Alfie Dogs

 I saw every single snap of Phillips season with the Hurricanes. He was explosive, tall, fast, strong, and yet, despite having a good sack total, he was neutralized more often than not. He just plays to upright and covers to much ground with his stride. Either he ran himself wide of the play, or couldn’t generate the leverage to beat the tackle. I just didn’t think he was a good defensive end. I STILL DON’T. Every game that he played exclusively at end or olb, he was ineffective, practically the same player I saw in college. Everything changed in the Texans game. The gameplan for his use was an obvious attempt to unlock his elite athleticism by giving him a role he has never had.  A simple adjustment, “if he can’t be an edge pass rusher, then he will be our inside pass rusher.” And the skies opened, and in an instance he became an elite level game changing player. It makes sense, regardless whether he beats the guard or center, his upright play and speed traveling a shorter di...

             I met Mario Christobal when I was employed by FIU and he was The Golden Panthers Football coach in 2010. I was impressed by his gravitas and his command of the room that resonated respect. It was very clear that he was a leader of men and not surprising that he became a rising star as a football coach. I immediately became a fan to the extent that I was intrigued enough to follow his career.      In 2018 Christobal was hired as the head coach of Oregon, as a fan I celebrated his opportunity with an institution with endless resources. I felt he had the pedigree and opportunity to do great things. However Oregon is a west coast team and my interest in his progress dimmed with my access to Pac 12 football.     The 2019 college football season was one of the most important college seasons for me as a football fan. My beloved Dolphins where in position to draft a franchise QB and one of their options was Orego...

Every year I get invited to a street party in front of an old friends mothers house. The affectionately nicknamed "Gordo" throws a block party for his mom. Last year my band played for this family and we all had a wonderful time. I am always surprised by how united this family was, imagine a block party of 100 where 50 our blood relatives, breeders that stick together.  This year they wanted us to play again, and we respectfully declined. However my brother and I wanted to pay our respects and apologize for our rejection. We arrive and again just happiness and harmony from this large family. Gordo has 3 kids, his oldest is from another relationship, and Gordo's girl and his baby momma are best friends! HARMONY I am always amazed by how effortlessly they dismiss any negative emotions. Then something happened that screamed for my individual attention. While I was shooting the shit with this family, Gordos son who is 14, and his cousin, who is 12, starting throwing the footb...

         I t is hard to imagine that an NFL Hall Of Fame head coach only coached in the league for 9 years; and even harder to believe that he only has 19 years of head coaching history. When looking at his past as a coach I was stunned by a very consistent trend. Jimmy coached 4 teams (Oklahoma State, University of Miami, Dallas Cowboys, and Miami Dolphins) in every single term he coached the team for no more than five years. Jimmy was an uncompromising and difficult personality that both was compulsively seeking another challenge and so insanely confident in his perspective and philosophy of winning, that he violently confronted any mortal that would challenge what he knew to be true. The conviction of brevity.      Jimmy believed that confidence and decisiveness resulted in speed, and that speed is the predominant basis to winning football. To be clear, Jimmy cared very little about measured field speed, he valued the velocity of decision ...

One can reasonably presume that most football aficionados conclude that the QB position is essential to the success of an organization, college or pros. I would be naive to dismiss the positions influence, hard to argue the dominance of that position in regards to win share. However, I have learned much about the infinite variables of a true team sport that I have dismissed and, in turn, exposed my miscalculation. Consider, the top 10 all time scoring offenses, only one walked away with a championship, the 1983 Redskins. The top scoring offense of all time (2013 Broncos) where embarrassed by a dominant defense. The runner up in all time scoring (2007 Patriots) lost to a great defense in a low scoring affair. In 3rd, the 2018 Chiefs where bludgeoned by a relentless running attack at home in the AFC Championship game. The 2012 Patriots where dominated by a defense with two Hall of Famers in the 2012 AFC Championship. I could go on but I think I have made my point. Since 2010 there have b...