BTF

On 4/11/2024 at 11:36 AM, Muda69 said:

O.J. Simpson dead at 76, family announces: https://sports.yahoo.com/oj-simpson-dead-at-76-family-announces-144012008.html

A sad day for football fans.

 

Only when football is more important than morality. He'll be remembered first and foremost as a psychopath killer, football player second. 

2 hours ago, Footballmomma said:

Not to disagree but I think merrillville/Valpo are better than about half the Indy schools. I think if they had a weekly schedule with them people would be suprised to see them come out above .500. 

Inside the donut: .750

     - I think they would beat the publics and Lutheran, but they'd struggle with Cathedral. Chatard would be a handful most years. Roncalli would be a crapshoot. 

Outside the donut: .250

     -Suburban Indy schools are getting so big it's becoming an unlevel playing field for everyone else. Until Valpo and Merrillville somehow grow by 500-700 students, they would struggle to put together a winning record unfortunately. 

There's a reason we have six classes. Merrillville and Valpo, finally playing within their weight class, will have an opportunity to add to their trophy cases. And that's a compliment. Pound for pound, those two programs are among the best in the state. 

43 minutes ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

Playing 5A Valpo and now 4A Mishawaka don't come off well, while other 6A programs are testing themselves against the best of 6A. Carroll, Snider and Homestead are leading the way in testing themselves. 

Carroll and Homestead for sure. After Warren Central this year, there don't seem to be any Indy teams on Snider's radar for the foreseeable future. 

45 minutes ago, psaboy said:

Probably because Snider and Carroll are in their head 24/7 🤣

It certainly appears that way. Winning the SAC seems to be their plateau. I'm not sure they think they can beat a team from Indy. I do commend them for amping up their schedule though. I'm always rooting for them to get over that Indy hump. 

2 hours ago, Footballmomma said:

You really think Merrillville will go this year? Heard they have a lot of depth this year but not as many skill players. But the have a QB that has a cannon for an arm. So it could work out. 

Won’t disagree I just hate there style of offense it’s just so boring. And the defense isn’t always great for warsaw! Didn’t they graduate most there team?

If my memory serves me correctly, I believe I looked a few months ago at who Merrillville and DC were returning for the next season. I feel like both teams return enough to be considered the teams to beat for 2024. Merrillville just seems to reload every year and are always on the cusp. I think the Pirate's program is playing at a higher level than Jeff and Warsaw right now. I like DC's coach, couple that with some returning starters, and I think they are the team out of the south. But East Central seems to reload every year too, so we'll see. 

I'll be honest, I'm not really sure what Warsaw brings back other than a good coach and a stout offensive game plan. The style of ball they play is dangerous, Carroll will tell you. So will Snider for that matter............they had to endure Mishawaka, who plays that same style of offense,  two years in a row. 

6 minutes ago, Footballmomma said:

Castle I have just outside just feel they have a small shot to win sectionals 

You think Warsaw? I truthfully think laffyette will steamroll Warsaw. They see the triple option and Warsaw doesn’t play anyone with speed. 

Warsaw waxed one of 6A's better teams last year. The potential is there. I personally don't see Jeff "steamrolling" them. They're a lot like Mishawaka. Bring your A game, or you're done. 

My early prediction is a state title matchup between Merrillville and Decatur Central in a game that will go to the wire. I think East Central will be the biggest challenge to DC. Valpo and Warsaw will challenge Merrillville. 

On 4/11/2024 at 2:13 PM, Footballmomma said:

If I’m not mistaken. And please correct me if I’m false but I’m 99% sure that this is the last year for Valpo and Penn. my son that has friends at Valpo said they are playing Hamilton southeastern or homestead after this upcoming season ? 

The Valpo/Penn series was a good one, I'm surprised they are letting it go. I think Valpo/Homestead is a hell of a matchup. They won't back down from HSE one iota if it happens to be them. Stout program Valpo is. 

2 hours ago, temptation said:

Homestead agrees.

I think Homestead's problem is more mental than anything else. In order to beat a team from Indy, you have to have the mindset that not only are you going to beat them, you're going to beat them by multiple scores. Homestead isn't there yet. 

28 minutes ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

Our Strength of schedule is going to be a Dinosaur size pile of crap...Good times. 

The key to 6A success is seeing two Indy area teams during the regular season. That wasn't the case in the 80's and 90's when there were only 3-5 good teams out of Indy.  Fast forward two decades and the landscape has changed, now there are 10-15 good teams from Central Indiana.  Kids in Indy are no more talented than kids in any other area of the state, but I think they are a little more hardened by way of the schedule they play week in and week out. If you don't see that level of toughness during the regular season, it's like running into a brick wall in the postseason. There's one particular program that would probably argue this logic, but I think it'll work for most programs. 

12 minutes ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

Unless Penn convinces the NIC to find schools to add or drops the 7 game conference schedule, Penn will likely be playing Valpo and Mishawaka weeks one and two for the foreseeable future.

Maybe Coach Pete, will not care about upsetting people and send the JV to play the SB schools. 

Makes sense. 

Your estimate looks pretty accurate. They'll separate the Fort Wayne teams. My feelings aren't hurt as a fan, it just provides for some interesting matchups. What's Penn doing in 2027? Snider's contract with East Noble expires after 2026. This old rivalry needs to renew itself. Both teams have one hell of a path to go through to meet in 2024. 

15 minutes ago, BLACKGOLD2007 said:

Warsaw will be the new Mishawaka of 5A North, with Mishawaka dropping down to 4A. 

Has anyone seen the new sectional groupings?

I saw on another thread where they are estimating the end of the month for them to be announced. 

Dumb? Agree. But it did garner three pages of conversation. So I guess it served it's purpose.

16 hours ago, psaboy said:

Don't forget abou Warsaw, Elkhart has a ways to go. 

The Tigers need not worry about the Penn's, Carroll's, Crown Point's or Indy schools. They'll be duking it out with Valpo and Merrillville in 5A North. Elkhart has potential, but that's about it right now. 

22 hours ago, Indiana Fan said:

Unsure as to why the 6A would change how they have been in the past…??? It’s the same schools with additions ones that slot right in in the north. Don’t see IHSAA switching sectionals up that much.

It would make sense that the four Fort Wayne schools are clustered together for a sectional, but I think it's a little more complicated than that. The same could be said for the other regions as well. Either way, schools that are close in proximity are going to separated by sectionals in some way shape or form. From a fans perspective, I'd love to see two teams from Fort Wayne get paired up with Indy, and two paired with Elkhart area. 

32 minutes ago, Impartial_Observer said:

I’ve long stated, if you’re a sports fan, I can drive within an hour of my house on any given Friday night and see a quality athletic event for 5-6-7 bucks whatever it costs to get in. You can not beat that entertainment value anywhere. And I’ll never get my panties in a wad investing in our youth. You want to talk about property taxes, let’s examine why every cop in the state is driving a new SUV, why local police forces need APC’s, and all the high tech gadgetry that they do to basically enforce traffic laws and bust high school drinking parties. 

We're definitely on the same page when it comes to the first half of your paragraph. I'd need more information regarding the latter half..........maybe in a PM or the OOB's forum. 

19 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

I don't recall a $3,000,00 jumbotron at a college/university being paid for with taxpayer funds.  Are my local property taxes not enough to properly fund the local government schools, to support it's primary mission?

 

It's being paid for by the ticket prices that are ten times that of a high school game. That's my point. It's ok to drop $500 to take your family to a Colts or Notre Dame game, but when a small portion of your taxes go toward a turf field right down the street, some get all bent out of shape.

I think it's bad enough that the majority of football fans will drop big dollars to support a university two hours away that they have no ties with or a professional team whom they know no one personally on the team or reap any of the rewards of the teams success. Yet there's good sports in their own backyard. It's just as entertaining, costs less money, and the ticket sales are going to your LOCAL COMMUNITY. These high school kids, more than not, are the ones who'll keep the community going for decades to come. Athletics can teach a kid as much on the field as he/she'd learn in the classroom. There are other places to skimp and save money, our high schools are not one of them.

Somehow it's ok to support the $3,000,000 jumbotron two hours away, but a $600,000 turf field in your own backyard is unjustified. It's bad enough that 50% of our kids come from homes where the parents are absentee. Why not give them the best high school experience that we can?

21 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

The fight isn't won until 100% of government high schools in the state of Indiana  have splurged on extravagant artificial turf fields.

At what cost "top notch" high school facilities?   

I'm not an opponent of taxes as long as the system isn't being abused. Handing money over to illegal aliens as they cross the border would be an example of abuse. Sending money overseas to Ukraine without the rest of the UN providing their fair share is just plain disrespect for taxpayers money. I wouldn't call improving your local high school facilities a "mismanagement of funds." In short, maybe if you received more of a tax cut at the federal end, you'd be less concerned at the local end. 

25 minutes ago, btownqbcoach1 said:

He's always so confused lol 

There's no fight.  Turf won.  

Very rarely will I encourage someone to discontinue their fight, but this fight really isn't going anywhere. Best to move on.  I'm all in for top notch high school facilities. 

3 hours ago, temptation said:

I’ll say it again…poor damn Jeffersonville..one kid.

If the admins at Valpo had a heart, they'd switch spots with them. I mean, I'd at least give Valpo 100:1 0dds to win the whole thing. Where does Jeffersonville sit, 1,000,000:1?

3 hours ago, PHJIrish said:

Cathedral will forever be 6A, and that's OK.  The Irish play wherever they're placed.

Agree. It wouldn't hurt my feelings if Snider continues to join them. 

8 minutes ago, Muda69 said:

Yeah, myself and my fellow student athletes were scarred for life having to play on muddy football fields.   And the trauma inflicted on the marching band was just..... well it was bad.  

But hey the student manager who had to wash all those muddy uniforms on a Saturday morning ended up turning the experience into moola, he now runs a successful dry cleaning business.

 

 

You're fighting a losing battle. That's not an opinion. Might want to focus your energy elsewhere. 

31 minutes ago, Bash Riprock said:

Perhaps....I have pretty certain in the case of CG, administration didn't seek individual's opinions on turf fields on GID before deciding on turf for football, soccer, baseball, etc.  They certainly would have done their research, but just don't think they consider opinions of fans on GID.  But, perhaps they are in the minority......

Now, do coaches visit GID and share opinions of various members?  I can get my arms around that.....

I would hope they don't. I think turf fields are less about common opinion and more about dollars and sense. I'll advocate for turf fields all day. I think studies show that they are more cost effective in the long run? And even if they aren't, I think it's a service to young people to give them turf instead of mud. It isn't just about high school football. You have youth football, the occasional middle school game, the band, track and field, and maybe soccer..............other countless activities as well.