How do these ADs and HBCs do it with a straight face? Really, they should be ashamed, but I guess they are too busy recruiting those opponents to be embarrassed.
What is the gain of playing teams 4 + classes beneath you?
- Thread starter blackpopsicle
- Start date
I don't think its shameful to play a smaller school if the teams are evenly matched. Some big schools aren't very good, just like some small schools are great and could provide a great test for your program. I don't think anyone would agree that it would be shameful for Mandarin, Sandalwood, Fletcher to test themselves with the likes of Raines, Bolles, South Sumter, Cocoa etc.
Years ago when arbitrary boundary lines dictated which kids went to which public school, comparative size of student bodies was normally of great importance, but today you can basically file that concept under "Ancient History".
School choice in public schools has given star athletes a loop-hole, a means to gang-up at the "go to" program in a given metro area so they line-up against the "have-nots", take them behind the woodshed, and administer an annual a$$-whippin.
The genius of giving kids, parents, coaches and HS-level Nevin Shapiro-type hustlers free reign to assemble area all-star teams can possibly produce mention in the USA Today, but almost always will guarantee that competition among district rivals is completely stifled. As an additional benefit, it can also force HS kids and their legions of rabid boosters to either board airplanes or perhaps take a 8-10 hour bus ride to find a competitive game. Make sense?
Where are we headed? Even greater consolidation of athletes (read "fewer teams") is a virtual guarantee. Rational kids, parents and school board members will eventually decide that there's little point to fielding teams with regular students to go up against HS's that will often feature 8-10 FBS-bound seniors.
Fickle parents will eventually pull their kids from programs that can't guarantee maximum exposure, making it increasingly harder to keep blue chippers at Top Super 25 USA newspaper schools (i.e., "Johnny was only going to be on ESPN 4 times this season, so we're moving him from Florida to California. No, the house in Virginia is still for sale."
Eventually, if those who don't give a damn about competition stay in control, it may come down to only 2 HS teams in the US. If the 2 programs have a falling-out or simply decide they don't want to play each other 11 times in one season. Perhaps the game will become International.
That might last until teams on other continents get sick of getting their a$$es kicked, then maybe we'll just have to load teams up and shoot them into outer space.
School choice in public schools has given star athletes a loop-hole, a means to gang-up at the "go to" program in a given metro area so they line-up against the "have-nots", take them behind the woodshed, and administer an annual a$$-whippin.
The genius of giving kids, parents, coaches and HS-level Nevin Shapiro-type hustlers free reign to assemble area all-star teams can possibly produce mention in the USA Today, but almost always will guarantee that competition among district rivals is completely stifled. As an additional benefit, it can also force HS kids and their legions of rabid boosters to either board airplanes or perhaps take a 8-10 hour bus ride to find a competitive game. Make sense?
Where are we headed? Even greater consolidation of athletes (read "fewer teams") is a virtual guarantee. Rational kids, parents and school board members will eventually decide that there's little point to fielding teams with regular students to go up against HS's that will often feature 8-10 FBS-bound seniors.
Fickle parents will eventually pull their kids from programs that can't guarantee maximum exposure, making it increasingly harder to keep blue chippers at Top Super 25 USA newspaper schools (i.e., "Johnny was only going to be on ESPN 4 times this season, so we're moving him from Florida to California. No, the house in Virginia is still for sale."
Eventually, if those who don't give a damn about competition stay in control, it may come down to only 2 HS teams in the US. If the 2 programs have a falling-out or simply decide they don't want to play each other 11 times in one season. Perhaps the game will become International.
That might last until teams on other continents get sick of getting their a$$es kicked, then maybe we'll just have to load teams up and shoot them into outer space.
ACD going to be a group of killers this year? How about Duval Charter?
blackpopsicle: what's your guess as to why the Gateway Conference doesn't group like-sized schools against each other when setting up the schedule? Heck, even having the smaller schools play each other - and then maybe one larger school while having the larger schools play each other - and mixing in one small school...I haven't looked at the specifics, but that's always been a question of mine...do you think it stems from "downtown's" simple apathy?
They should go back to the way it was, eliminate school choice except for academics.
If your playing a really good program, what difference does it make if they are in a lower classification?
A lot of teams play because of the rivalry and others play to get a practice game. Colleges do the same thing.
Bingo... It should but won't. There is too much money being made at the private schools to go back to the old ways. Didn't Florida just bond IMG for 2 million because they are good for the community. It is the mind set of the politician that runs our school board now. Athletics are becoming more important than academics because Football will make money for the school if the team is good enough.
Exactly, school choice is ruining most high school sports. These same ppl who vote for it is all against little leagues stacking teams but are all for it in high school.
It seems like the new AD is trying to do that in a more equitable manner than the guy in the past. The last cat seemed like he owed the two biggest schools money. The new AD is from Mandarin, we'll see how they fare.
That's a great point, but I was referring to those small schools that are NOT power programs.
DKT, I wonder why Mandarin didn't seem to get the same prompts. Think that was "Bruno blowback"?
Could have been...Fox was at Mandarin until the late 90's, I think it was...he took over in the county office for Jerry Disch...nothing has been the same since Coach Disch hung up the whistle. Bruno was a fool...he was either before or after Craig Howard, wasn't he?
Might want to check and see who called who? I can see where a coach trying to build a program might want his team to face a really tough opponent up a couple of classes. Not wise in my opinion, and the larger school's coach is like, heck yeah, easy win.
I was speaking with some of the fans from Bradenton Southeast who felt like school choice has made it to where they can't compete against Manatee anymore, but they really want to get their program back to its former status as a powerhouse. I suggested to them to drop Manatee and replace them with a really strong 3a or 4a team.
So the gain is just as I suspected, an easy win and another home game.
It is what it is.
BTW- Thanks, Phac for the Disco Dan Disch update!
I will tell you right now, School size doesn't necessarily mean you have more 'DUDES' roaming your campus. It might mean you have more bodies to choose from, doesn't mean that they are the right type that you need for this position or that position. And not everyone has the ability or capability to 'recruit'. I am going to assume you might have been taking a swipe at the FPC/Clewiston matchup from this past week. And I will once again reiterate that we have an awfully hard time in getting teams from many different parts of the state that are willing to schedule us. I would also like to state the Clewiston, while a smaller school than us, had some definite 'DUDES'/players on their squad. Class distinction is only based on how many kids are enrolled at your school. Not based on gender or size of the kids that you school indeed draws.
Not for private schools. There's no rule for them, they are exempt!!!!! Don't believe me send an email to the FHSAA Director and ask him. U will get the same answer.
Nah, I had no idea the FPC/Clewiston game existed. I was referring to a game up here this weekend.
That's not true, Hardee...but that's really of little importance in this forum...are you at liberty to share which specific private school(s) drew your ire and why? Or do you fancy yourself as a "separate private and public schools" type fellow? Your buddy Phac Nam has been on both sides of that fence and experience tells me that the grass is not greener on one side as opposed to the other...so I'm probably a fence straddler when it comes to the public v private debate...but I do like to be swayed! Lay some opinionated smack down on me, Hardee!
