Month: February 2018

Well….out to Phoenix with our friends the Fords.  Yeah he is a grad of the University of Arizona.  We are Sun Devils!  Well, we went over to watch U of A play against our Devils in basketball.

Have to give it to those guys from Tucson they beat us by seven.  But, the Devils fought back from an 18 point deficit to go ahead.  Not enough horsepower to maintain and win the game though.

U of A has two seven footers – they are pretty good.  One freshman and one senior.  But I really think that the Devils are on the right track.  Bobby Hurley the coach –  obviously his name will bring ASU some positive recruiting buzz.  Now, can we keep him away from the NBA?

With all the problems in college athletics the pro game gets more appealing to successful college coaches in all sports.  Coaching is one of the best jobs you can have….but there are so many pitfalls that can put a coach in jeopardy in the college landscape.

The beauty of the pro game is just that….they are pros.  Sure there are issues you have to deal with.  But the athlete’s are in charge of their own lives.  You don’t have to give lectures to them about how to act….what to do in their personal lives etc.   They are responsible for what they do….not you as a coach.

In college as a coach you have to constantly be aware of an athletes actions – not only on the field – but off the field.  Often problems are brought to your attention after the fact.  Sometimes you don’t even know about a problem  until it is too late.

There are many people who judge coaches without even knowing the entire situation.  As a coach you might not know the circumstances yourself…..the next thing you know some unknown staffer has supplied ESPN with documents and everyone thinks you are a jackass.

Coaching is hard enough –  trying to keep track of 90 plus athletes (football) off the field is incredibly difficult.  Plus you might be off campus recruiting – something goes wrong and suddenly you are stupid and accused of not controlling your program.

Yeah pro sports might be a better path for coaches.

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We had a great time in Phoenix and had to concede to Tom that the “kitty cats” from U of A were better than our Devils.  I’m thinking ASU will whip up on them for the next several years.

I think this might become an annual trek to the “Grand Canyon” state for the Ford’s and us.  Maybe we should make it a little more interesting by making the loser pay for the trip????  Hmm…might be good idea.

Love to see the strength in both Tom and Kathy.  So glad to see that their faith is so evident.  We are lucky to count them as our friends..

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Hop on the next jet to Albuquerque and off to the “Land of Enchantment” – the great state of New Mexico.  Going to spend about ten days here visiting and getting our fill of the best chili in the US.  Personally I just can’t get enough of the stuff!

Spending time in one of the most beautiful areas I have ever seen – Santa Fe!

Santa Fe, not Albuquerque, is the capital of the great state of New Mexico.  The city was founded around 1610 by Spanish colonists and it is the OLDEST state capital in the United States!  So as we say out here “New Mexico is not NEW and it is not MEXICO”. 

Santa Fe is very unique with it’s southwestern architecture and truly special cuisine.  I have suggested many times to friends to visit the state….but to especially explore this fantastic city.  You can’t go wrong here!

Although New Mexico is the fifth largest state in the union it only has about two million people residing there.  This ranks it as the 36th most populated state.  Very large – but not not that many people.  But, if you want to see the stars at night and see the most beautiful blue sky during the daylight hours you have to go and visit!

Oh yeah state bird – the ROADRUNNER!

When you look at the Roadrunners “footprint” it  is an “X”.  Legend behind that is – that way when the devil was looking for the roadrunner he (she or it I guess) could not track him down because he wouldn’t know what direction to look!

*****You know that I have a lot of strange information rattling around in my head!*****

Many people from the east think that New Mexico and Arizona are vast deserts.  But you have to watch what you define as a desert.  Trust me – the deserts of the southwest are not vast swaths (nice college word there) of sand and cacti.

There are rocks, canyons (snakes…scorpions…Gila monsters etc) mesas, arroyos etc.  It is a fascinating landscape.  But, northern New Mexico, Northern Arizona are mountainous.  For instance Taos, New Mexico has tremendous skiing opportunities – it is at nearly 7000 feet (Denver is 5000!). So trust me northern New Mexico is not in the desert as you may think of it!

Well anyway we are here now!

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Football-wise some things are percolating in Europe and perhaps we can get Sound Mind Sound Body into an “international” mode pretty soon!

OK…A long disappearance, but I have had a lot to do.  Nah not really.  Was just concentrating on being the second luckiest man ever.  You might think that is easy….you have to work at your craft!  So I do!

There are many things going on…..My very good friend Giorgio Volpi from Switzertland tried to establish a connection with the Italian Federation of American Football.  A promising chance to build and develop camps and football clinics in Europe and perhaps other places as well.

It looked very promising…but then it fell apart.

Very disappointing – but at the same time we are hours apart – an ocean away.  Organization is difficult.  I have great confidence that we will figure this out.  We have put together a fantastic team of people here and in Europe.

Giorgio and our friend Fulgenzio Jorio make up our European side (I’m sure this will expand with time.). On the US side we have two very skilled guys in Curtis Blackwell and Terry Copacia – and of course there has to be an anchor – that is me!

Someone has to be the that guy!  An anchor can pull you down….or it can steady you in a strong current I have been told.  Hmmm….what kind of anchor would that make me?  Might keep me up at night thinking about that one.

Anyway our goal is to develop an unique program involving coaching clinics, player instructional camps and combines for the players.

The impacts will manyfold:  1.) Including the development of American football throughout Europe (especially at the U19 level)  2.) Trying to build coaching contacts and encouraging our European peers to continue to increase their football knowledge.  3.)  Help any of our young players from Europe to get to the states as HS exchange students, junior college players and some collegiate players as well.

It seems a vast undertaking – but with the people involved it is completely possible.

OK – Terry Copacia and I have been friends for 30 years.  He is a fine football coach, teacher and communicator.  He has developed many quarterbacks over the years.  He never brags about it…never posts how many All Americans he has  helped.  But, believe me there are many!

He has operated the All State Quarterback School for 30 years.  On of the cleanest and clearest coaching approaches I have ever seen.

http://www.quarterbackschool.com

Just see these testimonials!

Cooper Rush, Quarterback
Lansing Catholic – Central Michigan  University – Dallas Cowboys” It is all about maximizing your skill set. Coach Copacia immediately cleaned up my throwing mechanics and footwork – the precise fundamentals that a Quarterback needs. I used his techniques through high school, college and today in the NFL.”

Kirk Cousins, Quarterback
Holland Christian – Michigan State – Washington Redskins

” I consider Terry Copacia’s All-State Quarterback School camp to be the first time I ever received detailed coaching on the fundamentals of the Quarterback position. There are several of his fundamentals that I have held onto all these years and still apply today”.

Craig Krenzel, Quarterback
Henry Ford II – Ohio State – Chicago Bears – Cincinnati Bengals

“There is no doubt that the reason I’ve had the opportunity to play at the highest levels of professional football is because of all that Coach Terry Copacia taught me when I worked with him at All-State Quarterback School.

By the way these guys are not a bunch of  “Slappies”!

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Yup, then there is my friend Curtis…co-founder and leader of Sound Mind Sound Body.  If you want to see an organization who has it’s roots in Detroit and expanded across the country – well this is it.

soundmindsoundbodycamp.com

Starting in his native Detroit – Curtis created a vast network that embodies his goal of developing young people through academic challenges, professional training in football and also helping them understand life challenges.  It is a fantastic organization.

“SMSB”  has been a conduit to college at all levels – thousands of young people who were helped over the last fifteen years.

I’ve seen him in action…working with kids.  Making sure they are receiving guidance and coaching.  I’ve been to the indoor facility in Detroit – awesome setup and devoted to those kids.  Instilling the knowledge and skills they need to develop to be successful.

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So combined with Giorgio and Fulgenzio – how can we fail.  We cannot!  This will be an awesome experience.  Oh yeah….Giorgio – coached all over the world finished school in the US.  Name known all across Europe.

Fulgenzio – director of the Lugano Lakers….but stepping into a role with the Junior National team of Switzerland.  OK – let’s not mention his business background and how much he knows about the way everything fits together –  not only in Switzerland – but across Europe.

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So now if we can just do something about that anchor I mentioned earlier!

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Now…..another project that is going to fly in April-May.  My friend Kurt Schottenheimer called me up last November and threw an idea at me.  He was going to become the defensive coordinator for a project called “yourcallfootball.com”

Now, Kurt is the real deal – many years a defensive coordinator in the NFL – special teams coach many years as well.  He told me about how yourcallfootball.com was going to work.  Awesome idea.

Best idea is to look up the website to see the actual platform.  However here is a snapshot:

At the outset there will be a 90 player team (or somewhere in that range).  Obviously offensive and defensive players.  The team will have two head coaches (Mike Sherman – yup that Mike Sherman and Merril Hodge – yup that Merril Hodge) one defensive coordinator in Kurt.

Six week overall training camp / season at Vero Beach – at Dodgertown.  Pretty cool setup.  There will only be three games the first year.  So basically your offense will be playing against your defense three times.

By getting the application YOU will have a direct impact on the games.  The app allows YOU to call plays and compare YOUR calls to YOUR friends.  Everyone who plays votes on the play and then the coach calls the play with the most votes.

Don ‘t ask me how that works – I am not smart enough.  But, there are really smart people behind this set up

But, here is the cool part.  It is like fantasy football / Madden football rolled into one.  Eventually YOU will be able to organize YOUR own team – but at the outset YOU will be able to call the plays and the real players on the field will actually run that play.

So, all of you guys (and girls) out there who think you know more than the coaches – most every body I know claims that.  Well, we will find out.  YOU call it – the coach relays it on the field – players execute it.

Then we find out if the play YOU called worked.  Put the pressure on the fans – coaches are just doing what YOU want.

I guess there will be some sort of scoreboard to let you know if the p[lay YOU called worked – compares you to your friends.  Now we will know how smart YOU are!

Seriously check out the website!

This is just a very wide brush of what should be a cool idea!

Well, we get to coach the team!  So, now that gives me a football outlet in the spring.  Going to be awesome…..picking up some good coaches along the way.  Aside from Mike and Merril as head coaches and Kurt as the DC…..Bob Slowik (another coordinator) is on board with Martin Bayless and Chris Dishman – former star defensive backs in the NFL.

For me just another adventure for the konkretekidinfootball.com – the second luckiest man in the world.

Heading to Santa Fe tomorrow…for those of you geographically challenged – that is in the great state of New Mexico!