TeamJagUS

Isn't it Pirate's homecoming? This will be the week we see if Tarkington is really "improved" or just has a better record than last year because of who they played early on. It's been business as usual the last two weeks and with Shepherd hungry for a win too on HC I see Shepherd winning handily (14+).

[quote name="Touchdown22" post="1289779" timestamp="1349287096"] [b]He has mercy on Tarkington, Cold by 40.[/b] If he used the line-up against Navasota like he did on Shepherd then maybe different outcome. His goal before district is different than the fans but the final run in the playoffs is always to win with the best line-up. He put 69 (The most ever scored on Shepherd by Coldspring) on Shepherd to estabilish his dominance ealier to the new coach, even though they said "Coldspring would be surprised in Shepherds play" by everyone including the papers. The most ever scored on Cleveland by Coldspring was last year and I love it when people say thats not happening this year. He maynot have mercy on Cleveland this year. [/quote]  This is a CS vs. Tarkington thread, I agree though, they let up on Tarkington, not sure what the motive is, maybe just being a gentleman, maybe the kids aren't as "up" for it? With that in combination with the Horns new stouter defense maybe they hold it to 30.

[quote name="Aggieallstar" post="1289284" timestamp="1349225654"] Is this serious? My 8 year old son could answer this question. [/quote] Nah it's all a big joke. Sign him up, let him vote.

Set this up so you can vote twice, curious what you guys think.

[quote name="outanup" post="1288225" timestamp="1349124664"] [quote author=dustoff03 link=topic=103903.msg1288203#msg1288203 date=1349123529] [quote author=hawkeye07 link=topic=103903.msg1288132#msg1288132 date=1349120768] They evidently don't even have to take an eye exam. [/quote] lol,yeah, they don't see everything. and sometimes they see imaginary things. but, i was leaning more towards physical condition. like being able to keep up with the play. [/quote]Noticed on the Ned - Vidor replay that several of the refs were really hobbling around. Didnt look to be in very good physical shape......with that being said, its a thankless job and Im gratefull to have them. I wouldnt wanna do it. [/quote] yeah we wouldn't wanna get stuck with replacement refs....i do wonder sometimes though if they shouldn't just have officiating towers on each sideline, seems like you can see more of whats going on up there. maybe they should be allowed to use segways to motor about the field, and hey i'm not making fun, i could use one myself sometimes!!

[quote name="coach pops" post="1288177" timestamp="1349122372"] Thats the article. I was in the wrong state. :) Good job on finding it. [/quote] I was gonna say shame the yanks thought of it, glad to know it was a southern boy (I'm sure I'm offending somebody right now, all in good fun). May be worse that he's from Ark anyway  ;) lets hear it from all you RazorBacks!! Thanks for the info.

[quote name="Trojansfan" post="1288087" timestamp="1349118324"] who is take this game and will coldspring be tested by anyone in 22-3A and can they have a deep playoff push [/quote] Come on at least give an over/under.

[quote name="coach pops" post="1288127" timestamp="1349120465"] I read about a coach in a northeast state winning state championships that never punts and kicks onside every kickoff. His reasoning was that the opposing team would score after a punt or conventional kickoff a high percentage of the time anyway and he usually had a 50% chance of converting on fourth down and his team recovering the onside kick 50% of the time. I thought he was nuts until he started quoting percentages and his logic. If you think about it he has a strong argument. Under the circumstances cited in this thread why not try the unconventional. That would at least give opposing coaches something to think about. [/quote] Smart coach, was it a print article or do you have an online link to read?

[quote name="Hupernikomen" post="1288099" timestamp="1349118805"] Is it okay to say some towns just have better athletes than other towns?  No need to knock on those who try their best but never seem to beat certain teams that perennially have better athletes.  It happens all over the state. [/quote] Is it not okay to say theres a reason for that? [b]Accepting/Ignoring that fact only compounds it.[/b] Please clarify who are the "those" that you refer to, with all due respect? I'm not being adversarial and I certainly wasn't "knocking" the athletes. sportsfan's point I think was Tarkington's athletes need more development, whose job is that? So to answer you question, yeah it's okay to say it, just not to accept it as your destiny IMO.

[quote name="cat001" post="1287715" timestamp="1349095468"] [quote author=sports fan 9 link=topic=103834.msg1287681#msg1287681 date=1349090847] Tarkington lacks the speed to compete with a good or even average 3A team. This is not a knock on the kids. Maybe the coaching staff should look into a speed and agility program. I know you cant teach speed, but you can improve it some. Size is always an issue with Tarkington, so as a coach why not try to improve the speed and strength? [/quote] Wow you should be traveling around to all the area schools pedaling your wealth of knowledge about speed and agility programs you would make a killing!! You are a clown every coach in the state has strength and agility programs as well as speed training programs Takrington is no different they have some kids with speed but you probably wouldnt know that since you have never seem them play. Go back to your cubicle and continue being just a "fan" and [b]let the professionals take care of football.[/b] [/quote] Ok so I've got a question, your apparent bitterness at someone making a suggestion ASIDE (I don't know if you've just got an axe to grind with sports fan or what), be objective. You say "Tarkington is no different they have some kids with speed". Then you say "let the professionals take care of football". There's obviously a "problem" when the score is 51-2. Which is it? Lack of talent (speed, strength, training, genetics, work ethic?) or "the program" the professionals have in place? Outside of one of those things 51-2 can only be attributed to bad luck, does T-town just have bad luck alot? Is Cleveland just that stinking good, that much better year after year? Some real competition in the district would help ALL the teams. It's alright for one team to be mostly dominate in wins, but geez 40-50 points spread is ridiculous (look at CS vs. Shep. same thing).

Same philosophy that makes MS teams punt after 3 instead of just playing 4 downs. Teaching the fundamentals? Bull, if you can't get a first down then concentrate on THAT fundamental. If you punt 8 times in a game that's 8 more plays from scrimmage to "practice", maybe some of those plays you talked about, hey how about some PASSING? All a reasonably intelligent person has to do is sit down and analyze that as you said the opponent is going to score in 2 or 3 plays ANYWAY or at least get back to where you punted from, or realize that after 2 games your punting game has netted negative yards with returns, blocked punts or bad snaps. A good punting game is useless unless you're in the game to start with. MrUmp got it right and the answer to your question of "why" is dumbness and/or lazyness, there's no nice way to say it. It would be nice to see more competition in our district, frankly it does "the 3" little to no good to play "the other 3" to prepare for playoffs (here come the Panthers to claim they should be in the first group  ;D well maybe so). It's embarrassing. (And boring to watch)

As an addendum I'd add that it doesn't really matter what we think, they're going to do it their way but I understand its therapy to know other folks feel the same way.... ;)

[quote name="H-D BOBCAT 55" post="1285904" timestamp="1348894434"] Please help me out and give me your opinions. I had great Coaches growing up as a kid, most of them are now my friends. All Coaches have different styles and philosophies. We also all agree, Coaches want to win and be successful. I have noticed two different Coaching philosophies that stand out to me. First one is the Coaching philosophy of, I as Head Coach will play my most skilled, star studded players as much as possible and they never come off the field, only on special teams maybe. I sure as heck give them the ball on key critical downs. I feed them the ball early and often. I feel like with that philosophy you give your team and players a fighting chance to be successful and victorious all the time and especially on key critical downs. The second Coaching philosophy is the one that involves playing totally within a system, that is based heavily on rotating your players and keeping them fresh and healthy above all. With this system you are in a kind of russian roulette of sort, meaning if you have a 4th and 1, your best player (rb) will not always get the ball, it will be which ever one of your 3-4 backs is due to rotate in. In my opinion, the first philosophy works best, especially when facing bigger more talented schools. It means to have your best skilled players on the field at all times and give your team a fighting chance to succeed. Give that star player or players the ball early and often. With the second philosopy your 3rd string or 3rd best RB could be carrying the ball in a critical moment, how fair is that to the team, is that a fighting chance? Please guys, give me some feed back. I need your help. Thanks. [/quote] Well you said please and I believe you're honestly looking for opinions. To me it's simple, especially in 3a and smaller programs. Players are more important than "systems". Not to dismiss structure, but thats what [i]builds[/i] a program FOR players, not in spite of them. So let the smites begin, its about ego, the value of that "system". IMO a smart coach looks at what the community offers him/her athletically and builds their "system" around that, not the other way around, and it changes alot year to year in smaller programs. Its a tough job, but probably easier when you don't have to make adjustments in the "system". Kids aren't robots, and a playmaker is more valueable than an X or O, not that X's and O's aren't important, its about priority, and when the X's and O's match up with the playmaker thats when the magic happens. BTW, I don't have a dog in the HD fight, just making a general statement about what I've seen at home.

[quote name="UKCats" post="1285639" timestamp="1348890165"] [quote author=TeamJag-US link=topic=103834.msg1285570#msg1285570 date=1348889170] [quote author=UKCats link=topic=103834.msg1285387#msg1285387 date=1348887203] Well this has answered all questions . . . Coldspring, huffman, cleveland. Tarkington is just one year premature and no one else in this district will play with the indians (excluding coldspring and huffman of course) [/quote] ALL questions huh? Oh what a can or worms.......anybody got a final? [/quote] Yes questions. . .are you saying that Cleveland would be a sure thing after Liberty hung 20 on them in the fourth quarter last year? Just saying that Tarkington is a better team than last year and for Cleveland to put 51 on them it just legitamizes the caliber of their team for me. I guess you are entitled to your own opinion, but for me it put some clarity on the district standings. [/quote] This ain't last year for Lib or Cleveland. I don't know diddly about Cleveland except who they've played and what I read on here but there was never doubt in my mind they would be the second or probably third spot barring alien intervention. Tarkington has a [i]better record[/i] than last year, kudos to them for winning the predistrict games they should have been winning the last 10 years, those young men are out there taking care of their business best they can but I didn't think the Horns defense would be a measuring stick for Cleveland.

[quote name="UKCats" post="1285387" timestamp="1348887203"] Well this has answered all questions . . . Coldspring, huffman, cleveland. Tarkington is just one year premature and no one else in this district will play with the indians (excluding coldspring and huffman of course) [/quote] ALL questions huh? Oh what a can or worms.......anybody got a final?

[quote name="songone" post="1285224" timestamp="1348885323"] [quote author=Mr. Buddy Garrity link=topic=103853.msg1285214#msg1285214 date=1348885214] [quote author=First Down link=topic=103853.msg1285203#msg1285203 date=1348885070] Mansfield Legacy leads Lancaster 20-3 3rd qtr UPSET BREWING!!! [/quote]Lancaster #3 in 4A [/quote]Leander losing too! #2 Leander  7   Cedar Park 14 3rd [/quote] CP takes it 14-10

[quote name="belle-mere" post="1281125" timestamp="1348525623"] I smell an upset.  Tarkington can win this game if they jump into the lead like they did last weekend.  I agree that Cleveland has a good defense, but Tarkington's defense isn't shabby either.  I predict Tarkington 12, Cleveland 10. [/quote] Don't get carried away, theres potential for upset but they'll need twice maybe three times that many points to win barring offensive unfriendly weather.

[quote name="BrenhamFan" post="1278808" timestamp="1348293780"] [quote author=Mr. Buddy Garrity link=topic=103504.msg1278806#msg1278806 date=1348293214] You know whats funny, "the missing/injured" starters wasnt brought up until they lost, sorta like when they lost to Aledo couple years ago. Funny how that pops up after a loss. Just saying  ;) [/quote] I know it's part of the game, but still.  All you can pick on is one loss?  They are going for their 6th straight, and with several different coaches might I add.  I have mad respect for anybody that can do that. [/quote] Yeah, I'm NOT a LT supporter or even fan, but you gotta respect their track record. Being at the top makes you a target every week, that makes it even tougher.

LT is missing a boatload of starters, losing by 2 is not exactly the end of the world for them, a lose is a lose but they will recover.

so much for 0-10... 8) congrats to the Hornets and Coach Fortune

[quote name="DP8036" post="1278504" timestamp="1348282785"] What's up with LT? This ain't like them to be down two games in a row. [/quote] at least part of it was losing one of their top players in zach austin. 4A or 5A they're tough

[quote name="UKCats" post="1264344" timestamp="1347076485"] So is it just the curse of high school sports that if a team wins "the players are incredible" and if a team loses "the coaches are terrible"??? [/quote] Hey, no coach bashing even if the truth is obvious.

No reason Tarkington shouldn't win this matchup as they always should. 40 something to 20 something.

They should go by FT percentage....but thats not an option is it? But in this case I don't think it makes any sense (other than the immense entertainment value) for them to play each other, they've both shown they can go toe to toe, let 'em settle the on court issue later on.

[quote name="GCMPats" post="1174301" timestamp="1328715093"] I think you will be surprised. There will not be as many players with HR's, but those guys that can rake, will still rake. [/quote] thats exactly right, its not like HS players haven't hit HR long before the hot bat boon. it may take a bit for plate discipline to return, but the guys that can hit will still hit bombs. overall numbers will undoubtedly be down, but i'd bet the guys who were double digit last year won't drop dramatically. sweet spots may be smaller, but hitting one fat is still hitting it fat!