THE TODDCAST · WITH TODD MICHAELPondside Playbook
Todd Gurley drew a V in the mud, but the ducks made a question mark. Todd Bowles blew the whistle; the flock answered with a comma and kept waddling. A small duck stopped to snack and became captain.
They completed one neat lap around the pond, then returned to the same spot. The playbook floated by like a very damp assistant coach.
Punctuation on the pond
Todd Gurley opened a tiny playbook beside the pond and asked the ducks to practice a neat V. Todd Bowles blew a whistle. The ducks formed a comma, then a question mark, then something that looked like a very surprised semicolon. Each duck had an opinion about where the punctuation should go.
Todd Gurley tried drawing arrows in the mud. The ducks followed the arrows backward, which made the formation look like a parade returning home. Todd Bowles lowered the whistle and let them reorganize. A small duck took the lead, stopped for a snack, and was immediately elected captain by unanimous quacking.
The flock finally made a V, with a comfortable pause in the middle for snacks. They circled the pond once and returned to the starting spot, where the playbook had blown into the water. Todd Gurley rescued it; Todd Bowles noted the ducks had run the same play twice. The captain quacked for a rematch, then fell asleep on the whistle.
One More Lap
Todd Gurley drew another arrow; the ducks followed it backward. Todd Bowles put down the whistle, and the flock formed a V with a snack break in the middle.
They ran the route twice and returned to their starting place. The captain fell asleep on the whistle, which ended practice with an unexpectedly soft toot.
Pondside Formation
Todd Gurley draws a V in mud,
Todd Bowles calls time beside the flood.
The ducks make commas, then a Q,
The captain naps as captains do.
They circle pond and make a loop,
The playbook floats beside the troop.
A whistle toots a soft ‘goodnight,’
The flock sleeps through the fading light.