My Thoughts, Not Yours 10/23/21

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• League shifting talk is amping up. See what happens. Lots of rumors.
  Could be big changes in Huron League. Party could be over for a few,
  others will move where they need too.
  AD meetings happening soon.

• Not sure why all the kudos to Milan and Riverview and their coaching. Historically even the last 10 years, there are plenty of area schools and coaches that have out performed them in regards to playoff wins. Yes they ha e league titles, but haven’t got past or earned a regional title. I believe SMCC, WHITEFORD, BEDFORD, GI, IDA have. You can argue match ups, but it’s by divisions, comparable schools. In regards to coaches getting negative comments. It’s one thing to comment if you know and understand the game, the mindset of high school kids, and putting in time away from family. But some people, parents, day after analyzers want to bash coaches with zero filters and have never put on the hat and whistle to earn the title coach. Critiquing is one thing, outright belligerence is quite another. Fact is you never know what you are going to get week in week out. Another fact is fans and parents always think their kids team is better than they may actually be. To the other point made. Kids read these posts. Some believe everything they read and many believe everything a belligerent parent or relatives says. Whether on here or in family discussions. So it can negatively impact a team and undermine a coach. So it’s good that these posts are screened. Coaches coach players play. Most coaches do their best to put players in a position to have success as it pertains to their philosophy and scheme. The average bystander may not understand that, let alone have a clue of what is really happening on the gridiron. There is a need for good leading coaches. So if you think you know more, better, have a way to immediate and consistent winning. Then I say grab that hat and whistle and coach. If not continue to critique, belligerently if you must. But remember your not willing to put yourself where your mouth is. And that’s that. Good luck to ALL the area teams in the playoffs.

  • Nothing says I just started watching high school football in 2020 than listing the 2 local teams who have won a state title, SMCC and Whiteford, and comparing everyone else to them as if they're no good. And then a team, Grosse Ile, that has gotten exactly as far as Riverview has recently. I guess state semis only counts in D4? And Ida? Ida? Really. Bedford... BEDFORD? Bedford has never done a thing.
    Insight and opinion is one thing, but you need to have some modicum of knowledge and facts before you post on here.

    • Really? So it’s ok to list your personal favs, but someone else can’t. To your point. Yes Milan and View have won league and made it to playoffs. But other teams represented by this blog have too and went as far or better, with coaches that have been there a while. By comparison their success is worth noting just as much as Milan and View coaches. It is apparent from this comment you dislike state champions. Sorry you fav hasn’t been there or gotten one.

  • Riverview was in the semifinals 4 years ago.

  • Not to take anything away from the coaching staff at Riverview, but their PE department has been offering specific team sports classes. It is highly "recommended" that if you play a varsity sport, you take the corresponding class. Classes often taught by coaches, and provides film study, and extra prep time. Works around the " football time allotment rules " handed down by MHSAA.
    Classes offered,
    Football:
    Basketball
    Baseball
    Softball
    among others

    • Flat rock has a football tech class. Does that mean they should be 9-0. A lot of local schools have tech classes. They are a way for their athletes to get the lift in while playing other sports. I know the one that I student taught in did lifting and speed training. Didn’t know the mhsaa put guidelines on that.

      • Maybe they should have the Riverview coaches teach the classes at FR

    • It's just weightlifting. Which every school offers. Then we played pickup basketball after football season was over. What an advantage.

      • The baseball class actual used to do baseball drills. Can't say it helped or not, but obviously they are trying to help their athletes or they wouldn't have the class.
        Tough to say if it actually helped or not.
        Point is most of us have real classes.

        • You either got cut from baseball there or are salty that you didn't go there. Either way try to enjoy life. High School sports are over for you. Do what the rest of your generation did and get a job.

    • There’s no film invloved in tech classes they are mostly lifting or conditioning for sports. Get your facts straight if you’re going to speak on it. Only one class is taught by a coach of a team there.

    • https://www.riverviewschools.com/files/user/8/file/PE%202021.mp4

      Riverview web site on PE classes

  • Great points. I personally have never met a coach that intentionally tried to lose games. As someone who’s coached nearly 30 seasons of varsity sports I’ve always played the kids who have given me the best chance to win. Some seasons were great, some seasons were average, other seasons were not so good, but the focus was always the same. Try to win every game while playing the players that gave you the best chance. Some seasons I was considered a good coach other seasons I wasn’t. Nothing changed, but the talent level and/or work ethic of the kids.

• Huge amount of respect to #5 from Riverview the QB. Kid wanted to win and went to far as putting his body on the line to get a crucial 4th down. And then the team dominated from there doing it for him.

• Chris
  I mostly agree with you but I disagree on having an IMG type school in Michigan. I think it would hurt alot of schools.. I do not think all-in playoffs is the answer but there are some adjustments that need to be made to the current system.

• A couple thoughts on some potential district draws: i'm sure Riverview will not be happy playing on the road, they will take it out on Allen Park. While i expect Carlson to beat Trenton, they merely survived them 28-27 in the regular season. Looks like an all huron league first round match between Milan and Huron which was a close one during the season. Winner most likely gets Chelsea in Round 2. Hey Chris/Gary/Frank is Chelsea the favorite to win D4? Also looks like SMCC could draw JLC in Round 2. While they might be the underdog don't cry too hard for the Falcons they would have more than a punchers chance. Don't forget they did beat a darn good Milan team this year.

  • There are a BIG 3 In D4.

    Chelsea
    Hudsonville Unity Christian
    Edwardsburg

    Followed by the next tier of:
    Country Day
    ND Prep
    South Christian

    If you are looking for a “sleeper”.
    Cadillac

    Not sure there is a favorite in D4 between those 3. They are all excellent.

    • That is why i ask you guys these types of questions, i don't think Mick Mccabe could give me that kind of insight. Hey Chris give my man a raise LOL

• Wow, Chris bringing it with some hard truths. Thank you for saying what many people are thinking.

• I really enjoy what you guys put together through FNV but one thing I’ve noticed is the constant negative comments and badmouthing of programs and staffs on here whether it be Airport/Monroe/Milan etc, I’ve seen quite a bit this year more than the usual. Something to remember is that these staffs have families that they take time away from to go do a thankless and unappreciated job. They see this, their players, their families and players families.as well. These comments can work against the task at hand and the work that’s put in. By no means am I saying you can’t question a play call or decision but come on, it’s getting pretty bad. I’m sure most of these “Anonymous” comments are coming from people that aren’t taking the time to coach and be away from their families. Maybe some people agree but then again maybe not. Who knows. Good luck to all of the teams on their playoff runs

  • I have to disagree with Milan being included in the issue with coaches. I have been following the blog since 2012 and can count the number of times the Milan coaches have been commented on negatively on one hand and have fingers left over. Coach Hoskins and his crew teach and coach the way it should be done.

    • We have tremendous coaches in our coverage area.

      • I would 100% agree!

        • Me too!
          They all put their heart and soul into coaching these kids.
          High school football coaching is a 12 month job.
          They start next season as soon as they play their last game this season.
          I have not met a coach yet, trying to lose.
          By the way, they make about 2-3 grand a year for doing all this.
          People need to shut up and applaud these people.
          Genoe at Jefferson, is just as good a coach and works just as hard as Kipf at SMCC.
          So quit running off these guys.

  • So Gary and Chris should only allow the “butterfly and rainbow” responses on this blog?? That would be extremely boring. Not sure what school you represent or referring to but when someone says Airport needs to do something with that defense it’s not exactly hatred towards any coach-the truth is the defense has been bad for nearly a decade. If someone comes on here wondering why Monroe does some of the things they do so be it. I watched the Monroe/Riverview game and at times I was wondering what the hell Monroe was thinking on offense-I won’t go into details. As far as Milan goes, Hoskins is hands down the best coach around. Coach Mac at Riverview is also making a name for himself. I’ve never really heard anyone bashing Milan. Most teams around would love to have what Milan has. With all that being said, it’s a harsh world in youth and varsity sports. Parents at times can be totally ridiculous and it takes a special person to take on a coaching position. Some agree with the coach and some don’t. This website is a great platform for local high school football!! Keep up the great work Chris and Gary!

  • Comes with the territory of being a coach. High school or not.

    • I disagree. I have seen some great coaches who are in the state Hall of Fame and/or have state championship rings just burned out from coaching because people think because they graduated from a high school or paid $6 to get into a game, they can say whatever they want. For the couple thousand dollars a high school coach makes, and the 30-40 hours a week they add on to their regular day job if they do it right, its ridiculous some of the things they have to deal with. I have seen coaches houses get egged, cars vandalized, anonymous hate letters placed in their home mailboxes, spouses harassed, not to mention all the cyber cowards and their hate messages. Some people are just crazy. We lose more good coaches and officials due to people like you who think its OK than you realize. You won't realize it until you have a new head coach every 3-5 years (i.e. Dundee, Mason, Monroe) or have to play your varsity games on Thursday afternoons because there isn't anymore officials. Same reason there is a teacher shortage as well.

      • Perfectly stated!

  • You are probably right.

    We may be becoming desensitized.
    You should see what we don’t allow through.

• Do you think airport would have made it 4-5 or no

  • I don't think so, but it would have been close.

• Not a chance whiteford wins states. 0 chance. Their defense is horrible

  • I’m a Sand Creek parent and if with a gun to my head I had to bet my house on who wins Division 8 I would pick Whiteford without a moment’s hesitation.

    • They most likely caught a very big break not being in the district with Hudson, Sand Creek and Addison. Instead of having to play 2 of those teams, they will only have to play 1. We will find out in a few short hours.

  • Whiteford is 2-3 Touchdowns better than Addison, Hudson right now.

• Where do you see Lumen Christi to end up?

  • 1. JlC
    2. SMCC
    3. Westland Lutheran
    4. Leadership

    • The new playoff system makes no sense and how Lunen went from up .2 to up .77 now in the final rankings over SMCC. CC beats a division 2 team with more wins than Lumen’s division 3 opponent and somehow that puts Lumen over CC?