Bon_Mot

Below is the proposal submitted to the UIL on October 12th. Brenham Head Coach (and lurker of this forum) Erik Lane will be presenting this information on the 21st to the UIL. I have no idea when this will be voted on, but we will definitely know something by next May. This will have an obvious impact on the area since it seems as if 6 area 3A schools will have a soccer program by the spring of 2008. Here's the proposal: PROPOSAL TO ADDRESS OVERCROWDED DISTRICTS IN 4A/3A SOCCER Erik Lane, Brenham HS President, Texas Association of Soccer Coaches (TASCO) Currently, the number of 4A/3A schools competing in varsity soccer stands at 272 and is growing. This is causing exceptionally large soccer districts that are restricting schools from participating in any pre-district tournaments or contests. In addition, a questionnaire distributed by TASCO has discovered that there are at least an additional 14 4A or 3A schools that are playing a JV schedule in 2007-2008 that will be applying to play varsity in 2008-2009. There are also at least 7 schools opening up at either the 5A or 4A level in either 2008-2009 or 2009-2010. Each of those schools represents an additional 4A school or another 5A school being pushed down to 4A to maintain the 256 team maximum in 5A. This means the 4A/3A soccer alignment will be approaching 300 schools for the 2008-2009 realignment. While TASCO is obviously pleased with the growth of high school soccer in Texas, that growth is causing a tremendous alignment problem for the UIL athletic staff and a scheduling problem for the schools participating in 4A/3A soccer. Discussions between TASCO and the UIL athletic staff have led us to agree that it is not yet feasible to separate the 3A schools into their own classification and state championship. There are not quite enough teams that have adopted the UIL soccer plan. However, we anticipate this being realistic, if not absolutely necessary, within the next four years. In the meantime, to address district overcrowding, we wish to expand the soccer districts in 4A/3A from 32 to 64 districts. This situation is not without precedent. We faced the same issue with the growth of 4A soccer in the mid 1990’s. At that time, the UIL dealt with the issue of not having enough 4A teams for their own classification but having too many 5A/4A teams for 32 districts by expanding soccer into 64 districts. We find ourselves in a similar place today. TASCO proposes that while the Legislative Council discusses the UIL alignment changes currently being proposed that they please consider this proposal: Expanding 4A/3A soccer into 64 districts along the following lines: - 4A schools align in their current 32 football districts - 3A schools are aligned into 16 geographical districts of 4-5 teams each with the remaining 16 districts left vacant. As additional 3A schools add soccer, they can be placed into the most geographically sensible 3A district. (see attached example) This plan replicates the UIL plan for soccer when faced with 5A/4A soccer crisis in the 1990’s. If we do not expand we will face the following issues in 4A/3A soccer team districts, many of which we already face this year. - 12 team districts. These districts could not play home and away as the 22 games exceed the UIL game count of 21, they could not finish the season within the time frame allowed by the UIL (from first play date to district certification) and they could not participate in any non-district games or tournaments. - 11 team districts. These districts could not play home and away as the time allowed by the UIL (from first play date to district certification) does not allow enough play dates to complete a schedule under the 2 game per week guidelines and they could not participate in any tournaments and could have 1 non-district game. - 10 team districts will only be able to play one tournament of the three allowed tournaments under UIL rules due to having 18 district games and the 21 game limit (18 games + 1 tournament = 20 games) - 9 team districts will only be able to participate in two of the allowed three tournaments due to the UIL 21 game limit (16 district games + 2 tournaments = 20 games). - 8 team districts and smaller can participate in the full three tournaments or have several non-district games, but with so many of the other districts having 9,10,11 or 12 teams, there is no one else to play against. In the 1990’s, this required the UIL to add an additional play-off round. The sectional round was played in between the area round and the regional quarterfinal round. With adoption by the UIL of 4A regional tournaments beginning in 2008-2009, this will not lengthen the calendar for soccer. Currently the 4A soccer play-offs begin one play date earlier than the 5A soccer play-offs and this extra play-off round will be accounted for in the current calendar. This previously utilized plan to relieve overcrowding in the 4A/3A soccer alignment allows schools, student-athletes and coaches to enjoy preseason tournaments and prepare for their district schedule properly while giving the UIL athletic staff a solution that will allow them to easily add additional 3A soccer schools that accept the UIL soccer plan in the future, until such time that the UIL warrants the addition of a separate 3A soccer conference.

coaching football...been sick...two toddlers... I'm diein' ova here!

I can guarantee that the Nederland coach will do some "hollerin" if you morons keep posting this garbage on this message board. That's a lot of big talk from players on a team that finished in 5th place last year. In one of your other posts you talk about smashing Vidor...you do realize that Vidor beat Nederland last year and finished ahead of them, right? Show a little respect. And in your response to Silsbee's 9-9 record in another post, once again, you do realize that Silsbee beat Nederland at Nederland last year and only finished a few points behind them in them in the standings, right? My advice: Shut up and juggle.

9th Grade Nederland 41 Central 30

Kirk Dean and Kevin Barbay

D1? These guys were all great players, but to get a sniff from D1 recruiters you have to have "measureables" - height, weight, 40 time, verticle jump, ect. Of those skill guys, how many could run a sub - 4.6 40? About how tall were Cobb and Mohica? Five foot six or seven? A few of those guys did go off and continue to play, and none of them dominated at whatever level they were at. The fact remains that Nederland has been successful not because of "measureables" but because of "immeasureables" like dedication, preparation, pride, and coaching. Oh yea, and according to some people, crooked officials : .

Instead of making unsubstantiated statements with absolutely no proof, why don't you see if you can come up with THREE and only three names of players over the past 15 years who could have gone D1 from Nederland but didn't. I'll be surprised if you can name one. But you'll probably just say, "Who cares?" and continue to spread untruths. And this isn't limited to just you, anyone who reads this thread - especially Nederland supporters who are in the know - can you come up with three names of players who could/should have gone D1 in the Neumann era over the past 10+ years but didn't. I'll bet the list isn't very long...

I'm with you on this one. She's correct in thinking it but wrong for expressing it. As for Solo's hotness... :-\ She's not too bad in her bio picture: [Hidden Content] There's been some times where she's resembled a "shim" though.

I've been in trouble with the missus before and had to say I'm sorry, but how many dozens of roses and what kind of jewelery does this apology take? Ryan looking to reconcile with outspoken Solo [Hidden Content]

I saw what I could of the game while drinking coffee and attempting to get two toddlers ready for day-care. It reminded me of England in last year's World Cup or the EPL from about 10 or 15 years ago. Abso-friggin-lutely no imagination. Knock it long and hope for the best... The best being some sort of restart. Are you kidding me?!?! I understand using this tactic if you horribly out-gunned by your opponent, but this is US! The defense looked confused and midfield was non-existant. Abby W could get PT with the men's team, but the women NEVER try to get it to her feet! No rythym. No plan. Sad, really.

Freshmen scores: Nederland B - 12 Vidor B - 0 Nederland A - 41 Vidor A - 12

There's no doubt Central had a top notch team last year and they deserved all of the accolades that they received, but I think Lumberton were district champs last year. I'm not sure what you mean here...

I gotta agree with you there. Not only have player's salaries not changed, their positions haven't either. Like Michael Harrington in KC - he's not a defender, but that's what he's listed as still. JP Angel is listed as a midfielder but has been playing up front mostly. I don't have the time to keep up with my EPL fantasy team now that football season is here (My fantasy football team is 3-0!), but I really liked their set-up where you have bench players, you can choose from a variety of formations, and player's salaries change. I'm not gonna gripe too much since it looks as if I'll finish up first or second...

I don't think it was a problem so much this past year, but whoever the coach was before Coach Cox got there did some dubious things but never got caught. The coach previous to Coach Morgan at Memorial did get caught doing this however.

You club fellas would know better, but I think that The Meadows has agreed to really fix up the place with a proper "field house" et al and I think, but I'm not sure, that an indoor facility was one of the things that's supposed to go up, too. I helped pay for the indoor facility at A&M, but graduated too early to enjoy it. > I knew I should have partied and slacked off more! Four years of college is not enough!

I think the problem with Ching is that he'll be 32 by the time the next World Cup arrives. Sure he'll be good for some qualies, but I don't know if he can handle a World Cup schedule. We'll see. I can't wait to see Altidore against real international competition. I think world-wide, our midfield is comparable with almost anyone. Some of the names are very legit: Donovan, Beez, Dempsey, Feihlaber, Bradley, Clark... But we are sooooo deficient at forward and our left back situation still worries me. It's all according to the draw, and it's a few years away, but realistically, winning one game in the knock-out round in South Africa should be considered a pretty darn good showing in 2010.

I'm gonna say it again, it wasn't "several" it was no more than two. The next question I have for you is...What?!?!?! ???

Unfortunately, one of those names, Marcus Louvier, might be done for the year. I think he hurt his knee in practice last week and might be due for surgery. He's a great kid, and I hate to hear that about him.

This ain't the old Bay City yet. The QB has a cannon, but looks to tuck and scramble too quick. Their o-line uses those 3-foot splits to spread you out, but they're not very athletic. They shouldn't be able to run much on the Chain Gang and expect to see multiple WO-S folks in the backfield regularly. You can tell that the Black Cat pride is starting to return, but it's going to take a couple of years to repair the damage done by the previous coaching staff. I look for The Stangs to win by more than two touchdowns at least.

Yes, he is the coach's son. He's a very tough runner and a great leader. He hasn't thrown it too much so far this year. He's been playing some safety, but it seems like they only use him when they really, really need him back there. Waller drove 95 yards down the field on their last possesion to win the game against Bay City with five seconds left.

That team did play awesome defense. (Mostly due to shark's club coaching. ) One goal scored against in district - in the first minute of the first game! Never gave up more than two goals in a game all year until... Second round of the play-offs. The Monday after Spring Break. The previous weekend, some players decided to (allegedly) party like it was 1999 including an MIP or two, debilitating hang-overs, and one player even spent the week-end in the Crystal Beach Pokey! And then we get a flat tire on the charter bus on the way to Charles St. in Humble, so we have to load kids up with parents who had been following us. AND we get to face the leading scorer in the greater Houston area from Rosenberg Terry. It was just a perfect storm of events, really. With two goals on set pieces (DIVES!!! >) by Sud Boy from Terry, the score is tied 2-2 until we hack him down in the box with 00:53 on the clock. He gets his third, our season is over, and everyone is jubuliant because everybody really does hate Nederland, don't they. Hey coaches, our fate is in the hands of fourteen to eighteen year olds! And people look surprised when they see how grey-haired I've become!

They're getting better. They had receivers open all night. The difference in this year's team with the new coach versus last year's is very obvious. If you're talking about Colton Johnson, he just got red-shirted at UT. Their quarterback, the coach's son, is back though, and he's really tough. Might be headed to North Texas as a DB.

Zero week next year. Mark it down.

First of all, I gotta agree with shark here. What's your angle? Number two, were you there? I was twenty feet from the incident as it happened. As I (try to) remember it, Nederland had just been knocked out of the play-offs by Brazosport. There was a huuuuge call towards the end of the game - either a goal by Nederland was disallowed or a B-port goal was called late by the linesman. So after the game W.L. from Nederland went to the officials locker room to "discuss" the call but the door was locked. As he went back to the team's post game huddle, the officials left the locker room and went into the parking lot, so W.L. went back to once again "discuss" the situation. Right before he got out of the gate, the on duty officier - who was wearing a jacket over his uniform - tried to stop W.L. from going after the officials by grabbing his shoulder. An already upset teen-ager just got grabbed by who he thought was a stranger, so he reacted by throwing the officiers hand off of him and saying something like, "Don't effin' touch me." The officier looked like Lane Frost at this point and had W.L on the ground and cuffed in less than 8 seconds. The second Nederland player I assume you are talking about is M.M.? Don't think he was arrested. I think he got too close to the action and was temporarily restrained. Is this how you remember it?

Big Soccer, which has a massive following, is the message board I was talking about. Most of the posters on there are notorious for being uber-negative and have a general "the sky is falling" attitude toward the USMNT. Jen Chang on ESPNsoccernet was the blogger I was refering to. I think he labeled the call-up "curious", and then some of the responses were brutal. I can link to it if you want.