Ray Icaza

Stand corrected, if my use of the word practice implied they are lining up together, running plays, scrimmaging, full pads, etc... none of that is happening. They lift weights for an hour then break into several different "Stations" for conditioning drills, ie... pulling/pushing sleds, cone drills, sprints, rope drill, etc...for the next hour or so. All on a strictly volunteer basis. I do see the HC around, just not directing any of this activity.

Hopefully will happen as quickly as when 4M plays 1M and 2M plays 3M with those winners playing for a "TRUE" state title winner.

Readily will admit that I am a contrarian by nature so your claim of no right or wrong answers I cannot agree with as I believe the opposite is true. Facts, logic and critical reasoning can easily win me to the other side but outside of an argument bolstered by that I guess we can continue to respectfully disagree. Hopefully you can agree with this argument as I will make a 100% predicition that ALL 4 METRO TITLES WILL BE WON BY METRO TEAMS! Thus your argument of not counting large population centers of the state when crowning state champions is what seems HOLLOW!

All teams should, but many don't and even when they do the participation rate is OK at best.

It isn't leaving them out, they still have their championships it is only adding a NEW category to reflect the NEW landscape created by allowing transfers to occur. It started in 2011 and got stamped the law of the land in 2016. The data is staring us in the face and anyone that can't see who is winning 80-90% of those championships since this change is as Perspective would put it in the Bruce Springsteen song "BLINDED BY THE LIGHT".

Again, the problem with this reasoning is that for the past few decades we have half a dozen state titles each year won in different classifications based on ENROLLMENT ONLY! Why don't those schools have AN "*" next to their name if it is the best vs the best with playoffs resulting in only 1 STATE CHAMPION!! Why is enrollment a valid criteria to produce 7 or 8 champions and geographical population not one? This logic doesn't quite pass the smell test in my brain and leaves one to wonder why the hate? Nolebull singled us out as the guaranteed best of Osceola county, so don't know if that was meant as a slight or not. But for the past decade plus we have been a playoff team that gets shipped off to the East Coast (vs Vero, Treasure Coast, Ft. Pierce Central, etc..) or West Coast (vs Tampa Tech, Chamberlain, Jesuit, Manatee, Sarasota Riverview, etc..) to compete for our regional championship. Our playoff record during this timespan vs West Coast teams is 9-2, mostly on the road. So, it is disappointing for those METRO teams to look down their nose at us all the while having a distinct advantage in their player pool.

VOLUNTARY my friend, so all above board and the high participation rate especially by stars/leaders is impressive. Truly fun to watch them work and invest the time to get better every day. I am telling you, it's gonna be fun.

If you know you have the Jimmie's and the Joe's, plus they are dedicated to their craft you can't help but like your chances. Getting to watch a couple of practices each week re-enforces that expectation. Gonna be fun.

Well, it seems you have a different take on what is going on at Gibbons than Jullian and I definitely respect his opinion. Knowing some are transferring out is good info but knowing why is better info. I asked exactly that question and the possibility that kids were leaving because they were up against better kids seemed to be dismissed. Your take seems to confirm that those Gibbons is losing will not impact their season negatively. Also, why I brought up the status of their QB; if he ain't leaving his expectations are for another great year. Again, time will tell who was right in this particular scenario.

Wonder if this trend continues will it also embroil their star QB?

Is there any possibility they are losing some players because they may be upgrading those that are leaving?

On the bright side, this thread is a PRESEASON OUTLOOK which by definition opens the discussion to merely opinions. Not a snap, not a first down, a win or a loss enters into the equation. Yes, you have some teams returning more talent, getting more transfers or prior reputation to base these opinions on but in the end they are still just opinions and we know what folks say about them. As has rightly been pointed out, it does lead to some lively discussions on who's analysis is best and fortunately time will make that determination. Glad I have been able to participate on this forum as I joined for one specific reason which I have previously stated. I felt our program didn't get the recognition it deserved and was told it was because they didn't have an advocate making the case which was a good observation, as most on here are doing just that for the school they support. In the end, what is definitely true is that the top teams will be determined on the field of play through an antiquated system that some seem to reject in other endeavors. It's called Meritocracy and thank GOD we still have it in SPORTS.

It is mind boggling.

Just what I admire, someone very bold that is willing to go out on a limb.

Have no clue how accurate your rankings are but have to admit you probably have invested lots of time researching the different programs to publish these results. It does take courage to publicly share these rankings as it will be easy for others to be sniping. The good thing, at season's end we can all go back and look to see how you did overall as I for one respect the effort.

Yup, you are correct they have gone out and loaded up themselves with transfers so have the opportunity to "Surprise Everyone" this upcoming season. But that is what has to happen otherwise the old adage applies......"Talk is Cheap"!!

Looks like a "Murder's Row" to me.

It's a pitiful argument as no team in FL goes against these types of national powers ANUALLY and is required to travel. I have watched several games and almost always the home field advantage shows itself in many forms which is the reason for some of the losses. The good thing is it looks like this year is a good time to either put up or shut up and stop with all the excuses.

Not my view from 35,000 feet but from 200 miles away I would have to agree when you look at the totality of their record no one is better than Central Rockets for over the last decade. Those of you opining, Cribboy, Perspective and others do have a dog in the hunt. As I like to fall back on facts are stubborn and Central most years would be better than STA or anyone else. The fact they will take on the top in the nation and most of the time have to travel as these schools certainly don't want to play them in SFL is testament to their superiority. Just an old man's take on this little squabble.

He has done that as he has had 3 solid seasons in a row with his team qualifying for the playoffs each of those years, although never getting past the 2nd round. But as Nolebull points out, if Pasco doesn't have the talent pool he is getting as much out of the program as can be expected. Tough for a public school with that limited success to be drawing players out of an adjoining county that has several quality teams. I only brought them up because I mistakenly assumed they were in Hillsborough and happy he pointed out they are actually in Pasco. The examples you used though is like comparing apples and oranges.

Nolebull, I have heard commentary that Mitchell who has had 2 good seasons in a row returns a ton along with their coach who has been building there for awhile. They gave Edgewater fits in 2020 then followed up with tough playoff lost to Wharton in 2021. Any insight on them?

If the reps representing each area were strictly studying the facts over the past decade or two it would have been more lopsided on the first vote.

Our OHS Kowboys are again primed for another outstanding season which our upcoming schedule clearly reflects, but I will keep my powder dry until we complete voluntary summer workouts and then fall camp. I believe a lot can happen between now and late August for better or for worse. Right now, our participation rate with our players is extremely high and they are working extremely hard so that is a huge plus at this stage of summer. Toho HS should be interesting to watch over the next couple of years with Coach Paradiso (formerly Lake Nona) taking over the program. His MO offensively over the years has relied on a well-schooled aerial attack producing several good QB's. We have a young prospect (8th grader) out of Kissimmee named Sabby Meassick that played on our youth league teams the last few years and he has chosen to enroll at Toho rather than OHS. He has size, arm strength and obvious talent as Gators Staff has already made him a verbal offer. Have an inkling why he made this decision, but with that said don't want to speculate any further. Looking forward to the kickoff for the upcoming season. GO KOWBOYS!!

Thanks for sharing this article, as it has been highlighted before on the forum with some participants trashing the new plan partly because there wasn't a STRONG MANDATE (final vote 9-7). However, in reading this article again it is clear the voting pretty much followed the "party line" with Metro reps against and Suburban reps for. One Metro rep dissented because she didn't have enough information, missing data, not enough AD feedback and other non-sensical objections although the process clearly followed the 2 year requirement by FHSAA which did provide all of that. Lastly, as I previously had pointed out the swing vote ended up being by a Metro rep out of Miami. Looking at that DATA it is clear the Metro's that benefit from the geographical population advantage wanted to keep the status quo; who can blame them as this advantage has given them 5-7 titles annually in the different classifications with school enrollment the only criteria. That number will now be cut in half as they will have to deal with like schools in the TRANSFER ERA, so the complaints are to be expected though without merit.

Thought Skyway already fessed up a big yes to both questions.