By J.M Henriksen
The argument that "I didn't come to practice because there's always so few players there" instead of saying "I'll go to practice tonight, so there will at least be one more guy" shows what goes on in their heads.
Amen !
You say kick him out ? You didn't say kick him out when you were here, did you ? Not to me anyway.
We have talked about it on several occasions, both before and after the season of '98. It wasn't brought up during the season, which I regret. On the other side, he quit himself for the last few games, so at that point it wasn't a problem. It was before that though, and I didn't take a stand other than in my mind. I am talking about the main RB now. As for the guy who came walking on the first gameday, I did express what I felt on one occasion. You were there, if I recall correctly. That was the same day as the incident I described happened. But we didn't talk about it later, which I also regret. I also took a stand when we (the team at a practise) were talking about another player who in my eyes shouldn't have been playing. But nobody else shared my opinion, and we didn't bring it up for the remainder (one game) of the season. Now he won't be playing for some years, it seems.
All in all it's more comfortable to critisize in the comfort of distance(not just milage, but also organisationwice).
Absolutely. But as you know I took some of what I learned in to the junior season, when I was the HC. We had some rules that were there with this problem in mind. Those were liberal rules, but they were there. There were rules in the beginning of the senior season too, but we forgot about them (have to make 4 out of 6 practises, remember ?). On the other side I never faced the choice of fielding or not fielding a team during my tenure as HC. What I would have done in that situation is impossible for me to say without being in that situation.
Should we have "punished" the few serious players by forfeiting even more games ?
We should have done what is now being done, and
taken the risk. I was one of those serious players, so that comes from one of those that
could have been hurting because of such a rule. In general I think stricter rules makes
for a better team in the long run. Sure, we may have more players without it in the
beginning, but can somebody who sees eachother just for games be defined as a team (I'm of
course putting the situation on the edge now, but its not too far from the truth) ? Not in
my dictionary.
We may not have fielded a team for a year such as '98, but we would be stronger down the
road. Thats why the rules are being put to use now, right ?
I didn't hear any complaints then.
Thats right, and unfortunate.
You said somewhere else that you knew about beeing a coward (by not
taking a stand) because you'd been there. Let's see how it is when you're actually wearing
the shoe.
I was actually partially wearing that shoe as an offensive coordinator. I should have spoken, and didn't. I also wore that shoe during the last two junior seasons as a Head Coach. I know how that shoe feels like, and thats what I mean when I talk about "coward"/not taking a stand. I am actually critisizing myself as much as -or more than- anyone else.
It's always easier to critisize when one is looking back, isn't it ?
Absolutely. Then you have a historic context to look back at. Its easier first of all because you're not in the middle of it. If that sounds cowardly, then so be it. There's a reason why people write biographies at the end of their life, or after what they write about is something defined as "past". It's over, you can sit down, think about it and analyze it.
You will never find an organisation where everybody agrees with you, or wants to do everything your way, please do tell me if you do.
I'll call you in the afterlife ;-)
You said you should have
left right then, well why didn't you ? Because of your love of football ?
You know the answer to that one already. It is the same reason that you point to later
yourself.
I've spent hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on this since I started in 1991, and I'll be damned if I will allow some immature gits to deprive me of the pleasure of football, just because they don't want to practise. I'll be the last man standing. The rats can all leave, I'll try to save the ship.
See my comment above. Thats the attitude most of those who give something start out with. I'm after the quitters, the guys who kills the great attitude in those who give something, which in many cases they do. Just remember you're not the only one who's spent hours and money on this. I put in a pretty good amount of effort at Sandnes -and I believe it shows- together with what others, yourself included, put in. And I plan to get my butt back there one day too... ;-)
We have 25 players on our roster, and none of them are the ones you so colourfully described.
YES ! Now, thats what I'm talking about !
For those of you who don't know too much about this team or what we're writing about, the
article this is about was me letting some steam get out. You get frustrated from time to
time when you give it your best (how bad it may be) and see someone else who just doesn't
care, although they sure seem that way on Saturday night. But for some reason you keep
going. Maybe because we care about football enough to not be discouraged by quitters ? I
think so. But I still think the clubs, represented by everybody involved in them, needs to
take a stand. This is me, taking a stand.
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