Vidor's Preseason Dilemma.

[smitty]

I know this is an age-old discussion point among coaches, and their fans as well.  It has to do with the philosophy of coaches concerning pre-district games.  Does one make it hard so the team will learn, or make them easy to get wins? 

This brings us to the question of Vidor's pre-district schedule:  Does playing Kelly, St. Thomas, and Hardin Jefferson get you ready for the big dogs in the district?  I would like to hear what people think about this. 

[KFDM COOP]

I think the tougher a non district schedule the better for a team!

[bronco1]

I think the tougher a non district schedule the better for a team!

I agree, Dayton sees WOS and there Nemesis/Friendswood every year and does nothing but help.

[bone]

tougher is better imo

[badndn]

"Does playing Kelly, St. Thomas, and Hardin Jefferson get you ready for the big dogs in the district?"

History says...NO!

I would expect if Vidor was going to step down to play a 3A it would at least be WOS or Silsbee. And playing Kelly which amounts to a 2A enrollment is weeeeek. St. Thomas is not much better.

Who are the top four teams each year in local 4A?

Ned

Central

Lum

PNG

Now go look at who they play or have played pre-district. WB, Friendswood, Lamarque, Brehnam, Tx City, Crosby, PAM, Ball, Waller, BHill, all quality 4A or even 5A playoff programs and when they have dropped down and played 3A schools they played the top 3A's in the area in WOS and Silsbee.

By contrast go look at who Vidor and LCM play each year!

[rtdirish]

I don't think it helps you at all. They are setting themselves up to be a little overconfident going into district.

[shorttexas1]

Great comment BadNDN...  What do these people expect... Play the best to be the best... If you play down you are catagorizing your kids before it starts!!!

The fact that the preseason has no impact on playoff elgibility would push me to play at least one hard game every year that someone excepts my team!!!! You can go 0-3 in the preseason and still be the number one team in your district and be play-off bound!

[Guest etbu]

Just my opinion but don't some Coach's do this for job security? Plus Coaches want the kids to get some wins under the belts for confidence. Sometimes it can blow up in your face and case in point was last year with Huffman. They open their season with Willis who had not won a game in almost three years. Guess what? Broke the streak so what does that do for your program? All about the wins fellers and if you don't win more than likely GONE. Just the time we live in here in the LONE STAR STATE.  ;D

[Guest Kelly Football]

Good points ETBU. I do think some Coaches do it for job secruity.

[77]

Maybe those better teams dont want to play them?

[Guest Pirate V Ball]

That's not it. Vidor seems to always play a weak Non District schedule.

[ozensfinest]

I think the tougher a non district schedule the better for a team!

I agree, Dayton sees WOS and there Nemesis/Friendswood every year and does nothing but help.

i might be wrong but i think dayton will struggle without cody and aj

[Slam14]

Maybe those better teams dont want to play them?

  Good point here.  Somebody is always going to be left out in some peoples eyes.

What if "Podunk High" wanted to better themselves by scheduling say Dayton...do you think that would happen?

[tvc184]

If a team plays a weak non-district and pads their wins a bit but then loses almost every game in district, how does that help the coach?

That has happened in 20-4A a few times and it seems even recently. Winning a couple of non-district games then the winning one or no games in district does nothing for the coach. Playing tough non-district opponents and then going to the playoffs keeps jobs, not the total number of W's at the end of the season.

In 2005 Nederland went 1-2 in preseason. Their losses were to West Orange and Westbrook. Then Nederland went two games deep in the playoffs with only a 6-4 team. In 2006 they were 1-2 in preseason with losses to LaMarque and Waller. They again went to games deep in the playoffs with a 6-6 record.

At the same time in 2006, Lumberton went 3-0 in preseason by playing Bridge City, New Caney and Cleveland. They won one game the rest of the year and went 3-7. Any clue to if their fans would trade Nederland's 2006 for theirs?

In 2005 Vidor went 4-4 after going 3-1 in preseason with wins over such daunting opponents as Gulf Shores Academy, Houston Scarborough and New Caney. I wonder if they would trade Nederland's 1-2 preseason for one that went two games into the playoffs for those 3 preseason wins.

The bottom line is, preseason wins don't keep coaches jobs. Going to the playoffs, especially consistently, does keep their jobs.

[Lazeek]

I look at it the other way.......................HJ's Pre Season slate includes Vidor, Cleveland and Kirbyville!!!!  Talking about tough competition for a basketball school!!!!! ;)

[The Icon]

If a team plays a weak non-district and pads their wins a bit but then loses almost every game in district, how does that help the coach?

That has happened in 20-4A a few times and it seems even recently. Winning a couple of non-district games then the winning one or no games in district does nothing for the coach. Playing tough non-district opponents and then going to the playoffs keeps jobs, not the total number of W's at the end of the season.

In 2005 Nederland went 1-2 in preseason. Their losses were to West Orange and Westbrook. Then Nederland went two games deep in the playoffs with only a 6-4 team. In 2006 they were 1-2 in preseason with losses to LaMarque and Waller. They again went to games deep in the playoffs with a 6-6 record.

At the same time in 2006, Lumberton went 3-0 in preseason by playing Bridge City, New Caney and Cleveland. They won one game the rest of the year and went 3-7. Any clue to if their fans would trade Nederland's 2006 for theirs?

In 2005 Vidor went 4-4 after going 3-1 in preseason with wins over such daunting opponents as Gulf Shores Academy, Houston Scarborough and New Caney. I wonder if they would trade Nederland's 1-2 preseason for one that went two games into the playoffs for those 3 preseason wins.

The bottom line is, preseason wins don't keep coaches jobs. Going to the playoffs, especially consistently, does keep their jobs.

I agree with what your're saying totally

But.... Nederland had a 2-2 non district schedule result in 2005  ;D

Wins against Texas City and Friendswood, losses to West Brook and West Orange-Stark

[Guest etbu]

If a team plays a weak non-district and pads their wins a bit but then loses almost every game in district, how does that help the coach?

That has happened in 20-4A a few times and it seems even recently. Winning a couple of non-district games then the winning one or no games in district does nothing for the coach. Playing tough non-district opponents and then going to the playoffs keeps jobs, not the total number of W's at the end of the season.

In 2005 Nederland went 1-2 in preseason. Their losses were to West Orange and Westbrook. Then Nederland went two games deep in the playoffs with only a 6-4 team. In 2006 they were 1-2 in preseason with losses to LaMarque and Waller. They again went to games deep in the playoffs with a 6-6 record.

At the same time in 2006, Lumberton went 3-0 in preseason by playing Bridge City, New Caney and Cleveland. They won one game the rest of the year and went 3-7. Any clue to if their fans would trade Nederland's 2006 for theirs?

In 2005 Vidor went 4-4 after going 3-1 in preseason with wins over such daunting opponents as Gulf Shores Academy, Houston Scarborough and New Caney. I wonder if they would trade Nederland's 1-2 preseason for one that went two games into the playoffs for those 3 preseason wins.

The bottom line is, preseason wins don't keep coaches jobs. Going to the playoffs, especially consistently, does keep their jobs.

With a due respect TVC I beg to differ bc you cannot tell me that certain Coaches schedule for some wins. What sounds better 0-10 or 3-7? Some want their teams to get off a strong start in hopes of that carrying over into district. OR OR they know that they are going to get stomped in district and want to get as many W's as they possble. Just my take bc it's a business whether we like it or not.

[Guest MoDz2]

even though hj is a basketball school i still think hj could still give vidor a run for theyr money. hj is a new team this year. they are more serious and dedicated than any other football program hj has had except from  like the 90s lol.

[tvc184]

With a due respect TVC I beg to differ bc you cannot tell me that certain Coaches schedule for some wins. What sounds better 0-10 or 3-7?

With all due respect, I never mentioned what some coaches do. I said that winning preseason games don't save a coaches career. Nothing more to it than that. Beating a couple of teams from smaller schools and almost never winning district games is not a good job keeper.

For an example I mentioned Nederland losing most of their preseason games while playing ranked or playoff bound opponents. There are a few teams in 20-4A that have better preseason records than Nederland over the years but they don't seem to even be in the running for playoff spots. Where are those coaches now? Do any of those teams want to trade their former coaches for Larry Neumann?

While I am aware that some coaches that may play patsies in order to pad the win column, those that need to do so probably aren't going to be fan favorites or be around for long.

[tvc184]

If a team plays a weak non-district and pads their wins a bit but then loses almost every game in district, how does that help the coach?

That has happened in 20-4A a few times and it seems even recently. Winning a couple of non-district games then the winning one or no games in district does nothing for the coach. Playing tough non-district opponents and then going to the playoffs keeps jobs, not the total number of W's at the end of the season.

In 2005 Nederland went 1-2 in preseason. Their losses were to West Orange and Westbrook. Then Nederland went two games deep in the playoffs with only a 6-4 team. In 2006 they were 1-2 in preseason with losses to LaMarque and Waller. They again went to games deep in the playoffs with a 6-6 record.

At the same time in 2006, Lumberton went 3-0 in preseason by playing Bridge City, New Caney and Cleveland. They won one game the rest of the year and went 3-7. Any clue to if their fans would trade Nederland's 2006 for theirs?

In 2005 Vidor went 4-4 after going 3-1 in preseason with wins over such daunting opponents as Gulf Shores Academy, Houston Scarborough and New Caney. I wonder if they would trade Nederland's 1-2 preseason for one that went two games into the playoffs for those 3 preseason wins.

The bottom line is, preseason wins don't keep coaches jobs. Going to the playoffs, especially consistently, does keep their jobs.

I agree with what your're saying totally

But.... Nederland had a 2-2 non district schedule result in 2005  ;D

Wins against Texas City and Friendswood, losses to West Brook and West Orange-Stark

I stand corrected.  8)

[MMSLB]

I don't have a problem with one cupcake,a good team and a very tough team. You can be to easy and hurt your team or to tough and take a chance of getting key players hurt, or having the grind of your schedule take a toll later in the season. Just my opinion, but if I had to pick just one,I would go tough. Also take in account your teams experience,you could kill a young teams will by taking 3 beatings in pre district.

[tvc184]

I don't have a problem with one cupcake,a good team and a very tough team. You can be to easy and hurt your team or to tough and take a chance of getting key players hurt, or having the grind of your schedule take a toll later in the season. Just my opinion, but if I had to pick just one,I would go tough. Also take in account your teams experience,you could kill a young teams will by taking 3 beatings in pre district.

I would agree with that.

I think a tough schedule is better but a new coaches doesn't have to schedule 3 or 4 top 10 teams to build his program. At some point though, you do your team no good by playing teams that you can sleepwalk through.

[BigWolf10]

One weak opponent is alright. Gives the coaches a chance to try different things to see how the kids will respond in game situations. But a tough opponent is a good measuring stick to see where you are as a team. It's alright to mix it up.

[prepballfan]

Each to there on. That being said I think I'd rather have the top 10 ranked teams on the list. Think of the positive for your school if you beat them. If you lose you have been practiced against a probable playoff team.

[texans]

I think the tougher a non district schedule the better for a team!

I agree, Dayton sees WOS and there Nemesis/Friendswood every year and does nothing but help.

i might be wrong but i think dayton will struggle without cody and aj

Your wrong, ozen doesnt want to play them