Washington Waddler

That’s what Huskies need to understand is meant when they say, “Bow-Down”.

I don’t wish the Cane fans any ill will. They’re just fans, like anywhere else. But the best advice to them or any other fan base when desperation to be a winner is taking over? Be careful for what you wish because you just might get it. Have to say as a Duck fan: glad you got your wish!

Sounds just like the I-5 traffic going into Seattle. And don’t forget, they’re also the ones with their heads out the window, slack-jawed with slobber running off their tongues onto the windshield of the car behind them.

As always, I’m interested in the subjective, non-quantifiable outcomes of games played. If you at all believe in the theory that winning teaches you that you like it, and losing teaches you everything else, then the Georgia game proved to be the ultimate focus tool for the coaches in their attempt to get the team’s attention. Judging from the results post Georgia, seemed to have worked.

Special arrangements aside, the tradition (not sure if it’s part of the rule book) has always been that away teams wear white jerseys, but the pant color is optional, in which case the puppies could wear purple.

Know how late this is, but when Saban talks it’s all careful, controlled, and — like a lawyer — knows the answer before he asks the question: pure but boring defense. When Leech talks it’s like a guy noodling for catfish or taking a swing at a hornets nest like it was a piñata: pure take my chances offense.

Similar to when Dennis Dixon was leading the team towards a championship date and Heisman recognition, this team’s offensive rhythm runs off both the legs and arm of Bo Nix, and — like Dennis — putting himself in harms way when necessary. Great rewards demand great risks. The eye test suggests Bo is not as physically vulnerable as Dennis was. He’s a smart guy who plays to win, and not to expose himself unnecessarily except when required. Still, there’s times I’m holding my breath and keeping my fingers crossed. Hopefully, we’ve put being snake bitten in the past.

Didn’t Tennessee lose to Georgia?

What’s interesting about watching the entire sequence is he starts with the intention of making the throat cutting gesture, then catches himself in the act of doing so — thinks twice — and alters the gesture into a ‘no, no’ wave of the hand. I credit him with catching himself, but by not doing so before he makes the gesture should have been penalized.

Quite possibly. Match-ups of this quality are often won or lost on matters of seconds and inches which are certainly influenced by superior players. I guess what I was trying to get at was the non-statistical, non-quantifiable nature of team chemistry, and how those great teams in the past have over-come devastating adversity and found a way to win in spite of it.

Whether or not Seven is actually in the portal or awaiting to be, it’s interesting to consider how this player-empowerment device can also have the unexpected consequence of limiting the potential of a disruptive influence on teams to the time required to make the transfer as opposed to the way it use to be.

If team chemistry cannot overcome the loss of one player - no matter how important - then that team is not of championship caliber.

You know, there’s always, ALWAYS going to be that handful of players on any team that mature slower than others, and have a harder time growing out of that image of themselves from high school when they could do no wrong. Most work through it with the help of team mates, and the encouraging advice of coaches and family. But, all you can do is wish those well who aren’t quite ready yet to embrace the time, effort and commitment it takes to achieve at this level.

No problem understanding this guy’s anguish. A bit like how many of us felt when Travis transferred to USC. It’s hard not to feel like a dumpster fire with what’s happening there, and echoes how we felt when Mario left for Miami. Feelings of betrayal create bitterness. But, as always, it’s how you respond to adversity that makes all the difference. Can Aubern (that’s for referring to us as ‘OU’) respond as well as Oregon has? Time will tell.

Reffing anywhere is a bit like being a single parent with 11 kids at the dinner table who all know how to hide what they’re doing. You need eyes in the back of your head and you don’t. Doesn’t excuse how bad PAC 12 calls have been, but just because other leagues have less bad calls doesn’t mean just as many real infractions aren’t being missed. It’s just easier to see it in our league.

At its best, sports strength and conditioning is guided by a philosophy similar to that which guides preventative medicine. You want to anticipate those things that can do harm to the body by building the body’s immunity to them, and targeting healing measures when they do. It’s a fine line between this controlled focus that prevents and heals, and the impatient desire for results that aggressively pushes beyond that point. Love is a good example of the former while Feld may well be of the later. S&C at its worst would be when its used to inflict punishment as happened with Irele Oderinde.

When the emotions for a high stakes game are heating up, and media-driven distractions are bubbling over, it’s probably best to take any quote from a head coach (in context or out of context) with a grain of sand. Few things concern HC’s more than players getting caught up in media/fan hoopla which drains focus away from the game. Dan’s audience for what he said might be the fans, but probably not. Most likely it’s the team his comments were intended for: keep your eyes headed down the road, and your nose to the grindstone.

There’s certainly room to argue that. On the other hand, the record Kelly brought from Gonzaga gave good reason to believe that foundation was continuing with Sabrina. At the very least, it seemed a combination of the two. Post Sabrina raises the questions. At its worst, one might wonder if Kelly has more in common with Mario’s ability that emphasizes recruiting over coaching? You could argue that the glow of the program lay with Sabrina’s legacy and not Kelly’s coaching as we watched 5* after 5* come and go, apparently disillusioned with the difference between the promise and the reality. However, you could also argue that Kelly has been playing catch-up ever since riding that heady wave of the Sabrina years, and is only now beginning to get his feet on the ground as he understands what is really required to win at this level. Only time will tell.

The USC game is the only one I’ve really watched, and I was impressed not only by their over-all defensive team speed, but the buy-in they exhibited in how coordinated their attack schemes were executed. That’s a motivated group, and, like most of the games left on our schedule, will demand of us to rise to the occasion.

Nothing wrong with dreaming so long as your not sleep walking through the schedule. One step at a time.

Since when has it ever worked for anyone running away from who you are? Pretend has always been the cryptocurrency of SouCal, and this is just another example of their sandcastle-building awaiting to be washed away by reality. It’s never wise to put all your eggs in someone else’s basket.

Internet forums resemble a sharing at an immense family table with the one exception that everyone is hidden from view. There are times I’ve wondered whether or not the creators of this mode had issues with looking others in the eye. Both those who are thoughtfully responsible towards others and those who are not are allowed equal access. Forums can be either a grand and challenging experiment in social behavior, or a dumpster fire. It all comes down to the rules that inform them, and being made to stick to them - gray area or not. Thanks Charles for making sure we all look you in the eye.

Injuries really hobbled him late last season. Nice to see him wanting to erase that, and go out on a high note. He’s got the gifts to make it special.

Regarding the ILB position, I tend to agree - hopefully in the short term. Isolating Noah from the action has been a high priority of just about every team we’ve faced. He has probably been zoned more often than any other defender. Without another inside backer who can quickly take advantage of this situation, we’ve been caught out of position more often than not. Both Bassa and Brown are coming along, and Flowe has all the tools, but injuries have kept him from learning how to put them to good use. If Justin’s injury bug can be put in the rear view mirror, and the others continue to improve, teams may no longer find targeting Noah advantageous, and this weak position could again become a strength.

I’ve been a Ty detractor as much as anyone. But I can also see that some of that is grounded in my comparing him to a starter who situationally and maturity-wise has an unquestionable edge. Mop-up time is mop-up time. It’s hard for teams to maintain the high energy edge they started with, especially with a 25+ point cushion, and the plays going conservative in order to run clock. And, Bo is playing the position with a last chance mentality, and a determined commitment to changing those things from his past that stand in the way of becoming a top draft choice. But, neither of those alter the perceptions many have made regarding Ty’s lack of engagement when he’s been in the position to produce. The BYU game comes to mind as one that troubled me. But it’s counter productive to compare his production to Bo’s. Like Marcus, Bo is becoming a field general who can alter plays at the line of scrimmage or as they develop. That takes experience. The only way we’re ever going to find out if Ty can, or Ty can’t is making him the starter.