End of Season Awards: Bonehead Coaching Move of the Year

Let’s set the situation:
1:27 left in the 4th quarter
A tie game
You have scored 37 points
You have all three time outs left
You are a I-AA school with a Senior Quarterback that will be a NFL draft pick
You are playing in the semi-finals of the I-AA playoffs
Win and you are in

What do you do? In his second season at his Alma Mater, David Bailiff, Head Coach of Texas State, had turned the program from a perennial also ran into a national championship contender. Never before had the Texas State Bobcats made it to the I-AA playoffs. The Bobcat’s exciting and wide open play had gotten them to this point. Now they were on destiny’s door step.

If your Baliff you play not to lose. He instructed his star quarterback, Barrick Nealy to take a knee and play for overtime. Players and fans alike looked on in disbelief and disgust at this stunning lack of coaching cahones. The cheers turned to boos in the Bobcat’s home stadium.

The Bobcat’s lost all of their momentum, mojo, and morale. The inevitable result, they lost in the first overtime. An unbelievable story has a tragic ending. Once again, predictably, the “Marty Schottenheimer's School of Playing Not to Lose” results in Playing Not to Win. The cliché of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory never rang more true. It was the kind of call that gets a coach fired. A coach who had built up a storehouse of goodwill made a decision that will haunt him the rest of his coaching career. How will the University, the fans, and most of all his players ever be able to trust him again? Even if he goes on to win one, no one will ever forget or forgive him for the one that got away.

Do you have a nomination for bonehead coaching move of the year? If so send it to LFL@digitalgrease.com

No Honor Among Thieves

It’s a thankless job and I have buttheads for clients, but I have to protest the current actions of the Lions and Eagles management.

The Lions have filed a grievance and want to recover $10 million in signing bonuses from Charles Rodgers because of his drug issues and cut him. He lost his hefty game checks during the suspension. There is a league mandated drug program. He has already been punished. They knew he had character flags when they drafted and signed him. Why should he have to pay for their personnel mistake?

The Eagles want to recover $1.8 million of TO’s signing bonus for not attending a fan event six months ago. Why was he not fined or cut at the time? The basically want to fine him $1.8 million for missing a one hour appearance. They knew what they were getting into when they signed him. He has already been punished.

Would I want Charles Rodgers on my team? No. Does TO make it easy to hate TO? Yes. However, punishments should fit the crimes. When you play with fire you can get burned. The players should not have to pay for managements mistakes. Cut them and take your medicine like a man. These management decisions are just as deplorable as the actions of these two players.

Editors Note: LL is not a lawyer, but he did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Please, no more 16-0 talk!!!

I am so tired of hearing about the Colts going 16-0…it’s everywhere, all the time…now 19-0 would be something…They don’t give trophies for the best regular season record, well except in flag football, in the 6-8 year old league…if the Colts don’t win the Super Bowl this was all just a huge waste of hot air and news print…the ‘72 Dolphins won the Super Bowl, that's a perfect season…talk to me about it when they finish the regular season…this is getting way too much hype…arrrg…WHERE ARE MY PILLS!!!

Advice from a Hater: If they guy seated next to you wants to talk about a lucrative career with Amway, Fantasy Football, or the Colts going 16-0, do yourself a favor, change seats.

No Guarantee

Even if Reggie Bush is the next Gayle Sayers, it is no guarantee of Super Bowl success. The Great Gayle Sayers played for the Chicago Bears from 1965-1971. The Bears record during those seasons:

1965 9-5
1966 5-7-2
1967 7-6-1
1968 7-7
1969 1-13
1970 6-8
1971 6-8

Current comparable NFL player: Marshall Faulk.

Player - Super Bowl Wins
Earl Campbell - 0

Eric Dickerson - 0
OJ Simpson - 0
Marshall Faulk - 1
Timmy Smith - 1