Dover vs. Marietta

[SEOHIOMOM]

I have sat back and read these comments for the last 2 months. I am so glad that the Internet wasn't around when I played. I would have been devestated by the comments. That said, I want to explain something to you....
There's an old saying, "You can't make a racehorse out of two jackasses." What I mean is this...we have a great group of boys. We don't have a lot of extremely talented athletes. While we have some who are very athletic, they lack size. While we have others who have size, they lack some of the strength or speed that they need. This is an act of God, not of our players. This is not ALL of the players, but a good majority.
My son attended weight lifting every morning this summer, every practice this year, and has done what has been asked of him. I have supported the coaches because that was what I have been taught to do. Am I 100% satisfied with everything---No..not at all, but I am hard to please and...I am not a football coach. My son is not playing where he wants to play NOR is he playing as much as I feel he deserves to play, but...it is not my decision.
Have I once said anything to the coaches-no. It's not my place to do so. It's my job to raise my son to fight his own battles. I think I have done a pretty good job doing that too. OUR children act like their parents. When I sit in the stands and listen to the parents ridicule the coaches in public I wonder what is said to their children at home. I have been around sports for many years, the more negative the parents are, the less self-esteem the player has. It's a game...I can only think of a FEW players in this entire area, in any sport, who have played Division I or II athletics. The players who may be talented enough, are going to have problems meeting NCAA Clearinghouse anyway.
My son will still be out there this Friday giving 100%. It could be his final game...ever. I know that and it breaks my heart. Is it really worth it? What is he really playing for? He goes out, tries his best, risks injury for you...for your enjoyment. Instead, all everyone wants to do is sit around and gripe and complain about anything and everything. He doesn't like losing anymore than anyone else does, but yet he is still out there. If I had to listen to what he has listened to this year, I honestly don't know if I would have been.
If you notice, I am not defending anyone. I had hoped my son would have been given more opportunities to play what he feels is his best position. It just didn't happen. I just know that whatever happened, I was there..every Friday being his biggest cheerleader. He played his heart out for the seniors. He also played his heart out for himself. I am extremely proud of him.
My only wish is that nobody gets hurt this last week and for everyone to sit in the stands and show respect for the players who are still out there. It would have been a lot easier to give up than to sit and listen to everyone complaining about them.
This isn't against anyone. BigCat is a favorite of my son, others on this board have made valid points...I just want people to remember that each and every boy out there is somebody's son..somebody's world. Even though they are young men, they are still our lives. They are also the future of America~how you raise them through these years will mold them for the rest of their lives. Good Luck Tigers..give it your best for one more game!

[cpatiger]

Way to go Mom ! You shut everyone up !

[bigcatmarietta]

Go tigers

[highriser]

Bigcat-Where did you get all of your coaching experience? Where did you play and how many years were you a starter.You seem to have an answer for everything,maybe you should apply if the job comes open.According to you -you could turn any program around.

[bigcatmarietta]

Go tigers

[SEOHIOMOM]

Big Cat, I am not hiding behind my name. I have been a teacher for 20 + years, a coach for over half of those years. I have coached volleyball and softball. I earned 7 varsity letters at Marietta in volleyball and softball and I played on the Marietta Cougars who won the State Championship in the 80's. I have coached 2 undefeated seasons in softball and took my varsity team almost to the regionals. I take pride in the fact that I try to support everyone. Never once have I come on here and been negative towards anyone. I am very opinionated (it often gets me in trouble!) However, if you review my posts I have tried so hard to get people to realize that whether or not you are against the coaches, you are still saying negative things about the boys. NOt you personally, but others. Tonight, in the stands, one man kept yelling over and over, "Put the 2nd string line in...the O line sucks." Part of me just wanted to go up and say, "That's my son you are talking about." However, my son is big enough and smart enough to fight his own battles. I take even more pride telling you that Nick is my son. SEOHIOMOM is exactly who I am~a Mom of a wonderful son who gave his all. My son read SEOHIOPREPS every single night. Until tonight, he didn't know who I was. I wanted him to think that there were other people out there rooting for him. I didn't just want him to read all of the negatives, I wanted him to see the postitives too.

It's very easy in life to gripe about everything. Trust me, I still find myself doing this...I want my son to have the best 4 years of high school that he can possibly have. What I have discovered in teaching, coaching and parenting is that you will never please everyone, no matter how hard you try. What I have discovered in life is that it is way too short to sit and worry about things that you have no control over.

The season is now over...a few major injuries, but at least all of them can be treated. My only wish is that the seniors could have had a win for their final game. I watched them play their hearts out, clear until the final play. Good luck to the seniors...and good luck to the Tigers in the future.

[mhsfootballfan]

Marietta's biggest lost tonight was the lost of leadership with Mitchel and Justin playing their last games. Goodluck to the seniors, sorry we didn't have a better season for you. To the players, take a week or so off, then hit the weight room. Bigcat is right, it's not the hour or so you put in the weightroom it's how hard you work once you're there.
Again, Justin and Mitchel, your leadership will be hard to replace. Deder and Austin, wishing you the best in the future. Thanks seniors for giving your all this whole season.

[bigcatmarietta]

Go tigers

[tigerstrike2011]

I'm sure glad the current coach is leaving. Now bigcat can be the next coach. He has had the right answers all year. I can't wait to see him lead this program to winning seasons. His extensive experience as an assistant and as a middle school coach makes him the only option for Marietta. Bigcat, I can't wait to see you on the sidelines. The hiring process may be out of your hands, you can't just make it so that you're the next head coach. But, you better at least officially apply, or everything you've said on here is hypocrytical. If you're going to slam guys that give their time to do the best job they can, in their opinion-you may not agree, then you should put yourself in their shoes and give it your best shot, and give people the option to judge you. You say all the talent is there, your middle school teams have been great, let's see you in the top position and work your magic as a Varsity Head Coach.

[gotribe]

hey marietta just go get a guy who can flat coach and cares about the kids. not his ego, agenda, history or lastly what the parents say. I can think of many coaches who were all this and that, played college ball(varying sports) and got into coaching and after 3, 4, 5 years looked at the results ( which stunk) and, boy coaching is another animal. All this back and forth on here and actual reality of the Marietta FB scene, is tearing the unit into many chunks and running in so many directions no one seems to know WHAT way to go. Everybody has the perfect answer. Give me the kid who got cut as a sophomore, but absolutely loves the game, can relate to kids, earns their respect and leads by example, NOT by mouth. This guy would flat out want to get it done. Give me the coach who wants summer camps, helps stripe the practice field, lets the whole team watch film, does not run the lip service, and does not have an ego or individual agenda. Out of all the hundreds of high schools out there with excellent programs currently, you are telling me there are no assistants who have learned from the best and wouldn't give their right arm to turn around a struggling program. Hey Rick, go to Coldwater, go to Delphos ST Johns, go to Alter, go to Ursuline, go to Elder , get the right guy and get this over with. If you don't do it right the first time, when are you gonna have time to fix it and do it right a second.

[MttaFan]

hey marietta just go get a guy who can flat coach and cares about the kids. not his ego, agenda, history or lastly what the parents say. I can think of many coaches who were all this and that, played college ball(varying sports) and got into coaching and after 3, 4, 5 years looked at the results ( which stunk) and, boy coaching is another animal. All this back and forth on here and actual reality of the Marietta FB scene, is tearing the unit into many chunks and running in so many directions no one seems to know WHAT way to go. Everybody has the perfect answer. Give me the kid who got cut as a sophomore, but absolutely loves the game, can relate to kids, earns their respect and leads by example, NOT by mouth. This guy would flat out want to get it done. Give me the coach who wants summer camps, helps stripe the practice field, lets the whole team watch film, does not run the lip service, and does not have an ego or individual agenda. Out of all the hundreds of high schools out there with excellent programs currently, you are telling me there are no assistants who have learned from the best and wouldn't give their right arm to turn around a struggling program. Hey Rick, go to Coldwater, go to Delphos ST Johns, go to Alter, go to Ursuline, go to Elder , get the right guy and get this over with. If you don't do it right the first time, when are you gonna have time to fix it and do it right a second.

This!

Marietta is a D2 program with excellent playing facilities, good practice facilities, and local newspaper and radio media that covers every aspect of the program. It's a good gig for a coach and a quality program just waiting to happen. Go get a proven head coach or a great assistant from a big established program as gotribe said, and lets build a program that is good for the kids, the school, and is something the community can brag about. Don't settle for who you can get, go get who you want!

[bigcatmarietta]

Go tigers. Maybe tiger strike will come back and coach

[tigerstrike2011]

Football isn't my area of expertise, I have coached other sports in Marietta though if that's what you're referring to. You sure like to change the subject when things come back to you. I'm just saying-you have been pretty good critiquing others, let's see what you got.

[bigcatmarietta]

Tigerstrike2011 you have done nothing. Sit on it bud. I'm not hard to find. Get out from the key board. Moms got more guts than u. I'd love to run the program. Sure could not do worse than bob. If u think he's so great go with him.

[tigerstrike2011]

I haven't said that the current coach was great. I have been critical of the offense if you go back and look at my posts. I was just wasn't so blunt about it. I'm not into coach bashing. And if you do get the job I wouldn't bash you either. There's a kid about to enter the program that I have a vested interest in, won't tell you how we are related. My purpose of being on this board is to try and be objective and reduce some of the bashing I was talking about. You always say you're for the kids but how good is it for the kids to read what you post? Telling the kids how bad their coaches are doesn't give them any hope. You don't need to know who I am because you may coach here again and I don't want someone else to pay for our disagreements. The seasons over, I hope the boys are in the weightroom, and I hope you are in the AD's office today.

[bigcatmarietta]

Wow. I'm not sure how to reply, ghost face. It's ok I call u that I hope. Since you choose to be faceless. I'm ok with it now, it's alot easier to say what you think that way. Ok let's look at your post. I'm starting to understand you much better, it's ok to say what you think as long as you choose nice words, great oh don't forget say it when hidden in the dark on a computer. Also your well spoken so it's hard to understand why you can't read I've never posted about anyone other than bob. I this most of the 3 guys he has left are going to be great coaches. I like Ike(haha) very much. You are not in a position to understand or see what happens behind closed doors. You wouldn't understand if you did see it happen When and if it all comes out you will understand the the bad blood. If you realy knows me like you think then you would understand it makes no difference who a child of one of my team players are, I play the best players in the best situation. It's a nice way to cover but if you truly knew me it makes know difference. Why don't you go back and read my first comments when bob was hired. I was posting give the man a chance and all that while so many from fed hock hated him. I with some very good advise made my own judgement. I am more for the kids than you can imagine. That's why I've been so critical. They deserve so much more. I mean your so hot on me applying, let's just hope the job gets posted this time. This way the board can look at many candidates most will be better than me. I thank you for thinking so much of me that I must apply but me getting the job over people who wanted it last time with seoal titles and wv state titles is as funny as bob getting it. You said I don't need to know who you are ghost face well, it's more like I dont wanna know who you are. I did but now it's not worth it. I wish you had some contact with a varsity ball player this season. My criticism of there "coach" comes from a Sunday school class compared. I mean he did call for a 3rd down punt last game. So I'm going to wait to talk with mr.g. You know to see if it gets posted or if bob can work some final magic. Haha ghost face!!!

[MttaFan]

who wanted it last time with seoal titles and wv state titles

Without naming names, can you tell us more about who applied with these credentials but were turned down?

[schenk11]

I have no idea about wanting it or not wanting it, applying or not applying. My guess, thinking who would be around that would SEOAL (1995 share with Jackson and Gallia) and WV (2003) state titles would be Mike DeVol.

Just speculation on my part!

[bigcatmarietta]

schenk11, you beat me to the punch. i have been finishing some things up, getting my speech for Mr. ready so i don’t disappoint strike. i want to be ready as i can be, you of all people know i take every opportunity to make a person like that happy. hahaha

as far as the question fan, without a name, yep seoal title at another Washington county school, south title. but i was not there for any talks on a hire. i cant say for sure with 100% that it happened. i know that he was not offered a job, nor turned down. it did not make it that far. guy on the comity to hire, ended up with the job. Seemed like a great idea at the time. he has no many ties to the tigers. i wonder if strike can get me on the hire comity, then i could for sure get the job, and make him my ass head coach and he and i could speak bad about each other in an email, instead of public. im just not sure if a ref crew would let him wear that costume from scream on the sideline. he would have to email me from the press box. i just sure hope as he tells me how poor i am he is nice about it. strike did say one thing i sure agree with 10000%, he said "football is not my thing". he sure hit the nail on the head with that.

[tigerland]

8) A little off topic, but I read this on another football thread- does anybody agree?
Regarding the weakness of the SE Ohio Football?

Now, as far as what the problem is with SE Ohio football - in my opinion - we rely way too much on weights than we do speed. In all sports speed kills. I do not care if you can squat 600 pounds, bench 400 pounds, and dead lift 1000 pounds if your strong booty cannot catch me it does you no good. Speed, quickness, explosion, and tensile strength is much more important than is the weight room.

There is no simple solution to our "problems" concerning competing with the big dawgs. We can only do so much with what it is we have. Consider track and field - 3 divisions - some D-I schools are to compete with 800 in the top four grades against schools with 2400. Cannot be done. At logan we tried we tried hard and had some success. But quality in D-I is dependent upon quantity. In football with five divisions close in numbers there should be no reason for SE Ohio to not be able to compete. As I attended more football games this past season the thing that caught my eye was quite simply the total lack of speed. Speed can be enhanced and can be trained, but it is MUCH easier to fall into the weight room trap because coaching in the weight room is an easy way to do things. Taking the time to measure, test and train for speed is time consuming - very time consuming. Besides there are few coaches who have taken the time to learn how to do this because football coaches are notorious for being impatient.

Another problem i see is not enough effort in developing the lower level programs - junior high, freshmen, and reserve - so that they get competitive playing time.

Another problem - and i am quite sure this will raise some ire - is that there just seems to be too many assistant coaches who are not within the school system - in other words are not or have not been teachers. There is a lot to be said for kids getting to see the coaches in the school.

Finally, colleges have done away with coaching programs. When i attended i took coaching classes from six different Ohio University coaches and all are in their respective Halls of Fame. The coaching class being offered up by the OHSAA is an absolute waste of time - in my opinion. Not enough detail. Not enough about modeling. Not enough about basic fundamentals for each sport. it is a shame really.

Anyway, to all who have spoken up on this blog it is a nice thing to see actual debate occurring. That is a good thing. Now the question is what can we do to improve sport in SE Ohio?