How many more games does Millard South play this regular season?

[nja13]

We had a media member go on a radio show claiming that Millard South really didn't have that many transfers, all those kids played in the Jr Patriots program. While they had kids from Kansas City and Grand Island on their team, he's mostly correct. All these kids played with each other from grade school up living everywhere in the city and in some instances in Lincoln or Kansas City.

I heard this exchange. You're talking about Mike Sautter, who was super snooty and condesending in making his points. "90% of MS were freshman at MS. They didn't transfer in! Them's the facts, Jack! I don't know where that narriative is coming from."

It was on Damon and Ravi's show. After Mike went on for forever about it, again dripping with condensation like a window air conditioner, Ravi says, "Right, there's not many tranfers in. But counting transfers doesn't count the kids who option enroll into the district before their freshman year, right?" making the point you are about the players coming from all over the city (and Midwest region, apparently) to play football but doing so before their freshman year so they technically aren't transfers.

Mike litterally hemmed and hawed at this point and was like

 

[Tell_Sackett]

It's sad that it has come to this. Growing up I played sports with kids in my neighborhood, we played in grade school then HS together with others from our part of the city. There weren't mercenaries on our roster or super teams we played against.

Schools and parents have over inflated the importance of HS athletics by taking part in this.

My daughter attends a school in Indiana with about 500 kids. Her best friend is 6'2 and plays volleyball. That's not exactly a common roster occurrence for a small school. She transferred to another area school this year as a junior because that's where her travel coach is coaching. She started at her former School last year, and her former school is winning their conference and has a good team even without her, particularly for a school their size.

In Indiana, there apparently are some restrictions on transfers which do not allow "recruiting" of travel ball players by their travel coaches in IHSAA. Therefore, she transferred schools knowing full well that she may not even be granted clearance to play. She is not currently playing HS, and according to my daughter, she doesn't care.

It drives me bananas. Kids (and their parents), are throwing away lifelong relationships and abandoning communities in the pursuit of college scholarship glory that will not come for the vast majority of these players. She plays volleyball 11 months a year. She will likely be a low end D1 or high in D2 prospect. Is it really worth it?

 

[That SOB Van Owen]

At this point, it's for the boundaries for electing school board members for determining which properties are taxed to which districts.

Why should taxes go to districts based on where you live if your kids can go anywhere?

 

[nja13]

It drives me bananas. Kids (and their parents), are throwing away lifelong relationships and abandoning communities in the pursuit of college scholarship glory that will not come for the vast majority of these players. She plays volleyball 11 months a year. She will likely be a low end D1 or high in D2 prospect. Is it really worth it?

I'm with you, but many parents would say it is unequivocally worth it. Have you seen the cost of college recently? Low end D1 or D2 is still a full ride.

 

[Alum-Ni]

Why should taxes go to districts based on where you live if your kids can go anywhere?

Well, most kids attend the school in the district they reside in.

Until the State of Nebraska blows it up and finds a new funding model, it's the system we have.

 

[Tell_Sackett]

I'm with you, but many parents would say it is unequivocally worth it. Have you seen the cost of college recently? Low end D1 or D2 is still a full ride.

I get it, but she's getting a scholarship where she was at too and she still playing travel another nine months out of the year which is where she's getting her exposure anyway.

Ultimately, it's a tricky situation because a parent should do what's best for their kids. I'll never shy away from that. However, it's a shame that these kids don't get the opportunity to play and grow with their own friends. It is definitely hurting communities.

 

[alt f4]

I kind of think it is helping. What's wrong with those bottom teams playing competative games and every winning some?
The whole idea of the rule is to get kids to go out for football again, and certainly this is helping get kids out for football at Lincoln High.

Strength of schedule still plays a big factor in making the playoffs. That's another reason why Lincoln High forfeited this week, which makes them inegilible for the playoffs. Because they weren't going to make the playoffs even with a 6-3 record. They haven't beaten anyone with more than 2 wins so far.

Yeah, Southwest might not make the playoffs either, but three of the four losses so far have come at the hands of 3-3 teams in competative games. Take care of their own business and they'd be fine. It's not like they're being fed to slaughter against the best of the best.

There is no strength of schedule, it's based on your opponent's records. You can rack up points vs winless teams, lose 2 or 3 games and still make wildcard. A win vs a winless team is still 41 points, a loss, the most you'll get is 36 vs an undefeated team.

38.6667 and 38.8889 were wildcards last year.


My previous post:
This created more issues with playoff points and possibly wildcard qualification issues. It allowed those lesser teams more wins, which put them into the Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams with enough points to qualify based on Wildcard Points.

Lincoln SW gets 47 points for beating Lincoln NE. Any team who beat Lincoln SW only gets 44.
Lincoln SE gets 47 points for beating Lincoln High. Any team who beat Lincoln SE only gets 44.

Lincoln NE will likely get 2 more wins vs Buena Vista and South Sioux City ending up 6-3 and with enough points to possibly get into the playoffs over some other teams like Papio, Kearney, Millard West, North Star, and Lincoln SW who destroyed them.

 

[nja13]

There is no strength of schedule, it's based on your opponent's records.

I am very familiar with how it works. I would define "based on your opponent's records" as strength of schedule, though. Generally, better teams have better records. That's why you're saying a 6-3 may "possibliy" get into the playoffs when normally a 6-3 team would be a lock. Lincoln High knew the playoffs were a long shot at 6-3, so that made the forfieting desicion that much easier.

I do understand how the unbalanced schedules can throw that off, though, as to your other post.

 

[TheXHerb]

I get it, but she's getting a scholarship where she was at too and she still playing travel another nine months out of the year which is where she's getting her exposure anyway.

Ultimately, it's a tricky situation because a parent should do what's best for their kids. I'll never shy away from that. However, it's a shame that these kids don't get the opportunity to play and grow with their own friends. It is definitely hurting communities.

THIS.

This was what my original post a few weeks ago was about. My son is navigating potental playing time issues, not from ability (and it's not just me "dad" saying this, it's other parents on varsity and other coaches I've spoken too) due to "influence". I'm being told what's best for him is to transfer so he can get the varsity time he deserves/"needs" for college recruiting purposes. He's not being illegally recruited by HS coaches in town per-se, but we all know how this works; if a different HC wants you, they will find a way to make sure you know about it, and let you reach out if you are interested.

He has options. However he doesn't want to transfer because he has friends, and he loves the school. So he's going to stick it out for that reason, and deal with the cards as they play out. I respect him for sticking it out. I think most parents and most coaches do too, especially in today's climate. I would prefer he stay as well, for those same reasons; but damnit...if he gets fucked out of playing time because of circumstances completely out of his control, that is a legit reason parents look to transfer. If this costs him college opportunies because he hardly has any varsity film to show, I'm always going to wonder if I should have done something about it or not. But I"m not making him transfer to a school if he doesn't want to. But I'm told by so many others this is a mistake.

It's the culture that exists right now.

 

[nja13]

Millard South should schedule some more games against the power teams in Kansas City so some of their players can play in front of their friends and family.

 

[PonyBoy]

There was much more distribution of talent at that time. I went to Bellevue East and we finished 5-4 and lost to Danny Woodhead NP team 20-16 in the quarterfinals . Even the “real bad” teams were much more competitive. There wasn’t a lot of 60 and 70’s being scored and a blowout was more of a 4-5 TD win. I can tell you in Bellevue that East has pretty much been stripped of all talent by West. Any kid with talent that lives in East district gets special exemption and ends up at West. When I was in high school, we all went to the school we were assigned to and there wasn’t any of the opt ins we see now.

East should hire better coaches, so a kid doesn't have to cross their assigned boundary.

I all but guarantee if Huffman left Bellevue West at the end of this season & accepted the Bell East job, the Chieftains will be a top 10 football team heading in to the 2027 season. Same goes with basketball & baseball. Hire better coaches, ones that kids want to play for. (And no, I'm not a fan of Huffman as I think he's a first class, unethical, prick). Watch Bellevue West baseball, they will be on a decline since Shockey accepted the Westside job and Schumacher (his replacement at West) won't attract any talent. Ian Delaet has a great opportunity in front of himself to make Bellevue East relevant in baseball. Let's see if he takes advantage of it, as the door is extremely wide open.

I'm indifferent on open/closed enrollment. I see both sides of the discussion. 40 years ago there wasn't open enrollment but for some strange reason, kids were playing for schools way outside of their assigned school boundary. This isn't new, but it is in some districts & now, people have a problem with it.

 

[PonyBoy]

How does funding work for public schools? Do schools that get transfers from outside their district get extra $ from the state to support that? Just seems like a mess.

Don't hold me to it, but Bellevue Public Schools receive approximately $8,500 per student on average of federal funding (Offutt AFB related?) - regardless if they're from the district or outside of the district. I can't recall the exact details. That's down from what they use to receive years ago, because at some point, the federal funding was adjusted backwards a little.

Someone else can correct the details, as they're a little fuzzy as it's been several years since it was explained to me. There's a member on here pretty dialed in to Bellevue Public Schools, maybe he'll see this and explain.

No way you could do this logistically. Kid would potentially need a bus to go to other school and then another bus home.

Probably not the typical situation but enough that it would prevent it from being required.

Busing to school has been going on since I've been alive; cross town too. For those with after school activities, there were always buses waiting for them after practice to take them back to their area of town. Buses were available Mon-Fri, and those of us with a car were asked to help out on the weekend. Most of the guys had their own transportation but there was a time or two I drove to the north Omaha projects to pick up or drop someone off. And those projects were not in my school's "assigned boundary".

 

[slattimer]

This was what my original post a few weeks ago was about. My son is navigating potental playing time issues, not from ability (and it's not just me "dad" saying this, it's other parents on varsity and other coaches I've spoken too) due to "influence". I'm being told what's best for him is to transfer so he can get the varsity time he deserves/"needs" for college recruiting purposes.

- What do you mean..."influence."
- Most recruiting now occurs when kids go to camps at colleges.
- Most coaches want to win and play the kids that will give the team the best chance at winning.

 

[kchusker1423]

THIS.

This was what my original post a few weeks ago was about. My son is navigating potental playing time issues, not from ability (and it's not just me "dad" saying this, it's other parents on varsity and other coaches I've spoken too) due to "influence". I'm being told what's best for him is to transfer so he can get the varsity time he deserves/"needs" for college recruiting purposes. He's not being illegally recruited by HS coaches in town per-se, but we all know how this works; if a different HC wants you, they will find a way to make sure you know about it, and let you reach out if you are interested.

He has options. However he doesn't want to transfer because he has friends, and he loves the school. So he's going to stick it out for that reason, and deal with the cards as they play out. I respect him for sticking it out. I think most parents and most coaches do too, especially in today's climate. I would prefer he stay as well, for those same reasons; but damnit...if he gets fucked out of playing time because of circumstances completely out of his control, that is a legit reason parents look to transfer. If this costs him college opportunies because he hardly has any varsity film to show, I'm always going to wonder if I should have done something about it or not. But I"m not making him transfer to a school if he doesn't want to. But I'm told by so many others this is a mistake.

It's the culture that exists right now.

You can't care more than he does. It will drive you insane...

 

[Baron Winnebago]

It's times like these that I'm thrilled I'm uncoordinated and never have to burden my kids with the hope that they may be able to go somewhere in sports

 

[TheXHerb]

You can't care more than he does. It will drive you insane...

Fair. But I can't tell you how many parents I've talked to that are in their 40's that wish their parents would have kept on them about pushing forward when they were in HS. It's these same parents that are the problem parents of today, because they can't go back and un-do the mistake they made, when they were too young to realize they were going to regret it. And they are trying to 'undo' that mistake by pushing their kid into everything. There's a fine line between making sure your kid doesn't make a bad mistake, and living their life for them.

 

[Jim14510]

Busing to school has been going on since I've been alive; cross town too. For those with after school activities, there were always buses waiting for them after practice to take them back to their area of town. Buses were available Mon-Fri, and those of us with a car were asked to help out on the weekend. Most of the guys had their own transportation but there was a time or two I drove to the north Omaha projects to pick up or drop someone off. And those projects were not in my school's "assigned boundary".

My point is they'd be picking up several more routes on top of that. Like you now have a trip from Westside to North before and after school for anyone from North in sports that would now have to play at North even if they opted into Westside.

Do they have so many routes going now that this wouldn't really be adding much?

 

[COYS]

East should hire better coaches, so a kid doesn't have to cross their assigned boundary.

I all but guarantee if Huffman left Bellevue West at the end of this season & accepted the Bell East job, the Chieftains will be a top 10 football team heading in to the 2027 season. Same goes with basketball & baseball. Hire better coaches, ones that kids want to play for. (And no, I'm not a fan of Huffman as I think he's a first class, unethical, prick). Watch Bellevue West baseball, they will be on a decline since Shockey accepted the Westside job and Schumacher (his replacement at West) won't attract any talent. Ian Delaet has a great opportunity in front of himself to make Bellevue East relevant in baseball. Let's see if he takes advantage of it, as the door is extremely wide open.

I'm indifferent on open/closed enrollment. I see both sides of the discussion. 40 years ago there wasn't open enrollment but for some strange reason, kids were playing for schools way outside of their assigned school boundary. This isn't new, but it is in some districts & now, people have a problem with it.

Hire better coaches as in ones with connections and willingness to play the recruiting game is what you are saying?

Believe it or not, there are a lot of amazing coaches out there at these programs that are getting throttled by the Millard South’s of the world. Many of them just have a traditional mindset of how high school athletics should function and don’t believe in or want to jump into recruiting 8th graders. They take what they get and put 100% of their love and effort into building the young kids that walk into their buildings.

 

[DuckSker]

My solution would put things back in line with pretty much how everything operated for the last 100 years or so. Somehow a bunch of generations of students managed to go to the school district where they lived and turned out okay.

Nebraska is producing more D1 college football athletes than ever right now, so something must be working.

They just need to let the big dogs play a national schedule. This is America, greatness should be celebrated.

 

[PonyBoy]

My point is they'd be picking up several more routes on top of that. Like you now have a trip from Westside to North before and after school for anyone from North in sports that would now have to play at North even if they opted into Westside.

Do they have so many routes going now that this wouldn't really be adding much?

I don't see how this is different than my era. There was always a couple of buses after football practice taking kids back to their part of town. IIRC, 1 for South O & 1 for North O.

Hire better coaches as in ones with connections and willingness to play the recruiting game is what you are saying?

Believe it or not, there are a lot of amazing coaches out there at these programs that are getting throttled by the Millard South’s of the world. Many of them just have a traditional mindset of how high school athletics should function and don’t believe in or want to jump into recruiting 8th graders. They take what they get and put 100% of their love and effort into building the young kids that walk into their buildings.

Recruiting has been going on for years since I was a kid 40 years ago. Jack Oholendt sat in my living room when I was in 7th & 8th grade trying to get me to go to South to play for him. His wife was my junior high Home Economics teacher and she would say stuff all the time. Jim Thomas was occasionally at our summer games trying to get guys & although not a coach, but a very prominent figure in Papillion, Rich Bellino did the same. FFS, Fred Petito literally camped out at KWAA football games on Sunday and was very open trying to get guys to go to Millard North. Dexter Brown did the dirty work for Tim Cannon at Omaha Bryan. Bill Olson was another one, but he actually had two feeder programs for the most part (Gladiators & OCC).

Millard South football has taken it to an extreme level. Bellevue West under douchebag Huffman did it too, and likely still does. Larry Martin at Omaha North had staff members do it as well. Huff gets hammered all the time by people for recruiting. Nobody gives a shit about Martin & Central coaches doing it.

Is Papillion South FB recruiting? How about Elkhorn South FB? I don't believe either school has an open policy, but I do know they both have very strong youth feeder programs. And they're currently successful teams inside the top 10.

But one doesn't have to recruit. Hire someone with clout, see Millard North baseball as a prime example with Hlavac. He's bff's with a very good friend of mine and he'll never take someone's phone call about transferring until it's official with the school district. He doesn't need to. Dude is dialed in with college coaches all over the country and kids wanna play for him. Steve Fry doesn't recruit, neither does Greg Geary but coincidentally they have kids in other (Millard) boundaries that attend their school. Why!? Because they win and place kids at the next level.

Like I said, I'm indifferent on open enrollment. I see both sides of the discussion.