Dog Tired

This past Friday we had a crisis of biblical proportions that effected the email system that I manage. I worked from 8:00 AM until 1:30 Saturday Morning. Saturday was an easy day, I only worked from 4 PM to 7:30. Sunday night - Monday morning was the best. I was awoken a little after 12:00 AM and worked through Monday afternoon. When I got home, I slept for a few hours and was woken by another page. When an email from my boss mentioned that he "hoped I was sleeping like a baby" I thought "yes, I did! I slept for 3 hours and woke up hungry for some tit"



But, I digress. Today, as I write from home, enjoying a "comp" day, I am thrilled at the hire of Jim Bates as defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers. Bates, a smart experienced defensive coach really showed me something when he took over for the ineffectual Dave Wannstead as interim head coach for the Dolphins. An uninsipred team under Wannstead, the Dolphins played smart passionate football for Bates who complemented his smart scheme with his obvious passion for the game. It was a pleasure



Bates brings a simple defensive plan. He doesn't over blitz, likes his corners to play a strog physical game, likes quick linebackers regardless of size. He says that players LOVE to play his scheme, something that could not be said for the dearly departed Bob Slowik, who apparntly has been given the opportunity to fuck up the Denver secondary as reward for the outstanding job he accomplished in Green Bay. Slowik was supposed to be this cerebral defensive genius, which may be true, but he was never able to communicate his genius to his players.



Something I never thought of before: Last year in an email to St.Ides, I referred to the Packers draft as an "all idiot draft". I had drawn this conclusion when I had examined the Wonderlik scores of their first 4 (I think) draft choices. To take players who score below average on the Wonderlik test and expect them to play in a complex zone-blitz defense is more of the folloy of the Double Yikes years. I need to recheck these facts, but this is pretty accurate: the average NFL player scores a 21 on the Wonderlik, the Packer picks averaged around 12. Yikes.



We have no heat in the house. My wife is burried under the covers and it's just occured to me that I'd rather be there than here...