The straight scoop from Colonel Mustard
Jan. 4, 2002
PASADENA, Calif. -- A frustrated Colonel filing this from a sand trap on the golf course
outside the Rose Bowl.
What a beautiful venue for a football game. This
is somewhere everyone should visit at least once. Where do you start on
a night like tonight? I have to start with Frank, I will grant you Frank
can't go make the tackles that we continue to miss, but he got waaaay
too cute tonight in the first half. Offset I, Maryland I with Kriewald
at the top, 5 wides and Davies as the single back. What was he trying
to establish? Why did we continue to run wide against a defense that is
the fastest we've faced all year? Yet with all of that, we did move the
ball against them when we got back to our power game. Sure was fun to
watch Ed Reed bounce off of 7 and Diedrick. In my opinion 7 did not have
a sharp game at all; on the interception off of Wistrom's hands, Gibson
was running wide open. Too many bad decisions and wild throws. On the
defensive side, a lot of disappointment, I said at the outset Shanle has
to cover Shockey. Unfortunately he couldn't. That and our refusal to wrap
up anyone made it a recipe for disaster. On special teams, sure Josh Davis
has the fumble, but wow what a playmaker. Why can't he get on the field
more? Why aren't he and Thunder the slot men in the double wing? On one
last note, to make sure I address everyone, why can we never seem to find
cleats that work on a grass field? I might have to fly to Germany and
have a talk with those folks at Adidas? Or at least our equipment guy?
Don't get me wrong, Miami is a very talented team and deserved to win
tonight. I just wish they could have gotten our best shot. In case you
were wondering their fans are bigger jerks (wanted to use a different
adjective but this is a family-rated site) than their players. They need
to learn how to be gracious and classy winners. I'm already excited for
spring ball and seeing Dukes and all of the guys competing for the QB
job. Mark my words, we'll be back. Our defense is still 2 years away.
We have to get playmakers in our front 4. The keys to success are up the
middle. Ruud and Bland will be two of the best to ever play their positions.
Now we just need a stud nose tackle to step up and build our next championship
around. (M. Brown are you reading this?) Now the goal is to get the contingent
back to OMA in one piece. You didn't hear it here, but Colonel Junior
and Little Golf didn't do me any favors in getting through LAX on the
way.
--
The Colonel
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