Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (My prom, Charlie Strong and Tom Herman)

[DeepEddyHorn]

Liked the prom story Geoff.

I was an awkward kid in high school. I always like hearing a story involving a member of the non cool crowd coming up in the world and having professional success.

 

[HornHammer]

Guess you probably never watched Jerry Gray run down Bo Jackson.

He played in a different era than Earl...it was not a pass happy time.

I'll still take Gray.

 

[Ketchum]

Liked the prom story Geoff.

I was an awkward kid in high school. I always like hearing a story involving a member of the non cool crowd coming up in the world and having professional success.

I wasn't a member of the non-cool crowd, I was just a disaster at prom.

I'd say I was very socially active in almost every crowd that existed at McCallum.

 

[Ketchum]

Guess you probably never watched Jerry Gray run down Bo Jackson.

He played in a different era than Earl...it was not a pass happy time.

I'll still take Gray.

Gray was a great player, he just wasn't what Thomas is... which is possibly the greatest safety in the history of the sport.

 

[Ketchum]

By the way, I see your Bo Jackson play and raise you with Thomas breaking Gronk in half.

 

[DeepEddyHorn]

I wasn't a member of the non-cool crowd, I was just a disaster at prom.

I'd say I was very socially active in almost every crowd that existed at McCallum.

Gotcha, didn't mean to imply otherwise..

 

[CrazyCharlieHou]

No, Charlie developed D'Onta into that kind of player. He wasn't ready made when he arrived. Hell, he wasn't even on campus.

D'Onta is going to be an All-American. Charlie left a few guys with that kind of upside behind, including one at left tackle and quarterback.

Charlie developed D'Onta??? You have to be kidding. Foreman is an instinctive back - he wasn't developed. Running back is an instinctive position. The greats all see and do things you can't coach. Warren has said D'Onta sees and hits holes he doesn't even see. Charlie hardly played him as a freshman when he was already identifiable as the only back on the team with any burst. He played him behind Gray as a sophomore when it was obvious he was a far more talented player. He had him splitting time with Warren when again it was obvious who the better player was. Foreman only got the chance to show how good he was because Warren was injured. Charlie replaced him with Swoopes at the goal line. Foreman succeeded in spite of Charlie, not because of him.

Foreman is Mack's recruit, as are all the other guys in the 2014 class that committed to Mack. Charlie did a decent job keeping Mack's class together but he did lose five. He added two Texas players to the class - Freeman and Rodriguez. Freeman held an offer since 2012, and Rodriguez was the lowest ranked player in the class. If Mack had not had a strong class in place 2014 would have been a recruiting disaster. Charlie knew nothing about recruiting Texas. To give him credit for the guys Mack recruited in that class is rediculous.

 

[sodiumacetate]

It's interesting to see how hard people try to take any and all credit for positives away from Strong. Says a little bit about their emotional makeup in my opinion.

 

[Cure4BizCancer]

Hot Damn! Looks like TH has recruited Aaron Rodgers. I CAN relax!

It's interesting to see how hard people try to take any and all credit for positives away from Strong. Says a little bit about their emotional makeup in my opinion.

Im truly not trying to be argumentative or a smartass, but, ... what positives?

Seriously, I think you have to dig very deep into the "nice bag" to find any meaningful positives from the last three years.

Maybe, just maybe, his last recruiting year (Feb 2016 class) will turn out to be a positive. I suppose time will tell one way or the other.

 

[lopez80]

Good stuff Ketch - an enjoyable read!

 

[jaw05]

Thanks Ketch, enjoyable as always.

I will say that if Herman doesn't pass Mack as an all time UT coach, 90% of Orangebloods will view the Herman era as a disappointment

We may have unrealistically high expectations, but I bet most of us are thinking at least 1 NC and more than 3 conference titles.

 

[CrazyCharlieHou]

It's interesting to see how hard people try to take any and all credit for positives away from Strong. Says a little bit about their emotional makeup in my opinion.

I am happy to give CS credit for those he recruited - the additions to the 2014 class, the 2015 class, the 2016 class, and the seven members of the 2017 class. There is a huge difference in the amount of work required to gain a commitment vs the amount of work to keep the kid committed.

My emotional makeup is fine. All I am doing is expressing a difference of opinion. I am not attacking anyones values, sanity, or emotional makeup.

 

[bexster]

That's what you're predicting for Herman?

No.. Im just saying that Sabans 10th year has resulted in unrivaled fruit... and their war chest is loaded for years to come... I hope Tom can knock him on his ass... LONG way to go...

 

[bexster]

Nah, they just ran into Ohio State's power.

Michigan curbed stomped them too....

 

[Emergent]

The prom picture and story explain so much

 

[Ketchum]

Gotcha, didn't mean to imply otherwise..

seemed like you were calling me a nerd.

 

[Ketchum]

The prom picture and story explain so much

Oh, do they?

 

[Ketchum]

Michigan curbed stomped them too....

Yes, Michigan did. Every team but Bama has a major blemish.

 

[Ketchum]

Thanks Ketch, enjoyable as always.

I will say that if Herman doesn't pass Mack as an all time UT coach, 90% of Orangebloods will view the Herman era as a disappointment

We may have unrealistically high expectations, but I bet most of us are thinking at least 1 NC and more than 3 conference titles.

THe bar is sky high, that's for sure.

 

[darrenj]

First, I agree with Ketch's assessment that Texas won't go there, but I question why not, in principle; and it is a little disheartening to agree with the cold assessment that we don't have the cahones to try. Saban, unquestionably IS the Gold Standard, and it would seem prudent to evaluate that Gold Standard and put together a plan to implement all the "best practices" that would bring value.

The problem is that TH has taken over a cesspool. The Texas program is the lowest that it has ever been in its 130? year history. TH has to wench it out of the septic tank, pressure wash off all the sh1t and spend the first level of effort just getting the wheels back on and the engine running. It will be at least a season or two before we can worry about emulating the "lilly gilding" of Nick Saban.

I am amazed that people actually believed CS's whiny plea that he could win 10 games and a national championship if given one more year. For God's sake, this program went 6-7, 5-7, 5-7 and lost to Kansas. We had a running back that put up 2200 yards this season, and couldn't win over 5 games. We ran 300 yards on Kansas and lost. For those of you not paying attention, that is BAD. TH will need to repair a lot of damage to get this fixed.

I still say that Charlie knew he was on the way out and the 10 win game and national championship talk was just his way of getting one last shot and zinger in there on the way out!

 

[Cure4BizCancer]

I still say that Charlie knew he was on the way out and the 10 win game and national championship talk was just his way of getting one last shot and zinger in there on the way out!

I suppose like the outlaw with the noose around his neck on the gallows begging to the Sheriff that if they will let him go, he will take them to the hidden stagecoach lockbox and all the money. Fortunately, the Sheriff knew the stagecoach hadn't been robbed.

 

[Ketchum]

I still say that Charlie knew he was on the way out and the 10 win game and national championship talk was just his way of getting one last shot and zinger in there on the way out!

Charlie knew what he was doing by making those comments.

At no point did he ever make specific declarations about expectations in any season, except the one he knew he probably wouldn't be coaching.

 

[drunk randoke]

Charlie knew what he was doing by making those comments.

At no point did he ever make specific declarations about expectations in any season, except the one he knew he probably wouldn't be coaching.

This

 

[drunk randoke]

Charlie knew what he was doing by making those comments.

At no point did he ever make specific declarations about expectations in any season, except the one he knew he probably wouldn't be coaching.

Podcast anytime soon?

 

[Ketchum]

Podcast anytime soon?

recording in the next 24.

 

[harrylime]

Gray was a great player, he just wasn't what Thomas is... which is possibly the greatest safety in the history of the sport.

 

[Ketchum]

Fair enough, but that's the company we're talking about. I would say for today's modern game, Thomas might be the better prototype.

 

[harrylime]

Fair enough, but that's the company we're talking about. I would say for today's modern game, Thomas might be the better prototype.

I think you have a point, with today's pass-happy rules.

 

[Ketchum]

I think you have a point, with today's pass-happy rules.

That's not to say that Lott couldn't cover and didn't have range because he was a high-level cornerback at one point, but I would contend Thomas has more range than Lott.