I Hate the Box but I Can't Live...

[Reginald Rutledge]

without it!

How many times have you seen a team drive the ball down the field on about 10 plays 70 yards and the cornerback slips to let the receiver streak by. Now,the coverage had the safety not playing in the nickel or dime package so he had a lot of ground to cover for just one safety.

The pass is thrown. The reaction occurs -30,20,10, Touchdown!

The coach says "Shake the Box". The dice come up 6-6, 1, and 5. Clipping, flagrant, 15 yards, and loss of down (or something to that effect)! Three CRUCIAL penalties and a fumble took away 3 possible scores! Not only that, it gave the other team new life.

Call it "opportunistic". Wow, what excitement does this rattlesnake cause us! We've been shak'en em up for 17 years here and I can only remember once in the 17 years that somebody forgot to bring the Box! It's sacrilege! Games become boring when an action does not take place.

The players rest on every shake, anticipating something good or bad for your team. You try to play through it but it can be a gamechanger.

Sometimes, I do hate the box but honestly, I can not play without it. It brings such fun and a touch of chance. It helps you prepare for the unknown and teaches you how to weather the storm.

It got me tonite but it also got Pep, the FSU coach. I think in the course of 3 hours, it has a way of evening out for the most part. I can still hate that box though.

Reg