FW*Telegram "Carroll fanning inferno of hate with

[OldTimer]

Carroll fanning inferno of hate with its successBy TRAE THOMPSON

Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Everyone, it seems, hates the Carroll Dragons.

It is a shared feeling found among area fans. They post comments on Internet message boards, boo passionately at games and often cross the line with slurs or offensive remarks. Even at church, they might offer up a harsh stare at the sight of a state title ring.

When Carroll (11-0) plays Trinity (11-0) on Friday in a Class 5A Division I area round game at Texas Stadium, these fans will arrive hoping to see the Dragons' reign end.

Carroll players and coaches aren't bothered. Better to be shot at and missed than ignored, coach Todd Dodge said.

"It's human nature," junior running back Tré Newton said. "You want to knock the person off who's on top. That's how it's always going to be."

Some of the hate stems from success: Carroll has won three Class 5A Division II state titles since joining 5A in 2002, along with two mythical national championships in 2004 and 2005. The Dragons, 74-1 in that span, have played on TV seven times and have landed 13 players on The Associated Press all-state team, including the past four Offensive Players of the Year.

There are other reasons. There's money (the median household income in Southlake is $131, 549), charging for parking (Grapevine fans wanted to pay in pennies this season), media coverage (each game is broadcast on the radio) and a clothing deal with Under Armour (a commercial featuring Green Bay Packers rookie linebacker A.J. Hawk was filmed at Dragon Stadium).

"It's more a jealousy thing," said Richland coach Gene Wier, who won six state titles and had a 38-game winning streak at Olathe (Kan.) North in suburban Kansas City.

"I don't feel that way. They've got a good thing going. They have a system in, the athletes are buying into it, the community buys into it. I don't resent them. I respect them. Some of it's probably socio-economic, the perception that money buys everything. The school I was at was not like that. We were blue-collar, and we won, so I don't agree money buys everything."

But money doesn't go overlooked, according to one veteran 5A area player, who said he has friends at Carroll.

"I've seen them have signs about how much richer they are than other people," he said. "When you see that toward someone else it's pretty degrading.

"Of course, they're a really good football team. You want so badly to beat them and shove it in their face, but you can't because they're so good. So they shove it back in your face, 'cause they know they can."

The easiest way to see the hate is to look on Internet message boards:

"Is it true that Southlake players drink goats blood and sacrifice chickens before their games?"

"Southlake Carroll will fall short this year... just u wait n see."

"Is it genius, or pure arrogance that SLC had their starting QB running and throwing till the final whistle, when the game was a locked victory shortly after half? Classless is all I can say!"

Players and coaches say they hear plenty from the opposing student sections. Most laugh, or block it out. Sometimes there's no need to give a pregame pep talk, Dodge said.

"It's cool. We feed off that," co-captain and senior linebacker Justin Padron said. "We don't say anything back to them. We just kind of let it fester. Once that game rolls, it's all built up."

Denton Ryan coach Joey Florence, whose Raiders competed in District 5-5A with Carroll in 2004 and 2005, had an easy explanation.

"If you ain't shaking the dust, you ain't getting none on ya," Florence said. "That's what they're doing."

IN THE KNOW

Reasons why...

Five reasons why many fans hate Carroll

1 Success: No one likes to see dynasties. Carroll has three Class 5A Division II state titles since joining 5A in 2002, two mythical national championships and a 74-1 record.

2 Money: They have the $15.3 million stadium, $6 million indoor practice facility and brand-name jerseys.

3 On track: Some teams slip up, but it's a commandment among Carroll players, "Thou shalt never overlook an opponent."

4 The spotlight: The more you win, the more attention you get.

5 No rivals: It's hard to enjoy a team when it never gets pushed until late November and December.

CARROLL VS. TRINITY

Class 5A Division I area round

1 p.m. Friday, Texas Stadium

Radio: KKGM/1630 AM

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trae Thompson, 817-685-3866 mtthompson@star-telegram.com

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Nice article. Good quote by Florence there at the end.

Hire him.

[NDT]

Using those criteria, all those people should hate the University of Texas.

[Guest JohnDenver]

He wouldn't have those name brand jerseys here... we can't even afford to put our University's name on the front.

[Maverick]

Using those criteria, all those people should hate the University of Texas.

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OK, I hate the University Of Texas!

Money, Power, Arrogance.

Yep, I hate em!

[Eagle1855]

only a north texas board could take a highschool football conversation into a we hate UT thread derailment.

good god I hope we hire a coach soon, I cant take all this much longer! haha

[FirefightnRick]

IF there was all of this so called animosity towards TD then why do so many coaches statewide try to send their QB's to his camps?

Rick

[GreenN'walinsVet]

Using those criteria, all those people should hate the University of Texas.

←

I know this post was done in sarcasem but that being said makes me think of something.

If TD has this kind of relationship with under armour that they are willing to put there name on a high school team, who's to say that he couldnt bring those ties to NT and have Under Armour sponser us as well

[KingDL1]

IF there was all of this so called animosity  towards TD then why do so many coaches statewide try to send their QB's to his camps?

Rick

←

Easy, it is just jealous fans from other programs, Can you imagine how great it would be to have that problem.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

--They don't hate him... just the fact that he wins all the time.

---I am sure any AAAAA HS coach would recommend him for the NT job..... just to get rid of him at the HS level..... LOL..