blow out scores

I pose a question to all of you. How much and when do you call off the dogs? The 62 - 0 beating of Pelham brings me to that question.

I expected a couple of blow outs last night. But 62 - 0. Maybe I am over reacting but with running time starting in the first half and continuing throughout the game, I have to ask.

Did coach Hines play all his sophmores early. Did they run between the tackles or was he throwing. One coach last year said, and i quote " throwing is what we do ".

I talked with R Brown last night and the word on the seacoast was that Portsmouth called off the dogs in the second quarter and emptied the bench playing over 50 players. Dover called off the dogs against Winni in the fourth up by 27.

If Coach Hines did these things good for him. If he did not shame. So I ask again how much is to much in High School football.

Bumper last year against SPAULDING , BG started their backup quarterback, 2nd string was in at the start of the 2nd quater, 3rd string 3rd quarter, 4th string 4th quarter. No passing 2nd half. Win with class , lose with class.

Then you have the other side of the coin. Teams like Merrimack who leave their starters in up 40 against inferior teams and still passing. I like the BG way better.

I have no idea how it was played last night in Bedford, but if you line up your sophomores and they run simple plays right up the middle and score, then what else can a coach do? Sure - tell his players to run 5 yards and fall down - probably not something you want to tell football players to do - not something good to learn. In basketball you can institute the 5 pass minimum... In baseball you can "bunt" back to the pitcher... In football you can put a knee down, but usually that's reserved for late in the game. I guess you have to be there, but if I'm the losing coach - I'd rather see the other team try than lay down. I still have stuff I need to work on and players I need to see.

On the other hand, what about this story:

http://www.barstoolsports.com/nyc/super-page/after-5-onside-kicks-little-rock-hs-football-team-up-29-0-before-opposing-team-even-ran-a-play-from-scrimmage/

Now that's rubbing it in your face!

A football coach in good faith telling his players to not play the game. Sure you can empty your bench, run inside the tackles but what if you still score. It is up to the other team to stop you. Do I think winning 62-0 is good, heck no but at the same time the other team needs to figure out how to stop you. As soon as you start to tell your kids to not play their best you are contradicting the exact opposite of what you have preached all week long in practice....give us 110% Once you call the dogs off is when injuries are more likely to happen.

On a sadder note i heard that the teams that won by more that 30 points this past weekend were sent an email by NHIAA through their AD's talking about sportsmanship....enough is enough. I have a quick solution...instead of 6 points for a TD give 3, that way the final score won't look as bad and people won't complain. Just my opinion....

If it's true about NHIAA sending an e-mail to teams about sportsmanship that won by 30 or more then they are misdirecting their energy and time. NHIAA should be using their administrative energy and time figuring out how to have 3 or 4 divisions in NH high school football. Having 6 divisions in a small state like NH is utterly ridiculous.

If the NHIAA spent the time realigning the divisions as T@F suggests, these blowout scores would be less likely. Teams like Bedford should not be in Division 3, nor should the Souhegans (although this year may be a poor example). On the other hand, teams like Spaulding and West clearly don't have the ability to hang in their current division. I've seen the 3 division, 2 conference idea a lot, and I have to agree with it.

I was at the Bedford Pelham game, and it was gross. It was 49-0 at half, and Bedford was still throwing the ball (saw a double-move route to set up the last TD of the half). I'm sure they were out to prove something after starting out 0-2. If you remember, Bedford ran it up on West last year too during week one. I think they have trouble controling themselves in those situations. That speaks to immaturity.

I left well the game before it was over, but the starters were in as long as I was there.

Speaking of Bedford and blow-outs...

I was at the Bedford / ConVal game...and up 34-13 with 6 minutes left (game out of hand), Bedford throws deep on 3 consecutive plays (DEEP, not intermediate, I'm talking "TD OR BUST" kind of plays) finally connecting with Mike Gadiner for a 70 yard TD. It was completely unnecessary, and served only to pad stats at that point.

If that's the kind of team Bedford has turned into (after what I saw them do to Pelham), I'll be sure to root against them every week and hope that Portsmouth, Milford and HB crush them.

I am with you SOFA KING.

1) There were a lot of blow out scores in football on Friday night. This further validates a lot of the football talent and teams in this state are in a valley instead of on a mountain.

2) Concerning what Bedford did int he last 6 minutes of the Con Val game....Maybe the coaching staff and players didn't comprehend and understand the e-mail that was sent out about sportsmanship a couple of weeks ago from NHIAA.

After seeing Bedford again just dump on a much weaker team, It is time for the NHIAA to put up or shut up. Maybe a one game suspension for the coach would send the message.

Anyone who is a coach should want competitive games. They should realize the overall damage they are doing to some of these programs that are down and out. We should want football or any sport to continue to grow.

I believe in the preseason Bedford was boasting about the numbers of players they had out for the team. How about playing them. If they do not they will quickly find a trend reversal. I have already heard from a couple of D III coaches who are not happy. These are teams Bedford has yet to play.

I can tell you that I was legitimately ANGRY with what I saw from Bedford in the 4th quarter. The game was MUCH closer than the score indicated, and Bedfored played a very sloppy, penalty-filled game. They took advantage of some bad ConVal field position and some less-than-creative playcalling. But, credit CV. They're not nearly as talented or deep as Bedford, and they played with a lot of heart.

Seeing Bedford run an "out-and-up" at the end of the second quarter agaisnt Pelham (who only suited 23 kids for that game) when Bedford was already up by 42 points made me sick...but I thought maybe it was just an immature move and would not be repeated. This Friday night though, it was CLEAR that Bedford's intent was to score on CV again before time ran out, even though they already had a 3-posession lead with approximately 6 minutes left in the game. It was out of reach, bu tfor some reason, Bedford felt like they needed to embarass the CV program with an additionl TD. Usually, that kind of move it designed to "send a message" and pad statistics. Neither of these mentalities have any place in HS sports.

To me, that's unforgivable. If you're insecure as a coach...that's your problem. Don't take it out on these other teams that are trying to rebuild. It's one thing if my JV is in and you still can't stop them. I'm not going to tell my younger kids not to TRY. But, we're not going to throw deep and we're not going to leave our starters in.

I hope they learn to do better.

"If you're insecure as a coach...that's your problem. Don't take it out on these other teams that are trying to rebuild."
SofaKing

Oh do I so hear you and understand you on your very clear point, SofaKing. It is funny to see coaching staffs that wear matching polos who take themselves way too seriously and figure it's their team's destiny to increase a 3 TD lead to 4 or 5 TDs with a few minutes to go or increase a 20 point lead in a basketball game to 30 to 35 points in a 4th quarter by continuing to full court press. Sometimes, coaches and coaching staffs need to take a step or two back from the coaching sidelines and coaching boxes and:

Not take themselves too seriously.

Speaking of running up scores, looks like CM got their fair-share on BG. BG has a fumble deep in their own territory with under two minutes to go, running clock already in full use, and CM throws the ball into the endzone. It would seem they haven't forgotten the 56-14 offensive shutout BG pitched two years back where they left the starters in the game into the fourth quarter.
As for Cote's comment about preparing for the game, I agree with all of you, that is disgraceful to say you did not know how to prepare for a game. It's been broached but I'll bring it back up. Anyone think it might be time to call a certain offensive coordinator that works in the Lund Road building to maybe spark a more imaginative (read "successful") offensive plan? I'm talking Mark Phillips folks.
The Dover-BG game is now the most important game of the season for the Cards, and they need to realize it. Anyone know if Fahey will be back, he was suited up on the sidelines last night.

Let's do our best to try and not turn this into a tired, stale discussion about Tony Johnson and Mark Phillips leaving BG. Schools make decisions and coaches come and go. Let's not take responsibility and credit away from THE KIDS. To make the discussions about BG all about the coaching is selling the kids short. The football program is about the kids, not the coaching staff who currently are in place trying to help. BG should be thankful that Cote came aboard. Johnson was gone, and that's not Cote's fault. Cote and his staff came aboard to help.

BG's success over the last 8 years has little to do with X's and O's, game planning, or offensive schemes. It has everything to do with having superior athletes. Like most HS teams, great athletes make coaches look really good. CM has 4 legit D1 prospects. They had superior athletes. No scheming or coaching was going to give them an advantage over that team.

I think it's time we let coach Cote and his staff do their jobs without being compared to Johnson and Phillips, and BG fans / alumni need to recognize that the best thing for the future long-term success of the program is to SUPPORT the team and remain positive rather than clammoring for coaches who are NOT going to return. So, rather than fighting for something that is NOT going to change, let's see them being part of the solution, rather than just falling into the typical negativity that ruins so many programs.

I can tell you this much: negativity from fans, parents, alumni, and students will destroy a program MUCH quicker than a change in offensive schemes or philosophy ever will. It's the single-greatest destructive force in HS sports.

Could not have stated it any better, Sofaking.

I agree with you SK , however Coach Cote had to realize that following the coach who put BG on the map would be a tough act to follow. Comparisons are going to happen. Nature of the beast. ESPECIALLY with the rabid fans/parents/ students/alumni that makeup the lund rd lunatics. I think they are the most knowlegable,passionate fans in NH.

I critisized TOJO plenty when he was coaching, particularly after last year's Dover debacle. I also gave praise when that was due. I am an equal opportunity blogger. You coach well and I will give you your props. Coach poorly and I will point out what you did wrong. Like you did with the Bedford coach.

GNG, a single psychiatrist won't do, you need a whole team to work on you. You can't agree with someone and then throw in the proverbial "however" and continue the rant that proves you really don't agree. Virtually all of the comparisons you refer to that are posted on this blog have come from you, so you can't possibly agree that fan/parent negativity is the biggest threat to a program.

As for you coronation of the BG fandom as the most knowledgable and passionate in the state - With BG and TOJO hiding in DII all these years, you couldn't possibly have gotten sufficient exposure to DI fans to make such a call. If the coaches who are directly involved in the game take theselves too seriously, what does that say about a blogger who takes pride in alternately ripping & stroking coaches as he (and only he) sees fit.

OUCH. JB, I am sure there are alot of teams with great fans, but I know firsthand about the BG fans. Everything gets dissected. That's what these blogs are about. Giving opinions.
I haven't heard what school you like to follow, JB?

Care to share....

Don't worry JB, Guertin will be in division 1 next year.

Let me give you another example JB. The Red Sox. Passionate fans,yes. Knowlegable fans, yes. Watch tv much JB. When things are going good all the talk shows rant about how great they are. Things go bad, they are the first to tell you what's wrong. That's how it goes.
Alot of BG fans are just like that.

JB, I have gotten to know quite a few people over the years from BG who have left their town because of sports politics. These are the parents who won't be bullied. I consider myself in this bunch. So of course they are going to be opinonated. I still go to the BG - Merrimack football game , just to remind myself how lucky my son was. Mike Kelly's dad didn't make this year's game ,but he went to the Merrimack- Timby game. He called me after, "I just want to say THANK YOU one more time for getting our kid's out of Merrimack".

Those are the calls that put a big old smile on my face.

JB , I understand you don't like my take on things and that's fine. Let me ask you this, do you have an opinion on any of these subjects, or do you just sit behind your keyboard ripping on what other people write? I try to bring something to the table, seems like your the type of fellow that brings nothing to the table, but nonetheless complains about what's at the table.

SOFA KING, I believe the reason so many BG faithful are calling for the return of Coach Phillips is because last year after the Dover game he jumped back in{after much encouragement from students and parents} Do I think it will happen this year? No, but I understand why they want him back.

Speaking of Phillips I would love to see him take over a program next season.

Same for TOJO.

How can they both not be on any athletic directors short list? Especially a struggling program.

Imagine Phillips at Alvirne, and TOJO at Merrimack. That would be crazy fun.

Never gonna happen,makes to much sense. , but I can still dream.

Looks like GNG has had his 8 or so cups o' joe today

I understand the principle that sofaking is going for - the game is certainly about the kids and they should be the story. However, we all have to be careful to not place too much emphasis on writing negative things about the kids. There are clearly times where a self-edit has removed pointing a fickle finger of fate at an individual player. Win/Lose as a team, right? I know personally there are many times I "could" have put personal knowledge things in here that could cause a few double takes - that includes players and coaches, but it's not "how I roll" (to steal a saying from GNG).

I also agree that "in general" those programs that having sniping, snooping, and overly involved parents are ones that year after year struggle to attract the kind of players they need. In my area there's a weekly "paper" that runs a column known as Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down... Suffice to say the Alvirne football staff is a target. Since it's anonymous - things get ugly. Which brings me to "in general" (again) forums such as this one (and others) where anonymity rules. I think if you follow long enough you get to know the characters behind the monikers. Reading just a week or two worth won't give anyone the whole picture of who anyone is. Sometimes a random comment can leave the wrong impression, but I understand the "first impressions" rule of thumb.

Personally, my sons benefited from Phillips knowledge of the game. One of my sons was one of those begging Phillips to come back last year after the Dover game. In the few short weeks he was involved he fixed a number of technical things on the line and he was the yang that Tojo's ying needed in order to have better balance. Does anyone on Cote's staff have that same knowledge? I don't know, but in looking at how they play and (let's face it) their ages, I kind of doubt it. I picked out a comment made in the paper this week by Cote about preparation and made the note that if he needs help, there's a man in the AD office that would have provided valuable feedback. Did he use that - I don't know, but I' inclined to believe he didn't.

Right now there are two "stories" going around about Phillips coming back - the first is that the administration won't allow it and the second is that the head coach won't make the call even though he has the number. If the former is true, that's a shame. If the latter is true, I understand. Sometimes you have to let go of the past and make your own mark; however, if you have the resources to tap readily available and willing to help shouldn't you use them? Maybe those "old" coaches see something you're missing and sometimes tapping that wealth without necessarily involving will go a long way towards learning and growing as a coach yourself. One of those old coaches stood in the coaches circle at tailgate after the game and provided some feedback - hopefully the newer coaches were listening. You tell the players to continually learn, but if you're not willing to do so yourself, then what does that make you? I'll bet that Phillips knows a lot about a Wing-T even though he's partial to the Option offense. The Wing-T I think is an offense geared towards having a style of players that aren't always attracted to BG and "usually" it helps to have larger linemen to hide where the ball is (much like the Straight-T used by Exeter). Whereas, an Option offense will make use of the athletes that come to BG. Large linemen aren't always the norm - although we've had a few. Three/Four years ago when my oldest boy played we had a beefy line... The last couple of years let's just say the weights listed were inflated. But those more athletic lineman were able to pull or get down field to make blocks needed in an option offense. My older sons college recruiting tape had him (a tackle) down field making a block on the Exeter safety as the QB went running by his back for a TD. Going with him to many visits there was more than one coach that remarked on that one play.

I'm willing to give Cote the benefit of the doubt on his selection of offense - it's his team. It takes a couple of years usually to be successful at a new offense. Change is harder for us curmudgeons to accept. The BG kids are smart and they'll figure it out. The coaches are smart and they'll figure out which facets of the offense will work better against any one team. I like the fact that they actually pass more - I wish that was the case last year. My TE son may actually have benefited from that - although he wasn't on the favorite target list of the coach even though the QB (and GNG's son) said he had the "best hands" on the team. When he was targeted and the ball was catchable - it was caught (even in triple coverage like the championship game against Winni). What I cannot give a pass on though is being unprepared for a game - that's just unacceptable. The BG players are at a disadvantage already of "A" being hated by every other team and "B" of not playing together since Pop Warner days. Say nothing of the players that come to the school and play football after never having played it before (there's quite a few of those)!

It will be interesting to watch how the program evolves. There's less and less insiders involved and certainly no one will be able to complain in the short term future that nepotism has anything to do with the decisions made on Lund Rd. I also don't believe the "R" word will be brought up until Cote has won a few championships.

Sofaking, I said "call" Coach Phillips. From everything I've heard, that hasn't been done, and as JAF already said, my son learned a lot from him when he played and he most likely has more offensive football knowledge than anyone in the state. As for whether or not he knows the Wing-T, chances are he's forgotten more about it than Cote has ever known, he's been a player/coach of football for probably close to 30 years.
All I meant by it is if Cote hasn't called, he should. If after talking to Phillips he says "I can't use this guy," then that's his right as a coach and he needs to make the best decision for the team as a whole. Now my personal belief is that if he calls Phillips and speaks to him, this is the worst-case scenario, and he maybe gleans a little bit of extra knowledge from him. Best-case scenario (again, in MY opinion) is he sits down and talks to him and says "This guy knows his stuff," decides he's a valuable asset and takes him on. Whichever way it goes, at least Cote has looked at all his options, meaning at the end of the day he can say, "I made the best decision for this team, coaching staff, and program as a whole."
JAF, as for throwing the ball. I agree, I think it is an invaluable tool to have kids like Vailas and Fahey (say it again, anyone know his status?) throwing the ball, especially in a relatively run-oriented Division II. Problem is I think that sometimes the QB needs to throw the ball away instead of taking the sack. What I saw at the game this week was decent protection by a much smaller offensive line than CM's defense, Vailas rolling outside the pocket, and then hanging on to the ball instead of getting rid of it. Cote seems to like rolling the QB out of the pocket, and that means bye-bye intentional grounding. Much better to have a 3rd and 5 than a 3rd and 15.

Thaler has a good piece about Keene. It doesn't sound like their line is as good as last years. They had some good size boys last season. Turnovers have also plagued them. Plus Boulay is out the year. That is a major loss.

Thaler and Tarrier are doing a radio show Saturday mornings. Should be good, love Tarrier. Knows his stuff, not afraid to ask a tough question. Thaler also puts his work in. I would name the show TNT,our show is going to be dynamite.

Seems like Jeremy is the odd man out. There is a guy that deserves his own show.

My cousin has a cable sports show in Manch. Bear and the big guy or something to that effect. I haven't seen it ,but I have been told it is quite good.

I think Vailas' roll-outs are meant to give more time, but it could also be due to height... Fahey doesn't have that problem... He also has a much stronger arm. I talked with his dad the other night - although dressed the decision was made early in the week not to use him. They'd rather have him be closer to 100% ready to play as opposed to 70-80%. I still would have like to see him in there with 8 seconds left in the first half taking two shots at the end zone... Whether he plays this weekend or not is a coach, trainer, doctor, and parent decision. I'm sure the player is chomping at the bit to go.

As for throwing the ball away - just remember HS ball doesn't have "tackle boxes", so you better have a receiver "within the vicinity". I remember Cuipa got a grounding penalty last year in some game and we all said, hey he's outside the tackle box... Steve Hall let us know there is no such thing. As an official in other sports (and T&F will know what I mean) - sometimes FED has the strangest rules and others that they don't adopt that we all think they should.