enjoythegame

OK Canes, the season is over now - you can get back in your "holier-than-thou mobile" and drive back up to the top of Mt. Utopia where all refs make the right off- sides calls (according to you), where no players' feelings are hurt (because all games end in 1-1 ties), and those games that don't end in ties receive your holy blessing for being fairly played with no mean ole' chest-beating, stat-inflating players or coaches out there to pick on the poor little teams that would never stand a chance without you being there to protect them. I bet it is nice up there, but I sure wouldn't want to be your neighbor - particularly since you probably live in a glass house. By the way, did you happen to see the stories about Oakland and Knox Catholic, both of whom made the final eight this year? You might want to read up on how those teams spent the past few years getting "picked on" (in your book) and beaten by scores that would make you cringe (and scream in moral outrage) - but lo and behold, those players say today that it was those very games in which they were blown out that gave them the motivation to keep working hard, and were a big part of the reason they were able to reach their goal of making the final eight this year. So, Canes, there are certainly instances where teams run up the score and probably shouldn't. But you know what, I would be willing to bet that the players on those teams don't need you to go around patronizing them with your high and mighty moralistic pronouncements on what is wrong with sports today. My bet is that they can take care of themselves just fine.

All right, I can't resist. Ummm, Cougar, your previous post was about Franklin, not Brentwood. And I will say again, your ignorance about high school soccer, and what it takes to succeed on a consistent level, is the only thing that is revealed in your posts. You now seem to be claiming that the years of high school soccer success that both Brentwood and Franklin have experienced over the past decade is merely because they have been allowed to play football, not soccer, by refs who, according to you, are all in on some type of conspiracy to allow Brentwood and Franklin to "get away with this" (what an outrage!!) Couldn't their success possibly be because both high schools consistently have very talented players? My suspicion is that your daughter took a hard foul in a game against one or both of these teams or (gasp) perhaps got shielded from a ball in a way that you thought was "too rough", leading you to the conclusion that these teams are "too rough" and all refs of their games let them get away with it. In reality, generally speaking, the reason a team wins or loses has much more to do with the quality of their players, not the refs. So let's give it a rest Sally.

Because the players on Franklin certainly don't know how to play soccer, right? All the years of club experience on that team have just taught them how to win by playing tackle football, right? The many state championships and annual top-10 finishes are all because the refs let them play dirty, right? Sounds like CougarSally has some unresolved issues she needs to work on.

Getting geared up for what always promises to be an exciting and well-played match between two perennial state powers. Brentwood would seem to have upper hand this year as they have several very talented seniors who have been together on same, very successful, travel team for quite a while. Franklin lost a lot from last year but is led by strong group of juniors and sophomores. Past few years Brentwood has handled Franklin in regular season but not so much in post-season. Anyone who enjoys high school soccer is in for a treat. Predictions? Going out on a limb . . . 2-2 tie.