Proseteye

I'm going on 81. When I went to school for the most part everybody was well educated equally. The schools were disciplined and the parents backed the schools 100%. The teachers were qualified and dedicated. They usually stayed at one school their entire career. If any student failed a subject they were mocked by the other students until they came up to par. It was an embarrassment to get a failing mark in any subject. These days, not only are the schools not teaching effectively there is absolutely no discipline and the parents, if you can find them, could care less. I know first hand that most minority students are not being educated in the public school systems. I'm sorry to say this but they are not being taught any of the basic subjects so that they can effectively matriculate in society. The reasoning behind doing poorly in high school and college, if they are lucky enough to get in, is that they are not being forced to learn in elementary schools. Without strong elementary learning there is little chance of success in high school and further on. I feel so damn bad and am angry as can be that the school system is failing many students to include a great deal of minority students. This is probably why I am so adamant that students concentrate on academics instead of primarily football. Academics is the only real key to success. The more academics the better the success. And, I am including skilled trades as academics.  

Thank you, Ray, for the heads up. I need to adjust some figures that you provided in order to reach a totally realist figure. 
Let's focus on football. There are 1,093,234 high school football players in the United States, and 6.5% of those high school players (or 71,060) will play in college. The drop off from college to the pros is even more dramatic: only 1.2% college-level players will get drafted to the NFL.
So, the actual percentage of high school players that make it to the NFL is 1.2% of 71,060 players or 853.  That percentage is .007% of all high school football players that make it to the NFL. When you figure there are only on average 279 players drafted into the NFL each season the chances of a high school player making the NFL is a lot lower than chances of being hit by lighting once in your lifetime. In other words your chances are somewhere between zero and not at all. A high school student, if applying themselves and doing well in high school academically, can go on to attain a college degree in any one of a million different areas of specialization. Upon graduation one is basically set for life simply by applying your knowledge and being dedicated. Football as a profession is basically an unattainable goal for all those but the very very few.  

I'm going on 81. When I went to school for the most part everybody was well educated equally. The schools were disciplined and the parents backed the schools 100%. The teachers were qualified and dedicated. They usually stayed at one school their entire career. If any student failed a subject they were mocked by the other students until they came up to par. It was an embarrassment to get a failing mark in any subject. These days, not only are the schools not teaching effectively there is absolutely no discipline and the parents, if you can find them, could care less. I know first hand that most minority students are not being educated in the public school systems. I'm sorry to say this but they are not being taught any of the basic subjects so that they can effectively matriculate in society. The reasoning behind doing poorly in high school and college, if they are lucky enough to get in, is that they are not being forced to learn in elementary schools. Without strong elementary learning there is little chance of success in high school and further on. I feel so damn bad and am angry as can be that the school system is failing many students to include a great deal of minority students. This is probably why I am so adamant that students concentrate on academics instead of primarily football. Academics is the only real key to success. The more academics the better the success. And, I am including skilled trades as academics.  

Bringing facts to a conversation is not politics, my friend. Most high school football players will never even attend a college, either one that they play football at or a college they achieve academically at. The few that do attend colleges, primarily to play football, will never make it to the NFL. The very few that do make it to the NFL may play very little or not at all. There is extreme competition for positions and also injuries to consider. Only a small fraction of the college players that make it to the NFL ever have successful careers. The average length of an NFL career is 3.3 years. Add up all of the high school football players in the state of Florida. How many play football at the college level and especially at the D1 level. Then how many of those college players ever see an NFL stadium except from the bleacher seats. As for minorites that rely exclusively on football in high school as their path forward in life are deluding themselves. Without strong academics there will be no solid path forward. I think life itself has taught this. 

Thank you, Ray, for the heads up. I need to adjust some figures that you provided in order to reach a totally realist figure. 
Let's focus on football. There are 1,093,234 high school football players in the United States, and 6.5% of those high school players (or 71,060) will play in college. The drop off from college to the pros is even more dramatic: only 1.2% college-level players will get drafted to the NFL.
So, the actual percentage of high school players that make it to the NFL is 1.2% of 71,060 players or 853.  That percentage is .007% of all high school football players that make it to the NFL. When you figure there are only on average 279 players drafted into the NFL each season the chances of a high school player making the NFL is a lot lower than chances of being hit by lighting once in your lifetime. In other words your chances are somewhere between zero and not at all. A high school student, if applying themselves and doing well in high school academically, can go on to attain a college degree in any one of a million different areas of specialization. Upon graduation one is basically set for life simply by applying your knowledge and being dedicated. Football as a profession is basically an unattainable goal for all those but the very very few.  

Bringing facts to a conversation is not politics, my friend. Most high school football players will never even attend a college, either one that they play football at or a college they achieve academically at. The few that do attend colleges, primarily to play football, will never make it to the NFL. The very few that do make it to the NFL may play very little or not at all. There is extreme competition for positions and also injuries to consider. Only a small fraction of the college players that make it to the NFL ever have successful careers. The average length of an NFL career is 3.3 years. Add up all of the high school football players in the state of Florida. How many play football at the college level and especially at the D1 level. Then how many of those college players ever see an NFL stadium except from the bleacher seats. As for minorites that rely exclusively on football in high school as their path forward in life are deluding themselves. Without strong academics there will be no solid path forward. I think life itself has taught this. 

Just once I would like to see a couple of these kids say that they are transferring to another school due to the other school having a better academic rating with the fans praising them for declaring it.  Something that was the main intention behind the legislature passing the transfer ruling. 

Bringing facts to a conversation is not politics, my friend. Most high school football players will never even attend a college, either one that they play football at or a college they achieve academically at. The few that do attend colleges, primarily to play football, will never make it to the NFL. The very few that do make it to the NFL may play very little or not at all. There is extreme competition for positions and also injuries to consider. Only a small fraction of the college players that make it to the NFL ever have successful careers. The average length of an NFL career is 3.3 years. Add up all of the high school football players in the state of Florida. How many play football at the college level and especially at the D1 level. Then how many of those college players ever see an NFL stadium except from the bleacher seats. As for minorites that rely exclusively on football in high school as their path forward in life are deluding themselves. Without strong academics there will be no solid path forward. I think life itself has taught this. 

Just once I would like to see a couple of these kids say that they are transferring to another school due to the other school having a better academic rating with the fans praising them for declaring it.  Something that was the main intention behind the legislature passing the transfer ruling. 

Just once I would like to see a couple of these kids say that they are transferring to another school due to the other school having a better academic rating with the fans praising them for declaring it.  Something that was the main intention behind the legislature passing the transfer ruling. 

7A Buchholz @ 3A Trinity Catholic 8/27. A quality Buchholz team will be a measuring stick to see where the Celtics stand going into the season. We lost a bunch to graduation. 

I'm aware that it's legal, in accordance with legislative rules. I'm basically referring to a person's character. These coaches know that bringing in a top flight "recruit" from as far away as California, will undoubtedly supplant one of their local players.  Bringing in a half dozen or a dozen destroys the moral of a team even though it boosts the team's winning record. As coaches they are also teachers and mentors to young boys 14-18. As such, they are molding future citizens. This is one hell of a way to mold future citizens. Emulating college or NFL coaches is not the duty of a HS coach. Just my opinion but I think a very plausible one. 

I'm aware that it's legal, in accordance with legislative rules. I'm basically referring to a person's character. These coaches know that bringing in a top flight "recruit" from as far away as California, will undoubtedly supplant one of their local players.  Bringing in a half dozen or a dozen destroys the moral of a team even though it boosts the team's winning record. As coaches they are also teachers and mentors to young boys 14-18. As such, they are molding future citizens. This is one hell of a way to mold future citizens. Emulating college or NFL coaches is not the duty of a HS coach. Just my opinion but I think a very plausible one. 

Why can't we all just agree that a transfer in will probably replace a local although in theory I would imagine that  every player has to tryout for the team before the season including the transfers. I don't think it matters to the kid sitting on the bench whether his parents are paying for the school out of their own pocket or the school is taxpayer funded. All he knows is that he gave his all for the team and some guy who comes in off the street and is somewhat more talented is a starter and is replacing him. High school is supposed to be a place where young people are being molded into adults academically, physically, and psychologically. How does this behavior advance that goal? All it seems to show is that a person with specific talent for a game overcomes hard work and dedication. I do realize that out in the real world much of the time fairness is not in play. But, when you are 14 through 17 being a part of unfairness on purpose can be devastating.  

Why can't we all just agree that a transfer in will probably replace a local although in theory I would imagine that  every player has to tryout for the team before the season including the transfers. I don't think it matters to the kid sitting on the bench whether his parents are paying for the school out of their own pocket or the school is taxpayer funded. All he knows is that he gave his all for the team and some guy who comes in off the street and is somewhat more talented is a starter and is replacing him. High school is supposed to be a place where young people are being molded into adults academically, physically, and psychologically. How does this behavior advance that goal? All it seems to show is that a person with specific talent for a game overcomes hard work and dedication. I do realize that out in the real world much of the time fairness is not in play. But, when you are 14 through 17 being a part of unfairness on purpose can be devastating.  

Unfortunately it's not just the people running the athletic departments in these schools or even the HC. You don't think that all of the faculty, the principal, the students, to include most of the parents, don't know exactly what is going on? If they don't then they are deaf, dumb, and blind. I think they either don't give a hoot or are too afraid to say anything as long as their teams win. That is the world we live in these days. I'm quite sure there are many schools where local talent is all that is used for their teams because they care more about the students well being instead of their egos or desire to win at any cost. I am most surprised by the parochial schools that are supposed to teach morals, ethics, and fairness. Instead those religious people would rather see their own local students sit on the bench and rarely play by importing mercenaries to make the team into something they really are not. 

I am certainly not picking on TCA as Trinity Catholic is in the same boat as the Conquerors as we also pick up transfers from the public schools for what is primarily for sports. I'm not in favor of it but that's what it is these days. Personally I'm for the old FHAA ruling that a player had to wait 1 year after the transfer to be a regular player. That virtually stopped most transfers for sports only. All I was stating is that any team 3A or below, that gets 8 transfers, will completely change the makeup and outcome of that team. What about the players who had been with the school for many years and find themselves sitting out every game because some transfer dropped in from wherever in his Junior or Senior year and has no real affinity with the school beyond sports. This may be the reason why there are only a handful of schools, out of 2,237 high schools in Florida, that are competitive year in and year out in football and in some cases other sports. 

Considering that only 1 key player, in a small school, can make a ton of difference. As an example, Union County had CJ Spiller who made them one of the best teams in their division the years he was a student pretty much on his shoulders alone. 8 top players, for a small school, gives them the championship hands down. 95% of all schools get no transfers and never win much of anything. I guess that's where we're at. 

Really, I don't know what you're trying to prove. IMG is a sports training facility that advertises that they train in a variety of sports. Part of this training of course means that they have to test their skills against other players and other teams. What would you have them do play only scrimmages against themselves? IMG plays only some of the best teams in the country. They are not beating up on inferior teams like many of the other Florida powerhouse schools that pad their schedule and build their reputations playing mostly nobodies. IMO the teams they play against recruit big time so they are basically doing the same as IMG does except that IMG is honest about their intentions. Once again, IMG forces no team to play them and, although a member of FHSAA, they have agreed to not participate in any playoffs.  You have every right not to like them or their agenda. It's still a somewhat free country. But I, and others, have the right to like them and their agenda without having to apologize for it. 

Charming. I can tell that you're a well educated person by your grammar and lack of sentence structure. Whatever school you are or have attended has not provided you with much of an education. In the past I have defended some of your preposterous remarks and dissing of other folk's teams. No more. If I were a player for Madison County I would certainly separate myself from a buffoon like you.  Have a nice day.  

ColumbiaFan
May I remind you that Madison County is a 1A school with a little over 500 students. Columbia is a 6A school with 2,000 students. How many players does Madison dress? How many does Columbia dress? And, I dare say that Madison's schedule may be as difficult or more difficult than that of Columbia. You guys should be embarrassed even scheduling Madison during the season. And should hang up your jockstaps if you ever lose to them. One gets a little tired of hearing people put down a team that has been one of the top teams in Florida for years. I know that Jesse can be a tool at times. But the team is a winner all the way and should be respected as such. Just saying.  

Just remember, no team is forced to play them. Every season they seem to easily fill up their schedule and some of the teams on that schedule are Florida teams. So, really, what in the heck is your point Columbia? Hmmmmmmmmmmm.

Really, I don't know what you're trying to prove. IMG is a sports training facility that advertises that they train in a variety of sports. Part of this training of course means that they have to test their skills against other players and other teams. What would you have them do play only scrimmages against themselves? IMG plays only some of the best teams in the country. They are not beating up on inferior teams like many of the other Florida powerhouse schools that pad their schedule and build their reputations playing mostly nobodies. IMO the teams they play against recruit big time so they are basically doing the same as IMG does except that IMG is honest about their intentions. Once again, IMG forces no team to play them and, although a member of FHSAA, they have agreed to not participate in any playoffs.  You have every right not to like them or their agenda. It's still a somewhat free country. But I, and others, have the right to like them and their agenda without having to apologize for it. 

Hoping that Coach Brantley gives a call to Coach Dorminey now that the Celtics have no possibility of meeting TCA in the playoffs. OTC needs tough challenges in order to get back into championship form.

I agree. Would be very competitive in 3A and 4A and should be able to win titles intermittently. They could play tough higher classification schools out of district just to show that they belong.  Similar to what Pahokee used to do or possibly still does.