Finally! Blackshirt Talk

And then there's this:



I wish there was a way to delete Dirk's tweet from this.  Zatechka is responding to word that Stille turned down his Blackshirt because he felt he didn't practice well enough last week.

 
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knapplc said:
And then there's this:



I wish there was a way to delete Dirk's tweet from this.  Zatechka is responding to word that Stille turned down his Blackshirt because he felt he didn't practice well enough last week.
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At least the young man has a standard for HIMSELF.  Shows that some understand the tradition, and also are supporting the Head Coach's vision...

Personally, I dont think that anyone on that line has earned a 'Shirt quite yet.  DiCaprio gets picked on, but that kid is going to be a shutdown corner.  Already ranks in the top 25 on passes defended.

 
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Lamar Jackson getting one shows me the staff has a low bar for the tradition.  A few plays one game, and maybe a preceding week of decent practice, in no way absolves him from so many issues he's had.  It may be the staff trying to not "lose" a kid, or encourage, but it definitely should tell us about the standard right now.

 
knapplc said:
Frost got his a$$ kicked for a couple years by Wistrom & JP. I think he has a pretty damned good handle on what it means to be a Blackshirt.
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I misrepresented my thought.  Frost certainly knows the tradition.  I think they're lowering the bar this year to encourage and coach the best talent available.  We should see a shift as talent increases. I look forward to the day where Lamar-likes wouldn't know the dimensions of a field because they're too deep on the roster to see one.  

Fast offense.  Nasty, mean D.  It will come.

 
DefenderAO said:
Lamar Jackson getting one shows me the staff has a low bar for the tradition.  A few plays one game, and maybe a preceding week of decent practice, in no way absolves him from so many issues he's had.  It may be the staff trying to not "lose" a kid, or encourage, but it definitely should tell us about the standard right now.
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One of my coaching stops I gave out an award for the offensive player of the game and the defensive player of the game...each week the kid(s) that won it got to keep the award and bring it home...it was cool and the kids loved it.

A few years into doing it we had a team that just wasn't very good...after the first game when we lost 20-0 I told the team "I am not sure if I am giving out awards for this game" sort of being a tough guy/coach...Later that day one of my assistant coaches said he thought that was a mistake...he said it meant a lot to the kids and I should still do it...he was right...the guys were trying hard they just weren't that great...so I still gave the awards each week.

 
DefenderAO said:
I misrepresented my thought.  Frost certainly knows the tradition.  I think they're lowering the bar this year to encourage and coach the best talent available.  We should see a shift as talent increases. I look forward to the day where Lamar-likes wouldn't know the dimensions of a field because they're too deep on the roster to see one.  

Fast offense.  Nasty, mean D.  It will come.
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I don’t know if the coaches are lowering the bar, just because Lamar Jackson earned a Blackshirt. Sounds like he handled his demotion after the Purdue game like an adult.  The Sunday after that game, he talked with Frost and Chinander, asked what he needs to be doing, and Jackson has responded. Is he playing CB like Ralph Brown or Prince Amukamara, no. But that’s not the point of the Blackshirts. They represent the starting defense.  Jackson is a starting CB, who has played well the past 2 games. He has 5 more games this season to prove he deserves to wear a Blackshirt. 

 
ColoradoHusk said:
I don’t know if the coaches are lowering the bar, just because Lamar Jackson earned a Blackshirt. Sounds like he handled his demotion after the Purdue game like an adult.  The Sunday after that game, he talked with Frost and Chinander, asked what he needs to be doing, and Jackson has responded. Is he playing CB like Ralph Brown or Prince Amukamara, no. But that’s not the point of the Blackshirts. They represent the starting defense.  Jackson is a starting CB, who has played well the past 2 games. He has 5 more games this season to prove he deserves to wear a Blackshirt. 
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Understood.  I do love the way the kids are fighting through adversity.  This 1-6 literally feels better than any Riley season.  I'm extremely hopeful for what is developing.

 
teachercd said:
It is for the starters...that is the tradition.

I also think "turning it down" is sort of blah...take it...it is praise...keep working hard.
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This is mostly where I am, too; I'd probably say I'm neutral about it because I'm fairly neutral about the Blackshirts as a thing.

I think they're fun and a cool tradition, but what they mean needs to be balanced by what they are. In my opinion, a starting defensive player who handles his business off the field, practices to the best of his ability and plays to the best of his ability deserves a Blackshirt. Nothing more or less. Some players and teams have different ceilings.

In this case, if Stille feels he personally hasn't met one of those goals, I'm fine with him turning it down so long as it's not a big deal because (IMO) it shouldn't be. Bigger fish to fry, so to speak.

 
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