Around the Nation board

[Knightstalker]

Did he write "The Last Amateurs" before or after most of the Patriot League schools started giving limited basketball scholarships?

[Knightstalker]

Very interesting all around. Surprised my "guess" held up so well under the, uh, statistical spotlight.

So I was reading an article by John Feinstein which co-opted a lot of the rhetoric we use to describe D3 when talking about big networks missing out on football being played by class kids, etc.

I wrote this response:

I could get with the gist of this article a lot more if it wasn't painted as big guys vs. little guys. Because that's simply a matter of perspective.

It's true the big networks are missing some great college football, wonderful traditions and the like. But aren't the people at Navy just as clueless about The Citadel and VMI, and those guys just as clueless about the Coast Guard-Merchant Marine rivalry?

Those guys would kill to get a sliver of the attention the worst Army-Air Force-Navy game gets, so when you talk about small-college football and guys playing for the love of the game, remember that depending on your perspective, those guys are just as much the big spoiled brats as they are the overlooked good kids who deserve more attention.

Appropriate or am I just being a pee-pee head?

Doo-Doo head maybe but not pee-pee head.

Yeah dude, I have toddlers. Gotta keep it PG.

Actual exchange between MKS and the Stalkerette last night.

Stalkerette:  Daddy told me to stop looking at what he is reading on the computer.

MKS:  Is daddy "working" again?

Stalkerette:  No daddy said he is reading the LLPP and I couldn't look.

KMack, I understand.

[Pat Coleman]

Did he write "The Last Amateurs" before or after most of the Patriot League schools started giving limited basketball scholarships?

Before. I think the book is about a decade old.

[redswarm81]

I didn't read The Last Amateurs because I disagreed with its very premise from the front cover.

I may yet read it, but I too have difficulty defining any D-1 basketball players--with their ~30 game schedules extending over 2 semesters, their heavy travel schedules--as amateur student-athletes, where academics have priority.

[Knightstalker]

I didn't read The Last Amateurs because I disagreed with its very premise from the front cover.

I may yet read it, but I too have difficulty defining any D-1 basketball players--with their ~30 game schedules extending over 2 semesters, their heavy travel schedules--as amateur student-athletes, where academics have priority.

Without having read the book but being familiar with the Patriot League, I would think that is why Feinstein wrote about the Patriot League.  I know that even now with scholarships the kids at Lafayette and Leigh at least adhere to standards that would fit in D-III.  A few years ago Lafayette was being pressured by the Alums to start offering scholarships as the Patriot league was allowing them and administration did not want to.  There were some in the Administration that floated the idea of going D-III.  This never came to fruition, and they do offer limited athletic scholarships but the last I knew these were need based, not talent based.

[@d3jason]

As I remember from reading the book, he addresses the schloarship issue about how half the conference was doing it (or beginnning to) and the other half was against it and that some teams may have even moved in/out over the issue. It's a good read. But I agree, The Sweet Season rocks.

[K-Mack]

I thought I remembered people saying the Sweet Season was uneven, that the family part seemed forced, but I always liked the book. And then once you go to St. John's you're able to "get it" a little more.

Random change of subject, but I didn't want to lose this link:

If you're ever interested in understanding the 3-3-5 (stack) defense, or why anyone would play it or how you can blitz from it, this page would be a start.

[wally_wabash]

The Little Giants look rather invincible so far...

This is top notch journalism!   

[Ralph Turner]

...
If you're ever interested in understanding the 3-3-5 (stack) defense, or why anyone would play it or how you can blitz from it, this page would be a start.

Great article!  Thanks!  +1!

[muledaddy]

K-Mack,

Nice column...very interesting weekend and great coverage of the key matchups ATN.........I am

watching the Friday night fight in Baltimore,  thinking Hopkins may have what it takes to stop the Devils.

  Keep up the good work.

[HSC85]

K-Mack,

Great article on the 3-3-5 defense.  Thank you for keeping us informed.

[@d3jason]

If you're ever interested in understanding the 3-3-5 (stack) defense, or why anyone would play it or how you can blitz from it, this page would be a start.

I'm never going to get any work done if you keep posting links like this. 

[K-Mack]

If you're ever interested in understanding the 3-3-5 (stack) defense, or why anyone would play it or how you can blitz from it, this page would be a start.

I'm never going to get any work done if you keep posting links like this. 

I know, I get fascinated by stuff like that. It's the real reason ATN takes until mid-week to write

I figured I talk about it so much I might do well to be able to explain it better. Not all that different from Mount Union's 4-2-5 ... personally I love the idea of having more hybrid linebacker/safeties who can play run support and cover on the field. But those probably aren't the easiest players to develop either since they have to do so much.

Have you guys ever seen the UW-Platteville power-point presentation "Hurt the Blitz with Your Screen Game?" Fascinating stuff. Google UW-Platteville and "Mike Emendorfer," a lot of instructional stuff comes up. I think he wrote a book on how to run practices efficiently.

There's also the stuff about the zone-blocking & stretch run plays that UW-Whitewater is so good at.

I'll have to find that stuff for you guys ... I mean, assuming you don't want to get any work done.

[ADL70]

CWRU has been using both 3-3-5 and 4-2-5 this season to drive OC's crazy. The first unit, even with injuries, is averaging giving up 5 p/g.

[@d3jason]

If you're ever interested in understanding the 3-3-5 (stack) defense, or why anyone would play it or how you can blitz from it, this page would be a start.

I'm never going to get any work done if you keep posting links like this. 

I know, I get fascinated by stuff like that. It's the real reason ATN takes until mid-week to write

I figured I talk about it so much I might do well to be able to explain it better. Not all that different from Mount Union's 4-2-5 ... personally I love the idea of having more hybrid linebacker/safeties who can play run support and cover on the field. But those probably aren't the easiest players to develop either since they have to do so much.

Have you guys ever seen the UW-Platteville power-point presentation "Hurt the Blitz with Your Screen Game?" Fascinating stuff. Google UW-Platteville and "Mike Emendorfer," a lot of instructional stuff comes up. I think he wrote a book on how to run practices efficiently.

There's also the stuff about the zone-blocking & stretch run plays that UW-Whitewater is so good at.

I'll have to find that stuff for you guys ... I mean, assuming you don't want to get any work done.

Work, what's that?