FB: Northwest Conference

[OzJohnnie]

From white maggots...



... to green pukes ...



But you do have love the Aussie sense of dry humour.  The AFL took the uniform change as an opportunity to put a sponsorship logo on the side of the umpire's hat.  That sponsor?  OPSM, an eyeglasses company.

[FarAwayCat]

Coach Smith Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqjwVIWExgM

Fantastic interview.  Loved the video inserts Ryan.  A top notch production above and beyond anything at this level.  I am so thankful for your dedication and the above the top quality that comes from them. THANK YOU.

"Balanced attack."  I guess this is one area that I just feel that Linfield has lacked and in my opinion continues to lack.  I felt like our run game had some great spurts in the first half.  But then in the second half it just didn't seem like our run game was a real threat.  I don't know if the stats back that up, but it was just the feel I got from watching the game.  We have a lot of no gain runs and then a big gain run.  I feel like the most dominant o-lines and running attacks have more consistent 3-5 yard gains with occasional break out runs.  The NWC is weak compared to our playoff competitors.  So we need to have a more solid run game against the NWC if we really want to compete deeper into the playoffs.  We've got great backs who are capable, but I'm not sure the scheme and o-line are able to support that.  Am I way off in this assessment?  I bleed purple so I don't want to be too critical.

Anyways, that's my armchair opinion.  I really am not good at analyzing and for that reason am not a coach or anything close to it.  Just a d-line meat head!
Go Cats!

And again, thank you so much for your dedication and contribution to this program.  Beyond grateful for it! 

[MonroviaCat]

Coach Smith Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqjwVIWExgM

Fantastic interview.  Loved the video inserts Ryan.  A top notch production above and beyond anything at this level.  I am so thankful for your dedication and the above the top quality that comes from them. THANK YOU.

"Balanced attack."  I guess this is one area that I just feel that Linfield has lacked and in my opinion continues to lack.  I felt like our run game had some great spurts in the first half.  But then in the second half it just didn't seem like our run game was a real threat.  I don't know if the stats back that up, but it was just the feel I got from watching the game.  We have a lot of no gain runs and then a big gain run.  I feel like the most dominant o-lines and running attacks have more consistent 3-5 yard gains with occasional break out runs.  The NWC is weak compared to our playoff competitors.  So we need to have a more solid run game against the NWC if we really want to compete deeper into the playoffs.  We've got great backs who are capable, but I'm not sure the scheme and o-line are able to support that.  Am I way off in this assessment?  I bleed purple so I don't want to be too critical.

Anyways, that's my armchair opinion.  I really am not good at analyzing and for that reason am not a coach or anything close to it.  Just a d-line meat head!
Go Cats!

And again, thank you so much for your dedication and contribution to this program.  Beyond grateful for it!

I'm not saying you're wrong...but this is by far the most creative and diverse running game we've seen from the Cats' in many years.  Also--I went over the play by play and I only counted 1 rush that was not for positive yards (not including the last few plays of the game) and most of them were 3-yards or more.  So.....I'm not saying it..... but you're way off 

[hazzben]

Don't get me wrong... I thought it was really funny as well... I have always thought that it would be funny to show up with Molly, my Labrador Retriever, on a leash with her wearing a vest and me with dark sunglasses to a baseball game... that or by myself with sunglasses and a walking stick...

It definitely is a topic that bugs me big time but I can definitely laugh at it... we really do need more sports officials as the future is looking really bleak with the majority of officials 50+ and on the downside of their careers... younger people are just not interested in doing the job as they don't want to get yelled at nor do they want to put in the time required to move up.. (of course there are lots of exceptions).

Officials don't have agendas... in all my years of working high school varsity in Oregon I have only come across 1 official who put his ego ahead of doing what was best for the game...That is over thousands of games... for rec games there definitely are people who are punching the clock when out on the court...

Officials are going to boot calls just like players are going to drop passes, QBs throw picks, coaches call the wrong play, kickers miss PATs... all part of the game

My dad was a HS and college football umpire for over 40 years, and held Master certification in over 30 specialities for USATF. I mention this for a few reasons. First, for someone who has never actually been an official (despite my dad encouraging me to do it), I think I've got as a high a regard for them as a person could. Second, I also hold them to a very high standard.

I wonder if some of the problem is that youth sports now begin a lot younger as well. When I grew up we started Tball in 1st grade and football, basketball, etc. didn't begin until middle school, and all of that coaching was done by teachers. Now kids start almost all sports in early elementary school. So you have a need for both more coaches and officials. I know one of the reasons I said no to exploring becoming a football official was that I wanted to coach my kids. I think there are probably a fair amount of potential officials that just end up coaching youth sports. And then when they see the treatment of officials at the youth level, probably become even more convinced it's not something they'd ever want to do.

Case in point, our youth baseball association uses teenage umpires through 6th grade. I love this approach, since it helps to ignite an interest in being an ump for these kids, and provides a pretty well paying summer job opportunity. But you would be amazed at the idiot parents out there (and sometimes coaches) that will blow these 14/15/16 year old kids up for their calls. It's no shock that the worst parents also have sons who are the worst in their lack of respect.

On the other hand, some of the total incompetence and lack of giving a crap by the adult refs for our youth football teams is brutal. My sons 7th grade team has had some egregious officials this year. It's hard to watch at times, and even harder to keep ones mouth shut on the sidelines.

[olddog]

Hazz

Nice post, I too was one of those youth umpires. I loved it, did it for gas money while I played HS sports. Parents used to get on me but being a bigger kid than most the dads it did not bother me, they were not going to intimidate me. If you got out of hand I would boot you.
Coaches usually stopped when I said that is enough or your gone and many apologized to me when they would see me around town, one became a friend. Moms did not stop sometimes. I can remember one game when I booted a mom who knew nothing about basketball. She said she would not leave, I said fine. I went over the wall and held the ball and announced to the crowd the game wont start until she leaves. Players and parents asked her to leave.

I agree on junior football, nothing worse than a ref that does not want to be there, I don't get it. On occasion I still get asked to umpire a friendly among club teams when a friend is stuck. I try to enjoy the kids, I can't even recall what parents said to me, being old can be nice too.

[wildcat11]

Coach Smith Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqjwVIWExgM

Fantastic interview.  Loved the video inserts Ryan.  A top notch production above and beyond anything at this level.  I am so thankful for your dedication and the above the top quality that comes from them. THANK YOU.

"Balanced attack."  I guess this is one area that I just feel that Linfield has lacked and in my opinion continues to lack.  I felt like our run game had some great spurts in the first half.  But then in the second half it just didn't seem like our run game was a real threat.  I don't know if the stats back that up, but it was just the feel I got from watching the game.  We have a lot of no gain runs and then a big gain run.  I feel like the most dominant o-lines and running attacks have more consistent 3-5 yard gains with occasional break out runs.  The NWC is weak compared to our playoff competitors.  So we need to have a more solid run game against the NWC if we really want to compete deeper into the playoffs.  We've got great backs who are capable, but I'm not sure the scheme and o-line are able to support that.  Am I way off in this assessment?  I bleed purple so I don't want to be too critical.

Anyways, that's my armchair opinion.  I really am not good at analyzing and for that reason am not a coach or anything close to it.  Just a d-line meat head!
Go Cats!

And again, thank you so much for your dedication and contribution to this program.  Beyond grateful for it!

FarAwayCat,

You're welcome. In terms of the rushing game, we're sitting at a 54% passing/46% rushing team right now with a 5.0 yards per carry team.

At 166 yards per game (through 5 games) that puts this team ahead of the 2009 Linfield team (159.2), the 2012 team (131.7), but behind the 2014 (206.6) and 2015 (188.2) teams.  14/15 you can point more towards the scheme as Riddle was a duel threat QB and they designed a ton of rushing plays for him.

I know this Linfield team isn't 2005 Whitewater in terms of pounding the rock but they are a competent running attack that opens up the entire offense. 

We'll find out more about the run game as it's going to pour buckets this Saturday in Tacoma and then Fox is going dare Linfield to run with their defensive zone coverage scheme.

[Pat Coleman]

I also umpired summers in eighth and ninth grade. Turned out I probably should have been playing Babe Ruth ball instead but the pocket cash was nice.

This was the 80s but still got a lot of flack from coaches and fans. I remember vividly one bang-bang play at first on an infield grounder that I am not sure I called correctly, and the team didn't get that third out until six or seven batters later. 

[George Thompson]

You're welcome. In terms of the rushing game, we're sitting at a 54% passing/46% rushing team right now with a 5.0 yards per carry team.

At 166 yards per game (through 5 games) that puts this team ahead of the 2009 Linfield team (159.2), the 2012 team (131.7), but behind the 2014 (206.6) and 2015 (188.2) teams.  14/15 you can point more towards the scheme as Riddle was a duel threat QB and they designed a ton of rushing plays for him.

I know this Linfield team isn't 2005 Whitewater in terms of pounding the rock but they are a competent running attack that opens up the entire offense. 

We'll find out more about the run game as it's going to pour buckets this Saturday in Tacoma and then Fox is going dare Linfield to run with their defensive zone coverage scheme.

Have to agree this year's rushing game is well above our average year.    Part of it is because we have two different, but effective runners.    The last time I remember more than one very good runner was in 2001-2002, David Russell, Marty Williams and Thomas Ford.   Now that was fantastic running.

But it all changed in 2003, when we went to the spread formation.    That is a passing formation.   In 2002, we had more rushing yards than passing yards.     Not since then, though.

George

[FarAwayCat]

Coach Smith Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqjwVIWExgM

Fantastic interview.  Loved the video inserts Ryan.  A top notch production above and beyond anything at this level.  I am so thankful for your dedication and the above the top quality that comes from them. THANK YOU.

"Balanced attack."  I guess this is one area that I just feel that Linfield has lacked and in my opinion continues to lack.  I felt like our run game had some great spurts in the first half.  But then in the second half it just didn't seem like our run game was a real threat.  I don't know if the stats back that up, but it was just the feel I got from watching the game.  We have a lot of no gain runs and then a big gain run.  I feel like the most dominant o-lines and running attacks have more consistent 3-5 yard gains with occasional break out runs.  The NWC is weak compared to our playoff competitors.  So we need to have a more solid run game against the NWC if we really want to compete deeper into the playoffs.  We've got great backs who are capable, but I'm not sure the scheme and o-line are able to support that.  Am I way off in this assessment?  I bleed purple so I don't want to be too critical.

Anyways, that's my armchair opinion.  I really am not good at analyzing and for that reason am not a coach or anything close to it.  Just a d-line meat head!
Go Cats!

And again, thank you so much for your dedication and contribution to this program.  Beyond grateful for it!

FarAwayCat,

You're welcome. In terms of the rushing game, we're sitting at a 54% passing/46% rushing team right now with a 5.0 yards per carry team.

At 166 yards per game (through 5 games) that puts this team ahead of the 2009 Linfield team (159.2), the 2012 team (131.7), but behind the 2014 (206.6) and 2015 (188.2) teams.  14/15 you can point more towards the scheme as Riddle was a duel threat QB and they designed a ton of rushing plays for him.

I know this Linfield team isn't 2005 Whitewater in terms of pounding the rock but they are a competent running attack that opens up the entire offense. 

We'll find out more about the run game as it's going to pour buckets this Saturday in Tacoma and then Fox is going dare Linfield to run with their defensive zone coverage scheme.

I more or less stand corrected!  I don't think the stats will show very well since in my limited knowledge we haven't gone up against many solid d-lines that we will for sure see in the first or second round of the playoffs.  Part of me probably just is imprinted by the David Russel era when we just ran over teams.  And that is not a fair comparison to make as we are a different offense since then.  Looking forward to watching the Cats continue to improve.  Lets roll those Lutes tomorrow!

[wildcat11]

You're welcome. In terms of the rushing game, we're sitting at a 54% passing/46% rushing team right now with a 5.0 yards per carry team.

At 166 yards per game (through 5 games) that puts this team ahead of the 2009 Linfield team (159.2), the 2012 team (131.7), but behind the 2014 (206.6) and 2015 (188.2) teams.  14/15 you can point more towards the scheme as Riddle was a duel threat QB and they designed a ton of rushing plays for him.

I know this Linfield team isn't 2005 Whitewater in terms of pounding the rock but they are a competent running attack that opens up the entire offense. 

We'll find out more about the run game as it's going to pour buckets this Saturday in Tacoma and then Fox is going dare Linfield to run with their defensive zone coverage scheme.

Have to agree this year's rushing game is well above our average year.    Part of it is because we have two different, but effective runners.    The last time I remember more than one very good runner was in 2001-2002, David Russell, Marty Williams and Thomas Ford.   Now that was fantastic running.

But it all changed in 2003, when we went to the spread formation.    That is a passing formation.   In 2002, we had more rushing yards than passing yards.     Not since then, though.

George

2013 was pretty close with 238 pass per and 230 rush per.

There is another stat that I'll save to see how we do against PLU but it's pretty telling.

[speedybigboy]

Hey GHC, fire up the G5 , it's lute week.   

Go cats,
Go big d

Is Lute week still a thing?

[desertcat1]

You bet RESPECT.. 

[MonroviaCat]

Hey GHC, fire up the G5 , it's lute week.   

Go cats,
Go big d

Is Lute week still a thing?

Sure....Luck the Futes! 

[gren]

Humor is not allowed any more. Please do not post anything that might make anyone laugh. Talking to you OzJohnnie. Your welcome at my house anytime. GO CATS

[D O.C.]

GeoFo turns out to be an interesting game next week. Looking forward.