Portal(GA) -vs- Gray Collegiate, Columbia forfeits!!!!

[bringthewood]

I disagree with the idea that it is the same thing that Chapin faces. Gray recruits and the other schools can't... Wait, it may be the same thing, my bad!

JUST KIDDING!!!! JUST KIDDING!!!! JUST KIDDING!!!!

I believe it is different situation than what faces Chapin. Those schools have decided that their only option to get this discussion moving forward is to take action and that is what they have done. It has nothing to do with "manning up", it is about an unfair advantage that Gray has over the other schools that almost everyone agrees needs to be addressed and some kind of action taken.

I personally don't think the answer is to move them up a classification as that only moves the problem but doesn't offer any answers. I think this is very similar to re-alignment and the transfer portal in NCAA Football in that, it is not going away any time soon and it has to be addressed. The only answer that seems to work in other areas is separate classifications for these types of schools. There are only two getting the attention right now, but they are laying the groundwork for another one here in the Upstate, just outside of Spartanburg/Boiling Springs/Inman and I'm sure the same issues will come up here soon after it opens. I'm sure there are others on the drawing board in other areas, like near Myrtle Beach.

From my experience, life is not always fair. This is a reflection of our current society from my perspective. Everyone wants us to play to a tie and not keep score- everyone gets a participation trophy. See that in the playoffs, where the vast majority of the teams make the playoffs. My solution there is add an extra regular season game and only region champ and runner up goes. This is the playoffs. We shouldn't have a rash of 56-0 playoff games in the first round.

We have a private school league, but SCISA does not have the resources of say a NC, Georgia, Florida or Tennessee independent league so I understand schools like Gray, Oceanside, and even CC, SCA and SJA not wanting to play SCISA- outside of Hammond, the cupboard is kinda bare there and no real competition. Playing through adversity does build character. There is a line from a poem General Douglas MacArthur wrote for his son, that goes..."Build me a son whose wishbone won't be where his backbone should be." So yes, they need to give their balls a tug, perhaps two.

In the grand scheme of things, it's not that big of a deal. Play Gray...you may lose, and may lose badly, but you learn more from losses than victories, that is for certain. (DF is having to experience that this season!)- Gray and Oceanside's status hasn't swayed teams like Saluda or Abbeville, and I am shocked it swayed Fairfield. They have a stellar tradition there and should never back away...ever. Without a doubt, this is the administration's preference, and not the players. They want to see the best and play the best. Allow them that privilege. Man Up.

Fear The Fox...

need to have a 'like' button on this board

[Rebel-Fan-74]

If Dutch Fork only got three downs to make 10 yards and the other schools got 5 downs, would you say the same thing? No I don't think you would, because the rules should be the same for all participants and that is the issue that these schools want addressed.

If someone moved into the Dutch Fork attendance zone and the other school protests that it was a move only for athletic reasons; by rule the SCHSL can make them sit out a year. That rule doesn't apply to Gray as they have no attendance zone. That is the issue that the other schools want addressed.

I agree, life ain't fair and my kids heard that for 40 years now for the oldest... Again, I don't think it has anything to do with "manning up" and I'm not for everyone gets a trophy, and yes we have way too many teams in the playoffs.... I think the MOST we should have is 50% of the teams or whatever makes an even bracket. What is comes down to is that those schools have decided that their only option to get this discussion moving forward is to take drastic action and that is what they have done.

I am tired of hearing about it. If they have an enrollment of that of a 2a school and the 2a schools are scared to play them move them up to 3a and let’s see what they do against Daniel and bhp Dillon and those big name schools

And for cowboy, I personally don't think the answer is to move them up a classification as that only moves the problem but doesn't offer any answers....

[DFOLDMAN]

If Dutch Fork only got three downs to make 10 yards and the other schools got 5 downs, would you say the same thing? No I don't think you would, because the rules should be the same for all participants and that is the issue that these schools want addressed.

If someone moved into the Dutch Fork attendance zone and the other school protests that it was a move only for athletic reasons; by rule the SCHSL can make them sit out a year. That rule doesn't apply to Gray as they have no attendance zone. That is the issue that the other schools want addressed.

I agree, life ain't fair and my kids heard that for 40 years now for the oldest... Again, I don't think it has anything to do with "manning up" and I'm not for everyone gets a trophy, and yes we have way too many teams in the playoffs.... I think the MOST we should have is 50% of the teams or whatever makes an even bracket. What is comes down to is that those schools have decided that their only option to get this discussion moving forward is to take drastic action and that is what they have done.

I am tired of hearing about it. If they have an enrollment of that of a 2a school and the 2a schools are scared to play them move them up to 3a and let’s see what they do against Daniel and bhp Dillon and those big name schools

And for cowboy, I personally don't think the answer is to move them up a classification as that only moves the problem but doesn't offer any answers....

Come on Rebel, you know that is happening and has happened to Byrnes as well- refs basically taking a down or two from a team like DF or Byrnes. I work with two refs and one has admitted that they call a game tighter on a high caliber team. You can look at the historical records on games over the past few years and see the penalty yards. Comes with being successful I suspect.

As far as attendance zone rules, that probably has to do with how Gray is funded if memory serves. I know they receive state money, but I don't think they receive any local money, if I remember correctly. I think they have a foundation or something of the sort that raises money to compensate for that absent funding stream. Not sure about that, and how Oceanside does it but I suspect something similar- so I need to fact check.

I believe in options for education and have no qualm with these collegiate academies or faith based schools. Playing Gray shouldn't be such a big deal. They and Oceanside can be beaten as we have seen. Won't know unless you play them.

Fear The Fox...

[Rebel-Fan-74]

As far as attendance zone rules, that probably has to do with how Gray is funded if memory serves. I know they receive state money, but I don't think they receive any local money, if I remember correctly. I think they have a foundation or something of the sort that raises money to compensate for that absent funding stream. Not sure about that, and how Oceanside does it but I suspect something similar- so I need to fact check.

And this is the reason the schools are upset, the unevenness of this particular rule. And I think it is important that I point out, I'm not expressing MY opinion, I'm just sharing the opinions of the schools as reported in articles and news reports on TV. Now I do think this is an important issue in SC High Schools sports, not just football, and that it has to be addressed by the powers that be and soon as it is causing so much dissention in the ranks and we both know dissention in the ranks is a HUGE issue. As much as we all get frustrated with the SCHSL at times, they cannot address this rule other than within the guidelines as they are written and the sticking point with them is the rule that says "they must address all schools equally" so they cannot treat Gray, Oceanside, etc with any rules that they don't use for the other schools. Therefore, the same edited school attendance numbers process is the only thing they can use to classify them. They cannot even consider the "recruiting" aspect when doing the realignment, so the SCHSL cannot move them up a classification by their own rules and as others have pointed out, they don't make the rules, they just enforce them!

I believe in options for education and have no qualm with these collegiate academies or faith based schools.

Neither do I and I've always said, "Get as much education as your brain and wallet can get you." Whether you get it at a college, seminary, trade school.....

 

[SHS Gamecock Fan]

I disagree with the idea that it is the same thing that Chapin faces. Gray recruits and the other schools can't... Wait, it may be the same thing, my bad!

JUST KIDDING!!!! JUST KIDDING!!!! JUST KIDDING!!!!

I believe it is different situation than what faces Chapin. Those schools have decided that their only option to get this discussion moving forward is to take action and that is what they have done. It has nothing to do with "manning up", it is about an unfair advantage that Gray has over the other schools that almost everyone agrees needs to be addressed and some kind of action taken.

I personally don't think the answer is to move them up a classification as that only moves the problem but doesn't offer any answers. I think this is very similar to re-alignment and the transfer portal in NCAA Football in that, it is not going away any time soon and it has to be addressed. The only answer that seems to work in other areas is separate classifications for these types of schools. There are only two getting the attention right now, but they are laying the groundwork for another one here in the Upstate, just outside of Spartanburg/Boiling Springs/Inman and I'm sure the same issues will come up here soon after it opens. I'm sure there are others on the drawing board in other areas, like near Myrtle Beach.

I agree. If you were in a region with these teams and had to face them each year and get your brains beaten out and never have a realistic shot at winning the region or getting passed them in the playoffs you would feel as if its not a fair field of play. Not only in football but all other sports also. And moving them up really doesn't fix the problem because they play a tough non region schedule against upper level teams and if they don't beat them they give them a good game.

[BBurg_Wildcat 22]

I disagree with the idea that it is the same thing that Chapin faces. Gray recruits and the other schools can't... Wait, it may be the same thing, my bad!

JUST KIDDING!!!! JUST KIDDING!!!! JUST KIDDING!!!!

I believe it is different situation than what faces Chapin. Those schools have decided that their only option to get this discussion moving forward is to take action and that is what they have done. It has nothing to do with "manning up", it is about an unfair advantage that Gray has over the other schools that almost everyone agrees needs to be addressed and some kind of action taken.

I personally don't think the answer is to move them up a classification as that only moves the problem but doesn't offer any answers. I think this is very similar to re-alignment and the transfer portal in NCAA Football in that, it is not going away any time soon and it has to be addressed. The only answer that seems to work in other areas is separate classifications for these types of schools. There are only two getting the attention right now, but they are laying the groundwork for another one here in the Upstate, just outside of Spartanburg/Boiling Springs/Inman and I'm sure the same issues will come up here soon after it opens. I'm sure there are others on the drawing board in other areas, like near Myrtle Beach.

I agree. If you were in a region with these teams and had to face them each year and get your brains beaten out and never have a realistic shot at winning the region or getting passed them in the playoffs you would feel as if its not a fair field of play. Not only in football but all other sports also. And moving them up really doesn't fix the problem because they play a tough non region schedule against upper level teams and if they don't beat them they give them a good game.

Agreed 100%. Honestly I feel like it's a no win situation because if they move up then they can still win, maybe not consistently in 5a, but they would still be a tough out. I feel like the only reason this problem doesn't get as much attention as it does right now, is because it hasn't starting affecting the bigger schools yet. I don't wanna speak for others, but IMO I feel like 5a,4a, 3a don't particularly care who wins the 2a and 1a state. Teams like Dutch Fork, Spartanburg, Gaffney, Byrnes and a few other big names always have a chance to win because of the shear numbers they have to choose from. I am not at all saying 2a should back down from them or forfeit games against them because I like playing the best. Imagine for a moment though they put 4 private schools in 5a that could recruit the best 5a players from the state, people would start talking then. Just my 2 cents. Not asking for any breaks or forfeits or anything of that nature, but a solution does need to be put into place for sure.

[DFOLDMAN]

Rebel, I guess it comes down to the school rolling the dice and going that route...there is a big risk not accepting local funding- if your fund raising activities are unsuccessful, you are out of luck. Schools like Gray and Oceanside have well oiled fund raising machines. I don't think there will ever be enough of those type academies in SC to warrant "a league of their own", like NC, GA, FLA, etc. SC doesn't have the total population of those states. Well, a competitive league of their own - SCISA is not what they are looking for in competition. Until SCHSL decides what to do with them, I think schools need to play them- a whuppin' is a whuppin' - not the end of the world. Maybe have them play a class up from their student enrollment, in the Columbia area 3A Region with B-C, Dreher, Gilbert, LR, OW, and Swansea. 3A playoffs would be stiffer competition. SCHSL has to figure it out.

Fear The Fox...

[Rebel-Fan-74]

SCHSL has to figure it out.

Fear The Fox...

Actually, those who make the rules have to figure it out, SCHSL doesn't MAKE the rules, the member schools MAKE the rules. However, now the SC Legislature is talking about this issue and how to address it, so I guess the strategy of not playing got someone's attention.

I'm sure it will get fixed now that the GOVERNMENT is involved! <-----IN CASE ANYONE MISSED IT, THAT IS THE SARCASM FONT!