BTF

What does DC have going for them besides enrollment? Strong senior class? Several returning starters? Stating that they are the team to beat without previewing all the other teams in 5A is quite the statement. But hey, if they are senior heavy with 15+ returning starters, I understand the high expectations.

I agree that bad teams benefit from empty stadiums and good teams suffer from them. I'm not saying that covid didn't have any effect, you'd have to be a moron to believe so. I'm just wondering what the forementioned teams did that Michigan and Penn State did not.

Just curious. Why didn't covid affect Alabama, Clemson, Notre Dame, and Ohio State?

Steelers fans are everywhere. Even Florida. They grew quite the following in the 70's and 80's. If you live in Chicago and are well off financially, you send your kids to Notre Dame. So yeah, Chicago is probably more Irish than South Bend.

It just fascinates me. I think everyone has a good story. And you are correct about NW Indiana and their ties to Chicago. Half that population travels to Chicago for work. And the Windy City has adopted ND as their own even though Illinois hates Indiana politically. Most people in Fort Wayne identified with the Bears before the colts came to Indy. Then it was probably 60/40 in favor of the Bears. Now I would say it's 65/35 in favor of the Colts.

Just curious. It always fascinates me when someone's favorite team is outside the state they call home.

Agree. Remind me again why you are a Michigan fan.

It's becoming like college football it appears. Gone are the days of winning with your own pipeline. I guess that's just 80's thinking.

I'm not a coach. I never have been and never will be. But here is my perspective from the outside looking in. If you're willing to chest bump after a sack or a touchdown, you should probably be willing to do the same after getting an A on a test. An education, whether college or self, will take 99.9% of all high school athletes further than their 40 time. Life success is long term, whereas football success is not. Being the star and captain of your football team is a fantastic accomplishment, but being a successful CEO of your own life is an even better one. Chest bump all you want, show swagger, and have fun. But do the same in the classroom (players) and with your family (coaches) or it's all for naught.

I think it's hard to speculate that Merrillville was far and away the best outside of Indy when: 1. They didn't play any teams from the other three quadrants of the state. 2. They were blown out by the only team they played outside of the Duneland. Carroll lost to Westfield by a smaller margin than did Merrillville and were within striking distance half way through the third. I guess that's the only comparison we have to go by. Both good football teams last year for sure.

Lol, thanks.

I can't debate that. Agree.

Chatard was a beast that year. Any given year there are 5 Indy schools that the rest of the state probably won't win against. That year, Chatard was one of them, although Fort Wayne Concordia took them to the wire. I think Chatard knew they were facing a beast in Merrillville with all they hype and brought their best game to the table. Merrillville had no idea what they were up against and were probably unprepared for the truck that was about to hit them. Make sense? Thus the importance in scheduling stiff competition before the truck hits.

Lets be honest here. "Allen County good" equates to "no problem competing with" any program outside of the Indy mega schools. And Snider might take exception to that since they had the MIC and the HCC down late in the second half before bowing out in two very close games...........both within the last five years. I get the Homestead/Carroll thing as neither one has enjoyed success against Indy in recent memory. Back on topic. Merrillville the "easy" favorite equates to "very naive." If Carroll (SAC co-champs with Snider and Luers) met up with Merrillville last year, it would have been a pick-em game.

I remember those Brickies. Quite possibly the team of the 80's. The good thing about Portage upsetting Merrillville was that they did the Duneland proud by bringing home the title.

What about the '76 team? Valpo beat Merrillville in the regular season and the Pirates took the tournament game. Was that considered an upset? Was the Duneland the dominant conference in the state during the 70's?

I was wrong. Merrillville beat Cathedral in 1976 for the state title. Valpo beat Carmel for the state title in 1975.

Ring one up for the north? I could go for that. I just can't make an educated reply not knowing much about the south. Posters seem to be high on Whiteland and Decatur Central.

I hope the Pirates are good. They are too good of a program historically to not have a state title to their credit. As long as it's not at the expense of a team from the SAC, I hope they get it done. Valpo is another good program that should have a better shot now that they are playing teams in their own weight class.

They will be a force playing schools similar their size. Not a lock by a long shot. I think this forum has thrown Snider and Dwenger into the "chump" category. If opposing coaches are that dumb, it's game over.

He's Temp.

I think Merrillville will have their hands full in the North. Whoever makes it out of the Fort Wayne sectional will be a force to be reckoned with. Snider, Dwenger, and North Side will be battle tested all season long and ready for a deep post season run. Throw in Valpo, Michigan City, and Mishawaka and I find it comical that everyone is calling this the Merrillville show. Two great seasons doesn't always equate to a third.

Or would they play Indiana, Nebraska, Northwestern, and Illinois?

Ink deals with Fort Wayne schools.

Hoosier Hysteria