Ray Icaza

You are right about that, early schedule will be a good indicator.

It would certainly be a close call as we lost to that Flanagan team that was loaded up with transfers in the state final. They had 3 kids alone that ended up at Michigan with several other going to Division 1 schools from that one class.

Wonder if Gage's motivation to transfer was Jerrick Gibson who is the #1 rate RB in the 2024 class and he is at IMG? Most things just don't happen in a vacuum. But I agree, it is a huge get for Wharton.

Tribit has been around, just don't know him personally like I did Bird. Hope he does a great job, just a realist knowing he has some big shoes to fill. Time will tell.

Hopefully going forward, since both HC's know each other we can at least schedule some regular season games. I know we would like to continue playing the better teams in the Orlando Metro as we have in past years now that the FHSAA has changed the format. Our school didn't advocate for this change, though we felt something needed to be done. Our philosophy has been we will compete in whatever format is decided, knowing our rosters change but not the expectations.

Thanks, same to the Darters. It should be a good game with 2 strong defenses facing a potent ground attack. Over the last couple of decades, you would have thought we would see each other in the playoffs more, but that hasn't materialized for teams that usually have success beyond the opening round.

Thankfully our KOC with you guys is not a bad drive but will keep an eye on the weather prior to making the trip.

On the flip side, the big news in our local newspaper sports page was the transfer of Oniel Senatus RB/DB from Celebration to Osceola. He is an extremely talented football player and was selected as our county's top 2 way player last season. He gained 1800+ yards on the ground last year with over 2200 all purpose yards, 27 total TD's as well as 51 tackles on defense while earning 3rd team all-state in 8A. He will join Taevion Swint, Akeem Knox, Bryce Reed and Elijah Melendez in a stocked running back room. We are fortunate to add this weapon to our team.

Good luck for the upcoming season coach as the stability issue is key. Any good organization takes time and effort to build so if you can keep a stable staff of coaches it will definitely happen. Poinciana does have athletes as they prove in basketball most years giving us fits on the court, so it can happen in football. As a close follower of the Osceola roster, neither of those two were starters but got significant playing time and did contribute to our success. They should do the same there.

They may have transferred back from Osceola, but your info that they were starters is dubious. Maybe Coach Beek can confirm their identity although Perry Garrett is definitely one and he was a backup running back who was going to be relegated to that role again, plus DJ Cummings a backup receiver. Only starter transferring out I know of has enrolled at Winter Park HS as a slot receiver Izaiah Jean-Baptiste with no other starters lost. We have a solid receiving corps in place for the upcoming season as well as the RB group. Those players Poinciana is getting back should help them, I certainly hope it benefits them as well as the players themselves.

Find a singular example and it negates the actual data? How many times in the last decade has that happened in 8A? And we do have more than one class with them all falling into this same pattern over the last decade which you totally ignore. Teams like Venice, Cocoa, Armwood, Lakeland that have relied heavily on transfers to compete with the south FL powerhouses may occasionally slip up and win one. But any honest person looking at the numbers knows that is not going to happen hardly ever. You are dug in and that is fine, just the outlier example you provide makes for a weak argument.

Again, it's not just the number but the complete picture. At the end of football season during the 2nd semester this year we had two families moved into our area with a couple of very talented freshman football players. One played at Westport HS in Ocala last year, while the other at Thompson Valley HS in Colorado; both will make an impact during the next couple of years. How likely is it we "Recruited" these two to move to Kissimmee and should they be punished and made to sit a year for transferring in? Or counted against the 4 or 6 or whatever the number? Sitting out a year is a rule I would support for a local kid that for whatever reason decides to switch to play football for a school he isn't zoned for. But that would not apply to this real example I gave you which recently happened with one moving over 100 miles and the other a couple thousand. Not always as cut and dry as it seems.

Not sticking up for this guy as his views and mine on Metro/Suburban are 180 degrees apart. His dissing excellent programs like our school and categorizing us as "Losers" because we lose against stacked Broward/Dade squads in state championships game is a bridge too far thus I ignore his rants. As several of us have pointed out, this brave gentleman hiding in his basement won't even declare his HS loyalty to a team. No respect given, so none returned.

Think it was an honest typo on his part... Meant to type Lakeland not Lakewood.

That he is so doesn't need to re-invent the wheel and just keep the train on the track.

Those are some pesky facts.

Have to say, that is a very insightful takeaway from this thread. But leave it to Nolebull to get to the heart of the matter.

Amen to that my friend, I am with you.

Homestead may have a great squad, I have no dog in that hunt. However, looking at other national ranking services they don't appear on any top 50 team lists in the state whereas both Jones and Edgewater do as does Tampa Bay Tech, Armwood and others. Their judgement happens to be different than yours.

Jim Bird, the longtime AD & legendary wrestling coach at OHS is calling it a career at the school. Bird, who spent nearly 30 years with the Kowboys stepped down on July 15th. He has accepted a teaching/coaching position at Gulf Breeze High in Santa Rosa County in the Florida pandhandle and those folks are blessed to get a person of this caliber. This move is strictly about family as he has children and grandchildren in Atlanta and Chattanooga which will allow he and his wife to be a lot closer to them. Bird's accomplishments as both AD & wrestling coach are impressive. He came to OHS in 1987 as an assistant FB coach and wrestling coach becoming the HC wrestling in 1996 where he would begin to build one of the best high school wrestling programs in the NATION. A tradition of excellence is the OHS motto and Coach Bird is a prime example of that Tradition. Starting with Alex Eggers winning the 140 lb. championship in 2007, Bird has produced at least one state champion for 16 consecutive years. His teams have finished in the top 6 in the state in those same 16 years, including winning a state title in 2009 and finishing as runner-up in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2013 and 2014. In all 17 different Osceola wrestlers have claimed a total of 32 state championships - including Fox Baldwin who still holds the national records for career wins while being a four-time state champ. Bird leaves the program on a high note. Last year, 3 of his wrestlers (all underclassmen) won state championships including Cooper Haase, Gunner Holland and Anderson Heap. Haase, a rising senior, will have a chance to match Baldwin as Osceola's only four-time state champion. With 106 points score at the 4A State Tournament in March, the Kowboys finished third in the state. This consistency of producing state champions became a Bird rally cry with the team ......"We're not superstitious and we talked about the streak all the time". In the first team meeting every year, we write on the chalkboard ..... "Who Is Next?' His organizational skills were recognized by the fact Osceola was selected as the host school for numerous district, regional and state championships. Heritage Park has been the site of the state championship for most of the past decade, with OHS serving as host institution. Created 5 years ago, every state dual meet championship has been hosted by the Kowboys. In addition, the Christmas Knockout Classic - one of the largest and most prestigious holiday tournaments in the country was created and hosted by Bird and OHS. Bird has gained the respect of the state and national wrestling community. Vic Balmeceda, has coached South Dade to 17 state championships once said "Jim had never bent his morals or ethics to win a match and that is extremely hard to find these days." But building a wrestling program is just part of the legacy he will leave behind. As AD, Bird has seen his basketball team win 2 state championships and reach another final four. The OHS football program - long considered a state power - reached three state championships under Bird; while baseball, softball and other sports have claimed numerous district and regional titles. As a long time friend, I can truly say he will be sorely missed and impossible to replace. Here is to your future Jim and may God continue to ride alongside you and your great family.

Nor DFB's "downgrades" . I do think Jones and Edgewater should probably be in the top 5, along with STA, Jesuit and Dillard. A few others have high expectations and the season will give them a chance to live their dream.

Are you still ignoring the shift that took place in 2011 and cemented in place in 2016. Your old examples aren't happening anymore so stop with the "They weren't crying when they were winning in 1998. The Times They Are A Changing!

Have to agree with that from what happens in our area. Almost any transfer we get seldom posts it on twitter, IG, FB or other social media they just come. We don't try to hide it as the school losing the player knows and is most likely disappointed especially if he has made an impact at his old school already. But we are also not out there letting everyone know we got this guy, we got that guy as if that is going to make or break your season because it sometimes makes little difference. I am also a great believer that "Quality" Trumps "Quantity". When you already run a good program getting 3 or 4 impact players can make more of a difference than 10-12 that are at the level you already have.

Those that decry the "True Champion" mantra have no answer to the question that we both bring up which is why not just have 1 champion, like the NCAA instead of 5, 6, 7 or even 8. Which of those is the "REAL" champion and not a designated pocket championship carve out for 2A or 7A, based on the BS enrollment formula. Yet to hear a coherent response to that simple question. What was that other song Perspective? Oh Yes, Silence is Golden.

That argument in my view is a one off. It might be the case on rare occasions but not the norm. I do believe Metro champions would routinely beat Suburban champions, which strictly by the numbers they should.