Friday Night Lights Week 5

Cal's team lost a close one on Saturday. It was their homecoming. Once again, the coach didn't play Cal until the 4th quarter. His team was down 14-10, and the starting running back was limping, so the coach put Cal in, and put in the second string quarterback, Pierce (a running QB). The other team had been jamming the middle with their entire defense and the outside runs were open all day (only the coach wasn't calling the outside plays). So they had been struggling to get a good running game going; up until this drive.

Pierce ran 4 times for 31 yards, and Cal took one outside for a 13 yard run, and they were driving the other teams defense backwards down the field. Then Pierce handed the ball to Cal on an option play, but Cal thought Pierce was taking it back and he fumbled. He never clamped down on the ball, and the other team recovered. Of course, Cal was devastated. The coach quickly chewed his ass out, and never put him back in the game.

In reality, it had little effect on the outcome. The defense stopped that drive, so no points were scored on the turnover. The offense drove down (with several big passing plays) and scored the go ahead touchdown on the next possession. Then the defense gave up several big passing plays, allowing the other team to kick the game winning field goal with 7 seconds left in the game. They lost 16-17.

Cal still felt he caused them to lose the game. He has never had a problem fumbling before, but I know he puts so much pressure on himself to be perfect on every play since he gets so little playing time, that he isn't playing his best. Does that make sense? This has been such a reversal from previous years.

One thing I think it obvious, is that these coaches are not going to play him on his skills (speed) alone. He needs to work harder than he has in the past, to get playing time. Just doing the practices is not enough. He needs to show initiative, prove that he is trying to learn, and sell himself to the coaches. I have always taught him to let his actions speak for him, but he also needs to let the coaches know that he is confident and able. Coaches in the past have built their offenses around him because they knew that giving him 20+ carries a game will get them 2-3 TD's. Now he has to work hard to just get some playing time and also overcome the reputation as a fumbler.

His friends and him say how the coach is a "Dick" and that he plays his "favorites" regardless of who is better in that position. But I think this is a good lesson for Cal in that you need to overcome all odds to be successful, and sometimes that is more than just being better than the competition. You have to work harder and smarter. And you need to find a way to work "WITH" the coach, not against him, regardless of how much of a dick you think he is.

I also told Cal that he should go to the coach today and tell him: "I will not fumble again. It will not happen, so you can trust me." Cal said "I don't like talking to the coaches". That right there is the attitude that is keeping him from starting. I don't think he is disrespectful to the coaches, but he is not showing them that extra effort that makes them say "He's not the biggest, he's not the fastest or the strongest, but he's going to give you all he has." (that's an actual quote from the head coach two weeks ago in the suburban journals about the starting running back). I bet they can sense that Cal doesn't respect/like them. That is why they don't play him until they have to, or they pull him quickly when he makes a mistake.

I told Cal last night that he only has 5 games left this season and he still has his own destiny in his hands. He can turn things around by not only working hard at performing, but also working hard at building a relationship with the coaches so that they will trust that he is "playing for the team". "And believe me: it will be a long senior year if you are still bitching that the head coach is playing favorites, even though you are more talented than the other starters."

It will be interesting to see how he reacts over the next week. I plan on talking to him quite a bit about how things are going in practices. I sure do miss when I was coaching him and could see everything going on. I'm sure I will bore you with the details. Next up is a road trip to play the Spartans of Hazelwood East -MiamiDon's Alma Mater.

Oh, and congratulations to elljay for taking down the Friday night Donkarama. A first place finish in a blogger tournament should still be a nice feather in the cap, even for a playa' like elljay.

I went out of the raketherake freeroll early with TPTK to AA. I am such the donkey. Usually, you see a lot of trash played in the freerolls. I can't tell you how many 2nd pair or top pair with shitty kicker hands I saw people winning with. Then I run my top pair all the way to the river, only to lose to slow played pocket rockets. That asshole will lose more times than not, playing AA that way. Oh well. I'll get 'em next time.

Until then, stay patient...