GodsendJen

Football Football Football Football Football Football.....what do you do when your team ends the season playing like a bunch of low-class hooligans?  You weed out some bad apples and then impose martial law with some strict consequences.  This plan is how coach Beamer spent his offseason.  The AD took cares of that weed problem in the winter and now Frank is making it clear he's serious about stamping out sloppy play and bad decision making.  The Times-Disgrace explains (emphasis mine):

Post-2003, the issue was cleansing the squad of selfishness and leadership voids. This time, the focus is on cleaning up the program's act, a worthy goal. To that end, Beamer has expanded his system of punishments that covers such items as blowing off class and blowing out the refs and sideswiping opponents after the whistle blows and costing your crew 15 yards of real estate.

As always, players who miss class or get whistled for acting-out penalties will face early-morning running - but at 6 a.m. Sundays and not mid-week, as before. Chronic offenders will forfeit playing time. And - this being the hit-'em-in-the-wallet innovation in the penal code - those personal-foul and unsportsmanlike no-no's will cost the perps a portion of their bowl stipend for food and entertainment.

"We've just got to make sure we get to a bowl," Beamer said yesterday. "If we don't get to a bowl, my whole thing is screwed up."

Now this leaves me wondering a few things--like exactly how much is that stipend for food and entertainment? And why on earth doesn't this code of conduct address off-campus issues?  As I recall the young Mr. Vick's worst transgressions occured outside the confines of campus.  You have to start somewhere, and this is a good place, I just think they could have done more.

Word is also out that Beamer is ticked that our field goal and punt blocking has plummetted over the last 3 years.  It should be interesting to see what happens this year since he is putting a renewed emphasis on it.  With an unsettled QB and so manny new starters a few choice blocks--especially if they are returned for a score--could be the difference in a game.