Portage vs. Bishop Guilfoyle D6 A Championship Thread

[Stater32]

Stop comparing Clairton and other inter city public schools to D6 public schools. It's all about talent pool. If Portage or Bellwood or whoever was in the city they would be good too. Its all about talent pool. That's why Bellwood and Tyrone are good. Their talent pool is Altoona area, an urban area. You add that with coaching you are going to have success

[HSD6FAN]

When you started mentioning NFL coaches, I was hoping to see a John Madden comment appear. Maybe if Madden would diagram some plays for Portage on the the telestrator, they could keep it within 50?

Seriously a John Madden reference? He hasn't broadcast a game since 2009.

Yeah, but he makes a helluva lot of money on video games still!

[HSD6FAN]

Stop comparing Clairton and other inter city public schools to D6 public schools. It's all about talent pool. If Portage or Bellwood or whoever was in the city they would be good too. Its all about talent pool. That's why Bellwood and Tyrone are good. Their talent pool is Altoona area, an urban area. You add that with coaching you are going to have success

?????

[animus]

Stop comparing Clairton and other inter city public schools to D6 public schools. It's all about talent pool. If Portage or Bellwood or whoever was in the city they would be good too. Its all about talent pool. That's why Bellwood and Tyrone are good. Their talent pool is Altoona area, an urban area. You add that with coaching you are going to have success

But the statement was that small public schools can't compete against Catholic schools. Shouldn't North Catholic, Bishop Canevin, and Serra Catholic be even better than a Bishop Guilfoyle because they can "recruit" from a superior area than BG can. For example, Serra can nab kids from McKeesport, Duquesne, Thomas Jefferson, East Allegheny, West Mifflin. How is a Clairton supposed to compete against that? Oh yea, they do and thrive!

[formerbcplayer]

I have all the respect in the world for the Portage players but I hope they get smoked because of Gouse and many of their fans.

I have known him since I as a kid, grew just outside of Portage, and I can't stand the man. I have had some many friends play at Portage but it will never change my opinion of that team and Gouse.

[TAHS92Alum]

Stop comparing Clairton and other inter city public schools to D6 public schools. It's all about talent pool. If Portage or Bellwood or whoever was in the city they would be good too. Its all about talent pool. That's why Bellwood and Tyrone are good. Their talent pool is Altoona area, an urban area. You add that with coaching you are going to have success

Tyrone and Bellwood are good because they have a program that is working and keeps churning athletes. Tyrone hasn't had a graduating class that hasn't played for a District Championship at least once in the past 20 years. However you look pre-Franco the record for Tyrone isn't so great. Mainly subpar seasons, take a peak at the early 90's.

All schools have a certain brand of football and if you give a coach a chance to establish and grow that brand you are better off. It has nothing to do with geography, if that were the case Mt Carmel,Berwick and So Columbia wouldn't have all those Championship trophies in their case.

[GoDragons]

It has nothing to do with geography, ........

I have to strongly disagree that geography has nothing to do with the success or lack of success of programs. Rural schools can be at a much bigger disadvantage than city schools or schools that have a few "larger" towns within the district. Many rural districts in D5 and D6 have no real town associated with them other than a few small boroughs with 20-30 houses. Some D5 and D6 kids live 25 miles one way to the school. Parents can have a difficult time financially, and/or from a time standpoint, driving their kids 50 miles everyday for practice. And unless they have weights at home, it's difficult to be part of any kind of off season weight training program at the school as well.

Sometimes very good athletes don't play because of the travel distance. It's also much easier for a large group of kids to get together and play pickup games of football or basketball at non-rural vs rural schools because they live in a town or city and are relatively close to each other. Even though they are pick-up games, the kids are playing together, and there is so much can be said for what playing together means for a teams success.

[animus]

So explain to me how rural schools in the south have no such problem...

[GoDragons]

What districts are you referring to?

[knowitall]

Kids are driven/bused 20+ miles per day to go to some of the Bishops as well.

Do we need to crown rural champions now?