University of Washington soccer supporters came up on the shorter conclude of the adhere Saturday (10-13-07) when the Arizona State Sun Devils blew into Seattle and prolonged their winning streak to 7 with a 44-20 second fifty percent victory. The Sunlight Devils outscored Washington in the 3rd quarter 21- and in the next fifty percent 31-3, and it is a superior thing because if the sport experienced ended at the 50 %, Washington would have gained 17-13.
Therein lies the problem of the youthful, inexperienced Washington Huskies: they performed a terrible 3rd quarter and have not but realized how to acquire video games.
This statistic would not suggest a lot except you know that:
Washington led then No. 10-ranked Ohio State 7-3 at the 50 percent and misplaced 33-14 in its 3rd game. It was tied with then No. 27-rated UCLA 10-10 at the fifty percent and missing 44-31 in its 4th game.
Washington led then No. 1-ranked Southern Cal 17-14 at the 50 % and dropped 27-24 in its 5th match. They led then No. 12-ranked Arizona Condition 17-13 at the 50 % and misplaced 44-20 in its 6th recreation.
You much better believe that Sunshine Satan Coach Dennis Erickson was far more than sweating bullets just after looking at redshirt freshman quarterback Jake Locker scamper for a 32-yard landing operate with 4:11 to go in the initially half, providing Washington its 17-13 guide.
Do Husky followers understand that if every single of these online games ended at the 50 percent, Washington’s history would be 5–1 relatively than 2-4? Washington would have an unbeaten history following polishing off Syracuse 42-12 in an away sport and upsetting then No. 22-ranked Boise Point out 24-10 in its to start with two games.
You should, do not be sophomoric (as in often moronic) and remind me that a recreation lasts 60 minutes and only the closing score counts. To do so would ignore the point I am making. You could with fairness make the stage that the Huskies have been tripping in excess of on their own coming out of the locker place to commence the next 50 percent of their past 4 video games.
Why this has been happening leaves Coach Ty Willingham clueless. He is quoted in the Tacoma Information Tribune (10-14-07 edition) as expressing, “It truly is clearly a complicated point to talk about due to the fact I really don’t have a option to it.”
Willingham, a male of heretofore impeccable benchmarks and integrity, is also genuine. Fewer than 1% of all school soccer coaches would not publicly repeat Willingham’s admission.
One detail is for guaranteed: Whatever Willingham and his coaching personnel customers are expressing or not indicating to Husky players at halftime, it is not doing work well worth a crap and requires to be adjusted.
Do not notify me that the exact same Husky gamers who might perform earlier mentioned their head with guts and enthusiasm in the to start with half go brain useless and unfeeling through the 2nd 50 percent. I would like to be a bee on the wall in Washington’s locker place at halftime and see what-if any-stinging responses are created. As a certified Monday morning quarterback and mentor, this would be the initial terms out of my mouth at halftime throughout the Arizona State activity:
“Permit me be the first to congratulate you on a phenomenal first half. Arizona State created some issues in the very first 50 % and we did too, but you are major the unbeaten and No. 12-ranked group in the region at halftime, 17-13.
“Some people today would say that the Solar Devils have additional talent on their workforce than we do, but we direct at the 50 percent, 17-13.
“Other individuals would say that the Sunshine Devils have an unbeaten history and our file is 2-3, but we direct at the half, 17-13.
“Even now others would say that the Solar Devils are ranked No. 12 in the place and because we are not rated in the Prime 25, they will acquire this recreation, but we lead at the 50 %, 17-13.
“Now, we are heading to quickly hand absolutely everyone a slip of paper and a pen, and by mystery ballot I want you to speedily publish down which participant you imagine is the chief of this group.”
Just after the ballots are promptly collected and Jake Locker’s title is on each and every ballot or just about each ballot, I would say this:
“Jake, you may perhaps be a redshirt freshman but your teammates think you are the chief of the Washington Husky football group.
“I want you, Jake, to get up suitable now and convey to the coaching staff members and your fellow teammates why we can gain the 2nd fifty percent of this video game, how we are likely to do it, and what it will consider to do it.”
I would then, as the head coach, sit down, shut up and hear. Just after Jake is performed with whatever he suggests, I would check with any other player who been given a vote as THE group chief to get up and do the exact same point.
Enable the gamers persuade by themselves and imagine they can do in the next 50 % what they did in the first half: outscore the opponent. Do that and Washington upsets its opponent.
Now, why is Washington the nation’s most statistically incredible group?
1) The Huskies are rated No. 41 in the Sagarin Rankings.
2) Their existing document is 2-4.
3) They are rated No. 1 for acquiring performed-for the 4th consecutive 7 days-the hardest routine amid all 242 Division I-A and 1-AA groups.
4) There is not a different workforce amid Sagarin’s first 40 rated teams with much less than 4 wins.
5) The future highest rated Sagarin group with only 2 wins is No. 60 North Carolina at 2-5.
6) The Huskies, as Sagarin’s 41st ideal rated team in the nation, are in advance of No. 42 Alabama (5-2), No. 44 Wisconsin (5-2 and ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll just two weeks back), No. 46 Louisville (4-3), No. 48 Texas A&M (5-2), No. 51 Air Drive (5-2), and No. 52 Indiana (5-2). Not way too shabby, as the former Opera Guy (Adam Sandler) would say on Saturday Night time Live.
7) The highest rated workforce with the exact same 2-4 report as Washington is Stanford at No. 68. Stanford has played the 4th hardest program in the region.
8) North Carolina, which has a 2-5 file, is rated No. 60. The Tar Heels have performed the 3rd hardest timetable by means of college football’s week 7.
I know, now you question who has performed the 2nd hardest agenda. It is 1-6 Notre Dame. I be expecting the Huskies to lose against Oregon (ideally not by 53-7 like cross-state rival Washington Condition) and California. I predicted this two weeks back on Oct 3.
I also predicted on October 3 that Washington would conquer (in get) Arizona, Stanford, Oregon State, Washington Condition and Hawaii, finishing the yr at 7-6. Dangle on, Husky fans, the greatest is however to come.
Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley
