Post by smurph on Sept 1, 2009 11:16:44 GMT -5
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Deep Thoughts
Posted by John Antonik on Monday, August 31, 2009
(10:49 am)
Post your comments
And now, some Deep Thoughts …
I sometimes wonder how heavy-handed coaches like Bear Bryant, Woody Hayes or Bo Schembechler would have reacted to Internet blogging and the message board bantering that goes on today. Back when Bryant and Hayes coached the dog always wagged the tail; today the tail sometimes wags the dog.
I wonder, too, how some people can form ironclad, set-in-stone opinions after observing a football coach for only one year.
Joe Paterno was a horrible hire at Penn State. Only you gray bears will remember Paterno's record was 5-6 after his first 11 games at Penn State. The gray beards may also recall Paterno once going for it on fourth and one from his own 15, leading Florida State 17-0 in the second half of the 1967 Gator Bowl. The Lions didn't make it and Florida State scored 17 unanswered points to tie Penn State.
Of course, Paterno went on to a disastrous coaching career in Happy Valley with 383 victories, two national titles and 23 bowl wins heading into this season - his 60th in some capacity.
Bobby Bowden couldn't lead a one-car funeral. Bowden's first year at West Virginia was a comedy of errors, beginning with his decision to punt the football on fourth and one at the Duke 31 yard line during a tight game the Blue Devils were winning. However, Bowden forgot to tell his backup punter to angle the ball out of bounds and try and pin Duke deep in its own territory. So his young punter launched one high into the stratosphere, the ball nearly traveling over the end zone bleachers and down onto Beechurst Avenue. The punt netted just 11 yards and Duke went on to win the game.
A week later, Bowden sat on a 35-8 halftime lead at Pitt and West Virginia lost the game 36-35.
Of course, Bowden left Morgantown a martyr and went on to win two national championships at Florida State - and depending on the decision of others, may still be in the race with Paterno to become the all-time winningest coach in NCAA history.
Don Nehlen couldn't spell cat if you spotted him the C and the T. During Nehlen's final year at Bowling Green in 1976, his Falcons snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when confusion on the sidelines caused Bowling Green to forgo a game-winning field goal at the Miami one-yard line with time running out. Nehlen thought it was third down and chose to take one more crack at the end zone. Bowling Green didn't make it, and Miami held on for a 9-7 victory.
Of course, Nehlen went to West Virginia in 1980 and turned around a sagging football program, taking the Mountaineers to the national championship game in 1989 on the way to a hall of fame coaching career.
Paterno, Bowden and Nehlen - three dumb coaches who managed to get out of their own way to have decent careers.
Deep Thoughts
Posted by John Antonik on Monday, August 31, 2009
(10:49 am)
Post your comments
And now, some Deep Thoughts …
I sometimes wonder how heavy-handed coaches like Bear Bryant, Woody Hayes or Bo Schembechler would have reacted to Internet blogging and the message board bantering that goes on today. Back when Bryant and Hayes coached the dog always wagged the tail; today the tail sometimes wags the dog.
I wonder, too, how some people can form ironclad, set-in-stone opinions after observing a football coach for only one year.
Joe Paterno was a horrible hire at Penn State. Only you gray bears will remember Paterno's record was 5-6 after his first 11 games at Penn State. The gray beards may also recall Paterno once going for it on fourth and one from his own 15, leading Florida State 17-0 in the second half of the 1967 Gator Bowl. The Lions didn't make it and Florida State scored 17 unanswered points to tie Penn State.
Of course, Paterno went on to a disastrous coaching career in Happy Valley with 383 victories, two national titles and 23 bowl wins heading into this season - his 60th in some capacity.
Bobby Bowden couldn't lead a one-car funeral. Bowden's first year at West Virginia was a comedy of errors, beginning with his decision to punt the football on fourth and one at the Duke 31 yard line during a tight game the Blue Devils were winning. However, Bowden forgot to tell his backup punter to angle the ball out of bounds and try and pin Duke deep in its own territory. So his young punter launched one high into the stratosphere, the ball nearly traveling over the end zone bleachers and down onto Beechurst Avenue. The punt netted just 11 yards and Duke went on to win the game.
A week later, Bowden sat on a 35-8 halftime lead at Pitt and West Virginia lost the game 36-35.
Of course, Bowden left Morgantown a martyr and went on to win two national championships at Florida State - and depending on the decision of others, may still be in the race with Paterno to become the all-time winningest coach in NCAA history.
Don Nehlen couldn't spell cat if you spotted him the C and the T. During Nehlen's final year at Bowling Green in 1976, his Falcons snatched defeat from the jaws of victory when confusion on the sidelines caused Bowling Green to forgo a game-winning field goal at the Miami one-yard line with time running out. Nehlen thought it was third down and chose to take one more crack at the end zone. Bowling Green didn't make it, and Miami held on for a 9-7 victory.
Of course, Nehlen went to West Virginia in 1980 and turned around a sagging football program, taking the Mountaineers to the national championship game in 1989 on the way to a hall of fame coaching career.
Paterno, Bowden and Nehlen - three dumb coaches who managed to get out of their own way to have decent careers.
