Can we Spike? Huh? Can We?

Pity the poor Houston Texans Houston's fan, saddled with the rooting for the worst expansion franchise in NFL history, pre-season optimisim is often reduced to convincing themselves that the Cowboy game matters.

Except that it doesn't. Not in any way that's meaningful to sports fans across the Country that is.

To Houston? You bet it matters. If you want to know why think about that picture above. On the one hand, you have Dallas. Cool, confident with a brawny National reputation that doesn't worry too much about what everyone else thinks. On the other hand you have Houston. Yappy, sometimes annoying, and way too concerned about being taken seriously by the big boys. Oh the travesty of the Texans not being given prime-time games (despite the fact that they sucked, and their brand of football was borderline unwatchable at times) during the early years of the franchise while Dallas hogged the airwaves. Dallas has gone 10 years without a playoff win...blah....blah....blah.

The hard facts are the Cowboys are still the premier team in Texas except for within the Houston Metro area. Even then there are people who grew up rooting for other teams who might follow the Texans (heck, we might even pull for them) but they're never going to replace the Cowboys (or, in my case, the 49ers) as team number one.


This is a PRE-season game. The only thing that matters is that the One's & Two's look good. Whoever winds up at the top of the scoreboard at the end of the game is inconsequential....unless you're trying to get the attention of the fans of the Big Dog that is*, then it might seem to you to be the most important thing in the world.


Perspective Texans fans. Perspective.








*Yeah, yeah I know...in the cartoon world Chester the Terrier eventually "bested" Spike and proved him to be a coward. But that's a child's game, in which we try to teach our kids that life doesn't suck and the good guys always win. In the REAL world, Spike beats the crap out of Chester 10 times and Sunday. The Texans want respect? Start winning some games.

AP Top 25

Here 'ya go...

1 Alabama
2 Ohio State
3 Boise State
4 Florida
5 Texas
6 TCU
7 Oklahoma
8 Nebraska
9 Iowa
10 Virginia Tech
11 Oregon
12 Wisconsin
13 Miami (FL)
14 USC
15 Pittsburgh
16 Georgia Tech
17 Arkansas
18 North Carolina
19 Penn State
20 Florida State
21 LSU
22 Auburn
23 Georgia
24 Oregon State
25 West Virginia

Same thing I said about the USA Today Poll: Florida, Texas & Oregon are all overrated. Georgia, Oregon State & Georgia Tech are underrated. USC should not be on there.

Pre-season polls are meaningless, and they shouldn't have them until after the 4th week of the season.

Ug...ly

That's just about the only way to describe the Houston Texans' 38-20 pre-season drubbing by the Saints on Saturday. What a difference a week (and an opponent) makes eh? Last week I Tweeted that some perspective was in order. After all, the Cardinals are going to be lucky to finish 6-10. Against a playoff team, a team that's good, the Texans looked like.....a team that's going to finish somewhere between 6-10 & 8-8 but no better.

Thoughts:


- The Trindon Holliday experiment is a failure. If August 31st is not his last day with the Texans Rick Smith & Kubiak should be given exams for mental distress.

- Mario Williams is still a 40% of the time good player. That's not good enough.

- The Kubiak praise by Houston media is overblown. Coach Peyton is in his 5th year with the team as well. He's got a Super Bowl Championship to show for it, Kubiak has a non-losing record....overrated.

- The running game for the Texans is still a crap-shoot. Foster is young, Slaton is a shell & Tate is on the shelf for the year. Ugh.

- The Texans' defense is still a soft, soft unit who has trouble stopping a stiff Jr. High unit on 3rd down.


Looks like another year of Sundays spent doing anything other than watching bad football on TV. On the bright side, my yard should look great.

The end of horse racing in Houston?

That could be the case according to this recount of a recent meeting at Sam Houston Race Park as told by Steven Long of Horseback Magazine. (h/t: Houston Press)

(Battle lines drawn on Texas Racing, Steven Long, HorsebackMagazine.com)

Andrea Yong of Houston’s Sam Houston Race Park expressed a stark reality. She runs a track whose parent company has lost tens of millions in recent years in its aluminum, real estate, and forestry business. And Maxxam Corporation has repeatedly stumbled in management at SHRP putting the track in a precarious position that Young admits.

“We don’t have the money to run 60 dates,” she said. “We have the money to run 22 dates.”

Rumors have been racing across the backside of Sam Houston Race Park for weeks that the track has been sold. Whether it’s true, or wishful thinking on the part of horsemen disgusted with track management, it is undeniable that the track is troubled. Track officials stoutly deny off the record that the rumors are true.

Young spoke of the proposal of an abbreviated race schedule for next year in which Quarter Horse racing will be mixed with American Paint Horse racing and Arabian racing.

Either way, the thoroughbred season has been given over to Lone Star Park which means there will be no Fall thoroughbred season at Sam Houston which means there will be no live Horse Racing at the Park until 2011. A glance at the Track's calendar shows no current live races on the schedule. No overnights, no stakes races, no nothing. Just simulcast betting and the ZiegenBock Music Festival. Joy.


One can only hope that the rumors of a possible track sale by the cash-strapped, and horse-racing inept, Maxxam results in new track management and a renewed commitment to the Texas Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse industry. It'd also be nice to bring in someone to administer the wagering who has an understanding of what it is the serious sports bettor is looking for. Sam Houston's betting structure is severely behind the times. With no guaranteed pick-four, no pick six whatsoever and very limited Trifecta options the betting strategy seems to be to lock in on the low-dollar quinella bettor. The top tracks in the country are experimenting with multiple track pick 6's etc. Sam Houston and Lone Star should have been doing that years ago.

Instead they just watch purses go down, betting handles go down, and interest drop as a result. Maxxam has tried to run SHRP on the cheap. We're now seeing the results of that management decision.

2010 Season Preview: Big XII (-II) South

Continuing the 3CB 2010 College Football preview, let's take a look at the Big XII (-II) South.

Who wins this division hinges on one thing: Who you feel is going to win the Red River Rivalry Shootout played during the State Fair of Texas, this year on October 2nd.

Division Winner: Oklahoma is my pick in the RRS, so they're my pick to win the division. Whether or not they can beat Nebraska in the championship game is another story.....

Division First Loser: Texas - Much will be made about their talent, their coaching and their quarterback. Texas doesn't rebuild, they re-load under the system created by Mack Brown. One thing: It takes time to reload, and the weapons they have this year are not as mature as the one's they've had in past years.

Division Third Place: Texas A&M - This doesn't mean that I'm sold on the Aggies as having returned to prominence. It's more a declaration of my disbelief in the rest of the division.

Division Fourth Place: Texas Tech - After aTm it really becomes a crap-shoot. Will Tech be any good under their new mediocre coach? Fringe bowl, angry fans.

Division Fifth Place: Baylor - It's hard for me to put any Art Briles' coached team anywhere other than the cellar, but as bad of a coach as I think he is, Gundy of OSU is probably worse.

Division Cellar Dweller: Oklahoma State - With any luck, this season will be the last in the Mike Gundy era, and OSU can get a real football coach who pays a little attention to defense. My late Grandfather, an OSU alum and life-long fan, said "Oh God not Gundy" when he found out who the coaching pick was then, I think he'd be willing to see a bad season in order to get the guy out this year. T. Boone Pickens is wanting to see a better ROI on his investment than 2nd place and some funny-looking sideline cards.

Texans Pre-season game one....

More of the same....

It wouldn't be a Houston Texans game without.....


1. An Andre Johnson Touchdown where Matt Schaub throws a good pass that's caught by a receiver who cannot be covered man on man.

2. A "promising" 20 some-odd yard run by an untested running back that has everyone saying the running game woes are solved.

3. A terrible injury that has people already predicting doom. (Get well Ben Tate!)

4. A Steve Slaton fumble at the goal-line that has fans angry, and the pundits assuring everyone it's not that bad.

5. Defeat grasped from the jaws of victory due to poor clock management by the coaching staff, and an aversion (an understandable aversion it should be noted) to kick a field goal to force overtime.


4 Best:

1. Andre Johnson - The best receiver in the NFL proved why in his limited engagement.

2. Mario Williams - What hurt hip? Was in Matt Leinhart's face all game. THIS is what Mario can be when he decides to play.

3. Darrell Sharpton - Reports are he's not being considered as a starter while Cushing is out. That could change if he keeps playing well.

4. James Casey - Was all over the place in the 2nd quarter. Made a case for more playing time.


4 Worst:

1. Steve Slaton - More and more it's appearing that the mistake was everyone thinking he was an NFL caliber running back in the first place.

2. Trindon Holliday - At least very few people had any misgivings about his NFL quality. If he survives the first cut I'll be surprised.

3. Texans CB's - They didn't cover well & were bailed out by the safeties and line-backers. This will be hidden as long as their is QB pressure, but on plays where there's not?

4. Connor Barwin - One pressure from a guy who's supposed to be the reason the Texans don't need to pick up Aaron Schoebel? Yeah, they didn't need Thomas Jones either.


The good news is the Texans were ahead 16-0 at halftime. The bad news is they're still kicking more FG's than scoring TD's and Kubiak still has a maddening tendency to call off the dogs too early in the game. The 2nd half, and the final score, doesn't matter. If you think it does then go and take a drink of perspective: Most of the guys who gave up the lead in the 2nd half won't be on the roster come game one of the regular season.

2010 Season Preview: Big XII (-II) North

As College Football inches closer it's time to think about taking a look at some of the Conference races that matter both locally and Nationally. Why not start with the newsmakers of the Summer, the Big XII (-II) North:


Division Winner: Nebraska - Before heading out to Big Tenleven(+1) greener pastures the Cornhuskers are hoping to get one last shot at conference glory. Prediction: They get the chance and finish in the Top 10 rankings. (Note: UN doesn't have to play OU this year unless the two meet in the Big XII(-2) championship game. That's a plus for the Huskers.)


Division First Loser: Kansas State - Last year's team finished 4-4 in league play and tied with Mizzou for 2nd place. This year I think they finish 5-3 and become the first losers solo. The wife (born across the street from what is now called Bill Snyder Family Stadium) is picking them to pass Nebraska and finish first. Unfortunately, I don't see it. Nebraska is loaded this year.


Division 3rd place: Iowa State - Here's where I diverge from the common wisdom. I think Mizzou will be a little off this year, and Iowa State is on the come. The Gene Chizik expiriment was a failure, and now 2nd year coach Paul Rhodes is trying to put his brand on the team. Arnaut, the QB is a game changer.


Division 4th place: Missouri - True, they don't have to play the Longhorns this year, but Sr. graduation and the realities of being a middle-of-the-road school in the same conference as Texas and OU requires a school like Mizzou to have rebuilding years. This year will be Mizzou's rebuilding year.


Division 5th place: Kansas - Don't give up on the Jayhawks just yet. New coach Turner Gill is the genuine article and while the cupboard is bare this year, expect them to play hard and pull off an upset or two before the season is over.


Division cellar dweller: Colorado - The most interesting thing about a Buffalo's football game is Ralphie running across the field before kickoff. Colorado is a mess, with a bad coach, a terrible QB (who just happens to be the coaches son) and no money to bring in a new coach they can't get out of the conference fast enough.

Don't give Uncle Drayton any ideas.

Plymoth Argyle bans photographers, newspapers resort to cartoons.

Apparently the team is looking to charge for "official" photos.

Although, when you think about it, ChronBlog might as well pay for photos, they've already decided to rely on others to report significant local sports news right?

McNair's evidence (Updated)

According to SI's Peter King it's Overtrained athlete's syndrome.


I'm not sure if they thought this one through.....


(The Overtraining syndrome. Mark Jenkins, MD, Rice University)

There have been several clinical studies done on athletes with the overtraining syndrome. Exercise physiologic, psychological, and biochemical laboratory testing have been done. Findings in these studies have shown decreased performance in exercise testing, decreased mood state, and, in some, increased cortisol levels -- the body's "stress" hormone. A decrease in testosterone, altered immune status, and an increase in muscular break down products have also been identified.

I've read pretty much the same thing in every study I've seen (admittedly, not many, or enough to be considered comprehensive. I've currently got requests out to get more), none of which mention hCG at all, much less elevated levels.

Good luck to Mr. McNair, but I can't see how this argument will be sufficient to reduce or overturn the suspension.

Update: There is a chance that Cushing's story could hold water, despite my continued belief that the league is going to do nothing about it.

In this well-sourced article (.PDF) by Dr. Dan Gwartney it's suggested that hCG stimulates production of testosterone. If, as suggested by Dr. Mark Jenkins of Rice University, overtraining syndrome causes a testosterone deficiency then it's plausible that elevated hCG could exist as a countermeasure to lowered hormone levels.

Possible but, not yet proven as near as I can tell. I've got requests out to better researchers (with better research skills and tools than I have) for any information they can find on this issue, if something comes my way I'll be sure to share.

It's important to note that, even if the scenario I outlined above was plausible, or if that's even the defense that Cushing is going to use after all, he hasn't made it totally public yet, that minus peer-reviewed studies backing up those claims there's probably very little the NFL is going to do.


Except...maybe, fight this thing out in court.

Lamar University playing football.

It used to be illegal in the City of Beaumont, but now, Lamar University is about to field a football team for the first time since 1989.


They're playing Sam Houston State University on October 2nd in Beaumont. I'll be watching the Red River Shootout on that day but, if you're not interested in OU vs. UT, you might head over to Beaumont to check it out.


They start the season against McNeese St. Sept. 4th in Lake Charles. If you're not interested in good football you can drive to Lake Charles and watch that rout.

That being said, I plan to make a trip to Beaumont NEXT season to see the Cardinal play. Football is good, even in Beaumont.

3 Areas of Focus

Last week, on SportsRadio 610 I listened to a conversation focusing on three Texans players the hosts and callers thought needed to "take it to the next level" for the team to be successful. There were some good names thrown out: Connor Barwin, Gary Kubiak, Steve Slaton...Good choices all.

Meant to illustrate that the Texans are close to the playoffs, that so many players & coaches were named reveals just how weak the Texans are in many key areas. More than three Texans, I think there are three AREAS in which the team must show improvement to make a run at the playoffs.....


1. Backfields. - Steve Slaton, Arrian Foster & Ben Tate HAVE to run the ball better in order for the Texans to be a playoff contender. Last year the Texans ranked 30th (out of 32 teams) in rushing. Moving up to the middle of the pack would help them greatly. Also, the Defensive back needs to cover better, stop giving up the big play, and create turnovers. They have to do this with a starting roster that would be sitting on the bench for all but a few of the worst teams in the league.

2. Line play - On both sides of the ball. Not only does the O-line need to grasp the zone blocking scheme, but the D-line needs to get pressure on the opposing teams quarterback. Both of these units need to step up as a group.

3. Coaching - Time management, play calling and game preparation have to get better for the Texans to succeed. They won't win with Kubiak repeatedly saying "my fault" at the end of every game.


My early impression was 5-11, that's tempered a little, but I still don't see them finishing above .500 this year.

The SID Pre-season Top 25 released.

I know, I know, it's called the coaches poll, but it's about as credible as any pre-season top25 I could come up with (possibly even less) or ANY pre-season ranking for that matter.

Anyway, for better or worse: here it is...

(USA Today Pre-Season Top 25 Coaches Poll, USA Today.com)

1. Alabama (
2. Ohio State
3. Florida
4. Texas
5. Boise State
6. Virginia Tech
7. TCU
8. Oklahoma
9. Nebraska
10. Iowa
11. Oregon
12. Wisconsin
13. Miami (Fla.)
14. Penn State
15. Pittsburgh
16. LSU
17. Georgia Tech
18. North Carolina
19. Arkansas
20. Florida State
21. Georgia
22. Oregon State
23. Auburn
24t. Utah
24t. West Virginia

Follow the links above if you want to see "others receiving votes", last year's record and final rankings, points, etc.


My thoughts:

The following teams are ranked too high: Florida, Texas, Nebraska, Oregon, LSU, Florida State & North Carolina.

Major conferences rule: That's how it goes in this poll, since the B(C)S conferences have the most votes, and rarely do the big conference SID's get anything right regarding the non B(C)S schools.

Boise St. is ranked too low: Yes, Boise are acting like idiots by cancelling the series with in-State rival Idaho once the latter is starting to get good again, but they're still going to be one of the top 3 in the Country. If they can run the table again they might get in the B(C)S championship game.

Houston not in the Top 25? What? With that offense and an improving defense? Wow.


All that being said I've got a feeling that the soon-to-be-released AP poll will fix many of the errors that are always present in the SID poll. Unfortunately it's this poll that's tied to the monstrosity that is the B(C)S computer ranking system so there you go.

Armstrong bunkers down.

No matter your feelings regarding the best Tour de France rider ever, things aren't looking good for Austin's favorite cycling son.

It'd be one thing if the charges of systemic doping were coming from Floyd Landis. After all, the guys a jerk and an admitted liar. I really believe Armstrong could weather that. But with "other cyclists" now jumping on the anti-Lance band-wagon things are looking bleak.



Instead of focusing on Armstrong though, it would be nice if the story would focus more on USADA, whose investigative methods have never been on the up & up. Millions of dollars are spent by the Government every year to fund this agency's witch-hunts against athletes sometimes garnering convictions, but what is gained?

Then there's this: Since cycling entered it's "doping era" Lance Armstrong has NEVER tested positive for a banned substance. Think what you want about Lance, that's a powerful statement for "reasonable doubt" if ever I've seen one.

Unfortunately USADA isn't about reasonable doubt. You're guilty until proven innocent and bargained testimony is often considered damning. Given that, relatively weak, standard of evidence Lance is in for a tougher climb than the Alp D'Huez.

Yup, Happ is an Astro

Last night he gave up a moon shot HR to Albert Pujols.


Welcome to the team sir.


And don't worry, those Pujols home-runs DO come back down eventually, it only seems like they're going to reach orbit.

Grass Clippings (08/04/10)

No batting slump here.....


Clemson's got high hopes and a highly touted QB that's returning. Hmmm....When have we heard THAT before? (They're still Clemson, and it's still the ACC.....8-4)


Maybe the Vikings could borrow Mrs. White's catapult?


The Mike Shanahan/Albert Haynesworth mano-a-mano continues. With no end in sight. Despite all of this I predict the Redskins will be dangerous this year. (If, for nothing else, they have a proven winner at QB in McNabb)


It's a bowl game or the bricks Coach Rod.


Georgia: Baby QB's, a BEAST of an Offensive Line and a new defense. What could possibly go wrong?


I give you the hottest coaching seat in College Football. Les Miles' team had better win, or there are going to be howls for blood in Baton Rouge.


Colleges should research the connections between orange in uniforms and players doing stupid things. Granted, that doesn't explain Oregon, but there's always an outlier.


Times they are a-changin' in Hunstville. As Willie Fritz takes over the reins as head coach here's hoping that he discovers the defense that his predecessor lost. SHSU has had great offenses and a dog's dinner for defense for a few years now.


The Case Keenum buzz grows. Will the Cougars have their first player in New York since the Run n' Shoot days?

The Golden Dome vs. Burnt Orange?

It could happen, thus settling, once and for all, the argument over who is King of the T-shirt fans.


The Golden Domers are famous for the obnoxious nature of those who never set foot on the campus but UT-Austin takes a back-seat to no one in that area. Especially in Houston.

Lance Berkman's new best friend.....

...is A-Rod.


If Rodriguez was still bombing HR's and 600 was in the rearview mirror then Yankees fans would be raking Lance over the coals.

Grass Clippings (08/03/10)

Pot-purri


Can the Cowboys win it all by skimping on the kicker? That's been Jones' MO, to not spend a lot of money on the kicking game. Even before Romo it's bitten him.


The Red Wings are gearing up for another title run. About damn time.


Booooooo! Weekley.


Be careful what you wish for Berkman, You just might get it.


Suddenly Boise State is the epitome of everything they've griped about over the past five years. (Odd that they feigned superiority just as Idaho was showing signs of getting pretty good isn't it?) Justice would have them frozen out of the B(C)S Championship game this year as well.


The real story is that Andre Davis has been so bad he's making two receivers who shouldn't be in the league (Trindon Holliday and Dorin Dickerson) look good by comparison. Also that the Texans irrationally overpaid him based on one game's performance. In ChronBlog's world however, Davis becomes a "great" player and Trindon Holliday is a legitimate WR threat. Oy.


Under Kubiak, and his too-conservative coaching style, this is the most important battle in camp.


No Richard, what the Texans need is a cover corner and a defensive lineman w/the ability to pressure the opposing quarterback, not the toughness of a street free agent. They already have that last thing.

Speaking of Justice, the master of pulling out meaningless data and overstating it's importance strikes again. Most serious publications that I've seen have the Texans around .500 again (or worse). Were Houston a real media town.....

Grass clippings (08/02/2010)

Getting closer.....


Kansas Football Coach Turner Gill, James Jordan, Suite101.com - As bad as the Mangino firing was, the Gill hire was better. I'm expecting KU to be stronger than most think this year. Maybe not a contender in the Big XII-II N, but definitely in a Bowl. (Also: Kansas Football Preview)



It's Big X+II media day!! - Hours and hours of coaches sitting around grumpily avoiding giving the answers to even the questions to which everyone knows the answer. (Also: Ohio State Football Preview)



Of course, Vegas has odds. - I think they're wrong, but more on that in a later post. (Also: Why Boise St. Deserves the #1 ranking.)



Construction on Lindsay St. will not be done by beginning of season. The wife and I were up there around Memorial Day, logistics is a MESS with an empty stadium. Imagine with 85K + trying to get around. Yuck.


Will former UH Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgerson help the Poke's Offense? One pundit thinks so (but next year probably) Will Pickens let Gundy be around to see it?


It's a bowl or nothing Coach Rod. No Pressure.

Something (potentially) awful this way comes.

My early review of the Texans schedule for the 2010-2011 season returned the following record:

5-11


That can't be right. Typically, after further review, I give them the benefit of the doubt on one or two games and end up around 7-9 or 8-8. I've just never looked at the schedule and felt so strongly that disaster was coming as I do this year.

- No consistent running game.

- Chester Pitts (the Texans most consistent O-lineman) is playing in Seattle this year. No one seems to take issue with that but me.

- Possibly the worst defensive backfield in the league.

- An under-achieving D-line

- Many questions on special teams. (I actually heard sports professionals on the radio today hyping Trindon Holliday.)

- An unproven, non-winning, coaching staff.

- No reliable backup for when Matt Shaub goes down.


But Five and Eleven?




Geez.

Haskell Day (UPDATED)

Outside of the first two legs of the Triple Crown and the Breeder's Cup, this is one of the biggest days in American horse racing. Far better than the Belmont Stakes and at a much more reasonable length (1 1/8 miles instead of 1 1/2 miles) at a much better facility in my mind this race should be the third leg of the Triple Crown. Of course, tradition states that it's a necessity to make 3yr olds run a distance that they probably shouldn't, a distance that wears them out and, in some cases, ruins their future careers, in order to find a true champion.
Tradition aside, the Haskell usually has a stronger field, an equal purse, and is ran under better conditions.

Early "smart" money is on Trappe Shot, who basically ran one really good race at Monmouth. The problem is Trappe Shot has never faced the quality of competition that he'll see here. (He didn't stand for the TC races and there's probably a reason for that)

Here's your field (including post-positions and morning-line odds):


1. Lookin' at Lucky (5-2)
2. Afleet Again (12-1)
3. Ice Box (9-2)
4. First Dude (6-1)
5. Our Dark Knight (15-1)
6. Super Saver (3-1)
7. Scratched (UptownCharlieBrown)
8. Trappe Shot (3-1)


Predictions: 1 - 3 - 2 - 8

My Bets: (For entertainment purposes only*)


$20 win: 1
$10 Ex box: 1-2-3
$2 Supr 1 - 3 - 2 - 8 (you know, for fun)


The wife: $2 show on 4.



UPDATE:

Finish: 1 - 8 - 4 w/Lookin' At Lucky running away with it to win by 5 lengths. Very chalky, not the best of betting races but a dominating performance by the Even Money favorite.



*Remember: Online gambling is ILLEGAL in Texas. However, you can go to a race track and bet this race on simulcasting. That's where I'll be this afternoon, placing these bets legally. As with any betting, there's risk, and I'll probably be wrong. In other words: Pick your own dang winners.)

Adios Lance...

The Great Astros fire sale of 2010 continues.


Too bad they didn't get anything worth-while back for their two top players isn't it? Ah well, what do you expect from the worst-ran franchise in Houston?

Now you have a lazy-assed Carols Lee and a group of marginal-in-the-majors daily players to look forward to for the next couple of years. Well, that and a couple of pitchers (Myers, Wandy) who would be third or fourth staters, at best, for most major-league teams. How bad is it? Ed Wade is seriously considering signing Myers to a multi-year deal to make him the 'anchor' in the rotation.


Yikes.


On the bright side: Bourne can steal a base (or three). If only Hunter Pence would accept coaching they might have something to build on......