Bulldogs add QB, lose star tackle

[elhector1]

Since my kid goes to LCM, I don't have a dog in this hunt...

But...

It's a tough decision for a coach to make.  Do you put a kid in as QB who has a lot of athletic talent, but struggles with interacting with his team mates, or do you put the kid in who might not have as much talent, but has the ability to work with the others?  Plain and simple, football is not a popularity contest.  A coach has to evaluate the tangibles and intangibles and decide who will be best for the TEAM.  That the "field general" might not be a popular choice shouldn't matter to kids who are team players.  The fact that Coach Neumann had the new QB talk to his team mates and iron things out, shows that coach recognized that there were issues.  That the majority of the team stood behind their QB, even the kid being replaced, after this, shows that the majority of the team play for the sake of the team.  That does not bode ill for Nederland.  They know they have to work at it.  Once you identify an issue, you work to remedy the issue and play ball.  As for the kid who left...hey, you knew what the consequences were before you walked out of the locker room.  I can understand leaving on principle, but to go to the rival across the way shows that principle only goes so far...

[jake94]

[quote name="elhector1" post="852877" timestamp="1285086717"]
Since my kid goes to LCM, I don't have a dog in this hunt...

But...

It's a tough decision for a coach to make.  Do you put a kid in as QB who has a lot of athletic talent, but struggles with interacting with his team mates, or do you put the kid in who might not have as much talent, but has the ability to work with the others?  Plain and simple, football is not a popularity contest.  A coach has to evaluate the tangibles and intangibles and decide who will be best for the TEAM.  That the "field general" might not be a popular choice shouldn't matter to kids who are team players.  The fact that Coach Neumann had the new QB talk to his team mates and iron things out, shows that coach recognized that there were issues.  That the majority of the team stood behind their QB, even the kid being replaced, after this, shows that the majority of the team play for the sake of the team.  That does not bode ill for Nederland.  They know they have to work at it.  Once you identify an issue, you work to remedy the issue and play ball.  As for the kid who left...hey, you knew what the consequences were before you walked out of the locker room.  I can understand leaving on principle, but to go to the rival across the way shows that principle only goes so far...
[/quote]

Excellent post, elhector! Very good points that you make. I wonder how the lineman that quit would feel if he had gotten injured and had a guy fill in for him, then come back to be re-inserted into the lineup and have a kid at a totally different position tell him that his backup was better and he should not get to play? It's almost an unwritten rule in sports that you do not lose your starting position due to injury. Look at the Eagles currently. Andy Reid is sticking with his starter.

[Roughrider]

[quote name="jake94" post="852880" timestamp="1285087102"]
[quote author=elhector1 link=topic=73268.msg852877#msg852877 date=1285086717]
Since my kid goes to LCM, I don't have a dog in this hunt...

But...

It's a tough decision for a coach to make.  Do you put a kid in as QB who has a lot of athletic talent, but struggles with interacting with his team mates, or do you put the kid in who might not have as much talent, but has the ability to work with the others?  Plain and simple, football is not a popularity contest.  A coach has to evaluate the tangibles and intangibles and decide who will be best for the TEAM.  That the "field general" might not be a popular choice shouldn't matter to kids who are team players.  The fact that Coach Neumann had the new QB talk to his team mates and iron things out, shows that coach recognized that there were issues.  That the majority of the team stood behind their QB, even the kid being replaced, after this, shows that the majority of the team play for the sake of the team.  That does not bode ill for Nederland.  They know they have to work at it.  Once you identify an issue, you work to remedy the issue and play ball.  As for the kid who left...hey, you knew what the consequences were before you walked out of the locker room.  I can understand leaving on principle, but to go to the rival across the way shows that principle only goes so far...
[/quote]

Excellent post, elhector! Very good points that you make. I wonder how the lineman that quit would feel if he had gotten injured and had a guy fill in for him, then come back to be re-inserted into the lineup and have a kid at a totally different position tell him that his backup was better and he should not get to play? It's almost an unwritten rule in sports that you do not lose your starting position due to injury. Look at the Eagles currently. Andy Reid is sticking with his starter.
[/quote]

Jake, you would think it is an unwritten rule but it is not. Beleive me

[GoDogs27]

Here is my post from earlier(inadvertently deleted)

Chaos in nederland... I have a lot to say about this but ill hold my tongue as much as possible without trying to attack players or coaches.. If neumann is hearing from his players that raines should be the starter, then he should bench forney.. He is only hurting the team otherwise.. I've watchwd forney on the sidelines while he was hurt and he stands there with a towel around his neck posing for the guy taking pictures..this is not an exaggeration and many people saw it.. (Edit: also nonstop texting on his cell phone)..A leader would be talking with his offense and helping raines.. Neumann needs to do what's right for the team. After all it is about the kids.. I'm very proud of the few who stood up and said this was wrong and especialy proud of lack.. This team will fold like a blanket if forney remains the starter.. The coaches need to do what's right here..

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

if he left for athletic purposes i really dont see him putting on a PNG uniform this year. Neumann stated in the article he gave everyone a chance to vent.

[Cheermom4]

I also feel that if he left for athletic reasons he had to have known that there was a [b]BIG[/b] chance he wouldn't get to play football for the remainder of his Senior year. 

[Guest Penny]

GoDogs, just trying to clarify what you said... you condone letting the players choose who will start on Friday nights?  I'm not saying you can't have an opinion, but do you truly let the kids vote on who they want to start???

[Michele]

[quote name="elhector1" post="852877" timestamp="1285086717"]
Since my kid goes to LCM, I don't have a dog in this hunt...

But...

It's a tough decision for a coach to make.  Do you put a kid in as QB who has a lot of athletic talent, but struggles with interacting with his team mates, or do you put the kid in who might not have as much talent, but has the ability to work with the others?  Plain and simple, football is not a popularity contest.  A coach has to evaluate the tangibles and intangibles and decide who will be best for the TEAM.  That the "field general" might not be a popular choice shouldn't matter to kids who are team players.  The fact that Coach Neumann had the new QB talk to his team mates and iron things out, shows that coach recognized that there were issues.  That the majority of the team stood behind their QB, even the kid being replaced, after this, shows that the majority of the team play for the sake of the team.  That does not bode ill for Nederland.  They know they have to work at it.  Once you identify an issue, you work to remedy the issue and play ball.  As for the kid who left...hey, you knew what the consequences were before you walked out of the locker room.  I can understand leaving on principle, but to go to the rival across the way shows that principle only goes so far...
[/quote]


I agree... good post!  We just don't need this kind of turmoil going on right now.  District starts this Friday and it's not much time to get these kids re-focused again. Despite the issues with Forney or Lack, this team needs to remember why they play the game of football.

"[color=red][font=Verdana][glow=red,2,300]LIFES LESSONS: ADJUST AND OVERCOME.... IT'S THE BULLDOG WAY"[/glow][/font][/color]

I wish the best of luck to our boys and coaches to recover and re-focus.  Stick with your comrades and see this thing through. 

GO DOGS !!!! BEAT THE PIRATES !!!!

[cbear4]

[quote name="GoDogs27" post="852887" timestamp="1285087496"]
Here is my post from earlier(inadvertently deleted)

Chaos in nederland... I have a lot to say about this but ill hold my tongue as much as possible without trying to attack players or coaches.. If neumann is hearing from his players that raines should be the starter, then he should bench forney.. He is only hurting the team otherwise.. I've watchwd forney on the sidelines while he was hurt and he stands there with a towel around his neck posing for the guy taking pictures..this is not an exaggeration and many people saw it.. (Edit: also nonstop texting on his cell phone)..A leader would be talking with his offense and helping raines.. Neumann needs to do what's right for the team. After all it is about the kids.. I'm very proud of the few who stood up and said this was wrong and especialy proud of lack.. This team will fold like a blanket if forney remains the starter.. The coaches need to do what's right here..


[/quote]
I hope you guys get this worked out before Friday. The coach is the only one to make the decisions on a team and the team needs to stand behind the decsion. Players play under any circumstances and have confidence that if the QB struggles, he will be pulled for the backup. He may be sending a statement that the 1st QB would not lose his job due to injury. Then make changes as needed. As a player I was taught to respect all coaches and as a father would never condone playeres telling a coach who should play. Take a back seat and stop making the situation worse. It is only my opinion but a wise recommendation.

[Guest Penny]

This much is certain, Neumann will sort through who's with the team and who ain't, then we'll play football.  You can't turn a blind eye to dissention in the ranks... you can't prevent it either, these are human beings we're talking about.  They have opinions, likes, dislikes, fears... etc, part of being a head coach is being a good psychologist as well.  This just needs to be worked out, he'll do it, we'll move on, and like last year's injuries, the march won't get derailed.  

[dayton]

Echoing several others....

this would have never gone into public, let alone a newspaper most places.

[akifan94]

But you can turn a blind eye if it helps the coach get a "W". Or is that just how it looks from reading the article?

[BigDog007]

Old school coaches would have told the disgruntled players to settle this issue amongst them selves behind the gym after practice and come back to practice once it was all settled.  Old school reporters and news papers would not have thrown Nederland under the bus and printed this issue either. Todays coaches have to be very careful on how they handle their team issues or they face going in front of the school board for their actions. I thought football was a team sport not a individual sport. So with that said Nederlands coaches will sort out who is in and who is out and show up and play football.

[akifan94]

[quote name="BigDog007" post="852926" timestamp="1285090321"]
Old school coaches would have told the disgruntled players to settle this issue amongst them selves behind the gym after practice and come back to practice once it was all settled.  Old school reporters and news papers would not have thrown Nederland under the bus and printed this issue either. Todays coaches have to be very careful on how they handle their team issues or they face going in front of the school board for their actions. I thought football was a team sport not a individual sport. So with that said Nederlands coaches will sort out who is in and who is out and show up and play football.
[/quote]

Looking at the article again I did not see any direct quotes from Forney. Seems the paper may have taken some liberties. I agree it should have stayed a team matter.

[elhector1]

I agree on keeping it a team issue, and not involving the press...the question now is...how did the press find out?  Was it from the Nederland coaching staff?  I doubt it.  Was it "a la Craig James"?  Don't know that either.  Sme may say that the document about eligibility would be the trigger...but since that is internal, that can't be the cause, just the nugget a reporter found when he or she dug.  So, where did the "treasure map" come from?  Since I doubt that Coach Neumann or his staff would do it, then what remains is the players involved.  Who stands the most to gain from "exposing" Nederland? 

No evidence, no evidence at all...a lot of circumstantial nuggets, but nothing like a "Deep Throat" phone call to the friendly reporting staff of the local newspaper...   

[Cardinal Supporter]

It doesn't sound like Andrew Lack left Nederland for athlectic purposes. It sounds like he left because he was disgruntled with the coaches decision or something else related to the decision the coaches made. I don't know how the vote will go. He has to live in the PNG school district to go there to my understanding. That may be the reason he chose PNG to transfer to instead of another school, ex...a relative's address.

[akifan94]

[quote name="Cardinal Supporter" post="852947" timestamp="1285091892"]
It doesn't sound like Andrew Lack left Nederland for athlectic purposes. It sounds like he left because he was disgruntled with the coaches decision or something else related to the decision the coaches made. I don't know how the vote will go. He has to live in the PNG school district to go there to my understanding. That may be the reason he chose PNG to transfer to instead of another school, ex...a relative's address.
[/quote]

I can tell you if his family did move to PNG-ISD from NISD they will not be the first or the last to do this.

[Dogs2x2]

To "The Boys Mom"... not sure what you meant by saying is everyone held to those rules or just some???  I get so tired of hearing how people think the coaches just play their favorites or show some sort of favoritism. (Which is what I understood you to imply) Yeah Im sure they like some kids more than others but if they are going to win they have to have rules that apply to everyone. The kid that left was a starter.  I know Neuman did not want to loose him but when you let the kids run the team then your done.  I know these boys will work even harder to show the kid that left that they will do fine without him and Dionte will step up and learn a lesson from all this also.  I just know my kid likes both Dionte and Carson.  He will support whomever plays quarterback and do his best to help them do their job because its about the T E A M !

[elhector1]

[quote name="Dogs2x2" post="852960" timestamp="1285092841"]
To "The Boys Mom"... not sure what you meant by saying is everyone held to those rules or just some???  I get so tired of hearing how people think the coaches just play their favorites or show some sort of favoritism. (Which is what I understood you to imply) Yeah Im sure they like some kids more than others but if they are going to win they have to have rules that apply to everyone. The kid that left was a starter.  I know Neuman did not want to loose him but when you let the kids run the team then your done.  I know these boys will work even harder to show the kid that left that they will do fine without him and Dionte will step up and learn a lesson from all this also.  I just know my kid likes both Dionte and Carson.  He will support whomever plays quarterback and do his best to help them do their job because its about the T E A M !
[/quote]

In the "Bill and Ted" style...

Your post was most excellent...rock on!

[Cheermom4]

[quote name="Dogs2x2" post="852960" timestamp="1285092841"]
To "The Boys Mom"... not sure what you meant by saying is everyone held to those rules or just some???  I get so tired of hearing how people think the [b]coaches just play their favorites or show some sort of favoritism.[/b] (Which is what I understood you to imply) Yeah Im sure they like some kids more than others but if they are going to win they have to have rules that apply to everyone. The kid that left was a starter.  I know Neuman did not want to loose him but when you let the kids run the team then your done.  I know these boys will work even harder to show the kid that left that they will do fine without him and Dionte will step up and learn a lesson from all this also.  I just know my kid likes both Dionte and Carson.  He will support whomever plays quarterback and do his best to help them do their job because its about the T E A M !
[/quote]



This has a familiar ring to me.  That is exactly what PNG had before the Coaching change.  If you think for one second Coaches don't play favorites you are dead wrong, they do and have for a very long time it is nothing new.  Doesn't make it right and it doesn't mean the other kids on the team like it just because they stay and play. 

[TheBoysMom]

[quote name="Dogs2x2" post="852960" timestamp="1285092841"]
To "The Boys Mom"... not sure what you meant by saying is everyone held to those rules or just some???  I get so tired of hearing how people think the coaches just play their favorites or show some sort of favoritism. (Which is what I understood you to imply) [/quote]

From what I have read and heard, some seem to feel there's a double standard at play. I'm only questioning as to whether that point of view is valid or not. We ARE here for the purposes of discussion, right?


[quote]Yeah Im sure they like some kids more than others but if they are going to win they [b]have to have rules that apply to everyone. [/b] The kid that left was a starter.  I know Neuman did not want to loose him but when you let the kids run the team then your done.  [/quote]

I agree 100%.

[quote]I know these boys will work even harder to show the kid that left that they will do fine without him and Dionte will step up and learn a lesson from all this also.  I just know my kid likes both Dionte and Carson.  He will support whomever plays quarterback and do his best to help them do their job because its about the T E A M !  [/quote]

My son likes both young men as well, and I [i]really[/i] hope this all works out for the best.  ;) But if it's all about T E A M, then what's the issue here, and how is it that Dionte needs to learn a lesson? ???

[Dogs2x2]

I can only speak for my kid and he busts his a-- to play.  He doesnt play because he is a coach's favorite, he plays because he works hard and gets the job done.  If the coaches only played their favorites we would never win.

[pngfan1]

[quote name="jake94" post="852847" timestamp="1285084762"]
If the UIL lets this kid play at PN-G, then there is going to be an uproar. He QUIT, period, end of sentence. Then he decides to transfer to the rival school? Are you kidding me? There are always a few players on each team who do not like or care for each other, but you learn to play as a TEAM and support your COACHES decisions.
[/quote]
No way UIL will let this kid play anywhere else this year unless he moves. You have to be a little more discreet than this. Kids do it all the time though, but it is from one year to another. I know of one kid close to this situation that went from one school to another for athletic reasons, Nederland had a catcher several years back that went to PNG for athletic reasons. It is nothing new, but won't work in the middle of the season.

[w]

I don't have a dog in this fight, but if he moved into the PNG district, then there is a 15-day wait period before he can play provided the coach signs off on his transfer.

[Dogs2x2]

[font=Times New Roman]Dionte may not be in the leader position yet as far as leading this team personally.  He is the leader as far as being quarterback but he will learn a lesson from this incident about being a better leader all the way around.[/font]