Tribune All-Area Team

[El-Moldo]

Not much has been said about the Tribune-Democrat's all-area team which appeared in last Sunday's edition. I have a question. How can Windber's Brock Seese make 1st team all-state class A offensive lineman in Pennsylvania, yet not make 1st team all-area? Especially, when 2 other class A linemen, Shane Hankinson of Berlin and Rick Biem of Portage, made 1st team all-area instead of Seese.... AND how can Shane Hankinson of Berlin make 1st team all-state Class A as a defensive lineman, yet NOT be on the all-area defensive team? Instead, Chris Howe of Laurel Valley makes second team all-state defensive lineman, but 1st team all-area defensive lineman..... AND what really is offensive specialist? Is it just a place to stick someone who can't make the 1st team at a legitimate position?

[#70]

pretty good points. . . most of them

[versital4]

id say that offensive specialist is just for the players that play more than one position. using myself as an example, for Penn cambria i played running back, quarterback, widereciever, and tightend on different games or playes. I just think it would b hard to put a player like that into a specific position when they contibuted playing more than one.

[El-Moldo]

So it's a catch-all.

[Opinionguy]

The T-D All Area team is a joke for the most part...just as the most of the sports information printed in that paper is. Every year there are kids who are obviously more deserving who are left off.

I understand, and most people do, that every year there is going to be some positions where some kids are close, and someone has to make a decision. For the Tribune Democrat however, this decision is made too often based on politics. This year was no exception, with a few players from the hometown Johnstown schools, not putting up nearly as impressive numbers, yet the T-D still found a way to modify the first team to include these players on the first team.

Everyone knows that there is more to the game then stats, but when the stats are overwhelming, or there are posistions added just so certain players can be put on the first team, the First-Team honors loses it's credibility. Which unfortunately, happened a long time ago anyways.

[El-Moldo]

Good thought. Every year the T-D picks an offensive player of the year, and 3 1st team running backs. This year, by making the offensive player co-champs (Larod and D'Carrion), they got an extra runningback in there on the first team. Without co-champs, either Forcellini, Shawn Lewis, or Kanuch would have been dropped to second team. Amazing how they find a way to get some kids on the team. Just like offensive specialist. Just make up another position