When I think of a team coming out " FLAT " I think you have a team were the coaches didn't do their job getting a team ready. IMO.

When I think of a team coming out " FLAT " I think you have a team were the coaches didn't do their job getting a team ready. IMO.

 

Just remember you're dealing with 14 to 18 year old kids. You can preach till the cows come home and still it sometimes falls on deaf ears.

If you "can't get up" for a nationally televised game playing a powerhouse from across the river , there is something wrong,but flat isn't the right word for it. Plain and simple,they didn't play good enough to win,better words for it would be outplayed and outcoached !!

:ylsuper::ylsuper::ylsuper:

Just remember you're dealing with 14 to 18 year old kids. You can preach till the cows come home and still it sometimes falls on deaf ears.

True that. Sometimes people think high school coaches are dealing with NFL players with exceptional abilities and able to get up for any event. Having some experience with coaching, kids' moods will change for the craziest things. For example, if there is an assembly during last period, you could bet the kids take a while to get their head on straight. They are more hyper and just not focused. They are, well, kids.

True that. Sometimes people think high school coaches are dealing with NFL players with exceptional abilities and able to get up for any event. Having some experience with coaching, kids' moods will change for the craziest things. For example, if there is an assembly during last period, you could bet the kids take a while to get their head on straight. They are more hyper and just not focused. They are, well, kids.

Exactly. As long as there are girlfriends, teenage boys will occasionally be unfocused. As strange as that may seem.:eek:

Exactly. As long as there are girlfriends, teenage boys will occasionally be unfocused. As strange as that may seem.:eek:

 

No, it does not sound strange. Another thing I noticed, if you have a room full of guys, and have them calm and listening, one girl coming in to the room completely throws off everything. They start acting goofier and showing out.

I said these exact same things in aonther thread last year (tried to find it, but I couldn't). "We were flat" is a copout, a hollow excuse that disrepects the opponent that just beat you because it implies that we could've and should've beaten them, but couldn't overcome out "flatness." No, in reality you played a bad game or at least below the level of the quality of your opponent and that very same opponent probably had a whole lot to do with your play was so poor. You weren't flat - you simply weren't good enough that particular game to beat your opponent, so give them their props and forget the tired, whiny excuses, such as "we were flat" or "We didn't come to play today." Love that one, too!

 

I disagree, I have been coaching for 24 years and I know when my team does not have their head in the game. At this level the players are going through a lot and sometimes get over whelmed with everyday life and they find it hard to get focused on the game. Heck, it doesn't take much at times. I have seen teams that were suppose to be 3 or 4 TD team better get beat (the people from that program says they played flat or something to that effect) and then face the same team 2 or 3 weeks later in the playoffs and win by 3 or 4 TD's. Who is the better team. Plain and simple, sometimes teams play to their potential and sometimes they don't. I always use the term A-game, we didn't bring our A-game tonight. When I was asked if we could beat Knox Central this was my response; If we bring our A-game and they don't we will win, if they bring their A-game and we don't they will win and if we both bring our A-game it will be a close one. At the half it was 13-6 and niether team had played very well up to that point. Now, what was the reason, I can only speak for my team. We had several players who didn't have their heads in the game for what ever reason and the weather was rainy and the field was sloppy and that worked against our team because KC was much bigger and a little stronger and the conditions worked against our strengths. The second half KC picked up their game and we didn't therefore they kicked our butt because their game was closer to their A-game in the 2nd half than ours was. Now can you say we played flat, I guess you could but I say we didn't bring our A-game. Now was KC one of the factors in that, of course but if they were the only factor then I would have said we brought our A-game but their A-game was better! Anyway, that is the way I see it on this day October 8th 2009! God Bless and good luck to everyone this Friday (except Madison Southern:D)!

I disagree, I have been coaching for 24 years and I know when my team does not have their head in the game. At this level the players are going through a lot and sometimes get over whelmed with everyday life and they find it hard to get focused on the game. Heck, it doesn't take much at times. I have seen teams that were suppose to be 3 or 4 TD team better get beat (the people from that program says they played flat or something to that effect) and then face the same team 2 or 3 weeks later in the playoffs and win by 3 or 4 TD's. Who is the better team. Plain and simple, sometimes teams play to their potential and sometimes they don't. I always use the term A-game, we didn't bring our A-game tonight. When I was asked if we could beat Knox Central this was my response; If we bring our A-game and they don't we will win, if they bring their A-game and we don't they will win and if we both bring our A-game it will be a close one. At the half it was 13-6 and niether team had played very well up to that point. Now, what was the reason, I can only speak for my team. We had several players who didn't have their heads in the game for what ever reason and the weather was rainy and the field was sloppy and that worked against our team because KC was much bigger and a little stronger and the conditions worked against our strengths. The second half KC picked up their game and we didn't therefore they kicked our butt because their game was closer to their A-game in the 2nd half than ours was. Now can you say we played flat, I guess you could but I say we didn't bring our A-game. Now was KC one of the factors in that, of course but if they were the only factor then I would have said we brought our A-game but their A-game was better! Anyway, that is the way I see it on this day October 8th 2009! God Bless and good luck to everyone this Friday (except Madison Southern:D)!

 

Well spoken! A coach understands this philosophy, but fans often won't accept what they see from an opposing teams prformance.........as an excuse.

I have a good friend whose son plays for St. X. He did bring up a decent point, I thought. X had soundly beaten St. X (Louisville) and annihilated Trinity the week before the HHS game. He said he heard his son and friends talking about how the HHS game would be a blowout as well, since HHS was generally perceived to be on par with both St. X and Trinity. His son and friends were more excited/focused about their upcoming game with Elder the following week. He did feel that their team wasn't as "up" for the HHS game as they should have been and came out "flat" (there's that word again!). But he is also smart enough to know that, flat or not, HHS was clearly the better team that night, outplayed St. X. in every facet of the game, and deserved the win. But I do think it is very likely that St. X didn't see this as nearly as big a game as HHS and HHS benefitted from all the extra emotion.

I can agree with this.

Flat is the direct result of being flattened.

True that. Sometimes people think high school coaches are dealing with NFL players with exceptional abilities and able to get up for any event. Having some experience with coaching, kids' moods will change for the craziest things. For example, if there is an assembly during last period, you could bet the kids take a while to get their head on straight. They are more hyper and just not focused. They are, well, kids.

 

True, I also have coached kids in one sport or another since the mid-70's. A coach needs to know his or her players. Some need a kick in the butt and some need a hug. Thats part of coaching, much like being a parent. In my years of coaching high school football I think there are way to many coaches who think they are in the NFL. Like you said these are kids ages 14 - 18 it should be FUN. Many of the coaches think its about them. It should be about the kids. IMO thats why some schools are at the top year in and year out.

Originally Posted by Voice of Reason

I often hear "They were flat" when someone describes a loss. Personally, I think "flat" is just an excuse for when you really got your butt kicked. Teams that meet a faster, athletic team look "flat" because the team they are playing is better. Things they have been able to do in other games, they suddenly don't work. It isn't because they are "flat". They don't work because the team they are playing is better. Those open holes and blocks that were easy all year suddenly aren't there and the loser just can't admit the other team might be better. So they say they were "flat". I find it almost laughable when there is a big, hyped game and the losing team says "we were flat". That is bull. So what does everyone else think? How does a team ever come out "flat" for a big game? Or is "flat" just an easy excuse when you don't want to admit the other team is better?

 

I said these exact same things in aonther thread last year (tried to find it, but I couldn't). "We were flat" is a copout, a hollow excuse that disrepects the opponent that just beat you because it implies that we could've and should've beaten them, but couldn't overcome out "flatness." No, in reality you played a bad game or at least below the level of the quality of your opponent and that very same opponent probably had a whole lot to do with your play was so poor. You weren't flat - you simply weren't good enough that particular game to beat your opponent, so give them their props and forget the tired, whiny excuses, such as "we were flat" or "We didn't come to play today." Love that one, too!

 

Have you guys checked out the score of the Corbin/Knott game? Corbin is only winning by 2 at the half. I think this give a legetimate view to a team playing flat. Now I agree that some coaches/fans/teams use this as a cop out but it also happens sometimes so it isn't always a cop out. Also, Knott came to play so they are still part of the reason this game is only seperated by 2 points at the half but I think everyone can agree that if Corbin wasn't playing sub-par (flat if you will) this would not be a 2 point game at the half! Just my two-cents!

Every description here has related to the losing team. What about a winning team? IMO, the term flat means a team is just not mentally into the game. They have no intensity, they just go through the motions. The other team has nothing to do with a team being flat. You can usually tell during warmups if a team is going to be flat or not. I know this thread is going back to the HHS - St. X game as many have said X was flat.

 

I agree. I think your right on with this one.

I think there is such a thing as bieng flat. Alot of times it is used as an excuse for a loss. But that's because I think they both go hand in hand. My definition of flat is; coming out and just going through the motions, playing as robots so to speak, lack of emmotion, not bieng excited when you or a teammates makes a big play.

Every description here has related to the losing team. What about a winning team? IMO, the term flat means a team is just not mentally into the game. They have no intensity, they just go through the motions. The other team has nothing to do with a team being flat. You can usually tell during warmups if a team is going to be flat or not. I know this thread is going back to the HHS - St. X game as many have said X was flat.

 

This is true but if a team knows that they are a huge underdog going into the game and just goes through the motions themselves then it doesn't matter if the favored team is flat or not. Take the Corbin/Knott game going on right now, if Knott would have just went through the motions it would not be a 2 point game at the half and no would really now that Corbin is playing "flat" so I do think the other team has something to do with it just not in a direct way. I mean the other team isn't the reason they are playing with no intensity or them not being focused but they still have a hand in it in a round about way. IMHO!