2021 Season Thread

[gronk4heisman]

Are we running a 3-4 or a 4-3 or some hybrid?

[azgreg]

I think Don Brown is a 3-4 guy but always bringing at least 4 on the pass rush.

[AV8RCAT]

en'y
I doubt Jedd Lasso would say we are going to be watery dog shit.

Yes but it wasn't an answer to a question and wasn't prompted.
What the hell does "Lasso" refer to? I want to know in case it becomes a thing.

[Chicat]

en'y
I doubt Jedd Lasso would say we are going to be watery dog shit.

Yes but it wasn't an answer to a question and wasn't prompted.
What the hell does "Lasso" refer to? I want to know in case it becomes a thing.

Ted Lasso

Great show about an American college football coach who goes to England to coach professional soccer.

And trust me when I say it’s not a put down when I call Fisch “Jedd Lasso”.

[AV8RCAT]

Cool.

The comment volunteered about the defense was actually during a QB discussion.

“I believe we're going to have a very good defense this year. Let's see what we can do. See if we can move the ball. Whoever does that will be the starting quarterback.”

[azgreg]

[azgreg]

[84Cat]

UA football team now has 115 of 118 players vaxxed

[azgreg]

[Chicat]

Uhh, he gonna get that fixed or just bask in Jedd Lasso’s love to heal his knee?

[azcat49]

I was assuming he had it cleaned out over the summer. Better reporting might have given us that clue

[azgreg]

[PHXCATS]

This is the right guidance for the season

Rare but great job NCAA

[Irish27]

[PHXCATS]

Would really feel bad if a team needs to forfeit that is almost entirely fully vaccinated who also does the other necessary safety measures.

But if a team is not doing those safety measures in addition to being vaccinated then that is on them and they deserve to forfeit

[scumdevils86]

We need to ostracize and punish unvaccinated people as much as possible. Make them feel unwanted and outcast in every way. So if only 3 unvaccinated people on a team ruin it for everyone else or whatever, too bad. Make those 3 feel like shit.

[azgreg]

[Merkin]

We need to ostracize and punish unvaccinated people as much as possible. Make them feel unwanted and outcast in every way. So if only 3 unvaccinated people on a team ruin it for everyone else or whatever, too bad. Make those 3 feel like shit.

Nothing works like peer pressure, esp. in team sports.

[azcat49]

Wow, now that’s pretty neat. 36 kids who probably would never get to use their likeness get something really big.

[Fendicent4ever]

We need to ostracize and punish unvaccinated people as much as possible. Make them feel unwanted and outcast in every way. So if only 3 unvaccinated people on a team ruin it for everyone else or whatever, too bad. Make those 3 feel like shit.

Nevermind if those 3 for some reason can't get the vaccine (unlikely seeing as how they are revenue sport athletes), this is an awful take. I sense a lot of rancor behind it, but do you.

To the contrary it needs to be emphasized to those young men- as well as any readers here or whatever- that statistically when you get fully vaccinated that outside of a rounding errors worth of anomalies this baby is over. That is a fact as much as our bodies rely on oxygen and water to survive. Get vaxxed, this stupid saga is finished.

[scumdevils86]

Of course assuming there's not a valid reason not to get vaccinated. But for the OVERWHELMING majority of people not getting vaccinated, that doesn't apply.

The only want our world will get back to normal, where we can have football without this crap hanging over it...

OSTRACIZE, HUMILIATE, AND ALIENATE. That's our only path forward as a society.

[AV8RCAT]

We need to ostracize and punish unvaccinated people as much as possible.

To some, it would sound like where you are headed is arrest and internment camps. Fuels the paranoia.
Really, about the only thing you can do is exclusion. Kids had to have shot records for school, employers can require it etc.
We are getting breakthrough cases now. My ex contracted covid despite being fully vaxxed. We still don't know enough to start a "Kristallnacht" against a scapegoat.
Sometimes, I am astounded by the shit people say in America these days.

[Chicat]

Take it to the Politics or General Discussion forums gentlemen. We can debate the consequences for being unvaccinated there.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Of course assuming there's not a valid reason not to get vaccinated. But for the OVERWHELMING majority of people not getting vaccinated, that doesn't apply.

The only want our world will get back to normal, where we can have football without this crap hanging over it...

OSTRACIZE, HUMILIATE, AND ALIENATE. That's our only path forward as a society.

Remember this handy device. AIM high and we can change minds.

Make sure you come from a place of Anger. Understand, Anger doesn't tend to automatically put people on the defensive and make them dig in. It opens their mind and makes them think "this is a reasonable guy with good points."

Then, communicate a message of Intolerance. Logic, education and compassion to try to change a mind are for sissies. You need to show them Intolerance so they know there is nothing about them that is redeemable if they don't agree with you.

Finish with Marginalization. Let them know they aren't even really human any more. Nothing wins people over like letting them know that you see them as deplorable. The more you Marginalize a group, the easier it is for them to want to jump into the mainstream.

FWIW, I'm fully vaccinated and a big supporter of the vaccine. I hope more people get it. I just hate current levels of discourse where people don't even try to meet on basic levels of humanity.

There's good scientific research that attacks make people dig into their own positions further because you make the argument us and them and they aren't quite ready to be us, so you force them to be them and dump scorn on them.

[Merkin]

Well, at least it's not to the point where you can get a free seat by bringing in 2 canned goods.

Although I would be hard pressed to get Taco Bell for any reason.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Well, at least it's not to the point where you can get a free seat by bringing in 2 canned goods.

Although I would be hard pressed to get Taco Bell for any reason.

I'm not sure I want to be sitting near a bunch of people who've recently consumed Taco Bell.

[EastCoastCat]

Well, at least it's not to the point where you can get a free seat by bringing in 2 canned goods.

Although I would be hard pressed to get Taco Bell for any reason.

I'm not sure I want to be sitting near a bunch of people who've recently consumed Taco Bell.

It could offset the play on the field...

Sorry, couldn't resist that one.

[TheCatInTheHat]

The rain this morning didn't help the turnout, as it was a sparse crowd in the stadium, where they moved practice from the Tomey Practice Fields with the soggy grass there. Not impressed with the QB play. Seems like a two man race between Cruz and Plummer, and I'd give Cruz a slight edge, but the QB situation's a little scary. Cruz threw a deep ball to Berryhill, who was covered like a blanket by Rutherford. Looked like a great battle for the ball and a catch as they took it down to the ground along the sideline. But the ball came out at the last minute, so dee-nied. There were some other deep throws into tight single coverage with a similar outcome. The d-line is pretty banged-up, which has given some younger players reps, but it also means there's been some daylight for the running backs, who did their thing fairly well, with the plays called dead after any 10-15 yard gain. And the other side of the coin is that the o-line looked halfway decent, although there were some false starts. They had the grey jersey for 21 days until the BYU game (Jaxen Turner, I believe), and the scoreboard alternated between "It's Personal" and a somewhat ominous "21 Days To Kickoff", so there's definitely a sense of urgency with the ever-narrowing window for improvement. Overall, things seemed pretty professional and well-organized, with Fisch making sure players could hear him with a bullhorn slung over his shoulder and a mic in his hand. Defensive coaches were at full-bellow, but in short bursts to make a point. Like when one player was talking a little too much trash, and you could hear a coach tell him to shut up and play ball all through the stadium...no bullhorn needed. I'd also say improved conditioning is noticeable, particularly with the linemen. They'll do it under the lights in the stadium tomorrow night, again open to the public.

[OSUCat]

It sounds like it’s really Cruz to lose. When the coach talks about not turning over the ball, and Plummer has maybe 1 or 2 a practice. It seems clear that Cruz will end up as QB1 for the first game.

[azgreg]

It sounds like it’s really Cruz to lose. When the coach talks about not turning over the ball, and Plummer has maybe 1 or 2 a practice. It seems clear that Cruz will end up as QB1 for the first game.

That's what it sounds like to me as well.

Cruz
Plummer
McCloud

This is not the order I thought it would be coming out of Spring.

[Merkin]

I thought for sure McCloud would start game 1, due to all his experience. But if you can't throw the ball downfield in the PAC you might as well find a new position. Like Fisch said, McCloud is just asking for a pick 6 throwing to the side constantly.

[gronk4heisman]

The QB situation is what keeps my hopes for this season low. I do think the defense will be much improved.

[ASUHATER!]

We just may lose every game 24-14 instead of giving up 50+ a game

[ASUHATER!]

https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll

AP poll out, Oregon #11, USC #15, UW #20, Utah #24, ASU #25

[Spaceman Spiff]

Well, at least it's not to the point where you can get a free seat by bringing in 2 canned goods.

Although I would be hard pressed to get Taco Bell for any reason.

I'm not sure I want to be sitting near a bunch of people who've recently consumed Taco Bell.

It could offset the play on the field...

Sorry, couldn't resist that one.

The smell I associate with recent Taco Bell consumption was the cologne Arizona Football wore during the Kevin Sumlin era.

[Chicat]

We just may lose every game 24-14 instead of giving up 50+ a game

That would be progress.

[TheCatInTheHat]

With the announcement of the latest transfer arrivals, I took a look at (what I consider to be) the depth chart. It's kind of amazing to me that we would be capable of fielding a somewhat credible offense and defense using only transfer types who started out somewhere else (counting JCs.) TWENTY-ONE four-year college transfers on the roster. I'm pretty sure we've never been in that situation before. I'm not making any kind of judgment about it; you've got to do what you've got to do, and that may be the best way to try and dig out. It's just another story angle about the team this season.

[EastCoastCat]

That’s what happens when you have to re-build after a dumpster fire from your last coach.

[azgreg]

[azcat49]

Who? Don’t know that guy. Any hits?

[Merkin]

Never heard of him but apparently he is CW. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Vassar

[wyo-cat]

Sounds like a budget Nashville Country guy. I could give a fuck.

Bring in Randy Rogers or Pat Green, I’d be excited.

[AV8RCAT]

Never heard of him but apparently he is CW. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Vassar

This song got a lot of play back late 90's. Not bad, at least it's upbeat.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZlaCR0eT5E

[Spaceman Spiff]

Sounds like a budget Nashville Country guy. I could give a fuck.

Bring in Randy Rogers or Pat Green, I’d be excited.

[Chicat]

Had a hit back 20+ years ago?

That should really get the kids fired up…

[gronk4heisman]

When I hear country music I walk the other direction, I am jealous of those who can tolerate/enjoy it.

[Carcassdragger]

When I hear country music I walk the other direction, I am jealous of those who can tolerate/enjoy it.

I'm with you but I do like some of Chris Stapleton's stuff.

[Sid]

When I hear country music I walk the other direction, I am jealous of those who can tolerate/enjoy it.

I'm with you but I do like some of Chris Stapleton's stuff.

OC to Yuma 3 straight hours of the wife/daughters favorite country playlist. That shit stopped when I took over the ship. Classic rock vinyl all the way to Tucson.

Fuck, the desert is green. Just a tad bit of rain this Summer, huh?

[Carcassdragger]

Yes. It sure is a contrast to last year when we basically had no monsoon. Hoping for more rain right into fall when the temps get to where we can enjoy this green desert.

[ASUHATER!]

Well here in Tucson most parts of town have had like 11-15 inches of rain since the beginning of July so it's basically not even a desert here anymore. Green as Ireland here now with 8 foot weeds growing in fields