Couples Clinic

[cougarmommy]

Did any of you go to the couples clinic (replaced the women's clinic this year) the other night? I was so happy I got to go with my husband. He told me it was my Wifely Duty to write a report. I'm assuming, given that it's August and we're all extremely bored waiting for fall camp to start, that you want to hear every . . . little . . . detail. Right?

1. It rained and lightninged. Not the first time I've sat in the stadium in a downpour, and it won't be the last. Perversely, I enjoy it. Remember that game that got paused for lightning a few years ago?

2. Bronco pulls on his public smile like a ski mask. Not that it's not sincere (how would I know?) but that it comes on so suddenly, and brilliantly. I imagine him telling himself sternly, "Yes, you hate this. But you will . . . be . . . friendly . . . NOW!" I really wanted to meet him and shake his hand. My husband and I love the guy (like, hero-worship, really) but unfortunately we can't shake our awareness of how much Bronco hates publicity/the spotlight, plus neither of us are very PUSHY, so we were too shy to do anything. We just watched him from afar. But then he came over to US ("initiating smile sequence. . . NOW") and we DID get to shake his hand and say, "We think you're just so great!" and other inanities. Awesome.

3. Greg Wrubell's voice sounds different when you're looking at his face. Don't you always find that radio people's faces don't match up with their voices?

4. The grass in the stadium seems nice and green and thick and strong. No weak spots. I hope it means something, but perhaps it was only because 150 people sauntering around on it aren't quite the same as two fully-padded football teams tearing it up?

5. They gave us nametags that connected to our shirts via magnets. Strong ones. Cool!

6. Coach Weber did a trivia game that was fun. I like BYU Trivia. He kept addressing the ladies in a gallant manner, unfortunately only serving to make me giggle as I kept thinking of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMfHnNu1oq4 "How many academic all-americans did the O-Line have last season? . . . . Ladies."

7. The dinner was good. Ruby River chicken and steak and potatoes and asparagus (the best) and salad. Mmmmm! (For the women's clinic, we only ever had subway sandwiches. Slightly soggy and mustard-y. Ladies.) No dessert, though. I suppose all those football players care about is MEAT.

8. I always liked the part of the women's clinic where they explained offense and defense plays, strategies, terms, etc. I would have liked more of that (and maybe a little less basic)---but what they had was still good. Nick Howell (new d-line coach? I think. He is really, really young. He looked like he could be one of the players.) lined up a bunch of people to demonstrate the 3-4, and some plays they might run. It was really helpful for me. I've had the 3-4 (and 3-3-5) explained to me countless times, and I GET it, but somehow seeing it with people was better than seeing it with x's and o's on a chalkboard. I could see how you could fake out the offense by everyone leaning one direction, for example. And how the free safety could read something from the backfield and change the play setup. It just made sense.

9. Have you been in the "cougar room" at the Stadium? There are mirrors along one back wall. But only part of it. So whenever I walked by, I looked into another part of the room where some players were sitting and THOUGHT it was a mirror. "Wait! I'm black? And a man? How did this happen?"

10. When I walk into the stadium, I get so excited, I just can't stand it. I got chills. I wished SO BAD I was walking in for our first game. And I love our stadium. The mountains behind? So cool. It looked different to me, all empty and towering. I always love it, but I was able to see it with new eyes. I feel like this must be the best place to watch football in the country. Don't you?

Well, that's all I can think of. Carry on. Hope I occupied a couple minutes of the waiting time for you. Now back to my cougar-mommying . . .

[craigoscarson]

Did any of you go to the couples clinic (replaced the women's clinic this year) the other night? I was so happy I got to go with my husband. He told me it was my Wifely Duty to write a report. I'm assuming, given that it's August and we're all extremely bored waiting for fall camp to start, that you want to hear every . . . little . . . detail. Right?

1. It rained and lightninged. Not the first time I've sat in the stadium in a downpour, and it won't be the last. Perversely, I enjoy it. Remember that game that got paused for lightning a few years ago?

2. Bronco pulls on his public smile like a ski mask. Not that it's not sincere (how would I know?) but that it comes on so suddenly, and brilliantly. I imagine him telling himself sternly, "Yes, you hate this. But you will . . . be . . . friendly . . . NOW!" I really wanted to meet him and shake his hand. My husband and I love the guy (like, hero-worship, really) but unfortunately we can't shake our awareness of how much Bronco hates publicity/the spotlight, plus neither of us are very PUSHY, so we were too shy to do anything. We just watched him from afar. But then he came over to US ("initiating smile sequence. . . NOW") and we DID get to shake his hand and say, "We think you're just so great!" and other inanities. Awesome.

3. Greg Wrubell's voice sounds different when you're looking at his face. Don't you always find that radio people's faces don't match up with their voices?

4. The grass in the stadium seems nice and green and thick and strong. No weak spots. I hope it means something, but perhaps it was only because 150 people sauntering around on it aren't quite the same as two fully-padded football teams tearing it up?

5. They gave us nametags that connected to our shirts via magnets. Strong ones. Cool!

6. Coach Weber did a trivia game that was fun. I like BYU Trivia. He kept addressing the ladies in a gallant manner, unfortunately only serving to make me giggle as I kept thinking of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMfHnNu1oq4 "How many academic all-americans did the O-Line have last season? . . . . Ladies."

7. The dinner was good. Ruby River chicken and steak and potatoes and asparagus (the best) and salad. Mmmmm! (For the women's clinic, we only ever had subway sandwiches. Slightly soggy and mustard-y. Ladies.) No dessert, though. I suppose all those football players care about is MEAT.

8. I always liked the part of the women's clinic where they explained offense and defense plays, strategies, terms, etc. I would have liked more of that (and maybe a little less basic)---but what they had was still good. Nick Howell (new d-line coach? I think. He is really, really young. He looked like he could be one of the players.) lined up a bunch of people to demonstrate the 3-4, and some plays they might run. It was really helpful for me. I've had the 3-4 (and 3-3-5) explained to me countless times, and I GET it, but somehow seeing it with people was better than seeing it with x's and o's on a chalkboard. I could see how you could fake out the offense by everyone leaning one direction, for example. And how the free safety could read something from the backfield and change the play setup. It just made sense.

9. Have you been in the "cougar room" at the Stadium? There are mirrors along one back wall. But only part of it. So whenever I walked by, I looked into another part of the room where some players were sitting and THOUGHT it was a mirror. "Wait! I'm black? And a man? How did this happen?"

10. When I walk into the stadium, I get so excited, I just can't stand it. I got chills. I wished SO BAD I was walking in for our first game. And I love our stadium. The mountains behind? So cool. It looked different to me, all empty and towering. I always love it, but I was able to see it with new eyes. I feel like this must be the best place to watch football in the country. Don't you?

Well, that's all I can think of. Carry on. Hope I occupied a couple minutes of the waiting time for you. Now back to my cougar-mommying . . .

Thanks for the great info..... ladies.

[Mars]

It rained and lightninged. Not the first time I've sat in the stadium in a downpour, and it won't be the last. Perversely, I enjoy it. Remember that game that got paused for lightning a few years ago?

Tulsa. There was a mosh-pit on the field during the 40 minute mandated lightning break.

Thanks for the report, and welcome to the board!

[Cougs_Rule]

Nice job Mommy. Will you go next year? Something very cool, dare I say special, being on that field. Even more cool throwing and catching passes with the players on that field. Under the lights was a great effect as well.

[jonnylingo]

Something very cool, dare I say special, being on that field.

Yes, just ask Jake Heaps.

[AmmonCougar1]

How much did the clinic cost? I'm going to need to do a little schmoozing and prepping to get down there next year with my wife.

Thanks...& Go Cougs!!!

J. Child
Ammon, ID

[hawkwing]

How much did the clinic cost? I'm going to need to do a little schmoozing and prepping to get down there next year with my wife.

I think it was $150 per couple.