And a point I meant to make and forgot.

 

The HHS method has worked out pretty darn well for them. If the ultimate goal is to win 4A championships, you can't argue the results. If the ultimate goal is to aim a little higher...

I think you are missing the point. Every teams ultimate goal at the beginning of the season is to win state. You are aiming higher with each game you play and learn from what you did right and correcting what you did wrong. Teams need to build on their success and their failures from each week. Highlands goal each year is to take State. They have been successful for the last 6 years and are off to good start for #7! Just sayin:dancingpa

And a point I meant to make and forgot.

 

The HHS method has worked out pretty darn well for them. If the ultimate goal is to win 4A championships, you can't argue the results. If the ultimate goal is to aim a little higher...

Actually, I would make the argument that if HHS has an ultimate goal which is higher than winning state (such as garnering more national attention or national rankings), HHS should steer clear or scrimmaging T or playing multiple games against programs like Elder, Colerain and Cincy X in the same season. There is no doubt in my mind that with the insane numbers Highlands has put up offensively over the last few years (especially in 2011), Highlands would have finished 2011 ranked in the national top 25 polls had the Birds not been playing (and getting hammered by) Trinity in the annual preseason scrimmages. Had HHS kept up the deal with scrimmaging Male instead of T every preseason, it would have been better from a national spotlight/rankings standpoint.

 

The fact that Dale Mueller continues to scrimmage T makes me believe that Dale cares little about national rankings, and wants to give his team a chance to practice against elite competition in order to best prepare for the season and a run for the state title.

I think Mueller is one of the best coaches in KY football history. I think he has been innovative and forward thinking. But to insinuate that he has the ability to forecast the ups and downs of other programs as far as three years in advance is giving him a little to much credit.

I know that Mueller has been purposeful in making his schedules over the years. For years it started w/ Beechwood, a well coached disciplined, hard nosed team, followed by Male, an athletic, fast, high risk high reward team. Those scrimmages prepared the birds well as the record indicates. Fast forward a few years and the week zero, one scrimmage rule comes into effect and suddenly Highlands is now scrimmaging Trinity in its only pre season contest. What do they gain? The best combination of all of the things that they once got from two scrimmages all in one game that this state has to offer.

I look back over the years and see nationally ranked opponents, X in 96, Moeller in 97, Colerain in 05 & 08, Cincy X in 09, Trinity in the scrimmages. I see Boyle having never been on the schedule, winning a bunch of titles and then showing up on Highlands schedule for two years. Boyle was missing for a few years then won a couple of titles and they show up on the schedule again. LexCath enjoys a high level of success and suddenly there is a home and home. John Hardin throws down two 13-1 seasons and now they are on the schedule. Warren Central has enjoyed it's highest level of success over the last few years and now there on the schedule. UC wins a state championship and winds up on the schedule the next year. Who else showed up on the schedule over the years, Danville, Male, Madison Central when they were regularly throwing D1 talent on the field, Trinity.

 

Some have said that Mueller only schedules good teams when he knows he has a good team. (When has he ever thought he didn't have his best team ever) In 05 highlands had just lost a ton of talent from the previous year and many felt there would be a big drop off but Mueller signs up for Colerain, Xavier, and Columbus DeSales in consecutive weeks.

 

There is more but I think the point is made. Mueller schedules to get his team ready to compete for championships, not to please the masses. Lots of folks call for a game with Trinity but they serve a purpose right where they are(as does Highlands for Trinity). Now BG enjoys it's greatest success ever and I would not be surprised to see them on the schedule in the next cycle, but nobody from BG or anywhere else was saying this was a must game two years ago. I know BG and H head coaches enjoy a mutual respect and that BG has hosted H during visits to the finals in years past so it may well come to be. I suspect though, that if they do play in a couple of years a few will be on here saying, 'they didn't play BG when they were good, Only when they dropped off a little.'

Can't play em all and you certainly can't please em all, so just go out and try to win em all.

Can't play em all and you certainly can't please em all, so just go out and try to win em all.

 

 

I can't argue with that.

And a point I meant to make and forgot.

 

The HHS method has worked out pretty darn well for them. If the ultimate goal is to win 4A championships, you can't argue the results. If the ultimate goal is to aim a little higher...

 

Highlands tried that and got kicked out of 5A and sent down to 4A.

Heck back in the day when it was only 4 Classed Highlands played at the 3A level and won their titles.

 

Even further back in the day when their were only 3 Classes Highlands was 2A and did that too...

Highlands has won at every single level multiple times over their 100 yr program with the exception of the largest school level and they would have won their too imo...

 

To insinuate that Highlands needs to aim or play at a higher level is just silly imo.

They have always played up as high of a level in KY as allowed and now because they play 4A people think they need to play up...

 

Most BGPers need a history lesson on KY HS Football and a little ole team named Highalnds before they past judgement on who and who they should and should not play...Just sayin

Actually, I would make the argument that if HHS has an ultimate goal which is higher than winning state (such as garnering more national attention or national rankings), HHS should steer clear or scrimmaging T or playing multiple games against programs like Elder, Colerain and Cincy X in the same season. There is no doubt in my mind that with the insane numbers Highlands has put up offensively over the last few years (especially in 2011), Highlands would have finished 2011 ranked in the national top 25 polls had the Birds not been playing (and getting hammered by) Trinity in the annual preseason scrimmages. Had HHS kept up the deal with scrimmaging Male instead of T every preseason, it would have been better from a national spotlight/rankings standpoint.

 

The fact that Dale Mueller continues to scrimmage T makes me believe that Dale cares little about national rankings, and wants to give his team a chance to practice against elite competition in order to best prepare for the season and a run for the state title.

That is a very interesting post.

 

So you are saying if Highlands (for instance in 2011) wouldn't have played good teams and got crushed they would of finished in the top 25 nationally. If that is true then that just goes to show how horrible those rankings are. If you don't play some of the really good teams in your area so you won't lose then you can be ranked nationally for beating bad teams. How can you be considered top 25 if you can't win in those games?

I imagine it happens every year. No one has ever said the rankings are accurate as that is not possible in high school.

Rumor is Highlands is going to sub-lease the Beechwood staff to scout BG on one of their many journeys to Mayfield this season. If it is deemed that BG is Senior heavy and in line to take a step back next year, then Highlands will offer a home and home.

 

Boom...two burns in one!

 

I understand that BG has had some success in recent years but am I clamoring for the Birds to play them? No. Can someone tell me why I am supposed to be jumping on the bandwagon? What makes this team different from all the other schools in KY that I would like to see the Birds play?

you should have started a thread, "who really gives a crap, if highlands and bowling green play". insert the bad word there for "crap".

That is a very interesting post.

 

So you are saying if Highlands (for instance in 2011) wouldn't have played good teams and got crushed they would of finished in the top 25 nationally. If that is true then that just goes to show how horrible those rankings are. If you don't play some of the really good teams in your area so you won't lose then you can be ranked nationally for beating bad teams. How can you be considered top 25 if you can't win in those games?

 

I agree, anyone that puts ANY real stock in the national rankings are naive. Heck, I bet the state of Texas alone could probably produce 25 teams within their state that could compete with just about any team nationally. To even see a team like HHS on a national level is rediculous to think they really are one of the best 25 teams in the nation. It's fun for fans and great for the kids to see, but in reality, there's no way I truly believe the teams on that list are really the best in the country every year. There is just no way to confirm and they seem to "spread the wealth" to keep interest from other states.

you should have started a thread, "who really gives a crap, if highlands and bowling green play". insert the bad word there for "crap".

 

Yeah! There you are again. We knew you'd show up. It's just not an HHS discussion without you! You really like us...c'mon...just admit it!

I agree, anyone that puts ANY real stock in the national rankings are naive. Heck, I bet the state of Texas alone could probably produce 25 teams within their state that could compete with just about any team nationally. To even see a team like HHS on a national level is rediculous to think they really are one of the best 25 teams in the nation. It's fun for fans and great for the kids to see, but in reality, there's no way I truly believe the teams on that list are really the best in the country every year. There is just no way to confirm and they seem to "spread the wealth" to keep interest from other states.

I agree that it is nearly impossible for anyone to develop an accurate national rankings list for prep football. But, can anyone honestly say that they would not be pleased to know their favorite program is getting national attention, whether it is truly deserved or not???