CardinalBacker

Dunno... Dubois wasn’t on the list last time. We’ll just wait and see, I guess.

Well, the future AD has been too busy coaching the baseball team in the playoffs to make a decision.

That’s true... we’ve just come along ways from having a district that consisted of HJ, HF, OF and Buna, lol.

All bs aside, I really think I’m going to let my season tickets go this year.... that’s about how I feel about the administration and where I think the program here is headed. Unless something really dramatic happens, I see us on our way to a record like last years. With Lumberton, Livingston, and Splendora dropping down this realignment AND LCM dropping down recently, it’s shaping up to be a tough district for the little guy down in BC.

How many playoff wins did he have? What was his record the last two years he was here?

I’ve got nothing. I’ve heard mention that Deshazo might stay on and carry on the Slot T, but I don’t know. They might try, but we don’t have the personnel. Stump ran a spread with a lot of 4 receiver sets and we were horrific. There just aren’t any kids with the skill set to move the ball down the field in the spread. I’d like to see them cultivate a passing game out of the Slot T. Kinda like the team that beat WOS in December. I doubt it. Most of the baseball kids are the sons of guys who should have played in the bigs if they hadn’t gotten screwed by their high school coach. We have a long tradition of baseball-only athletes.

Son, THAT’S a hater!!!!! Windspeed? Even I couldn’t come up with that.

Sounds like the new Band Director.

Yes, I will be.

The real proof will be if we hire a HC/AD or just a HC.... I fully expect a BC baseball man to be the next AD. Especially if guys like this continue to get their way.

Technically, you only have five starters... they’re the kids that “start” the game. Nice try, though. Nobody will argue that a kid that plays left tackle on a championship team “compares” to the guy under center. Same thing with a left fielder vs the pitcher. JD was a starting pitcher AND a starting qb in multiple SC games... and he doesn’t have the physical gifts that Barnes has. Like I said, if I’m basing my choice on accomplishments, I think JD’s are equal if not more remarkable. Pure athlete? It’s not even a question... Barnes is the best HS athlete from this era. What sports will Barnes be playing at Baylor?

Alexis Henry from BC had three golds, I’m fairly certain. Are you including the basketball medals in your count? There aren’t many guys that can claim to have been the starting pitcher in an SC baseball game as well as the starting qb in three (with two wins) Sc football games. Very few kids have the skill set to one of those.... nobody else has done both. The Barnes kid is just freakishly fast. It’s one thing to come off of the bench to collect a basketball medal, but it’s a totally different deal to be a two-sport ace. I think JD’s accomplishment is probably a little more remarkable, but the pure athleticism Barnes displays is better. Barnes’ national record kinda seals it for me.

Best high school athlete is a real possibility. You might include Jack Dallas in a conversation about “most accomplished,” but not “greatest athlete.” I honestly have a hard time thinking of anybody else (except maybe the Babe) that can compare to Barnes as far as being head and shoulders above his/her contemporaries. It’ll be interesting to see what he does post-high school. What are his plans?

He’s good, but he’s not Mackey.

Welcome to the forums! Nice first post.

I haven’t heard anything. I have a bad feeling we won’t recognize any of the names on the list when it comes out, anyways.

Feels like I’m looking for the guy on the grassy knoll...

Is it wrong of me to hope, just a little, in a teeny-tiny way, that HJ wins this after BC baseball pushed Dubois out?

No, a coach can’t “create” a D1 athlete, but coaching essential to becoming a D1 athlete. All of the talent in the world won’t succeed without direction and training, but the best coaching in the world can’t develop everybody into a D1 prospect. There are thousands of great athletes who never move on because they were, unfortunately, enrolled in bad programs with crappy coaching and never came close to achieving their full potential. Surely you won’t disagree with that, too.

No, Saban wasn’t fooled... I don’t recall him sending any offers to Newton. Why do I have to wait for Murray to grow up? He’s had three years after high school, and for the guy that “had a stranglehold on DFW” he hasn’t beaten anybody out for a starting spot at A&M or OU.... that’s a little disappointing.

In all fairness, that particular year or two, Newton wasn’t that good. I know we beat them in 15 and they crushed us in 16, but we really, REALLY laid an egg against them that week. They weren’t nearly as good as the score indicated. I wasn’t surprised at the early exit from the playoffs that year. The team from last year (2017) was the real deal, and I believe they should be just as stout this year. Thats called “giving the Devil his due,” boys....

So why has Murray been such a disappointment as a collegiate athlete?

No, I’m asking why Newton athletes aren’t successful at the next level, if we (like many here) believe that their “superior athleticism” is what gives them success in high school, then why doesn’t it translate into success at the college level? There is a sound argument to be made that Newton’s coaching is on a higher level than Newton’s high school competitors. The young men from Newton move on to college and have coaching that is no longer head and and shoulders above the competition... hence the lack of success at the next level. I’m not saying this is the case, but it would explain why post-high school success has been so hard to find for Eagles. Some would claim that coaching has nothing to do with “D1 talent,” but that is naive at best. A young man without a good line coach or a good strength and conditioning program will never hit the next level, regardless of how quick his feet may naturally be. D1 talent is a combination of genetic gifts AND development of skills.... and that development is facilitated by good coaching. Also, “D1 Talent” is relative to the level of competition faced. Newton’s kids always look great playing against 3A schools I’ve never heard of, but I remain convinced that a lot of Newton’s “stars” wouldn’t look so talented if they ever played against Manvel and Lake Travis. That’s not a knock, but a realistic fact. A kid that plays for Newton can look fantastic, but would look totally unremarkable if instead he suited up for West Brook. I mean, a decent talent will look like a future nfl prospect when they face inferior competition. It’s unfortunate, but it might get expectations set a little too high some times

Once again, you’re being myopic about whether or not having a decent stable of good athletes is the only ingredient required for winning. In fact, I’ll use your fave Newton as my example. They tend to have more than their fair share of talent, but a lot of their success comes from coaching and culture. My proof? Nobody from Newton ever does anything at the next level without a Johnston-like coach whose scheme and program are head and shoulders above his contemporaries pushing them. That’s an indisputable fact. One could also argue that Newton didn’t start winning before they built public housing and sucked all of the talent out of Burkeville, but that’s a whole other story.

I like their chances. I annually pick against WOS because it always seems like they’re replacing so many pieces. Newton seems like they’re bringing back a lot of kids after last season’s success. I think they’ll romp through the 3A playoffs and probably should be considered as favorites to repeat.