Get a better source... Much of your info is wrong or misleading. But before I break down your response and continue with further detail on why I refuted your statement that "A good coach puts his players in the best position to win. That’s what I believe Coach Babin is doing...", I want to say this: I believe Coach Babin is doing what he thinks is best for his team. I believe he wants to win. I think he's an awesome guy! Like I said before, I like how he has rallied the community and gotten record player numbers in football! I just don't think his methods are working, nor do I think all of his decisions (though well intended) are having a positive affect on the team. Finally, if he or you or anyone else thinks this offense is going to get any further than last year, then you've got another thing coming!!! I'll repeat - I'm a fan of the Coach. I'm just not the type of person that lets everyone do my thinking for me. We are all human (yes, even me). We all make mistakes (yes, even me). That means Coach Babin can make mistakes, right? I'm simply stating my well documented opinion as to what I believe are some huge and harmful mistakes going on in L-Town.
With that being said, I will answer your earlier response point by point:
Point I
You - a. "Misinformed about the way things transpired with the Boykin situation (and it’s not my place or anybody else's to come on here and give the details so i won’t). b. Misinformed about why Boykin was put at running back. It was for a reason, and by the way if you talk to Babin you would know that c. Boykin was in agreement with playing running back and even excited about it. Why? Because they had a plan for it. There was a “method to the madness” if you wanna put it that way. Wanna know the reason why they did it? d. Go ask Babin yourself."
a. Boykin was hurt in the combination scrimmage against Newton & Nederland and could not play - several other QB's were tried out and finally Barthol was settled on (an excellent choice given the circumstances). When Boykin was released and ready to play against Furr, a decision was made to keep Barthol at QB because of his success in the games he filled in (against a much lesser team). Boykin played some later in the 2nd half. Probably a good decision to make sure he was ok to "go". The next week was against Evadale after the Concordia Lutheran game had to be cancelled. Funny though - still Barthol under center... Now wouldn't you think if your intention was to eventually bring back Boykin as your starter, this would be a good game to do it? Boykin got some limited playing time and that's it. On to the next game... Silsbee - a real team with a real rivalry and a real defense with some real coaches... A team where you might want to have the ability to run AND throw... QB/RB Barthol gets the first snaps. Boykin comes in first as a RB (which means he was definitely healthy enough to play QB). Once Barthol was hurt, Boykin came in as a QB. Now I'm sure the "method to the madness" was to let Boykin come in and take a handoff from Barthol then drop back and throw to Koch or maybe even back to Barthol for some cool razzle dazzle...but that's conjecture on my part. Nothing above that I stated is misinformed. I did throw in my opinion a little based on very good firsthand information - even closer than you taking the coach's word for it.
b. & c. Part of b. got answered above which leads to the c. part... I won't go into great detail, but I can definitely tell you that YOU are the one misinformed here, my friend. Nothing could be further from reality.
d. This is a forum where a bunch of half wits (me included) get together and discuss among many different things, the most awesome game of High School Football. Some guys on here are very well informed and very smart on the subject. Some are quite lacking. I'd like to think I land in the middle somewhere. So as a poster on a forum or even a concerned fan, I'm not about to walk into a professional's office and start to tell him how to do his job (like a bunch of half wits sometimes do for some reason when it comes to high school coaches). Would it surprise you to let you know that I visit with him somewhat regularly? That we text occasionally? It's true. Criticizing what I truly believe to be imperfect decisions on a public forum and walking into a man's office to tell him you don't like what he's doing are two separately different things... If I was the coach, I would have that person removed from the building and banned from re-entry... I enjoy my talks with him and would like to continue having them...
Point II
You: a."Misinformed about the extra point kicker being hurt... he’s not." b. Again, there’s a reason why we go for two. I believe I was told we are 7/10 when going for two this year... I’ll take those odds. That’s means we’ve scored 14 points vs a possible 10 points on all those tries assuming we make every extra point, which usually doesn’t happen in HS football. Again, I’ll take that. c. Misinformed about trying to recruit a soccer player to kick. He did do that, the player lasted one practice for whatever reason. I know from when I was in school that soccer players usually aren’t interested in suiting up on Friday nights."
a. Well, he's not now... He was early on before the season even started... I suppose (I don't know for sure) that's how this whole thing got started. Btw, what's the success percentage of going for a touchdown vs kicking a field goal to get some points on the board... cuz we don't kick field goals either.
b. 7/10 this year...MAN OH MAN what great stats!!! Against Kirbyville...Evadale...Furr... What were the stats against a higher caliber Silsbee team? 0-2! Do you like THOSE odds? Will you take that? Do you just take everything because that's what a coach says? Most importantly, do you think we will reconsider this strategy or will we keep doing it again and again and again (like only running and almost NEVER passing)?
c. Only one player? Did he go ask another or another or another? Did he check with the Girl's soccer team? I don't know the answer to those questions. You may not either. But until you tap ALL your resources then you are either giving up or not crafty enough to come up with ALL the resources you have at your disposal. Heck, have a school wide competition for the job! Make it something that everyone can be a part of! A 12th man kinda thing... A Waterboy kinda thing... Just do SOMETHING! Hearing a limp excuse that "Well he tried some kid from the soccer team once but we all know soccer kids would rather do something else on Fridays and the dog ate his homework and my alarm clock didn't go off and blah, blah, excuse, excuse, blah...........". That type of sputum makes me sick.
Look L-Train11, I know you love your team. There's no question about that. I honestly think Coach Babin wants his team to win. That's how he gets paid. That's how he gets offers from other schools to get paid more. I'm not questioning if anyone's heart is in the right place. I'm just saying that MAYBE all the stuff going on in Lumberton, despite good intentions, may not be so good. If you are happy taking Coach's word for it and embracing all decisions as the best possible, then I guess our discussion is over. But if you want to do better then don't be afraid to ask for more - to demand for more! I hope we all adopt this idea. That's what winners do. Demand more. Find a way. Never give up. RUN OVER THE WEAK!!! And to me, the weak are the ones who are complacent. The weak ones fool themselves into thinking that they are more than they really are. I refuse to be complacent.
Geez, I almost stood up and started singing, "God Bless America!". I think I need counseling...
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