National Championships - 25
Conference Championships - 52
Overall Record - 782 - 58
Winning Pct - .930
Playoff Record - Undefeated
Bowl Record - Never Lost
THE MAN
Crav: First off, whats your real name?
MikeD: Michael Dartt
Crav: Tell me a little about yourself?
MikeD: I'm 30 years old and I work as a high school math teacher. Prior to this year, I coached baseball. I had coached 2 years on the college level and 5 years on the HS level. I decided to step down after last season because it was starting to take up too much time during the off-seasons.
Crav: Where are you from and where do you live now?
MikeD: I grew up in a suburb of Atlanta, and actually live about 10 minutes from my childhood home. After going away for college, I was definitely ready to come back to my roots.
Crav: Married, single, kids?
MikeD: Single, but I have a serious girlfriend. No kids.
Crav: I know you played Baseball for the Univerisity of Hawaii and your coach has been quoted as "Mike gave it 110% every play." Who are the best guys you ever played against?
MikeD: Wow, I played against some studs. Jeff Weaver at Fresno State, Eric Byrnes/Troy Glaus/Chase Utley at UCLA, Pat Burrell at Miami, Adam Kennedy/Robert Fick at Cal St. Northridge. I know there are others, but those guys come to mind quickly.
Crav: So do you still hit the bars on the weekends or lay low at home?
MikeD: LOL. I definitely don't hit the bars. I've become an old man, sitting at home on the weekends unless I go out with my friends or girlfriend.
Crav: I know you are a Teacher, what subjects do you teach? Did you actually get straight A's in this subject while you were in school?
MikeD: I teach math, more specifically Geometry and Algebra 1. When I was in HS I made all A's in math. But, college was a different story. In fact, going into my senior year, I thought I might have to change majors because I failed one of my math courses. Fortunately, I retook the course and passed. But, I struggled big-time with college proofs...
Crav: How often do you catch kids cheating on tests? Do anything of them cheat via cellphone/text messaging?
MikeD: Well, I don't catch them cheating all that often (although I'm sure many of them do, I just don't get them). I did catch a couple of students once. They were actually in different classes. Someone in my first period class copied his answers on the back of his calculator. He then let a student from 2nd period borrow his calculator. I didn't catch it initially but several weeks later, another teacher said the calculator was left in his room and I would be surprised what was written on it's cover. I confronted both of them and they denied it. But, when I turned them into the administrator, they confessed immediately.
Since having cellphones out is against school policy, I don't have to worry about text messages.
Crav: Is it me or has high school changed drastically over the last 10 to 15 years?
MikeD: It's changed. When I was in high school (early - mid 90s) no one had cell phones. A couple of students had pagers, but that was about it. Now, everyone has cell phones. Also, I'm not sure why, but the guys love to wear their pants low and show their underwear. Parent communication is much better now. Since everyone has an email address, I can simply email a parent if I have a problem with their child rather than having to call them. This can also be a problem if a parent bombards you will emails, but overall email is a good thing.
Crav: Favorite fast food?
MikeD: I don't eat a lot of fast food, but when I do, Sonic is at the top of my list. Their Chili Cheeseburgers are amazing
Crav: Who do you think is the best athlete(s) of our generation?
MikeD: Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Ken Griffey Jr, and Barry Bonds. Jordan was an acrobat playing basketball and was such a gamer. Tiger has completely changed his sport and the other golfers are still having a difficult time keeping up with him. Before Griffey's injuries, he was the best player in baseball. He had better numbers than Bonds and seemed to always play with a smile on his face. And regardless of anyone's opinion on Bonds and steroids, I still believe you could make an argument that he's the greatest hitter ever to play baseball.
Crave: Favorite sports teams (pro and college)?
MikeD: I love the University of Georgia's football team. I didn't follow them all that much when I was growing up, but since returning from college I've become pretty diehard. In basketball, I enjoy watching Georgia Tech and the University of Illinois. My mother was an Illinois graduate, so that's one reason I follow them. Professionally, I like the local teams (Braves and Falcons). But, I have rooted for the Dallas Cowboys ever since they traded Hershall Walker and drafted Troy Aikman. And with most of my family living in the St. Louis area, I follow the Cardinals pretty intensely.
Crav: If you could own a sports franchise, what team would it be and who would be your coach? What facility would be your home court/field?
MikeD: I'd probably run the Chicago Cubs. Wrigley Field is a beautiful ballpark, so attendance will never be an issue even if the team struggles. Plus, they are televised on WGN giving them national exposure. Additionally, they aren't a small market ball club, so they will be able to hold onto some of their marquis players and sign free agents. And with the curse, winning a world series in that city would make you a hero for life.
Crav: Are there any rules in college or pro sports that you would like to change?
MikeD: I understand protecting the QB in football, but I think at times it's a little extreme. I think the refs should use some common sense before tossing a flag when a QB gets hit.
And I know this isn't what you are looking for, but in Georgia, there can be a tie in the State Championship game in both soccer and football. This is one the stupidest rules I've ever seen. Implement another overtime or something. Someone should be a clearcut winner.
Crav: What is your golf handicap?
MikeD: I have only played golf two times my entire life. So my handicap is probably brutal.
Crav: Do you have any superstitions?
MikeD: No. In fact, if I ever think I'm being superstitious, I do the exact opposite thing to get it out of my system.
Crav: Name your five hottest Coeds:
MikeD: Reese Witherspoon, Natalie Portman, Beyonce Knowles, Elisha Cuthbert, Jessica Alba
THE COACH
Crav: How did you find out about the WIS website?
MikeD: I found it through espn.com about 3 years ago. I'm not sure what I was searching for, but I came across sim baseball and have been on the site ever since.
Crav: When are you coming out of retirement?
MikeD: Good question. And the answer is, I'm not sure. There are a couple of schools I wouldn't mind coaching right now in Stagg. So, if they open, then it may be within the next couple of days. But, the two biggest factors are time to recruit and traveling. I don't like thinking about GD when I'm on vacation and I have a trip planned in a month to North Carolina and another over the summer to Russia and Iceland. So, I may not pick up a team until July.
Crav: What is the most impressive accomplishment you have witnessed in GD?
MD: Wow. There have been a lot of great accomplisments, by many different coaches. I'm currently pretty impressed with the run Princeton is on in Stagg. They've won 8 consecutive National Championships with two different coaches. I'm a little biased in that area, since I coached the program for awhile, but winning 8 in a row is no easy feat.
Crave: If there was a conference of champions in D1A and everything was equal for recruiting and talent, what coach do you think would be the first to establish a dynasty?
MikeD: I think creating a dynasty is all about recruiting. Carpediem always has awesome talent and his teams are outstanding. I think he would be one of the first because he is such a remarkable recruiter.
Crav: In my book you are one of the top 3 coaches in the history of GD, what do you consider as your greatest accomplishment?
MikeD: I appreciate your kind words. Probably winning 4 in a row with D3 Bridgewater. This was my first dynasty and the first team that I won a title with, which made it special. Add in the fact that some outstanding coaches were in D3 Rockne (Richramirez, Plague, Scottso, Melch, Paranoid, and Coachcrave to name a few).
Crave: What do you think is your biggest failure in GD?
MikeD: Not winning 5 in a row with Bridgewater. The team that I lost two was well coached and had talent. But, there is no way it had the talent of Bridgewater. Curtains did a much better job in that game, but when comparing the rosters, it should have been a comfortable victory for my team.
Crav: What do look for when applying for new teams?
MikeD: On the lower levels, when I'm in no rush to get to D1A, I simply pick a school that I like. I picked Princeton in Stagg because my father went there. Picked Presbyterian in Bryant because I had some friends in HS attend there. Bridgewater I picked because I like the name (strange I know).
Unless I try to grab the University of Hawaii on D1A, there are so many things to factor. First, is it an elite. This can save you some serious dough in recruiting. Second, do they have access to a lot of recruits. Access to key recruits is so important on D1A because it's so difficult to recruit nationally. This is another reason I don't like D1A as much. Coaches who I believe to be 2nd tier often have some dynamite teams because they have access to stud recruits. They don't need a real strategy. Just recruit their backyard and set up a gameplan. Put those guys on a competitive lower level, and they get their clock cleaned.
Crav: What are your preferrences for offensive and defensive sets?
MikeD: On all my teams, I use 4-3, 4-4, and Nickle. I like Nickle and 4-4 the most, but I started using 4-3 a little more against coaches who pass out of proset and I-Formation.
Offensively, I like all the sets except for proset. I've just never been able to make that work. Wishbone is great if you have three or four beastly RBs. Trips is great to keep teams off-balanced (although I do think it's difficult to run out of Trips against some of the better D1A teams). I think I-Formation and ND Box are both easy to run out of if you have one or two powerful RBs.
Crav: What does your idea depth chart look like (how many players at each position do you like to have)?
MikeD: 4 QBs (3 to play, one redshirting), 5 RBs, 6 WR
3 TE, 8 OL, 8 DL, 7 LBs, 8 DBs, 1 K/P
Crav: Your status as a recruiter is legendary, what are your best tips for recruiting?
MikeD: First, make an exhaustive list of recruits. For example, if you are coaching D1AA and you like RBs with elusiveness and Speed above 75 and strength above 65, then put everyone in the country who meets that criteria on your recruiting list. Repeat this process for each position. Your list will be huge, but it will save you time searching for guys once the recruiting process begins,
Second, learn how to control your budget. Too many newbies spend their wad in the first couple of cycles. Self-control is very important.
Third, don't be afraid to recruit nationally, especially if a player is undecided.
Fourth, make mapquest your friend. If you are uncertain if you are closer or further from a recruit than another coach, type the cities into mapquest and determine the distance. This will give you an idea who has the recruiting advantage due to distance. Don't be afraid to bail on a recruit if the other guy is at a clear advantage.
Fifth, recruiting money is meant to be spent. There is a time and place to save. But, if factors are about equal between the schools (distance, prestige, etc) then spend your wad. Too many coaches think they need to save their money for next year. But, you may not get into a battle next year and this is your opportunity to land a player.
Crav: Tips on practice time?
MikeD: I figure out what formations I want to run (Trips/Shot, 4-4/Nickle, special teams) and put 15 minutes into each of those. Then, I figure out what attributes I think are important for each position and divide it equally among those areas of practice. I set this up one time when I first pick up a team and never touch it again.
Crav: What teams in your opinion are the most successful?
MikeD: Obviously, a team that is loaded in talent is most successful. But, if talent is about equal, then a guy who is balanced out of given sets (like ND Box or IFormation). These guys can be difficult to gameplan against defensively.
Crav: What is the most overrated aspect of GD?
MikeD: Scouting trips. On D3 - D1AA I never use them. On D1A I use them simply to help get a recruit considering me. I know who the most talented players are based on attributes. Recruit these guys and even if they don't improve much over 4 years, they will still be better than some of the other guys for the course of their career.
Crav: What is the most important position on a team?
MikeD: RB and DL. There are several coaches who have made a living recruiting one or two beastly RBs and letting those guys carry them to the promised land. This isn't a bad strategy at all, especially given how dominate RBs can be. This is also why DL is so important. A strong DL gives you a fighting shot at stopping these power running teams.
Crav: Has anyone given you some new or interesting advice concerning the game that you have implemented into your gameplanning?
MikeD: Nothing recently. The last thing I heard involved player ratings. Click on the player ratings of your team and the opposing team. Put them side by side and compare strength/blocking to strength/tackling. If you have a clear advantage OL to DL, then run the football.
Crav: If there was a million dollars up for grabs who is the one coach that you would want to coach your team in a National Championship game?
MikeD: Probably Jeff Kahleb. I've followed him more recently because he's been coaching Princeton. I'm convinced that guy is going to win with or without talent.
Crav: One coach you find most difficult to coach against?
MikeD: Carpediem, not only because he is an excellent coach, but also because his teams are loaded.
Rob: Favorite GD coaches and why?
MikeD:
Brandonford is one. I know him outside of GD, was in his wedding, and he's a really close.
Cravedogg because we've coached together, passed a lot of knowledge back and forth in GD, and a total class guy.
Richramirez because he's willing to help when I need him to look after my team and he's a genuinely nice guy (even if he is a Gator fan).
Cebrake because he is a really nice man, willing to help, underrated coach, and he's a Georgia boy.
