Survey: How many players actually keep up with future opponent's scores?

[GoForIt]

Just curious about how well-informed teams are in knowing ahead of time about point spreads in determining playoffs. I think the reason some teams have missed the playoffs in recent years is because they DON'T do their homework in keeping up mathematically with upcoming competition and they end up at home in the playoffs. I think Caldwell has had some great teams miss the playoffs because of this in the past. I think coaches should quiz their teams on this every Monday to see how up to date they are. What they don't know CAN hurt them.

<small>[ October 15, 2003, 11:08 PM: Message edited by: GoForIt ]</small>

[GoForIt]

Others' thoughts...

<small>[ October 15, 2003, 11:07 PM: Message edited by: GoForIt ]</small>

[Gobbla2001]

When I played we pretty much left the determination figuring up to our coaches...

Every Saturday after running 1,000 yards and lifting weights we'd usually check the scores from around our district in the paper then watch some film... We usually just paid attention to who we were playing that week and how we were gunna beat 'em... didn't worry about anyone else...

[Bull's-eye]

Hey GoForIt, I agree with Gobbla. Each teams has to worry about themselves. Just because one team defeats another team, doesn't mean a thing. There are a lot of factors, like match-ups, injuries, teams getting better and coaches fixing the team's weak areas. I have seen teams struggle early, make that key personal change and become great teams. Also, I'm a distant cousin of Caldwell's mayor. Do you follow the Hornets?

[rimcutter]

I know for my former team i can speak when i say that checking the spread is not a good thing to do. in 99 we did that quite a bit and it ended up costing us a playoff spot because we were so worried about beating a certain team by so much. and in the end it turned out that we didn't need to beat that team by 21 points but by 1 point because of what happened the last week in district.

[GoForIt]

I have to disagree to an extent. I've seen too many teams assume an opponent was no good by judging from previous years. I think a team should not put out its second stringers until the final 4-5 minutes unless there is a lead of at least 20 points to play it safe. True, the final week can throw stuff into confusion and all but it's a lot more fun to control your own destiny than to hope and pray for someone to pull off an upset so you make playoffs (i.e. Giddings over Hearne in 80's allowed Caldwell into playoffs and Manor over Elgin in 90's lifted Caldwell into playoffs). Just an observation.