Jack’s Blog

During part of my tenure at Fresno State, I did the color commentary for the Bulldogs locally televised basketball games.  While it was nice to get noticed around town, especially when it was on an occasion either or both of my sons were with me, I fully realized that not one of the people complimenting me (the ones who think you’re awful may write a letter-to-the-editor, but at least they have the decency not to confront you publicly about it) were tuning into the broadcast because of my analysis. 

It’s the same with any game on TV.  I have heard of viewers mute a game because they can’t stand a certain announcer, but no one is watching or listening to a contest just because a certain person is doing play-by-play or color.  Yet, having a competent color commentator certainly enlightens the experience and makes watching the game much more entertaining and enjoyable.

Here’s what makes a good color analyst.  First of all, the person needs to be prepared.  Knowing how to pronounce the names of the players from both teams, researching the strengths and weaknesses of the participating teams, having the up-to-date statistics and being aware of injured players and whether they’ll play or not.

Then, a thorough understanding of the game and its strategies is essential, as is a knowledge of the rules.  Being able to explain what happened - in a language even casual fans can comprehend (without feeling you’re “talking down” to them) - and even to predict what will happen - but through the use of reasoning and not just what the guy at the end of the bar is saying because he heard somebody in a studio show say it. 

The upper tier guys are also quick on their feet (or whatever part of their body is grounding them), so they can interject a quip, whether it comes from playing off their partner, a graphic, a promo or camera shot.  And the absolute best have a voice easy on the ears and speak English the way it’s taught in school.  Slang is OK and there are even some highly regarded commentators who will say things like, “They shoulda went for it.”  An occasional grammatical error can be oevrlooked, but butchering the English language will doom the career of even the most popular former athlete.

The reason for this blog is I was in complete awe of Gary Danielson’s performance during the Alabama-LSU game.  He plays off of partner Verne Lundquist (a perfect straight man) extremely well and he had obviously done his homework.  When LSU’s talented cornerback Patrick Peterson was out of the game due to cramping, Danielson noted, “Alabama’s got Julius Jones matched up on a safety, which is much different than a corner.  Look for them to take advantage of that.”  73 yards later, Peterson was in the end zone with what proved to be the winning points.  The replay showed his comments that 1) safeties give more (meaning too much) cushion and 2) they don’t open field tackle as well as corners were spot on.

At halftime, he correctly pointed out the Tide was relying too heavily on the pass and needed to get Heisman Trophy candidate Mark Ingram more carries.  The Crimson came out on the first possession and did just that, resulting in a ‘Bama TD.  Later, on a poorly thrown pass by QB Greg McElroy, a UA offensive lineman (who, we were informed carried a 4.0 GPA) turned around and seemed to be questioning the accuracy of his quarterback.  Danielson, realizing that the best humor is of the self-deprecating kind, told a similar story about a throw he made during his career and one of his “O” linemen saying to him, “What was that, GD?”

On a 4th & goal, the Tide broke the huddle with 12 twelve players.  The cameras showed Alabama’s McElroy, Jones and coach Nick Saban all were frantically trying to call time out.  Danielson interjected, once again correctly that the rules stated that in that particular situation, the offending team could not be bailed out by taking time out.

“GD” also observed when LSU scored a go-ahead touchdown, making the score 15-10 that it was too early to go for a two-point conversion because, failing to score, two field goals would beat them.  The Tigers did and their pass was incomplete.  The next possession, ‘Bama kicked a field goal and after scoring a TD - since the score was 19-13 -went for two themselves and were successful.  A field goal in the fourth quarter put the game out of reach, giving the Tide a nine point lead.  Had LSU kicked the PAT, the score would have been 16-10, meaning when UA scored their TD, the score would have been 19-16 and they would have gone for one.  Thus, the late FG would have made the score 26-19, putting the Tigers behind by only seven, still having a chance.

There are many great color commentators (mainly because there are so many televised games that there are about a zillion color guys) and, for my money, Gary Danielson ranks up there with the best.  Those I think are, or were, outstanding are John Madden & Pat Summeral, Hubie Brown & Jeff Van Gundy and Joe Morgan & Joe Garagiola.  Each of them subscribes to Samuel Johnson’s theory:

“Knowledge is of two kinds.  We know a subject ourselves, or we know where we can find information on it.”Â

The opening game of the professional football season is always a thrilling time, even if it’s on a Thursday and this year’s opener did nothing but leave the fan wanting more.

First of all, the defending Super Bowl Champs were one of the teams involved and although they (the Pittsburgh Steelers) won, they did so only after being behind late and blowing a golden opportunity to win it in regulation.  The blunder was committed by three-time team MVP and four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Hines Ward, not only a talented, but highly intelligent player.  It was the classic Cardinal Sin (one so bad, that, had Pittsburgh lost and he’d have tried to go to confession for it, he might have found a “Closed” sign on the confessional door).  The game itself was an overtime thriller, exactly what the true football fan wants (you’ve seen the commercials, “We’re not ready for this game to be over yet“). And it carried a couple sub-plots - one going into it and the other after taking a look at some stats.

Expanding on Ward’s miscue: with under a minute to go in the contest, after rallying to tie it at 10 with a field goal, Mr. “I’m Totally Cool And In Charge” (after being nervous as all get out at the beginning of the game and playing a horrible first half) QB Ben Roethlisberger directed an apparent game winning drive, (nearly) capping it with a strike to Ward.  The Titans (oh, yeah, they were the other team in the game) forced a fumble when Michael Griffin stripped the ball from Ward with a great effort, hammering it loose from the wideout.  Tennessee regained possession inside its own five and ran out the clock, sending the NFL’s season opener into OT.

Sub-plot number one involved announcer Cris Collinsworth, a very good player in his day and an even better color commentator, attempting one of the most difficult jobs (in terms of scrutiny and achieving success): taking over for a legend.  If you’re not sure of which legend I’m referring to, just go out and buy an NFL video game.  The answer will quickly be apparent.  If CC had to be graded on his first performance, it’s too early, as well as unfair, to assign him a grade.  But if it were a Pass-Fail arrangement, he clearly passed.

Near the end of the game, with Pittsburgh driving for the winning score (until Griffin swiped Ward), Collinsworth pointed out that all the time Big Ben had in the pocket was due to the Titans refusing to change their strategy of rushing only four men.  Their inability to put pressure on the Steelers’ QB was mainly due to how gassed their D-linemen were, the commentator noted.  He did seem to belabor the point but, in all fairness, the Titans never did try another tactic - until Pittsburgh went to the run.

Then, the “rookie” Collinsworth commented after two straight running plays, which netted the Steelers basically nothing, that they should just stick with the pass since they were having so much success with it.  On the “I’m not sure if he gets a positive or negative grade for this observation,” Cris did tell the viewers that Ward should have wrapped up the ball and fallen down, not only to avoid the fumble but because the Steelers didn’t need a touchdown - especially that soon - because it would have given the ball back to the Titans.  The problem?  He didn’t make mention of this until the game was into the OT period.  And he never once said “Boom!” like John Madden did.  Just in case you were stumped for that legend reference. 

This game also produced one of the most eerie statistics you’ll ever see.  In the Steelers last game (last year’s Super Bowl), Santonio Holmes won the MVP award with the following stats: 9 receptions, 131 yards, 1 TD.  His numbers last night?  9 receptions, 131 yards, 1 TD.  That’s just for those readers who don’t believe in coincidences - or people who are looking for consistency in players.

After last night’s opener, the NFL seems to have nothing to worry about when it comes to entertaining their fans, especially in relation to Michael Gerber’s comment on businesses:

“If they don’t fail outright, most businesses fail to fully achieve their potential.”  Â

First and foremost in the fan’s mind is a well-conceived plan for hiring a new coach.  It begins with, “We’ve got to fire our coach!”  When the situation has gotten to this point, the geniuses in the stands have had all they can take - because, after all, who cares more about their beloved football program than someone like them who go to every game and (maybe) write a check out to the athletics department each year?  Certainly not someone like the coach who spends about of 14-16 hours every day?  Hey, it’s what he’s paid to do.

Let’s take a couple of examples I’m somewhat familiar with - Tennessee and Fresno State - the former because I worked there from 1980-87 as an assistant basketball coach, the latter because my tenure as Director of Basketball Operations was also seven years (1995-2002).  The day I started at UT in 1980 nearly coincided with the day Phillip Fulmer, the recently deposed football coach, began.  He was returning to his alma mater from Vanderbilt to become the offensive line coach.  The two of us went through orientation together and, because of the training table UT offered, would sit together during lunch on several occasions until my departure to become the associate head coach at the University of Toledo.

Pat Hill arrived in Fresno in 1997 and, while Fresno State is not his alma mater, he did put in a five-year stint there as offensive line coach and recruiting coordinater (1984-89).  I distinctly remember the first day I met Pat, not so much because of our meeting, but because when I arrived home that night, our older son, Andy, said a new student just moved into his 2nd grade class and was sitting next to him.  That new kid was Zak Hill, the youngest of the three Hill boys.  Andy and Zak became fast friends and Andy, on many occasions, has vacationed with the Hill family.

Both Phil and Pat took over their respective programs under very similar circumstances, following in the footsteps of legendary coaches who each had experienced a decline in the teams’ records near the end of their careers.  Johnny Majors was not only a Vols’ alum, but was a superstar tailback during his intercollegiate stay there.  Anyone who can remember that far back will tell you Majors got royally shafted in the 1956 Heisman Trophy voting by the Eastern and Catholic media, coming in second to Paul Hornung of Notre Dame after the Vols posted a 10-1 record while the Irish finished the season with only two wins.  In fact, I was in attendance at a meeting where Hornung admitted to exactly that.

Jim Sweeney, the coach Pat replaced and worked for, was at Washington State when I was a graduate assistant there, but with the rules being what they were at the time, e.g. unlimited scholarships, nobody could have won at WSU.  After a brief time with the Oakland Raiders, Jim wound up as the head coach of the Bulldogs and is considered the man whose program built Bulldog Stadium (the field is named after him) and put the program in the spotlight by winning in the Big West and immediately competing for the WAC championship.

Health issues marred the final year of both Majors’ and Sweeney’s careers.  The end for Majors was more controversial because the Vols had begun the season by losing.  Majors’ pain was so severe, he needed surgery shortly after the season begun.  Fullmer took over and the Vols won three in a row.  Majors returned to the sidelines, saying that had always had been the plan, but to the chagrin of many fans, who felt he should step down in favor of Phil (wonder if they hadn’t won the fans would have felt the same way?)  The team lost after Majors returned and at the end of the ‘92 season, Fullmer had the interim tag removed.  There’s been bad blood between the two coaches ever since, most fans siding with Fullmer in the early years, especially in 1998 when the Vols won the National Championship.  Lately, however, it’s amazing how many of these same fans are bringing up how “Phillip stabbed Johnny in the back.”

Sweeney’s departure, though, was not a cause of dissension, with Jim helping his former assistant get the Bulldogs’ job and continuing to be supportive.  When Hill first started scheduling “big-time” teams (Hill’s philosophy of “We’ll play anybody, anytime, anywhere” meant just what it said), the academic success and graduation rates (under associate head coach John Baxter, inventor of the now widely- used Academic Game Plan) dramatically improved and Pat’s knack for player evaluation (one of his NFL tasks he had while toiling as an assistant coach in for the Browns and Ravens) led to better and better recruiting classes, the entire San Joaquin Valley was gaga for the ‘Dogs.

Now, the two former offensive lineman, each of whom was an assistant for the school prior to becoming head coach, and each turned the success ratio of W’s and L’s around have been under fire from the “supporters.”  In fact, Fullmer has already been shown the door, replaced by Lane Kiffin (coincidentally a Fresno State grad), who lost his fight and job with the Oakland Raiders and boss, Al Davis, (usually the loss of one translates into the loss of the other).  Kiffin’s hiring, only a day or so ago, has been criticized by Mark May of ESPN who said his past experience doesn’t prepare him for a job the magnitude of Tennessee.  Talk about a short honeymoon!  “Good luck, Coach - but consider renting.”

Fresno losing to archrival and one of nation’s hottest teams over the past five years, Boise State, by a score of 61-10 has added fuel to the fans’ fire.  What I am constantly amazed by is the spewing of venom at the coach when his team doesn’t perform to the fan’s expectation.  “I don’t spend my hard earned money to watch us get beat time after time.”  For the record, FSU is 7-5 this season and will probably play in a bowl game.

Hill has himself to blame for some of the criticism because he sets lofty goals and then dares to make them public.  When the Bulldogs beat BCS schools as they’ve done at the rate of about one per season (a rather remarkable feat, considering they don’t get the chance to play them that often and when they do, it’s nearly always on the opponent’s home turf), chests in Fresno are stuck out proudly.  But, the mantra of “If we can beat those guys, how come we can’t win the WAC?” is heard by fans (chests now deflated).

My proposal: get a search committee of fans, ask them the following questions - printing their responses in the local paper:

Who do you think we should get to coach the coach instead of the man we have now?  The answer is simple.  Someone who will WIN!

What kind of offensive should the new coach run?  Are you kidding?  Wide open, throw it on every down, so we can score 50 points/game.  What a foolish question that was!

How about the defensive side of the ball?  We need a defensive coordinator who can figure out how to shut down the opposing team’s offense.  You know, if the previous staff didn’t understand that, they deserve to be out of jobs.

And who do you think that is?  This answer ranges from 1) the hottest coach in the country.  Nothing’s too good for us.  Who’s coaching the #1 team in the nation?  Oh, he makes four times what we’re paying our current coach?  How ’bout one of the Top 5 then?  Uh, each of them makes more, coaches at a BCS school and, undoubtedly has a buy-out clause in his contract that is greater than the entire budget for our School of Education (not to mention the buy-out we’re on the hook for in order to let go the coach you’re so anxious to fire).  2) Yeah, what about someone who’s a proven winner, but has retired?  You know how coaches have that itch and are always coming back for more.  So, … what about guys like Lou Holtz, Don Shula or John Madden?  Well, each has a  pretty cushy job right now, Holtz makes more in a couple of speaking fees than we can afford, Shula’s getting paid to lose weight and I’d love to see how you’d expect us to get Madden to the Hawaii game.  3) How about an up-and-comer, you know, like Gerry Faust, Karl Dorrell or one of the Bowden boys?  Wait, I’ve got the perfect guy?  The dude from Boise State.  Why would a guy want to leave a school he’s led to an undefeated season for another in the same league he just beat by 50?  So he can have you guys as fans?

It reminds me of George Burns’ line about complaints regarding whoever’s president:

“Too bad that all the people who know how to run the country are busy driving taxicabs and cutting hair.”  Â

The Colts-Patriots game may not have had the implications of some of their past tussles, but it was a classic contest nonetheless.  The Pats came in 5-2 and could have been alone atop the division with a victory.  The Colts at 3-4 are fighting for their playoff lives, so while both teams are in positions they’re unused to, the Colts were more desperate than their opponents.

Not only were they on the wrong side of .500, but they were hearing from the pundits and the Monday am QB’s the reasons why, among them: Peyton’s surgeries have left him a far lesser player and Tony Dungy’s rumored resignation at season’s end has made him (and the team) lose focus.

Each of these guys have made statements refuting the accusations and nothing in either’s past would leave anyone to doubt their integrity.  Peyton certainly looked like the Peyton of old, driving his team to a winning touchdown.  An interesting note: Sports Illustrated polled the NFL players as to which quarterback was the least mobile in the League and the “winner” was Peyton Manning.  Yet during the game, John Madden commented on how difficult it was to sack him because, naturally, he gets good protection, but also because, according to Madden, he knows his reads and options so well, that combining this with his super quick release, it allows him to get rid of the ball as soon as he feels the pressure.

The game could have gone either way - a perfectly thrown TD pass to Jabar Gaffney that he dropped (of course, had Gaffney held on, Manning had a chance to lead his team to a score on ensuing possessions) and a foolish personal foul by David Thomas, stalling a drive hurt New England’s cause in a big way.  

Had New England won, they would have again answered the question, “Sure, they’re good, but can they win without Tom Brady?”  For another day, though, Dungy and Manning showed their competitive spirit as well as their leadership skills, living up to the quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupery:

“A chief is a man who assumes responsibility.  He says, ‘I was beaten.’  He does not say, ‘My men were beaten.’  Thus speaks a real man.”