Career Record - 441-86
Career Winning PCT. - .837
National Championships - 6
Conference Championships - 12
Bowl Record - 15-2
Playoff Record - 17-7
Current Teams - USC (Leahy) and Savannah State (Camp)
The Man
Rob: First off, tell me a little about yourself:
Wod_Row: Thanks for the interview. Its quite an honor. My name is Joe Meyer. I am 40 years old and a father of 3. I live in Cincinnati, Ohio with my wife & kids.
Rob: What do you do for work?
Wod_Row: I am an attorney.
Rob: Favorite activities or Hobbies?
Wod_Row: My wife would say �that stupid game�, but I would say GD. I also like to work-out
Rob: Favorite video games if you play them?
Wod_Row: I am not as big of a gamer as I once was. Real life has reduced my opportunities to play. However, my son did give me Call of Duty 2 for X-mas. Great game. Nothing like shooting Nazis to melt away the stress.
Rob: Favorite food?
Wod_Row: McD�s. Hence the reason I like to work-out. At 40, the Big Macs hang around unless you do something about them.
Rob: Favorite sports figures?
Wod_Row: I am going to go old school here & say Tony Perez. The Big Red Machine�s 1st baseman. The consummate professional. Did his job...very well with no fanfare.
Rob: You mentioned Tony Perez was the consummate professional. Did his job...very well with no fanfare. Do you feel there is too much celebrating going on in todays game?
wod_row: I think the celebrations in sports have become excessive and are unsportman-like.
Rob: Favorite sports teams? Pro - College
Wod_Row: Cincinnati Reds & Univ. of Cincinnati Bearcats. Someone has to sit in the stands & cheer them on during their down years.
Rob: Being a fan of the Cincinnati Reds. Should Pete Rose be in the Hall of Fame?
wod_row: Not until the ban fro baseball is lifted. he broke the rules & should pay the consequence.
The Coach:
Rob: How did you find out about the WIS website?
Wod_Row: I heard about the site from a local sports talk show. I think the host plays GD in a world or two.
Rob: How did you come up with your user name?
Wod_Row: My user name is a deviation of my middle name, Woodrow.
Rob: Do you play any other WIS games? if yes, which ones?
Wod_Row: GD is the only WIS game I play. Have been tempted to play HBD or some of the sim leagues, but, just have not found the time to do it.
Rob: Do you have any other WIS IDs that you use?
Wod_Row: No. I am a one ID kinda guy.
Rob: Joe, I know you have many great accomplishments but do you have a favorite GD moments?
Wod_Row: I would say winning my 5th National Championships in Leahy. I won it in season 19. At that time, it had been 9 seasons since I had won a NC. My 5th NC validated my ability to compete against the newer generation of coaches.
Rob: How many worlds are you in?
Wod_Row: I am playing GD in 2 worlds. Leahy & Camp. I first started playing in Leahy. That�s where I have been most successful. I started playing in Camp in season 13.
Rob: What do look for when applying for new teams?
Wod_Row: I look for a team with the best returning OLs, DLs & RBs. I think those three positions are the keys to success in GD.
Rob: Do look to run all their teams the same way, or do you run each one differently?
Wod_Row: I do use the same style with my 2 teams, but I will use the team in Camp to experiment with a different approach on Offense or Defense. I am still trying to find the best method to pass to a RB. Well, one that I feel comfortable with.
Rob: Any tips on recruiting?
Wod_Row: The best tip is not to avoid battles, but to pick your battles wisely. Recruiting battles are inevitable, especially as you move up in Divisions. The successful coaches seem to wisely chose their battles. Don't fight for every recruit. I see coaches fighting for a recruit when a similarly situated recruit is still available, i.e. undecided or considering only sims. Why waste the $$ fighting an unpredictable human for a recruit when you can have the same type of player. However, if the recruit is not similarily situated, i.e. has more potential; much better core stats & fills a primary need for your team, and you have an advantage, i.e. distance, prestige or money, then battle.
Second best tip is if you battle for a recruit, have a back-up recruit in line, in case you lose.
Rob: How about advanced settings tips?
Wod_Row: I am not sure I have any good tips other than use them & adjust them throughout the season as players develop & perform.
Rob: Tips on practice time?
Wod_Row: Adjust them on a regular basis throughout the season. I know some coaches prefer more team practice and others prefer more individual time. I am not sure which is more important, but adjusting your practice schedule will keep your team�s growth from plateauing.
Rob: Aggressiveness settings?
Wod_Row: It is my experience that each season�s team performs differently and thus, one needs to experiment each season to find the best style for their team. I start out by looking at my players Athl., GI, Techn. & SPD to determine if they will perform better under an aggressive, balanced or conservative style. Also, success with an aggressive style against one opponent does guarantee success against another. A lesson I recently re-learned in Camp. Right Rob? I forgot that my opponent, the #1 team in Camp DIAA, had faster & more athletic players than my motley bunch of DBs & LBs.
Rob: What teams in your opinion are the most successful on offense...All pass, all run, or balanced. Why?
Wod_Row: I am big on run-oriented teams. I started out in season 1 of GD in Leahy favoring the pass, but over time I have been burned by passing's unpredictability. 3 things can happen when you pass & 2 of them are not good.
Rob: Do you find it tougher to play against a team that passes all the time, Runs all the time, or just mixes it up.
Wod_Row: The balanced teams that mix up their approach with different sets are the hardest to game plan against.
Rob: Does Defense really matter or is it just about Offense?
Wod_Row: Defense is the unheralded aspect of the GD. The game is definitely skewed towards offense, but you still need a good defense to be competive.
Rob: What is the most important position on a team?
Wod_Row: I use to think it was RB and then LB. I am now of the opinion that it is either the OL or DL. DL make the majority of tackles over a season, and teams with great OLs & mediocre RBs are still successful.
Rob: Do you feel the game is changing and have you had to alter the way you play the game?
Wod_Row: The game has definitely changed since I first started playing. The developers have made numerous adjustments to the game, and each change has caused me to change my approach. The best change was to allow teams to adjust their tendencies and yardage per down on defense. I hated it at first because it caused me to uproot my approach on Offense, but I loved the fact that it made defenses more relevant to the game.
Rob: I consider you one of the top coaches and you have given me some sound advice. Has anyone given you some new or interesting advice concerning the game recently that you have adapted into your game?
Wod_Row: Yes. I read the GD forums on a regular basis looking for tips. Also, I sitemail a small group of coaches asking for opinions on different issues. I would say the most helpful coach has been rc1990. When he first started playing GD, he would sitemail me questions that caused me to think more about the game at a time when my interest in GD was waning. Also, as a newer coach, he gave me some great insights into the game that I had forgotten or overlooked.
Rob: One coach that you would want to coach your team in a Championship game?
Wod_Row: There are so many great coaches, but if forced to answer, I would say Kobo in Camp. I have never played him, but that guy just wins. His record is impressive.
Rob: One coach you find most difficult to coach against?
Wod_Row: TTNorm. When he was at Air Force in Leahy, I couldn�t beat him. I would have my offensive & defensive settings right on target for his GP, but, he would kill me. I finally got a win against him for my 6th NC in Leahy. The game did go into multiple overtimes, but a win is a win.
Rob: You have won a NC at every level in Leahy except DIII. Any thoughts of ever going back down there and getting that one?
Wod_Row: After I eventually get fired from USC in Leahy, I am going to drop down to DIII and try for that DIII championship.
Rob: Favorite Level that you have played at?
Wod_Row: Each level is different, but I would say DIAA. I prefer the tournament approach to crowning a champ. Plus, I like the challenge of recruiting DIA rejects or DII superstars and then melding that imperfect crew into a competitive team.
Rob: Should the NCAA go to a Playoff in D1A?
Wod_Row: Yes. It works at every other level of collegiate football. I know people argue "the tradition of the bowl games", but I think the BCS system is killing the tradition.
Rob: Real Life: Ohio St. or Florida? Should Michigan be playing in the National Championship game instead of Florida?
Wod_Row: The Ohio State wins against FLA. Before the game on Monday, I would have said Michigan, but now I think FLA was the right choice. I think the winner of OSU/FLA should play Boise St.
Rob: Next season in Leahy: Notre Dame vs USC for the National Championship? I do need to dream!!
Wod_Row: No. I don�t think USC will be that competitive. Plus, nothing personal here, but I don�t know if ND or any team in the Big 10 will go undefeated. That conference is the toughest in Leahy. All of the coaches are top level. But 1 day I would love to see USC play ND for a title.
Thanks again,
Rob
