LC Bird: Underachievers?

[BleedingNavy]

LC Bird lost again. Am I alone or did anyone else expect Bird to be a contender in Class 5 Region C? Thanks to their performance in the past three weeks the Skyhawks have become pretenders.

Bird is currently 5-4 and the opponents they have defeated are a combined 13-30. The only team Bird has beaten with a winning record is Powhatan. In the last three games (all losses) they have scored a whopping 29 points. They have Midlothian left on the schedule and it's a must win game for Bird. Lose and they could be done for the year.

 

[mbonape1]

Yes, underachieved IMO. Still capable of playing a good game and pushing a good team but I think that is the celling. Could have easily won a few of those games but… you gotta do it

 

[Dripping]

Those kids have quit on Troy Taylor

 

[BleedingNavy]

Those kids have quit on Troy Taylor

Thanks @Dripping and @mbonape1. I was looking for some answers and you guys stepped up. You both hit on what I was thinking and in a few sentences. Bird is like an injury that isn't being treated. It's just keeps getting worse and worse.

 

[GoBlue2109]

Those kids have quit on Troy Taylor

I haven't watched them this year. Is the typical hard nosed effort just gone now?

 

[BoKnowsSports]

Those kids have quit on Troy Taylor

🐍, that program got what it deserved.

 

[BoKnowsSports]

I haven't watched them this year. Is the typical hard nosed effort just gone now?

They haven’t been 💩 since Dave Bedwell left.

 

[BoKnowsSports]

Those kids have quit on Troy Taylor

That program got what they deserved.

 

[804 Football Fan]

LC Bird lost again. Am I alone or did anyone else expect Bird to be a contender in Class 5 Region C? Thanks to their performance in the past three weeks the Skyhawks have become pretenders.

Bird is currently 5-4 and the opponents they have defeated are a combined 13-30. The only team Bird has beaten with a winning record is Powhatan. In the last three games (all losses) they have scored a whopping 29 points. They have Midlothian left on the schedule and it's a must win game for Bird. Lose and they could be done for the year.

You are right. It looks like the Midlo vs Bird game is now a playoff. I can't see the loser of that game getting in...Bird's defense is solid but the lack of any passing game is now catching up to them - major injuries to QB (has returned) and leading returning WR (has been out all year) did not help matters...

 

[804 Football Fan]

If we are being honest with ourselves. we are talking about high school football and the only few schools that don't "underachieve" every now and then are loaded with kids who "should" be at other schools - like Bird's state championship teams for example...

 

[General172011]

That program got what they deserved.

What happened?

 

[DinwiddieProud]

What happened?

POLITICS!

 

[BoKnowsSports]

What happened?

Crooks. They did Bedwell dirty on those charges.

 

[CRF4Dan]

Thanks @Dripping and @mbonape1. I was looking for some answers and you guys stepped up. You both hit on what I was thinking and in a few sentences. Bird is like an injury that isn't being treated. It's just keeps getting worse and worse.

There is something amiss over there at Dutchman. The crazy part is some continue to talk about this as a contender and I just don't see it. In our area it is clearly Matoaca & Freeman the front runner's along with Patrick Henry (Roanoke) and Louisa to the west.

 

[edwinanderson2nd]

There is something amiss over there at Dutchman. The crazy part is some continue to talk about this as a contender and I just don't see it. In our area it is clearly Matoaca & Freeman the front runner's along with Patrick Henry (Roanoke) and Louisa to the west.

And Freeman just lost to Hanover

 

[CRF4Dan]

And Freeman just lost to Hanover

Yes but I like their chances over Bird.

 

[mbonape1]

And Freeman just lost to Hanover

I really only think Matoaca has a shot at a regional final appearance from 804. Definitely don’t think Freeman can do it. How good is a Hermitage or even Bird compared to Louisa or PHR? @CRF4Dan any thoughts? Do we even know?

 

[CRF4Dan]

I really only think Matoaca has a shot at a regional final appearance from 804. Definitely don’t think Freeman can do it. How good is a Hermitage or even Bird compared to Louisa or PHR? @CRF4Dan any thoughts? Do we even know?

Well I can't speak to Louisa or PH because I have not seen them. From what I understand both are strong but I've heard PH lost some guys to injuries.

I think Matoaca is the best bet to win the region. I was high on them before the season and that confidence has only grown.

Comparing Hermitage and Bird to Louisa and PH would be tough to do with not seeing either the Lions or Patriots. I just not sure Bird is going to make the playoffs.

 

[Dripping]

I haven't watched them this year. Is the typical hard nosed effort just gone now?

Defense is gritty, but that's more on Coach Bland

 

[TDKLIGHTSOUT]

Talent pool in that area is good but not that great right now. They can field enough talent to win basketball stats titles but not football ones. Reminds me of John Marshall. These coaches know what's coming when they go to the youth football league and JV games. Birds JV already looks suspect so don't expect things to change fof awhile.

 

[BleedingNavy]

I respect your take @TDKLIGHTSOUT and realize it's tough to make a silk purse out a sows ear. If the talent pool is the answer then I would ask why? Is the top Bird zoned talent now playing elsewhere (Matoaca, Dale, and Manchester), is it the coaching staffs failure to develop the talent, or as @Dripping eluded to the kids no longer desire to play for this staff.

Maybe it's not just a Bird problem. The participation numbers for football are declining across the state and maybe the decline is hurting Chesterfield in general. Teams in the Dominion District are a combined 1-6 in OOD games. In the Central, Meadowbrook is 2-2, Thomas Dale 4-0 and Matoaca is 2-1 in OOD games. Maybe it's just Chesterfield has too many schools period and there is not enough football talent to go around.

 

[BoKnowsSports]

Defense is gritty, but that's more on Coach Bland

I didn’t know Bland was coaching Bird.

 

[BoKnowsSports]

Bird isn’t good in basketball or football. Underachieve and choke if they do have any talent. I know Bedwell and a lot of his people who followed him from Bird. Bird isn’t anything like it used to be with the new administration and they’ve run some really good people off. A lot of kids who Bedwell would keep are now going to Dale or Manchester to play at better programs. It also doesn’t help that CCPS doesn’t have football at their middle schools so you have to have very strong youth league connections. There was a picture circulating of Taylor at a youth league game all alone and parents and Bird fans were really saying some cruel things. I feel bad for him in a way, but the way they did Dave Bedwell takes away all of my empathy for that school on Courthouse Rd. We have a lot of people like Springer76 who says snarky comments (as he did just a few days ago) and have zero clue what they’re talking about regarding Bedwell’s situation. All I have to say is treat your fellow man right as karma is a bee eye tee cee ayche. Bedwell is doing well. He’s extremely happy, about to retire, has been buying homes and remodeling them, doing a lot traveling , has a beautiful family and has an easy office job doing what he’s good at Longwood. *drops the mic*

 

[CRF4Dan]

I respect your take @TDKLIGHTSOUT and realize it's tough to make a silk purse out a sows ear. If the talent pool is the answer then I would ask why? Is the top Bird zoned talent now playing elsewhere (Matoaca, Dale, and Manchester), is it the coaching staffs failure to develop the talent, or as @Dripping eluded to the kids no longer desire to play for this staff.

Maybe it's not just a Bird problem. The participation numbers for football are declining across the state and maybe the decline is hurting Chesterfield in general. Teams in the Dominion District are a combined 1-6 in OOD games. In the Central, Meadowbrook is 2-2, Thomas Dale 4-0 and Matoaca is 2-1 in OOD games. Maybe it's just Chesterfield has too many schools period and there is not enough football talent to go around.

Well if it is too many schools that's a problem that won't be fixed because there is an 11th school going up slated for 2027 I believe.

 

[BleedingNavy]

Very good point @CRF4Dan. I will use travel baseball as an example. When it first started all the teams were very good and every game was competitive. Now there are a ton of teams and for the most part the quality of ball is atrocious. Good for business, but bad for the game. Football depth has gotten even worse with open enrollment and loose rules/enforcement of transfers. I love this game, but the future is bleak for HS football as we know it.

 

[CRF4Dan]

Very good point @CRF4Dan. I will use travel baseball as an example. When it first started all the teams were very good and every game was competitive. Now there are a ton of teams and for the most part the quality of ball is atrocious. Good for business, but bad for the game. Football depth has gotten even worse with open enrollment and loose rules/enforcement of transfers. I love this game, but the future is bleak for HS football as we know it.

You're not wrong. Tom Garrett, my predecessor echoed the same sentiment in 2012. Granted we are still here a decade later and hopefully we will still have plenty to talk about for the next decade but by the 2030's I'm petrified for what will become of the game we love so much.

 

[cutnjump]

You're not wrong. Tom Garrett, my predecessor echoed the same sentiment in 2012. Granted we are still here a decade later and hopefully we will still have plenty to talk about for the next decade but by the 2030's I'm petrified for what will become of the game we love so much.

There are a variety of factors/reasons for where HS football in Virginia is now and, more troubling, where the sport appears to be headed. Having watched HS football in this state since the 1960s, I believe that collectively it reached its peak in the late 90s to early 00s.

Depending upon what part of the state someone resides in that timeline can shift a few years either way, IMO. I think we would all agree, that with the exception of a few programs/locales things are cyclical and the previous rise and now the subsequent decline, while not necessarily linear, exhibits discernible trends. Two of the indicators to me are the declining quality of the state's overall recruiting pool relative to other states and the widening disparity in game scores signaling gaps in competitiveness. These issues are not unique to Virginia and I fear they are only going to get worse.

 

[BleedingNavy]

@cutnjump, you brought up some great points. Can you expand your take and help me understand why and how these two factors are occurring. Not saying I can do anything about it, but in my little world we may be able to possibly slow it down. Basically, I can't solve something if I don't understand the why.

 

[cutnjump]

@cutnjump, you brought up some great points. Can you expand your take and help me understand why and how these two factors are occurring. Not saying I can do anything about it, but in my little world we may be able to possibly slow it down. Basically, I can't solve something if I don't understand the why.

First, I have to emphasize this was my opinion and the two I mentioned are intertwined with a variety of other factors.

The decline in the overall recruiting pool, in my opinion, is affected by several things. One is mobility, nowadays, kids are apt to move a lot more frequently. That can take kids out of state, can affect development and can ultimately affect the opportunities they get at the next level. Second, is the increasingly transient nature of the coaches. I do not begrudge coaches bettering their situations. My point is the shorter term nature affects individual and program development. Guys like Billy Mills were closer to the norm in former times, now his tenure would be considered outside the norm. Third is the AAUing of football. With outside influences and the large number of kids the ability of the guy in the building to do his job is more difficult and probably hastens #2.

The widening score gaps are the same issue just dressed up slightly differently. The reasons for talent pool decline have similar impacts to the competitive product put on the field. I am not sure how this gets fixed because the more schools, the more the potential for disparity and the more options for mobility. The VHSL has neither the will, time or resources to play attendance cop and, quite honestly, never has had such. However, I mentioned that there was more stability in head guys in former times which I believe was a deterrent to the frequency of school hopping we see today. That is not to say it did not ever happen just that the frequency was far less. There is a lot of pressure on high school sports from a variety of areas. In some ways, the same type pressure facing colleges. The reality is the former models are broke and in need of overhaul or at least significant tweaking. My opinion is that adults and money are significantly impacting the model now that once worked fairly simply and effectively to promote competition, development and life skills that benefitted kids for the entirety of their adult lives.

 

[Dripping]

I didn’t know Bland was coaching Bird.

He is the DC

 

[cutnjump]

One more thing @BleedingNavy regarding score differentials. Rules play an impact. I get safety concerns and I also understand preserving depth by reducing contact in practice. However, by and large tackling is atrocious. Some of it is the fundamental breakdowns from kids imitating what they see on TV but, far more is the breakdown in teaching and reps limited by reduced contact in practice. There is no substitute for full contact practice reps and tackling to the ground. Thudding or two hand/first touch is a false sense of preparation ultimately doomed to execution failure in live game action.

 

[falcettik]

cutnjump, I cannot agree with you more on the decline in tackling skills. It is extremely evident but the game is shifting to contain a stronger safety component, and rightfully so. Something has to give somewhere and tackling is certainly one aspect of the game that has changed.

 

[cutnjump]

cutnjump, I cannot agree with you more on the decline in tackling skills. It is extremely evident but the game is shifting to contain a stronger safety component, and rightfully so. Something has to give somewhere and tackling is certainly one aspect of the game that has changed.

That is why I referenced the safety component right up front and I am not against measures to improve safety. I think that better teaching of fundamentals actually improves safety as well. Teaching kids at a young age to keep their head up, see what they hit, hit/wrap/redirect, etc. all help that. Unfortunately, technology improvements in helmets and a lot of TV convince kids to use the head/helmet as a battering ram.

 

[BleedingNavy]

Good stuff @cutnjump and @falcettik. I agree on all points. I must admit I never considered all of your points, but they hit home. I think a lot of fundamentals of football are being ignored in today's game. Due to poor pay, long hours, and family dynamics (rightfully so) assistant coach retention is at all an all time low. Because of this there is not enough time to teach the basics and scheme/planning considered a premium. Youth leagues are an issue to. They are generally coached by Dad's who never learned the basics themselves. I know for a fact, I knew the fundamentals of all sorts I played by the 8th grade. When I got to high school it was all polishing. Besides we played multiple sports then too and we're always in shape.

I coached and officiated for over 25 years. Due to my competitive nature and being raised by an assistant coach I never really considered how much money and time with my family I lost. I deeply regret it now; however, I would be liar if I didn't admit the desire to be back on the field. I think the coaches today want to give 2-3 hours and call it a day. I don't really blame them either. Being married to your sport and finding a significant other who will accept it is almost impossible these days. Coach Mills gives his wife credit all the time about her dedication not to just him, but the team and community for letting him coach. He is right too. Great lady who always gets a kiss before before he does interviews with reporters.