Wednesday, April 22, 2015

Spring Morning Session




I checked out football practice this very beautiful morning for about two hours at Wien Stadium.

I could weave a complicated narrative, but I think the bullet points below are better and get to the point faster:

- The coaches don't yell and scream very much. Big difference from the last two regimes. Lots of teaching going on. Very nice to see and hear. 

-On that note, O-line instruction from Coach Jon McLaughlin was excellent. I was able to see and hear most of his unit coaching sessions. O-line will be better.

-Head Coach Al Bagnoli strolled from one unit to the next, spending some time teaching a concept or two along the way. Again, no yelling. Just a lot of explaining. He had every player's undivided attention. 

-Anders Hill is definitely the #1 QB. Hill does a decent job throwing the ball and had one great draw run for a big gainer.

-All of the key offensive skill players seem to be at least healthy. RB Cameron Molina looks faster and 100%. WR Cameron Dunn made an excellent catch on a pass from Hill.

- I saw a lot of nice plays by the sophomore DB's Cameron Roane and Colinn Early. I mean A LOT. They either had a great day or are really going to be seriously good players.

-LB Mark Cieslak had a nice INT.

-DL Dominic Perkovic had some good moves on the pass rush drills a couple of times. 

-Toba Akinleye is in super shape. Looks more muscular and faster. 

-Former QB Hank Trumbull is indeed a TE now, perhaps the position he should have shifted to a long time ago.


SOUTH LAWN CAMPAIGN

Have you told your friends, emailed the administration or done anything yet to get behind the GREAT IDEA to stage a practice walk-through or two on South Lawn this fall? 

This will be an important, visible and tangible event to show that football is a source of pride for this school and its students and alumni. 

Let's spread the word!


10 comments:

oldlion said...

Jake, a campus walk through would be a disaster. There are about 100-200 crazies on campus, mostly from Barnard, and we would be feeding them a raw meat opportunity to make this part of their narrative about how Columbia extols violence, etc. They would ruin it, for sure.

Unknown said...

Is there a way to start a petition we can all sign for the South Lawn idea? I think that's a great idea.

I remain, very truly yours, Richard Szathmary said...

No mention yet if Muneeb Alam's superb (so I thought) interview with Mangurian and his even longer story in EYE about the football program in general?

Most importantly, Alan seemed to be bending over backwards to be fair-minded. (As per his stories this past winter about basketball.) I'm still not ever going to be a Mangurian defender. and there were clear evasions in his responses, but I did get a better sense of just what he was up against. And though he was only mentioned once in Alam's story, I can nevertheless sense that having bill Campbell around cannot remotely be a pleasant situation in which to coach. I hope Pilling and Bagnoli alike can "withstand" him, so to speak.
You going to the final practice Saturday? I certainly am.

Jake said...

Old Lion: that's why I also want women's soccer or field hockey to do a walk through too.

Coach said...

Visited with Al Kachadurian today- any Columbia football experts know who he is?
He is about 85 years old.

Anonymous said...

I am not the first one to notice that Campbell was a big part of the problem but I had been vocal and persistent about it for some time. I don't have to read the consultant report to know that this must have been tactfully addressed and Prez must have been aware of this even before the report was submitted.

It bears repeating, Campbell's support financially is unquestionably huge. However, his meddling in the football program, regardless of the particulars, has had catastrophic impacts. Sorry to say (but I would say it to his face if it came it) his football savvy simply is not useful in the slightest. I don't want to hear about a 19 or 20 year old Bill Campbell that won a title as a player. I'm talking about the guy as a coach, a strategist, anything on the field he has no business being a part of. Someone needed to tell him so in less antagonistic language. My bet is on Bags being the diplomat and navigating shrewdly and decisively in those waters.

oldlion said...

Taylor said one of our problems is that we have too many Big Hat No Cattle supporters of the program. Jake, I think you should beat the drum to urge people to put their money where their mouths are. Campbell has a lot of clout because he has a Big Hat and ponderosa full of cattle. While not many of us have his deep pockets, most of us can and should do a lot more. So if you are giving $500 make it a grand, etc. this is our best chance ever to change the culture but money talks.

I remain, very truly yours, Richard Szathmary said...

I only hope alswingman is right.

Big Dawg said...

Campbell has been the not-so-invisible hand in much of this, true. I don't believe he gives specific orders, but one had better be on his good side. His influence derives not only from his extremely generous donations but also from his aura of championships past.
But what is just as meaningful is the cadre of alums he has around him, of '60s and '70s vintage and mostly fellow athletes. They, to a large degree, are also generous donors, and they all hold Bill in a hazy and warm mystique as the "Coach", and will not do anything to contradict him. He is known to sever ties upon a whim, and his good regard in considered critical to most of these alums.

What it means is that he brings to bear not only his financial clout, but also the support of a number of followers/friends.

I think Pilling and Bagnoli are strong enough in their positions and history and experience to work around this.

Anonymous said...

Any project or group of people that has yes men will be dysfunctional. That is a culture based on fear. I don't need books, movies and hearsay to know for sure that Jobs did not need Bill Campbell. It was an association out of respect. Jobs did his own thing. Campbell has nothing of value to offer except obvious advice. :"Hire the right people" etc. I didn't drink his kool aid. Lots of people got rich on bad products that become obsolete. That is what the tech industry is based on. He got in early and was a good corporate leader. That is all. It does not translate to know how anywhere else. That man operates as a gregarious bully. People bow down to his money and think they have to bow down to him as well.