Getting Ready

 

Stylin and Profilin! 

 



Had an abbreviated practice again today, but it was pretty awesome nonetheless.  We knew there was some rain moving in quickly, so we stretched and went right to Unit.  The kids seemed pretty focused on the task at hand, and there was not much chitter chatter among them.  This is Rivalry Week in our area, so we are lining up with Vero Beach on Friday night.   This is a big game for us, so everyone is kind of on edge right now.  This is where Coach Bethel is really strong I think.  No one else (on our staff) has played at the level Randy has played at with the University of Miami: Miami vs Florida State.  Miami vs Notre Dame.  Miami vs Penn State.  Miami vs Nebraska.  The list goes on and on.  Naturally, Bethel has the advantage of watching and hearing how Coach Jimmy Johnson, Coach Dennis Erickson, Butch Davis (among others)  handled the pressure for a big game.   I get kind of pissy with Randy at times, but today I was ready to line up and play after he addressed the team. 

 

 It rained HARD today during practice.  No lightning, but HARD rain with those BIG rain drops.  I was trying to run scout offense for Coach Miller, and I was absolutely soaked.  I talked on a previous blog about how much I hate wet shoes and socks.  Lets just say that I should have been wearing those water shoes people wear in the river.  We got in most of the practice, so it was not a completely wasted day.  Tomorrow we will split the day with the defense, so it is important to stay focused.  Vero Beach is a very good team playing in Florida's highest classification.  We are just a small school that is hoping to compete with the powerhouse program down south.  I just hope we deserve to be on the same field with them.......... 

 

 

 

 

This is a coil cooler water machine.  Again, I have rebuilt these machines so that they rarely break down.  Most of the parts can be obtained at the local home improvement store.  If you look closely, you can see one of the two coiled brass tubing covered in ice.  We hook at water hose up to one side of the cooler, the water runs through the brass coils which are covered in ice.  By the time the water exits the cooler,  it is ice cold.  The clean cold water exits and connects to the distribution manifold running across the top.  The blue hoses you see hanging is where the water exits for the players to drink.  Believe it or not, the darn drinking valves are the hardest part to keep operating.  I used the plastic hand valves (like on a garden sprayer) for several years, but these things were constantly breaking.  I found these HEAVY DUTY metal valves (made for drinking fountains) at a supply house in Michigan.  They have been a real blessing.  We now have a constant supply of water at any given time. 

 

I KNOW, I KNOW, kind of boring tonight.  Sorry.  I am exhausted.  I fell asleep (sitting up) when having dinner with Marty tonight.  I have looked at so much video that my eyes actually hurt.  I am kind of worried about my eyes right now.  They are watering and having difficulty focusing on anything.  Oh well.  Thats football I guess.  I can rest my eyes after the season is done sometime in December. 

Later.