When I watch any sport, I very rarely follow the ball. This can be a tough task when that's pretty much what the camera follows.
However, when you look away from the ball, you notice a lot of other things. For example, Fluker's burst of emotion toward his offensive teammates on Saturday was not his first this season. Multiple times this year when we've been up by at least 30, and sometimes even after we had just scored, Fluker could be seen encouraging his linemen to keep mashing and dominating our opponents.
One other such thing that I kept an eye on early on in the season was how Nico Johnson (a starter on two national championship teams and basically a starter since day one) and CJ Mosley (probably a better player in terms of tackling and covering) would co-exist. Both alpha males and leaders of the defense in their own respective rights. Very rarely were they on the field at the same time this year because of different packages. And one (well, I) wondered how they could co-exist without bumping heads. On one play early on in the season (maybe against Michigan) they were on the field together and we had a busted assignment. They could be seen after the play jawing back & forth at one another. They later shook hands. Still, I wondered if this town was big enough for the both of them.
But as the season progressed they could be seen on the sideline helping each other out, etc.
And on Saturday when CJ Mosley made the game saving tipped pass, almost before the ball even hit the receivers hands, the first person on the field to embrace Mosley and congratulate him was Nico Johnson.
It was pretty cool to see that relationship evolve over the season.
However, when you look away from the ball, you notice a lot of other things. For example, Fluker's burst of emotion toward his offensive teammates on Saturday was not his first this season. Multiple times this year when we've been up by at least 30, and sometimes even after we had just scored, Fluker could be seen encouraging his linemen to keep mashing and dominating our opponents.
One other such thing that I kept an eye on early on in the season was how Nico Johnson (a starter on two national championship teams and basically a starter since day one) and CJ Mosley (probably a better player in terms of tackling and covering) would co-exist. Both alpha males and leaders of the defense in their own respective rights. Very rarely were they on the field at the same time this year because of different packages. And one (well, I) wondered how they could co-exist without bumping heads. On one play early on in the season (maybe against Michigan) they were on the field together and we had a busted assignment. They could be seen after the play jawing back & forth at one another. They later shook hands. Still, I wondered if this town was big enough for the both of them.
But as the season progressed they could be seen on the sideline helping each other out, etc.
And on Saturday when CJ Mosley made the game saving tipped pass, almost before the ball even hit the receivers hands, the first person on the field to embrace Mosley and congratulate him was Nico Johnson.
It was pretty cool to see that relationship evolve over the season.
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