Perspective

As I was watching the announcement on ESPN yesterday, a thought ran through my head -- a thought that apparently ran through the head of JJ Watts, as well: Since college football is going to 12 teams next year, why not just make this year a transition year and go from 4 teams to 6? Based on the rankings, Michigan and Washington would get byes. Texas, as the 3 seed, would play Georgia, as the 6 seed (for the right to play Washington) and Alabama, as the 4 seed, would play FSU, as the 5 seed (for the right to play Michigan). Yeah, I know, I know, it would have required a renegotiation of a lot of contracts in a short amount of time (with bowls, TV networks, etc.), but it could have been done if everyone was on board. Clearly, there were six teams that could make a strong argument that they should have been one of the final four teams. And Ohio State could have been the "FSU" of 2023, complaining that they got screwed. In any event, it didn't happen. Damn lawyers.

But it might make it 'dread'fully easier for a team 45 minutes east of Tampa to make it.

So, I'm just wondering . . . if Venice beats Lakeland this year, does the legislature suddenly dictate that the FHSAA switch things around so that Sarasota County becomes a Metro county?

(Preparing my official announcement for release after the final game) All I can do is play -- and win -- the games on my schedule. I can't help it if my competition is inferior. It's a travesty. It's a sham. It's a mockery. It's a traveshamockery!!

Those teams are all favored, right?

Keem, feel free to take Bradford in the Pick 'Ems finals.

Wait a minute . . . are you saying that I can't just wait until Keem makes his picks, copy and paste his selections, and then rely on my better seeding to win the contest?

RIP John Belushi.

It commemorates the day the day the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor, right?

Several "heart vs head" games for me this week, but I'll go with the following picks: Madison County First Baptist Cardinal Mooney Clearwater Central Catholic Pensacola Catholic St Augustine Mainland Jones Buchholz Venice Mandarin

My momma always taught me that if you don't have anything good to say about someone, you shouldn't say anything at all. So, with that in mind . . .

I understand your position and, like I said above, I don't know enough about "Coach J" to form an opinion of my own. Truth is, unless and until he packs up his bags and takes a position as a head coach in South Florida, none of us will ever know what he might have done or might could do. Some coaches are just the right fit for where they are. Could the same be said about Coach Castle? Would he have had the same kind of success in South Florida as he had at Lakeland? Who knows?

Darter, I agree with you. That said, and knowing nothing more than what has been posted in this thread, I'll draw the following conclusions: 1. If there was anyone else on the team that had better arm strength (very likely), they lacked the other qualifications needed to play the QB position (i.e., accuracy, leadership, decision-making, etc.). 2. The team was stacked in other positions, such as O-line, RB and/or WR. It would not surprise me if the lion's share of those 23 TD passes were WR screens, swing passes to the RB's or other short pass completions with a lot of YAC. 3. Sons of coaches grow up around the game. Kid was probably watching film with his dad by the time he was 8. And while he may not have had the tools needed for the position, he had the moxie and knew the game better than anyone else on the field. In short, he was a game manager. A strong arm would have been a bonus, but it wasn't a necessity. 4. With all that said, it is perfectly fair to be a critic of the kid's skills without demeaning the coach. If anything, the coach figured out how to come up with schemes that were successful with a QB that had no arm strength. 5. Finally, while the dad may have been shown his ability to game-plan and play-call, his recruiting skills apparently leave something to be desired, which is why he probably wouldn't be successful in South Florida.

If his son could not throw 20 yards, why was he playing QB at a school not named Apopka? (Fixed that for you Darter).

Only way that makes sense is if the Naples kicker had a track record of sending his kicks into the end zone on a regular basis. Otherwise, it makes no sense and the coach is going to have to live with that decision for the rest of his coaching career.