The barbells have been banging and the weights have been thrown around the weight room. The air has been full of footballs as 7 on 7 games were played at local high schools. Football coaches run drills for speed, agility, and technique. It's a high energy atmosphere as football camps roll throughout Illinois and across the country. High school association rules allow for much more contact with the athletes than several years ago and the importance of weight training can't be disputed. There is no question that players are bigger, faster, stronger, in better shape, better coached and more prepared than at any time I can remember.
I'm dating myself, but I can recall when I started high school football in 1965, there was basically nothing going on in the summer at our school in Illinois. We weren't very good, and maybe that's part of the reason why, but I suspect that we were not the only ones that had no summer football program. Oh, starting my sophomore year in '66 a new coach was hired and he had seniors lead workouts 2 weeks before the first official practice. It was low key and not well attended or taken seriously by the players. The coach was no where to be seen, I assume because it was against the rules, so there was no coaching. Basically, the season started on the first day of practice around the third week in August. It truly was "hell week" because we were so out of shape. The coaches had 3 weeks to get us physically and mentally ready for the first game in the middle of September. We started in the middle of September and finished a week before Thanksgiving. There were no playoffs in Illinois. Offenses and defenses weren't as sophisticated and most teams ran the football at least ninety per cent of the time. Passes were thrown now and then to make our opponents think we actually had a passing game. What a difference from today! Programs now resemble efficient college programs.
To be competitive in today's world of high school football, coaches must do what they can to keep getting better. Sometimes I think it would be okay to go back to the old days of limited work in the summertime. As long as everyone gets the same amount of time, it's fair for all. Today's high school football player truly needs to be dedicated and committed to the program. I think today's coach does a great job of motivating his player's all year round. Regardless of how we feel about today's approach, this is the way it is and I sure don't see it changing anytime soon. I would only emphasize that it's important to work hard - but try to keep it fun!
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
The Power of Sports
Inspiring!
Sometimes we use adjectives that are overused or exaggerate. I'm reluctant to use some words that would describe a movie. God is awesome. Earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes are terribly powerful. Abraham Lincoln was an incredible man. But movies are just good or very good; maybe thought provoking. Having said that, there are a few recent sport movies that I have seen in the last few years that I found moving and inspiring. I loved the movies Seabiscuit and Cinderella Man. They showed how a sport figure or story could lift a nation's spirits when it needed it most. Think of that; AN ENTIRE NATION! And they were great stories. True stories, no less. I can now add Invictus to that list.
Invictus is a Clint Eastwood film about how South Africa's Nelson Mandela used the national rugby team to unite the country after decades of apartheid. Matt Damon plays Francois Pineaar, the rugby team's captain and Morgan Freeman plays Nelson Mandela in convincing fashion. Nelson Mandela showed great insight in realizing the power of sport. He was the only man who understood the importance of the World Cup in Rugby that was to be hosted by South Africa in 1995. He saw it as a way to unite an entire nation that was deeply divided by racial lines. I came away with a new appreciation for Nelson Mandela. What transpired will leave you shaking your head in amazement. I highly recommend seeing it.
In much the same way on a lesser scale, high school football, particularly in small towns, can inspire and bring a community together in the fall. When the local football team is on a roll, listen to the conversation at the local coffee shop, at the barbershop, in church or at the store. You will hear the townspeople talking about "their boys" constantly. Most of the town turns out on Friday night to cheer them on. It's a really cool american phenomenon. So, do I think it's a stretch to compare the effects of high school football to such great stories as Seabiscuit, Cinderella Man, and Invictus? Heck no, not for a minute. It's just one of the reason I love high school sports and high school football. It can be inspiring!
Sometimes we use adjectives that are overused or exaggerate. I'm reluctant to use some words that would describe a movie. God is awesome. Earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes are terribly powerful. Abraham Lincoln was an incredible man. But movies are just good or very good; maybe thought provoking. Having said that, there are a few recent sport movies that I have seen in the last few years that I found moving and inspiring. I loved the movies Seabiscuit and Cinderella Man. They showed how a sport figure or story could lift a nation's spirits when it needed it most. Think of that; AN ENTIRE NATION! And they were great stories. True stories, no less. I can now add Invictus to that list.
Invictus is a Clint Eastwood film about how South Africa's Nelson Mandela used the national rugby team to unite the country after decades of apartheid. Matt Damon plays Francois Pineaar, the rugby team's captain and Morgan Freeman plays Nelson Mandela in convincing fashion. Nelson Mandela showed great insight in realizing the power of sport. He was the only man who understood the importance of the World Cup in Rugby that was to be hosted by South Africa in 1995. He saw it as a way to unite an entire nation that was deeply divided by racial lines. I came away with a new appreciation for Nelson Mandela. What transpired will leave you shaking your head in amazement. I highly recommend seeing it.
In much the same way on a lesser scale, high school football, particularly in small towns, can inspire and bring a community together in the fall. When the local football team is on a roll, listen to the conversation at the local coffee shop, at the barbershop, in church or at the store. You will hear the townspeople talking about "their boys" constantly. Most of the town turns out on Friday night to cheer them on. It's a really cool american phenomenon. So, do I think it's a stretch to compare the effects of high school football to such great stories as Seabiscuit, Cinderella Man, and Invictus? Heck no, not for a minute. It's just one of the reason I love high school sports and high school football. It can be inspiring!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Identity
This Is Who We Are
I was watching a college bowl game the other night, Wisconsin against Miami, and it was reinforced to me how important it is to have an identity. To be able to say, “This is what we do, this is what we’re all about and you have to stop it if you’re going to beat us.” Now, I am not a Wisconsin fan. I don’t particularly root for them or against them. But one thing I do know, I sure do like the way they play the game. They hustled and played hard all four quarters, played with genuine enthusiasm, and most importantly, stuck to their identity.
Wisconsin is going to run the football 35-40 times a game pulling guards and tackles to outnumber you at the point of attack. They are going to throw to the tight ends and utilize their wide receivers effectively. In short, run the football with a power running game, use the tight ends with play action, play good defense and do it all well. The result was a 20-14 win that the Badgers dominated more than the final score indicated. Yes, they do have talented players, but not ultra talented like some teams. I am impressed with their big mobile linemen that can pull and lead attacks. You do have to have the players to execute your game plan but I believe there are things any coach can do to be more effective.
At the high school level it is important to have a total program. I believe a coaching staff should be clear on their team’s identity. This is our base package, this is what we do. The freshman team is going to run our base package, the sophomore or JV team is going to run the base package and the varsity is going to hang their hat on the base package. Of course, the varsity will add more and be more sophisticated but it shouldn’t take long for everyone to be able see your identity come through and establish itself early in most cases. By running the base package, both offensively and defensively through the entire program, it becomes second nature to the kids and develops confidence in what they’re doing.
I am not endorsing any particular offense, defense, or style of play. Heck, just about all of them are good. Just decide which what offense and defense you are going to run and then stick with it and believe in it. Sell it to your kids that it’s the best for them and then make it your identity. It can become a source of pride for the kids, coaches, and community.
I was watching a college bowl game the other night, Wisconsin against Miami, and it was reinforced to me how important it is to have an identity. To be able to say, “This is what we do, this is what we’re all about and you have to stop it if you’re going to beat us.” Now, I am not a Wisconsin fan. I don’t particularly root for them or against them. But one thing I do know, I sure do like the way they play the game. They hustled and played hard all four quarters, played with genuine enthusiasm, and most importantly, stuck to their identity.
Wisconsin is going to run the football 35-40 times a game pulling guards and tackles to outnumber you at the point of attack. They are going to throw to the tight ends and utilize their wide receivers effectively. In short, run the football with a power running game, use the tight ends with play action, play good defense and do it all well. The result was a 20-14 win that the Badgers dominated more than the final score indicated. Yes, they do have talented players, but not ultra talented like some teams. I am impressed with their big mobile linemen that can pull and lead attacks. You do have to have the players to execute your game plan but I believe there are things any coach can do to be more effective.
At the high school level it is important to have a total program. I believe a coaching staff should be clear on their team’s identity. This is our base package, this is what we do. The freshman team is going to run our base package, the sophomore or JV team is going to run the base package and the varsity is going to hang their hat on the base package. Of course, the varsity will add more and be more sophisticated but it shouldn’t take long for everyone to be able see your identity come through and establish itself early in most cases. By running the base package, both offensively and defensively through the entire program, it becomes second nature to the kids and develops confidence in what they’re doing.
I am not endorsing any particular offense, defense, or style of play. Heck, just about all of them are good. Just decide which what offense and defense you are going to run and then stick with it and believe in it. Sell it to your kids that it’s the best for them and then make it your identity. It can become a source of pride for the kids, coaches, and community.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Wouldn't This Be Fun?
NCAA Division I Playoffs
Everyone wants it. The football fandom, media, most coaches and probably all the players want a playoff in Division I football. Of course, as we all know, the stumbling block is the long standing tradition of the college bowls. They are huge money makers and the NCAA and school administrators are reluctant to give up the goose that lays the golden egg. Personally, I don’t need a playoff to make my college football season complete, but I would favor one if they did it the right way. What is the right way? Well, since I’m writing this article, my way is the right way for now. You, of course, are welcome to write up your own design for a playoff in D-I football. In fact, I encourage you to do so and post it on our forum. I would love to see your thoughts.
Format
My son-in-law is adamant that any playoff must include all conference champions and I agree wholeheartedly. If we don’t include every conference champ then WE are deciding who is good enough to play for the championship which is contrary to the concept of settling it on the field. A team earns a conference championship on the field; let all champs have a shot to play for the national title on the field. We can’t have our subjective opinions influence who gets to play. We think we know who the tougher conferences are but who really knows for sure? This would assure that all conferences are treated fairly. I propose a sixteen team playoff. There are eleven Division I conferences and each conference champion would earn an automatic berth. That would leave five at large berths, plenty to get the teams in that didn’t win their conference but are national championship caliber. Independents would fit into this category also. How would these five at large berths be decided? In my format they would go to the next five highest rated teams according to their CBSSports.com ranking. We have to use something to determine the at large berths and I believe it’s the best indicator. This would round out a very strong sixteen team field and provide a format to allow the national championship to be determined on the field. One side note; I would like to see the regular season be rolled back to an eleven game schedule. The teams in the playoffs will be playing their twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth games of the season depending on how deep they advance in the tournament. I am not a big fan of too many football games in a season. These guys are students first and the demands of a long, physical football season are not to be overlooked. I really think that once a team gets into that range of twelve games or more they are just too beat up from the season. I wouldn’t want to see teams playing sixteen or more games at the collegiate level.
Seeding
Seeding the playoffs could be done a number of ways but I’m going with the CBSSports.com 120 poll rankings. It takes into account records, rankings, and strength of schedule. Once we have seeded the teams one through sixteen, we match them up the traditional way. The #1 seed vs. the #16 seed, # 2 vs. #15, # 3 vs. #14, # 4 vs. #13 and so on. The title game would be played at a neutral site but all other games would be played on one of the team’s home field. The highest seeded team would be the host team except when the lower seed has hosted fewer games. For example, if teams A and B advance to the second round and both had a home game, the higher seed would host. If, however, team A hosted in the first round and team B was on the road, then B would host, even if seeded lower. This would assure more teams of having the opportunity to host.
2009 Playoffs
Based on the format I have laid out, this would be our playoff picture in 2009. The conference champions and automatic qualifiers are: Cincinnati, Ohio State, Alabama, East Carolina, Texas, Texas Christian, Boise State, Oregon, Central Michigan, Troy, and Georgia Tech. The at large berths would go to Florida, Penn State, Iowa, Brigham Young, and Virginia Tech. Only Troy is not in the top 25. But, they are conference champions and it is not for me to say who is and who is not good enough to play in the playoffs. We would determine it on the field.
Now we’re going to have some fun with this format. The chiefpigskin computer will analyze team data and play the games for us and give us the results. Every week a round will be played and all results will be on the chiefpigskin website. Just go to the forum for results. It will all be there and we will find out who the chiefpigskin 2009 national champion will be. See you on the forum!
Everyone wants it. The football fandom, media, most coaches and probably all the players want a playoff in Division I football. Of course, as we all know, the stumbling block is the long standing tradition of the college bowls. They are huge money makers and the NCAA and school administrators are reluctant to give up the goose that lays the golden egg. Personally, I don’t need a playoff to make my college football season complete, but I would favor one if they did it the right way. What is the right way? Well, since I’m writing this article, my way is the right way for now. You, of course, are welcome to write up your own design for a playoff in D-I football. In fact, I encourage you to do so and post it on our forum. I would love to see your thoughts.
Format
My son-in-law is adamant that any playoff must include all conference champions and I agree wholeheartedly. If we don’t include every conference champ then WE are deciding who is good enough to play for the championship which is contrary to the concept of settling it on the field. A team earns a conference championship on the field; let all champs have a shot to play for the national title on the field. We can’t have our subjective opinions influence who gets to play. We think we know who the tougher conferences are but who really knows for sure? This would assure that all conferences are treated fairly. I propose a sixteen team playoff. There are eleven Division I conferences and each conference champion would earn an automatic berth. That would leave five at large berths, plenty to get the teams in that didn’t win their conference but are national championship caliber. Independents would fit into this category also. How would these five at large berths be decided? In my format they would go to the next five highest rated teams according to their CBSSports.com ranking. We have to use something to determine the at large berths and I believe it’s the best indicator. This would round out a very strong sixteen team field and provide a format to allow the national championship to be determined on the field. One side note; I would like to see the regular season be rolled back to an eleven game schedule. The teams in the playoffs will be playing their twelfth, thirteenth, fourteenth, and fifteenth games of the season depending on how deep they advance in the tournament. I am not a big fan of too many football games in a season. These guys are students first and the demands of a long, physical football season are not to be overlooked. I really think that once a team gets into that range of twelve games or more they are just too beat up from the season. I wouldn’t want to see teams playing sixteen or more games at the collegiate level.
Seeding
Seeding the playoffs could be done a number of ways but I’m going with the CBSSports.com 120 poll rankings. It takes into account records, rankings, and strength of schedule. Once we have seeded the teams one through sixteen, we match them up the traditional way. The #1 seed vs. the #16 seed, # 2 vs. #15, # 3 vs. #14, # 4 vs. #13 and so on. The title game would be played at a neutral site but all other games would be played on one of the team’s home field. The highest seeded team would be the host team except when the lower seed has hosted fewer games. For example, if teams A and B advance to the second round and both had a home game, the higher seed would host. If, however, team A hosted in the first round and team B was on the road, then B would host, even if seeded lower. This would assure more teams of having the opportunity to host.
2009 Playoffs
Based on the format I have laid out, this would be our playoff picture in 2009. The conference champions and automatic qualifiers are: Cincinnati, Ohio State, Alabama, East Carolina, Texas, Texas Christian, Boise State, Oregon, Central Michigan, Troy, and Georgia Tech. The at large berths would go to Florida, Penn State, Iowa, Brigham Young, and Virginia Tech. Only Troy is not in the top 25. But, they are conference champions and it is not for me to say who is and who is not good enough to play in the playoffs. We would determine it on the field.
Now we’re going to have some fun with this format. The chiefpigskin computer will analyze team data and play the games for us and give us the results. Every week a round will be played and all results will be on the chiefpigskin website. Just go to the forum for results. It will all be there and we will find out who the chiefpigskin 2009 national champion will be. See you on the forum!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
A Vanishing Breed
The Multisport Athlete
The high school football playoffs are wrapping up in most states and will be wrapping up in the next week or so across the country. Congratulations to all who participated this year in high school football whether you went 10-0 or 0-10. Just by participating and finishing shows dedication and commitment to a common goal. I truly congratulate and admire all who played.
Now that the season is over, I’m sure that all young men will be hitting the weight room hard. I realize how important year round weight training has become. I had been a big proponent of year round weight training before it became mainstream. However, it is my hope that as many as can, will participate in a winter sport and then a spring sport. I believe it is possible to lift and play a sport at the same time. It always bothered me when one of my athletes would say he is going to concentrate on lifting and skip a winter sport. We had a system in place where a young man could do both and I hope many of you do as well.
I realize that the two or three sport athlete is a vanishing breed, particularly in the larger schools where kids “specialize” more. There are many good arguments to that philosophy. But there are some good arguments to the multi sport philosophy as well. For starters, it allows an athlete to excel in another area other than, say, football. He may find he is even better in another sport. Why deny someone that opportunity? Secondly, he is competing. I liked my athletes to compete, to reach down when the game, match, or race was on the line and find out what they’re made of. This only comes in competition, not in the weight room. I remember when I was coaching the offensive and defensive lines in football and I was also the head wrestling coach. We were going through a stretch of four consecutive 9-0 regular seasons and I could look out at the defense and regularly see seven to nine of the starters on the field on a Friday night were my wrestlers. They were tough kids, tough athletes, not just football players. I thought that was pretty cool. Thirdly, athletic skills can be honed while playing another sport. Playing basketball can enhance ball handling and catching skills as well as plenty of running and conditioning. Wrestling can help with balance, pushing, pulling, one on one toughness, and great overall conditioning. Track is great for working on an athlete’s speed, very important to football. Let’s not forget too, that practicing for another sport involves a daily commitment, whereas lifting is generally three times a week. Fourthly, it prevents becoming stale by playing two or more sports. The newness of another sport can be refreshing and give a hunger to another sport as one is away from it. Finally, playing multi sports is fun for most young people. Let kids be kids when they want. It needs to be fun, or we may lose some of our athletes from experiencing the many benefits of playing sports.
The main goal through all of this though, is to keep the players working hard to improve their skills and strength in the off season. I think we would all agree we have to make sure our players are getting better!
The high school football playoffs are wrapping up in most states and will be wrapping up in the next week or so across the country. Congratulations to all who participated this year in high school football whether you went 10-0 or 0-10. Just by participating and finishing shows dedication and commitment to a common goal. I truly congratulate and admire all who played.
Now that the season is over, I’m sure that all young men will be hitting the weight room hard. I realize how important year round weight training has become. I had been a big proponent of year round weight training before it became mainstream. However, it is my hope that as many as can, will participate in a winter sport and then a spring sport. I believe it is possible to lift and play a sport at the same time. It always bothered me when one of my athletes would say he is going to concentrate on lifting and skip a winter sport. We had a system in place where a young man could do both and I hope many of you do as well.
I realize that the two or three sport athlete is a vanishing breed, particularly in the larger schools where kids “specialize” more. There are many good arguments to that philosophy. But there are some good arguments to the multi sport philosophy as well. For starters, it allows an athlete to excel in another area other than, say, football. He may find he is even better in another sport. Why deny someone that opportunity? Secondly, he is competing. I liked my athletes to compete, to reach down when the game, match, or race was on the line and find out what they’re made of. This only comes in competition, not in the weight room. I remember when I was coaching the offensive and defensive lines in football and I was also the head wrestling coach. We were going through a stretch of four consecutive 9-0 regular seasons and I could look out at the defense and regularly see seven to nine of the starters on the field on a Friday night were my wrestlers. They were tough kids, tough athletes, not just football players. I thought that was pretty cool. Thirdly, athletic skills can be honed while playing another sport. Playing basketball can enhance ball handling and catching skills as well as plenty of running and conditioning. Wrestling can help with balance, pushing, pulling, one on one toughness, and great overall conditioning. Track is great for working on an athlete’s speed, very important to football. Let’s not forget too, that practicing for another sport involves a daily commitment, whereas lifting is generally three times a week. Fourthly, it prevents becoming stale by playing two or more sports. The newness of another sport can be refreshing and give a hunger to another sport as one is away from it. Finally, playing multi sports is fun for most young people. Let kids be kids when they want. It needs to be fun, or we may lose some of our athletes from experiencing the many benefits of playing sports.
The main goal through all of this though, is to keep the players working hard to improve their skills and strength in the off season. I think we would all agree we have to make sure our players are getting better!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
It's a Fun Time of Year
Playoffs are Here
My two favorite times of the high school season are opening night and the playoffs. Opening night was great, but it's gone before you know it. Then it's the weekly grind. Fun, but can't match the opener. Then, for those fortunate enough to make it, the playoffs begin. Featuring the best teams of the regular season, they provide great excitement and entertainment. I love the playoffs.
By now all states should be full swing into their playoffs to determine state champions. Here in Illinois it has evolved into some pretty cool stuff. We now have 8 classes, probably too many, but it allowed most 5-4 teams in, so it has worked out. You really don't know who you are going to play until the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announces the pairings. One can get the pairings online or watch the IHSA TV show which is much more fun. They make it look like the CBS NCAA Basketball Tournament Show. You know, the commentators sitting at their desks and then the big board gives the matchups and seeds as they appear right before your eyes. It's really cool as you watch your school go on the big bracket board with your opponent listed for you. Coaches and kids find out who they play, what they are seeded, and whether they'll be at home or on the road. The anticipation is so exciting and gives the whole atmosphere a big time feel. Then, the announcers talk about your bracket and you get to see how tough your quarter bracket or half bracket is. It's a 32 team bracket so you tend to look at your quadrant many times. How do we seed here in Illinois? Actually, it's the fairest system that I can think of. It's not based on rankings at all but on won-loss record and what we call playoff points. All 9-0 teams get seeded highest, then 8-1, then 7-2 and so on. Teams with the same record then get seeded by their number of playoff points. You get a point for every opponents win on your schedule. So, if many of your opponents had great seasons, theoretically you played a tough schedule. If your opponents won a total of 40 games, you would get a higher seed than a team whose opponents won only 38 games. Although it doesn't necessarily reflect true power, it works.
We are now in the quarterfinals as I write this, so there are 8 teams left in each class. A lot of undefeated teams will be going at it this weekend and the atmosphere gets more intense each week. As a fan, I will have a lot of fun watching the results of all classes. Good luck to all those involved (although I don't believe in luck), may your teams play hard and come out of the games healthy.
My two favorite times of the high school season are opening night and the playoffs. Opening night was great, but it's gone before you know it. Then it's the weekly grind. Fun, but can't match the opener. Then, for those fortunate enough to make it, the playoffs begin. Featuring the best teams of the regular season, they provide great excitement and entertainment. I love the playoffs.
By now all states should be full swing into their playoffs to determine state champions. Here in Illinois it has evolved into some pretty cool stuff. We now have 8 classes, probably too many, but it allowed most 5-4 teams in, so it has worked out. You really don't know who you are going to play until the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announces the pairings. One can get the pairings online or watch the IHSA TV show which is much more fun. They make it look like the CBS NCAA Basketball Tournament Show. You know, the commentators sitting at their desks and then the big board gives the matchups and seeds as they appear right before your eyes. It's really cool as you watch your school go on the big bracket board with your opponent listed for you. Coaches and kids find out who they play, what they are seeded, and whether they'll be at home or on the road. The anticipation is so exciting and gives the whole atmosphere a big time feel. Then, the announcers talk about your bracket and you get to see how tough your quarter bracket or half bracket is. It's a 32 team bracket so you tend to look at your quadrant many times. How do we seed here in Illinois? Actually, it's the fairest system that I can think of. It's not based on rankings at all but on won-loss record and what we call playoff points. All 9-0 teams get seeded highest, then 8-1, then 7-2 and so on. Teams with the same record then get seeded by their number of playoff points. You get a point for every opponents win on your schedule. So, if many of your opponents had great seasons, theoretically you played a tough schedule. If your opponents won a total of 40 games, you would get a higher seed than a team whose opponents won only 38 games. Although it doesn't necessarily reflect true power, it works.
We are now in the quarterfinals as I write this, so there are 8 teams left in each class. A lot of undefeated teams will be going at it this weekend and the atmosphere gets more intense each week. As a fan, I will have a lot of fun watching the results of all classes. Good luck to all those involved (although I don't believe in luck), may your teams play hard and come out of the games healthy.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
I like Pro football but...
The Prep and College Game Is For Me
I like pro football, I really do, but…but what? It’s football and I love football, so why don’t I have the same passion for the NFL that many others do or that I had many years ago? I’ve wondered about that from time to time and when I give what I think are my reasons you will probably say, “Your just old and old fashioned”. And that will be ok because I am both. As the title says, the prep and college game is for me.
I suppose one of the reasons is that I don’t have a favorite pro team. When I was a youngster I loved Johnny Unitas and the Colts. When Unitas retired, along with his great teammates Raymond Berry and Lenny Moore, I lost interest in the Colts. I tried to be a fan of a particular team but couldn’t develop an allegiance to one. I ended up kind of pulling for the Chicago Bears simply because I live relatively near to Chicago.
Another reason is that I enjoy watching different offenses and defenses go at it. I love watching a wishbone formation , wing-T, I, spread, double wing etc. I enjoy watching a running team against a passing team. It’s interesting watching different defenses like the 5-2, 4-4, 4-3, 3-5-3, etc. You get that in high school ball and college ball to some extent. Division I is starting to look the same but there is enough diversity that I find it interesting. Several years ago I was at a D-III game (which is very good football by the way) involving Wheaton College, Illinois against Augustana College, Illinois. Wheaton ran shot gun with double twins and threw the heck out of the ball. Augustana was running the wing-T and ran the ball very well. It was a great, well played game with two completely different styles. I thoroughly enjoyed that game.
Finally, and this is where I guess I’m old fashioned. I love watching FOOTBALL. Dancing? I hate it. It has come to be the NFL trade mark. I am a purist. Just give me pure football. I find the most irritating comment by the media to be, “They don’t want these guys to have fun.” Are you kidding me? Playing football IS fun. I played in some form until I was 25 years old. Never did a dance and had great fun playing the game of football. I also find the pro game rather bland. Everything looks the same to me. I see the same defenses and the same offenses no matter which game I watch. Everyone does the same thing.
So, there you have it. After careful self analysis, I believe I have summed up why I am passionate about high school and college football but merely like pro football. My wife likes Dancing With the Stars. I told her watch the NFL, she’ll love it.
I like pro football, I really do, but…but what? It’s football and I love football, so why don’t I have the same passion for the NFL that many others do or that I had many years ago? I’ve wondered about that from time to time and when I give what I think are my reasons you will probably say, “Your just old and old fashioned”. And that will be ok because I am both. As the title says, the prep and college game is for me.
I suppose one of the reasons is that I don’t have a favorite pro team. When I was a youngster I loved Johnny Unitas and the Colts. When Unitas retired, along with his great teammates Raymond Berry and Lenny Moore, I lost interest in the Colts. I tried to be a fan of a particular team but couldn’t develop an allegiance to one. I ended up kind of pulling for the Chicago Bears simply because I live relatively near to Chicago.
Another reason is that I enjoy watching different offenses and defenses go at it. I love watching a wishbone formation , wing-T, I, spread, double wing etc. I enjoy watching a running team against a passing team. It’s interesting watching different defenses like the 5-2, 4-4, 4-3, 3-5-3, etc. You get that in high school ball and college ball to some extent. Division I is starting to look the same but there is enough diversity that I find it interesting. Several years ago I was at a D-III game (which is very good football by the way) involving Wheaton College, Illinois against Augustana College, Illinois. Wheaton ran shot gun with double twins and threw the heck out of the ball. Augustana was running the wing-T and ran the ball very well. It was a great, well played game with two completely different styles. I thoroughly enjoyed that game.
Finally, and this is where I guess I’m old fashioned. I love watching FOOTBALL. Dancing? I hate it. It has come to be the NFL trade mark. I am a purist. Just give me pure football. I find the most irritating comment by the media to be, “They don’t want these guys to have fun.” Are you kidding me? Playing football IS fun. I played in some form until I was 25 years old. Never did a dance and had great fun playing the game of football. I also find the pro game rather bland. Everything looks the same to me. I see the same defenses and the same offenses no matter which game I watch. Everyone does the same thing.
So, there you have it. After careful self analysis, I believe I have summed up why I am passionate about high school and college football but merely like pro football. My wife likes Dancing With the Stars. I told her watch the NFL, she’ll love it.
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