Greatest comeback in the History of Blogs..

Back in BOLD

This is and will be the greatest comeback in the history of blogs. I will admit Canada sent me into a trance that I am just now recovering from. I promise to get back on track with a bi-weekly blog that should entertain, educate, and cause controversy. To debrief everyone on my trip to Canada I will attempt to sum it up with these pictures. These are all real pictures that I took while visiting Banff (with the exception of one, which should be obvious).

Canadian Warning Track

Wata Falls ATV Trip

Coolest picture ever

Peyto Lake Hike

 I am one of those people that will eat a strict peanut butter sandwich diet to save money if it means saving for vacation. Let me tell you: Banff is worth every penny. The things that I saw could not be justified by a camera. You have to hike pretty much anywhere that is worthy of awe. If you don't like to walk and enjoy mild to moderate hiking- Banff is not for you and you will make everyone around you miserable if you come along for the ride. If you fall into the no walking crowd save your money and go somewhere you can sit and see city lights/thoughtless entertainment. If you do appreciate nature and truly protected wilderness than you have to go. They make highway overpasses fenced in for the animals which I thought was very cool.  Peyto Lake was a mile hike and Wata Falls was deep in the rough. That Elk was less that 15 yards from yours truly. We did see 3 bears and about 25 elk, 12 mule deer. I do plan on going back and bringing hiking gear for a week. Let me know if your interested..

BOLD FOOTBALL TALK

1. Tim Tebow will make the Pro Bowl this season. To support my claim I have a few things for you to look at. I will start by giving an example of a QB that already has success and has a very similar game to Tebow. Take Big Ben for the Steelers; subtract 2 inches/20lbs, take away dumbface, take away character issues, increase speed/strength, increase IQ, add "it factor", add Tailback balance/vision. Here are some finer points that back up my prediction.

• Tebow/Ben have the ability to extend plays and wear down defenses. In the entirety of a game that can exhaust a defense and they will give up big plays. 
• Tebow does raise the level of play for those around him. Example: Percy Harvin. Percy was dominant at Florida.. without Timmy- not so much. Watch him revive the running game in Denver. The lineman respond to him like he is some kind of wolf pack leader.
• Tebow demands a level of play from his offense and keeps his teammates accountable. 
• Tebow doesn't just have speed like Vick. He is the first QB since Steve Young that actually understands how to run the ball effectively. Kid is not dumb- he knows that running is his 3rd-5th option. Not to mention we have never seen a QB that actually is built to withstand 160 carries a year.. and make no mistake- he is. 
• He can throw-PERIOD. I don't care what you say. He makes tough throws, always has. His motion is odd and takes too long. He will adjust. People said the same about Philip Rivers. 
• He has Jesus. 

All this being said, his team is bad and I have never been very impressed with John Fox. We shall see what happens but I hope the Broncos deal him or build around him.  Either way mark it down- TEBOW TO PRO BOWL THIS SEASON.

2. I told you TEXAS A&M would disappoint. Click the link to read my prediction in August. 

"Texas A&M will disappoint you more than the movie Eat, Pray, Love."

 
The Aggies had high expectation with National Championship talk, SEC, ect. They lost to Oklahoma State in a game that Ok State played very poorly. They lost to a mediocre Arkansas team. I predict they will lose to Baylor, Oklahoma, Kansas State, and possibly Missouri. All this for a team that came in ranked #7 in the nation and has a hole in the center of the defense so big everyone is keying on it with success. Problem with the defense is this: You can run a complex defense at Air Force because the kids are rocket scientist. When you take the Defensive Coordinator at Air Force and put him at A&M one must realize that you went from academy intelligence to Lufkin intelligence. You can not run a complex system with the guys A&M has right now. They are thinking too much. Don't know what will come of Sherman and crew. I have tried to get them on players here but they have had poor players evaluations in East Texas and refuse to reach on some kids around here that have(will have) great success. Truthfully I am a little bitter about this regime being unwilling to listen about players in the area.  I have tried to get them on Sophomores that turned into #1 recruits in the nation at their position by their senior year.  They offend these kids by not being interested/ignoring the players interest until the kids pile up 30 offers. Then they have the audacity to ask me why the kid won't commit to Texas A&M after they finally decide to pursue them. PLEASE, you are always too late, I have tried to help you get a jump on that! There are plenty of big time programs that respect my evaluations and take a look at a kid, frankly I am tired of it. TEXAS A&M does not respect the football players in East Texas and East Texas kids are starting to take to other programs. I grew up an Aggie fan, all my family and many of my great friends are Aggies. I want them to be good. I am just being honest.

3. Dallas Cowboys/ Romo will win between 10-12 games this regular season. 

Remember Quincy Carter? Romo haters..

I said the Cowboys would disappoint this year. I won't say I was outright wrong because they have so far and while they probably won't win it all I am changing my tune. I know it sounds funny at this juncture but I am impressed with the Boys. Romo skill set is top 7 in the league and it is just a matter of time before that shows out. He works with a terrible RB group and a shallow WR core. Why they will win?

• ROMO. Watch and see. He can do things no other QB can. Yes the blatant, untimely mistakes. So what- watch ROMO go nuts and win big games for Dallas
• Dez. He might not know what the play is(he has cost Romo ints for running wrong routes) but if in the redzone he is uncoverable. Jump ball-Dez. Slant-Dez. Screen-Dez. Any coverage reading or option route- NOT Dez.
• DEFENSE. The Cowboys defense will start to look dominant once they don't have to think so much out there. Rob Ryan has a complex system- so about week 9 or so expect that defense to be faster and more impressive.
• Demarcus Ware. Ware might be the best player in the NFL. If you have 2 great pass rushers you can win any football game in the NFL.

4. TEXAS LONGHORN FOOTBALL.
Not worthy of #11 or probably any top 25 ranking but Texas Longhorn football is back. Young, smart football players means a bright future for a bounce-back program.

Texas best Player is possibly
Freshman WR Jaxon Shipley.

• David Ash- For Real. Love this kids game. Bright future.
• NOT Case McCoy- Did not deserve a D1 Scholarship. I am not the only one that thinks so. No one offered the kid until Texas threw out a charity offer. Like Tebow with the "it" factor except not great at anything that matters and extremely weak in every way possible. So, not at all like Tebow or his brother for that matter. Pretty much an impostor that is curtailing his brothers legacy at Texas. Sure he is a great kid but he is not good enough to lead Texas in the long run. 
• Young Coordinators- Will be great. got out-coached by OU which is a constant theme in the big 12. These guys have a vision and will return Texas back to glory. 
• Mack Brown- I have been on a recruiting trip with athletes pretty much everywhere in surrounding states. Nobody does it better than Mack. PERIOD. He understands kids and the parents. Really it's Texas then Everyone else.

5. RG3 at Baylor should be top pick in the Draft. 

Not here to bang on Andrew Luck but let me throw this out there: If Andrew Luck played for Baylor would he be talked about so much and rated so high? No way. Too many comparisons to Elway at Stanford not to mention probably the best put together team in the nation by Harbaugh and co.
Here is a few reasons why I say RG3 is the man the NFL should be looking at #1.

• He has overcome much more than Luck to be great. Say what you want be he was labeled coming out of High School as an "Athlete". Give Briles credit for recruiting him for QB at Houston and then flipping him to Baylor. We have seen Griffin deal with adversity with a devastating injury and some terrible losses. I say these things make better pros. I feel like some people in the league that have identified this tell-tell sign and I hope they pick it up with RG3.
• He has a hose. I know that several do but I have seen this kid sling it in 40 mph wind like he is in an indoor facility. Throwing in the elements matters more in the NFL and he can do it. I also think he can throw on the run as good as anyone I have ever watched play the game. 
• He has single handedly turned around a program already, why not a franchise?
  Robert has shown leadership and all the intangibles necessary to turn any institution/company/program around. Not enough is said about his role in turning this dumpster fire program into respectable competition. 
• If plays fail (and they do often) he can run for it. Not just for the first down but for the goal line. Everyone knows he is an Olympic level sprinter and even so he is a pocket passer, not a running QB.  

Fitness Tips: 

 OK. So the Book cover is a little over the top but the concept is not too far off. Don't have a gym? On the road a lot?
Not an excuse for not working out. Get it in quick and I mean anywhere.  Here is a short workout you can do in the forest or in Vegas hotel room all the same. 

1. March in place 1 min while flapping your arms up and down like a bird. You will no doubt look like a fool but this will warm you up. 
2. 50 body weight squats. push butt back-bend knees-bend ankles and keep feet flat on the ground. Keep your arms extended straight in front of your shoulders.
3. regular push up burnout from knees. Max at 50
4. in place forward lunges with hands on hips 15R then 15 Left. 
5. situps for 1 min
6. 50 body weight wide squats. feet outside shoulders and toes pointed out. push butt back and bend knees at angle of toes. Push knees out and drop you butt to 90 degrees. 
7. Tri push ups- on fist with palms facing out(infront of head/body). from your knees burnout. id you get 50 your a boss. 
8. Side lunges with hands on hips. step laterally so that your outside foot is staggered enough that you heal is level with the inside foot toe. push hips back and over the knee/ankle of outside foot. 15 R, 15L
9. Side plank. R side on knees with right elbow/forearm on ground. Squeeze oblique and hold 1 min each side. 
10. 50 Narrow base squat with hands overhead. feet no wider than hips with toes pointed straight. 
11. Static Superman: start Pushup position- walk your hands back to your toes and hold for 10 seconds. Then, walk your hands back out to a push up position and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat 10 reps. 
12. Plank hold- both elbows/forearms on ground. both feet on ground. Hold position for burnout up to 3 min.

Tune in My Next Blog for my CROSSFIT EDITION. Full breakdown, analysis, objective opinion of the fitness fad/phenomenon that is Crossfit.

Style Tip of the week:

Grow a beard. It's the fall and it is a man thing to do. Do us all a favor and don't pull a Kevin Love face brace pencil beard routine. Go by the book, literally. There is a way to grow a beard that will fit you and your current state/ work situation. This book goes into great detail on how to groom yourself and look like a man. Also makes a great gift for anybody that has offensive facial hair.

One for the Road:

This is the craziest thing I have ever seen. What are the chances?

God Bless all my friends, family, co-workers, and athletes.
Until we speak again Love Jesus, watch college football, and do something your scared of. 

Happy Trails, 

(Horseback in Banff)

Bobby Stroupe