JimThorpe

It's simple to explain, destiny took a hand? The next two weeks will confirm that one way or another. One thing I know for sure, it was the zaniest 4th quarter I've ever seen. Even though the deficit was never more than 11 the comeback seemed bigger, almost epic. A season full of unlikely plays in one quarter.

I'll just say that the 4th quarter tonight was like the Ben Hur chariot race of thrilling high school 4th quarters.

Big play after big play. They may run out next week but for now.... I agree that WOS got too conservative but it’s a crap shoot on that deal. Neither team was willing to go quietly into the night. A credit to the young men.

See I told you. The Tigers are just a little bit better. But it’s been very costly. The defense is shattered.

Playing with them even without the rain.

Not sure that's the Tiger perspective. Jungle cats like rain. Their prey can't hear them sneaking up. Rain, by all means rain. If it had rained at Legacy last year I think the Tigers would have won state.

I'm choosing to compare. I think it's just as valid as matchups at this point in the season. My contention is that the Tigers have come a little farther than the Mustangs. The Mustangs won the first head to head. That's substantial of course but Silsbee is a late bloomer. They always have been. I'm basing my estimation on 35 unanswered points against the Buffaloes who were having a pretty good night until the Tigers complete shut them down defensively and took off offensively outscoring Giddings 28 zip in the second half. Did anything like that happen in the WOS - Bellville game?

I saw them in October and they beat Silsbee by 8 and it was certainly no blowout. I also saw Silsbee beat Giddings by 21, Giddings who had beat Bellville by 14. By how much did WOS beat Bellville? WOS is good and consistent but by no means overpowering. And I think Silsbee has a little edge right now. But like I said, you can't know what kind of Tiger team is going to show up and you CAN know what kind of Mustang team is going to show up.

Based on what I've seen and read so far in the post season the Tigers are a little bit better team right now than the Mustangs. The trouble for the Tigers is that the Mustangs are always ready, always prepared, always sharp, you know what you're going to get. (unless there's a tropical storm or cold front downpour). Late blooming teams like Silsbee are just wildcards. Like a box of chocolates, you never know exactly what you're going to get.

That's interesting because the TABC poll has them at No. 8 in the state and no other team in the district is in the top 20. I have a feeling they are both wrong. Silsbee will certainly be no worse than 2nd in district and there are probably some teams ranked lower that are better. AFter all, a good number of the comments over on the Silsbee vs WOS football thread have the Silsbee kids ready to play basketball as soon as next week.

It is 4A after all. A small team can make headway if they play smart and with confidence. I wouldn't be that surprised to see Silsbee make it back to the Region Tournament. They may not make it through district undefeated but that will just make the next couple of months more interesting and more fun.

Yes they do. You've got Silsbee and Wimberly and then 6 top ten ranked teams. But really it's anybody's to win. They are all good games. The best out of the 4 looks to be No. 1 Pleasant Grove vs. No. 6 Gilmer in a rematch of the district game which PG won 37-24. Gilmer played well against Carthage in a 24-15 loss and and beat Newton 16-0 in preseason. And you know what Newton did to Silsbee in preseason - is was a blowout. But Silsbee is not a good early season team. It's like two different programs, one before Halloween and one after.

Around the 4A Div II ranks we've got the runner up in 6 playing the winner in 6, the runner up in 13 playing the winner of 13 and runner up in 10 playing the winner in 10. Interesting. Only Region 1 pairs teams from different districts. So the thing about teams that are familiar with each other is playing out all around the state. Rivalry games in the quarter finals. Wimberly and Navarro are playing in the Alamodome. That's seems like a fun venue for HS football. But no chance for the downpours Tigers like so much.

It's not that Silsbee can't win if it's not raining. It just makes up for the little flaws that Silsbee has which WOS, because of the nature of the program, doesn't have. And we're realists, we'll take whatever we can get.

The weather looks to be just about ideal. Better for horses not as good for predatory cats. The horses will have a better chance of detecting the cats sneaking up.

Oh, I do hope you'll need your rain gear. Who else is superstitious about sports? I certainly was when I played back in the ancient times. Silly. I had to eat a grapefruit on Thursday night watching a particular TV show or else I would jinx us. Don't remember the show, don't remember how it got started. Last night I felt I had to change seats at the half because the Tigers were flat. Seemed like the Buffaloes had the formula. The Tigers weren't out of it by any means but they needed some breaks and some big plays. So I changed seats and look what happened, 28 unanswered points in the second half. My rational brain tells me that it's happenstance coupled with the fact that the Tigers stepped up and performed. But my primitive brain tells me it was all because I changed seats. Last year at Legacy there was a moment when it looked like Cuero was about to take control for good. The grandkids were with us there at Legacy and they are big Harry Potter fans. Cuero had just scored and was driving again so I told them needed something so they should cast a spell. Happily they obliged. They consulted among themselves and came up with a hex and chanted some Potter stuff and waved their arms and the next play the Tigers recovered a fumble and ran it back for a touchdown. I mean the very next play! Remember the play? It was hilarious! You should have seen their faces. "Granddaddy! It worked! It actually worked! We did it! We did it!" It's become legend in our family already. See? That's how these things get started. And now it's the rain. If it rains the Tigers will beat the Mustangs in playoff situations. The quality of the teams has nothing to do with it. It's the rain you see. I was there in 98, wasn't it at TJ stadium? My daughter was a senior. I was there last year when it was obvious to everyone that WOS looked very uncomfortable right from the start but the Tigers seemed to be thrilled thrilled that it was storming. Weather is the great equalized and that's factual and reasonable. But what day it decides to rain is happenstance. And I love it. And why not?Usually these things are decided in delivery rooms 17 or 18 years ago or by who moves to what town are by who can find and keep the best coach. But every now and then fate rears it's disturbing head. I wonder if the Mustangs would trade every single one of those regular season wins for the two Tiger postseason wins? Oh those lovely intangibles. Anyway, PM showers on Thursday but it will have moved off by Friday. Oh well. Doesn't mean the Tigers have to lose. Does it? I'm calling the grandkids.

Okay. Anybody know any good rain dances? If it had rained last year at Legacy the Tigers would have gone to Dallas.

Got a couple of breaks and some big plays. Bingo - 35 unanswered points. And the defense stepped up HUGE.

Every single bounce has gone to the Buffalos. One big play has kept us close. Chris could have scored from our 30 on that TD run. Got to get a break and a couple more big plays.

Giddings is quite a bit stronger up front. Silsbee can’t win without big plays

Well, as we all know, jungle cats LOVE the rain. Their prey can't detect them stalking. Undoubtedly the Smithville coach knows what happened last year so if it's even threatening to sprinkle he'll be squawking. "Lightning! I think I saw lightning!"

Not a very fancy stadium. Oh well, second round, can’t expect the moon.

I'm waiting for that commentator, Mr Cliche, to mention how many people FF draws from.

There it goes. Great effort by the true 4A school. Nothing to be ashamed of.

You gotta figure that FF will figure it out sometime in the 3rd. Too much of everything on their side.