The Coffee House

[jcdeboever]

You ignore the PAC 12 ... easily the most successful Division 1 conference in the nation, of all sports.

Nope, I'm aware that their overall standing in all sports is quite strong, but lest you forget 2016's season opener was a devastating blow at the hands of Bama. Also aware of their #4 spot on the AP, going into the season, though the talk is they may slip on Tuesday.

I wasn't aware of the blind center, that's cool that he got to play.

@jcdeboever Michigan made a fine showing not only did they play well, but they were able to capitalize on Gator mistakes. I'm betting they will move up on Tuesday.

The Alabama/FSU game was billed as the greatest opener in history. It didn't disappoint. The newness on the offensive and defensive line, was evident in the first half as Bama struggled to hold FSU at bay, but we've always been a four full quarters team. The second half was a different showing as things started to come together.

@smoke665. Michigan's defense played extremely well, very fast, and we'll executed. I was hoping they would come out that way. Good thing last year's freshman got a fair amount of playing time, it really paid off to start the year. They have a slew of running backs that should keep them fresh all year. A lot of versatility on the O Line as well. The thing is, they should continue to get better as a team, great start.

 

[smoke665]

@jcdeboever Had to go back and watch that fumble recovery in the end zone a couple of times!!!

 

[smoke665]

Going to be/already is a long weekend for us on the mountain. Met with the paving contractor on Friday, they will be here on Tuesday to start paving. It's been 10 years since we built our house, and frankly ran out of money with to many addons, so the drive got cut. At a little under a 1/2 mile long with landings and turn outs, it's not cheap, but we finally saved up the cash. Yesterday I started the process of grading, and moving rock, in preparation. With today and tomorrow, I should be able to be ready in time - I hope.

 

[snowbear120 51]

Going to be/already is a long weekend for us on the mountain. Met with the paving contractor on Friday, they will be here on Tuesday to start paving. It's been 10 years since we built our house, and frankly ran out of money with to many addons, so the drive got cut. At a little under a 1/2 mile long with landings and turn outs, it's not cheap, but we finally saved up the cash. Yesterday I started the process of grading, and moving rock, in preparation. With today and tomorrow, I should be able to be ready in time - I hope.

We expect pics.

cmw3_d40_6219 by Charlie Wrenn, on Flickr

 

[terri39 10]

@smoke665 - Whew! What a project this will be. Y'all must be pumped to finally get it going! Hope it goes smoothly without any unexpected obstacles.

 

[smoke665]

@smoke665 - Whew! What a project this will be. Y'all must be pumped to finally get it going! Hope it goes smoothly without any unexpected obstacles.

We are for sure. Part of the drive is over a 12% grade, so just getting in without the hassle will be exciting. Not having the constant maintenance after every rain will be another added benefit.

 

[Gary A.]

You ignore the PAC 12 ... easily the most successful Division 1 conference in the nation, of all sports.

Nope, I'm aware that their overall standing in all sports is quite strong, but lest you forget 2016's season opener was a devastating blow at the hands of Bama. Also aware of their #4 spot on the AP, going into the season, though the talk is they may slip on Tuesday.

I wasn't aware of the blind center, that's cool that he got to play.

@jcdeboever Michigan made a fine showing not only did they play well, but they were able to capitalize on Gator mistakes. I'm betting they will move up on Tuesday.

The Alabama/FSU game was billed as the greatest opener in history. It didn't disappoint. The newness on the offensive and defensive line, was evident in the first half as Bama struggled to hold FSU at bay, but we've always been a four full quarters team. The second half was a different showing as things started to come together.

@smoke: Since Carroll's untimely departure, the football program has been in shambles. Sarkesian turned out to be a drunk and Helton was just a nice guy to keep the boat from capsizing until a 'real' coach was found. Last year, a very very good Alabama caught SC with their pants down. Harvard could have beaten SC at the beginning of last year's season. A loss is a loss, not making any excuses, Alabama showed up to play big time college football and SC showed up just looking pretty.

As they played in the first three quarters, SC should fall in the polls. As long as they won, slipping a bit shouldn't matter this early in the season. And traditionally, SC has a tough schedule which helps in the polls but it is also a two-edged sword.

What does matter is beating Stanford next week. Apparently, SC was using only half their playbook on offense and defense, as an attempt to hide the good stuff from the Stanford scouts and film reviewers. Those farmers and city roughs from Michigan, weren't cooperating and played some tough ball. Each team score a touchdown through the first three quarters, then SC pulled out the stops and scored 28 points in the fourth. SC's defense needs a lot of polishing to get near being a final product.

Gary thinks the Wolverines' kicker should get a lot of credit for keeping Michigan in the game and giving them the spirit and momentum to finish off the Gators.

Alabama's defense were the victors against FSU ... SC's defense (lack of tackling) made the game close.

 

[Gary A.]

@smoke665 - Whew! What a project this will be. Y'all must be pumped to finally get it going! Hope it goes smoothly without any unexpected obstacles.

We are for sure. Part of the drive is over a 12% grade, so just getting in without the hassle will be exciting. Not having the constant maintenance after every rain will be another added benefit.

Free Curb & Gutters

You know smoke, Gary used to be a partner in a paving company ... if you lived out here your drive could have been installed at cost.

 

[smoke665]

@Gary A. if you lived here could I have still got it at cost LOL Shame there is so much distance, I suspect we could have a big time regardless of team colors!!

We lost some good players both offensive and defensive, plus the havoc at the end of last year with our offensive coordinators. First Kiffin, then Sarkisian, then none. Time will tell if Daboll, is the one for us, but the first half was pretty much a learning experience for all at Alabama. I did like what I started to see in the 2nd half. It's easy to forget that Jalen Hurt was a freshman last year when he started at QB, any improvements there will make him formidable.

Michigan came to play, Florida didn't, end of story.

 

[tirediron]

The kid has been on the team for a few years and never played. Today he did. He's a big kid, lineman size. He ran out on the field gripping the shoulder pad of a teammate. The guards set him up ... a perfect snap and a perfect boot. On the field he was congratulated by both sides ... when he reached the bench and took off his helmet, he had this huge grin from ear-to-ear as other teammates roughed him up.

Isn't that kind of going to mess up the plays? I don't know a lot about feetsball, but this sounds like it would make it awfully hard to win a game...

 

[tirediron]

Sometimes the score doesn't matter.

In other news... California Bookies Union pickets Gary's house.

 

[Gary A.]

Gary's company had an annual maintenance contract with the City of Los Angeles. Gary would have diverted the trucks to your place and pave your drive with the daily leftovers. Over time, it would have been paved for free.

 

[Gary A.]

The kid has been on the team for a few years and never played. Today he did. He's a big kid, lineman size. He ran out on the field gripping the shoulder pad of a teammate. The guards set him up ... a perfect snap and a perfect boot. On the field he was congratulated by both sides ... when he reached the bench and took off his helmet, he had this huge grin from ear-to-ear as other teammates roughed him up.

Isn't that kind of going to mess up the plays? I don't know a lot about feetsball, but this sounds like it would make it awfully hard to win a game...

Just one play, a Point After Touchdown (PAT). He hiked long and the kicker punted it through the uprights. The SC band always has a little concert before the game (on campus) and after the game on the field. There's a photo in the LA Time of Jake Olson (the blind center) leading the band during the post game ceremonies. He had a good day. The Times ran a sidebar on Olson with the subhead "For Olson and Trojans, truly a sight to behold".

From the LA Times article:

"Jake Olson will never behold his perfect snap, the wondrous kick, that glorious final point of USC's opening-day victory. But he felt it in the hugs, heard it in the roars and basked in its triumph as he trotted from the Coliseum field into the arms of his Trojans teammates. Turns out, USC's blind long snapper saw it better than anyone. 'There's a beauty in it,' said Olson, ... 'If you can't see how God work things out, then I think you're the blind one.' ... He lost both of his eyes to retinoblastoma, a rare form of cancer, and three years after he joined the team as a walk-on, Olson snapped the ball in an official game for the first time.

This was not practice. This was not an exhibition. This was real, and the 20-year-old junior from Huntington Beach nailed it. ... 'Certain things are bigger than the game,' USC special teams coach John Baxter said. This was one of those things, a moment during which all the statistics and expectations and hype around this Trojan football team was whittled into one small play for one giant of a kid. ..."

Both coaches worked out a deal before the game. On Western Michigan's first score, USC didn't rush the PAT, in return, on USC's last score, the Bronco's didn't rush the PAT.

 

[Gary A.]

Lester, the Western Michigan University coach said, "'I told them the entire situation,' and said, 'You can't touch him, you can't yell at him, everybody get down so it looks like a football play but nobody move.' Lester recalled, 'I told them what we're about to do is bigger than the game. This is about what kind of people we want to be, what we represent, this is bigger than us.'"

"... Everything good about sports emerging from this afternoon of pain and sweat, Helton and Lester shining like true leaders, the Trojans and Broncos acting like real men. 'I commend and thank coach Lester and entire Western Michigan family for giving us this honor,' Helton said, 'That's a first class organization.'

In the stand, Jake Olson's family screamed."




PS- For the past three years, Olson has worked-out with the team everyday.

 

[jcdeboever]

Lester, the Western Michigan University coach said, "'I told them the entire situation,' and said, 'You can't touch him, you can't yell at him, everybody get down so it looks like a football play but nobody move.' Lester recalled, 'I told them what we're about to do is bigger than the game. This is about what kind of people we want to be, what we represent, this is bigger than us.'"

"... Everything good about sports emerging from this afternoon of pain and sweat, Helton and Lester shining like true leaders, the Trojans and Broncos acting like real men. 'I commend and thank coach Lester and entire Western Michigan family for giving us this honor,' Helton said, 'That's a first class organization.'

In the stand, Jake Olson's family screamed."




PS- For the past three years, Olson has worked-out with the team everyday.

What a great story.