Bonecrusher

On 11/14/2020 at 3:06 PM, MDAlum82 said:

Is this another "sleeper" Luers team that has a less than stellar season record, due to tough FW area competition, and then rolls through the 2A tournament?   

We can only hope!

20 hours ago, 07_statechamp54 said:

Interesting. Sounds like the 5-2 we ran when I was at Luers with a 3rd monster type hybrid playing up. It’ll be interesting to see how they match up with the Knights’ pass game. They throw it all over the yard and have 4 legitimate receivers to throw it to. 

Same "D" we ran when I played.  Heritage early-mid 80's.

7 hours ago, temptation said:

Side note:  Even though it was out of their control, I think it’s a bit ridiculous that LCC (said the same thing about Zionsville last week) gets to host the semi-state after receiving a bye the previous week.

I think it should be treated as first/second round matchups are when the pairings are released and they should have to travel.

Neutral playoff sites.  Sorry, had to say it.😉

Seriously though, don't know much about LCC other than what I've read here.  However, being an old ACAC boy I've gotta back SA.  They certainly look to have a good shot, and from past years I'll bet LCC makes it a game.

18 hours ago, Brettlow said:

Your Luers pick is the one you're calling a major upset????

Yeah it was. Just how I saw it. I guess going 1 for 4 isn't too impressive, though lol.

Only one Fort Wayne team left. Wow.

15 hours ago, JustRules said:

Indiana thinks they have small schools. There aren't any really small schools. Some of those upper midwest states have enrollments of less than 50 for all 4 grades.

I agree.  My wife's senior class had 74 kids IIRC (Southern Wells '88).  They thought they were tiny; and they were by Indiana standards.  When we moved to Texas, we found out what smalls schools really are.  My kids class sizes were 44, 48 & 53.  2A school.  There are many 1A's here with 9-12 enrollment below 100.  Many of them are in west/northwest TX.

If us Texas boys can have a playoff game with 35 degrees at kickoff, 20 mph wind and light but steady rain, and enjoy the heck out of it.....  Another game, quarter-final I believe, was played a day after a bad ice storm.  There was still a layer of ice on the bleachers because it didn't get warm enough during the day to melt it off the aluminum.  Road conditions were not great, but manageable.  They put sand on the parts of the bleachers you walk on and chipped as much ice as they could off of the parts where you sit.  Kickoff temp was 29 with 20-30 mph wind.  Both teams, 2A schools, filled the 4A neutral site bleachers about 3/4 full - both home & visitor sides.  Probably 1/3 of the kids on each team played with bare arms (mostly linemen).  It was one of the best, competitive playoff games I've been to.   Both crowds were super into it and the concession stand probably made a fortune off hot chocolate sales.  Those weren't the only games (mostly playoffs) played in cold, nasty conditions.

If we can handle the above, I'd expect more from my home state.

6A- Homestead (10-1) at Westfield (10-1)= Homestead by a TD -- or two

5A- Bishop Dwenger (10-1) at Zionsville (5-5)=  Saints all the way

3A- Concordia Lutheran (6-5) at Bishop Chatard (10-1)=  Heart want Cadets, head says Chatard.  I went out on a limb on another thread and picked Cadets, so I'll stick with them here in a nail biter.

2A- Bishop Luers (6-6) at Tipton (10-2)=  I've picked Luers by single digits on another thread, as well.  This is the game where I have the least amount of confidence in a Fort Wayne team to produce a win.  Going with Luers in a major upset.

If I'm wrong, predicting a Fort Wayne sweep, I'll eat my crow stuffed with Jalapenos and wrapped in bacon.

20 hours ago, 07_statechamp54 said:

As a Luers alum, I would love for the Knights to win but the defense has been so inconsistent. Every recent state championship team Luers has had (except for 2009) a stout defense.  They can’t expect the offense to win in shootouts every week as the competition gets tougher. I hope they prove me wrong but my gut is telling me the Tipton wins this game.

Fair point.  But still, you gotta believe.....

Luers by 7 points or less.

8 minutes ago, Bonecrusher said:

Holy cow!  I knew something didn't feel right about this one lol.  Thought I was in the Luers-Tipton thread.  Guess I'd better double-check next time. I'll blame my mental lapse on the coronavirus.

20 hours ago, Purdue Pete said:

SA doesn’t “represent” the ACAC.  They are the anomaly of the ACAC. 

That's a true statement; definitely head & shoulders above the other teams.

However they are in the ACAC so technically they are representing the conference and they will do an excellent job of it.

22 hours ago, Prospect said:

Great prediction. I'd say Luers is gonna beat Eastside 56-49 🙃 (this is the thread for last week's game)

 

Holy cow!  I knew something didn't feel right about this one lol.  I'll blame my mental lapse on the coronavirus.

Keeping my "homer" status for this game.  Luers by a TD.

Scared to make a prediction, could be that close IMHO.  I'll be a "homer" and pick the Cadets by 7 points or less.

1 hour ago, Mebuck said:

I will take East Noble. 

Me too.

I say South Adams by 2 TD's.  They will rep the ACAC well.

On 10/19/2020 at 4:14 PM, jakone said:

Good luck walking to a F. W. South Side or Luers game.

You make a good point.  I'm not sure I would want to walk home after games there for reasons we won't delve into.  In my post I was looking more at how feasible it would be logistics-wise and if you're in good enough health for a short hike to the game.  Wasn't taking into consideration "other" variables but those would def come into play.

IME with some of the Ft. Wayne and a most NE IN county schools, the overwhelming majority of people do drive.

4 hours ago, Ballhawk said:

You may know it all about everything else, but the only people walking to North Newton or Tri County are walking from their cars and trucks.  There isn't a house within walking distance.  There is NO walkup crowd at these two schools, so how many others are in the same situation?  How many smaller schools have no bleachers on the visitors side?  

How many years ago was it that this person from the IHSAA told you this?  Is this the same person who said they would NEVER mess with the basketball tourney?

Again, you have your opinion and I'll have mine.

I would think most, but not all, schools "out in the country" will not have walk-ups.  But city schools, depending on location, could have a fair amount.  As examples, in the Fort Wayne area South Side, North Side & Snider could have a pretty decent number of people walking to a game.  There are other Fort Wayne schools where it may not be as doable considering high traffic roads to cross, or just long distances for schools in the suburbs, think Northrop, Homestead, Carroll.  County schools like Heritage, Woodlan, Southern Wells & Eastbrook will not have them, but an Adams Central or Bellmont might have a few.

Bottom line, if I were one of the IHSAA people in a position to make a call on this, I would not factor walk-ups into it.  I can't see the number being large enough to make a big impact on travel if a given school did well enought to make it to regionals or semi's.  I would venture a guess that a good portion of walk-ups don't drive to the game because they don't have to, not because they can't.  I'm sure there are some in the "can't" category, but again not enough to sway policy if something like this ever made it to the table.  Just based on the few observations I have made over the years.

1 hour ago, jakone said:

I'm just saying a person with intelligence would rather travel 5 miles to a game than a 100 hundred miles to a game. I guess I'd rather be smart than true.

Well yeah, that's stating the obvious.  I thought, incorrectly, that you were taking a dig at fans that will go to great lengths to support their team.  My bad.

On 10/14/2020 at 12:30 PM, jakone said:

True fans or stupid fans.

How are fans that travel well stupid?  Are you referring to traveling in spite of the the Covid-19 dangers?

18 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.

Yes.  Neutrals work great in the state where I currently reside and there would probably be a revolt if they did away with them. 

However, every state is different, weather is different, travel times different, different sports have different levels of popularity and different levels of commitment in their fan bases.

Vive la difference.

15 hours ago, oldunclemark said:

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.

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.

On 10/9/2020 at 2:38 PM, Indiana Fan said:

How about places like Ball State, Butler, IU, Purdue? Depending on if those schools have games on that weekend or what their stipulations would be. I am a supporter of neutral site Regional and Semi State games. Makes it feel like a bigger deal and if the IHSAA really wants an "equal" playing ground then this is it.

There could be a significant cost to do this.  There's usually several playoff games at Baylor's stadium every year.  I can tell you there's only been two or three 4A teams play there, the rest are 5A & 6A.  One 4A team (a friend's son's school) might not do it again because of cost.  The other 4A is a perennial deep playoff/state champ powerhouse whose program has super deep pockets.  The balance are large schools with more to spend.  Might be a fun experience for them and maybe a nice idea for the big boys, but I can't see many 4A, or any classes below, wanting to cough up that kind of money.

On 10/9/2020 at 2:29 PM, Basementbias said:

Definitely would have to have sites be schools that are out of the playoffs for it to work. Especially now with the state finals format not being determined until semi state matchups or even after. 

That is how it's done in the lone star state.

6 minutes ago, PhilLee said:

Yes how dare they look at actual stats that show influenza is much more dangerous to kids then Covid 19.

We need more people making decisions listening to CNN experts and Indy Star columnists instead. 

Agreed.  I'm all for masks/sanitizing/distancing, and also quarantining the ill and isolating older/high risk/pre-existing conditions people.   But this lock down thing has to end eventually.  Besides a vaccine, which may or may not be effective across the board initially, herd immunity is mother nature's answer to this.  It needs to run it's course.  Either that or we keep everything locked down indefinitely and the end result of that could be worse than COVID-19 itself.

Communities, parents, players need something to offset all this gloom & doom.  That thing is H.S. football - IMHO.

On 7/22/2020 at 1:14 PM, TrojanDad said:

Depends on the effect you are talking about....more incidence given testing?  I have no doubt.  But will that higher incidence equal seriousness or magnitidue?  

Guess it depends on if we listen to the press......they don't always focus on both sides of the risk equation.

Well said, sir.  Couldn't agree more.