Repetitious Discipline beats Selective Talent

[FirefightnRick]

on the High School football field and a very fine example of it is currently taking place on channel Dallas 21 FSN as the Dragons are destroying Shreveport Evangel Christain 34-0 in the second. They are never the biggest or the fastest on the feild but they are always the best coach and most prepared. They have been an amazing example to me for over 20 years what good coaching can overcome.

Rick

Edited September 15, 2006 by FirefightnRick

[good_ken]

The really funny part is that Evangel is considered a D-1 factory. But somehow the Southlake coaches took a collection of players that may not have been as rated as high athletically and turned them into football players.

Sounds very familiar. Where have I seen that before? Oh, I remember: thats what DD does most every year.

[NT80]

The really funny part is that Evangel is considered a D-1 factory.  But somehow the Southlake coaches took a collection of players that may not have been as rated as high athletically and turned them into football players. 

Sounds very familiar.  Where have I seen that before?  Oh, I remember: thats what DD does most every year.

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If only DD had Todd Dodge's and Southlake's win record. Oh that's right, that's why we want Dodge back as NT coach!

[good_ken]

If only DD had Todd Dodge's and Southlake's win record. Oh that's right, that's why we want Dodge back as NT coach!

Does aynone remember the article from last year? It explained that Dodge and others from Southlake explained that they attended a coaching clinic at Middle Tennessee State. And Southlake adopted their offense; which works quite well at the high school level (using high school players that may have their own personnel trainer).

Now I love me some Southlake Carrol Football; but Dodge has advantages that many high schools do not have. And he exploits them quite well. But this is not Electra HS, or Vernon HS. This is a HS situated in a very afluant area, that puts an emphasis on football. They are the UT of high school football.

[NT80]

Now I love me some Southlake Carrol Football; but Dodge has advantages that many high schools do not have.  And he exploits them quite well.  But this is not Electra HS, or Vernon HS.  This is a HS situated in a very afluant area, that puts an emphasis on football.  They are the UT of high school football.

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Yes, all the latest and greatest equipment, facilities, etc. Another big advantage of course if that Southlake is a one high school town. It's base offense is used all the way down to the junior high level teams (also called Dragons BTW) and kids grow up from elementary school watching and wanting to play Dragon football. Very Highland Park like.

[CaribbeanGreen]

Love SLC, but give me talent. Especially as we go higher level by level. As a whole, the biggest, fastest guns win nine out of ten. At least.

[FirefightnRick]

Love SLC, but give me talent. Especially as we go higher level by level. As a whole, the biggest, fastest guns win nine out of ten. At least.

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The original post said "...on the High School football field". At the High School level it's proven every year that coaching beats out talent, nearly every time. The best coached, well prepared teams win the majority of the games. It's not just SLC. It was Brownwood during the Gordon Wood years(how many titles have they won since he's been gone?), it was Plano during the Tom Kimbrough years(how many titles since he's retired?), It was Pilot Point or Celina during the G.A. Moore years(how many titles without him?), it was Dangerfield and Cuero and Permian and on and on and on.

Rick

[CorinthEagle]

It also helps when you knock the oppositions starting and backup qb out of the game.

[FirefightnRick]

It also helps when you knock the oppositions starting and backup qb out of the game.   

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Yeah, I noticed that they kept making mention of that, but none of those guys played defense. It will take another extremely well disciplined defensive team to beat SLC this year. Here's hoping that we see a matchup with Lufkin this year.

Rick

[CaribbeanGreen]

The original post said "...on the High School football field".  At the High School level it's proven every year that coaching beats out talent, nearly every time.  The best coached, well prepared teams win the majority of the games.  It's not just SLC.  It was Brownwood during the Gordon Wood years(how many titles have they won since he's been gone?), it was Plano during the Tom Kimbrough years(how many titles since he's retired?), It was Pilot Point or Celina during the G.A. Moore years(how many titles without him?), it was Dangerfield and Cuero and Permian and on and on and on. 

Rick

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Missed that - point taken. I'd agree, it's more relevant in HS. Of course, Plano probably has one or fewer titles total if not for the absurd big school/small school b.s., but I digress. Bitterness from mid to late 90's, blowing them out most years and watching them win "state"... I think what has really hurt them was the addition of Plano West, which essentially carved their student base in half... I agree with what you're saying for the most part.

In fact, just last night i was talking with a friend of mine, and an interesting hypothetical came up. Can you imagine if a school like Carter, Kimball, or SOC had the from-the-cradle infrastructure, budget, and staff that a SLC or Highland Park does? What effect do you think that would have??

Edited September 15, 2006 by CaribbeanGreen

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Missed that - point taken. I'd agree, it's more relevant in HS. Of course, Plano probably has one or fewer titles total if not for the absurd big school/small school b.s., but I digress. Bitterness from mid to late 90's, blowing them out most years and watching them win "state"... I think what has really hurt them was the addition of Plano West, which essentially carved their student base in half... I agree with what you're saying for the most part.

In fact, just last night i was talking with a friend of mine, and an interesting hypothetical came up. Can you imagine if a school like Carter, Kimball, or SOC had the from-the-cradle infrastructure, budget, and staff that a SLC or Highland Park does? What effect do you think that would have??

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--Good points Rick---- Coaching does make a big difference, but the community in general is important too. You mentioned Brownwood (My old hometown). Despite having several coaches before and after Coach Wood, they have had only had ONE losing season in the past 48 years. It has been along time since they have won it all but they still continue to be rated in the top 10 a lot of the time. They were once in top 20% size-wise of AAAA and now they are in the bottom 20% according to size. Their failure to win it all is a combo of size and coaching dropoff. I don't buy that wealth wins... although limited resources may cause failure. I would take the hard-working middle class that isn't afraid to sweat and is accustomed to work over the kids that don't need to. One of the reasons that Wood often won was that many of those kids he had --worked at very physical jobs (Rock Crusher, brick plant, construction, and farm work) in the summer and when time fall got here, they were in shape and the other teams faded late in the game while they were still producing. Excellent coaching then gave them the edge when other things were equal. Another odd thing he did was little full contact scimmage during the season--that reduced injuries and by the time Friday got here they were not bruised up or really tired, and were ready to HIT someone. We once had an idiot coach here in Midland that almost killed kids at practice and they mostly lost... they were too tired and beat up to play well by Friday nite.. Wood also played a lot of mind games such as telling kids to laugh, smile and have good time in the second half.... the other team was often dead tired and felt that they were going to lose.

Edited September 15, 2006 by SCREAMING EAGLE-66

[calvin]

Dont get caught up in saying that dont have athletes over there at Southlake. They may not have Lufkin or Longview athletes but they are very talented year in and year out. They say that Tre Newton may be the #1 recruit in Texas next year. Yes they are very well coached but they are also very talented and have the advantages of very many resources over there.

[e-bone ver2.awesome]

SLC probably isn't the example I would use for what coaching can do. SLC has a unique system backed up by more resources than any other district in the state, and probably the nation. Now my brother's school, which made the playoffs for the first time in school history last year, would be a better example. They might be the least talented school in the district, but with coaching and heart they beat some teams they weren't supposed to beat and made school history. BTW, they are one of the poorest districts in the region. Pretty much the anti-SLC.

[UNTLifer]

have the advantages of very many resources over there.

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Including a recruiting budget to rival UT's.

ebone, what school does your brother attend?

[FirefightnRick]

Dont get caught up in saying that dont have athletes over there at Southlake.  They may not have Lufkin or Longview athletes but they are very talented year in and year out.  They say that Tre Newton may be the #1 recruit in Texas next year.  Yes they are very well coached but they are also very talented and have the advantages of very many resources over there.

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I am caught up in it and believe it whole heartedly at the HS level and it's not just at SLC but every where. But, do you remember SLC during the Bob Ledbetter days? Do you remember the old crap 1A stadium they were still playing in when they got to 4A? Do you remember the defense Ledbetter had during the '92 season? They haven't always had the best money could buy. Let me tell you, Todd Dodge has yet to have a defense that was as good as their '92 team. They were dominating people way before the average house in Southlake was $450K each. They were extremely well coached. And talent? Their best reciever last year, Clint Renfro is a tiny pixie stick. About 5 foot 8 and maybe 160 lbs, maybe? I had a picture of their previous 3 year starter at center from the Oil Bowl this year standing next to our Nick Foster. That guy was the anchor of SLC's O line the past three seasons. He's a fireplug but stands around maybe 5 foot 6 or 7 inches?, but played like he was 6' 8''. Next to Nick and the rest of the starting O line for the Texas side that night he looked like an elf. He got no offers and he's not even playing college ball and decided he was done after HS and is attending Tarrant County College this fall. Many times, physically their guys don't match up to those across the line from them but they do exactly, precisely what their position coaches teach them to do, and they do it EVERYTIME!

Speaking of the '92 SLC team. I was at the famous #1 SLC vs #2 Vernon semi final game at Pennington Field. That was the game in which 20K showed up for a 10K seating capacity stadium and it came down to the last play. It was one of my all time greatest games to see at any level. Tonight I saw another fantastic game involving Vernon. Vernon vs Mineral Wells, went to double overtime with Mineral Wells winning 34 to 28. My nephew is the starting running back at Mineral Wells. Mineral Wells jumped out to a 14-0 lead but Vernon turned three turnovers into 21 unanswered points. Both teams lost their starting QB's for the overtime. The shame of it was how the Mineral Well's QB got hurt. With only seconds left in regulation, he takes a snap only to have the play blown dead by the back judge due to illegal procedure. Everyone just stands up and the Mineral Well's QB turns to hand the ball back to the referee. But the right DT for Vernon at the same second had broken loose and dove in towards the QB. While the QB is simply standing there defenseless the DT hits him square on the left outside part of his knee. CRACK! Just sickening and completely for zero reason. I don't think he did it on purpose as it was a bam bam play and he was sort of diving and trying to stop I think but couldn't pull up. Very unfortunate. I hope to hear tomorrow that he's ok?

NOTE TO GREENBAT: Remember the year we froze our asses off during that snow storm in Mineral Well's Ram stadium so that you could cover the playoff game for the DRC? Funny stuff. Ram stadium, one of the most unique, sweetest little football venues of all time with it's huge Pecan and Bur Oak trees that line the ENTIRE field, is being replaced with a new one. STUPID, STUPID, STUPID! I can't believe the people of Mineral Wells would replace that great old stadium. If you have never seen it I highly suggest you take a friday night off and go as I doubt you have ever seen such a beautiful little nest like that. The trees nearly overhang the back of the endzones and your seats are steep angled, and are less than 30 feet from the sideline. If I had to design a football watching stadium that's it. Then I would speed up time so that the 100 year old trees got to that size.

Rick

Edited September 16, 2006 by FirefightnRick

[PerryG2480]

I work for Southlake Parks and Recreation...and let's just say that we have a few former NFL players coaching teams in our 10 and under and 8 and under flag football leagues.

They start 'em very young around here.

[GreenBat]

NOTE TO GREENBAT:  Remember the year we froze our asses off during that snow storm in Mineral Well's Ram stadium so that you could cover the playoff game for the DRC?  Funny stuff.  Ram stadium, one of the most unique, sweetest little football venues of all time with it's huge Pecan and  Bur Oak trees that line the ENTIRE field, is being replaced with a new one.  STUPID, STUPID, STUPID!  I can't believe the people of Mineral Wells would replace that great old stadium.  If you have never seen it I highly suggest you take a friday night off and go as I doubt you have ever seen such a beautiful little nest like that.  The trees nearly overhang the back of the endzones and your seats are steep angled, and are less than 30 feet from the sideline.  If I had to design a football watching stadium that's it.  Then I would speed up time so that the 100 year old trees got to that size.

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I remember it like it was yesterday. I don't think I've ever been colder covering a game. That press box was SMALL and COLD. I remember I had trouble keeping stats because it was so friggin' cold.