MulesCentral - View From The Press Box

Previous Editions: August 30, 2006 September 6, 2006 September 13, 2006 September 20, 2006 September 27, 2006	October 4, 2006 October 11, 2006	View From The Press Box with Shawn Jones, Greg Hassler & Joe Moore October 18, 2006
Shawn Jones is in his seventh season as the radio play-by-play voice of Mules football, basketball and baseball. In addition to his radio and television duties as host of "Sportspage", he is CMSU's Associate Athletic Director for External Relations in charge of marketing, promotions, media relations, fund-raising events and special events. Greg Hassler is in his sixth season as the sideline reporter and pre and post-game host for Mules broadcasts. He is the Sports Director of flagship stations 1450 KOKO and 98.5 MIKE-FM. Joe Moore and Bob Jackson will provide color analysis this season and Moore will also contribute to this column. Jackson has been a part of the CMSU broadcast team since 1981 and is CMSU's Athletic Promotions Coordinator and Web Manager. Moore is a former Mules football player and CMSU Athletic Media Relations Director. He is now an instructor in Central Missouri's Department of Communication.

If there was any doubt as to where my passion lies on a football field, it should have been erased last Saturday. At one point I applauded Justin Brown for respecting the rules and NOT hitting a ball carrier along the sideline, even though he had to make an unbelievable move to avoid contact (a hit likely would have drawn an unnecessary roughness penalty even though the ball carrier was still in bounds when Justin peeled off). I practically jumped out of the radio booth when Matt Landstra was called for pass interference, even though we were up 42-10 at the time. I raved over the effort shown by Kellen Nesbitt throughout the game (Kellen reminds me a lot of me when I was a player, except that he is big, fast, and smart, and I was, well, on the team). I’m a defensive guy. I played safety at Central Missouri and loved it, even though I wasn’t very good at it. Five-foot-eight, 180 pound safeties who run a 4.8 40-yard dash don’t cut it in the MIAA, even in the early 1990s. But I loved the position, and I love the defensive mentality. My idea of a great football game is 17-10 or 21-14. I don’t like shootouts. Give me some good old blood-n-guts, smash mouth, snot bubble football, the kind where your head hurts from watching the pounding. For that reason, I am not fond of all the rules that favor the offense these days. Start with the quarterback. What is this garbage that he can throw the ball away “if he is outside the tackles?” They finally do away with the “in-the-grasp” rule and now the quarterback can throw the ball away as long as he is outside the pocket? Make him run for it, throw to a receiver, or suffer the consequences! I say if the QB is outside the pocket and he throws the ball into the third row of seats, the 300-pound defensive tackle ought to get to level him for sport! Heck, I’d hate chasing a quarterback that far, and I weight 190! I especially hate that a defensive back can’t frown at a wide receiver without getting a yellow hanky thrown in his direction. Okay, so I got a little carried away when I shrieked at the official on the pass interference play. Landstra did get to the receiver a step ahead of the ball, but heck---I’m so proud of the effort Matt has put forth. He could have tackled the receiver at the snap and I’d have defended him. I’ve just seen too many pass interference penalties called when a defensive back is playing perfect technique. Last season a Mules cornerback had run his receiver into the sideline on a fly route (what is called walling the receiver off), and he got a flag because he didn’t allow the receiver a chance to catch the pass. The ball was thrown just outside the hash marks!! What’s the corner supposed to do, catch it and HAND it to the receiver?!?! I haven’t even discussed the quarterback slide rule. Hey, if he wants to slide, most schools do have a baseball team! He’s wearing pads for crying out loud! Once he crosses the line of scrimmage, he’s a running back in my book. Defensive players also are given just a step-and-a-half after the quarterback throws the football or else they risk a flag for roughing the passer. Again, I weigh about 100 pounds less than most defensive tackles and I can’t stop a full sprint in a step-and-a-half! I’m surprised we don’t see more knee injuries from defensive players trying to stop on a dime to save quarterbacks. The reason for this rule? The quarterback is in a vulnerable position. And exactly what is a wide receiver who is stretched out over the middle when said quarterback throws high heat? A hood ornament for most safeties! THAT is the most vulnerable position in the game, yet we encourage defensive backs to tattoo those poor souls (shoot, I used to dream about a shot like that, but first I had to get on the field!). Sorry if I’ve gotten a little carried away. I guess it does make for more excitement for most fans, though. Most football fanatics want to see touchdowns. They want bombs and breakaways and high-flying shootouts. Offense does, after all, sell tickets. But remember, DEFENSE wins championships!
Joe Moore is a regular contributor to MulesCentral.com. "View From The Press Box" is published every Wednesday.

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