New Numbers for the Kids, Plus Some QB Talk

This QB situation does seem to be getting more and more sketchy. I hoped our “two-QB” system would be Andy Hendrix coming in for fourth quarters (in preparation for starting in 2012) after Crist gets the game wrapped up by the end of the third. Yeah, not so much.

Further, Crist and Rees have the same “A” package now? Does that mean Rees stepped up after playing a different package the second-half of last year or Crist stepped down to Tommy’s package? And are Hendrix and Golson even the same kind of mobile qb? Hendrix seems like he’ll excel in called run plays, whereas Golson’s uber-scrambling is a habit that will be hard to break this year (redshirt, anyone?).

I trust BK and Molnar know what they’re doing, and I like BK’s political maneuverings with other parts of the program, but this, again, seems sketchy.

I wouldn’t be so worried about the QB’s. Remember Weis trying to be innovative by working out 3 QB’s in the fall? As soon as Georgia Tech smacked us in the face he abandoned that ship. I think the opposite will occur here. ND will try to be cute and use another QB for some plays in the first half of USF, the half will end with one clear starter and the score will be a little too uncomfortable for Irish fans. At least, thats what I’m hoping for.

Perhaps this is just to keep the younger quarterbacks engaged in the process (i.e. they don’t transfer) and keep the fire on Crist to avoid complacency.

Sketchy is a good term I would say Mike D.

I am hoping for the 2-QB system that you’ve described too, but I think Kelly plans on using Hendrix more liberally than that. Or so we think!

I don’t know how much to read into the whole A versus B package for the quarterbacks. I think Kelly is using it pretty loosely to describe package A as the guys who aren’t running a lot, and package B as guys who will be.

I can’t see Crist stepping down down Rees’ package from last year. At the very least Crist should be making the tougher throws (the spring game reinforces this belief). If he’s not attempting those throws, what’s the point of having him in there?

I also hope that Crist runs a little bit. That’s where those packages don’t fit for me. Crist can run somewhat, but Rees is pretty limited.

I honestly think that Kelly isn’t really sure what he’s going to do, and that’s why we see a lot of these comments that seem to contradict what he’s said in the past.

I’d like to think he has a firm plan in place, but I bet it’s pretty fluid. Like you, I love what he’s doing elsewhere with the roster, but this seems like a huge juggling act right now.

Kevin H,

Please rephrase. I’m not sure I understand your point fully.

Sean F,

I think to a degree that is exactly what’s going on…but it’s such a long offseason that it doesn’t always seem that way. It’s definitely going to take a lot of savvy moves by Kelly to keep all four quarterbacks on campus for their entire careers.

My senses tell me Kelly has more or less told Hendrix he’s going to be the change of pace guy. Otherwise, wouldn’t it be unwise to come out and say he won’t be starting on Sept. 3rd so far away from such a date?

With Crist’s heretofore inablility to really master the spread and his bad knees, Kelly has to hedge his bets.
Hopefully, everything will work out for Crist, he deserves it.

Greg,

True, true.

Not so fast, I read the the article in a dif. light… Kelly’s got two packages, like at cinncy, one for
the passers and one for the runners. Crist will start and Hendrix will come in two throw the D
a curve ball, not a lot but some. Reese is the safety net… if crist falls awkwardly, hint, hint

Its not about the offense this year, its the Defense that will dictate the games in ’11… Plenty of
opportunities for the O

MikeD9888,

Here’s the thing though…Kelly never opted for a true 2-QB system at Cincy. He played more than one guy due to injuries, but I don’t believe he followed the Meyer/Tebow plan like he is planning this year.

There’s no doubt there’s two packages for the guys now in South Bend. I’m just a little bit skeptical of how it will all work out.

I do agree that the defense should dictate games, and I can’t wait for that.

But it’s 3rd and 4 on our 28 yard line with 2:47 remaining in the first quarter against USF. Hendrix is coming in…and I love the kid, but a lot of problems can come from doing this all season long.

If Crist can flourish in the spread, including the run, there’s no need for a 2nd. package.

Greg,

That is kind of the point I tried to make. I don’t think Crist will ever be great in this offense (as in All-American/Heisman great), but he can be very good, even if he’s not a big runner.

I prefer the mobile QB like Hendrix, and theoretically I like the change of pace guy in there once in a while, but if Crist is moving the offense and winning games, I think it invites more problems than it alleviates.

Kelly, going back to last years Michigan game having his Number 1 going down and seeing a walk-on and a true freshmen perform, must have been a very lonely feeling for Brian. I agree with Greg that he is “hedging his bets”. I agree with you Eric, that Crist has shown much more than others might credit him for. If he is and does say healthy ND will do very well next year. I am guessing that Kelly names Crist the starter for Florida but also stating we will be seeing another one of the three very early in the game. Most likely that will be Hendrix, Kelly needs to figure out what he has to work with before burning Golson’s redshirt. I think ND will do very well with any of the QB’s. We might be able to survive the first few games playing multiple QB’s but as the weeks progress it will narrow to two. One from each platoon. Crist will be running and either Hendrix/Golson will be used on complete drives rather than Red Zone situations. I agree with you Eric, Kelly is unsure how things are going to play out. But either way we will be seeing better quarterbacking in 2011!! Hopefully we survive early!!

BK is playing games – with Murtaugh and with the QBs.
Let’s not read too much into anything yet.

Marty,

Holy crap we’re playing Florida to open the season!?!? Ha!

I just don’t see Golson playing this year, but it could happen. I’d be shocked if we saw more than three guys on a semi-regular basis without any injuries.

Terry,

It’s my job to read into it!

Dayne Crist is a fine runner. They held him back last year because they didn’t want him to get injured (and he did get injured on a pretty nice run), but now that they run 4-deep at QB, they should be able to just let Crist run the offense fully. Remember against Pitt when Crist juked out Jabal Sheard and ran it in for a TD? Sheard was a 2nd round pick of the Browns. Crist can run just fine, and this year they should let it all hang out.

I don’t want to jump to conclusions about the QB situation until we see how it unfolds on the field. It’s kinda silly to get all worked up about it in July if Hendrix doesn’t play a snap this season. Here’s what I don’t like, though; if Hendrix were to enter the game, it seems to me that it’s telegraphing to the defense what’s coming. If everyone knows that Hendrix is the running QB, and he enters the game…well, I’m pretty sure it’s to run the ball.

Chris,

I will stop short of calling Crist a fine runner. Unless you mean fine as in okay. My biggest problem is that he lacks initial burst, and takes too long to get his wheels in motion. That’s a big issue in this kind of offense. However, once he does get going he is a capable runner, although I still think he lacks a little bit of awareness and general instinct out in the open. If he can take the ball a few times a game and add 15 or 20 yards rushing…the offense should be fine as long as he’s playing well throwing the rock around.

You may be right about what will happen when Hendrix comes in. But, remember he has a great arm too…and his presence out there can be distracting, especially with him lined up next to Cierre Wood, or having Riddick come across on a fake (or not) jet-sweep. There are a lot of things they can do with a mobile QB in there, and at some point Hendrix will throw the ball I am sure.

I agree, I don’t like the senario where if X QB comes into the game, it’s less pass and more run; that gives the D an advantage.

I generally don’t like the wildcat formations for that very reason.

In due time, the change of pace QB will throw the ball though.

Eric, I do think we might see two quarterbacks against SOUTH Florida in the first half. If the game is still close in the 4th quarter, the quarterback out there might telegraph to us who Kelly prefers. I think what MikeD said earlier that the defense might dictate opportunies for offensive experimentation. I agree that there will not be a three man rotation. We still have 60 days to come up with the answer!! LOL

Eric me Lad;

I understand that it’s your job to read into it. IMO BK knows this and he is using you, and he is having a little fun.

Once practice starts and everything is sorted out this will all be forgotten.

I do admit, though that it is fun to speculate, fuss, make forgettable pronouncements, all the while marking off one more day until practice starts.

You’re doing a fine job.

My prediction (I know no one asked) 1) Crist, 2) Hendrix, 3) Rees 4) Golson.

Eric – Your picture makes you look more than a little bit like John Lennon ca. 1966.

Is there some hidden reason behind this?

Terry,

We are a long ways away from this being over. It definitely won’t stop once practice starts…maybe around mid-October, perhaps?

BK can use me all he wants. Wait…that came out wrong. You know what I mean.

No hidden meanings behind my avatar. That is in fact Lennon from 1966. I usually use Beatles-related pics for my avatars, and usually Macca ones.

However, since Michael Collins is no longer writing for us, I decided to switch it to Lennon because that’s what he had.

Hendrix will transfer. Golson will move to corner.
Kelly doesn’t have his perfect-fit for his system on campus at the moment.

He doesn’t have the perfect fit on campus?

Apparently you haven’t seen what Tate Nichols can do.

I like Crist at quarterback, but I don’t think he’s comfortable running the spread. He was such a good quarterback in high school he never had to run and then spent two years learning Weis’s pro-style offense. Last year was his first season in the spread, and it showed. BK didn’t call the zone read very often, but when he did Crist seemed a little hesitant to keep it and lacked that “burst” Eric mentioned. Being in the offense for a whole season and having two spring and summer camps under his belt will help Crist immensely. I like Tommy Rees a lot, and he’s a safer pick for the QB job, but I think the ceiling is much higher for Crist. I think as long as he stays healthy, Crist will hold down the starting job for the next two years and Hendrix or Golson will ascend to the QB Throne.

Or Kelly will decide to start the true freshman against USF. I dunno.

/end novel

That’s some mighty fine trolling MJ. If that is your real name.

Holy Cow! this topic will be on fire by September. Kelly is a politician no? Do you think his QBs don’t know the situation? If they don’t he’s not much of a coach(he is). I think he has a solid handle on this. Crist is the starter, Rees If he gets hurt, Hendrix with some packages in certain situations and the long term solution if Crist gets hurt. Golson is a wild card if he shows great progress this summer or a red-shirt if not.
Eric hope this site doesn’t change much after the move. This stuff is the best,thanks.

burger23,

Can we pin point Crist’s lack of burst in one of those nifty video screen shots? That would be awesome…

Anyway, I agree with what you’re saying and I’m intrigued to see just how much more comfortable Crist looks and feels this year. I also hope, as some have pointed out, that the leash is off and he runs more than he did on the whole last year.

No reason to keep him bottled up, if we have 4 QB’s the coach can win with.

TLNDMA,

Kelly is most certainly a politician, and I suspect he’s playing some games with us. It’s all good as long as it gives us something to talk about, right?

I would like to be a fly on the wall when he does talk to the quarterbacks…that would have to be something else to see.

There shouldn’t be any major changes to the site once we move, except hopefully getting better at what we do. We are adding, or should I say keeping, a couple writers from the original SBN Irish site Rakes of Mallow, and they will boost our coverage.

One of those is burger23 right here in the comment section, if you do not already know him!

Crist has a 5th year of eligiblity…do you think he will take it, and if so how do you feel it will effect Hendrix and Golson? I did read at ND Nation that someone said Crist in a recent interview stated…“I have 2 years left……….” The person reporting that didnt give any further details or basics of the interview. If Crist did say that it sounds like he may consider taking his 5th year.

Well I feel better that Crist is now on the Maxwell watch list — since this means he’s starting and playing until the game is wrapped up, right?

Bill,

Some of our commentators have disagreed, but I expect Crist to be back in 2012. I don’t think he will say anything about coming back until after the 2011 season is over.

Some have stated that if he plays great, he will bolt to the NFL. I don’t think that’s likely given that A.) He has a long history of injuries and B.) Even if he plays tremendous this year I don’t see him anything higher than a 3rd round pick.

I think in such a scenario, he would be returning for 5th year after (likely) guiding Notre Dame to a double-digit winning season, and providing the leadership the team will need for the 2012 schedule from Hades.

The only scenario I see him walking away is if he suffers another long-term injury and/or he loses his starting job and never regains it any point to finish the 2011 season.

Mike D,

Don’t they put like 300 kids on the Maxwell watch list? I’m probably exaggerating but they tend to put a lot on there.

I didn’t make it through all the comments due to time, so forgive me if this was already said:

I think this is a clever ploy by BK. Basically he is telling Crist, Hendrix and Golson to step up their game (in effect challenging them) while bolstering the confidence of Rees. I think he knows what each kid needs and gives it to them, much like Floyd and H Smith last year (he was very critical of Floyd and challenged him, while being very supportive of Smith and giving him confidence). All in all I don’t want to read too much into this. I think Crist is the most complete/ready QB, while Hendrix/Golson are next. You know what you are going to get from Rees, which is great from a coaches standpoint b/c you can put the kid in the game in any situation and he will be fine. To me, its all boils down to BK saying to DC its your job to lose, so work your butt off and prove me right (or wrong, depending on how you look at it).

Just a thought…

Interesting take Jim Miesle.

We could probably read a lot into his comments, as we’ve done here. But what you’re saying makes a lot of sense.

Eric, I agree Dayne will be back in 2012. Manti too. The only thing that could change that is a 2011 NC, in my opinion. I think these kids have been through too much not to appreciate the oppurtunity in front of them. I believe Kelly has changed , or maybe altered is a better word, their mindset, as to the ultimate reason they play. You hear so much less talk from them about the NFL. It’s always “national championship”. I don’t think it’s just “talk”. It’s what they are striving for.

I think there’s 66 on the Maxwell list, which is a lot, but still…I bet no other QB on the list is getting the publicity from their HC that DC is getting.

I don’t get how this message gives each QB what he needs, but I’ll stop freaking out about it. For example, I don’t see why Golson has to step up his game other than the usual welcome to college (redshirt). I can see calling out Hendrix like BK did during spring practice for his interceptions, but that’s not part of this. And I don’t see the Andrew Luck comments bolstering Crist in any deserved way.

In other news, Jarron Jones pulls his five-star soft verbal from PSU. It’s between us, North Carolina (sure), and Virginia Tech (meh) now.

Yeah the attitude change was a must and should start manifesting itself in a more powerful way in 2011.

Don’t forget, PSU is still in it for Jones. But their fans are flipping out nonetheless!

Eric,

In reading your comments it seems you would favor seeing Hendrix as a change of pace to Crist/Rees rather than Golson. I am interested in this because I feel as a true athlete that can make game changing runs, Goslon would be the guy since he is much shiftier, quicker and more elusive. Dont get me wrong…Hendrix is mobile, but he is not going to give you that 25 yard scramble like Golson can. Hendrix is more of a rollout and if nobody is open get an easy 8 yards kind of qb (in my opinion). I think that Golson gives the Irish more of a “change of pace” whereas Hendrix may be a faster version of Dayne with less grasp of the playbook and less experience.

If Hendrix were battling Golson outright for the first string job? No Question I would want Hendrix taking the opening snap vs. USF, but since were talking change of pace I think that Golson has to be your guy because of the elite level of athleticism he can bring to the qb position.

Alex,

I think you might be spot on when you said “Hendrix may be a faster version of Dayne with less grasp of the playbook and less experience.” But I’m ok with trying the glorified Wildcat with Hendrix for a few games to see how it works. Honestly, is putting Hendrix in on 3rd and 2 and running the Tebow Smash or a zone read or speed option any different than lining up with two TEs and running straight ahead? Either way you’re telegraphing run but this adds something else the other team needs to prepare for. That said, if it doesn’t work I would rather Kelly scrap it rather than try to shoehorn it into the offense.

Also, I would really hate to see Golson burn his redshirt as a change-of-pace QB. I would rather him preserve that all important year of eligibility, learn the playbook, bulk up, and come in as a man beast in a few years.

Also, another positive in the SBNation move is the comment sections over there. The tiered structure makes it much easier to follow conversations.

Alex & Burger,

1.) Absolutely do not want to burn Golson’s redshirt this year. That would throw so many wrenches into the future of the position, Hendrix would possibly transfer, and I think it’s completely unnecessary at this point. He’s not big enough and is simply not use to being hit by large college defenders. Remember, the only time he was truly pressured and hit in the backfield in the spring game, he fumbled and turned the ball over.

2.) I understand the excitement over Golson’s athleticism. However, I think we are slightly overrating his and slightly underrating Hendrix’s.

That is to say, Golson is a terrific athlete, and a great runner. But I don’t think I’ve seen enough pure running ability, juking ability, field awareness, and pure speed to the point where he HAS to see the field as a true freshman.

I think in time he will become one of the country’s best dual-threat guys, but I still think he’s more of a passer first and he’s not quite a transcendent Michael Vick-type of runner that absolutely needs to see the field right away.

With Hendrix I think he’s quite a bit more athletic, fast, and mobile than Crist….especially the 2011 version of Dayne.

I thought coming out of high school that Crist’s athleticism was pretty good, but certainly nothing overwhelming. Multiple injuries and a system change later and he’s pretty much at average with his mobility for his size.

Hendrix is a different animal, and I think this has been known for quite a while. He has stated in interviews that he wasn’t allowed to run a lot in high school because Moeller didn’t have a quality back up. But I still loved his athleticism, speed, toughness, and mobility at that age.

Basically, what I’m saying is that at this point, I don’t think there’s much of a difference in the running abilities of Hendrix and Golson. If Golson is a little more athletic and a tad faster…Hendrix makes up for that with size and power.

The one thing I love about Hendrix, and it was apparent watching him in high school and in the spring game, is how quick his feet are. When he rolls out he is constantly moving his feet, and it doesn’t take him long to pull the ball down and get moving on the option read. In this respect, I believe he is a significant upgrade from Crist in the running game.

I love Golson and in due time he will be a real player, but Hendrix is more than capable of pulling down long runs. I’ve heard some people who have watched him extensively say that for a white guy, he runs like deer and has great agility and quickness. If you’re expecting a Crist-like runner, you’ll probably be surprised.

And anyway, if one of the guys are coming in strictly to be the change of pace quarterback, it’s probably better to have the bigger tougher guy who can run between the tackles if need be. I look forward to the day when Golson pulls the ball down and gains 35 yards on a QB draw, but the change of pace guy is likely to be limited to a lot of short yardage and goal line situations where quickness and power are at a premium over open-field speed and agility.

That’s why it has to be Hendrix this year.

Oh yeah, and I’m definitely looking forward to the SBN comment section too.

Eric….all great points and I’m starting to agree with you a little bit. If we are going to be using the change of pace as more of a “tebow” and a between the tackles runner in goal line situations I think that Hendrix is the better choice. How does this affect Golson, though?

Lets say Hendrix sits behind Dayne the next 2 years then assumes the starting role. Will Golson just be stuck behind Hendrix? If Hendrix truly is as elusive as you think he is it seems Golson will not be a “change of pace” to Hendrix, but just his backup.

Murtaugh, I must respectfully disagree with your reading of the tea leaves:

“Secondly, it’s interesting that Kelly says he doesn’t have an Andrew Luck to work with. It seems fairly obvious, but I’d imagine that can’t make Dayne Crist feel all that great when Kelly is effectively announcing to the world that he doesn’t have a legit number one quarterback. Heck, he doesn’t even need to make comparisons to Luck in this regard, at least in the way that he framed the answer. Notre Dame doesn’t have that one starting quarterback like the vast majority of college football where all the others will wait behind him?”

Kelly says that he doesn’t have Andrew Luck to work with because he doesn’t. Only one team does and that’s Stanford. It’s kind of like Brett Favre. Brett Favre alone is Brett Favre. But seriously folks, Luck is the number one signal-caller in college football. He could have been a number one overall pick if he’d declared.

Crist had his moments last year, but Andrew Luck he wasn’t. A peremptory comparison of the two QB’s stats will make that obvious. Kelly called Crist out last spring, and last summer camp, if memory serves. There are two factors at play: (a) Crist isn’t a top-5 Division One quarterback YET, (2) Crist can’t run like Luck—seriously have you seen Luck run? the kid’s got skillz that killz—and he absolutely laid out an SC linebacker after the guy recovered a fumble wow that was sweet—and (D) Kelly feels that he can keep Crist motivated by pointing out the obvious.

Kelly merely said that if he had Luck—or, if he speaking figuratively, a quarterback of Luck’s caliber—one QB would get all of the reps/playing time. I don’t take that as a knock on Crist. Crist knows he’s not Michael Vick.

Saying that we don’t have Andrew Luck, bottom line, is not the same as saying that we don’t “have that one starting quarterback like the vast majority of college football where all the others will wait behind him.”

And I think everyone needs to quit getting their panties in a bunch about the “two-qb” system. Kelly gave us the blueprint, which he took from a National Championship team. He’s really talking about more of a one-qb system with occasional qb-run wildcat plays thrown in. Florida really only really put Tebow in to run the ball and to run the read option, with the occasional pass play thrown in for good measure. Worked out pretty well for them. And yes, I know that their D was ridiculous, but our D is going to boast a hell of a lot of talent from all over the country.

I tend to agree that putting in your running qb—like the wildcat—telegraphs your play and makes it easy on the defense. But when you have guys that can throw the ball like Hendrix and Golson, I think defenses take a much bigger risk if they disregard the pass.

Still, as Florida showed us, putting in the running QB just gives you one more wrinkle, which is nice when have a ridiculous D, a great O-line, and speed out the whatnot at your skill positions.

Mouth

Alex,

That’s the $5 million question.

Hendrix has the advantage of being older, bigger, and in the system longer. He’ll probably have the added advantage of seeing the field this year too.

Yet, Golson is dubbed “the future” by many and probably has more upside in terms of athleticism and being “Kelly’s guy” in the system.

How this will be resolved is hard to tell.

Mouth,

I don’t disagree with you, but I did read it a little differently.

I’m not a huge Crist supporter, but I think he played pretty well last year given the circumstances surrounding him. He’s a 5-star recruit (yes, I know it doesn’t matter anymore) with a lot of talent and leadership. I just think Kelly’s running in circles a little bit with some of his comments.

Of course Crist isn’t Andrew Luck, but I totally believe Crist can be that guy who takes all the snaps and leads this team to BCS dreams.

And like I said, one example of a team (with ridiculous talent at every position and possibly the greatest college player ever) isn’t much of a blueprint. I could conjure up anything for this offense based off of one season that some title team did.

Just the fact that it’s difficult for coaches and fans to even TALK about a two-QB system is enough to be a little concerned. Despite the UF example, there are plenty of others to show that even bringing in a change of pace guy can lead to big problems. I think it’s plenty justifiable to be afraid of it, and this is coming from someone who can’t wait to see Hendrix take the field.

I know this is really a kind of way for Kelly to motivate and push guys with a lot of these comments, but some of it is a little head scratching. In the end, he’s trying to sell playing multiple QB’s, and balancing four good QB’s on the roster. It’s not going to be easy.

Yeah, BK really is playing a game and playing us all. Crist, Rees, Hendrix, Golson, four QB’s, two packages . . . It’s all a smoke screen.

What you don’t realize is the real situation – LNIII will start at QB and rumble for 3 TD’s in the opening half against SFU, carrying 9 defenders an average of 70 yards for each TD (after eating the first two that approached). The change of pace will be having Crist come in to run out the clock starting in the second quarter.

We’re playing San Francisco in the opener???

:)

Don’t get me wrong, Murtaugh, I’m not poor-mouthing Crist. I think that if he doesn’t go down against Tulsa, we beat Tulsa, beat Utah and Army worse, and thrash USC. Then again, maybe if Crist doesn’t go down, our defense doesn’t step up like they did, but I again digress. Honestly, anyone who would take Rees over Crist because Rees is a “winner” is either blind or simply did not watch Tommy play pitch and catch—without the catch—with USC’s defensive line.

But I actually think that Crist has the natural ability and leadership charisma/x-factor/je ne sais quoi to be close to Luck’s level. I totally agree that Crist can be the guy to take us to the BCS. I’m counting on it. I will be crying and pouting like a three-year-old if we’re not in the BCS or MNC come the new year. It’s just that Crist hasn’t yet sniffed Luck’s zip code in terms of level of play. I don’t think that it’s a knock on Crist. I think that Kelly’s saying that we don’t have an all-world guy like Luck. That’s just a fact.

True, one example of success using multiple QB’s does not guarantee that we will be successful. I concede that point, but I don’t think that using a change-of-pace guy for a couple of snaps is that dangerous. I think it creates more opportunities than problems.

OderName,

You make a good point, but only if Tate Nichols doesn’t want the job. I heard that Kyle Rudolph did not actually get drafted. Tate Nichols ate him. Accidentally, but still…

Murtaugh,

We are clearly playing San Francisco in the opener, as Tate Nichols sneezed in a south-easterly direction and took out USF’s entire team.

Mouth,

We basically agree, we’re kind of just arguing over semantics.

Playing a change of pace guy can create some opportunities, specifically in keeping Hendrix focused and on campus, that much is true.

But I can’t imagine what will happen if Crist struggles, and Hendrix has a stat line something like 14 rushes for 97 yards, 7 of 11 passing for 86 yards, and 3 total touchdowns through three games.

Is Rees coming in?

Does the team finally give up on Crist and let Hendrix steer the ship?

What would a situation like this do the morale across the board?

It would be a situation as sticky as a summer day in Buffalo, cause damn it’s muggy here today!!

Agree to disagree.

We’ll see what happens, but I’m not considering that possibility. I’m certain that Crist will be up to the challenge.

I don’t want to hear your crap about Buffalo. It’s like 130 and humid in Dallas. And the AC is out in my car. And rolling with the windows down feels like running through an oven.

Mouth,

But you have the advantage of getting a lot of nice weather throughout the year, so I don’t want to hear your crap! We get two nice days in the spring, summer, and fall…otherwise it’s insufferably cold and snowy, gloomy and rainy, or hot with the air like glue.

Someone over at Inside the Irish made some comments after mentioning my piece that I think I neglected to talk about: the fact that this is Kelly’s way of relieving Crist of the pressure that he faced last year.

In a way I think that is a smart move, especially with Crist coming over another injury. If he’s not coming off an injury I don’t think it’s a good move, but he is.