Are you sure of the Bridgeport enrollment? I heard their enrollment now puts them in the next WV class up. They will be one class higher than Keyser because number of students
Clearfield backs out of contract, dodges Fort Hill
- Thread starter TDHelmick
- Start date
Yes, Morgantown is closer. Which also means more frosh and JV games. But FH has turned Morgantown down before and I suspect they will again with Sherando on the slate. Same with Martinsburg.
Why is FH always the only school where people talk about their schedule and how they should play all these top rate teams? I can understand the answer which has to do with winning, but you must hold other teams accountable to some degree in regards to their poor scheduling practices. And that really is the whole problem if you read my earlier reply on this thread. FH isn't going to put themselves in a situation where they look over their shoulder in the playoff race at teams they would beat by 50 points and won't play FH. It's that simple. The schedule will not be set up to appease fans and put fannies in the seats. This year's schedule is what it should be...a handful of tough opponents, not an entire slate of them. It woujld be nice if FH could replace the MATHS and Capitol Christians with a couple of teams from the West Region,not an entire slate of West region teams...just a couple.
In regards to pee wee and youth football locally. If you tell Hampshire they are out, then you tell Ridgeley the same.
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There's enough non-Cumberland people in this area, who, if pushed, would say screw you Cumberland folks if you start making demands like that. Believe me, they would be just as content to have a pee wee league and even youth league without Cumberland teams, that would be their response. Particularly Pee Wee, they would still have the Ridgeley, Frankfort, Hampshire, Keyser, Westernport, Frostburg, Northern and Southern Teams. Youth league is a little different with less teams, but believe me if Cumberland folks tried to swing their "big stick" around and dictating things, the non-Cumberland folks would say screw you, there's more of us than thre is you and walk away. I would imagine they would simply seek to add maybe Petersburg, Moorefield teams, etc... Like High School Football, the Cumberland schools would be the one with scheduling problems. Like it or not, it would happen.
"The schedule will not be set up to appease fans and put fannies in the seats"
I find it a little offensive to say this maybe I'm taking it the wrong way... But it seems as though you're saying those that make up the schedule don't care about what the fans think.... As loyal as the FH fans are to the program I think that is the wrong approach to take... Not only do the fans deserve a quality schedule the kid's don't need to be short changed... I guess ultimately its always the consumers right not to buy the product.. I would think filling the stands would be a component, a major component at that when determining the schedule.. But I guess to each his own....
I might add, they would probably loosen the rules then and allow Cumberland kids to play with the closest teams in their new non-Cumberland league. When parents realized they could join an established team with an established schedule against established opponents, rather than staying with the dregs of what would reman you would see Cumberland kids form the blue and red side going to Ridgeley, Lavale kids going Frostburg, Cresaptown, Bel Air kids going to Frankfort. It would destroy youth football in Cumberland.
Every year I post the openings for FH on every open date board possible including the MPSSAA open dates board. Every school in Maryland reads that board when they have a game to find. In addition I also usually send an email as well. Both FH and Alco apparently need a Week 1 game next year. If you find any pass them on. But know that PG County cannot travel to Cumberland without compensation due to their 60 mile radius travel rule. With that said, if any PG County school wants to travel to Cumberland for a one year deal, their expenses will gladly get paid. If they want a two year home-and-home deal where FH pays for their trip here and then has to travel there on their own dime, that isn't going to happen. PG County schools don't pack Greenway Avenue Stadium so the gate isn't worth it. As evidenced by the smaller crowd at the Surrattsville game the past two years that was even for a birth in the state championship game. The population here doesn't support huge gates every time these days. Nice gates, but not what they once were to the point you can just pay teams to come here when they expect a return game for free. I think a team like the Dunbar Poets however would be worth it at the gate to take a deal like that.
I will ask a few people I know if they are interested in the one year deal.
I agree PG schools don't "travel" well, and that is especially true for Friday night games. Why don't they play the regional game on Saturday? I've heard that Todd prefers the Friday games but the ultimate decision is Joe Carter's. I don't think there's any strategic reason for playing on Saturday as opposed to Friday.
bigsavage...the goal is to make the playoffs, then try to win a state title. If Alco beats FH this week and then wins out, than who really cares what the Alco regular season schedule looked like? This question would also apply to Boyz n Blue. Do you think that if Alco wins a state title that they should go ahead and pick up Martinsburg or Gwynn Park for their week 1 opening? Why not? They will have just won the state title. Boyz had been hard on FH for their scheduling after winning titles but I never see you discuss other teams in the same regard.
I would think that would be the priority at this point for all FH fans is winning a title. On the flip side, not sure how you can argue with the 2015 FH football schedule. That is about where it should be as I have already stated. This repetitive FH schedule debate that has been going on the past 5 years or so is quite humorous because it only involves FH. Nobody wants to hold other teams in the area or in this region or in all of Class 1A to the same standard. Or even remotely close to the same standard when it comes to picking football opponents. It's just not an intelligent debate most of the time.
I would think that would be the priority at this point for all FH fans is winning a title. On the flip side, not sure how you can argue with the 2015 FH football schedule. That is about where it should be as I have already stated. This repetitive FH schedule debate that has been going on the past 5 years or so is quite humorous because it only involves FH. Nobody wants to hold other teams in the area or in this region or in all of Class 1A to the same standard. Or even remotely close to the same standard when it comes to picking football opponents. It's just not an intelligent debate most of the time.
Excellent points! On that subject, why is that I never read anything about Allegany having trouble filling their schedule. Are people really afraid of FH more than the 8 time state champion Allegany? I'd love to hear from somebody who doesn't usually talk about this just to get a different perspective. Why don't teams have a problem traveling to Cumberland if it's to play Allegany?
Also, you made an excellent point about the FH/Northern crowd being unimpressive. Perhaps you shouldn't worry about scheduling home games at all and when the fans scream about it tell them if they cared they should show up and fill more than half their seats for a home playoff game.
TDHelmick yea yea I know goal is to make the playoffs that's pretty much stating the obvious... That doesn't have anything to do with the aloof attitude towards the fans... Some of us have a desire to see a good football game and to see how the team that we root for and support stacks up against other quality teams.... The team that I root for is FH I don't care nor do I have much interest in who Hancock is or how they stack up against their opponents.... But like I said just as you guys reserve the right not to care what your supporters think, the supporters reserve the right to stop spending their money... btw no one I have seen has argued with the 2015 schedule another fallacy just like stating people want to see FH schedule all powerhouses...
You don't know much about Hampshire. They may be a bigger school, but those kids don't play football. So many of those kids live so far from school, they can't realistically play sports. I believe it's the second largest Co in the state, yet they have one HS. A large population in the school system is also a group of kids that just don't play football. You put those 2 things together and that makes it tough to compete at an AA level, let alone the AAA level that they're in. As a AAA team, they have to play 6 AAA teams. Now, you expect them to play FH and Alco? Those kids still need at least some shot at making the playoffs to have some motivation. Take that away and they won't play at all. So, they should give up that longshot chance so you'll have a local team to beat up on? To make your scheduling easier? And, to boot, if they won't play at the HS level, kick the little kids out of the little league system? Will that make you feel better about yourself? I think FH and Alco are the only 2 schools they don't play locally. So, does FH and Alco run the LL system? Do you think the other LL teams would go along with that? I doubt it. They would probably tell you to stick your league where the sun don't shine.
Maybe you could just have the LLer's take out a few Hampshire kids knee's as a payback for not playing your HS teams. Will you kick out the Frankfort LLer's too? How about Southern's LLer's.
No, just take their knee's out. Isn't that what you said you did at BW when you were a star there?
Well as an administrator, you have to care what other teams in our region are doing when what they are doing is trying to outpoint you without having to play you in this silly regional playoff system. If the goal is to win a state title, then getting to the playoffs is the first step.
But what bigdawg is likely saying...if you play FH and Alco kids in every sport known to man from the time you are in the 2nd grade to the time you are in the 8th grade...why do you all of the sudden quit playing them when you get to high school? Because of the football playoffs? But they have playoff at all youth league levels and sports. Ridgeley just won the D2 CAYFL title by beating the Patriots. To me, it's the adults that get their egos involved once they hit high school. That's why they don't play FH and Alco.
I don't take what Todd is saying as attacking us fans. I do feel many of us put huge expectations on the kids at FH and yes our opinions about our schedule is a tad selfish. In the end it is ALL about our young men whatever school they attend. Perhaps his point comes across sharp but he gets the point across. From his view it probably gets old. Last I heard he does things on his own dime. Just my opinion.
But if it's in FH's best interest to not over schedule, why is that not the case for Hampshire? There are no state playoffs in the LL's. Hampshire HAS to play 6 AAA teams. So now you expect them to play FH and Alco on top of AA rival's Frankfort and Keyser? You don't expect the same for FH or Alco. Like you said, the goal is the playoffs. You don't have a rule in Md of playing a min number of games in your class or higher, do you? MR is the only local team they can play in their class.
I'm as big a Fort Hill homer as anyone, but what he is saying is the truth, especially of the local West Virignia schools. Why is it OK for Fort Hill to schedule smaryl to make the playofs and well position themselves but it's not OK for others to do the same. I somewhat get it with the Maryland 1A West schools becase they are directly competing against you for the same spots and to advance, the West Virginia schools are not. I hate that Fort Hill has scheduling problems but it's unfair to have a double standard with the locals that won't play Fort Hill when they are doing exactly as Fort Hill does.
Tdhelmick I hear your argument i really do. But I just think it's a lame cop out.... Especially when 4 out of 9 teams make it in the region... Hell FH got the number one seed with a 9 game schedule and 8 wins with a 1 loss over a team with 10 wins and zero losses.... I doubt very seriously that anyone like Hancock and clear spring will schedule and win against teams that would give them enough bonus points to ever knock FH out of one of those 4 spots... I guess we can speak in hypothetical situations all evening and we'll never agree.. So let's agree to disagree...
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Well, Hampshire is really never any good. They do schedule their mandatory 6 games to qualify for the playoffs. And I do believe MR is AAA in WV. Maybe I'm thinking of Southern, but I don't think so because Keyser doesn't play them, so I don't know why I'd be thinking of them. Nobody around here would play such a schedule. 6 AAA, Keyser, Hampshire and FH, Alco. And that being a team that NEVER makes the playoffs with the schedule they do have.
I feel for them. They have to be a AAA in a HUGE county where so many kids can't play. At times I thought they've tried activity busses, but that doesn't change the times the kids would get home EVERY night. There were times when after games and the bus get back to the school that parents wouldn't be there to pick them up. Some of these kids an hour from home. With all the back country roads, it's not like they could catch a ride from someone else. Only if they were lucky.
I'll stop my rant, I just feel for those kids.
I feel for them. They have to be a AAA in a HUGE county where so many kids can't play. At times I thought they've tried activity busses, but that doesn't change the times the kids would get home EVERY night. There were times when after games and the bus get back to the school that parents wouldn't be there to pick them up. Some of these kids an hour from home. With all the back country roads, it's not like they could catch a ride from someone else. Only if they were lucky.
I'll stop my rant, I just feel for those kids.
Well, I just don't think many know the situation with Hampshire. And these little guys in the LL's just want to play too.
This is a great point about the fallacy of the "enrollment" excuse. I've mentioned before that just having more kids doesn't mean it's a great (or even a good) program. If you look at 3A South Hagerstown and 4A Walter Johnson, everyone knew those games weren't going to be close.
I agree with you that Allegany also plays the same teams that FH does. I've spoken about this before. And I don't think I've been that hard on FH about the schedule. I've said the same thing you have about the ultimate "goal is to win the title", and if you're doing that in back-to-back years, it's hard to criticize the schedule. If you want to go back 4 or 5 years, I said the regular schedule didn't prepare FH for the tough teams they had to face in the semis and the finals, but those teams aren't in 1A any more. I've said it's a smart schedule to play to get homefield and stay healthy. Like others, I miss the exciting regular season games against Martinsburg, TJ, Jefferson etc.
I think I am most critical when some people on this board will make statements like, "FH is the best team ever", "We don't get any respect", "We can beat any team in the state", or similar outlandish comments. Then people with say something else stupid like "downstate teams are undisciplined", then I'll say something about the low level of competition you're playing, and all of sudden they call me a hater, lol.
No. They didn't. I felt FH would win, but not that it wouldnt be close.
Picking up a 3A one loss playoff contender is not the same as considering Walter Johnson a good team.
I went back and looked at this board's predictions, everyone had FH by at least 2 TDs.
Not at the beginning of the year when the schedules are made. You cant change your schedule mid way. Picking up a 3A playoff team in the offseason is the risk. By week 6 if they dont live up to the hype, you cant help that.
Youre taking mid season attitudes and expecting some type of ESP before the season to know where teams will be. You have tha luxury. Schedulers dont.
Youre taking mid season attitudes and expecting some type of ESP before the season to know where teams will be. You have tha luxury. Schedulers dont.
Red neck i agree... Also smaller schools of Fort Hill's caliber can pick and choose years to step up their schedule.... I really think the lame excuse of over "scheduling yourself out of the playoffs" is just that an excuse... Hell FH got the #1 seed with just 8 wins and a loss over a boonsboro 10 win undefeated team... Which goes to show you can UNDER schedule yourself out of the playoffs... and heck a 6-4 record gets you in the playoffs... Look at northern. I might add a 6-4 Fh team would not be the same as a clear spring or Hancock 6-4 record.. Hell a Fh 6-4 or 7-3 record would probably out point a Hancock 8-2 or 9-1 record assuming they could when that many games and FH lose that many games in the same year.... It would be interesting to run the numbers and see.. Usually it comes down to the same 3 schools out of the west fh also and boonsboro/Brunswick... Fh would probably have to go 5-5 to ever be in jeopardy of not getting 1 of the 4 spots out of a 9 man race.
So Fort Hill doesn't fulfill YOUR schedule requirements.....Well isn't that just too damn bad. Talk about lame, you repeat the same tired argument every year. Don't like who Fort Hill plays? Here's a simple solution....DON'T GO TO THE GAMES. Don't follow them through the media, don't post on here. Travel down 81 and fulfill your Martinsburg fetish every Friday, or better still, go to East and watch Gilman or DeMatha play. FH's schedule has been good enough for back to back titles. Name a 1A school that's played better ones. You just won't be happy till they start losing consistently.
" Don't like who Fort Hill plays? DON'T GO TO THE GAMES."
Lol someone's in their emotions... Your feelings hurt sweetie??? I think I adressed your above comment on an earlier post... But since you're on your rag I just figure you overlooked it through all the tears... So here it is again for your convenience...
"But like I said just as you guys reserve the right not to care what your supporters think, the supporters reserve the right to stop spending their money.."
Btw if my posts obviously ruin your day here's a suggestion of my own... Just overlook them and keep it moving and take 2 midol while you're at it...
good day ma'am
Seems like you're the one with hurt feelings. Another year goes by and FH still wont schedule to your specifications. Gonna have to take your ball and go home.
Not only are you ragging you're half brain dead... That's not a very good combination... Where in any of my posts have I said that this years FH schedule hasn't met my specifcications????? Let me save you the time because you're an obvious waste of mine... Nowhere have I said that this years schedule hasn't met my specifications... Like usual your just here to gainsay with nothing substantive to add to the discussion... Now go run along and play somewhere else... Adults are busy...
I personally like road trips. But I do hear the argument of the expense of road trips during a season. Dont agree with it, but I hear it. As long as it's a home and home, I'm fine with it.
And while I agree that homefield advantage is something you want...If Fort Hill plays Northern in Accident or Surratsville in PG county...they would most likely still win. And the expenses in the playoffs are paid for by MPSSAA, so the "it costs alot" argument isn't quite as prevalent after week 10.
I think this years schedule was fine.
And while I agree that homefield advantage is something you want...If Fort Hill plays Northern in Accident or Surratsville in PG county...they would most likely still win. And the expenses in the playoffs are paid for by MPSSAA, so the "it costs alot" argument isn't quite as prevalent after week 10.
I think this years schedule was fine.
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