FB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[Llamaguy]

Don't automatically assume you know more than me on this subject. I just don't have anything on the record, same as you. That stops me from discussing the matter.

Man this must be a bigger story than first thought if you know about it and can't speak about it , "on the record". It isn't like it is Watergate or something, right?  And don't tell me you don't ever speak about any story until you have ALL the fact because that would be ludicrist.

I think when dealing with issues of eligibility and the like it's better to be safe than sorry.

Fair enough. I'm sure if anyone is willing to pick up the story it will be the DNR and if not then it will go down as a non-issue. I guess I can live with that unless K-mack comes through with something "on the record".

[Olinemom]

Well, I have rarely been disgusted with what goes on on this board, but

as to yesterday's messages, they took the cake.  I came on to talk about

the W&L game and what do I find?  2 grown men whining and calling each

other out over something totally stupid, not once but repeatedly, taking

up good space when we could have been talking about the game and

what went right for a change and what can be improved on for next

week.  It's enough already, Kid and K-Mack.  You want to nitpick and retort

back and forth, use e-mail or personal messages.  That would be more

appropriate.  I had to turn it off last night, I was so incensed.  I have not

read anything since what I read last night and I could be repeating what

somebody else has already said, but I didn't feel I had a choice about it.


    Now on to more pleasant or at least on topic issues.  The BC Eagles

played an excellent game on Saturday.  It looked great after the last 2

weeks of less than stellar efforts.  It must be said, however, that W&L

were without 2 of their big offensive playmakers and anyone who says

that that didn't make a difference needs to have their head

examined.  You don't lose Colton Ward (yes, wrong name) and not have

Stuart Sitterson playing without having to change the offensive plays to

reflect that.  Having acknowledged that, I think the BC Defense went after

the Gennies with a ferocity that I haven't seen this season, period.  It

reminded me of defensive plays from 3-4 years ago.  Granted they came in

clumps, but it was fantastic to see.  BC pride was indeed showing.  I

thought Michael Jackson played one heck of a game!! Cameron Morrison

has been playing so well, even when we, as a team, haven't been playing

well.  The difference was that the rest of the defense played up to their

potential and past what they have been doing all year.  It was a pleasure

to cheer for those kinds of efforts!!!  As I told one of my favorite players,

and he knows who he is, "It is much better to knock the opposing QB

down and ruin the play  than to knock over a stupid table full of

Gatorade."  It was a good moment after the game.  And the offense, well

you know I love the offensive side of the ball.  The O-Liners were working

as a team.  Great going, guys!!  And Jeff was being allowed to do what he

does best.  I know, about 5 plays into the game, I leaned over and asked

Steve Kelley (sp) whether Coach Colbert were here for the weekend.  It

just felt different.  The mixing of plays looked like BC football.  I was

excited by the change.  No more Oklahoma conservatism.  Yippee!!  Not to

say we didn't have a few moments, but I thought we looked so much

better than we have looked in many many weeks!!!  It comes down to the

fact that you have to use plays that take advantage of the skills your

players have.  If you don't, you might as well not have them play.  What's

the point?  So proud of you all!!!


    As to the losses, to the young men who comprise the football team,

(and as I am older than dirt) and to the coaching staff as well, I say that

losses can be just as instructive and constructive as wins.  If you do not

prepare yourselves for a team for whatever reason, and I truly think that

was the case with Guilford, then you are going to have a bad

experience.  We as a team could not conceive that Guilford was good

enough to give us a run for our money so we did not do the preparation

needed and it showed.  For every action, there is a consequence.  We

lost, we were beaten.  17-0 in the first quarter is hard to dig  out of and

we didn't.  It should have taught us a valuable lesson.  I think it did, but

not enough.  I know that we practiced really hard the week before E &

H.  I could hear it from my office.  It was loud, long and very

intense.  When I asked my players (and, as far as I am concerned, they

are all my players, they spoke as one.  Yes, ma'am.  We will be / are

prepared.)  However, the problem was that E & H was also prepared.  And

we were not prepared for that eventuality nor were we prepared to have

our personnel play football with the plays that enhance their talents. (See

the above paragraph about the W&L game)  We were too conservative on

both sides of the ball.  Panic set in.  The ugliest thing I have seen in a long

time happened not on the field, but on the sidelines where everybody in

the stands could see.  We had our players  fighting (verbally and pointing)

against each other.  They seemed to have forgotten that the

common "enemy" was on the other side of the field.  They were fighting

amonst themselves!!  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that a

team divided cannot win.   All they can do is huff and puff --you know the

rest of that story.  However, we almost pulled off a miracle ending.  We

have had so many of them that we have come to expect that of our

team.  But when you have a team beset with angry upset in-fighting, you

are not going to get that kind of break.   The pass was a brilliant metaphor

for the whole game and what transpired, tipped by one player and the

other player then could not catch it.  You've got to play as a team, not as

individuals.  Football is a team sport.  [Not only that, we can't let our

frustrations come out of our mouths right in front of the referees

either.  That has been an issue ALL YEAR]


    So what is the point of all this?  I know this is long, but hey I'm a

professor.  I don't usually get the chance to give talks in class.  I keep my

classes student-centered (another story for another time).  One has to

take the consequences of one's actions.  We have lost 2 games.  We

aren't going to the playoffs.  That is the reality.   There is a life lesson to

learn.  As students, which our athletes are first and foremost,

if you don't study for a test, you are going to fail it and then you are up

the creek in the course, probably leaning toward a terrible grade, if not a

FLAG, in that course.  The same is true in

football and you know what?  The same is true in life.  They had better get

used to it.  We can't run in and try to save them from themselves.  They

have to learn that there are consequences and learn to deal with

them.  Everybody needs to learn how to lose gracefully.  We all know what

sore losers are like and we don't like it.  We don't want our young men to

ape that kind of behavior.  They will learn what it takes to be champions

this year by not being champions.  Sometimes one has to touch the

ground before one can float in the air again.  Some of us as backers have

been quilty as well, wanting to be in the playoffs so badly, but you have to

earn that right on the field.  We didn't this year.


    I have been here from 1983 until now and we have had some really

dismal years of football during those years.  Forgettable years really

except for the young men who played football.  They were, as always,

unforgettable.    I have sat through 0-10 yearsand it's no fun.  I have sat

wanting "my" player to play and watching us lose as another player I felt

was not as good as "my" player was playing.  I think we have all done

that at one time or another.    But when Coach Clark came, there was a

difference.  Here was a person who was a leader, a person who had the

right perspective as far as I was concerned.  In the first couple of years, I

had a starting player who didn't want to come to class.  Well, I talked to

Coach Mike about it and that individual was benched and did not

play.  Right then and there, I knew that Coach was the right kind of

person for BC.  I have been proud to be an Eagle fan and cheer for Coach

Mike and his teams, from the get go, not just when they started winning

and going to the playoffs.  We have gone so many times in recent years,

we have forgotten what is like not to go.  But we now remember and none

of us like it.  Especially the student athletes.  I know they understand the

challenge better now and will dedicate thenselves to preparing better in

the off-season, to working better together during the season and to

giving 110% of themselves at all times.  It takes everybody on the same

page.  The parents will also be supportive, the fans will be supportive, the

administration will be supportive, the cheereleaders will be supportive,

Ernie the Eagle will be supportive, the pep band will be supportive, the

student body will be supportive, the alums, especially the former football

players, will be supportive, all the tailgates will be supportive.  Let's give

them our support.  Let's not be divisive about things we cannot

change.  Sour grapes is never something appreciated by anyone.  (Tastes

lousy, too)  We have 2 more games to go.  We need to support our guys

to win out.  Whoever goes to the playoffs from the ODAC, we need to

support 110% as we would and did when we were the ones to

REPRESENTthe

ODAC.  And, you all do realize that the ODAC hosts the Stagg Bowl this

year on Dec. 16.  It would be great to have a huge delegation down to

help host the fan base of the 2 finalists who will play in the Championship

game, no matter where they come from.  I know that Stone Station has

done this for 2 years and we have gotten much more out of the

experience than just having a great tailgate.  Nothing short of

marvelous.  Sorry I have taken so long.  It's probably more than my 2

brownies worth, but most of you all have had more than 2 of my brownies

and I just had to speak my mind.  As Hasanova says, Peace or Paix or Paz

or Pax.  My German, Hebrew and Greek vocabularies escape me at the

moment.

[DenbowsRoomie]

4.  Matt made an astute point about the W&L depth chart.  They know they aren't a deep team, and to be honest, they don't care.  They are who they are.  They won't have a huge roster...in fact, their roster this year is their biggest in HISTORY, according to my interviews with Miriello this preseason.  They are very Centennial in their approach to sports - success is just an added bonus to the benefits of playing the game. 

And that brings up an interesting point to W&L athletics as a whole....

W&L is dominating the ODAC this fall.  Women's soccer.  Field hockey.  Women's V-ball.  Cross-country.  Men's soccer is very good...

But traditionally, W&L has competed well in these sports over the past five years or more (field hockey was not a varsity program until 2001 I think).

The success of the football team this season is just icing on the cake.  W&L knows what it is and for the most part seems to be content with it's reality.  We will traditionally do well in the "country club" sports, and whether that's good or bad, I'm not sure.  But for a school that is not "built" to field a consistently awesome football team, the success over the past 2 years has been inspiring.  I doubt W&L will ever field a "deep" team in reality.  We're probably never going to have 100 kids suited up on the sidelines.  But in a world where only football and men's basketball ever get attention from "sports fans," it's nice to occasionally have that kind of success that draws attention from people outside the W&L community.  Until proven otherwise, ODAC football belongs to Bridgewater.  At the same time, until proven otherwise, ODAC athletics as a whole belongs to Washington and Lee.

[EHCPride]

You can always count on Mom to set you straight.  Thanks Olinemom.  Now my question, is the quarterback you mentioned Varner the freshman?  If so, who did they play in his place?  Does anybody know the extent of the injury and if Sitterson will be back this week?

[Eh-You]

Oh how I love the opp to stick my USAC spoon in the discussion and stir the pot! After the last few weeks it has become clear that Averett is the best team in Virginia - hands down!

[DenbowsRoomie]

the 2 injuries I think Olinemom was referring too was Colton Ward and Stuart Stitterson, not a quarterback.  Varner played the whole game and was not injured as far as I know.

[Llamaguy]

Wow what a weekend. As Sunday is quick to close we have (and I was a part of) "As the ODAC and Playoff Chances Turn", on this board. I have also now seen and read the longest post to ever be posted on the boards. Everyone can now return to their regular ODAC Football Board.

What is everyone's opinion on the E&H @ W&L game this week? Will the loss or slowing of Sitterson and Ward slow the Gennies enough for E&H to beat them?
E&H used a lot of draws, etc against BC and obviously W&L has trouble with a power run game. Can E&H run enough to loosen up W&L because we know Woods can pass. Should be a good one.

[Olinemom]

You can always count on Mom to set you straight.  Thanks Olinemom.  Now my question, is the quarterback you mentioned Varner the freshman?  If so, who did they play in his place?  Does anybody know the extent of the injury and if Sitterson will be back this week?

My QB--would be Jason Lutz    whom I helped recruit to BC.  You do remember where he took us when he finally got to play?
    Now I fon't know about the QB and I asked about Sitterson after the game.  I had heard he was injured for the Guilford game, but had not heard anything about his status for the BC game.  I had wanted to see him play, because he's an excellent player.  You only get better if you play against better teams.  That's my philosophy.  
    I heard someone gota broken leg in the ODAC this weekend, but I don't know who it was.  I know that the rescue squad was not used at the BC-W&L game.  And I have to admit that I was a bit less worried than I have been in the past because afterall it wasn't Peter Dean who was QB'ing.  He is safely off in Med School.  When he was the QB  I was always nervous!  They made us go to overtime the year we went to the Stagg Bowl.  Hard to forget that.

[pg04]

Note:  If you want to be heard, you don't write long non-spaced entries like the one oline mom had...It gets people disinterested pretty quickly. 

[Olinemom]

Wow what a weekend. As Sunday is quick to close we have (and I was a part of) "As the ODAC and Playoff Chances Turn", on this board. I have also now seen and read the longest post to ever be posted on the boards. Everyone can now return to their regular ODAC Football Board.

What is everyone's opinion on the E&H @ W&L game this week? Will the loss or slowing of Sitterson and Ward slow the Gennies enough for E&H to beat them?
E&H used a lot of draws, etc against BC and obviously W&L has trouble with a power run game. Can E&H run enough to loosen up W&L because we know Woods can pass. Should be a good one.

. . .   How's that for short?

[Llamaguy]

Oh how I love the opp to stick my USAC spoon in the discussion and stir the pot! After the last few weeks it has become clear that Averett is the best team in Virginia - hands down!

Absolutely agree Eh You. Hopefully for Averett, that will still be the case after next Saturday.

[miz]

Note:  If you want to be heard, you don't write long non-spaced entries like the one oline mom had...It gets people disinterested pretty quickly. 

Then don't read it. 

[pg04]

I didn't! haha. 

[Matt Barnhart (kid)]

[... 1,789-word post ...]

You lost me around "Well, I have..."

[Llamaguy]

I know not of the QB she speaks about. I did read that the Trinity (Texas) QB Blake Barmore broke his fibula though. Maybe that is to what she is refering?