On-field gag order lifted for Wheelers
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By Craig DeVrieze | Thursday, June 19, 2008 |
Quad-Cities' Kris Peters is free to talk trash on the field again. First-year coach Troy Biladeau has lifted his on-field gag order. Quad-City Times file photo Buy this Photo
It wasn’t quite like playing receiver with one hand tied behind his back.
Still, Kris Peters will concede a coach-imposed, early-season ban on talking smack to opposing players was adversely affecting his performance for the Quad-City Steamwheelers.
“I couldn’t be myself,’’ the fourth-year receiver said. “I am one of those free-spirited guys. I need to talk to be into the game. I want the guy going up against me to know he is in for a long night. That is just the way I have always gotten myself going.’’
Still, for the first six games of the Troy Biladeau era, Wheelers players were under an on-field gag order.
“I am really big on discipline, and I tried to lay the law down in the beginning,’’ said the rookie head coach. “Honestly, that is really what I believe in and the kind of thing I always thought I would do as a head coach.’’
Then, Biladeau saw his club lose four games in a row, and the last of those was the most lopsided loss in franchise history.
It came against a free-talking batch of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers helmed by former Q-C coach Rich Ingold, who not only lets his boys yak but rarely fails to have a little something to say himself.
“Honestly, it was,’’ Biladeau said when asked if an 84-26 pounding by the Pioneers was behind his decision last week to lift the trash-talk ban. “I looked at Wilkes-Barre and I thought they played better when they talked.’’
Only time will tell whether a vastly improved Q-C performance in last week’s 54-27 win over the Peoria Pirates was owed more to pumped-up Steamwheelers volume, improved Q-C play or poor play by the Pirates.
One thing is certain: Peters and his pals will be free to talk when they visit Midwest Division-leading Lexington on Sunday afternoon.
“Oh, yeah, definitely,’’ Biladeau said. “We won, so ...’’
Biladeau said he doesn’t doubt the Steamwheelers rediscovered their stride when the trash-talking ban was rescinded.
“I thought we needed that,’’ he said. “We needed a swagger. Some guys don’t need that. Some guys do. I said if it helps you, if it’s going to make us better, then do it.’’
Peters didn’t have his best game statistically vs. Peoria, but he scored twice and felt more like himself, and the Steamwheelers certainly played like a loose and motivated team.
“You want to go into a game with a swagger about yourself, knowing you’re good,’’ he said. “I respected coach’s wishes in the beginning of the season when he said: ‘Turn it off.’ But he took the shackles off me last week and let me go.’’
Peters and jack linebacker Malik Jackson are the most notable trash-talkers on the team. Defensive back Kevin Adams, a key factor in the win over Peoria, also has been known to have a word or two for the opponent. And, said the coach, even mild-mannered receiver Jesse Schmidt will have something to say if properly riled.
Ultimately, Biladeau decided it was best to let his players be themselves on the field of play.
“The main thing is I want the guys to have fun,’’ he said. “When you’re losing, the pressure mounts, and guys don’t have fun. That is really why I did it at that particular point.
“What I am trying to do is get the guys to pump each other up. I don’t want fights. I don’t want confrontations. We are still going to have discipline with it. But I want the guys to have fun and play to their level, and if they have to talk to an opponent to play to their level, so be it.’’
Rules still apply, Biladeau stressed. There is no talking before games — “If they’re asleep, we don’t want to wake them up,’’ said the coach — and players are not to talk to fans or opposing coaches.
Not even to Rich Ingold?
“I might have to put a little asterisk by that one, in case we play again,’’ a laughing Biladeau said.
Now, even the coach is getting in on the act.
Craig DeVrieze can be contacted at (563) 333-2610 or cdevrieze@qctimes.com. Comment on this story at qctimes.com.
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