R.I.P. MIAA "A" Conference Championship

[Jeebus]

You are something else. I have never seen a grown man obsess so much over his former high school. Unreal.

World Of Psychology

Are You Living Vicariously Through Your Kids?
By MARGARITA TARTAKOVSKY, M.S.

In his book, The Available Parent: Radical Optimism for Raising Teens and Tweens, psychologist John Duffy, PsyD, talks about an adolescent client named John, who’s a star football player. He’s so good that the local paper predicts that he’ll play in Division I football, and college scouts have already started contacting him.

A teenager’s dream, right? Well, unfortunately, John isn’t too keen on football. He plays the sport solely because it’s the only time his father, a famous college football player, pays attention to him. And John pines for that attention and his dad’s approval. But he also wants to quit football and pursue other interests.

Maybe you’ve felt a similar trap with your own parents: not enjoying or downright hating something you’re doing but sticking with it because it’s the only way, in your eyes, that you can connect to them.

vi·car·i·ous [vahy-kair-ee-uh s,]

adjective

1. experienced or realized through imaginative or sympathetic participation in the experience of another

[Hallman]

I can go back to the 60's when blacks weren't allowed into schools like Gilman, McDonogh and others, should we have kept it that way? NO! It's called PROGRESS! I agree that teams without winning records shouldn't be in playoffs but once the league decided to go the playoff route, it is completely asinine to go back to no playoffs. The issue is and has been the Turkey Bowl! This archaic game has held down the league way too long!

As far as the schools being scared of Gilman, they are definitely scared. They can't compete with them. As far as the football factory, there's many reasons why Gilman is the factory that it is. It's because they have OWNED the MIAA! They have always played the best schedule in the area and the state. They have one of the best academic reputations in the country. Parents WANT their kid to come there. They have a huge endowment and people in the program willing to spend their own money to help kids.

And things are going to get worse. Biff has signed a new contract and the beat keeps going. If you think last years 9th grade class was good, wait until you see next years. I have talked to 4 people that scout and/or coach the youth leagues in Bmore and DC areas and they have gave me a list of the top players and out of the Top 25, Gilman is getting or already have more than a third of them! And in the running for others. CHC isn't doing well and well we know Loyola gave up on their program years ago. I will post the list when I have time.

Once again you've become your own worst enemy. Thanks for validating what everyone thinks about you! Good job

[GREYHOUND ALUM]

Once again you've become your own worst enemy. Thanks for validating what everyone thinks about you! Good job

Do you think I give a shiit what Jeebus or his sidekick thinks? The fact that you are co-signing those clowns shows everyone how delusional you have gotten. I'm speaking just facts and the fact is, the MIAA IS A JOKE NOW! Whoever wins it from now on means nothing. Like I said, this includes Gilman(who I only see being challenged next year and don't see them ever losing another one for many many years).

[Outside Looking In]

Once again you've become your own worst enemy. Thanks for validating what everyone thinks about you! Good job

Yep. He can only hold it in so long.

[Hallman]

Do you think I give a shiit what Jeebus or his sidekick thinks? The fact that you are co-signing those clowns shows everyone how delusional you have gotten. I'm speaking just facts and the fact is, the MIAA IS A JOKE NOW! Whoever wins it from now on means nothing. Like I said, this includes Gilman(who I only see being challenged next year and don't see them ever losing another one for many many years).

So at the very root of the matter you are saying the MIAA Champ and before that the MSA Champ, is Joke, a pretender. However, what you are really crying about is the Great Gilman, and it's cronies, Plan to Destroy the Turkey Bowl. You guys thought you did it. Mission Accomplished. "We are so much more relavant and important then everyone else. We will exert our will and destroy anyone who gets in our way" Well, so you thought, but evidently you all don't have the clout you thought you did. Cheer up though, down at the grade school level there are plenty of people who will be impressed by your money and infatuation with pre-buescent boys!

[Sizzle]

Just to chime in. How does the playoffs in the MIAA destroy the Turkey Bowl? I was of the understanding the Turkey Bowl had taken place the last 2 years. I just don't understand how a storied tradition could be destroyed with the creation of a playoff. Outside looking in it appears that the Turkey Bowl traditionalists were out to destroy the playoffs. The reason as to why is unclear because the Turkey Bowl was still intact. Football without playoffs sounds kind of silly. A playoff gives the underdog a fighters chance and anything can happen. This is high school, why would we not want our young men to experience triumph and defeat. I see so many grown men give opinions on this topic but if the MIAA is not having playoffs due to Gilman having created them, I think we are given Gilman too much credit. The playoffs gives teams a chance to beat Gilman. Beating Gilman does not equate to taking the playoffs away. A part of me thinks that people actually think well we will take away the playoffs, take that GILMAN. Really...you are hurting the young men.

So no playoffs.

Why not compromise.

1. Gilman play McD the Weekend before Thanksgiving
2. MSJ play Spalding the Weekend before Thanksgiving
3. St Francis play ______ the Weekend before Thanksgiving
   
4. CHC play Loyola on Thanksgiving, stage is yours to keep

Top Two teams play a week later for the MIAA Coach Whittles Trophy

BTW, Gilman can be beat. The coaches and players need to work harder. Money and Free scholarships did not put in the hard work during the off season.

[Outside Looking In]

Just to chime in. How does the playoffs in the MIAA destroy the Turkey Bowl? I was of the understanding the Turkey Bowl had taken place the last 2 years. I just don't understand how a storied tradition could be destroyed with the creation of a playoff. Outside looking in it appears that the Turkey Bowl traditionalists were out to destroy the playoffs. The reason as to why is unclear because the Turkey Bowl was still intact. Football without playoffs sounds kind of silly. A playoff gives the underdog a fighters chance and anything can happen. This is high school, why would we not want our young men to experience triumph and defeat. I see so many grown men give opinions on this topic but if the MIAA is not having playoffs due to Gilman having created them, I think we are given Gilman too much credit. The playoffs gives teams a chance to beat Gilman. Beating Gilman does not equate to taking the playoffs away. A part of me thinks that people actually think well we will take away the playoffs, take that GILMAN. Really...you are hurting the young men.

So no playoffs.

Why not compromise.

1. Gilman play McD the Weekend before Thanksgiving
2. MSJ play Spalding the Weekend before Thanksgiving
3. St Francis play ______ the Weekend before Thanksgiving
   
4. CHC play Loyola on Thanksgiving, stage is yours to keep

Top Two teams play a week later for the MIAA Coach Whittles Trophy

BTW, Gilman can be beat. The coaches and players need to work harder. Money and Free scholarships did not put in the hard work during the off season.

I agree a playoff is needed, but a playoff in a 6 team league is ridiculous. If they want a playoff so bad then the MIAA and WCAC should join together and have a private/catholic league with more teams. Either that or join the MPSSAA and be included in the state tournament, but Gilman and some others would not want to do that because they would actually be limited on scholarships and the big bad regulations that the MPSSAA supposedly has and the such. Stop complaining or do something about it, it is that simple. No one else is complaining except GA.

[GREYHOUND ALUM]

So at the very root of the matter you are saying the MIAA Champ and before that the MSA Champ, is Joke, a pretender. However, what you are really crying about is the Great Gilman, and it's cronies, Plan to Destroy the Turkey Bowl. You guys thought you did it. Mission Accomplished. "We are so much more relavant and important then everyone else. We will exert our will and destroy anyone who gets in our way" Well, so you thought, but evidently you all don't have the clout you thought you did. Cheer up though, down at the grade school level there are plenty of people who will be impressed by your money and infatuation with pre-buescent boys!

The MSA and the MIAA Champs weren't pretenders in the past because that was the system that was in place! You respond to my posts but I see you didn't comprehend(or read them). Once the league decided to go to the playoff system, then there's no turning back. How do you have a playoff and then decided to go back to no playoffs? That's just plain stupid.

The root of the problem is CHC and Loyola not wanting to play twice. So the playoffs in essence becomes unfair to the other schools because of this. No one CARES ABOUT THE TURKEY BOWL! Please get that notion out of your mind. The only thing the other schools cared about is making the playoffs fair.

[Outside Looking In]

The MSA and the MIAA Champs weren't pretenders in the past because that was the system that was in place! You respond to my posts but I see you didn't comprehend(or read them). Once the league decided to go to the playoff system, then there's no turning back. How do you have a playoff and then decided to go back to no playoffs? That's just plain stupid.

The root of the problem is CHC and Loyola not wanting to play twice. So the playoffs in essence becomes unfair to the other schools because of this. No one CARES ABOUT THE TURKEY BOWL! Please get that notion out of your mind. The only thing the other schools cared about is making the playoffs fair.

What is stupid is having a playoff in a 6 team league. Especially when all the other teams are inferior and scared

[eaglesinsider]

I agree a playoff is needed, but a playoff in a 6 team league is ridiculous. If they want a playoff so bad then the MIAA and WCAC should join together and have a private/catholic league with more teams. Either that or join the MPSSAA and be included in the state tournament, but Gilman and some others would not want to do that because they would actually be limited on scholarships and the big bad regulations that the MPSSAA supposedly has and the such. Stop complaining or do something about it, it is that simple. No one else is complaining except GA.

The MIAA-WCAC merger was ready to go forward in 2010 until CHC and Loyola refused to give up the Turkey Bowl. The WCAC powers were not willing to schedule their entire postseason around two schools. That is the only reason there is not a combined MIAA-WCAC.

[Hallman]

The MIAA-WCAC merger was ready to go forward in 2010 until CHC and Loyola refused to give up the Turkey Bowl. The WCAC powers were not willing to schedule their entire postseason around two schools. That is the only reason there is not a combined MIAA-WCAC.

And wasn't it Gilman who refused to play after Thanksgiving because it would interfere with their beloved Winter Sports Programs?

[GREYHOUND ALUM]

And wasn't it Gilman who refused to play after Thanksgiving because it would interfere with their beloved Winter Sports Programs?

That had no bearing on the merger of the MIAA/WCAC merger. WCAC teams also didn't want to play after Thanksgiving. The merger was nixed because of two schools, CHC-Loyola. Was a big article about it when it came out.

[Hallman]

I don't think it is realistic to believe to schools contol all the others. Perhaps the remaining schools in the MIAA didn't like the direction the league was headed and made a conscience decision to do what they felt was best for their school.

Personally, I liked the playoffs, although not at the expense of the Turkey Bowl. We put on a man on the moon so I have to believe this could have been figured out.

If the powers to be really wanted to make it work a solution is possible, unless there are ulterior motives which prevent a comprimise.

[prepfan]

That had no bearing on the merger of the MIAA/WCAC merger. WCAC teams also didn't want to play after Thanksgiving. The merger was nixed because of two schools, CHC-Loyola. Was a big article about it when it came out.

Yes, there were public postings that indicated the Turkey Bowl issue was among the various factors, but only a ‘select few’ have focused on it as the sole issue.
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-06-10/sports/bs-sp-va-miaa-wcac-merger-20100610_1_miaa-washington-catholic-athletic-conference-gilman-coach-biff-poggi
“Diggs did not elaborate on the specifics of the sticking points other than to say that among them were aligning divisions within the new league and preserving the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Bowl between Calvert Hall and Loyola.”
“Calvert Hall coach Donald Davis had mixed feelings about merging.
"It's certainly something that could work if both parties could agree on a lot of different things," he said, "but I don't know that philosophically we're in a place right now where that's going to happen."
One of the things Davis pointed to was travel. While teams at the top of the A Conference such as Gilman might now travel long distances in pursuit of a nationally competitive schedule, the merger would have forced other teams to travel farther than they're used to. John Carroll in Bel Air might have to travel to Northern Virginia, where the WCAC has three teams, and Davis said he wasn't sure any team on either side would be happy about Interstate 95 traffic on a Friday afternoon.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/28/AR2010012803351.html
“There are many issues to be resolved, but Leary provided the MIAA with a copy of the WCAC's bylaws and said he is waiting to receive a copy of the MIAA bylaws so that the leagues could figure out if there were any differences that needed to be reconciled. The most pressing might be that the MIAA allows its members to give athletic scholarships and the WCAC does not.”
-----------------------------------------------

There are , of course, philosophical differences between schools. One may have an ‘at all costs’ attitude, while others maintain a more restrained approach.
[ at all costs~tradition be damned. I still wonder a bit how easily the non-fanatic football fans in those communities accepted the loss of that single rivalry game - one shot, “one time only”, “make or break the whole season” ]
Despite the delusions of grandeur; the cyberjunkies golden stash – a Top 5 or Top 10 “national” ranking, this still remains only high school football and secondary /supplemental to the primary goal – a quality education.
As an added aside, the Turkey Bowl and traditional rivalry games do evolve beyond the narrow focus of ‘high school football’ to become more of a cultural rather than athletic event. (pep rallies/bon fires, high school dances ("She was just 17, you know what I mean, and they way she looked was way beyond compare . . ." ), maybe even inter-family traditional non-monetary wagers . . .
There really is much to appreciate in high school football besides those "national" issues.

[lord_baltimore]

The MIAA-WCAC merger was ready to go forward in 2010 until CHC and Loyola refused to give up the Turkey Bowl. The WCAC powers were not willing to schedule their entire postseason around two schools. That is the only reason there is not a combined MIAA-WCAC.

That was not the only reason. You are misinformed.

[Outside Looking In]

Yes, there were public postings that indicated the Turkey Bowl issue was among the various factors, but only a ‘select few’ have focused on it as the sole issue.
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-06-10/sports/bs-sp-va-miaa-wcac-merger-20100610_1_miaa-washington-catholic-athletic-conference-gilman-coach-biff-poggi
“Diggs did not elaborate on the specifics of the sticking points other than to say that among them were aligning divisions within the new league and preserving the Thanksgiving Day Turkey Bowl between Calvert Hall and Loyola.”
“Calvert Hall coach Donald Davis had mixed feelings about merging.
"It's certainly something that could work if both parties could agree on a lot of different things," he said, "but I don't know that philosophically we're in a place right now where that's going to happen."
One of the things Davis pointed to was travel. While teams at the top of the A Conference such as Gilman might now travel long distances in pursuit of a nationally competitive schedule, the merger would have forced other teams to travel farther than they're used to. John Carroll in Bel Air might have to travel to Northern Virginia, where the WCAC has three teams, and Davis said he wasn't sure any team on either side would be happy about Interstate 95 traffic on a Friday afternoon.”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/28/AR2010012803351.html
“There are many issues to be resolved, but Leary provided the MIAA with a copy of the WCAC's bylaws and said he is waiting to receive a copy of the MIAA bylaws so that the leagues could figure out if there were any differences that needed to be reconciled. The most pressing might be that the MIAA allows its members to give athletic scholarships and the WCAC does not.”
-----------------------------------------------

There are , of course, philosophical differences between schools. One may have an ‘at all costs’ attitude, while others maintain a more restrained approach.
[ at all costs~tradition be damned. I still wonder a bit how easily the non-fanatic football fans in those communities accepted the loss of that single rivalry game - one shot, “one time only”, “make or break the whole season” ]
Despite the delusions of grandeur; the cyberjunkies golden stash – a Top 5 or Top 10 “national” ranking, this still remains only high school football and secondary /supplemental to the primary goal – a quality education.
As an added aside, the Turkey Bowl and traditional rivalry games do evolve beyond the narrow focus of ‘high school football’ to become more of a cultural rather than athletic event. (pep rallies/bon fires, high school dances ("She was just 17, you know what I mean, and they way she looked was way beyond compare . . ." ), maybe even inter-family traditional non-monetary wagers . . .
There really is much to appreciate in high school football besides those "national" issues.

Great post. Like I said, if those teams want to play a national schedule, go independent and do it. Dont use ECA as an example. Gilman is a reputable school that would have no problem scheduling 10 games. Give me a break.

[GREYHOUND ALUM]

I don't think it is realistic to believe to schools contol all the others. Perhaps the remaining schools in the MIAA didn't like the direction the league was headed and made a conscience decision to do what they felt was best for their school.

Personally, I liked the playoffs, although not at the expense of the Turkey Bowl. We put on a man on the moon so I have to believe this could have been figured out.

If the powers to be really wanted to make it work a solution is possible, unless there are ulterior motives which prevent a comprimise.

See now we agree. But what you're not understanding is that the main issue is CHC/Loyola saying that they WILL NOT play twice a year and will ONLY play at the end of the year at the Turkey Bowl. This just isn't fair to the other schools to have games moved around just to appease two schools. McDonogh was a victim of this this year. There's just NO COMPROMISE with the two schools.

So people talk about tradition, why not compromise and if the cards fall play twice a year? You still have the Turkey Bowl. Does this being down the prestige of the game? Hell no!

[Outside Looking In]

See now we agree. But what you're not understanding is that the main issue is CHC/Loyola saying that they WILL NOT play twice a year and will ONLY play at the end of the year at the Turkey Bowl. This just isn't fair to the other schools to have games moved around just to appease two schools. McDonogh was a victim of this this year. There's just NO COMPROMISE with the two schools.

So people talk about tradition, why not compromise and if the cards fall play twice a year? You still have the Turkey Bowl. Does this being down the prestige of the game? Hell no!

I thought you always said the game was not prestigious anyway. The only ones that cared were CHC and Loyola. If only two teams cared than it wouldnt be prestigious.

[Hallman]

See now we agree. But what you're not understanding is that the main issue is CHC/Loyola saying that they WILL NOT play twice a year and will ONLY play at the end of the year at the Turkey Bowl. This just isn't fair to the other schools to have games moved around just to appease two schools. McDonogh was a victim of this this year. There's just NO COMPROMISE with the two schools.

So people talk about tradition, why not compromise and if the cards fall play twice a year? You still have the Turkey Bowl. Does this being down the prestige of the game? Hell no!

No, I believe we are at opposite ends of the spectrum. You say "if the cards fall play twice a year". Again, your (Biff's) goal is to end the Turkey Bowl.

Understand, the Turkey Bowl is Calvert Hall and Loyola. It's family, tradition, friendships, rivalries and all that go with that.

The compromise is having a playoff system while keeping the Turkey Bowl as it is and has always been. If a playoff is that important and can be figured out.

[Jeebus]

Understand, the Turkey Bowl is Calvert Hall and Loyola. It's family, tradition, friendships, rivalries and all that go with that.

And THAT is the #1 reason Biff and his Head Cheerleader Greyhound Alum hate it.

Because it doesn't involve them.

To think -- the premier High School Football Event in Baltimore, and it doesn't involve Gilman!

Local television, professional football venue, 100 years of tradition -- and they don't get to play.

Too funny, watching GA meltdown trying to convince everyone here that he (and Gilman, which means "Biff") don't care about the Turkey Bowl.

But only because they are not a part of it.

It's known as "resentful jealousy" and everyone here sees it.

It's a pity the Biff bootlickers like GA won't admit it.