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I'm sure I don't have all the correct information on this situation and if anyone can shed some light on it for me I would really really appreciate it. But here is what I do know. Last year this was Bedford's schedule: @ McCort, Somerset, FH, @ PC, @ CC, Central, @CH, @ JTown, BC, @CR. Now if you count them that's 4 Home - 6 Away, so everything being reversed this year they should have had 6 Home and 4 Away this year. But here is the schedule for this year: @Somerset, JTown, @FH, PC, CC,@ BG, CH, @BC, @Richland, CR. For some reason the AD at Bedford ( who retired at the end of school last year) decided to give away our home game with Richland and the only reason I can come up with is it must have been a going away present to Swaim, maybe for losing the Ridge game last year, cause as far as I know Swaim knew nothing about the change until the schedules came out and tried to get it changed back. Going back to my heading at the top of this post, who in the hell just gives away a home game for no good reason because there is no good reason for doing it.

Let me see if I can shed any light. And up front, I don't know the precise situation but I do know how this works in most leagues. Is it possible that last year was the end of a 4-year cycle? I would say based on Central leaving and BG coming in and the LHAC forcing Richland and Cambria Hts. (often rumored to be possible WestPac defectors) to sign a 4-year binding agreement that they would stay in the league, it probably was the end of a cycle. The thing you have to look at, Oldsport, is over the 4-year haul they should play an even number of Home and Away games. Sometimes the end of 0ne cycle and a new scheduling cycle means a change in Home and Aways.

The ICC 4-year cycle ended last year and this is the first year of a new (what was to be, prior to realignment--another story for another time!) 4-year cycle and Northern Bedford has 4 home games for the second year in a row and will travel to Glendale for the second straight year. Is their AD an idiot? Well some people might think so but it's just the way the cycle works and over the long haul home games and Away games balance out.

Hope this helps you understand.

No, the end of the cycle was was after the 2004 season. That season Bedford started at home with Richland. The next season, 2005, started with a game @ Westmont. And 2006 started with a game @ Bishop McCort as Oldsport had previously stated. Prior to 2005, Bedford had started every season at home from 2001 on. In 2000, they started on the road at McCort @ Windber Stadium and beat a very good Crusher team that year, and went on to go Undefeated only to fall to Bellwood-Antis in the semi's of Districts (the last year Bellwood was AA). What I'm getting at, is that it wasn't the end of the cycle, Bedford should have had 6 home games to 4 away.

Rumor has it(and we know how far those can go) that Richland saw what their schedule was going to look like with 4-6 (home-away) and decided it would call Bedford's former AD John Black if he would change the last game to a Richland home game. He decided he would do that, and since Richland had a turf field, it really wouldn't matter. Again, this is all hear-say, but as he was getting ready to walk out the door on that job at Bedford, why would he really care?

It's just a shame for the kids who are seniors, no matter who's in charge of the whole deal, that they only get to play 8 home games in the two years in which they would have to opportunity to start and play the majority of the game.

Well, as I stated, I didn't know the exact situation and assumed it was the end of cycle thing that often causes that scenario. Assuming bdftbllham55 is correct, then I don't know why you would hand over a home game for your players and fans besides all the athletic department revenue you would lose out on.

I know, that's what's so confusing about the whole situation. Oldsport is slightly irritated at what happened, as are a lot of other Bedford fans and families. But, there really is nothing that can be done now.

Though, Richland for the next to last game of the year will be one cold, cold, cold night...

Did you happen to make it to the scrimmage ham? Or anyone else? How is Bedford looking this year?

Roadie , once again I'm not 100% sure on this but here are some numbers I have heard and to me they sound like pretty good ballpark numbers. The Bison Quarterback Club with their booth and 50\50 and such take in somewhere around $600 to $1000 a home game, and gate revenues are around $3500 to $4000, so I would sure as heck hope there is an outstanding reason for making such a change.

The Analyst,

I did not happen to make it to the game this past weekend. I had some prior family commitments that I needed to attend, and who really wants to drive to Westmont on Saturday morning for a scrimmage that starts at 10? Nobody. I did happen to talk to a member of the staff that is volunteering his time on Saturday night and he said pretty much what everybody was expecting. The line played relatively well at times, and also played sub-par at times. The lack of play makers at the skill positions will hurt Bedford and what people have become accustom to over the past 4 years. This team will look like a lot of Bedford teams prior to the 2000 season. They'll be big, physical, and tough. But not overwhelmingly fast or athletic. It's hard to say.

I should have a better bearing on the team and report for you after Friday night @ home vs. McCort. And if the weather's nice, I might even take the camera out and get some pics for on here.

Is anyone sure that Bedford and Richland just didn't SWITCH home games from one year to the next? Last year, for example, Somerset agreed to give away a home game to Johnstown so that Johnstown could play their 1000th football game at Trojan Stadium. Now Johnstown has to play 2 years in a row at Somerset. This has happened over the years with other schools too. Maybe Richland will now have to play 2 years in a row at Bedford startng in 2008?

oldsport wrote:I'm sure I don't have all the correct information on this situation and if anyone can shed some light on it for me I would really really appreciate it.

No Moldo I'm not sure as I stated before. And even if that is the case I'm not sure I agree with it, but that would at least make a little bit of sense. Please if anyone out there with knowledge of why this change took place let us know.