BLUEDOVE3

You're da man! If I am ever in a situation where I need someone to guard my back, you're the man(?) I want guarding it. Through thick and thin, you stay positive. Now thats a true fan.

True, and I'm sure we all will be cheering for our local teams who make it that far.

Thats 610 South to be exact. You have to understand that they have built $200,000 plus condos in my neighborhood, revitalizing my old neighborhood. It's a weird sight seeing my parent's little homestead surrounded by the condos. We take care of our own ;D

I agree, they bypass I-10

I sure hope he see or hear about your post and use it to inspire himself to greater heights towards success. Time's running out, don't you think? This has been an issue for MANY years. What evidence exists that he's changed one iota in all that time? My comments aren't related to basketball. It's about a person's life and future. I'm very active in the AAU basketball scene. I see a lot of kids from different backgrounds which means I see several up and coming J. Browns' from around the country. Brown may not realize it yet, but he was put on this earth for a reason and he already has a strong testimony to share. Just maybe one day he will began to share it with the people who really need to hear it. Maybe this is his true calling for the future.

I sure hope he see or hear about your post and use it to inspire himself to greater heights towards success.

The road to State leads through I-10 West. No 4A team in Beaumont will get past the Gregg St. or Jensen Dr. exit 8)

Okay, I bet you guys won't let your JV 2nd string start in place of the varsity and give HF the same odds? I dare you!

wow are you rally that dubm to knot noe dat axehept is slpelled licke axehept yu shutt yur mowfth win yur talken too mee. Otay, dis gon fur enuff wif oll dis foodishness. Yall den knot lern nut'n en skool.

I remember Snook back in the day. A powerhouse in 1A basketball? 2A maybe?

I have also seen it the other way as well--personally--the kid has to listen to the "jealous experts" in the stands--your daddy this and your daddy that---the kid just worked harder than most but the yik-yak continued until he was offered and accepted a full scholarship to play college football---------- So you see it can go both ways--I could not be more proud of him for succeeding although he never responded verbally to the detractors--he did however respond on the field and in the classroom What did the jealous distractors mean by their comments? Jealous because your son worked hard and was better?

If this is the case, why don't we take down the HJ promotions and replace it with Silsbee?

I think the high school coaches get a little upset and worry about their kids getting misinformation from the other coaches.

It's good to get away from the other sports and concentrate on other muscles to build

Well the good thing is that just about no one expects us to win this game. SFA will be hungry for a win after a disappointing loss against Nicholls State but still, we have nothing to lose if we do. Lets just keep the score close, rebound, make our FT's and maybe pull off the upset! Rats could be jumping off the sinking ship. But you; always Mr. Positive

I agree.

What are the right reasons? I've seen a lot of "elite 5th -8th grade" athletes (basketball) across the country. When these kids meet up to compete in games and exposure camps, there is a tremendous amount of pressure from this environment. Parents, coaches, and scouting services are preaching to these kids about how important it is to perform. Even if you tell a kid to go out and have fun, the environment dictates otherwise. It's a difficult balance staying competitive and just playing to have fun. I think too much constant pressure will burn out kids by the time they reach college, where once again they asked to compete on a whole different level of pressure.

It's my fault. I got sentimental toward the LU fans and the team, thereby prediciting LU would peak by conference play. I gave them bad luck and I accept all responsibility.

Ah ex-coach, there is one missing ingredient in your statement, and it's possible you were making it a point as well..... Select players have nothing to do with teams. IMO, you're in select ball to be if not the best, then one of the best. All thats personal traaining is for the individual to get better, not the team. Players want to play against the so-called best to get themselves better. Most select players, in baseball anyway, are trying to get a college education paid for. Many high school coaches, not all, no longer get involved in this. Scouts and college recruiters will tell you that it's much easier and more sensible to go watch 30-40 players at a select tournament than to go see one or two guys at a high school game. Now, they will go watch the top talent at a high school game. It's the same in basketball. And the resoning for all the personal training and commitments

Ah ex-coach, there is one missing ingredient in your statement, and it's possible you were making it a point as well..... Select players have nothing to do with teams. IMO, you're in select ball to be if not the best, then one of the best. All thats personal traaining is for the individual to get better, not the team. Players want to play against the so-called best to get themselves better.

Oh I agree, you'll get on a team. But you won't be ready when it's time to show

No respect for High School coaches is a two way street...in today's world there is a lot more knowledge of the sport fundamentals and a lot more of daddy's money spent on professional lessons than ever before. So where does a high school coach hibernate during the summer? Theres is no question that select or tournament baseball, basketball has evolved and developed better athletes than "most" high school programs. A lot of high school coaches are stuck in the sixties and will not accept the fact that daddy's money provides them with some of their best talent. Some kids will develop bad habits during the high school season and some stay away from high school sports altogether. Did your high school coach have it right way back then? probably not, how many coaches know how to teach pitching and will you turn your high school coach loose on your boy.....? I agree with you. High school athletics is a two-way sport. I believe coaches need to make more of an effort to get to summer games of their athletes. Better yet, go to the younger age leagues and begin creating the "culture" for your program by sharing knowledge or plays, in the case of football and basketball, with the coaches so the kids coming into high school have been introduced to the "system". BUT, we have big problem. As was pointed out above, many coaches are teachers first, coaches second. If they tried to live off their coaching pay, and not their teacher pay, they would starve. These professional lessons that Daddy's money pays for are being instructed by coaches who focus solely on coaching. Some of whom make upwards of $40-50,000 per year as professional coaches. Unfortunately, many schools and districts cannot afford a pure coach for every sport, whose only focus is coaching their team. Therefore, we have to live with the system we currently have (coaches who are teachers first). Until the economics improve in these school systems, we will have to understand that comparisons made between "professional coaches" and school-paid coaches are unfair comparisons. Sometimes I wonder if the frustration some feel about their coaches is because they are used to their money "buying" playing time for kids in youth athletics. When kids get to high school, they realize money can't buy playing time as easily as it used to. Wow. I think the writer of this excellent article had many SETX posters in mind, like the two quoted above. Something you "Daddies dishing out the money" for private lessons need to remember about some of the so called "professional private coaches" out there is that many of these coaches are not coaching in the school systems because they aren't willing to work for the chicken feed teachers are paid. As a parent, I have respect for the high school coach because I know they are in it for the love of the game and the kids that play it. Many private coaches will tell you whatever you want to hear about your golden child, as long as you keep bringing him and paying for those pricey lessons. Many don't hesitate to tell you the high school coach doesn't know what he is talking about, "your boy is the best there is, that'll be $50 please". IMO private lessons and select ball is a double edged sword. It is great to want to improve on your skills beyond what you can get in high school athletics, but I have seen all of this specializing transform players and parents. Total lack of respect for the coaches that have put years of blood sweat and tears into very successful programs in our area are constantly being second guessed and bashed on public forums such as these while many private coaches are deemed "guru" simply because you are writing them a check. I'd love to compare resumes of some of our great local high school coaches with any of the private ones out there...just like the successful teams they create, I think their knowledge of the game and the lessons they can provide our kids would be hard to beat. Points well taken coach. But again, in my humble opinion, a private coach isn't needed until our young star shows some above average ability in their sport. And then there are those kids who listen to coaches than their parents.

I realize I'm on baseball here (basketball is my thing), but if you can't field it, throw it, hit it, or see it; maybe you shouldn't be playing select ball

Here! Here!

You're on the wrong select team. That hasn't been the case in our experiences. I'm too old to play ball and I have very little dealings with select ball. As I said earlier ( most cases --not all)............................. I'm honestly not trying to start anything here...but if you have very little dealings w/ select ball, as you say.....how are you qualified to make the statement you made ? lol! I was thinking the same thing.