Does tradition really count that much?

[Chief Woodman]

Just something to ponder......for those who espouse that tradition means so much and that it indicates how well a team will perform THIS year please consider the following.

First, I can see how it helps WHEN...the traditon is very recent AND the moving parts are intact (IE same head coach, same offensive and defensive schemes and did not graduate many starters) If these items have changed, then it is my opinion that "tradition" is over rated....and here is why.

If a team has tradition helps even though some of the key points have changed then:

1. The Dallas Cowboys should be a favorite to be in the super bowl (since the super bowl has began, they have the most playoff apperances, most playoff victories, more super bowl apperances than any team and no one has more super bowl victories than Dallas).

2. Decatur has us argueably a better team than Burnet, Bandera or Everman....(Decatur has more playoff apperances than any of these three teams, even though most of Decaturs' appearances were years ago)

3. The Boston Celtics should be the favorite to win the NBA title

4. Montreal should win Lord Stanley's Cup.

Quite frankly none of these make sense to me...so the logic of "tradition" must not be worth as much as some would say.

HOWEVER...if the tradition is recent AND none of the key components have changed...then yes it probably does indicate potential better.

Truly not trying to get anyone upset, just wanted to state my point on "Tradition" a little better. If you disagree that is cool...just don't expect "Tradition" to put points on the scoreboard for you this season. Just like any poll, it does not help...you still have to do it on the field.

Good luck to all...and here is to an injury free season.

[Eagles52]

tradition is a mental thing, the fans support more, and the players feel the winning atmosphere and I think it has an affect, although I do not think this is a deciding factor, I believe it is a positive

[sinton66]

Tradition can play a part in the "mindset" of a group of kids facing varsity duty for the first time on a team that is a perennial playoff team. They will tend to come into it knowing what is "expected" of them and will generally "square up" a little more quickly. No, it isn't the be all to end all in football, but it does deserve recognition as a "factor".

[xhardinhornet]

Good point! Tradition is exactly that, mentally focused upon the season you have in front of you, yet knowing in your heart the shoes you have to fill upon seasons of victorious triumph makes it all worthwhile.

[wildstangs]

Tradition is something that is thoughy of very highly at Sweetwater. I think it starts when the boys are young and that is why Sweetwater is a good team year in and year out.

[Ranger Mom]

Wildstangs....that was your 500th post!!

CONGRATS!!!

[wildstangs]

Ranger Mom:
Wildstangs....that was your 500th post!!

CONGRATS!!!Woah I didnt even know. Where do you see that at? Thanks for the congratulations. I will comprise a list of people I would like to thank for supporting me and helping me out through all my work and post it later sometime. :)

[sinton66]

Congrats Wildstangs. 500 posts, and all of 'em gems! wink

[Chief Woodman]

Well to my surprise I just looked....Breckenridge has more 3A state rings (5) than Everman (2), Bandera (1) and Burnet (0) all put together. Does this mean that the winning mindset is there for Breckenridge? Should we look for them to be district, area, region and state champs? I think probably not......

Guess the tradition thing may help the kids in their own minds....but on the scoreboard it still counts as ZERO points.

[sinton66]

Chief, obviously tradition is built and lost in various programs. Once lost, it's like starting over on the bottom rung. Reference Breckenridge in 3A, Odessa Permian in 5A, and many others. Look up the records for Pilot Point and Celina. State champs? No, not always. Always competitive? You bet. Your point about recent tradition has validity. I can tell you from what I saw of them, I think Everman is here to stay for a while.

[turbostud]

In Celina's case, yes they lost G.A. Moore to Pilot Point but, Butch Ford who coached as an assistant under G.A. Moore for 25 years stepped in as AD/HC to carry on the tradition at Celina. So I am sure that Coach Ford will run, if not the same close to it, off/def schemes as he did while working for G.A. You could also look at Coach Ford as G.A.'s clone.

[vet93]

Chief...on this point...I couldn't disagree more! Tradition doesn't help that much on an individual matchup very much nor will tradition come into play when you are played by a overwhelmingly better team. However...if tradition didn't play a role then statistically over a period of years everybody would have the same record at about 50% wins and 50% losses. Why do some towns consistently win more than others? Is it coaching..sometimes (but coaches come and go). Is it athletes? Sometimes...but everybody has up and down years. Here is what tradition gives you. 1) Confidence - you know that you are going to do well because you have seen it done over and over again. 2) Rebound - everybody has a bad year or two, but communities with tradition will rebound much more quickly than those who don't have a tradition. 3) Focus - towns that have tradition are single mindly focused on the success of the team. This rubs off on the players. 4) Mental edge - often a team will come into your house with a small smattering of doubt in the back of their mind. 5) Modeling - young leaders are developed because they see the older kids year after year step up and take leadership . They know it is expected and they have seen it done so they step up. 6) Pressure - teams with tradition are under more pressure than those without. What does not kill us will make us stronger. This pressure helps produce winners year in and year out. Some may say that these qualities can be possessed by teams without tradition and that is true...but it is much easier when you have tradition on your side.

[vet93]

I forgot...7) Heritage - you have listened to your dad and family talk about what it takes to be a winner and how much fun it is...naturally you won't to duplicate this success. By the way...the further you get away from high school athletics the less affect tradition will have on a team.

[whtfbplaya]

Yes.

[Wbulldogs]

true tradition doesnt put the points on the board...but at wylie certain traditions really get me pumped up for the season and so i mean yah it doesnt put the points on the board but it can make some ppl get fired up for the season and make them work for the points they do put on the board

[Jacket2000]

I dont think that it was exceptional talent that took Pilot Point to the playoffs for 20+ consecutive years.
J2K

[3afan]

tradition only gets you ranked in the pre-season ... after that its not worth much on the field once the whistle blows

[Chief Woodman]

You are right J2k...not exceptional talent...but talent that was good enough along with good coaching and hard work and hustle. NOT TRADITION.

No game ever starts with the official saying.. "(Insert team name here) get 10 point because of tradition" No every point is earned on the field.

[HotDawg89]

I think tradition counts, but is only part of a successful team. Tradition can often originate from an entire town or community. Is Burnet rich in tradition? I'm not really sure about "team traditions" like rubbing your jock on your left earlobe three times before you put it on... but there must be something that keeps our community and schools as tightly knit as we are.

What I am getting at is that once a team or community has established a tradition, and that tradition is truly honored, it builds that community and thus the team is supported with years of "tradition" ringing in their ears, and we want to see our kids take part in the things we took part in.

Memories of our own youth, replayed before our eyes as parents...does tradition mean anything? Of course it does!

Tradition is not about winning games regularly, that is what we have records for. It is about a sea of green clad fans swaying with a "1" in the air to our school song, whether you have lost all your games that season, or have lost the state title. It's those same fans not leaving the stadium after the big one was lost, but rather staying in support of our team, and continuing to cheer for them until they have left the building. It is a school band playing "Amazing Grace" in a quiet, solemn, protest of the fact that we can no longer say a public prayer before our games. It is spirit, pride and honor!

<small>[ September 02, 2003, 05:05 PM: Message edited by: HotDawg89 ]</small>

[vet93]

In towns that have tradition...good coaching, hard work and hustle IS tradition wink It is not that way everywhere.


Chief Woodman:
You are right J2k...not exceptional talent...but talent that was good enough along with good coaching and hard work and hustle. NOT TRADITION.

No game ever starts with the official saying.. "(Insert team name here) get 10 point because of tradition" No every point is earned on the field.

[slpybear the bullfan]

One thing tradition will do is bring young atheletes into programs with the right mindset. If you have a tradition rich program, it will get kids ready to work hard, feel like a part of the big picture, not want to let teammates down, extra.

It is one of the important reasons why teams with lesser talents can continually beat more talented teams year in year out.

[whtfbplaya]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Chief Woodman:
[QB]You are right J2k...not exceptional talent...but talent that was good enough along with good coaching and hard work and hustle. NOT TRADITION.

What do you consider tradition to be, other than what you listed

[whtfbplaya]

Sorry to kinda repeat what you said vet but I did not read the posts after I saw the one I wanted to comment on.

[vet93]

No Worries...I am just glad to find at least one person that actually agrees with me wink


whtfbplaya:
Sorry to kinda repeat what you said vet but I did not read the posts after I saw the one I wanted to comment on.

[Hazben]

Traditions now i believe they are important....pregame...thursday nights....post game ....sat mornings..everyone has traditons. It is what makes up most of what runs in the players and coaches heads well besides the game stuff...Homecoming is a tradition.

[Jimbotex40]

there is no tradition in pro sports