"Quick Count" with Bill Skelton

Starting quarterback Bill Skelton was nice enough to pull up a chair - and even offer me one - after practice Thursday to answer this week's Quick Count. Skelton teaches math at New Haven High School and is in his second year with the Freedom.

When you're not playing football, what takes up your time?
Teaching and coaching.
Any pre-game rituals?
I try to get to the stadium as late as I can. Not super late, but I don't like to get there real early. Then myself, (Keith) Recker and (Dan) Musielewicz go through our pre-game that we did at Hillsdale together.
That's what Keith had said, too, in his Quick Count. What is it?
It's just, we call it a dynamic flex. We do a little bit of stretching, a little bit of plyometrics. It's just a habit. When you do it, you don't want to break it.
What CD is in your car right now?
I have some old Aaliyah in my car right now.
What was your favorite toy as a kid?
I used to play with M.A.S.K. toys when M.A.S.K. was a television series, a cartoon. I used to light G.I. Joes on fire a lot. I was a little bit of a pyro when I was a kid. (laughs)
What's something people would be surprised to know about you?
I'm a teacher. I don't know. I like my sleep. I like my television. I like "House." That's my favorite show.
I was going to ask you what is the one show you can't miss. But sometimes "House" (a medical drama) gets me with too much jargon.
You know, though, I love it. I love his sense of humor. It's just sarcastic. But he's smart with it. That's the one show I can't miss.
What's been your worst fan experience?
Oh, I love all the fans.
You love the fans in, like, Ohio Valley and Lexington?
Yeah, the fans at Lexington were pretty ruthless. It didn't help that I had an awful game. (He threw four interceptions April 28).
Do you use myspace?
Don't myspace. I'm not a technology person. I can check my e-mail, ESPN.com, that's about it.
Do you have a video game system?
My parents never let me have a video game system when I was a kid, and I thank them for it every single day. The sad thing was when I got to college, everybody would play those things, and even in high school, and I always got my butt whupped in them because I never could play. My parents were always like, 'Go outside. Pick up a basketball if you want to play a game.' But I'm grateful for that. When I have kids, hopefully I do, I'll never let them have a video game system either.
Do you have a favorite hang-out spot in Fort Wayne?
On the weekends during the season, I'll go wherever the guys are going. But I don't have a particular spot that I hang out. I hang out with my coaching staff at New Haven a lot at one of their houses or something like that. But in Fort Wayne, I like Outback Steakhouse. I go there about once a week.
What's your favorite sports moment you were not part of?
I'd have to say the Pistons' championship, this past one that they had (2004). It was good to see Detroit come back. They had been down for so many years, and being from Michigan, I'm a big Pistons, Lions and Tigers fan. That was just awesome. It was a great display of teamwork. The NBA is all about me, me, me, I, I, I and big huge egos, and it was nice to see a team come together with a bunch of, not no names, but role players come together and dominate Shaq and Kobe like that. It was great to see a championship back in Detroit, so that was cool.
Tigers fan, huh? Have you been to the new ballpark?
I have been there once.
Do you have a nickname?
When I was in high school - no one calls me it anymore - but when I was in high school, all my high school friends called me Biz.
Like showbiz?
No, just like an inside joke kind of thing. But, Skelly, sometimes they call me that. All the guys on the team call me Kill Bill.
If you could be invisible, what would you do?
I'd try to find all the inside information and try to make this world a better place. Go to the White House, check that out. Go to the gas companies and see why they're charging me three bucks to put in my car. I'd probably stop by the lotto place and figure out where all the best lotto tickets were.
Who's your closest friend on the team?
I'm pretty cool with most guys. I'd probably say some of the guys from Hillsdale that I played college ball with, Musielewicz and Recker and those guys. But, all the guys on the team, I'm pretty cool with. I'll go hang out with any of those guys. They're all my guys.

- By Stacy Clardie, The Journal Gazette

Comments

[deek]

Is anyone else bothered by Billy's pre-game ritual of being as late as possible?

Maybe that is part of the reason he hasn't fit in as a leader of this team, cause he is arriving late? Heck, after each possession, I normally see him go into the hallway behind the bench and sit by himself...

Honestly, I really don't want to be hard on the guy...I really want the Freedom and him to succeed, but there seems to be several things that rub me the wrong way...

I agree 100% !! This is completely outrageous. Arriving “late” but not “super late”. I mean come on you’re a professional football player. You should be at the stadium at least 3 hours before the game. I also feel this is the reason why he is not a leader. Plus he sits by himself during defensive possessions! Definite signs of not being a team player. This is preposterous and unacceptable behavior!! The Freedom should fine him a game check.

[realist]

Professional???

He has a full-time job, and it is not playing football.

That's the problem with this league and this level. No one shows up for practice. Guys can't go on roadtrips because of work conflicts. Guys don't make enough to justify treating it as full-time.

You get what you get with a league at this level.

[deek]

Missing practices and other conflicts due to full-time work is one thing...I'm not going to down a player because of his other obligations, normally financial in nature.

But, choosing to show up late, ostrisizing yourself during games, etc...I just don't think that is the model a semi-pro football player should strive to achieve.

[Freedomfan]

Role model? Skelton is a high school math teacher, a varsity football coach, and finds time to attend ALL practices and meetings (which is something that seems rare with the Freedom players lately). First off, when he says he shows up later, I'm pretty sure he doesn't mean right before game time. I would rather have a guy who shows up an hour before a game than a guy who doesn't even bother to come to practice!

[stick]

I agree with FreedomFan--Deek, you've had it out for Skelton all season. If you want White back, that's fine, but don't call in to question the commitment of a person who is putting everything he has into this. Skelton has struggled--no doubt, but let's be realist--the Oline has been devastated, he's basically throwing to third and fourth receivers, and Harvey has been out for 3 games.

[TZatc]

Take it from someone who spent a full season on the bench and a ton of road trips with him: Bill Skelton is a great guy and a great player. To question Billy's leadership ability is to say that you don't truly know him as a person.

The reason he sits in the tunnel is to make sure that he's mentally prepared for the next series. I've asked him this question before.

Secondly, if you think he's unprofessional and a poor leader simply because he shows up "late", you're pretty off-base.

Bill would should up just as soon if not sooner than the rest of the guys for taping and everything else that's a part of pre-game. Bill is a good friend of mine and there's not a better guy around. Trust me on that.

[deek]

True, I have been hard on him...but even with that, I have to say that I noticed him outside the tunnel this last game, taking more of a leader approach and I think overall, he did a better job on Saturday than he has all season, in that regard!

I still think he is having problems with reading the open man, but it appeared the coaches finally gave him an outlet by running one guy into the flats and waiting, in case Skelton got into trouble.

I don't know Skelton as a person, but I will say that I saw a change in how he handled himself against E'ville, and I liked it!

I think Skelton is a solid QB, but just not the type of player, in this offense, that we can rely on to put the game on his shoulders and win. As you saw, with McCrae picking up big yardage on the ground, Skelton played quite well!

I am not saying the O-line is great, but we have had time to throw on most plays...I noticed on Saturday, that the playcalling in the second half may be suspect, as the defense had us covered pretty tight...

[deek]

And honestly, if I didn't care about our team winning, I wouldn't be so hard and critical on Skelton's (and other players') performance.

I like the guy as a QB and I am sure he is a great person...but when he is not improving game to game and we start losing, its hard to not point the blame...

But...I did see some improvements, both on the sideline and in the game, this past Saturday, so if he builds on that, good things will come for this year's team!

[fwfreedomfan]

I think every fan cares about his/her team winning. From what I can tell, Skelton is among the last items on a long list of things causing the Freedom to lose games.

In my opinion,here is the top five reasons why the Freedom continues to fall:

1. Management continues to make poor financial and personnel decisions--enough said--but it makes more of an impact on the outcome of the game than one might think.

2. INJURIES--It is tough to win in this league if your core players can't stay healthy--this has made a HUGE impact on the season.

3. I don't understand how you improve without practicing. Too many players out of practice (for a variety of reasons).

4. The freedom coaching staff needs to find some common ground--too conservative on offense; the defense rolls the dice way too often--Blitzes are predictable/teams are picking them up and hitting their hot routes.

5. Confidence/Swagger: Last season, the freedom won the close games because they simply refused to believe they could lose. Some call it cocky--but confidence plays a large role in success. When you lose a few games, you can start to play with the old "playing NOT TO LOSE" mentality instead of "Playing to WIN"

[deek]

Well, my list is within the scope of what I see during the game. But I do agree with your points, missing practices and injuries have certainly added to the factors of losing.

I still stand behind my earlier comments this season, though. We relied heavily on Rocky and when the running game was there, Skelton looked fine. He still had the same issues as he does right now (slow to find the open man and hesitant to throw downfield)...

I am not saying that he is the only reason we have been losing, just that based on my perspective and watching the home games in the stands, that has been the biggest factor, in my opinion.

And I think it is valid, as once we got some yards from McCrae, Skelton was looking as good as he did in our first 3 games...I strongly feel that this last loss was due to bad play calls late in the game...two INTs in the 4th that put us in GREAT field position...and no points. Granted, our kicker should have made all three of the FGs, which is unacceptable, but we really should have scored TDs on all three of those drives!

[Kev]

I had him as a teacher in high school. He quoted movies far too often, that is all.