BleacherCoaches.com

Well it's certainly interesting to read all the smack talk back and forth between the SHL teams. The FR team should feel pretty good about the team they have returning this year. Barnett and Hall are certainly quality ball players that will lead this team this year. If they play up to their potential they will certainly challenge the better teams. Everett is always tough and will win their share of games as well. But the real top dog in the SHL is NBC. They have completely dominated the league for years and they continue to produce good ball players year in and year out. Their tradition and what they have accomplished speaks for itself. They also have a quality coach to lead them into battle.

With that being said, it would be nice to see the District 5 teams raise their expectations to do better in the state championships as well. When is the last time NBC has won a state playoff game? I rarely ever hear anyone talk about winning state playoff games. Until you can do this, all you or any other district 5 team will be is a district 5 powerhouse team who will never get the respect you deserve from other districts. Just something to keep in mind.

I agree with Strike Three
We (northern bedford) usually make playoffs but after districts it seems like we shut down and don't play like we're able to.
Hopefully this year it'll be different.

I really think we are gonna advance to state playoffs this year. We really have the talent and the desire to do it.

good prediction. practice hasnt even started yet

McConnellsburg is bringing back 9 returning starters from last yr. and as i remember correctly ppl from NBC Peck shut you guys down till he pulled a muscle in his arm. Mccbg will be a lot tougher this year in the past recent years. but im definetly going with Forbes in SHL this yr. Get him my man physco!

I also agree with strike three. District 5 is really nothing in anything compared to say dist. 3 or 7. I played Legion ball with kids from Chambersburg and against other dist. 3 teams and the game is completely different. There it is 80-90 heat all the time, curves that actually curve. Every team throws it around the horn every out. Just plain and simple no teams will win state titles from district 5.

That's a shame about D-5. There's always some pretty good teams but they just never have what it takes to make it all the way.

I've always wondered what the team would be like if we had a d-5 All-star team and how good they would be. Each team has about 3 or 4 good players and about 1 maybe 2 Great players, if you put them all on one team, I think they'd do alrite.

meyersdale's team 2 years ago made it to the western final in the state playoffs...also last year conemaugh township lost a tight game to bellwood who went on to be the state champions...right there is two teams who have been right there with the best in the state and had a chance to win it...also nbc's team randy dicken's senior year went deep into the playoffs, i think they lost in the western semi finals but im not real sure...so to say D5 teams 'shut down' in the state playoffs isnt exactly the truth...

also raider131, what the heck does it matter if you throw it around the horn after every out?...doesnt everyone do that?

Cube,

Losing a close game doesn't neccessarily mean "you are right there" with the best team in the state. Who knows what type of pitching that bellwood had on the mound that night. Regardless, it was a loss. I forgot about Meyersdale, didn't realize and am still not sure they went that far. As for Dickens' team I thought they only advanced past the first round. Anyway, the point is and remains , district 5 teams really do not scare any other districts because they haven't been very successful in the state playoffs. Answer this, are district 5 schools successful in ANY sport in the PIAA playoffs?

As for the SHL, it is VERY weak. Winning that is really not anything special. Half the teams are lucky to have 11-12 ball players on the team in 10th thru 12th grade, let alone 9 on the field who resemble a ball player and are fundamentally sound. NBC is the class of the league because of their established program, no argument there. But how about raising the bar a little bit and stop being satisfied with a league title that you should win. Get to the state playoffs and win some games, then you will earn respect.

I need some help on this. I thought the last time NBC won a state playoff game was in 1992 when they went to the western finals with a very talented team (I think Jason Drenning pitched his arm off in the playoffs). NB won the district title in '95, but lost in the first round to Mars 4-0 at a game played at Everett. I think NB has won another district title since, but I didn't think that they even won a first round game. I've been out of the area for a while so could someone help me out.

Boiler Up!
Boiler..................... Oh yeah, wait a minute. For you guys from NB right now on this post running your mouths about yourselves and this season, it is sickening. That is not the way things are supposed to be done and not at NB.

What good comes out of opening your trap about yourself. You only look like an idiot and you show poorly on your program. And what gives you the right to belittle another team. They are just trying to do the same thing that you are, play the game as well as they can to have fun and to try to win. Smack heads on the field and show what you are made of there instead of hiding behind a keyboard.

In sports and as well in life, you must respect yourself, respect others, respect your team, respect your family, and respect your school and when you shoot off your mouth, you look like a fool and you show no respect at all.

Just go out and play the game, that is what it is really all about, the game. Playing the game hard, playing it well with fire and passion, and having fun is what really should be important instead of the records because if you do those things, the record will work out for itself.

You play for yourselves, but what you do and what you say reflect on the program that many have come from before your time. We are watching, represent yourself well.

Good luck to all teams this season, strive to play the game better than it has ever been played before, use your mind as much as or more than you use you body, and try to have some fun out there.

Just an opinion and some ramblings from an alumnus.

Now Boiler OUT!