Pool Play

[conors72]

So uh.. anyone excited for pool play? :D

[hilly]

I wish you guys luck Conors, but I can't stand pool play. I think a pool play title is a fake championship that rewards teams that aren't as good as others during the regular season.
I've taken crap for saying that in the past, but I feel that if you don't make the sectional tournament you should be allowed to play an exhibition game or two ... but no title rewarded.
I also don't think every basketball team should make the tournament, but that is for another thread down the road.

[TurnTwo]

I wish you guys luck Conors, but I can't stand pool play. I think a pool play title is a fake championship that rewards teams that aren't as good as others during the regular season.
I've taken crap for saying that in the past, but I feel that if you don't make the sectional tournament you should be allowed to play an exhibition game or two ... but no title rewarded.
I also don't think every basketball team should make the tournament, but that is for another thread down the road.

I don't think any team goes into the season with a goal of winning the pool play. Last year when we were in pool play, Coach Cusmano's attitude was "If we're in it, we might as well win it". There is no glory in pool play. All in all, it just amounts to a couple exhibition games like you said, Brian.

[joeZam1]

Theres 2 ways to look at pool play.From one standpoint if you have many underclassmen on the team and are competitive and the team wants to continue, its great experience..On the other hand if you have alot of seniors and the team has high expectations and or a good basketball team, BAG it, but thats tuff to do.

[saints_dad]

After the disappointing loss to Marshall last Friday, I see the Saints pool play games as a way to finish off the season on a positive note. The Saints aren't playing for a championship anymore, they're playing for pride, the love of the game, for sportsmanship and for fun. Sure we'd rather still be in the playoffs, but we're going to make the best out of the situation and finish the season off on a positive note.

[rockandroll34]

Pool play is another way for the kids to stay together for another week. High school athletics is all about team, family and dedication, and just because you can't hoist a sectional title, just to be able to spend another week with your teammates, is what pool play is all about.

[saints_dad]

Pool play is another way for the kids to stay together for another week. High school athletics is all about team, family and dedication, and just because you can't hoist a sectional title, just to be able to spend another week with your teammates, is what pool play is all about.


Yeah, that's what it's all about, especially for the Seniors. Some of the guys will be playing college football, but most won't. The next two weeks will be the last hurrah for alot of the guys, the last time they'll suit up and play football.

[OldSchool78]

I am a little worried about you. If your son is a senior and not one of kids playing in college next year, what are you going to do? Will you be able to handle it? There is involved and there is too involved. I think you are the latter. I saw you at the Gates Chili/ Pittsford game, it was a little weird watching you around those high school kids. It was almost like you wished you were 17 again.

[easyrsaidthandone]

I am a little worried about you. If your son is a senior and not one of kids playing in college next year, what are you going to do? Will you be able to handle it? There is involved and there is too involved. I think you are the latter. I saw you at the Gates Chili/ Pittsford game, it was a little weird watching you around those high school kids. It was almost like you wished you were 17 again.

Personally, I think its great if a parent cares about his sons athletic career. I think its wierd that your worried about him..do you wish you were his father? Im with SAINTS dad all the way on this, way to be a proud parent!

[DrewVT6]

I am a little worried about you. If your son is a senior and not one of kids playing in college next year, what are you going to do? Will you be able to handle it? There is involved and there is too involved. I think you are the latter. I saw you at the Gates Chili/ Pittsford game, it was a little weird watching you around those high school kids. It was almost like you wished you were 17 again.

Ummmm...what's stranger? Getting excited for your kid(s)? Or keeping tabs on someone while they don't know it?

[saints_dad]

I am a little worried about you. If your son is a senior and not one of kids playing in college next year, what are you going to do? Will you be able to handle it? There is involved and there is too involved. I think you are the latter. I saw you at the Gates Chili/ Pittsford game, it was a little weird watching you around those high school kids. It was almost like you wished you were 17 again.

You don't know who I am. I wasn't at the Gates Chili/ Pittsford game. My son is playing college ball next year. I don't hang around the high school kids, but I'm there for my former players (I used to coach) if they need to talk to me.

You're assuming way to much man, because you've got me mistaken for somebody else. There's people on this board that know me and can vouch for me.

[rockandroll34]

I think saintsdad is a proud father who loves the game of football and supports his son throughout.
I wish there were more dads in this world like him.
Half the games we go to, most fathers never even show up too.

[joeZam1]

You don't know who I am. I wasn't at the Gates Chili/ Pittsford game. My son is playing college ball next year. I don't hang around the high school kids, but I'm there for my former players (I used to coach) if they need to talk to me.

You're assuming way to much man, because you've got me mistaken for somebody else. There's people on this board that know me and can vouch for me.

Its AMAZING what happens when people assume that ur doing or saying something that you never even did or say. I think its great that you support your son, God Bless ya!

[saints_dad]

Thanks guys! You're correct in that I love football and obviously I love my son. We've been a football family for the past 11 years. I wouldn't dream of missing a game. You know what, my Dad was the same way and he went to everyone of my games as well. He and my step Mom have made almost all of my son's games too, but my Dad's health is failing and the once vigorous guard and center from the early 40's Aquinas teams doesn't have many snaps left.

Getting back to the pool play discussion, it gives teams a chance to play other teams that normally wouldn't be scheduled, it give teams a chance to finish out the season on a positive note and a chance to play football a little while longer. I don't care if there's a championship for pool play, it's for the love of the game that I like to see the season go on for at least another two weeks! Plus, it gives me a chance to man the chains for a little while longer! :D There's no better place to watch a game than being on the sidelines, following the play upfield on chain gang!

Best of Luck to the Pool Play participants!

[lbcoach45]

I'm not a fan of pool play for teams that make sectionals, but I am with JoeZ on this one. A few years ago, we (Whitman) had a bunch of underclassmen and were knocked out of sectionals in the first round. Dundee was also knocked out, so we played them. The kids all wanted too, the coaches wanted to get more work in with the kids and it gave the few seniors a last game. With so many young guys, it gives you a chance to coach them up a little more, work on the small things for one more week. It gives some of the kids a shot to get more time. We lost pretty bad, but overall it helped the kids for the next season.

[joeZam1]

I believe you are 100% dead on. In 02 Elba was 2-5 with many freshman and sophomores (ended up 4-5) In 03 we were 3-4 (ended up 5-4), the next two years we won the GR and in 05 won the sectionals, so poolplay did help the underclassmen tremendously, ended the season on a "feel good" note and got us ready for the future. Coincidently those freshman won many awards the night of our championship game, so while coaches may not be happy with where they are at, its probably the correct thing to do.

[lbcoach45]

The group I'm talking about also won the '05 sectional championship, runner ups in '04. One more week of practice is huge when you're working with sophomores and juniors.

[hilly]

I believe you are 100% dead on. In 02 Elba was 2-5 with many freshman and sophomores (ended up 4-5) In 03 we were 3-4 (ended up 5-4), the next two years we won the GR and in 05 won the sectionals, so poolplay did help the underclassmen tremendously, ended the season on a "feel good" note and got us ready for the future. Coincidently those freshman won many awards the night of our championship game, so while coaches may not be happy with where they are at, its probably the correct thing to do.


Joe, I understand how the winning was good, but wouldn't a couple of exhibition games mean just as much?
The whole pool play "championship" is bogus. One of my fondest memories over the last decade is being with you guys as you won a sectional title, but the pool play titles were just extra games played in my opinion. Did you get a trophy or anything? I've never been to a pool play game and I honestly don't think I'd ever go to one.
Momentum heading into the offseason means a lot, but I don't understand giving a title for winning two games against other teams that didn't make the real tournament.
I would think it would mean just as much saying "hey we won two games against teams on our level after we didn't make the playoffs" as saying "we won a title, even though we didn't do well enough last year to make the playoffs".
Just my opinion and you might not agree, but does everybody really need a trophy?

[Section5sportsguy]

Its basically a battle for ninth place.

[joeZam1]

Joe, I understand how the winning was good, but wouldn't a couple of exhibition games mean just as much?
The whole pool play "championship" is bogus. One of my fondest memories over the last decade is being with you guys as you won a sectional title, but the pool play titles were just extra games played in my opinion. Did you get a trophy or anything? I've never been to a pool play game and I honestly don't think I'd ever go to one.
Momentum heading into the offseason means a lot, but I don't understand giving a title for winning two games against other teams that didn't make the real tournament.
I would think it would mean just as much saying "hey we won two games against teams on our level after we didn't make the playoffs" as saying "we won a title, even though we didn't do well enough last year to make the playoffs".
Just my opinion and you might not agree, but does everybody really need a trophy?

Truth of the matter is, that you can call it exhibition, but get in the trenches with some of those linemen and "exhibition" is a strange word. I do not believe the word "championship" or giving out a trophy are anything more than fluff. As a matter of fact the first pool play season, the referee that had the trophy forgot to give it to us, and we never received it.

[TurnTwo]

Pool play.... Section V's NIT.

[rockandroll34]

Truth of the matter is, that you can call it exhibition, but get in the trenches with some of those linemen and "exhibition" is a strange word. I do not believe the word "championship" or giving out a trophy are anything more than fluff. As a matter of fact the first pool play season, the referee that had the trophy forgot to give it to us, and we never received it.

I wonder if that ref took it home and showed it to his kids telling them "Look what daddy won."

[saints_dad]

Truth of the matter is, that you can call it exhibition, but get in the trenches with some of those linemen and "exhibition" is a strange word. I do not believe the word "championship" or giving out a trophy are anything more than fluff. As a matter of fact the first pool play season, the referee that had the trophy forgot to give it to us, and we never received it.

I'm with you joeZam, the "championship" and the trophy are fluff and should be dropped from pool play. Making the effort to finish out the season on a positive note and love of the game is what pool play is all about. Nobody is playing for a championship in pool play, but they are hopefully playing for pride.

[conors72]

haha i started this thread as a joke. this is fantastic.

[saints_dad]

what would be great is if we won it, then hung it up in our locker rooms bathroom..


and to any of my coaches that decide to check up on what i'm writing on here-all of which is harmless- what i said in that sentence above IS ONLY A JOKE

There's a few coaches that post here and a few that lurk, but I doubt your coach is reading these threads.

Who are you guys playing?

[joeZam1]

I really think its great that Saints DAD cares! I have know idea who he is but can certainly tell that he would be the type of parent liked by coaches..Like you said Dan, certainly better than not caring at all and being all drunk and stuff at a bar on Fri.nights.

[hilly]

I agree that SaintsDad is a good dad. The fact that he's there for his kid and even goes on this website to talk sports is a good thing.
I couldn't tell you how many kids I've met that either have a father that isn't around because he left his mother or would rather be at the bar with his buddies playing pool and getting drunk.
There are a lot of great parents that do support their children and I applaud those parents. They give their children a leg up in life and are doing things the right way.

[SectionVfan]

Saints dad is a good guy and his son is an outstanding young man. Joe's parents should be very proud of him, and I know personally Joe appreciates them being there for him.