Nulli Secundus

Although @nolebull813 brought up the margins of defeat but in my opinion, he's not wrong. 
I'm gonna take you on a journey back to 1989, Crystal Lake Junior High in Lakeland.  Our football team sucked.  Notoriously SUCKED!!  It was so bad, in elementary school before going to junior high, when people found out where I was going the made fun of me because of the reputation of the football team and I hadn't set foot on the campus.  I digress.  The schools were divided into east/west depending on where they were geographically, then at the end of season the top school from both east/west would meet for a county championship.
West
Seth McKeel (Lakeland)
Southwest (Lakeland)
Lake Gibson (Lakeland)
Kathleen (Lakeland)
Crystal Lake (Lakeland)
Lakeland Highlands
Mulberry

East
Stambaugh (Auburndale)
Lake Wales
Boone (Haines City)
Denison (Winter Haven)
Jewett (Winter Haven)
Westwood (Winter Haven)
Bartow
Back to the story, lol.  Of all the extra curricular activities I participated in at Crystal Lake (CLJH), football was very unpopular and often times ridiculed.  My first two years in junior high (7-8), I played basketball and was also in marching band.  To me, I could still hold my head high doing those so-to-speak but admittedly it was tough being in band at the football games watching our team, essentially our school get slaughtered.  Anyway, in my 8th grade geography class during football season, there were a few players in the class wearing their jerseys for the pep rally and subsequent game (Thursday).  I don't remember exactly how everything started but the class started ripping on the players saying things, "like you're going to, don't even bother to show up".  You know how harsh kids can be.  Yes, I'm guilty of participating.  As a matter of fact, I got the last dig in before my teacher and the football coach (Coach Chip Salerno - former LG AD) probably gave me one of the most important lessons that good educators are remembered for.  He said:
All these guys in uniform put in the work and are on the team.  What's your excuse?  I don't remember seeing you at tryouts. All these guys that put on these uniforms know what they're up against.  They're still here, fighting.  They may lose on the field but they will know how to persevere and win in life. Now, I've heard those words in different forms prior to that situation but I don't know what made that particular situation resonate and stick with me.  Maybe it was because he had me stand up before the class while he lit into me so I could truly understand how it felt.  The next year (freshmen year) I got off my ass and told my dad I was trying out for football.  He being a teacher and coach himself (P.E. at Bartow Jr, Basketball/Football at Bartow Sr) was excited and wasted no time giving me at home drills and practice (which I absolutely hated, lol) ahead of football tryouts.  Although I had been playing basketball for years through the city league, AAU and my first 2 years in junior high, this was my first time trying to play football outside of neighborhood pickup games.  He brought home pads and had me practice hitting a pad-lined pine tree in our backyard.  I felt stupid and my little sister (around 7 yrs old) said Bubby (what she used to call me), you look stupid hitting that tree .  That pissed me off even more.  I say to my dad, why am I hitting this tree because it won't move.  He said, it's not about you hitting the tree, it's about you being able to handle what it feels like when that tree doesn't give and toughen you up.  
Ultimately, I tried out and I made the team.  Our team still sucked and yes we got laughed at but I wouldn't trade that season for anything.  I'll always remember the sack I got that forced a fumble recovery for a TD.  Looking back, I wish I had tried out 7th & 8th grade.  I took that short trip down memory lane to say this:
No, I don't have any feelings for the kids getting curb stomped (as you phrased it) because those kids chose to put on that uniform.  That's not heartless, that life.  I don't know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of an ass kicking from players "plundered" from my own team but I've certainly experienced many beat downs.  Again, you put in the work, you put on the uniform and based on your post, I will assume you didn't quit.  What did you learn from your experiences?  I learned that no matter what, do your best and don't give up.  You may not win all the time but you damn sure won't lose all the time.  Even if you do lose most or all of the time, you certainly learn how to keep moving forward despite the obstacles placed before you, whether just or unjust.  Yes, these are still kids.  These kids are also a stone's throw from being an adult and thrown into a world that will bend the rules, break the rules, cheat, lie, steal, kill, and destroy without batting and eye and if these kids are not mentally prepared for that NOW, chances are they're more screwed than they would be otherwise without those hard-knock lessons.  With that being said, I truly believe that a running clock does a disservice to the game in general.  If it were up to me (thank goodness it's not), I would get rid of it.  Hell, I'd be willing to even compromise to use running clock during the regular season.  However, for the playoffs, no way, no how.  If you're in the playoffs you're there for a reason.  NO MERCY.  
We all have feelings and perspectives on this subject.  This is simply my take on it.  Thank you for your perspective.

Not as rare as you think.  Out of 50 metro districts, 27 districts only have 4 teams and 8 districts have 3 teams.  

Thank you Nulli Secundus. I plan on viewing the game, and I am looking forward to that when I have time. 

Not as rare as you think.  Out of 50 metro districts, 27 districts only have 4 teams and 8 districts have 3 teams.  

Lakeland/Venice game - Youtube

Not as rare as you think.  Out of 50 metro districts, 27 districts only have 4 teams and 8 districts have 3 teams.  

Have you watched the 4S Championship game?

It's been a fun game to watch.  There's about 10 minutes to go.  Tie game with Oklahoma driving.

May 2023 be less turbulent than 2022. We need it. 

Happy New Year to you and everyone as well!

Hey, I'm going to be out-of-pocket for the next week or so, so I just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year.   With a couple of exceptions, I haven't met anyone on this site in person, but nevertheless, we all seem to have a connection (even when we don't agree on things . . . most of the time).  For that, I'm grateful.   Wishing you all a safe New Year's Eve and a prosperous 2023. 

Only have one true state champ in elite divisions and call rest consolation division. 

I made this a year ago if it is any help to you.
https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/paul.kelly7601/viz/FloridaHSFootballRatingsandGeolocations2/Dashboard1

Brevard Sports Network FB page just posted the 2023 schedule for Cocoa HS football. 
Satellite Kickoff Classic @ Home 
Jones @ Camping World Stadium Away 
Venice @ Home
STA Away
Space Coast Away (District) 
Melbourne @ Home 
BYE WEEK 
Seminole @ Home 
Titusville Away (District)
Astronaut Away (District)
Palm Bay @ Home (District)
Rockledge Away

If someone already posted this please forgive me I didn’t see it so I’m not trying to steal your idea. But it seems like it would work for everyone. 
 
There are roughly 500 teams playing in the FHSAA districts. Create 5 classes with 100 per class, 16 districts per class and 5-8 teams per district depending on distance. 
 
Classify them by enrollment like it always has been, but the only difference will be if you acquire 5 football transfers, then you are required to play in an “open division playoff”  against other teams with 5+ football transfers. 
 
It would force all the “football factories” to compete in the same bracket while keeping the integrity and fair play amongst the typical high school team in tact. 
 
what say you?

How did Suburban Venice beat 3 metro teams back to back to back to win the title last year? How is that possible? And not just beat them, beat ‘em like a rented mule? Not a bought and paid for mule. A rented one 

Kinda how lil ole Suburban Cocoa beat bigger metro teams last year, lost to that Venice squad by 1 and had chances to win the title against the only metro team to be that very same Venice team.

Florida "could" be first but I would fully expect the backlash to be more severe than the metro/suburban idea by far.  It would effectively mean, put up or shut up.  
The only running clock in life is death.  Outside of that, I believe that any team should be afforded the allotted time do what they came to do, ass whoopin or not.  

Interesting hypothetical question for you guys:  Let's say the FHSAA went to an "open division" for any school that wanted to compete for the ultimate state title, with a cap (or no cap, not sure which makes more sense) on the number of schools eligible to compete for the open division title.  We can all sit here and think of schools that might choose to opt in - the traditional powerhouses.   And let's say that if you opt in, you have to stay in for a defined length of time (say, four years).  And let's say those schools could play anyone that they wanted to during the regular season, but at the end of the regular season, only the top 16 make the playoffs (based on the power ranking formula in effect at the time).  Each year, some really good football teams wouldn't even make the playoffs and some other even better teams would be sitting at home after the first or second week of the playoffs.   For these teams that don't make the playoffs or don't advance past the first round or two, do they run the risk of sliding into mediocrity (or even worse) because the underclassmen on their team decide to transfer out?  Would this affect their choice to play or not play in the open division?
With that in mind, which of these schools would choose to play in the open division and which ones would prefer to just stay in their Metro or Suburban classification, knowing that there's a pretty good chance they'll at least make it to the finals and probably win their 'minor league' state title:  STA, Cocoa, Osceola, Miami Central, BTW, Northwestern, Madonna Chaminade, Columbus, Jesuit, Armwood, Apopka, Lakeland and Venice.  
This question is not asking you which of those teams you'd like to see in the open division.  Instead, the question requires you look into the minds and souls of each school's administration/athletic department/coaching staff and determine whether they would risk playing in the open division for a shot at the top prize or stay home in the comfort of their own classification for the chance to win a state championship in their "lower division." 

I agree there should be no running clock. You are robbing kids of reps. You are robbing fans of a game they paid for. You are taking away key plays away from backups and 3rd stringers who don’t normally get to play. 
 
If you lose a varsity game by 70, then maybe you shouldn’t be playing varsity football 

Lord, no one wants to see another STA/Lakeland matchup, lol.  Yes, we have way too many classes.

I saw a lot of scores this year, and the 1A rural teams have outgrown their cowardice of University Christian  and North Florida Christian. 
 
You can not tell me with a straight face that these teams couldn’t compete and win Class 1S. There is no reason 1R and 1S doesn’t merge. There are countless examples that blow up the idea that rural teams are too horrible and garbage to compete with monsters like Cardinal Mooney and Father Lopez. Lol. 
 
I seen some of the rural scores. Rural teams beating other rural teams by 40, 50 and 60 routinely. Can those losing teams gripe and ask for a new class??  Class Zero-Rural??? I like the ring of it. On Planet Punk A$$!!!!!!!!!

Lord, no one wants to see another STA/Lakeland matchup, lol.  Yes, we have way too many classes.

no reason why STA and Lakeland did not meet in Final. Venice should have been in the mix with APK and Columbus.  
We have too many classes. 
 

Thank you. Probably not often that happens. It appears Sneads and Holmes County both played twice in the regular season as well. Once on 9/16 and 10/28