rufusbass

After seeing the Tribe in the scrimmage.....I would expect the Indians to be the trendy pick to be tops in the District. They got better and better as the scrimmage wore on. Certainly look like a team on the uptick.

I don't have a good, bad, and ugly. Overall, it had to be about what was expected. i thought Oneida would win the scrimmage. (check) I thought the defense would start off slow and build as the scrimmage wore on. (check) I thought Lambert would jump right on mistakes. (check) And the ball security issue would show up with "less experienced players. (check) Surprises.....Cheetah was way more effective than one would have expected after a year out of Football. (averaged probably 13 yards per touch on ground) C. West was, generally speaking, solid on only two days of practice. N. Duncan could have had more touches. (remember this isn't a condemnation of the coaches, I'd say he is reaquainting himself with some fundamentals) Defense started slow. (if I played on Mr. Lambert's defense i would show up early and often) One thing appears certain....the Indians will be sharper as the Fall rolls around, you just get a sense of that. Skipping rocks.....

So, Coach Lambert and his staff takes out the Tribe tomorrow night. Anticipation builds up here on the Reservation. He got his QB back two days ago....not sure if he will get a ton of reps. I imagine he is a bit rusty. What a boost we get on the outside with the return of Duncan and the one they call Cheetah. I would think that has to free up Mr. West (Houston) to roam against one defender more. Can't tell you how many times he ran against bracket coverage last year. The offense will easily have a chance to be more balanced this time. Oneida without a running game just doesn't happen....Bear and the boys will have a little more room IMO because defenses won't be able to load the box with extra defenders. The passing game should free things up. And I haven't said one word about Tony Lambert's Defense.

Nary a comment.....what's up with that? I mean everyone was getting up on the soapbox to bash the coach just weeks ago. Heard the lawyer is strutting around like a peacock. Even posts on FB how he has basically saved the day. West is back up in the hot seat with some solid players to work with....can he save the day. One thing for certain......everyone is walking around looking over their shoulders. Is that the way to enjoy life? Erradication of virus is acceptable.....I'll just skip rocks.

No one has predicted how next years team will fare. I think the team will be sharp. Lambert has a solid rep as a football coach. Like him/hate him or don't care.....his teams usually do well. I wouldn't expect that to change. It will take the team a while to get into his type of flow, but he has the kind of players at his disposal to do well. If the team maintains their health with no devastating injuries, one would think he can get good mileage out of the team. I would think a 8-2 season is very possible if the team plays to their capabilities. Running the table with no slips would be surprising given the relative quality of their opponents. Of course there are some easy wins there, but there are also certainly games that they can lose if they don't execute or fail to show up.

Good one, Old Chap....! For one thing, it got us in front of the Bulldogs! I think having speed in positions can never be under emphasized. Neither can strength....and I heard the personnal bests were done last Friday. Sounded like a good day from what I heard they lifted. Don't know the exact #, but I heard more than a few were over 300.

Your first line said it all.....! Case closed!!!!!!!!!!

Lambert is probably sitting in the catbird seat listening to all the crap flying around and ignoring it. Fact is he has a job to do and I'd say he is doing it. The metal will pound and the boys will buy in because he said so. His hiring was because Coach Brewster wasn't retained....face it, after interviews he was the best available coach out there. All you conspiracy nuts can go back to the JFK thing for all I care. I'm gonna skip rocks until the season arrives....then I'm gonna watch the Tribe get back to winning ballgames....!

Any thoughts on what I missed the other day with the Lawyer and the angry momma? No local channels in the hollar and UPS don't deliver to the sticks....! lol

It is so far away.....yet tantalizingly close. The Defense will be improved from a year ago, because Lambert will have some prime athletes in key spots. Of course he is going to ride the "we might take a while to gell as a team" stance, but make no mistake he knows what to do with good players. His team at Scott High last year was outmanned in just about every position and he still managed to make that bunch competitive. Oneida graduated 5 players from a year ago and the cupboard ain't bare. A good bet is that the Indian's fortunes continue to rise.

Hmmm.....we must be too deep in the off-season. Not a vapor? Maybe the old pitchfork and noose gang went home. Rufus think what is done is done, let Coach Lambert go to work and get this crew heading in the right direction. Don't like having to walk with my tail tucked leaving Coalfield and Sunbright. Not a fine path for a former Indian Brave....it was kinda like the "Trail of Tears" the way the woodshedded us!

Well now, all the puff and huff seems to have died down a little. So lets get back to doing what we do best.....discuss what to expect this spring and where we are headed in the Fall. I like the dynamics of the team we have coming back. Granted, we won't easily replace the kicker, but the rest of it looks pretty good. Some of the new blood we have coming up will make an impact very soon. We have experience on the line, QB, RB, and receiver. The Defense was solid last year, but my guess is it will be better this year because we will actually upgrade in a few positions. LB will be very good as we have a potential All-State Player in Smith. Coach Lambert has his roots in stopping teams and he will have plenty of solid parts to work with, and that ain't going to be good for the opposition. Only one Spring game means plenty of time to teach....so one would expect the kids will be ready this Fall. As long as the kids keep up their iron work and don't listen to the lofty predictions it is hard not to project a very good team being built on the Reservation for the coming season.

And throwing rocks at coaches is the easiest job of all!

Outlaw.....too much stuff going on in Tribeland for the girls to build much stability. There is a momma up there that thinks her child is the next superstar, and the kid ain't even gonna make a dent for playing time. In fact she is the worst player on the team. There is just too much intrusion by the parents, they all think their kid is the best and they are wanting to use the "bully pulpit" to help their own kid. No one cares how the team is doing, just how much PT their little baby gets in the game. Oneida has a formitable bunch of Sophmores and Freshmen. (their Jr. High record the past two years is 41-4) There also appears to be a lawyer up here that has an agenda. Hard to say he cares anything about the school when he repeatedly stirs the pot. Is this occurring everywhere? Sad state of society when the coaches decisions are questioned every step of the way. No one has to agree with the coach, but it is their job and I would think they are being evaluated just like everyone else. I thought the the rookie coach had a fair first year, and I know several people that think that too. Skipping rocks is easier than coaching....!

If I give everything away....folks might visit me down in the hollar and release me of my scalp. (thats what good injuns do) I wouldn't think your going to see much that surprises you if we have played this summer. Good solid big with great shooting touch....numerous forwards that will athletically be as good as most teams you've seen.....cat quick guards (both of them) that handle most presses put in front of them. The back-ups all fit in nicely when starters are out. If we are shooting it well in the sweatbox, I'd say you'll have your hands full containing all of our scorers (i think we have four averaging double digits). I expect out boys know they are coming to play a very good team....anybody left has to be good to get here. I can't guess which style we like to play best....we can play up and down or half court. We have scored in the 80's several times and we have ground out some in the 40's and 50's. Dispite losses in the District and Region Tournaments (both to Wartburg), our kids are playing very well right now and I think our road record is actually better than our home? (don't hold me to that) Now....I gotta go hide in the cave down by the river....at least til the dust settles!