My second t-ball team was tied for first place going into the last Saturday of the season. We had two games that day, one that morning with the team in last place and one that afternoon with the team we were tied with. The game that morning we played like crap the first two innings and were behind. I called my team together and challenged them to play better. Over the next two innings they only gave up 2 runs, which is pretty much unheard of in t-ball. But still, in the bottom of the 4th we were behind and we needed a home run in order to win. My son walked to the plate. He was a right hander, but I thought him to hit from the left. I told him I needed a ball over the right field fence. He said, "Okay dad." BOOM! Game over. That's what yesterday's game reminded me of, that t-ball game. It was my team's best and worst game of the season, and when I needed someone to hit a home run I had a big stick that I knew I could count on walk to the plate. My son.
BTW, in the second game there was a rain delay and we didn't start until almost 9 pm. We were tied after 4 innings. The other coach asked me if I wanted to go into extra innings, but I conceded, my kids were exhausted because we had played a game earlier in the day (the other team hadn't). My team would have ran through brick walls for me, they would have kept playing. But we had proven our point. I shook his hand. It was, after all, only t-ball.
5 touchdowns, tying a record held by none other than Barry Sanders. A third helmet sticker from College Football Final. Ollie effing Gordon II. The Big Stick. Maybe that's what we should call him from now on. The Big Stick. Talk softly and carry The Big Stick.
It was ugly. But I've said many times in this forum, good teams win ugly games and we found a way to win. I am so proud of this team right now. I could hardly sleep last night, a good could hardly sleep, I couldn't wait to get up this morning and write this.
I am so proud of our coaches. At one point this season looked like it was lost, like it was over. It looked like the string of consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances was done. But a lot of coaching has happened and what an incredible turn around from 2-2 September to the Big 12 championship game.
The crowd was small yesterday, but what they lacked in size they made up for in volume.
The Cowboys under Mike Gundy have now come from 3 scores down to win 9 times. I'm not sure there are 9 other such wins in the entire history of Cowboys football.
Offense: B-
We shot ourselves in the foot constantly with the kind of mistakes that we didn't make during the win streak. Drive killing penalties, the pick-6, not finishing drives and settling for field goals inside the red zone. We amassed 503 yards on 88 offensive plays, 28 first downs, held the ball for 34:30, went 7 for 17 on third down (still needs to be better). We held the ball and kept it away from them. We also reverted back to form somewhat flinging the ball downfield 35 yards when what we needed to do was move the chains.
On the failed two-point conversion, I like the pass to the tight-end. I like it better if it is off of play-action because that forces the safety to commit to the run instead of covering the tight end. I like it even better if the pass to the tight end is in the end zone and not on the four yard line. Then if he's tackled right away we still score.
But Ollie effing Gordon II, The Big Stick. When we absolutely needed it, the offense came up with the big plays that we needed to win. That final drive, I had no doubt we were going to score and take the lead. It was going to happen. And Ollie effing Gordon was going to score the touchdown. Did y'all hear me screaming from up here in Michigan?
Defense: B+
Our defense gave up 20 points in regulation. We throttled them in the second half until that final drive. We gave up only 22 yards in the third quarter. We held them to 5-15 on third down and only 327 total yards on 69 plays, and that's pretty salty. And when we absolutely needed it, our defense came up with THE big play.
The last drive... if we're going to drop back into an umbrella defense then why still rush four? Why not rush three and drop the fourth man back into the underneath zone, especially since they were throwing underneath? We had bottled them up the entire second half by bringing pressure... why not continue to bring pressure? Instead we give up the one scoring drive of the second half.
Special teams: C-
This game almost turned on two special teams plays, and almost three: the blocked extra point, the fake punt, and the onside kick. The fake punt led to a field goal which made the margin 3 points after the blocked extra point. Otherwise the margin is 6 points and they need a touchdown to tie or take the lead. Make the extra point and they need a touchdown with 00:53 seconds left and it isn't likely. The onside kick ended up being illegal by the narrowest of margins. It's like we were asleep in special teams all day.
Coaching: B
The decision to take the kickoff after winning the coin toss goes against conventional wisdom. If you win the coin toss you want to defer to the second half, always. The weather affected play some. Defensive adjustments at halftime were excellent... except for that last drive. Offense, again, we moved the ball plenty and obviously, we scored enough after halftime to make up the deficit and win the game, so we adjusted well after halftime.
We've had slow starts the past three weeks against inferior teams. We've overcome the slow starts against Houston and BYU. We can't afford a slow start next week against Tejas. They are really good.
On to the Big 12 championship game for the second time in three years! Ride with Pride! Go Pokes!
BTW, in the second game there was a rain delay and we didn't start until almost 9 pm. We were tied after 4 innings. The other coach asked me if I wanted to go into extra innings, but I conceded, my kids were exhausted because we had played a game earlier in the day (the other team hadn't). My team would have ran through brick walls for me, they would have kept playing. But we had proven our point. I shook his hand. It was, after all, only t-ball.
5 touchdowns, tying a record held by none other than Barry Sanders. A third helmet sticker from College Football Final. Ollie effing Gordon II. The Big Stick. Maybe that's what we should call him from now on. The Big Stick. Talk softly and carry The Big Stick.
It was ugly. But I've said many times in this forum, good teams win ugly games and we found a way to win. I am so proud of this team right now. I could hardly sleep last night, a good could hardly sleep, I couldn't wait to get up this morning and write this.
I am so proud of our coaches. At one point this season looked like it was lost, like it was over. It looked like the string of consecutive winning seasons and bowl appearances was done. But a lot of coaching has happened and what an incredible turn around from 2-2 September to the Big 12 championship game.
The crowd was small yesterday, but what they lacked in size they made up for in volume.
The Cowboys under Mike Gundy have now come from 3 scores down to win 9 times. I'm not sure there are 9 other such wins in the entire history of Cowboys football.
Offense: B-
We shot ourselves in the foot constantly with the kind of mistakes that we didn't make during the win streak. Drive killing penalties, the pick-6, not finishing drives and settling for field goals inside the red zone. We amassed 503 yards on 88 offensive plays, 28 first downs, held the ball for 34:30, went 7 for 17 on third down (still needs to be better). We held the ball and kept it away from them. We also reverted back to form somewhat flinging the ball downfield 35 yards when what we needed to do was move the chains.
On the failed two-point conversion, I like the pass to the tight-end. I like it better if it is off of play-action because that forces the safety to commit to the run instead of covering the tight end. I like it even better if the pass to the tight end is in the end zone and not on the four yard line. Then if he's tackled right away we still score.
But Ollie effing Gordon II, The Big Stick. When we absolutely needed it, the offense came up with the big plays that we needed to win. That final drive, I had no doubt we were going to score and take the lead. It was going to happen. And Ollie effing Gordon was going to score the touchdown. Did y'all hear me screaming from up here in Michigan?
Defense: B+
Our defense gave up 20 points in regulation. We throttled them in the second half until that final drive. We gave up only 22 yards in the third quarter. We held them to 5-15 on third down and only 327 total yards on 69 plays, and that's pretty salty. And when we absolutely needed it, our defense came up with THE big play.
The last drive... if we're going to drop back into an umbrella defense then why still rush four? Why not rush three and drop the fourth man back into the underneath zone, especially since they were throwing underneath? We had bottled them up the entire second half by bringing pressure... why not continue to bring pressure? Instead we give up the one scoring drive of the second half.
Special teams: C-
This game almost turned on two special teams plays, and almost three: the blocked extra point, the fake punt, and the onside kick. The fake punt led to a field goal which made the margin 3 points after the blocked extra point. Otherwise the margin is 6 points and they need a touchdown to tie or take the lead. Make the extra point and they need a touchdown with 00:53 seconds left and it isn't likely. The onside kick ended up being illegal by the narrowest of margins. It's like we were asleep in special teams all day.
Coaching: B
The decision to take the kickoff after winning the coin toss goes against conventional wisdom. If you win the coin toss you want to defer to the second half, always. The weather affected play some. Defensive adjustments at halftime were excellent... except for that last drive. Offense, again, we moved the ball plenty and obviously, we scored enough after halftime to make up the deficit and win the game, so we adjusted well after halftime.
We've had slow starts the past three weeks against inferior teams. We've overcome the slow starts against Houston and BYU. We can't afford a slow start next week against Tejas. They are really good.
On to the Big 12 championship game for the second time in three years! Ride with Pride! Go Pokes!
