An interesting study being done to assess economic conditioning's affect on learning methodology...could prove useful in learning how to effectively reach all students (of the game)
The research study entitled, “Childhood Poverty and Brain Development: Roles of Chronic Stress and Parenting,” aims to determine how childhood poverty influences adult brain structure and function, and what underlying biological and social mechanisms mediate childhood poverty-brain relationships. Researchers hypothesize that chronic physiological stress dysregulation (elevated allostatic load) as well as harsh, unresponsive parenting during childhood will account for some of the expected linkages between childhood poverty and adult brain structure and function http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/how-poverty-shapes-the-brain/article1579628/ In one study, he looked at how children filter out irrelevant information and pick up on what is important. To do this, he monitored the electrical activity of their brains when they were asked to listen to a random series of four tones and press a button every time they heard two of those tones. He found that children from low SES families tend to use far more parts of their brain during the test than kids from middle-income families. It was as if the low SES children paid equal attention to every sound they heard, he says. Children from high-income homes only paid close attention to the two tones they had been asked to identify.
http://topnews.us/content/220526-poverty-affects-brain-study Amedeo D’Angiulli at Carleton University in Ottawa quoted, “I would see this work informing the school system to exploit some of the strengths that are in these children and introduce curriculum that instead of penalizing them would allow them to function”
The 2010 FIFA World Cup kick-off on June 11, 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa is not long from now, so if you are a football fan, you probably can’t wait to get prepared for the event.
One of the most important concerns for football fans like you is how to stay connected with home affordably while visiting the country for 2010 World Cup. Let’s look at some of the options available:
• Using a hotel or a pay phone. It would certainly be convenient to connect from your hotel, but normally hotels often charge a massive mark-up and the phone expenses could be very expensive. Using pay phones in South Africa requires a minimum of 80¢ for a local call, it's worth purchasing a telephone card (used in specific pay phones) for international calls - these card pay phones are also often the only ones working. • Using Internet If you carry your own computer, more and more hotels, resorts, airports, cafes, and retailers are going Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity), becoming "hotspots" that offer free high-speed Wi-Fi access or charge a fee for usage. And, if you are without your own computer, there are plenty of cybercafés in South Africa's urban areas.
• But what if you really need to stay in touch with home while traveling? For those times when you just need to get in touch with someone in South Africa or back home, South Africa SIM cards offer you the benefits of using your own phone at local rates. Make sure you have the international cell phone which will require a SIM-unlocked GSM 900 compatible international cell phone. Simply replace your SIM card with a prepaid South Africa SIM card and you will be set up to make all those important phone calls and send quick messages across the world, without paying excessively high roaming costs.
So, now you can stay in touch with your family and friends while enjoying the game.
South African opera singer Siphiwo Ntshebe has died from meningitis.
The 34-year-old, who was chosen by Nelson Mandela to perform at the opening ceremony of the World Cup, was admitted to hospital last week and died on Tuesday in Port Elizabeth.
The singer who was once told by a teacher, "Mozart is not for you. Blacks can't sing Mozart", was supposed to sing the song “Hope”, which is the official anthem of the football/soccer tournament, at the opening ceremony on June 11. His new track was to be released - along with his new album - at the same time of the World Cup, to coincide with the tournament.
The source of his infection has not been reported. The singer, who studied in Australia and London, will be missed by family, friends and fans.
Hey, thanks to Brophy for lowering his standards and allowing me to be a contributor and post on his blog, lol. I will do my best to not screw it up too bad.
Cripes! Let's get back to fundamentals! One of the worst-taught fundamentals IMO is ball security. Ball Security can win or lose 1-2 games a year. You can demonstrate, scream, up-down, beg, or plead, but the best way to teach ball security is to show your guys video. This is part of a video I made for my RBs last year. All of the sudden I became a 100 times better RB Coach because the video reinforced my teaching and motivated my RBs to hold on to the ball correctly. Check it out:
Fundamentals of Ball Security: 1. Two Finger Claw 2. Wrist above Elbow 3. Ball Tight to Chest 4. Tuck Elbow In 5. Opposite Hand Over Football on Contact 6. Keep Pads Low
My next post will look at some game tape of fumbles and show what mistakes were made.
U.S. citizens do not need a visa for tourist or business travel staying up to 90 days in this country. A valid U.S. Passport is required.
A visa is required for Religious Mission travel.
Any other U.S. citizen who wishes to travel to the Republic of South Africa for any purpose other than tourism or business negotiations (e.g. work, study, religious activity, adoption, immigration, or stays longer than stipulated in the entry requirements) should contact directly, the embassy or nearest consulate.
Below are the South Africa embassy locations in the U.S. and in South Africa.
Diplomatic representation in the US: Chief of mission: Ambassador Welile NHLAPO Embassy: 3051 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 Telephone: [1] (202) 232-4400 FAX: [1] (202) 265-1607
Diplomatic representation from the US: Chief of mission: Donald Gips Embassy: 877 Pretorius St., Arcadia 0083 Mailing address: P.O. Box 9536, Pretoria 0001 Telephone: [27] (12) 431-4000 FAX: [27] (12) 342-2299.
The Super Bowl Champion, New Orleans Saints, and Head Coach Sean Payton have perfected an age old recipe for moving the ball down the field. With just a handful of concepts the offense can generate a solution on any given down to always leave the defense guessing what will hit them next. This versatility is what is required for an offense to adapt and survive in an increasingly competitive age of evolving defenses. It also illustrates the necessary "toolbox" of answers an offense must possess in its arsenal (when your best play and your counter to your best play is shut down, now what?).
The next few posts will explore some basic concepts of their passing attack to horizontally and vertically stretch defenses and provide easy answers to any situation. I don't intend to reinvent the wheel here - most of these concepts have been covered extensively before, either on smartfootball (which we'll borrow heavily from) or this site. We're merely attempting to provide an overview of the concepts (this site is mainly for coaches who already know this stuff) and how they adapt to a defense's response. These methods are actually quite common and are the standard blueprint for the modern offense ( air raid principles ). What makes the application for the Saints so effective obviously is a more-than-competent quarterback, a bevy of consistent receiving threats, and an emphasis on the 3-step game to alleviate pressure on the offensive line to be engaged in pass protection for extended durations.
VERTICALS
The crux of the passing game is premised on blowing the top off defensive coverage by sending multiple receivers down field on any given play. It only takes one open deep receiver on one play to threaten a defense. As written about extensively at smartfootball, the 4 vertical package is a 5-step concept that is best run out of 1-back or no-back sets meant to horizontally stretch deep safeties. The illustration shows the 4 vertical package, and subsequent pictorials will be overlaid with the 4 vert concept to demonstrate how the stems will appear the same.
CORNER
After threatening the defense with four vertical receivers, the offense uses another 5-step concept, a corner or china concept where the vertical #2 receiver bends his route deep outside away from any deep safety, while the #1 receiver stops his route shallow, thus "high-lowing" a side of the field (if corner retreats deep, throw underneath / if corner stays shallow, throw over the top outside).
As you will see in the clips below, it can be run out of any formation and even out of play-action ( becomes "Rodeo / Lasso" in 'the system ).
DIG
After presenting a threat to the horizontal and vertical sides of the field, with the 5-step Dig concept, the offense looks to exploit the width of the safeties created by the previous two concepts. So, if you're attacked deep and outside, the dig will victimize you where you ain't (inside and intermediate).
Variations of the 'dig' concept
With Dig, and its many varations (shallow /levels /drive), the concept is made more effective by running a player into the intermediate hole of a defense while simultaneously running another player at a lower depth to create two (often intersecting) levels on underneath inside defenders.
This opener of 5-step concepts will lead us into 5-step traps (screens) and (my favorite) the 3-step game.
The world’s strongest currency is the South African Rand. The name derives from “Witwatersrand” the ridge upon which the Johannesburg is built and most of South Africa’s gold deposits are found. Rand is available in bank notes of 10,20,50,100 and 200, and there are 9 coins- 1,2,5,10,20,50,1R,2R,5R. There are currency conversion charts available, and a number of international banks operate branches in South Africa; Citibank, Deutsche Bank, and HSBC to name a few.
So is travel to SA going to cost an arm and a leg? If you will be driving when you arrive to SA, the most expensive toll gate in South Africa is the Machado plaza on the N4 between Pretoria and Nelspruit and the cost is R49 for a normal car. In total, road tolls between Pretoria and Nelspruit or between Johannesburg and Cape Town will cost you just under R100.
You can buy three McDonald's burgers (a hamburger, cheese burger and chicken burger) for around R18 or a sit down lunch in an average restaurant will cost you between R80 and R140 per person. Prices in shops are fixed, but prices in open markets or from street vendors are open to barter. Tipping is the norm in restaurants and at gas-stations (which are all full-service).
Remember to be discreet when handling cash and valuables, the best place to carry your cash is inside a money belt that you can wear under your clothes!
Here are some nice clips of the promising playmakers for 2010, featuring (last year's Y, now playing X) #21 Desmon Ethridge and 2013 prospect (yes, he's just a freshman right now), #4 Damien Jiggetts making plays with Baylor University in attendance at the scrimmage.
...And that was my last night officially coaching for quite some time (maybe for good). My son turns 13 this summer and I will have him with me full-time from here on out, so I'd rather not short change any time with him (juggling 'work' and a coaching schedule).
I enjoyed my experience with the staff at HHS and think the world of the kids and their families that play ball there.
Often times when you’re flying into a major city, it’s a good idea to look at airports other than the main airport for that city in case one of the smaller area airports has cheaper flights. Although it isn’t always the case, but it’s almost always worth looking!
How to Fly to Johannesburg Johannesburg is South Africa’s biggest city, so it’s not surprising that it has two airports to choose from. The primary airport (and the busiest in South Africa) is O.R. Tambo International Airport and it’s a hub for South African Airways. The other airport serving Johannesburg is Lanseria Airport.
How to Fly to Cape Town Cape Town has South Africa’s second-busiest airport, Cape Town International Airport , which is a hub for South African Airways. Other domestic airlines serving Cape Town include South African Express, South African Airlink, and Comair - and other budget airlines to look at to reach Cape Town are Air Berlin, TUIfly, kulula, 1time, and Mango.
How to Fly to Durban Durban’s international airport, cleverly called Durban International Airport, is the 3rd busiest behind Johannesburg and Cape Town but gets far less traffic than either of those two. Some of the airlines serving Durban are South African Express, South African Airlink, Comair, kulula, 1time, Mango, British Airways, and Emirates.
How to Fly to Port Elizabeth The coastal city of Port Elizabeth has its own (small) airport - Port Elizabeth Airport (airport code PLZ). Airlines serving Port Elizabeth are 1time, Airlink Airlines, kulula, South African Airways, South African Express, and Comair.
I've been sick for nearly ten days. Sore throat, chest cold, head cold, headache, dizziness, running nose, stuffy nose, cold sweats, no sleep, cough, zero appetite ... the list goes on. All of this got me thinking. Colby and I should really look into getting a primary care physician. Not because we go to the Dr often (obviously) but if we did need to go to the Dr, we wouldn't have anywhere to go. I've been racking my brain trying to think of a Dr that I've heard good things about through work but only a few MDs come to mind and they are all the few that would give me whatever narcotic I might want. Ha ha ha! In the mean time I'll keep doing my research. Any suggestions would be helpful.
Just something to tide you over until hemlock and myself publish the upcoming posts of substance (several articles in the works).....
Continuing a theme/trend exploring Gary Patterson's split-field coverage principles, these clips illustrate the quarters-principled coverage against 2x1, 3x2, 3x1, and 2x2 formations.
Also, be sure to utilize the post tags for subjects previously covered..........(I'll try to better organize some of these)
The "drills" is a great one to check on and has helped me refresh my memory on some drills to run during the season.
Also, sick of my meandering posts? Click on 'hemlock' for a filtered view of nothing but his posts (and hit the print button!). This may really come in handy when he gets rolling on the Run 'n' Shoot series, that way you can get all his stuff in a concise package.
4D-FTP Update
As posted earlier, the 4D-FTP method, provides an alternative to defensive back play.
2010 4D-FTP CLINIC & TRAINING Events will be focused on answering pre submitted questions for the clinic, technique specifics and rapid fire training routines for development of the athlete for individual and group involvement. Group rate available. Events costs are determined by facility charges and may differ from event to event. Unconfirmed event dates subject to change.
Sorry, Abita.....I love me some Gulf Coast beer, an industry that truly suffered after Katrina, but you just aren't cutting the mustard save a Purple Haze or Turbo Dog. New buzz of quality hops coming from the Lafayette area, Bayou Teche, and Heiner Brau from Covington. I'm excited to begin exploring both breweries in the not-to-distant future.
One important thought to keep in mind during your travels to South Africa is to remain adaptable. South Africa is a melting pot, with people of African, European, and Indian backgrounds, and it is reflected in their culture. Below is a list of South African etiquette tips, but when in doubt, follow the lead of those who live there!
1. Dining etiquette and table manners will vary depending on who you’re eating with. Try to finish all of your food, and place your knife and fork closely together next to your plate to indicate when you are done eating. As for tipping: 10-20% is expected, but make sure to check the bill before to make sure the tip hasn’t already been included.
2. When socializing, be aware of South Africa's racial terminology. Black is the preferred term for those of African ancestry and white are for those of Caucasian ancestry who speak English or Afrikaans. Don’t call Afrikaners "Dutchmen" and don't call Afrikaans "Kitchen Dutch." Afrikaners don't consider themselves Dutch.
3. If you traveling on business, standard business etiquette is assumed. Arrive on time, use titles and last names, and schedule meetings at least 2 weeks in advance. Bringing gifts is optional but it is greatly appreciated!
4. Safaris are an amazing opportunity to see wildlife in their natural habitat. However it is vitally important that you remember to respect the natural surroundings and wildlife. o Do not remove any natural material from wildlife reserves. Take ONLY take memories and photos. o Refrain from smoking on game drive- dry African bush ignites very easily, and a flash fire can kill many animals. o Remember to tip your Safari guide as a polite way of saying thank you!
Many people question their safety before traveling to South Africa. Our response is a confident assurance that: it is in fact safe! This is especially true if you take a few precautions that are necessary any time you travel abroad.
• Avoid taking valuable jewelry, watches, expensive purses, or even costly articles of clothing.
• You should try to blend in as much as is possible. Wearing modest clothing with no obvious flashy jewelry or cameras is a good idea.
• Your passport is one of your most valuable possessions. Keep it somewhere that you know it will be safe, such as a hotel safety deposit box or your room safe, where available. Keep a photocopy with you if necessary.
• Never count your money in public. This attracts unwanted attention.
• One great trick is to carry two wallets. Use one to hold your credit cards and the bulk of your cash and use the other as a decoy. Put money and some insignificant cards, papers, etc into the decoy wallet to make it appear real. Then if a thief confronts you give him/her your decoy wallet.
Are you heading out to SA for the World Cup? Here are a few things that you need to know.
First of all- an outbreak of Rift Valley Fever is occurring in South Africa right now. Make sure you bring with you a mosquito net and proper bug repellent and avoid contact with raw meat.
Second- Be aware that there is a large sex trade in South Africa and nearly 50% of South African sex workers carry the HIV virus. With the influx of foreign visitors to the area for the World Cup, health officials are worried about rapid spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. Britain reportedly donated 42 million condoms to help prevent the spread of disease. Protect yourself and others! Read more here.
South Africa is a beautiful country and many people just like you live here, so it isn't all that bad. Don’t let crime or disease spoil your vacation! Stay alert and be aware and smart. If you take the necessary precautions your trip to South Africa will be worth your while.
Noting the trend of defenses to use dime packages even in nickel (11 personnel) situations.
Clips from the past season where 3 receiver-1 tight end formations (standard fare in the NFL) allow the defense to introduce a nickel and dime back and only leave in 2 or 3 defensive linemen.
I intended to go over some of these in more detail, but I've been swamped of late and wanted to share some clips rather than sit on them.
The South African cuisine is a mixture of different influences – traditional African food meets Asian and European dishes. This creates a very interesting “cross-cultural” cuisine, which is unique in the world.
Braai – The Braai is the South African answer to a Barbeque, but never call a Braai a Barbeque in South Africa. At least for South Africans it is not the same. You can put everything on the braai as long as you can braai it. Having a braai is a national institution which is popular throughout all South Africans. It is more than just cooking food. A braai in South Africa is a social happening.
Cape Cuisine – The “Cape Cuisine” is reflecting the multi-ethnic society of the Cape region of South Africa. People from almost everywhere in the world settled here and they all left their marks on the so-called “Cape Cuisine”.
“Cape Cuisine” means a blend of the fruity sweet and sour tastes of the Malayan people with the different European and African dishes.
Potjiekos - "Potjiekos" (poy-kee-kawse) directly translated "pot food" or food prepared in a pot. A "Potjie" is a 3 legged round bottomed cast iron pot, in which you put your ingredients. It simmers merrily over coals while everyone sits around it chatting away and enjoying the food. Everyone usually has his own "secret" ingredients and "Potjie" competitions are very popular at fairs.
Biltong – Biltong is a Southern African dried meat typically made from raw fillets of meat cut into strips following the grain of the muscle, or flat pieces sliced across the grain. It is similar to beef jerky in that they are both spiced dried meats, but differs significantly in typical ingredients, taste, and production process. The word biltong is from the Dutch bil ("rump") and tong ("strip" or "tongue").
There seems to be general agreement that humankind had its EARLIEST origins in Africa! South Africa is rich in fossil evidence of the evolutionary history of the human family, going back several million years…..
1652 -South Africa was settled by the Dutch as a stopping point for ships on their way to the East Indies. Fruit and vegetables were grown here to battle the problem of scurvy aboard passing ships. The Dutch first settled the area that was to become Cape Town and with time expanded across the entire tip of southern Africa.
1815- After the Napoleonic wars , South Africa changed hands and became a British colony. Many of the Dutch went north to get away from the English.
1910- South Africa became a union, a coalition between the English and Afrikaner states.
1960- South Africa gained independence from British rule and became a republic. This period was to be very difficult time for many people since Apartheid was fully enforced.
During the 90’s- with the release of Nelson Mandela (who eventually became president) and the abolition of the Apartheid laws, South Africa went through an amazing transformation! South Africa has journeyed through great obstacles to become a nation whose dream of unity is now capable of realization for its entire people!
Present- Its been a long and violent journey for the people of South Africa and though things have come a long way there is still a long way to go. Check out a great post about the township of Khayelitsha from Alex and Mina of ...Sending Postcards. It is a story of hardship and hope as the beautiful people of this South African township find happiness in their everyday lives.
There has been some inquiry into how to play shuffle (replacing the backpedal) in Cover 3, so here is a quick example of shuffle work with a run-through demo of the back-5 pattern-match drill discussed earlier. Now, although this player is good at shuffle, he is extending with the downfield foot. Ideally, it should be a push off with the upfield foot (left) and a catch with the downfield foot (right). Because he is extending / reaching with the upfield foot, he will be prone to over extending and consequently clicking the heels (bad leverage position/base). This also makes the transition more efficient and fluid. When the trail foot is the downfield foot, you can use it to direct the body like a rudder (rather than it being the 'drive-train'). Force is initiated by the upfield foot, after the 3 pushes (and come to balance) from the upfield foot, all the defenders needs to do to bail is pivot the downfield foot 45 degrees and this will pivot his hips and put him in a running position downfield. This is not unlike a handoff transition in a relay (baton).
Also, we flew through the 5-DB drill for the sake of filming it (as a visual). We went about 3/4 speed. In practice, this will be full speed and a little more intense.
South Africa is noted for its warm year-round climate. Summer brings inland temperatures that can shoot well over 110 degrees F, while winter temperatures are cool seaside and dip near freezing in some inland and mountainous regions.
Check the calendar. South African summers begin in November, with the peak months in December and January. Winter starts in May.
Pack lightweight summer clothes when visiting during the hotter months. Take an assortment of shorts, T-shirts, skirts and sundresses. It's wise to have a sweater or long-sleeved button-down shirt for layering, should the evenings get cool, and to keep your skin protected from the sun and insect bites.
Stash a swimsuit, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat if you plan to hit any of South Africa renowned beaches. Sunblock and a wider-brimmed hat are advised when spending time on the plains.
Bring long-sleeved shirts, long pants and a heavy windbreaker if you plan to visit any wild game reserves. Leave the bright colors at home; neutral tones make you less conspicuous to those you'll be observing.
Pack a coat, sweaters and heavier socks when spending time inland during winter.
Take sandals if you plan to visit the bigger cities or the beach towns. Comfortable walking shoes or athletic shoes will keep your feet happy while visiting the reserves or doing a light hike in the mountainous areas.
Take an umbrella for protection from the afternoon summer showers.
Check with your travel clinic about anti-malarial pills if you'll be in the northern inland areas.
It is pretty decent, especially with Mickey Rourke and Anthony Anderson (replaced Don Cheadle)
It is a marketing extravaganza and pretty short on digestable plot lines. I thought the movie was okay.....didn't make a whole lot of sense, though
A super villian who's main weapon is a 6 foot whip? Uh...why not stand 20 feet away and shoot fucking rockets at him?
a smoking hot Scarlett Johannson and we see her what, only 20 minutes? Nonesense.....should devote at least an hour of the film to her, battling an arch-villian named, "The Tongue"
Tony's father sends him a beyond the grave stag film message of "hey, look at my Neverland Ranch!" and bam! 4 minutes later Tony develops a brand new periodic element?
what happened to the Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman characters? I mean, wtf?
The entire 2 hours builds up for the final climax with Whiplash. Here he comes in his new powerful suit.....and he's taken out within 2 minutes. Which drew similarities with my personal climax with the Johannson character; using whips and ending in explosions.
In case you were wondering ... My blog address won't be changing. The day that Colby decides to blog about anything on here. Will be the day that it's 'our blog' enough that I'll change the address. For now .. Libby is still on the label :)
Yesterday was Mother's day. Mine is in Hawaii sitting on the beach drinking expensive drinks while getting a tan I can only dream of. I'm incredibly jealous but she deserves it more than anyone. She is the most incredible woman I've ever met. Can't believe she's mine, I'm more than grateful to call her so. Mom, you're amazing and beautiful, courageous, and brave. I'm honored to be your daughter and thank Heavenly Father daily for all that you are and for all that you make me want to be.
We are finally moved in, unpacked, and stuck in our little apartment! I can't believe how much stuff we both have. We've already gone through all our clothes for the DI. Sadly, we don't have room for all that we brought! We used some of our gift cards to buy some shelving (as suggested, thank you Sierra!) and I'm on top of the world! I can't believe how awesome they are. Colby just laughs when he catches me staring into the storage area in awe. I'm so proud of my myself. The food storage I already had put together when we moved in was much much more that I had originally thought. We're still working on it but it's definitely off to a great start.
So many of you have been asking about photos from the wedding. We don't have a whole lot yet but I'll give you what we've got. All that I have are just candids taken by people other that our photographer but I figured you all would take what you could get!
This 'Carter' Sign was made by one of my sweetest friends. She is so talented. I still can't get over how much I love this sign!
Colby's Mom Holly pinning on his flower. With all the hugs he gave, the flower didn't last long but it was a good attempt anyway!
Colby and I are still talking about how perfect our day was. We're glad it's over but the memories are ones we will cherish everyday for the rest of forever.
I can't figure out how to put them in any order or put captions on them so hopefully you can figure it out. :) Captions for pictures you might see! *Colby made the sign with the stick figures for me for Valentines Day. Oh I love it.
*The desserts! My Mom spent months slaving in the kitchen. People are still talking about them.
*The cake. Oh my. The cake had a long journey on laps from West Jordan. I'm still surprised it made it in one piece. My creative sister Abby worked her magic with a few decorations we had left and ta-da. You'd never know about the huge dent on the other side or the red bow that was no longer. Loved it!
*Mermaid Baby! My little brother's band played for most of the reception. He doesn't know it, but it made me cry. I'm amazed at Logan's talent. (Logan is on the left in the picture, his friend Jordan on the right)
*My Handsome Husband. Colby just taking it all in.
*Picture of a picture. The picture in front of the temple was taken a week prior so we'd have pictures to display at the wedding. Genius idea!
*A few of our guests. This picture also showed a few of .. my favorite decorations. I LOVE these fun flowers. Sorry friends this post is all over the place. Hopefully you enjoy it anyway.
Normally two weeks isn't something I'd celebrate, although I have loved every second and wouldn't trade it! In one of the sweet cards we received on our wedding day, there was an envelope. 'Do Not Open Until May 8th.' So .. we didn't. Normally I'd just spoil it but the anticipation seemed kind of fun. Finally May 8th came and before we had a chance to open our envelope, the day got crazy. We eventually made it home around 6 or so and ripped it open. "Happy Two Week Anniversary! Here is some money, take yourselves out and celebrate. Go to China Nite (or whatever it is you like) and have a good time. Remember that life is a gift, unwrap it." Inside was $30 cash. What a fun idea! We treated ourselves to Cafe Rio and saved the rest. In two weeks, we will spend the rest on another date night.
Given my writing schedule, rather than writing long posts, I am instead going to offer up shorter ones that will address a specific point of a larger topic. In the end, this may take a little longer, but the content will be the same.
In my last post I talked bit about the origins of the Run-n-Shoot under Tiger Ellison. Some people clearly took umbrage with some of my remarks, perhaps feeling that I was dismissing his work. Not so. Ellison was an innovator and we have much to be grateful to him for.
Ellison laid the foundations for what Mouse developed; his base packages, such as Gangster, Wagontrain, and Popcorn are all present in Mouse's stuff. This serves as a nice segue into what I want to talk about: How Mouse built a better mouse trap and the anxiety of influence.
Structurally, Mouse preserved the basics of what Tiger created. His version of the Run-n-Shoot from the very beginning was one predicated upon operating solely within a four wide environment. He would also make use of moving pocket; like Tiger's, Mouse's QBs would not thrown from vertical axis. But here is where Mouse started to modify or reign in some of what Tiger did. Tiger's QBs utilized a hard role. The side of the field they worked was clearly defined based direction of their role and the QB was ALWAYS a real threat to run the ball. Tiger wanted his QBs to throw downhill off the roll. Mouse did not exactly jettison this; the Go route, arguably the most famous concept of the offense, is a downhill concept that is most effective when the QB attacks the line of scrimmage, thus putting the invert player in a three way bind between the seam, angle, and QB. More on the Go later and its more limited uses today. The Go was great in the early days of the offense because most defenses operated some type of 3 shell with sky rotation. But Mouse recognized that you could not build an effective passing offense around a concept whose very strength eliminated 3/4 of the field. Mouse's solution was to control the QB's steps by numbering them and thus calibrating them loosely to QBs progression. The QB thus was still utilizing a mobile launch point, but one that enabled him to pull up under control behind the tackle, work the back side, and take better advantage of how the role moved the FS out of position. This today is still a reason why the offense has yet to take out the angle drop of the QB; defenders still tend to angle their drops with the QB thus taking themselves, even if ever so slightly, out of position.
Mouse's most important "reform" was arguably his most ironic one. By this I mean the one that seemingly contradicts the base principles of the offense itself. Mouse added structure to the offense; he defined the goals of each concept, and created a structure within which the concepts operated. Think of it in terms of poetry. We all have rhythm; it is the feel of the poem. This is what Tiger had with his stuff; what he did not have, however, was meter. Mouse gave the Run-n-Shoot a meter that structured the rhythm of the offense. Put differently, but defining each concept, Mouse expanded their creative potential. This is the hallmark of great verse. Great verse has the ability to create anew within established structures. Great poets, or writers, thinkers, and football coaches for that matter, are ones that have the ability to overcome the influence of their predecessors not simply by miming them or rejecting them but engaging directly with their creation and overcoming it through their own work, which in fact is creative criticism of their predecessors. This is what Mouse did.
Next time I will explore the mechanics of Mouse's offense.
Oh, and speaking of influence, John Jenkins followed Mouse's path in this regard. He did not just copy Mouse, but engaged with his work directly and in the end put forth an offense that was substantially different.
By Air – Domestic flights are numerous and connect most of the major towns and cities. It's a good option if you don't have a lot of time to see the whole country. Kulula.com offers some good rates. Click here for a good overview of all domestic airline services offered.
By Bus – There are several bus companies servicing the main towns of South Africa. They are generally very comfortable and luxurious and cheaper than flying. A reputable company is Intercape Mainliner. Their site has routes and prices as well as a route map. The Greyhound Bus Company is also a good option, although their web site isn't quite as easy to use. For budget travelers, the Baz Bus is an ideal way to get around. The company offers passes where you can get on and off whenever you want. It drops you off and picks you up at your hostel door.
By Train – The Blue Train is the ultimate in luxury train travel, the kind of experience which includes five forks and five knives in the place settings at breakfast. You have to book well in advance since this train ride is truly a legendary experience. It is certainly not about getting from A to B, the train has one basic route, from Pretoria to Cape Town. Blue train video
The Shosholoza Meyl is an excellent option to get around the country. A luxury train with many routes to choose from it is safe and inexpensive to boot.
By Car – South Africa is an excellent country to rent a car and plan your own trip. The roads are good, gas stations have gas and there are plenty of hotels and lodges to stay at along the way. Find out more about renting a car in South Africa by clicking here. You need a valid driver's license (get an international one if yours is not in English), and a major credit card.
To occupy my time, I plan on examining the New Orleans Saints defense and attempt to get a handle on the utilization of personnel and the many ways he looks to manufacture pressure.
South Africa is a country that’s rich in diversity and culture! South Africa has 11 official languages, with English and Afrikaans being the most commonly spoken. All South Africans understand, speak and most often write in English, so there is no need to worry about any language barriers.
Goal.com has put together a mini phrase book with a list of useful words and phrases translated into Afrikaans and Zulu, two of the most popular languages, along with English.
In addition to phrase books, a South African entrepreneur/linguistics expert, Thabo Olivier has developed a mobile device application that allows users to quickly learn basic communication phrases in different languages. The software is currently available on MS Windows Mobile platform. Particular application of the software can be used for travelers to the 2010 World Cup.
So show the locals a thing or two with your ability to speak a few words in their language. Trust me; they will love you for it!
Entering Week #2 of spring ball (practices #4-7), we are making better determinations on what roles players are best geared for. With so many numbers out, we have a legitimate option of going full 2-platoon (with the occasional 2-way specialist).
I have been afforded a great opportunity to take the back 5 defenders in the secondary in our Cover 3 defense and rep every player on playing corner, strong safety, and free safety. This is going to be extremely beneficial for these young (and some veteran) players towards understanding their role within the coverage (and support) and seeing the big picture.
We will probably stick to the following format for the remainder of the week, but it breaks down to two separate groups (of 10+ players) with 20 minutes of instruction (for all spots).
I've been using this time to work at a break-neck pace in going over (as quickly as possible) the basic tenets of initial movement, then progressing into pattern-matching the 2-man game. We've only covered basic concepts because most of the players we have are freshmen.
For simplicity's sake, I set up 3 different stations to quickly drill the initial movement (at the snap) for each position.
These (cone) drills are set up on the field based on the position landmarks to better orientate the players to where the position exists on the field.
Free Safeties rep through a (3 step) backpedal at 12 yards in the middle of the field
Strong Safeties rep through a steep 45 degree zone drop 5 yards from the hash (to the curl), then reverse turn (back into the hash).
Corners rep through a (3 step) shuffle at 7 yards from the LOS, 1 yards inside the numbers. 3 step shuffle then turn and run downfield.
After getting basic movement reps in, we go right to cramming pattern-matching down their throats.
The fastest way to facilitate this was to work a 5-point rotating circuit.
We align a #1 (outside the numbers) and #2 (outside the hash) receiver on cones. Then set up the corner (inside #1), strong safety (on the hash/splitting the difference), and free safety (in the middle of the field) respectively. The players 'enter' the circuit as a free safety and after each route run (1 & 2 running a concept), the players rotate to the successive spot, as follows;
5 - free safety
4 - strong safety
3 - corner
2 - #2 (inside) receiver
1- #1 (outside) receiver
We just coach the kids up on the fly from here in an effort to keep them all moving, relating and conditioning the key factors (alignment with the divider, movement technique, reading 2-to-1, responding to vertical stem, etc).
We will see about getting them to digest more concepts through the week, but if we can handle verticals and smash (out of Cover 3), we should have our work cut out for us this spring.
UPDATE:
After two days of this routine (M&T), we broke off into segments of FS & Corners, and I got the Strong/Weak Safeties ( I just found out about this at practice, but whatevers clever ). This was great because it allowed me the opportunity to focus work on developing the safeties to handle job #1 - primary run force and tackling. Later, we joined up for skelly and scripted team sessions and I was pleasantly surprised at how well many of these first-time players (current freshmen) were picking up their roles and doing it methodically, driven by technique. No more cringing on watching #2 receivers running up the seams or perimeter players getting reached (see last season).....I just thought it was amazing, refreshing, reassuring to see how big of an impact the little things can make in a defense's performance. The corners (only one is a returning varsity player) were recognizing smash and verticals (instead of being 'man-conscious) - the point being we were able to throw a lot at the kids in 2 days to reduce our coverage liabilities.
In related news, the Spring Handout (DVD) is ready to be published and I'll probably distribute it next week.
This spring is helpful because we are able to add our 2 freshmen coaches to the varsity staff. By joining the varsity, they get a better idea of how we teach the scheme, drills to use, (to translate next season) and they can be utilized to handle some of the responsibilities (making it possible to split up the back 5 guys). With this DVD, even the other guy (who is primarily a basketball guy) can figure out precisely what it is we want to teach and identify what a DB is doing incorrectly in technique (here's a hint....it isn't just backpedalling to the endzone and 'keeping everything in front of you').
