CONGRATS!
My hat’s off to Pittsburg State on their victory last Saturday and
good luck in the Mineral Water Bowl. Represent the MIAA well. The
people associated with the post-season game in Excelsior Springs,
from personal experience, are a classy and hospitable bunch.
A special recognition of a job well-done goes out to Warrensburg
native Germaine Race on the most productive day of his college
career. I’m sure it was a real treat for him to have such a
phenomenal showing in front of so many family and friends. While it
came at the expense of our beloved Mules, I nevertheless want to say
to Germaine, on behalf of myself and many Mules fans,
congratulations! We wish you all the best in the pros. Do it right,
stay healthy, and make your mama proud!
To all my good friends back in Warrensburg (players, coaches, and
fans) I want to offer my personal thanks for bringing another year
of hard-nosed competitive football to the heart and soul of America.
While the W-L column didn’t live up to expectations, I am proud of
the way you (players and coaches) conducted yourselves, both on and
off the field. Since I singled out the top Gorilla, I’m compelled to
single out the top Mule. Congrats to Toby Korrodi on yet another
banner day. I expect you’ll be joining Germaine in continuing your
football career at the next level. I hope you go to a team that can
utilize your amazing passing skills.
I’ll now summarize my thoughts on the year by resurrecting an old
familiar phrase that kept coming to my mind throughout the 2006
season…
STUBBORN AS A MISSOURI MULE
Anyone who’s been around the state of Missouri a day or so has heard
this phrase which, I believe, characterizes the play of this 2006
UCM Team. A team that, for lack of more simple words, never quit!
The above phrase, when used by outsiders, may often be perceived (or
possibly even intended?) as an INSULT, however, for those who’ve
been around the “Show Me” State a little longer, or perhaps even
claim it as home, we usually take it (being stubborn) as a
COMPLIMENT…just so you know!
The truth is that both views are correct. In other words,
stubbornness is a two edged sword. Being stubborn takes on the
inherent negative characteristic of having the potential of holding
one back from trying new things, moving forward, or perhaps seeking
improvement. In other words, when stubbornness becomes a matter of
being closed-minded or prideful, it is one of the most obvious
symptoms of impending failure.
However, stubbornness, when tempered with some humility, can also by
default be a positive trait (or perhaps indicator) of success. It is
no secret that many of the world’s most accomplished people will
credit their success to downright stubborn persistence (or simple
perseverance) rather than merely talent and/or luck alone. It is in
this light that I use the word “stubborn” in this season ending
Mules Report. I have taken the logical leap of applying
stubbornness as the “resiliency” part of the formula (below) for
persistence, and it is also in this vain that the notion is intended
as complimentary.
How’s this for combining Math & English?
PERSISTENCE = MOTIVATION + RESILIENCE
The Mule is a hard working animal and the very reason, I’m willing
to bet, most UCM fans take great pride in their association with the
Mule as a mascot. After all, it is the very suggestion that it (the
Mule) represents a disciplined, tough, hard-nosed attitude that
contributed to its’ being adopted as the state mascot so many
decades ago. This 2006 Mules Team never gave up. From a fans
perspective, I can tell you I was easily as proud of this year’s
team (if not more so) as I have been in years past, when records
ended up even better.
TRANSITION YEAR
Looking back in hindsight, it’s now obvious this was a transition
year. I know that sounds cliché’ and is one of the more common
things one might say about a team that failed to live up to
expectations. However, I will explain exactly WHY I say 2006
was a “Transition Year” and do so while shining even more light on a
few of the almost monotonous criticisms from outsiders to the
program. First, could it be a...
TRANSITION IN REGARD TO EXPECTATIONS?
Nope! The expectations in Warrensburg have always been high. Some
will say that coaches, players and fans at UCM are happy being a
"good, but not great” team. Not a chance! Some have even gone so far
as to say we’re happy with a level just above mediocrity. Are you
kidding me? All I can say about that is someone who makes that
statement has never seen the insides of the football offices at
Central where the glaringly obvious and WRITTEN “expectation” is
nothing short of a National Championship.
Those who imply expectations are not high enough in Warrensburg
because fans are just happy we’re better than we were before Willie
Fritz arrived. They have never stepped foot in the Mules
locker room at halftime of a game where the belief, desire, and
absolute desire for victory PERMEATES the atmosphere, regardless of
the opponent.
Anyone who accuses the Mules coaches or players of expectations
anything short of winning every game they play has never been down
on the sidelines. They have never felt the passion for the
game INTERNALIZED within each and every man on the sidelines. No,
this is not a “transition year” in regard to expectations, at least
I hope not, because “expectations” have always been nothing less
than a perfect season since Willie Fritz arrived on campus. If
expectations were about transitioning, they would have nowhere to go
but down.
Okay, so how about a transition in recruiting?
Closer, but you’re still not quite there. Now admit it, by this time
you were thinking by “transition year”, I would explain away the
first losing season in 10 years by either selling short a part of
the football program or perhaps even going so far as to single out
and individual staff member as a simple matter of not going out and
getting the right guys, or perhaps, as some nay-sayers like to
suggest, not developing them. Right? Wrong again! I must
admit although, I can easily see how an outsider might jump to that
simple conclusion.
The most obvious, and perhaps “if it was a snake it woulda bit ya”
reason I say 2006 is not a transition year in regard to recruiting,
is that the recruiting transition has already taken place. In
fact, it took place in terms of the “focus” of it, about two years
ago and the results are just now STARTING to show up on the field.
I’ll explain in more depth shortly.
Now, the Mules staff has taken a more balanced approach to who
they’re bringing in to the program. By going after more,
especially local, four-year talent, I predict the coaching staff
will persist in getting the best available players, regardless of
origin, and will also continue to make the most of what they’ve
brought on board. That’s not to say future needs won’t likely shift
to adjust to the nuances of recruiting more HS players and the
subsequent availability of talent in the “transfer player” pool. For
the record, I will cast my one vote now (that by the way doesn’t
count for anything) for using a little more of the limited 36
scholarships for linemen, on both sides of the ball. I’ll also tell
you that recruiting will be a large part of my Mules Reports’ in the
off-season, corresponding with the off-season shift in priorities in
the program.
One more point first. The Mules have always gotten their fair
share of four-year recruits, and good ones at that, it’s just that
in Willie’s first 3-4 years out of the junior college scene, he
would have been crazy to have not taken advantage of his very close
ties to a handful of programs. In other words...no regrets, no
disappointment, and no criticism in regard to transfers on the part
of this Mules fan. I’ve always been a fan of four-year recruits and
transfers.
Now, as promised, I’ll explain what I meant by the results are just
now starting to show up on the field…
I’ve heard criticism, mostly from outsiders, who’ve asked why those
“great recruiting classes” we got in 2004 & 2005 have not made a
difference already. I have a two-fold answer.
First, this is Division II and scholarships are limited. Therefore a
good recruiting class doesn’t equate as much to direct results on
the field as one would expect out of Division I programs, who are
given twice (or more) the number of scholarships. A good deal of the
programs success will always come from those guys who get little to
no scholarship money, but still end up becoming the impact players
in the game we all talk about...walk-ons and earned scholarship
guys.
Second, not only are scholarships limited at Central, just like
everywhere else at this level, but most of those recruits are just
now red-shirt freshmen or sophomores in 2006 and barely beginning
(with one or two exceptions) to have an impact. Those who’ve
survived have made it this far by…
having the character
establishing a work ethic
maintaining their grades
…and all of the other intangibles to go along with the spark of
talent that was recognized by the coach who recruited them. They are
taking up some of the scholarships that, in the past, were held out
for a slightly larger degree of immediate impact players or
“Playmakers” as Coach Fritz likes to call them; like a Todd Devoe,
Rod Green, Delanie Walker, etc...guys who were notably absent in
this season’s campaign. Which leads me to the ACTUAL
TRANSITION that I believe is took place in 2006.
“A TRANSITION IN EXPERIENCE & CHARACTER”
FIRST, THE TRANSITION IN “EXPERIENCE”…
2006 was a year where we may have seen more freshmen and sophomores
on the field, as starters and guys with significant playing time,
than any year in the past decade. I started to list all the guys who
were underclassmen who got playing time this year, and I had to go
back and edit it because the list was quite extensive. The bottom
line is the Mules have more guys coming back with experience (who
also have at least 2 years to go) than ever before. Because of the
recruiting transition I eluded to having taken place already, I
believe the “Experience Transition” is a permanent one. While we’re
on the subject of experience, I will now list my top returning
Offensive, Defensive, and Special Forces players, by class. Not that
there won’t be a transfer or two or perhaps even someone who “steps
it up a notch” that might bump one of these guys, but for now here
they are.
OFFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH IN ’07:
Senior: AJ Baugh (Offensive Line)
Junior: Mike Gunselman (Offensive Line)
Sophomore: Jason Gore (Running Back)
DEFENSIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH IN ’07:
Senior: Kendall Ricketts (Safety)
Junior: Adrian Singletary (Linebacker)
Sophomore: Randy Shepherd (Defensive Back)
SPECIAL FORCES TO WATCH IN ‘07:
Senior: Matt Frankel (Punter)
Junior: Adrian Chapman (Kick/Punt Block)
Sophomore: Jason Gore (Kick/Punt Return)
FINALLY, THE TRANSITION IN “CHARACTER”…
There will always be one or two players on a team that get in
trouble; even at the most successful and well coached institutions.
That’s not the “character” to which I refer, so I won’t even go
there. I’m referring to the character that the players on the field
showed this year in NEVER QUITTING and PLAYING AS A TEAM. Even some
of the most adamant Mules critics have been forced to admit that
this team, despite their record, scared them as the season went on!
You see, there is NOTHING that measures up to character when the
going gets tough. I saw something this year that I liked more
than any year since I’ve been following Mules Football - something
that showed me the Mules have made the most important transition
they could have possibly made. They are a team with true character.
Here’s to the players of this year’s team for showing us the
newfound stubbornness in their character all season long. It is
truly something to build upon. I am proud to be (albeit indirectly)
associated with this fine group of young men and look forward to an
exciting and productive 2007. Best of luck to the group of seniors
who have played their last college football game. We now welcome
you, as honorary lifetime members, to one of the very best groups of
fans in Division II College Football.
Meet you on the High Ground... |
