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oldunclemark

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Posts posted by oldunclemark

  1. 2 hours ago, Bobref said:

     

     

    Your guarantees notwithstanding, and putting aside the whole issue of the advantage for the home team and whether that is fair or unfair, your entire case is built on the proposition that neutral site games attract fewer, not more, fans. Other than your sincerely held belief, do you have any support for that proposition? Because the prevalence of neutral site games in other states seems to suggest otherwise.

    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.

    • Like 1
  2. 10 hours ago, eschnur66 said:

    Your claims assume that there are no other models to use as an example. 

    1. If you use the IHSAA state basketball tournament as the example, EVERY round of the tournament is played at neutral sites. 

    2. The hosting school keeps 100% of the concession revenue, which at a packed facility, which is hosting 4 schools rather than 2 is a considerable amount. 

    3. Both teams travel because each team earned the right to play at that level and there should not be some type of home field advantage. 

    4. There is a strong argument that attendance would/could be greater if each team has a similar distance to travel.  Plus you add in the interest of fans whose teams are no longer playing, that will want to attend the games between two high level teams.

    There are plenty of benefits to playing neutral site games.

    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.

  3. 9 hours ago, Bonecrusher said:

    Hosting school keeps 100% of concession profits, which for bigger schools with large crowds could be substantial.

    IHSAA gets half of the gate, the other half goes to the host school.  I believe the two schools playing also might pony up a little cash to the host, IIRC.

    If your schools fans are "true" fans, IMHO they will travel well.

    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.

     

     

     

     

     

  4. On 10/13/2020 at 4:43 PM, Bobref said:

    So, you think neutral sites designed to roughly equalize travel for both teams will result in lower attendance? I daresay there is a responsible opposing viewpoint. 

    Schools that host tournament games are reimbursed their expenses even if their team is playing in the game. That’s no barrier.

    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. 

  5. 15 hours ago, IrishFan1997 said:

    Agreed...I think this is what clouds the thought process with football fans, and thinking when comparing athletics' in the state of Indiana...Yes, the State Championship in all sports is the team recognized goal throughout the state, but National Recognition is the ultimate goal...Center Grove, Cathedral, and other great programs should have the opportunity to play other schools, from other states, regardless of distance (if the particulars can be worked out) in order to boost our great state athletic programs...When I think of all the great INDIANA Football, Baseball, Basketball, (any other sports) programs that have come-n-gone, I wish they could see where they stack up and play the best there is out there...The Herbstreit Classic was great for Cathedral, not belonging to a conference, and being locked into games has helped, and the mindset of National recognition has helped.  If Indian sports wishes to keep up with AAU/Club Sports programs, they better figure out how to figure it out, and help support schools who cant $fund$ it...MyHumbleOpinion

    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.

      

    • Like 1
  6. 12 hours ago, Whiting89 said:

    Is this the Andrean invitational? Will anyone compete?

    i see wheeler Andrean final 

    hopefully wheeler catches Andrean off guard.

    4749E091-2398-4468-877A-2BD671699BBF.jpeg

    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? 

  7. 5 hours ago, Whiting89 said:

    I know a lot of whiting supporters who aren’t happy with the current state of the program. I guess we were spoiled by Coach Cain.

    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.

    • Like 2
  8. 1 hour ago, Dave007 said:

    Maxpreps has Cathedral ahead of Center Grove.  

    It really does not matter, it is very clear these are the top two teams in Indiana so Friday's game will put the debate at rest.

    Gonna be a LONG week.

    Does Max Preps rate out of state teams when they analyze strength of schedule?

    Sagarin does not, right?

    Who has played the tougher schedule? 

  9. 6 hours ago, hhpatriot04 said:

    In on one, predicting a balanced and physical team Cathedral trails at halftime 17-10 but grinds out a 34-31 win after a few adjustments and their experience playing GCL teams.

    Regardless of the outcome, this game will likely be remembered and talked about for a long time, unless Cathedral 2021 will be on a completely different level making this game less significant in the all-time greats discussion.

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

    Just asking.

  10. 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).

    2 hours ago, Coach Nowlin said:

    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..

     

     

  11. 10 hours ago, crimsonace1 said:

    Valpo would need to win a semistate to move to 6A. They got 3 points last year (sect-reg-ss) and would need to repeat that path this year. A regional win would leave them with five points. (they may move up due to enrollment, though). 

    You are correct.

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

  12. 1 hour ago, foxbat said:

    As Joe Friday might say, "I just want to get the facts" ... and the less salacious, the better when it comes to kids.  Your best bet in most of those cases is, if it doesn't show up in the stat book, better to leave it out ... and if those are bad, redirect to other lines.  Those four interceptions can tae a different approach away from the kid and focus on the positive of the defensive acumen and the kids making the picks.  Those fumbles can go from focusing on the kid losing them to the opportunistic defensive line.  Can it be boring?  You bet.  Does not focusing on the kid negatively end up being better for the kid?  You bet ... or perhaps better is that it doesn't end up being or having the potential for being negative for the kid.  Can probably think about writing about kids kind of in the same vein as a line by Hippocrates in Of The Epidemics, "First, do no harm."

      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.

  13. 1 hour ago, foxbat said:

    Most students and their families OK things like being on honor roll or valedictorian or NHS, etc. via paperwork at the beginning of each semester/school year as a publicity release item.  When they are signing that, however, it is for awards or positive recognition not for general release or release with negative items.  Even in those situations, a kid/parent can opt-out of that. 

    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?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  14. 1 hour ago, MarshallCounty said:

    If it was academic reasons, privacy laws would not allow for the school to release that information.

    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. 

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  15. 1 hour ago, HanShotFirst said:

    Twitter (Jim Peters) reports that Lowell will forfeit all of their games prior to Highland.  Lowell stands at 1-5 (1-1) going into week 8. 😵

    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. .

     

  16. 3 hours ago, Lysander said:

    Ironically Chatard was more penalized than Merrillville last night but Chatard did win the turnover battle....which was critical.  

    Merrillville was supremely talented (seemed abundantly obvious from the start) but I think Chatard’s fundamentals and discipline of play, constant physicality, swarming defense and, frankly, ability to adjust offset that, so, by game’s end, Chatard seemed to often be able to do what they wanted.  

    Pretty typical recipe for a Chatard win....which more than a few times have been against more talented teams.  Chatard teams generally will just wear you down.  I think, playing a Chatard team for the first time is a bit of a shock to the system  for most schools.  As a fan I’m used to it but it just seems to throw a lot of teams off that first time.

    I really did want to remark about a couple of things that stood out to me regarding Merrillville.  First, they truly are talented....admittedly, everyone acknowledges that.

    But the other thing was just how Merrillville handled themselves. I’ve seen a LOT of talented teams play Chatard and get visibly frustrated, then get chippy (both with Chatard and within their own ranks) and then......just.......quit.

    Merrillville did NONE of those things.  They never got visibly frustrated or chippy and they darn sure didn’t quit.  They played the whole game and played with class.  I honestly think this game should make them better.

    Much like Doc22 stated above, I think people underestimate Merrillville at their own peril because of the result of this 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.

     

  17. 9 hours ago, Coach Nowlin said:

    Per my rules of owning the Region Card, I must follow all region rules!!   Good Win Chatard.... per usual it seems.   

    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?

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