This Is The Week

Dartmouth kicks off the preseason this week!

OK, it's not until the last day of the week, but the Big Green will be on the field for the first time with helmets, footballs and coaches on Saturday morning in preparation for the school's 141st season of football.

The practice schedule (always subject to change)

Aug. 19 - 8:45 a.m.

Aug. 20 - 8:45 a.m.

Aug. 21 - 2 p.m.

Aug. 22 - 2 p.m.

Aug. 23 - 2 p.m.

Aug. 25 - 8:45 a.m.

Aug. 26 - 8:45 a.m.

Aug. 27 - 8:45 a.m.

Aug. 28 - 8:45 a.m.

Aug. 30 - 8:45 a.m.

Aug. 31 - 8:45 a.m.

Sept. 1 - 8:45 a.m.

Sept. 2 - 10 a.m. scrimmage

Sept. 4 - 8:45 a.m.

Sept. 5 - 8:45 a.m.

Sept. 6 - 8:45 a.m.

Sept. 7 - 10 a.m. scrimmage

Sept. 9 - UNH game week practice begins

The opener against New Hampshire is Saturday, Sept. 16  

As always, BGA will be at every practice and have a story posted every night (including days without practices.) If you haven't yet signed up for the 18th season of BGA Premium you can do that or learn more about the service HERE.

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The Seattle Times has a story headlined, How Seahawks rookie Jake Bobo plans to show speed isn’t everything for an NFL receiver. Bobo, who played at Duke before grad transferring to UCLA, was on Dartmouth's recruiting radar coming out of high school, and not just because he was a very good student and terrific player.

Dartmouth was in the picture because his father, Mike '92, a Big Green captain as a senior, was the team's leading receiver in 1990 and again in 1991, when he hauled in 10 touchdown passes.

From the Seattle Times story (LINK):

(Jake) Bobo ran 4.99 seconds in the 40-yard dash at UCLA’s Pro Day in March. That was slower than any of the 51 receivers who ran at the NFL combine.

 “At the end of the day you are not always going to beat everybody with speed,’’ he said. “I think there’s an art to route-running. I obviously haven’t mastered it yet, but I do a pretty good of finding space whether that’s in zone, beating man coverage, using change of pace and different things where I can get away with not being the fastest guy and being able to get open and catch the ball.’’

And . . .

He started in part to follow in the footsteps of his father, Mike, who was a receiver and punter at Dartmouth (and like his son does now, wore No. 19) and grandfather Keith, who was a quarterback at Southern Methodist in the 1970s and was a 12th-round pick of the Cowboys in 1974.

“You always want to be like your dad, so I started playing in the third grade and I’ve been playing ever since,’’ he says.

Here's Mike Bobo's bio from his senior season: 

Click to enlarge.

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There used to be a saying, "It's different at Dartmouth." I don't know if it's still popular, but it's still true. Want to see for yourself? It's Sunday and you have the time, so check out this video look at the Dartmouth Outing Club from a few years back.

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EXTRA POINT

I spent a few more hours cutting the grass with the walk-behind mower yesterday. As disappointed as I am that the riding tractor isn't working, what I realized again yesterday is that the seemingly unending summer rains have so saturated our lawn and field that the tractor would have left deep ruts and puddles if I had been able to use it. Even the walk-behind was sinking into the ground.

I'd hoped to wrap up this latest round of mowing today, but I won't be able to do that for a simple reason. It rained this morning.

Even if the sun comes out, the lawn will be soggy and the long, wet grass will periodically slow the mower blade to a halt, forcing me to tip it up and clean out the deck. I'm probably better off waiting another day and hoping the grass will dry out.

I'm a huge fan of spring and summer but as I look out at our lawn and field I realize I won't be terribly unhappy when this growing season comes to an end.