Captain Kangaroo Posted October 12, 2009 Report Posted October 12, 2009 Those of you old enough to remember may recall that on October 27, 1975, Bruce Springsteen made the covers of both Newsweek and Time. In one of the accompanying articles, Jon Landau, a critic for Rolling Stone, declared "I have seen the future of rock and roll, and his name is Bruce Springsteen."Well...I've seen the future of Zips football, and his name is Patrick Nicely.On the Zips first drive vs. OU, Rodgers looked left...LaFrance was covered...then pump-faked...still covered...pumped again...still covered...then threw the ball away. Fast forward to Nicely's first drive: He looked right...covered...looked left...covered...looked middle...then released a bullet. He stood tall in the pocket...went through his progressions and hit his receiver. I almost forgot what that looked like?Nicely was 9-of-23 for 98 yards, but the offense was night-and-day different than with Rodgers under center. It has to be heartening to the wide receivers to know that, if they are option #2 or #3, they still have a good chance of seeing the ball if they finish their routes.Rodgers is a tremendous student athlete and someone I'm very proud to have on the team. He's a gamer. But he had 2 weeks to prepare for OU, and he looked like a rookie. His passes were short, then long, then soft...everything but good.I give Shane Montgomery credit for recognizing that all Rodgers can do is run. And running him out of the shotgun until OU proved they could stop it. But Rodgers doesn't have the body of Tebow...or LeFevour...or Josh Cribbs or Julian Edelmann...it was only a matter of time until he got injured.I think it is justifiable that many on the board are bewildered that Nicely took so long to see the field. It really makes you wonder about a kid like Devoe Torrence. Is he another "player" who's talent isn't being recognized? I would LOVE to see Torrence get 20 carries. I've seen enough of Shuford and Allen to know they can't move the chains in 2009. And Tuzze isn't good for 20 carries. Hey Coach -- Pull the trigger. Start playing Devoe.Our offense scored 7 points against OU. Our soccer team scored 4 points against Western Michigan. You should be out-scoring the soccer team by more than three, Shane.OU is terrible. Their QB can't throw to save his life. Their RB's are pedestrian at best. Their defense is mediocre. Their OL is mediocre and loves to false-start. If these clowns win the MAC East they will get absolutely smoked by the winner of the West. CMU would beat them by 24.As Dr. Z correctly pointed out...it is amazing how well the offensive line looks when there's a poised QB in the pocket. Instead of worrying where Rodgers is going to scramble, or where he's going to crumple...they know where Nicely is going to be. In the pocket. If the pressure came from the back side, Nicely steps up and calmly delivered his throws. It is easy to block for him.Our defense held OU to 12 points. Sewell was a monster.After the game, the first thing that came to my mind was -- "Now I know what it feels like to be a K.e.n.t. fan." It sucks so bad to watch your team lose to a team with lesser talent, simply because you can't execute the fundamentals. Catch a pass. Punt the ball. Field a kick-off. Make a field goal. JD had 2 full weeks to get his special teams ready to play...and other than K.e.n.t. State, I've never seen a group play, across-the-board, so poorly. Every facet was pathetic. And seriously...make a decision on the kicker. Pick the one that sucks the least and go with him.JD stated the Zips would "...violently defend the home field." I think he meant "...we will violently offend in our home field." Going back to 2008, JD is now 2-6 on his home field. Shocker that over 10k seats remained empty...the Zips bandwagon is sooooo enticing. Who wouldn't want to root for a team that boasts a 0.250 home winning percentage over the past 1.5 seasons. It's a freaking party. It must be Marketing that's lacking. Yeah....that's it. I hearken back to a quote from former assistant coach, and the guy my University screwed royally, Reno Ferri when he spoke to the ZipsNation at the OBC during our recruiting preview: "Dr. Proenza doesn't want to be second in anything." JD is 2 losses away from his 4th consecutive non-winning season. The writing is on the wall.You want an prediction? Here's one for you -- the Zips will beat Buffalo this week. By double digits. Furthermore -- The addition of Patrick Nicely has so energized the team that the Zips will finish out the season 6-1 against the MAC Tripe Parade. JD will make the new AD's end-of-season decision an unexpectedly difficult one. In fact...I'll go a step further...I'll say that the AD announces JD won't be retained a week or two prior to season's end, just so he can do so while his record is still poor.OU...K.e.n.t....Miami...BG...Buffalo...they all suck. Temple is mediocre. They'll choke. The Zips will finish the season 7-5. Bet the house. Quote
ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net Posted October 12, 2009 Report Posted October 12, 2009 I felt like laying a HUGE Captain's Log while the Zips were on the field this weekend. Agreed on all of your major points except that, if it weren't illegal, I would bet you a paycheck that this Zips team will not win big the rest of the way. I am excited to watch the offense now, with the addition of Nicely, and this resilient defense, in spite of the 3-3-5. However, as long as JD & Co. are running the show, this team will find ways to underperform. Kicking, special teams, something. I hope I'll be wrong.STZ Quote
g-mann17 Posted October 12, 2009 Report Posted October 12, 2009 Very bold prediction, and I believe nearly all of it (or at least I want to).One stat for everyone: JD's record vs. MAC East opponents since 2005: 10-11 Quote
Dave in Green Posted October 12, 2009 Report Posted October 12, 2009 Thanks for the free roller coaster ride from the depths of the OU performance to the heights of predicting 6 wins in the next 7 games. It is possible. But only if Nicely develops quickly and the rest of the team rallies behind him. Quote
GP1 Posted October 12, 2009 Report Posted October 12, 2009 I felt like laying a HUGE Captain's Log while the Zips were on the field this weekend.You my as well have, because the Zips sure did. Quote
tim123 Posted October 12, 2009 Report Posted October 12, 2009 Very good post Captain I'm on the same page as you. Our #1 problem now is our special teams. We need to find a punter,kicker and someone to catch a football. The recievers need to go for the ball and run good routes. We can turn this thing around. Go Zips!! Quote
GP1 Posted October 12, 2009 Report Posted October 12, 2009 Very good post Captain I'm on the same page as you. Our #1 problem now is our special teams. We need to find a punter,kicker and someone to catch a football. The recievers need to go for the ball and run good routes. We can turn this thing around. Go Zips!!Good post. You touched on an important theme during the JD era.First, special teams tend to be a problem with MAC schools in general.Receivers going for the ball is important. One thing about JD's teams is they are too mechanical in some positions. Receiver is one of them. Route running is not the problem....going after the ball is. When the ball is thrown your way, go get the darn thing. If it isn't perfectly thrown, go get it anyhow. Steve Smith comes to mind with the Panthers. He is pound for pound the toughest receiver in the NFL. He is too small, but he FIGHTS to catches passes thrown his direction. This team needs a good fistfight in practice this week. Quote
zip37 Posted October 12, 2009 Report Posted October 12, 2009 Cap't Roo--Bet what you're smokin' ain't legal. You forgot one thing-- the coach is Brookhart! Quote
johnnyzip84 Posted October 12, 2009 Report Posted October 12, 2009 The one game that really seems like a serious stretch in this pep rally is the encounter in Dekalb. I think (and Z.I.P doesn't, but then again his favorite team, the Idaho Vandals, won another game over the weekend ) NIU is the equal of CMU. Even if the Zips go on a quick 2-game road winning streak, we'll be a good 17-20 point 'dog in this one. Quote
Captain Kangaroo Posted October 12, 2009 Author Report Posted October 12, 2009 The one game that really seems like a serious stretch in this pep rally is the encounter in Dekalb. I think (and Z.I.P doesn't, but then again his favorite team, the Idaho Vandals, won another game over the weekend ) NIU is the equal of CMU. Even if the Zips go on a quick 2-game road winning streak, we'll be a good 17-20 point 'dog in this one.That is the game I think we'd lose. 5 of our next 7 games are against teams that are, or should be in ESPN's Bottom 10. If JD, after 6 seasons of building his program, can't go 6-1 against that...well...you know the rest.And yes, I do know that the Zips are strong contenders for "Bottom 10" consideration.In Nicely I trust. If he gets hurt, all bets are off. Quote
Zip Watcher Posted October 12, 2009 Report Posted October 12, 2009 I felt like laying a HUGE Captain's Log while the Zips were on the field this weekend.The real question here is: would it have gone down your leg or not? Quote
GP1 Posted October 12, 2009 Report Posted October 12, 2009 I felt like laying a HUGE Captain's Log while the Zips were on the field this weekend.The real question here is: would it have gone down your leg or not?ZipsWin! should be the judge of that...... Quote
Zipmeister Posted October 12, 2009 Report Posted October 12, 2009 I partially agree with the Capt's 7-5 prediction. I believe they will play a total of 12 games. Quote
OZoner Posted October 12, 2009 Report Posted October 12, 2009 I don't often wander into football, but I have to say, you sound like a very sore loser here. By most accounts, we brought our D+/C- game up 77 and still won. Ask Tennessee and BG if Theo Scott can throw.All in all, I'll take the kind of suck that gets you to 2-0 in the division. Quote
Zip Watcher Posted October 12, 2009 Report Posted October 12, 2009 All in all, I'll take the kind of suck that gets you to 2-0 in the division.No debate here. We all would take that kind of suck right about now. Quote
johnnyzip84 Posted October 13, 2009 Report Posted October 13, 2009 The one game that really seems like a serious stretch in this pep rally is the encounter in Dekalb. I think (and Z.I.P doesn't, but then again his favorite team, the Idaho Vandals, won another game over the weekend ) NIU is the equal of CMU. Even if the Zips go on a quick 2-game road winning streak, we'll be a good 17-20 point 'dog in this one.That is the game I think we'd lose. 5 of our next 7 games are against teams that are, or should be in ESPN's Bottom 10. If JD, after 6 seasons of building his program, can't go 6-1 against that...well...you know the rest.And yes, I do know that the Zips are strong contenders for "Bottom 10" consideration.In Nicely I trust. If he gets hurt, all bets are off.My boneheaded mistake. I might have to request the moderators to ban me for a week due to stupidity I used to think the Syracuse game had turned into a very improbable W, but lately Paulus has started to turn it over so much that some Orange followers are calling for the backup (link).Link Quote
Captain Kangaroo Posted October 25, 2009 Author Report Posted October 25, 2009 All in all, I'll take the kind of suck that gets you to 2-0 in the division.No debate here. We all would take that kind of suck right about now.20 - 11 home loss to K.e.n.t.Like I said -- OU sucks. I asked people from Tennessee and BG...they agreed.Just because the Zips suck more doesn't change the fact that OU is a crappy football program in an insanely crappy conference. Quote
Zip_ME87 Posted October 25, 2009 Report Posted October 25, 2009 All in all, I'll take the kind of suck that gets you to 2-0 in the division.No debate here. We all would take that kind of suck right about now.20 - 11 home loss to K.e.n.t.Like I said -- OU sucks. I asked people from Tennessee and BG...they agreed.Just because the Zips suck more doesn't change the fact that OU is a crappy football program in an insanely crappy conference.At least it appears you got that right. I wish you're prediction of how the Zips would finish the season was close to correct. Unfortunately, at this point I don't see how the Zips will even beat EMU other than to take over their spot as the worst team in college football. Wow, do I wish we would just go ahead and dump JD now. Problem is that Montgomery needs to go with him. Quote
Lee Adams Posted October 25, 2009 Report Posted October 25, 2009 Those of you old enough to remember may recall that on October 27, 1975, Bruce Springsteen made the covers of both Newsweek and Time. In one of the accompanying articles, Jon Landau, a critic for Rolling Stone, declared "I have seen the future of rock and roll, and his name is Bruce Springsteen."Well...I've seen the future of Zips football, and his name is Patrick Nicely.On the Zips first drive vs. OU, Rodgers looked left...LaFrance was covered...then pump-faked...still covered...pumped again...still covered...then threw the ball away. Fast forward to Nicely's first drive: He looked right...covered...looked left...covered...looked middle...then released a bullet. He stood tall in the pocket...went through his progressions and hit his receiver. I almost forgot what that looked like?Nicely was 9-of-23 for 98 yards, but the offense was night-and-day different than with Rodgers under center. It has to be heartening to the wide receivers to know that, if they are option #2 or #3, they still have a good chance of seeing the ball if they finish their routes.Rodgers is a tremendous student athlete and someone I'm very proud to have on the team. He's a gamer. But he had 2 weeks to prepare for OU, and he looked like a rookie. His passes were short, then long, then soft...everything but good.I give Shane Montgomery credit for recognizing that all Rodgers can do is run. And running him out of the shotgun until OU proved they could stop it. But Rodgers doesn't have the body of Tebow...or LeFevour...or Josh Cribbs or Julian Edelmann...it was only a matter of time until he got injured.I think it is justifiable that many on the board are bewildered that Nicely took so long to see the field. It really makes you wonder about a kid like Devoe Torrence. Is he another "player" who's talent isn't being recognized? I would LOVE to see Torrence get 20 carries. I've seen enough of Shuford and Allen to know they can't move the chains in 2009. And Tuzze isn't good for 20 carries. Hey Coach -- Pull the trigger. Start playing Devoe.Our offense scored 7 points against OU. Our soccer team scored 4 points against Western Michigan. You should be out-scoring the soccer team by more than three, Shane.OU is terrible. Their QB can't throw to save his life. Their RB's are pedestrian at best. Their defense is mediocre. Their OL is mediocre and loves to false-start. If these clowns win the MAC East they will get absolutely smoked by the winner of the West. CMU would beat them by 24.As Dr. Z correctly pointed out...it is amazing how well the offensive line looks when there's a poised QB in the pocket. Instead of worrying where Rodgers is going to scramble, or where he's going to crumple...they know where Nicely is going to be. In the pocket. If the pressure came from the back side, Nicely steps up and calmly delivered his throws. It is easy to block for him.Our defense held OU to 12 points. Sewell was a monster.After the game, the first thing that came to my mind was -- "Now I know what it feels like to be a K.e.n.t. fan." It sucks so bad to watch your team lose to a team with lesser talent, simply because you can't execute the fundamentals. Catch a pass. Punt the ball. Field a kick-off. Make a field goal. JD had 2 full weeks to get his special teams ready to play...and other than K.e.n.t. State, I've never seen a group play, across-the-board, so poorly. Every facet was pathetic. And seriously...make a decision on the kicker. Pick the one that sucks the least and go with him.JD stated the Zips would "...violently defend the home field." I think he meant "...we will violently offend in our home field." Going back to 2008, JD is now 2-6 on his home field. Shocker that over 10k seats remained empty...the Zips bandwagon is sooooo enticing. Who wouldn't want to root for a team that boasts a 0.250 home winning percentage over the past 1.5 seasons. It's a freaking party. It must be Marketing that's lacking. Yeah....that's it. I hearken back to a quote from former assistant coach, and the guy my University screwed royally, Reno Ferri when he spoke to the ZipsNation at the OBC during our recruiting preview: "Dr. Proenza doesn't want to be second in anything." JD is 2 losses away from his 4th consecutive non-winning season. The writing is on the wall.You want an prediction? Here's one for you -- the Zips will beat Buffalo this week. By double digits. Furthermore -- The addition of Patrick Nicely has so energized the team that the Zips will finish out the season 6-1 against the MAC Tripe Parade. JD will make the new AD's end-of-season decision an unexpectedly difficult one. In fact...I'll go a step further...I'll say that the AD announces JD won't be retained a week or two prior to season's end, just so he can do so while his record is still poor.OU...K.e.n.t....Miami...BG...Buffalo...they all suck. Temple is mediocre. They'll choke. The Zips will finish the season 7-5. Bet the house. ya know we needed some comedy relief and we got it!!!!...thanks man... Quote
Lee Adams Posted October 25, 2009 Report Posted October 25, 2009 I partially agree with the Capt's 7-5 prediction. I believe they will play a total of 12 games. more comic relief...thats great!... Quote
ctmjbowes@sbcglobal.net Posted October 25, 2009 Report Posted October 25, 2009 Cap'n, please, please tell us you didn't actually bet the house... Quote
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