San Jose State 10/29/11

I think I have finally recovered this week and I am getting back to normal after my week prior in New Orleans. What an incredible win we had at Utah State. I am very proud of the guys and I know they put their heart and soul into that win! Even though it was very difficult for me to know what was going on during the game I am so glad we got another road win over a very good football team. I still was not super excited with some of our clock management and some of our play calling. That is just me! I am sure some people worship our play callers, but I still don't understand. When you have a coach who gets off the bus at home games and walks by himself and not with the team needs to be reminded the there is no "I" in TEAM! I need to move on before I get all lathered up again. It is time to get my mind right for the head dress wearing, spear throwing Spartans from San Jose.

Since these spear chucker's are fresh off of a win over the hula girls, they are going to flying pretty high when they arrive Ruston. Don't they know it is homecoming weekend and we schedule teams we can beat on homecoming? I personally feel like our guys are peaking at the right time. I really feel good about this game. So Spartacus get ready to take a butt woopin in Ruston. I did get to talk to Matt a few times this week. He felt good except his back was in knots. I told him he needed a good massage from the legal places. He thought that was funny! He said he was kicking the ball good in his workouts and with the team. JC was going to be snapping again. He said the team had a lot of focus and the energy/emotions were pretty high. I did not ask about any strange kicks this time because the practice them every week. He said they might go for more hang time instead of distance this game.

This would allow the kick coverage more time to get down field I guess. Overall Matt was excited and was ready for game time! We made our way over from North Dallas late Friday afternoon. My parents (John & Carol) were coming over from The Villages, FL for the game as well as Janet's parents (Bob & Margaret) from Spring, TX and her Uncle David from Murphy, TX. We met my parents at Matt's house and loaded up the tailgate stuff and headed to the stadium to setup. That is my favorite part is getting it ready and enjoying a nice adult beverage. We decided to eat at El Jarrito for dinner. This was a pretty happening place and the margaritas were 2 for 1. You can't beat that! The food was ok and I would go back again. After dinner we headed back to the Fairfield Inn. After a nice bottle of red wine it was time to call it a night.

The morning came early and after a few cups of coffee and a nice visit with Mr. Garland it was time to head to the stadium. What a great day for football! Chile Dawgs and Frito Pies were on our menu for the day. Since the game was early I was not fixing breakfast. My breakfast of choice was a good ole spicy bloody mary. I wish more people were here early to tailgate. It is such an awesome environment. Kicking back with family and friends does not get any better. Mr Harper was bringing his wife (Betty) to the game. I had never met her before so I was excited for the opportunity. Mr. Rust and Mr. Hamm hung out with us as well. The chile is heating up, the beer is cold, the dawgs are on the grill, the frito's are singing "sauce me", the world famous cheese ball is waiting and the brownies are in need of some Blue Bell. I knew I forgot something!

The weather is perfect today! Food is served and man does it hit the spot. This is some mighty fine tailgate food with some might fine people! We hear the sirens and know the team is close by. We head over and get in line so I can get my head nod. This is my indicator that all is well and I can have a few more cold beers. It is game time and I am heading in to find my seat. The family is already in the stadium. They like to go watch Matt warm up. Up Up and away! The kickoff is away and this game is underway! Both teams have to punt on their first possession. SJSU then throws the ball for a very nice CB interception. Tech takes over at the SJSU 20. After a 1st down we run 3 plays and Matt comes in and boots a 25 yard FG. I like it! The kickoff is away and it is in the end zone for a touch back. Where have you been all of my like? Awesome kick! SJSU comes back with a TD and SJSU is up 7 - 3. On our next possession we rack up 45 yards in penalties.

What are we doing? Tech punts and the 1st quarter comes to an end with SJSU up 7 - 3. There is still plenty of time, no worries! The 2nd quarter starts off with a bang as Tech scores on a RC 21 yard run making the score 10 - 7 Tech. Now we are talking. SJSU scores next on a 60 yard bomb and then Tech matches it with much more with a 90 yard bigger bomb to QP. Wow! The PAT is good and Tech is up 17 - 14. On Tech's next possession Tech gets down to the SJSU 8 yard line and Matt comes in for a 26 yard chip shot. I am behind my camera lens and it is no good! What just happened? This is not normal. I don't know if he hit the ground first or the spot was off or what. I guess I will find out after the game. Matt will be one hot cracker! SJSU throws an interception JJ returns it to the SJSU 13 with 51 seconds on the clock.

We run 3 plays with a nice little pass to QP and the half comes to an end with Tech up 24 - 14. I am liking this! The offense is moving the ball and our defense is playing well. We start the 3rd quarter with a 12 play drive and LC pounds the ball in from the 1 yard line. The PAT is good and Tech is up 31 - 14! Wow! Let's go Dawgs! On SJSU's first play in the 3rd quarter JD intercepts the pass and takes it to the house. The PAT is good and Tech is up 38 - 14. This is awesome! SJSU scores late in the 3rd quarter and fails on a 2 point conversion and the 3rd quarter comes to an end with Tech up 38 - 22. Let's go defense! This is our game! The 4th quarter starts off punting back in forth and at the 3:18 mark SJSU scores and fails at another 2 point conversion.

Tech is up 38 - 28. Let's run this clock out! Oh yes we did! We just won this ball game! Can you believe it? I am so happy for these guys! This is so awesome! I did not go to the field house after the game. I knew Matt would be very excited with the win, but personally he will be beating himself up inside. Sometimes you just have to get it out of your system by yourself. I went back to the tailgate spot and celebrated with a ice cold Blue Moon! I tried to pickup somethings before everyone else made it back over. When Matt arrived I got a big hug and a smile. You could tell he was excited! I told him great game and what a huge win. You know me! I had to ask what happened! He said it does not matter if it was a bad spot, a bad snap or a fat wedge that it will always be on him.

I left it at that and he said he would watch film tomorrow and he will get it corrected. That young man get it! He is so far ahead of me in his mental thinking. Thank goodness he got that part from his mother. We took off to Chili's to go pig-out and celebrate this great win. We finished off our night with a nice bottle of wine and this guy was hitting the sack. Sunday morning came early and we made our way back to the tailgate area to load up the stuff and take it back to Matt's. My parents were staying in Ruston Sunday night. They went to church with Matt and then cooked him and his roommates steak, mac-n-cheese and roasted new potatoes for dinner that night.

I wish I could of stayed for that meal but the dogs were calling and work was around the corner. I don't say this enough, but I want to thank all of my family members who make their way from several hundred miles to come to the home games every Saturday! It really means a lot to us and we are very grateful for all of the support! Bulldogs you played your heart and soul out and came away with a great victory. I am very proud of each one of you. Everyone played fantastic! Stand-up and rise Bulldog Nation. We have a WAC Championship to go get. PS: Mr. Rust, I have your cooler! The Battle of the Bone is staring us in the face. Nobody takes our bone! Let's get this straight from the beginning! Pat Hill is an awesome coach and will have his team ready. Fresno St is going to be a tough game.

It is a 9:30 central time game on ESPNU. Fresno St has some offensive weapons. I know our defense will be ready to attack. Our players will be ready for whatever is thrown at them! There is only one real Bulldog and that belongs to La Tech! Let's bring this bone back home baby! Best of luck Saturday night Dawgs! Make us proud! It is such a blast to follow Matt Nelson through his eyes and the Bulldog team! I write from the bottom of my heart and what my feelings are at that moment. I don’t intend to ruffle any feathers or hurt anyone, but I am very passionate about La Tech Football! Everything I say comes from beneath my feathers! I am just a College Football Fan! Don’t forget to listen to my friends at Bleed Tech Blue on ESPN 97.7 every Tuesday night at 6:00PM.

May your Football Season be filled with many Football Victories, Sunny Smiles, Sandy Dreams and Travel Your Way! May your Football Season be filled with many Football Victories, Sunny Smiles, Sandy Dreams and Travel Your Way! Until our paths cross again, have a blessed week! College Football Dad!

Hawaii 10/1/11

As I sit here and reflect on our game against Redneck U, I cannot help but wonder "What If"? How can a team that has more goats and stumps get the "W"? Up until the bitter end we had these rednecks right where we wanted them. We have got to learn to be smart with the ball and we must achieve the F-Word! "Finish!" I guess it is time to leave this game alone! It still hurts though! The Red Out is upon us! The ladies with the hula skirts will be making their way over to Ruston

this week. I am not sure what the obsession is with wearing these leaves made into skirts, but it has no place in football. They even attempt a crazy dance/chant called the Haka! Sounds like a new word for spitting! The Haka has various actions that are employed in the course of a performance, including facial contortions such as showing the whites of the eyes and poking out the tongue, and a wide variety of vigorous

body actions such as slapping the hands against the body and stamping of the feet. As well as a variety of cries and grunts are used! This sounds like to me that someone has had 4 too many! All kidding aside if we can confuse this QB like we did the pussycats from Hobby Airport we have a real good chance of sending these ladies back to their island. Matt called me several times during the week. They spent a ton of time on the snaps.

It is so critical that the timing and accuracy from CL and TB is spot on. Slower delivery times and a missed spot can be devastating for putting points on the board. He said the team has practiced hard and that the special teams unit has really spent a lot of time working on timing. He said they still continued to work on specialty kicks. I personally hope they do not have to use any of them. Kick it deep please! Matt said the team is focused

and the coaches have presented  them a good game plan. With a new deep snapper in place he kicked a lot more than normal. He said his back has been a little stiff, but a few ice baths during the week would take care of that! My oldest son (Tyler) and his good friend William would be making the trip over from Austin. It will be great to hang out with them over the weekend! We made our way over from North Dallas late Friday afternoon.

My parents were making their way up from The Villages in Florida and Janet's parents were coming over from Houston along with her Uncle from North Dallas! Once we hit Shreveport we had to stop at my favorite place, Maxwell's Market. I had talked to Ross earlier in the week and had a few things ordered for our tailgate along with a special brew called LA 31. Ross was there and we got to visit for a few minutes before we made our way to Ruston.

Tyler, William and my parents already had the tents setup before we arrived. Thank You! It sure makes it easy for arrival. On the way between Shreveport and Ruston Dan "The Equipment Man" Matthiesen had sent us a message that one of our tents had blown away and Adam McGuirt had to put it back for us. The tent did have some wounds but was still standing. Many thanks to Adam and Dan for helping us out with our runaway tent! Once we arrived Ruston we made our way over to

the TAC for the pep rally. There were actually more people there than I thought there would be. The team made there way in and they looked loose but focused. MB and QP spoke to the fans in attendance. After the team left and the pep rally was over they handed out Red Out shirts as we exited. Thank you Community Trust Bank! When we got back to tailgate spot #52 Meggie & Papaw (Janet's parents) and Tyler and William were already enjoying adult beverages!

Now it is my turn! Even thought I prefer red wine in the evening time I like just about any kind of IPA. William had brought me an early Christmas Present and presented me with about 18 different bottles of some of the finest IPA's in the states. I can tell you I was stoked! Many thanks William for your kindness. I can tell you they will be opened with great care and swirled in a glass before each sip!

Pontchatoula's would be our dining choice this wonderful Friday night. As normal it was a great meal with great family and friends! Our evening ended with my dad opening a nice bottle of red wine at the hotel and then it was lights out. We arrived at our tailgate spot at 8:00AM and unloaded all of the totes and set the tables and grills up. Breakfast tacos would be our morning meal along with several Bloody Mary's.

I brought my old school diner flat top with me again. Sausage, hash browns, eggs, cheese and the world famous Julio's salsa would make the perfect breakfast taco. Mr. Harper joined our crew for breakfast as well this morning! Many thanks to Papaw for manning the flat top. After the food was gone and clean up was complete it was time to kick back and enjoy this amazing weather. Mr. Smoothie King (Bradly Walker) stopped by to say hello.

He was also selling the La Tech Power Bands. They were very sharp/cool looking and several of us bought one. Mr Hamm stopped by for a visit as well this wonderful morning.  As the morning wore on it was time to get a chopping. On our lunch menu was Chopped Beef Sammie's, Sausage, Pineapple, Green Pepper and Red Onion Shish-Ka-Bob's along with Meggie's Cole Slaw, Maxwell's Market Buffalo Turds and

Barbara's Potato Salad! Meggie, Carol (my mom), Tyler and William made an assembly line and put these babies on their poles. Many thanks for all of their help! I think today is going to be a food fest! Our tailgate neighbors are serving up gourmet food this week. Bradley and his team are serving up coffee spice rubbed pork tenderloins. Maxwell's Market (Ross) was serving pork loins and smoked sausage. Mr. Cockrell was making

his world famous chicken, sausage and shrimp jambalaya. I got to meet Adam (JAB) for the very first time. They were serving SPAM Sliders with swiss cheese and a homemade mustard sauce on a Hawaiian roll. The best thing about all of these great people is that everyone wants to share their food. It is always cool when we do a food swap and the surprise of the day came when Mr. McGehee (Dusty) let me sample some of his fresh

kill form this morning. With bow season opening this morning the hunt was on. It was amazing! My wife and Uncle David (Happy Birthday) made there way over to watch the Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Congratulations to all of those who were inducted and a very special congratulations to Matt Stover. What a great Bulldog, an inspiration to MN #33 and what a great NFL career he had. We are very proud of you! The chopped beef is hot, the turds

are ready and the shish-ka-bob's are grilled to perfection! Let the food games begin! This was amazing! It really hit the spot. As always we had amazing people stop by to visit. Mr. Harper, Mr. Barclay, Mr. Hamm (Became a member of the 32 club today), Mr. & Mrs. Matthiesen, Mr. Rust, Mr. & Mrs. Garland and Dan "The Equipment Man" styling and profiling in his red pants! When Mr. & Mrs. Garland stopped by they had a blue La Tech cowbell.

They showed it to me and it had a Tech logo on one side and on the other it had #33. They said it is for you! I could not believe it! This was so cool! I cannot thank you enough! I am going to put it in my camera bag and sneak this baby in! The team has arrived and we made our way down to see Matt. I did get a head nod so that was all I needed. Today was Uncle David's birthday so we sang a little song and devoured some of Meggie's brownies.

Happy Birthday David! After downing a few more adult beverages it was time to head into the stadium.There they were, red jerseys and all! Let this Red Out game begin. With my cowbell in hand I was ready to make some noise and get this thing started. The kickoff is away and it is down to the 3 yard line with nice hang time. Hawaii takes the opening possession and after 5 plays Tech holds and the punt is away. Tech runs 13 plays with a 2 yard pass to QP for a Tech score.

The PAT is blocked! What? Why? How? We very rarely have a PAT blocked! Seriously, what just happened? I took a look at the picture I just took and it looks like we had an opening on the left side. I am not happy about this as we need all of the points we can against these hula skirts. Hawaii comes back and scores on a 27 yard pass and the PAT is missed by Hawaii left. This is crazy!

After a few trade outs of the ball Hawaii scores at the end of the 1st quarter and leads 13 - 6. We start the 2nd quarter with the ball and punt to Hawaii. TF, your play calling is looking mighty fine! Hawaii takes the ball and rattles off 4 plays and punts the ball. Then all hell breaks loose. For some reason the refs need to look at something with the replay official and this goes on and on. 22 minutes later we are going to get the ball where Hawaii punted from. They got 5 downs and that

is a referee no no for letting that happen. Then the Hawaii coach said he called time out before one of those plays and it should not have counted as a down. Then the refs agreed with the Hawaii coach and now we have the ball where we had it 20 plus minutes ago. What the heck is going on here? Are these refs and the replay official for real? Tech sputters the rest of the 2nd quarter and Hawaii scores to make the halftime score 20 - 6 Hawaii. I would of never imagined that we would be behind at half. While Matt was warming up during the half

Matt Stover came over and spoke with Matt before the 3rd quarter started. That was really cool! The 3rd quarter is about to begin and Matt is going to kickoff again! What is going on? We kicked off to start the game and this cannot be so. The refs let him kick and I am not sure why. This surly cannot be right! Hawaii punts and Tech scores on 3 quick plays and the PAT is good. Ok guys let's do this. Hawaii scores on their next possession and the score is now Hawaii 27 - 13. We take the kickoff and fumble. Hawaii recovers and runs it in for a TD. We throw and interception and Hawaii runs it in for a score. No this cannot be happening! What are we doing?

Tech runs 3 quick plays and scores and the PAT is good. Matt sets up for an on-sides kick and it had great height, but we did not come down with it and it goes out of bounds. Hawaii scores on a 30 yard FG and the 3rd quarter comes to an end with Hawaii leading 44 -20. Where is my adult beverage when I need one? Tech would score in the 4th quarter and the 2 point attempt was no good. The game ends with a final score of 44 - 26 Hawaii. This is going to be a tough one to swallow. I thought for sure that this was going to be our night. We looked lost at times and we looked brilliant at times. We made our way up to the field house to visit with Matt for a few minutes. When he came he just shook his head. He said he thought they really had a great chance to get a win tonight. I know he hates to visit with family when they lose, but he said hello to everyone and then got dressed. He came over to the tailgate spot for a little bit and visited with those who were still there.

It is hard to come up with what to say to him in these situations. I am better off just leaving him alone until the next day. This way he can digest everything, watch film and get ready for the next opponent. I am so numb right now. I am just not going to say anything else about the game, the dumb ass officials or the coaching staff about this game. I would probably not have any finger tips left when I got done typing. It is now off to the hotel for a nice bottle of wine or two. Matt, William, Tyler and Janet's parents met us at the tailgate spot to help load everything up and take it back to Matt's house. I asked Matt why he had to kickoff at the beginning of the game and again at the start of the 3rd quarter and he said it happen with the coin toss and the ref did not inform our captains that you cannot just pick a goal to defend. I am sure an official reason will be released. I also asked him about his conversation with Matt Stover and he told him he was kicking the ball great and to call him in the next couple of days. He wanted to discuss some things to do during warm-ups. That sounds pretty cool to me. We put everything in to the storage shed, said our good byes and headed back to North Dallas. I am going to be traveling to Richmond this week so I will get plenty of time to run these plays and piss poor officiating around in my head. Idaho is our next opponent! After I get these bad Hawaii thoughts out of my mind I need to get my mind right for the Vandals. Who in their right mind would ever want to play in the Kibble & Bits Dome.

The place looks like a bomb shelter over a basketball stadium. I know Matt has a bad taste in his mouth from this place from their game in 2009. I bet he has a little revenge on his mind. I am not going to this game, but my brother and his family will be making there way over to the game from Portland. I know they will have a great time and my nephew will as well. All I can say is let's kick some Vandal butt! It is such a blast to follow Matt Nelson through his eyes and the Bulldog team! I might not say the right things, but I write from the bottom of my heart and what my feelings are during the week and during the game. I don't intend to hurt anyone's feelings, but I am very passionate about La Tech Football. My opinions about the coaches and their decisions are only mine and no one else's. Don't forget to listen to J Ford with Bleed Tech Blue on ESPN 97.7 FM every Tuesday night at 6:00PM. May your Football Season be filled with many Football Victories, Sunny Smiles, Sandy Dreams and Travel Your Way! Until our paths cross again, have a blessed week! College Football Dad!

San Jose State 11/27/10

I am not sure I am going to be able to handle this bye week business. Do the people who make the schedules know that they are messing with my mind? When you are addicted to something they should not be able to take things away! Shame on you schedule makers for torturing me like this! One thing I know is that we will not have to mess with that monkey this week. He gets to spend Thanksgiving in New Mexico. HaHa! In all seriousness, 2 weeks without Tech football is probably good for the soul, but don't throw in a day of eating 2nds and 3rds! I already need to be on a diet. I spent the first part of the week trying to come up with a logo for Fantasy Cruise & Travel. I have a lot of ideas in my head, but they don't ever make it to the computer. Oh well, I will get one designed sometime soon I am sure. With New Mexico State in our rear view mirror, we now get to focus on the San Jose State Spartans. I have been looking for something on the Spartans and it is just not there. I know a Real Spartan is from Sparta, but how in the heck did they come up with this name for San Jose State. The web tells me they adopted the Spartan as their mascot in 1925. Why? What does it have to do with this teachers college? Prior to 1925 they had 5 different nicknames. The nicknames were the Daniels, the Teachers, the Pedagogues, the Normals and the Normalites. What the heck is Pedagogues? My dictionary tells me that it is a school teacher or educator who instructs in a pedantic or dogmatic manner. That is all just weird! Sammy Spartan, I hope all of your feathers fall out and you lose your shield! The team was going to practice for a few days and then CD was going to give them a couple of days off since they have a bye week. Matt said he had good practices and was kicking the ball well. He said he has not kicked as much this year, unlike last year and his leg really feels fresher towards the latter part of the season this year. Matt was going to spend his few days off with his Small Group from church. They were going to camp at Petit Jean State Park in Morrilton, AR. There is nothing wrong with some hiking and sharing each other’s ministry during some downtime from football. He said the scenery and views were incredible. He said his sleeping bag covered up everything except his nose. They had a team meal Sunday afternoon and then it was time to get his mind right for San Jose State. They watched a lot of film and had a few "Back Pocket" plays that the special teams worked on just in case the right opportunity presented itself. Matt has had several occasions where he and some of the players have given back to the community since he has been at La Tech. With this being Thanksgiving week the entire team was going to be out in the community giving back to those less fortunate. Matt said he went to a retirement center on Tuesday where he and several other team mates played bingo with most of the people who lived at the center. He said it was a blast and hopes they have more opportunities to visit and share with the community of Ruston. I think it is great that Coach Dykes and his staff encourage this with the players. I am very proud of this football team. Matt said the practices had gone well and he was making good movement through the ball. He said he liked hanging out with the sweet spot! HaHa! The team had an early morning practice on Thanksgiving Day and then a team dinner around noon. He said the turkey was pretty dry compared to the fried turkeys we normally make during the Thanksgiving. I guess that is what happens when you get spoiled to an injected bird fried in oil! The players were allowed to visit family or friends that afternoon as long as it was no further than 1 hour & 15 minutes away from campus and they had to let the coaching staff know where they were going and when they would be back. Matt spent the afternoon with Sutton Davison's family in Shreveport and ate some more and watched football. Thanks for having Matt over and making him feel like family. Matt made his way back to Ruston later that evening. The team left Monroe Friday afternoon and arrived San Jose 3 1/2 hours later. I talked to Matt after the team dinner and they were going to a movie and they will probably watch the end of the Boise - Nevada game when they got back to the hotel. I was going to watch the Boise - Nevada game. I had mixed emotions about this game! The only thing I will say about the game is that this was a true tale of two half's. As a parent of a college football player I felt like my heart was stabbed when I saw Kyle miss those two kicks. College Football is big business and don't let anyone tell you it is not! Kickers have to be so mentally focused to produce the product of a well executed kick! Life goes on, but the memories of that game will last a lifetime for the Boise faithful! Stay strong Kyle Brotzman, you are a good kicker! Game day is here and I am ready for some football! My drawers are in place and my box is being chilled. This is going to be difficult game for me! There will not be a visual of the game. Come on ESPN3 help us out here. Nope, not going to happen! I have decided to follow Patrick Walsh on the Game Day chat and listen to the game on All Access. Janet (wife) is setup in the bedroom and will be listening to the game broadcast with the San Jose State announcers. We cannot be in the same area. She paces and I normally move to a different area of the house and listen or watch from a far! We take the opening kickoff and in 3 plays Lennon Creer pounds it in from 40 yards out and Matt Nelson connects on the PAT! I have not even finished my first glass of wine! Wow! San Jose State takes the kickoff and in 2 plays they are in the end zone. No way! What just happened? Back and forth we go exchanging punts. We stay on the ground With Ray Holley and Lennon Creer and Lennon takes it in from the 1 yard line. Matt Nelson connects on the PAT! Hello, we need more of this! We exchange a few more punts and the Creer/Holley show is at it again and Ray Holley rams it in from 4 yards out and Matt puts the PAT through the uprights! Happy Dance and red wine in the glass! San Jose State starts the 2nd quarter with a 10 play drive and the score is 21 - 14 Tech. La Tech takes the kickoff and runs off 14 plays and Matt Nelson connects with a 33 yard field goal. That drive used up some time. After a San Jose State punt La Tech takes the ball down field and Lennon Creer is in again and Matt connects on the PAT. We throw an interception on our next possession and let San Jose State come back and score to end the half with Tech up 31 - 21. What are we doing? We cannot give up these easy scores. I think I need to take my box and go sit in the corner for halftime. San Jose State takes the kickoff and converts a FG. After the 4th exchange of back and forth punts Mr. Phillip "Saturday Night" Livas takes it to the house for an 88 yard scamper for a TD and Matt connects with another PAT. Phillip Livas has just tied an NCCA record. Happy Dance! Congratulations Phillip! The 3rd quarter comes to an end with Tech up 38 - 24. The 4th quarter starts off with the battle of the punts and then we let San Jose State run off 10 plays and score. This is not good! Why am I a nervous wreck? We take the kickoff and run off 15 plays and Ross Jenkins pounds it in from 6 yards out and Matt pushes the PAT through the uprights. I can now come out of the closet and sit by my computer! Woo Hoo! Wrong! We let SJS score and attempt and onside kick which we recover and then we have to punt. Thank You Chad Boyd as Chad intercepts the ball and the game comes to an end! Wow another road win, but I am exhausted! Way to hang on Dawgs! A road win good or ugly is still a road win! I hope we can figure out the pass coverage before we play Nevada. We gave up almost 500 yards of passing. We have so much talent on the defensive side of the ball. I wish I could put my finger on a fix! No matter what my game time thoughts are I am very proud of this team. We are coming home to play Nevada with a possible chance to get to 500 for the year and a possible bowl game invite. I had high expectations before the season started, but that was really not fair with a new coaching staff. The foundation is being laid and I can see that. My game shout outs go to Phillip Livas for the NCAA tying return record, Lennon Creer for 252 rushing yards and 3 TD's, Ryan Williams and Chad Boyd for key interceptions. Matt called before they had to get on the bus. He was pretty pumped up with the win. He said he was happy with most of his kicks. They had a couple of high snaps that Ross was able to get down. We did not talk very long before it was time for the team to head to the airport. I am breathing a little better now. That was very stressful! I hate non visual games. We have the high stepping Nevada Wolf Pack coming to Ruston on Saturday! I hope we show up in masses and rock Joe Aillet Stadium. Our team deserves it and our seniors really deserve it. I will be there loud and proud! Colin Kaepernick needs a Bulldog beat down and I have a good feeling that our defense is going the show him schemes he will never forget as he ends his senior year. Don't get me wrong Colin is an awesome QB, but he hit his home run against Boise State and Ross is on deck for his last at bat! I see a Ross Jenkins home run and a Phillip Livas record setting day! Safe travels to Ruston on Saturday and let's rock this joint! I appreciate all of those who are following my journey. It is such a blast to follow Matt Nelson through his eyes and the Bulldog team! I write from the bottom of my heart and what my feelings are at that moment. I don’t intend to hurt anyone’s feelings, but I am very passionate about La Tech Football! Everything I say comes from my heart! I am just a College Football Fan and I love football! Don’t forget to listen to my friends at Tech Nation Radio every week. The photo’s are courtesy of La Tech Athletics and the World Famous Tom Morris. May your Football Season be filled with many Football Victories, Sunny Smiles, Sandy Dreams and Travel Your Way! If you know anyone who needs help with their travel plans just let me know. Until our paths cross again, have a blessed week! College Football Dad!

Fresno State 11/6/10

It seems like the Boise St. game has lingered on forever. We had so many what ifs in that game. We had blind zebra's, a prison inmate on the loose and a WAC Commissioner who graduated as a smurf! When you have all of that going against us it made the task at hand impossible! Boy Karl should be handcuffed, painted blue and strapped to a jack-ass dressed in a referee's uniform! Come on Boy Karl, your love for the Broke Back Mountain Broncos was shown to the nation in HD! You have to be so proud! All I can tell you is that I am ready for a home game. I am ready to serve up some home cookin'! We are given another 10 day week and I know our coaches will be scheming! November is upon us and not only is it “No Shave November” it is "The Battle of the Bone" No Shave November? Really? My research tells me that this is a tradition at some colleges in November where the man does not shave his facial hairs and the ladies do not shave their leg hairs (not good). I wonder what the winner gets. A big can of Nair? Sounds like everyone is getting ready for furry winter! HaHa! In New York "The Battle of the Bone" is a wing eating contest, but in our neck of the woods it is the "Big Dawg Battle" Fresno State, how can you even claim to be a Bulldog anyway? Your mascot looks like a cross promotional ad for a Friskies commercial. Do you bring your liter box to the games? You should be ashamed to have a cat named Timeout as you mascot! You are not a real Bulldog! Matt had a few bumps and bruises from the prison inmate ambush to heal from, but more importantly he was getting ready for Fresno State. After practice Saturday Matt & Kasie (Matt's girlfriend) made their way to Dallas for a quick visit to our new pad in the North Dallas area. We made pizza and watched college football into the wee hours of the night. It was a blast listening to Matt watch a game. We found some cheap tickets online and went to see Jacksonville play Dallas in the Space Ship from Mars on Sunday! We got there early so Matt could watch Josh go through his warm ups. Josh is really kicking the ball well. It was pretty weird to see Josh and Chris Boniol down on the field together. One as a current player and one as a kicking coach! It was like a La Tech kicker’s reunion except they were missing Matt Stover. Matt did run into Melissa (Josh's wife) and got to visit with her before the game started. Josh had a lot of family at the game. It was a good game and Jacksonville came out on top. Matt & Kasie decided to stay Sunday night and get up early Monday morning to head back to Ruston. Matt had weights at 11:00 AM. It was a short visit, but a great visit! I talked to Matt several times during the week. Practice was going extremely well. The team is hungry for a win! He said he kicked very well when kicking live with the team. The ball was making a good popping sound off of his foot and he was getting great height on all of his kicks. The special teams had a couple of new stunts that they might run if Fresno State lined up a certain way. The special team’s game is way too complicated for me. There are way too many options! I guess that is why I am a bleacher coach. I am not exactly sure, but Matt did say they were going to stay in Shreveport on Friday night. My tailgate preparation started on Wednesday. I had 5 gallons of chili to make. Our menu consisted of chili, chili dogs, Frito pies; lamb chops (for my uncle Glenn) and soft baked pretzels before the game. There would be pork tenderloin sliders, more chili dogs and grilled smores after the game! We have family coming in from Kansas City, Dallas, Houston (Surprise) and from Florida (The Villages). The guest list consisted of Pat & Bob (aunt/uncle), Glenn & Suzi (aunt/uncle), Scott & David (cousin’s husbands) John & Carol (mom/dad) T-Bone (family friend), Cathy, Wes, Parker & Peyton (sister's family), The Gunell's (family friends of 5), David & Barbara (Janet's aunt/uncle) Kaeley (Barbara's granddaughter) and Meggie (Janet's mom). I don't think I am missing anyone. Wow! That is a lot of people! That makes 24 with Janet & I and that will put a few butts in the seats! We loaded up the suburban Thursday night and hit the road to Ruston early Friday morning after we boarded the dogs. After a few stops along the way we roll into Ruston around 12:30 PM. We checked into the Fairfield Inn and iced the coolers down. My parents, T-Bone and my aunts & uncles have been in Shreveport since Wednesday. You know when you are retired you have an urge to gamble! We met Matt at Johnny's Pizza around 1:30 for a quick lunch before he had to report to the field house. My aunt Pat and uncle Bob had been to the bookstore and had several bags of La Tech goodies. Their granddaughter Sierra is a big Matt fan and he signed a shirt and a hat for them to take back to her in Kansas City. The pizza was really good! Uncle Bob, thanks for lunch! After a fattening lunch we headed over to the stadium and set our tents, tables, grill and chairs up for tomorrow. It makes it really nice to get this part already taken care of and many thanks to the La Tech Police for keeping an eye on all of the tailgaters stuff during the night. It was going to be fun time in Shreveport tonight. We were celebrating my aunt Suzi's birthday and my cousin’s daughter Kelsey who plays for UMKC (University of Missouri Kansas City) was playing Centenary in volleyball tonight. This was going to be my first college volleyball game and I was pretty stoked. It was a great match and UMKC won 3 matches to 0. Kelsey played awesome! Great spikes, great blocks and amazing serves! Their team was staying in Shreveport for the night so Kelsey got to go to dinner with us as we celebrated aunt Suzi's birthday. Happy Birthday Suzi! We made it back to Ruston around midnight and game day was already here. We loaded everyone up and landed at tailgate spot 52 at 8:30 AM. It was a very brisk morning and it was the perfect temperature for a day of food and football! After about 30 minutes of additional setup we are good to party. The bloody mary's are made and the grill is lit. Chili is warming in the pot and the bowls are waiting! About 10:30 some of the family starts to arrive. Mr. Hamm, Mr. Rust, Mr. Garland and Mr. Harper came by to visit as well. We did find out that my aunt Pat and Mr. Harper were born in the same year and on the same day. What a small world we live in. Mr. Harper, thanks for all of the water! Bobby & Julie were making jambalaya today. Bobby had this incredible jambalaya pot/burner that he was cooking in. He even had a stainless steel paddle! Dear Santa, all I want for Christmas is one of these please! Bradley, Dusty and Bryan made fried fish and chips. The fish was fried to perfection and was awesome! Thanks for sharing! You guys are awesome! John (dad) and Flip agreed at the last home game that they would each bring a bottle of wine for a few of us to sample before the game. No one was disappointed as they showed up with a bottle of Caymus and a bottle of Nickel & Nickel. The bottles were gently opened, then poured and we swirled, sniffed, toasted and sampled these amazing wines! Thanks to John & Flip for sharing! I finally got to sample Bobby's jambalaya and it was incredible. The rice and flavor were perfect! I was in jambalaya heaven! You are an amazing cook Bobby and I am fortunate that I get to watch! The chili is hot, the foot longs are on the grill, the Frito's are in the bowl, the lamb chops are searing, the beer is flowing and the soft baked pretzels are warm! Finally food is served! About damm time! You made everyone wait forever! The tailgate grub was pretty good! What a great day for football! The weather is great and spending time with the family is even greater! We hear the sirens and the team is arriving. We make are way over to tailgate alley and get to see Matt before he heads into the stadium. As always his game face is on! After a few more beers it is time to head into the stadium. We need to bottle this weather! We take the opening kickoff and in six plays we hit pay dirt. Ross to Taulib and Matt connects on the PAT. Fresno St. fumbles on their first possession and we take advantage with a little trickery as Richie hits Ross for a 42 yard scamper. Ross fumbled at the goal line and Taulib recovers. Matt connects on the PAT and we are up 14 -0! Do you believe? Fresno answers with a TD and the score is 14 - 7. We take the ball and march down to the Fresno St. 27 where we are faced with a 4th down. CF decides to go for it and we fail. When you are within the range of your kicker you go for the points. IMO this is a momentum killer when you are sniffing the red zone and you do not execute and come away with some points! Fresno St. connects on a 49 yard field goal and the half comes to an end with La Tech up 14 - 10. Our 2nd quarter consisted of 6 plays for a total of 15 yards on two possessions. How do you do this? We trade punches in the 3rd quarter as we both score a TD. The 3rd quarter comes to an end with the La Tech up 21 - 17. Four fingers are up as we get ready to start the 4th quarter. Before I can blink, Fresno St. scores 16 points with two touchdowns, a field goal and a missed PAT. Tell me this is not happening! Fresno St. kicks off to us at the 4:10 mark and it is “Saturday Night Livas” to the house and a Matt PAT! I don't think Phillip was even touched. I think we have a chance. We hold them to a punt and oh no it is intercepted and Fresno St. runs it up the gut for another TD. We take the kick off at the 2:20 mark and score a quick TD. It is a high snap and the PAT is blocked. Penetration is a bad word when you are on offense. We had no blocks last year and this year we have had 2! Maybe we need to move back a half yard or so! We still are in this, but it is going to take a recovery on an on-sides kick to get the ball back with only 1:12 left in the game. The kick is made and it is a bunt kick! Why do you do a bunt kick on an obvious on-sides kick? Everyone knows what you are going to do. If I were the coach I would of called a spike right of left! I guess that is why I am in the bleachers! The ball goes 8 yards and the ball touches a Fresno St. player almost at the same time Matt gets to the ball. Matt has the ball at the bottom of the pile and the scrum is on. When the dust settles Fresno St. has the ball and runs the clock out for a 40 - 34 victory! I am exhausted and speechless! This game was there for the taking! Most of the family made their way over to the locker room area to visit with Matt and take some photos. I am sure he will not be a happy camper! I have to get the grill lit and I really, really need a beer! The family all made it back over to the tailgate area and shortly thereafter Matt made it over. He was a great guest of honor, but you could tell he wanted to scream! I did not ask him much. He had a pretty good scraping on his left arm. Matt said that once the ball touched the Fresno St. player he grabbed the ball and it got clawed away from him under the pile. He said you do not want to know what happens under there and he promises that if he is in that position again that no one will get the ball away from him! You could tell he was pretty upset with how the game ended. Pork tenderloin sliders, foot long dogs and grilled smores are served. Wow this has been a long day! The thing that stands out to me the most was that this team never quit or gave up. They played to the bitter end! Even though we came up short on the stick I still love the heart and the desire of this team! I will go to war with all of these guys! Our night comes to an end and I my back is stiff and I need a glass of red wine! I want to thank all of the family and friends who made their way into Ruston this weekend from many parts of the United States. We are so blessed and the support of Matt and La Tech has been incredible! Please have safe travels back to your homes! I want to give a special shout out to John & Carol (mom & dad) for making 4 home games and 1 away game this year all the way from The Villages, FL. Many thanks for all of the support! My 2nd shout out goes to Matt Nelson. He was officially named to the ESPN Academic All District Team for District 6. District 6 consists of D1/1AA schools in Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. This now makes him eligible for the ESPN Academic All American award! Matt is not only dedicated to his craft on the field, he is also dedicated to his grades. We are all proud of all of your accomplishments Matt! Thanks for taking us on your journey! Sunday morning gets here faster than I anticipated. Janet & I load all of the tailgate stuff into the suburban and get ready to head back to Dallas. Matt stops by and we load him up with the leftover food. He was on his way to breakdown film before he headed to church. I don't know that much about New Mexico St. They are 2 -7 and have wins against New Mexico and San Jose St. This will be the 3rd Aggie team we have played this year. They have a kick returner who is averaging 28.4 yards on 30 kick returns. I was looking at their fight song and it reads like they already are going to lose. That is hilarious! New Mexico St. Fight Song: Aggies, Oh Aggies! The hills send back the cry, we’re here to do or die! Aggies, Oh Aggies! We’ll win this game or know the reason why! And if we win this game, we’ll buy a keg of booze, and we’ll drink it to the Aggies ‘till we wobble in our shoes! I know that there is no guarantee for a win, but we need to get the road game monkey off of our back! We need to take one game at a time! I predict the bulldogs will score at will and will score often. Best of luck in Las Cruces Bulldogs! Go kick some Aggie tail! I appreciate all of those who are following my journey. It is such a blast to follow Matt Nelson through his eyes and the Bulldog team! I write from the bottom of my heart and what my feelings are at that moment. I don’t intend to hurt anyone, but I am very passionate about La Tech Football! Everything I say comes from my heart! I am just a College Football Fan! Don’t forget to listen to my friends at Tech Nation Radio every week. May your Football Season be filled with many Football Victories, Sunny Smiles, Sandy Dreams and Travel Your Way! If you know anyone who needs help with their travel plans just let me know. Until our paths cross again, have a blessed week! College Football Dad!