WOS92

It depends how late in the game it is. If there's a minute left, you just kneel it. If there are five plus, work on whatever you need to work on. If the kicking game is weak, try a field goal. If the passing game is weak, put the starters in and pretend you're in the playoffs, down six, with three seconds on the clock. I'd certainly make no effort to not score. If anything, you're looking out for your own interests. Yes, it might rub a few people the wrong way. Unfortunately, it's not in a coach's job description to help maintain the self esteem of rival fans, players or coaches. This is high school football in Texas. Giving every kid a chance to play goes out the window after middle school. So does mercy. If your team is perfect and you have the luxury of being indisputably better than every other team in the state, then kneel away. But if you realize that down the road - in a week or in six weeks - you're going to face someone much better than the current opponent, probably better than you are at that point. If we were out to preserve feelings, we wouldn't keep score.

I've always hated it when people say, "You didn't win that game. We lost it," but that's about how I feel about last year's WO-S/Giddings game. Giddings had an excellent team - probably the best we saw all year - but Earl was uncovered 30 yards downfield and the ball was overthrown, we had the ball on the goal line and made the four stupidest consecutive goal-line calls in history, etc.

My heart says sweep. My head says Dayton is the only one to see another game.

He's the same guy he's been the last two years. Last year, we kept him in check, but his supporting cast made up the difference. The year before, they were unable to do so. That's what the game will come down to - not Fitzhenry - in my opinion. Actually, I think it will come down to the WO-S offense against the Giddings defense. There's no doubt in my mind that we have the better defense. Whether our offense will adjust is the key.

I think we're about 25 years of winning from Credeur having Barbay as a subordinate.

Beasley wasn't at WO-S last year, though. He graduated in 05. We beat them pretty easily the year we had Beasley.

I think WO-S is the best overall team, but Jasper's bracket is the easiest. I don't know who will go further, but WO-S does have the potential to beat its next two opponents, who are ranked #1 and (probably) #6 in the state. We'll see. Sucks that there's no way to re-configure brackets to re-seed round-by-round like they do in some UIL events.

Not that I care either way, but how would that be an excuse?

Yeah. In case that's lost under that big quote, let me restate for ya: TEXAS CITY BEAT LAMARQUE THIS YEAR. DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

It's true to some degree, but a lot of it is the staffs at those schools. We do tend to always have a Franks, though. But if you go to a Jasper game and don't see several Bronsons, Limbricks, etc... something's wrong.

One game does not a rivalry make. It will take four or five games like this year's game. I hate to use the term "one year wonder" like someone above, but I will say that while this year's Raider team has proven a lot, it will take several seasons to establish yourself as "turned around." Let's not forget similar two or three season runs by teams like LC-M (11-0 in 94), Ozen, Bridge City, etc. After a few years, KERPLUNK! I'm not saying that will happen, but before we deem something a "rivalry," let's lay down a few consistent strong games. Now, Dayton/WO-S is looking like a rivalry, though we've won them all so far

Beasley was already at UT last year, but Fitz did have one big run when we still had Beasley - when we won.

Coldspring's hanging with us was expected. We've had pretty much all halftime scores either in our opponents' favor or much closer than the final. Consider 7-0 against HF (34-7 final), 13-14 against Jasper (41-21 final), 0-14 against Dayton(22-14 final), 12-7 against Kville (31-7 final).

Furthermore, since he accounted for most of their offense, we have no film to study of a backup who apparently plays a very different style but is fairly talented. It's almost a trap.

I'm so proud of this team. The fact that we've already earned 10 wins in what truly is a "rebuilding" year speaks volumes. With the progress of our young returning players and the talent coming up, the future remains bright!

What is the word on Fitzhenry?

Comes out to 41-14 average.

Last four years in 3A: 40-7 (best year made it to SEMIFINALS in 05) Last four years in 4A: 36-10 (best year - of those four - made it to FINALS in 00) That's about a three-to-four game difference. Our record against 4A opponents since dropping is 9-3, and nine of those 12 teams made the 4A playoffs. Your post insinuated that we struggled in 4A our last few years. Realistically, we didn't make the playoffs our last two years despite an 80 percent winning percentage (stayed home on tiebreaker), had our worst year in 24 years in 01 (5-5), and made it to state in 00. We had dominant teams in 98, 97, 95, 93, 91, 90, 89, 88 (finalists), 87 (champs), 86 (champs) and 85 (in 5A). Coldspring has only won one playoff game in the last 11 years. They've made the playoffs 13 times in 51 years (we've been 19 times in 30 years). Their record over the last decade is a combined 45-59 (43 percent). That's all in 3A. Our last 10 in 4A ALONE netted a combined record of 101-26 (80 percent). At this point, we've won 85 percent of our games since dropping to 3A. I just don't see how you can somehow compare Coldspring to us in some sort of a "there but by the Grace of God go I" fashion. Sorry for the math/history lesson. When you're good, its' fun to look back. I don't see how pointing out that #20 was a great player on a bad (yes, bad) team is somehow not being humble. Sorry.

Can someone dispatch a unit to balla's house? Crisis management needed.

Hmm. We dropped to 3A in 04. That first year, we didn't do much. But look: 2004: 7-4 (5-0 district) lost to Huffman round 1 2005: 12-1 (5-0 district) lost to DII Champ Wimberley in the semifinals 2006: 11-1 (7-0 district) lost to Giddings in area round 2007: 10-1 (7-0 district) TBD "Except the last few years?" We've only been in 3a a "few years." Before that, in 4A, we went 8-2, 8-2, 5-5, 15-1, 7-3, 10-1, 12-1... which comes to a 105-22 record over the last 11 years (average of 10-2). Our last year in 4A was 03. In 00, we went 15-0 until we faced Ennis for the state championship. I'd say that's "doing much." If you're insinuating that we needed the drop to 3A to find success, remember that we've beaten the 22-4A district champs every year since we dropped (Beaumont Central, Nederland, Dayton, Dayton). Our last losing season was 1983. In 2001, we went 5-5. Other than that, we've always won at least seven games over the last 24 seasons - and usually several more than that. To see what we've "done," you can check my egotistical sig. under this post. We used to be a feared team too. Still are most of the time. I don't know a lot of teams of any class that would like to face us in an elimination situation.

The defense is spectacular. The offense is playing well. What is wrong with pointing out that the offense was a little lackluster in the first half? Get over it. It's the truth. The only time we threw the ball past the line of scrimmage was a pass by the WR that was picked off. So we're spoiled. We scored two TDs in the first half and five in the second half. There is no doubt that the second half belongs to us, especially on defense. It does seem like it takes us a little time to adjust and get it in gear, but when we do, look out. Hypolite played really well, as did freshman Reggie Garrett, at QB. Actually, second-half playcalling was really good - especially the slant for a TD. I always find myself begging for us to run a slant, but we rarely, rarely do. I think it would turn out the same way enough to be rewarding.

Offense wasn't "terrible," just lackluster in the first half. I didn't get throwing a WR pass when you're running it down their throats. It ended in an INT.

I'd hate to see #20 on a team like WO-S, Jasper or Silsbee. He's a monster - fast, slippery and able to get through a crack in a wall. Good game, CS.

So much for the griping about disrespect. The teams in 21-3A are just better this year (and last).

Nope. That was our field after that night.