BDGiant93

On 7/5/2022 at 4:46 PM, DT said:

Carmel and CG should really show some scheduling intestinal fortitude by refusing to play any further games against any MIC school that voted them out of the conference.  Its a matter of principle.  As difficult as it may be to find good local competition, it makes no sense to be publicly humiliated and kicked out of your conference, but go on playing as if nothing ever happened.  

The football coaching staffs of Ben Davis and Carmel and Center Grove have good personal relationships. I believe that is why thse rivalries have continued. Plus, BD/Carmel predates the MIC back to the 50's. They regularly started playing in 1981. I, for one, am glad that these games are continuing. Especially the Carmel series. 

Content looks good so far. I would be careful about lifting photos from websites without credit. 

On 6/24/2022 at 11:05 PM, DT said:

Columbus North is 2nd in all time Team State Titles behind Carmel.  The Bulldogs have excelled equally in both boys and girls sports.  

Nope. It's North Central and then Cathedral. 

https://www.ihsaa.org/Portals/0/ihsaa/documents/schools/State Championship History.pdf

Tim was a good man, and I cherish the handful of times that we got to speak in person. There just were not too many greater advocates for Indiana High School Football, and you seaid it so much better than I could have @Bobref.

9 hours ago, Warren Central Warrior said:

Warren Central (IN) vs Warren Central (MS) would be a great match-up. I can only dream right?

In 1992, Ben Davis opened the season with Warren Central (Bowling Green, KY) followed by Warren Central (Indianapolis).

Let's have Benjamin O. Davis High School visit Ben Davis!

14 hours ago, DT said:

I respectfully disagree.  Tim was a great leader and he had a wonderful vision for The GID.  But he was not an active poster and rarely got deep into the woods on discussions, conversations, disputes, etc.  He was more of a passive moderator, cooling things down when they got overheated.  But he was not a topic starter or a conversation generator.  The members were responsible for the vast majority of posting activity on the site.  

I was talking more about the overall influence rather than the day-to-day commenting on posts and things.

On 6/16/2022 at 9:34 AM, Frozen Tundra said:

I’ve been on this site since six years ago and I’ve definitely noticed a decline in the number of users. It stinks but it’s the reality of it. I hear this site used to be popping back in the day and I’m sad I missed it.

It used to be this was the only shop in town. There are many other places out there to yak about high school football now. I think, no disrespect to the current leadership, that we're all still feeling the loss of TA here too. I think the current leadership here does a great job spending time, effort and money to make it great here, but Tim Adams was the guiding light of the Gridiron Digest. He was irreplaceable. 

Serious question: How does LESS football grow the sport of football in Indiana? How does this benefit students and education-based athletics? 

In my opinion, opportunity to play a sport allows students to be connected to a school. It's another connection for those students who are at risk of dropping out to a school. It contributes to the school community to have a team to support and cheer for at events such as Homecoming. 

I am sure no team enjoys getting its hide handed to it every Friday, but there still is an opportunity to play and improve and get better even in those programs that struggle. I just don't understand how less football benefits those who might need it. If a school wishes to make an investment in a football team and program, I say, in the immortal words of the Bad News Bears, "Let Them Play!" 

Just now, temptation said:

Makes sense now.  Why so long to hire Simmons?

I have no idea. 

On 6/20/2022 at 10:39 AM, temptation said:

Nah, just not afraid to challenge the beliefs of some on here.  Don’t overthink it.

I asked a question.  You gave a one word answer with no supporting evidence.

I challenged you again…you changed the subject.

You jumped on my yes before I went back and edited it. I was probably typing while you were answering. Sorry. I got locked out of my account and had to fish out my password again...then guess which of the variety of cities my brother has lived in in the last few years to get back in. Here's the rest of what I typed after "Yes".

"In the case of 2018, Jason Simmons was not hired until March. From December to March, the program had no leadership as many of Mike Kirschner's top assistants left for their own opportunities. Many of the others weren't sure if they wanted to come back. In effect, the program had no rudder. That, coupled with the loss of 52 seniors, in my opinion sunk Coach Simmons the first year. Yes, you can be rebuilding while retooling too."

4 minutes ago, temptation said:

LOL.  Even after a season where they won games by an average of 32 points per game and got many of their underclassmen significant playing time?

I’m going to need someone who doesn’t drink his own homemade kool aid to chime in on this one.

You're always in attack mode man. You need to put a little somethin' somethin' in your own Kool-Aid to calm down, brother.

On 6/17/2022 at 2:25 PM, DT said:

Im just not like you Jon.  I cant imagine going back to the same old place day after day after day.  Year after year after year.  Recycling the same old BS time after time after time.  

I need variety in my life.  We are just wired differently.  Ive never been critical of your career or life choices-decisions.  Why do you feel the need to be critical of mine?

Well, obviously you don't know anything about me. There are some things I recycle, but there are others I don't. I have never done things the same way. I would hope that I am a better teacher and person than I was back in 1997 because of my experience. You make mistakes and you fix them. Each year is different to me. Each group of students is different. Next school year, I'll be teaching a new class I've never taught before, for example. 

If you take a tongue-in-cheek comment about how many times you've quit this message board and come back and extrapolate that into commentary on career choices, then you took that to a place I did not mean. I apologize.

On 6/17/2022 at 2:41 PM, temptation said:

Does a school with nearly 2500 boys get to play the “rebuilding card?”

Yes. In the case of 2018, Jason Simmons was not hired until March. From December to March, the program had no leadership as many of Mike Kirschner's top assistants left for their own opportunities. Many of the others weren't sure if they wanted to come back. In effect, the program had no rudder. That, coupled with the loss of 52 seniors, in my opinion sunk Coach Simmons the first year. Yes, you can be rebuilding while retooling too.

On 6/17/2022 at 4:15 PM, Old Man High Pants said:

Which like I said before turns into nothing but a glorified JV game. Playing on Friday night doesn't mean anything when everyone is trying to get the game over as quickly as possible, coaches & players are mentally checking out, and fans are emptying the stands. 

Saturday morning is not Friday night.

3 hours ago, DT said:

HHF is in good hands and under new ownership.  Just expanded to Twitter and Instagram.  Those venues are out of my lane.  

I'm assuming this means that you'll go back in a few weeks/months after pronouncing you were no longer affiliated and leaving?

2 hours ago, DT said:

Covenant Christian and Indianapolis Lutheran are hybrid football factories built to win state championships.

We are now seeing a 1A classification with private school rosters of 50 to 60 players, many recruited locally and on scholarship, playing in multi million dollar facilities with huge coaching staffs, the best equipment money can buy, and massive levels of administrative and community support, levels that very few public schools can match.

Covenant Christian doesn't even have its own football field.

On 5/31/2022 at 4:12 PM, Old Man High Pants said:

I don't buy into the reps thing. 

I absolutely do. What's the incentive for a scout team guy to keep getting his head knocked in during practice? The chance to play in a varsity game under the lights on a Friday night. The mercy rule is fine as is, and I've seen BD on both sides of it. I do think if you're up 49-0 in the 2nd quarter, it might be good to have it kick in. I agree with @crimsonace1.

5 hours ago, DT said:

Ben Davis (25-24 in 4 years since 14-0 2017 season)

Jason Simmons is one game over .500 at BD since taking over in 2018.  Giants are always a contender to reach semi state in 6A but is this the new standard for the Giants?  

 

You did forget the MIC Co-Championship in 2019. I think the Giants still have the same standards. First year was a 3-7 disaster after losing 52 seniors from 2017....22-17 since. BD has three-straight Sectionals and Regionals. BD also defeated Carmel and Brownsburg the last two years in the Regional. Regular season record struggle has been early for BD 10-14 in August & September under Coach Simmons, 15-10 after...15-7 if you take out 2018.

Giants have gotten better throughout the year the last few and have been playing good football by October. The last two losses against Center Grove in Semi-State have not been particularly pretty, but who else beat Center Grove the last two years? Unless you were Cathedral or Westfield, it hasn't been particularly pretty.

Does that mean the program is satisfied? Nah. I don't think Coach Simmons is either. Time will tell though, you're right. 

5 hours ago, DT said:

 

 

Warren Central (9-10 last 2 seasons)

With Center Grove and Carmel out of the way, Warren is back as Top Dog in The MIC.  Are the Warriors ready to return to prime time under Coach Mike KIrshner?  This program does not produce the high end talent it did 10 to 15 years ago, and many schools in Indy have caught up to WC in total enrollment.  2022 is a huge year for Kirschner and his staff, and will give a clear indication if this program is still considered amongst the "elite" in Class 6A.  

 

 

 

https://twitter.com/joziahedmond4/status/1537166353857224706?s=20&t=dZNtRutX9B9nqRP4j1mYMg

On 6/16/2022 at 11:44 AM, Bobref said:

Correct. A lot of people think the travel limitations only apply when the Indiana school travels out of state. That’s incorrect. The travel rule, which is Rule 10-1, reads as follows:

“The address of an out-of-state school participating in a Contest with a member School, as well as the site of such Contests, must be within six hundred (600) miles round trip travel from the Indiana state line and shall be sponsored or co-sponsored by a member School.”

I’m on record as saying the travel rule constitutes an unwarranted intrusion on the rights of local school corporations to decide, on a case by case basis, what sort of experiences they want to offer students, including student athletes. A blanket rule like 10-1 is a blatant overreach by the IHSAA.

The travel rule is silly, but it's really silly that you can't host someone further than 600 miles round trip from out of state.

---

Our band and choir students raise an awful lot of money to go on their trips and excursions. They sell the heck out of fundraiser stuff. My rule is that I always buy, but it has to be the first person to get to me.

On 6/15/2022 at 3:13 PM, BTF said:

Top 4. There is a reason Warren Central (9), Ben Davis (9), and Carmel (9) have 27 state championships between them. Coincidence? I think not. Enrollment? Highly probable. Carmel and Warren Central rank 1 & 2 in enrollment. Ben Davis was 3 or 4 during their run of 9 championships. Let's not pretend that enrollment doesn't play and ENORMOUS factor. 

Ben Davis is larger than Warren.

18 minutes ago, temptation said:

But should a school with the resources and enrollment of Ben Davis EVER BE an underdog in the first place?

Fair point.

18 hours ago, Footballking16 said:

I'm not completely writing off Warren Central or Ben Davis or leaving them for dead. I'm just convinced the window where we can expect Warren Central and Ben Davis to automatically be state title contenders every single year has closed. There will be years where both BD and WC have special classes with good talent who absolutely can and may even win it all, but there's too many other programs who have closed the talent gap.

I get what you're saying. It's getting harder to be dominant, and that makes Center Grove's current run pretty remarkable. 

40 minutes ago, HHF said:

1. Delta becomes a power in 3A, and starts the next wave of Conference Realignment by departing the Hoosier Heritage, along with Yorktown, and starting a new conference that includes Muncie Central and Centerville.  

2. Greenfield Central's Travis Nolting becomes the state's top Head Coaching prospect and makes a big move to the HCC.  

3. The Eric Moore Era at Center Grove comes to a close and Pat Mallory returns from Lawrence North to take over the Trojan Football Program. 

4. Pike surprises under new HC Mike Brevard and quickly wins a MIC title in the post Carmel-Center Grove era.

5. Logan Haston breathes new life into the football program at Columbus North, and the Bulldog athletic program is invited to join the Mid State Conference, replacing departing Greenwood.

6. Craig Buzea steps down at Crown Point, and former LaPorte Head Coach David Ortiz takes over the program.  

7. Carmel schedules a home date with Bradenton, Fl powerhouse IMG Academy.  

8. The Northwest Crossroads Conference is rejuvenated by the arrival of new Kankakee Valley Head Coach Kirk Kennedy and the addition of growing 3A power Hanover Central.  

9. Hammond Central quickly emerges as a growing force in Northwest Indiana, overtaking Hammond Morton as the preferred football destination in town.  

10. Nick Hart comes to the conclusion that he has accomplished all he can at the small school level, and leaves Gibson Southern to replace his Dad at Brownsburg.

11. Evansville North emerges as the top public school program in the city and rises to challenge Castle, Jasper, Memorial amd Mater Dei for Top Dog status in the SIAC.

12. Kyle Mullins is rewarded for his program building efforts at Scottsburg and takes over at a large Southern Indiana high school in the Hoosier Hills Conference. 

I've missed the dozens.

#3 is an interesting thought. I would say that Coach Mallory has done enough at LN to justify that hiring, but is there anyone on the current staff that might get elevated?

#4 would be a great day. I hope Coach Brevard has a lot of success at Pike (even if he loses a few to his alma mater along the way).

#10 Another interesting thought. Not sure I'd leave a good thing. 

#12 is another hopeful positive. Coach Mullins is a great person.

1 hour ago, temptation said:

“But they’ve won their sectional!!!!!”

- @BDGiant93

They did win their Sectional. They also won their Regional as underdogs. But, there's no doubt, it was a watered down Sectional. I know that. I'm not stupid. 

Also, Coach Simmons motto the last couple of years has been "the standard is the standard." He knows the nine State Championships on the wall under the scoreboard is the standard.