Well Played Award - Arizona/Toledo

WELL PLAYED AWARD – TOLEDO GAME WEEK

You guys have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for a message like the one that earned this week’s Well Played Award. Because the standard for a “Well Played” award is incredibly high – almost unattainable – there have been few in the past months. Hint, hint, time to step your game up WSR message board posters.

Finally, one post broke through and the author deserves our praise and attribution.

As a player, what does it feel like on game day? What will be going through the minds of each player as they await kickoff? Many of us – well, let’s amend that -- many of you – may not understand how a player must discipline himself and channel his energy to peak at game time.

All I can say about the following message is “WOW,” this award-winning poster captured the emotions of a high-major Division I football player perfectly.

Go to the thread titled, “Game Week”, in the WSR Gridiron Report and offer up congratulations to WSR VIP Subscriber RBob1 for a well earned Well Played Award.

Well played, RBob1, well played!

THIS WEEK’S WELL PLAYED
Message board post below in its original text.

Wednesday- the players will start getting the jitters. Am I going to remember the damned plays? What is 24 flip left trap? Crap. No, that was the old plays.... Oh yeah. The new play is 16-Shuck Trap.
Will I fall on my ass on the first play?

Today will be the last day of hitting, and we'll begin walk-through. Since this is the season opener, we have scripted the first two games.

Tomorrow, Thursday- we will do a full walk-through and go over the first 12-20 plays in the game script. Coaches will add cautionary notes. It's natural to be nervous, but keep your head, do your job, and things will work themselves out. Hit, don't just jam a guy. Play hard, maintain your pace. You have learned speed, don't let that lag. Play fast. If we screw up a play, shake it off and go for the next one. Offense, punch it in. Receivers, find the seams. Tell Matt where you think you can exploit them. Defense, all that grass is ours.

Friday- More walk-through, more script. Coaches will ask questions. What do you do on 28 Fly Option? Uh......oh yeah. Ball security, ball security, ball security. Go over the kick routines; receiving and kicking. Go over the tricks. What blitz package is in? Special Teams....anything we will do on specific downs and distance? Remember, we'll play it conservative against Toledo; we won't let too much of our package out for this game; but that means we have to execute.

Get lots of sleep tonight, but sleep won't be easy. Crap.

Saturday- solid breakfast but don't stuff yourself. Joke around, relax. Talk gets more subdued, more serious, quieter.

A good, light lunch. Not much talk at the tables, but a few smiles at buddies.

The afternoon drags, yet flies by..... time to go to meeting, then get dressed, although it's way early, everyone is here. Anxious, quiet, getting in fighting mode.

Pre-game exercises, loosen up, look at the few people in the stands, wonder what the crowd will be like? More people drift in, nice crowd buzz. Haka-time....they like it! Cool.

Go back in....meet, finish gearing up, talk a little, Final instructions...oh yeah. I remember that. What is that sound? Oh....it's the crowd out there.

Walk out, wait, wait, wait, c'mon, dammit! Let's go *&*^ these guys up!
BOOM! Go!

No more time to think, just do what you're here for.

Visit the WSR message boards daily for a shot at earning the next Well Played Award, and having your post featured in its own front page story.