Washington Waddler

If you give um an inch, they’ll take a mile?

Not having a good understanding of the SEC offenses DL dealt with, it would be interesting to know if he faced any ‘kitchen sink’ OCs while at Georgia.

Love DL’s term, “controlled aggression”. It says it all: a combination of your head (playbook) and your body (embrace the strain).

Yes, and my understanding is that a percentage of the gate is donated to that cause.

In theory, yes. The problem is it’s not like every other position because how it’s played can and does affect every other offensive player. For me, that is the core problem with all these arguments: by focusing on only who or how many QB’s to play, it ignores the effect this has on the rest of the offense. You can’t replicate real game timing and intensity in practice. The will of an opponent’s defense and their players are not available beforehand. Two QB’s in live action simply mess with the rest of the team’s timing, and their ability to do the best job they can. In theory, I agree we need to develop younger QB’s with meaningful reps, but you also have to give yourself the best chance to win the game. It’s a conundrum: do you sacrifice the present to plan for the future? Tough decision no doubt.

The guy has a reasonable take for Bo’s decision, but rather than focusing on Bo, he ought to be asking himself why his own conference sold itself to a cable tv giant’s demands for more and more which is what is really squelching whatever chance average to good programs like Auburn use to have in the SEC.

Klemm’s relationship-building with recruits right now should pay dividends down the road. With his track record, no reason to think it won’t.

Great article Charles. Thanks! The ‘right now’ LB group might even get some push from new comers Harrison Taggart and Devon Jackson who are already turning heads. And it’s nice to know we’ve two young studs in Ben Roberts and Sir Mells picking it up for the future with this DLGroup.

That’s the way it should be right now: Dawgs concentrating on Dawgs; Ducks on Ducks. Don’t let it go to your head. That’s just anticipation flooding your brain, not reality. When it does gets here, let’s have a great game! Go Ducks!

Canzano’s go slow approach for the PAC 10 seems not only right, but what most are thinking. But, how slow? Somewhere between a chicken little, knee jerk move and the geologic-age approach of David Shaw’s ‘it’ll all come back around to regionalism’ lays the answer. But, in the meantime, we don’t want to miss the boat. And, timing is everything. Living now on the Olympic Peninsula, I’ve learned that the hard way every time I’ve missed a ferry.

I don’t recall anyone in Duckdom ever questioning MC’s ethical intentions towards those with whom (who?) he had personal relationships. I’m also pretty sure if someone did, someone else called them out on the carpet. No, this has less to do with MariU character assassination, and more to do with the fact that all’s fair in love and war and stealing college head coaches, and the fact that all football fans permanently live under the bus. You couldn’t script a daytime soap any worse than the drama lived-out by your average fan who powerlessly exists on the threshold of being a jilted lover 24/7. Being a football fan is the definition of deficiency.

Add a few boxes of Voodoo doughnuts and you may be right.

Now that I’d want a front row seat for, just to watch the Leach affect on Miami culture. The press conferences would be up for Emmys.

Wow. If a writer ever made a case for removing his dead weight and giving up his chair to someone who knows how to research an issue, this is it. Lake was a homey. He walked in the door pre-ordained for success by that unbelievably delusional Seattle media and fan base. We actually got a lil whiff of that with Mark. To be fair, the guy never had a chance. It was a failure set-up from the get go - which I’m fine with! Lanning may be riding a wave of optimism, but he knows what’s sitting right behind that. He knows he’s new, and will have to prove his head coaching chops. Unlike Lake though, Dan’s confidence was built on the solid foundation of having been through the meat grinder of a championship season and coming out a winner.

Spot on. One of the biggest ‘ifs’ for me are the neurons firing-off in Bo’s brain at that critical moment of decision. My image of how a QB processes and acts on that will always be Marcus, particularly his game against Florida State. That’s the homework tape I’d put in Bo’s mail box.

Another great job DNC. Thanks! If all the ‘ifs’ surrounding Bo’s transition and ascendency to the Duck’s helm get checked-off, we might not only see Dilly’s pro-spread creating dazed and confused defenses, but a Bo free to use what may be his best weapon: his legs. A fully-engaged defense trying to cover all of our running and passing options leaves no one on Bo. His legs could create some pretty amazing explosion plays. Can’t wait!

Humor and good advice all in the same bundle. Thanks Drex, and welcome! Always a good idea to take it a step at a time and enjoy the ride; let Dan take care of Dan and just maybe he’ll pass that driver’s test!

My biggest expectation for this year compared to last is not to see the loss of focus by the coaching staff that last year failed the team - especially at the end of the season.

It also made a mess of your ‘stash

How cheerleaders are responded to in the modern age is as diverse as the fan base to which they are trying to appeal. In it’s origins, cheerleading was a male-only occupation, and directed solely at an in-person audience composed almost entirely of the student body and alumni: directors to their choir, preachers to their congregation. They were there for only one reason: to initiate the call and response (including card sections) that urged the faithful on to inspire their team. If you’ve ever listen to some ancient stadium tapes, you can really hear that unity of purpose. If you review similarly ancient student newspapers from any university of the time, the introduction of females to the art of cheerleading was pretty much viewed with the same shock that the idea of legalizing marijuana once incurred. It was the fear of redirecting the attention of the audience towards an object of desire, and away from the original purpose of cheering the team. I guess you could either call it a self-fulfilling prophecy, or just the natural path that social inclusion generally takes. Either way, when you add modern media to the mix, you’ve got the potential for the full range of human response to whatever one may desire to watch. Deal with it. We all simultaneously embrace and fear the freedom of expression guaranteed to us. I have to trust that most of us take that responsibility seriously.

Shaw may be wearing rose-tinted glasses, but his big picture analysis based on geography’s gravitational pull has merit: over time, things tend to go full circle and return to from whence they came. For my money, I think it’s premature as yet to give too much weight to the super-conference and cable tv power brokers’ ability to alter everything that stands in their way. There are quite a few parties yet to be heard from who are keeping their own council as they watch and listen to these arrogant and hubris-laden attempts to bulldoze the sacred territory and traditions of others.

This has made for great reading. Agree with him or not, DNC’s stats, analysis and conclusions brings out the best in our OBD forum. Welcome! For all the talent/personality analysis, stats, comparisons, situations, and other variables, it all seems to boil down to one question: can an old dog learn new tricks?

Because it’s the only working model I know of for this kind of sports reality, MLB’s relationship to its minor league affiliates shows that the vast majority of athletes play a supporting role to the few with any chance of ever getting to the majors. But, they are necessary, so - if they want to, and they want to - MLB makes sure they get something for doing what they love. If some form of this sickening and depressing arrangement should come to pass, I would hope that Federal and state agencies, as well as the universities, stick it to the NFL as a retroactive accounting for the way they have benefitted over the decades for a product in which they never had to invest: ie, by picking up: 1) the cost of degree completion for non-contracted athletes following there 4 to 5 years of ‘minor league’ employment, and 2) the cost of a fully-vested retirement fund, and 3) the cost of guaranteed medical for life for any employment-related injuries It’s the least they could do for pulling the strings of college ball over the years, and - along with fellow bedmates in cable tv - paving the way for what we are now facing.

Perceptive analysis David. However - to take it one step further - I’m not sure a semi-pro format would leave the NFL on the outside for long. A breach of this magnitude of college tradition would most likely tumble more dominoes including direct involvement by the pros; with a possible scenario (borrowed from MLB) where individual pro clubs (Miami Dolphins) directly sponsor play-for-pay teams (Miami Hurricanes). In some way, the pros would eventually become directly involved. They would just have to much at stake.

Interesting question. Without a doubt, a logistical nightmare beyond anything thus far imagined by the SEC or B1G. The time zone two-step alone would make you wonder if you’re not watching an episode of Star Trek. Such a move would, in the end, probably force the hand of both big boys into making raids they’d only thought about before. A new PACCBIG would likely remain on paper, and never see the playing field.