HighSchool OT

Panther Creek & Green Hope's Selfish Idea

Merging the Tri9 and Pac6 into one league is an awful idea and shows a real lack of consideration of other schools involved. They are proposing a two division league running from Person to Harnett Counties. All so that they don't have to do what countless other schools have to do every four years. Good gosh they seem to only be concerned about themselves at the expense other schools. They would have Harnett Central sitting on an island forced to add countless miles and extended travel time while they give nothing up. They preserve their rivalries and bring in lots of gate dollars with almost all their games close by. Meanwhile Harnett Central gates receipts bottom out as Durham, Cary and Roxboro fans decide it's not worth the drive to Neill's Creek. They tie up our OOC football schedule with games against distant opponents making it difficult if not impossible to continue our traditional match ups with our three fellow Harnett County schools, games that are profitable, convenient for our fans and natural rivalries. They propose no divisions for sports other than basketball and football so that will involve the tennis, baseball. softball, cross country etc. teams making even more distant trips, costing us more money, preventing parents and other fans from attending, and taking students out of school earlier to arrive for competitions. The other schools will just have to take one or two distant trips, while half of our trips will be a great distance away.

This is a bad, selfish, and arrogant idea.

RE: Panther Creek & Green Hope's Selfish Idea

lazydawg -

Couldn't disagree with you more on this front. I assume you are a Harnett supporter and I can see your beef. But consider at a few things.

First, according to the report in the N&O 10 out of the 14 schools that would be affected in this process, all are in favor of the move. That includes all Tri-9 teams that would be involved and Jordan and Northern Durham, both of Durham. Also, Person has indicated that they are essentially fine either way. That effectively means that 11 out of the 14 are in favor of this move. IOW, the actual schools, 11 of the 14 are saying they would go for this move.

The three schools that according to the article were not in favor are Hillside and Riverside from Durham and then Harnett Central.

I think it's important to note that according to the article, HC is not in favor of this proposal, BUT, they are also not in favor of the initial NCHSAA realignment that would take them from the GNR. My point here is that they were already against any move. IMHO, painting this proposal as 'selfish' and sticking it in relation to HC is valid, in part because they flat out aren't in favor of any move - period.

As for Hillside, one thing I would say is that quite possibly the Southern Durham element plays into this angle for them and non-conf openings. As for Riverside - don't quite get their side of things on this.

Reality is that HC in this set-up would be playing majority current Tri-9 teams, IOW, they would be in the same boat they already are in, with the current alignment. Only difference is that they would play a few non-conf against either the Durham squads, Person or PC or GH. Yes it would possibly constrain those non-conf games, but that will happen for all.

Think this would be a positive in the gate perspective for all schools involved. Also think there are numerous other positives with this idea.

Not the least of which is that it's a truly outside the box type of idea that has real compromise included in it.

PC/GH

...and I think that having 11 of 14 in the positive box for this move speaks volumes about seeing how this in the end would be positive for all involved.

the DFBFan via Bull City Football for Starters (BCF4S)
At http://durhamfbfan.blogspot.com
On Twitter durhamfbfan >> http://twitter.com/durhamfbfan

RE: Panther Creek & Green Hope's Selfish Idea

First of all the GNC members expressed the desire that HC stay in that conference and HC requested that they be allowed to do so. Second, they don't think for a minute that that will happen. Third, what exactly is the upside for HC?

And to clarify, only Football and Basketball will be divisional so HC will be traveling great distances for all those other teams multiple times a season. So no there are no positives at all for HC. The conferences should stay where they are. PC and GH can just go to the Pac6 like they were told. Their travel is minimal in either conference but they put HC under great financial and logistical stress if this goes through.

Our school board has already expressed great concern with where the money is going to come from with the placement of Western Harnett in a conference that will increase their travel expenses significantly and like PC and GH take them away from their nearby rivals. It was to the point that the school board members were wondering out loud if they might have to pull our schools out of the NCHSAA. Now I fully believe that that was just frustration talking but if this proposal goes through and yet another financial leak pops up in the ship I don't know what they will do?

As for Roxboro I suspect the closer they look at this the less they are going to like it.

RE: Panther Creek & Green Hope's Selfish Idea

Roxboro is 82 miles from Harnett Central.
Northern Durham and Riverside are 58 miles.
Hillside and Jordan are 48 miles away.
Panther Creek, Athens Drive, Cary and Green Hope are about 30 miles away.
Apex is 24 miles away.
Middle Creek is 20 miles away.
Holly Springs is 17 miles away. Fuquay-Varina is 12 miles away.

Average distance in the mega conference 37.46. Average distance in the seven team Tri9 is 22.1.

RE: Panther Creek & Green Hope's Selfish Idea

lazydawg -

I'll admit that on the surface it would appear that the one team out of all of the 14 that would potentially be most affected in any realignment is HC.

Reality is that the mileage isn't a big thing IMO. A difference of 15 or so miles on average is not huge. One has to be careful there because, depending on non-conf in this scenario versus the other scenarios you might find that overall mileage stays the same or is perhaps even better in this alignment.

As I said earlier, I understand where you are coming from, but I simply disagree with the PC/GH proposal as being the issue. I think the proposal is a solid compromise for the vast majority of those involved and so far the vast majority appear to agree. If this proposal doesn't fly, then the reality is that HC is still going to be upset...the difference is that a number of other schools, at least nine of them, will also be upset.

the DFBFan via Bull City Football for Starters (BCF4S)
At http://durhamfbfan.blogspot.com
On Twitter durhamfbfan >> http://twitter.com/durhamfbfan

RE: Panther Creek & Green Hope's Selfish Idea

Honestly, I think its a silly idea. But...

During the realignment process, you are SUPPOSED to be "selfish". You have to look after yourself, for noone else will. They can choose to use your ploan or not, but its a political process. Thats how you have to do it. To do otherwise is to not look after your own kids. THAT is your priority if you are at a school, to do whats best for YOU. Then, you let the powers that be sort it out. But to suggest it is not wrong. Its smart.

RE: Panther Creek & Green Hope's Selfish Idea

I don't know about "silly" ideas and/or about it being all about the "$$". I think the true issue here is all about not wanting to split up rivalry games (so they say), but more about other issues. People can tip toe around the issues here, but lets be honest, it is about more than just $$ at the gate and making a mega conference.

Now about this MEGA conference...sounds like a great idea to me. Seems to me that all schools would benefit from this idea and keep a lot of great rivalries in tact. However...can you imagaine trying to schedule for baseball etc.

I get lazydawg point as well. However...if HC doesn't give the association a reason not to move them...the move is going to happen. HC has to provide evidence ($$..travel cost...gate etc.) for not wanting to move to another conference. The answer can't just be NO!

As I stated before...the ISSUE here is not truly a MEGA conference or rivalry games...its as simple as BLACK & WHITE, OIL & WATER...some schools don't like the mixture!

RE: Panther Creek & Green Hope's Selfish Idea

My thoughts are, this is a move that is in the best interest of GH & PC. If every team in the PAC6 and TRI9 agree then only then can this move be considered. I understand Hillside is against the move.... I would agree with them. It wouldn't allow them to be as flexible with there scheduling. Hillside wants to become a regional and at somepoint a national player in HS football, they would like to play out of state and in-state football powerhouses. Why should they be handcuffed for PC and GH lack of flexibility.

RE: Panther Creek & Green Hope's Selfish Idea

Harnett Central has no illusions that they are going to stay in the GNC. They expect to be moved to the Tri9. It is the mega conference that is unreasonable. I want you guys to put yourselves in the athletes at HC's shoes. What time are you going to have to leave school for a a baseball game at Roxboro or Northern? What time are you going to get home that night? What about the parents and grandparents that want to see a game? What about the gates at HC home games? Who from Durham or Person county is going to show up? What about our natural rivalries when we are tired up with a mega conference? Walk a mile in someone else's shoes.

RE: Panther Creek & Green Hope's Selfish Idea

I think PC & GH need to suck it up and get over it. The new alignment proposal sounds perfectly reasonable to me.