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 BACK ISSUES - JULY 2003

July 29, 2003 - "The role of raising children is entrusted in principle to heterosexual couples because after much experimentation - several thousand years, more or less - we have found nothing else that works as well." James Q. Wilson, professor emeritus of Government at UCLA    2003 CLINIC NEWS & SCENES : CHICAGO - ATLANTA TWIN CITIES   click here for info ----->>>>> <<<<<-----click here for info THIS PAST SEASON'S WEEK-BY-WEEK GAME REPORTS FROM ASSORTED DOUBLE-WING TEAMS ( "WINNER'S CIRCLE")  AS PROMISED.... READERS' FRENCH JOKES (updated as we get them)      SORRY- NO "LEGACY" THIS WEEK EITHER. I AM ON THE ROAD ALL WEEK AND WON'T BE ABLE TO STAY ON TOP OF E-MAIL AS I NORMALLY WOULD. LOOK FOR THE "LEGACY" FEATURE TO RETURN ON TUESDAY, AUGUST 5 - I MAY OR MAY NOT PUBLISH BEFORE THEN. *********** Thank you, God, for men like Bob Hope. I know it's asking a lot, but if by some chance you've got another one like him.... *********** Sean Murphy, head coach at Baltimore's Archbishop Curley High and his staff recently concluded Curley's first annual Double Wing Youth Camp, and he wrote me to report on it: Coach Wyatt, I wanted to give you an update on the Double Wing Camp. We completed the camp on Thursday night, good turnout, about 55 players from 7 programs. Jason Clark and his Millersville group came with about 18 players. They were well schooled on the offense and worked hard the entire week. At the conclusion of each practice, several coaches from my staff and the youth coaches would talk and clinic each other. It was great to talk and discuss the offense with a great group of coaches. I gained a new respect for the youth level coach, especially those working with the younger players. It is a lot of work to keep those kids focused for two hours each night. They lose focus easily, if you turn your back on them, the next thing you know they are hitting each other with hand shields, or gang tackling one another. It was fun, but I believe I will stick with the high school players. We were able to cover in the camp, the power, super power, counter, wedge, 6G/7G and Red Red. Hopefully, the camp will be a spring board for a successful season for players and coaches of these programs. I will keep you updated on our season. Thanks, Sean Murphy *********** There was a song several years ago that started out, "Everybody's Somebody's Baby..." I must admit I never thought about that when I heard of the "dastardly murder" of Saddam's two sons by the "cold-blooded butchers" of the 101st Airborne, but then I opened our local fish wrapper and read a letter written to the editor by a Ridgefield, Washington man. He took a whole new tack in his opposition to our soldiers' actions - he empathized with Daddy Saddam. Here is the way it started out... "Somehow I took little joy in the announcement of the death of Saddam Hussein's sons, Odai and Qusai. "My first thought, as the father of two boys myself, was the unimaginable grief I would feel had I lost my two beloved boys." It goes on, but that's the gist of it. God Lord, I thought. In my thirst for vengeance, I'd completely forgotten than Saddam Hussein was a father, too - that beneath all the evil, behind all the torture and mass killings, he was a guy just like us. He had feelings, too. Yeah, right. Actually, unlike that nut who wrote in to the paper, as the father of one son, the father-in-law of three sons-in-law, and the grandfather of six grandsons, my first thought was the unimaginable grief I would have felt had I lost any of my beloved children to the like of Saddam's two sons, had we spared them. So to the men of the 101st Airborne, I say, "Good on ya, mates!" *********** Pro golfer Peter Jacobsen is a Portland guy and very well liked. I have never heard anyone say a bad word about him. So I was really happy when he led the Greater Hartford Open after day one, and day two, and day three - and went on to win it. Until Sunday, he'd played in more than 180 tournaments - over eight years - without a win. *********** MEMO FROM: Scott Peterson TO: Kobe Bryant SUBJECT: Thanks! *********** NASCAR was at Pocono Raceway Sunday for the Pennsylvania 500, and the TV broadcast cut away to the "Home Depot Garage," a great feature (sponsored by Home Depot - duh) in which they use fantastic animation to show us the inner workings of a race car, and what can go wrong. This one was about the oil pump, and what happens when you lose oil pressure. And then we came back live, to a shot of a car limping off the track. It was Tony Stewart in the #20 car. The Home Depot car. Stewart had been running second, and now he was through for the day. Headed, no doubt, for the Home Depot Garage *********** The world's third most-watched sports event - at least that's what they say - returns for its every-fourth-year visit when Australia hosts the Rugby World Cup in October. Rugby's roots are in England, where in 1823 a young man named William Webb Ellis, playing soccer at Rugby School, picked up the ball and ("with a fine disregard for the rules") ran with it. And while this year the English team is given a good chance of winning the World Cup, the interesting thing about this sport, the grandfather of American football, is that despite its English roots, it has been dominated of late by southern hemisphere countries: since the World Cup was introduced in 1987, Australia has won it twice, and South Africa and New Zealand have won it once each. For me, with a son who lives in Australia and whose job of covering sports includes rugby, his recent visit to us meant watching rugby on the telly. I have come to appreciate the game more than ever and - even more significant - to understand it. Considering I played the sport for two years in college and never knew a damn thing about the rules, I guess you could say it is about time. With the World Cup approaching, it's the time of year in rugby-playing nations for international matches (known for some reason as "test" matches), and over the last three weeks, we set the PVR so we could wake up on Saturday mornings and watch Australia's, New Zealand's and South Africa's national teams contending for what is known in international rugby circles as the Tri-Nations' championship. New Zealand's national team, the All Blacks, is the most famous - and most feared - of all the world's rugby teams, an especially wondrous thing when you realize that New Zealand is a nation with some three million people - about a million fewer than the state of Washington. Over the past two weeks, the All Blacks have scored more than 100 points - first 52 against South Africa and then 50 against Australia. At that level of international rugby, scoring 50 points in a game is kicking serious ass. What's more, the All Blacks did it both times on the road, and being "on the road" from New Zealand to South Africa makes Boston to San Diego to look like a short cab ride. A couple of my grandsons watched the matches, too, and they got so caught up in the sport that when they returned home to North Carolina they prevailed on their parents to upgrade their cable service so they could get Fox Sports World, which will be carrying a lot of the World Cup matches. *********** I keep saying that there is no relation. And yet... and yet... Bowden Wyatt's father was named Hugh Wyatt. No lie. *********** On the subject of Bowden Wyatt, General Jim Shelton wrote that he met a former Wyoming football player named George Galuska, who thought very highly of Coach Wyatt. Jim wrote... Hugh: I liked George Galuska. George was my next door neighbor at Fort Benning, GA when we were both lieutenants. He was a bruising tough guy and obviously had been a jock. He told me he played for Bowden Wyatt at Wyoming. He married a girl from Columbus, Georgia. We were friends for a couple of years and mostly we talked football since I had been a single wing center in high school. When I was a general in charge of ROTC I visited Eastern Montana U in Billings.(twenty five years later) I found his name in the phone book and called him. I got his wife Barbara. George was a petroleum engineer, I think with Humble Oil, and was on the road. I always liked George and Barbara and I think George was probably a good ball player. Good memories. I don't know if he is still in Billings. When I was at Fort Benning we had a number of 50's ballplayers there. Jim Brown was the most famous. Right! Jim Brown was an infantry lieutenant and served at Fort Benningbut he didn't play football. So was Maxie Baughan. I played at Fort Benning with John Bredice from Boston College, Ed Bailey from Syracuse, and Jerry Toomey from either Uof Oregon or Oregon State.Toomey was a great athlete. I think Bredice was chosen Outstanding Player off the East/West Game in 1957. He was drafted by the Eagles as an offensive end, but he ruined his knee playing for Fort Benning.We played Pensacola, which had many Notre Dame and Navy players. We lost to them 29-27. Some fun memories. I had really forgotten about it until you asked me about George Galuska. Black Lions. Jim Shelton, Englewood, Florida (General Shelton is right. George Galuska sounds like the real deal. He was a single-wing fullback under Bowden Wyatt and his successor, Phil Dickens. He is pictured in the 1953 Street & Smith, and the caption under the photo refers to him as a "hard-charging fullback," and "Wyoming's best player." HW) *********** Hi Coach, I've been busy as heck getting ready for the season which starts August 4th for us. My senior team, 7th & 8th grade, is full with 35 players and more wanting to join. We've built a team that has much promise. All running back positions will be filled by experienced kids who can run. Both our A and B backs have track backgrounds and hit with authority. Both kids are 148 pounds and mirror images of each other. We also have four or five more just like them only a step slower. So we're very rich in that department. Our B back is a guy who is way ahead of the curve. He's going into the 7th grade so we'll have him next year as well. Right now he's 5'9" and 205 lb. with speed and quickness. He's going to be a nightmare for all who come his way. Being part Samoan his family is very big and strong. My QB is the best athlete I've ever coached. Eighth grader who's runs a 4.8 forty, good size at 143 and can throw when needed. His best quality is his decision making, excellent field general. This group could be very good if they work together as a team. We just concluded a four day non-contact camp and had them running all the base plays. By the end of the forth day they are convinced the II Wing is the offense for them. After all the agility and technique drills they get all fired up to run the offense. I'll send some video when we get going so you can see us in action. Take care, Glade Hall, Seattle *********** In regards to the latest question about order of play calling. After 5 years of running the double wing I still do not consider myself any kind of expert but it is interesting to listen to other coaches and fans as they question play calling strategy. Since we have been running the D-W we have made the play-offs 5 straight years and have been the #1 or 2 offense in the conference each year. I have picked up some keys that I use. I like to run 88/99 Super power as much as possible. When I start to see teams load up at the end to stop it I like to move inside and run 6-G. It is fun to watch LB's fly past our FB without even looking to see that he has the ball. I immediately watch the corner on 6-G to see if we can get him on 6-G pass. We have had about 6-8 TD passes over 40 yards each of the last two years. The question that I get from fans and coaches is why don't you throw more. I agree that I am probably a little conservative but I believe it takes time to set the defense up. I also love to use 3 trap 2 on third and long although after 5 years opponents catch on. Keith Lehne, Grantsburg, Wisconsin *********** "I suppose when you told soccer to stick it where the sun don't shine, they took it the wrong way and brought it to the rainy Northwest. Good news page today." Christopher Anderson, People's Republik of Cambridge (Massachusetts) *********** Coach Wyatt - I must agree with Mr.Livingstone, from Michigan - the "chapaquidic swim coach" was a classic, about the despicable Senator from Mass. But the other good phrase that is used around Mass about Teddy Boy - and I apologize because it borders on crude - " LBJ and Richard Nixon put a man on the Moon, but Teddy Kennedy couldn't even get a broad over a Bridge" sad, but True - John Muckian, Lynn, Massachusetts   *********** "Study Finds 2.6% Increase in U.S. Prison Population," read the headline in the New York Times. The story began, "The nation's prison population grew 2.6 percent last year, the largest increase since 1999, according to a study by the Justice Department. The jump came despite a small decline in serious crime in 2002."   There is a certain intellectual disonesty at work here, as there often is among liberals.   Does anyone notice that the Times has got the relationship between prison population and crime all ass-backwards?   They are shocked that prison population is up "despite a small decline in serious crime." Why, one would think that there is some sort of anti-criminal bias at work in America - some tendency to lock people up without a fair trial.   What those who write for The Times - and whine about size of the prison populaton - don't want to acknowledge is the relationship between the decline in crime and the increase in prison population.   It is so simple even a writer for the New York Times should be able to recognize it: when criminals are in prison they commit fewer crimes than when they are on the streets. The more criminals there are in prison, the fewer crimes they can commit. Duh.   "The Beast Was out There," by General James M. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" it contains in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about.        --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN AND RECOGNIZE GREAT KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2003 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM (FOR MORE INFO ABOUT) THE BLACK LION AWARD

July 25, 2003 - "There are no atheists in the foxholes." Father William Thomas Cummings, Bataan, 1942    2003 CLINIC NEWS & SCENES : CHICAGO - ATLANTA TWIN CITIES   click here for info ----->>>>> <<<<<-----click here for info THIS PAST SEASON'S WEEK-BY-WEEK GAME REPORTS FROM ASSORTED DOUBLE-WING TEAMS ( "WINNER'S CIRCLE")  AS PROMISED.... READERS' FRENCH JOKES (updated as we get them)    A LOOK AT OUR LEGACY: Bowden Wyatt (no relation) is the man on the left, and he's one of the last of the big-time single-wingers. He's shown in this photo with General Bob Neyland, his college coach and the man who hired him at the University of Tennessee. A native of Kingston, Tennessee, Wyatt was a standout two-way end at Tennessee from 1936-1938, and in 1938 was a unanimous All-American and captain of the Vols' undefeated team. Just 18 years later, at the age of 39, he would be named Coach of the Year at his alma mater. In the space of six years, he won conference titles at three different schools - Wyoming (Skyline Conference), Arkansas (Southwest Conference) and Tennessee (Southeast Conference). Until it can be proven otherwise, I believe he is the only coach ever to coach champions in three different major conferences. He definitely was the first to do so. After World War II military service sandwiched between two stints as an assistant at Mississippi State, he accepted the head coaching job at Wyoming, a school with next to no football tradition at the time. In his six years there, from 1947 through 1952, he won more games than the Cowboys had won in their previous 16. Wyoming finished in the nation's top three on both offense and defense in both 1949 and 1950, and his 1950 team was the first Wyoming team ever to be nationally-ranked. (His All-America tailback, Eddie Talboom, was 31 years old, married and the father of three.) Wyoming hadn't had a coach with an overall winning record since 1906, but when he left, his six-year record there was 37-17-1. Nevertheless, he managed to infuriate an entire state by signing - then walking out on - a long-term contract when he was offered the job at Arkansas. He spent only two years at Arkansas, but he is given credit for building the rabid interest that Arkansas football has enjoyed statewide ever since. His rough (okay, brutal) methods whipped the Razorbacks into fighting shape, but ran off so many men that the roster numbered just 25 players - 18 of them sophomores - when the Razorbacks travelled to Austin in 1954 and upset Texas, a feat that gained Arkansas football immortality for the "25 Little Pigs." The Hogs won the first Southwest Conference title in school history and finished the season ranked eighth in ther country. (Did someone say "brutal?" Wyatt's assistants at Arkansas were all reported to have carried around leather straps, and anyone who loafed or stayed on the ground too long could count on getting a whack or two on the butt.) And then Bowden Wyatt was called home. He coached at Tennessee from 1955 through 1962, compiling an overall record there of 49-29-4. In 1956, he was voted Coach of the Year after his team Vols, with All-American Johnny Majors at tailback, went undefeated in the regular season. At the time of his "retirement" following the 1962 season, Tennessee was one of only four major college teams left running the single wing. Bowden Wyatt is one of a select few individuals elected to the College Football Hall of Fame as both a player (1972), and a coach (1997). Correctly identifying Bowden Wyatt - Keith Babb- Northbrook, Illinois (Thanks for getting back into the swing with an easy one. Bowden Wyatt - any relation? - certainly was a tough, successful coach. He had one of the great quotes of all time when he gave this advice to defensive players, "Take the most direct path to the ball and arrive in an ill humor.")... Jim Shelton- Englewood, Florida ("I knew it couldn't last! You finally had to get your Uncle Bowden into your news...I knew a guy(George Galuska) who played for Bowden Wyatt at Wyoming, and he thought the sun rose and set on him.")... Scott Russell- Potomac Falls, Virginia ("This week's player is #37 in your program and #1 in our hearts, none other than Bowden Wyatt. Any relation?")... Joe Daniels- Sacramento... Kevin McCullough- Culver, Indiana ("Eddie Talboom was from South Bend, so I have read about him quite a bit")... John Muckian- Lynn, Massachusetts ("That is the other 'famous' Coach Wyatt, Bowden Wyatt.")... Mike O'Donnell- Pine City, Minnesota ("The picture is of Bowden Wyatt. Last summer, my family and I were in Knoxville for the National Junior Olympics (our son, Casey, was a participant for Pine City in team tennis competition) and Casey and I had an opportunity to see the football offices at UT. It is a shrine to all Tennessee football players! ! ! There were still photos of Volunteer players, video highlights of past Tennessee football teams including bowl games, drawings of all their All-Americans, and trophies. It was a great experience and a lot of fun. Knoxville is a very nice community and the University is a superb place to visit. Keep up the great work.")... John Reardon- Peru, Illinois... ********* I saw Bowden Wyatt's name in a book about Successful College Coaches.Not sure of the title. Wondered if you taught him also. Good day. Sincerely, John Reardon, Peru, Illinois I'll bet the book was "Championship Football by 12 Great Coaches." It is one of the treasures of my collection. I paid $3.50 for it in a used book store several years ago. It was published in 1962, and the coaches were Frank Broyles (Arkansas), Bear Bryant (Alabama), Jack Curtice (Stanford), Bobby Dodd (Georgia Tech), Rip Engle (Penn State), Don Faurot (Missouri), Dave Nelson (Delaware), Tom Nugent (Maryland), Jim Owens (Washington), Darrell Royal (Texas), Murray Warmath (Minnesota) and Bowden Wyatt (Tennessee). Coach Wyatt's chapter was devoted to the Tennessee Single-Wing. He wrote, Although very few schools are now using the single wing offense, we at Tennessee firmly believe in it as an effective basic formation. There are a number of reasons for our believing in the single wing as we do: 1. Because of the years spent with the single-wing at Tennessee, we feel we know and understand it better than other formations. 2. The single wing has been very good to us and consistently produced results over the years. 3. The single wing coach has one big advantage over most of his opponents. Since most teams use variations of the T formation, opponents of the single wing must attempt to stop a formation which they have not been playing every week. Our opponents usually have only one week to change their defenses in order to cope with our offense. Sad to say, shortly after Coach Wyatt wrote those words, his '62 Vols went 4-6 and he was fired. He was replaced on an interim basis by one of his assistants, Jim McDonald, and a year later, in 1964, former Florida QB Doug Dickey came in and the single wing at Tennessee was gone for good. *********** Test yourself to see if you are liberal enough to write for a modern American newspaper. The News: Saddam's two little boys are dead Your assignment: Select the appropriate theme for your "news" story a. Americans Have No Right to Assassinate Enemy Leaders b. Saddam's Sons Were Worth More To Us Alive Than Dead c. How Do We Know the Bodies Are Really Those of Uday and Qusay? d. The Arab World Will Really Hate Us Now e. Two Down - One to Go (If you answered anything other than (e.) you should immediately fax your resume to the New York Times) *********** There's one week left in July, and the University of Washington still doesn't have a football coach. See, the university vice-president whose job it is to hear Skippy Neuheisel's appeal just got back into town last week and had to be brought up to speed on everything. He was on vacation and hadn't been following what was going on. Question Number One: You mean to tell me they couldn't bring his ass back off vacation for something this big? Question Number Two: Where'd he go on vacation - Mars? *********** "What a stud Lance Armstrong is / wrecking and getting back up and still winning that stage. You just can't measure Heart! Mike Foristiere, Boise, Idaho. (Amen to that. The guy is an incredible competitor. HW) *********** "I talked with one of my players who is playing in the Iowa Shrine Bowl (senior all-star game). Steve Staker is the head coach of his squad, and per my request they have put 2 extra plays in the playbook. WEDGE and Super Power. Steve is letting his assistants do the offense and defense, he is coaching special teams and the 2 special plays! My kid (offensive tackle) was so excited about the addition of those 2 plays he had to call me last night." Brad Knight, Holstein, Iowa *********** "I have not had time to read through todays "news" to see if you mentioned that the world's most famous sports team is training in Beaverton.....of course I am talking about the Manchester United soccer team.....the "most famous" tag came from todays Chicago Tribune.....there was no name on the article, only "Tribune News Service".....any way I thought maybe you took off a few days to go watch them practice.....Kevin McCullough, Culver, Indiana (I tried really hard to wangle a few tickets to the Man-U practice, held at Nike's campus in Beaverton, on the other side of Portland from where I live. Unfortunately for football - not futbol - fans everywhere, the practice was by invitation only, which means that Nike, which sponsors Manchester United, limited attendance to 10,000 or so of the biggest soccer fans it knew of. I guess I didn't qualify. HW) *********** Anyone who reads this page regularly, or anyone who has attended one of my clinics, knows the special feeling I have for Rich Central High, in suburban Chicago - I occasionally find myself referring to RC proudly as "my" team. RC's head coach Jon McLaughlin was a fairly early convert to the Double-Wing after attending my 1998 Chicago clinic, and he flew me out there that spring to help at his summer camp. And then he offered to host the following year's Chicago clinic at RC. And as we got to know each other better, and he continued to host the clinic, I also got to know and like the other guys on his staff, and his kids as well. And then back in 2001 Jon offhandedly suggested I might become his offensive coordinator. I chuckled. But every time we talked, Jon kept bringing up the subject. And after a while, I started thinking. I mean, here was the ideal situation for a guy in my position, a guy who wanted to be out on the field coaching but could no longer make the time commitment necessary to be a head coach. I knew and liked and trusted Jon, and I felt the same way about the rest of his coaches. And the kids. Jon was clearly on his way to turning the moribund program he'd inherited into a south-suburban power. I knew and liked his philosophy, and I liked the way he worked with kids. I knew I'd be working in a structured and disciplined yet fun atmosphere, with kids who were coachable and willing to work. (Did I mention that they were talented, too?) Here Jon was, willing to hand over the offense - and the quarterbacks - to me, and he was as eager as I was to experiment with the system. What a deal! There was only one slight problem - I live 2,000 miles away from Chicago. And although I do travel quite a bit in my "profession," I am basically a homebody, and I live in a part of the country where, in August, there is no place better on earth. Then, too, there was the need to somehow try to keep up with my various projects, not to mention keeping my Web site updated twice weekly. There was no way I could spend the season there. But Jon and I managed to work out a compromise deal - I'd go back there and coach two-a-days. I've now done that for the past two seasons, and for me, the experience has been greatly rewarding. I hope that Jon and the other folks at RC agree, because here comes another season, and here comes another invitation from Jon, and at this point, I haven't said "No." Meantime, RC's prospects for 2003 are bright. After the first day of their recent two-week summer camp, Jon called to report on how things were going. There were more than 50 kids at the frosh-soph session, with only 20 freshmen so far and at least that many more expected. (RC draws from five different middle schools, and normally the younger kids are on vacation or just slow to get the word.) The varsity session drew 47 kids, with another half-dozen missing with legitimate excuses. And then there's the latest addition to the staff. Bill Lawlor. As a Chicago-area Double-Wing youth coach (and frequent contributor to this page) Bill has won Bill George League state titles at two different age levels. He'll coach the freshman offense. And help out any place else in the program that Jon needs him. A successful accountant in his real life, Bill felt that call to coaching that so many of us haveknown, and the ball started rolling when he and Jon McLaughlin got to talking at this past winter's Chicago clinic. With his knowledge and enthusiasm and work ethic, I believe Bill will be a great asset to RC. If you know me, you know that I believe that youth coaches are a great untapped source of high school coaching talent. And as a rookie high school coach, Bill couldn't have found a better program to get started in. You see why I haven't told Jon, "No?" *********** Hi coach: Don't have a lot of time, because the Troy city football camp (12-18) started yesterday. That coupled with work, whooo, busy days. We have 213 kids this year, the most ever. It's fun to be on a football field working on football stuff. Funny stuff as usual. I particularly liked the recent (paraphrasing & spelling, sorry) "Chapaquidic swim coach," Teddy Kennedy story. Funny, but makes me mad that he probably left that poor girl to die a slow, terrifying death, just so he could save his political skin. Which he did, I guess. "Commissioner Nero," that's as good description of that dipstick as I've heard. He's a guy who has NO onions! Lastly, these poor scholarship athletes. They are so deprived and used by the universities. Well, boo friggin' hoo! That's about how I felt everytime I made a student loan payment. It's probably sour grapes on my part, one could argue, but from my shoes..... My roommate in college was on the college football team and redshirted his freshmen year. He got two mystery, university checks for about $1500.00 each semester that had no explanation, no reason, and he never asked. And yes coach, we thoroughly enjoyed each one. By for now oh wise Scot. David Livingstone, Troy, Michigan *********** I applied for an "A" league team in our youth program (12 and 13 year olds). My oldest is a rising "A" Leaguer. I am on track to get an expansion team, although not likely since registration numbers are down to due fall baseball, lacrosse, AAU basketball and soccer. Scott Russell, Potomac Falls, Virginia (The real danger to our sport isn't any one particular sport. It is the pressure on yunger and younger kids - and their parents - to concentrate on one sport, year-round. And of course, there is the drudgery of football practice, which can't compete for the hearts and minds of today's soft suburban kids with the game-type atmosphere of those sports. HW) *********** "I wanted to comment on the Youth coach's questions about sprints and scrimmage time. The biggest problem youth coaches face is lack of time. To set aside even 5 minutes for just sprints, without some football lesson incorporated, is wasteful at this level. Like this youth coach, we only have 3 practices a week. We get our sprinting in by practicing kick coverage (running in lanes), punt coverage (fanning out and running in lanes), and angle of pursuit drills. Not only does this add a competitive element where the kids run harder, but the payoff shows up in games with great kick coverage and great pursuit angles (something kids need to be taught at this level.) Second, we're fortunate to have 2 teams at the same level, practicing at the same time. We could scrimmage all of the time. However, we limit our scrimmages to 15 minutes a practice because we need to constantly work on technique. We can coach technique better with drills as opposed to scrimmages. I think the coach who scrimmages all practice is taking the easy way out. It's more difficult to plan practices based on drills and fundamentals than to plan a practice where the team scrimmages the whole time after warm-ups." Regards, Keith Babb, Northbrook, Illinois *********** I love irony, and I love to come across examples of the Law of Unintended Consequences. (Sometimes expressed as, "be careful what you wish for.") In ''Why Things Bite Back,'' Edward Tenner discusses how a technological advance can lead to unintended consequences. He mentions the fact that wide use of antibiotics has led to resistant strains of bacteria; that widespread use of computers (and keyboards) has led to an epidemic of wrist ailments; and that the advent of the football helmet led to a tripling in neck and spine injuries. *********** Well Coach I have yet to see my team this year. We begin this Saturday and I hope I have a Black Lion Award candidate this year. The player who won the award last year was a one of a kind team player. Please enroll the Hope Mills Falcons Jr. Pee Wee Football team from Hope Mills, North Carolina. The presentation last year from Mr. Stubbs was one of the most memorable things I have ever been associated with. Coach Ray Knagge (Mike Stubbs, a Black Lion and combat hero who now lives in Charlotte, presented the award to Coach Knagge's team. HW) *********** "After a decade of rat-a-tat rap violence and crap, the effects on America's youngsters is only now becoming obvious. Ronald Ferguson, a black professor at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, has found a significant correlation between the rise of rap and the decline of education in the black community. Ferguson found that in 1988, before the release of 'The Chronic,' (Dr. Dre's ground-breaking "gangsta" album) 35 per cent of black children read daily for pleasure. The figure has plummeted to 14 per cent. As we know, the effects are now being felt in the white community as well." Alvin Williams, president and CEO of BAMPAC - Black America's Political Action Committee. (www.bampac.com) *********** One of my fellow Washingtonians, a guy named William Sheehan, has it in for the police. This he makes clear on his Web site (no, I'm not going to pass along its address), where according to official court documents he refers to them and other government officials as "assholes," "jerkoffs," and "scumbags," and posts lists of police officers' addresses, home phone numbers and Social Security numbers. Sheehan says he gets the information lawfully, from voter registration, property, motor vehicle and other official records.. Larry Erickson, executive director of the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs, says his organization's members are disturbed by Mr. Sheehan's site. "Police officers go out at night," he said, "they make people mad, and they leave their families behind." A court has upheld his right to post his information, noting that the material it contains is a matter of public record, and, further, "There is no showing that lawless action was either asked for or imminent. In fact, information of this nature has been available on plaintiff's web site since early 1997, and there is no evidence that anyone has ever been harassed, approached, or contacted by a person who viewed the site." Lt. Rex Caldwell, a spokesman for the Kirkland, Washington Police Department, said some officers even welcomed the posting of their home addresses, if it meant there was a chance that Mr. Sheehan might pay them a visit. "If he wants to drop by the house," Lieutenant Caldwell said, "the police officers would be more than happy to welcome him. We're all armed and trained." *********** Coach Wyatt, Cultural files from Cambridge...I was on the bus back from Harvard (I always get out of there as fast as possible), and I look up at City Hall. There's a gilded sign that says "God granted to Man his commandments, fashioned by Man into laws under which to be governed..." I just about died on the bus. This, two blocks away from a Soviet-themed bar called the People's Republik - in Cambridge no less! Christopher Anderson, Cambridge, Massachusetts (behind enemy lines on the banks of the Charles) *********** I am not normally a big fan of e-mail with "FW" in the subject line, and as a rule I consign it to the same fate as spam. But I did receive this, courtesy of my friend, Herb Persons, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, a football coach and devout Christian. It is addressed to those who oppose pre-game prayers, and I thought it contained a few points worth passing along: Life, liberty or your pursuit of happiness will not be endangered because someone says a 30-second prayer before a football game. So what's the big deal? It's not like somebody is up there reading the entire book of Acts. They're just talking to a God they believe in and asking him to grant safety to the players on the field and the fans going home from the game. "But it's a Christian prayer," some will argue. Yes, and this is the United States of America, a country founded on Christian principles. And we are in the Bible Belt. According to our very own phone book, Christian churches outnumber all others better than 200-to-1. So what would you expect- somebody chanting Hare Krishna? If I went to a football game in Jerusalem, I would expect to hear a Jewish prayer. If I went to a soccer game in Baghdad, I would expect to hear a Muslim prayer. If I went to a ping pong match in China, I would expect to hear someone pray to Buddha. And I wouldn't be offended. It wouldn't bother me one bit. When in Rome... "But what about the atheists?" is another argument. What about them? Nobody is asking them to be baptized. We're not going to pass the collection plate. Just humor us for 30 seconds. If that's asking too much, bring a Walkman or a pair of ear plugs. Go to the bathroom. Visit the concession stand. Call your lawyer. Unfortunately, one or two will make that call. One or two will tell thousands what they can and cannot do. I don't think a short prayer at a football game is going to shake the world's foundations. *********** While reading an article by Air Force Coach Fischer DeBerry in a back issue of the AFCA magazine, I came across this great little reminder of just how important our role as coaches/teachers/dads really is. Its authorship is unknown. There are little eyes upon you and they're watching night and day. there are little ears that quickly take in every word you say.   There are little hands all eager to do anything you do; And a little boy who's dreaming of the day he'll be like you.   You're the little fellow's idol, you're the wisest of the wise. In his little mind about you no suspicions ever rise.   He believes in you devoutly, holds all that you say and do; He will say and do, in your way, when he's grown up like you.   There's a wide eyed little fellow who believes you're always right; And his eyes are always opened, and he watches day and night.   You are setting an example every day in all you do, For the little boy who's waiting to grow up to be like you.   "The Beast Was out There," by General James M. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" it contains in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about.        --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN AND RECOGNIZE GREAT KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2003 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM (FOR MORE INFO ABOUT) THE BLACK LION AWARD

July 22, 2003 - "It's easier to stay out than to get out." Mark Twain    2003 CLINIC NEWS & SCENES : CHICAGO - ATLANTA TWIN CITIES   click here for info ----->>>>> <<<<<-----click here for info THIS PAST SEASON'S WEEK-BY-WEEK GAME REPORTS FROM ASSORTED DOUBLE-WING TEAMS ( "WINNER'S CIRCLE")  AS PROMISED.... READERS' FRENCH JOKES (updated as we get them)    A LOOK AT OUR LEGACY: He's the man on the left, and he's one of the last of the big-time single-wingers. He's shown in this photo with General Bob Neyland, his college coach and the man who hired him at the University of Tennessee. A native of Kingston, Tennessee, he was a standout end at Tennessee from 1936-1938, and in 1938 was a unanimous All-American and captain of the Vols' undefeated team. Just 18 years later, at the age of 39, he would be named Coach of the Year at his alma mater. He won conference titles at three different schools - Wyoming (Skyline Conference), Arkansas (Southwest Conference) and Tennessee (Southeast Conference). After World War II military service sandwiched between two stints as an assistant at Mississippi State, he accepted the head coaching job at Wyoming, a school with next to no football tradition. In his six years there, from 1947 through 1952, he won more games than the Cowboys had won in their previous 16. Wyoming finished in the nation's top three on both offense and defense in 1949 and 1950, and his 1950 team was the first Wyoming team ever to be nationally-ranked. (His All-America tailback, Eddie Talboom, was 31 years old, married and the father of three.) Wyoming hadn't had a coach with an overall winning record since 1906, but when he left, his six-year record there was 37-17-1. Nevertheless, he managed to infuriate an entire state by signing - then walking out on - a long-term contract when offered the job at Arkansas. (Although he certainly did the Wyoming folks a favor when he recommended Bob Devaney for the head job there in 1957.) He spent only two years at Arkansas, but he is given credit for building the rabid interest that Arkansas football has enjoyed statewide ever since. His rough (okay, brutal) methods whipped the Razorbacks into fighting shape, but ran off so many men that the roster numbered just 25 players when the Razorbacks travelled to Austin in 1954 and upset Texas, a feat that gained Arkansas football immortality for the "25 Little Pigs." ("Brutal?" His assistants at Arkansas were all reported to have carried around leather straps, and anyone who loafed or stayed on the ground too long could count on getting a whack or two on the butt.) And then he was called home. He coached at Tennessee from 1955 through 1962, compiling an overall record there of 49-29-4. In 1956, he was voted Coach of the Year after his team Vols, with All-American Johnny Majors at tailback, went undefeated in the regular season. At the time of his "retirement" following the 1962 season, Tennessee was one of only four major college teams left running the single wing. He is one of a select few individuals elected to the College Football Hall of Fame as both a player (1972), and a coach (1997). *********** Best running back prospect I've seen in some time had to be the nut case who wandered onto the track at the British Grand Prix and ran headlong into oncoming traffic consisting of Formula One racers going 200-plus mph. (Fortunately for him, he was up against the best drivers in the world, and they managed to avoid him before security could drag his ass off the track.) *********** Coach Wyatt, Could you explain to me what you do when your kids do TANS? TANS is an acronym for Triceps-Abdominals-Necks-Squats. We do something to work on each of those areas every day. *********** Hi Coach, I just read your news you can use on your summer workouts and I was wondering when and if you put in any offense over the summer. In North Carolina we are not allowed to do when we do football specific workouts helmets and shoulder pads are required and you must not have more than 21 players Conditioning is unlimited by numbers and unrestricted as far as equipment.  A coach may not require a player to attend A conditioning session (open gym) may not be held on the same day as (football specific workout) Spring practice would be limited to (21 players per day) I guess my question is how much offense do you put in over the summer? If so how would you break it down to fit the above guidelines? Coach- Washington used to be very restrictive, and we couldn't do anything with a ball during the off-season. Now, from the date of the last spring sports event (the state championships) until a dead time the first three weeks in August, we can do almost anything, including padding up and scrimmaging. Nevertheless, I have never spent that much time teaching the offense during the summer. I have always believed that getting the players in the best condition possible assured the best possible teaching atmosphere, so we could do the teaching once formal practices started. When kids are hot and tired and all they can think about is shade and a cold drink of water and how crappy they feel, they are not likely to be focusing on what you're teaching them. *********** Coach Wyatt, Hope your summer & vacations have been enjoyable. Tackle 5th & 6th grade football is a go for 2003.  We have scraped enough money together.  In early August the high school staff is going to host all of the fathers who will serve as youth coaches for an instruction clinic. I would like to show them some clips from your Safer & Surer Tackling tape and from Fine Line.  To make a quicker presentation during the limited time, I would like to capture (computer video capture) some selected portions from each tape, and make a power point slide presentation.  The presentation would identify you as host and producer of the excerpts. My question is, is this a violation of your copyrights?  Or simpler still, is it okay with you if I do this?  There is no tape copy being made and handed out, no one is being charged any money.  I am actually going to make some paper copies of your web page videos for sale section, maybe some of them would like to buy the whole tapes.  Thanks again Coach, Mick Yanke, Dassel-Cokato H.S., Cokato, Minnesota I appreciate your contacting me. My materials are copyrighted and it is necessary to get my express, specific written permission to copy any of my materials in any form, for any use. Consider this your written permission to use clips from my material to help educate kids in your program In the manner you describe. (This permission applies only to Coach Yanke. Permission is granted on a case-by-case basis.) *********** I'm a youth (11 & 12) football coach. I've Ordered your materials last year and I think they are great. I think one of the biggest misconceptions I had about this offense is that it was a magic bullet and really didn't need any talent. Boy was I wrong, We looked good against teams(2 or 3)  that had level of talent similar to ours, but against superior talented teams we had our hat handed to us. Of course, the offensive scheme was blamed, even though defensively we couldn't stop the bleeding. Any way now my question, some the leagues are mandating that teams run a specific formation, generally it's the "I" , wing t or wishbone formation. Now if one was to use the DW I right formation, or right formation, would we need to flip the formation when running left, or we would we simply stay in the I right formation and counter back to the left.? Which formation would you suggest, I right, right or full? and why - and would you stick with basic plays 88, 47c, 4base lead, 38go, red red, 58 black throwback, 2 wedge. Coach- There is no substitute for talent. There is no magic bullet. As to your organization, I would try to insist on running the Double-Wing. It is a "specific formation," and one of the oldest still in use in football. If you're told it's not, I would ask, "why isn't it?" I would venture to say that it is as common nowadays as the Wishbone. As a concession, you can agree to run it without motion. You will scarcely notice the difference. If your arguments fail, I would next suggest running out of "right" and "left" formation and next it would be "I right" and "I left". I would want to run as many plays as I can in both directions, but I formation does permit you to run just one version each of power, counter, G, trap, and wedge. No matter what they do to you, you can still use the blocking and play-calling logic. Unbalanced lines would help you, but I wonder if you will be forbidden from running them. Formations are a major component of offensive football and since a lot of youth football is marked by offensive futility, it makes no sense to limit the offense.  *********** Brandi Chastain, who "spontaneously" tore off her jersey after scoring the winning goal in the US women's World Cup victory - and in the process helped Nike sell millions of sports bras similar to hers - hasn't ruled out a repeat performance, should she be given another chance to celebrate. Not that anything is being planned, you understand. Ms. Chastain gives us her assurances of that - "I think celebration is all about spontaneity." *********** BUD SELIG, part I: I have nothing against baseball commissioner Bud Selig, although I still can't believe the stupidity of a guy who would let baseball's All-Star game end in a tie, simply because both managers had used up all their pitchers. Told that they were out of pitchers, I'd have said, "Find one. Try the guy who's playing shortstop. Or right field. or third base. Somebody. But your orders are to play until there's a winner." It's not as if baseball isn't full of examples of resourceful managers doing that very thing. As Casey Stengel would say, you could look it up. "Ted Williams... 1940... BOS A... IP 2... H 3... SO 1... ERA 4.50 In other words, a promising young player on his way to becoming one of the greatest hitters in the game was brought in to pitch in a regular-season game. You telling me there wasn't a guy in either All-Star lineup able to do the same? *********** BUD SELIG, part II: Baseball has some serious problems. Attendance is down, the price of franchises is dropping, and one franchise (Montreal) is without an owner. The magic of new ballparks is gone - attendance is down in cities such as Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee and Phoenix is down. A survey by USA Today shows that fans are turned off by such factors as too many teams with no chance of winning, conflicts between the owners and the players' union, and use of "dietary supplements." (I have to assume that "outrageous, unwarranted, obscene salaries" wasn't one of the questions asked.) Commissioner Nero, whose empire is burning while he fiddles, told USA Today, "I don't know how the poll was done, but I'm certainly not going to pay any attention to it." *********** The biggest difference between college athletics and a septic system is that when the septic system starts to smell, you can fix it. For quite some time, big-time college athletics - meaning football and men's basketball - has been like the septic system out there in the field - out behind the big mansion out in the country. Yes, there are unpleasant things going on under the surface, but normally, life in the mansion goes on as usual. Out of sight, out of mind. Ignorance is bliss. And then someday something goes amiss, and everyone gets a whiff of how ugly and smelly things really are down there. Take Ohio State. Please. According to the most recent data available. Ohio State ranks tenth among Big Ten schools in its athletes' graduation rates. So what? Where's your national title, Northwestern? So Maurice Clarett, the Buckeyes' star freshman tailback, walked out of a midterm exam in an introductory African-American Studies course last fall without finishing the test. So what? So he never retook the test and he failed to take the final. So what? Mere technicalities. He passed the course. That's because the associate professor who taught the class said she "worked with" Clarett - she met with him and gave him two oral exams. The teaching assistant who initially complained about the Clarett case - she no longer works at Ohio State - said it was highly unusual for anyone to receive such help, and that Clarett should have failed. She also said that football players in the class attended only sporadically, and routinely forged the names of absent teammates on attendance sheets. The associate professor said she had been told by other football players that sometimes when they would arrive for a meeting with a tutor, the tutor would be absent and a completed term paper would be sitting on the desk. Clarett himself supposedly told instructors that sometimes a tutor would provided two notebooks for a football player: one notebook, in which the tutor would have written the answers to homework; the other a blank notebook. The player would then copy the answers in his own handwriting into the second notebook, so nothing could be traced. At the very least, the associate professor stands accused of using questionable tactics in order to grease the way for a star football player. But she told the New York Times that she did nothing out of the ordinary - that she helped Clarett because she "wanted to motivate him" and because she felt sorry for him because of his lack of academic preparation. "I see some football players who probably should not be here, because their academic background is so wanting," she told the Times. "So I say to myself, 'Do I keep shuttling them through the system, or do I try whatever it takes to get them to learn?' even if the methods I use may be seen as unorthodox." In the eye of at least one faculty member, then, the problem, at least in Clarett's case, seems to be that he is not capable of doing college level work. At least not yet. That is a delicate way of saying that he doesn't belong in college - at least not "college" in the sense that most of us know the term. But if this is a black mark against Ohio State - as it would certainly seem to be - what does it say about Clarett 's high school? The same kid who according to an university faculty member suffered from a "lack of academic preparation" graduated early from high school so he could take part in spring drills at OSU. *********** Here's an idea for a guy with real stones: I know a coach in Minnesota who had a study hall every afternoon for all his players. It started out as a way for him to do something productive with his kids until several of his staff members, who taught at other schools, could arrive, but he soon saw that it had value well beyond keeping the kids out of trouble until practice started. It was not seen as punishment - something to get out of - by the poor students, but as something everyone did routinely. He assigned seats, too, so that good students were seated next to bad ones, sophomores next to seniors, etc. It was a lot of work, but he swore by it. *********** Coach Wyatt; I am in my 4th year of coaching youth football and find myself at the crossroads with having to make 2 decisions... First, my assistants feel that we should be running sprints at the end of every practice, we go 3 days per week...i don't think that an extra 5-7 minutes of pure running adds up to a hill of beans..conditioning wise for 12 and 13 yr olds. Second, my assistants also feel that we should be going live  as much as we can.. you know 11 against 11...slam slam slam...i would like your 2 cents worth on ..sprints , if  we need any or how many per week, and how much time should we spend going live at a typical practice session..?  I'm the head coach, and what i say goes ..they just have me thinking about it.. since we are heading into tougher games ... playoffs and regionals .. NAME WITHHELD I like to run sprints at the end of practice. I don't know of any studies showing that they are useful, but I don't know of any showing that they are not, and I believe that my kids need to be able to run hard for the duration of a play, just as much in the fourth quarter as in the first. I'll have them run 40 or 50 yards, which will take them about as long to run as an average play would last. And we'll rest about 30 seconds between sprints, roughly the time they get between plays. But I also believe in using the sprints to reinforce the little things that win or lose for us. I make sure that they have mouthpeices in and chin straps fastened, that they are in their correct stances (eyes up) that they get off on the count, and that they sprint all the way across the line. Any "penalty" results in an additional 10 yards - for everybody. I think if you are going to accomplish anything with these sprints, you have to be merciless in not tolerating screw-ups. The number of sprints is entirely up to you. You always have the option to say, "we'll do just one more, if you can do it right - mouthpieces in, chin straps buttoned on, good stances, everybody off on the count, and everybody goes hard past the finish line. But you have to be strong enough not to give in to sentimentality. You have to make sure that kids understand that you won't take anything less than their best. So you see, we're doing a lot more than just sprinting. As for scrimmaging - I'm not sure how much you accomplish with little kids when you usually have a wide discrepancy between the best kids and the next best kids. I do believe that it is very useful for the offense to scrimmage - provided it is done under tightly controlled conditions. We will hit hard, but it has been years since I have never allowed a player to hit below the waist (we don't tackle that way anyhow), and no ball carrier is ever taken to the ground. That eliminates 90 per cent of the causes of injuries, while still providing hard contact on both sides of the ball. When I watch a practice and I see scrimmaging with kids hitting low and runners being taken to the ground I have to turn and look the other way. I won't watch it. *********** "Coach: I loved your little quip about being constantly asked, "What do you do when the defense stops your super power?" Inevitably, I would get this question from coaches in my area thinking of switching to the DW. Now I just respond with, "I have never SEEN a defense stop my Super Power, but I have seen a lot of C-Backs, B-Backs, O guards and playside offensive linemen that can really put it dead in its tracks!!" "I think it all goes back to the first thing I ever heard come out of your mouth at the Elk Grove, IL Holiday Inn in April of 1998. 'You have to absolutely make your kids believe that the only reason a play didn't work was because THEY didn't execute!!!' (Bill McCartney??) "The best thing I ever took away from a clinic........." Bill Lawlor, Hoffman Estates, Illinois (Yes- That was Bill McCartney, great Colorado coach who retired to work full-time with Promise Keepers. HW)   "The Beast Was out There," by General James M. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" it contains in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about.        --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN AND RECOGNIZE GREAT KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2003 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM (FOR MORE INFO ABOUT) THE BLACK LION AWARD

July 15, 2003 - "None love the messenger who brings bad news."Sophocles    2003 CLINIC NEWS & SCENES : CHICAGO - ATLANTA TWIN CITIES   click here for info ----->>>>> <<<<<-----click here for info THIS PAST SEASON'S WEEK-BY-WEEK GAME REPORTS FROM ASSORTED DOUBLE-WING TEAMS ( "WINNER'S CIRCLE")  AS PROMISED.... READERS' FRENCH JOKES (updated as we get them)     *********** I AM ON VACATION - "A LOOK AT OUR LEGACY" MAY RETURN NEXT WEEK   *********** Coach, David Livingstone was right - those Oakland Press Schembechler comments are GOLD. "The hell with Notre Dame" and "president Shalala is a liberal." I'm going home this weekend, and we're going to a brewers game on sunday. I'm rooting for the bratwurst in the sausage race, heh heh. They're playing the Bengals, I mean Reds, so I can boo Griffey for pissing on Seattle like Clemens did for Boston. Seems the Boston Fire Department is in trouble. The dept. had the sick-day rules liberalized (mainly, sick days would be paid), and the Department really ate their lunch when more than 100 firemen called in sick over the 4th of July and Memorial Day weekends. Now I have a lot of respect for public heroes like firefighters, but as an engineer I know that electric current flows through paths of low resistance. (But hey, what do you expect from New England government?) If they were home sick, "Super Mitt" Romney was on duty. The Republican Governor of MA was vacationing in New Hampshire when a family's boat sunk 300 yards from shore on Lake Winnepesaukee. Super Mitt and his two sons hopped on their jetskis and saved (I think the count was) five people and their dog. To thank him for his guts, the head of the MA Democratic Party lambasted him for not vacationing in Massachusetts. The two Boston papers then mocked the Romney family, Mormons, for not drinking beer. My question is, would they rather have had the Senior Senator (Chappaquiddick Swim Coach) roll out onto the lake in his Oldsmobile from one of the famous Kennedy bacchanalias? Christopher Anderson, Cambridge, Massachusetts EXCERPTS FROM JIM HAWKINS' INTERVIEW OF BO SCHEMBECHLER IN THE OAKLAND, MICHIGAN PRESS: On the possibility of the Big Ten adding Notre Dame to give the conference an even dozen - and a lucrative conference championship game: "The only way I'd take Notre Dame is if they got on their hands and knees and prayed and begged and crawled. The hell with Notre Dame." On his reaction to the firing of big-time football coaches Mike Price and Rick Neuheisel: "If those guys want to act like that, that's up to them. That's not the way I coached and not the way most guys coach. I have no sympathy for them whatsoever." On the Michigan basketball scandal: "We made a colossal mistake. The No. 1 requirement for a coach is honesty and integrity. You can't deal with young people, you can't motivate them, if you're lacking in that regard. And you have to recognize that no player is so important that you can't live without him. *********** Coke is being accused of big-time cheating. A lawsuit filed in Atlanta claims that back in 2000, Coke executives persuaded Richmond-area Burger Kings to run a test of a product called Frozen Coke Coke's idea was to offer customers a coupon for a free frozen drink with the purchase of every value meal, with the idea that if it went well, Burger King would expand the promotion nationwide. But, according to the lawsuit, when the tests appeared to be going poorly, Coke executives paid a guy to take hundreds of children to Burger King to buy value meals. *********** Not saying that Eminem won't be just as popular 50 years ago as he is now, but... In a recent month, albums by Johnny Cash and George Jones were both ranked in Billboard magazine's Top 20 for country music; Willie Nelson had a Top 10 country single with a duet. Cash and Jones are both 71 and Nelson is 70. "Country music has always been adult music sung by adults," Bruce Hinton, the chairman emeritus of MCA Records Nashville told the New York Times. "Obviously this could never happen on the pop side." *********** Hi Coach, I have enjoyed your "Dynamics" video and am excited about running it this year. My 7 year old son is able to draw up any play I call after only about an hour learning the system. That has really gotten me pumped about this season. But here is the problem and question.I will be having around 25 players, of which only 7-10 can really be called football players.Each player is required to get 5 plays per half. I have been the head coach at the k-2nd grade level for the last 10 years so I think I know how to get the most out of my players but there is only so much one can do with some of the kids. My question is where can I hide some of them without totally killing the offense? Any suggestions/help will be GREATLY appreciated. We can - and do - run much of the offense from "Spread" formation. (Although when we do we run "Super-O" and pull only the guard.) Spread formation allows you to line up two players at a time as wide receivers. (As a general rule, it is safe to predict that defenses will put people out there to cover them, because they don't know whether your kids can catch or not.) And occasionally, you can throw them a bone and actually throw the ball to them. HW *********** Hugh, The quote of the day for July 11, reminded me of something I used to say as joke to my late buddy Bill Livingstone when the weather would start to change in late October. Bill, the old Scot, would turn to me and say "It's getting cold Des, the north wind is blowing." In my worst Scottish accent I would reply-"Ach!...there is no such thing as bad weather, only improper clothing." He loved that., Rick Desotell, Troy, Michigan *********** Despite a promise to review Title IX, which the Clinton administration had used to bludgeon colleges into achieving "gender equity" through a device it came up with called "proportionality", the Bush administration, which can outdo the Clintinites when it needs to, has upheld the basic provisions of the law - including Clintonian interpretations. But not to worry. Gerald A. Reynolds, the assistant secretary of education for civil rights, said in the letter that men's teams should not be eliminated for the sake of Title IX equality. Simple as that. Marcia D. Greenberger, co-president of something called The National Women's Law Center, called the administration's decision a huge victory for female athletes. "This puts to rest all the uncertainty and speculation whether the administration and the Department of Education would weaken Title IX," she told the New York Times. She contended that substantial inequality in collegiate sports still exist, noting that women receive little more than 40 percent of opportunities to play college sports, and that athletic scholarships for women are worth, altogether, $50 million less than athletic scholarships for men. In addition, she moaned, college athletic budgets are twice as large for men as for women. "While there has been enormous progress," she said, "there is still a long way to go. It's a relief that there is still a Title IX to rely on." Yeah, relief. Just as long as there's football, the goose that keeps laying the golden eggs. (Also, the goose that they all want to kill.) Naturally, Ms. Greenberger did not provide figures showing the enormous disparity between men's and women's sports in the amount of revenues they produce, nor did she mention that women's sports are essentially subsidized by the men's sports. Funny how Ms. Greenberger and her ilk think that there should be no limits on what colleges spend on parasitical women's sports, while decrying the slutty things that colleges are forced to do to squeeze more money out of football in order to pay for them. *********** West Point set up a panel with such experts as Bill Parsells to study the sorry state of its football program, and one of its recomendations - I am not making this up - is a suggestion to modify the five-year active duty service obligation imposed on all West Point graduates.  The panel suggested such possibilities as participation in the Army's "World Class Athlete" program as a possible modification that might "enhance" recruiting.   "World Class Athlete" program" my ass. Why don't they just say the hell with the main reason why we even have a military academy, and just go ahead and eliminate the active duty service requirement entirely? In the meantime, Army has announced that it is pulling out of Conference-USA. I swear I heard someone in an official capacity at West Point say that the USMA hopes to gain admission to a "more elite" conference. Ouch. If that's really true, imagine how much fun it's going to be for this year's Army team as it makes its swing through Conference USA, against the likes of Cincinnati, Louisville and Southern Miss. *********** One of my plans this season is to do a lot of shifting. For example I want to line up in tight and shift to either Over or Under-Slot. In conversation with my other coaches this question came up in regards to shifting. If the TIGHT END gets in a 3 pt stance, he is still permitted to shift - correct? NAME WITHHELD YES- But make sure that the officials understand the rule, too. The main thing that you will need to do is drill your QB on making sure that after a shift the entire team is set for a full second before you send a man in motion or snap the ball. *********** Coach.Just wanted to let you know I really like your new Line tape.It has some great stuff that I can very much use.It should be especially good for our new set of 7th graders coming in this fall .Thanks again.Jeff Squires.Ft.Collins CO. *********** Jokes? Pitt-West Virginia, the "Backyard Brawl", is always good for some good ones involving the city-slickers from Pitt and the hillbilly bumpkins known to play football at WVU! Pitt-Penn State used to be good too, back in the days when they played each other every year. Mark Rice, Beaver, Pennsylvania   *********** Coach Derek Wade, in California, sent me a quote from a "how to play defense" publication in which the author advocates a method of tackling calling for sticking the face mask into the numbers.   In the belief that there may be some gullible, impressionable beginner coaches who think that because it appears in print it must be okay, I thought I'd let the American Football Coaches Association speak for everyone who has a right to be called a coach: "KEEP THE HEAD OUT OF FOOTBALL Rules changes that eliminated the head as the initial contact point in blocking and tackling have significantly reduced head and neck injuies in the sport. Coaches can do their part to continue that trend by teaching correct techniques and emphasizing proper fundamentals at all times. That way, players can avoid catastrophic injury and coaches can avoid lawsuits. Keep the head out of football"   From the AFCA 2003 Proceedings book   *********** It's a good thing Travis Outlaw was a good enough high school basketball player to be the Portland Trail Blazers' first-round draft choice, because I doubt that even Jerry Tarkanian and his vaunted support staff could have kept him eligible anyplace.   I heard him being interviewed on a Portland radio station, and when he was asked if he had a goal for this season, his answer was, "learn how to play gooder."   I am not kidding. ************ Coach what is your policy on players missing practice? For off-season work-outs? Spring practice? Summer practice? Regular season practices? Thanks I expect players to be at off-season workouts if they're not playing another sport. I make sure that players know that I have a long memory even if they don't, and that if it comes down to two guys who are fairly even, I will always play the one I know I can count on. I will cut a little slack for younger kids, but never for a senior. I won't tolerate a senior who skips. I expect seniors to be leaders, and if a senior starts playing games, I get rid of his ass. All that guy is doing is showing younger kids the wrong way to do things, and then you'll have to deal with them when they become seniors. One thing I have found that has really worked great for me is that in the three weeks prior to the start of practice, we open the gym mornings and evenings, five days a week plus Saturday mornings, to conduct a circuit workout followed by sprints. That's a total of 33 times we have the gym/weight room open. Over the course of those three weeks, every player is required to complete nine circuits before he will be issued a helmet. Players are limited to one workout a day. They are made to understand that this pre-season conditioning is a safety precaution, and this is how we have been able to justify it to school administrators. Each circuit consists of 30+ stations - weights, jump rope, medicine ball, arm hangs, neck work, hitting a heavy bag, rowing, etc - each lasting 30 seconds. We allow 30 seconds recovery. Where numbers require, we work with partners and switch over quickly. At stations where weights are involved, they are relatively light, because the emphasis is on continuous rapid body movement. The whole workout lasts about 45 minutes to an hour, but by the time they are finished, it is hot as hell and they are whipped. Then we go out and sprint, starting at 10-50's. Each day, we add another station and another 50. Every week we add five seconds to the length of a station. Only the really stupid guys can't figure out that it pays to get their workouts started early. We make up a card for each player and punch it each time he completes a workout. When he gets nine punches,, If players wish to challenge us on the mandatory nature, they can still do their circuits once practice starts, and at that point they will do two a day. Anyone else who still doesn't have all his circuits done by the time practice starts will do them also. No one skates. I will be honest and tell you that it is a real test for a newcomer of whether he really wants to play football or whether he would have just been a tourist. Once we officially start, every practice is mandatory, and every absence must be pre-excused - the player (not a surrogate) must personally notify a coach - and only for a family emergency. My policy has always been, miss a practice, miss a game... miss a second practice, miss two games... miss a third practice, adios. An emergency is something sudden and unexpected. If a kid misses a practice because he has to serve detention or make up work or go to court, it is considered unexcused and he misses a game. Simple as that. I think the trick is making absolutely certain that everyone understands these rules. Also, I am old enough to know that I can survive the loss of any player who doesn't want to go along. I think every coach could be a better coach if he lived by the guidelines employed by a great Illinois high school coach: "No player is more important than the team... no coach is more important than the staff... no game is more important than the season... no season is more important than the program."   "The Beast Was out There," by General James M. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" it contains in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about.        --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN AND RECOGNIZE GREAT KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2003 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM (FOR MORE INFO ABOUT) THE BLACK LION AWARD

July 11, 2003 - "There is no good in arguing with the inevitable. The only agument available with an east wind is to put on your overcoat." James Russell Lowell    2003 CLINIC NEWS & SCENES : CHICAGO - ATLANTA TWIN CITIES   click here for info ----->>>>> <<<<<-----click here for info THIS PAST SEASON'S WEEK-BY-WEEK GAME REPORTS FROM ASSORTED DOUBLE-WING TEAMS ( "WINNER'S CIRCLE")  AS PROMISED.... READERS' FRENCH JOKES (updated as we get them)     A LOOK AT OUR LEGACY: He's shown here as an NFL receiver, but since his pro football career ended, Bernie Casey has made a name for himself as an artist, and as an actor. He played his high school ball in Columbus, Ohio, and is a graduate of Bowling Green. In 1961 he was a first round draft choice of the 49ers. He spent six years or his eight NFL years with the 49ers, and his last two years with tghe Rams. At 6-4, 215 Bernie casey was large for a receiver, and in his NFL career, he caught 359 passes for 5444 yards and 40 TDs. In 1967, he was chosen to play in the Pro Bowl, after a season in which he caught 53 passes for 871 yards - a 16.4 average per catch - and eight TDs. But even as a player he began to achieve renown as an artist, and he also became involved on acting. One of his first films was "Black Gunn," in which he appeared with Jim Brown. He played paralyzed basketball star Maurice Stokes in "Maurie," and appeared in "Brian's Song." He was in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure," and in all three films in the "Revenge of the Nerds" series. Bernie Casey has remained true to his main love, painting, and noe as Dr. Bernie Casey, he has served as chairman of the board of the Savannah College of Art and Design. Some of his paintings hang in the homes of such people as Sidney Poitier, Maya Angelou, Bert Reynolds and Quincy Jones.   *********** hey coach, just read your news ....if that guy get a D3 job and runs the DW, I WANT IN !!!!!!!!!!! Joe Daniels, Sacramento   Correctly identifying Bernie Casey- Joe Daniels- Sacramento... Alan Goodwin- Warwick, Rhode Island... Greg Stout- Thompson's Station, Tennessee... Dave Livingstone- Troy, Michigan (Your man is Bernie Casey, best known for "Revenge of the Nerds." Just kidding Mr. Casey. The president of the fraternity that come to the nerds rescue against the evil empire; the football coach and players, of course.") ... Adam Wesoloski- Pulaski, Wisconsin... Dave Potter- Durham, North Carolina... Steve Staker- Fredericksburg, Iowa... John Zeller- Sears, Michigan ( "I've got another movie that he appeared in: one of those made for T.V. movies from the 70's called "Gargoyles." He played the lead character!")... Mike O'Donnell- Pine City, Minnesota... Keith Babb- Northbrook, Illinois... Mike Framke- Green Bay, Wisconsin... Kevin McCullough- Culver, Indiana... *********** It is my sad news to note the passing of Corinne Braunscheidel, wife of Pat Braunscheidel, former coach at West Seneca East High in West Seneca, New York. I got to meet Corinne when I put on a camp with Pat over a year ago. She was a lovely young woman, a devoted wife to Pat and mother to her young sons. Pat resigned his coaching job in order to be with her during her fight, which included numerous organ transplants. Now, Pat must be both mother and father to his boys, and he is fortunate to have a strong faith and a strong family to bolster him. *********** Pro sports will make a socialist out of me yet... The day after it was announced that numbnuts Damon Stoudamire was nailed for trying to slip an ounce and a half of marijuana through airport security (wrapped in aluminum foil, no less), the NBA Players' Association said that it would appeal the $250,000 fine levied on him by the Trail Blazers. And on that same day, the Blazers, an organization that pays Rasheed Wallace $17 million a year - Rasheed Wallace, for God's sake - laid off 50 office employees. *********** Coach, Some of the coaches of our staff have a few reservations about the DW. Nothing big, I don't think it will cause trouble. but I would like your advice on how you would handle that. We have players with amazing speed this season, and they feel the DW will hold back the kids from thier full potential. I know it won't, I am more worried about these kids being able to pound the ball. But we do have a few backs who can if the speed demons wont. Also the Dw won't prepare the O-line for high school. Again I know that's not true, but how can I reassure the staff in the right way. (even after showing your tapes)? I would get rid of them, because if they don't know about the success the double wing has had and they aren't behind you now, they never will be. Get rid of their asses right now. I'm sorry, but I won;t waste any time on arguments trying to convince ignoramuses. They are either all the way with you or they are against you. HW *********** A kid who sounds, on the surface at least, as something of a misfit, something of a tramp athlete, mysteriously vanishes. Happens every day to kids all over America, who wind up living on the streets. But this kid was a Baylor basketball player. To say the least, he had bounced around a bit. His last stop before Baylor was New Mexico, where it appears he was dismissed from the team. He also appeared to live a kind of existence far too common among many of today's mercenary scholarship athletes, er "student athletes." (I think also of the Nebraska offensive lineman charged with hitting his girlfriend - while she held their child.) In short, he didn't seem to live the life of a college student. He lived off-campus, where he kept a few pit bulls. Let's just say it doesn't sound as if he spent a lot of time in the library. He and his roommate had recently purchased guns to protect themselves against - against what? He evidently had been receiving "threats", according to an acquaintance. So the guy's missing, and his vehicle turns up in Virginia Beach, a fairly good drive from Waco, Texas. Police rightfully suspect foul play. Meantime, his parents and his girl friend are all over Baylor University and the basketball coaching staff. See, they knew he had "problems,", and "they didn't do anything about it." Uh, excuse me, but this guy is (was?) 21 years old, living on his own, and able to buy firearms for "protection." And coaches are catching hell because they supposedly didn't play nursemaid? *********** Big article in Sport Illustrated about the fact that the number of blacks playing major league baseball has declined dramatically. Horrors! Cry the sports reporters. Horros! Cry the baseball people, who live in fear that this will be used as evidence that they are racist racist. But before we go so far as to appoint Jesse Jackson as Commissioner, maybe the reporters should go to where the black athletes are - basketball and football - and ask them why they chose the sport they did. Why they didn't pursue careers in baseball. Or, to pick an almost all-white sport, soccer. Is it possible that black kids are playing basketball and football because they like those sports? Is it possible that they are not playing baseball and soccer because they don't like those sports? *********** Dusty Baker is a baseball manager. Baseball managers are required to spend a lot of their time talking with reporters, who spend a lot of their time writing down the bland, banal things the managers say. Dusty Baker manages the Cubs, who play a lot of day games. Most of us know that it is hotter in the daytime than it is at night. So while on that subject, manager Baker made some off-the-cuff remarks about blacks and Hispanics being better suited for warm weather. "That's why they were brought here," "They come from where it's warm," and stuff to that effect. Broad, sweeping generalizations, with some basis in fact. I say, B.F.D. (Did I mention that Dusty Baker is a black man?) But this is America, where speech used to be free, and so from the reactions of the professionals in the news media, who seem to think it's their anointed role to tell us what we should think, you'd think he'd called on blacks and Hispanics to rise up and kill Whitey. Why, talk about racist - he even said something like "there aren't any brothers in New Hampshire," (which isn't that far off the mark). Imagine what the guys and gals in the media would be saying if he'd said blacks are faster and they can jump higher. *********** Man, the president of the University of Missouri sounds like one party dude. He holds get-togethers at his place where students can ride on four wheelers and do all kinds of fun stuff. Damn shame one of those "students," a basketball player named Ricky Clemons, had to go and bang himself up when he crashed his four-wheeler. Also a damn shame that Ricky was violating the terms of his probation when he crashed. Also a damn shame about the female student that Ricky Clemons was convicted of assaulting. She wasn't invited. Students like that don't get invited to get-togethers at the President's house. Only the star basketball players, like Ricky Clemons, who assault them. The President was trying to "save" Ricky Clemons. I guess the girl doesn't need saving. Cool. Party on. *********** Good luck coaching this guy... Carmelo Anthony, who as a freshman burst on the national scene during Syracuse's run for the national championship and then entered the NBA draft, was invited to throw out the first ball of a Yankees-Orioles game in his hometown of Baltimore. He showed up late. Then asked if the start of the game could be delayed. *********** I was in North Carolina for the holiday weekend, but when I heard the story about Kobe Bryant and his alleged sexual assault I thought the same thing you did: Has he done something "bad" on purpose to establish his street cred? I hope not, I hope this turns out to be a shakedown by some young thing who sees dollar signs in this. Alan L. Goodwin, Warwick, Rhode Island   *********** By the way, my first DW QB (he ran the DW 6th, 7th and 8th grade) will likely be the first jr. QB to start for our varsity in 5 years, and it is attributable, I think, to his ball movement. From the stands he's hard to follow. I've read all of your Q&A and much of your "news you can use" and I've never seen you tout this particular DW benefit: a DW QB's ball movement will be superior to a non-DW QB. Our HS runs the Wing-T where ball movement is so key. This kid's 3 years of close-quarter ball hiding/hand-offs has prepared him well. Thanks. Jim Ens, Grand Rapids, Michigan *********** Hi Coach, .Interesting article in your news section about the coach concerned about coaching his own son.I have been coaching my son for 5 years.This will be our 6th together.We have an understanding.On the field it's coach.I coach the whole team.My son has been taught that it's a team sport.No preparing for higher levels.Every year we do what it takes to win.One year he was the best fullback on then team.Always we have been running the D.W.together.He played tackle.Another year he was the best quarterback on the team - he played guard/tackle.Playing defense also.Every one of these years we made it to the championship game- only lost 2 regular season games those years.The point here is to lead by example.There is no,"That's my son ,and I want him to play this on my team".So if the head coach's son understands this then everyone else better, too.Every parent knows this and so does every player.Thru the years I have never had any problems with coaching my son.Now I'm coaching him even though he could play for his school.He gets way better coaching that way.Hope all is well with you and yours.Thanks for all the info.and guidance you provide.Blessings,Coach Armando Castro, Roanoke, Virginia *********** Coach...I just read the article in regards to wanting to coach your own son.  I have been coaching little league for over 10 years and the past 5 years have been with my own sons.  This year I became the Assistant Head Coach of a Semi-Pro Football team so my time for little league has been minimal...(Games only) When my sons heard that I wasn't coaching baseball, at first they were excited...but when the games came they would come to the side and ask for hitting tips and pitching tips.  I started coaching before I had children and always looked forward to the time when I would be able to coach my own, but I look back now and know for a fact that I would push my own kids harder than the other kids.  Now its football time & fortunate for me I will be coaching at a High School where my kids don't go.  I have challenge them to beat my team (which I know nothing about since I also will be coaching my first year of High School ball) but I think at this stage I would rather play against my sons than coach them, less pressure for the 4 of us....(cant forget the Mrs.) Oh....and yes my sons were always on the All-Star Teams, but honestly I never voted for them or for season ending awards....I left the awards up to the players, Asst. Coaches and the parents who would come to every practice and game....   Don Gambrel Asst. Head Coach Lake County Steelers (Semi-Pro) Asst. Coach South Central High School (Indiana)( for sure, if they are deserving, kids shouldn't be kept off an all-star team just because their dad is their coach. HW) *********** Dear Coach Wyatt: I read with interest today your thoughts on fathers getting into coaching so that they can coach their own kids. As usual, your comments were insightful and reflective of long years of coaching experience. My son started playing football as a nine-year old, and at first I was content to observe and enjoy from the sideline. However, as Jack Reed states in his series of books, I found the quality of coaching lacking. I was seeing knee-high tackling, bull in the ring, lots of screaming, and little instruction. My son, being a big boy, was of course relegated to the offensive line. This was a position with which I was familiar, having played it all through HS and college. I was disappointed by the lack of technique being taught ("get your nose in there and stick em"!) and the absence of assignment knowledge in the coaching staff. He had been taught to block the guy closest too him. It was up to him to figure out who that was. As a result, the games devolved into a series of sweeps to the fastest kid, hoping to avoid the scrum in the middle and outrun the defenders to the corner. I decided to get involved the following year. I requested and received an assignment as the offensive line coach. To my disappointment, my son elected to play fall baseball that year, but that decision afforded me the opportunity to get my feet wet without having to deal with my own boy. I moved up the following year to the 11-12 year olds, and my son, realizing the mistake he had made, rejoined the football team. I had the great experience of coaching the same group of kids to two consecutive 10-0 championship seasons, thanks in no small part to offensive line techniques and assignments gleaned from your playbook. Now, my son has moved on to the next level, and of course several of the coach-dads have also moved on to stay with their sons, a situation that has caused some consternation in our program. In fairness, the coaching dads in our organization happen to have some pretty talented sons. Maybe this is because their dads work with them more in the off-season, or maybe it is a genetic thing, since the coaching dads invariably have a pretty solid playing career in their background. I have elected to stay at the same age level, and have passed my son on to another coaching staff whom I hold in high regard. I enjoy teaching the game of football, and hope to stay with it as long as I am having fun and the organization will have me. It will actually be somewhat of a relief not coaching my own son, as now I no longer will be wondering whether or not I am being too hard on him, or going too easy on him in the eyes of the parents watching our every move from the sidelines. Of course, as they play later in the day, I will be watching every game he plays, and no doubt critiquing his every play. My main point is that, in youth football at least, most of the coaches are going to get involved in order to spend more time with their sons. Frankly, I doubt if coaching football would have ever crossed my mind if I had only daughters. However, I can also see the point of view of dads who wish to move up through the ranks with their boys in order to maximize their involvement with them. The point you made was a key one: coaching dads must prove that they are there for ALL the kids, and that is where the Head Coach must lay down the law. NAME WITHHELD *********** Hello coach: Great stuff as usual. Many things to get to so here we go; I don't know if you have already been notified by your Michigan peoples yet, but a must read is today's Oakland Press about Bo's comments yesterday regarding college football. The Notre Dame, and Price-Neuhesel comments don't get any better. He's a precious gem, and he said them at the university, of course. Bo knows about having juice and onions. Big onions! The sports columnist is Jim Hawkins at website http://www.theoaklandpress.com . It was sad to see our league lose coach Donnie Hayes, but I am aware of the background of his decision and at the same time, am happy for him. Our loss is Florida's gain. I wish he would have stuck around long enough so we could have exacted our revenge from last years 25-24 double wing heartbreaker. Today, while driving and walking to appointments, I don't know how many minutes I lost due to people on their god damn cellphones! I wish they would get off those blasted phones so the rest of us can get on with our lives. I bothers me like soccer. Great article about youth football, and coaches without kids. We call them "d. c.'s." It has a special meaning in our league if you know what I mean. That's the kool thing about our league is it is mostly head coaches, and staff, that do not have kids on the team. The ones that do are rarely successful, and we all know why. As myself and Donnie told you in our meeting, earlier this year, in order to be a high school head coach, or even assistant for that matter, you have to be a teacher. The union here is so strong. That's why we lose guys like Donnie to states like Florida. Your four year degree means something to the high schools. You don't have to go back to school for three years if you want to be a high school coach of something in other states. Don't get me wrong, you can latch on to a high school staff, but you have to be able get off work early everyday, and WILL NEVER be a varsity head coach. It could be argued, that there are better youth coaches in some areas due to this fact. High school positions will go to a teachers, with little or no coaching experience, before a more qualified youth coach, who is a professional 9-5 kind of guy and many more years of coaching on his resume. Could I have Frank Simonson's e-mail? I'd love to contact him. Thanks and so long coach. David livingstone - Troy, Michigan --- PS-I was going to coach at the local high school this year and part time it with dad and the Cowboys. I was very excited. If you recall, this program is one of the biggest and best in the state. The coach, Gary Griffith, is already in the high school coaches hall of fame. But, now with dad gone, I am the head coach of the varsity, so there's no way that I can think of where that will happen, so I had to postpone that dream. It's the most prestiges position in our league. In a way, I get to fulfill another dream, and that's be the head coach of the best program in the league, I just didn't want it this way. Someone told me recently that "now you're the king, not the prince, so step up." See you Friday coach *********** Coach, The Glenn "Tiger" Ellison book, "Run and Shoot Football" is on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3535421540&category=29386 The starting bid is $4.99. The bid will end in about 4 days. This is at least I could do for your "anonymous" friend. Jimmer Kuhn, Greeley, Colorado   *********** Giving credit where it's due...   All is going well as I get back into the swing of things by getting back to work this week. I recall a "News" item from last year that told of how EDS had laid off workers at the most opportune time for EDS and worst time for the affected employees. As you may recall, I became an EDS employee in March as the bank I worked for decided to outsource the services of my department to EDS. During my recent health issues, EDS has been very supportive, understanding, and professional. While I have no doubt that your story was true reflecting incredibly poor judgement by the EDS decision-makers, I want to show that EDS has many sides. In my case, even though circumstances are different, I couldn't be more pleased with EDS' support. I believe that my case is more of the rule than an exception. Regards, Keith Babb, Northbrook, Illinois     "The Beast Was out There," by General James M. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" it contains in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about.        --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN AND RECOGNIZE GREAT KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2003 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM (FOR MORE INFO ABOUT) THE BLACK LION AWARD

July 8, 2003 - "If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything." Mark Twain    2003 CLINIC NEWS & SCENES : CHICAGO - ATLANTA TWIN CITIES   click here for info ----->>>>> <<<<<-----click here for info THIS PAST SEASON'S WEEK-BY-WEEK GAME REPORTS FROM ASSORTED DOUBLE-WING TEAMS ( "WINNER'S CIRCLE")  AS PROMISED.... READERS' FRENCH JOKES (updated as we get them)     A LOOK AT OUR LEGACY: He's shown here as an NFL receiver, but since his pro football career ended, he has made a name for himself as an artist, and as an actor. He played his high school ball in Columbus, Ohio, and is a graduate of Bowling Green. In 1961 he was a first round draft choice of the 49ers. He spent six years or his eight NFL years with the 49ers, and his last two years with the Rams. At 6-4, 215 he was large for a receiver, and in his NFL career, he caught 359 passes for 5444 yards and 40 TDs. In 1967, he was chosen to play in the Pro Bowl, after a season in which he caught 53 passes for 871 yards - a 16.4 average per catch - and eight TDs. But even as a player he began to achieve renown as an artist, and he also became involved on acting. One of his first films was "Black Gunn," in which he appeared with Jim Brown. He played paralyzed basketball star Maurice Stokes in "Maurie," and appeared in "Brian's Song." He was in "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure," and in all three films in the "Revenge of the Nerds" series. He has remained true to his main love, painting, and has served as chairman of the board of the Savannah College of Art and Design. Some of his original paintings hang in the homes of such people as Sidney Poitier, Maya Angelou, Bert Reynolds and Quincy Jones. *********** It was sunny and in the high 70s in the Portland area, about as nice a day as God is capable of making, and we spent a the afternoon of the Fourth down at Cottonwood Beach, on the Columbia, then did the grandparent thing and took our grandsons and their mother into Portland to watch the AAA Portland Beavers lose to the Edmonton Trappers in 12 innings. (Imagine - losing to a Canadian team on our own national birthday, but what the hell - good baseball, good fun, and fireworks afterward.) Hope you had a great Fourth also.   *********** Is it any wonder that the Trail Blazerscan't find anybody to be their GM? The guy's first job is going to be having to deal with hip hop point guard Damon Stoudamire, who after a couple of recent drug incidents for which he received slaps on the wrist was just caught trying to take an ounce and a half of pot onto an airplane in Tucson. *********** You may remember my writing this, way back in February... Kobe Bryant has just been dumped by his second shoe company. First it was adidas, now it's Reebok. Forget the fact that he's one of the greatest basketball players in the game today, probably one of the greatest ever to play the game. Forget the fact that he scored over 40 points a game his last nine times out on the court, a feat accomplished only by Jordan and Chamberlain. (He was "held" to 37 on the night they "stopped" him.) Kobe's problem, you see, is that he lacks "street cred." That's short for Street Credibility. Acceptance by the dudes on the street. To me, lack of street cred means he's welcome in my living room, but to a shoe marketer, it's disastrous, because the gang on "the street," the "ballers" who spend the better part of their lives playing basketball and deciding what to wear next, are the fashion trendsetters of our age. And to them, Kobe may be a good basketball player, sure - but he's not one of them. To put it in sociological terms, the dudes on the street feel "culturally estranged" from him. Man, he's a kid from the 'burbs. In a sort of reverse racism that's somehow okay, he's "too white." Wow. Guilty as charged. I mean, the poor bastard had no shot - he grew up with a loving mother and a strong father. He's even lived in Europe - he spent his early years in Italy while his dad played pro basketball there. Not only can he speak English, he can speak Italian, too. In fact, he once spoke Italian in an adidas commercial, which is held against him by the ballers. (Sound a little like the downward peer pressure that holds back so many inner-city kids?) Oh - and his dad and mom, for some strange reason, chose to pursue the American dream, spending their hard-earned money on a nice home in a nice suburb with good schools, instead of living in the inner city and praying that their kids would live to see graduation day. Maybe, now that he's fresh off his nine-game run, it's not too late to salvage the Reebok deal. Maybe they'll take Kobe back if he'll only promise to undergo a makeover. Here, with my compliments, are a few suggestions for him: Don't know what you're driving, Kobe, but if it's not an SUV, go get yourself one. A BIG one. An Escalade or a Navigator. Or a Hummer. Place a small quantity of marijuana in a ziploc bag and put it in the glove compartment. Now, pour some bourbon all over the rug of the car, and then go out and drive 120 mph on the Santa Monica Freeway. With a taillight out. Once you've got the cops' attention and they give chase, don't pull over right away. And when you finally do, and they ask for identification, ask them "Do you know who I am?" Refuse to cooperate. Stop referring to your wife as your "wife." From now on, she is your "fiancee." If anyone asks, you and she were never married. Have her call 911 and frantically report that you have roughed her up and she is afraid for her life. While she is on the phone, stand behind her and throw things around the room. Holler "Bitch!" several times. When the police arrive, have her indignantly deny that anything has happened, and refuse to press charges. Make sure, though, that her hair is disheveled and she has marks on her face (use a Dobie pad). Tell the news media that the child that you and your fiancee is raising is actually your third - that you sired two other kids back in high school. That you pay child support and you and their mothers "remain close." Surprise the babysitter. Really surprise her. Come home unexpectedly when your wife is away. Expose yourself and make a few suggestions. Acquire an entourage - a posse, if you will. Try Central casting. Specify long rap sheets. Wear a stocking cap any time you go out in public. Even in the middle of July. Buy an assault rifle and a handgun. Fire away at targets in your backyard. Put the word out that you're packin'. Wear an enormous bejewelled cross on a gold chain around your neck. Make up a lot of stories about growing up in the projects. Tell one about a boyhood friend who was killed in a drive-by shooting. Tattoo his face on one biceps, and his name - in Chinese - on the other. Refuse to go into the game when Phil Jackson sends you in. Sit down on the other end of the bench and wave him off. While on the bench, spend your entire time in your own world, with a towel draped over your head. During timeouts, while Phil is talking, look up at the crowd. Or the Jumbotron. At anything but him. Occasionally refuse to come out of the game when Phil subs for you. But be unpredictable - on other occasions, storm off the court and head straight for the lockerroom. If possible, walk past him on your way. Make sure there is a sneer on your face. If you make a nice play, be sure to stick your face into a TV camera and glower. If you are too far from the camera, thump your chest (to show you've got heart) or point to the sky to acknowledge God as the only being who really belongs on the same court with you. (If you prefer, thump and point, both.) If you make a bad play, be sure to sulk, and loaf getting back up court. If you are called for a foul, roll your eyes skyward in disbelief. Approach one of the refs, your arms at your side and your palms open, beseechingly. If someone fouls you, immediately assault him. Miss an occasional team flight. Treat all practices as optional. Sleep through morning shootarounds. If Jackson ever says something that pisses you off, glare at him. Give him the silent treatment. If he keeps it up, tell him you'll kill him. Refuse to talk the press. Better yet, give them the ole 'Sheed treatment: 1st REPORTER: "How'd it feel tonight, Rasheed?" RASHEED: "It was a good game. They played hard." 2nd REPORTER: "Good to be back, Rasheed?" RASHEED: "It was a good game. They played hard." 3rd REPORTER: "Think you can beat the Kings Thursday?" RASHEED: "It was a good game. They played hard." Etc., etc., etc. If you have something to say to the public, say it through your agent. ("Kobe regrets that the public misunderstands...") If by some chance you do speak publicly, be sure to say something about the lack of respect people show you, and always use the third person. Instead of saying, "it's all about people showing me more respect," say. "It's all about people showing Kobe Bryant more respect." Otherwise, though, drop that "Kobe" business entirely. That's a city in Japan, for God's sake. You need a nickname - I'll leave it up to you. "The Answer" is gone, and so is "The Truth," but you've got the idea. Make a rap CD. What's that? You say you already tried that? And it flopped? Never mind. Scratch that. BUT FAST FORWARD TO THE PRESENT.... KOBE - I WAS JUST KIDDING! SAY IT AIN'T SO! *********** Following up on Ted Seay's post about Larry Simering inventing the Belly Series... Dear Coach Wyatt, It has been a long time since I emailed you. I was coaching the offensive lineman at Soquel High School up until 1999, but have not been coaching since then. I still read your site religiously and just had to email you concerning Larry Simering. Larry coached at Santa Cruz High School when I was a Freshman and then was replaced by Bill Wood who was my coach for the rest of my three years at Santa Cruz. Larry then became the Head Coach at Cabrillo Junior College. My coach Bill, played for Larry at COP and we ran the wing T with the Belly series developed by Larry. This was the backbone of our offense and we were very productive. My High School days spanned 1958-1962. In 1958 Larry coached Santa Cruz to a 9-0 record and the school was ranked number 1 in Northern California by the SF Chronicle. That year Santa Cruz played Berkeley HS, Burlingame HS, and Bellarmine HS in the preseason and beat them each by 30+ points. Burlingame had a 44 game winning streak that was stopped by Santa Cruz that year. This team is considered by many in our local area as the greatest high school football team. Larry coached the Northern squad that year in the annual California All Star Game at the LA Coliseum and it was one of the only years that the North beat the South. Two young men played from Santa Cruz that year and the MVP was John Kirby a halfback from Santa Cruz High. There are many, many stories about Larry from his former players. He was extremely competitive and hated to lose. Everything and I mean everything was a competition. He is still alive and living in the Aptos area, which is an area in Santa Cruz where Cabrillo junior college is located. He once took me when I was a Freshman and two other players out to an apple orchard behind Santa Cruz and gave each of us a lug box. He told us that he would blow his whistle and that we were to sprint up the hill to the apple trees, pick as many apples as we could into the lug boxes, then when he blew the whistle again we were to sprint back down to him and load the lug boxes with the apples into the car and then we would leave. He told us this was a great lineman drill and would help us develop leg drive and quickness. Well he blew the whistle and off we sprinted up the hill to the apple trees and started quickly picking apples and putting them into the lug boxes. The next thing we knew was that the farmer who owned the orchard sees us and starts yelling at us and running at us from his house. Larry blows his whistle and we take off back down the hill with lug boxes in hand. We get to his car and he grabs the lug boxes from us throws them into the car and pushes us into the car and tears off. Later we found out he didn't have permission to pick those apples, but just wanted them to have some fresh apple pie. This is just an example of the many many stories surrounding this man. He was truly a character, but also a very very innovative offensive coach. Best regards, The Old Line Coach, Brad Elliott, Santa Cruz, California *********** Ever since I got a letter from a coach asking me what I thought about the Double-Wing in Division III, unsolicited applications for assistants' positions have been coming in... Count me in too. I would love to be a part of a DW college program where we could recruit the players to run the DW. D3 school in Minnesota runs exclusively Wishbone, and I have even talked with my wife about wanting to run the DW at a small college. Small college kids are the greatest, they play football because they LOVE the GAME, not for the "full ride" status of the D2 and D1 guys (not that they do not love the game, I played with several that did at UNI). But anybody that does what a walk on (at a bigger school) or a D3 football guy does is done for one reason, THEY LOVE FOOTBALL. Now lets find a small college to buy into it ASAP. Or let's pool our money and start our own small college (I'll teach the "Elementary Education" classes). Brad Knight, Holstein, Iowa *********** Back when I used to play golf regularly, one of the things that annoyed me was the lack of knowledge of golf etiquette among people who were relatively new to the game. Golf's etiquette is one of the things that makes it golf. But commercialism threatens the very game itself. Equipment manufacturers just want to sell equipment and tour sponsors just want to sell their products, and they could care less how people behave. Which is just as well, since public courses are full of who act like they're a bunch of high school kids playing mini-golf. With beer added. You had to wonder where all this was headed, and then this past week, at the LPGA Open, Godzilla met the Bride of Frankenstein - bad golf manners met Little League Parents. A 13-year-old named Michelle Wie, who we are told is a phenom sure to become the Tiger Woods of women's golf, showed up at the LPGA Open with her father, B.J. Wie - remember that name - caddying. To give you some idea of the kind of sports father B.J Wie is, Sports Illustrated this past week says the Wies spend some $50,000 a year on their daughter and her pursuit of golf excellence. But as busy as they've been, they forgot the lessons in golf etiquette. On Friday, little teenager Michelle was paired with Donna Ammaccapane, a tour veteran, and Ms. Ammaccapane was not amused by some of the breaches of etiquette, including the caddy B.J. putting the bag in the wrong place on the tee (somewhat like a visiting team coming in and warming up on your end of the field), Michelle hitting out of turn, and then, worst of all, crossing behind the hole as Ms. Ammaccapane was preparing to putt. Evidently, once the round was over, the veteran blistered the newcomer for her breaches of etiquette. I'm guessing it went a trifle beyond the usual "this is the way we do things in the big time" orientation talk. Father B.J added to the occasion with an accusation that Ms. Ammaccapane had pushed his baby daughter. He later retracted that scurrilous accusation, and on the subject of the breaches etiquette, he pled ignorance. Nice try, B. J. - except that by the time a golfer- and a caddy - have made it to the US Open, it's reasonable to expect that they'll understand how to act. Unless, of course, as with so many Americans these days, understanding how to act is not something they care to trouble themselves with learning. In any event, I think there are ugly days ahead for the women's golf tour. Here's why I say that - After all that took place, Ms. Wie, the teenage whiz, thinks she's the victim. She thinks she's due an apology from Ms. Ammaccapane. But even if she were to get one, she says, she wouldn't accept it. Let's see - she's 13. Can women's golf survive 30 more years of that sh--? *********** I didn't land a coaching position this season. I was stunned to find out the league fills the team's coaching positions with dads first if they apply. Unbelievable and a little backwards in my mind. At least screen them for their credentials or what they plan to do. I was offered an asst. coaching position with the league commissioners team. I declined for a few reasons. First he isn't a very good coach and we handled them twice last season. I would've if I was the OC and could run the SW 100% which didn't fly, and the fact I have two young children at home that could use me around if I'm not running the entire show. Is there such a thing as "reverse nepotism"? Strange way to run a league. He did assure me it wasn't my system it's just the way they like to do things. They appreciate volunteers without children participating and want to find them a place. Kind of a bummer. I always figured I would probably coach my son if he chose to play and I wanted to be known as a established, respected coach when he was ready to play. Now after talking with some coaching friends from around the country, most participate in league's that don't have dad's as head coaches. Now I am starting to wonder if I should avoid coaching my son when he's a player. What has been your experience with this? Can it work and if so how? Thoughts? NAME WITHHELD Coach- There is a very important distinction between a real coach whose son happens to be on his team and an overinterested dad getting into coaching primarily to coach his own son. I know and have known many excellent high school coaches who have successfully coached their own sons. Bill Mignault comes to mind. He is the winningest coach in Connecticut football history, and he has coached both his son and his grandson. These coaches do have one thing in common, though, and that's a dedication to their programs - all the players - and not just to the advancement of their own sons (who have often been very good football players). But I'm sure even those guys catch some grief because their own sons are playing for them. I never coached my own son, and it's probably better, because I'm sure I'd have been tougher on him than on other kids. I also know a number of fine youth coaches who don't seem to me to be in it to groom their own kids. That is the danger, of course, and football has them. It is almost a joke in Little League baseball where every coach's kid makes the All-Star team. That doesn't mean the coaches' kids aren't good. But it sure does require a professionalism on the part of the coach that isn't always there when a guy gets into coaching when his son does, and gets out at the same time. I would certainly insist that a man first prove that he's a coach of all kids - that he already be coaching a team when his son comes along. If it is necessary to impose rules against nepotism, I would probably draw the line at fathers and sons joining the team at the same time, and I think I might also draw the line at fathers moving up through the age groups with their sons. But it is a damn shame to have to make such arbitrary rules, when what is needed is people with backbone to be able to tell the few jerk dads that they're not fit to coach the other kids. After all, the good coach's son deserves to be coached by a good coach. *********** Regarding an article I wrote a while back about Fathers coming onto the practice field and "helping". .. "I do not turn any help away, But they must take the 6 hr. NYSCA course, and view your Safer Surer Tackling tape before they can step on the field, I mean even step on the field.. If they are serious about coaching. they will gladly do this. I know I seem to push this NYSCA thing, but it does make a coach aware that there is more to coaching than just blocking and tackling, ( plus the insurance ). I only let them start under close supervision (holding bags, fixing equipment,etc. ) until I feel comfortable that they understand what we want." Frank Simonsen, Cape May, New Jersey (Frank Simonsen, with 20+ years as a youth coach, is one of the top coaches I know at any level. *********** In Indiana, I'm told they tell Purdue jokes. In Texas, Aggie jokes are a tradition. In Washington, it's Cougar jokes. I've heard great Kansas State jokes aimed at KU, and great Kansas jokes at K-State's expense. No doubt the same thing goes on in South Carolina (Clemson-SC), Alabama (Bama-Auburn) and Georgia (UGa-Georgia Tech). Anybody know of anybody I missed? Anybody know any good jokes about the other side? *********** For several years now, my daughter and son-in-law in Durham, North Carolina, have been hosting college baseball players playing for the Durham team in the Coastal Plain League, a summer "wooden bat league" designed to give college ball players experience with the game as its played by the professionals. This summer, by sheer coincidence, the player they're hosting, a shortstop named Trevor Hahn, comes from Vancouver, Washington, the town just to the west of us where I coached for ten years, and our kids went to high school. Trevor went to Columbia River High, which used to be one of our big rivals, and he played all the sports, playing wide receiver for the CR football team, which is coached by some very good friends of mine. Trevor is a rising junior at the University of Portland. So two of our grandsons, who think Trevor is really cool, have been visiting us from North Carolina, and we treated them to a week of baseball camp at the University of Portland- Trevor's school. I enjoyed watching the way the camp was run, and I laughed my ass off listening to UP Coach Chris Sperry in one of his first talks with the kids: "Okay fellas - let's get those shirts tucked in and those hats on straight. Let's look like players." *********** People who think that President Bush has a sharp tongue would sure have problems dealing with Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, who recently assumed the rotating presidency of the European Union. Mr. Berlusconi is considered a friend of the US, and on Thursday, he dealt rather roughly with German socialist Martin Schulz, a member of the European Parliament. (German socialists are definitely not friends of the US.) Mr. Berlusconi is under indictment at home in a bribery scandal, and with leftist politicians inside the Parliament Building carrying signs saying "No Godfather for Europe," Mr. Schulz said something along those line that set Mr. Berlusconi off. Mr. Berlusconi is a man after my own heart. He did not take the insult lying down. "Mr. Schulz," he said, "I know there is a man in Italy producing a film on the Nazi concentration camps. I would like to suggest you for the role of leader. You would be perfect." Whereupon Mr. Schulz hit him with his purse. Just kidding. *********** "I am looking for someone who knows how to line up in a Lonesome Polecat formation (where the offensive players line up) and all the options off of this formation. If you could help me out I would appreciate it and will share anything I have with you. Thank you" (NAME WITHHELD - BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO RUIN ANY SURPRISES) Hi Coach- The place to find it is in the book "Run and Shoot Football," by Glenn "Tiger" Ellison. Tiger Ellison is not only the inventor of the Run and Shoot, but he arrived at it via the Lonesome Polecat. I believe the book is back in print. It was first published in 1965 by Parker Publishing and reprinted in 1984, and I think there has been another printing since then. Tiger Ellison's "Lonesome Polecat," so-named because when he first showed it to his staff his line coach said "it stinks", goes basically like this: The right end lines up over the ball as "center", but since he is on the end of the line (he must also have an eligible number) he is eligible. The left end lines up 17 yards from the ball, with the other five linemen over there with him (LT-LG-C-RG-RT). The left halfback is directly behind the left end. The right halfback and fullback are lined up 17 yards to the right of the RE/"Center", but never closer than 6 yards to the sideline. The QB is 11 yards deep. The formation can be flipped. Essentially, it is based on reading coverage. In its simplest form, the left end runs an individual route while the left halfback serves as a safety valve. The three receivers on the right - the "center", right half and fullback - run combination routes. Keep looking for that book. It's a good one.         "The Beast Was out There," by General James M. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" it contains in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about.        --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN AND RECOGNIZE GREAT KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2003 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM (FOR MORE INFO ABOUT) THE BLACK LION AWARD

July 4, 2003 - "...We mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our Sacred Honor." The concluding passage of the Declaration of Independence    2003 CLINIC NEWS & SCENES : CHICAGO - ATLANTA TWIN CITIES   click here for info ----->>>>> <<<<<-----click here for info THIS PAST SEASON'S WEEK-BY-WEEK GAME REPORTS FROM ASSORTED DOUBLE-WING TEAMS ( "WINNER'S CIRCLE")  AS PROMISED.... READERS' FRENCH JOKES (updated as we get them)     A LOOK AT OUR LEGACY: Frank Broyles came on the college coaching scene at roughly the same time as Texas' Darrell Royal and left at roughly the same time, and their clashes were legendary. A native of Decatur, Georgia, Broyles played his college football as a quarterback for Bobby Dodd at Georgia Tech, while lettering in basketball and baseball as well. After graduating from Tech with a degree in industrial management, he decided to become a coach. He paid his dues, serving as an assistant at Baylor, Texas, Florida, Georgia Tech and Georgia before becoming a head coach at Missouri in 1957. But after just one year there, a 5-4-1 season, he was hired by Arkansas, where he would remain as head coach for the next 19 years. When he retired after the 1976 season, he was the winningest coach in Razorbacks' history, winning 144 games, losing 58 and tieing 5. His teams won seven Southwest Conference championships, and played in 10 bowl games. His unbeaten 1964 team was voted national champion by the Football Writers of America, and he and Ara Parseghian shared AFCA Coach of the Year honors. Since retiring as football coach, he spent several years as a top analyst on college football broadcasts, and still continues to serve as athletic director at Arkansas. Under his leadership, Arkansas has become a national power in numerous sports. He has overseen the expansion of the stadium to 72,000 and in 1990, he was instrumental in Arkansas' move from the the Southwest Conference to the Southeastern Conference, setting into motion the events that led to the dissolution of the SWC, second only to the Big Ten in age. In 1983 Frank Broyles was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, More than 25 former Broyles assistants went on to become head coaches, including Doug Dickey, Hayden Fry, Joe Gibbs, Jimmy Johnson, Johnny Majors, Jackie Sherrill and Barry Switzer.   *********** Correctly identifying Frank Broyles: Joe Daniels- Sacramento... Adam Wesoloski- Pulaski, Wisconsin ("I am listening to ESPN radio and hearing an interview with him right now!")... Ronalt Singer- Toronto, Ontario (I remember him doing color years ago Texas A&M vs Texas. He said A&M has speed - " you run at speed and you run around strength." Texas did this and won the game.")... Sam Knopik- Kansas City, Missouri... Joe Gutilla- Minneapolis ("That's Frank Broyles in this week's edition of the legacy. And yes, his rivalry with Darrell Royal was legendary. In fact one of the greatest college football games ever played was that Arkansas-Texas game back in the early 70's - not sure which year. I also enjoyed listening to Broyles as a college football analyst because he always gave the audience a "coach's perspective" during the games, and he always seemed to be able to present both sides of why the coach made a certain call.")... Mike Foristiere- Boise, Idaho ("He was the man that hired Houston Nutt away from Boise State. I remember Houston left and never said a word to the team/ not goodbye/ good luck/ not a thing. Gee I was hoping Ricky Neuheisel would have done the same thing at Washington.")... John Muckian- Lynn, Massachusetts... John Reardon- Peru, Illinois... Christopher Anderson- Cambridge, Massachusetts ("It's too bad that three of the assistants you mentioned later put programs on probation. On the other hand, you probably know how well Hayden Fry was revered by his Hawkeye fans. He produced a lot of good coaches himself - Alvarez, Snyder, Stoops, Ferentz.")... Ron Timson- Umatilla, Florida ("I remember him as a coach, TV commentator, and Athletic Director. Giant of a man in the coaching profession.")... John Bothe- Oregon, Illinois... Mike Framke- Green Bay, Wisconsin.. Mark Kaczmarek- Davenport, Iowa ("Keith, that's the fahnest example of a two-yard run Ah've evah seen!")... Ted Seay- Suva, Fiji Islands... Kevin McCullough- Culver, Indiana... *********** Coach Wyatt - FANTASTIC !!!!! Selection for this week's "Legacy". That is the "Legendary" Frank Broyles ,great coach , one of Bobby Dodd's all-time best, everything I have read about Broyles points out not only was he a great "technical" coach,but a great "game day" coach. From the sidelines he was one of the best "strategic" coaches of any era, a very dangerous coach to coach against come game time. Broyles also turned out a lot "screw-balls" and "NUTS" that played for him - SWITZER,Jimmy Johnson, Jerry Jones,L.Alworth (later in his career)etc. It's between him and John Wooden , of what Coach turned out the Most WACKOS for better or Worse. But he was an even better broadcaster .Broyles and Keith Jackson in my book will go down as the ALL-TIME best, play by play/color duo. Those two got me hooked big-time on College football and football in general, see ya friday Coach , John Muckian, Lynn,Massachusetts *********** Hugh: Frank Broyles is your Legacy answer, and provides yet another link back to the Eddie LeBaron era at COP. In an August 1986 interview with Scholastic Coach, Broyles had this to say: "Q: When you coached for Bobby (Dodd, at Georgia Tech), in the 1950's, most people thought you originated the Belly Series. You said that you picked it up from Eddie LeBaron when he played at the College of the Pacific. Could you give us a little background. A: Eddie originated it and we put it into our offense in 1951. During an off-week before the Georgia game, we combined the belly series with our most commonly used play. We ran this new offense for the first time against Georgia and scored five touchdowns, using three options. We then added this concept to other plays and it became the backbone of our offense -- helping us to achieve a 67-7 record over the next six years." To give credit where due, Eddie LeBaron QB'd belly football at COP after Coach Stagg retired -- the belly itself was the brainchild of Larry Siemering, the man who had the unenviable task of following a legend's legend as HC at Pacific. As Coach Broyles notes above, he got the belly from COP (and Coach Siemering, who by 1951 had moved on to Arizona State). Regards, Ted Seay- Suva, Fiji Islands (Great contribution. By the way - much of last week's Sports Illustrated was devoted to "Where Are They Now?" features, and one of those featured was Eddie LeBaron, now a successful lawyer in Sacramento. HW) *********** Coach Wyatt - In my excitement about Frank Broyles, I did not ask ,Do you think Joe Pa and Penn St. will ever give any consideration to coming back home and Joining the Big East? I hope the powers that be in the Big East have enough "common sense" to at least inquire about Penn St. I feel that is the only play in the play book.From what I have read ever since they Joined the Big 10 A) it has been a tougher road in Football then they expected ,their Men's basketball program has not picked up any cachet for playing in the Big 10 B) Their fan base and Alumni are not all that "jacked-up" about playing  a Big 10 schedule ( of course with the exception of Mich. and Ohio St.). So here's hoping Joe Pa comes back East and puts any bad blood he had with the "ole" eastern independents behind him!! - John Muckian  Lynn,Ma Right now there are two wild cards in the deck that could shake up everything - Notre Dame and Penn State. If one or both were to join the Big East, it would be right up there with any conference. Lots of problems for ND - (1) the exclusive TV contract (2) the desire to play a national schedule (3) the special pass into the BCS (4) no need to share bowl money. Probably not gonna happen. In Penn State's case - I'm not sure that football-wise, the Big Ten's been a net gain for them. I do know that the faculty and administration were highly in favor of moving to the Big Ten because of all the major football conferences, it is probably the most prestigious academically. Joe originally stated that part of his desire to move was that he wanted to stand on the sidelines at the Rose Bowl. This he has done. Penn State won national championships as an eastern independent; but its 1994 team swept undefeated through the Big Ten - and the rest of the schedule - and beat Oregon in the Rose Bowl, but still got nosed out by Nebraska because the Lions didn't maul Indiana they way they were expected to (Indiana sneaked across a couple of meaningless fourth-quarter TDs). That should have been a sign to Joe that there is value to being a big fish in a small pond. Time to go back to playing Pitt, Syracuse, West Virginia and BC. (And if you're going to suck in basketball, at least you won't have to travel so far.) *********** The Fourth of July is uniquely American. When I was coaching in Finland, the American players and coaches over there usually tried to get together at some place central to celebrate the Fourth, and since the Finns enjoy a good time too, we never had any problems getting some of them to join us. This year, I will be enjoying the Fourth in the US pretty much like you, with family, food, fireworks and (optional for some of you) beer . Maybe we'll even take our grandsons down to our favorite beach along the river. But it really is important that we remember the true meaning of the Fourth before it, like Christmas, gets lost. Consider today's quote, at the top of the page. It's the ultimate expression of a true team - it was a statement by the people who were about to sign the Declaration of Independence. They had dared to defy the King of England, and they knew that by signing their names to that piece of paper, they were putting everything they had - their lives, the fortunes and their sacred honor - on the line. The debt we owe to those men of great courage can only be repaid by keeping faith with them. *********** Setting a new standard in whorishness for even the NFL, $4 million has changed hands, and now the NFL's oldest, proudest franchise, the love-child of George Halas, is officially "Bears Football Presented by Bank One." Not that Mr. Halas would have minded. He was a football man first and foremost, but he was also a hard-nosed businessman who spent many an off-season trying to finagle loans to help him keep the club going over the off-season, until the gate receipts started coming in again, and if he were alive today, he'd probably be proud of his successors for getting into sponsors' pockets so deeply and so effortlessly. As one who had seen the hard times of the early days - not to mention the death of numerous pro football clubs along the way - he was notoriously cheap, and remained so long after his financial success had been assured. It was once said of Mr. Halas - Dick Butkus may have been the one to say it - that he threw nickels around like they were manhole covers. Another story told about him (probably at a roast) was that he once accidentally dropped a dime into a urinal. He stood there for a minute, thinking, then threw another dime in after it, and retrieved them both. When one of his friends who happened to be looking on asked him what that was all about he said, "I wasn't about to reach in there for a dime. But for twenty cents..." *********** Coach- Found the part about Skippy speaking at the 2 casinos funny. I actually attended the Nike clinic at Mt Pleasant Mich., and left the blackjack table (No lectures please!) specifically to see Coach Neuheisel speak. As much as it pains me to say this, he is probably the most charismatic and entertaining clinic speaker ive ever seen. Informative as well...I picked up a few things that im able to use quite often in our Football Tech class. However, I can definitely see how Coach Neuheisel has quite a bit of "used car salesman" in him. I felt sorry for any unsuspecting parent who had a son considering attending UW. I have a distinct feeling that that family would hear anything and everything just to get that boy to come to Washington (or Colorado, or UCLA, or whatever). Charismatic...yes. Able to sell you your own shoes...absolutely. Trustworthy...absolutely not. Keep the Faith- Brian Rochon, North Farmington, Michigan (Hah! Well put. Yes, he is very charismatic and - I think this is an appropriate word, in view of the fact that he was hired by a female AD - seductive. HW) *********** From Christopher Anderson, a friend from Seattle who is a student in Cambridge, Massachusetts... After seeing Rick hit softballs in the most obsequious interview since, well, Bill Clinton, I decided to document the striking similarities between the excuses of the Man From Hope and the Coach From Law School. Excuse: Everybody does it RN: "It was just a pizza-and-beer gathering with people I thought were friends."Journalists corroborate the ubiquity of 'office pools.' Hedges reveals small-stakes football office pool of years past. BC: Larry Flint is hired to blackmail conservative philanderers. Columnists deplore USA's sexual puritanism vis-a-vis Europe, especially France (such a paragon of morality). Excuse: He didn't really break the rules RN: 'Did you consider it gambling?' "Not in a million years. I think of gambling as with a bookie, or a vig, or whatever you call it. It was a neighborhood auction." (I want to enter an auction where you bid money to get more money.) Others attacked the NCAA's gambling policy directly. BC: "Oral sex isn't really sex." Excuse: He didn't really lie RN: "We were blindsided...I was answering questions very carefully." BC: "It depends on what the meaning of the word 'is' is." To quote Chris Rock: "Everybody lies about sex. People lie while they're HAVIN' sex." Excuse: He's too smart for that RN/BC: Thought they were too smart to get caught. Assertion belied by other colossal brain cramps, such as 12 men on the field and gaffes about White House coffees. Excuse: It's not big enough to lose his job over. RN: Radio hosts: "If he hadn't lied about the 49ers, and gotten Colorado sanctions, and drawn fire from the Pac-10, and committed out-of-calendar recruiting, this wouldn't be a big deal." BC: (Pick your senator) "It doesn't rise to the level of an impeachable offense." Excuse: It's not related to his job RN: "He wasn't even gambling on his own sport." BC: "It's his private life." Excuse: He's good at his job RN: Belied by two 7-win seasons and a 1-3 bowl record. BC: Belied by passing up 3 chances to catch Osama bin Laden, plus unsound economic policy leading to the dot-com bubble/collapse. Excuse: "I need to go back to work" RN: "I want to be the coach." (Maybe he can put it on his Christmas list.) BC: "I need to go back to work for the American people." Excuse: People don't think he should be fired RN: "My players want me to be the coach." Letters of support from other Nike coaches. Testimonials for his (rightly deserved) reputation in the Seattle community. BC: "Other countries are laughing at us." "Why don't they stop torturing that poor man." Excuse: It was a setup RN: Supporters: "Who's the rat? The NCAA/Wazzu fans/Seattle press are out to get Rick. It's just like the 1992 witch hunt." BC: Hillary: "This is all the product of a vast right-wing conspiracy that has been conspiring against my husband since the day he declared for the presidency." *********** Diane Alden, writing in NewsMax.com, has this to say about Political Correctness (PC)... The dangerous thing about PC is that it is couched in feel-good, kindergarten-teacher terms: "Why can't we all get along?" Perhaps this may be one reason PC appeals to so many people. It offers a clean, orderly, secure, safe world free from the chaos of human existence. But in the end "getting along" will mean giving up everything that made American Western society great. It will mean giving up that which propels us to the stars and beyond. Creativity and liberty are restless and do not sit still when boundaries are imposed by the state or by barbaric intellectuals whose only god is their arrogance and pride. Nature has become an end in and of itself. The goal is no longer to protect or harmonize with nature, rather it is to glory in it and place it above and beyond humanity. However, man is not part of nature. He becomes another function of nature but nothing special or more important than a butterfly or slug. This philosophy totally flies in the face of Western and Christian tradition.   *********** "FORMER HUSKER ATTACKS BEAVER" read the headline in our local paper. Being something of an animal lover and imagining Lawrence Phillips beating a large rodent to death with a baseball bat, I read on.   The "former Husker", it turned out, was former Nebraska running back Thunder Collins, but the Beaver was Oregon State sophomore footballer Jamaal Jackson, paid a surprise visit by Mr. Collins as he slept with his girlfriend (who, coincidentally, happened to be a former girlfriend of Mr. Collins, one he was once charged with assaulting) in their Corvallis, Oregon apartment.   As a result of the visit, Jackson was taken to a local hospital with a possible fractured jaw.   In order to pull off his surprise, Collins had to fly from Lincoln to someplace like Denver or Salt Lake City or Minneapolis and catch a connecting flight to Portland, then take a taxi 90 miles south to Corvallis, Oregon. "A very determined young man," was the way a Corvallis Police spokesman described Collins. *********** A few months ago I wrote about Donnie Hayes, who caught the coaching bug while coaching youth football in subruban Detroit, and set about finding out how to get into high school coaching. What he found out was that there are opportunities, but there's usually a price to be paid. Inquiries in his home state of Florida got him a job interview and, ultimately, an offer of a teaching and coaching position at Freedom High School, a new school in Orlando. He has a bachelor's degree from Norwich University, and enough experience in environmental science to get a provisional teaching certificate. But not so fast - it's all very exciting, but there were family issues to be resolved. Not only did it mean a major move, and new schools for the kids, but Donnie's wife, Tami, had a good job in the Detroit area, and relocation to Florida meant a move away from her folks, who live in Muskegon, Michigan. Nevertheless, where there's a will there's a way, and I just got this report from him... Hey Coach, I haven't written in a while and wanted to update you on my status. As you know, Tami and I decided to make the move to FL so that I could pursue coaching. We depart for the south on July 16th and conditioning starts on July 21st. I spoke with the head of the science department at the HS and it turns out that he is also a football coach. Actually it turns out that there are four football coaches that are teachers in the science department. So much for the idea that football coaches are just a bunch of dummies that only know how to teach that "barbaric" sport. We have a HFC that teaches chemistry, a QB coach that teaches physics, and a Freshman HFC (thats me) that teaches biology and zoology, and an assistant coach that teaches integrated sciences (?). I also intend to sign up my team (the freshmen) for the Black Lion Award; however, I need to get approval from the Principal and the AD first. I will also try to get the JV and varsity teams on-board. I am hoping that it will not be a problem at "Freedom HS, Home of the Patriots". One positive thing is that during my interview, I asked if they were going to have ROTC at the school and they said that they had applied for it but they were on a "waiting list". I'm not exactly sure how it all works but apparently it takes some time to get an ROTC post approved/established at a school. But at least the administration wants one! I will keep you posted about Freedom HS's status as a Black Lion Team. I just keep thinking about how great it would be to have Mr. Hinger present the awards to the kids who earn them. As Coach Hayes notes, the name of the school is Freedom High School. Their nickname is The Pariots, and their colors are red, white and blue. Evidently there are some who think that the Orlando School System has taken the "patriotic thing" too far. Screw them. *********** All along, the presumption has been that the ACC lured Miami in for the big bucks the Hurricanes will bring in. They'd better. Street and Smith's "Sports Business Journal" estimates that with the addition of Miami and Virginia Tech, the conference will need to bring in an additional $19.4 million just to keep revenue payouts the same for existing teams. Here's how the math works: according to federal tax records, the ACC took in $98.1 million last year, roughly $88 million of which was distributed equally among the nine member schools - about $9.7 million per school. Increasing the size of the league by two more teams means that to assure that each of the 11 member schools receives the same $9.7 million payout, the ACC must come up with an additional $9.7 million to cover the two new members - a total of $19.4 million. Even ACC Commissioner John Swofford admits that finding the additional money is not a sure thing. ("There may be some transitional years," he says, in classic adminospeak.) Look for a lot of "transitional years" if there's no conference football championship game. That was the major reason for adding three teams - Miami, Boston College and Syracuse - in the first place. That would have brought the ACC to 12 teams, the number currently required by the NCAA to enable it to stage a post-season league championship game. But by adding only two teams - Miami and Virginia Tech - rather than the three originally proposed, the ACC now has 11 teams, one short of the 12 it needs. No conference championship game, which is estimated to have the potential to bring in $7 to $10 million. Without the championship game, the ACC is pinning most of its hopes on a more lucrative television contract. Last year, the league earned $21.1 million from TV rights fees to its football games, and the addition of Miami is expected to give it a boost in negotiating a better TV deal. But it's going to have to be a whopper of a deal, because in the ACC, basketball is still king, bringing in $28 million in TV rights fees, and the addition of Miami and Virginia Tech could actually wind up costing the league money. That's because, in comparison to the fierce basketball rivalries ACC fans have become accustomed to, there simply isn't that much viewer interest in games - conference games or not - involving Virginia Tech and Miami, both basketball weaklings. Neither sponsors or fans are likely to get excited about Miami-Wake Forest, or Virginia Tech-Clemson. One other not-so-slight problem - the big lure to attract big donors to become "Iron Dukes" or "Diamondback Terrapins" or whatever has been tickets to the ACC basketball tournament. Allocating tickets for Virginia Tech fans (whose attendance avergaged under 5,000 last season) and Miami is going to mean cutting the allotment of tickets to serious fans of serious basketball programs. The only other way to meet demand is to play in a dome, with all its ambience. But only one ACC tournament in the next several years is scheduled to be played in one, the Georgia Dome. Sounds like the ACC is in for a quite a few "transitional years." *********** From a HS coach who's had success with the Double-Wing... How difficult do you think it would be to run this offense at the college level? Particularly at the D3 level. I realize first that you'd have to get an AD to buy into it, and then convince the returning players to do the same. I don't think it would be too difficult to put a staff together of DW coaches. In fact there are probably a number of them out there that would jump at a chance like that. But if you were able to do that would you have to adjust any part of the offense to take in account the size and speed of the college game? Just curious. Division III? You bet your ass. I think you would have to vary sets, and you'd have to throw the ball reasonably well. Depending on the QB, some option would be helpful. I think that running the Double-Wing (maybe calling it something sexier like the "Multi-Wing" or "Flex-Wing") would be a recruiting advantage (to the extent you can recruit in D-III) because of all the fairly good HS running backs going to waste since most colleges need so few of them. I also think you can recruit slightly undersized linemen who can run but are currently being overlooked because of their size. It would also be easier to recruit a QB. Put me down as a candidate for a spot on your staff. HW *********** Oh, well. At least no one suggested soccer... There were too many injuries, and the medical costs were getting way out of hand, so administrators at an Oregon penitentiary decided to pull the plug - no more flag football for inmates. Instead, the cons will be offered other sports. I assume that fencing and archery were out of the question, but I have a feeling that the fellows will not be burning off a lot of energy and releasing pent-up aggressiveness with the proposed offerings: volleyball and - I am not making this up - chess and checkers.   "The Beast Was out There," by General James M. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" it contains in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about.        --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN AND RECOGNIZE GREAT KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2003 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM (FOR MORE INFO ABOUT) THE BLACK LION AWARD

July 1, 2003 - "Bureaucracy defends the status quo long past the time when the quo has lost its status." J. Lawrence Peter, famed author of "The Peter Principle"    2003 CLINIC NEWS & SCENES : CHICAGO - ATLANTA TWIN CITIES   click here for info ----->>>>> <<<<<-----click here for info THIS PAST SEASON'S WEEK-BY-WEEK GAME REPORTS FROM ASSORTED DOUBLE-WING TEAMS ( "WINNER'S CIRCLE")  AS PROMISED.... READERS' FRENCH JOKES (updated as we get them)     DEPENDING ON MY SCHEDULE, I MAY OR MAY NOT PUBLISH ON JULY 4 - EITHER WAY, HAVE A GREAT FOURTH   A LOOK AT OUR LEGACY: He came on the college coaching scene at roughly the same time as Texas' Darrell Royal and left at roughly the same time, and their clashes were legendary.   A native of Decatur, Georgia, he played his college football as a quarterback for Bobby Dodd at Georgia Tech, while lettering in basketball and baseball as well. After graduating from Tech with a degree in industrial management, he decided to become a coach. He paid his dues, serving as an assistant at Baylor, Texas, Florida, Georgia Tech and Georgia before becoming a head coach at Missouri in 1957. But after just one year there, a 5-4-1 season, he was hired by Arkansas, where he would remain for the next 19 years. When he retired after the 1976 season, he was the winningest coach in Razorbacks' history, winning 144 games, losing 58 and tieing 5. His teams won seven Southwest Conference championships, and played in 10 bowl games. His unbeaten 1964 team was voted national champion by the Football Writers of America, and he and Ara Parseghian shared AFCA Coach of the Year honors. Since retiring as football coach, he spent several years as a top analyst on college football broadcasts, and has continued to serve as athletic director at Arkansas. Under his leadership, Arkansas has become a national power in numerous sports. He has overseen the expansion of the stadium to 72,000 and in 1990, he was instrumental in Arkansas' move from the the Southwest Conference to the Southeastern Conference, setting into motion the events that led to the dissolution of the SWC, second only to the Big Ten in age. In 1983 he was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame, More than 25 of his former assistants went on to become head coaches, among them Doug Dickey, Hayden Fry, Joe Gibbs, Jimmy Johnson, Johnny Majors, Jackie Sherrill and Barry Switzer. *********** Hi Coach Wyatt, I wanted to enroll my team again (3rd year) as a Black Lion Award Team. Thank you for all the effort you put into this award and youth football. The two award winners that I have are wonderful examples to the others on the team. It is obvious that they now hold themselves to a higher standard because they are Black Lion Award winners. Sincerely, Dave Harrison , Alta Hawks Mity Mites, Draper, Utah (Enroll your team now - there is no cost and nothing to buy. There is no connection whatsoever with military recruitment. See Black Lion Award.)    *********** Years ago, one of my students made the local papers when he got caught sneaking into his girl friend's house. Literally caught. He tried entering via the chimney. He evidently didin't know how rough it can get inside a chimney, because he was naked ("Here comes Santa Claus!"), and he got scuffed up pretty good as a result of the extrication. I remember telling him afterward that maybe next time he should remember to take some K-Y Jelly along. He didn't think that was funny. A similar incident occured in New York this past week, when a guy got stuck in the chimney of an Italian restaurant. He was eventually rescued, then arrested and charged with burglary, criminal trespassing and possession of burglary tools, but not before a "Battle of the Badges" had taken place. Evidently that's what it's called in New York where it's not uncommon for delegations from both the Police ("New York's Finest") and the Fire Department ("New York's Bravest") to arrive at a rescue scene at roughly the same time and then squabble over who gets to do the rescuing. So while the poor would-be thief remained lodged in the flue of the Italian restaurant, the Finest and the Bravest went at it over the best way to get him out. The Fire Department took the high road, literally if not figuratively. They wanted to pull him back out the way he went in, so they went up onto the roof. The police, meanwhile, entered the restaurant on the ground floor. But first, they put one of those "crime scene" barriers around the place with yellow plastic tape. And when a firefighter entered the building, a police officer attempted to escort him out. The amount of force used in the escort process is now in dispute, but the firefighter claims that he was injured in the effort. Eventually, the police smashed through the brick chimney and got the guy out. One of the daughters of the restaurant owners is a smart girl, one after my own heart. She said she had started to suggest pouring olive oil down the chimney in hopes of lubricating the guy's passage, but then she thought better of it. "Virgin olive oil is expensive," she told the New York Times. "My mother would have been annoyed." *********** I have a question for you coach. My starters were on the bench from the middle of the second quarter on. We got the ball with less than a minute left on our own 20. I put the starters in and ran a "trick play" and scored with very little time on the clock. The other team's coaches were really pissed. I had no intention of "running up the score" or making the kids on the other team feel bad. We had practiced the play all week and I wanted my kids to have fun running it. If I wanted to make his kids feel bad, I would have left my starters in on defense and they would have never scored. I played kids on defense that had never played defense before. If you want t rip me, I can take it. NAME WITHHELD The question is a tough one if you're new to coaching, but an easy one if you've been coaching a while. The unwritten code of ethics says that once the game is won, you don't do anything to show up your beaten opponent. The definition of "showing up" varies, but most coaches would agree that it includes keeping your starters in, attempting onside kicks, calling time out to run more plays - all after a game is clearly won. I do recall an incident in a game this past season. Auburn led Mississippi State, 35-14 with 4:52 remaining, and pulled a fake FG. I remember Lee Corso saying, "they'll pay for that...you never embarrass a colleague." Running trick plays would fall under that category. Yes, your kids wanted to run the play. But armies of occupation often want to rape and pillage, too, and it's the job of the commander to see to it that certain conventions are observed. Trick plays have their place, certainly. They can make practices fun, they can give a team a lift when it needs one, and they can break open an otherwise tight game. I don't have to point out that they have their downside, too - their failure can give the other team a lift. One trouble with a trick play is that it's hard to find a good time to run it. When you're behind is usually the best time, because you're hoping to do something to change the momentum, but on the other hand, you're reluctant to take a chance and dig yourself a deeper hole. When you're ahead, a slip-up could give the opponent a chance to get back into it. When you're way behind, there's no point, and when you're way ahead, you owe it to the game not to show up the other team. You really need to carefully plan for the sort of situation in which you're going to run it, so that you don't get caught in a situation such as this one. Carry on. Things like that don't come naturally to anyone who's ever coached. Most of us learn them. Some guys never do.   *********** I heard Lee Corso said that it was his experience that when you played Nebraska - at least in the old days, under Tom Osborne - you were more likely to get worked over at your place than you were at Lincoln. That's because they travelled with only 50 players, so they really couldn't go deeper than the second string when they substituted - and at least until the last year or so, Nebraska's second-stringers were usually as good as your starters. But when you went to Lincoln, he said, they would have 100 or so guys dressed, and when the score started to mount, you'd start seeing third- and fourth-stringers in there. *********** Coach Wyatt, I just finished reading your "News" column for June 27, 2003, and was interested in a comment you made regarding the Rick Neuheisel situation where you thought he might be retained or, possibly, REHIRED. This has to be a sports agent's dream situation (as well as the public's view of what goes on in intercollegiate athletic hell). . . a guy lies and violates the ethics code of his national organization, is supposedly terminated, and then rehired. If things really go Neuheisel's way, he might even get a raise and not be obligated to pay back the loan! ! ! If this works out for "Slick Rick", every person on death row who feels they are innocent (I would suppose that would be a significant number) should hire the Neuheisels (father and son) as their defense attorneys and ask for a new trial. The offenders will be certain to get off this time and it would help keep the Neuheisel family employed. Mike O'Donnell, Pine City, Minnesota *********** About what might have prompted Joe Paterno to chime in on the Neuheisel case... The Nike connection was certainly a factor. I mean, hell, in addition to Paterno and Jim Tressel, Mike Bellotti even wrote a letter in support of Slick Rick. Mike Bellotti, of all people, coach of the hated Oregon Ducks and no big Neuheisel fan. Why - other than on orders from Nike headquarters in Beaverton - would Mike Bellotti offer his support? (Hmm. Come to think of it, it's in Bellotti's interest to keep Neuheisel on the job, because so long as Rick's in the driver's seat at Washington, Oregon has a great shot at remaining the dominant power in the Northwest. But there's more. Neuheisel has written for Joe Paterno's Web site. I happen to know that coaches are paid rather well - let's just say it's several times the average high school coach's stipend - for being on Coach Paterno's advisory staff, and basically writing a few articles. Talk about a f--king conflict of interest. Say it ain't so, Joe. *********** I saw Rick Neuheisel on TV saying that he was fighting for his job because he owes it to his young sons to "stand up for what's right." Memo to schoolteachers: That means if you have a kid in your class named Neuheisel, and the kid does anything wrong, you should make sure you document everything. Have videotape if possible. And plenty of witnesses. The kid's father is going to defend him with every excuse in the book. And if you don't buy them, you may even start getting calls from strangers named "Mister Paterno" and "Mister Bellotti." *********** Washington is a Nike school, and as its football coach, Rick Neuheisel has been getting a fair amount of walking-around money in exchange for using his players as unpaid mannequins, wearing the Nike logo on their uniforms wherever the NCAA allows. Nike coaches "earn" their Nike money by speaking at Nike clinics in the off-season. Rick Neuheisel spoke at two of them this past winter. One was on March 7, in Robinsville, Mississippi. The other was the next day, in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. I am not making this up. The one in Mississippi was at the Horseshoe Casino Hotel. The one in Michigan was at the Soaring Eagle Casino Hotel.   *********** Bear with me on this Neuheisel stuff. It's local, and I have been opposed to the guy from Day One. Now, he won't go away, and until he does, it's a great story. *********** Coach, please add my team. Very inspiring. I lost family and friends during that time and remember too many hurtful and disrespectful actions toward our heroes. Thanks for stepping up and doing something about it. Head Coach - Darrell Causey, Jr., Northeast Christian Academy "Warriors", Kingwood, Texas *********** In case you're wondering why the ACC, possibly the best basketball conference in the USA, has been drooling over adding basketball non-powers Miami and Virginia Tech who between them - all-time - don't have a dozen post-season playoff appearances... It's all about getting all the golden eggs it can from the football goose. The ACC not only enhances its chances for a major share of BCS money... not only boosts its chances for more TV revenue... it also gets closer to the possibility of being able to play a conference championship game. Consider: the NCAA basketball tournament is by far the biggest college basketball moneymaker. But despite the huge sums it rakes in, it doesn't earn that much money for the colleges themselves because the NCAA keeps most of it. This past year, teams earned $100,671 for each tournament win, a paltry sum in comparison with the fact that the 2003 SEC Conference championship game alone made $12.4 million for its members. That's before bowl money. For schools under pressure to generate money to keep the bloodsucker sports afloat, the football money is indispensible. It explains the current arms race among colleges, each trying to outdo the other in the magnificence of its facilities, the better to attract top talent, so it can win more games, so it can bring in more money, so it can build bigger and better facilities, so it can attract top talent, etc., etc. *********** The effect of the BCS money is so pernicious that it is beginning to be felt in other sports. BCS money means bigger and better facilities, bigger recruiting budgets and higher coaches' salaries. Even for sports other than football. Interestingly, in three of the last four years, 14 of the teams in the Round of 16 in the NCAA men's basketball tournament were from BCS conference schools. *********** I'm not really able to come up with a well-thought-out opinion on the ACC/Miami fiasco other than to say that I am so far behind the times that I still haven't fully accepted the idea of letting Florida State in, back in 1995. The ACC, like it or not, is still a basketball-first conference, and in that sense Florida State has added nothing. On the football side, Florida State has been a ringer, a talented outsider brought in just to win games and make the other some money. That it has done - although 2002 was a downer for the Seminoles - but any prestige that it's brought to the ACC overall is highly questionable. *********** " 'That's just the way I am.' When we hear this, someone is usually telling us to 'get off my back' or 'accept me as I am.' Often it's a response to criticism. It could be about chronic lateness, thoughtlessness, broken promises, physical or verbal abuse, or infidelity. Whatever it is, we're asked to let it go. "In the end, this is a ploy to get us to lower our expectations based on the dubious idea that certain bad habits are an intrinsic part of character and therefore beyond control. We're expected to believe that it's foolish and futile to expect a person to change. "There are, of course, lots of things that are beyond our control -- like being short or having big bones or a receding hairline. "Fortunately, character is different. It's completely within our control. The poor and the rich, the slow and the smart, the plain and the pretty all have an equal opportunity to become people of character. "Sure, character is influenced by heredity and environment, but it's determined by choice. No disposition, circumstance or experience is so powerful that it forever fixes our character. Our character is never completely finished. It's constantly shaped and sculpted by the choices we make to nurture or ignore our more noble instincts and to surrender to or overcome negative impulses and corrupting temptations. "When it comes to what we demand of ourselves or of others, we shouldn't lower our standards. Character is a function of choice and we should never let today's weaknesses and bad habits be used as an excuse not to get better." Michael Josephson, "Character counts" *********** Anybody catch Lou Piniella's angry post-game comments the other night? Announcers have been referring to it ever since as a "melt-down." Hah! Those announcers are really woosies if they think that was a melt-down. I worked in the World Football League for a guy named Ron Waller, who was easily the most vulgar, profane individual I have ever been associated with. He was good for a melt-down a day. At least. And I have heard the famous Lee Elia tape. It was sneaked out of a post-game press conference by a Chicago radio guy, and it soon made the rounds of the national media. Elia, then-manager of the Cubs, was upset with the fact that Cubs' fans booed his guys, and every third or fourth word in his tirade was c--------r (Lewinsky). Now, that was a meltdown. You call that Piniella thing a melt-down? If I may quote Lee Elia, "My f--kin' ass!" *********** Watching C-span yesterday Biden told a good Strom Thurman story. (Senator Thurman, of South Carolina, died this past week at the age of 100.) As the Gulf war was to begin an outbound South Carolinian Marine and his fiancee decided to get married the day he shipped out. As he arrived overseas he unexpectedly found out he would have a week layover before hitting the action. And of course, what does a newly married man want?, his bride of course. The wife hurriedly went to get a passport and was told by a bureaucrat that it would take two weeks. She frantically and repeatedly requested a rush job only to be told the same thing, two weeks. At the advice of a friend she called Thurmonds' office and talked to a staffer who assured her he would do everything in his power to help. Despite his many requests' he was told by the bureaucrat and the supervisor, two weeks! He made a bold decision, you see he really wanted this Marine and his new bride to get together, so he called his boss at 3:30 in the morning in Germany and explained the whole situation. He supplied Thurmond with the numbers and names of said bureaucrats and the Marine and his wife were together the next day! You see, Thurmond wasted no time in putting his considerably juice to action. He phoned Secretary of State, and EX-MARINE, George Schultz right away, and Schultz in turn starting waking up bureaucrats, at their homes! Suffice it to say, they didn't like the fact that G.S. knew their home phone numbers and names and went out of their way to rush that passport through. David Livingstone, Troy, Michigan (Senator Thurman lived to disavow his segregationist past, and I find it interesting that older black people - ones who were affected by the segregation he once favored) were for the most part quoted as saying they recognized that he was a different man, and that he'd chanegd for the better, while younger black people, who have scarcely known the discimination that was an everyday fact of life for their elders, were completely unforgiving. It was one more ominous sign to me that America is once again splitting apart. HW)   "The Beast Was out There," by General James M. Shelton, subtitled "The 28th Infantry Black Lions and the Battle of Ong Thanh Vietnam October 1967" is available through the publisher, Cantigny Press, Wheaton, Illinois. to order a copy, go to http://www.rrmtf.org/firstdivision/ and click on "Publications and Products") Or contact me if you'd like to obtain a personally-autographed copy, and I'll give you General Shelton's address. (Great gift!) General Shelton is a former wing-T guard from Delaware who now serves as Honorary Colonel of the Black Lions. All profits from the sale of his books go to the Black Lions and the 1st Infantry Division Foundation, , sponsors of the Black Lion Award).   I have my copy. It is well worth the price just for the "playbooks" it contains in the back - "Fundamentals of Infantry" and "Fundamentals of Artillery," as well as a glossary of all those military terms, so that guys like you and me can understand what they're talking about.        --- GIVE THE BLACK LION AWARD --- HONOR BRAVE MEN AND RECOGNIZE GREAT KIDS SIGN UP YOUR TEAM OR ORGANIZATION FOR 2003 "NO MISSION TOO DIFFICULT - NO SACRIFICE TOO GREAT - DUTY FIRST" inscribed on the wall of the 1st Division Museum, at Cantigny, Wheaton, Ilinois BECOME A BLACK LION TEAM (FOR MORE INFO ABOUT) THE BLACK LION AWARD