I think the 88 caused a lot of discusssion. Just my opinion.

 

Not to get off topic but since I know this thread is a spin off of the Ryle/HHS thread it's probably worth noting that several members of the Ryle coaching staff were involved with Campbell County either playing or coaching for that 88 point game.

So here's my thoughts and it can apply to any of the teams mentioned, HHS, Trinity, X, and even the team from Buffalo.

 

I didn't really want it to go to HHS vs the rest of the world. I'm not trying to call out any local teams in any responses. What I was looking for were the responses to the thread to see what others thought. What has been said is exactly what I thought would be said, but really drives me crazy in this new world of competition.

 

I'm saying most of these things with the assumption that most feel HHS is the top football team in NKY. So I will use them as an example, but you could plug in any of the other teams that have the same issue as HHS.

 

Where are the days where athletes wanted to compete against the best and benchmark themselves against the best. Why is everyone so worried about a loss on their record, which in most cases means nothing to your season unless it's in district. Why wouldn't you want to see where your program stands every year? Why wouldn't you want to expose your athletes to what is really out there instead of playing a schedule that allows you to have a winning record? What justice are you doing the athletes that actually may have a chance to move on and play college. They are going to get to college and say "I've never seen kids this big and this fast before". If they have never been exposed to it, they start from behind on day one of college practice! What incentive does a kid have to work in the off season if their coaches are setting up schedules that are manageable for wins? Why would I bust my tail if my community and coaches are saying "go be good, but you'll never be as good as HHS. But don't worry, we won't play them".

 

I am really saying this on behalf of NKY football. I am an HHS fan, but I do root for all the NKY teams to do well (except SK.....Just kidding....I actually do root for them). But NKY is never going to get better unless they challenge themselves. You have a luxury of having a top program in your backyard. That's a blessing, not a detraction. You can expose kids to what it takes. You can expose families and communities to what it takes to be successful. You don't go out and tell everyone we are going to be good, but never test yourself against the best.

 

I coach AAU and have for a long time. I seek out the best tournaments and leagues to put my kids in. We play D1 level AAU events. We are a very average D1 team. However, I would never look to intentially play in a D2 event. I'm not concerned about wins and losses. With the group of kids I just had, I think we won 3 tournament in 5 years. The kids wanted to win, but were not heartbroken because they knew they were playing at the top and wins didn't come easy. They could walk out of the gym with a true understanding of where they stand. We were concerned about preparing our kids for the next level. I am concerned about challenging them and putting them in situations where they will fail. And trust me, we have failed big time on occasions. But guess what, my kids grew from that. They realized what was really out there to compete against. We didn't shield them from big losses. We would get back up and go play again! My team expects to play the best competition. It's what drives them to get out in the back yard and shoot or go get a pick up game together. They now are all Freshman and all of them will contribute to their JV and varsity program in a big way. Many had significant contributions as 8th graders!

 

Back on subject, if a team felt like the score was run up on them in the past, that's a different story. There is no room for that in sports. But other than that, there is no reason not to play HHS.

 

And yes, agree HHS doesn't get a lot out of it either. I'm not marketing for teams to step up and play them specifically. I don't enjoy watching blowouts either. However, those teams that would play them would eventually get better. They will see what's going on and what it takes to be at the top. If you don't schedule them, you have no idea.

 

As for HHS...the "Put your money where your mouth is" comment...HHS does schedule benchmark games. Trinity, Elder, Cov Cath and I'm sure Scott Co was supposed to be tests this year. They can't play a full GCL schedule. They would be wore out by the end of the year. They just don't have the size and depth those teams can come at you with every week. But playing HHS is not really a threat like playing any of the GCL teams. they are typically no bigger than any NKY teams they play. In fact, they are usually undersized, so please don't tell me the risk of injury is there because there would be no more risk than playing any other team.

 

What I'm trying to say is why have we all bought into the "everyone gets a trophy" philosophy?? Why do we feel we have to "protect" kids from competion??

 

Do you get any work done during the day?

The interesting thing about this is that this season (the 1998 season) is the season many people point to when stating Coach Mueller ran up the score a lot, and yet last year's HHS squad absolutely smashed the points record set by the 1998 HHS team (while playing the same number of games - 15), and I never heard anyone complain that Coach Mueller was running up the score last year.

 

Right, but 1998 was the first year. In 1997, H went away from their crossfire, split backfield offense and opened it up. Nobody up here had much experience w/ it and couldn't defend it. Year 2 of that took it to a new level. One missed tackle or blown assignment was an automatic six. Now those types of scores are common place across the state and nation. It has lost its sting to some degree.

RCC9.......some very valid points and quite frankly nobody is espousing the "everybody gets a trophy" feel; or at least I have not seen it on here. But I do believe that while we all want to "be the best" reality plays a part in this scenario too. Why not play a competitive game (win or lose very much in the balance). Unless you are in 4A that will prepare you more for your playoff type atmosphere than playing Highlands.

 

If teams are worried about a loss or protecting their kids from real competition, then they are shielding them from reality. To me, maybe not everyone, that is the "everybody gets a trophy" philosophy. Protect the kids from failure, frustrations and defeat. Don't want to go too far with this, but that is exactly what is wrong with society today. Everyone feels that people won't let me fail and I don't have work hard to get a trophy (paycheck, house, car, job, etc)

If teams are worried about a loss or protecting their kids from real competition, then they are shielding them from reality. To me, maybe not everyone, that is the "everybody gets a trophy" philosophy. Protect the kids from failure, frustrations and defeat. Don't want to go too far with this, but that is exactly what is wrong with society today. Everyone feels that people won't let me fail and I don't have work hard to get a trophy (paycheck, house, car, job, etc)

 

Ok so Brossart should call Dale and try to schedule a game so they are not shielded from reality? C'mon man........

OK RCC9 so as not to shield the Highlands players from reality go ahead and schedule 3 GCL schools next year.

1998 Season: 15-0

HHS 51 Louisville Male 41 W

HHS 88 Campbell County 12 W

HHS 64 Covington Holmes 0 W

HHS 62 Newport Central Catholic 0 W

HHS 72 Scott 7 W

HHS 51 Conner 20 W

HHS 70 Covington Catholic 26 W

HHS 41 Dixie Heights 7 W

HHS 40 Ryle 7 W

HHS 28 Simon Kenton 12 W

HHS 63 East Jessamine 12 W

HHS 34 Dixie Heights 10 W

HHS 37 Covington Catholic 14 W

HHS 44 Sheldon Clark 28 W

HHS 56 Louisville Waggener 7 W

 

Looks like SK gave them a good game?

From the outstide looking in, I'll take a jab. If I'm way off, I apologize. 1998 was the SR season for Lorenzon and Smith. They also had a ton of talented seniors and a really special Sophomore class. I believe that Mueller saw this and felt that the only way to capture the national attention that he felt the group deserved was to put up mind blowing numbers, and they did. They beat 4A champ Male in the opener and set the state record for pts scored in a season. They also beat local teams 88-12, 77-0, and 63-0, among other scores. Two of those teams were not district opponents and didn't need to ever schedule Highlands again. As a result, they have not. That was the year that "Running up the score," became synonymous w/ Mueller, so much so that it it is still part of his rep (unearned as it is right now.) At that time he was in his 5th year as head coach, and many of the old guard took the beatings personally. Now he's the senior man, so I think contempt has been replaced with a respect for how he's built a monster out of beast.

 

The thingy between HHS & NCC was heated way before 1998. That might of been when the crap finally hit the fan but I am going to say that the 1993 match up between the 2 is when it really started to go very down hill. It was a classic HHS vs NCC match up. The game went back and forth the entire game and came down to the end. It was either OT or Regulation that HHS scored late for a chance to tie the game. Duffy went for 2 and made it to win the game. I can remember as plain as day Schneider refusing to shake Duffy's or any of HHS's players hands. He was so upset I thought he was going to drop on the field that night. That's when I thought Bob had finally lost it. It was the last great game between the 2!!!!

Looks like SK gave them a good game?

 

I will have to admit they gave HHS a very good game that night.

This worst of this problem goes away if we return to a reasonable number of classes. Just another example of why six classes is a bad idea.

 

Don't see the logic here? How does reducing the number of classes allow Highlands to schedule more dates with NKy teams?

The thingy between HHS & NCC was heated way before 1998. That might of been when the crap finally hit the fan but I am going to say that the 1993 match up between the 2 is when it really started to go very down hill. It was a classic HHS vs NCC match up. The game went back and forth the entire game and came down to the end. It was either OT or Regulation that HHS scored late for a chance to tie the game. Duffy went for 2 and made it to win the game. I can remember as plain as day Schneider refusing to shake Duffy's or any of HHS's players hands. He was so upset I thought he was going to drop on the field that night. That's when I thought Bob had finally lost it. It was the last great game between the 2!!!!

Highlands was down 3 and it was a fake FG with no time left with a question if Burns caught the ball which doesn't matter cuz it was a great game. Duffy made a comment during an NCC injury that set Schneider off.

Don't see the logic here? How does reducing the number of classes allow Highlands to schedule more dates with NKy teams?

 

Because then Conner, Cooper and Scott most likely(assuming they are not 4A) have to play them in 3A along with Holmes and CovCath. The district would be larger and give more guaranteed games.

OK RCC9 so as not to shield the Highlands players from reality go ahead and schedule 3 GCL schools

next year.

 

I think RCC9 is talking about scheduling a benchmark game - singular, not games. Highlands does this with a GCL just about every year, and with Trinity if you want to count the scrimmage.

 

Point is, by avoiding Highlands (or other elite programs) for just one game per season, teams are denying themselves the opportunity to see how they measure up.

I will have to admit they gave HHS a very good game that night.

 

Now we all need to wish and hope they play again next year!!!!

I will have to admit they gave HHS a very good game that night.

 

What's that saying? Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in awhile.