Takeaways From Saturday's Scrimmage and the Masters Tiebreakers
Here are some highlights from my conversation with Tim Albin this past Saturday:
Quarterbacks are now on a shot clock. While he didn’t specify how much time is on the clock each play, usually quarterbacks have approximately 2.8 to 3 seconds to get rid of the ball. Putting the QBs on a mental timer will force them to make quick decisions, help acclimate them to game situations, and further aid coaches in their decision to name a starting QB.
Charlotte is ending each team period with a special teams play. In fact, at one point during practice on Saturday, while the rest of the team was celebrating a big catch on one end of the field, coach Albin was watching punter Andrew Bennett kick one out the back of the end zone. It’s clear coach Albin is emphasizing special teams, again bringing up Charlotte’s record when winning the field position battle, which according to him is 12-5. Also, coach notes that you can expect to see 30-40 special teams plays a game, so being on point for each of those plays is vital to the team’s success.
Expect the spring game to flow like a practice, not a full game. There will be a crew of referees to call penalties, but the coaching staff will most likely manage the clock, field position, and game situations. Coach Albin is still preaching “Charlotte doesn’t beat Charlotte,” so he will want the referees to call an honest game but he will not want referees to cut players any slack.
I asked him if any unit on the field had seen more improvement than others. I got a bit of a coach speak answer, because he replied that he thought the whole team had improved. He did mention that the offensive line is moving guys around. As a unit, they have seemed to be the most banged-up this spring. On Saturday, they had a tackle playing center. He also went out of his way to say that safety play had improved.
Yesterday, the Masters Tournament ended in a sudden-death playoff. Here’s how I think they could have ended it instead:
Gentleman’s Duel: Golf is often called ‘a gentleman’s game,’ emphasizing sportsmanship, rules, and one’s etiquette. What’s more gentlemanly than putting Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose on the 18th green, The American dueling code, published in 1838 by former South Carolina Governor John Lyde Wilson, sets the distance at 10-20 paces. Golf is a sport proud of its history, so the duel should be taken just as seriously. We should keep dueling pistols on the grounds of every major, just for this occasion. Now, some will be opposed to such a violent means to an end, but I think Rory was ready to kill a man for that green jacket. If this is too violent for some, we can give them paintball pistols and eye protection, but it just wouldn’t be the same.
The Patch: Augusta Municipal Golf Course, also known as “The Patch,” is currently closed and undergoing renovations. If you can’t lock down that victory in 72 holes at Augusta, you don’t deserve to start over. We’re shuttling the players tied for first over to AMGC and they have to have their playoff amidst the renovations on a municipal golf course. Did your ball fall in a man-made trench? Oh Well. Is there equipment parked in the way of your drive? Stinks. Your caddy can’t get you the distance to the hole because they tore up the yard markers? Get over it. The drive from Augusta National to the new course is about 15 minutes, so we can televise the ride over. For fun, put all the players in the same car.
Speed Golf: Have you ever seen a Speed Golf Rob video? Have you ever played Mario Golf: Super Rush? If not, you’re in for a treat! Speed golf is a variation of the game of golf where both your strokes and the time it takes you to finish your round count towards your final score. The final score is presented as a time, where one stroke counts as one minute, so if you shoot a 100 in 49 minutes and 45 seconds, your final score would be presented as 149:45. Golfers are expected to follow all of the normal rules and etiquette, including raking bunkers and fixing ball marks, but they are allowed to putt with the flagstick in. To get the best results possible, I’d let this round take place the next day, so any golfers participating are well rested. In yesterday’s case, Rory is in better shape, but Rose has those long legs. I’d tune in for sure.
Coin Toss: Coin tosses have decided US elections, cemented figures in history, settled the names of cities, and even damned some to dark fates. Recently in sports, a coin toss determined the No. 1 seed in the NCAAW SEC tournament. Why not leave it up to fate? Bring in Javier Barden, dressed as his character from No Country For Old Men, Anton Chigurh, to do the honors. You could mint a nifty little coin, one that the winner would get to keep, and you could make some serious moolah selling commemorative coins in the pro shop.