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Post by kurtbryan on Mar 31, 2008 8:57:55 GMT -6
Nothing like Monday, to get the juices flowing, and as most of us edge closer to ramping up for Spring Football in preparation for 2008, I was wondering: Which memories are most vivid in your mind from the most Pivotal Games in your Coaching Career? When thinking back, do you instantly Recall your most Thrilling Wins or Gut-wrenching defeats? KB  |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 31, 2008 9:08:10 GMT -6
We always employ the 24 hour rule, you get 24 hours to celebrate or mourn, however, in the spirit of the question looking back on an entire career:
The wins stay with me more but I probably remember more specifics about the losses, can go back to things we did wrong that we shouldn't have, can remember exact calls, scenarios, etc. and think about the kids that had to endure those losses.
But I think that without those losses the wins wouldn't have come. I keep a running total of wins and losses in my coaching career and look back on that sheet and I know that it holds true that I remember the wins more, but can't tell you the scores of them all. But I can give every detail about every loss.
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Post by tothehouse on Mar 31, 2008 9:29:41 GMT -6
Thrilling wins
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Post by cqmiller on Mar 31, 2008 9:39:48 GMT -6
I guess I've always been kind of a "glass-half-empty" kinda guy, so Losses haunt me more...
I've always been that way... Only lost 1 game as a senior in HS, and most of my thought process about my senior year has been, "We were great, but that 1 game..."
Same in College... Played for an NAIA team that made the final four in the nation, and we lost in the semis to the national champion: (Sioux Falls, SD)... Still drives me nuts.
I know that many people have always said to look at the positive, but as a perfectionist in nature, I have a hard time with the losses... Not to an unhealthy level, but I HATE TO LOSE AT ANYTHING! PS, PS2, PS3, arguements, races, basketball, ANYTHING! Part of my nature.
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Post by realdawg on Mar 31, 2008 9:59:52 GMT -6
To me its the losses. Unless you win state or dont even make the playoffs you are going to lose your last game. If you win, as a coach, you must put aside the joy and begin to prepare for the next opponent. Same for a loss in the regular season. However, gut wrenching losses in the playoffs really hurt. I have went through 3 of these are they are the most vivid memories of my 7 yr coaching career.
Game 1 2002 semifinals we are 12-1, opponent 13-0. We fall behind against a superior athletic and bigger opponent 14-0 and 17-6. We come back to take the lead with about 2:30 to go. On 4th and 1 we miss a tackle in the backfield they get a 1st down. Next play we give up a 60 yd bomb when our CB slips and falls.
Game 2 2004 semis. Game is tied with 3 min to go. We are driving facing 3 & 4. Center snaps the ball early, they recover and drive in to win the game.
(worst one yet) Game 3 semis. We are up 26-10 with 10 to go. They are driving. They throw a pick in the end zone. Instead of downing it, our CB tries to run it out and fumbles. They recover and score 26-17. We go 3 and out, they go 3 and out. We muff the punt (told the kid not to even field the ball.) They score 26-24 3 min left. We get the ball and on the 1st play QB tries to throw to an uncovered WR, ball hits his hands and gets picked. They score 31-26 them. We get the ball go down and score with 1:30 to go, we lead again, 34-31. They return KO for TD, we lose 38-34. Cannot shake that one for the life of me.
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Post by realdawg on Mar 31, 2008 10:09:56 GMT -6
LOL DCohio-you sound like our HC-an old DC himself. We lose 12-9 in ot and he swears we should have won!
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nannother
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Post by nannother on Mar 31, 2008 10:10:48 GMT -6
LOSE that shouldn't have happened in the playoffs. 1:23 in the 4th we have the ball on their 9, down 4. It's 3rd and 1 and our line had been dominated the entire game. Shotgun plays were stuffed all night. We had to roll the pocket to help pass but the runs were getting killed. The "O" Coordinator calls a Dive out of Doubles/Gun. In my mind I'm thinking "GO under center QB sneak. Just get the 1st." The defense totally disregarded our 4 wide and kelp 8 in the box. That play barely got us back to the line. On 4th and one we threw it, DB breaks it up, game over.
I really wanted to say something on 3rd down but as "D" Coordinator, just didn't feel like it was my place. I still regret not saying anything but I know it was for the best.
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Post by kurtbryan on Mar 31, 2008 10:48:16 GMT -6
Thrilling wins I remember fondly - especially when I need a boost personally in terms of charging the batteries in coaching, etc. Fortunately, some very good ones to keep in my heart and mind. Gut-wrenching defeats: unfortunately, very easy for me to Never block out. We were at home in the 2006 Opener against a team Piedmont has not beaten in 3 decades. Great game, back and forth a true Slug Out. We take the lead 20 - 19, and get the ball back with just over a minute to go. They have a couple of Time Outs but we should have taken a knee and maybe Punted with 15 seconds left. But NO, I gotta totally screw things up and make the WORST call of my career. I tell my 1st team All-League QB (Great Kid) to Boot left off of the Run fake and take two steps and Slide down in the backfield to kill more time so in the worst case scenario - we never even have to try a Punt, etc. He Boots Left and there is NOBODY there on the Left Edge so he Bolts down the sideline for about a twenty-yard scamper and FUMBLES the ball! They Pick it up, get a couple of first downs and Kick the Game Winning Field Goal with no time left and they win 22 - 20. The WHOLE thing was my fault and Worst call of my 22 years coaching! I personally snatched defeat from the gaping lovely Mouth of Victory... Not too many times I get teary-eyed but seeing how terrible the kids felt because of my blunder was the awful. And, trudging up the stadium steps through 3,000 fans after the game on the way to the Locker Room was as if I was the Devil Himself. I thought people were gonna skin me alive... OK....Now I feel Better!     KB |
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Post by fbdoc on Mar 31, 2008 11:06:49 GMT -6
The wins, the glorious wins! Defeats? What defeats?  |
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Post by coachsky on Mar 31, 2008 11:16:26 GMT -6
I have strong memories of great wins and crushing defeats. But the memories are drastically different.
In the great victories I don't remember the x's and o's as much. I remember the emotions and the reaction of kids and coaches. Things that were said and images of pumped up players on the sidelines. I remember gathering together after the handshakes and taking in the moment together as a team. I have to work to remember the play calling sequence and key decisions that were made.
In the crushing defeats I remember every play call, every bounce or call that didn't go our way. I have replayed the decision processes in my head over and over again. I could probably chart the drives of games 6 or 7 years ago.
So yes, tough losses last longer for me, they really sting. I don't mind so much losing to a much better team, as long as we gave a valiant effort. I hate losing to a team we could have beat. Outside of working with great young men, that's why I coach. Kurt Gowdy said it best - "The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat".
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Post by cqmiller on Mar 31, 2008 11:16:30 GMT -6
Thrilling wins I remember fondly - especially when I need a boost personally in terms of charging the batteries in coaching, etc. Fortunately, some very good ones to keep in my heart and mind. Gut-wrenching defeats: unfortunately, very easy for me to Never block out. We were at home in the 2006 Opener against a team Piedmont has not beaten in 3 decades. Great game, back and forth a true Slug Out. We take the lead 20 - 19, and get the ball back with just over a minute to go. They have a couple of Time Outs but we should have taken a knee and maybe Punted with 15 seconds left. But NO, I gotta totally screw things up and make the WORST call of my career. I tell my 1st team All-League QB (Great Kid) to Boot left off of the Run fake and take two steps and Slide down in the backfield to kill more time so in the worst case scenario - we never even have to try a Punt, etc. He Boots Left and there is NOBODY there on the Left Edge so he Bolts down the sideline for about a twenty-yard scamper and FUMBLES the ball! They Pick it up, get a couple of first downs and Kick the Game Winning Field Goal with no time left and they win 22 - 20. The WHOLE thing was my fault and Worst call of my 22 years coaching! I personally snatched defeat from the gaping lovely Mouth of Victory... Not too many times I get teary-eyed but seeing how terrible the kids felt because of my blunder was the awful. And, trudging up the stadium steps through 3,000 fans after the game on the way to the Locker Room was as if I was the Devil Himself. I thought people were gonna skin me alive... OK....Now I feel Better! KB Sounds like a good call to me... Kid just got caught up in the moment... |
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Post by fbdoc on Mar 31, 2008 11:20:47 GMT -6
coachsky - it was Jim McKay on Wide World of Sports who coined the phrase "The Thrill of Victory and the Agony of Defeat."
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Post by coachsky on Mar 31, 2008 13:09:22 GMT -6
Your right - my error.
No one could make Acapulco Cliff Diving as exciting as Jim McKay!
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Post by senatorblutarsky on Mar 31, 2008 13:16:32 GMT -6
I remember the losses much more. Almost every year, we've ended the season on a loss... a lot of those years we had 0, 1 or 2 regular season losses, so usually when we lost, we had 9 months before we had another game.
Now, looking back over my career, I remember "defining moments" more than just wins or losses.
Some wins: First win against a conference school in our schools history (happened 3 times my first year at one place), Big showdown on the other side of the state against a team with 2 future NFL players (we were up 27-20 and they had the ball on their own 25 with 1 second left... and I was beside myself because I knew their guy could throw it 70 years). Finally, just last year we played a conference opponent who whooped up on us at camp... plus they had just won the week before 70-12 (against a team we beat 22-13). We we won big... played great.
The losses: 1996 ranked #1 (closest game was 42-12 to that point), we lost 24-16... That one will probably never leave me... we were out-played and out-coached... Another bitter loss was a 35-34 loss a few years ago in the playoffs. We out-yarded them by over 300yds. (500+- to 182). We gave up TDs on a tipped pass, a KOR for TD and a fumble return (of 65 yds.) for a TD.
A few games stay with me as great games. In 2003, we suited 15 guys against a powerhouse 1 class higher (49 dressed for them). We lost... 28-24... we had 1 play from the 5 yard line in and were stopped inside the 1 at time expired. I still remember that as a great game... one where I was very proud of our guys (we are a running team and were entirely shut down... but managed to throw for 252 yds. to stay in the game. The 252 is our school single game record.).
Right now, I'm dwelling on our playoff loss from last year. We lost to that team 20-0 in the regular season. The 32-24 playoff loss showed 1) we had improved a lot as the year went on and 2) if I were not so dumb (and if our DBs could have covered anyone) we should have won the game.
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Post by davecisar on Mar 31, 2008 13:39:24 GMT -6
Just a youth coach here. My teams have lost 5 games in the last 8 seasons combined, so naturally the losses stick out.
I remember the losses, all but one game was very close winable games that could have had a different outcomes had my calls/preparation been a bit different. Took 100% responsibility for it.
The wins and State Championships, tourney wins etc are OK but never got excited about any of that, the process, progress and relationships were the most rewarding part of the deal. We've had a few come from behind and OT wins but the one that I remember most was vs an Omaha "Select" team that chose from about 150 kids., They were huge and fast and had won 3 back to back league titles at age 8-10 they had at least 5 kids above 180 and a whole bunch over 100. We on the other hand took whoever signed up, no cuts. Small and scrawny rural town team, just 2 plaeyrs over 100 lbs. David vs Goliath. We were just a 2nd year program back then (the rural program)
PArents for our team were hyperventilatiing before the game about the size and athleticism of the other team. I think they were getting together a stuffed dummy to burn as an effigy of me for scheduling this game. We blew them out had them by 3-4 TDs at the half, the other teams parents and ours were in shock. We could have named the score. They ended up losing just 2 games that year. We didnt lose any. We dont like the losses, but carefully study them so we dont make the same mistakes again.
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Post by briangilbert on Mar 31, 2008 22:51:53 GMT -6
As a player losing my HS conference title game my SR year 14-13 (We shut them out they housed 2 kick returns!!! We had no safety on our kickoff team that week!).
As a coach the Wins.
That or maybe I'm just older and wiser, but as a player I was definitely more in the moment where as now I'm already planning for next week as soon as the current game ends.
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Post by ampipebulldog on Apr 2, 2008 11:33:10 GMT -6
Same in College... Played for an NAIA team that made the final four in the nation, and we lost in the semis to the national champion: (Sioux Falls, SD)... Still drives me nuts. Hey, who did you play for? My brother lost his last two seasons deep in the NAIA playoffs to Sioux Falls. |
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Post by cqmiller on Apr 2, 2008 12:26:44 GMT -6
Same in College... Played for an NAIA team that made the final four in the nation, and we lost in the semis to the national champion: (Sioux Falls, SD)... Still drives me nuts. Hey, who did you play for? My brother lost his last two seasons deep in the NAIA playoffs to Sioux Falls. Benedictine College (HAAC - Atchison, KS) |
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Post by bj88smc on Apr 2, 2008 16:04:55 GMT -6
I can remember big victories, but its the emotion of the losses that still keeps me up at night. Also, the "what if" factor with the loses is haunting.
cqmiller, you coach @ a Visalia H.S.?
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Post by phantom on Apr 2, 2008 16:32:00 GMT -6
I remember the losses. I remember every detail. The wins were great and the memories of the feelings and big plays are very vivid. My son played for us (sort of. He was a punter.) and after our state championship in 2001 I walked into the locker room and he was in tears because it was over. We were soon in each other's arms crying like babies. Stuff like that is easy to remember. Regular season wins, unless something very unusual happens, I barely remember from year to year.
Losses are different. That's partly because there's more to learn from in losses. There's something that needs to be fixed.
You also second-guess a lot more after a loss. If you make a mistake in a win you laugh it off with "How lucky can you get?". If you make a bad call that hurts you in a loss you second-guess it forever.
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Post by coachweav88 on Apr 3, 2008 14:11:10 GMT -6
For me, it's the wins that stick out the most. However, if I'm reflecting to try and improve, then I immediately think back to the losses and what needs fixed
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Post by coachnichols on Apr 4, 2008 11:12:17 GMT -6
Losses. There's always something you can nitpick and think, "if I would have only..." There's always something you could have done better win or lose, but the losses hurt of course.
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Post by optionguy on Apr 5, 2008 14:51:39 GMT -6
Depends. When we were a struggling team striving to be competitive and respected in our conference, the wins stayed longer, because we saw "light at the end of the tunnel." Once we became competitive and respected, the losses stayed longer because we were then focusing on what we needed to do to become even better. Now that I no longer coach, I think about the wins, especially those we weren't suppossed to win.
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Post by towtheline on Apr 5, 2008 16:55:40 GMT -6
Depends. When we were a struggling team striving to be competitive and respected in our conference, the wins stayed longer, because we saw "light at the end of the tunnel." Once we became competitive and respected, the losses stayed longer because we were then focusing on what we needed to do to become even better. Now that I no longer coach, I think about the wins, especially those we weren't suppossed to win. exactly what I was thinking I was still playing high school football 16 months ago and enjoyed a 30-3 career with 2 state titles, The only scores I can remember from the wins is in the 2 state title games (31-0 and 14-9) but I remember all three losses like I am still looking up at the scoreboard when it ticked 00:00 |
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ramsoc
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Post by ramsoc on Apr 5, 2008 21:49:35 GMT -6
Both.
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catoc
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Post by catoc on Apr 5, 2008 22:56:20 GMT -6
The loses stay longer. Great post about when you are building a program the wins stay with you more to build upon. When your program is built, if it can ever be totally built, then the loses stay with you more because winning is more expected, at least that is how I feel.
My HC is just the oppsoite, he loves and dwells upon every win we have. Don't know if he has ever "lost". I truely hate him!
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Post by touchdowng on Apr 6, 2008 10:11:12 GMT -6
Loses should make you reflect more but hopefully the lasting memories will be the big wins after I'm finished with this game. For now, I look backwards on the loses (to learn).
Most of our energy should be working in the now and moving forward.
I like the 24 hour rule. We use the same thing and tell our kids that by Monday 7am. We are done celebrating or grieving and it's time to focus forward.
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