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Post by davishfc on Nov 2, 2010 18:05:15 GMT -6
Our first game in Michigan was on Friday, August 27th and we played our last game (didn't make the playoffs) on Friday, October 22nd. Our season in Michigan is short, we only have 9 games. That got me thinking about coaches in other states. How many games do you have in your regular season?
Our season went by so fast. We're so busy, as coaches, preparing for practices each day and a game each week. Then when that's over, we prepare for practices each day and a game the next week. The seasons always end so abruptly it seems. You have the last game then you get the equipment inventory done, organize the banquet, and have a couple staff meetings to debrief the season. Then on to the weight room, off-season staff meetings, recruiting efforts, fundraising, and all those other tasks that success requires.
In case you haven't figured it out already, I'm in the midst of that depression-like feeling after the season. That lost in translation feeling is the best way to explain it. My mind is still on 2010 in the sense that I'm letting the season sink in and I'm taking time to reflect. But my mind is also on the upcoming 2011 season and the potential for something better. Right now I'm realizing that I'm not going to be coaching again for about 9 months. Now I'm in the weight room throughout the winter, spring, and summer...coaching I know. I'm also coaching during summer skill group and linemen sessions and have a summer installation camp. All that is great, and truly I love the work and coaching that goes into those commitments. Just ask my assistants. They'll vouch for the significant amount of time I invest into our program, the direction we're trying to head, and how quickly we've put ourselves in a position to get there.
But those tasks don't compare to the weekly football grind during the season itself in my opinion. I'm sure I'm not the only coach or Head Coach that feels this way. Reviewing our game film, breaking down our opponent's game films, game planning, practice planning, weekly traditions, coaching and motivating at practice, adjusting and motivating during a game, the ups and downs, the wins and losses, the senior send-off activities...I'm going to miss it all from 2010. Most importantly, though, I'll miss the relationships built through everyday interaction with the players (particularly the seniors because the rest will be back...we hope anyway) and my fellow coaches.
Thankfully 9 months from now I'll be fortunate to be able to do it again with a new group of kids for the 2011 season. I'll make sure I'm as great as I can be for that group as well. I look forward to that challenge. It just seems so early for the contradictory term the "off-season" to begin. We need to petition the athletic association in Michigan for a 10 or 11-game regular season.
I know what you're thinking coaches..."if you don't like being done so soon...then earn yourself another week by getting that team to the post-season." I hear you coaches. Trust me I am thinking the same thing. Had we won the two games we lost by 8 points total we would have been in. We were so close in 2010. We're so close to turning the corner. But we were born with eyes on the front of our head so we're always looking forward not back...right? If what we did yesterday looks big to us then we certainly haven't done much today. Well here goes nothing...wish me luck...let's get to work!
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Post by JVD on Nov 2, 2010 19:13:57 GMT -6
Same feeling for a bit farther North, Coach!
(Your not farther North than me are 'ya?) Baraga County....?
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Post by John Knight on Nov 2, 2010 19:17:41 GMT -6
Ever go 0-10? Me either, until this year and my mom died and dad is on his deathbed. I was glad the season ended for the first time in my life. The worst thing is my son is a Jr and he had to experience it too!
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Post by davishfc on Nov 2, 2010 20:05:41 GMT -6
Ever go 0-10? Me either, until this year and my mom died and dad is on his deathbed. I was glad the season ended for the first time in my life. The worst thing is my son is a Jr and he had to experience it too! johnknight, The only thing that has kept me from going 0-10 is the fact that we needed to play one more. We only have 9 regular season games in Michigan. My first year as Head Coach in 2007 was an 0-9 season. We were outscored 440-58 and shutout four times. The program I inherited had cancelled varsity football the year before I took over due to low numbers. Four games were played in 2006 while the remainder of the season was forfeited. So I understand what your experiencing as far as the record goes. Yes, you're right, the 2007 season obviously was not like the 2010 season. We needed the 2007 season to end ASAP so we could regroup throughout the off-season because we obviously did not have our stuff together. That was for a variety of reasons from the tough schedule, to an inexperienced team, to inadequate coaches, and the list goes on and on. Four football seasons later, it won't even be four calendar years since I got hired until May of 2011, we've gone 0-9, 1-7, 4-5, 4-5. You'll have to forgive my feeling somewhat depressed that these good times are over for the time being. The road to Easy Street goes through the sewer. We're obviously not on Easy Street yet but I truly believe we are out of the sewer and it feels really good. The last couple of seasons of work trying to climb our way out of the sewer have gone by extremely fast. I can't help the feeling I have. Coach, I hope I didn't offend you considering the situation you and your family are in right now. I'm sorry to hear about your parents. I can't imagine what that's like for you and your family right now. Though it's so much less important than what's happened with your parents, I'm also sorry your son's junior year was not what either of you, I'm sure, wanted it to be. Thankfully, he has one more year to finish his career the way it should be...on a positive note. Once again, Coach, my condolences go out to you and your family during this very difficult time. Situations like this really make my title for this thread "semi-depressed feeling when the season is over" seem absolutely ridiculous and meaningless. I can most definitely see why you would've wanted it to end. I aplogize if I offended you. That was certainly not my intention. God Bless. |
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Post by davishfc on Nov 2, 2010 20:45:34 GMT -6
Same feeling for a bit farther North, Coach! (Your not farther North than me are 'ya?) Baraga County....? jvd, Nice to see another Michigan guy on Coach Huey. No coach, you've got me beat by quite a ways north. I'm a troll so that should give you a better idea. Iosco County is where I'm located. Actually, the last time I was anywhere close to your neck of the woods was over the summer. My girlfriend and I went on vacation during the MHSAA-required Summer Dead Period...you know what I'm talking about. We visited Paradise for Tahquamenon Falls and Munising for Pictured Rocks. We didn't even plan on it but we did a tour of most of the waterfalls near Munising also. That was a really nice trip. That area is just beautiful. Back to the good stuff...Michigan High School football. How about those Marquette Redman? They're having a phenomenal season. In Week 2, they broke a 20-game losing streak dating back to 2007 and eventually made the playoffs at 7-2. Unbelievable! And this week they have a home game because they won in the first round and were a higher seed than their opponent. Watch out...this team is on fire. What a year, regardless of what happens this week. To go from 0-9 in 2008 to 0-9 in 2009 to 8-2 thus far in 2010 is simply amazing. I don't know anybody associated with the program but they're story is truly inspiring to me. |
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Post by davishfc on Nov 2, 2010 21:11:09 GMT -6
Didn't mean to hijack my own thread here.
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Post by JVD on Nov 2, 2010 21:55:12 GMT -6
TRUE STORY about Marquette!! The past two years it was a big deal for them to score a TD! They beat every team in the GNC besides Kingsford (GO FLIVVERS!!) Guess where I graduated from!  They beat Menominee (Killer single-wing team) for the first time since the mid- 90's. INCREDIBLE turnaround! |
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Post by John Knight on Nov 3, 2010 5:08:31 GMT -6
Sorry coach. I was not offended, just venting. Sure make you appreciate the good years more! I am glad you got that from my bitter post. I have been doing this since 1984 so I have been in all situations but this year has been tough. Thanks for understanding.
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Post by lochness on Nov 3, 2010 7:45:03 GMT -6
We have a win-and-you're-in game this weekend (week 10 for us). I am not mentally or emotionally ready for the season to end yet. I haven't even given a thought to the fact that this COULD be the last week of practice with our 2010 squad.
I hate the end of the season, and I love it at the same time. It's nice to be able to actually clean the house, rake the leaves, see my family and friends, and work full-time again. On the other hand, I HATE losing the daily contact with the kids and coaches. I hate the loss of the competitive spirit and the painstaking weekly preparation.
It's funny, because you spend 9 months preparing for 9-10 games. I think you build up everything about your coming season so intensely during those 9 months, that the regular season just flies by. I still feel like we're just getting started!
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Post by davishfc on Nov 3, 2010 8:06:06 GMT -6
We have a win-and-you're-in game this weekend (week 10 for us). I am not mentally or emotionally ready for the season to end yet. I haven't even given a thought to the fact that this COULD be the last week of practice with our 2010 squad. I hate the end of the season, and I love it at the same time. It's nice to be able to actually clean the house, rake the leaves, see my family and friends, and work full-time again. On the other hand, I HATE losing the daily contact with the kids and coaches. I hate the loss of the competitive spirit and the painstaking weekly preparation. It's funny, because you spend 9 months preparing for 9-10 games. I think you build up everything about your coming season so intensely during those 9 months, that the regular season just flies by. I still feel like we're just getting started! loch, Good luck with this week's game. Win-and-you're in games end up being just absolute physical battles. Especially when the other team is in the same boat. You have a trip to the post season on the line and the only team standing in your way is the one we're about to take the field against. That's great. I want to know how this ends up. Since the outcome of that game is not the main topic of this thread. I'm asking that you PM me an update when it's all said and done. "Fight 'em until freezes over and then fight 'em on the ice." Dutch Meyer - Former TCU Head Football Coach "I hate the end of the season, and I love it at the same time. It's nice to be able to actually clean the house, rake the leaves, see my family and friends, and work full-time again. On the other hand, I HATE losing the daily contact with the kids and coaches. I hate the loss of the competitive spirit and the painstaking weekly preparation." This is exactly how I feel about our season ending. I usually ask the parents at the parent meeting and at the banquet...how many of you would commit to something that required 365 days of work for 9 pay days? And on pay day you don't receive a check. I tell the players every year. Football is 365 days of work for 9 pay days. So I understand completely what you mean. We work so hard to prepare for those 9 pay days as players and coaches that by the time they're done we can't believe they flew by so fast. Shortly after those pay days are over, we're eager to start preparing for the next set of 9 pay days. The level of commitment that football requires is relentless and I love it. I love that this game is so tough that it has a bit of a natural selection component to it. Survival of the fittest for players, coaches, teams, and programs. I remember the scene from A League of Their Own, where Dottie Henson is planning to quit the team because "it just got too hard" to which Tom Hanks who plays Jimmy Dugan replies: "It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard...is what makes it great." |
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Post by wingt74 on Nov 3, 2010 8:07:57 GMT -6
Had our first winning season in 7 years...very sad to have it end. Missed the playoffs by one game...team playing for the championship we had beaten IF we would have stopped them on a 4th and 20 play.
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Post by blb on Nov 3, 2010 8:09:37 GMT -6
Just finished my 36th year coaching and have had only one or two seasons where I was glad it was over.
Once you start playing games it goes by fast.
Problem with our playoff system is at end of season there's only 8 teams happy. Everybody else lost their last game or won but didn't get into tourney (5-4 or worse).
I'm getting to the point that if I don't have a team that I feel can win a couple playoff games or more, I'd rather go 5-4 (winning season at least) and not get in rather than have to work one more week to get our doors blown off.
Maybe it's age but I don't feel the post-season "depression" like I used to. Kind of a relief to have more free time as lochness alluded to, especially weekends.
Once banquet and inventory is over, reconditioning out - season's officially in the books. Am giving kids (and me) off until after Thanksgiving (state finals weekend also) before we start doing workouts and prep for next year.
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Post by phantom on Nov 3, 2010 8:26:23 GMT -6
If we lose in the playoffs I get really depressed for about a week. Don't even want to see a football game. Otherwise there is a feeling of relief and freedom for about a week especially Sunday when there's no 5:00 staff meeting and Monday when we would have been practicing. After about a week, though, I get really bored.
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Post by dubber on Nov 3, 2010 10:33:45 GMT -6
Our team has been .500 for the last few season.
We were all part of the original staff, but when our current HC took over, he changed the culture of the program.
The actual guts and make-up and philosophy changed.........fans noticed it, but they just think "they've gone spread".
After learning our offense and gameplanning tactics (thanks huey.com) the hard way, we've come into the 2010 season as polished a team as we've ever been.
7-2 regular season (won county and conference.......first time since 2000), blocked a PAT in overtime to win round 1........easily handled our round 2 game............
We are sitting at 9-2 and will be playing for our first sectional championship since 1994..........many of our kids were newborns then.
This is the last goal we laid out for ourselves...........win our 7-on-7 tourney, win county, win conference, win a sectional.
We feel good........this team has STRUGGLED with spread teams (ones who we feel aren't as good as us), and they have yet to play a no huddle team........from film, we feel we are MUCH FASTER............offensively they like to pound you, something we feel our schedule has prepared us for.
In short, if we execute, we will win this game.
Our staff will have a final release of ephoria that has been building for a decade (since the older guys have been coaching, and I was playing)..........all we have collectively wanted since the start of this century is a sectional title, and now we are close enough to taste it.
It means big things for the program in terms of retention and recruitment.........we just may pop out on the other side of that sewer and find ourselves on easy street.
After we win this title, anything else that comes in the tournament is gravy...............
If we lose, I won't be semi-depressed, I will be utterly depressed.........
But right now, there is still life in our season, and while it may go out in the coming weeks (competition gets STIFF), as long as I'm devouring film on Saturday, anything else can happen, and I'll look back on this season with a sense of fulfillment........
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Post by realdawg on Nov 3, 2010 11:23:04 GMT -6
I know the feeling you are talking about. Luckily we are sitting at 9-1 right now, with 1 regular season game left, and are in the playoffs, so we are guarunteed at least 2 more weeks, and feel pretty confident in more than that.
The worst depression ever was about 4 years ago when we blew a 16 point lead in the last ten minutes of the quarterfinal game only to retake the lead with 1:30 to go, and allow the opponent to run the kickoff back for a TD to lose.
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Post by kboyd on Nov 3, 2010 12:53:13 GMT -6
We have a short, 7 game schedule and it is a lot of work for such a short season. Last year we wer 0-7 in a new league and this year we went 2-5 and were in every game. There was improvement and we've got some great young talent coming back so that's about the only thing that has kept me out of that post-season funk. Good luck to all of you still fighting the good fight.
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Post by pvogel on Nov 3, 2010 13:33:57 GMT -6
11 weeks for 10 games here in CA.
were on week 9. 2 weeks left until playoffs.
thats why the state championships are very close to christmas even though there is no statewide playoff (its done by section...)
yes, CA tends to lack common sense
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Post by windigo on Nov 3, 2010 15:01:04 GMT -6
I'll give another perspective. I've been coaching for 5 seasons. Three loosing seasons to start then we really turned things around last season but lost in the first round of the playoffs and this season we ran the table and took it all. After such jubilation on the field when we hit the clubhouse and started to unwind I don’t think I have ever in my life been so tired as a coach. All of a sudden the weight of the entire season and post season just came crashing down like a ton of bricks and I didn't realize just how hard I had been pushing myself and just how tired I was and I think it was universal amongst the staff. When we went to celebrate at the HC house while there was some celebration it was really just sit on the couch and stare at and rub the trophy from time to time. Really didn't have energy for much else.
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Post by phantom on Nov 4, 2010 7:59:39 GMT -6
I'll give another perspective. I've been coaching for 5 seasons. Three loosing seasons to start then we really turned things around last season but lost in the first round of the playoffs and this season we ran the table and took it all. After such jubilation on the field when we hit the clubhouse and started to unwind I don’t think I have ever in my life been so tired as a coach. All of a sudden the weight of the entire season and post season just came crashing down like a ton of bricks and I didn't realize just how hard I had been pushing myself and just how tired I was and I think it was universal amongst the staff. When we went to celebrate at the HC house while there was some celebration it was really just sit on the couch and stare at and rub the trophy from time to time. Really didn't have energy for much else. A lot of times I get sick right after the season- a bad cold or a little flu. It's almost as though my body felt that it finally had permission. |
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coachcarnac
Freshmen Member
Carnac the Magnificent
Posts: 29
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Post by coachcarnac on Nov 4, 2010 9:37:33 GMT -6
We lost a playoff game last night on a two yard TD run with 7 seconds remaining...They had no timeouts left...We get a stop and we win...
2.5 hour bus ride home....Yuck
My students today are complaing about the music I'm playing while they work on their worksheets....
The music: Robert Johnson 1930's Depression Era delta blues
Them: Coach, I have some Lil Wayne on my Ipod can we listen to it instead.
Me: No, shut your face. ;D
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Post by blb on Nov 4, 2010 9:43:43 GMT -6
A lot of times I get sick right after the season- a bad cold or a little flu. It's almost as though my body felt that it finally had permission. Some days now I nod off for a little nap in my LaZBoy mid-afternoon during time we would have practice. I wonder how in the heck did I have energy to be coaching then if I can't stay awake now? |
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Post by blb on Nov 4, 2010 9:45:27 GMT -6
My students today are complaing about the music I'm playing while they work on their worksheets.... Them: Coach, I have some Lil Wayne on my Ipod can we listen to it instead. Me: No, shut your face. ;D Like I tell the kids about weight room stereo: "You ride in my car, you listen to my music." |
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Post by coachwoodall on Nov 4, 2010 12:59:05 GMT -6
football season ends?  |
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Post by blb on Nov 4, 2010 13:04:53 GMT -6
football season ends? No, just sometimes it's longer between games. |
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Post by davishfc on Nov 4, 2010 13:14:33 GMT -6
football season ends? No, just sometimes it's longer between games. blb, Thanks for the back-up Coach. Us Michigan guys need to stick together. You knew what I meant. Of course football season never ends. But there is a 9 month period of time between the last game of one season and the first game of the next. |
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Post by ajreaper on Nov 4, 2010 13:15:42 GMT -6
It really varies from year to year and it's not always about wins and loses. Pain in the butt players and parents make any season long and the end is welcomed. I really love the off season- I look forward to the start of that as much as the start of the season. Really getting after it in the weightroom, speed work, clinics, tweaking the O and D, philsophy debates on all kinds of topics- just a really fun time IMO.
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Post by coachwoodall on Nov 4, 2010 13:22:27 GMT -6
sometimes I think coaching football is an addiction
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Post by windigo on Nov 4, 2010 15:22:07 GMT -6
Some days now I nod off for a little nap in my LaZBoy mid-afternoon during time we would have practice. I wonder how in the heck did I have energy to be coaching then if I can't stay awake now? Oh god, after it was all said and done I was quite clear that what I was looking too most was going home after work on Monday and taking my first afternoon nap in months. Then I get an e-mail at work on Monday that 'we are coaching the all-star game see ya at 3' and I'm like DAMN IT!!! |
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Post by John Knight on Nov 4, 2010 15:31:58 GMT -6
That is some good stuff windigo ! I just spit water all over my monitor! Thanks for the laugh out loud! I needed that!!!!!
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Post by seagull73 on Nov 5, 2010 6:09:14 GMT -6
My view is that it is never over. There are a few weeks after the season when you don't know what to do with your time but it is soon filled with weight room sessions, clinics, and preperation for the next season. It makes it very hard to take time away from the game. I'm starting to feel like my family is getting the short end of the stick. I don't know how the guys who coach 30+ years do it.
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They beat Menominee (Killer single-wing team) for the first time since the mid- 90's. 
