'Dogs headed for unofficial 8th home game
On a sunnyish, shadyish, hotish, coldish fall day in beautiful Fresno, your friendly neighborhood bloggers were gchatting it up about Fresno State football and other things of that nature. The convo went a little something like this ...
FSDogs1: Hey DaCo, what's blueish, yellowish, has 22 hands in its starting lineup and stinks...bad?
DaCo: You know what, I think I know where you're going with this, and I have to say, I think it's rather insensitive in today's world to make fun of what I can only assume is a team with special needs.
FSDogs1: You know what? You're right. That was insensitive of me and I apologize. San Jose State does have many special needs -- offense, defense, special teams...
DaCo: Let me stop you right there. It's clear that my time is of no value to you, otherwise why would you jump into a list that quite possibly, might never come to an end? We are talking about a team whose head coach admits to fielding a JV squad you know.
FSDogs1: This is true. Let's just hope Pat Hill & Co. see to it that Fresno Sate pounds this opponent like a JV squad, unlike last week when they essentially sat on the ball the entire second half and let it look closer than it ever was against New Mexico State.
DaCo: (Pause for reader chuckling and that'll be the day thoughts ... ... ... OK that's enough)
I understand there is a vicious game of paper rock scissors going on already between Rouse, Harris, Slocum and Ellis to see who gets the chance to do some stat-padding against the team from the valley of stuff used for fake boobs.
FSDogs1: Speaking of Rouse, Harris, Slocum and Ellis, what's the deal with the RB situation? Isn't it pretty obvious, despite Rouse's recent big game, that Slocum or Harris should get starting carries with Rouse sprinkled in? That's obviously when he's most effective.
DaCo: Now it's getting serious. And there's no easy answer, which is mostly due to the running backs not taking the job and making it easy. I agree with the Rouse sprinkling, or change of pace theory if you want to call it that (which I do). He's essentially play-action for the run game. That adds more danger to his dangerous potential. On a side note, here's yet another reason not to keep teams "in the game" by running and punting to preserve leads. Reserves lose time to show gamer ability for upcoming games and seasons. Gamer ability > other time ability.
FSDogs1: Absolutely. I was just pondering this over my Chipotle burrito today at lunch. Why does Boise State seemingly have the same team each year? Same abilities, same talent, same strengths? It's because they play all their players. They get big, huge leads and put in everyone they can. Players get used to executing in live game situations and when it's the reserves' turn to be starters, they have that maturity.
DaCo: I lost you after Chipotle burrito. All I saw was Chipotle burrito blah blah bloo bloo blee blee. Nevertheless, I agree with that. To bring myself back on track, I'll say this about the game this weekend — there is a bottom line to the result. A good win against the spartans will be one where their weaknesses are exposed, where Fresno State's will is imposed and an obvious butt-kicking ensues, both on the scoreboard and on the video proof. I tried to make that somewhat generic, so you can have fun filling in the blanks in between those generalities with as many hypothetical's as your imagination will allow. Ah, Devan Cunningham touchdowns...
FSDogs1: Speaking of imagination, was it my imagination or did we see the Swamp Thing lurking around Spartan Stadium back in the day when it was a soggy, muddy mess there? It could be a mess again, with a 30% chance of rain Saturday. I hear they have Field Turf now though -- I guess those hippies from up the road at Cal weren't too worried about destroying Swampy's natural habitat...
DaCo: I have a few thoughts and theories about that, you know. Wasn't it only fitting that a team that consistently played like crap had a muddy field that resembled ... well, poop? I'm guessing Fresno State finally had enough of playing road home games on a mixture of chocolate milkshake and wheat grass, and told the sparta AD to use the ticket revenue from Fresno State fans to install turf. It's OK though, because we still have those flexible wooden aisle steps and PlaySkool benches to enjoy before, during and after the game. Hooray luxury!
FSDogs1: OK, OK, I can see this convo has turned to poop, which I think is our cue to wrap it up and head to the game. My only question is, which quarter are the wooden trampolines which they call stadium stairs going to snap and break from the Red Wave celebrating all the looming touchdowns?
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