The Straw That Stirs the Drink, and Other Cliches

You want analysis? It’s Still Football will provide.

Before I start, the following exchange just occurred between Columbus’ QB Matt Nagy and Coach… Wilford Brimley (I don’t know), after Coach Quaker Oats Guy called a play with 1:14 left in the first half

Nagy (incredulous): “You want to run a play?”
Coach Walrus: “Yeah, run it. Go. Go!”
Some random guy off screen: “HEY! The clock’s running!”
Nagy (chin strap off, just kind of chilling): “We’re good, it’s
the 1:00 [warning]…”
Coach Walrus (petulantly): “We shoulda’ run a play…”
Nagy: “Hey, hey, come on, right? We’re good, right? This is fine.”
Coach Walrus (as if to a particularly slow, but pleasant, child): “Yeah, but we should’ve run a play before the one-minute warning.”
Nagy: “Why, what’s the matter? They’ve got three time outs.”

At this point, Coach Walrus stops pacing, and stares completely incredulously at Nagy, and gives up on any pretense of patience.

Coach Walrus: “I know. Then we could MAKE ‘EM USE THEM.”

Silence descends. Nagy is clearly gnawing on this strategic fact with some difficulty. They do not look at each other. The bloom may be off the rose.

Announcer (Merril Hoge?): “I think they’re discussing clock management.”

Me: “Jesus Christ.”

Mind you, the announcing team makes the excellent point that, with the score tied, Tampa probably would’ve let them run their play and still not called a time out, running the clock down to the 1:00 warning anyway, but whatever. I love that we get to glimpse these sorts of conversations. It’s like watching a performance of Copenhagen every week.

More thoughts, below. Maybe even some pictures.