in teaching me the Wildcat Offense. This season, we have had tremendous success with a record of 5 -2 and will be playing this Saturday for the League Championship. It is a huge difference for taking over a program that went 1 -7 in 2005. The 8 - man Wildcat Offense has scored a total of 300 points in 7 games, an average of 42.9 points per game. We average 60 rushing attempts per game and had one game in which we rushed for more than 500 yards. In 4 other victories we rushed for over 400 yards in each game. Amazingly we have only attempted 6 passes all season long with only one TD pass. You can say that we love to run the ball. Thank you, Coach Aaron Meschuk, Head Football Coach, St. Michael's Prep, Silverado, California *********** Hey Parcells - saw ya on tha sidelinez jokin around wid T-O. Be careful, cuz he'll turn on ya - like dat. *********** Coach Wyatt, I just wanted to write a quick note of thanks to you for helping me to have a wonderful turnaround year as a coach. I had a terrible experience just a year ago on a coaching staff with a group of nine year olds. The head coach didn't know what he was really doing except for putting the kids in "meat grinder" drills and I was just a Dad trying to help. Well, I was determined to make this year different and did everything in my power to switch it around. I found your website and really pursued all that you had to offer. I was one of those that attended your seminar in Vancouver in June of this year and I also ordered your playbook and many of the video helps. Mind you, I was very rookie at this but thanks to your teaching tools, I was confident going into the year. We kept it very simple on plays but tried to be very sound in that which we did. I used your videos to the T. Practicing w/out pads. A fine line. Safer and surer tackling and installing the system. The group of ten year olds we had this year were the same kids as a year ago with few exceptions. Talent wise very similar. Well, we had a huge turnaround. Last year we were 1-6 and scored eight total touchdowns for the year. This year we went 7-0 and scored 27 touchdowns for the year. I know winning and touchdowns aren't everything but it doesn't hurt and in our case a good measuring stick. Most of all, with your help, the boys learned tons and had a great time and the coaches learned even more. Thanks so much coach for your willingness to share your experiences, knowledge and time. It provides a great opportunity for those of us who are not looking to make this our profession but just wanting to be a worthwhile teacher. My heartfelt thanks. I look forward to learning more as we play a more challenging schedule next year. Sincerely, David Dunn, Eagle, Idaho *********** (Regarding Weis) At first you want to root for the guy, then after about 5 minutes of hearing him, you say to yourself What an arrogant F**Kin A** hole !! and why after only 1 year of College head coaching this guy is consider in the elite Ranks ? He went a Good and Solid 9-3 with schedule that had No bite. And What the Hell does flashing a Superbowl Ring have to do with getting a kid to Come to your Program ? I'm telling you something up with this guy ? I think all sizzle No steak, but hey, that's just my take John Muckian, Lynn, Massachusetts *********** Coach, - Didn't know if you happened to see Charlie Weis on 60 Minutes last night. All I can say is "what an a$$hole!" MIke Benton, Colfax, Illinois ( I saw it. Wouldn't have missed it for the world. I am drawn to guys like him and TO because I don't want to miss any of their act. I suppose that means I'm playing into the hands of the media people, doesn't it? Anybody else notice that Saturday's Notre Dame-Navy game was on CBS for a change, instead of on Notre Dame Broadcasting Company (NBC) - and that Sunday's "CBS 60 Minutes" just happened to have a segment on Charlie Weis? If anyone out there thinks that was pure coincidence, and that they didn't plan to use the football game to endlessly hype "60 Minutes" - which just happens to go up against the NFL on NBC - you are more naive than I thought. HW) *********** I was watching 60 minutes this evening and they did a piece on Charlie Weis, What a flipping idiot/ the thing that bothered me the most was how he said he was Bill Parcell's whipping boy and he felt he should be able to do that to others. I would never treat my assistants in a demeaning way, what a buffoon. Take care Mike Foristiere, Boise, Idaho *********** (On 60 Minutes) Steve Croft: "It was the pressure to produce national championships that forced Notre Dame legends Frank Leahy, Ara Parseghian, and Lou Holtz off the field. "One of them collapsed in the locker room at half time. One of 'em quit because he couldn't handle the stress. Another one quit because his doctor told him he was taking too much medication and had to quit. That sounds like a pretty pressure packed job," Kroft notes. Charlie Weis: "Oh, some of that is self-inflicted. you only feel the pressure if you really care what everyone else thinks. And I really don't care what everyone else thinks." Okay, Superman. You're stronger than Leahy and Parseghian. And Holtz. I don't know the circumstances that led to Ara Parseghian's retirement, but I do know that he could have stayed at Notre Dame as long as he wished. He was a great coach, and he was loved. He seemed to have everything it took to be successful at Notre Dame, plus a winning personality. But 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year of being the Man on the Spot can get to any man, and Coach Parseghian hung it up at age 51, at the top of his game. And he never coached again. Leahy was a little different. He was a hell of a coach, but he was not very well liked. He was a cold fish, and some aspects of his personality and some of his tactics embarrassed Notre Dame people who saw their school as more than a football factory. And so not everybody was grief-stricken when he resigned following the 1953 season. The job had clearly been affecting his health. At halftime of that year's Georgia Tech game he had passed out in the locker room (after barely having made it there) and there was administered the last rites of the church. Following the season, according to Francis Wallace, a Notre Dame man who knew Leahy well, "The medicos had given him an option: Give up coaching or die." In January of 1954, Leahy chose to live, and resigned. He was only 45 years old, but he never coached again. Leahy, in the words of Wallace, had driven himself to exhaustion not because he worried about what other people thought, but precisely because he didn't: "he didn't take time to consider what people might say or think or do about a man they thought was working too hard to get ahead too fast." Sounds a lot like the Sun Coach, Charlie Weis himself, doesn't it? *********** Writes one reader, "I saw this: "'If one school defines college football in America, it's Notre Dame. It has the largest fan base in the country...' I find this claim specious. You had the list a couple years back, and Notre Dame is #25 or somesuch in apparel revenue, which I think would be fairly well-correlated to the size of your fan base. Actually, I think it's fair to say that ND has the largest fan base. Sales of apparel are only one measure of fan interest, and are driven by many factors, including fashion. But let's look at something more significant than clothing: there is simply no other college that could go into any stadium in the country - even on an off year - and sell it out the way Notre Dame can. And no other college - not Tennessee, not USC, not Texas, not Ohio State, not Michigan - could interest a major network in putting its games exclusively on national TV every week. *********** CONNECTICUT - Tolland 45 Avon 16. Over 400 yards of O again. And an 85 yard kickoff return to open up the second half. Lots of scoring by lots of people. Overall, a quality team effort across the board. Sorry to disappoint you, but we didn't run Wildcat. There was really no need and we can still use some reps with it. I promise it'll be used in the next few weeks. Thanks for the sheet on formations, etc. We were wondering how you declared which side the FB was on. Actually, I have the Gold/Green package in my notes from your clinic a few years ago. I don't know why I didn't look through them...I guess I'm still learning. We are smack in the middle of a playoff spot. Should we win out I think we'll make it. Three more to go. Each one more important than the one before. Best wishes, Patrick Cox, Tolland, Connecticut *********** You hear scum like Michael Irvin criticizing a class guy like Tiki Barber and you're reminded once again of why good people shy away from running for public office. *********** MARYLAND - Archbishop Curley 38, Pikesville 18. Curley is now 7-2, with two games remaining. *********** At the recent Alabama-Tennessee game, Tennessee honored Richmond Flowers and Haskell Stanback as Legends of Tennessee. *********** Oklahoma honored the late Prentice Gautt, former Sooner running back and first black man to play for OU, at the Colorado game on October 14. All players wore "38" decals on their helmets in Gautt's honor, and red lines were painted across the field at both 38 yard lines. *********** Division I-AA Cal Poly' beat San Diego Stat last Saturday, becoming the seventh I-AA team to beat a 1-A opponent this season (aside: when am I going to have to start using those stupid "bowl division/championship division" designations that the NCAA cooked up, during breaks from its crusade against racist schools that insist on using Indian nicknames?) Beating I-A opponents this season have been: Cal Poly, Montana State, New Hampshire, North Dakota State, Portland State, Richmond, and Southern Illinois. *********** The next time the TV people come waving money at TCU to move a game to Thursday or Friday night, the Frogs should think twice: they are 5-2 this year, and both losses - to BYU and Utah - were weeknight games. TCU's win over Wyoming last Saturday was its 13th straight Saturday game win. *********** North Carolina has hired a consultant to help the Tar Heels find a new football coach. Pardon me - "Find a new football coach?" Don't AD's do anything for themselves these days? Are they all just marketing guys in suits? It's not as if the consultant is going to do the actual hiring - all he's going to do is provide them with a list of names. Most of us could do that. In fact, we should put together a list and submit it to the AD with an invoice, and then take the money and put it toward beer parties at this coming year's clinics. Actually, it is the easiest assignment in the world, because nowadays, with every college coach worth a damn now represented by an agent, all you have to do is contact a handful of agents and they'll tell you who's interested, and what it'll take to get them. *********** Former USC and NFL linebacker Marlin McKeever died last week after a fall in his home. Some of us remember that when he was in high school, back in the 1950's, he and his identical twin brother, Mike, were featured in a national magazine story. Mike died years ago, after spending a long time in a coma following an automobile accident. *********** Coach, Just a quick comment from your site postings. You do not know how right you were when you said it was just a matter of time until the pants above the knees filters down to high school. As a ref, I have on two different occasions, at the middle school level, had to tell the coaches to have their players pull their pants back down to cover their knees. At the local high school games there are 2 or 3 on every team. We also have the tinted face visor epidemic breaking out at all levels. I was in our local sporting goods store this season and had to ask why they carry tinted visors as they are illegal at all levels through high school. The manager said they sell them as fast as they can get them in. The silly visors cost $45.00!!!! We have kids who are wrapping their feet in the yellow tape, a clear violation of the rules having any tape or other item that is the same color as a penalty flag. I had one kid show up with his funny little arm rubber bands this year and had to promptly tell him to take them off. I must admit, I am the king of under armor. After wearing it in Iraq for 4 months, I cannot get enough of it. Every year I buy either Nike dry-fit or under armor for all my players. It made a huge difference in comfort with the awful weather we had in Alaska and it works equally well in the heat of Georgia. But I do not allow any other external uniform silliness. Richard Cropp, Brunswick, Georgia. (The surest way to deal with that dark visor horror story is to deal with the kids. That means that somebody has to have the balls to tell them it's illegal. I suggest the coach. I know that it's really asking an awful lot of a coach to tell a kid that he's wearing something illegal, and to get it the f--k off, but since somebody has to, I suggest that coaches nut up and be leaders instead of enablers. Soon enough, after the angry parents stop complaining to the coaches and officials about how much money they had to shell out for those visors, they will head to the sporting goods store for a refund. End of problem. We had a somewhat similar problem a few years back when officials told us that some of our kids were wearing extra-long cleats. WTF? Sure enough, they were those old things that we used to call "mud cleats." We asked the kids where they go them and and they said they bought them at Kaplan's a downtown Portland store that has since gone out of business. I checked, and sure as hell, Kaplan's had a whole big barrel full of the damn things. As for "performance wear," I have no problem with it. The stuff is good. And besides, the UnderArmour story, in which a former Maryland football player named Kevin Plank comes up an the idea and runs with it, is a true American success story, not un like the Nike story of 30-some years ago. HW) *********** NEW YORK - Lansingburgh 50, Amsterdam 30 - C back Mike Hepps rushed for four touchdowns and caught a pass for another as Lansingburgh defeated Amsterdam in a Sectional playoff game. Amsterdam, five-time defending sectional champion, had won 16 straight playoff games. Amsterdam quarterback Nick Campo completed 19 passes for 225 yards and three touchdowns, but Lansingburgh piled up 408 yards running. Hepp carried 9 times for 153 yards and A back Kenny Youngs had 11 carries for 170 yards. The Knights (9-0) never had to punt. *********** The word happened to slip out that Tiki Barber plans on retiring after this season, and Sal Paolantonio said on TV, "There's a sense among the fans of abandonment and betrayal." So will someone please tell me why nobody felt "abandoned and betrayed" back when Michael Jordan was making his triumphal farewell tour around the cities of the NBA. *********** JOB ALERT! - I know the season's not even over yet, but...   I had a conversation on Tuesday with a gentleman named Ed Torres who was calling because the school he is associated with is looking for a head coach. It is a small, private school that has an excellent tradition but has had little success lately, and in his judgment the best way to go would be with a "contrarian" offense on the order of the single wing or double wing.   I was impressed by Mr. Torres, and I agree with his assessment. I have coached at small schools myself, and I have dealt with many small-school coaches, and our experience is that whatever it is that we run, it can't be talent-intensive, because we can't rely on having talent; it has to be adjustable to the talent we do have, since our talent can vary considerably from year to year; and it has to be instantly flexible, because in a small school the personnel picture can change dramatically from week to week. On all those counts, we all know that the double-wing qualifies.   The school is Allen Academy in Bryan, Texas. Bryan adjoins College Station, home of Texas A & M. I have been there. It is a nice part of Texas, roughly in the middle of a triangle with Dallas-Fort Worth as its apex, and Houston and Austin at its base. It is about 90 miles from Houston, the same distance from Austin, and 190 miles south of DFW.   The following letter from Mr. Torres will provide the details you will need at this point if you are interested in following up on what could be a great opportunity for a young coach - or a retired coach - to build a program in a small Texas private school. Single wing coaches are also encouraged to apply.   Coach Wyatt: Good to talk to you today; it was an honor for me.   Allen Academy is the oldest boarding school in the State of Texas. Our website: http://allenacademy.org/   We will be looking to hire an Athletic Director/Head Football Coach. This position must be filled immediately.   The school is about to conduct a national search, but I wanted to give you and your guys a heads up, since I think your philosophy of football is where our future lies.   I will send more info as it becomes available.   In the meantime, if anyone is interested, they can contact me at the numbers below, or by using this email address. edward.torres@sustainment.net   Regards and God Bless, Ed   Edward F. Torres, Colonel, USAF, MSC (Ret'd)   President & CEO, Sustainment Technologies, Inc.   T: 979.764.2080 ----- F: 979.764.2090 ----- C: 979.229.3192     Osama shows that he will stop at nothing in his plot to weaken America... BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD TO ONE OF YOUR PLAYERS! Army's Will Sullivan wore his Black Lion patch (awarded to all winners) in the Army-Navy game (FOR MORE INFO) The Black Lion certificate is awarded to all winners

The Sun King is Unhappy With the BCS Rankings! (See"NEWS") David Stern: "Don't Take Your Guns to Town, Son!" (See"NEWS") "Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." (Proverbs, Chapter 8, Verses 10-11) My Offensive System My Materials for Sale My Clinics Me October 27, 2006 - "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Proverbs *********** Charlie Weis is now bitching that ND dropped in the polls: The big joke here is what he says about Florida: "Another team (Florida) that jumped us wasn't even playing. They were home eating cheeseburgers and they end up jumping us. That befuddles me." Excuse the cheap laughs, but I don't get the idea Charlie should lecture anybody about eating. Christopher Anderson, Palo Alto, California Good one. What an ass Weis is. How did the NFL ever miss out on the Sun Coach? (King Louis XIV of France called himself the Sun King, because he compared himself with the Greek god Apollo, god of peace and arts, and the god identified with the sun, which not only gave life, but also regulated it as it rose and set.) So there was the Great Charlie Weis, the Sun Coach, sitting there at the press conference, leaning on the hand that bore the unbelievably gaudy and ostentatiously tasteless Super Bowl ring as if waiting for us all to kiss it, and whinging and sniveling and mewling about Tennessee and Florida jumping ahead of Notre Dame in the BCS standings... despite the Irish's thrilling (he used that word) come-from behind win Saturday. Charlie, please... that was UCLA you had to come from behind to beat, for God's sake. Coming into the game, UCLA had four wins - over Utah, Rice, Stanford and Arizona, teams with a combined record of 9-19. Of the four, only Utah, at 4-3, had a winning record. Meantime, Tennessee, according to Weis, did the "exact same" thing - winning at the end. But the Sun Coach, who may not have had time to read the sports pages, failed to mention that Tennessee came from behind to beat Alabama, which was not exactly UCLA. He picked on Tennessee and Florida because, like Notre Dame, they also have one loss. Except that Tennessee's loss was to Florida, by a point. And Florida's only loss was to Auburn, but 10. The Sun King was probably so blinded by his Super Bowl ring that he had forgotten that Notre Dame's loss was a blowout - at home - a 26-point loss to Michigan, 47-21. Frankly, I think that Weis' performance was a pre-emptive strike, designed to try to prevent the Irish from falling any further over the next four weeks, when they face Navy, North Carolina, Air Force and Army - not exactly Murderer's Row. Not even run-em-up wins are likely to impress the BCS guys. And while I write this, Clemson has to go out and lose to Virginia Tech on Thursday night - and the Sun Coach moves up a notch . While sitting at home eating cheeseburgers. Several. Super-sized. *********** Dedicated to NBA Commissioner David Stern, who strongly suggested that NBA players leave their guns at home... One of Johnny Cash's lesser known songs, "Don't Take Your Guns to Town" was Number One on the Country Charts in 1958--- (Feel free to substitute the name of your choice for "Bill") A young cowboy named Billy Joe grew restless on the farm A boy filled with wonderlust who really meant no harm He changed his clothes and shined his boots And combed his dark hair down And his mother cried as he walked out Chorus Don't take your guns to town son Leave your guns at home Bill Don't take your guns to town   He laughed and kissed his mom And said your Billy Joe's a man I can shoot as quick and straight as anybody can But I wouldn't shoot without a cause I'd gun nobody down But she cried again as he rode away Chorus Don't take your guns to town son Leave your guns at home Bill Don't take your guns to town   He sang a song as on he rode His guns hung at his hips He rode into a cattle town A smile upon his lips He stopped and walked into a bar And laid his money down But his mother's words echoed again Chorus Don't take your guns to town son Leave your guns at home Bill Don't take your guns to town   He drank his first strong liquor then to calm his shaking hand And tried to tell himself he had become a man A dusty cowpoke at his side began to laugh him down And he heard again his mothers words Chorus Don't take your guns to town son Leave your guns at home Bill Don't take your guns to town   Filled with rage then Billy Joe reached for his gun to draw But the stranger drew his gun and fired Before he even saw As Billy Joe fell to the floor The crowd all gathered 'round And wondered at his final words Chorus Don't take your guns to town son Leave your guns at home Bill Don't take your guns to town *********** Last week I missed our Thursday practice (last one before our Saturday game).  I put the team in charge of the coach that helps me on offense and I met with him beforehand to go over what I wanted to accomplish.  It was an ambitious list and I highly doubted he would be able to get it all in (especially with darkness settling in around 7:15), but I'd rather have that than have the kids and coaches standing around and making stuff up.   I also have a coach that "runs" the defense.  I say "runs" because I told him and showed him what I wanted to run and have let him go at it. Overall he's done a very good job. I also gave him a list I wanted to have him cover on defense.    At the beginning of the year I gave him your tackling tape and told him to use drills off the tape and teach the boys the techniques in your tape.  He followed through on that but later I caught him running the kids through some drills that I just don't like.   The one I despise the most is the dreaded "bull in the ring".  I stopped the drill, pulled him to the side and told him I don't want to see that drill again because I'm not into medieval torture and don't want to risk injury to the players (mental and physical).  He understood and agree to never run that drill again.  More recently he's been bugging me to have his son (one of my QBs) run "some option plays".   I told him that although his son probably could run the option (he's a good athlete with plenty of guts), we don't have the practice time to put that in, especially with more than half the season gone.  I could tell he didn't like the answer.    Take a guess what happened at practice.  My assistant on offense decides to put in a "trick" play ( a reverse off the SP ), and my defensive coach runs the "bull in the ring" drill.  I find out about the drill from a father whose kid was nearly knocked out and ended up spitting blood.  In addition, my defensive coach spends valuable time with the offense having his kid trying to run some "option" plays.  I find this all out Saturday morning before the game when I confronted them both separately and they both proceeded to sell out the other.  I reamed them out and suspended them from coaching in the game.  I had them watch the game from the sidelines.  Since then they both have apologized profusely and have handled it quite well.  The parents are all trying to speculate what's going on, but I only addressed it with the comment "it's between me and the coaches"…same with the players.   I really respect your opinion and wanted to run this by you and get your feel for the situation.  Tonight at practice I told them I will decide if they are allowed to coach again.  I guess it comes down to how you feel about someone betraying your trust, but I think it's simple. Grown men don't do something like that unless they are of weak character, and good character is the first requisite of a coach. A smart guy can learn football, but it's too late to instill good character in a person who demonstrates that he doesn't have it. You've had your demonstration. Consider yourself fortunate, I think, that it wasn't a more costly lesson. Now you see why they pay you the big bucks to be a head coach. *********** Coach, We lost this week.  We are a better team then they are, but things didn't go our way.  We had 150 yards of offense and they had 70.  I've never felt like refs had been paid off and I'm sure they weren't, but did it ever feel like they were.  There were 9 flags thrown in the game and 8 were on us and most at critical times.  They called my guard twice for movement, I watched the film, he didn't leave early he is just quick.  We had an 8 yard gain on the first play then they called  3 flags on us in a row (for different reasons).  We had their offense in a 4th and 15 and they called us for pass interference.  I watched the film and the receiver fell.  They scored on the next play to end the half - their receiver took 2 steps forward before the ball was hiked.(of course no flag on them)  We recovered 3 fumbles (at least I think we did) but the ref gave all 3 to them.  The film showed the runner lost the ball while running and we were on the ball and down.  On one the closest ref was about 3 yards away. He started to signal then looked at a ref that was at least ten yards away and then gave them the ball.  I don't usually like to whine about these things, and I think that a good team has to be able to overcome bad calls, but this was just too many. Hopefully we win our first playoff game, the next round could be a rematch. Our A team is running the DW and is undefeated section champs, the kids learned the DW last year and I convinced them to stick with the system, they thanked me Sat night.  Our new Commissioner has decided that all our levels will now be running the DW.  We have never had 2 teams in the playoffs before. As long as it's not fatal, a loss can be beneficial. It doesn't hurt to point out to the kids that if they stay in football a while, there will be games like that, and games like that put even greater pressure on a good team to perform at its best. Questionable officiating is one of the most difficult things to overcome, but good, sound football is the best way overcome it. Surely there were some things that your kids did or didn't do which contributed to the defeat, and it's possible that if those things hadn't happened, you might have had a shot, even with the penalties. So that's something to work on, and in the long run, it might make you better. *********** Bob Novogratz' grandniece, Megan Novogratz, a senior forward on the Alvernia College field hockey team, was named Division III National Player of the Week. *********** A friend whose young son - unwisely - took his airsoft pistol to school and got caught with it told me of having to go to school and meet with the principal. He loves his kids, but unlike most of today's parents, he knows that even good kids can do some dumbass things, so he didn't go storming into the school accusing them of picking on his kid demanding the principal apologize for accusing his son of something he simply wouldn't do. ("Not my son.") He wrote... I met with the principal this morning, and we had a good talk (I have known him for years). We came to a solution that this is a teachable moment. He knows he made a poor choice, so he will get 1 day of in-house suspension, besides a talking to by the SRO (Resource Officer), who is a good guy. Then he will have 1 week of lunch room clean up. (Besides his consequences at home.) That is the sort of sensible punishment that schools and parents should be able to agree on. Unfortunately, it doesn't work often enough because among school administrators there's not enough common sense, and among parents there's not a lot of responsibility for their kids' upbringing. *********** Northwestern and Central play for District this week in Miami. They expect close to 30,000. Want to go? I still have concealed weapons permit down there. Got to leave the women and children home though. Blessings, Armando Castro, Roanoke, Virginia *********** We ran a few plays from WILDCAT last night (in practice) just to be prepared for the wet weather that is forecast for tonight and because our QB sprained the thumb on his right hand in practice on Tuesday.  The kids loved it! The forecast for tonight is 43 degrees at kick-off with 20 mph winds and an 80% chance of rain - God is good!  Those conditions certainly would affect their offense much more than ours, and our kids have been waiting all season to play a game in the rain or snow. A quick clock management question for you:  We always want to chew up the clock with ball control, but in a big game like this against such a fast and explosive team, would you consider slowing things down and eating up as much of the 25 second play clock as possible, even early in the game? Coach, I think that the wind could be a big factor, and that's in your favor. With strong winds, you want to take advantage of the wind by speeding things up a bit when it's at your back, and slowing things down to a walk when it's in your face. Be very aware of change of periods. Sometimes it is wise to punt on third down or even second-and-long if the period is about to end and you'll no longer have the wind at your back. On the other hand, if your opponent has the ball with the wind in their face and the period is about the end, you might want to use a time out or two to force them to have to punt into the wind. Field position is extremely important when the wind is a factor, because it is possible to get stuck in your end and never get out - but conversely, if you can pin an opponent in there, it can keep them i, especially one that depends on passing. Wildcat can be very helpful under adverse conditions. One word of caution --- make sure that your center keeps his butt down, even after the snap. The only thing that can hurt you is the high, hard snap. *********** I heard someone on TV gushing about this wonderful young African-American man who is about to break all sorts of barriers in Massachusetts as the first of this and the first of that, and I wanted to ask, "Doesn't anyone remember our first popularly-elected black Senator - Edward Brooke, who served Massachusetts in the US Senate for two terms?" Oh, that's right. I nearly forgot. Edward Brooke wasn't really a black man. He was a Republican *********** Bob St. Clair called in to Michael Savage's (yes, I listen to him) show last week. Says he's a big fan. Read More about Bob St. Clair. Go to "archives" and go to 10-3-2003 and read about this great all-time all-pro *********** Maine HS football will stay 3 classes for at least the next 2 years: One of the deciding factahs, er, factors, was the realization that perhaps there aren't enough schools for 4 classes. With only 67 total and a few more in club status, do yah think they're onta something? LOL They did vote to reset the enrollments for the 3 classes to 0-499, 500-799 & 800 and up. One school in the whole state has to change to the highest level (A). Todd Bross, Union, Maine In my opinion, four classes, in a state with few teams, would make the playoffs a lot less meaningful, and in addition, in a state the size of Maine, it could require some really serious in-season travel for some schools to play others of similar size. Oregon, with six classes this year instead of the four that they'd had for eons, has carved out numerous five-team leagues, many of which are allotted three teams for the state playoffs. As a result, this year's playoffs will include some 3-6 teams (or worse). I think Minnesota has managed a decent compromise between over selectiveness (I one was an assistant on a Washington team that went 9-1, losing only in overtime to the eventual league champ, and stayed home) and the "trophies for everybody" approach. In Minnesota, every team makes its district playoffs, but only the district winners qualify for the state playoffs. The first-round games are seeded so that #1 meets #8, etc., and as a result, the field is thinned out pretty quickly, and if a team with a lesser regular-season record should make it to the state playoffs, it would only have done so by earning it - by beating the best teams in its district. I believe that Indiana does pretty much the same thing. In my mind, it's as good a system as I know of. *********** Terrell Owens came out and said that, after careful thought, he is happy about the move to Tony Romo. Well, of course he's happy - he's looking forward to eating Tony Romo alive. If Romo can survive Terrell Owens, he is halfway to Canton. *********** The Crystal Lake Central-Batavia Illinois state playoff game will be Webcast at 7:30 PM Central Time on www.mchenrycountysports.com *********** Coach, Our league has an online forum where players ,coaches and fans can make comments. One coach claims we would be easy to stop since we "only have 3 plays". He said all you have to do is stop the wedge, load up the outside to stop the sweep/SuperPower and stay home for the counter. I took this as a compliment. What he hasn't realized is that the trap is our most productive play and my QB can really chuck it when necessary. A good defensive man learns all that he can about an offense; it's obvious that this guy hasn't done that, and yet he is shooting his mouth off. Talk is cheap. I don't know of a single person who has ever been successful on the defensive side without knowing all he can about the offenses he's trying to stop. Hubris is a dangerous thing, especially when it's combined with ignorance. *********** Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle, noting that Mitch Cozad (former Northern Colorado punter) faces 48 years if he's convicted of attempted manslaughter, wrote that if Cozad had been a Miami Hurricane, he'd be looking instead at a one-game suspension and a written apology. *********** Good Morning Hugh, We are excited this morning - the SeaHawks made the play-offs for the tenth year in a row. We won our Monday night game 58-24 after falling behind in the first quarter, 16-6. We scored 28 points in the second period and from there the rest is history. A couple of notable things in the game. We threw the ball 5 times scoring 3 TD's --47 Brown A Throwback, Thunder X corner, and Red X Seam. We ran for 350 yards and threw for 100. What is interesting half way through the second quarter they started grabbing the legs of our lineman and cutting the b-back. This had to be coached and of course I said something during and after the game to both the opposing coach and officials-- OK, I was really mad. All three DW teams in the Maine made the Play-offs. Class A Gorham, Class B Messalonski, and Class C Boothbay. We are 6-2 with one regular season game to go. Given the injuries we have had to overcome and the way we underachieved most of the season the win last night was very gratifying. All the best, Jack Tourtillotte, Boothbay Harbor, Maine *********** Coach, I read that a coach from Washington was receiving the AFCA Power of Influence Award this year. I don't have the article in front of me but I was wondering if you knew him and if he was, as is written, an awesome guy. Hope you are well, Sam Knopik, Head Football Coach, Pembroke Hill School, Kansas City, Missouri Hi Sam, That is Sid Otton, of Tumwater, Washington. Tumwater is a suburb of Olympia, the state capital. Sid is a hell of a coach and a very good man, and he's now the winningest coach in Washington history. With the explosive growth around Olympia, Tumwater, once the only high school in its area, has been affected somewhat by redistricting over the last several years, but Sid's program has remained tough and has always been considered one of the best in the state. We corresponded a bit back in the early 1980s when I first started running the Delaware Wing-T out here, and he asked me about it. I really don't know whether he got anything from our exchange, but he has been a wing-T guy for some time. He is a class guy with a solid reputation, the total opposite of the yahoo coaches that we are beginning to see more of. His son, Brad Otton, played QB for USC several years back. Here are some neat photo scrapbooks from the Olympia paper--- http://community.theolympian.com/gallery/ view_album.php?set_albumName=album317 http://community.theolympian.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=album319 *********** Hi Coach, I share your disdain for the canned comments coming from interviewers, but to turn the spotlight around on the coaches & former players - have you noticed that its IMPOSSIBLE to listen to them answer a question without invariably using the phrase "No question" at the beginning of their reply? Its epidemic. Todd Bross, Union, Maine Good point. The questions are so stupid, and the coaches have become so cagey about answering them, that the whole exercize has become a weary ritual. Part of the coaches' blandness, I suspect, has to do with the fact that they all have agents nowadays, and their agents no doubt work really hard with them on watching what they say. I guarantee you, we'd all pay good money to hear what they have to say when they're out of the public eye.   *********** Coach- #1. I have been a Canes fan for a long, long time. Stress HAVE been, as recent behavior which i found somewhat "cool" as a kid, I find nauseating now. Yes, the Canes of old may be back, but the stupid ass thugs can't back it up anymore. With the "discipline" taken by the coaching staff and administration, I have sent my Cane Supporter Card back, and burnt all my Cane apparel. I am currently searching for a new team to be a fan of. (Will always be a Hawkeye as well) (In Iowa, where thugs don't exactly walk the mean streets of Sioux City, I can see where Miami would have a certain fascination. HW) #2. I remember you did not like Bud Select, think you referred to at as piss. I am guessing you will not agree to become a spokesperson side by side with Jay Z for it. As your unofficial agent I will stop trying to get you this gig. #3. Let's eliminate ALL sideline reporters, and better yet, let's eliminate all broadcasters, period. I enjoy watching the game even more while listening to a radio broadcast of a different game on the radio. #4. Given the choice between matching socks, or having you at camp, we choose to pay you to come to Iowa, and will let the socks issue slide. We do not allow stripes of any kind, have to be solid color (black, or white) and nothing else. Also we do not care about length. Maybe next year I will check into the the sock issue, as it does kind of drive me crazy too. #5. Austin Todd (good looking, rock-solid linebacker/guard with the buzz cut) became the school's leading tackler with 294 career tackles. He broke the record held by his brother Adam who graduated the year before I started here. #6. We are averaging over 6.7 yards per carry as a team running the football. Haven't hit many "big" plays, but we have had several long, sustained drives. In each of our last 3 wins we have not let our opponents have the ball much. Vs. Gehlen Catholic they had 4 plays in the first quarter, vs. Lawton they had 6 plays in the first quarter, and vs. River Valley they had 5 plays in the first quarter (we picked off a pass, scored 2 plays later, and picked off another pass at midfield). So much for ball control not winning games. Brad Knight, Holstein, Iowa *********** Hi Coach; Well we did it. We won the conference league title with a 7-1 record and a first seed in our upcoming playoffs. We outscored our opponents 197-30-if you can believe that. I had a hard time believing it myself until I added all the scores throughout the season. Our defense did a hell of a job as well. I am sure you get told this often the Double Wing was just dynamic. We ran the plays exactly as the playbook and your seminar explained.  Teams just had a hard time adjusting to the plays and misdirection and frankly many times were just plain out of position which became totally obvious once I reviewed the game tape. I had defensive coaches come up to me after the game totally frustrated. Anyway, we have a first round bye in our playoffs which leads me to a general question. What is your coaching philosophy when it comes to playoffs? Knowing you will see an opponent you have seen during the year do you implement new plays or do you just hammer the same plays that worked all year. Do you spend more time in group or do you spend the time as we did all year mostly in team. With a bye week as I am sure you have had, without knowing who you are playing, what has been your goals and objectives for the bye week? I think we have a good chance to go to Regional's this year and I want to insure I can and do everything I need to insure we are fully prepared. Once again, thank you for all your advice. On a side note: I think I my board president is going to implement the Double Wing for all the teams next year. I think that in approaching a playoff against a team you've played before, you have to strike a careful balance between understanding that on the one hand you may want a wrinkle while on the other hand not giving your kids the idea that you don't have confidence in what they've been doing up to now. Without a game this week, you might take a little more time than usual to do some fun things, and you might look at a wrinkle or two just to see if it's worth your time. But if I were to add anything - such as an unbalanced package, unless you already have one - I would make sure that they understand this is just the same thing they've been doing all year, only packaged a little differently. In other words, no brand-new plays unrelated to what they've been doing. I would tell them that it's like we've taken what we've been doing and just added a "dietary supplement." Otherwise, I don't think I'd do anything differently in terms of practices from what you've been doing. I think it is important that in preparing for a playoff game you maintain a "business as usual" approach to things, because their mental attitude is going to be very important, and the more things that you change, the more unsettled they're going to feel. And when they're unsettled, they're less confident, and when they're less confident they are more prone to play listlessly and make mistakes. I think, frankly, that your biggest challenge is going to be dealing with having to play a team you've already beaten. In your kids' minds, they could begin thinking that they have already won. That's why I emphasize the business-as-usual approach - we don't care who it is we're playing, we're just going to play the best game we can possibly play and if we do, it doesn't matter who we play. *********** Coach Wyatt, I am on "Fall Break" for the next couple of days. I have a dvd with some of our plays from this season. I'll send you a copy. Its only about 3 minutes long, but has some pretty good defense and a few of our 2wing plays on it. I heard the NFL talking heads discussing the fact that one of the NFL teams had to convert a LB to fullback because they cut their only fullback on the team. It was noted that many college teams don't have fullbacks and it was hard to draft one. I'm amazed even at our level how few times the fullback carries the ball. We divide up the carries pretty evenly between our three backs. I am very patient and will take what the defense gives me. I remember you showing the scene from the movie "Gallipoli" (SP?)at one of your clinics. Don't run into a well fortified defense. Attack where they are weak. Other things to note. My kids all wear the same socks. I'm fanatical about the uniform. The kids like those golf socks that are below the shoe tops. I benched a starter one year because he "forgot" his socks. Dan King, Evans, Georgia It is amazing, isn't it, how the fullback has become neutered? Teams will think nothing of wasting a play "taking a shot downfield," yet don't seem to appreciate the fact that occasionally sending a beast of a fullback (assuming they even have a fullback) up the middle can take a toll on a defense. *********** A fellow coach in my district wants a copy of our tape from last years game. He said his camera didn't work during the game. Should I give him a copy of my tape or not? I have seen your tapes, and they are pretty good. My suspicion is that he would attempt to do what bootleg drug companies do to get around secret formulas - he would "reverse-engineer" your offense. Two bad things would result: (1) you would have to play a double-wing team, which isn't nearly as big a problem as (2) - now, the teams you play would get to practice against the double-wing two weeks a year, instead of one. *********** Coach, Just a couple of thoughts regarding your "News" page from 10/24/2006: 1) "FOR SALE: One complete set of Nike home football uniforms. Very stylish - most pants do not cover the knees. Only worn once. Call Florida State University. Ask for Coach Bowden." While watching the game I was thinking that the average height of the FSU team must be 6'9 to 6'11 and the pants Nike sent were for a team with players between 6-0 and 6-2. It was an honest mistake. Maybe I should adjust the "vertical" on my TV. 2) "WISCONSIN - I was the game analyst for our local radio station for the last Grantsburg game (a week ago Thursday) against Luck (WI) and was the play-by-play announcer for a number of Grantsburg games about four years ago. Head coach Keith Lehne is a top-notch individual with teams that reflect his personality. The Pirates play hard, they are aggressive, and they are classy. The entire administration at Grantsburg is first rate as well. It is always a pleasure and a treat to see the Grantsburg kids in action (and to broadcast their games and matches) because they play games the way they are supposed to be played. Mike O'Donnell, Pine City, Minnesota This knees-uncovered look is plain ridiculous. It is only a matter of time before this latest fashion statement - clearly illegal according to NCAA rules, but so what? - works its way down to the HS level, where the officials really need one more stupid thing to have to deal with. Maybe somebody can tell me why football players insist on pants that stop above the knees, while basketball players wear "shorts" down to their ankles. Coach Lehne is a good man. He and an assistant came down to our camp in Holstein, Iowa this past summer. (I hope they got something out of it!) *********** Coach, With a 32-14 win over Havana on Friday, we earned our fourth straight playoff berth. This marks the first time our program has posted four winning seasons in a row, and the senior class set the record for varsity wins at 32. The pairings took a strange turn, and somehow we end up with another 6-3 team (we thought we'd get an 8-1). So, we go to Salt Fork on Saturday to play the Storm. Good luck to all. Todd Hollis, Head Football Coach, Elmwood-Brimfield Coop, Elmwood, Illinois (Good luck to Coach Hollis in the opening -round playoff game! HW) *********** Coach, First off, we won our game on Saturday; 6-0.     We began a drive at the start of the 2nd quarter and found ourselves 1st and goal at the one with about 1 minute left in the half.  We drove the field with a nice mix of SP, wedge and 6-G.  At this point I bring in one of my younger and smaller kids as "A" back.  I made the mistake of thinking that I had a guaranteed touchdown and this was a good opportunity to get the kid a carry.  Dumb coaching decision on my part.  I called the 88SP and he dropped the toss.  To his credit he fell on the ball at the 6 yd line.   Needless to say, this fired up the other team's defense and they ended up stopping us back at the 1 on fourth down.  Lesson learned &endash; there are no guaranteed touchdowns &endash; no matter how much we dominated the opponents defense during the entire drive I should either have kept my A back in or called a wedge.  I put the kid off the bench in a tough position and didn't help out his confidence.  I also didn't do much for the confidence of my first A back when I replaced him at the goal line after he busted his tail during the entire drive.  I could blame it all on the pressure we get as youth coaches to get as many kids to touch the ball as possible &endash; but that's too easy.  It was just a dumb move by me and a tough lesson.  My BB bailed me out in the second half with a great run off a 6-G call that he took 27 yards for a touchdown.  We are now  5-1 after losing our first game and have now outscored our opponents 62-12 over the last 5 games.  Again, this is with an team of 30 nine-ten years olds with my equal play philosophy.  We average 8 different ball carriers per game &endash; which is part of the beauty of the DW system. Thanks again for all your help! Yes, a good lesson. Maintaining your sense of compassion while keeping your eye on the road ahead is a skill that a youth coach has to have. That balance becomes less and less important as kids get older, until you get to the pros and they are totally hard-hearted about it. The guy who CAN get the score is the guy who will get the ball. I was reminded of this a week ago when we had an old friend, Clarence "Motts" Thomas, and his wife over for dinner. Motts and I used to play on the same semi-pro team back in Maryland, but since then we went our separate ways until he retired and moved to our area. Actually, our paths did cross briefly when we both coached overseas. It was 1989, and we had the two best teams in Finland, the Munkka Colts and the East City Giants. We met early in the season and my team, the Colts, narrowly lost to his on a disputed scoring play in which the runner was down - or so it appeared to us - but was allowed to keep running. It was all compounded by the fact that there really was bad blood between the teams. That turned out to be our only regular-season loss. We ran off another eight or nine wins and won our semi-final game, as did the Giants, so we faced them in the National Championship game, the "Maple Bowl" (so-named because the Canadian ambassador donated it). I really thought that we were by far the better team, because we had a dynamite offense, and a very tough defense to go with it. But going into the game, we were beat up. My quarterback - I only had one - had a sore arm and could barely throw, and my best running back, a real stud, had injured his knee in the semi-final. Fortunately, we figured, the Giants, a defense-oriented team, did not have an overpowering offense, and we could stay close. It turned out to be a real battle. The score was tied at the half, 0-0. The Giants put on a drive in the fourth quarter, and got down to our one, where - thank the Lord - they fumbled, and we recovered. We went on to block a punt, which set up a field goal, which won the game for us, 3-0. National champs! It was such a defensive battle that the MVP was one of my defensive backs, who intercepted three passes. We were laughing about that at dinner last week, and Motts told me that on that play at the goal line, he gave in to pressure from his players and gave the ball to some old-timer that everyone thought deserved the chance to score. And he fumbled. *********** Coach, I think that I'm right but that "tackle" would have been legal under National Federation rules at the high school level. Dennis Metzger, Principal, Northeastern Jr/Sr High School, Fountain City, Indiana I have had a kid - a former soccer player - do it and get called for tripping, but to my great surprise and dismay, the rule on tripping says that is is "the use of the lower leg or foot obstruct an opponent, who is not a runner, below the knee." HW   *********** JOB ALERT! - I know the season's not even over yet, but...   I had a conversation on Tuesday with a gentleman named Ed Torres who was calling because the school he is associated with is looking for a head coach. It is a small, private school that has an excellent tradition but has had little success lately, and in his judgment the best way to go would be with a "contrarian" offense on the order of the single wing or double wing.   I was impressed by Mr. Torres, and I agree with his assessment. I have coached at small schools myself, and I have dealt with many small-school coaches, and our experience is that whatever it is that we run, it can't be talent-intensive, because we can't rely on having talent; it has to be adjustable to the talent we do have, since our talent can vary considerably from year to year; and it has to be instantly flexible, because in a small school the personnel picture can change dramatically from week to week. On all those counts, we all know that the double-wing qualifies.   The school is Allen Academy in Bryan, Texas. Bryan adjoins College Station, home of Texas A & M. I have been there. It is a nice part of Texas, roughly in the middle of a triangle with Dallas-Fort Worth as its apex, and Houston and Austin at its base. It is about 90 miles from Houston, the same distance from Austin, and 190 miles south of DFW.   The following letter from Mr. Torres will provide the details you will need at this point if you are interested in following up on what could be a great opportunity for a young coach - or a retired coach - to build a program in a small Texas private school. Single wing coaches are also encouraged to apply.   Coach Wyatt: Good to talk to you today; it was an honor for me.   Allen Academy is the oldest boarding school in the State of Texas. Our website: http://allenacademy.org/   We will be looking to hire an Athletic Director/Head Football Coach. This position must be filled immediately.   The school is about to conduct a national search, but I wanted to give you and your guys a heads up, since I think your philosophy of football is where our future lies.   I will send more info as it becomes available.   In the meantime, if anyone is interested, they can contact me at the numbers below, or by using this email address. edward.torres@sustainment.net   Regards and God Bless, Ed   Edward F. Torres, Colonel, USAF, MSC (Ret'd)   President & CEO, Sustainment Technologies, Inc.   T: 979.764.2080 ----- F: 979.764.2090 ----- C: 979.229.3192     Osama shows that he will stop at nothing in his plot to weaken America... BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD TO ONE OF YOUR PLAYERS! Army's Will Sullivan wore his Black Lion patch (awarded to all winners) in the Army-Navy game (FOR MORE INFO) The Black Lion certificate is awarded to all winners

Black Uniforms For Sale...Used Only Once... Call Coach Bowden! (See"NEWS") The Steelers' Punter Goes Soccer Player on Us! (See"NEWS") "Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." (Proverbs, Chapter 8, Verses 10-11) My Offensive System My Materials for Sale My Clinics Me October 24, 2006 - "If you have to cheat to keep a job, step back and think whether the job is worth it to drop your standards that low." Bob Reade, high school and college championship coach   COLLEGE BALL ON THE TUBE *********** When text messaging interferes with the message... Virginia was playing on TV Thursday night, and for some reason, the ESPN folks thought it would be cool to tell us that Virginia's state motto is "Sic Semper Tyrannis." That's Latin for "Thus always to tyrants," or in the vernacular, "Tyrants should always get their asses kicked." John Wilkes Booth shouted it as he jumped to the stage at Ford's Theatre after shooting Abraham Lincoln (breaking his leg in the process). But ESPN, perhaps having relayed the info by phone to someone creating graphics for the show, told us on-screen that the motto meant "Thus always 2 tyrants." As if one wasn't bad enough. *********** Desmond Howard was a very good football player, but as a TV personality he is bad. Really bad. *********** Trust egotistical players to find leaks in the rules... one had "Bad News" on his face mask; another had "Juice" on his eye-black patches. *********** Lisa Saulters talked through two plays of the Texas-Nebraska game because the producers just knew we couldn't wait to hear what Vince Young had to say. And sure enough, he shared with us the advice he gave to current Texas QB Colt McCoy: "Don't worry about what everybody say." *********** Is it possible for an interviewer to get through an interview without saying to his subject, "Talk about (whatever)...?" ********** FOR SALE: One complete set of Nike home football uniforms. Very stylish - most pants do not cover the knees. Only worn once. Call Florida State University. As for Coach Bowden. *********** Did Florida State really think it was honoring the Seminole Nation by wearing those Godawful black uniforms? *********** Is it too late for the Seminole Nation to change their minds about Florida State? *********** Look out, Nike. Look out, adidas. Look out, Collegiate Licensed Products. here comes ESPN Game Day Apparel. *********** Penn State has evidently become so boring that they had to interview the Penn State basketball coach while play went on. Come on, admit it - you didn't even know Penn State had a basketball team! *********** Make me laugh - Nike's tag line is "Football is Everything." Yeah, right. You hypocrites. With you guys, Football was Nothing, and Soccer was Everything, until an upstart named UnderArmour came along and started making HUGE inroads with young football players. ("Click-clack.") *********** Okay, okay. I switched off Northwestern-Michigan State when it got to 38-3. *********** Latest fashion statement (watch for it on your team) - long white sox, white shoes, and black sweat sox. *********** Can somebody please explain to me why Cal, easily at the top of anti-military colleges, fires off a cannon after every score? *********** My heart went out to John Bunting, and John L. Smith, a couple of guys on the hot seat. Coach Smith may have saved his job with that great comeback, but Coach Bunting at North Carolina lost his job on Sunday. I'm sorry for him. *********** Duke nearly pulled off the upset against Miami. Even normally neutral TV announcers confessed to rooting for Duke. Just goes to show that the difference between Miami and the last-place team in the ACC is a dozen or so thugs. In fairness to the Miami area, Duke's QB, who did such a great job in a losing cause, is a Dade County kid. *********** What's with the NIKE on the visors? Looking at the size of those ads, they should pay kids to wear their f--king masks. *********** Cliches heard this week - "Gut check..." "He'd like to have that one back..." *********** Real pros at the controls... in the middle of a long run by Nebraska's Brandon Jackson, the pros at the network cut to a shot of his relatives in the stands. *********** Twice I saw Michigan line up in an empty set. Michigan! *********** The weekly NBC Notre Dame infomercial brought us a great halftime feature - Peter King discussing the NFL prospects of Brady Quinn and Jeff Samardija! Wow! I'm there! *********** Haw, haw, haw. Hey Parcells - great halftime move! What the f--k were you thinking, down only 12-7 and pulling an established pro in favor of an untested rookie? Okay - we know you're the boss. But the rookie throws an interception on his first pass of the second half? Giants' touchdown. And throws another one to a lineman - on a screen? Giants' field goal. And throws another one that's returned 90 yards for a TD? That's a total of 17 points attributable to your brilliant move! What a man. You didn't have the balls to criticize Terrell Owens, but you don't mind throwing Drew Bledsoe under the bus. On national TV. How'd you like to be his QB? Hey Tuna - ever think maybe it's not Bledsoe but those slugs on your offensive line who simply can't protect your passer? *********** I am a Steelers' fan, but the Falcons' overtime win was pure justice. They'd have won in regulation time if the officials had had any balls. That's because the Steelers' punter didn't have any, either - but what do you expect? Late in the fourth quarter, the Falcons' punt return man broke loose and had only the punter to beat, but - wouldn' t you know? - that chickensh-- punk reached into his pantywaist past and brought the Falcon down with a soccer "tackle." They penalized him 15 yards for tripping. But that was a no-balls call on the part of the referee, who in the case of a "palpably unfair act" (such as a soccer tackle by the last defender with a shot at the runner) can award a touchdown. At the very least, the League office should suspend that punter for playing soccer in front of a football audience. *********** This was actually posted by "canesfan" on Greg Cote's blog on herald.com (Miami Herald) OK!! I'll say it."____" the media. "____" ESPN!! Bring back the "thugs". Let's stop trying to appease the masses with our image. Fact is most of our players do come from the inner city and the inner city is not suburbia!!! Most of the aging NFL hall of famers are from the 80's and early 90's. Hire them! Put them all on the sideline! Make Lamar Thomas the new stadium announcer! Truth be told I don't like to lose.(ballgames or fights) I still look at the OB as a sacred place.(thanks to the ol' thugs for 58 straight) Put the bandages back on the ibis and let's start owning the NCAA!!! Why does UM have to paint pretty pictures for the media and dance in circles??!! I guess Mark May would just sit on his ass and watch his friends get in a fight and not help!! I'm sorry but fighting side by side with friends, helping a fellow teammate when he's down and having some damn pride in a legacy that these young players are trying their hardest to uphold is worth the suspension. Maybe UM has lost it's street cred with these great high schoolers. They go elsewhere to play for a team. They used to go to UM to be part of a family. Even though that family talked smack, had people boo with every little thing and had the whole world hate them. We owned the 80's and the early 90's. We won the same amount of championships that we've played for and lost!!! And, hate to say it, it was done with the "thugs". CANES FOR LIFE!!! *********** Hey! Remember that cool Jay-Z video that we saw at halftime on Monday Night Football? ("Show Me Whatchyou Got?") And then remember that right afterward, we saw a Budweiser Select commercial and - whattaya know? - there was Jay-Z, rappin', and askin' wimmen to show him what they (or was it "dey?") got, and - this will surprise you - sellin' Budweiser Select? Well, hey - get this. Anheuser-Busch has just named Jay-Z its new "co-brand director" for Budweiser Select. "He's got great appeal," an A-B spokesman said, adding that the rapper can help A-B "reach people in groundbreaking ways." Hmmm. Identifying the product so closely with a well-known rapper is "a pretty significant experiment," said the marketing department chairman at St. Louis University. I'll say. In terms of what they call "positioning" a brand (basically, who they intend to market it to), it looks as if A-B doesn't have any plans to be hitting NASCAR or the pro rodeo circuit any time soon with Budweiser Select. (Which, by the way, is the foulest-tasting beer I have ever tasted, and I've tasted a lot of beer. And I was hot and thirsty when I tried it.) *********** The first of the "Bowl projections" is out ----- http://cfn.scout.com/2/582071.html *********** As I have begun to do lately, I woke up early Sunday morning just to listen to ESPN radio and Mike Ditka. This time, he was all over Bryan Billick and Dennis Green, calling their firing of their offensive coordinators "gutless." Ha. They might intimidate a reporter who'd say that, but I'd like to see either one of them try to take on Ditka. *********** The helmet manufacturers all stress the importance of properly fitting every kid, and the National Federation rules require all snaps on the chin straps to be fastened. And as a result, you know what? I have never - in practice or games, as a coach or spectator - seen a helmet knocked off a high school kid. But college and pro, I see helmets come off all the time, and then I'll see the player grab his helmets by the facemask and - with one hand - pop it back on his head. Yeah, right. You tell me those helmets are carefully fitted the same way our kids' helmets are. You ever see how easily they come off when those pros come to the sidelines and put on their baseball caps? *********** What, exactly, is this " house" that we're told players "take it to?" Is it the same "house" that "we must protect?" Is it the same "house" (aka the OB) that Miami opponents can't come into, talking smack, without getting their behinds kicked?" *********** Coach - Hey here is one for you / our TE who is team captain, asks one of our coaches for the key to the guys' basketball locker room before the game to get something. When he doesn't come back in a reasonable amount of time the coach goes looking for him and catches him and a girl's volleyball player having sex in the locker room. No wonder we can't win a game. Of course we sat him for the first half/ and I had to coach up a sophomore to play TE before the game. Hugh can you believe this crap? Wow. Sitting him out for the first half! That is some hardass disciplinarian. Even Miami would have been tougher than that. And as long as that's the way discipline is dealt out, it ain't gonna get any better. Of course, whatever it takes to win... (This is the same coach who a couple of weeks ago condoned his defensive coordinator's teaching of taking on Double-Wing fullbacks at the knees) Sorry if I sound disrespectful of your head coach, but if he doesn't demand good character from his coaches, how can he expect any different from his players? *********** HAWAII - Hi Coach, I have been running your double wing for 5 years now, both at the youth ( 8-12) and at the high school level( Calif. and now Hawaii). This year I am the offensive coord. For the Honokaa High School Dragons on the big island of Hawaii both at the JV and Varsity level. We are currently 5-2 Varsity and 4-0 JV. We normally run plays (88,99,6G, 7G, wedge,3 trap 2 both counters criss cross and 2 pass play red, blue) . We usually have 200-300 yds per game rushing. Just wanted to drop you a line and say thanks for a great offensive and play calling system. Thanks, Coach Wyatt, for all the time and help you give the double wing coaches. Charlie Martin, Honokaa, Hawaii *********** ILLINOIS - CRYSTAL LAKE CENTRAL HEADS TO PLAYOFFS! With a convincing win over Grayslake North, the Crystal Lake Central Tigers finished 6-3 (first winning season for the Tigers since 1995) and earned a spot in the playoffs for the first time since 1991. This Friday night, they go on the road to face Batavia (8-1). *********** IOWA - Galva-Holstein 49, River Valley 0 - (This is the school that had the hooligans that stole our victory bell. Pregame speech was fairly simple.) Had over 300 yards of offense (including a 35 yard touchdown pass). We continue to play good defense, and offense can win games, but that defense can win championships. *********** MINNESOTA - Thanks so much for the info coach. We have gotten away from the bird dog drill as of late. We do have inside foot down and inside foot back. We will work on it as we enter the playoffs. Much obliged for the double wing as well. 16-1 in conference play over the last three years and three conference championships in a row. And completely with the basic double wing plays. I really enjoy it and the kids have invested themselves into the system. Thanks for all you do to help us coach high school football. Take care. Kevin Haley, Head Football Coach, Barnum High School, Barnum, Minnesota *********** TEXAS - Coach Wyatt, Greetings from South Texas. We (Martin HS, Laredo) won last night 42-0 over Winn HS of Eagle Pass. We rushed for 427 yds and completed one of three passes for a whopping TEN yards. Thirteen kids carried the ball. This week we have a showdown for second place in our district vs. a spread shotgun team. We have three district games to go and we are currently 4-1 in district and 5-2 overall. Also, over in East Texas, Coach Wayne Gandy is making another playoff run with the DW at Joaquin HS. They won 55-14 over Mt. Enterprise. *********** Coach Wyatt, I am an assistant coach on an 11 and 12 year old team. I have never felt like an assistant since the head coach and I get along very well, at first at work and also on the football field. He runs the defense and he lets me run the offense with very little comment and never criticism. We are a perfect fit since he hates offense and I have the mentality that I can beat any defense that lines up against me. He has confidence that my offense can score and I have confidence and make game decisions based on my trust that the defense can stop anyone. This combination has taken us to a 28-2 record for the past 3 years. Now come the "daddy coaches". I can tell you that I coached my son the first year he played and I vowed never to do it again. I recognized that I had to be harder on my son than anyone else, just so the parents could not say that I was playing favorites. I realized that this was not fair to my son and I would never be able to distinguish between my son and my player. I continued to coach but never on a team where my son was playing. I retired from youth coaching in 1989 but my friend and co-worker called me in 2003 and since he knew my coaching background, asked me to run his offense. I was reluctant but agreed, and now I find that the years and my age have mellowed me and I am a hell of a lot better coach that I was in my younger years. I am calmer and more prone to take a kid under my arm to explain what he did wrong and tell him what he should do to get it right, than I was in my younger years where I would yell and scream about mistakes. Don't get me wrong, I still raise my voice, but I pick my spots and it has more effect. So, to get to the point, I have not been a daddy coach in a very long time. I want very little input on the sidelines when I am calling offense, and the head coach and I will walk by each other and maybe say 3 words at best, usually about how many time outs we have. We have a policy of having a very calm sideline since we have found that the kids will reflect your attitude in their game play. As you know, it is difficult to run a team with 2 coaches, so we have to get what we can get, and this year it was 2 daddy coaches and a young man that cares very much but did not have the maturity to handle game situations. This year, I have to deal with personnel, down and distance, score, and now input from the dads that think their sons are not getting the chance they think they should get, while trying to call plays. The young coach has now been fired for causing a disturbance by arguing with opposing parents during the game. I have seen posts from other coaches on your website concerning "daddy coaches" but I am here to tell all who are wise enough to listen, DO NOT DO IT. Do not hire daddy coaches. One in 50 will work out. You are better off trying to run short handed than you will be with this kind of help. God love dads. I am one, but dads with kids on the team make lousy football coaches. Coach, I do not want to hurt anyone's feelings that may read this, so if you post it on your web site, please omit my name. I am just an old softie but I don't like to hurt folks with the truth. It's just the way my mama raised me. Thanks for all the help you have given me to achieve a 28-2 record and 3 straight championships. Without your ability to give me the understanding of this offense, I could have not have been as successful. I'm not saying it can't work, because it has worked for me, but unless I knew the man very, very well, I would be very, very wary of having an assistant whose kid was a player on my team. My experience has been that most of the time it would be something on the order of an NFL coach putting a player's agent on his coaching staff. Anyone who knows the story of the Trojan Horse has an idea of what he's getting into if he adds a "Daddy Coach." *********** Hugh, In our last game a kid was wearing horizontally stripped socks, while the rest of the team had on regular sold white. Isn't there a rule concerning this? No, damn it. Although the NFL cares about that stuff, nobody else seems to. I have seen everything, including kids wearing blue on one leg and yellow on the other. I have seen teams with half the kids wearing long white sox and the other half wearing no sox at all. (I can't believe that coaches would spend what they do on uniforms and then send their teams out looking like half of them can't afford sox.) The NFL cares, because there's money at stake - they know that the instant they stop staying on top of it, the players will start wearing vertical-striped sox and the shirts will come untucked and soon enough they will start to look like sandlotters and the sponsors will take their money someplace else. ************ (This was sent to me and I urge you to read it) During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00p m, Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead. It only takes a minute to read this... A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed and then gettin g the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough. RECOGNIZING A STROKE R emember the "3" steps, S-T-R . Read and Learn! Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions: S - Ask the individual to SMILE. T - Ask the person to TALK to SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently) (i.e . . It is sunny out today) R - Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS. NOTE : Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke. If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 911 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people, you can bet that at least one life will be saved. (I will do better than that - I will post it on here and several thousand people will read it.) *********** Kids Like to Win, Adults Need to Win (http://www.charactercounts.org) Whether you're a sports fan or not, you have to acknowledge the powerful influence sports has on our culture. The values of millions of participants and spectators are shaped by the values conveyed in sports, including our views on what is permissible and proper in the competitive pursuit of personal goals. Professional sports and even highly competitive intercollegiate sports seem irreversibly addicted to the idea that sports is a business and the only thing that makes it profitable is winning. If that means we have to tolerate egocentric, self-indulgent showboating or whining, violence or even cheating, so be it. Clearly, these attitudes have invaded youth sports as well. Everywhere we see that a lot of adults -- both coaches and parents -- need to grow up and realize the game is not about either their egos or ambitions. The appropriate mission of youth sports is to provide kids a safe environment in which to have fun, build character, practice sportsmanship and develop skills and traits that will help them become responsible citizens and live happy, healthy lives. Striving to win is an important aspect of competition and teaching kids how to compete effectively and honorably is important, but youth sports should not be primarily about winning; it should be about trying to win and learning through effort and improvement. Of course, winning is fun and kids like to win, but it's the adults who often distort the experience because of their need to win. No matter how much we hope and try to make it happen, only a few youngsters will move beyond high school sports, and an even tinier percentage will make a living from athletics. But when done well, every participant can build positive life skills and gain lifelong memories from the pursuit of victory with honor. This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts. *********** The Augusta (Georgia) Chronicle writes, "... you have to think that the nastiness of today's athletes and their gutter mouths had a lot to do with the brawl between the University of Miami and Florida Atlantic University...What will bring some sense of order or, dare we ask, sportsmanship back to sports? Only this: outlaw trash talking. Period. The sporting world's tolerance of verbal filth, taunting and hate speech on the field of play has absolutely ruined games of all kinds - at all levels." Agreed. Let's get all athletes at all levels of all sports to shut the f--k up. Meantime, this week's Sports Illustrated deplores "Miami Vice," one one page, while 18 pages later devoting an entire page to glorifying the NFL trash talkers. *********** Hugh, How goes the battle? Just thought I'd drop you a note about our two weightlifting classes and the four week bench program you sent me. Today we finished the fourth week. In one class we improved a total of 495 lbs. for 21 kids. In the other class we improved a total of 335 lbs. for 23 kids. A total of 830 lbs. Thanks Hugh.......... the kids love the workout!!!!!!!! Ossie Osmundson, Ridgefield, Washington ************ Coach, I just bought a collection of 8 man football material from a national company which shall remain nameless. I was actually pretty psyched out to get the material. Imagine my surprise when reading the offensive material, when there is a play where a pass is thrown to an ineligible receiver. I thought it must be a mistake until I read the coaches description of the play. He actually recommends giving your guard and end similar jersey numbers so the refs will be confused and not discover that it was in fact the ineligible guard that was to catch the pass. He even admits that the play is cheating, but that he never gets caught and even if he did it is worth the penalty to get a shot at a touchdown. So now even in nationally published and sold materials we have officially sanctioned cheating. I do not know if you want to publish the name of the company, but they are being sold by Championship Productions. As far as the mandatory NCAA course on well rounded athletes, we have a great way to deal with that. We teach and even have on our team T-Shirts, body, mind, and soul, all from a biblical perspective. As Forrest Gump would say, I am not an intelligent man, but if Jesus taught it, sign me up. Of course since we have removed God from the public schools, we certainly cannot expect our learned college professors to embrace the teachings of the bible to develop well rounded students. Good site postings this week. Hi to Connie, Richard Cropp, Brunswick, Georgia (It is all about shame. There is no longer any such thing as shame to keep people within the bounds of proper behavior. Where there is no shame, there are no limits on behavior. You are right - if Jesus taught it, sign me up! Colleges shouldn't have to be spending $25,000 a team and taking valuable practice time to teach people things that anybody ought to be taught from the time they're old enough to crawl. But take a look around you the next time you go to a restaurant and watch the out-of-control kids (and these are presumably "good families") and you know what college coaches are facing. It is a society out of control. HW) *********** Coach, If Larry Coker is fired at Miami the new coach should be Snoop Dog Tim Brown, Jackson, Tennessee   *********** Coach, my son plays for a coach who is a smart fellow , very football knowledgeable, and the hardest working youth level coach I have ever seen.  Unfortunately he is also the most negative coach I have ever encountered (I am 62) and a screamer as well.  His approach to saying anything positive is to go over all the mistakes in great detail and then throw in a positive scrap.  At least two boys (this is a 125 youth football team) have left the team without any explanation although I suspect they just got fed up.  It is a very diverse team and there are several boys who have little or no experience with male role models (it appears) and really have a difficult time with discipline of any kind.  We had 12, 11, and 11 boys show up for our last three games and get no more than 7 or 8 on weekday practices; the squad has 13 members now.   I would like to try to talk to Coach at the end of the season and try to instill in him the need to be more positive if he is to have a chance of being a successful coach who is in demand.  I think he has it in him but he will have to change.  On the other hand, I realize that such a change has to come from within.  Should I just walk away from the conversation or get it off my chest?  My theme would be to emphasize what he has accomplished with some of the boys and the need to get in their heads in a positive way.    Everybody knows that you have to sugar-coat a pill to get someone to swallow it. To get my dog to take her medicine, I roll it up in a little cheese. And to get kids to take correction, I believe that you should precede the correction with something positive. And you should follow the correction (or suggestion) with the reason for it. "That's a pretty good hit position... but I'd like you bend your knees even more, because that way you'll be braced a lot better, and you'll be able to hit harder."   I first heard this approach from Tony Mason, who at the time was head coach at Arizona, and I decided that I would consciously adopt it and see how it works, and now I do it unconsciously.   I also think that many coaches spend way too much time telling kids what they're doing wrong ("what you're doing is..."), instead of what they should be doing. I got this from a golf pro, who told me that instead of telling a guy what he did wrong, the idea is to give him something he can do to correct the problem.   I'm not sure how you ought to go about this, but I suggest that you arrange to get this coach a copy of Bob Reade's "Coaching Football Successfully."   Coach Reade won numerous state titles as an Illinois high school coach, and numerous NCAA Division III titles at Augustana College. I pooled my clinic money with a few other coaches to bring him to the Northwest many years ago, and I still have the notes from that clinic. And over the years I have met a few men who played for Coach Reade. They are now successful high school coaches themselves, and they will vouch for the fact that he was the real deal.   For my money, it is the best comprehensive guide on coaching that has ever been printed. I know that it is available online.   Way before dealing with X's and O's, Coach Reade's book deals with coaching philosophy and coaching practices. Here's an excerpt:   "A word that I emphasize, especially in practice, is 'but,' as in, 'That's a great effort, but here's the correct way...' You reinforce the good things and scold the things you'd rather not see. The thing is to have a positive component to the message."   You might even find a way to go through it with him, maybe buying a copy yourself and making a "readers' club" of it.   I guarantee you that anybody who reads the book and takes its lessons to heart will be a better coach.   *********** WISCONSIN - Coach Wyatt, A quick update on Grantsburg Football. We have qualified for our 11th consecutive play-off appearance (9th using double wing). However, for the third consecutive year we enter the play-offs with significant injuries. We have 7 starters with significant injuries that will either prevent them from playing or will severely limit their effectiveness. On the positive side we have 24 hours to heal-up a little. We always stress to our 2nd team players that they need to be ready but they never seem to take it seriously until they are starting in a play-off game. On a statistical note we rushed for 2,400 yards and passed for over 1,000 yards in 9 games this year. I have tried to explain to the media that we typically don't have a 1,000 yard rusher because we don't have a feature back like the I. Instead all of our backs average 5yds plus per carry. Our fullbacks(we alternate) have over 800 yds and our A and C backs over 700 and our QB has over 200 yds as well. Sincerely, Keith Lehne, Grantsburg, Wisconsin   *********** KANSAS - Beloit 52, Oberlin 20 - We had 47 carries for 444 yards, 24 first downs, and 7 TDs. We were 0 for 2 passing but Cole did score on Rip 58 Black O when he rolled out and there were no defenders between him and the goal. We got great production from Liz 2 Trap @ 3 as our B-back had 8 carries for 82 yards and 1 TD. Starting C-back had 17 carries for 154 yards and 2 TDs, and starting A-back had 14 carries for 106 yards. For the 5th time in 8 games we didn't have to punt. (We have only punted in the 3 games we have lost.)   *********** MARYLAND - Archbishop Curley (Baltimore) 23, Caravel Academy (Delaware) 22 - CURLEY ENDS 17 GAME WINNING STREAK FOR DELAWARE STATE CHAMPS - Archbishop Curley sophomore Terrance Dandridge came up with two huge fourth-quarter interceptions, including one which set up a game-winning 69-yard drive that lifted the host Friars to a 23-22 victory over defending Delaware state champion Caravel Academy, before a large homecoming crowd yesterday at Curley. Curley's win ended a 17-game winning streak for the previously unbeaten Buccaneers.   Senior Kevin Franklin scored his second touchdown of the day, on a 12-yard run, with 4:54 left in the game, and head coach Sean Murphy did not hesitate in deciding to go for two. He put the ball in the hands of senior Ray Ridgeway who bulled his way up the middle for the winning points. Following the kickoff, Dandridge ended Caravel's hopes of a comeback with another pick and the Friars (6-2) were able to run out the clock.   *********** NEW YORK - Oakfield-Alabama 49, Lyons 20 in the second round of the sectional playoffs. (halftime score was 42-12).   *********** NEW YORK - Lansingburgh 52, Scotia-Glenville 0 = Mike Hepp rushed for 189 yards on only eight carries and scored four touchdowns. Kenny Young contributed 158 yards on six carries and had touchdown runs of 28 and 80 yards. Lansingburgh scored 24 first quarter points. The Knights advance to take on the winner of the Amsterdam and Mohonasen game next week in the Class A semifinals.   NORTH CAROLINA ---- Coach Wyatt, Hope all is well. I'd like to thank you first off for the information I learned two years ago at the clinic in Durham. This year, I exclusively went with the Double Wing Offense (the blocking schemes included), and finished the season at 4-4 (last year 2-5), averaging 3 TD's/gm, and we scored over 178 pts. I have to tell you, the run really opened up our passing game! Another note, we averaged only 3TD's a game because we play 8 minute quarters, and you know this is a ball possession offense (last week, we had the ball the entire 3rd quarter and two minutes into the fourth! So thank you for the knowledge you have passed down. Once again thank you, Omar Newman, Head Football Coach, Hickory Grove Baptist Christian School, Charlotte, North Carolina   *********** A Philadelphia father pulled a gun on a his kid's football coach because he didn't think his son wasn't getting enough playing time.   According to police, the guy was arguing with the coach Sunday morning during a game of 6- and 7-year-olds in northeast Philadelphia when he pulled out the gun.   He was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault and reckless endangerment. He did not immediately return a telephone message left at his home on Monday by newspaper reporters.   Uh - am I missing something here? This guy pulls a gun on his kid's coach - and he gets to go home????   *********** JOB ALERT! - I know the season's not even over yet, but...   I had a conversation on Tuesday with a gentleman named Ed Torres who was calling because the school he is associated with is looking for a head coach. It is a small, private school that has an excellent tradition but has had little success lately, and in his judgment the best way to go would be with a "contrarian" offense on the order of the single wing or double wing.   I was impressed by Mr. Torres, and I agree with his assessment. I have coached at small schools myself, and I have dealt with many small-school coaches, and our experience is that whatever it is that we run, it can't be talent-intensive, because we can't rely on having talent; it has to be adjustable to the talent we do have, since our talent can vary considerably from year to year; and it has to be instantly flexible, because in a small school the personnel picture can change dramatically from week to week. On all those counts, we all know that the double-wing qualifies.   The school is Allen Academy in Bryan, Texas. Bryan adjoins College Station, home of Texas A & M. I have been there. It is a nice part of Texas, roughly in the middle of a triangle with Dallas-Fort Worth as its apex, and Houston and Austin at its base. It is about 90 miles from Houston, the same distance from Austin, and 190 miles south of DFW.   The following letter from Mr. Torres will provide the details you will need at this point if you are interested in following up on what could be a great opportunity for a young coach - or a retired coach - to build a program in a small Texas private school. Single wing coaches are also encouraged to apply.   Coach Wyatt: Good to talk to you today; it was an honor for me.   Allen Academy is the oldest boarding school in the State of Texas. Our website: http://allenacademy.org/   We will be looking to hire an Athletic Director/Head Football Coach. This position must be filled immediately.   The school is about to conduct a national search, but I wanted to give you and your guys a heads up, since I think your philosophy of football is where our future lies.   I will send more info as it becomes available.   In the meantime, if anyone is interested, they can contact me at the numbers below, or by using this email address. edward.torres@sustainment.net   Regards and God Bless, Ed   Edward F. Torres, Colonel, USAF, MSC (Ret'd)   President & CEO, Sustainment Technologies, Inc.   T: 979.764.2080 ----- F: 979.764.2090 ----- C: 979.229.3192     Osama shows that he will stop at nothing in his plot to weaken America... BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD TO ONE OF YOUR PLAYERS! Army's Will Sullivan wore his Black Lion patch (awarded to all winners) in the Army-Navy game (FOR MORE INFO) The Black Lion certificate is awarded to all winners

Civilized Behavior 101! (See"NEWS") I Nominate Donna Shalala for the Nobel Peace Prize! (See"NEWS") "Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." (Proverbs, Chapter 8, Verses 10-11) My Offensive System My Materials for Sale My Clinics Me October 20, 2006 - "Superstition is the religion of feeble minds." Edmund Burke *********** Call it Civilized Behavior 101... It has always been accepted that football (or some other sport) "builds character," but does it, really? Sure, football teaches youngsters to persevere, to get up off the mat and come back, to deal with adversity, to make hard choices under pressure - all important things that will help in life. But what about morals and ethics? There is some concern among professionals that participation in sports - especially at the level of intensity required by today's year-round specialization in a single sport - might actually retard the development of ethical, moral behavior. Writes Sharon Stoll, director of the University of Idaho's Center for Ethics, "Athlete populations are me-centered. Spot-on, concurs Gordon Marino, who teaches sports ethics at the University of Florida's College of Health and Human Performance. In the Wall Street Journal, he writes, "There can be no denying that the amount of time and self-focus that sports today require can easily border on the narcissistic." (In classical mythology, Narcissus was the ultimate pretty boy, who fell so in love with his own reflection in a pool, that he simply couldn't tear himself away, until, his love unsatisfied, he wasted away and died. Narcissism, briefly, is extreme self-absorption or self-love.) It ought not to surprise anyone that an athlete whose entire life is wrapped up in training for his or her sport - with an occasional time out to preen and look adoringly in the mirror - might come up short as a well-rounded human being. Might somebody who knows of a family that focuses its entire life on the year-round sport of one of its children have some concerns about where this kid is headed? Okay - so we are faced with waves of jerk athletes. So what to do? Well, in a capitalist society, we look for the opportunity. That's where Ms. Stoll, of the University of Idaho, comes in. Recognizing need to deal with the ethical and moral deficiencies often found in big-time athletes, sometimes resulting from excessive fawning over them from the time they're young. sometimes from a lack of a father's leavening influence in their lives, she has developed a four-year curriculum of "remedial moral reasoning" which she offers to teams. The program, called "Winning With Character," is not cheap - it costs $25,000 per team. And she insists that the head coach teach the course himself. No exceptions. The idea is that if the head coach himself teaches it, eyes will not roll. And on top of all that, the NCAA counts time in the class against the 20 hours a week it permits for player-coach contact. Yet schools such as Georgia, Alabama, Iowa State, Maryland and Virginia Tech have bought in. (It is easy to say, regarding Virginia Tech, "It isn't working." My friend Tom Hinger skeptically suggests that in Virginia Tech's case, Frank Beamer may have been ordered to sign up. I prefer to give Coach Beamer the benefit of the doubt.) Mr. Marino writes that Ms. Stoll told him, "You know that when big-time coaches are willing to take practice and meeting time for this kind of exercise, they are at wits' end about what to do with the values or lack of values that they are finding in some athletes these days." Which prompts the question - what, exactly, are people like that doing in our Universities anyhow? Stay tuned, as the NCAA tries to answer that question when Congress comes calling. *********** A few years ago it was dodgeball. Now, it's tag. At Willett Elementary School in Attleboro, Mass., tag and touch football are out as recess activities, banned because of concerns over injuries and - of course - the school's liability. Now, don't get me wrong - some of the most influential people in my life were female teachers. And my wife was a great teacher, who did all she could to encourage boys to get out and play sports at recess. But is anybody surprised when I mention that the principal is a woman? Said one mother, "I think that it's unfortunate that kids' lives are micromanaged and there are social skills they'll never develop on their own. Playing tag is just part of being a kid," she said. "Now, for children not to be able to make those decisions by themselves without interference from adults doesn't give them the opportunity to make their own choices." Said another mother, "I think it's a little bit silly. The kids love to play pick-up football games that they organize themselves. It's great for their social skills and they resolve things on their own. It's good for them. It's part of being a kid." Another mother, however, said her son "feels safer" now. "I've witnessed enough near collisions" she said. "I support anything that makes the playground safer and helps teacher to keep track of them." Added Rush Limbaugh, after reading her quote to his listeners, "Guess this kid won't be going out for football." Another principal in a nearby town - a male - said "I'd rather see them running around, getting fresh air and coming back in refreshed." He said he believes children are "trapped" in organized sports such as football, hockey and baseball. He said that at recess, kids make up their own games with their own rules. Accidents do occur, he said - "every couple of days. But kids run and fall - that's kids." My wife, who for 30 years taught PE as part of her duties as a PE teacher, saw this all coming in recent years, and she cringes along with me whenever we hear another dodgeball story. The key here is parent complaints, with the implied threat of a lawsuit. A little kid gets a boo-boo and the parents are all over the school administration. When you give birth to a little god or goddess, your mission in life becomes not only pleasing them at all costs, but sparing them any pain whatsoever. And we all know how educrats respond to parent complaints. *********** I had to laugh at a letter someone wrote to a Stanford football forum (wow- hard to be a Stanford fan these days!) about the fact that the son of Darrin Nelson, an all-time Stanford great and a member of the Stanford athletic staff, is a starting defensive back at Oregon. Wrote the poster, "Let me guess that perhaps his SAT score wasn't 1300 and the bowtie wearing liberal from Tufts in Admissions wasn't satisfied. Can you even say Tufts without thinking of queer eye for the straight guy?" *********** Coach Wyatt: I agree with your comments about Stanford football.  I've been following them from afar this season -- you'll find out why in a minute.... Back in 2001 a young 7th grader signed up to play football in the Deerfield young Warriors program.  As head coach that year, I was very impressed with the young man's athleticism.  I did a little investigation and he was already an accomplished tennis player.  His father happened to play a little college football at Northwestern and also for the Bills and the Patriots.  Figuring that my eyes weren't wrong, even though this kid had never played football before, he became my starting QB running the Double Wing.  We finished 5-3 that year and he was the biggest reason why.  What I remember most is how he relished leading the Super Powers.  Anyway, that young man had a terrific HS career running the Northwestern style spread offense.  He also won a state tennis championship his junior year.  The kid must have done pretty well in the classroom, because now he's a freshman QB on Stanford's football team.  So if Stanford's staff woul d like to put in the DW, they need look no further than #15, Alex Loukas, to find a QB who has experience running it! Keith Babb, Northbrook, Illinois *********** Darren Sabedra of the San Jose Mercury-News writes that in a conference call last week he asked Stanford coach Walt Harris about the status of one of his players, and Harris answered: ''I think he's hurt, or acts like he's hurt, so I don't know if it's fair to put him out there if he's not healthy, or acting like he's not healthy." Bear in mind that this is a college kid, and this is his coach, and ask yourself if this sort of pointing of the finger might not be a part of why Stanford recruiting hasn't been up to snuff lately. *********** I think Stanford is a special place, and what has been allowed to happen there is very sad. I think, frankly, that they have a real mismatch here in Walt Harris, who was hired by the same AD (a guy named Ted Leland) who had been his AD at Pacific. It was the second straight buddy hire by Leland, who replaced Tyrone Willingham with a guy named, coincidentally, Buddy Teevens, who'd been a failure at Tulane. But in his favor, Teevens had been Leland's head coach at Dartmouth. I am still betting on my scenario of Bill Walsh heading a search committee so orchestrated as to ultimately turn to him and say, "How about it, Bill? Would you be interested in taking another shot at it?" *********** Hello, coach... We don't run the double wing, but I do respect it and enjoy your football site, especially the news.  The double wing has had some serious success around here. My comment is on the mentality of many assistant coaches today.  It's simply the "Me" generation is graduating from playing to coaching, and they expect to run the show.  I am an assistant in my 20s, and it baffles me the level of bickering and second guessing that goes on in many programs.  Three coaches were fired here after last season for that reason.  Some just don't realize that you can make suggestions, but if they aren't taken, don't take it personal.  It's the head coach's show. You are there to make his job easier. You nailed it on the head with the factory job example.  Unless they have been in the military, many kids out of college just haven't experienced a time when they had to earn respect and actually listen to someone in charge.  Someone needs to write an Assistant Coach's handbook or something and make it required reading.  I am not sure how much it would help, however. Coach, I appreciate the response. It really seems to be a growing problem, and I think a lot of it is an outcome of our "no fault" parenting. Your idea of an Assistant Coach's Handbook is a great one, but those guys wouldn't read it anyhow. Maybe if someone came up with a video game called "Assistant Coach"... except they'd very quickly figure out a way to undermine the head coach. Interestingly, just the other night a friend of mine in the South was telling me about an assistant he had - he loved him dearly as a friend, but he had been becoming a real pain in the ass as a staff member. This year, though, the guy has done a complete turnaround, and has been an ideal assistant. My friend is pretty sharp at noticing things like this, and when he confronted the guy, the guy told him that in the off-season, he'd spoken to a couple of other head coaches well-respected in the area and asked them what qualities they looked for in assistants. And he said that's when he realized that he hadn't been giving my friend full value! Good luck to you. You show rare maturity and good judgment, and I predict a long coaching career for you. Frustrating at times - because of parents, assistants and administrators - but a rewarding one all the same. Your letter adds a lot to a very important issue. If you wish, I will delete your name and location. *********** With last Friday's 7-3 win over Huntley, Crystal Lake (Illinois) Central won its fifth game of the year, assuring the Tigers of their first winning season since 1995. Crystal Lake Central had been 8-63 over the last eight years, but with a win over Grayslake North this coming Friday night , the Tigers would earn their first state playoff spot since 1991, and their first league championship since 1988. It is the culmination of a long, tough turnaround for head coach Jon McLaughlin, who had built a powerhouse program at Rich Central High in Olympia Fields, Illinois before moving north to Crystal Lake four years ago. Not convinced initially that the grind-it-out philosophy of the Double-Wing was suited to the Crystal Lake kids, Jon went the spread route for the last couple of seasons, but this year he decided to go with what he knew and believed in. Of considerable importance is the fact that on his staff was Bill Lawlor, who as a youth coach had won two Bill George League (Chicago area) titles running the Double-Wing. Jon and Bill between them have enough experience running the Double-Wing that by now there are few things they run into that they haven't seen before, and adjustments come quicker. The best thing of all is that it has been a complete, top-to-bottom turnaround: all three Crystal Lake Central teams - frosh, soph and varsity - are one win away from conference championships. The impact of the winning season is being felt all over the school and community, writes Joe Stephenson in the Northwest Herald... Tight end-defensive end Shane Crowley sensed a difference over the summer. "We came together as a team really well," he said. "Last year it didn't happen that quick. Everyone started hanging out with each other outside of football." School administrators will say few things foster school spirit more than a football team's success. The athletes have noticed more people in the stands this fall. Central Booster Club president Lynne Farrell said concession and apparel sales have significantly increased, with several items having to be reordered. "Watching homecoming, it seemed like the whole school was swelling with pride; it seems like it's contagious," Farrell said. Farrell also said the 50/50 split for the Johnsburg game in Week 7 was $600, the biggest she could ever remember at Central. The football players relish having a part in brightening the atmosphere this fall. "Everybody's in a lot better mood than last year," quarterback-safety Jon Orbeck said. "Last year, our volleyball girls were doing real well and everyone was talking about that, but nobody was talking about football. It's a big buzz right now. It's kind of nice to see what school's like when football's a big part of it." To view a clip of last Friday night's game - http://www.mchenrycountysports.com/articles/2006/10/19/front/iq_13337469.txt *********** What a slimy business pro football is. All manners of thugs are tolerated, even glorified, but let coaches, however decent they might be, get off to a bad start and they are thrown to the wolves. Or their assistants are. Here we are, just six games into the NFL season, and Charlie Weis says he was contacted this past weekend by more than one NFL team. Of course, Weis says he told them that he is happy where he is, blah, blah, blah. Normally you would wonder why he would be telling anybody this, except that I think the guy has a major ego problem and he needs to keep reminding us of the enormous sacrifice he is making in coaching at the college level, and that he could coach in the NFL if he really wanted to. Meanwhile, so shaky is the position of the typical NFL head coach that now maybe you can understand why Denny Green and Bryan Billick have already unloaded their offensive coordinators. I am reminded of the old Russian cartoons showing a sleigh being pursued by a pack of wolves. One by one, the father keeps throwing his children to the wolves, in the hope that they will finally be satiated and drop the chase. *********** In the last year, Frank Lovinski and I managed to track each other down. Back when we were both young, Frank was the sports editor of the Hagerstown Morning Herald and I was coach of the Hagerstown Bears, the local pro football team. Frank was a huge help in promoting our team, and after football season, I worked for him covering local high school basketball games. That was a blast, because Frank was really good and taught me a lot about writing - especially about being careful about what I said. On numerous occasions, with a gimme-a-break look on his face, he'd hand me back the copy I'd written - all done on a manual typewriter, all triple-spaced - and say, "You can't write that!" Frank went on from Hagerstown to Rochester, New York where he moved from sports to "the news side" and then on to Detroit, where he retired as Deputy Managing Editor of the Detroit News. Frank, a native of Weirton, West Virginia, is a West Virginia fan - he went to WVU, and his brother Chuck played there for Bobby Bowden, on the same team as a QB named Joe Manchin (the same Joe Manchin who is now the state's governor). But Frank is more than a WVU fan. He is a fan - a huge fan - of college football in general. Frank has traveled the country, coast-to-coast, watching college football, and he has seen 225 different colleges play - live! I have told him that I'd love for him to write a book about it. I'd buy the first copy! *********** I think that New Hampshire, one of our smallest states both in size and population, has the answer to the problem of corrupt politicians. They don't pay their legislators very much ($200 every two years - "plus mileage"), which you'd think would make them feel entitled to steal, but there's something else that makes the Granite State unique - New Hampshire prides itself on having the "third largest parliamentary body in the English-speaking world." In a state with a little more than 1 million people, there are lots and lots of legislators in its House of Representatives - as many as 400, but never fewer than 375. One pleasant result of this is that you'd have to bribe an awful lot of people to get anything done, which greatly increases the likelihood of someone spilling the beans. And as for "buying access" to legislators - as in contributing to Congressmen so that they'll pick up the phone when you call - these guys have so few constituents (only about 3,500 each) that they are just a phone call away from anybody in their district. *********** I watched a video of a game, and I told the coach that something that really struck me was the lack of enthusiasm in his kids. No emotion. A guy scores a touchdown, and he's left standing in the end zone by himself. Another guy recovers a fumble or an onside kick and it's ho-hum. A guy makes a tackle and nobody slaps him on the helmet. I stumbled on this phenomenon years ago when watching a game tape of my team. I dealt with it by putting together clips of college teams celebrating, followed by clips of our kids not celebrating - and then I showed them and asked the kids if they noticed any difference in the scenes. One of our captains, Jon Newman , God bless him, stuck his hand up immediately and said, "we're not doing anything." And then I went on to explain that it's okay to go a little wild - one of their teammates has done something great, and that means they've all done something great! We celebrate individual successes because they mean that the team has been successful! And enthusiasm feeds enthusiasm. It's the sort of thing that is easy to overlook, but after I stumbled on it several years ago, I've made it a point to coach enthusiasm ever since. If we don't, kids are content to live in that little world inside their helmets. It's a part of overcoming the "cool" that infects boys in today's society. It's not cool to show that you care, to involve yourself emotionally. If you don't show that you care - deeply - you don't risk as much. You aren't putting as much of yourself on the line. Of course, the problem then is that instead of an 11-man wolf pack, you've got 11 lone wolves out hunting on their own. Wolves eat because they hunt as a pack. *********** I caught Steven A. Smith dissing USC, saying the Trojans haven't played anybody... Uh, fella- I'm not exactly a USC booster, but have you taken a look at what they did to Arkansas? and Nebraska? *********** Maybe it's pro wrestling... maybe it's the weirdly distorted value that "the street" places on strange signs of respect and disrespect... maybe it's the example of jackass pros, who strut and pose and call the NFL the "No Fun League" whenever it attempts to squelch them... But this bullsh--- of dancing at midfield, whether or not there is a logo there, has got to stop. I mean, if Larry Coker should lose his job, as many say, what about the high school coach who allows his kids to dance on another team's logo? Note I said "allows." From this point on, knowing what it can lead to, any coach who allows his kids to provoke a scene through their actions deserves the same fate as Larry Coker. Whatever happened to "Win with dignity?" A coaching tip from the Old School Coach: Gather your players around you immediately before the game and tell them this: "Let's go out and beat them. And after the game, let's act like winners. Let's shake their hands and then hustle down and meet under the goal posts. Oh - and the first son of a bitch I see dancing at midfield... *********** Ironically, although Bill Clinton would have done anything - anything - to win a Nobel Peace Prize, I think that Miami University president Donna Shalala, and not her former boss, could be the one from the Clinton administration to win the Nobel Peace Prize. I understand anybody can nominate anyone for a Nobel Prize, so I hereby nominate Donna Shalala, for saving an entire city. By not throwing those thugs off the Miami football team, she kept the whole city of Miami from being burned to the ground by angry mobs. *********** Just got a note from a coach who sent a fairly scathing letter to Larry Coker. He makes some good points, but I don't see how you can blame Larry Coker for what went down. Those are Miami kids. That's where he coaches and that's where he's expected to recruit. And despite what he and Donna Shalala have been calling them, over and over, I doubt seriously that they are "great kids." At least not by normal standards. He and Ms. Shalala (damn - sounds like an old rock 'n' roll lyric, doesn't it?) both know that. Like any other major college head coach, Coker is expected to win to keep his job. But unlike a lot of them, he is really expected to win. More than any other big-time program, Miami is the community's team, and it is a very demanding community, in which football is the religion. In his need to satisfy the community's nearly insatiable desire to win - and to do so with "flair" (for want of a better word) - he understandably places his recruiting priorities on qualities other than good character. If he were to send his recruiters out with orders to recruit only "great kids," they would come back empty-handed. Miami-Dade County produces a lot of top high school football players, but the inescapable impression you get from what your eyes see and what people in the know will tell you is that far too many of them are jerks (or worse). If Miami were to insist that all its recruits be "great kids," plenty of other meatball schools would be only too happy to take the not-so-great ones - as many of them already do - and they'd come back and beat Miami's ass with them. In the "OB" yet. South Florida football is a world apart. *********** Yeah, but he gives our broadcasts street cred... Without getting into details, Lamar Thomas, Miami's Dude with the 'Tude who went off in the OB press box while pandemonium reigned down on the field, has a few things in his background that just might have disqualified you and me from being hired as a broadcaster. Nevertheless, there he was, the voice of the 'Canes at the worst possible time. Makes you wonder how serious the folks at Miami were about their "image" when they hired this guy to do the "color" on the Hurricanes' games. *********** "Wal-Mart Said to Be Acquiring Chain in China," read the headline in The New York Times. Cool. Soon, in order to supply Chinese consumers with the "everyday low prices" they demand, Wal-Mart will begin shipping them sox and tee-shirts and tank tops made with low-wage labor in the US. *********** Was I hearing correctly? Part of the halftime show on Monday Night Football was going to be "Jay-Z's newest video?" WTF? Another f--king rapper? I asked myself. Is there no escaping that sh--? (ASIDE: How, exactly, does anyone know whether a rapper is any "good?") So there was the Great Artist Himself, the rapper Jay-Z, in scenes from his latest video, entitled "Show Me Watchyou Got", with other parts played by Danica Patrick and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (Junior? In a rap video? Is there nothing people won't do for money?) So when it's over we go back to the studio and while I'm still trying to figure out WTF this rappa was doing on a football show, we cut to commercial and - I'll be damned - it's Jay-Z again, and it's his video again, and it's a Budweiser Select commercial. I see. *********** Hi Coach, While reading up on what is & isn't a legal block below the waist, I came across the revised definition of clipping/blocking in the back: 2-17-3 Clipping: The change further restricts who may be legally clipped. Last year, any defensive player in the free blocking zone at the snap was a potential candidate to be clipped. This year, the defensive player must be on the line of scrimmage (within one yard of his scrimmage line at the snap). He still has to be in the zone at the snap. There are no restrictions on defensive players to be stationary at the snap. This now makes all three cases (blocking below the waist, clipping, and blocking in the back) consistent. The only remaining exception is that clipping and blocking in the back are restricted to be by offensive players only. Blocking below the waist can be done by both offensive and defensive players. Clipping and blocking in the back are permitted in the free-blocking zone when the following conditions are met: a. by offensive linemen who are on the line of scrimmage and in the zone at the snap; b. against defensive players who are on the line of scrimmage and in the zone at the snap; c. the contact is in the zone. Scenario - An offensive lineman pulls to trap at or lead a ball carrier on a sweep. The defensive lineman lined up over him follows him and, on the opposite side of the alignment where the sweep is being run, shoves the offensive lineman in the back to either bring him to the ground or even push him to try to "tackle" the ball carrier. By rule, since legal blocking in that back is a rule extended to the OFFENSE only within the criteria of the LOS, the FBZ, and the area of contact, would the defensive lineman be guilty of an illegal block in the back? The free blocking zone disintegrates when the ball leaves it, which is usually fairly quickly, so it is unlikely in the case you describe that either offensive or defensive players could get away with clipping, hitting from behind or blocking below the waist. In most offenses, is almost certain that on a play requiring pulling linemen, by the time a linemen gets from one end of the line to the other, the ball would have left the neutral zone. In fact, people who run direct-snap attacks should be aware of this rule, since on the snap itself the ball is probably leaving the neutral zone - another reason why in our "Wildcat" we have our heels at 3 yards depth (the snap never leaves the free-blocking zone). *********** We are are telling our center to snap the ball about shoulder high... If you're talking Wildcat, that's way too high. The snap should be low and slow. We want to catch the ball with fingers down, and we don't care if it rolls along the ground, because we can pick it up if it does. If you're prepared for a low snap, the high snap is very hard to handle, like a ground ball that hits a pebble and takes a high hop. The low snap is not only easier to handle, but it makes it hard for the defense to find the ball. The unique thing about what we are doing, compared with, say, most of today's "shotgun" offenses, is that with the shotgun there isn't a lot of mystery about where the ball is going. Everybody knows who's going to get the ball, at least initially, because they snap it high, and only snap the ball to the QB anyhow - never to any other back. In the Wildcat, though, the defense never knows which of the two guys has the ball. That's the essence of its deception. That's a major reason why I want those guys close. (That, and the fact that we keep the ball inside the free-blocking zone longer.) *********** I am sorry for not writing in a long time but it's been a rough few months. I started the new coaching job and my new teaching position in the school. Let's just say that its been a rough year. We are 0-5 going into this week playing the best team in our conference. What do you suggest going into a week like this? How do you motivate your team, when the kids are scared because of the name of the opponents jersey? We have been starting a freshmen quarterback all year. We have freshmen playing a few positions with sophomores in other positions. We are struggling to find our identity on offense. Our HC is being forced to change things because his collegiate offense wasn't working in the pre-season. Now we are running mid-line and veer option. We are now moving the football but we can't complete drives. The problem is we are not running a system but a hybrid of his offense and the option. He is getting tired of losing he has been here for year and half with only one win. In my opinion he is not a bad coach. He is very knowledgeable about the game but he has even admitted that he is struggling to coach on this level because we honestly have minimal talent for the most part. We only have 3 maybe 4 kids that are good football players. Thanks for letting me vent a little to you. Hope to talk to you soon. At this point, what I think you need to do is alter your expectations and goals - if you haven't already.- In other words, get the focus off simply "winning" and instead putting goals in terms that are more immediate and more reachable --- Be sure to communicate them clearly to the kids. Make sure they understand them. Even consider awards for meeting them. Offensive suggestions --- X number of first downs... No foolish penalties... No turnovers... No missed assignments... Convert all short-yardage 3rd and 4th down plays Defensively --- you can undoubtedly come up with a few. I would suggest these for sure: No misalignments... No missed tackles... No long touchdowns... "X" number of stops (punts, turnovers or stops on downs) And then measure your success not by whether you meet these goals (which you probably won't) but by how close you come to meeting them. By how much improvement is shown. And make sure you concentrate on these thing in every practice and measure your improvement in these areas, game by game. This enables you to be positive with the kids in talking about improvement. At this point, screw winning. Just get better at small things. The wins will come if you do. Good luck. Every coach should go through a season like this. It teaches you humility and makes you appreciate winning and how much effort is required to turn things around. *********** I heard a narcissistic PA announcer last Friday and it drove me nuts. Someone needs to tell these people they are not play by play announcers! If I were the coach I'd be pissed, I bet the players are distracted by this sideshow. It seems to be in the vein of many areas in today's society, that just doing the job is not good enough for anyone doing it. Everyone's gotta show he's special by adding his own little something. Like the keeker you had at Madison who you told to kick it on the ground and he boots it into the end zone. Lamar Thomas, too, who was clearly never drilled in on-air propriety. Christopher Anderson, Palo Alto, California *********** I was thinking about the selfishness and lack of ethics of coaches who cheat, as I read Bill Monroe's outdoors column in the Portland Oregonian. He'd just returned from his annual hunting camp, and he wrote that it hadn't exactly been the sort of trip he was used to. The reason? Yahoo hunters. People who can't abide by the rules of the state and the conventions of sportsmanship, who ruin hunting for everybody else. He wrote of guys his group encountered who wore camouflage rather than the prescribed day-glo, who hunted from vehicles, who tagged animals that someone in his party had shot. They moved into areas that other hunters had already staked out, and they left behind their beer cans and bottles - he suspected that they'd been drinking and "hunting." "Unfortunately," he wrote, " there are too many individuals going out to hunt who have little respect for the entire experience of hunting and for their fellow hunters." Funny. I was just saying pretty much the same thing about a new generation of football coaches. Call them Yahoo Coaches. *********** I have a quick question for you... We have teams looping the DT outside while crashing their DE inside. In essence what they are doing is exchanging spots. Because we don't know when teams will do this, is there a simple way or read to take care of that?? I was thinking of telling our TE and WB 6/9 call him as usual, and if the DE crashes the TE rides him down and the WB goes to FBI. If the DE plays it normal, we double him. The B-back would stay on his track and kickout the first ugly to show. Does this sound like it would work? What suggestions do you have?? Thanks! First of all, congratulations on a big win. Second, I think your solution is sound. Your guys should be far enough off the ball that they will have time to decide. A jab step with the outside foot will help them read what is going on. I would also consider a 3 trap at 4 or 2 trap at 5. If you ever catch them with it in that T-E stunt you will kill them. You won't have to catch them too many times to beat them or chase them out of it. A 4-x or 5-X lead might also look decent. Let me know what you do. *********** Coach, I've been reading your site for a few years now, and I wanted to say thank you, and also point out that the values you constantly illustrate, and the consequences of the lack of those values are very plain ....right now. Just scanning the college football headlines makes me sick. There's what? 10 or a dozen headlines, and it seems that half of them are about brawls, arrests, "substance abuse", rape, heck, even an announcers firing (Miami)! For all you have done over the years to show me the inherent honor, value, and beauty of the greatest game - football, well, let me just say....I just know I'm not the only one shaking his head in disgust at what is happening. Neither are you. I just wanted you to know that. Regards, John Rothwell, Austin, Texas   *********** New England Patriot head coach Bill Belichick moved his family's historic football book collection to Navy's Ricketts Hall. Bill's late father Steve was part of the Naval Academy family for 33 years as an assistant football coach and associate professor in the P.E. Department.   *********** Hello Coach, This is Richard Payne from Orem, Utah. I coach a Middle School team and have used the DW for the last three years. This year I took over an area that not many boys come out for football. It is a lower income area and past coaches stayed one year and left. We have 14 guys this year and we are 3 wins and three losses and only blown out one time. Out of the six games we played we scored on the first drive 4 times. What is really funny now even to the boys is when they hear the opposing coach yelling out " They're running the same play They're running the same play (Toss Right or Left) and the other team still cant stop it. Out of 14 boys we have only one real quality athlete and he is at B-back. He has scored 8 touchdowns this year so far all on the wedge. Most of them have been over 20 yards with two over 50. Our offense is not the problem but we do get tired in the second half. I have had 4 coaches come over after the game and state that they just couldn't stop us.I had one coach say, everyone knows what you run but we just cant stop it. To make a long story short, we are doing more this year with less than ever before. The kids love the system and even though we have lost some close games they know what a system is and they know how to block, and best of all they are having fun. Thanks, Richard Payne (It is great to hear how well you are doing. Anybody can win with superior talent; it takes real coaching to be competitive when most teams are more talented than you are. That is the sort of coaching I admire. Keep running "the same play" until they stop it! HW)   *********** JOB ALERT! - I know the season's not even over yet, but...   I had a conversation on Tuesday with a gentleman named Ed Torres who was calling because the school he is associated with is looking for a head coach. It is a small, private school that has an excellent tradition but has had little success lately, and in his judgment the best way to go would be with a "contrarian" offense on the order of the single wing or double wing.   I was impressed by Mr. Torres, and I agree with his assessment. I have coached at small schools myself, and I have dealt with many small-school coaches, and our experience is that whatever it is that we run, it can't be talent-intensive, because we can't rely on having talent; it has to be adjustable to the talent we do have, since our talent can vary considerably from year to year; and it has to be instantly flexible, because in a small school the personnel picture can change dramatically from week to week. On all those counts, we all know that the double-wing qualifies.   The school is Allen Academy in Bryan, Texas. Bryan adjoins College Station, home of Texas A & M. I have been there. It is a nice part of Texas, roughly in the middle of a triangle with Dallas-Fort Worth as its apex, and Houston and Austin at its base. It is about 90 miles from Houston, the same distance from Austin, and 190 miles south of DFW.   The following letter from Mr. Torres will provide the details you will need at this point if you are interested in following up on what could be a great opportunity for a young coach - or a retired coach - to build a program in a small Texas private school. Single wing coaches are also encouraged to apply.   Coach Wyatt: Good to talk to you today; it was an honor for me.   Allen Academy is the oldest boarding school in the State of Texas. Our website: http://allenacademy.org/   We will be looking to hire an Athletic Director/Head Football Coach. This position must be filled immediately.   The school is about to conduct a national search, but I wanted to give you and your guys a heads up, since I think your philosophy of football is where our future lies.   I will send more info as it becomes available.   In the meantime, if anyone is interested, they can contact me at the numbers below, or by using this email address. edward.torres@sustainment.net   Regards and God Bless, Ed   Edward F. Torres, Colonel, USAF, MSC (Ret'd)   President & CEO, Sustainment Technologies, Inc.   T: 979.764.2080 ----- F: 979.764.2090 ----- C: 979.229.3192     Osama shows that he will stop at nothing in his plot to weaken America... BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD TO ONE OF YOUR PLAYERS! Army's Will Sullivan wore his Black Lion patch (awarded to all winners) in the Army-Navy game (FOR MORE INFO) The Black Lion certificate is awarded to all winners

The Battle of Ong Thanh- 39 Years Ago! (See"NEWS") Do NOT Cancel Miami Football - Keep Them There! (See"NEWS") "Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." (Proverbs, Chapter 8, Verses 10-11) My Offensive System My Materials for Sale My Clinics Me   October 17, 2006 - "Major Holleder overflew the area (under attack) and saw a whole lot of Viet Cong and many American soldiers, most wounded, trying to make their way our of the ambush area. He landed and headed straight into the jungle, gathering a few soldiers to help him go get the wounded. A sniper's shot killed him before he could get very far. He was a risk-taker who put the common good ahead of himself, whether it was giving up a position in which he had excelled or putting himself in harm's way in an attempt to save the lives of his men. My contact with Major Holleder was very brief and occurred just before he was killed, but I have never forgotten him and the sacrifice he made. On a day when acts of heroism were the rule, rather than the exception, his stood out." Army Medic Dave Berry   (At Left - The Wall, with the name of Army All-American Don Holleder, surrounded by the names of other brave men - Black Lions - who dies with him that day - October 17, 1967)   December 18, 1998 Sir, While surfing the net I came across your page, and the tribute to Major Holleder. I am a survivor of the battle in which he lost his life, in fact he died in my arms. A visit to West Point would not be complete without a visit to the Holleder Center. For those of us that were lucky enough to survive the Battle of Ong Thanh, the Center is a tribute to all our fallen comrades. Thank you, Tom Hinger December 21, 1998 Dear Coach Wyatt: A friend of mine , Tom Hinger, who held Don Holleder as he died in the jungle in Vietnam on 17 Oct 1967, introduced me to your web site. In 1953 I went to the University of Delaware as a center and linebacker. I played for Dave Nelson for 4 years. Mike Lude was our line coach. Mike later went on to become AD at UW with Don James, and you must know Mike. I was a guest of his at the Waldorf when Don Holleder was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. In 1955 we went up to West Point and scrimmaged Army. Don Holleder was the quarterback, and was a load to bring down. He couldn't throw, but he loved to belly to the fullback then keep the ball.Our defense was lousy (I was defensive captain) but prior to that scrimmage we hadn't worked a day on defense. Riding up the New Jersey turnpike in a bus to West Point Mike was telling me to call the defenses we had worked on in spring practice. None of our guys remembered any of those stunts. We sat in an Eagles 550. Army was taking big splits and we ended up using a goal line defense to shoot the gaps. Needless to say, a Dave Nelson (and Tubby Raymond) football team will always be an offensive minded ball club. We did score about 6 TDS in the scrimmage. It was a great experience for us. Twelve years later I found myself in an infantry battalion in Vietnam as S3(Operations officer) and Don Holleder was our brigade operations officer. I spent many hours laughing with Don over that football scrimmage.He was an indomitable man--courageous and bullheaded. When he saw those wounded men on the ground he dived into the middle of the fray and was immediately cut down by a sniper. I was later one of the guys who helped to identify his body, along with too many others. I couldn't believe that he could be dead--how a guy as powerful and full of strength could be so lifeless. It was a very sad day--unforgettable. Each year a small group of us trek up to West Point on a date near to 17 Oct to remember Don and our other comrades that were lost that day. In spite of the sadness we always have a good time. Tom Hinger and I are very close--with a mutual experience which transcends most everything else. I want to wish you continued success with your Double Wing system. God bless America. Jim Shelton From those two letters grew two friendships I treasure. From those friendships came the inspiration for the Black Lion Award. Today, October 17, is the 36th anniversary of the Battle of Ong Thanh, in Vietnam, in which the Black Lions of the 28th Infantry were ambushed by an enemy force ten times their size. Killed along with 60 of the Black Lions was former Army All-American, Major Donald W. Holleder. We honor Major Holleder and the Black Lions, and keep alive their memory by honoring football players who represent the ideals those other young men stood for, by presenting the Black Lion Award.   *********** Is there a high school coach in America who couldn't have figured out a way to give the ball to Edgerrin James 36 times and get more than 56 yards out of him? *********** After seeing all those missed tackles on the Bears' punt return? Why would the Cardinals ever put so many kickers on their punt team? *********** CLICHES HEARD THIS PAST WEEKEND..."Establish the run..." "Out in space..." "Burn the redshirt..." "A statement game..." "It's a treat to watch him destroy people..." "You can't (Choose one) miss tackles, have all these penalties, have all these turnovers" (If you can't, then why do these things still happen?)... "Mental mistakes"... "Signal Caller"... "Pad level"... "Take it to the House"... "Juice (as in, "got a lot of juice")"... "Root Hog"... "The Big Hogs"... Special mention: Chris Spielman, for "It's all about running ta da foo'bawl." Also --- in reading through an old publication - the earliest use of "Red Zone" occurred in 1980, in connection with Mount St. Helens - the "Red Zone" was the area that the public was prohibited from entering. *********** Worst on TV - Sara Kustok and the guy who does color on the weekly ACC telecasts *********** I love listening to Lou Holtz refer to football teams as "the University of Arkansas," or "The University of Florida," etc., as if the music and drama and philosophy departments were deeply involved in the games. *********** True or not, it sure sounded like a shot at a fellow coach when former Minnesota coach Lou Holtz said, "Minnesota has never gone to Wisconsin and played well under Glen Mason." *********** Indiana punter Tyson Beattie is an Aussie and I'll be damned if he doesn't still hold the ball like a footy player *********** Terribly sorry to see Adrian Peterson's season (and possibly his OU career) come to an end. He really appeared to be the reincarnation of Eric Dickerson, whom many of you will not remember, but was the epitome of the big, powerful guy with speed. But let's be honest... if he had been a high school player, wouldn't he have been flagged for diving into the end zone? Afterward, Craig James (who, coincidentally, paired with Dickerson at SMU), said, "You can't ask him to change his style." You can't? Not even by pointing out to him that he's risking injury by flying through the air? *********** I like ABC's Tim Brant, but I sorta wish he hadn't told the audience that his son played at UCLA, because from that point on, every time something went against the Bruins he sounded like a whiner. *********** First there's the NFL's "Futbol Americano" spot, and then there's "ESPN Deportes." Hey - nothing wrong with the NFL inviting those kids to play football (a great idea, actually). But I suggest telling the kids (in Spanish), "now that you're in America, you need to become an American - so sign up for Futbol Americano and we'll not only teach you how to play football, but we'll also teach you English! *********** Lisa Salters on the sideline at the Penn State-Michigan game... Granted, the competition is not stiff, but she's the best I've seen so far... *********** Interesting that Auburn got called for an "illegal shift" because they supposedly weren't set long enough between the shift and the snap. Funny, but I see high school teams all the time that are not set for the one full second required by the rules. *********** I'd like to put pedometer on Pete Carroll and find out how far he walks during an average game. *********** How did the sport of baseball make it through the first 100 years or so of its existence without the expression "walk-off home run?" *********** With 00:17 left in the game and Auburn up by four, Tommy Tuberville took his glasses off. Think he was expecting a shower? *********** Speaking of showers... knowing the tight control that coaches have over their programs, including over the managers responsible for the Gatorade buckets, wouldn't you think they'd order them to empty the buckets once the outcome is no longer in doubt? *********** Jim Cantafio, Michigan QB Chad Henne's high school coach at Wilson High in suburban Reading, Pennsylvania, was in the stands at Penn State as his former player led Michigan to victory. He recalled looking at young Henne in junior high and determining that he would be a quarterback in the program. He said that what impressed him was, "he has character... he is so tough and so competitive." When asked why Henne, who had originally committed to Penn State, changed and signed with Michigan, he said, "The great tradition... and Scot Loeffler, the quarterback coach - he's the best in the business." Hell of a compliment... although you do have to take it with a grain of salt after you learn that Scot Loeffler has been an instructor at Coach Cantafio's camps. *********** I was really upset when I heard Mark May say of Adrian Peterson, "He has nothing else to prove in college football," seemingly dismissing college football as merely a place where high school players go to "prove themselves" before moving on to real football. *********** Lord, it was good to watch UCLA go down against Oregon. I still have this awful taste in my mouth over the way the then-new AD, Dan Guerrero, fresh from a stint at Cal-Irvine, a place that didn't even have football, ran Bob Toledo out of town without even letting him coach his team in the bowl game he'd coached them to. Can't say that Guerrero isn't loyal to his henchmen, though - down on the Bruin sideline Saturday was Ed Kezirian, the guy who "coached" Toledo's team in that bowl game. Meantime, they sure are gentle on Karl Dorrell, Toledo's successor. So far the guy took Toledo's "disappointing" 2002 8-5 team and quickly turned it into a 6-6 team in 2003 and a 6-7 team in 2004. Last year, Dorrell finally won, and he was generously rewarded with a nice bonus and a contract extension. Don't get the idea that he's building a program though. Oh, no. "This is a transition year," Tim Brant told us. (This is UCLA remember, not New Mexico State.) *********** Top Games over the weekend--- Indiana upsets Iowa... Vandy upsets Georgia... Bama beats Ole Miss in OT... Wake hangs on to nip NC State... Texas A & M holds off Missouri... Auburn snaps back from the loss to LSU and a slow first half and beats Florida... Winless Colorado beats Texas Tech. Thumps Texas Tech. WTF?... Oregon State saves the coach's job and the starting QB's job by pounding the Washington Huskies... I didn't see it, but it sounds as if Cincinnati had a great shot at Louisville... *********** I was looking away, and on the other TV set I heard someone say, "His ass is between his ears." I thought, "I've had a few players like that." But I went back and I found that they were talking about Texas QB Colt McCoy, saying that "His greatest asset is between his ears." *********** Adrian Peterson's loss will hurt Oklahoma, but not nearly as bad as Isaiah Stanback's loss (foot injury) will hurt Washington. I'm not sure that there's a team in the country as dependent as UW has been on this big kid (6-3, 215) with 4.4 speed who throws well and makes pretty good decisions. Throw in single-wing blocking up front and he would be the reincarnation of the best of the old single-wing tailbacks. Saturday, down close, he lined up in "shotgun" (single wing, really), took the snap, ran off-tackle and ran right over a tackler on the goal line. *********** They told us that Florida's Marcus Thomas was suspended for three games. Three games! At Florida! (Where unless they can find witnesses willing to testify, a guy accused of murder will not miss a game!) One can only imagine what the guy must have done to cost him three games at Florida! *********** It's Penn State and Michigan coming up, and we get something called "The Thrill of it." Another NFL-type production. What, exactly, would have been wrong with the PSU band or the Michigan band? *********** Far too many people seem to be teaching their players to roll the dice and try to scoop up a fumble, instead of simply playing it safe and recovering the ball. No one seems to be teaching the proper way to recover a fumble, which is to fall around the ball, not on it. *********** Wake Forest's players wear tee-shirts on which the "WF" stands for "We Finish." Wake, whose enrollment of 4,000 may make it the smallest of all Division I-A schools, really is good. *********** Rutgers held Navy to 113 yards rushing on 50 carries. Damn! Somebody finally figured out a way to keep all that New Jersey talent from leaving the state. *********** MEMO FROM: NCAA Division I-AA Football TO: University of Northern Colorado Football After reviewing events of the last several months, including: (1) a backup punter assaulting your starting punter; (2) one of your defensive linemen getting into a bar brawl after telling some people there (probably Mexicans) that he didn't like Mexicans; (3) three of your assistant coaches conducting an illegal practice last spring... We have taken you off probationary status and are delighted to inform you that you appear completely ready to assume your new responsibilities as a member of NCAA Division I-AA. Welcome. *********** I understood the good intentions of the rulesmakers when they pretty much outlawed blocking below the waist. I went through the change as a coach, and I didn't particularly care for it. I felt that no longer being able to block at the knees put the smaller backs at a disadvantage. It's somewhat the same with the liberated rules on holding - sorry, blocking with the hands - except that there the intention, while disguised as promoting safety, was really to assist the passing game. Either way, though, what happens is the same thing that takes place whenever legislators pass a new law outlawing something - they congratulate themselves (problem solved!) and go on about their business without ever giving a thought to the problems of the cops who are going to have to enforce the new law. They present the cops with a whole new headache, and cheaters with another rule to circumvent. *********** "Here's an interesting stat that may explain why a dirty team can do well. The 10 least penalized teams in the nation (based on penalties per game) are a combined 25-30. It's a group that includes Memphis, Northwestern, Stanford and Vanderbilt. "The 10 most penalized teams in America (based on penalties per game) are a combined 29-26. In other words, the teams with the most penalties are doing better than the teams with the fewest penalties. "I got it from Dave Revsine's column on ESPN.com.  The most penalized team in the nation? Florida, at 6-0.  Hmm." Duncan Luciak, Haliburton, Ontario There's actually only a couple of games' difference between 25-30 and 29-26. It is hard to avoid the suspicion that officials might actually be taking it easy on the "nice guys" - the Stanfords, Vanderbilts and Northwesterns, who are having tough seasons. I'd be interested in seeing how big a spread in penalties there is between the low-penalty and high-penalty teams. I suspect that it's not that great. I'm no big fan of Florida but I have watched them at least three times and didn't get the impression that they are particularly out of control, not to mention dirty. I wouldn't attribute their record to dirty play. They are very good. *********** NEW YORK- Lansingburgh 54, Amsterdam 13 - Senior wingback Mike Hepp rushed for 202 yards and three touchdowns, junior fullback Mike Sawyer added 117 yards and one touchdown, while junior wingback Kenny Youngs contributed 92 yards and two touchdowns as Lansingburgh rushed for 563 yards in defeating defending the defending state champions and claiming the Class A Division II title. *********** One of the reasons advanced for why crazed gunmen choose schools (as opposed to, say, police stations) is that schools are "soft targets." In other words, there is the general feeling that one can walk into a school pretty much unopposed. One remedy is suggested by Wisconsin legislator: arming school teachers. That might make some sense, although among other objections, with the average American faculty now 80 per cent female, a gunman with half a brain could probably figure out in advance which classrooms would be most likely to house an armed teacher. I do like the approach of an Texas outfit called Response Options, which offers training for schools in how to respond to gunmen. Don't be submissive, they say. Instead, go on the attack. They advise teachers and kids to throw things at the gunman's face, and charge the bastard. Says Response Options, "Five or six seventh grade kids and a 95 pound art teacher can basically challenge, bring down and immobilize a 200-pound man with a gun." They got that right. Anybody who thinks that ain't so has never stood and held a blocking dummy while a team of 10-year-olds ran a wedge against him. *********** In my visits to assorted high school venues this fall, I have been dismayed by the number of places where the PA system has been turned over to a high school kid who sees it as his audition for ESPN. "Bob Smith returns the kickoff to the 29, where he's brought down by Tim Jones of the Bulldogs. That'll bring up a first-and-ten for the Spartans.... Jim Thompson under center for the Spartans, hands off to Tom Williams, who picks up five before he's stopped by Bennie Johnson..." *********** I was at a game two weeks ago when the visiting team assembled at midfield to do - I think - some sort of pre-game cheer. Uh-oh, I said to my wife. Nothing good can come of this. But before the first kid could start jumping up and down, the officials walked over and shooed the kids off the home team's logo. Thank you, stripes. At another place in the Portland area - I was not there - all reports are that another group of visitors tried the same stunt. This time the officials did nothing, but maybe it was just as well, because the home team went on to whup the visitors' asses. Afterward, though, when reminded of their unsportsmanlike act, the losers' explanation was "we always get together at midfield before the game and (exercise)." Yeah, right. Now what the hell kind of coaching is that? Maybe - just maybe - after the Miami ugliness, dumbass high school coaches who dismiss that crap as "kids being kids" will realize that condoning unsportsmanlike conduct can lead to some pretty serious consequences. *********** In 1983, Massachusetts Congressman Gerry Studds came out of the closet and admitted that ten years earlier, he had had "consensual" sexual relations with a 17-year-old page. He admitted to an "error in judgment," but he did not apologize, and although reprimanded by the House of Representative, he continued to win elections back home. Mr. Studds passed away last week. Read the first paragraph of the news story. Read it all. BOSTON (Oct. 14) - Former U.S. Rep. Gerry Studds, the first openly gay person elected to Congress, died early Saturday at Boston Medical Center, several days after he collapsed while walking his dog, his husband said. *********** A 14-year-old Sacramento girl named Julia Wilson posted a picture of the president on her MySpace page last spring, wrote "Kill Bush" across the top and drew a dagger stabbing his outstretched hand. It was too late. Last week, she was taken out of class Wednesday and questioned for about 15 minutes by two Secret Service agents. The incident has upset her parents, who said the agents should have included them when they questioned their daughter. (The law does not require that parents be present when their children are questioned.) Little Julia said the agents' questioning led her to tears. "They yelled at me a lot," she said. "They were unnecessarily mean." She does sound like a bright enough little girl, but there do seem to be some significant gaps in her education. For example, Mommie and Daddums evidently never taught little Julia that actions, even hers, can have consequences, and they're not always the ones you want. *********** Hugh- Just thought you would like to know that the Warren, MI, De La Salle Freshman just won the catholic league title this year going 8-0 with 352 points scored in eight games. We beat Brother Rice, Catholic Central and St. Marys in the same year. Using of course the Double Wing. We punted just three times all year. Just once in the Catholic League. Rick Desotell, De La Salle Freshman Head Coach, Warren, Michigan *********** NEW YORK - Oakfield-Alabama 49, South Seneca 0 - Coach we won big in the first round of a watered down playoff. We were up 49-0 at the half and the final was 49-0. We ran 47 times for 371 yards and 6 TD's and went 2-6 for 25 yards and a TD passing. We got our b back going early and finally got our G going. G reach has been great this year as well and is a nice sweep. The pass we scored on was an 800 (sprint). I will try and send a few clips this week. We play the semis next Sat. at Rochester's Don Holleder stadium (Aquinas Institute). *********** IOWA - GH 20 Lawton Bronson 0 - Held a DW team to 10 yards of total offense (18 rushing and -8 passing). We played VERY WELL defensively. Their longest play from scrimmage was 7 yards. They have no idea how to run this offense, so I will claim they line up in "our" formation, but do not run a true "double wing" offense like those of us that drank the kool aid, and have joined with the Godfather. Offensively my C back had 26 carries for 209 yards and 3 scores. We fumbled several snaps, when finally in the 3rd quarter I found out that my center had hurt his thumb on the snapping hand in pregame. So like any red blooded doublewinger would do, we went to Green/Gold and ran the power anyway. 100% on gun snaps, and I was very proud of my center as he never whimpered about his thumb (although secretly I wish he had told me why we were having problems, as we would have gone to gun at the first sign of trouble. 2 more wins and we are in for sure, a loss and we will need help from someone. We can still get better, so back to work we go. Some dumba$$ in the stands said something about running a new offense when we went gun (as in we had changed the offense finally). Hilarious, as we ran power, and power with the QB running the boot after the handoff almost exclusively (ran a trap, a counter, and passed 2 times out of it) (As dumb as most fans are, sometimes a simple cosmetic changeup like that is enough to get them to shut up for a while. HW) *********** "Best part of the Stanford game: I shook Paul Wiggin's hand. he was standing on a platform as I was walking down the stairs to the press room. I saw his badge that said "Paul WIGGIN, '56" and told him I wanted to shake his hand. He asked me who I was and said good to meet you. He has a great rep as a friendly guy among the press people around here." Christopher Anderson, Palo Alto, California (Paul Wiggin, former Stanford all-America and all-pro defensive lineman was also head coach at Stanford and Kansas City. HW) *********** Saturday, this year's Stanford team set a new low in offensive futility, gaining a total of 52 yards total offense (58 passing and -6 "rushing") in losing to Arizona, 20-7. (Stanford's lone score came on an interception return.) Going into the fourth period, the Cardinal had 17 yards - 17!!! - on their way to shattering the old record of 116 yards, set against Tulane in 1979. With the exception of the years from 1915- 1918, when along with Cal Stanford gave up the sport in favor of rugby, Stanford has played football since 1891, and has a glorious tradition. With Pop Warner as its coach, it was the birthplace of the Single Wing and Double Wing, and with Clark Shaughnessy as its coach, it probably had the biggest influence - even bigger than the Chicago Bears - on the popularity of the modern T-formation. In addition to Warner and Shaughnessy, Stanford has had great coaches such as John Ralston and Bill Walsh, and great players such as Ernie Nevers, Frankie Albert, Norm Standlee, Bill McColl, John Brodie, Paul Wiggin, Jim Plunkett, Darrin Nelson, John Elway, Ken Margerum and John Lynch, among many others. Surely Stanford coach Walt Harris knows he is in one deep-ass hole, and yet he keeps digging. Is it written somewhere that if your offense clearly sucks, as has been clearly demonstrated on more than one occasion before this, you must stick with it? And the reason for that would be...? I'm sorry, but if your offense is so "depleted" that you can barely manage 50 yards total, it is time to do something different. Anything. Short punt, single wing. Anything. Any high school coach knows that. What is so f--king sacred about a system that condemns your players to failure? The point is to do whatever it takes to make your players - not you - successful. One problem, of course, is that taking a bunch of guys you've recruited to run your passing offense and then trying to get them to do anything else is like trying to take a show poodle and turn him into an attack dog. It is no longer possible to blame it all on the players, nearly half of whom are now Walt Harris' recruits. Harris has had two recruiting classes, and if he'd done the job, if he'd gone out and gotten any blue-chippers, those blue-chippers would be playing by now. Sure, Stanford would probably be losing, but they'd be doing it with youngsters, and there would be hope for the future. *********** This week in history, compliments of the National Football Foundation... October 16, 1976: Texas A&M's Tony Franklin kicked a 64- and 65-yard field goal against Baylor, becoming the only kicker in history to kick two field goals over sixty yards. October 16, 1999: Mount Union (Ohio) defeated Otterbein 44-20 to win its 48th consecutive game, surpassing the 47-straight by Oklahoma from 1953-57 for the record among all college divisions. Mount Union's streak ended at 54 games from 1996- 99. October 17, 1981: Nebraska began a record run of 348 appearances in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll. The streak ran through Sept. 22, 2002, lasting 20 years and 11 months. October 18, 1924: Sportswriter Grantland Rice of the New York Herald nicknamed Notre Dame's immortal backfield &endash; Harry Stuhldreher, Jim Crowley, Elmer Layden, and Don Miller &endash; "The Four Horsemen" after the Fighting Irish edged Army 13-7 in New York. October 18, 1924: In perhaps the greatest individual performance in college football history, Red Grange of Illinois helped dedicate Illinois' new stadium by rushing for touchdowns of 95, 67, 56, and 44 yards in defeating Michigan. October 20, 1936: In the first-ever Associated Press national poll, Minnesota is ranked No. 1. Duke, Army, Northwestern and Purdue make up the rest of the Top Five October 21, 1967: Third-team quarterback Bubba Wyche led Tennessee to a 24-13 win over Alabama, ending the Tide's 25-game unbeaten streak October 22, 1891: Herbert Hoover, a student at Stanford, called a meeting to organize the school's first football team. (Hoover later would become the 31st president of the United States.) *********** After watching CBS 60 Minutes and the testimony of the "second stripper" at the Duke Lacrosse party, you have to wonder why the f--k (other than the fact that the Durham DA is an evil person) this case comes one. The saddest thing is, you have to wonder what an attractive, well-spoken woman like that is doing, debasing herself by stripping. *********** Dear Coach Wyatt, I just wanted give you an update on how well our first regular season went. After losing our first game (we just weren't quite ready on offense and hadn't spent much time on defense either) we went on to finish first in our conference at 5-1 scoring an amazing 245 points and only allowing 30 against. Moreover, we beat the perennial conference #1 team who hadn't lost in six years 48 to 6. Their defense, until this weekend, had only allowed 57 points total in the last three years. This is in a 3 down Canadian football league and we have yet to punt yet this year!! Your tapes and playbooks are great allowing our kids to be able to get the system down pat in just a couple of weeks (many who had never played or watched football before). Both the run and the play action passes out of the offense are unstoppable! We start playoffs next week and I can hardly wait to see how we fare. Many Thanks, Coach Ian Pratt Pratt Chevrolet Silverado's, Calais, Maine *********** Dad- Did you catch Michaels & Madden talking about the "double reverse"? Michaels explained that it was simply a reverse, often mislabeled a "double reverse."  How about that? I don't listen to Madden anymore. (I sometimes hear it called an "end-around") *Ducks with a nice, solid win Looked good. UCLA is soft *Beavers over Huskies? Ass-whipping. Quite a win for Riley, but especially for QB Matt Moore. The Beavers' fans have been really tough on him, and Canzano called for his benching as the only thing that could save the season. Presumably, Canzano will show up for work on Monday and will write about the Blazers' "new" GM (self-appointed). *USC continues its luck - will "curse of #2 team" catch them next? Their problem is that they have no BIG play people, which means that they have to be pretty solid on offense and VERY solid on defense. (Both of which they are.) *Navy QB going down was sad - was that why Rutgers hammered them? Yes - very sad. No- Rutgers was well-prepared and simply too athletic for them. *Colorado finally gets a win And a big one at that - over Texas Tech! *Miami/FIU was disgraceful - looked like inner city high school or cheap shot semi-pro stuff We never had a scene like that in semi-pro ball. When you recruit people like they do, from a culture like that, it shouldn't surprise you when they act like thugs. How many weeks ago was it that they danced on Louisville's logo? Get this - Headline on ESPN--- "Miami's Negative Image is Back" (Back? Make me laugh.) *Georgia loses 2 in a row Last week the Governor (a UGa guy) was bitching about negative headlines about UGa in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. This week, not even the threat of jail time is going to keep the sportswriters off Mark Richt. *Stanford worst start since 1960 I think I read.  Ouch. Worst offensive "performance" in Stanford football history, which dates to 1891 (and a few years off to play rugby). In fact, it was less than half the former record. Stanford had FOUR first downs!!! I'm sorry, but if you don't have the athletes to run your scheme (1) whose fault is that? (2) run something else. Ed Wyatt, Melbourne, Australia *********** Hugh, I just don't think dads sit down with their kids and watch football. We just got done watching the BSU/New Mexico St. game and during the course of it they were trying to call out the plays that should be run, during the last part of the game on BSU final drive there was a block in the back, Ross saw it before I did and said what a bone head play. At least they know the rules. Hey today after I broke down film and wrote stuff on my white board.... when I had transferred it to paper, my youngest, Rock who is 6 was drawing plays on the board. It was double tight double wing and he was drawing the power. Crazy huh?? take care Mike Foristiere, Boise, Idaho *********** Any advice on dealing with parents that complain about their child not getting any carries?   Yes, carries…not playing time.  If you remember, I have 30 boys on my 10 and 11 yr old youth team.  On average I have 8 of them get a carry each game and still manage to have a 4-1 record.  I owe a lot to the DW and your video/playbook.  The kids really have picked it up and executed it well.  What I am getting tired of is the parents that feel their son it somehow being slighted because he plays "on the line"; or the parent that feels his special son should have had 10 carries instead of 3.  Why is it that everybody feels that their son needs to be the superstar??  Why do parents think that playing guard or tackle or end is somehow not good enough for their son?  I always stress at every practice how teamwork is so important in football &endash; how football is the "ultimate team sport".  How a good play or touchdown run is the result of everybody doing their job, not just the ballcarrier.  It seems the kids get it better than the parents.  We won our game on Saturday with a last minute drive.  We were down 8-6 with 2:00 to play.  Our first pass in two games went to our Aback on a bootleg left for a nice 45 yard gain.  We scored on a 12 yd run by our BB on the 6-G with 15 seconds left to win the game.  The kids (all the kids) were ecstatic as were the coaches.  I assumed the parents were as well until the next day when we had team pictures, that's when I got hammered by some parents about their son's position or number or carries.  I'm pretty sure I know your answer to this and I guess I'm more looking to vent than for advise but I'd appreciate any comments.   Welcome to the children of the children of the 60's - the first hatch of the "All About Me" droids that infect our culture. They have heard "You are special" so many times that to them it is a universal truth, and the rest of humanity exists to serve them. They have never been team players themselves, and even though their kids may be grasping what you are telling them, they know better - they know that as long as their kid is being buried at an unglamorous position like guard the world will never get to see how very special he is. Why this simple truth isn't obvious to everyone else is exasperating to them, and they have to take their frustrations out on the coach. That is the way things are, and we can't change our culture. It is what it is. What can you do about it? I think you can tell them that you are trying to get across to the kids the idea that football is a team game, and you are helping to teach them the very useful concept of team play and team success, something that will serve them well in almost anything they do in life. They are learning that in life, you can't do everything, but you can do something, and if that something enables the team to be successful, you will be valued by the only people whose judgment matters - your teammates. I think ultimately you have to very diplomatically tell them that it is your responsibility to do what is necessary for the team to be successful, and that you accept that responsibility. That having been said, I don't think it's a bad idea to have a "fun time" during practice when even the big, slow kids can get to carry the ball. **************************** Lamar Thomas was fired Monday. In case you're the only person in the United States who hasn't visited YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1JWeE9KqZjQ) and heard his act on the Miami-Florida International telecast, Lamar Thomas is a former Miami football player who's been doing "color"on Miami telecasts. Up to now, his work has only been heard on weekly replays in the Miami area, but this past week the Miami-Florida International game was picked up by ESPN Game Plan, giving the whole nation the chance to hear, in the most graphic of all possible ways, why Miami football is what it is: LAMAR THOMAS (AS THE FIGHTING GOES ON DOWN ON THE FIELD): "You come into our house, you should get your behind kicked! You don't come into the OB (Orange Bowl) talkin' like that!" LT: "I was about to go down tha elevator and get in that thing!" LT: "You know, I say why don't they just meet outside in the tunnel - after the ball game - and get it on?" LT: "You don't come into da OB baby, we've had a down couple of years, but you don't come in here talkin' smack - not in our house!" LT: "You know what we be sayin' right now? 'We readyyyy... ' 'We readyyyy...'" ''We don't condone Lamar's statements,'' said Comcast Sports Southeast general manager Mark Fuhrman (Where have we heard the name "Mark Fuhrman" before?) "He unfortunately got caught in the emotion of it. He blurred the line between what takes place as a participant and your role as a broadcaster.'' Blurring the line, eh? Very well put. Isn't that what Miami football is all about? Blurring the line between football and criminality? Between the field and the 'hood? *********** Miami coach Larry Coker, attempting to place the blame on Florida International: "As the game started to get away from them, I was very concerned that something like this might happen." Nice try, coach. Except that when the brawl started, the game had scarcely gotten away from them: Miami had just scored to make it 14-0, with 9 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter. (How many weeks ago was it that Miami players were dancing on the Louisville logo?) *********** I disagree with those who say that the Miami brawl is a smirch on the face of college football. Miami's conduct has nothing to do with college football anyplace else. Anybody who has read "We Own This Game," watched "Year of the Bull," and followed Miami football knows that it is more reflective of Dade County, Florida. *********** Don't fire Larry Coker. He's been the owner of a pack of pit bulls. I doubt that any man in America could control people like that. *********** To those who suggest shutting down the Miami program, I appeal to you to think this thing through - with the exception of five or six away games a year, the Miami program keeps these guys inside the borders of Dade County the rest of the year. If they were to shut down the Miami program, those guys would be running loose everywhere - maybe even at a school near you. *********** In all, 13 Miami players will be suspended for this coming Saturday's game - against Duke. All it really means is that instead of 40-point favorites, Miami will now be 28-point favorites. If you got in on the action early and bet on Duke when the Hurricanes were still 40 point favorites, you could be in luck. *********** ILLINOIS - Coach, After starting out 1-3, we've found our defense (and the soft underbelly of our schedule) and have improved to 5-3. We've allowed 12 points in the last 15 quarters. Over the last three games we've outscored our opponents 152-12. With a win this upcoming Friday, we go to 6-3 and make the playoffs for the fourth year in a row (first time, ever). Friday night we played very well against a team that outsized us by an average of 3" and 25 lbs per man. With kids like that, you'd think they'd line up in the wishbone or wing-t and take it at you. Nope, a random mixture of Power-I (toss or lead) and spread. This is the third team we've played with huge kids that mixed the spread in with some sort of power running game. In the end, they're not very good at either. Strange. Back to the game: Our left wing carried 15 times for 70 yards. They really loaded up to stop him. The result was our fullback running 6 times for 68 yards and our right wing carried 8 times for 178 yards! We threw one pass (Wedge Wheel) for one completion and one 70 yard touchdown. Good luck to all double wingers. Todd Hollis, Head Football Coach. Elmwood-Brimfield Coop, Elmwood, Illinois *********** MARYLAND - Archbishop Curley 37, Bowling Brook Prep 6 - Archbishop Curley improves to 5 & 2 with 4 games remaining. *********** MASSACHUSETTS - Somerville - 32, Malden - 8 Hello Coach: Great news again this week. Here is a summary of Friday night's game versus Malden High School. Our lead rusher had 13 carries for 112 yds, 3 TD's and a 2 pt. conversion (All his scores were on 88 Super Power). The biggest shocker of the night was that we through a pass (88 Power Pass) and our QB connected with the C-Back on the corner route for a 55 yd TD. Our other score was on 2 Wedge. Malden defended against 47C well by blitzing the corner on the A Back's motion. I should have instructed the X End to make an 8 call or ran it out of Under. Notwithstanding our lack of yardage on counter we were pounding them on Super Power (several times out over/under tight). G-O Reach also worked very well. Next Friday's game is versus Waltham High School. They are currently ranked No. 8 in Eastern Massachusetts. It is our homecoming game and our kids can't wait to battle them. As always, I will keep you in the loop. Thanks. It takes a set! Joe Curtatone, Somerville, Massachusetts *********** NEBRASKA - Coach Wyatt, Just wanted to drop you a quick note to let you know that the Doublewing is alive and well in Stanton, NE. We beat the No.1 team in our class Howells, who had not been beaten at their home since 1999! They have won the last 6 State Championships in the larger 8-man class. They had only lost twice during that run. Now it's three times!! They are a power running team out of I-formation. We held them to 203 yards rushing and 1 yard passing on 2 of 9 completions. We forced 3 fumbles and 1 interception while not turning the ball over ourselves. We ran for 233 yards and passed for 87 on 6 of 8 completions. We are now playing for our 4th straight District Championship and have qualified for our 5th straight playoff appearance. This is from a town that had had 2 winning season since 1963 and never qualified for the playoffs. I'm a little embarrassed to say that we tried SAB blocking at the beginning of the season for simplicity reasons, but after a 2-2 start we have gone 3-0 since going back to good ol' Gap-On-Down blocking!! Greg Hansen, Stanton High School, Stanton, Nebraska *********** CONNECTICUT - Coach, I just wanted to give you quick update on the Forman 2006 season. Last Saturday night in the first night game in school history we beat the South Kent School 38-20 to run our record to 3-1 on the year. We got off to a fast start running out of the stack and jumped out to an 8-0 lead. They answered with 7 before we ran off 30 unanswered points. Superpower was wide open all night as we just ran through them. Their defensive scheme was really unsound and my A-back ran for a game high 141 yards on 11 carries and 2 TD's. My starting FB who runs at Tailback out of the stack and sees some action at A-back as well finished with 128 yards on 7 carries and a 68 yard TD. My C-back had a slow night with only 68 yards and one TD, but had 4 sacks on defense. We have 1,444 yards through 4 games and the kids feel really good about where we are as a team. Hope all is well with you. Take care, Sam Keator, The Foreman School, Litchfield, Connecticut   *********** Hi Hugh, Great job as always!   Did you catch BC-VT last night? Kirk Herbstreit was all over the play and antics of some of the VT players. Funny thing is, they didn't act much different than they ever have IMO.   Regards, Matt Bastardi, Montgomery, New Jersey (I was at a HS game but I recorded it and I will check it out. I like Frank Beamer and I admire the job he did building in a football power down there in the Valley, and I admit I have probably turned a blind eye to a lot of the stuff which, when you add it up, makes Virginia Tech appear in some ways to have become Miami North. HW)   *********** Coach, In addition to coaching this year, I am also at the end of my first year as an official. I got involved in officiating for 2 reasons. First, it is a great way to learn and understand many of the finer points of the rules of the game, which coaches are all called to become master of. Second, our local officials association was seriously jammed for officials. Twenty-four of us try to cover every middle school, freshman, JV, and varsity game in a 3 county area. My Sunday school teacher was an official and asked if I would be interested in helping out. Being my first year, I only call middle school and freshman games.   So far this year in 9 games, I have been accused by coaches of 3 times for "throwing" games. Obviously they were all the losing coaches. First of all, I get paid $50.00 a game. I earn a six figure salary and I am not certain, but I don't think $50.00 is quite worth "throwing" a game over. In no instance did I know a single coach or player of either team, I just show up at the field I am told to be at. I have seen games that were clearly thrown by officials (for 3 years in Sitka Alaska where their QB had a dad as an official). Otherwise, most high school officials are good men trying to do their best to ensure a fair contest. Many of us do not know all the rules well enough to make on the spot calls on every play, but we do all meet every week and study very hard to get better. Missed calls are always going to be part of the game. It kills me when the high school coaches bring us tape from the game on Monday and point out every missed call after they had three days to dissect a game film.   Please pass on to all the other newer coaches that in many cases we only have 4 officials, at most we have 6. This is to cover and watch 22 players flying around the field. Do we see every hold or block in the back, not even close. We have certain keys that we are all responsible for. There are not 4 sets of eyes watching each player. As a coach, I am as guilty as any of "asking" officials to watch for certain penalties or complaining when there is a bad call. After this season I have an entirely different view. Bear in mind that in the 25 seconds where a coach is calling in the next play, we have to accurately spot the ball, count offense and defense, discuss any penalties or keys we may be missing, break up fights, control the bad language that all the coaches apparently allow their players to use all week, check for illegal formations, see how many players enter and leave the huddle, and then get back into position. We try to do all this in less than 10 seconds so the offense can run at their tempo. In close games with seconds left on the clock, we try to do it all in just a few seconds. Still in my first year, I can say that this is truly a tough deal. If a coach needs something specific looked at, a professional reminder is always sufficient. If a coach wants me to nickel and dime every call, that is fine also, but the flags will fly equally for his team as well.   For any new or aspiring officials, please realize that the middle school games are just as important to those players and coaches as the 5A championship game. You have to let the kids play and for lower age games you make a few more allowances for minor mistakes that do not affect the game, but please do not diminish the importance of any game at any age or experience level.   The site comments are great this year by the way. And for any coaches who think our offense is easy to stop, perhaps a look at the state record books that are filled with leading rushers, scoring records, and state titles that are all accomplished by our offense should be the judge. At the 8 man level, I have definitely found the need for a little more passing than I am used to, but otherwise you will be forced to stop our power plays and counters or you will take a beating.   Have a great week, Hi to Connie. Richard Cropp, Brunswick, Georgia   *********** A coach wrote to say that he had an exchange on some forum with a coach who discussed how he defends against the Double-Wing, and sure as hell, the guy said that he had his DEs taking on the FB low. He went on...   My question to him (and subsequently to you as well) was "were the DE & FB both lined up within the FBZ at the snap and was contact made within the FBZ?" If that is/was the case, would in fact the DEs below the waist block (not tackle) therefore be legal?   The answer is NO. There is a further condition that many people are unaware of - all participants must not only be in the free-blocking zone at the snap, but they must also be ON THE LINE OF SCRIMMAGE--- this means that a linebacker can't fire low into a wedge, and a defensive end (who may be in the zone and on the line) may NOT block low on a back, who may have been in the free blocking zone at the snap, but was NOT, by definition, on the line. It also means that a slotback, although he is in the zone, may not "scramble block" on the legs of a defensive lineman.   RULE 2, SECTION 17, ARTICLE 2- Blocking below the waist is permitted in the free-blocking zone when the following conditions are met: (a) All players involved in the locking are on the line of scrimmage and in the zone at the snap (b) the contact is in the zone   Of further note, and although I have never seen it called, a major reason why I do not advocate have the running back going deep on "Toss" plays -   ARTICLE 5. The free-blocking zone disintegrates and the exception for a player to block below the waist and/or the exception for an offensive lineman to clip and/or block in the back is not to continue after the ball has left the zone.   *********** Coach Wyatt, I have a question about game strategy for you. In our last game, there was approximately 4 min remaining and we had the ball on our own 20 yard line and it was 4th and 4.  (We were behind 20 - 7)  We went for it and of course didn't get it.   My feeling was at that point in the game we are still trying to win and needed to keep the ball and score.I felt that if we punted, we were conceding defeat and that is not the message I want to send to my team.   What do you think?? Would you go for it or punt??  Just asking your opinion. I'll still come to your clinic if you disagree with me (haha).   Thanks for your time. Best wishes,   Russ Meyers, Southern High School, Harwood, Maryland (Good question. My answer is that I am able to run most of my offense from "Tight Punt" formation - it isn't all that different from "Wildcat" - and I would have gone for it. Obviously, if you have a trick play up your sleeve, that would be the time for it.   I really don't see the point in punting it away when you're down by two touchdowns with four minutes to play. Yes, maybe you can punt and force a turnover, but I think your chances of making four yards and a first down are a lot better. HW)   *********** Ah, the purity of sports...   The White Sox will be starting all home night games fro the next three years at 7:11 PM. They are being paid a half-million dollars a year to do so - by 7-Eleven.   The University of Phoenix, a for-profit college which mainly exists to make college degrees available for people out in the working world, does not have a football team. Well, duh, you might say. Except that it has a football stadium - one of the most modern in North America. It's that old "naming rights" horsesh-- again. From now on, the Arizona Cardinals will be playing their home games in University of Phoenix Stadium.   *********** Heard a great one from David Maraniss... seems someone wanted to make a movie of David's book about Vince Lombardi, "When Pride Still Mattered." Of course, they felt that they would have to sex it up a bit to grab the non-sports viewers, and they chose to play the racial angle. They had a scene in which Lombardi had the entire Packers' team get up and leave a restaurant because defensive tackle Henry Jordan was refused service.   Unfortunately for the sake of truth, Henry Jordan was white. (I can testify to that, because not only did I watch him play many times, but a friend from New Jersey named Don Kovach was his presenter at his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction.)   But, hey - what's the big deal? If you have to change a guy's race to make it a better story, so what? After all, it was inspired by a true story.   *********** LTC Pat Frank, Battalion Commander of the Black Lions, now headquartered at Ft. Riley, Kansas, included me on an e-mail he sent to a friend after attending the Kansas State-Nebraska game. I thought after some of the things I've written about the kind of a**holes that some of us have to coach against that it would be nice to read a military leader's appraisal of the job Coach Ron Prince is doing at K-State:   Was fortunate enough to attend the KSU Game on Saturday, although disappointed in the final score, saw things much more important than the scoreboard - watched a TEAM take the field against Nebraska, watched a TEAM exit the field at half-time and at the end of the game, watched a TEAM respect the traditions of the University (win or lose) by singing the alma mater with the student body, and throughout the entire game watched a disciplined, aggressive, proud football TEAM take on the #21 ranked squad in the Nation. My hat is off to the professional program developed at K-State by Coach Prince and the 1st class coaching staff. Proud to be a K-State fan and battle buddy.   *********** I read an interesting quote in the book COACHING FOOTBALL SUCCESSFULLY, by Allan Trimble, Head Coach at Jenks, OK. He was talking about ball control and said: "Every weekend you can read about teams who threw the football more than 400 yards and lost the game." "You never read about teams that run the ball 400 yards and lose." Marlowe Aldridge, Billings, Montana   Osama shows that he will stop at nothing in his plot to weaken America... BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD TO ONE OF YOUR PLAYERS! Army's Will Sullivan wore his Black Lion patch (awarded to all winners) in the Army-Navy game (FOR MORE INFO) The Black Lion certificate is awarded to all winners

The Ethical Dilemma Of Working For a Cheat! (See"NEWS") Welcome to Double-Wing Hell! (See"NEWS") "Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." (Proverbs, Chapter 8, Verses 10-11) My Offensive System My Materials for Sale My Clinics Me   October 13, 2006 - "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" The Lord Jesus Christ   *********** Hugh my job for the defense is to run scout O. Well, yesterday we are running the D-wing plays (of our upcoming opponents) and the DC is coaching the players to cut the FB. I told him that is illegal, and his response was that everybody else does it. I told him that doesn't make it right... But he said we need to do what we can to be successful. Hugh I am not the head guy but this pissed me off. I kept my mouth shut the rest of practice, but I don't know if I can continue that today!!!   This is very disturbing. I think you have to address this with the head coach. That is f--king cheating, and he is ultimately responsible. Show him the AFCA code of ethics on my site. http://www.coachwyatt.com/afcaethics.htm   I hope he will be a man and take a stand. If he won't, he is a WORM, and a loser, and has no place in coaching.   I sure hope that the head guy doesn't let you - and our game - down. If he does, it would be very disappointing, but it would sure tell you something about his character. You already know all you need to know about the DC's character.   (Subsequent to the above, the head coach indicated in a meeting that he was supporting his DC - because it was important to get this win.)   Yours is a real ethical dilemma, because on the one hand the proper thing to do would be to disassociate yourself from people like that, but on the other hand, you have players who need you and depend on you and would be terribly hurt if you were to leave them. The right thing to do, I think, is to soldier on for the good of those kids.   This really is a side of our sport that is getting uglier and uglier, as these "coaches" totally lose any regard for the sport and focus entirely on their self-gratification - they are what results when all those narcissistic children we've been raising grow up.   Those "coaches" are the football version of the a**holes who'll picnic in the park and then leave it littered with beer cans when they drive off. The world - and football - exists for their pleasure and ego gratification, and they feel no responsibility to leave it better than they found it.   Every coach should be able to base his game preparation on the assumption that his opponent will respect the rules. In setting out to play a game chess, it would never occur to anyone to suspect that his opponent might try sneaking an extra queen onto the board. Football, unfortunately, is the ideal sport for cheaters. So much happens in a crowd, and so much happens at such high speed, with bodies flying everywhere, that a lot can go undetected. Officials simply can't do the job if coaches won't. It really is the obligation of coaches to protect the game by knowing and respecting the rules.   A classroom teacher who taught kids how to beat the "No Child Left Behind" testing wouldn't last very long, but out on the football field, taxpayers' money is being used to pay high school "coaches" who teach their kids to cheat. What creeps. God almighty, we don't have enough liars and cheats and thieves and corner-cutters in our society as it is without creating more of them out on the football field!   To what end? To win a f--king football game!   A fellow named Jesus Christ said it pretty well: "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (From the Gospel of Mark - Chapter 8, verse 36.)   *********** It gets old and tiresome, but it is important for all football coaches to realize that they have a responsibility to their opponents to give them a fair game. This is spelled out very clearly in the Code of Ethics of the American Football Coaches Association. I can hear some of you saying, "Here we go again..." but godammnit, there are far too many so-called coaches out there - and their number is growing - who seem to think that the game of football belongs to them and they have a right to teach whatever they please. Here's where the AFCA comes in. By happy coincidence, the 2006 AFCA Directory came in Thursday's mail, and I am delighted to print what the AFCA's Code of Ethics has to say about cheaters...     Make no mistake, guys - our game is under attack from within. There is an epidemic of rule-breaking, and we must do something about it before it destroys football. Not that most of the ignoramuses who teach cheating know or care about the AFCA and its Code of Ethics, but I believe that by belonging to the AFCA a coach declares that he is a professional, ethically removed from those who would undermine our game. While not nearly enough high school coaches do belong, there are few college coaches who don't. The AFCA is the organization which does more than any other to maintain the ideal of coaching as a profession, and I urge all high school coaches to join, as a means of protecting our game and our profession from those who would devour it for their own gratification. Every time some lowlife bastard teaches his kids to do something unfair or unsafe, he takes a shot at our game and at all of us who have worked hard to maintain the idea that football is the greatest teacher of character that our young men can possibly have.   *********** Coach, This quote from the book Don Nehlen's (former West Virginia coach) "Tales from the West Virginia Sideline" Reflects our program coaching philosophy.   "I don't know how good we can be, but we can be the best disciplined football team and the best conditioned football team in America, regardless if you're worth a crap, so we're going to accomplish those two things."   "You're going to do what I say, when I say it, and you're going to be strong and you're going to be in condition. We can handle that. Now can you run off tackle? We'll see."   Thank you for all of your help. Jay Stewart, Oakland, Maryland   *********** How'd you like to have to coach this a**hole?   When he heard that the NBA will fine coaches and players $5,000 for criticizing officials, Rasheed Wallace dismissed it as "just another 'Sheed Wallace rule."   They won't silence him, says the guy who consistently leads the league in technical fouls by insisting on speaking his piece no matter how much it might hurt his team: "I will come up with some way to tell them how I feel."   *********** We are up 21-13 and my horse gets knocked out of the game. It is the 3rd quarter and we have the ball. We use a sugar huddle at the ball and send plays in with hand signals. I go into slow down.   Because we use hand signals and do not have to break the huddle and go to the ball, I know EXACTLY how long I can hold my guys before I send the play in. We were snapping the ball at 22-23 seconds. I know, because I start a stop watch at ready to play.   I ran wedge the entire time gaining 2-3 yards a pop. We gain two 1st downs, but I damn near burn the entire 3rd quarter.   In the 4th I stay in slow down after we stuff them on D. Ref comes to me and tells me to get my plays in quicker. I politely ask if we still get 25 seconds after ready to play to snap the ball. He says yes, but I'm not being fair to the other team.   I told him if he had a problem with my clock management to throw a flag, otherwise to keep his opinion about "fairness" to himself. He said I would be reported to the league.   P.S.They have the best tailback in the league. He broke another to make it 21-19 but there was only 3 minutes left. We got the ball and I ran wedge the entire time and scored with less than a minute. The clock ran out. Us 28 them 19. (Screw that "fairness" business that referees sometimes seem to think it's their job to look out for. That's what the rules are for. This isn't nursery school and the referee's not the teacher. It is football and the referee's job is to enforce the rules, and so long as you are honoring the spirit and the letter of the rules, that's all the "fairness" required of you. What's next? Making your running backs go out of bounds to stop the clock? HW)   *********** We lost the first game of the season against ---, who is undefeated.  After that loss I changed both ends, tackles and the B-back.  Wow what a difference, we're undefeated since then and racked up the most points in the league.  At first I had my "tough 5 yd back" at the A-back position but when I shuffled them around and put him at B-back it made a huge difference in the Power and the Trap finally started working.  Actually the Trap is almost as lethal as the Counter now.  I've got the 6-G put in but it seems like I never get to run it.  We only get about 20 plays per game and I guess I don't have the confidence in it yet.  I was hoping the troubleshooting video has some detail about it.  Our league mandates either a 6-2 or 7-1 defense.  Nobody can touch us in the 6-2.  The 7-1 has slowed us down but after seeing it a few times the kids have caught on to the TNT rules. I'm in a tough spot right now, the three games we got left are against what I believe will be the other three playoff teams.  We are 2-1 against the three teams but the bad part is my A-back and C-back are out for what looks like 2 weeks and the left end for 1 week.   Would you: 1. Coach up the 6-G and keep going with the substitutes on the Power (I'm leaning toward this one); 2. Put the B-back back to A-Back and pound out the Power ( to make this work I really need to move my rt end to B-back)   I chose the first one this weekend in a bowl game (not a division game, like a fundraiser) and squeaked out a win on the last play of the game with a B-back wedge from the 6 yd line. ( It was beautiful, I just hit them with a quick pass because they were really crowding, nobody even touched him)     I'll be honest Coach, this team is the slowest and smallest in the league.  We give up on average about 20-25lbs per man on the line (which is substantial when my line averages about 85 maybe 90lbs if wet).  With that being said, let me also state that we are the most feared offense in our league.  Thank you for giving me the information to teach these boys the TEAM sport of football. MB, Tennessee   I'm glad that things are going well. Personnel decisions are tougher in this offense than in, say, a passing offense, where everybody knows who the offensive linemen are, who the receivers are, who the quarterback is, who the running back is. In our offense, our best fullback may be hidden, playing guard, and our best guard may be playing tight end, and so forth, and we have to have the vision to see these possibilities and the guts to shuffle the people around. The sooner we can make those moves, the better it is for all concerned.   I think that now that you have your B Back, you might be better off leaving him there and making do with your subs at A and C.   *********** A Kansas State fan wrote to LTC Pat Frank, Battalion Commander of the Black Lions, about the Wildcats' emotional win over Oklahoma State last Saturday:   You will be proud to know the colors led our team out onto the field tonight and the spirit of Black Lions led our team to a great come from behind win. Coach Prince addressed the team postgame and became emotional when he talked about the significance of the flags we carried with us and the young men and families they represent. Go Black Lions!   *********** You have to wonder how many more emotionally-charged games the Rice Owls can go through. A week ago, after one of their teammates died earlier in the week, the Owls went out and played their heads off, beating Army. And then last Saturday, they had to visit New Orleans, where they met Tulane in the Green Waves' first game back in the Super Dome since November, 2004. This time, it was the other team that had emotion going for it, as Tulane won, 38-24.   *********** There is the Little Brown Jug and the Old Oaken Bucket and Floyd of Rosedale and Paul Bunyan's Axe. Add to the the Rack of Ribs. No kidding. Memphis and Alabama-Birmingham now play for a 100-Pound trophy in the form of a bronzed rack of ribs, symbolic of the great barbecue to be found in Memphis and Birmingham.   ************ This I gotta see... Florida State will salute the Seminole Tribe of Florida during the weekend of the FSU-Boston College game on Oct. 21. The school will unveil a new statue of a Seminole family and the 'Noles will wear specially designed Nike uniforms in honor of the Seminole tribe.   *********** Hello Coach: Somerville High School Football update: Somerville - 36, Medford - 0   Rushing Yards: Somerville - 300 (Combined from 6 different running backs); Medford - 85   Somerville's Record: 4 Wins 1 Loss   The offense is gaining more confidence with every play. They are actually developing an attitude that they can move the ball and score at will. Next game is Friday night at Malden High which has beat us three straight years. I will keep you posted. Thanks again.   It takes a set! Joe Curtatone   *********** On Sunday, UConn's Randy Edsall dismissed five players from the team for violating team rules. Dismissed them! He must have forgotten where he is coaching, because when a UConn basketball player does something criminal he gets a slap on the wrist. So how bad was what these guys did? According to reports, they were guilty of buying beer and bringing it back to their hotel the night before the UConn's game at South Florida, which the Huskies lost 38-16.   Ordinarily, this news wouldn't mean a damn thing to me. But this week, the Huskies play Army, and I am an Army fan. And now I'm scared, because based on past experience, and based on some of the comments I've read by UConn players, it is quite possible that the Huskies may actually play better as a result of the "pruning."   *********** Lost 26-17 last week despite being up 17-10 at the half.  The defense parked their best defender opposite our A-back, but we could not run the Super Power to the opposite side.  There was even a 4-on-1 and all four blockers bypassed the tackler! Naturally, both of my assistants have criticized the scheme, saying that it's 'easy to defend' and aside from the 'monkeying around with blocking', they know where I'm going.   Coach, So you lost a game (sounds as if defense might have had a little to do with it) and now the Double-Wing doesn't work because it's "easy to defend."   It is possible, of course, that the Double-Wing may not be best for your particular kids. That is a decision that I thought would have been agreed to before starting out. But to make a damnfool statement like that is an expression of ignorance.   Welcome to Double-Wing hell, in which a coach who has invested time and effort (and money) in learning a system is criticized by naysayers who have invested nothing and know nothing. You are not the first coach to find himself there.   Welcome to the world of Columbus and Galileo and Copernicus. There are still plenty of flat-earthers out there.   "Easy to defend," is it? With a comment like that, people reveal how ignorant they really are. Perhaps they are somehow wiser than the hundreds of high school coaches who successfully run the Double-Wing, not to mention the many hundreds of coaches who have to defend against it and know how tough it is, but I rather doubt it. "They don't know, and don't even know that they don't know."   "Easy to defend?" Then how come, ten years after I first published "Dynamics of the Double Wing," it is still driving defenses nuts? I know hundreds of defensive coaches who would gladly pay your assistants to share their secrets with them so they can finally put all of us Double-Wingers out of business. What are those brilliant assistants doing teaching school and coaching a high school team, when riches await them?   If they happen to be your defensive coaches, God help you if you ever have to play another Double-Wing team, because you will get hammered. Coaches who think it's "easy to defend" are in for a rude awakening.   The danger here is that if they are questioning you and your "scheme" ("system" is more appropriate), I can almost guarantee that the kids are aware of it. That really makes your job difficult.   This gives me all the more respect for what you are trying to do.   *********** Hugh, Good morning! ! ! I hope all is well with your family and you. It is cooler here in Pine City today as we are looking at unseasonably cool wind chill temperatures of 14 degrees and snow flurries are expected tonight and tomorrow. The average temperatures for this time of year are in the upper 50s and low 60s.   I have a few thoughts regarding your latest column from October 10, 2006:   1) The term "priapicin" has me somewhat confused - I would think that anything lasting upward of (you can define that term as you wish) or longer than four hours would still be under the category of ED. Maybe it is just me, but anything approaching four hours is dysfunctional.   2) Missouri rushes the ball 99 times in a 27-14 win over Colorado on October 12, 1998. 99 rushes/400 plus yards rushing for only 27 points - that game must have moved along VERY quickly (move the chains and snap the ball). The TV people must have been happy for the quarter and halftime breaks just to get some commercial time.   3) The Broncos' jerseys are not "black" (please adjust your television). . they are a dark midnight blue or "blue chip" (according to one of our local car dealerships - you can find the matching color on a Cadillac Escalade). I am thinking because some people (certainly not you) may be "color-challenged" or that television representations of actual events (just watch the evening news or Sunday football) are not perfect, that errors may occur.   All the best and keep up the great work. Mike O'Donnell, Pine City, Minnesota (The Broncos' jerseys are in stark contrast to the pants, which are blue, and to all intents and purposes might as well be black. Perhaps - perhaps - the fact that it was raining made them appear darker. Why do I think they just want to get fans to buy "this year's" jersey? HW)   *********** Reader Jeff Hansen writes, Hi Coach, catching back up with your news and appreciated the mention of Johnny Bright, a true football legend. Sadly, here's the rest of the story, courtesy of Ron Maly's blog. Ron spent many years as a sports writer for the Des Moines Register, when the Register was among the ranks of America's great newspapers.   You can find Ron's site at: http://www.wesleyvaclav.blogspot.com/ Some good reading from an old school sportswriter.   I guess I'm not as excited about Drake football as I was a few weeks ago.   Not many other people are, either.   In one of the saddest developments yet, a gathering of only 3,234 folks attended the Bulldogs' 33-7 victory last week over Morehead State.   That attendance figure might have included members of the band, popcorn salespeople and guys who cleaned the dirty towels out the locker rooms.   I thought there'd be more people than that at a game on an afternoon when members of Johnny Bright's family were on hand to help dedicate "Johnny Bright Field" at Drake Stadium, and when members of the school's 1981 team that went 10-1 and players from three squads in the 1940s were on hand.   If the legendary Johnny Bright's memory can't bring more people into the 14,000-seat stadium than that, evidently nothing will.   Des Moines, you should be ashamed. The rest of central Iowa, too.   Don't forget, Drake spent $15 million to renovate the stadium, Rob Ash is the winningest football coach in school history, the Bulldogs have a standout running back in Scott Phaydavong -- an interesting little guy who is of Laotian descent -- and the university has a new athletic director in Sandy Hatfield Clubb.   Both Iowa and Iowa State were playing night games last Saturday -- the Hawkeyes against No. 1-ranked Ohio State, the Cyclones against Northern Iowa -- so Drake had no competition from them.   Still, only a little more than 3,000 showed up for Drake's game.   I'd have thought more people than that would have shown up just to see what a nice facility Drake now has for football.   Other attendance figures for this season's home games have been 10,107 for the opener against Northern Iowa at the start of the Labor Day weekend; 2,571 for Upper Iowa and 3,613 for Wisconsin-Platteville.   The Bulldogs play Waldorf at 6:05 p.m. Saturday at home. If the dedication of the field couldn't lure more than 3,234 to the Morehead State game, I doubt there will be many fans at the Waldorf game.   It's pretty obvious that the 14,000 seats available at the stadium will be needed only once a year -- for the Drake Relays -- unless a high school football game draws some unexpected interest.   The Bulldogs had to play their games in high school stadiums in the area last year because of the work being done on Drake Stadium.   The 2005 home attendance totals were 2,124 for Austin Peay State; 4,123 for Dayton; 2,108 for Butler and 1,011 for Waldorf.   By the way, it was too bad Chuck Shelton, who coached Drake's school-record 10-1 team in 1981, didn't make it back for the 25th reunion.   Shelton obviously is still bitter that Drake took the scholarship program out from under him in 1985 -- a year in which the Bulldogs jolted Iowa State, 20-17 -- and, I guess that's why he was a no-show.   I always admired the coaching Shelton did, but I think he should have swallowed his pride and returned to Drake for the weekend so he could be with his players.   *********** If you ever get your ass kicked, it could help you to know about Al Onofrio. Coach Onofrio, who died a couple of years ago, was the long-time defensive coach at Missouri under Dan Devine, then succeeded Devine as head coach at Mizzou from 1971 through 1977. It was October 14 1972, when his Tigers absorbed a 62-0 thrashing by Nebraska. They came back the next week to beat Ara Parseghian's unbeaten Notre Dame squad, 30-26. Nebraska's Bob Devaney called it "the greatest job of preparation of all time."   The above scenes show what Bill Curry, who obviously was not briefed in advance by the VMI staff, referred to during the Army-VMI broadcast as a "modified shotgun." VMI used the formation perhaps 1/4 of the time and had only limited success, but in fairness, the Keydets were overmatched, as they so often are.   What VMI did appears to be somewhere between our Wildcat and Nevada's "Pistol", which was preceded, if not inspired, by the formation shown at left, run briefly by Princeton in the mid-60's. Note the in-line arrangement of the fullback and tailback, inspired, I am guessing, by the I formation, which had grown quite popular by then. We have run plays in practice from the Wildcat-I, and it has potential. For those of you coaching little kids and having problems with the center-quarterback exchange, the Wildcat/VMI approach offers you an alternative. The short snap isn't hard for the QB to handle, and the center can make the snap without having to duck his head (just make sure that he snaps it LOW and SLOW).     *********** Isaiah Kacyvenski is a pro football player, but he is also a Harvard graduate, which means he ought to be a smart fellow. So when he found himself a free agent as a result of his team's attempt to be clever, he took advantage of the opportunity.   When his team, the Seattle Seahawks, lost their number one rusher, Sean Alexander, they brought up another running back from their practice squad. But to make room for him on the roster, they waived Kacyvenski, a seven-year veteran linebacker and their special-teams captain, and told him they'd re-sign him after the next game. It's a little bit of NFL chicanery, just parking a guy for a short time, and then bringing him back. The player has no protection other than the team's word that it will re-sign him.   But Kacyvenski was miffed, and not necessarily certain of the Seahawks' keeping their word. "The stock phrase in the NFL is, 'Yeah, we're going to bring you back Monday,"' he said. "Everyone in the NFL knows that's a famous phrase. I was wary. I was hurt."   So instead of f--king around with the Seahawks, he signed with the St. Louis Rams. Not only was he offered more than Seattle was paying him but - get this - he also will get paid by the Seahawks for the remainder of the season because the standard league contract requires that any player with four or more years' experience be paid in full if he is released after the first league game.   Meantime, the Seahawks are treating the whole thing like industrial espionage. I mean, here's a guy who's captain of their special teams, and he's signed by another team in their division. And, hey- what do you know? The Rams play the Seahawks this Sunday!   This isn't the first time that Seattle but tried to play roster chess and got outsmarted. The same thing happened last summer when they lost their best offensive lineman to Minnesota.   No one familiar with the operations of a Paul Allen-owned team should be surprised.   *********** The teams in our league have really started to key on our A-Back (10 TD's in four league games will do that).  They really pinch down with their LB and defensive HB on our playside when he comes into Rip motion on the power.  We will be running the power with no motion as well as the 47-C/CrissCross and also the "Rocket 38 Reach".  Is there anything else that may be effective against this type of defense.   Those are two good ways of dealing with the defensive reactions you are seeing.   Another, only against this defense, where the man you usually kick out tends to hug the pile, is to run super power (not power - it's time you ran super power, for reasons you may have read on my page a week or so ago) and make what we call the "PIN" call, telling the wingback to pin that pinching linebacker against the pile. And then, run the play one hole wider.   *********** Dear Coach Wyatt; Last Friday you posted one of the most accurate coaching sentiments I've ever seen, and if possible I'd like permission to use it as a dedication quote in Volume IV of my coaching books (offensive football). The quote is, "'Good enough' gets your butt beat by the guy who believes in perfection."   Hope you and Connie are doing well. I have 44 days before I go on terminal leave and start working on my teaching certificate in earnest. As odd as it sounds for someone trying to become a teacher, I STILL think the entry and tenure requirements should be much harder.   Very Respectfully, Derek Wade, Petaluma, California PS: Go Dawgs! They played USC to the wire! Coach Willingham is at LEAST as good as I thought he was! (Permission granted. Maybe some day that will be an entry in Bartlett's. HW)   *********** Don't put too much faith in polls... In Oregon's AP 6A poll this week, Wilson of Portland is ranked #11. Wilson is currently 0-5.   *********** Coach Wyatt, I saw all of about three minutes of MNF last night, but it just happened to be the segment where they interviewed the guy from "Desperate Housewives." I loved it when the guy was talking about all of the things that someone (?) was doing in the desert (I have no idea what he was talking about), and one of the things he mentioned was kayaking. And Theisman says, "Kayaking?!? In the desert." My son and I were laughing our heads off, and he just went on like nothing happened. John Zeller, Tustin, Michigan (That really was bizarre. What an insult to their viewers to spend an entire week luring them to watch a football game ("Is it Monday yet?") and then brazenly promote non-football related shows by foisting TV actors on them. One problem with having people like that in the booth, from the producer's standpoint, is that there is no telling what they might start talking about. HW)   *********** Things to listen for this weekend when you're watching games on TV... Write down the following list of announcers' cliches, and every time you hear one, put a check next to it... Cliche Count "Burn a timeout" "Take a shot downfield" "Positive yardage" "Take the crowd out of it" "Red Zone" (By a female sideline reporter, throwing it back to the booth)"...Guys." Osama shows that he will stop at nothing in his plot to weaken America... BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD TO ONE OF YOUR PLAYERS! Army's Will Sullivan wore his Black Lion patch (awarded to all winners) in the Army-Navy game (FOR MORE INFO) The Black Lion certificate is awarded to all winners

Random College Football Ramblings! (See"NEWS") "Nothing You Can Do Will Please These People!" (See"NEWS") "Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." (Proverbs, Chapter 8, Verses 10-11) My Offensive System My Materials for Sale My Clinics Me   October 10, 2006 - "There are times when you come up against aggression or evil, where there is no substitute for force, that the aggressor or evildoer just won't respond to anything else." Senator Joseph Lieberman   *********** Random Ramblings --- College Observations---   *** Remember how great Syracuse looked back in Donovan McNabb's day? Remember the Pitt of Tony Dorsett and Dan Marino? Those days are gone forever, thanks to makeovers by outside ADs. Saturday, the two teams met in the Dreary Bowl. Could there possibly be anything uglier looking than Syracuse in their "new" home uniforms (faded orange on dull black) playing Pitt in their dull gold and Navy blue, in what looks like a swamp but is actually shaggy carpet? Won't somebody at Syracuse go out and rent a steamroller and flatten the damn thing out?   *** Sarah Kustok was doing sideline reporting at the Kansas-Texas A & M game. She's pretty and all that, and I guess she was a very good college basketball player (DePaul), and now she's an assistant coach, but sheesh... she needs a lot of work. Speech work. This current trend of reversing hundreds of years of standard spoken English by saying "tha Orange" and "tha outcome" is very hard on the ears of someone who still cares very much about our language.   *** Poor Wake Forest. They start out with a 93-yard kickoff return only to fumble on the Clemson one. But the Deacons still build a 17-3 lead going into the fourth quarter, and they line up to attempt a field goal that will make it 20-3. Instead, the field goal attempt is botched by the holder, who coughs up the ball and it's returned for a TD that makes it 17-10, Clemson. And then comes the deluge, and by the time it's over, it's Clemson on top, 27-17, and Wake is no longer unbeaten.   *** Boy - talk about a fickle fan base - Miami is playing North Carolina and the upper deck at the Orange Bowl is nearly empty.   *** Kansas' fake punt against Texas A & M was the best I've ever seen. The Kansas punter appeared to drop the ball to kick it, but instead, although going through with the kick, he held onto the ball and when his foot came down, he shoveled the ball to a blocking back.   *** Not saying that college football is being milked by the TV networks for every dollar they can get out of it, but we had... The ESPNU-Allstate Top Ten... The Red Roof Inn Red Zone Efficiency... The Michelin First Quarter Stats... The Esurance Big 10 Standings... The Red Roof Inn First Quarter Stats... The US Postal Service Possession Chart I am assuming that network sales people are out right now trying to sell naming rights to First Down.   *** After at least three years, still can't get used to listening to Pam Ward. Damn, woman - go do volleyball!   *** It's ba-a-a-a-a-ack. I heard ESPN's Reece Davis use "trickeration."   *** Duke had scored only 13 points all season prior to going to Tuscaloosa to play Alabama, but I'll be damned if they didn't lead the Tide 14-10 at the half, and they trailed just 16-14 after three. Go Devils!   *** Dumbest-ass sideline interview question ever - asked of a West Point Cadet by a male sideline reporter - "What's it like being a cadet?"   *** Second-dumbest sideline interview question ever(asked of Florida's Urban Meyer, after freshman QB Tim Tebow, on the LSU one, took a direct snap and appeared to be running a plunge into the middle of the line, but suddenly pulled up and, in the best single-wing tradition, pulled up and flipped a jump pass to a wide-open tight end): "Coach, was that a designed play?"   *** Watch out for "Priapicin." (I could be wrong on the spelling.) Like the way it gave us that other so-called disease, "ED," the hard-on industry seems to be trying to give a name to "an erection lasting longer than four hours," in order to put an end to the laughter generated every time their commercials mention, "An erection lasting longer than four hours." Soon, if you suffer from "Priapicin," you may be able to get a tag for your rear view mirror so you can park in a handicap spot. At the least, you should be able to use a day of sick leave.   *** This coming Sunday, October 15, ESPN Classic is going to devote most of the day to "Greatest College Games." Just in case you realize that there is football being played someplace other than the NFL.   I like all the service academies, but I think Air Force looks like sh-- in blue pants, to go with their blue jerseys.   *** VMI came out in what looked a bit like our Wildcat. Bill Curry could only call it the "modified gun." Apparently they were starting a true freshman at QB, and he used it about 1/3 of the time. As VMI started to wear out, they had a backup wingback playing at QB, and all of his his snaps were of the direct snap ("Wildcat" variety).   *** Three years ago, Army set an NCAA record that may be matched but will likely never be broken - no wins and 13 losses. Saturday, Army coach Bobby Ross got 95 players into the game, and after finally getting a chance to play his prize backup quarterback, allowed him to play just one series and throw one pass - and he still couldn't keep the game from getting out of hand, as Army beat VMI, his alma mater, 62-7.   *** VMI is low on numbers - the Keydets don't award the full number of scholarships allowed in D-IAA, and so to scrimmage during the week, they rely on a number of student volunteers. They're not even technically walk-ons - just fellow students who want to help out. They are nicknamed the "New Market Squad," in honor of the battle of New Market, in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, where VMI cadets fought bravely in routing federal troops.   *** Cal beat the sh-- out of Oregon. And worst of all, they did the biggest in-your-face number of all time, wearing gaudy yellow jerseys almost as ugly as anything the Ducks ever wore.   *** I can't find where it is legal, and I can't find where it is illegal, but USC scored against Washington on a "fake field goal" in which a receiver, who'd been hanging on the sideline, over near the USC bench, far removed from the ball, suddenly sprinted down the sideline, wide open for a touchdown pass. It was, of course, the old "sleeper play," which has been illegal in high school ball for a long time.   *** If USC's fake field goal was illegal, we'll never know from Tyrone Willingham. The man simply doesn't bitch. Not even after the officials ran the last seconds off the clock and deprived Washington of one final play.   *********** For some reason, I found myself listening to Mike Ditka on ESPN Radio Sunday. I couldn't leave. I found myself wanting them to take a commercial break so I could, uh, use the bathroom. On the subject of head coaches being told by their bosses that they can keep their jobs on the condition that they fire some of their assistants: "I could never do what the guy at Miami University did."   *********** Coach, Teams I have the privilege of coaching are a combined 11-3 now. Sometimes we blow the teams away sometimes they are a little close. The 3 losses were close. The teams we play are ALWAYS from bigger areas. We are the smallest organization in grid kids (4-2, 4 straight wins) and the middle school teams (2) plays in a league a classification above us because at our level schools in our classification don't have the numbers or are so isolated they just don't play middle school football. Middle school is 7-1. I envy those middle school coaches with 10-15 players per team standing on the sidelines, We have 2-3 replacements per team(2). MS, Washington   *********** I was watching TV footage of last Friday's "Peace March" in downtown Portland. God, what a scruffy crew. Along with pseudo-terrorists who wear masks, there was a sizable contingent of older types reliving their glory days, the 1960s. One of the latter, a scraggly-looking guy who probably took the afternoon off from his job teaching college students that America sucks, told a reporter that he thought the police response - bean bags and mace, after the "demonstrators" had appeared ready to shut down a freeway, was "disproportionate."   When the reporter mentioned that to a police officer, he said, very matter-of-factly, "Nothing you can do will please these people."   I laughed my ass off to know that those guys are thinking the way I am.   I thought immediately of a successful double-wing coach I know who has to deal with the "Throw the Ball! Open it up!" crowd in the stands. Friday night, he threw the ball. And it was intercepted. And you guessed it - "What the hell are you throwing the ball for?"   Nothing you can do will please these people.   *********** I sat at a Double-Wing game Friday night and the guy next to me started asking questions about the offense. I explained a few things to him, and after a while he said, I like this offense! His buddy, sitting in front of him, agreed, but said, "But I can't find the ball." Now, there's a challenge for a guy who wants to overcome the parents who can;'t stand the Double Wing!   ALABAMA - Providence Christian 21, Zion Chapel 18 - We won the most unbelievable game this past Friday night. Down 18-10 with 7:00 minutes left in the game and our opponent (Region foe Zion Chapel) at our 5 yard line with second and goal, they fumbled and we recovered on our 2 yard line. On first down, our QB, sophomore Nick Plagenhoef throws Rip Thunder Jet (3 vertical '9' routes) and completes the pass to our C back, Jake Nobles for a 98 yard TD. We go for 2 and complete the fade to tie the game (again to Nobles). With 4 minutes left, we force another fumble, drive 50 yards and Nobles kicks the game winning field goal of 32 yards as time expires. We are now 3-3 (we lost the previous two games 28-26 and 28-20). We Face the number 1 ranked Brantley Bulldogs this Friday in an away game. Honestly, we never dreamed we'd be 3-3 at this point in our first varsity season. Ball control and no turnovers the last 3 weeks (we've created 8 on defense) have kept us in games even though we are badly outmanned up front. Playing varsity football in the 'public school league' with one senior and a handful of juniors has been a difficult task, but because of our DW offense we feel that we can move the ball against everyone we play. Our big plays have been throws as our QB has thrown for 9 TD's in the first five games. It's fun to see people tease us about our offense and then give up three TD's a game defending it. We've had two entire quarter time consuming drives already this season. Thanks, Hugh for all you do in sharing information from our fraternity of coaching friends. Emory Latta, Providence Christian School, Dothan, AL   ALBERTA - Crescent Heights 41, McCoy 33   CONNECTICUT - Tolland 42, Windsor Locks 22. Tolland breaks 22-22 halftime tie. A back had 309 on 30 carries and 4 td's. B back had 90 yards on 16 carries and 1 td. Others contributed and scored. We have averaged more than 400 yards a game thus far, but our record stands at a mediocre 2-2. We have a ton of work to do on the defensive side of the ball. Got joking with my staff about Mathew McConaghey playing a football coach in the Marshall film. One of my assistants suggested that the guy who played Niles Crane in "Frasier" would be cast to play me if they ever did a movie on my life. I'm not the smartest guy, but I'm pretty sure my stones were seriously broken during that conversation. (It's always good to have a laugh with the staff. And we have plenty of them...)Best wishes, Patrick Cox   ILLINOIS - Crystal Lake Central 40, Johnsburg 7 - Dane Burmeister rushed for 112 yards and four touchdowns as Crystal Lake Central rolled past Johnsburg, 40-7, to claim a share of first place in the Fox Valley Conference Fox Division. CLC is one win away from its first winning season since 1995, and two wins away from its first league title - and playoff spot - since 1991.   IOWA- Galva-Holstein 49, Gehlen Catholic 25 - 42-13 at half (could have been and should have been 42-0). Kick return for a score, and a missed tackle on a pop pass that they scored on. We returned a kick for a TD (following theirs) and blocked a punt for a TD.   KANSAS - Beloit 66, Republic County 28 - It wasn't pretty in the first half, but the Beloit Trojans are now 4-2. Our defense didn't play well at all in the first half, and we were fortunate to be leading 30-28 at halftime. We only ran 16 offensive plays in the first half, but we scored on four of them. The kids responded to our halftime adjustments and we did play better defense in the second half. 48 carries for 602 yards and 9 TDs... 1 of 2 passing for 12 yards (but 1 int)... 27 first downs (25 rushing, 1 passing, 1 by penalty); C-back Bradly Esterl - 17 carries for 290 yards and 3 TDs... A-back Jase Sporleder - 11 carries for 137 yards and 3 TDs... back-up wing Cas Spangler - 5 carries for 94 yards... B-back Brady Luke - 9 carries for 49 yards... back-up wing Todd Dunstan - 3 carries for 19 yards and 2 TDs... back-up wing Matt Hyman - 1 carry for 13 yards   MARYLAND - Catoctin 48, Smithsburg 26   NEW YORK - Lansingburgh 43, South Glens Falls 7 - The Knights improve to 3-0 in league play and 6-0 overall. Kenny Youngs led the way for the Lansingburgh with 138 yards on 11 carries including a 16 yard run touchdown run. Ecleus Washington ran for 53 yards on two carries, one of them a 52-yard touchdown run. In all, five different players scored for Lansingburgh.   NEW YORK - Oakfield-Alabama 42, Elba13. Our offense lit a fire under our ass as we drove (only one big run today) and drove and drove. Five tough yards would certainly be an appropriate way to describe our day as we ran 57 times for 355 yards and 6 rushing TD's. We ran mostly superpower and wedge at first. Then we used Slot quite a bit. IT is finally clicking with them. We have been able to run out of slot and over under much better this year. We went 2-4 in the air with two shuffle passes (one from over and the other from under 47-C shuffle and 56-C shuffle). We are now 5-1 and start the playoffs Friday (we start a week earlier because they split the D's into D and DD - so there will be two champions this year for sectionals but we will have a crossover game to represent the D's in states (there were 20 teams in the D division so they split into two 10 team divisions). We will be playing the 8 seed at our place.   OREGON - Hood River Valley 19, Reynolds 13 (2-OT) The Hood River Eagles scored in the top of second overtime, then put on a goal-line stand - their third of the game - to seal the win. The Eagles are now 3-3 on the season, and 2-2 after their in-season conversion from the single-wing back to the Double-Wing.   TEXAS - Laredo Martin 13, Eagle Pass 6 - Hello Coach, We are sitting at 4-2 and 3-1 in district. Lost three weeks ago to the district leader/favorite. They are a spread shotgun team with a ton of good athletes. Their enrollment is about 3300 vs. the rest of the district with no more than 2400 (ours is about 1850). Recovered two weeks ago vs. United South, winning 14-6. This past Friday we traveled to Eagle Pass and defeated them, and the "zebras", 13-9. They really put the pressure on our defense in the 4th quarter, but we held on. It is a notoriously tough place to win. We rushed for 274 yds and completed 3 of 4 passes, one for a 50 yd TD. Absolutely shocked some folks. Our state coaching association maintains statewide stats now by classification (THSCA.com) and for the last several weeks we have been in the top five rushing in the state in class 5A. Thank goodness we are "open" this week. We will use the time to recuperate, polish and plan for the last four regular season games. If we can win a couple, we can be the first Martin HS playoff team in 15 years. A 6-4 record, or better, would give us the first winning season in eleven years. Keep us in your thoughts. Thanks for everything. Don Davis, Head Football Coach, Martin High School, Laredo, TX   WASHINGTON - LaCenter 28, Fort Vancouver 0 - The Class A Wildcats play up two classes, defeating a school three times their size.   *********** Hi Coach; I wanted to give you an update thus far in our season. We have beaten our last 4 opponents by a combined score of 105-6. The Double wing is working great. Our Lineman have a great understanding of the blocking schemes even when defenses try and stunt and shut down our running game. My Quarterback loves hitting people which makes the Superpower his favorite play to run. Our Superpowers, counters and criss cross have gone for more yardage and touchdowns then all of last year and we still have 2 weeks to go in the season. I put in 66-G this week and it went for a touchdown and big yardage. Our Wedge is working very well and our lineman love it. It is funny even after our last 4 games, I still here comments from other coaches and parents: "why doesn't he pass, all he does is run" how funny is that! I don't even respond. I just think to myself, worry about your own team. The ironic thing is we have passed (RED RED and 6-g pass) and every time it has gone for big yards or a touchdown. I guess they think you need to pass 20-times a game to be successful, and then when you lose they say but "he passed and was in the game" . Talk about armchair quarterbacking. I'd like to tell them all to stay in the stands, eat your hot dogs, drink your soda's and just root for your kid's team however; I don't. I know what we need to do to be successful. Anyway, thanks again for all your wisdom and answering all my questions. Have a great day. Sincerely, JN, San Jose, California   *********** Cool - I was able to watch (and listen to) the Miami-Northern Illinois game, which meant I could watch the Steelers and Chargers and not listen to Madden.   *********** Garrett Wolfe is as good as there is, MAC or not. Get the kid on TV more and give him a shot at the Heisman.   *********** And while we're on Miami-Northern Illinois - when was the last time Miami, the Cradle of Coaches, with one of the proudest of football traditions, started a season 6-0?   *********** I'm serious about forcing Drew Bledsoe into retirement. Ed Wyatt   There seemed to be no excuse for the underthrown interception, but I do suspect that on the last interception someone either ran the wrong route or was prevented from running the correct one. Besides, at least Bledsoe has been through this kind of sh-- before. You really think that Tony Romo can deal with Parcells and TO both?   *********** Good God, where does it all stop? Or, more appropriately, where is this all headed? On MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, they bring some dogass actor from "Desperate Housewives" into the broadcast booth!!!! Bert Bell and George Halas and Art Rooney and hundreds of the pioneers of the game are lucky that they rest in peace. The very thought of such a disgusting perversion of their game would have killed them otherwise. Remember doofus Madden and that bizarre Hall of Fame speech where he said he truly believed that after they turned the lights out at the Hall and everyone went home for the evening, the bronze busts talked to each other? What the hell do you suppose they were saying about that?   *********** I admit I don't watch that much pro football... but when, exactly, did the Broncos start wearing black jerseys?   *********** Of the 12 NFL games played Sunday, in half of them there were at least half as many field goals kicked as offensive touchdowns scored. In the Giants' thrilling win over the Redskins, there were five field goals kicked and only one offensive touchdown. One of them was the Steelers-Chargers game. Ever think you'd see the day a Pittsburgh team ran only 18 times - for a puny 68 yards? And poor Cleveland - somebody should tell them about touchdowns. They scored 12 points on four field goals. But let's not overlook the Detroit Lions, which seem unable to pull out of the same downward spiral as the Ford Motor Company, whose shares make up the major portion of their owner's wealth. Talk about sad sacks - the Lions rushed 11 times for 16 yards!   *********** Coach- We seem to be back on track, we won 22-12. The score at half was 22-6. They scored twice on 60-yard runs, I think my QB is going to start playing defense; he is too good not to be out there. We had 215 yards rushing; I only threw for an extra point (it was good, red red). We scored on tight 2 wedge, super lead xx47c and super lead xx56c (you talked about that at your clinic so we started practicing it.) The stack wedge is awesome, it frequently goes for 20 yards or more, we also fumbled twice on stack wedge, once on their 4 yard line, so we should have scored again. I also knelt the ball on the 3 at the end of the game or we could have scored. Thanks for the advice on the traps, we seem to have them working well, one went for 34 yards and then he was tackled on the 1 inch line so I gave it to him on wedge. I am going to start running the traps out of stack, should be easy to install, I'm going to have my A and C backs run in opposite directions. DC, Virginia   *********** Coach, We won our third game in a row on Saturday, 19-0. The last three games we have outscored our opponents 45-6. This game however was special because it would be the last game one of my kids would play for me. I found out last week that my starting C back (Chris) was moving to Michigan and Saturday's game would be his last for us. I've coached this kid for three years and he has gone from a 9 year old terrified of hitting or getting hit to my best running back and a tough linebacker. His mother was upset about the move because of the progress he's made on the field which has really helped build his self-esteem. I informed the rest of the team about Chris &endash; all were upset but determined to play their best in this game ( against our toughest opponent ) and send him off the right way.   It's just weird how things happen. We win the toss and elect to receive. The kick-off goes right to Chris who makes one hard cut and runs it in for a 65 yard kickoff return.   On our first possession the kid takes his first carry (99 super-power) in for a 60 yard touchdown. Two touches, two touchdowns. He ends up making three other nice runs and has 6 tackles. I couldn't have scripted it any better and I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't believe a word of it, but it happened as sure as Eagles beat the Cowboys yesterday. Our other touchdown came on a 88 super power with the A back hitting the hole beautifully and our BBack making a great kick-out block. We ran the ball well between the tackles with the Wedge and our Trap play (which worked much better with a bit wider splits). We ran the counter (47-C) twice for 7 yds and 12 yds and also ran the 6-G effectively. We took a knee twice on their 10 yd line to end the game.   Postgame was bittersweet as we all said our goodbyes to our teammate. His mother thanked me a least a dozen times. I encouraged Chris to find a place to play football when he gets to his new home ("don't worry about that coach") and as I gave him a high five I knew this would be a game he would remember the rest of his life and one I'm sure I'll remember as well.   Thanks for all your help and your ear. Regards, CD, Pennsylvania   *********** My name is ---- ----- I am 15 years old. I play football for the freshman team at my high school, but I already know that I want to be a football coach when I grow up. I know its early but I was just wondering if their were any tips or suggestions you had for me. Thanks for any help-   Dear -----, There is a lot to learn about the game, and it's not easy for you to learn about the overall picture because right now, your main job is to learn all you can about the position(s) that you play.   I would suggest you let your coaches know just what you've told me, so that if you ever ask them a question about why they do certain things, they'll understand your reason for asking. Otherwise, they might think that you're questioning their abilities as coaches.   And put special effort into listening very carefully to your coaches so that you can understand what they're trying to teach, and how they're going about teaching it. And always make sure to ask them - politely, of course - if there's anything you don't understand. That will help you as a coach in the future, but more important, it will help you as a player right now.   *********** This Week in Football History (compliments of the National Football Foundation)   October 9, 1943: In the first- ever meeting of Associated Press poll Nos. 1 and 2-ranked teams, No. 1 Notre Dame defeats Michigan 35-12 in Ann Arbor. (The AP national polls began in 1936, and the United Press International coaches' polls started in 1950)   October 9, 2004: Cal's Aaron Rodgers ties an NCAA record with 23 straight completions in a 23- 17 loss to eventual national champion USC.   October 11, 1984: Mark Ryahcych of Concord (W.Va.) intercepts 10 passes against Shepherd (W.Va.), an all-division record   October 11, 1997: LSU upsets four-time defending SEC champion Florida 28-21 in Baton Rouge, ending the Gators' 25-game SEC win streak.   October 12, 1968: Missouri sets an NCAA record with 99 rushing attempts in a 27-14 victory over Colorado. The Tigers rush for 421 yards.   October 14, 1889: Christy Mathewson of Bucknell kicks a 40-yard field goal (worth five points under the rules at the time) to defeat Lehigh 5-0. Mathewson later won 373 games in 17 seasons (1900- 16) with baseball's New York Giants and Cincinnati Reds, and was one of the first five men inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.   October 14, 1950: Penn tailback Francis "Reds" Bagnell, rushes for 214 yards and passes for 276 yards for a then-national-record 490 yards of total offense in a 42-26 victory over Dartmouth. (Note: "Reds" Bagnell - for some reason, in Philly, they call a redhead "Reds" instead of "Red" - graduated from the same HS I did. HW)   October 15, 1960: Baylor defeats Texas Tech 14-7 in the Red Raiders first-ever Southwest Conference home game.   *********** Christopher Anderson, part of the Stanford broadcast crew, reports from this past weekend's trip to Notre Dame...   Hugh, Notre Dame was NICE. South Bend literally rose out of the fields, and as you might guess from a Midwestern town, it was clean, quiet and understated. The traffic directors really kept the streets from turning into a mass of honking horns. A lot like Ann Arbor on a game day, it looked like a nice place to spend the college years.   The press box staff were great - helpful and cheery, certainly the best staff at any big-time school I've been to. We could easily see why ND gets such great media coverage - reporters and broadcasters want to be sent there.   The fried chicken and Texas chili were a nice touch. They had a bunch of blown-up magazine covers dating from before Johnny Lujack. We met the replay officials beforehand, a Big Ten crew who told us the guts of how replay is implemented.   The band played "America The Beautiful" while the band announcer read the preamble to the Constitution and the two most famous sentences of the Declaration of Independence.   With so many injuries, Stanford's offense was lame. The QB threw for only 22 yard after the first quarter. The longest play was a halfback pass for a touchdown. Backup-turned-starter WRs dropped a touchdown pass and a big third down play.   I didn't think ND looked THAT great. At home against an overmatched opponent I expected far more fireworks. They might not have been trying too hard, but after Weis' tough talk through the week I doubt it. It's not like they are saving their offense for USC six weeks away. Quinn is a real good player, but a Heisman guy he ain't.   I did feel proud to wear my Michigan hat around South Bend and into the stadium, especially after the Wolverines and Tigers both won.   *********** A guy was asking about the "compression bands" that so many players can be seen wearing. Wanted to know what their purpose was. Being old school, and something of a cynic, I answered,   It is all about cool. On the order of Breathe-Right strips and black pasties under the eyes and wristbands and tattoos and flashy colored tape jobs over both the sox and shoes and chin straps deliberately left unbuttoned and spandex tights and UnderArmour "performance wear" and mouthpieces tucked into the face mask between plays and many, many more fashion statements. Some are now passe. Others, such as tinted visors and personalized towels, have been outlawed. Perhaps you've noticed the latest fashion trend - pants that don't cover the knees, despite an NCAA rule that clearly mandates that knee pads must cover the knees. Most of this crap starts with the pros (wide receivers especially, because they are such peacocks) and quickly works its way down as far as the youth level. It drives coaches nuts.   *********** Coach, I just wanted to give a short update on our last couple of games. Last Friday, we played the team we defeated in our first game of the season. Needless to say, they were a bit more prepared for us than the first time we played them. Our defense played terrible in the 1st half...thank goodness our offence came through! We won 41-33, it was 34-33 for us with about a minute left and our safety returned an INT 40 yards for the score. I did not stop sweating until the extra point went through.   Anyway, we played a weaker team yesterday and won 49-0. We got up 36-0 by the half and we were able to play a lot of grade 10 players since we do not have a JV team.   I have to thank you for the system and for all of the help and support you have provided. It has been a complete success for us thus far. My first year here as an assistant (2004) we went 1-9. Last year, my first year as head coach, we went 3-7. This year we are 5-1 so far and right now are sitting at #8 in our Tier in the province http://www.footballalberta.ab.ca/highschool/main.htm It has been at least 7 or 8 years since our team has been in the provincial top ten. The kids are confident in the system we are running and I feel like our team has a real identity on offense. I think in one of my first e-mails to you, I told you that last year I really did not have a good grasp on what my offensive philosophy was. Well, I can answer that question now, and it certainly makes me feel better about what I am doing out there. I am very excited to pickup some of your other materials in the offseason or attend a clinic if I can and have a better understanding for next year.   I will let you know how our playoffs and provincials go. We are working hard to develop our passing game, as we are quickly getting the rep of being a "run-only team". That is a reputation that I am looking forward to exploiting with our play-action game. Take Care, Anthony Donner, Medicine Hat, Alberta   *********** I had a question about motion. Over the years I have run with and without motion. Not sure looking at our tapes whether we really gain any advantage with motion. The only thing is our best pass play by far is red-red / blue-blue. We always run motion with that play because the wing has the end. So do you think in your opinion that the motion helps the backs or the offense as a whole?   Coach- In my opinion, motion is useful mainly to unbalance the formation, to get a player a head start on a sweep or a blocking assignment, or as a distraction for the defense. Since it doesn't do any of those things for Super Power, we don't use it for that. For Red-Red, we mostly use Rip-Stop motion and have the A Back block backside, which lets us release the backside end.   *********** Coach, Just writing for an FYI and to clear some nervous energy.   This afternoon we will play the currently undefeated #1 seed in our final game. A victory means a seat in the playoffs and potentially home field advantage for post season. A loss of course will end our season. I just want to thank you for the past 3 years of advice. I started looking for more plays the last two weeks, but I always remember the advice that you have given to so many other coaches. We will go with the handful of plays that have gotten us this far. I realized this week that if we just re-double our efforts to fine tune what we have, then we will have more than enough. I spent the week checking every lineman's splits, stance and first step on every play. I watched every block to see if we are getting our heads in the holes. The backs are fighting yard for 4 yards realizing that their big runs will come if they fight for the first few steps. We basically went back to week one double wing 101 school. I printed your quote from Pop Warner of your site yesterday and put it up in my office. No magic plays, just well executed ones. The kids are relaxed and confident, the coaches are confident, but nervous. We defeated another undefeated team last week to get this far. Another coach wrote you a few weeks ago about having butterflies and I knew where he was coming from. I do know that we have prepared the kids to the best of our and their and our abilities and that is in the end all that we can do.   I am trying to help a park league team install the DW, but the coach wants to mess with every play instead of taking them "out of the can".   Well coach, I will let you know how it all turns out. We have the right kids and the right plays, now it is all about execution. Some day I will have to sit down and write a book for all the unpaid freshman coaches trying to climb the ladder of football. After 12 years in federal law enforcement trying to fight the tide of illegal immigration, I still find far more challenges on Friday nights than I ever have had at the office.   Richard Cropp, Brunswick, Georgia   *********** Sienna Miller, a 24-year-old British actress, was in Pittsburgh town shooting a movie, and apparently not finding the city not her liking, dissed it in a magazine interview, referring to it by substituting for "Pitt" a common vulgarity that rhymes with it.   The city was all over her, and, probably on the advice of her PR people, Ms. Miller apologized, saying that her remarks were "taken out of context" and that, in fact, she found the city and its residents "gracious."   Maybe Pittsburghers will let her off. I don't know. I guarantee you she wouldn't have gotten off easy if she'd dissed Philly.   Osama shows that he will stop at nothing in his plot to weaken America... BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD TO ONE OF YOUR PLAYERS! Army's Will Sullivan wore his Black Lion patch (awarded to all winners) in the Army-Navy game (FOR MORE INFO) The Black Lion certificate is awarded to all winners

An Idea For Any Coach - Paul Roos' Leadership Team! (See"NEWS") When the Going Gets Tough, a Michigan School Board Packs it in! (See"NEWS") "Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." (Proverbs, Chapter 8, Verses 10-11) My Offensive System My Materials for Sale My Clinics Me   October 6, 2006 - "Wisdom too often never comes, and so one ought not to reject it just because it comes late." Felix Frankfurter   *********** Man, you got to hand it to T.O. Sunday, Albert Haynesworth stomps a guy in the face - twice - and meantime a congressman is caught passing notes to that cute page. And yet by Wednesday, it's all about T.O. again, and the fact that Sunday will be his first return visit to Philly after the Iggles dumped him. (Now, that's one NFL game I will probably be watching, unless by some unfortunate chance our weekly dose of the Seahawks comes at the same time.)   *********** Coach, Coach- Just wondering if the new Marshall film about the tragedy of the 1970 plane crash has some relationship to ESPN/ABC?   Actor Mathew McConaughey spent the better part of the game in the booth pumping his new film about the 1970 Marshall team and the plane crash that decimated the program. Get this...he plays a coach.   I do love seeing Hollywood-types getting quality air time while I'm trying to watch football. Don't they know that there is nothing else on tv? Leave my football programming alone. The f--kers are messing with my life. LET THEM PLAY!!!LET THEM PLAY!!!........   I'm about to PUKE! Hollywood Boy in the booth....you've got to be kidding me....   I have a truly deep respect for Coach Lou Holtz. Please tell me he didn't enjoy that BS.   "Can I trust you? Are you committed? Do you care?" - Lou Holtz. Say it ain't so....   Not sure what to make of it. How would Coach Holtz's mentor Woody Hayes have handled this situation???? Patrick Cox, Stonington, Connecticut (From what I could see of him at the end, he'd have made a better cheerleader than a coach. As for Woody - they could have been promoting a film called "BUCKEYE!" but that actor - I thought he was such a big Texas fan? - would never have been on the Ohio State sidelines! HW)   *********** By any chance did you see this game last night? The kicker for UCF looks like he won the burrito eating contest at the local mega Taco Bell! The guy should be playing nose guard!  LMAO! Matt Bastardi, Montgomery, New Jersey   I only saw the end of the game but I did see the guy and immediately began pulling for him to miss. I also saw the Marshall kickoff guy make a tackle and the play-by-play guy said, "Who said kickers aren't tough?" It happened fast, and I was a bit distracted, but swear I heard Lou Holtz say, "Me."   *********** I was curious about your take on a couple of things. First is the West Virginia high school player who ran for over 600 yards and scored ten touchdowns. When I saw the highlight I blurted to my color commentator (we were off the air) "ten touchdowns? That record is bogus, they are running up the score." I actually thought it a harsh criticism at the time, as the game may have been a shootout. Nope, the team won 64-0.   I think the West Virginia thing looks suspicious. 64-0, with the same kid scoring all 10 touchdowns, is fishy. It is not like Roosevelt of Portland, which needed everything their kid could provide (400+ yards) in order to win 62-51. We had a kid in Southwest Washington rush for over 400 yards, too, but his team had to come from behind in the second half.) This is "Run-it-up Joe" stuff. One thing else you might not have noticed: they can score 10 touchdowns on a team, in fact they even have the luxury of giving those ten touchdowns to the same kid - but then they can only score four extra points? Maybe that's where they were showing mercy.   An 0-4 Michigan team had its remaining season canceled by the school board, saying they were overmatched against stronger opponents. I could understand the decision in an extreme case, but the quotes in this article sound so weaseley.   It was Oscoda, Michigan, where, despite pleas from players and parents, the school board decided to end the season after the team had lost all four of its games without scoring a point, saying that players risked injury in trying to take on much stronger opponents.   "Seniors, I feel for you.," said one board member. "There's nothing I can say other than I'm sorry. But you're not quitters. You went out there and did your best."   No, those kids aren't quitters. But the people responsible for teaching them about life sure seem to be.   Granted, I haven't seen the Michigan kids play, and I suppose there is the real possibility that they were in serious danger of being hurt. But having been in a somewhat similar situation last season, I disagree with the Michigan school board. Those people might have shut us down, too - we had 20 kids (on a good day), including only a handful who had ever played in a varsity game before, and we found ourselves fighting for survival in many of our games . On a cold, rainy Friday night in the Pacific Northwest, a sound ass-whipping can be very discouraging. But to the everlasting credit of those kids, they took their whippings and they came back for more. And they fought. That, to me, is great courage. That, to me, is what football is all about. Anybody can play football when they're undefeated.   There is great nobility in keeping up the fight when there is little chance, and those kids displayed that nobility. My hat is still off to them. I saw an amazing amount of character and toughness in those kids, things that kids in more prosperous, more successful programs may or may not have, since they're never called on to show them.   It does sound a bit like an extension of the modern-day parents' belief that their kids can be shielded from any harm if we just get rid of all sliding boards and diving boards and make them wear their helmets at all times. And hydrate themselves.   America does not prize toughness as it once did. Compassion and tolerance are the prime virtues now. Back in 1975, when I was working with the Portland Thunder we had a running back named Jim Evenson who'd had a great career in the CFL but was sort of used up by the time we got him, and his favorite expression was "When the going gets tough... pack it in."   He was joking (I think), but I suspect that this Michigan incident may be a clear example of that sort of thinking. You know how it goes - if you ain't winning, you ain't sh--, and everybody knows you're gonna lose, so why bother?   For me, the last word came from Mike Gondek, the senior quarterback, who pleaded with the school board to reconsider its decision.   "All I ever wanted to do was play football," he said. "My teammates never felt so unsafe that we didn't want to be out there."   *********** Coach,   1. You really know how to tell a story. You had me in tears with that Jack in the Box description! (I didn't see the commercial)   I still don't think I really did it justice. I'm surprised it's not on Youtube (or maybe it is).   2.Is it just me, or did Willie Thrower have a gigantic hand? Sheesh. ENGULFS the ball!   He was known for his big hands. Evidently, one of his nicknames at Michigan State was "Mitts."   3. I'm praying for the Amish.... what a freakin' crazy place we're becoming.   Isn't that the truth? Here are people who do everything they can to keep a reasonable distance from the evils of the modern world - and their very innocence and vulnerability costs them the lives of their little children.   Regards, John Rothwell, Austin, Texas    *********** Coach, I'm having a bit of a problem with an assistant.  I had to talk to him a few weeks ago and I thought everything was straightened out.  Well now we lost and he is grumbling about things again.  It's a lot of little things that are adding up, but the latest is telling me that I was out coached and that is why we lost.  It is very clear that we put the kids in the right position to win and they just played poorly, if you watch the film.  I asked him if he wanted to see the film and he said no.  I think the problem is that he is a parent of our starting QB, and when I said the kids didn't play well he took offense (his kid can do no wrong kind of stuff).  The best player on my team had a horrible game and his dad is an assistant also, he was the first to admit it though.  Of course he was a military man and doesn't have that wimpy parent attitude.  I am going to have a talk with this guy and if I don't like what I hear I will get rid of him.  My only concern is how it will affect his son. Thanks for listening to me grumble and for all your advice.   This is not grumbling.   I hate to say that I could have warned you if I'd known, but a dad on the staff can be a VERY dangerous thing, especially a QB's dad, because while you may be successful in getting the concept of being a team player across to your kids, this guy is NEVER going to put the team first. He is first and foremost his kid's agent. Talk about a Trojan Horse! He just wants to manage his kid's career. Can you imagine an NFL coach allowing a player's agent on his staff?   And now he has the insolence to tell you that you were "outcoached?" With nothing to back it up? What do you suppose he's been telling his kid?   Get rid of this cancer now. Be prepared for him to pull his kid, but sometimes good tissue has to be cut out to get all of it. Above all, though, do not let this guy stay around one more day.   This is a classic example of the coaching axiom, "Winning conceals... losing reveals." In your case, it only took one loss to reveal all you needed to know about this guy, so consider yourself very lucky. He could have hung around longer and caused some real damage!   *********** Hi Coach, After 4 preseason game and 3 regular season game I have had to comments about the wildcat and they both were the question "is that Pistol?" and I looked and both of these older gentlemen with a perplexed look on my face, Do you know what they were talking about? On another note we are 3-0 with 78 points scored and only 13 given up. I am going to upload wildcat 3-trap-2 on our website, visit us if you get a chance, www.themontebelloindians.com and go the "Jr. Midget" page. Kevin Rivas, Montebello Indians Jr. Midget, Montebello, California (I mentioned this a few weeks ago when a reporter from the Reno newspaper asked me a few questions about the resemblance of the "Pistol," what Nevada calls their direct-snap offense, to a formation Princeton used on the mid-1960's. The Pistol is getting a lot of attention now. Tell anybody who asks "This is our version of the Pistol. We call it the Wildcat!" HW)   *********** Coach just read your news section. Must've missed the incident in Polk County, FL. You're right - that Sheriff should be President.   Got something you will like. Real story. We established in the City of Miami an area on Virginia Beach, Key Biscayne an area called Officer Survival school. Way less Police Officers shot after that, and way more dirt bags shot. An instructor with the last name of "Rambo"- No joke - shot a dirt bag who pointed at him once thru the heart, killing the guy instantly.   In front of a packed courthouse he was asked if he had any regrets. Get this. Quote."Yes I do."   "What is that, officer?"   "I did not shoot him twice like I train my officers to do."   No more questions. Even the Judge almost stood up to clap.   I keep saying that if we do not reverse all the political correct, Touchy feely, Therapeutic raising of kids to do whatever the hell they want, we are just becoming a nation of psychopaths raising psychopaths. All of these latest incidents prove that.Blessings,Armando Castro, Roanoke, Virginia   *********** Dear Coach Wyatt; Seems like I can't go a week without seeing something in your site that invites comment. Rich Golden talked about officials and some of the things that he had to deal with in a recent game. I think that you're right about the football coaches, but I think the real problems in football rule-breaking run deeper. There is one aspect of football that operates completely without any checks and balances: the officials.   While I believe that most officials are good people doing the best they can, there are some that I have encountered that operate using nothing other than their best guesses about the rules, who refuse to accept the professionalism of the coaches or take responsibility for their actions.   As it stands right now, a football official can make an egregious error in applying the rules, a screw up of boundless proportions and colossal magnitude (like, oh, I don't know, maybe allowing receivers to tackle defensive backs all game long and flagging the DBs for trying to get back to their feet while being held down.) And yet they will pay precisely NO PENALTIES for their actions. Their failure to call the game according to the rules of football directly impacted the game and the players. It let one team win through cheating, and faced another to endure a loss they didn't earn.   Then they get to go home and relax, secure in the knowledge that they will never suffer any consequences for their actions, a situation made all the more inexcusable because, out of all the people involved with a football game at the high school or youth level, they are the only ones between the sidelines that are paid to be there.   What football needs is a better set of checks and balances for the officials at the lower levels. Sites like www.refsuck.com show the inadequacies of referees at the NFL level, and one need only spend any length of time reading football message boards to see the mistakes of the lower level crews. Mistakes are a part of life, and they can be dealt with if they are honest, but shouldn't we at least make the effort to be as error-free as possible in our officiating? It irks me that I spend upwards of a thousand hours a season trying to make my players error-free, only to have some wacko step on our field, misinterpret the rules, threaten me with suspension for having the temerity to prove him wrong with my own copy of the rule book, and screw my team out of a win they've earned.   I've heard officials respond to the idea of your pregame checklist with the comment, "I would flag for unsportsmanlike conduct any coach that tried to educate me on the rules before a game." Boy, that certainly is professional. I wonder if they would be so cavalier about abusing their authority over the game if they knew that by doing so, they would themselves face an injunction preventing their return to that school, if misconduct on their part could be proven.   Most officials are good people, doing their level best to make the game fair and safe. I respect the job they do and them for doing it. However, for that bottom ten percent there needs to be some manner of making damn sure they put forth the effort to do their jobs properly. If I don't do my job, I can get booked, reduced in pay grade, or suffer other punishment. Why not apply that same thinking to the officials of a football game?   Very Respectfully, Derek Wade, Petaluma, California (Excellent points. Couldn't agree with you more. A good official is like gold, because officials for the most part are horrible.   Actually, in my criticism of coaches who cheat, I am beginning with the assumption that officials can't (or won't) enforce the rules, and I'm putting the onus on coaches not to take unfair advantage of the vacuum created by incompetent officiating.   We really do need to forget that the officials are even there (the best officials, as we all know, are the ones we never notice) and concentrate on showing respect for our game and our opposing coaches, and our responsibility to our kids by dedicating ourselves to coach according to the AFCA Code of Ethics.   And high school coaches' associations could learn from the AFCA, and defend their profession by censuring guys who try to skirt the rules. HW)    *********** From a coaching friend...   I just have to share what happened to me this afternoon: I just had a call from an upset mom...but she was from our jv opponent from last night! It appears that her son sustained a concussion in the game against our jv last night, and she was calling to tell me that our players were being unnecessarily rough. Now, I do feel bad that her son was injured (Thankfully he is now okay.), but it was not through any unnecessary roughness as we don't tolerate any cheap or dirty stuff. We do encourage lots of weightlifting (and our kids work hard in the weight room) and we do teach physical football (and our kids are playing hard), and we all know that injuries are part of the game.   In the conversation she told me, "It just seems to me that when you are ahead by so much, you could tell your players that they don't have to hit so hard."   Wow! It was a jv game, and we played 4-5 juniors (who get absolutely no varsity time and are not physical players at all), all of our sophomores (who get no varsity time), and all of our freshmen (who get no varsity time). We did win 52-12, but we also subbed generously after the score was 36-12.   I hope the young man who sustained the concussion never finds out that his mom called the opposing coach to complain that someone hit him too hard!   I wrote him, Whoa--- That is GREAT news. You are developing an IDENTITY! You are becoming THE TEAM NOBODY WANTS TO PLAY!   You have to be very careful where you go with this one, making sure that if you bring your kids into it you preface anything you say by reminding them that you don't condone dirty football, but by the same token, this mother has really thrown your kids (and your program) a bone!   Maybe you should circulate a note to the mothers of all your opponents' players informing them that for their sons' safety, it might be best if they didn't let them play against your kids!   Imagine that Mom's surprise at finding out that football isn't not soccer! HW)    *********** Coach, I am having great success with Tight Stack 88 Super Power from Wildcat. I have one horse on this team and I ride him. We started out in Wildcat this year and rather than put QB under center, I leave him in the same spot he is in on wildcat.   By putting my man in 'I' formation, defense cannot key.   I ran stack T88SP every play in my last game. We won 32-0. I didn't intend to do it, but they could not stop it. They stacked wide side with monster. DC, Virginia   If you can do it, it can be done, right?   That's a great illustration of putting the versatility of the system to good use!   What you are doing isn't all that different from what the guy at Nevada is doing, and calling it "The Pistol."   *********** So far we are 2-3, and the games we have lost have been by a touchdown or less.  This is not the problem.  I have 3 asst.  I get a long with all of them, however; they inwardly do not jive with each other.  My defensive coord.  has told me several times that he does not think they could coach a girls team, and the other two coaches have complained to me they think that the DC runs to much of this and to much of that etc.  Basically I am getting it from all sides.  All three at one time or another argue in front of the kids at practice.  I put quick stops to it, but I know the kids are picking up on it.  I suspect that two of the coaches who are brothers are reporting to the varsity coach about the DC.  I plan on putting an end to it today, good or bad.  Its tough because the DC is my friend, and the two asst. are good people.  I think I need to establish roles again.  The problem is I was not able to pick my own coaching staff.  How would you go about solving this problem. Any advice would be appreciated.   You nailed the problem - and the solution - when you noted that you could not choose your own staff. I would never - repeat, NEVER - take any job where the assistants don't owe their jobs to me.   This probably means, I am guessing, that you can't dismiss them on your own, either.   Since you don't have the ultimate solution in your power, I think that you have to place this situation in the hands of the person who does the hiring and firing - whether that is the principal, AD or varsity head coach. I think that you need to go to that person and explain what the problem is, and that you have some ideas, but your hands are tied. Be prepared with your recommendation - which I would suggest would be to meet with these guys, tell them that you simply won't tolerate further acts of unprofessionalism (openly criticizing other staff members, openly disagreeing in front of kids, etc.) and at the next sign of anything like that, you have your boss' permission to cut them loose. On the spot. Those two guys whining about the DC sound like a couple of school girls, who any time you get three of them together, two will automatically stick together and turn on the third.   Don't tolerate this a minute longer than you have to, but at the same time, first get clearance.    *********** Hugh, I've mentioned to you in the past that since I'm not a teacher, I'm at the whim of special circumstances as to whether or not I can coach at the HS's. I've been fortunate that in the past 4 years, I've been able to coach at a couple of schools. There are two things I've noticed at both of each of these places.   1. 20 something yr old assistants that have a problem with an older guy (+45) that "runs things". Which is what I was brought into do at each of these places. You can assume (accurately) that I delegate responsibility freely to those that show they can handle it and I am not an overbearing *sshole on kids or other coaches.   2. Parents that contribute either in time or money feel their offspring are "owed" playing time.   I'm thinking it may be best for me to just go to games and second guess like everyone else in the stands during the season. Sheesh!   You have to understand that these 20-somethings have been brought up to think that they are at the center of the universe, and they don't understand the concept of a hierarchy. I'm sure that the military has its problems with these guys.   They don't seem to understand the concept of starting at the bottom, either, as witness the way they scoff at "flipping burgers."   They want to start at the top and "paying your dues" is a foreign notion. Remember, they've been told from the time they were toddlers that they were perfect, just as they were. Not only that, but they were told that they could be anything they wanted to be, do anything they wanted to do. Nobody bothered to tell them that God-given ability, hard work and a little luck might play a part.   They have no work experience and therefore no work ethic, and anything at all comes ahead of football - I think they would miss football practice to go see a movie they wanted to see. And they have learned from their classroom teachers the concept of "good enough," which may get them through high school and the school of education, but doesn't cut it on the football field, where "good enough" gets your butt beat by the guy who believes in perfection.   I also think one of the things we lost when our factories went overseas was respect for the man on the job and respect for his know-how. Lots of college kids (myself included) used to work in factories in the summers, and we learned real fast that men who had to do those things for their livings didn't much give a sh-- where we went to college or what we were studying - all they cared about was whether we could do the job. Conversely, we quickly figured out that the way to be accepted by the full-time workers - and we wanted very much to be accepted by them, since that represented a step toward full manhood - was to do what they asked us to do and do it as well as they did.   Now, in an age when the NFL pays its rookies more than established veterans and kids come right out of high school and star in the NBA, the old concept of "respect your elders" is nowhere to be found.   It's a rare find when you come across a young coach who doesn't already have all the answers - who knows that he has a lot to learn and is willing to do what it takes to learn.   For most of them - "They don't know, and don't know that they don't know."   *********** Man, the University of Florida must have some school of business. Where else would you find people who could buy something for $200 and sell it for $50,000?   If you watched Florida play Alabama last Saturday, you probably noticed that the Gators were wearing "throwback uniforms." The jerseys were from 1967, and the white helmets (white block "F's" on them) were from 1966.   The helmets were used in just that one game, and then were presented as "gifts" to those donors who purchased tables at Florida's 100 Years of Football celebration. Tables cost $50,000 each. The Gators sold over 100 of them!   *********** Go to Dallas this Saturday, Better yet, go Friday night. This is the weekend the city is clogged with Oklahomans and Texans, in town for the Red River Shootout between the burnt orange and the Big Red.   *********** Virginia Tech has acquired such a reputation as an outlaw program - or a program full of outlaws - that is only fair to point out that by no means every Virginia Tech player is a hoodlum. Two great examples of the fact that football players don't have to be jerks and former Hokies Tiki and Rhonde Barber, who just made a $1 million gift to the university. (This was such an egregious error that I had to leave it up. I had a senior moment. It was the Barber twins' father, J.B., who went to Virginia Tech! They boys grew up in Roanoke, the nearest city to Virginia Tech, and it totally slipped my mind that the Barbers went to UVa, the University of Virginia. Remember Emily Latella? Never mind. UVa people are rightfully offended by my slip, and I apologize. And the Barbers' gift is to UVa, not Virginia Tech. And as for Virginia Tech - I tried. So where are your good guys? HW)   *********** Drake University dedicated its field last Saturday in honor of one of its most famous sons, the late Johnny Bright. (Read about Johnny Bright)   *********** Coach Wyatt, I am writing to you to let you know that we won our 18th consecutive game last night 13-8. It wasn't pretty, but we hung in there and gutted it out. Our opponents had us well defended in the first half holding us scoreless. We adjusted by running unbalanced tackle over in the 2nd half and we were able to score two touchdowns on 4 base (55 yard run) unbalanced and 99 unbalanced. We held them to about 20 yards rushing and 100 yards passing. They threw 4 interceptions and had a fumble. Our kicking game was great too. We punted and downed the ball inside their 20 three times and played field position most of the time. Best Wishes, Dan King Evans Georgia   *********** I went to the Nike site and watched that Marlin Briscoe HS ad.  I get the criticism, but man it's shot and edited well.  Ed Wyatt, Melbourne, Australia   The Briscoe stuff is okay, but WAY over the top. Shula is a stiff as the motivator. Remembering him from his earliest days coaching the Colts, and how fiery he was, he is just going through the motions in this one. I go back and forth on the classroom scene, feeding the stereotype of the knucklehead jocks who are excused because they are football players.   So the Nike people call Marlin Briscoe the first QB in the "modern" NFL, do they?   Is Willie Thrower not "modern?"   So... where, exactly, does "modern" pro football start, anyhow?   Some people date it to when Terrell Owens entered the league. I date it to the merger between the AAFC and the NFL - 1950.   *********** Coach Wyatt: I'm always amazed at how you're on the cutting edge of social commentary as it relates many subjects, but particularly high school football. I read this article from the ESPN website today: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=easterbrook/061003 The author covers a lot of subjects related to the marketing of HS football. The scariest thing to me though is at the beginning with the quote from the NFL marketing guru. Getting the NFL involved in HS football seems very dangerous.   Keep up the cutting edge journalism on the 'News'. Also my best to you and Connie.   Regards, Keith Babb, Northbrook, Illinois   Greg Easterbrook writes, in ESPN.com   A while back when I was writing for NFL.com -- I learned so much football hanging around NFL guys that now I practically know what I'm talking about -- I asked a Powerful League Insider what was next in football promotion. Without hesitation he answered, "High school." High school football, he explained, was still pure. The pro version of the sport is excellent, but few can empathize with millionaire players and owners who whine nonstop. The college version of the sport just gets better and better, but cynicism just gets worse and worse about football-factory schools where "student"-athletes major in Fitness Center Towel Service Management. By contrast, high school football is untainted. There's almost no money involved. Boys who aren't super-ultra-gifted can play, and girls now sometimes play. Plus far more people experience football either as players or spectators at the high school level than in college or the pros -- it is estimated that about 225 million tickets were sold to high school football games in 2005, versus 17 million tickets for NFL contests. The marketing of high school football, the Powerful League Insider told me, is the next frontier.   Damn! It is really scary to think that I've been right - that Big Football really is plotting a takeover of all football.   The device they will use is called "USA Football," an umbrella organization big enough to encompass flag football, Pop Warner and, ultimately, high school football.   Here is my thinking - ultimately, with the growth of community-sponsored sports (soccer is the model), taxpayers in many parts of the country will ultimately rebel at subsidizing school sports. All other sports except football, with its enormous costs (including liability insurance) will manage, but football will need help.   Enter the NFL, and such advertisers as Nike, who can't be blamed for seeing a great opportunity to move their goods.   There will be football, but not at every school, and not necessarily in every community. It will be Darwinian - only the strong will survive. It will be structured more along the model of Canadian Junior Hockey, with players primarily being drafted by teams in their area, but players would be traded back and forth, in some cases requiring them to live away from home to pursue their dreams. There will be no connection with school (something like big-time college football).   Its purpose will be to (1) provide players for the colleges and ultimately the NFL; (2) To generate revenue for "USA Football". To generate that revenue, that will mean tie-ins with Nike and the like, and more and more TV exposure. Emphasis will be on player development ("preparing the for the next level") and playing "entertaining football."   ESPN and Disney will, of course, be heavily involved.   I won't see this in my lifetime, but you may see it in yours.   Coach Wyatt: I have the same fears. Because of what I do, I know parents are more intent than ever on providing athletic opportunities for their kids. This means making sure your kid is in the "right" program (think the Claussen family of QB's). We recently had a HS coach suspended by the IHSA because he was recruiting kids to his brand new HS from the older school in the district. We also know about the HS basketball prep schools that take players for a year after HS to polish up their academic resume so they can get into college. Your model is bang on and I wouldn't be surprised if you see significant evidence of this in the next 5 years. I can't begin to tell you the changes and evolution I saw in a 5-year period in youth softball. Given the kind of financing that is rushing into HS football, I think the timeline, unfortunately, is going to be faster than you think. Regards, Keith (Coach Babb is personally involved in recruiting as a representative of NCSA - www.ncsasports.org   *********** Hi Coach, Greetings from Billings, MT.   The St Francis Jr High Rams defeated one of our traditional rivals, the Miles City Cowboys this weekend. the 7th grade won 20-6 & the 8th grade won 42-0. Our 8th graders so far are undefeated in 2 years and have had 2 touchdowns scored against them in 11 games.   We run the double wing. We are always the smallest team and have the fewest plays. We always are the most physical and are the best tacklers. We use your tackling techniques every day in practice to make all of our players good tacklers. We are blessed with great players who love to play football.   Marlowe Aldrich, St Francis Junior High Rams, Billings, Montana   *********** With Oregon's new re-districting, the league I coached in last year, a 10-team "4A" league, was split into two five-team leagues this year, a 6A league and a 5A league.   In the 6A league, the top two teams are pretty good, but the bottom three teams are something else again. They are 1-11 so far.   In the 5A league, the overall record of all five teams so far is 5-15. The best record of the bunch is 2-2.   Now here's the best... neither league has even begun league play yet, because they play only four league games. Only the league record counts in making it to the playoffs and - get this - each five-team league gets three playoff berths!   That means that there is the real possibility in class 6A that there can be a three-way tie for third place - and a spot in the playoffs - with one of the teams at 2-7 and the other two at 1-8. I suppose it will be settled by a coin toss by the principals.   In the 5A league, my prediction is that the league winner will finish 5-4 (sweeping its four-game league schedule and dropping its out-of-league game - a 6A team).   Another team will also probably finish 5-4, but since one of its projected losses will be to the #1 team, it will take second place.   Of the remaining three, one is very likely to finish 0-9, and another 2-7. Or, if the game between them should go the other way, they will both finish 1-8. Either way, they will finish out of the playoff picture, beaten out for the third playoff spot by a 3-6 team.   Yippee! Trophies for everybody!   *********** Can you &^%$#@! believe the NFLPA wanted him to consider an appeal and is doing their own "fact finding" to that end? As revolting & cowardly that the act was, to Haynesworth credit he's "taking it like a man" without any agentspeak. I'm almost outraged over the NFLPA. Perhaps an email campaign? Todd Bross, Union, Maine   I can't get excited. This is par for the course for any union. It certainly shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who's had to belong to a teacher's union, and has seen the way the union takes his dues and fights not to improve education but to save the jobs of the sort of bad teachers who ought to be fired.   Gene Upshaw seems to overlook the fact that Albert Haynesworth's victim was a fellow NFLPA member... I think it is significant that this occurred not long after that crack Bryant Gumbel made about Paul Tagliabue having Gene Upshaw on a leash (a disgusting metaphor with unfortunate racial undertones). As a result, Upshaw may feel compelled to defend even the indefensible.   To Haynesworth's credit, so far he is taking his licking like a man.   *********** Everyone in the Army knows that the real glue that hold everything together is the sergeants - the wise old heads who are right in their with the troops and know everything that's going on. With this in mind, I have always felt that it was important to invest as much responsibility and authority as possible in my senior leaders - I even began to call them "senior sergeants," and I've consulted them on some pretty big matters. In my last position, I asked them about a very serious personnel matter, and told them that since it was their team, I was interested in their decision, and told them that I would support whatever they decided. I didn't consider it a matter of weakness at all - those kids knew who the boss was.   I've often wondered why professional teams didn't do more of this sort of thing, and when my son started telling me that his friend Paul Roos was doing that very thing, I asked him to get me more information.   A few years ago, when he was still a star Australian Football League player, I had the chance to meet "Roosy" - actually punted the "Footy" ball back and forth with him, and had a few beers afterward - and so I've followed his career ever since.   Since that meeting, Paul has gone on to become the coach of the Sydney Swans, and a very successful coach at that - he's had the Swans in the AFL Grand Final (Footy's Super Bowl) the last two years, and he's won one of them.   To say that Paul is a great believer in the team concept - in team chemistry - would be an understatement. Suffice it to say there'll be no Terrell Owenses in Sydney. That's because, although Paul has the authority to make any moves he deems necessary to improve the team, he doesn't consider adding or cutting any player without first getting the approval of a group of players who make up Sydney's "leadership group."   Paul says that the leadership group has the final say not only on which players may join the club, but which ones will be "delisted" (cut loose).   The unique management practice came to the forefront recently when he was asked about whether the Swans might sign highly-regarded free agent Peter "Spider" Everitt, and Roos acknowledged that the decision to sign any player would depend on a player's character as much as on his playing ability.   "This morning we had a look at the list (of free agents) and we'll get the leadership group in tomorrow and talk through the list with them as well," Roos said. "The Everitt one is the one we keep getting asked about. We've spoken about him this morning, and we'll speak to our leadership group tomorrow about that, and then we'll probably proceed, based on whether our leadership group says yes or no. In all our dealing with other clubs, and even internally, they will give us an idea of what players they are not that comfortable playing with on the list, so they will have a say in who stays and who goes, and who we go after."   When asked if the club would pursue a player, even one as good as Everitt, if the leadership group said they weren't comfortable with him, Roos said, "No, we wouldn't. It's no good pursuing Peter as a footy club if the leadership group say, for whatever reason, we're not interested in going after him."   Said Co-captain Leo Barry, "We take it pretty seriously. Any new guys that come into the footy club, we look at how they can affect us and how we are able to manage them."   *********** Coach Wyatt, All right - we are 2 &endash; 0, winning our first game 12 &endash; 0 and our second game 14 &endash; 6. In our scrimmage we were outscored 2 touchdowns to none, but we out gained them 2- 1 and their scores were against 2nd and 3rd teamers (nice rationalization, eh). We have some nice linemen, but no break away backs yet. I'm very pleased with my kids and the system. The heavy weights (i.e. the better teams) are on their way…I'll keep you posted. Thanks and good luck, Jim Algeo, Jr., Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania 8th grade football   *********** "Losing your first game is like losing your virginity. So?"   Hugh,   This has got to be one of the greatest analogy. I hope you can claim this as an original Hugh Wyatt.   Let me add. All losses after this are like,"Not tonight, I have a headache". Disappointing, but there is always another night.   Frank Simonsen, Cape May, New Jersey   *********** If you like satire, you'll like this, by Scott Ott at www.scrappleface.com   The attorney for disgraced former Rep. Mark Foley today offered more biographical background about his client who allegedly used his elected position to prey on high school boys sexually.   Previously, attorney and longtime friend David Roth had confessed that Mr. Foley is a mentally-ill alcoholic who was molested by clergy in his youth, and yet takes full responsibility for the unspecified harm he has caused to others.   This morning, Mr. Roth said that Mr. Foley had been exposed to second-hand tobacco smoke, and high levels of partially-hydrogenated soybean oil during his childhood.   "He's not trying to duck responsibility for his alleged behavior," said Mr. Roth, "it's just a fact that these toxins are part of who he has become."   The spokesman said experts are also "looking into whether a young Mark Foley may have consumed lead paint chips or mercury-laden fish, or if he was forced to play violent sports or had a school teacher who used a red pen to grade his papers." Osama shows that he will stop at nothing in his plot to weaken America... BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD TO ONE OF YOUR PLAYERS! Army's Will Sullivan wore his Black Lion patch (awarded to all winners) in the Army-Navy game (FOR MORE INFO) The Black Lion certificate is awarded to all winners

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They Name the Field After a New Jersey Youth Coach! (See"NEWS") A Statue Honors the First Black NFL Quarterback! (See"NEWS") "Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." (Proverbs, Chapter 8, Verses 10-11) My Offensive System My Materials for Sale My Clinics Me   October 3, 2006 - "I don't know very much. I know a little bit about golf, I know how to make a stew, and I know how to be a decent man." Byron Nelson, legendary golfer, who died last week at 94.   *********** Byron Nelson, who died last week at 94, was a golfer's golfer. He was by all accounts a wonderful man and a wonderful golfer. He once won 11 straight professional tournaments, and his swing was considered so perfect that the machine which the USGA, golf's ruling body, uses to test golf balls and clubs is modeled after it, and is called "Iron Byron."   *********** First the shooting of a poor high school girl in a Colorado mountain town, and now this latest. Damn! If your kids aren't safe in a one-room Amish schoolhouse in the beautiful, peaceful farmland of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where are they safe?   *********** FLORIDA - Viera Hawks 46, Eau Gallie Commodores 26. We really got the offense going last night. We amassed 414 yards rushing on 40 attempts and all 4 of our backs scored TDs for the 2nd week in a row. Our leading rusher was our A Back with 152 yards on 15 carries, followed by our C back with 125 yards on just five attempts. Our QB pitched in 70 yards on 14 carries and our FB chipped in 53 yards on 4 attempts. I am very proud of our O Line. We have 3 freshmen (one who had never even watched Football until coming out for the team) starting on the line and the rest are 10th graders of varying football experience. They execute very well and never quit on a play. We simply are pounding teams with the super power and wedge with a counter thrown in every now and then for good measure.   Viera 52, Cocoa Beach 6. We were up 28-0 at the end of the 1st quarter and we started substituting liberally and got some backups quite a bit of playing time and got our starters some rest for Thursdays big matchup with Palm Bay. They are undefeated and we have only the one loss. The Palm Bay game is really the County JV Championship game. Palm Bay is traditionally the power here in Brevard County and if we can beat them or even play them close, that will be huge for us and the program. Thanks for the support.   Donnie Hayes, Viera HS, Viera, Florida (Viera is a first-year school playing with only 9th & 10th graders. HW)   *********** ILLINOIS - Ridgeview 29, GCMS 14 Ridgeview is now 6-0 after a big win over previously unbeaten GCMS. A Back Jacob Maffett rushed for 214 yards on 36 carries and two TD's. As a team we rushed for 416 yards on 73 carries. We were 2/3 passing for 11 yards. Our B back Tyler Harper rushed for 102 yards on 16 carries and our C back Nick Bose rushed for 86 yards on 16 carries.   *********** ILLINOIS - Crystal Lake Central 42, Grays Lake Central 0 - Andy Prado ran eight times for 153 yards, and Shane Burmeister finished with nine carries for 127 yards, including a 76-yard touchdown.   *********** ILLINOIS - Elmwood/Brimfield 62, Athens 0   *********** KANSAS - Beloit 38, Ellsworth 12 - Beloit rushed 62 times for 404 yards and 5 TDs, completed 4 of 8 passes for 34 yards... C-back Bradly Esterl - 27 carries for 230 yards and 2 TDs... A-backs - Eric Short - 11 carries for 77 yards and 1 TD and Jase Sporleder - 11 carries for 66 yards and 2 TDs... B-back Brady Luke - 7 carries for 25 yards   *********** MARYLAND - Archbishop Curley 41, J. M. Bennett 26 - The Friars moved to 4-1 with a 23-point third quarter. Senior running back Ray Ridgeway rushed for three touchdowns.   *********** MARYLAND - Catoctin 40, Williamsport 0 (From the Hagerstown Herald-Mail) MVAL Antietam football teams know what is coming at them when Catoctin lines up in its tight double-wing offense.   Stopping the Cougars when they start running that offense is quite another.   Williamsport discovered that Saturday afternoon as the Cougars gained nearly 400 yards and scored on six straight possessions on their way to a 40-0 victory over the Wildcats in the conference opener for both teams.   "We had a good week of scouting. We knew what they were going to do," Williamsport coach Adrian Custer said. "But until you see that offense live ... a scout team just doesn't do it justice. It's a tough offense to work on during the week."   Six backs carried the ball for the Cougars, rolling up 253 yards on the ground. Nicholas Stiles had 65 yards and three touchdowns, Robert Groft had 62 yards and a score and Stephen Owens ran for 77 yards. And quarterback D.J. Doyle threw for 126 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 33 more.   *********** MASSACHUSETTS - Somerville 30, Revere 15 last night. The following is a breakdown of our scoring: 1.) 2 Wedge (1 yd.) 2 pt. conversion (88 Super Power) 2.) 47C (60 yds.) 2 pt. conversion (38 G-O Reach) 3.) 2 Wedge (55 yds.) 2 pt. conversion (47c) 4.) Criss-Cross 47C (40 yds.)   *********** NEW YORK - Lansingburgh 47, Hudson 7 - C back (10th grader) Marcus Hepp replaced his injured brother at c back mike hepp and galloped for 117yds on 7 carries and 3 scores; B back Chris sawyer had 7 carries for 76 yards; A back kenny Youngs had 11 carries for 62 yards and 2 scores   *********** NEW YORK - Corning West 41, Elmira South 12   *********** NFL BEAT --- How much is trying to pry the ball loose contributing to the lousy tackling in the NFL? At what point does it become unproductive? Carolina had the Saints put away, then almost let them back in with a long TD made possible when a Panthers' defensive back tried to pry the ball out of the receivers' arm rather than simply making the tackle. Sunday, the Tennessee-to-Baltimore deal that brought Steve McNair to the Ravens looked a bit like the one that brought Babe Ruth to New York. I don't watch a whole lot of NFL football, but I did see McNair, looking like the second coming of another famous Baltimorean, John Unitas, as he coolly drove the Ravens on a beautiful three-minute drive to beat the Chargers. *********** You guys in the East and Midwest probably don't know Jack. No offense, guys - it's because Jack in the Box fast food restaurants are mostly found in the South and West. Their advertising is centered around "Jack" - the fictitious company CEO (left) who stars in their TV commercials. The company isn't afraid to laugh at itself through him - he is at times officious, self-important and bumbling, a bit of a doofus. Jack-in-the-box commercials are great favorites, and Jack is so popular that the company has sold more than 22 million antenna balls bearing his likeness. The latest commercial may be the best ever. Jack is at his kid's school as Jack, Jr. is delivering a speech about what he wants to be when he grows up. Dad proudly stands up and cranks away with his camcorder as junior (a smaller Jack, with a smaller jack-in-the-box head) goes on about his dad's new sandwich - a "sirloin steak 'n' cheddar ciabatta" - when suddenly, the kid pauses and says, "But I don't want to make steak sandwiches! (Another Pause) I want to be a vegetarian!" The kid might as well have announced that he was gay. Cut to Dad, who stops videotaping, puts the camera down, and slumps into his chair, crestfallen, as his wife tries to comfort him. Meanwhile, the kid resumes... "When my dog got sick, we took him to the vegetarian - and he got all better." Dad stands and applauds enthusiastically. *********** Oregon went through a very controversial and much-fought realignment in the off-season, and one of the results was the the Portland Interscholastic League, in which I coached last year, split into two five-team divisions.(Cool - open with five or six non-counters and then play a four-game league schedule.) In the smaller division (in which my school would have been aligned) Roosevelt High, a double-wing team, was everyone's pick to win this year, and to test themselves early, the Roughriders scheduled tough non-league games. As a result, they were 0-3 going into Friday night's game with Eagle Point. But after Friday night, they are now 1-3. Are they ever. Roosevelt running back Isaiah Johnson scored six touchdowns, three of them on runs of more than 50 yards, carried 25 times for 467 yards, a new Oregon large-school, single-game record, and the Roughriders came out on top, 62-15. *********** What is this "Is It Monday Yet?" crap that ESPN plays all day Saturday, hyping its Monday Night NFL game as if we really can't wait for all this college football nonsense to get over with so we can get down to some real football. I got news for those clowns - I live on the West Coast, where the first ACC/Big Ten/SEC games come on at 9 AM, and from then until until the final Pac 10/WAC game ends around 10:30 PM, I am in heaven. I don't think I'm the only person in the United States who wishes fall Saturdays would never end. *********** I greatly admire Notre Dame's rich tradition, but I have nothing but contempt for their greedy insistence on setting themselves apart from the rest of college football with their own TV network while demanding their own special rules for qualifying for the BCS bowls. But I think even they and their own personal network have gone too far when the halftime of the weekly Notre Dame-on-NBC telecast virtually ignores the rest of college football and is instead devoted to NFL topics, and the promotion of the upcoming NBC Sunday night pro game. *********** Hi Coach, Just want you to know I am now a K State follower! Great stuff on the Black Lion's with them! I try to keep up with rules but admittedly, I run the college and high school stuff together. I am fairly certain that in high school, a kickoff must travel 10 yards AND 1) touch the ground or 2) touch an opposing team's player before it may be handles by the kicking team. Would you know if this is the same in college? I saw Auburn kickoff into the air and catch it in their game against South Carolina last night. Matt Bastardi, Montgomery, New Jersey I saw the Auburn recovery (an Auburn player caught the short kick in the air - it had gone 10 yards - with no SC player around because they had begun to sprint back to set up their return) and wasn't sure myself, so you chased me to the Rule Book. It looks as if 3.b below covers it. The play was legal.   *********** Dear Coach Wyatt; Congratulations on bringing another Div-IA school to the Black Lions! I need to start cheering for K-State now. Thank you for all that you do in support of the Armed Forces. It's an honor to be in your circle of friends. Very Respectfully; Derek Wade, Petaluma, California *********** Although Cape May, New Jersey swells to many times its size in the summer months, at its heart it's still a small town, and as everyone who's ever lived in a small town knows, it's not easy to keep a secret in one. Maybe it's because Frank Simonsen, a Cape May native son who's been coaching youth football for nearly 30 years, is so engrossed in coaching football that he never knew what was going on, but the people in Cape May have managed for the better part of the last year to keep a very big secret from him. This Saturday, they let him in on it, gathering family, friends and players to honor him by naming the playing field on which hundreds of Frank's kids have played Frank Simonsen Field. What a wonderful way to honor a man who has given so much to his community.   Hugh, This is what happened to me Sat. afternoon. It was a communities secret for over a year, I heard people say," I guess they will name the football field after you". I took it as a joke and would said,"yea maybe after I'm dead" (of course my boys offered to kill me for them). I thought it was a dedication for the entire complex (The Freeman Douglass Spots Complex). Instead it was to dedicated the naming of the football field to me. I can not think of a greater honor in a coaches life, while still living and coaching football. The field is not far from the high school field that is named after my high school coach, the legendary Steve Steger.   Needless to say I was totally overwhelmed. They brought my family to the field and hid them until the last minutes. When I saw my sons' and Chris (who came down from Philly) and Betty come out and sit down, I knew what was coming. Now I understand that the word even got to the West Coast with out me knowing.   We are still running a streak at 15 wins, but will not get into the toughest part of our schedule until the 14th.and the 21st. I don't think we are quit as good as last year, but we are getting better each game?? Frank *********** Since drafting defensive end Mario Williams ahead of Reggie Bush, the Houston Texans have caught nothing but hell, and things didn't get any better when they lost their first three games. But they finally won Sunday, beating the Dolphins, 17-15, and the win was secured with only 1:39 remaining when the Dolphin's pass for a two-point conversion was batted down. By Mario Williams. *********** What the Titans' Albert Haynesworth did was reprehensible and had no place on a football field, and I am not going to say anything to make it less so. BUT - before we start calling for the death penalty, I have to say that Albert Haynesworth does not sound like your basic NFL thug to me. From what I can tell, he has no criminal background, he seems to be a good family man (wife and three kids), and he has taken an active part in community charity activities. He is going to pay a severe price - five games' suspension - for what he did, and to his credit, he appears ready to take his punishment like a man. He didn't have his agent call a news conference and read the usual corny, carefully-crafted "prepared statement" of apology ("Albert regrets that this incident occurred, and to the extent that anyone was offended, he wants to apologize to his fans for letting them down..."). Instead, Haynesworth delivered his apology like a man, and what he said should be a model for the next NFL lowlife who beats his wife, gets caught with drugs, drives drunk or resists arrest. "If they suspend me, that's fine," he said. "Because for what I did, whatever they give me, I deserve it. I did it and it's wrong. That's not the game of football; that's not how it's supposed to be played. I let my team down."   (Actually, the way those f--kers hold, I'm susprised it's taken a defensive lineman this long to finally snap.) *********** There are times when D-IAA football makes me nostalgic for the days when I was coaching a semi-pro team... Saturday night, there was Portland State, nationally-ranked, hosting Montana, also nationally-ranked. And coming in for Portland State and leading the Vikings' second-half comeback (which fell short) was a quarterback who had only been in the city of Portland a week. One f--king week.   *********** Up until a few years ago, I used to do a weekly feature entitled "A Look at Our Legacy," in which I'd show a photo of a person important to the history of our game, along with a few clues as to his identity, and then ask people if they knew him I finally had to discontinue it because it took so much time to prepare the feature every week, and then to answer people's e-mails, but otherwise it was a lot of fun. Although I'd love to do the same with this one, I'm not going to. But at least I'll come close. A statue of this football pioneer was unveiled last week at the football stadium in his hometown of New Kensington, Pennsylvania. A group of local citizens raised the funds to construct the statue to honor the man who got his start there, Willie Thrower, the first black man to play quarterback in an NFL game. The ceremony took place at halftime of a game played by his old high school, and included his son and namesake, his widow and the rest of his family, and Dan and Art Rooney, owners of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Rooneys spoke, and so did Lloyd M. Vance, editor of the African-American Quarterback Web site who represented a group called The Field Generals, a nonprofit organization established by present and former black quarterbacks in the NFL. Mr. Vance presented a collector's print from the organization, autographed by such notable former quarterbacks as Doug Williams of the Washington Redskins, Warren Moon of the Houston Oilers, Marlin Briscoe of the Denver Broncos and James Harris of the Los Angeles Rams. "They wanted to acknowledge Willie Thrower as the man whose shoulders they stood on as they made their way in the NFL," he said. Ironically, Willie Thrower, the forerunner of all black NFL quarterbacks, never started a game at quarterback, in high school, college or professional football. He was a star single-wing tailback for four years at New Kensington High, and led his team to two Western Pennsylvania titles. Although he was recruited by Michigan State as a halfback, coach Biggie Munn converted him to quarterback, where he backed up starter Tom Yewcic on the Spartans' 1952 National Championship (and 1953 Rose Bowl Championship) team. The next year, October 18, 1953 to be exact, Willie Thrower entered a game as a Chicago Bear and became the first black quarterback in the NFL. He threw only eight passes, and completed onl;y three, but that was enough to make him a significant figure in the history of our game. He was cut by the Bears the next year, and played four years in the Canadian Football League before a shoulder injury ended his football-playing days. He retired and lived the rest of his life in his native New Kensington, where he died in 2002. Willie Thrower did not enjoy a long, glorious professional career, but his role in the history of our game should never be forgotten. *********** A youth coach writes... Coach, We played a terrible game last night.  We lost 13-6.  We seem to be regressing.  Our offense only gained 82 yards, we ran 18 plays, 1 was a 53 yard TD from XX47C, another was a 20 yard gain from stack 22 wedge.  The 16 others obviously went nowhere.  I haven't brought myself to watch the film but I know what I'll see.  We were out toughed, and I didn't think that it would happen with this group of kids.  We were way better them then on most days, they played their best football on a day when we played our worst.  Our line was horrible and our backs didn't run hard at all.  Not to mention how bad we were on defense, and they still didn't move the ball extremely well. I did want to ask you a question.  How do you get the kids to respond from this disappointment, and how do you get them fired up before the game when you can tell they aren't ready?  I could see it on their faces that they wouldn't play well, but I couldn't get them out of their funk. I'm extremely disappointed, I thought we had a chance to run the table with these kids. Coach- To be frank, I doubt that the kids are nearly as disappointed as you are. That's just the way they are. While we are getting ready to slit our throats, they are wondering where they're going for pizza. Losing your first game is like losing your virginity. So? As for getting them fired up... I haven't been a "fire 'em up" guy for years, and I can barely remember the experience. I am much more into preparing them to play and concentrating on always getting better. I think concentrating on getting better all week makes more sense than trying to get them "up"on game day. I think that that is the way you get the kids back into it. You tell them that you need to get better, you show them where you need to get better, and you show them how. And you work on those things. *********** I met with the coach from the large High School that I am trying to get on with on Friday before his game. Big problem!!!! The team is 0-5, and I now know why. First, their O Line coach is supposed to be some hot shot from an arena ball team. The problem is he teaches the kids to first hold, and then tackle the defender. He actually calls it a "pancake" and if the kids execute this "technique" correctly the are greatly rewarded and quite a celebration ensues. On top of this, they run a zone blocking scheme up front. An 0-5 team that has not had a winning season in 3 years. There is no technique from any of the skill positions, but they do all have short pants with no knee pads, and fancy arm bands, so they should go pro anyway. From all accounts, their head coach is supposed to be a good coach, but the assistants he has chosen are killing him. I am going to write him and explain what I saw, and leave it at that. I do know that I will not be a part of any program that teaches and rewards cheating. (I suppose you could write him, but if he isn't an astute enough football man himself to recognize what's going on, I'm not sure what good it will do, and I can't see it helping you. I think I would simply thank him for his interest, and let it go at that. If he should probe for more info, I would make good and sure that he really wanted to hear what I had to say. HW) ***********Grady Judd for President. Last week, following a routine traffic stop, a worthless creep killed a Polk County, Florida Sheriff's deputy, married and the father of three, by shooting him eight times - 1. One shot in his right wrist, 2. One shot in his left biceps, 3. One shot in his left rear thigh, 4. One shot in his right leg, 5. One shot in his right buttock, 6. One shot in his right upper arm, 7. One shot at close range behind his right ear, 8. One shot - a contact wound, where the muzzle was touching his skin - near his right temple, sounding very much like an execution. A SWAT team came upon the guy and, sparing the local taxpayers the cost of a trial, shot him 68 times and sent him on his way to Criminal Heaven. In all, they fired 110 rounds at him. "That's all the bullets we had, or we would have shot him more," said Sheriff Grady Judd of Polk County. Grady Judd for President.   *********** May God bless 2nd Lt. Emily Perez, 23, the first member of the West Point class of 2005 to die in combat. Lt. Perez was buried at the US Military Academy Tuesday, two weeks after being killed by a bomb in Iraq. A member of the "Class of 9/11", so-called because the 2001 attacks on our country occurred shortly after the start of their plebe (freshman) year, she was the first from her class at the Military Academy to die in combat. She is the first female West Point graduate to die in Iraq, and the highest-ranking black and Hispanic woman cadet in the school's history. "She was like a little superwoman, so full of energy and life," said Meghan Venable-Thomas, a senior who was on the track team and in the gospel choir with Lt. Perez. "I think we all hoped it wouldn't happen," said class President James Freeze of the first death among the graduates, who by great coincidence numbered exactly 911. Half of the class of 2005 remains on duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. *********** One of the things I will never forgive President Bush for was the craven way he handled "reform" of Title IX. He established a "reform" commission, but from the start, when the squeals that Title IX was in danger started, it was clear that it was going nowhere. All you had to do was take a look at its makeup, which was heavily weighted toward professional femmies and college ADs - who weren't about to take the chance that they'd be marked for the rest of their lives as Title IX killers - to see what was going to result. What resulted were a few mild recommendations which, after consensus supposedly had been reached, a few squealing femmies managed to squelch. George might stand up to Iran, but he melts into a puddle when the femmies stare him down. So as a result of Mr. Bush's failure to take a stand against the feminists, not a damn one of whom would ever support him anyhow, here we are, six years after he was first elected, and colleges still find themselves having to prove that they are "in compliance" with Title IX by using the yardstick of "proportionality" - if your student body is 70 per cent female, then, by God, 70 per cent of your "student-athletes" had better be female, too. The question of whether there is that much interest among the female students in participation in sports is beside the point. So what? The femmies ask. It's the school's job to go out and create interest. What complicates things is that the men already start out with two strikes against them because football accounts for so many male athletes and there simply aren't that many opportunities to get women involved. Attempts to do so have bordered on the ludicrous - dredging waterways in order to provide women's crew, and then offering athletic scholarships to women who have never rowed before. More often that not, since there are only so many sports that a school can afford to concoct merely for the purpose of getting enough women involved - equestrian sports and bowling are among them - at some point this insane need to appease the feminists results in having to reduce the numbers of men - i.e., eliminate men's sports. And then, the most disgusting thing of all - the classic Dog in the Manger - like watching some kid at a restaurant whine about wanting something, then taking a small bite and leaving the rest of the meal on his plate - the women's coaches then go recruit foreign athletes to fill their spots - spots created to comply with an American law whose creators intended it to help American women, and had no idea it would result in Croatian basketball players at Oregon State, Canadian rowers at Washington, Swedish golfers at Arizona State and Serbian tennis players at Texas. (The Law of Unintended Consequences strikes again.) So it was no shock to read that James Madison University, whose student body is now 61 per cent female and 39 per cent male, had voted to eliminate 10 varsity teams "in order to bring the school into compliance with the federal law demanding equity in male and female sports." The men's teams being eliminated are archery, cross country, gymnastics, indoor track, outdoor track, swimming and wrestling. Did you catch that? They put them in alphabetical order so that possibly you wouldn't notice they're dropping track, swimming and wrestling. Meantime, the high-interest women's sports dropped are archery, fencing and gymnastics. Thanks a lot, George. *********** I love what that Dallas cop said about last week's T.O. fiasco... "We police officers don't go out to these calls and make stuff up... They're being put under a microscope by some fancy little football person... Give me a break - those officers are ten times better than this man." Glenn White, head of Dallas Police Association. *********** Coach, I attended the University of Maine, and it's hard to get kids outside of New England to attend I would imagine, especially if they ever visited in winter. I know that Jack Tourtillotte knows Walt Abbott, and his famous line is "the only thing between Orono, Maine and the North Pole is a few jack firs!" There were many winter days when, during the mile walk from my fraternity to my first class, my buddies and I had to walk through every warm building on the way just to stay warm.   So there you have it...mostly Maine kids and Maine is 97% white like you say. Thanks, Rick Davis, Duxbury, Massachusetts Coach- It worked for Eric the Red, who tried to get settlers to move to a rather forbidding place by naming it Greenland. And it works for realtors all the time, selling their McMansions in developments with names containing key words like "Village," "Deer", "Springs," "Ridge," "View," "Pointe," "Vista," "Woods," "Meadow," "River," "Lake," and so forth, even in combinations ("The Village at Deer Lake Pointe Vista Estates"). So why not a Maine makeover? How about something more... inviting? Something that... uh..."celebrates diversity?"   Here ya go, Mainers.   New Name: Florida del Norte... New nickname: the Palm Tree State... New motto: Bienvenido, Amigos! *********** Thanks for telling me to can the script. It's interesting to see how a defense changes shape to deal with the super power. Even if the QB was an 'escort' more often than not, at least he was willing. I ran the 88 super power 4 out of the first 5 plays. They started to expect us to sweep to the wide side (on a 65-yard wide Canadian field, that's a wide side), but I still pounded the 88. There were no backers between the tackles at one point, and the DLs even took to a two-point stance because they were so worried about getting to the outside. Bingo! Run the wedge for 15 yards and a TD. We even got an 85 yard TD out of the 88 on 3rd and inches (only 3 downs here.) I once heard Mouse Davis say that his dream is to call a game without calling any runs. Well my wish is the opposite. Today we were close. I passed twice just to get the TE involved. 352 yards rushing. Now I have to keep the team's head on straight and focus on what we didn't do well. Haliburton 34-Campbellford 0 (We scored with our backups on the last play; I was told that we 'had' to run the convert. We kneeled.) Thanks for the troubleshooting; the QB was able to get around quickly, now I just have to work on his blocking tech. Duncan Luciak, Haliburton, Ontario ( Don't worry too much about the QB's blocking technique - to paraphrase Woody Allen, "90 per cent of life is just showing up." Enjoy the honeymoon that most of us experience while defenses are clueless about how to stop us. They will get smarter. HW) *********** Coach, I am a long time reader. I coached youth football for 9 years after I retired from the Navy, until my son went to High School, and once in a great while I have written to you. I read with great interest your observations in regard to defensive holding and you're right! I scouted a game two weeks ago with my son ( who is now playing in his Junior year). To the untrained eye it looked like a good ball game, against a double wing offense. But the defensive line and linebackers were in fact diving underneath and grabbing ankles/tackling the offensive linemen. Now I have watched two of my son's games, he plays corner and last night our opposition used two tactics; 1. Send your wide receivers out just long enough to be in the peripheral vision of the back judge giving the run play some time to develop, when the corners and safety's react to the run, TACKLE THEM!. This went on all night and my son told me that when he and his counterpart on the other side of the field complained to the official they were told to "shut up and play" In fact twice once on each side, the corner's were pulled to the ground and held on the ground, and when the fought to get up were flagged for un sportsmanlike conduct. Now because this was my kid, I went back and looked at the film, just to make sure I was not viewing it with jaded eyes. 2. When I watched the film it got worse, the defensive linemen were tackling the offensive linemen - and our line was being called for holding.   I guess it is important to point out that we lost 14-13, but this is not sour grapes, just a fact that these tactics must be being taught, and that the officials either don't know what the rules of the game are, or choose not to enforce them, or just are not looking where they should be.   Our coaches were visibly complaining to the side judge all night, but all we got was a sideline warning and an un sportsmanlike call against the head coach.   In summary, you're right; coaches who cheat should be removed, but what really needs to happen is that officials need to be trained better, and the only body that can emphasize the calling of defensive holding is the High School Federation, because it is reasonably obvious that the officials are not going to call these penalties.   Thanks for your great web site. Rich Golden, Montville, Connecticut   I think a major part of the problem is the type of athletic administrators we are getting. Where once the AD - and the principal as well - was a football coach or former football coach, now we are getting more and more AD's who have never coached at all, much less coached football. Call it a byproduct of Title IX and the fuzzy-headed idea that "all sports are equally important." As a result, football coaches operate without supervision and outside anyone's control. The old-school AD may or may not have had his faults, but he knew enough football to know what was being taught, and whether it was kosher. And the guys he hung around with, the other ADs, were also coaches or former coaches themselves, and they knew enough football themselves to recognize something that just wasn't right, and they didn't mind letting each other know about them. Those guys who could look at game films and tell you in five minutes if something illegal was going on. He'd tell the football coach to knock it off and the football coach, hoping to become an AD himself one day, would knock it off. This new breed of AD is often well-enough prepared in generic areas of overall coaching, but totally clueless about the ins and outs of football. My last AD was a nice enough guy, but he didn't know whether a football was inflated or stuffed with feathers. With the new breed of sports administrators, there is insufficient oversight of what is being taught on the football field. Football truly is a different sport with vastly different knowledge requirements, and it is simply impossible for a career administrator or a former middle school soccer coach to know whether a football coach is doing things to endanger his or his own kids, and adhering to the AFCA code of ethics. Unfortunately, the only time the matter even comes up is when an opposing coach complains, and then it's usually dismissed as sour grapes. Osama shows that he will stop at nothing in his plot to weaken America... BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD TO ONE OF YOUR PLAYERS! Army's Will Sullivan wore his Black Lion patch (awarded to all winners) in the Army-Navy game (FOR MORE INFO) The Black Lion certificate is awarded to all winners