Independents

And in dramatic fashion, the season for the Independents ends. Missouri S&T still had one final statement to make, though, to wrap up one of their best seasons of late.

Week "12" Recap

Missouri S&T 39, Truman State 38 (2 OT)

After taking a 28-14 halftime lead, the Miners needed a 29 yard field goal from K Joe Drahos, his only made kick of the day on three field goal attempts, to push the Bulldogs to overtime. A pair of missed field goals in the first overtime gave way to a second overtime period, in which Truman State QB Matt Ticich (23-38, 251 yards, 4 TD; 16 rushes, 66 yards, 1 TD) found WR Albert Coker (5 catches, 51 yards, 2 TD) on the first play for a touchdown. But Missouri S&T answered right back, converting a pair of third downs and hitting pay dirt on a one yard run by QB Brad Guidry (35-54, 383 yards, 3 TD, 2 INT; 10 rushes, 22 yards, 1 TD), and the Miners decided to go for the win, giving the ball to RB David Shields (20 rushes, 60 yards, 1 TD), who bounced to the outside to get the two point conversion and give the Miners' their seventh win of the season.

Byko's Breakdown: I was concerned about the Miners' ability to contain Ticich, and it's clear that I had reason to be. However, what made this game different from last season's matchup between these teams were two things: the Bulldogs' inability to consistently hurt Missouri S&T outside of Ticich's arm and legs, and a much stronger offensive output by the Miners. Although the ground game wasn't great for Missouri S&T in this game, Guidry more than made up for it, throwing for 383 of the team's 478 yards of offense. Even when the Miners made mistakes, they didn't make them in situations that could really hurt them, never giving Truman State field position that would allow for an easy score. Defensively, the Miners were solid, especially DE Matt Loula (15 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 1 sack) and LB Steve Edwards (13 total tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 pass breakup).

There's one final thing worth noting from this game that really shows how much the players put the team above themselves. Initially, on the game's final play, the call was for a screen pass to WR Mike Greaving (6 catches, 79 yards, 1 TD), who had been outshined somewhat on this day by fellow WRs Zach Howard (11 catches, 103 yards) and Chad Shockley (8 catches, 100 yards, 1 TD). But Greaving pointed out that the play hadn't worked all day and actually recommended giving the ball to Shields, an interesting twist given that Shields and Greaving played against each other as rivals back in high school. The fact that the two-point attempt for the win actually worked made that moment even sweeter for everyone involved, and it definitely proves one of the things that makes Division II football great: it isn't about the star players but about the team as a whole.

Final Season Rankings

So, I dropped a bit from last season, finishing the season at 66-21 (.759). Oh well. What's more important is that it seemed to me that the Independents all improved as a whole from last season. Here's my final ranking of the ten teams along with high and low moments of the season and my tips for improving even more in 2009.

1. UNC Pembroke (9-1)

Highlights: The defense was a huge highlight for a season that was even beyond Coach Shinnick's expectations, and that was evident in a season opening 28-0 win at Brevard. After a 2007 season that saw some struggles on offense against lesser opponents, the Braves kicked things up a notch in 2008 with blowouts over teams they had lost to last season (36-14 over West Virginia Wesleyan, 43-8 over Edward Waters, and 57-0 over Concord).

Lowlights: This is really a stretch, as a loss to a team that was just a few points away from making the playoffs can't be too bad, but UNC Pembroke knew it had a chance to pull off a win over Wingate despite putting itself in a 17-3 hole at halftime. But the offense couldn't get anywhere on the Braves' final drive of the game, giving the Bulldogs a 23-16 win.

Tips for 2009: Build on 2008's success. UNC Pembroke has the advantage of being in a state that loves its high school football and has a number of talented players that can play at the college level. The university itself is definitely rising in stature, and everyone involved in the football program, from the support staff all the way up to the head coach, the athletic director, and the chancellor, is truly committed to the Braves' success at the Division II level. Geography and timing may not be favoring the Braves right now in their goal of finding a conference to join (the Gulf South Conference wouldn't be a good geographic fit, and the CIAA's additions of Lincoln, Pa. and Chowan have probably put them at a good capacity for football right now), but this is a program that has a better chance than most to overcome the challenges of being an independent and actually be successful there. Next season's schedule looks to feature games against Lenoir-Rhyne and Fayetteville State, which will definitely be good for the program, and with only five players on the Braves' roster graduating, another good recruiting class for the Braves could make them a team to watch next season.

2. Missouri S&T (7-4)

Highlights: The Miners had a very nice 38-29 win in midseason over Saint Joseph's, and they proved that the offense was more than just last season's team MVP, WR Ashton Gronewold, putting up huge offensive numbers in wins over Kentucky Wesleyan (58-7), Lincoln, Mo. (68-0), and Southwest Baptist (63-23). The Miners' first win over former MIAA rival Truman State since 1983 was a perfect way to cap off the season.

Lowlights: Eliminate any one of several slip-ups in the Miners' 29-28 loss to Central State, and the GLFC championship would belong to Missouri S&T alone. There was certainly also some disappointment in losing to Butler, though the Bulldogs turned out to be a much improved team from 2007, and the defense got the season off to a rough start in a 42-24 opening loss to Arkansas-Monticello.

Tips for 2009: Find your new leaders now. QB Brad Guidry, RB David Shields, WR Zach Howard, WR Jordan Beard, WR Mike Greaving, DB Brian Jordan, DB Robbie Woodard, LB Justin Butler, and DL Matt Loula are among those who should be graduating this year. The time to find the leaders of this Miner team next season is now if Missouri S&T is to look to take the GLFC championship for itself next season. Many of the key components of the defense should be back next season, and with Jason Schleuter and Steve Watson still around next year, there shouldn't be a problem at quarterback. But new leaders will need to emerge in several other key positions, and how quickly they can develop will play a big role in where this team is next season.

3. Southwest Baptist (5-6)

Highlights: There was never the fear of a shutout with the Bearcats this season, as QB Steve Gachette continued his assault on the Southwest Baptist record books with incredible numbers, many of them coming in an 83-6 win over Bethany. The 43-31 revenge win over Harding in mid-September was the perfect way to end an 18 game losing streak. Perhaps the Bearcats' best all-around performance came in a dominant 38-7 victory over Saint Joseph's.

Lowlights: As good as they looked against Saint Joseph's, the team (especially the defense) looked just as bad in a 63-23 loss to Missouri S&T, and giving Northeastern State their only win of the season in a 45-20 loss was pretty bad too. Close calls against Central Oklahoma (43-40), Ouachita Baptist (47-45), and Division I-FCS Southeast Missouri State (35-28 in overtime) had to be disappointing too.

Tips for 2009: Fill in the holes on defense. LB Jarred Schumpert and DB Tyrin Holt are clearly the best returning players on defense for the Bearcats, but too often this season, it was top performers like them (along with seniors like DL Clint Carroz and LB Jarred Bankhead) having to carry the load on that side of the ball. That has to change in 2009 if the Bearcats are to take the next step. UNC Pembroke proved this season that good defense is the most consistent way to win football games. As talented as Gachette is, he'll need help on that side of the ball to make wins come more easily against average and good Division II opponents.

4. Saint Joseph's (5-5)

Highlights: A late comeback win at Virginia State (43-36) gave the offense the confidence it needed and helped springboard a three-game winning streak. The Pumas also put together solid all-around games in victories over Fairmont State (38-14) and Central State (30-7).

Lowlights: The Pumas threw away a couple chances to win this season, giving up a lead in the fourth quarter in a 31-27 loss to Kentucky State and digging itself into too big of a hole at halftime in a 38-29 loss to Missouri S&T. Even worse, Saint Joseph's probably took it for granted that they would defeat Kentucky Wesleyan again, and the defense didn't look good in the 39-36 defeat that ensued.

Tips for 2009: Work on consistency and fundamentals, especially on defense. After some expected struggles early in the season, the Pumas started to put things together consistently, at least on the offensive side of the ball. Defensively, it was another story: some players clearly grasped Coach Esposito's 3-3-5 defense while others just didn't. When the offense started to slip a little in the second half of the season, it was clear that nobody was really sure what team was going to show up each week. That inconsistency comes from not mastering the fundamentals early on in the season, and even a +13 turnover margin on the year wasn't enough for the Pumas to overcome those problems and pick up more than five wins. Fortunately, the Pumas don't lose many players to graduation, so this season's lessons should carry over to 2009. If they do, and if the fundamentals are strongly emphasized in training camp before next year starts, Saint Joseph's should once again be a leading contender for the GLFC title and likely another season over .500.

5. Central State (2-7)

Highlights: Facing a challenging schedule to open the season, the Marauders stayed close with Alabama A&M, leading at halftime before falling 37-17, and the 21-16 loss to Langston turned out to be much better than originally believed with the Lions finishing the regular season at 9-2 (both losses coming to Division I-FCS opponents) and making it into the NAIA playoffs. Undoubtedly, though, the team's biggest moment came in a 29-28 last second win over Missouri S&T to clinch a share of the GLFC title.

Lowlights: The Marauders came up short in a winnable game against Kentucky State (31-29), and they weren't really ever in it against West Virginia State in a 47-13 loss at Chicago's Soldier Field. But the lowest moment had to be the season-ending 30-7 loss to Saint Joseph's with sole possession of the GLFC title at stake, the second consecutive season the Marauders have failed to grab the big prize at the end of the season.

Tips for 2009: Make special teams something special. Central State is fortunate to have a lot of players coming back next year, particularly on offense, and that can only mean good things for Coach West and his team. The defense will lose star DB Jeff Franklin but has plenty of talent returning in 2009. But the biggest hole for the Marauders is on special teams, where there has been trouble finding a remotely consistent kicker for years and where the return game in 2008 was nothing like it was in 2007. Central State was fourth or fifth in the GLFC in every special teams category this season, and improvements there will help turn close losses into close wins next season.

6. North Greenville (2-9)

Highlights: The Crusaders' season may have been different had they held off Wingate or come up with a big fourth down conversion in that game instead of dropping a heartbreaking 35-31 decision. The two wins on the season were rather dominant, thrashing Kentucky Wesleyan 44-14 and handling Edward Waters 45-21.

Lowlights: North Greenville's 22-15 loss to Presbyterian was a game that they had every opportunity to win, and it may have been somewhat of a product of two big losses to average teams: a 41-3 loss to a weaker-than-usual Newberry squad and a 27-0 loss to Charleston Southern. Despite a good defensive effort in the first half, North Greenville just simply looked worn out and uninspired in the second half of a season-ending 21-7 loss to UNC Pembroke.

Tips for 2009: Make the schedule more reasonable. Perhaps the Crusaders are feeling some of the residual effects of their 10-2 season and Victory Bowl championship in 2006, as finding opponents willing to face North Greenville has become much more difficult. Geography shouldn't be a problem for the Crusaders in terms of scheduling, but four Division I-FCS opponents on this year's slate illustrates the problems that are happening on that front. This simply isn't a deep enough team right now to be able to handle the rigors of playing against that many opponents of that caliber, but that's the path they have been forced to take. While it would be somewhat of a step backwards, it might not be bad to work on building up the schedule with NAIA opponents in the near future to help build up the team's confidence. Efforts to work out more long term agreements regarding scheduling, rather than a number of one or two year deals, would probably help as well.

7. Lake Erie (3-8)

Highlights: Lake Erie sure picked a good time to earn its first win in program history, pulling off the biggest upset in Division II football this season (and, at least according to Kenneth Massey, the tenth biggest upset in all of college football in 2008 thus far) by topping Glenville State 34-27. The 38-31 win over Kentucky Wesleyan on November 1 really showed how much this program has already accomplished in such a short time.

Lowlights: Considering the way the schedule turned out to be more difficult than initially believed, there aren't many of these. The Storm could have picked up win #1 a bit sooner with a stronger first half showing in a 24-22 loss to Gannon, and at least for a half, Lake Erie pretty much didn't show up at all against California, Pa., giving up 48 of 54 points in the shutout loss in the first half.

Tips for 2009: Follow the UNC Pembroke blueprint. It's really amazing how many similarities there are between Lake Erie College and UNC Pembroke when it comes to football. Both teams played well against a tough schedule in their first season (UNC Pembroke was 4-7 last year). Both teams were built on a large number of young players coming into the program. Both teams started with a season of not playing any "real" games (with Lake Erie playing a schedule of regional JV and prep school teams last year). And both schools are located in states that are real hotbeds of high school football, which will help recruiting. After what Lake Erie did this season, as long as the coaching staff and administration stays committed to developing the program (which it definitely appears to be) and takes advantage of a strong local high school recruiting scene, the Storm could easily be a .500 team or better in 2009.

8. Kentucky Wesleyan (4-6)

Highlights: Not since 1999 or 2000 has Kentucky Wesleyan had a win as big as its 39-36 victory over Saint Joseph's, their first win over the Pumas in over a decade. As expected coming into the year, the passing game was strong, as demonstrated in wins over Grand View (34-13) and Lincoln, Mo. (36-14).

Lowlights: The Panthers were absolutely destroyed in back-to-back losses in the middle of the season to Division I-FCS Stephen F. Austin (49-0) and Missouri S&T (58-7). After a huge win over Saint Joseph's, the Panthers' confidence had to have been shaken in a 38-31 loss to first year program Lake Erie.

Tips for 2009: Defense, defense, defense. Kentucky Wesleyan gave up nearly 500 yards of offense per game this season, putting them 146th out of 150 Division II teams, and those teams below them were a combined 3-40 on the year. Even against NAIA opponents, huge offensive outputs can't be the way to wins games consistently, and the Panthers need to improve on that. There has to be more confidence in Owensboro than usual following one of the Panthers' best seasons in recent history, but that confidence will soon evaporate if Coach Holsclaw doesn't make at least some improvements on the defensive side of the ball.

9. Oklahoma Panhandle State (3-7)

Highlights: Some level of confidence returned to Goodwell when the Aggies ended their 30 game losing streak on the field with a 34-26 win over Southern Nazarene, and that helped the Aggies build a three-game winning streak with solid wins over Tabor (31-15) and Texas College (33-27). Facing Bacone's best team since 2004, the Aggies nearly defeated the Warriors, ultimately falling in a triple overtime thriller 34-28.

Lowlights: Things looked bleak early in the season with a 21-0 loss to Fort Lewis, one of Division II's lesser teams, and a 24-13 loss to first year program Colorado State-Pueblo. The final two losses, 42-7 to Southwestern Oklahoma State and 59-13 to lowly Eastern New Mexico, showed how far the Aggies still are from being competitive with the average Division II team.

Tips for 2009: Keep on believing. It's difficult to truly grasp how little of this team was left when Coach Wyatt arrived before the 2007 season: even he admitted that he didn't know how bad things had gotten, and some fans had described it as "the cupboard not just being more than just empty: it was falling off the wall." The fact that Coach Wyatt has been able to pick up three wins this season says a lot, and it's clear that he, his coaching staff, and both the athletic and university administration all the way up to the President are committed to building this team back up. Everyone knows that it will take time, especially given OPSU's geographic location, where a five hour bus ride might be considered a short trip for a road game. But there's commitment and consistency, going all the way down to next season's schedule, which is very reasonable and features a number of games that the Aggies have a chance of winning, and no matter what anyone else says, that's what this program needs most of all right now. Everything else, in time, will follow.

10. Lincoln, Mo. (2-8)

Highlights: After struggling offensively in its first four games, Lincoln came out firing in a 43-37 win over Haskell Indian Nations University, and that momentum kept going into the Blue Tigers' 49-7 win over Xavier's club team on Homecoming.

Lowlights: The Blue Tigers still aren't remotely competitive with the rest of the GLFC, going 0-4 this season in conference play and being outscored 171-41. Lincoln also gave woeful Trinity International, one of NAIA's weakest teams, its only win of the season in an ugly 18-10 game. For the second straight year, the team's top defensive player (a freshman both times) wasn't back next year, and the Blue Tigers certainly could have used more players like Allen Minus and Derrick Manning.

Tips for 2009: Go all in. The attendance figures for Blue Tiger home games are woefully low, lower perhaps than most area high school football games. The local media have essentially abandoned Lincoln in terms of football coverage. The administration doesn't act in a manner that seems to indicate that they are focused on really developing a football program at the school. So if nobody outside of the coaching staff is really caring about Lincoln football, why should a prospective recruit care? That's the challenge that the entire school has to overcome. Everyone connected to Lincoln University needs to show its commitment to the football program if they really want to see it continue to survive. Without that commitment, a football program at Lincoln doesn't really serve to help anyone and would be better off not existing. I try to maintain a professional, journalistic distance in my columns, but in this one case, I am openly challenging Lincoln University of Missouri to prove me wrong by showing its commitment to the football program. Prove that you are dedicated and willing to put in the time and effort it will take to build up this team. Students, go to the home games and support your team. Alumni, contact the university administration and tell them you deserve better (and showing support financially wouldn't hurt either). Administrators, make a plan to start doing something now so that by next season, you'll be making progress. It won't be easy, and it will take time, but there are hundreds of schools across the country at all levels of college football (and more each year) that will tell you it's well worth the effort.

Season Awards

Offensive Player of the Year: Southwest Baptist QB Steve Gachette

Gachette pretty much carried the Bearcats' offense on his back, completing nearly 60% of his passes for 3380 yards and 27 touchdowns with just 12 interceptions. He also ran for 658 yards and six touchdowns on the year. Future Southwest Baptist opponents should take note: Gachette is only a sophomore.

Defensive Players of the Year: Oklahoma Panhandle State LB Matt Warner

Warner led all defensemen in the Independents with 110 total tackles (67 solo), and his 11 total tackles per game ranks him ninth in Division II. His 67 solo tackles put him tied for third in Division II in solo tackles per game. Warner also had 6.5 tackles for loss on the season and three forced fumbles.

Coach of the Year: Pete Shinnick, UNC Pembroke

The turnaround to 7-4 at Missouri S&T, led by Coach Kirby Cannon, was a close second, but it's impossible to overlook a 9-1 season for the Braves in just their second year of the new era of football at UNC Pembroke. Two of those wins came over Division I-FCS teams, Davidson and Jacksonville, and the only loss came to a top 25 and almost playoff-bound Wingate team (and even that was only a seven point loss).

All-Independent Teams

First team:

QB Steve Gachette, Soph. - Southwest Baptist
RB Rashad Cummings - Sr., North Greenville
RB Tony Howard, Jr. - Lake Erie
WR Johnnie King, Jr. - Southwest Baptist
WR Josh Smith, Sr. - Kentucky Wesleyan
TE Bryan Crider, Jr. - Missouri S&T
OL Addison Bowman, Sr. - Saint Joseph's
OL Javon Potter, Sr. - Central State
OL Perry Freeze, Sr. - Kentucky Wesleyan
OL Justin Hansen, Sr. - Missouri S&T
OL Kevin Inman, Sr. - UNC Pembroke

DL Andre Bernardi, Sr. - North Greenville
DL Matt Loula, Sr. - Missouri S&T
DL Clint Carroz, Sr. - Southwest Baptist
DL Adam Deese, Soph. - UNC Pembroke
LB Matt Warner, Sr. - Oklahoma Panhandle State
LB Jarred Schumpert, Jr. - Southwest Baptist
LB Bill Finucan, Soph. - Lake Erie
LB Jamel Wilmore, Fr. - Lincoln
DB Jeff Franklin, Sr. - Central State
DB Caylon Hann, Jr. - UNC Pembroke
DB Tyrin Holt, Jr. - Southwest Baptist
DB Ronnell Tibbs, Soph. - Saint Joseph's

K Michael Binder, Sr. - Saint Joseph's
P Kevin Quackenush, Fr. - Saint Joseph's
RS Jamal Williams, Fr. - UNC Pembroke
RS Darryl Brister, Fr. - Oklahoma Panhandle State

Second team:

QB Sean Bedevelsky, Fr. - Lake Erie
RB Jashon Banks, Soph. - Saint Joseph's
RB Terrance Freeman, Jr. - Saint Joseph's
WR Mike Greaving, Sr. - Missouri S&T
WR Brandon James, Fr. - Lake Erie
TE Michael Cochran, Jr. - Saint Joseph's
OL Dan Hickman, Jr. - Missouri S&T
OL Keith Broderick, Fr. - UNC Pembroke
OL Zac Durham, Sr. - North Greenville
OL Blake Yarbrough, Soph. - UNC Pembroke
OL Wes Schroder, Soph. - Saint Joseph's

DL Will Turnbo, Soph. - Oklahoma Panhandle State
DL Dewayne James, Jr. - UNC Pembroke
DL Gus Overstreet, Soph. - Oklahoma Panhandle State
DL Steven Smith, Jr. - Kentucky Wesleyan
LB Jarod Bankhead, Sr. - Southwest Baptist
LB Matthew Fortson, Jr. - UNC Pembroke
LB Justin Butler, Sr. - Missouri S&T
LB J.T. McCoy, Soph. - UNC Pembroke
DB Robert Glover, Jr. - Kentucky Wesleyan
DB Ryan Studer, Fr. - Lake Erie
DB Tyrell Davis, Sr. - North Greenville
DB Greg Embers, Sr. - Kentucky Wesleyan

K Taylor Baskett, Fr. - UNC Pembroke
P Sean Maguire, Soph. - Kentucky Wesleyan
RS Kevin Brown, Sr. - Lincoln
RS Zach Howard, Jr. - Missouri S&T

Third team:

QB Jason Schleuter, Jr. - Missouri S&T
RB Jeff Finnell, Sr. - Southwest Baptist
RB David Shields, Sr. - Missouri S&T
WR Chad Shockley, Jr. - Missouri S&T
WR Jonathan Alvarado, Sr. - Southwest Baptist
TE Josh Throckmorton, Soph. - UNC Pembroke
OL Lawrence Smith, Jr. - Lincoln
OL Cody Edwards, Jr. - Lincoln
OL Chris Kennedy, Soph. - UNC Pembroke
OL Lee Shaver, Sr. - Saint Joseph's
OL John Krumme, Jr. - Missouri S&T

DL Joseph Groves, Jr. - UNC Pembroke
DL Mark Boyle, Sr. - Southwest Baptist
DL Justin Philpy, Soph. - Missouri S&T
DL Sam Gonzales, Fr. - Saint Joseph's
LB Brett Hanten, Jr. - Missouri S&T
LB Jonathon Foster, Sr. - Central State
LB Scott Given, Fr. - Lake Erie
LB J.C. Ramirez, Jr. - Oklahoma Panhandle State
DB Robbie Woodard, Sr. - Missouri S&T
DB Jesslin Robinson, Jr. - Lincoln
DB Deshon McClendon, Soph. - Saint Joseph's
DB Xavier Boykin, Jr. - North Greenville

K Justin Finch, Fr. - Southwest Baptist
P Justin Hinson, Jr. - UNC Pembroke
RS Deshon McClendon, Soph. - Saint Joseph's
RS Caylon Hann, Jr. - UNC Pembroke

Final Thoughts

Well, this may be the end for the 2008 season, but there will be plenty to look forward to in 2009 and beyond, including:

- A big welcome to a brand new football team at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas. The Cardinals will have an intrasquad scrimmage as part of their Homecoming festivities this weekend and will play football as one of the Independents in 2009. It is expected that UIW will become part of the Lone Star Conference in time for the 2010 football season.

- After completing its second exploratory year, Urbana University in Ohio will become a provisional Division II member in time for the 2009 football season. The Blue Knights struggled to a 1-10 record this season, including losses to Division II members Findlay (26-0) and Tusculum (21-0). At this point, Urbana should be one of the Independents next season, though the Blue Knights have looked into membership in the GLIAC.

- Two schools will be heading into their second year of exploratory membership in NCAA Division II athletics: Lambuth University in Jackson, Tennessee, and Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio. It won't be until the 2010 football season that either school will be a provisional member on the NCAA Division II level, so we probably won't see much discussion of either school here next season. Both schools are actively pursuing conference memberships: Ohio Dominican is looking at the GLIAC while Lambuth is most interested in the Gulf South Conference.

- Finally, even less officially, news out of Due West, South Carolina revealed that a feasibility study was conducted last month at Erskine College regarding the possibility of starting a football program. At this point, economic issues have postponed any major activity, though the school is looking into options for raising enough money to cover start-up costs. It would probably not be until 2011 at the very earliest, in my estimation, that a team would take the field at Erskine should the board of trustees give its approval. However, barring any major changes to the landscape of the Independents between now and then, they would have a close rival in North Greenville, another religiously oriented school, and UNC Pembroke might not mind having Erskine on its schedule either.

And that's it for another season. Thanks to all of you who e-mailed me with your observations, thoughts, comments, and questions throughout the season. Also, many thanks to all the athletic directors and sports information directors who provided information to me throughout the year: you all help make my job easiser! I was fortunate enough to be able to meet a number of you readers in my travels this season and enjoyed it very much. I'll still be around at the same e-mail address as usual if you want to talk football (or any other sport for that matter) during the offseason.

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