Rez

This says it all -- I think this is the best answer to the thread's initial question. A school whose leaders build failure into the coaching system by forcing the coach to hire people based on personal politics can hardly complain about a football team that fails. I'm guessing Westbrook doesn't do this kind of stuff. Change this one thing at United and all of the other things we've been talking about don't matter near as much. Get even a mildly decent coach and get out of his way, and Beaumont would have TWO solid teams.

To the extent students/families have some choice as to which school to attend, I think there is something to be said for past successes providing an incentive for students to go to one school over another, which leads to that school being better in the future, which leads to more success later. I don't think this is the whole explanation, but I think it is a part of it. If kids know that Westbrook tends to be more stable, organized, funded, supported, and has tended to win more games in the past, kids are more likely to (1) want to go, and (2) buy into whatever system Westbrook has that lead to that success, and then Westbrook has success, which cycles into students wanting to be there and buying into Westbrook's programs. If a school isn't like that, it's the same cycle, just in reverse. Though, I should add: This theory only makes sense to the extent students/families are choosing where to live based on what school they want to attend. There are definitely other things that go into what makes one school more consistently competitive than other schools, but this is one big one that I think helps explain part of it.

What about PNG's defense? How are we looking?

That's exciting. Am I wrong in my assessment that PNG's line had sort of a slow start last season? It seemed like they got better as the season progressed (setting aside Fort Bend Marshall, where none of our positions had much to say). It seemed like the line struggled, that Roschon spent a lot of time having to scramble. I know Huntsville's defensive line had its way with us. I'm hoping the line comes together earlier this year.

It's unclear to me what exactly what was accomplished by getting rid of the endzone stands at PNG. It improved the atmosphere to have seating all over. I guess the removal did make the track more usable for other sports.

Nederland needs to build a giant statute, not to any coach, but to a sprinkler. PNG can make one of an Ipad.

That's who I was thinking of. He is really fast. I think he assumed some kick return duties. Fun fact, the name "fuselier" is kind of cool -- It is French for "rifleman."

Nederland had a freshman on varsity last year who is looking downright scary. Can't remember his name. Fast.

I agree -- it is incorrect and disingenuous to suggest that someone is not compassionate or generous or good-hearted simply because they do not support a policy proposal. People can disagree on policy directions and community decisions about how to solve problems without being morally bad. Just because someone doesn't want to see a tax increase doesn't make them selfish -- And being eager to spend money someone else has earned doesn't make you generous. I have no trust for anyone, politician or otherwise, who pretends to be "good" because they have big ideas about how to spend money that someone else earned. Taxes are not a good in and of themselves. They are a necessary evil at best. Those of us fighting for fewer taxes, even on issues of education, are not "selfish" for doing so. They just have different ideas about how to accomplish good things. Even though I look at the bond proposal as what is probably a good thing, I am glad there are people in the discussion willing to carry the flag for the other side, even if just to play devil's advocate. There is nothing wrong with trying to pump the brakes on massive spending projects and nothing greedy about wanting to keep more of the money you have earned.

Forgive me if this information has already been given, but is it a sure thing that the improvements are to include security updates?

As far as the "people without kids having to pay for the education of people with kids" argument -- That complaint just doesn't hold water. The very foundation of taxation involves the government taking money from you to spend it on things that may or may not benefit you directly, but which do benefit you indirectly in the long run. It's not a perfect system and I am 100% for lowering taxes across the board, but every time we pay taxes we are sending our money off to be spent on who knows what -- At least with this bond we know exactly what it will be spent on. And those kids you pay for now are going to be in the workforce in a few years and state, local, and federal taxes will come out of their pockets, and some/many of the benefits from those taxes will go to a bunch of people who either don't work or are two old to work anymore in the form of roads, law enforcement, welfare, etc. Those kids are joining a workforce that is disproportionately small compared to the enormous -- and expensive -- population of retiring Baby Boomers, and they will spend the rest of their lives facing tax increase after tax increase to help provide benefits for, among other things, a bunch of people who may or may not have complained about getting those kids a decent school building and a football field that doesn't look like a water buffalo mating ground. The older generation worked hard and was taxed and those taxes went to things the taxpayers probably didn't want to pay for and in a few years the high school generation will enter that universally unfair system. I say, God Bless Texas -- everyone on this thread already benefits from low state taxes. You can always move to New York and watch the tax collectors destroy your take-home money.

Does Nederland ISD have a good bond rating? I can't see how they wouldn't. That will determine the interest rate. I did a quick search and apparently the interest rate is similar to that of a mortgage -- So not zero, but it's not like bad credit card debt. Until the bond actually passes and Nederland goes and gets the debt we won't know exactly what the interest rate will be -- Divided over the life of the loan, we are talking about a significant number, but only a marginal increase in monthly payments, and that likely amount to a relatively small amount per month, per household. I don't think interest consideration will -- or should -- drive the conversation.

Right - I don't minimize how dominant Silsbee basketball has been by any stretch. No team has beaten Silsbee twice and most haven't beaten Silsbee once at all over the past several years.

I think based on the fact that in a given season you might have one chance at West Orange, where in basketball you might get at least two chances at Silsbee, it is a bigger deal. Also, it is easier to beat a team in basketball than it is in football. That's why in the pros you have to win a series. Great teams lose to bad teams in basketball all the time.

Good point. I think the "maintenance costs going down" is a profound and important advantage to upgrading. It is true that the bond costs 156 million dollars, but Nederland is already paying a certain amount every year in the form of lost time to inefficiencies that come from bad equipment/facilities and having to repair and upkeep bad equipment, etc. The choice to not upgrade is an expensive one and it can be measured in actual dollars that repeat year after year after year. I would love to see some calculations as to how much added costs have already come from the facilities being so old. Improved facilities, while expensive in the short run, can bring those costs down, ultimately leading to long-term savings. There's also an advantage to the hiring process that comes from improved facilities -- Teachers want to work at schools with nice facilities. You aren't just paying for bricks and mortar -- You are paying for an overall work and educational experience that will encourage teachers and staff to come and stay. The bright, enthusiastic, prepared teachers that everyone wants to have teach their kids are more likely to want to go to Nederland if the building looks like someone in charge cares about the school and that the community is willing to spend money to make things work. That, theoretically, will lead to a better educational experience for the kids. It's not the only thing that brings teachers in, but I think it is an important one.

What kind of offense can we expect? Bost obvioulsy won't be as versatile as Roschon, but are we still going to have a dual threat, or will we have something closer to the Doty years?

Does anyone have any idea what the increase in tax will be per household? How old are the schools? Someone told me that the middle schools in Nederland date from the 1970s.

Does the "modified seating" in the stadium include increased capacity? I would like to see Nederland's stadium get up to at least the same as PNG's. I think PNG seats 13,000. I think Nederland currently seats 8,000.

That's awesome. Hope Texas keeps winning good recruits. It's always good when Texas gets someone Alabama wanted.

This is tough to see. I'm glad Coach Riordan will be able to find a better situation. Hope Crosby can get things together soon.

Two things killed us against FBM: 1) Speed. They had it on both sides of the ball. Made the Indians look they were moving in slow motion. 2) A dominant FBM defensive line. PNG was barely able to get plays off all night -- Roschon was running for his life, there was no time get anything set up on offense, and our OL was manhandled from start to finish. I do agree that defense is a big thing that we need to improve, and it is usually THE big thing we need to improve, but a better defense wouldn't have brought us the win against FBM, not without a better O-Line and more overall speed on both sides of the ball.

Westbrook will play the winner of Longview and Amarillo Tascosa (game at 8pm tonight)

Good work!

Westlake looks disoriented. I think they expected to have their way tonight.

Some great hits in this game.