BLACK

I’ve been enjoying an immersion of academia into the strata of meta themas

Whilst exposing my spiritual synapses to paradigms of Dostoevsky proportions, this blog may abide bereft tides of vacuity.




Yeah, man……I’m taking a break for a while.

The next version of the project will take place in Parma’s city centre and will be a core part of the first edition of the VE Show – an international convention focused on electric vehicles and sustainable mobility, which will be held at Parma’s Exhibition Centre on March 26th 2011. It will be produced in collaboration with Ragnarock Association, who produced the Milan version in November 2010 and June 2009.
For more information click HERE

Arsenal versus Barcelona 16/2/11

Although it's always good to see English teams do well abroad, Arsenal fans may today be feeling a little tense that after last night's impressive performance against AC Milan, their North London rivals may be in the Champions' League longer than Arsenal are. Tonight Arsenal have the mother of all ties against Barcelona and not even the most confident Arsenal fan will be expecting an easy time. Last year despite a 2-2 draw at the Emirates, Arsenal were whooped 4-1 in the return leg. Some bookmakers are giving odds as low as 14-1 for an Arsenal win for the tie.

On a positive note, Barcelona only drew at the weekend, whereas Arsenal put on a strong winning display against Wolves. Gooners must also take comfort from the fact that despite being far from convincing against lower league opposition such as Leeds and Huddersfield, Arsenal are at their best where the play is free flowing as opposed to matches where the opposition play a very defensive game. Nasri's inclusion in the squad is also a great boost for the Londoners. Psychologically Arsenal are in better shape than they were when they met Barcelona last year - currently Arsenal are in contention for the Carling and FA Cups and are a strong second in the league. Last year they were out of both cups and struggling to keep pace with the leaders.

Wenger has acknowledged the strength of the Barcelona squad, but there are a couple of Arsenal players which the Catalan giants are wary of. Lionel Messi is a great fan of Theo Walcott, Cesc Fabregas is one of Barca's favourite sons and Jack Wilshere's performance last week won him praise from all quarters. As ever for Arsenal though, it is at the back where they are weak.

Arsenal fans should also not forget that after this match, the mighty Leyton Orient await. It would be typical Arsenal to grind out a win against Barca and then lose to the Orient!

With the cross season closing out I wanted to take full advantage of any remaining events left to race the cross bike before it gets hung up till probably September.. with this in mind I opted to do a back to back weekend of racing ... but not only double up on the racing but double up on the normal distance :)

Saturday would see Hit the North in Manchester.. Sunday the Super Enduro at Hetton Lyons.

Hit the North is a CX vs MTB 2 hour race organised by Jason Miles of JMC racing... the course was a mix of cross style riding but with mtb singletrack and technical descending thrown in... add a large field of riders (near 200) and you have yourself a fantastic event.

My Saturday started at 5:30am .. up for breakfast then out the door by 6am for the 2.5 hour drive to Manchester from Newcastle.. Ipod full of tunes in the car and some energy drink and life was good.

The weather started in the North East as wet and miserable but gradually got better as I headed West.. by the time I got to the race venue the conditions were mild and the sun was trying to come out... after signing on and catching up with friends I got changed and did a lap of the course... there were some fast flowing singletrack sections, rock gardens, hellish bike carries and even a stream crossing to contend with.. dull this course wasn't and it kept you on your toes the whole time.

At the startline I assumed my usually rubbish position of 4 or 5 rows back .. we started up a tarmac climb .. I picked off as many places as possible before the inevitable bottle neck and then the procession through the first singletrack... out onto the wider trail I was out the saddle sprinting to make up some lost ground before a dismount and carry up some steps.

My first off of the race came quickly heading down the 'chute' of mud.. as it kicked into a steeper drop I wiped out the front end and into the dirt.. straight back up into a climb. Into the fast flowing singletrack it wasn't long before I came across Rich Rothwell with a mechanical and not longer after that Ian Leitch with a nasty looking broken seatpost :(

As the first lap ended the order had been sorted seeing me back in the back half of the top 10 ... a few people around me constantly exchanging places.. the mountain bikers would drop me on the descents then I would take ground back on the flat and the climbs.. I was so focussed on the constant exchange of places we were 80 minutes into the race before I had taken any food or a great deal of water :(







By 90 minutes I was fading.. I had a gel and before it could kick in I dropped a few more places just clinging onto the top 10... the gel kicked in and it was 'Go' time... I retook 3 places and approaching another racer my high of the gel turned into a low and it was back into limp mode.




By the start of the 6th lap I was fading.. luckily the nearest racer to me was also and an agreement was made that if I didn't turn the last lap into a head kicking competition he would concede the place... sensing no further need for survival my body really gave in and I struggled round the last night driven by the thought of finishline snacks.

6 laps in 2 hours and a 10th overall..




I think I could have finished nearer the top 5 but I learn't the lesson of nutrition the hard way after a fair few months of 50 minute races needing no food or water.

Sunday was an easier start to the day with the event being local and already having driven 300 plus miles to Manchester and back the previous day.

The Super Enduro is a cross race to see out the end of the local TLI cross races.. a one off non league event there was no pressure.. the legs definately felt jaded after the combo of the previous days racing and driving so expectations were low.

Unfortunately the field of riders was low with the extra distance to be covered and the rubbish wet weather only bringing out 20 riders or so to start the race.

The race started down a stretch of tarmac into the wind and it wasn't long before I realised that my position at the front of the field was one of a windbreak for everyone else so I eased up and rolled onto the first dirt of the course.. Unlike Hit the North this was more a true CX cross.. no need to dismount and nothing too technical.. a horrible long drag to the top of the course being the worst section and a dicey straight muddy descent into a sharp left hander being the highest risk manouevre of the course.

Very early on in the first lap I had to watch Steven Ward ride comfortably away into the lead... I then similarly had to watch 2nd and 3rd spot leave me fighting for 4th.. there was no snap in my legs so I had to look to play the longer game.. I was caught up with 2 other riders in the battle for 4th.. every chance I got I put in a little dig just to test the other guys.

As the hour mark passed I took on a gel and took the lead to our group of three riders.. on a sharp short climb I pulled out a few metres so decided it was a good time to get going if i could.. I pushed on the pedals a bit harder into a flat section then as I got out of the saddle for another short climb I felt my bars shift.. as I looked down my bars had bent.. I stopped and as i took hold of the bars they snapped :( disappointed that my race was over was being balanced by relief that they had gone on a climb and not a descent.. the race was over.. as it was Steven Ward won comfortably lapping the whole field!!

Thats the cross season done and dusted for good.. this week should see the arrival of my new sponsor mountain bike frame for 2011.. pictures as soon as it gets here :)

HTN pictures courtesy of Ed Rollason

In another decade we may look back at the advances (or revolution) in networked media (via Internet) as one of the most relevant accelerant towards coaching since the VHS/DVD video series.

More vibrant than static content websites, more accessible than message boards, the give-and-take of blogging has fast become the way for all voices to be heard.  Though not the premise for his post here, Chris Brown (the patriarch of football blogs) does a good job of articulating the nuances of this interactive media form.

This site started when I ate two slices of bad pizza, went to bed and grew a conscience!

….no wait, I mean just as an extension of 1) Coach Huey Xs & Os message board, 2) Chris Brown’s Smartfootball and 3) Toby’s (eteam) Zone (that I religiously soaked up through the 90s).  Point being, we’re all part of the evolutionary / adaptation process of the game.  I still don’t have a plan, purpose, any sense behind the endeavor and the address used is merely a result of my lack of any imagination – but it is a great way to document cathartic musings, nuggets and frustrations I’ve encountered over the seasons, and expose my idiocy.  Thankfully, some brilliant contributors have helped us out this past year.  The one important axiom in coaching (and life) is you get as much as you give.  Hopefully, you get something out of it.

MORE BLOGS!!!!
Check these can’t miss gems out from some extremely wonderful authors
http://fourth-and-short.blogspot.com/
http://3backoptionfootball.blogspot.com
http://offensivebreakdown.blogspot.com/
http://footballpressbox.blogspot.com/
http://livingforwinning.blogspot.com/
http://iteachicoachiblog.blogspot.com/
http://strongfootball.blogspot.com/
http://coachmaj.blogspot.com/
http://coachjburk.blogspot.com/
http://coachroth.blogspot.com/

Something that has intrigued me this past year is how more and more teams have been using untraditional personnel groupings (nickel/dime). Now what they do out of these packages isn’t all that mind-blowing. What I do intend to learn from this trend is

1. how the front integrity remains sound (how the gaps are accounted for) and
2. how their proliferation relates to teaching methodology (it remains consistent with everything they already do).

Now this post won’t contain any answers – I’m just passing along some things that have piqued my curiosity. Be sure to check out blitzology if you’re interested in getting practical insight now.
I am certainly open to any insight. I am most intrigued by how Dom Capers has been using this (loved his work with the Panthers, plus he was with Saban in Miami) and in particular, the use/technique of the 2 defensive linemen (not ‘Psycho’). I am more intrigued by this because of how the DTs handle the interior gaps as well as the use of standup linebackers on the edge (that puts you in a real 42 because that is how personnel is used, anyway, with no true defensive ends in great supply). TCU has been doing this more and more against 1-back gun offenses because there is little threat of being 'blown off the ball' or out-leveraged when standing up (to the field).

I feel there are certain known factors that provide clues towards what is actually taking place and that would be as follows;

1. The offensive personnel groupings have no bearing on when these are used. 21 / 11, pro, double-tights……it makes no difference.
2. I am not quite certain how much ‘field’ and ‘boundary’ has any true relevance concerning the tendency with these groupings. The NFL hashes only give you a little over 9 feet of difference between the area of the field, so I don’t believe there would be a true game plan based on this
3. Because of the assumption of #2, I would believe that pressure is designated by formation splits and/or back set, as this would be the better indicator of protection.
4. #3 gives credence to the effectiveness of fire zone/blitz pressure (catch man) coverage, where it can provide ‘unbreakable’ answers, rather than playing double coverage calls (pro/twins).
5. The modular approach to the fire zone (hot 3, SCIF, deep hole, etc) means you can plug-and-play any defender into a role to come up with a myriad of options to cover 5 receiving threats. It is this approach that I feel will be what most of us (coaches) can use to improve how we teach the game and include more players in the game.
6. With only 2 defensive linemen in the front and the center never being covered (usually double 3 techniques) , my completely unfounded assumption would be that these guys are playing a heavy (2 gap) technique (which is really becoming prevalent). This also aides in muddying the Mike declaration for 5 and 6 man protection. Though this initial thought may be incorrect or their reads have become incredibly effective in controlling the playside gap. Actually, it is how the 2 DL contribute to controlling the front that has me the most intrigued because it doesn't appear that the 5-7 technique backers are that integral to gap-integrity (as in, they are either controlling the gaps with the pirate stunts associated with fire zone or are looking to spill everything to the SCIF or sideline in man).

Of course, any or all of these assumptions may be incorrect, but if I can find anything we can take away from this I’ll pass it along. It goes without saying that the NFL (game) is primarily about key players that allow you to do things most every other team cannot. Meaning, a good portion of this could be just the by-product of having freaks on your defense.


The constant at the lower levels (particularly high school) is that :

1. Your best personnel IS your best personnel, meaning your ‘base’ defense is usually your only defense and if you can sub with considerable competent depth on defense, you are in the minority.
2. Your effectiveness on defense is relative to the quality of opponent you face. If you face offenses that are relatively 1-dimensional and/or do not vary much on down and distance, then situational game planning with personnel groupings like these can be hit or miss.

Additional thoughts....

Searching on youtube this evening on the backside of a North Texas smowmegeddon and I found this guy that has some very good stuff.  Tons of college games from this past season and they are broken down o-d minus all the mumbo jumbo between plays.  It ain't coach cuts, but its good stuff.  Search NFLMocksGameFilm or here is the link http://www.youtube.com/user/NFLMocksGameFilm

Just passing some random thoughts along.....

I've been digging back into the 4D-FTP from Coach Mark Rodriguez again and its growing on me. I don't believe I gave it a fair shake the first time around, likely because I assumed it was something that it wasn't ( a method to replace backpedal or shuffle technique). The video series IS well done and the video quality is exceptional (I would also recommend subscribing to Coach Mark's youtube channel).


The drills of disc two are of important note and I could really see using these as everyday pre-practice routines. Again, the investment in the technique could get 'expensive' (may not see an immediate ROI), but even if you used a T-step or 'run the feet' transition, the 4D drills (Drift, Drop, Dig, Drive) develop fluid hip movement. That is the whole point, as Coach Mark stress again and again in the series, is developing the muscle memory to be an instinctively quicker athlete

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