ispeakjive

I'll take young and talented over senior dominated and average any day.  The potential for improvement is there and I think there is a lot of upside to this group.  The DC is constant but neither he nor Neumann have any control over the talent level.  As best I know neither one of them were present at conception for any of their players.  They have to play the hand they were dealt and they have a pretty good hand right now on offense.  I don't disagree with you in the long run about that kind of yardage, but if your offense compensates that dictates how you play for that particular season. 

No one is saying that the defense did not give up a lot of yards or that PNG put up a lot of points.  But the undeniable facts that you can't dispute are that the Dogs won, the defense made the stops they needed to, the starting middle linebacker is out with an injury, and that we are starting a lot of Sophs on defense.  There are your facts. Everyone would love to see the defense pitch shutouts every week, but that is not realistic with any team.  Good coaches and staffs play and coach to their strengths and the strength of this team is the offense.  If the defense can keep us in games (regardless of the yards given up), you hope that the offense does its job and the wins come. But, I am sure these facts are irrelevant to you since I have not recorded a million posts. 

Sincerest apologies, Smitty.  I pegged it wrong.  You are just a veteran, naysaying tool.  Love, Newbie

I'm thinking somewhere down the line there may have been a Smitty, Jr. that Smitty believed was a budding defensive superstar at Nederland who didn't get the playing time he thought he deserved.  Heck, Spell has been there long enough that maybe it was Smitty himself.  His criticism is too personal, persistent, and irrational to not be rooted in something personal.   Bottom line on last night is that Nederland beat a good offensive team.  Good teams find ways to win when they are not firing on all cylinders.  PNG had a lot of yards, but stops were made when they were needed and the offense did their job.  With all the underclassmen starting and contributing on defense I don't think an NFL defensive coordinator would make a difference in the defensive performance.  The young kid will get better and hopefully thing will gel.  

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You should either start a petition or go to school board meetings and ask for Coach Spell to be fired or reassigned.  If you believe that strongly, put your name to it and get the ball rolling.  I am sure Mr. Madding and the board will comply with your request immediately.  

Allow me to go ahead and save you some time and a few posts, Smitty: -Too many yards last night; -Too many points given up; -Defense is still terrible; -We shouldn't have won; -Good teams will beat us; -DC is awful and should be replaced; -I am smarter than all of you That should just about cover it.  Please feel free to give it a rest for a day or so while some us enjoy a good win.   [quote name="smitty" post="863940" timestamp="1286037498"] What's up Bear backer?  I see your team won.  Great.  Well, my team did win.  It's good to beat PN-G any time.  But the concerns I have still exist to the tune of 516 yards.  You might beat bad teams, like we did, but you want consistently beat good teams giving up that many yards.  That's only common sense.  Educated or otherwise.   ;D [quote author=elhector1 link=topic=73772.msg863829#msg863829 date=1286028402] [quote author=smitty link=topic=73772.msg862617#msg862617 date=1285957426] Sad to say but here goes:   PN-G  35    Nederland  14 [/quote] From the semi-educated Bear backer... Guess your "educated" self got "schooled" by the team you supposedly pay taxes to.  How does that crow taste?  Just like chicken? [/quote] [/quote]

Then, we may have done that from my driveway.  I lived right behind the stadium and several of Nederland's finest gathered there for the festivities. 

Bigdog, what year was that?  I did that too one year.  [quote name="bigdog" post="861400" timestamp="1285852095"] Launched waterballoons from behind the PNG side at Bulldog stadium once. :) [/quote]

The plain and simple truth is four or more wins this season would be stellar.  Even with the Juco players, this is a young team and young program that will take at least two years to get off the ground.  And yes, there will be other games like last Saturday, but there will also be games they win that they shouldn't. 

Yeah, I can definitely see how you can equate dropping a I-AA program in the late 1980's that was not a playoff contender and didn't draw fans with cheating your way to a National Championship with a dirty coach and players on the take from agents and boosters.  You definitely got me there with that zinger.  I do agree with you though that the fan base does not get bigger with blowout losses, but not in the fourth game of the program.  If this is happening week after week or into next year, I will be the first to get on here and agree with you.  But the  sky is not falling because of one bad game.  I just don't buy that.  In fact, I don't know that you can fully evaluate Woodard and his staff until the fourth year of play.  Alot of the contributors now are Juco transfers.  I think that was smart, but it is definitely a short-term gain.  You will have to see how his first group of recruits comes together before the book can be written.  It will be bumpy here and there, but I think the ingredients are there to put together a powerhouse FCS program.  But weren't you one of the people on here a week or two ago saying how they LU should start planning the jump to FBS now?  [quote name="UNLV" post="859396" timestamp="1285627512"] [quote author=ispeakjive link=topic=73498.msg859089#msg859089 date=1285608367] UNLV: At first I was kind of stunned by the sheer foolishness of your comment, especially the part in bold, and wondered how you could make such a claim.  But, then, I realized that since you attended UNLV, you are definitely very familiar with an athletic program that embarasses the school, the game, the community, and the fans.  Heck, Jerry Tarkanian and the Runnin' Rebels practically created slimy, modern-day, AAU and Division I basketball.  So, after being at UNLV for a while, you may have a good perspective on embarassing programs.  Thanks for the insight.  Maybe you should take some of the many dollars you are earning with your UNLV degree and create a slush fund like your alma mater used to have back in the day and give it to Coach Woodard, then we won't have to worry about anymore embarassing losses.  Problem solved, the UNLV way.  [/quote] UNLV can't hold LU's jock when it comes to scandals. Dropping football and the regents getting a big fat pay raise. The Silver Bowl and Thomas N Mack was always full. LU should learn from UNLV. [quote] In all seriousness, your comments on this and other LU threads are assinine sometimes.  I don't know about any other LU alums or residents of the Triangle, but I sure didn't wake up Sunday morning and questions why I choose to support the university or live here.  It was a very bad loss, but from a start-up program playing their fourth game against the sixth-ranked team in the nation.  Give it a rest.  Maybe they did lay down, but I don't think that is anything out of the ordinary for a new program with most of the players just getting their feet wet in FCS play.  The entire program, coaches and fans included, will grow from this loss and move forward.  And I for one am not going to let a naysayer like you who doesn't even really have a rooting interest in the program dampen my excitement for having football back and Lamar.  [/quote]Fan base does not grow from 71-3 loses. I was there in the stands in the late 70's and 80's, were you?    LU don't need the community saying 'same ole' Lamar. [/quote]

UNLV: At first I was kind of stunned by the sheer foolishness of your comment, especially the part in bold, and wondered how you could make such a claim.  But, then, I realized that since you attended UNLV, you are definitely very familiar with an athletic program that embarasses the school, the game, the community, and the fans.  Heck, Jerry Tarkanian and the Runnin' Rebels practically created slimy, modern-day, AAU and Division I basketball.  So, after being at UNLV for a while, you may have a good perspective on embarassing programs.  Thanks for the insight.  Maybe you should take some of the many dollars you are earning with your UNLV degree and create a slush fund like your alma mater used to have back in the day and give it to Coach Woodard, then we won't have to worry about anymore embarassing losses.  Problem solved, the UNLV way.  In all seriousness, your comments on this and other LU threads are assinine sometimes.  I don't know about any other LU alums or residents of the Triangle, but I sure didn't wake up Sunday morning and questions why I choose to support the university or live here.  It was a very bad loss, but from a start-up program playing their fourth game against the sixth-ranked team in the nation.  Give it a rest.  Maybe they did lay down, but I don't think that is anything out of the ordinary for a new program with most of the players just getting their feet wet in FCS play.  The entire program, coaches and fans included, will grow from this loss and move forward.  And I for one am not going to let a naysayer like you who doesn't even really have a rooting interest in the program dampen my excitement for having football back and Lamar.  [quote name="UNLV" post="858096" timestamp="1285510157"] [quote author=the-riot07 link=topic=73498.msg858047#msg858047 date=1285489621] wow all the bevil haters on here think they know it all...but did the back ups throw any touch downs or break any records or even move the ball? NO so shut up about everything being bevil! You win as a TEAM and lose as a TEAM! the whole team sucked tonight and SFA is very good! [/quote]I am not a Bevil hater, but he did thrown in the towel. The team and coaches all cowardly threw in the towel. When it was 50-3, I saw a Lamar player let a SFA player score. Then whole second half LU ran draw plays. LU didn't try to come back. LU didn't try to score for at least some respect. I thought Jason Garret was playing calling since LU only ran 5 plays the whole game. I didn't expect LU to win or be a close game, but I did expect them to play hard. They didn't. [b]They embarrassed the school, the community, the game, and fans.[/b] If you don't want to play football or coach football, GET OFF THE TEAM. [/quote]

Randy Crouch gave a great interview.  Very classy and poignant.  Y'all are lucky to have someone like that.

Vidor - home of the classy, gracious winners...

Anybody know how long until basketball season starts?????

This Nederland fan will be rooting for a PN-G freshman this year.  My heart goes out to this kid.  May God comfort you as you deal with your unimagineable loss.

Smiley, I don't think that you and I disagree as much as you think. My son goes to Central.  I have no problem with the academics or athletics there, but there are a lot of people who do.  In my opinion, it is the better school.  I think that the transfers from Central to C.O. are ridiculous, whether it is because of athletics or anything else.  I also know several people who have transferred their kids to C.O. and I just don't get it.  If you are right about the transfers being for athletic purposes, I think that would be news to the teachers and administrators at Central.  I live on the same side of town as you do and I stand by my comment.  By and large there are more people like you and me who are involved and engaged with their children in the C.O. zone than there are in the Central zone.  That's not a swipe at anyone or any group in particular, but just the way it is. I worked in the district for a while, too and I would love to continue this conversation.  P.M. me if you get a chance. 

[quote name="smiley93" post="848500" timestamp="1284654253"] Anyone who would make a blanket statement that the middle schools are the problem with Nederland's football program obviously isn't very well acquainted with Jack Lynch.  [size=12pt][font=Comic Sans MS][color=red]You're correct...I'm not acquainted with Jack Lynch. No idea who that even is?! Don't really care as I'm obviously not talking about him  ;)[/color][/font][/size][/size] Your budding superstars at Central may have had bad experiences, but your initial statement about both schoolsis just wrong.  It is not a coaching problem at Central it is an overall talent problem. [color=red][size=12pt][font=Comic Sans MS]I totally disagree, the player talent is what got the 1st win against CO in 10 years last year!! There actually is A LOT of talent at Central it's just not utilized by the coaches. And I later made an implication as to what middle school I was referring to anyways. [/font][/size][/color] C.O. traditionally has more of the better athletes.    [color=red][size=12pt][font=Comic Sans MS] That's probably a true statement BUT... from here on out that's mostly because of transfers too, because parents and kids from the CMS district don't WANT to play for CMS!!! Take a look at how many transfers were approved in the last 2 years!!! It is enough to open anyone's eyes!! Get a clue?! [/font][/size][/color] As long as both middle schools are teaching the fundamentals of Neumann's system and replenishing the ranks in high school the middle school coaches at both schools are doing their jobs. [/quote] Smiley, you're either an ostrich or an idiot.  C.O. traditionally has more talent.  Plain and simple.  That's not the case every year, but traditionally it has been.  By the way, I think you answered your own question when you said that Central beat C.O. for the first time in ten years.  Some of the more affluent neighborhoods are on that side of town and more of those parents make the investment in their kids at a young age as far as time and opportunities.  Because of that, more of those kids have developed athletically by the time they are in middle school than what you have at Central.  The number of transfers has very little to do with athletics.  Most of the transfers are more for, shall I say, demographic reasons, than for sports.  Right or wrong there are some parents that don't want their kids going to Central for various reasons, none of which have anything to do with athletics.  Now, I am not saying that never occurs, but it is rare.  (On a related note, anyone that would transfer their kid for athletic reasons in middle school ought to have their head examined.) At the end of the day, none of the wins and losses in middle school have anything to do with what happens on Friday nights as long as kids are taught the system and remain interested. 

Anyone who would make a blanket statement that the middle schools are the problem with Nederland's football program obviously isn't very well acquainted with Jack Lynch.  Your budding superstars at Central may have had bad experiences, but your initial statement about both schoolsis just wrong.  It is not a coaching problem at Central it is an overall talent problem.  C.O. traditionally has more of the better athletes.  As long as both middle schools are teaching the fundamentals of Neumann's system and replenishing the ranks in high school the middle school coaches at both schools are doing their jobs. 

That's a fair question, but it is ultimately apples and oranges.  Boise St. is the only big time program in Idaho and in that region.  They get their pick of the players in that region and have been successful enough to recruit outside of that region as well.  I love Lamar, but we would be competing to be the eighth pick of FBS recruits in the state behind UT, A&M, Tech, UH, Baylor, UTEP, and Rice.  And that doesn't even factor in LSU, Oklahoma, North Texas, and the other FBS schools in the state and region.  Lamar can fill a FCS niche here especially if Texas State and UTSA move up and have a very successful program for years to come.

Obviously, if the SLC changes dramatically over the next three or four years, the conference affiliation may have to change, but at this point, I would rather the program go in the direction of McNeese rather than North Texas.  I don't even know that FBS is feasible in terms of facilities, stadium size, and money available to the program.

I would much rather Lamar develop into a FCS power with a legitimate shot at the playoffs year in and year out than go to some middle-of-the-road FBS conference and every few years have to get excited for an invitation in the Carl's Jr.-Budget Airlines-Shreveport Chamber of Commerce-Cialis-Just for Men-Happy to Be There Bowl in late December against the 8th place team from the Big East.

I am a Lamar graduate and I have never seen this area as excited about the University.  I am confident that the football program will grow and develop over the next five to ten years and I for one hope that all of that growth and development will be as a championship-caliber FCS or 1-AA football program.  The Montange Center should be a cautionary tale to all of those who are prematurely wishing for Lamar to play FBS football.  25 or so years ago, Lamar had a tremendous, nationally-recognized basketball program and the Montange Center was planned.  When it opened, crowds came and things were rolling.  When Pat Foster left and the quality of the product on the court dropped, so did the crowds.  And the basketball program has still not fully recovered.  Anyone who followed Lamar in their heyday knows that unfortunately the basketball program is a shadow of its former self.  Unfortunately, crowds in the Golden Triangle are fickle.  This area will support Lamar athletics (and football specifically) as long as they are winning and competitive.  If Lamar goes FBS and expands their stadium to a capacity of 25,000 or 35,000 (which I don't believe is physically possible given the contraints of location), there will be very few sell-outs and the perception will again be that the program is in decline.  Winning will keep the stadium full now and into the future and the best way to win here is FCS.  There is a great talent pool and you have the perfect size community and alumni base to support a high-level FCS program.  However, push it to FBS and go 6-5, 5-6, and so on for three or four years in a row, the crowds will dwindle and the program will be yanked again.  I appreciate the enthusiam for the program and where it can go, but the expectations need to have some perspective.  Just my humble opinion.

I hope this is on point... Coaching is like any other job or profession - there are good ones and bad ones.  The best ones treat all kids fairly.  (And fairly does not mean equally.)  What works in getting through to one kid may not work for another.  Good coaches (and teachers) determine what works best for each player or student.  Some may need tough love (yelling, etc.) and others may perform just as well by treating them with encouragement and a softer touch.  As a parent, if my kid is treated fairly, then I am going to remain hands-off with coaches at school.  End of story.   On another note in this thread, we are talking about high school sports, not little league or pop warner.  We ain't talking about orange slices and pizza parties after every game.  Not everyone deserves to play and get a trophy.  The best will play and the coach determines who the best are.  This is subjective and will not always be the same across the board.  Middle school and high school athletics should be a part of the process of letting your kid grow up and learning to deal with people that may not always think they are the greatest and always kiss their butt.  Some of the parental hand-holding that still goes on at the varsity level nowadays is a joke and a parent that thinks they are 'helping' their kid by running to the coach everytime something doesn't go their way is stunting your kid's development.  Let them grow up. And, for the record, I taught for several years and coached varsity athletics as well.  I am not holding myself to be an expert, but just giving my perspective.  

[quote name="RustedCutlass" post="839905" timestamp="1283710873"] [quote author=teeboan link=topic=72505.msg839789#msg839789 date=1283702176] As a member of the local chapter I take offense to your comments. I have never heard anyone in our chapter say anything bad or negative towards coach Mattews or the Vidor program. The only thing true in your statement is he doesn't use our chapter. If you call us bad officials that fine, you are allowed to have an opinion. My opinion is your head would explode if you tried to call a game. But I consider it an insult and a slap in the face to be called a cheater. The statement that he can't get a fair game is a bald face lie. I put in many hours of training, reading the rules book (ever seen one?) going to classes, clinics and discussing situations with fellow officials because I love the game. The only teams I pull for are in college or the pros. If any body tells you he can't get a fair game from the refs he's making an excuse for losing. Good luck with the guys you get, they work hard too.  [/quote] Like I said, I've heard things. And, this was from a few years ago. So, like I said, to check on the talk I've heard being true, you'd have to talk to the coaches. All I know is that for certain reasons Mathews decided it was in better interests to use refs from outside the Golden Triangle. End of story. Take offense all you want, think I'm too stupid to call a game or to read a rule book, or whatever it takes to make you feel better. But there is a reason for decisions made. And, it is not to get an excuse for losing.  ::) [/quote]