Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Dartmouth's 2013 Football Captains


Add NFL.com to the list of media outlets that have taken notice of the Practice Like Pros event that included Dartmouth coach Buddy Teevens. From the NFL website:
Dartmouth College coach Buddy Teevens and neurological surgeon Dr. Robert Cantu joined (former New Orleans Saints executive Terry) O'Neil and attempted to show spectators -- most of them high school football coaches - why practicing with full contact was detrimental to young brains, while presenting alternative practice techniques for coaches.
Penn's toast toss came in third in the SIRIUS XM College Football Traditions Tournament. Army-Navy's March On knocked off the Toast in the Final Four. Arkansas Hog Call won the competition. (LINK)

Green Alert Take: Shouldn't the Army-Navy vote have been divided by two because it involved a couple of schools?
The National Football Foundation has a capsule summary of the eight "major" rules changes for 2013. (LINK) They are:
1. Targeting Fouls: Automatic Ejection, Part I
2. Targeting Fouls: Automatic Ejection, Part 2
3. Offensive blocking below the waist
4. Expansion of the 10-second runoff
5. Player may remain in the game via a timeout after helmet comes off
6. Minimum time to spike the ball for another play set at three seconds
7. Procedures for changing jersey numbers during a game
8. Uniform numbers must contrast with jersey color 
For those of us in the stands or the press box, that last one is certainly welcomed. It reads this way:
The color of the jersey number itself must be clearly and obviously in contrast with the jersey, regardless of any border around the number. For example, teams will not be allowed to wear black numbers on black jerseys with a border of a bright color around the numeral; it must clearly contrast with the jersey in and of itself.
 A St. Cloud Times story on 86-year-old John Gagliardi finally retiring as football coach at St. John's includes his wonderful and provocative reflection:
"There was a time when I thought I could coach forever. But forever was longer than I was.” 
When Vermont native David Ball's bid to make the Philadelphia Eagles was ended by a hand injury it kept him from joining an incredibly exclusive club – Vermonters who have played in the NFL. A regular reader – and part-time blogger himself – shared this link.