VICTORY 40-6.

 

Hakeem Rainey Feeding The Ball to OJ Jefferson 

 

 

Locker Room Before Game

 

I am pretty proud of the photograph above.  In this photograph, Hakeem is showing near perfect form

in the handoff process.  Look at his eyes.  See the concentration?  See how he is looking the ball into OJ's open pocket?  I call this "Delivering the Mail"  It is a chore to keep the older QB's from taking this process for granted. Notice OJ's open pocket and his arm placement.  We teach the running backs to place their top elbow to the handoff.   OJ's bottom arm is curved like a cradle forming a large pocket to receive the handoff.  All this sounds pretty silly doesn't it.  On the contrary, we try to emphasize the little things, so the big things take care of themselves.  The little things prevents fumbles in the QB/RB exchange. 

 

Have you ever wondered what happens in the locker room before going out onto the field?  In this photograph, #42 James Clark is leading some sort of chant to fire the players up.  #96 is Pork Chop who is really getting into it.  I can't name all the kids, but I heard it from the outside, so I opened the door to take this photograph.  Generally speaking, this is the player's time alone in the locker room, and a coach rarely in there with them.....but we are always close by.  Loud music, hollering, banging on lockers, chanting is all part of it.  Hey. whatever it takes to get fired up right? 

 

We destroyed Forest Hill last Friday night 40-7.  With this victory, we clinched our spot in the playoffs, and the victory also sets up a big showdown with South Fork this coming Friday night.  This game was not even close.  In fact, it could have been much worse.  We jumped on them early and continued to press the gas well into the third quarter. The defense was smothering, and the offense was really clicking.  

 

The whole day was weird if you ask me.  Travelling on a Monday was a big ordeal for us...especially to a school almost two hours away.  Miller and I agreed that the kids looked a little flat during pre-game, and it worried both of us.  The stadium was quiet as a morgue, and the only noise to to be heard was the roar of the cars travelling up and down Hwy 95 in Palm Beach County.  I warned the coaches and players that this was a noisy field, and we all expected to lose our voices trying to holler over the cars, trucks, and jet aircraft landing at Palm Beach International.  I think Forest Hill had about 10 people sitting in the stands, and like I said, the stadium was quiet....except for the ambient noise I just spoke about.  We went down there, did our job, and came back home.  I think I finally arrived home at midnight. 

 

We had a pretty good practice today.  The kids were tired of course, and we had to shake them up a little.  Coach Miller and I started jawing at each other early on during practice.  This jawing got progressively worse as the practice wore on, and it finally came to a head during scout team.  He barked at me, I barked back, and a couple of punches were thrown.  This little escapade definitely got everyones attention....including the coaches.  Then, we both turned around and laughed.  It was all a big set-up that we planned last night during pre-game.  We both agreed that the kids no longer took our jawing seriously, so we had to shake it up a little.  LOL.  Funny as hell.  We both got a big kick out of it.  (If it did go down, I would have pulled out his insulin pump hose, and waited for him to fall out.  He would have kicked my sore leg and waited for me to fall out.)  I love that dude. 

 

This Friday night we are facing South Fork for the District Championship.  This is the biggest game in SRHS history, and it is also one of the biggest games in the area as well.  We deserve to win this championship.  We have paid our dues.  We have worked like dogs to overcome adversity.  Someone has to win it, so why not us?  Our Victory on Friday night will not be an upset.  We EXPECT to win this championship.  It is our destiny.  All of the "Lessons In Life" we have been teaching this year will finally pay off. 

 

Don't miss this game!

 

GZ 

Eventful Day.

 

 

I have just discovered how to post videos on my blog.  Uh-oh.  This may add a whole new dimension to my blogging.  Of course, I will start the videos with the THE NATURE BOY doing what he does best.  WHOOOOOOO!   I am going to have some fun with this new toy. 

 

I had a long day.  Remember last week when I told you about running into my trailer hitch and messing up my knee?  Well, I am paying the price today.  A huge grapefruit-sized lump quickly formed on my knee.  Of course, I put Ice on the lump for about 30 minutes; then, I went about my business and cut my lawn as usual.  It was sore all week long, but I refused to let anyone see the knee or see me hurt.  I mean, I never really study my feet or my knee, and I knew that my foot and ankle was sore.  I just thought the soreness was just part of my normal ankle-reconstruction pains which I have suffered for years. I noticed my shoe was fitting tighter.  I looked at my foot and ankle, and the damn thing was purple and black with swelling up into my calf. 

 

 

Ankle Swelled

  

Wow.  This leg looked pretty bad.  In my mind, I figured the swelling had ran down my leg, but I was getting a little worried now.  Worst of all, how was I going to hide the injury from the coaches?  How was I going to hide the extent of the injury to our players?  Naturally, I just kept going and walked it off.....like a man!  I am so stupid sometimes.  Marty started nagging my butt on Thursday about seeing a doctor.  Did I listen to her?  NO.  I never do.  I am NOT the type of dude who visits the doctor very often.  If Hilary can't fix it, then I will suffer with it. 

 

Today at practice, I was limping on the field.  I took off my shoe and sock to show Coach Willis.  He about fell over.  He immediately called Hilary (unknown to me) and told her about it.  All the players saw my ankle, and just shook their heads.  Tracy Wilborn (Mason's mom) saw the ankle and pretty much called me out about it.  Other parents and coaches saw my (foot -ankle) and freaked out saying I had a blood clot and it could kill me.  Hmmmm.  I started to worry a little.  Hilary called me on the phone and wanted to see me immediately at the community swimming pool where she was working.  After practice, I went to the pool and showed Hilary.  Again, she was very concerned about the injury.  I decided to go and see the doctor.  Dr. Maes (our team doctor) was not available, so Marty (who is in Georgia) told me to visit the Emergency room at her hospital.  I walked in the Emergency Room and showed them the injury.  They took me right in.  I had a Ultrasound (to check for blood flow and obstructions) and X Rays to check for breaks. I really lucked out. Blood flow was good, so I was out of immediate danger.  As I suspected, the un-checked swelling in my knee drained to my ankle and foot and settled.  The doctor gave me some antibiotics to clear up infection, and released me to go home.  It was scary for a minute.

 

  I want to thank everyone who cares about me.  Marty is out of town, so I was alone for all of this.  Tracy Wilborn checked on me many times; in fact, she was coming up to the hospital (to be with me) until I reassured her I was OK.  My Coaching buddies were very concerned about me.  I  passed the time texting with them during the five hours I was in the hospital.  Thanks to Hilary and her guidance.  I really love the people I work with.  We do care about one another. 

 

Back to football.  We had a GREAT practice today.  The coaches reported to work at 10am to officially begin our preparation for South Fork.  The kids came in at noon for a short (Thursday-style)

workout.  The team was on fire, and we were very sharp.  This really pleased the coaches, and we got off the field quickly.  We are ready to play on Monday night.....and Friday night.  Coach Miller seemed a little more at ease today.  We tried to spar verbally a little, but we were not fooling anyone.  The kids were pretty much laughing at our pathetic attempts to appear angry with one another. I was able to give him a decent look on scout team this week, so that alone kept him calmer.  I WAS the one who was on edge, for I was worried about giving HIM a decent look on scout offense.  Without a doubt, the defense is ready to play Monday. 

 

I am done.  More tomorrow. 

 

GZ

Day of Turmoil.

 

PawPaw, Did you see that?  (Grice)  I love his colors! 

 

 

PawPaw, I tried to cut block him!  (Grice)

 

Queens of my Heart: Kelsey and Kirby 

 

 

Kirby wearing PawPaw's colors. 

 

Well, the hurricane has thrown everything in a turmoil.  All after-school activities were cancelled today, and school was cancelled tomorrow as well.  Originally we had planned to have a normal pre-game practice today even though we knew there would not be a game on Friday.  However, when the school board cancelled everything, it threw a wrench into those plans.  There was a chance that the game could have been played on Saturday morning down at Forest Hill, and we all were hoping this was going to be the case.  No dice Chino.... did not happen.  The game will be played on Monday afterall.  This is really going to suck.  Last week we did not get home until 2am or so, and the kids still have school on Tuesday.  Going to be a hectic week.  This may push Coach Miller over the edge.  Hmmmm.  I wonder if I can get his motorcycle? 

 

We are planning on bringing the kids in to practice on Saturday.  This will be a helmets and shorts type of practice, but I expect it to be quite intense.  Afterall, when we win, we guarantee ourselves at least a spot in the playoffs; then, we control our own destiny.  Beat South Fork and we are the district champions.  Unfortunately, we MUST start preparing for South Fork even though we play Forest Hill on Monday.  But, what choice do we have?  What choice do they have?  They are in the same boat as we are.  I respect their program.  Coach Levelle has always run a clean program, and I am sure he will have his kids ready to play as well.  Luckily, this year we play them at home.  This will be a battle of two evenly matched teams.  It could come down to coaching.  Like I have always said, NO ONE will out-work our staff to get the kids prepared.  Big games bring out the best in well prepared teams. 

 

Bethel will be pretty intense this week, and he will be miserable to work with.  However, Randy has a lot of experience in playing big games from his Miami days.  Miami vs Florida State.  Miami vs Nebraska.  Miami vs Notre Dame.  The list goes on and on.  So, I am curious to see how he verbally prepares our kids for this big game.  Will he draw on his experience with Jimmy Johnson?  Maybe he will draw on his experience with Dennis Erickson?  Maybe the experience will be from all his coaches, I don't know.  However, Randy is very good at coming up with the right words for the kids.  I admire that.  However, he may be a little short with the coaches.  So, I warned him that he better learn how to talk to me, because I was about to put his ass in a RIC FLAIR Figure Four Leglock and make him tap out!! 

 

 

WHOOOOOOOO!  

 

 

 This is going to be a long week for all of us.  I will do my best to keep everyone up-to date with what is going on.  If you see me in Walmart or Home Depot, and I don't speak, please forgive me.  I get sort of zoned out and I do not see anything else but opposing defenses.....until the game is over.

 

Later,

 

GZ

 

 

 

Game Cancelled Until Monday!

 

 

Hurricane SANDY Official Forecast 

 

Who gets a hurricane in late October?  Can you believe this?  Most of the games this weekend  (with Palm Beach County Schools) have been cancelled until Monday.  This storm will not give us any problems because it is forecast to remain well offshore; however, the bands of weather surrounding the storm will dump some rain on us, and gusts of wind (above 30MPH) are expected on Thursday and Friday.  Unfortunately, school buses are not allowed to operate when wind gusts are above 30 MPH, so transportation is impossible.  I hate this because we are ready to play.  One never knows what will happen between now and Monday night.  At least all schools are playing within the same rules. 

 

I am so tired of dealing with the weather down here.  We have got more than our share of boiling weather and more than our share of rain and lightning storms.  Now, we have to deal with hurricanes right in the meat of our season.  It really sucks.  When I was in South Carolina, it was great to enjoy the colder weather during football season, and climbing or sitting in that deer stand was just a little easier when you were not drenched with sweat before you got there.  I have just about had it with this place some people call "Paradise."  Paradise my ass. 

 

For what it's worth, we are ready to play.  We had a great few days of practice, and the kids are primed and ready.  We are healthy for the most part.  I am happy to get some of the JV kids to help us practice.  They (we) sure have some nice looking kids.  I was able to work with a few of their skill kids directly this week, and I came away pretty impressed with their athleticism.  Surprisingly, we have some nice receivers in the bunch, and I really like the young QB (Cameron) too.  He is becoming my right-hand man on the field. Cameron is willing to help me with anything I do (off the field) and he seems to work hard on the field.  I will say this:  The kid is not afraid to compete against the varsity,  and he will take a hit and do what he is supposed to do when playing scout QB. 

 

Miller is just about ready to blow his top.  All this uncertainty about the game just drives him crazy.  Billy is one of those dudes who has a set routine for everything he does.  He is very organized on and off the field, and breaking his weekly routine on game week is going to keep him on edge.  I think I may find some ways to pick at him a little bit just for fun.  I may hide his ball bag, or I may steal his binder with all the (opponents) offensive plays written on them.....all in fun of course.  Miller and I say some god-awful things to each other (all week long) during practice.  Sometimes we sound like the arguing is very heated, and even the players and coaches look at us funny like we are really going at it.  Every now and then we will lock eyes and sort of grin at each other.  WE KNOW it is all in fun, but the kids and coaches are not really too sure.   Miller is one of my best friends on the staff, and I enjoy working with him.....even if he is an ass.  (I will hear something about this tomorrow! LOL) 

 

I have always had fun with the other coaches....sometimes at their expense.  We had a young-buck coach name Roger T on the staff at one time.  He was a former Vero Beach Fighting Indian  Linebacker who went on to play ball at Troy University.  He came back to Indian River County to teach and coach on our staff.  Roger was a young cocky dude, and he was not exactly known for his work habits while he was here....fact is that he was just plain lazy at times.  Of course, the coaches picked up on this, and we were constantly messing with him.  Roger used to argue with (Coach Kris) our defensive coordinator about the defensive calls or linebacker positions.  Roger would say: "I PLAYED THE POSITION, I KNOW!!"  More than once, it came back to bite him in the ass.  I would do all sorts of things to aggravate Roger...like hiding his ball bag, or hiding just one of his practice shoes, or fill his whistle with mud...anything to piss his off.  However, he always thought it was someone else doing it.  Roger would say: "Zaleuke, you the only one man, the only one!"  meaning I was the only one who never messed with him.  On the contrary, I was the main one who messed with him.  I used to say: "Roger, I am going to help you find who did this!"  I did not have to look too hard.  I was standing directly in front of him.   Roger had a habit of forgetting his game gear on game days.  More than once, Roger coached the game in blue jean shorts and a polo shirt.  During one span, Roger forgot his stuff two weeks in a row.  Randy warned Roger not to forget his stuff the following week during an away game.  We travelled in a motor coach back then, and I noticed that Roger neatly hung up his game shirt and khaki pants in his seat area.  We arrived at our destination and got off the bus.  Later, I got back on the bus and stole Roger's clothing and hid it all in the bathroom.  Randy said: "OK Fellas, let all get dressed for the game.  Roger, you got your stuff?"  Roger went back to the bus, and all his clothing was gone.  I could hear him telling Randy: "Coach, I SWEAR I had the clothes when I got on the bus!"  I said:  "Hey Roger, why don't you wear a poncho?"  Coach Wilson said: "You can't wear on poncho if its not raining!"  I laughed and laughed that day.  Finally, I FOUND his clothes in the bathroom and swore I was going to bring the stealing culprit to justice!.  Man, that was funny.  Roger did not last another season with us. 

 

Later:

 

GZ

Mondays: Big WORK DAY

 

The NATURE BOY  Ric Flair 

 

 

Stylin and Profilin!

 

 

17 Time WORLDS HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION! 

 

This is my weekly Ric Flair Tribute.  I remember when the NWA came to the Ft. Pierce Civic Center, and I took my four year old daughter Kristin down there to see the wrestlers.  We saw Ric Flair, Harley Race, Black Jack Mulligan,  Lex Luger, Terry Funk among several others.  The Civic Center had chairs set up along the floor surrounding the ring.  We were lucky enough to get some floor tickets, and we got up-close to the action several times.  Kristin would stand up on her chair and yell: "WE WANT BLOOD" much to the delight of everyone around us.  Here was this little girls...all dressed up in little girl's clothes...... yelling for BLOOD!  Sure enough, Flair gigs himself and starts gushing blood out of his forehead, which was flowing down his face and running down his chest.  Kristin never missed a beat.  I remember her saying:  "EWWWWW, huh Daddy?"

 

Not much football stuff to report for today.  We had a spirited practice which had a offensive focus, and we are inserting the game plan we worked on yesterday. Randy wants to open it up a little more, so we are working on different ways to do that.  We ran a little scout team for the defense today,  and it was NOT a good period for the offense.  Coach Miller was getting a little upset, and I don't blame him at all.  We could not even get a decent snap off between the center and QB.  In fact, as I was watching the presidential debates and viewing some video tonight, I got a call from Miller. He asked me to give them a much better look tomorrow during scout team.  I promised I would take the bull by the horns and get it done for him from the start.  Trust me.  I will get it done.  I may have to revert back to the "Intense Coach George" like I was a few weeks ago. 

 

Do you want to know what else (besides Girls and Car Payments) that drives a coach crazy?   Never mind.  I just wrote an entire paragraph on this subject, and it was not too nice.  So, I backspaced and got rid of the whole thing.  After thinking about it a little, I realized that this is a battle we will never win.  So, I will just leave it alone and take the beating.  No sense in ruffling the feathers until after we win the district championship. 

 

GZ  

 

Walking it Off!

 

Kelsey Giving Me A Concert

 

 

Kelsey & Kirby on "Stage" at PawPaws Work

 

I love these kids....plain and simple.  In the top photograph, Kelsey is attempting to give me a private concert on the very same day she received her guitar for her birthday.  Marty and I purchased her this "Kona" Pink guitar for her birthday.  She is wearing my Cavalry Hat that Michael sent me from Germany.  I guess she thought it looked like a cowgirl hat.  The guitar is not a toy, and I think PawPaw just may arrange some guitar lessons for her in the near future.  Its funny.  I NEVER allow anyone to handle (or wear) my cavalry hat for any reason; for it is among my prized possessions.  Now it does not seem to be so important anymore.  Truthfully, Kelsey could RUIN the hat and it would not be the end of the world.  I have tried to teach Kelsey to "Be Nice" to my stuff, and she has never disappointed me....so she can borrow (or take) anything of mine she wishes.  LOL.  Kristin just looks at me and shakes her head. She knows Kelsey has me wrapped around her little finger. 

 

I love the bottom photograph too.  Kelsey and Kirby came by my office to visit while they were in town.  Naturally, Kelsey had to stand on her work table "stage" while she was there, and Kirby had to mimic her too.  Kirby is a little pistol, and very strong willed.  She does everything on "Kirby Time" and she is not too quick to warm up to anyone.  PawPaw worked hard to get on her good side, and she came around to my side before she left.  She will learn.  Getting on PawPaws good side can be very beneficial.  I just wanted to hold and love on her a little, and when that happened, my heart melted just like it did from Kelsey.  I just love these babies.  I admit it. 

 

Not much going on with football today, just my normal Sunday routine.  In the last two days, I have done a ton of laundry for the team.  Marty and I completed the last of it today and took it down to the stadium equipment room.  The room is packed with clean laundry, and it all has to be folded and put up on the shelves.  We had our normal weekly meeting at Randy's house today.  It turned out to be a three hour film session and planning period.  We are preparing for our game with Forest Hill on Friday, so we are not taking anything for granted.  Forest Hill has not won a game; however, they have some talent and could give us some issues if we do not bring our "A" game.  South Fork (SF) is playing Olympic Heights on Friday night too; thus, providing they win, we will be playing (SF) for the district championship in two weeks.  The tension is starting to build....with me anyway. 

 

I was walking around my truck today, and I smacked the shit out of my knee by running into my trailer hitch.  I really smacked it good.  After I rolled on the ground a little, I got up and walked it off....like a man....unlike Honey Boo Boo.  Then, I looked down at my throbbing knee, and the damn thing was swelled like a grapefruit from the knee cap down.  I sure as hell ruptured something for it to swell like this, but I have no idea what could have happened.  I don't think I will bother Mason too much this week about his sore knee.  I know I am hurting as I write this blog tonight.  Maybe I will get Hilary to look at it tomorrow....out of Mason's sight.   I can't give him more ammunition against me. 

 

More Tomorrow. 

 

GZ 

 

We Are ROLLING 35-0

 

Hakeem Rainey QB

 

 

Austin Hatch- QB

 

 

OJ Jefferson- RB/DB/Athlete 

 

Here are three of our athletes dressed in our road uniforms....and pink socks for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  I work closely with Hakeem and Austin everyday, and they both are great kids.  They are as different as night and day (athletically) but they can both get the job done.  Hakeem is the starter for our team, but Austin is always ready to go and give us quality snaps without a drop off.  The bottom athlete is OJ Jefferson.  Again, he is a fantastic athlete, very well mannered, and a true physical specimen. He is just a good-looking young man.  OJ starts and plays on both sides of the ball for us, and he is probably our best athlete. 

 

VICTORY!   We won Friday night 35-0 in a must-win district game for us.  This victory keeps us on a collision course with South Fork for the District Championship in two weeks.  First, we must beat Forest Hill next week to put us in the championship game.  The whole day was a little screwed up to be honest with you.  First of all, the game was all the way down in West Palm Beach which is an hour and a half south of us.  Just the logistics of moving all the equipment needed is a daunting task to say the least.  Tony Brown, Coach Wilson and myself all come in early to make sure everything is loaded in the trailer and ready to go.  We check, then double-check to make sure we have everything.  I am really anal about the wristbands, flip boards, color cards, head-phones, and the FOOTBALLS for the game.  I personally have to load all of these items to put my mind at rest.  This stuff is our life-blood for the offense, and if I forgot anything I could never forgive myself.  I have nightmares about forgetting something.  I told you before.....I am a sick man. 

 

I am a weird dude.  I have several reoccurring dreams which still haunt me.  In one dream, I cannot remember my damn locker combination in school.  All my books and personal items are in that damn locker, and I can't get it open in time for class.  In another dream, I am flying in Piper Cherokee (I am really a Private Pilot or those of you who do not know) and I have flown the plane into the power lines by my house.  I wake up in a panic and I do not know what to do.  I also have the newest dream about forgetting the footballs for the game.  This is not a dream, this is a NIGHTMARE scenario for me. 

 

Back to Friday night.  We load all player's equipment bags into our trucks and head South.  We arrived at the school at 5 PM.  This was our first trip to this school, so we did not know where to go.  Unfortunately, no one at their school knew where we were supposed to go either.  We were given the run around for about 30 minutes before being directed to a private entrance located between two retail tile stores off 45th street.  One we parked, we had about ten minutes before special teams came out at 5:50 pm.  We had a normal special period, a normal stretch period, and a normal INDY period before going inside.  Then, the game started......and so did the weather.  We jumped all over them from the start, and quickly took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.  Then, lightning stuck nearby, and the stadium was vacated for 90 minutes.  A severe weather storm cell was passing through, and we all got soaked.  The game resumed at 9 pm.  We pretty much beat them up until the score reached 35-0.  Then we got on the buses and returned home at 1AM.  We bagged up the clothes and took them up to the laundry room.  I got home at 2:15 am. 

 

My boy Mason left the game on Friday night.  His knee is giving him fits again, so Hilary took him out, or he took himself out....I don't know which; however, I know he was on crutches after the game.  I feel bad for him.  Coach Miller and I gave him a hard time after the game...all in fun.  I have stopped using a certain term when speaking with Mason....I found the term to be a little degrading.  Instead, I have started calling Mason Honey Boo Boo.  LOL.  He hates this, which makes me love it even more.  I call him Honey Boo Boo, and he calls me Kentucky Inbred or Turtleman.  LOL.  It's all good!  I love this kid. 

 

 

Laundry Bags Full of WET Uniforms. 

 

I had the day off on Saturday.  But, I made about six trips to school taking care of the team's laundry from Friday night.  The four bags you see above are about one half of what was actually there I thought about leaving this stuff for Sunday, but when I opened the door to the laundry room, the smell told me to get started on it immediately.  I was completely out of the Oxi-Kleen which I have been using for our WHITE uniforms.  So, I quickly went up to Publix and purchased a small box to get through the weekend.  Marty will pick us up a large industrial sized box this week from SAMS.  We dressed 45 kids for the game, so I washed 45 pairs of pants in one load with some extra TIDE detergent and Oxi-Kleen.  Same thing with the jerseys.  All the filthy uniforms came out beautiful and bright white.  I am wondering if I should wash the pink socks all by themselves?  Will they fade?  Will the colors run?  I don't know, so I guess I will ask Marty.  My shit says: Football Coach not Laundry Man!  

 

I am DONE!  Check with me tomorrow!

 

GZ

Walk Thru Today. Going to Puke.

"It’s so hard for me to sit back here in this studio, looking at a guy out here, hollering my name!—When last year I spent more money, on spilled liquor, in bars from one side of this world to the other, than you made! You’re talking to the Rolex wearing, diamond ring wearing, kiss stealing, whoa! wheelin dealin’, limosuine riding, jet flying son of a gun and im having a hard time holding these alligators down!”
- Ric Flair

Do I really need to say more?  Did you really think i was getting away from Ric Flair?  The young people today think that "The Rock" or "Stone Cold Steve Austin" really started the popularity of professional wrestling.  Truth is, guys like Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales, The Assassins, Dory and Terry Funk, The Brisco Brothers, Ernie "The Cat" Ladd, and Harley Race layed the groundwork for the sport as we know it.  But NO ONE worked the camera like Ric Flair.  People hated Flair's cocky attitude which made him even more popular with me!  Whoooooooo! 

This is Thursday, and we will have a quick practice and run-thru for our game tomorrow night.  We have a lot of work to do today to get ready for the long travel game tomorrow night.  We are giving out Thursday practice stuff first, then we are giving out game tote bags, jerseys, pants, socks, and Friday shirts for travel.  We have to get the trailer loaded and ready to roll, and make sure we have everything we will need.  We still have JV uniforms up in the laundry which needs to come down, and we will have tons of laundry to do over the next few days. 

We will fly through our practice today.  We will hit on every aspect of our game plan in this very short time.  We will clean up any issues we have with special teams, and make sure we are clean with our play cards etc..  I am not sure if Peabody will be cleared, so if he is not, we will make sure we are covered in the spots where he played. 

I am getting ready to leave work right now.  I have to stop by Winn Dixie to pick up a box of Bananas for practice today.  This Caribbean Fruit is supposed to supply Potassium which helps prevent cramping during the game.  I don't know if it works or not; however, it sure beats drinking pickle juice.  A few years ago, there was a rumor that drinking pickle juice actually helped with cramping issues, so we encouraged the kids to try it.  I  tried it as well, and I visited the toilet several times that day. It tore my stomach up.  Maybe I drank too much, I don't know.  Coaches are willing to try anything to get an advantage. 

When I played, we only had a water hose on the sideline.  However, Gatorade (the sports drink) was first coming on the scene.  Our coaches thought they could help the drink out a little more by adding pure salt to the mix. We were forced to drink it whether we liked it or not.  It was NASTY stuff to drink, and I hated it.  To this day, I will not drink Gatorade, Power Aid, or any other type of sports drink at all.  Just the sight of that stuff sitting in the coolers makes me want to puke....and I already have enough issues with that. 

I have already begun breaking down the Forest Hill video from LAST YEAR when we played them.  There have been no coaching changes, so the breakdown will still be pertinent.  Coaches are creatures of habit, so they will not make wholesale changes to their system from year to year.  So, I can get a good look at their defensive alignments against our offensive alignments, and get a pretty good idea of what we need to be working on.  Now, if there is a new coaching staff in place, then there will obviously be major changes made. 

That's it for today.  Lots of work to do.  Will check in after game tomorrow. 

GZ

Good Day and Gross Stories

 

NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL 

 

People love to hate Notre Dame.  When I was a kid in Kentucky, my Dad used to tell me stories about the old Notre Dame Football teams, and I grew up watching Ara Parsegian coach the beloved Catholic team to victory after victory.  It was a dream of mine to attend Notre Dame, but obviously I was not ND material.  I loved the simple uniforms (without names on the back of the Jerseys) and the shiny gold helmets which were pained before every game by the students themselves.  The golden helmet represents the "Golden Dome" which is the centerpiece of the Notre Dame campus.  I have been to the ND campus several times, and I used to say that you don't walk around the campus, you FLOAT around the campus. 

 



 Touchdown Jesus

 

 The stadium is absolutely beautiful and historical.  You can feel the history of the stadium  as you look at "Touchdown Jesus" overlooking the home end zone.   The smell of cooking bratwurst, BBQ, or other fine tailgating foods permeate the air from the thousands of hardcore faithful fans who often brave the miserable weather during the fall.  When the school's band come marching on the field (in perfect unison) it sends chill bumps down your arms and back.  Then, both teams form up at the end zone to come running on the field.  As tradition has it, the visiting team enters the field first.  Then, the stands erupt and the band plays loudly as the Fighting Irish Football team come running through the tunnel out onto the field.  This is an experience I will never forget. 

 

Like I said before, people LOVE to hate Notre Dame down here in Florida.  This is exactly why I love the team so much.  I guess it must be the holier-than-thou attitude the school has toward any other school in the country.....or the NBC television contract they have every year.  Virtually every game they play is on national television.  The old ND vs Miami series in the 80's and 90s were classics, and Coach Bethel was right in the middle of it.  I used to talk a lot of smack about ND when I first started at SRHS, but Miami has come back to bite me so often that I stopped saying anything to Bethel about it.  This year, ND destroyed Miami, but I did not say much about it to Randy.  I just sort of smirked and started preparing for our game with Port St. Lucie. 

 

 

We had a good week preparing for our game with Palm Beach Lakes...but man, we are beat up pretty good.  One can certainly tell that we are in the meat of our season, and those aches and pains are starting to show.  Today we got an infusion of fresh blood from our JV team (who completed their season last night) so we are hoping they will help us out some next week.  At least we will be able to use fresh legs on our scout teams to keep our starters fresh for the games.  I actually feel bad for Coach Miller, it seems like he has to adjust constantly for missing players on his defense.  Hopefully, we will be at full strength before game time.....or Miller will have a stroke. 

 

On offense, we just can't throw anyone into the mix.  Our system is just too complicated for anyone brand new to our side of the ball, so it takes some time for them to adjust.  We have some special packages where we can spot somebody up for a few plays, but rarely can we add somebody brand new to our no-huddle mix.  Our offense is a work in progress for sure, and we are constantly experimenting with different formations and plays to adjust to different teams and their tendencies.  This why I am constantly working on our wristbands to add and subtract different plays and formations.  It is almost a full time job. 

 

We were running scout team today, and Justin Peabody came out of the scrimmage toward the sideline.  I yelled: "PEABODY, I need you!"  He held up his hand and showed me his little finger which was pointed at a 90 degree bend..... in the wrong direction!  Apparently, during the previous play, he either dislocated (or broke) his little finger.  Pretty gross.  (Luckily, Hilary was quickly on top of the situation.)    Justin is a tough kid, and he did not say much about it.  This injury had the kids buzzing, so I said that this was part of football, and we need to get back to work.  

 

I remember when I was playing for my Dad.  One of our players came running up to my Dad and showed him his hand.  Apparently, another player had stepped on his hand and dislocated four of his five fingers....fingers were pointed in all directions.  I remember my Dad grabbing each finger and popping them back into position one by one.  It was brutal to watch, but the kid held tough.  When it was all over, my teammate flexed his fingers and went back into the game.  I also remember another teammate (Kevin Nichols) dislocated his right knee cap during a practice.  I watched as my Dad grabbed the knee cap and pushed it around the knee into position.  Now, THAT was gross!   I remember Kevin going to the doctor who told him the knee cap was in perfect position.  Man, I can't even imagine stuff like this happening today. 

 

One final injury story.  When I was playing for the Georgia  travelling team I told you about in an earlier blog entry,  I was having severe knee pain for some reason.  Back then, there was no such thing as Torn Meniscus, ACLs. MCL's and all that stuff.  Apparently, I had torn some cartilage and my knee swelled up after I banged it on the frozen turf one too many times.  I had quite a bit of water on my knee, and it had to come out.  The trainer stuck me with a needle and drained the knee, then he proceeded to freeze the knee so I could play in the game.  I was only 12 years old!  LOL.  That is so funny to me today.  Can you imagine something like this happening in today's world? 

 

Later,

 

GZ

 

Getting Ready for PBL.

 

 

Batgirl (Julie Newmar) Robin (Burt Ward) and BATMAN (Adam West)

 

 

Batmobile (1967 Ford Fairlane) in the Bat Cave. 

 

The original BATMAN series on television was so cool....but it was so bad at the same time.  When I was a kid,  BATMAN was actually shown on network television in prime time.....twice a week!  I remember watching the series and actually being scared for The Dynamic Duo on a weekly basis.  Would Batman and Robin survive the elaborate schemes of death that The Joker, The Riddler, Mr. Freeze, The Penguin, or CatWoman would have for them every Tuesday night?   The announcer would whip us kids into a frenzy by saying: "Tune in tomorrow.  Same BAT TIME, same BAT CHANNEL!  I remember talking with my friends about how Batman and Robin  would break loose (just in the nick of time) every week.  Gotham City would be safe once again!  Looking back on it now, the series was so bad; however, to a six year old kid, the series was about the best thing on television.....all three channels! 

 

We started our practice week today preparing for Palm Beach Lakes.  It seems like the day just flew by.  Today was a defensive emphasis day, so we were short-handed on the offense.  It was a good day however, because we get to work some of our younger kids on the scout team.  Hakeem and Hatch were both having a pretty good practice session, so I rotated them both freely all day long.  Without a doubt, Hakeem is the starter; however,  Hatch needs to be ready to go at any time.  Coach Wilson always says: "You are only as good as your #2"   We are lucky to have a quality backup QB like Hatch.  I actually met Austin Hatch fours years ago down at the little Shark's field.  He was playing senior football as a lineman (and backup QB) for them.  Then, he disappears from football all together until this year....his senior year!  The only thing Hatch is missing is experience.  He has a great arm, and he is a smart kid too.  I wish we would have got him as a freshman.  I think Hatch and Rainey would have a great battle as the starting QB spot.   I think Austin regrets not playing all four seasons.....and I regret him not playing as well.  I tell the kids all the time:  "You only have 4 years playing high school football, but you will spend the rest of your life remembering it!"  This is a Lesson in Life that many kids will find out too late.  Team sports are so important to the development of a young man.....period. 

 

Later 

 

GZ

 

Palm Beach Lakes Prep.

Boyd Dowler - Green Bay Packer Tight End - 1967 

 

Max McGee- Wide Receiver-Green Bay Packers- Super Bowl 1

 

It's amazing how much football has changed over the years.  Look at the top photograph.  Notice anything different?  Here is a hint.  Look at the goal post.   Back in the early days, the goal post actually marked the FRONT of the endzone...not the back.  This meant that the goal post was actually in the field of play which caused many violent collisions with the lightly-padded post.  The referee is actually standing in the BACK of the endzone where the goal post placement is today. 

 

Look at the bottom photograph taken during Super Bowl 1 (Packers vs Chiefs) in Jan.1968.  This is a 38 year old Max McGee hauling in a touchdown pass from Bart Starr.   McGee never expected to play in the game at all; in fact, he was out drinking and partying during the wee hours of the morning the night before.  McGee was known for his hard-living ways, but Lombardi still loved him.  McGee was called into action after the starter was injured, but despite the partying, he had a magnificent game for Green Bay. 

 

Not much going on today.  I went up to school to finish some team laundry earlier today, and I managed to find the time to run the track a little.  I put my I-Pod and headphones on, and I listened to military cadence (and George Strait) as I circled the track six times.  I really need to do that more often than I do, but coaching so many hours makes it difficult to achieve.  No excuses.  I really need the stress relief or I may have a stroke. I will get it done. 

 

The offensive staff met at Randy's house at 4 PM today for a three hour meeting.  We put together our game plan for Palm Beach Lakes (PBL), and planned out our practice week.  This once again a MUST WIN game for us.  PBL is in our district, so we must beat them to stay alive for the playoffs.  Right now we are 4-2 and starting to roll pretty good.  Our next three games will all be district opponents, so it is going to be pretty intense.  I am feeling the pressure already.  I must be hell to live with right now. 

 

There must be something wrong with me.  Why can't I leave well enough alone?  Why can't I just overlook a simple mistake on the wristbands without re-building them perfectly?  Why does a simple leak on the water cows drive me crazy?  Why do I obsess with drawing football plays when I am doodling on a note pad?  Why do I always wear blue and black?  Why do I hate the color red?  Or green?  Or purple, or just about any color not associated with SRHS?  Why can't I buy a simple pair of running shoes out of those color ranges?  Why do I continue to coach when I know full well it is costing me thousands of dollars (of lost revenue) at my business?  For that matter, why do I have  "COACH" George Zaleuke written on my business cards?  Who the hell am I coaching at work?  I can't even talk with my son in Germany unless I spin the conversation to football in some way!  Why do I consider my life "COMPLETE' now that Kelsey has shared to football field with me?   Why am I already thinking about where my grandson (Grice) is going to school, and what position he may play?  Why am I ready and willing to relocate to coach him?  Hell, he is only 5 months old. 

 

I am a sick man. 

 

GZ

 

Big VICTORY and a GREAT NIGHT!

 

Kelsey Cheering At Game 

 

 

Kelsey in Cheerleading Uniform 

 

Kelsey & Kirby Before Game 

 

Marty Holding Grice in Stands 

 

Last night was a very special for me, not because we won a big game, but because I had an opportunity to be young again....just for a couple of hours.  I first started with Sebastian River High School (SRHS) 16 years ago when Coach Bethel first came in.  I remember being on the field and looking over to the sidelines to watch my daughter Kristin cheering.  Last night, I looked over to the sidelines to see my granddaughter Kelsey cheering her little butt off with the varsity girls.  A flood of memories hit me, and I had a special special evening showing off my grandkids to whomever would listen to my emotional bragging.  In fact, I had my QB (Hakeem Rainey) down on the other side of the field just talking, and I pointed to Kelsey and said: "Look at that!"  Bethel would have had a cow if he seen (or heard) me do that, but that's OK, I would have gladly taken his criticism.  Of course, I introduced my family to all my friends, and showed off all three grandkids to my coaching colleagues.  I know it sounds stupid, but Kelsey even got a cool drink of water from my infamous water cows after the game.  Even THAT was special for me....because all of you know how much I talk about those pain-in-the ass water machines.  (By the way, FRED is doing much better after his heart-lung transplant) 

 

I would like to thank everyone at SRHS who allowed me to bring Kelsey down to the field.  Special thanks to all the VARSITY Cheerleaders who adopted Kelsey and made sure she felt at home on the sidelines.  Kelsey was included in EVERYTHING the young girls did during the game, and I will never forget their kindness in making this happen for me.  Also, very special thanks to Delaney Miller (Coach Miller's daughter) for taking Kelsey under her wing and showing her where to go before the game and during the game. 

 

By the way.  We defeated PSL 26-21 on Friday night bringing our record to 4-2.  PSL played very well and kept the game close all evening.  Their QB (DJ Juste) is very special, and I believe you may see that dude playing on Saturday somewhere.  He is the best QB I have seen in at least three years.  Our defense made some adjustments in the second half and shut him down for the most part.  Pork Chop and Brandon Jones both had big games, and of course Javonte and Bookie had their excellent good game.  I noticed that our two Freshmen- Pat Bethel and Terrell Washington- both got some quality playing time on Friday evening as well.  In fact, I think Patrick even started.  I am sorry about not knowing this for sure, but I am pretty certain Pat was forced to start due to a couple of players being out for the game.  We played without James Clark and Gage Moak for the entire game.  Both are expected back for this week.  I generally don't speak with the defensive players at all during the game.  We all have our own positions to coach, so none of us will really say too much to the the other kids unless it is something blaring which needs to be corrected immediately.   Mostly I am a cheerleader for them; HOWEVER, I will speak with Mason at times when I see something.  Last night he came off the field and I said.  "Mason, I know Coach Miller well enough to say that you have to get off your blocks a little quicker."  Always respectful, Mason said :"OK Coach!"  He made some nice adjustments during the second half and played well.  I was proud of him. 

 

The Offense finally got rolling on Friday night too.  All three of our running backs had close to 100 yards of rushing a piece.  All three of them scored on nice runs, and Nate had a few nice catches to add. This kid is so dangerous...he can hurt you from the ground or from the air.  OJ Jefferson is a beast.  He is a two-way player who is outstanding on both sides of the ball.  His speed is deceiving.  He runs just like Eric Dickerson used to run...straight up but powerful!  I was very happy with Hakeem on Friday night as well.  He made some great decisions and did not turn the ball over all night long.  Rainey can be so much fun to coach sometimes....especially when he is 'feeling it'.  I try not to let anyone else speak with Hakeem (except Coach Wilson) when he comes off the field.  I want to be the first one to greet him....good or bad.  Most of the time we just exchange what he is seeing or experiencing up close.  Maybe he made a bad throw, or maybe he made a fantastic throw....I just try to stay positive and calm when addressing him. He has enough pressure during the game without me adding to his emotions even further.  

 

Will check in tomorrow! 

 

GZ

 

Half Pissed Off

 

Jerry Kramer Tries to Block Alex Karris 

 

 

Karris Stalking Bart Starr 

 

 

Alex Karris Dead at 77

 

I hated Alex Karris when I was a kid.  I think I told you in an earlier blog posting that I wanted to be Jerry Kramer when I was young.  Who was Kramer's biggest nemesis?  Yep!  Alex Karris.   Drafted out of Iowa by the Detroit Lions, Karris terrorized NFL Linemen during the 1960's and 1970's.  Built like a fire hydrant, Karris was also extremely strong and quick for a man his size.  He played 12 years in the NFL, and went on to star in network TV sitcoms, and big screen movies.  Kramer and Karris had an informal feud going for years.  After Kramer released his book Instant Replay in 1967, both he and Karris appeared in a sports celebrity roast.  Karris stated:  "Jerry Kramer is the best guard in the NFL, and if you don't believe me, just read his book!"   Kramer retorted:  "Who read it to you?"  Karris was not known for his brains, but he could sure play football.  I am sad to see him go. 

 

This is Wednesday, and it is really our last day of the week to get in any serious work before we line up on Friday night.  Wednesday's are split evenly between the offense and defense.  We also try to hit a couple of special teams on Wednesday's too.  By this time of the week, the offensive game plan is solidly in place, and the defense knows the opponents as well as they know themselves.  Offensively, we are not really doing anything new, but we do have a couple of new wrinkles to throw at Port St Lucie if we need them.  We try to add something new (and fun) for every game.  Do we use all the stuff we have every game?  No, not by a long shot.  However, we do have the ability to adjust our offense to any given situation.  We have the ability to go hurry-up no huddle if we have to, or we can run from the huddle and slow the game down.  We are a Wing-T based team; however, we are really a multiple formation team,  for we have the ability to pound the ball when we have too, or we can spread it out and strike from the air as well.  We have been told that Defensive Coordinators hate to prepare for our offense.  I would like to think that is true. 

 

When does a man become insignificant?  At what age does society start thinking or believing that a man's experience does not matter any more?  When does a man's ideas and beliefs become obsolete?  Why does education and hard work take second place to youthful exuberance?   I am not sure exactly when that happens either.  I remember thinking my Dad was the biggest dumb ass in the world, but now I cherish his life experiences, and I recall his coaching wisdom on a daily basis.  Its funny, the game has slowly turned back to old school football, and the old school coaching tricks are now significant again. What ever happened to the cross body block?  What happened to blocking an area by sacrificing your body to protect the hole?  What happened to "Make a pile?"  What happened to the 'two handed punch to the stomach' to bring a defensive lineman's hands down?  I wonder how Don Shula,Tom Landry, and Bobby Bowden felt when they were put out to pasture?   

 

More tomorrow. 

 

GZ