[charlie22]

In response to Charlie22, you offer an interesting perspective, but I don't think making the comments he made was a very smart move on his part. Why give opposing teams unnecessary motivation? Teams are already amped up each week to play the birds, so why give them even more fuel. We can agree to disagree on that point. I have no doubt Dale is a very smart man. I like his unpredictablility as well, but I'm a realist. You can't tell me he's not taking some heat for AC's lack of playing time. I see alot of unseen pressure on him to get AC the ball as the year progresses. I think we all know that he's spent the last couple weeks suring up the pass to open up Austin but now it's time to get it on in Ft. Thomas. Boone will tell alot. I know AC wants the ball and with big daddy Chris in the stands, I'm sure he'll be getting it. Unpredictability aside, there is power in the Collinsworth name. I predict a predictable game this coming friday; A Collinsworth masterpiece.....

Dale certainly can be over the top with his comments; not sure that they fire teams up any more than they already would be to play the Birds with the exception of Cinti X. Actually I think most people familiar with Dale just kind of expect it and don't take him seriously when he says that kind of stuff. I don't.

I can assure you that Dale isn't taking any heat from any one (other than perhaps some internet posters whom he couldn't care less about :biggrin. Neither AC nor his father are the type of people to complain about the lack of carries; they are "team" type people. You obviously don't know them or you wouldn't have posted such.

You may be right in that Collinsworth may get a lot of carries this week. But if he does, I can assure you that it won't be because Austin or Cris have been complaining. And for the record, I don't think he'll get a lot of carries. We kind of have a big game next week that Dale will want Austin to not be banged up for. If the Birds can beat Boone without needing to use Austin a lot, then Dale won't use Austin much. Then again, it's Dale so who knows. hh:

I agree with you that Dale would probably prefer to get up big by half to rest the starters. That means scoring often and scoring fast. Is the best way to accomplish that against Boone throwing deep to Buten and Drennan or giving the ball to Collinsworth? That's a hard one to call at this point.

We'll find out in a few days.