Not off the Press
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
Not to ignore other sports, but football has been on my mind from the time I wake up to the time I go to sleep since the lockout ended. I don't know how that is for others, but for this guy, it means I'm the most relaxed I've been in a very long time.
There is so much football to be excited for. Not only the NFL, but we have all kinds of college football, and good luck to my Wilmington College Quakers this 2011 season. Besides those two levels of football, we have high school football and for those who like it, youth football.
So pretty much if you are a fan of football, there isn't a shortage of it going around.
This week on the first day of two-a-day practices, I will be visiting some South Central Ohio League schools and some other schools that have football programs, too. Once I have every place that I want to visit completed, we can talk about what I have learned and what is going on.
The football tour of high school football I took last season was enjoyable for my first time, but now that I know what I am doing and what I want to get out of these trips, this year will be even better. Remember, the HCP high school football preview will be coming out before the start of the season. If you want to advertise in the publication, call Caitlin or Angie at (937) 840-9490. I like to say it is money well spent, more like an investment.
As I wrote about in my print column in the latest edition of the Highland County Press, there were "rumors" going around the area about the Hillsboro football program. What I know is this, and it is from a very reliable person: there will be a season, and yes, the team will be very young and the numbers aren't what they used to be.
That's about it.
From what I understand, the team will look different than last year's, but what I hope happens is the community rallies around the players who have decided football is important in their lives and support them.
What not only football players, but all student-athletes and band members in the fall, go through to prepare for the upcoming season is dedication. Remember when Week 1 of any sports season this fall occurs all the hard work these athletes and coaches put in during these hot summer months to entertain and represent the community. Though it means I will be back to a caffeinated life (I've cut back my coffee intake this summer), I'm very much looking forward to the upcoming fall sports season.
• New Era For FHS Baseball
I had the opportunity to interview and write stories about the new Fairfield High School baseball coach and the former FHS coach and his 19-year career. Both Ritchie Butler and Jeff Miller have always been good to me as a reporter, and I respect both of them.
And to hear how they were treated in a "forum" (not in the HCP) is just disrespectful. It's not like they are politicians and the coaching gig is their way to make a living or they are elected by the public to run a form of government.
Just like I told each coach during their respective interviews I had with them for their articles … congrats.
(I don't know how they do it.)
Again, good luck to Ritchie when the baseball season begins and congrats to Jeff on a great 19-year career.
• Tournament of Champions Baseball
I had the chance to watch a couple Tournament of Champions baseball games last week. It was fun watching the younger kids for a change. The game I watched with the most detail was the 14-and-under championship game between the Hillsboro Rude Boyz and the Washington C.H. Post 25 Eagles.
Though the final out was recorded 30 or so minutes before the midnight hour, that game reminded me baseball can still be good. It was also a good story because four players won their fourth career TOC first-place trophy, including wins in the 10u and 12u tournaments. Those players were: Taylor Anderson, Zach Young, Ryan Lemaster and Alexander VanZant.
Just a fun event that all who are involved should be very proud of. It is a great tradition.
• 10 Things I Am Looking Forward To For Football Friday Nights
1. Seeing all the different pre-game atmospheres. I love the part when you hear the marching band come to the stand. Each week gives you goosebumps … at least I get them. I also love watching teams warm up, just to see what they like to run.
2. Seeing former coaches or classmates from high school and college leading a team onto the field.
3. Just writing about the game itself.
4. Hearing John Wend announce "Touchdown Tigers" at McClain Field.
5. Back to Greenfield and the first bite of a fish sandwich at the Band Boosters booth after almost 10 months.
6. The crack of the shoulder pads.
7. The lights.
8. A fourth-and-one play in the fourth quarter that will seal a team's fate.
9. The change of the seasons. (I love fall weather, hate winter.)
10. The moment right before the opening kickoff.
• 10 NFL Thoughts
1. The Eagles WON'T win the Super Bowl.
2. Again, the Eagles are good … in fact, they are better than good … but they are being hyped like the Miami Heat before the most recent NBA season, and we all were witnesses on how that turned out. Why even have the NFL season if people are already crowning them champions? Last I heard, the Eagles last won the NFL championship in 1960, so I wouldn't guarantee anything when it comes to crowning champions in the offseason.
3. I was surprised the Bengals were unable to re-sign Jonathan Joesph. He went from a really bad team to a team that always plays under its potential in the Texans. You could say that is a step in the right direction.
4. Twitter is a great way to follow the NFL free agency and trading scene. It is a crazy world on Twitter. (Follow me @HCPsportseditor.)
5. Why any team would ever sign for Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams just hurts my head. (Unless they want a receiver who is aging and drops passes.)
6. The Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots and NY Jets are all better than the Eagles at this time of the season … in my opinion.
7. I liked the Bears' pickup of Marion Barber off free agency. If used properly, Barber can be a productive running back for a team. Remember, if used right. Luckily, they already have Matt Forte.
8. Not sure what to think about the Bengals and Nate Clements union. I'd rather have Jonathan Joseph, but beggars can't be choosers if the team is located in Cincinnati. They did do a nice job by picking up Cedric Benson for another year. He's a quality player and actually wanted to stay in Cincinnati.
9. Adrian Peterson will be the top back in the NFL this season. Followed by Arian Foster, Chris Johnson and Darren McFadden.
10. Why the Bengals re-signed Jordan Palmer confuses me, but who does understand anything lately when the topic is Cincinnati sports?
• Quote of the Week
"I just have a passion for baseball. I love the game, and I'm knowledgable about the game, which can be a good and bad thing, who knows. My favorite part is the teaching aspect of baseball, especially with pitching. It's always good to see my pitchers were always able to throw for strikes, and I'm proud of that. I just love the competition, the strategy, the squeeze bunt, looking at the weather report, the smell of the grass after it has been mowed and the batting practice. I love everything about the game itself and the strategy." — Jeff Miller, former Fairfield varsity baseball coach.
• (A second) Quote of the Week
“Most, if not all, of the guys play on traveling teams during the summer. They are playing 50 to 60 games a summer, and they all come back together to play in the Tournament of Champions because they get along with each other.” — David Vanzant, head coach 14u Rude Boyz Tournament of Champions winner.
• (A third and final) Quote of the Week
"We will work to keep the winning tradition, and we want a competitive team day-in, day-out. Though I haven't coached at the high school level for a few years, I haven't lost touch with it. Coaching the Legion team, and covering games for newspapers, has allowed me to have a good relationship with high school sports. It's not like I have completely been away." — Ritchie Butler, American Legion Post 129 and Fairfield varsity baseball coach.
• Stat of the Week
With the final stats of the Hillsboro Post 129 baseball season given to me, it was Tucker Hughes who ended the entire season with the highest batting average of .407. Hughes had 91 at-bats with 37 hits, including seven doubles. He scored 19 runs, had two steals and had two sacrifices. Hughes was hit by a pitch four times and was tied for a team-high 15 walks.
• Thought of the Week
My thought this week is the 2011 Cincinnati Reds confuse me like no other team this season.
• One last item of business
This will be a very busy but fun week for me as I get to travel all around the South Central Ohio League football landscape. I hope everyone enjoys the final product as much as I have helping create it. I just want to thank all the coaches and players beforehand as they let a sports editor write about their football lives.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.[[In-content Ad]]
There is so much football to be excited for. Not only the NFL, but we have all kinds of college football, and good luck to my Wilmington College Quakers this 2011 season. Besides those two levels of football, we have high school football and for those who like it, youth football.
So pretty much if you are a fan of football, there isn't a shortage of it going around.
This week on the first day of two-a-day practices, I will be visiting some South Central Ohio League schools and some other schools that have football programs, too. Once I have every place that I want to visit completed, we can talk about what I have learned and what is going on.
The football tour of high school football I took last season was enjoyable for my first time, but now that I know what I am doing and what I want to get out of these trips, this year will be even better. Remember, the HCP high school football preview will be coming out before the start of the season. If you want to advertise in the publication, call Caitlin or Angie at (937) 840-9490. I like to say it is money well spent, more like an investment.
As I wrote about in my print column in the latest edition of the Highland County Press, there were "rumors" going around the area about the Hillsboro football program. What I know is this, and it is from a very reliable person: there will be a season, and yes, the team will be very young and the numbers aren't what they used to be.
That's about it.
From what I understand, the team will look different than last year's, but what I hope happens is the community rallies around the players who have decided football is important in their lives and support them.
What not only football players, but all student-athletes and band members in the fall, go through to prepare for the upcoming season is dedication. Remember when Week 1 of any sports season this fall occurs all the hard work these athletes and coaches put in during these hot summer months to entertain and represent the community. Though it means I will be back to a caffeinated life (I've cut back my coffee intake this summer), I'm very much looking forward to the upcoming fall sports season.
• New Era For FHS Baseball
I had the opportunity to interview and write stories about the new Fairfield High School baseball coach and the former FHS coach and his 19-year career. Both Ritchie Butler and Jeff Miller have always been good to me as a reporter, and I respect both of them.
And to hear how they were treated in a "forum" (not in the HCP) is just disrespectful. It's not like they are politicians and the coaching gig is their way to make a living or they are elected by the public to run a form of government.
Just like I told each coach during their respective interviews I had with them for their articles … congrats.
(I don't know how they do it.)
Again, good luck to Ritchie when the baseball season begins and congrats to Jeff on a great 19-year career.
• Tournament of Champions Baseball
I had the chance to watch a couple Tournament of Champions baseball games last week. It was fun watching the younger kids for a change. The game I watched with the most detail was the 14-and-under championship game between the Hillsboro Rude Boyz and the Washington C.H. Post 25 Eagles.
Though the final out was recorded 30 or so minutes before the midnight hour, that game reminded me baseball can still be good. It was also a good story because four players won their fourth career TOC first-place trophy, including wins in the 10u and 12u tournaments. Those players were: Taylor Anderson, Zach Young, Ryan Lemaster and Alexander VanZant.
Just a fun event that all who are involved should be very proud of. It is a great tradition.
• 10 Things I Am Looking Forward To For Football Friday Nights
1. Seeing all the different pre-game atmospheres. I love the part when you hear the marching band come to the stand. Each week gives you goosebumps … at least I get them. I also love watching teams warm up, just to see what they like to run.
2. Seeing former coaches or classmates from high school and college leading a team onto the field.
3. Just writing about the game itself.
4. Hearing John Wend announce "Touchdown Tigers" at McClain Field.
5. Back to Greenfield and the first bite of a fish sandwich at the Band Boosters booth after almost 10 months.
6. The crack of the shoulder pads.
7. The lights.
8. A fourth-and-one play in the fourth quarter that will seal a team's fate.
9. The change of the seasons. (I love fall weather, hate winter.)
10. The moment right before the opening kickoff.
• 10 NFL Thoughts
1. The Eagles WON'T win the Super Bowl.
2. Again, the Eagles are good … in fact, they are better than good … but they are being hyped like the Miami Heat before the most recent NBA season, and we all were witnesses on how that turned out. Why even have the NFL season if people are already crowning them champions? Last I heard, the Eagles last won the NFL championship in 1960, so I wouldn't guarantee anything when it comes to crowning champions in the offseason.
3. I was surprised the Bengals were unable to re-sign Jonathan Joesph. He went from a really bad team to a team that always plays under its potential in the Texans. You could say that is a step in the right direction.
4. Twitter is a great way to follow the NFL free agency and trading scene. It is a crazy world on Twitter. (Follow me @HCPsportseditor.)
5. Why any team would ever sign for Cowboys wide receiver Roy Williams just hurts my head. (Unless they want a receiver who is aging and drops passes.)
6. The Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots and NY Jets are all better than the Eagles at this time of the season … in my opinion.
7. I liked the Bears' pickup of Marion Barber off free agency. If used properly, Barber can be a productive running back for a team. Remember, if used right. Luckily, they already have Matt Forte.
8. Not sure what to think about the Bengals and Nate Clements union. I'd rather have Jonathan Joseph, but beggars can't be choosers if the team is located in Cincinnati. They did do a nice job by picking up Cedric Benson for another year. He's a quality player and actually wanted to stay in Cincinnati.
9. Adrian Peterson will be the top back in the NFL this season. Followed by Arian Foster, Chris Johnson and Darren McFadden.
10. Why the Bengals re-signed Jordan Palmer confuses me, but who does understand anything lately when the topic is Cincinnati sports?
• Quote of the Week
"I just have a passion for baseball. I love the game, and I'm knowledgable about the game, which can be a good and bad thing, who knows. My favorite part is the teaching aspect of baseball, especially with pitching. It's always good to see my pitchers were always able to throw for strikes, and I'm proud of that. I just love the competition, the strategy, the squeeze bunt, looking at the weather report, the smell of the grass after it has been mowed and the batting practice. I love everything about the game itself and the strategy." — Jeff Miller, former Fairfield varsity baseball coach.
• (A second) Quote of the Week
“Most, if not all, of the guys play on traveling teams during the summer. They are playing 50 to 60 games a summer, and they all come back together to play in the Tournament of Champions because they get along with each other.” — David Vanzant, head coach 14u Rude Boyz Tournament of Champions winner.
• (A third and final) Quote of the Week
"We will work to keep the winning tradition, and we want a competitive team day-in, day-out. Though I haven't coached at the high school level for a few years, I haven't lost touch with it. Coaching the Legion team, and covering games for newspapers, has allowed me to have a good relationship with high school sports. It's not like I have completely been away." — Ritchie Butler, American Legion Post 129 and Fairfield varsity baseball coach.
• Stat of the Week
With the final stats of the Hillsboro Post 129 baseball season given to me, it was Tucker Hughes who ended the entire season with the highest batting average of .407. Hughes had 91 at-bats with 37 hits, including seven doubles. He scored 19 runs, had two steals and had two sacrifices. Hughes was hit by a pitch four times and was tied for a team-high 15 walks.
• Thought of the Week
My thought this week is the 2011 Cincinnati Reds confuse me like no other team this season.
• One last item of business
This will be a very busy but fun week for me as I get to travel all around the South Central Ohio League football landscape. I hope everyone enjoys the final product as much as I have helping create it. I just want to thank all the coaches and players beforehand as they let a sports editor write about their football lives.
Stephen Forsha is the sports editor of The Highland County Press. He can be reached at sforsha@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @hcpsportseditor.[[In-content Ad]]