COACHING OUT OF BOUNDS: September 2010

The Crocodiles suffered a season ending loss to the Porvoon Butchers 30-17 in the Maple League Championship game last Saturday afternoon in Helsinki, Finland. The team played a tough game and had some opportunities to pull away in the first half, but we didn't capitalize on the chances we had in those first two quarters. We outplayed the Butchers in the first half, but they weathered the storm and the game was knotted up 17-17 at intermission. In the second half, we stumbled on offense after one of our top receivers (Riku) broke his collarbone. We dropped two touchdown passes and also turned the ball over twice to the Butchers on interceptions, both coming on offensive drives in our opponents territory. On the flip side, the Butchers were outstanding in the kicking game as they converted on two field goals beyond 40 yards in the game. They made plays when they had to down the stretch and the play of their veteran QB Robert Johnson and the experience of the 5 time defending champions helped propel them to another title. We were so disappointed after the game as we realized that we let a golden opportunity pass through our hands. I felt terrible about the loss and a few poor calls that I made down on the goal line late in the first half.

In any case, I am very proud of our guys and everything they put into the 2010 season. We had a great team spirit this year and I can proudly say that this was a great team. I felt it was an honor to coach these players and I will sorely miss everybody associated with this organization. The Crocodiles organization has been very good to me over the past two seasons and our experiences there have been a great source of enjoyment and growth for both my family and I over the past two seasons. It is not an exaggeration for me to say that this experience has been a dream come true for me. Thanks again Crocs for so many wonderful memories.

As for my future, I have decided to comment on some of these issues in future blog posts. There are also some more pictures/moments that I want to share on the blog in the upcoming days.

Before I close today, I thought I would do a short preview of the upcoming NFL season and make a few predictions to stash away for future reference. It is so hard to believe that the NFL season actually kicks off tonight with a stellar showdown between the defending champ Saints and the hard luck Minnesota Vikings.

Here are a few observations based on what I have observed as we look towards the season, followed by my picks for divisional winners/playoffs/ and an ultimate Super Bowl winner.

- Observation # 1-- The league can really do without drama queens like Albert Haynesworth. This guy has been bad news from a character standpoint looking all the way back to his college days. There are $100 million reasons why he should be acting with a little more class and integrity, but Big Albert just doesn't get it and he never will. I would trade him for a 13th round draft pick. Oh by the way, there is no such thing as a 13th round pick!

- Observation # 2-- Peyton Manning is still pretty darn good. The Colts won every game they wanted to last season except the last one, and they almost pulled that one off too. Manning is the best in the game at making adjustments at the line and steering his offense into the end zone. I think the Colts will be 12-4 or better even if the rest of the team suffers a letdown from their Super Bowl loss last season.

- Observation # 3-- Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach Marvin Lewis will be well qualified to work as a baby sitter, circus ringmaster, or probation officer after he finally gets fired by the team within the next few seasons. The Bengals would probably try and sign Charles Manson to the practice squad if he ever gets out of prison. The recent list of malcontents include guys like Chad Johnson, Larry Johnson (last season), Terrell Owens, and Adam Pac-Man Jones. These are only some of big name guys that have reputations and egos to match. The Bengals seem to find more headcases than maybe even past years versions of the NBA's Portland Jailbreakers. I just cannot ever root for a team, coach, or team president (shame on you Mike Brown) who consistently set the bar so low when it comes to finding players with any semblance of character.

-Observation # 4-- Jay Cutler will never win a playoff game with the Chicago Bears. Cutler is overrated and the Bears are a team on the decline. This is good news for Detroit because the Bears really don't cause the Vikings or Packers to lose any sleep at night. Mike Martz should help this anemic offense, but the Da Bears will slide to new depths with the arrogant Cutler calling the signals.

-Observation # 5-- The Carolina Panthers are one of the most underrated teams in the NFL. John Fox is a solid coach and the Panthers will be better off without Jake Delhomme at QB. They have two dynamic running backs in Williams and Stewart and a defense that can still be effective, even with the loss of Julius Peppers.

-Observation # 6-- The Buffalo Bills are going to really struggle to score points this season. I don't think there will be many wins any time soon in this football hungry city. C.J. Spiller just might be the rookie of the year if he stays healthy, but the rest of the situation in Buffalo looks pretty bleak.

-Observation # 7-- The San Francisco 49ers are poised to be a playoff team this season. Yes, I think the 49ers are going to make a statement in the NFL in 2010. They have a solid defense, a great runner in Frank Gore, one of most talented young offensive lines in football and a great young coach in Mike Singletary to boot. Now all they are missing is a serviceable QB. (see Minnesota Vikings before Brett Favre) I'm not sure Alex Smith is the answer, but I admire the 49ers for believing in him and giving him a chance to mature in this offense.

-Observation # 8-- Jerry Jones will pull the trigger and fire Wade Phillips if the Cowboys fail to at least advance to the NFC championship game. I believe the Super Bowl is held in Dallas this year and Jones is banking on getting there. I just don't see it happening. The Cowboys are a playoff caliber team, but they are grossly inconsistent and it usually shows in the playoffs.

-Observation # 9-- The Pete Carroll era will get off to a slow start in Seattle. Carroll has a nice resume from his days at USC, but the Seahawks don't have Washington State or UCLA on the schedule. This Hawks have an aging QB, who I predict will not finish the season as the starter and no running backs like the former Shaun Alexander on the roster. I see a 6-10 season in my crystal ball.

-Observation # 10-- The Eagles will miss Donovan McNabb. # 5 never led the Eagles to a Super Bowl win, but he often got a bad rap in Philly, a city not exactly known for being warm and fuzzy towards its sports stars. I don't think the Eagles to be horrible, but they will have growing pains with a new starting QB at the helm. I wouldn't be surprised if they are on the short end of some close games this season.

Now for my regular season/playoff/Super Bowl Picks.

First the AFC

1. New England 10-6
2.New York Jets 10-6
3.Miami Dolphins 9-7
4.Buffalo Bills 4-12

1.Baltimore Ravens 11-5
2.Pittsburgh Steelers 9-7
3. Cincinnati Bengals 9-7
4.Cleveland Browns 6-10

1.Indianapolis Colts 12-4
2.Tennessee Titans 10-6
3. Houston Texans 9-7
4.Jacksonville Jaguars 7-9

1. San Diego Chargers 11-5
2. Denver Broncos 7-9
3. Oakland Raiders 6-10
4. Kansas City Chiefs 7-9

Now the NFC

1. Cowboys 11-5
2. Giants 10-6
3. Washington Redskins 8-8
4. Philadelphia Eagles 7-9

1. Green Bay Packers 11-5
2. Minnesota Vikings 10-6
3. Chicago Bears 6-10
4. Detroit Lions 5-11

1. New Orleans Saints 13-3
2. Atlanta Falcons 9-7
3. Carolina Panthers 8-8
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 5-11

1. San Francisco 49ers 10-6
2. Arizona Cardinals 9-7
3. Seattle Seahawks 6-10
4. St. Louis Rams 3-13

Playoff Picks: AFC Teams-- Patriots, Jets, Ravens, Colts, Titans, Chargers
NFC Teams--Giants, Cowboys, Packers, Vikings, Saints, 49ers

AFC Championship Game: Colts vs. Ravens
NFC Championship GAme: Packers vs. Saints

Super Bowl Pick: Colts defeat Packers 34-27

Lights out.

Our team posted a 42-28 victory in the semi-finals of the Maple League Playoffs. We defeated the Helsinki Roosters in a tough back and forth contest that showcased several changes in momentum throughout the game. We started the game with a flurry and jumped out to a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter. The Roosters responded with a score before the half and closed the gap to 21-6 heading into the break. We expected to see the Roosters at their best in the 3rd quarter and they didn't disappoint with their effort as they scored twice in the first 7 minutes of the quarter. We will surely on the ropes, but we answered with a score of our own on as our QB Alex Rouse hit veteran Finnish wide receiver Tuukka Pernu on a play action pass. We carried a 28-21 lead into the final period. We added another score midway through the 4th quarter and extended the margin to 14 points. The Roosters weren't done yet and they answered with a touchdown pass to close the gap to 7 with less than two minutes to play. We recovered the onside kick and then ran the ball on two consecutive plays. Our opponent used their final two time-outs and we had a third and long to go with just under a minute and a half to play. On the next play, Crocs running back Greg Fountain responded with a long touchdown run to essentially seal the victory. The Roosters would again drive down the field, but the game ended on an interception in the end zone. What a game! I was very proud of our guys and the way they play the game. They never give up even when things are looking rather bleak. We had a real gut check when the Roosters tied the game at 21. I credit our players for having the ability to regain their composure and re-establish control of the game. The victory earns us the right to play the five time defending champion Butchers in the Maple Bowl. This is Finland's version of the Super Bowl, only with about 70,000 less people in the stands, and slightly less than half a billion people watching. In any case, it is big news in my life and here in Suomi. The chance to play for the trophy hasn't sunk in yet, but I will be giving everything I have this week to prepare us for this game. I feel so blessed to be in this position, and I am relishing every minute of it!!