The General Custer argument

[SWC75]

Listening to Bud and the Manchild, they were discussing "the call" - the pitch-out to Moore in the end zone. Bud siad eh didn't like pitch-outs anywhere on the field- he wants the ball moving forward as fast as possible. But he did allow, "if it had worked- If Moore had run it out to the 18 yard line and started a scoring drive, we'd be praising MacDonald for his guts in making the call."

I call this the "General Custer argument". "If it had worked, he'd have been a genius." You hear it alot in sports talk from those who defend coaches or try to play devil's advocate. The problem is, things don't work for reasons. A pitch-out in the end zone to your slowest back is just a bad idea and it would be a bad idea even if it had worked. Sometimes players make good plays out of bad calls, just as they can make bad plays out of good calls.

 

[TheCusian]

Agreed. Hate that take.

Another pet peeve: "if you take out all the deep throws and big runs, our offense has been pedestrian" ... Duh!

 

[upperdeck]

but it wouldnt have been so bad had Moore run the play properly. made a bad cut and the blocking was awful. teams throw out of the end zone too. some turn into safeties some into long td's .

 

[Orangejet]

So much for the fast offenses like Oregon and Texas A & M...

 

[xc84]

I'd have been happy but scratching my head asking why the hell he called that while back up in the end zone. it would not have invoked confidence.