Perspective

I'm thinking this might be too far of a trip for that Lakeland guy who wears a boat on his head.   

I'm thinking this might be too far of a trip for that Lakeland guy who wears a boat on his head.   

So, is this going to be a situation where Dillard will have a fantastic regular season, going 10-0 or 9-1, and then falter in the playoffs because they didn't play anyone challenging in the regular season?

So, is this going to be a situation where Dillard will have a fantastic regular season, going 10-0 or 9-1, and then falter in the playoffs because they didn't play anyone challenging in the regular season?

No the same thing is gonna happen to them that happens to every other team. They are forced to face a recruited up all star transfer team full of 4 and 5 star guys at every position and lose by 35. Just as nature intended 

Respectfully, this just isn't the way that high school sports are supposed to work. 

Respectfully, this just isn't the way that high school sports are supposed to work. 

Respectfully, this just isn't the way that high school sports are supposed to work. 

Respectfully, this just isn't the way that high school sports are supposed to work. 

Plant was rolling in the mid to late 2000's. The turnaround that Coach Weiner was able to operate was pretty great. 

Plant has a pretty good atmosphere.  The home side has the stands with the roof.  The water tower hovers over the stadium with PLANT on it.  I don’t know if they have replaced the old field turf recently but it needed to be.  The concessions are in the end zone and are good.  The visitors stands are adequate but could be improved compared with the rest of the stadium.  The Plant band is one of the best while they are in the stands.  The roof over the home side captures their sound.  It looks and sounds, dare I say the word . . . Amazing.  If you hang out on the end zone side near the concessions you can pick up interesting conversations.  It’s usually Plant parents that are loosely paying attention to the game.  A subject that may be discussed is which vacation home their family is going to spend Thanksgiving.  It’s a tough decision whether to stay at their place in the mountains of North Carolina or their place in the Keys.  (Full disclosure, my mother graduated from Plant in 1954 so I have a warm appreciation for the school).
Armwood on the other hand is one of my least favorite stadiums in the state.  It’s the common sterile steel stadium that is common for unfortunately a lot of schools in Florida.  Not much that makes you think you are at Armwood except for the usual senior banners inside the entrance.  The crowd really isn’t very engaged with the game even when it is a big game.  A lot of ignorance in the crowd if you know what I am saying.  It is kind of cool that you can see the I-4 traffic from one side of the end zone.  Here’s a tip.  Go to the visitors concession side which is the one closer to I-4.  The home side concessions are too close to the stands causing an almost crush of humanity just to buy a hot dog.  Their band has improved in recent years.  It used to be one of the smallest I had ever seen for a big football school.

Sounds like your intentions are genuine, but your argument is weak.  NO ONE is telling any student he or she can't transfer to a better school be it for academics or athletics and here is where your argument falls apart.  We have "SCHOOL CHOICE" for that very reason, but that doesn't include coaches, their agents, parents or others actively trying to recruit an athlete simply because he can help their program win offering them any number of perks.   Osceola is a relatively low income county compared to the surrounding Orange, Seminole, Brevard and Volusia thus a Title 1 school.  However, the administration, faculty, coaches and support staff do a very good job with the kids they are handed be it on the education front or athletics.  We just had a DB transfer to Lakeland HS and my guess is he and his parents have their reasons for doing so that they deem beneficial for his senior year.  We had a RB transfer in from Toho probably with a similar scenario.  That I have no problem with and the way the program is supposed to work.  TFA and the kids (30 as others have pointed out) that went there is an abomination that can only be chalked up to recruiting which is illegal and thankfully has consequences for ALL!!

Is this a common sense question or should we be getting an "EXPERT" in here to tell us the answer?

None of this has anything to do with the (im)propriety of allowing some schools to play by a different set of rules. What would happen to Osceola if they actively and blatantly recruited players on TFA's roster, as TFA did to them? There'd be a scandal, the coaches would be fired, and the team banned from playoffs. IMG does this and it's "savvy marketing" or something lauded. What would happen if Lakeland offered housing for prospective players as IMG does? We don't have to search for an answer to this question, as it's assumed it already happened in about 2011 and there was an outcome that was highly unfavorable to Lakeland. Meanwhile, IMG and SFA do it and are lauded, while programs who won't play them are accused of being scaredy cat wimps by internet posers. Any program who wants a seat at the table and a place in the playoffs needs to play by the same set of rules as the others who want to do this.

If those teenagers truly want the ability to compete for a state title, they can simply transfer to another school.  Apparently that's a thing now. 

If those teenagers truly want the ability to compete for a state title, they can simply transfer to another school.  Apparently that's a thing now. 

IMG openly recruits on a national level and is fine playing a national schedule with no interest in the FHSAA playoffs.  The same cannot be said about the First Academy as they want to openly recruit, play a national schedule but also desperately want a state championship in the FHSAA.  Their appeal to lift the suspension for this season was just rejected by the FHSAA board 10-0 which I applaud them for.  A Christian school that cloaks itself in righteousness and virtue should not be rewarded for cheating to win.  

I’m sure he wouldn’t mind me saying but I spoke to Darter a couple of days ago.  Late in the season he said he wouldn’t be surprised if this happened.  Darter liked and has a lot of respect for Coach Rolfson.  He said it was a shame that Coach didn’t get his state championship against Columbus in 2019.

Have no info indicating that has happened, rather he recently posted our "Voluntary Workouts" for summer kickoff on June 10th.  As was indicated by another poster, Jeff Rolson who was our HC over 10 years ago has resigned at Apopka citing the open transfer policy as a major factor in his decision.

Sorry, the company I own already has a corporate box.

GoFan owes me some money then.

Only people from Auburndale.   

And I don't even need to go back and look to know where that game will be played. 

And I don't even need to go back and look to know where that game will be played. 

And I don't even need to go back and look to know where that game will be played.