The Birmingham Bolts remind me of an episode of “I Love Lucy”. The episode that I’m referring to has Lucy and Ethel working at a chocolate factory wrapping chocolates. Everything is going along smooth at first but then all hell breaks loose and in the end Lucy and Ethel are a mess and the whole scene is a disaster. That in a nutshell is the Bolts’ season.
At first they were at least a competitive team. They never had it all together but it was assumed that they would come around and improve. Instead they have become a bad joke and been the embarrassment of the XFL. The Bolts have played more like the Keystone Kops and less like a professional football team. Birmingham is a comedy of errors and the joke is on the Bolts fans.
The offensive line would have trouble blocking a peewee team while the defense allows any generic back to rush for big yards. The only player on the defense that has really shown greatness is James Willis. On the offense there are players that can win ballgames but the line is not giving them time to connect.
The running game has become non-existent. James Bostic fumbles every time a stiff breeze blows his direction and the offensive line does not help him. It’s not all the players fault though. When the offensive line coach for a professional team has experience in high school only there is a problem. The offensive coordinator was proclaimed an offensive genius but I’ve only seen coaching that bland once in my life. It’s first and ten. What will the Bolts run here? It’s a handoff to Bostic!! Nearly every time the same play. Has it ever gained a yard? Where are the trick plays? Where is the play action and motion? Are the Bolts running the same offense that a certain college team ran last year?
With Stepfret Williams you have a great deep threat but the quarterback rarely has time to throw the ball. I guess that’s why they run on first down. It’s the only way to keep the quarterback from being mutilated!!
I lay the blame for the 2-6 record at the feet of the coaching staff. The Bolts are not well coached and are ill prepared for games. This season is a wash and will be best forgotten. If the XFL and Birmingham return next year there must be a coaching change. If not the DiNardo then he must get experienced professional coaches instead of unproven high school and college coaches.
