Perspective

I always prefer when my QB throws more TD's than INT's.  

Ironically, if that same coach used that same hand to strike the same player in the same head/shoulder area during pre-game warm-ups, it would likely be celebrated on social media as a passionate coach getting his player psyched up before kick-off.   The problem for this [now former] coach is that he clearly struck the kid (wherever he may have struck him) out of anger and frustration.  On the one hand, you can argue that the firing prevented a future situation that could have been much worse.   On the other hand, and assuming there was no other past actions that warranted scrutiny or discipline, I'd be inclined to suspend the coach a game or two and make it clear if he ever struck another kid, he'd be fired on the spot. 
Last point from me:  I've said on a couple of occasions that I don't understand players who try to punch an opponent who is wearing a helmet and shoulder pads.   I guess I don't understand coaches who do it either. 

Every team in the state should hope for the 'inconvenience' of having to do a walk-through practice on Thanksgiving Day because they have a playoff game the next night. 

Every team in the state should hope for the 'inconvenience' of having to do a walk-through practice on Thanksgiving Day because they have a playoff game the next night. 

Ironically, if that same coach used that same hand to strike the same player in the same head/shoulder area during pre-game warm-ups, it would likely be celebrated on social media as a passionate coach getting his player psyched up before kick-off.   The problem for this [now former] coach is that he clearly struck the kid (wherever he may have struck him) out of anger and frustration.  On the one hand, you can argue that the firing prevented a future situation that could have been much worse.   On the other hand, and assuming there was no other past actions that warranted scrutiny or discipline, I'd be inclined to suspend the coach a game or two and make it clear if he ever struck another kid, he'd be fired on the spot. 
Last point from me:  I've said on a couple of occasions that I don't understand players who try to punch an opponent who is wearing a helmet and shoulder pads.   I guess I don't understand coaches who do it either. 

Coach Rolle at MNW had one of the best halftime speeches ever. It was so good, It would get you banned from this message board for repeating it 

Already landed on my feet. In less than 4 hours I found a new home! Wont be the head coach, but titles do not mean much to me anyway. I know I can make a difference where ill be coaching. 

Honestly, I had read the headline/story the other day, but there was no video with it. In my mind, I pictured kids jogging off to a timeout huddle and a coach being upset/angry and slapping/punching the kid in the face/helmet. And yes, I would fall into the camp of you don't put your hands on a kid. Heck, I hate when coaches cuss the players and I hear excuses of "it's ok because he gets results" or "Sports/Football/cultural issues make it ok," which I hate. If a teacher cusses a student they are on the news that night (whether the kid needed to be cussed at our not), teacher loses job/suspended. Coach does same thing, few bat an eye. 

Watching the video, I barely notice it. It looks like he hits him more the shoulder pad than anything else. Probably the same hit if the kid made a great tackle. If I am going to criticize the coach, I am going to say, you do nothing in anger. He isn't coaching that player, he is berating him. Coaches/teachers held to a higher standard blah blah But honestly, I am probably not firing him.

I need a refresher . . .  does the FHSAA continue to publish a Power Ranking now that the regular season is over and the brackets have been set?   What purpose, if any, would it serve (other than to generate further debate as to the unknown factors that are used to create it)?

Ditto. 

Interesting challenge!  Historically Hillsborough dominates these games.  Pinellas County ball is definitely ranked 8th in the 8 metro areas.  Just too many schools spreading the talent thin IMO.  Anyway, here's my predictions:
Durant over PHU (heart says PHU, head says Durant)
Jesuit over PPark
Hillsborough over Northeast
Largo over East Bay
SPHS over Gaither (SP QB is a monster and leads the state in rushing and TDs!)
Clearwater over Blake
Carrollwood Day over Northside
The closest matchup is Durant vs PHU.  I would lean PHU but we lost our heart and soul on defense and county player of the year two games ago in the win over hated East Lake.  It's tough to lose a player like that.
 

Coach, I am sorry to hear the news. I don't know you, but I have seen the school's progress under your leadership. I wish you the best. As in a football play, at times you go backwards in order to break a big play. I hope you find another program that can use your passion. 

No further points updates.  Seedings are 'redone' at the Final Four but based on the final season rankings.

My understanding boils down to this:  Seeding is all based on the FHSAA Power Rankings.  District champs who are in the top four seeds will host a first round game.   A district champ who is seeded 5-8 only hosts their first-round game if they are playing a higher seed that did not win their district.  So, if a district champ is seeded 7, they play the number 2 seed.  If that 2 seed also is district champ, the 2 seed hosts.  However, if that 2 seed did not win their district, the 7 seed would host the first round.   
After the first round, any references to district champion become moot and host site is determined solely by seeding. 

Florida went 38-45 this year in OOS games. A lot of bad FL teams participated, but there was some really good ones too. Out of the 45 losses, 16 didn’t make the playoffs, while 29 did. Two couldn’t make it being that they are independent. 

on the flip side, out of the 38 teams FL beat, 14 missed the playoffs, but 5 of the occurrences were against independent teams. Of the 24 teams who made the playoffs, 17 teams are entering the 1st round this week, while 7 teams have advanced to the 2nd round. 
 
Erie, CO
Catholic Memorial,MA
Cardinal Gibbons,NC
Christ School,NC
Bergen Catholic,NJ
Gray Collegiate,SC
Brentwood Academy,TN
 

To answer the question on SOS + Win / Loss and the the reason Cocoa jumped Chaminade. IMO
Cocoa's Strength of schedule is 41.8 while Chaminade's strength of schedule is 32.6.
Chaminade's Opponents win loss record is 52 wins and 42 losses.
Cocoa's Opponents win loss record is 71 wins and 28 losses. Cocoa's opponents WIN to LOSS and SOS is greater than Chaminade's. No If and or buts about it. Cocoa played a tougher schedule, not just a couple of tough games but 7 tough games and more and a few one after another.
SOS is very important for judging a rank in any system. 
In My Opinion these games Chaminade played and their SOS are what killed them in the ranking's. 
#4130 Lakewood (St. Petersburg, FL) (57-0), #8459 Avant Garde Academy (Hollywood, FL) (64-0), #11776 St. John Paul II Academy (Boca Raton, FL) (69-0).
I'm Not sure winning or losing to STA had much to play into it. STA's SOS is 39 and their opponents win/loss record is 62 wins and 35 losses. 
Cocoa's weakest SOS opponents were #1082 Titusville (FL) (28-3), #2117 Palm Bay (Melbourne, FL) (49-14), #8070 Astronaut (Titusville, FL) (63-0). Astronaut, Palm Bay and Titusville are district games and required. Rockledge was the weakest SOS non district team but a Rival game, known as the Bar-B-Que game. 
Hope this helps.
 

You're spot on, Darter.   The question is this:  how did the FHSAA's proprietary formula know that Cocoa rightfully should have won that game against STA?  (Cue the sinister, mysterious music).
 

Darter/Ray, here's my prediction:  in the not-too-distant future, one of the private schools (STA, CCC, Jesuit, Berkeley, Columbus, etc.) is going to end up on the outside of the top 8 in their region or end up having to play on the road against a team that's seeded higher than they are, but shouldn't be (in their minds).   At that point, the second-string guard's father, who works for a downtown law firm, will agree to take on the case at little or no expense to the school.  They'll start with a public records request, but likely will have to file a lawsuit when the FHSAA stonewalls them.  It won't do the school any good, as the playoffs will long since be over with by the time the matter gets resolved.  And to further complicate matters, the FHSAA may decide, at that point, to implement a new rankings system in an effort to make the matter moot. 
Just a hunch. 

I know I'm a bit old-school and while I can accept the proposition that Sumner is probably the best team in the region, I just don't like the idea that a team who doesn't even win their district could end up playing all of their regional playoff games at home, including home games against two district winners.  

My understanding boils down to this:  Seeding is all based on the FHSAA Power Rankings.  District champs who are in the top four seeds will host a first round game.   A district champ who is seeded 5-8 only hosts their first-round game if they are playing a higher seed that did not win their district.  So, if a district champ is seeded 7, they play the number 2 seed.  If that 2 seed also is district champ, the 2 seed hosts.  However, if that 2 seed did not win their district, the 7 seed would host the first round.   
After the first round, any references to district champion become moot and host site is determined solely by seeding. 

For anyone who might be interested, this past Friday night Cocoa beat a now 5-5 Rockledge team 26-0, while Chaminade destroyed a now 2-8 (but still good enough to make the playoffs) Lakewood team 57-0.  Over the course of the season, Cocoa gave two teams their only loss and gave three teams (should have been four) one of those teams two losses.  Chaminade also gave two teams their only loss, but only one team their second loss.  On its face, Cocoa arguably played the tougher overall schedule, but as far as the computer is concerned, Cocoa still had one loss and Chaminade went undefeated. 

You're spot on, Darter.   The question is this:  how did the FHSAA's proprietary formula know that Cocoa rightfully should have won that game against STA?  (Cue the sinister, mysterious music).
 

Ray, if I didn't know better, I would think you went to Vince Dooley school of downplaying your own team's accomplishments and trying to get the other team over-confident so you can sneak up on them and beat them.  

I know I'm a bit old-school and while I can accept the proposition that Sumner is probably the best team in the region, I just don't like the idea that a team who doesn't even win their district could end up playing all of their regional playoff games at home, including home games against two district winners.  

Ray, remember, however, that MaxPreps uses point differential as a factor; Florida reportedly does not.