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The straight scoop from
Colonel Mustard

Jan. 4, 2002

PASADENA, Calif. -- A frustrated Colonel filing this from a sand trap on the golf course outside the Rose Bowl.

What a beautiful venue for a football game. This is somewhere everyone should visit at least once. Where do you start on a night like tonight? I have to start with Frank, I will grant you Frank can't go make the tackles that we continue to miss, but he got waaaay too cute tonight in the first half. Offset I, Maryland I with Kriewald at the top, 5 wides and Davies as the single back. What was he trying to establish? Why did we continue to run wide against a defense that is the fastest we've faced all year? Yet with all of that, we did move the ball against them when we got back to our power game. Sure was fun to watch Ed Reed bounce off of 7 and Diedrick. In my opinion 7 did not have a sharp game at all; on the interception off of Wistrom's hands, Gibson was running wide open. Too many bad decisions and wild throws.

On the defensive side, a lot of disappointment, I said at the outset Shanle has to cover Shockey. Unfortunately he couldn't. That and our refusal to wrap up anyone made it a recipe for disaster.

On special teams, sure Josh Davis has the fumble, but wow what a playmaker. Why can't he get on the field more? Why aren't he and Thunder the slot men in the double wing? On one last note, to make sure I address everyone, why can we never seem to find cleats that work on a grass field? I might have to fly to Germany and have a talk with those folks at Adidas? Or at least our equipment guy? Don't get me wrong, Miami is a very talented team and deserved to win tonight. I just wish they could have gotten our best shot.

In case you were wondering their fans are bigger jerks (wanted to use a different adjective but this is a family-rated site) than their players. They need to learn how to be gracious and classy winners.

I'm already excited for spring ball and seeing Dukes and all of the guys competing for the QB job. Mark my words, we'll be back. Our defense is still 2 years away. We have to get playmakers in our front 4. The keys to success are up the middle. Ruud and Bland will be two of the best to ever play their positions. Now we just need a stud nose tackle to step up and build our next championship around. (M. Brown are you reading this?)

Now the goal is to get the contingent back to OMA in one piece. You didn't hear it here, but Colonel Junior and Little Golf didn't do me any favors in getting through LAX on the way.
-- The Colonel



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