I apologize to everyone who reads my blogs. I am extremely busy at work. I started my blog when I got back from the Appy State game. I started to delete the draft, but then realized if I let one slide, I will just let all of them slide. I get regular communications that people still enjoy my sense of humor and observations as a displaced Huntingtonian. The items in Green were from the timely blog, the items in black are the ones that I am finishing my thought on WKU gameday.
I've had a hard time getting into Herd football this year. Part of the issue is that I have really missed the detailed practice summaries that Morpheus provided in years prior. There has also been a lack of coverage of the Herd in online media. In a year of great uncertainty, here are the Ten Things That I Think I Know after EKU:
It has been quite a while since I attempted a themed blog. After the WWII themed one a few years ago, I've stayed away from them. Can't help myself this week though, since movies kept popping into my head as I watched the Herd win its 7th game last week. The problem with a themed blog is that I'm not always creative enough to fit an important point into the theme. This week, I don't have movies that easily fit in to the outstanding coaching we are seeing from Lambert and JC Price. With Beckett having a career year and Hames having a great senior season, it is also refreshing to see players like Gilmore emerge. While it may not be well advised, here are the Ten Things I Think I Know after LA Tech (the Movie Edition):
1. We Are Marshall: as we approach the 50th anniversary, I find it touching that many fans and players who did not grow up in the Tri-State during the 70s and 80s have embraced our collective reverence for the 75. I think Doc deserves a lot of credit for focusing the community and the players on the importance of our story. 2. The Big Green (Disney Soccer movie): while I could have used a soccer movie to tout the Soccer team's Conference Championship, that's not why the movie popped into my head. As I was watching the opening kickoff coverage, I thought back to youth soccer and how all of the players clump up around the ball. Maybe we need to let Lambert or JC coach special teams. There are quite a few individual special team players having incredible years, the players on the coverage teams are not. Maybe Coach Grassie can come over and lecture the football team on how to "contain." It wouldn't hurt. 3. Wizard of Oz: during reseating, I moved us from Row 31 down to Row 2. I love being right behind the defensive team and being able to hear what is going on. If there is any ill will for me taking the seats (I'll have to ask at the next game since he sits right behind me), the punishment that I got was those stupid screens that they held up. I couldn't see the plays that were right in front of me. This got me thinking that I just need to pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RQxD4Ff7dY 4. Independence Day: just as Russell said in Independence Day, Obi was able to say "Hello Boys...I'm Back" as he blew up their secondary. The first that I HERD about Obi's return was when I walked into the Men's room at the Joan and HERD Cotton announce it. In addition to the gaudy stats, Obi brings something to the field that we haven't had this year: the ability to catch balls from Green. The catch in the collage above was incredible. Obi also had a catch down the left sideline where he had to reach outside of his route to make the catch. I hope he plays 3 more games this year and comes back next year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyOTaHRBTXc 5. Happy Feet: in all fairness, Green has improved dramatically since MTSU. I'm not sure why he started slow this year, but after the Rice game I've thought about the kid's movie Happy Feet, since that is what Green seems to have when he has thrown this year. During the first half of the Rice game, I noticed that he planted his feet and threw accurate passes in the first half. In the second half, he reverted to throwing without planting his feet. Don't get me wrong, Green may never be the guy who plants his feet and throws out of the pocket. He had a good game against La Tech with running and throwing balls to Obi. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kA42VrqGKd4 6. Superman: in trying to figure out which Superman movie to show some appreciation for Knox, I did some research on the various movies. I have to say that he is definitely not having a Superman IV sort of year. I think he is clearly having either a 1978 or 2013 movie year. 7. Napolean Dynamite: I've enjoyed watching Yulee and Alston's dancing on the sideline the last few games. In their epic dance off this past week, I have to give the victory to Yulee. It is great to see Yulee obviously feeling better. I can't wait to see him on the field next year. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELBy5stH3b8 8. Spinal Tap: first off I am not sure why we were running a trick play that many HS teams run. Secondly, I am not sure why we only had 10 men on the field. Obviously, Doc needs to watch Spinal Tap and get his Marshall amp up to 11!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOO5S4vxi0o 9. Shazam: while I haven't seen the movie, sitting beside my dad watching the basketball game on his phone at the Joan reminded me of the movie poster I saw for Shazam. 10. Road Trip: I got up on Friday morning and drove down for the game. While I wasn't chasing a video tape that I mailed to Tiffany, I was focused on getting to the Joan. That left quite a mess in the passenger side of the car. It is hard to believe that the end of another regular season is coming up. I look forward to fooball season all year long. This one seemed to go by quickly. Hopefully, I will be coming back for the C-USA Championship game. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XWpPwp8p_0 GO HERD!!! "I had a weird week. I was in NOLA for two days and then went to the World Series on Friday night. When I was offered World Series tickets, I initially turned them down because I thought I would have to miss the Herd. If you saw me at the Joan on Saturday and thought it looked like I rolled out of bed, brushed my teeth and hair and then drove straight to the Joan from Arlngton, VA....you would have been right. It was a long week, but I am glad that I drove in for the game. Here are the Ten Things I Think I Know After WKU:
1. Smallest Crowd Since Snyder: but I liked the fans who showed up. I had friends sitting out in the parking lot opting to make a statement. That doesn't bother me. Those dudes have a right to do what they think is right. The fans in the stands did the Wave and everyone seemed to be having fun. The biggest moment for me was during the third quarter when Cramsley walked over to the empty D bench area and looked up in the empty seats. The look on his face spoke volumes. Anyway, I was there and my tailgate buddies were there. Strangely, my buddy who never lasts past half time stayed longer than I did. While I understand the disenchantment, I am going to do everything I can to go watch these kids. 2. Biggest Hit I Remember Since Larry McCloud: while it didn't seem as huge when I watched it on the replay; Cobb's hit in the fourth quarter was HUGE. It happened right in front of us. I thought Yulee's hit in the NC State game last year was huge; that was like a tap compared to what Cobb laid on Storey. I am glad that I got up and pushed myself to make it to the Joan. That was an awesome memory that I will keep for some time. Thank you Mr. Cobb!!! 3. Couch: is the real deal this year. I really like the story about Silva coming to play his final year of eligibility with his HS buddy. To be honest, I expected Silva to outshine Couch this year. While Silva is a contributor, Mr. Couch showed up with another great game. Three sacks and the first one leading to a turnover. Making Central Miami proud. 4. Rohrwasser: I crashed with six minutes left in the game and left to drive to my parents house. I was literally falling asleep in my seat at the Joan. It was great listening to Cotton call the last few minutes of the game. I have a certain amount of hatred for WKU after the classless 2016 game at the Joan. I really enjoyed listening to Cotton's description of WKU's coach trying to ice Rohrwasser. After listening to quite a few comments about what his real range is, I am glad that we all know it is 53 yards. All of these kids are out there looking for their moment. It looks like Rohrwasser has had his career moment. Not only was it a career moment, the kid had a career day. He outscored the offense: 14-12. Congratulations. 5. Merrell: while it was a mixed bag for him on coverage, his INT and fumble recovery were the difference makers in the early part of the game on Saturday. 6. Green: it is a shame that Doc's decision not to substitute anyone for Green has turned him into a topic for fan negativity (including me at times). On Saturday, he played like I thought he would in conference play. For those who didn't come out or watch the game, you missed a solid game from Green. No, he wasn't as good as Byron or Chad were, but the kid had a good game for him this season. As we all line up on how we feel about Doc, I hope everyone remembers that Green is just a kid playing football. I'm rooting for him to build on Saturday's performance and continue to improve. 7. Doc: while I take heat for it on here, I like Doc and want him to do well. I don't think he realized how polarized the fans were going to be over his refusal to substitute QBs in the second half at Boise, Cincy, and MTSU. On Saturday, the fans who were there were expressing: "here we go, Doc playing not to lose again." I'm not sure what he was thinking in the first half, and I sure don't understand what we were doing in the third quarter. That being said, to quote Sinatra, Doc "did it my way." What should have been a beatdown, ended up being a walk off field goal. In ten years from now, most people won't remember this game, they will just see a W. That is pretty much how I think Doc's entire resume will be viewed when he is done: there were a bunch of Ws, but nothing will stand out like Bobby or Donnan's signature wins. Hopefully, he pulls it together and wins a Conference Championship. I'm not counting on that though. 8. Levias: ten receptions and a TD is a good day for any TE at any level. Clearly he is turning into Green's go to guy. 9. Announcement: I am not sure that I would have planted the story in the HD about the announcement; it was an important announcement, but the way it was rolled out made many of us think it was something that was actually happening, not something that needs our financial support to happen. That being said, I think both campaigns are important to the future of the University. 10. Answer for Champ: last year, Champ asked what was the point of this blog. The dude has laid out a lot of questions about the value of this board. As most of you know, I believe this board is the most important outlet for Herdfans. While I don't have answers to all of Champ's questions about value, I can answer his question about this blog. During the Snyder years, W0lf asked me to be one of three guys to blog. He said I saw and said things that was unique, and made others think and respond. At that time, I was looking at others as being "Apologists" and was arguing for change. At that point, there were more Apologists running around defending Kopper and Snyder than I could stomach. I now find myself blogging from what I think is a unique position at this point in time: I am 100% focused on the players' perspective and appreciating their moments. I think it is an important message to be shared. As we all fought against the Administration during the dark Snyder years, I understand where some of the members of this board are at right now. In sum, maybe at some point, I will disappear like the "Mind of Morpheus" blog, but for now, I will blog whenever I can. Go Herd!!!
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