Wildcat Fan Question. How much is enough?

[TrueCatFan]

I want to see how the fans felt after the Huntington game. I know some say that it is good sportsmanship and good class to do what the Wildcat coaches did but I think it was not. I will explain so if you disagree hold on before you jump. No you should not go out and beat a team like a drum 100 to 0. But how much is enough? Coach Alverez agreed to let the clock run, he pulled out his starters then gave Huntington the ball, stopped a wildcat drive on the 15 and cut the game short. I think that is way more than enough in the name of fair play it was insulting. Next year we will not have Cucancic, Jones, Breed, Ford, Keen, Just to name a few. The masses will claim that our younger players do not have enough experience. Vanya and Brooks got a taste but not what they could have if the coaches would have taken advantage and been good sports at the same time. Don't blame it on a young team next season if you dont give them a chance to play when you can. It seems to me a bigger insult to your oppenant to not even play. They could have called the dogs off in the first quarter and let the JV play out the game. Also those second and third stringers made it through the two a days too and have earned the chance to perform. Again don't humiliate them but if your third string can give them a game I say play some football. Don't expect anyone to give us that same chance in the playoffs or next year. 

[kville]

I would have liked to have seen some of next years starters get to play but I think the only way it could be done would have been for them to have started from the begining of the game (or at least after the second TD). They could have always put the A team in at any time. In all fairness the seniors have earned their spots and if he had wanted to Coach Alverez could have let them pad thier stats. He made the right choice in not doing that. Big numbers dont mean anything if you have the other guy on his heels backing up. I could not help but applaud for Huntingtons score and that one fumble recovery. They did what they could. Some people would have headed for the locker room 4 minutes into the game. They showed a lot of heart. As for the posted question....... I think it would have been better to let the second string start earlier and mabey it would have been a good game to learn from. But even then it could have been very one sided.  Congrats to Huntington for not backing down and to the Kville fans for giving them your support!

[AggiesAreWe]

Question, did Kirbyville's JV team not play their game Thursday night?

Also, I have seen the numbers on the Kirbyville varsity. They do not have a third team.

[WOSgrad]

While I am all for Coach Alvarez playing everyone when the opportunity arises, there can be disadvantages to playing the starters too little.  One, the starters have to keep sharp to be ready to face those in the playoffs which will give the Wildcats a lot stiffer resistance than they look to get in 18-3A play.  Second, you can't just sit the starters down after a few series for what will be three consecutive games after this week and expect them to maintain the conditioning that they will need when playoff foes come-a-callin'.

[Kville_Kats]

[quote name="AggiesAreWe" post="872271" timestamp="1286819114"]
Question, did Kirbyville's JV team not play their game Thursday night?

Also, I have seen the numbers on the Kirbyville varsity. They do not have a third team.
[/quote]

You are correct AAW...Kirbyville does well to have an A string... ;) Why was this thread started any way..lol...Go talk to Coach Alvarez I'm sure He will explain it to you... ;D

[kville]

[quote name="WOSgrad" post="872283" timestamp="1286820046"]
While I am all for Coach Alvarez playing everyone when the opportunity arises, there can be disadvantages to playing the starters too little.  One, the starters have to keep sharp to be ready to face those in the playoffs which will give the Wildcats a lot stiffer resistance than they look to get in 18-3A play.  Second, you can't just sit the starters down after a few series for what will be three consecutive games after this week and expect them to maintain the conditioning that they will need when playoff foes come-a-callin'.
[/quote]

Great point! I had thought after the game how off the 'Cats could be comming off that game then a week off. I hope they stay sharp!
Good to see Vanya at QB even if it was just a short time.

[bowhunter45]

First off I didn't see anything insulting that our coaches did or the way they played our guys. There are alot of opinions out there about what is good sportsmanship and what is not. I myself have not seen anything that coach Alvarez has done for me or anyone to question. Alvarez and his coaching staff are a class act. 11 years ago he pulled this football program out of the gutter and has done a great job, just step back and look at the fan support and the playoff appearances. I dont think anybody should question what he's doing or what he's done. JMO

[TeamJagUS]

for the kids it's not just about winning, alot of it is about [i]playing[/i]. i understand what you're saying about the "b" squad getting playing time, but a coach has to be real careful about sending the wrong message, it's not just about recording the W. football is a little different but last year i saw a baseball coach pull all his starters after an inning and a half because they were up 8-0 i think, (something like that anyway). it really hurt the kids and sent a terrible message "do your job well enough and you get benched". made a game of it though because soon it was real tight. dumb move for morale if you ask me unless a player was laying down on the job.

i don't know the principles involved but it sounds like the coach did right enough, as stated there are alot of opinions but in the absence of a "mercy" rule (why doesn't football have one?) he balanced play time for his starters, winning, and not making national news or embarrassing the other team. theres usually not much difference in 50+ to 0 and 100-0 except the latter makes headlines and pads stats. alot depends on your opponent, do they want to keep playing for the experience or are they just going through the motions? are your players taking it serious or getting sloppy? every situation is not the same, sounds like coach tried to balance it best he could.

[Lefty99]

Coach Alvarez did the right thing IMO.  It was good to see the younger kids get into the game in the 2nd half and get some valuable experience.  Not long ago it wasn't until the playoffs that the younger kids got ANY playing time when they were on the wrong end of the score.  Every little bit helps and what he did the other night was the right call.  The entire team will benefit from it even though it may have been a lesser opponent.  With younger guys getting a little varsity action come playoff time they can be counted on if the need arises because of the experience.  "It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it!"  I can promise you from the way they younger kids looked they took in every moment and chance they got and didn't complain a single iota.  As Grad said you need your starters to stay sharp.  Yank them early and it would be like they didn't play for 3 weeks and that my friend is not a good thing.

[BigWildcat11]

As a die hard fan of both the coaching staff and the kids at Kirbyville, I think the way things were handled last Friday night was totally right. If you did not notice, the starters played most, if not all, of the first half. This is no different than last year against Shelbyville, San Augustine, Hemphill, and Woodville and it did not seem to hurt Kirbyville in the playoffs ... Secondly, as you saw, the seniors did not look at this as being benched, but rather cheered for thier younger and less experienced teammates. This is a sure sign of a team, not just a bunch of individuals. Third, while wins are important, (and they are), the lesson being taught last friday was one of a reward for hard work, being kind to your fellow man, and not taking advantage of a situation in which you could abuse your power. These are life lessons people. These are things these young men will use later in life.... Chill out people ... enjoy the ride our kids are having....... ;D

[Kville_Kats]

[quote name="Lefty99" post="872735" timestamp="1286849579"]
Coach Alvarez did the right thing IMO.  It was good to see the younger kids get into the game in the 2nd half and get some valuable experience.  Not long ago it wasn't until the playoffs that the younger kids got ANY playing time when they were on the wrong end of the score.  Every little bit helps and what he did the other night was the right call.  The entire team will benefit from it even though it may have been a lesser opponent.  With younger guys getting a little varsity action come playoff time they can be counted on if the need arises because of the experience.  "It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it!"  I can promise you from the way they younger kids looked they took in every moment and chance they got and didn't complain a single iota.  As Grad said you need your starters to stay sharp.  Yank them early and it would be like they didn't play for 3 weeks and that my friend is not a good thing.
[/quote]


  Exactly Lefty..That's why I don't like bye weeks...It's good for teams that need to heal up,but it can also get a team out of sync.... ;)

[BigWildcat11]

K-ville wont get out of sync. Coach Alvarez wont turn down the intensity one bit

[briang]

I believe in sportmanship. Having said that, it is the defense's job to stop the offense, not the offense's. Coach keeps his A guys in untill they get the reps HE thinks they need. Kirbyville handled it with class as they have all year. Go Cats!!

[Snooks]

Now I dun herd everthang. Yu boys on here complainin even when yu be whoopin da uther team in a route. Ill swanny yu boys nedd go jump in lake. A team score to many points and yu complainin B team get'n to much playin time. How yu like it if yu A team on field at halftime tryin to lern how to tackle and such and B team wachin twirlers and peep squad. Yu ol boys never happy. Get out der and cheer for dem boys and quit did analizin bout A team and B team. Dem sideline walkers no what dey doin. You go make momma happy and cleen da kichen.

[Hotrodg]

If it helps to soothe your worries for next year:

Newton has done this very thing for decades and have been more than able to keep momentum from year to year.  Those young guys are getting plenty of experience (and arguably more valuable experience) practicing with and against the starters during the week.  Scoring a couple touchdowns against an overmatched opponent is not going to really help thier development.  It does help to get out there under the lights and in front of a crowd against unfamliar players.  Which is EXACTLY the chance Coach A and staff gave the up and coming guys.  Played it EXACTLY right in my opinion.

Truth be told, when you are against a team that is way overmatched you also have to guard against developing bad habits (poor technique etc..) in those games.  Injury risks are also a consideration.