oldunclemark

You are asking me to prove that neutral site games playoff games in November in Indiana would draw less but there are not (and have never been) any neutral site playoff games in November in this part of the state so I cant do that.. You've got me there. My case is built on my experience. I only know Indiana and I know how people get to games. They drive or they walk. You eliminate the walk ups if you play at a neutral site and many kids cant drive. They dont go. Its that simple. 100-year old folks (like me) in towns like Lowell and Crown Point go to the home games but not the road games. Some just cant get to road games. Some dont drive at night in bad weather. Some work Friday and cant get to road games at all. Do you accept that bad weather diminishes night time travel, especially by teenagers and old people? That's my experience. I've been to regional games in Elkhart County involving teams from Lake County going back 20-30 years,. Crown Point and Lowell (which have very strong home followings) brought a fraction of their fan base to work night games in November . Everybody does. Take my word for it. Neutral site playoff games would lower attendance from what would otherwise have been the 'home' team at November night games. The IHSAA cant afford that so they would never consider this on a regular basis. And never is a long, long time.

Is Highland playing in week 10?

You cannot use the basketball tournament as an example. 2 different sports. Basketball concessions take in far more than football, its my understanding. Always. I guarantee you that many, many home fans are not going to semistate game on the road at night outdoors in November. You dont want playoff games in front of 1/3 filled large stadiums when a place like Pioneer would be packed.

B-Man. Many fans only go to home games. Its always been that way. Older fans, Kids. Some cant go to the game if they cant walk to the game because they cant drive.. And when its 45 degrees...lots of fans arent 'true fans' ...........Schools are not going to pay a neutral host to play away from home. If the 'home' school split profits with the IHSAA (I've never heard that), why would they pay to play away from home? The IHSAA owns the state tournament. Why would they not want one team to be at home and sell out the building? I was at Lowell at New Prairie a few years back. They played the regional the day after a 6-inch snowstorm. The home grandstand was packed because old Russ Radtke and his boys were out shoveling the field them selves that morning. That does not happen at a neutral site. You need a home team for a football playoff game in November.

Why would a nuetral site host? . The only reason to host is if you are playing. The reimbursement does not always cover expenses, its my understanding. No one is volunteering to host a football playoff game. And, trust me, many fans do not go to anything other than home games.

There will NEVER be neutral site regional and semistate playoffs because the IHSAA needs to make money and making both teams travel will limit the amount of people who will attend. Why make 2 teams travel when only one has to.? And who will pay the neutral site to host. No neutral school is doing it for free.

I think you hit on it right there, Fan Man; To the IHSAA, I would guess that National recognition is not only not the ultimate goal, but its a goal they discourage. The IHSAA does not want to 'keep up with AAU and Club Sports programs'. They want the Indiana state championship to be the ultimate goal. They don't want ANYTHING to overshadow or diminish that.

My ability to predict home field berths in the IHSAA state tournament is close to my knowledge of possible postponements and potential rescheduling in the NFL but.... ..........looks like you would be home against Andrean on November 6, right coach?

89, I understand the frustration with the result last week but Griffith is a bigger school that has played all year. Whiting is certainly shorthanded....some may not have come out this year...and in their first game, the Oilers didnt look good against a 4A school. I actually liked some of the offensive plays they executed without having a scrimmage. I promise you that Whiting will look better the next two weeks against Boone Grove and Bishop Noll. Lets be real. As long as Andrean is 2A, public school Northwest Indiana 2As like Whiting will have a short post-season. But Andrean wont always be 2A You speak of coach Cain. Down in Lowell, as I know you know. Many were unhappy with Keith Kilmer the first few years after he replaced Kirk Kennedy Lowell was 22-18 Kilmer's first four years. Now, Kilmer is 89-38 with 5 sectional trophies. With the closing of nearby Clark, the future is promising for Whiting, right?. Give coach Jennings a chance.

Does Max Preps rate out of state teams when they analyze strength of schedule? Sagarin does not, right? Who has played the tougher schedule?

Not something you want to do at this point. A 2 week Covid rip and your season is over.

Why is Center Grove ranked ahead of Cathedral? Why not the other way around? Just asking.

You beat me to it, coach Its been a rough year up here......but until somebody is knocked out of the post-season (by the virus), there's no lasting loss.

Late Thursday, there is word that Crown Point must cancel their final 2 games with Chesterton (10-9-20) and Michigan City (10-16-20). That means 3 weeks off before the sectional 1 semifinals, right? Bad news, coach...Chesterton was the final home game for the seniors....warm night....good crowd might have showed up from Chesterton. Week 9 was MC's final home game for their seniors..

You are correct. I'd be surprised if Valpo didnt play Cathedral for the 5A state title in November.

No...Hammond and Morton may both be Class 5A after consolidation.. ..and Valparaiso goes back to 6A , I believe, if they win the 5A regional.

There are a lot of factors but, just on enrollment, I'm almost sure that Griffith drops from Class 4A to 3A Morton is likely to bump from 4A to Class 5A

The MVP turned the ball over 9 times. You cover THAT team. Would I lie, omit or shade to cover for a kid. Maybe. But what happens when you need people to trust you, the writer. ? What happens when you go back to cover that team and everyone knows you lied, shaded or covered.? Sometimes the facts are inherently harmful. Inherently negative. Sometimes positive for one side is negative for the other side. You're writer, not a hider. The only reason I'm there is to tell the true story. Not some sanitized version that 'does no harm,' Why would you read me if I lie? But why would you read me if I hurt kids with my words. Its the no-win scenario.

You're getting into a very interesting area, FOX. Its not just legalities and parental permission. . How honest do you want me to be about an underage kid in print? Wanna play? *The Pork City Panthers, who have NEVER won a sectional title, have a star QB named Chris P. Bacon. Chris is the MVP of his conference but in the sectional title game he fumbles 5 times and throws 4 interceptions. Here is the hometown hero in the biggest game in school history. His coach has no comment and wont allow Chris to be interviewed. He's 17. How much to do you want me to dwell on how the MVP's low-rent performance cost his team, his school and his town the sectional in his final game. Write some of the story and give me a headline without dwelling on one boys' nine turnovers and without quoting the coach or player. Remember, you only have a few minutes to write this and what you say will stick with him (it will be on-line) the rest of his life. *The Sugarland Stars have a freshman softball cleanup hitter named Brittney "Sugar" Bare who hit .458 on the regular season with 20 home runs. Sugar hits two homers in the sectional championship game and the fourth time up, she is beaned by the opposition pitcher Katie O'Grady, starting a fight where Sugar and Katie are both ejected. After the game, Sugar tells you and the other reporters "I've always hated the b****. We have never liked each other. I was overjoyed to give that loser some knuckle sandwiches." The coach has no comment. Sugar is 15. How do you write that? Do you quote Miss Bare? She's got 3 more years. Do you say what you know?. Give me a headline. *The star guard on the South Side Rough Riders: Richard "Wild Irish" Rose is suspended for the sectional title game and other kids tell you he was caught at a party drinking with underage girls. His coach says, "That kids' out of control but, officially, I cant comment on that" You go to the other team and their star player, Abraham "Hot Rod" Lincoln, who scored a career-high 40 points, tells you, 'Yeah, Richard was there. I saw him. He's my man. I love me some Wild Irish Rose. I was there, too. I know those girls from the girls team" Hot Rod's coach says "I didn't know that. Please don't print that.. " Do I quote Hot Rod? Either coach? There's other reporters there. Write some of that story. Remember, you need the coaches to talk to you to cover the teams. And you would not mention any of this if he/she wasn't on a varsity team. What do you think?

Exactly right, MC. ...and even if the newspaper finds out, no news organization is going to post the name of an underage player who is ineligible for the local football team and detail why he is ineligible. Under 18 folks are rarely named in news stories... Its just not something you do to a kid.

Thanks, HSF; It must be true. Jim is very reliable. Wow. I think Lowell can still tie for their conference title if they beat Munster and Andrean. Its a strange year but I guess that's been said before. .

I have still heard nothing about a forfeit of the KV-Lowell game.

Okay but here's what it is when it comes to Merrillville. (Lafayette) Jefferson (7-0) averages 50 points a game and will come to Merrillville unbeaten for 6A Sectional 1. How similar is Jefferson to Bishop Chatard?. The offenses seem similar......The competition (Jeff and Chatard) obviously isnt. I cant judge the O-lines Can somebody match up Merrillville and Jeff because only one will even survive the sectional.

Got to agree. That's the same Merrillville team that dominated 2A No.1 Andrean.... What did Chatard get...500 yards....? I know the Pirates were short a couple of players...but that defense had shut down everybody up here.... If Bishop Chatard is that good, how good is Cathedral?

No, its not GIP......89.1 doesnt seem sure what is and isnt going on