Alfie Dogs

     I am sure you have heard the term before, “he provides a great anchor” and although it may seem like a cliché enveloped in imagery, it is a significant consideration when evaluating offensive lineman.  The term “anchor” primarily is related to pass protection. The genesis of the term “anchor” comes from the pass blocking technique to take 3 steps back from the line of scrimmage and plant your outside foot to set your line of demarcation; from that point on you must maintain your “anchor”, you have planted yourself and your goal is to stop all progress beyond that point.   However, the principle of an anchor extends far beyond the rudimentary genesis of the term in regards to football. Inhumanly large men with rare explosive movement characteristics can be considered to be locomotives. Heavy, Powerful, Stiff, and difficult to slow their momentum.  Allow me to explain. In a gap blocking scheme,  the playside offensive linemen blocks down the line of...

 Many plays from the West Coast Offense, an offense proven to be legendarily successful, are still being used today by many teams. Many would have you believe that it is a play book designed to supplement a running game with short, high percentage, passing plays. It is often interpreted as a passing system strictly predicated on timing. Although, both are absolutely true, neither diagnosis the philosophical importance of the individual staples of a system that unearthed a dynasty.   The Offensive Line.   The West Coast system ran a strictly Zone Blocking scheme. Zone Blocking is difficult to teach, but easier to coach production from mediocre athletes. A true strength in number approach that emphasizes the influence of oline movement to dictate a defensive attack. The Wide Receivers   A system that produced Jerry Rice, the most statistically productive WR in the history of the NFL, despite being an above avg. athlete metrically. In the West Coast system the primary e...

I have always had a pretty strong understanding of zone blocking principles. Simply stated, it is the Oline philosophy in which the player blocks an area not a player. It is important to state that this principle is mostly applicable for running plays, in most pass blocking situations the Oline is shielding using a zone concept to avoid falling victim to stunts (when a defensive player attacks inside from an outside alignment.) However, if I am being honest I was never a big fan. I love pull blocks, crack backs, traps, and the overall expression of big boy athleticism!  The 49ers against Dallas completely changed my perspective on the efficacy of the philosophy. Primarily, I misunderstood the advantages. A prevailing narrative of offensive line success is the coordinated effort of the unit, The idea that the success of the whole is primarily a product of  group organization. A Zone blocking scheme makes that fundamental principle exponentially more possible. Why? First: The ol...

     My love for soccer started in 1997. Jose Thomas, my brothers best friend till this day, was a soccer fanatic as a naturalized Spaniard and talented soccer Center Back for our prestigious Belen Soccer Squad. Jose lived and breathed the sport of soccer. In the summer of 1997 he came to my house and introduced me to the FIFA video game on the Playstation. Jose is an unrelenting competitor and his motives where to embarrass my brother in a video game that he obviously had supreme confidence in. Luckily, Jose’s bravado required an audience and my attendance was not only requested but insisted. For the first time in my life my focus for the sport of soccer had gravitas. Jose’s confidence was justified, he defeated my brother with ease. However, he birthed in me an understanding of the sport while observing a video game. So I leveraged his unwavering confidence, and I challenged him in a video game I have never played of a sport I did not understand. I dismantled him 4-0 in...

          The Patriot way has been studied, admired, coveted, and many attempts have been made to recreate it. A common narrative is that one of the staples of this system of unprecedented success is the principle of player versatility. Bill Belichek has always been worshipped and revered as a transcendent defensive mind and for good reason, his defenses have always puzzled offenses with player versatility because of clear defensive philosophy. However, if you honestly evaluate his defenses you will notice that his philosophy on defense suffers from a high learning curve. The Patriot defenses under Belichick have the tendency to start slow while trying to digest the volume of their individual responsibilities.      It is confounding to me that the true brilliance of this masterful and prolific winner is never recognized and mostly dismissed. Bill played center and tight end in college, his origin story starts with the online. The Bill Be...

QB Kenny Pickett  https://youtu.be/i35cR8elMw8 RB Breece Hall https://youtu.be/EvzUEeu9ov0 WR Garrett Wilson https://youtu.be/YN1mMiOEOIA TE Jalen Wydermeyer https://youtu.be/nxbVNMVk56U Tackle Ikem Ekwonu https://youtu.be/ZwqJlQ0Fyug Guard Kenyon Green https://youtu.be/R9aGksIN3OU Center Tyler Linderbaum https://youtu.be/12ZsnyLoEHk Defensive End Aidan Hutchinson https://youtu.be/zjfI_oVCgRs DT Jordan Davis https://youtu.be/pHnZn1d6KWY Outside LB Nik Bonitto https://youtu.be/T1lSSHYvIl4 Inside LB Chad Muma https://youtu.be/KAr8yQK5tpQ CB Roger McCreary https://youtu.be/seh2ZfZCbZE SS Jaquen Brisker https://youtu.be/TxN1nHXhigY FS Jordan Battle https://youtu.be/JuKWv2IrsTI

   It is easy to dismiss; under the fog of media hyperbole, self righteous vitriol, and overall unrelenting ridicule of Stephen Ross over how he clumsily pursued Jim Harbaugh; that his instincts to believe in him as an NFL coach WAS DEAD ON!! He threw caution to the wind and the result was a very public and embarrassing media perspective. However, he risked his reputation because he had a conviction, and his conviction was proven to be unquestionably accurate. Jim Harbaugh was an Elite coach in the NFL. His .695 winning percentage is 5th all time. In 3 out of his 4 years as coach his team made the championship game three times and represented the NFC in a Super Bowl.  In Jim Harbaugh’s first three years in San Francisco his Defense rated 2nd, 2nd, and 3rd in the league. In his first year as an NFL coach he turned a 6-10 team to a 13-3 NFC Championship contender. Jim Harbaugh was 36-11 as a first time NFL coach his first three years. My brother and I are football historian...