elhector1

One thing that I have not seen mentioned in all of this is the parents. I know, I know, you're going to tell me that they are busy working...but I will counter that this is an assumed statement. Why? I have coached in the Pop Warner system before, and I can tell you that there was a large percentage that would drop their kids off, and then expect someone else to give their kids a ride home. They weren't at work, they EXPECTED the service. However, what bugged the hell out of me was that they wouldn't attend their kids games. Too many times I have seen the look on a kids face as they look at the sidelines or the stands looking for a familair face, and they weren't there. Now some of my parents who were always there for your kids, at practices and at games...THIS IS NOT ABOUT YOU!...You guys probably pick up your kids after practices anyway, and have supported them throughout...No, this is about parents who have barely cared throughout their kids playing days. This is about the parents who will have a kid who WILL get into trouble because they (the parents) don't care...how about accountability? Why hold everyone else accountable for the laziness of a few?...

calf, heifer, bull, lead bull, and OHMYGAWD!!!!!

LETS GET THIS out int the open no one cares about Mauriceville middle school, ok WE are talking about LCM HC again HIGH SCHOOL NOT MIDDLE SCHOOL True, we are talking about high school...but it seems that folks like to make a big deal about where coach Burke has coached, and, in addition to that, belittle the young men that have played for him. Stop complaining if it was the folks such as yourself that made a big deal about it first. Seriously, the people making a big deal about coach Burke being a junior high coach are the ones who don't want to be made fun of in the lunchrooms of their particular workplaces. They want to show off about their kid and his "D-1 potential", and they want to show off about the high powered coach their school hired. If coach Burke were to get hired, these thin skinned fans would hide out in the bathroom during their lunch hour to avoid all the Injun, Redbird, Pony, and Mad Dog fans they work with... I see it differently...if coach Burke were to get hired...and have a winning season,...I'd come up to them and tell 'em how my former middle school coach outfoxed their high priced experienced coach... If coach Burke is not the one, my choice would be coach Bolton...have seen him work with the players in years past...

There are so many things that can be said for and against the different perspectives we all have about the head coaching/athletic director position at LCM. A coach like coach Burke might just be a good fit, simply because he has developed no bad habits and doesn't think his "you know what" doesn't stink. His work ethic is strong, and that is coming from a man like Larry Brister, whose judgement I admire and appreciate. Because coach Burke would be moving up from within, he also would be cognizant of the in battles at the school, and the need for a good AD in addition to HC. A fresh perspective on an old problem might be what the school needs. As far as hiring an experienced coach goes, let me ask everyone something...who are the ones who have HC experience? Are they the ones who have coached a successful winning program? Or, are they the ones who are looking for a HC job because, as is wont to happen, they were "run out of town on a rail", as happened to both coach Williams, and coach Moody (I will confess to pushing the cart on one of these gentlemen)? Plainly and simply, winning football games is not about which offensive scheme or defensive scheme is your favorite...it's about which one works. It's not about putting in the kid with star potential (according to his dad and all the ads placed in the local papers), it's about developing a team mentality, and finding the right fit for each player. A successful coach takes a look at his talent pool, puts them all through their paces and picks the right kid for the right position. A successful coach will look at the other schools in film, decide what their strengths and weaknesses are, and develop a game strategy to minimize the former, and exploit the latter. Like a successful general, a successful coach will look at his arsenal, and use the weapons at his disposal, when needed. He won't get stuck using the same gun, over and over, because guess what?...the opponent knows about him too. A successful coach knows how to tell the local big wigs to shove off and let him do his job, to keep their checkbooks in the pockets, and their tongues in their mouths and let him coach.

Agreed, Coach B...Stevo "the great" agrees too... There is not one, NOT ONE head coach out there that started out as a head coach. Somewhere along the line, someone took a chance on a good man. In the same way, it is possible that this may be that chance for Coach Burke, and in a way for LCM. You can have all the boxes checked on your resume, and still fail as a coach, if you can't get that magical "something extra" out of a team that takes your guys higher when the chips are down. Is it possible that coach Burke has that? I can't say for sure...but it seems that when you have kids chomping at the bit to play for you, there is a good possibility you might have it...

I think that therin lies the problem...what is a good fit? I know Coach Bolton, and he was no slacker. I don't have the pleasure of knowing coach Burke, but, if he has the support of the team and the community...why not? We had quality coaching experience in Todd Moody, and we ended up where? Also, where does a coach get that experience as a HC/varsity guy, if not for getting a shot at it. People don't just become HC, they have to coach somewhere first. Has he assisted the varsity or JV at some point? Becaause he coaches at the middle school level does not mean he is a poor coach...it just means that is where he was assigned. Right now, maybe fundamentals is what we need in the program...flash ain't helpin'...

all things considered, we have fairly good visitor's side bleachers...if people are standing at the fence, they probably have contact avoidance issues...and I gotta agree with bear fan...there are more pressing concerns for the district than bleachers for the football stadium...

Bless you, my son...[move][glow=blue,2,300]sprinkles holy water[/glow][/move] ;D

You're right...a parent should have a say with respect to their student...which is why some folks have written about what they want in an AD. Not all the parents at LCM have football players as kids. In that sense, we are making our desires known, not necessarily our demands. It does get our back up when we are told that only the football stuff should matter. We acknowledge the importance of football, but not to the exclusion of everything else.

It's not just LC-M...heck, they make movies about this stuff... As an example, UTEP, which is not known for it's football prowess, has a coach who took them to 2 bowl games in his first 2 seasons....he posted a 5-6 mark this year, and the Miner faithful are calling for his head. Before his tenure a 1-10 mark at UTEP would have been a "winning" season. The problem with the last NC at LC-M is that, not only did he have unsuccessful seasons, at the same time he alienated many in other sports. I think he would have had more support for another year as a HC IF he had been a better AD. Is this politics? Yep...it's part of the AD's job...if that hurts your feelings, sorry. If a HC wants to act like a king as a HC, and blow off his AD duties, then he dang well better have a record like, oh, I don't know...Dan Hooks. Until then, he would be wise to remember that other sport parents and participants buy tickets and support HIS program as HC...and it would be wise to support them as well...

tell 'em skip... ;D

There's a lot of truth to this post. Now is a chance for LCM to move forward, but many people can't get over "personal issues" of the past and continue to turn these posts into a whiners board. The focus of the LCM community should remain on finding a quality coach. these types of posts are "which came first, the chicken or the egg" types of posts. I'll acknowledge the dominance of football in Texas, but, until the HC produces a winning team, he can't afford to alienate the other sports as the AD. Let's face it, another reality of high school sports is the HC/AD being one and the same. At LCM, we have a baseball team that CONSISTENTLY goes to the playoffs, basketball teams that do the same, a softball program that can point to a STATE CHAMPIONSHIP, female powerlifters that can point to STATE TITLES, cross country and track athletes that can point to STATE TITLES, and so on. Other than a great run in '97 with David Williams as the HC, the Bear football program has suffered, even with the HC getting all he wanted. I mean, seriously, no other sport has a giant screen on their playing field, heck, I don't think very many high schools have that. This past year was bad, because the Bears not only did not win, they were beaten badly. This was the first no win season in the school's history, based on the research done by a member on this forum. This being the case, a HC will have a tough row to hoe at LCM. The man who takes it will have a brass set, because he will have to, to step into the mouth of the lion so to speak. However, with the AD hat, he will have to give other sports their props, as they deserve. In doing so, he starts to develop the support he needs, and his kids need to grow the program. If you are moving forward, and you have the support of the community, it doesn't matter how many daddies are unhappy with you...everyone else will step up for you...

David was a vicitm of "Aggie style" grumblings. When things didn't go well, we all wanted him out, like all the Aggie faithful called for RC Slocum's head when they hit a rough spot...funny...look what they got, and look what we got... And notice I say "we"...'cause I was the moron in the stands that was shouting "if it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, it's a duck" wneh the Bears were running the ball during his tenure. Like all the others I wanted more, the grass looked greener on the other side... Someone from David's tenure would be great...these coaches knew the community, and were not outsiders looking to make a name and move on...

my oldest played under Coach Harrell in the late 90s...remembers him as always saying "you guys are sorry, I can't beleive how sorry y'all are"...but he remembers those words in a good way, in the sense that Coach H not only called them to account for themselves, but wanted them to better themselves also.

dang td, do I have to clean up after you all the time...lol...just pickin'...but it the Big XII, not with the V, otherwise, it's the Big 7 instead of the Big 12. I had Earl and Jacoby on our Pop Warner Flag team, along with Seth Thomas, and Trey Franks. These successful athletes became as such because, while they had talent, mom and dad weren't looking for someone to trumpet how good their kids were. Mom and dad were on the sidelines, encouraging, but not overbearing, supportive, but not controlling. Mr. and Mrs. Franks, and Mr. and Mrs. Thomas came to practices and games, and gave this rookie coach a whole lot of support, even when it was evident I should have been coaching baseball instead...(and even then, there's a question mark). There lies the challenge for any coach. Too many moms and dads with stars in their eyes. Too many moms and dads that see megastar in a kid, when the kid may just have average talent with an occasional spurt of WHOA!. Too many moms and dads that want junior to be the #1 guy, will get on this board looking to see who calls junior the #1 guy, and setting junior up for massive stress and ulcers, when junior encounters a TEAM, and not a bunch of pretty good little INDIVIDUALS. The new coach at LCM will have to develop a TEAM, not a group of individual stars. I once had to let a kid who had stars in his eyes run around the backfield with no one blocking for him, at which point he got the idea that this is a team sport, that while he may be a great player, it takes a bunch of good and okay players to help him be that star. When the coach at LCM gets his kids to realize this, and more importantly, their parents to realize this...LCM will begin to come out of the dumps it's been in...

Yeah, but it had turned into something else entirely, rather than talking about football, it had turned ugly (sheepishly raises my hand). The new HC/AD needs to learn how to work with all of the different sports to understand their needs. If he doesn't have it in his budget to help a lot financially, then, by the same token, neither should he stand in the way of progress if those coaches have found funds outside the normal budget. As AD, he needs to support the other programs, until such time as the football team is up and running. Why is this important? Because, people will support a football program if they feel they are not being short changed in other areas. A successful baseball or softball program, for example, will be out there supporting the football team, if they feel that, at least in a small way, they are supported as well. As a HC, the new candidate should look at his team, and decide the best course of action. You aren't going to be able to "run it up the gut" if your HB, FB, or TB is 5'9", and weighs 140. There are other offenses that take advantage of other strengths that the same player might have. In the trenches, if you have an underweight line that is fast, adapt! You won't dominate 6'7" 280 lb heifers, but you can tire them out so much with a different offense that takes advantage of...guess what? ...your line's other strengths.

US Navy 1978-1981 USS Barbey FF-1088 US Naval Reserve 1981-1987 various units voluntary recall US Naval Reserve 1987-1988 USS John A. Moore FFG-19 Operation Earnest Will Naval Reserve 1988-1990 recalled as a Naval Reserve Recruiter 1990-1997 Medical Discharge 1997

I re-read the comments,and relaized that one word made all the difference...the word "yet". He didn't say he wasn't good enough, period, he said he wasn't good enough yet. In doing so, he showed that the future was bright, because he was going to be a BETTER coach, than he had been... He showed his players that he would work to better his coaching skills, as they worked to better their playing skills. He opened the door to combining their efforts, and working as a unit, as a team, to reach higher goals. In other words, he gave them hope, and a chance to build a team, a chance to contribute as he was, by working to get better. He lead by example, and I feel that in a year, we will see this team in the playoffs...

B ears O vercome J oined as O ne...

Facing the Giants... When the "team leader" tells the coach that he can only go so far with the "death crawl", ...and ends up taking his team mate on his back 100 yards, thinking he had just gone 50 or less...

I will respectfully disagree...I think it will make the players look at themselves, and dig deep, to see what they could have done differently to change the outcome. A coach leads by example, and the example he gave was one of responsibility and courage, stepping up to deflect the criticism his kids might have faced by opening it up to himself. Our baby boom generation has made a career of "blame the other guy" and it has seeped down to our children...I am glad to see that a man is being a man in accepting responsibility.

I walk over to the side of the great Weed...and sow the seeds of forgiveness... Consider my panties untwisted and unwadded...

it's great to hear stories like this...that trascend the field...and make not only the particualr kids winners, but their team mates as well... and to the Soulja...who in the hell is Herm Edwards? Obviously, his "winning attitude" didn't serve him very well, as he is consigned to the heap of the forgotten, save for a few diehards who still worship him...

1. Rudy-for just the whole meaning of what "team" is, and for the meaning of dogged perseverance. 2. The Program-Soundtrack...Welcome to the Jungle! 3. Radio-For showing exactly what to do with a high and mighty type, and for showing how one person can make a difference...for another person, and for a team. 4. Remember the Titans-Team Spirit past the prejudice... 5. Facing the Giants-yeah, it's sappy, but probably one of the best moments and examples of what it means to give your all...when the coach has that kid carry the other one the length of the field blind folded

I know teams do it in the El Paso area because of travel issues. El Paso has like 16 or 17 high schools within the city limits, not including the surrounding areas. They have 1 5a and 2 4a districts in the area. Travel is a problem, as the closest major Texas city area is Midland-Odessa, over 200 miles away.