Friday Night Kickoff

A few quick updates. 

Brandywine and Eau Claire have named their head football coaches for the upcoming seasons.

Brandywine has named former Bridgman coach Mike Nate at head coach, a good hire.  Nate is familiar with the Lakeland Conference, plus a couple of seasons coaching at a larger school in South Bend should be beneficial for Nate.

The other area hiring is Tom Ferry at Eau Claire. I won't comment about the family situation... If you need to know more here is the link from the HP.

http://www.heraldpalladium.com/articles/2009/05/27/local_news/536241.txt

I don't see this as a problem after all he used to be the head coach prior to his dismissal by the board because they wanted a more high tempo offense.  Well they're back to the Ferry offense because they had to let Matt Gudorf go because his maintenance position was eliminated by the board.

But Ferry is another benefit to have back, he knows the system and it won't take him long to get back into the swing of things as the season progresses.

Posted by Dave Wolf at 06:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sources have told me that you can expect to be hearing about some changes coming in 2010 for the Red Arrow and the Lakeland Conference.

Football is the sport that is driving this, and so far everything I've learned is just football, I don't know about anything involving any other sport besides football...

Lemme start this by saying that we already know about River Valley moving out of the Lakeland and joining the Red Arrow in 2010.  It was supposed to be this fall for all sports except football.  Football was to go to the Red Arrow in 2010.  So far by looking at the schedules that's exactly what it is.  But here is where it's going to get a lot more interesting...

Bridgman is also leaving the Lakeland Conference and going back to the Red Arrow in 2010, again this may just be for football... I don't have anything that says other sports as well, after all Bridgman is one of the powerhouse teams in the Lakeland in both Boys and Girls Basketball.  But football they've been far from it. 

The Bees left the Red Arrow after the 2002-03 school year to join the Lakeland.  In that season the Red Arrow also lost Watervliet, Hartford, and Bangor to the SAC. Suddenly the Red Arrow went from eight teams down to four, not the best of situations for the Red Arrow.  What also didn't help was the closing of Galien (remember the Gaels??) and suddenly they were down to three.  Add Covert and the Red Arrow was a little more stable. 

Now lets move the time machine to 2007 when another one of the small school conferences fell apart, the SJV had four members leave and now you have to conferences that have roughly the same size schools being able to fill a need in scheduling for the 2008 and now the 2009 season.

But as we all know that the teams in the SJV are some of the best small football schools in the state, Mendon especially.  It's not the best of things for teams like Covert who's team has struggled with not only numbers but with any kind of stability in the last few years.  Covert forfeited their game with Mendon almost a week before the scheduled game.  It didn't help either school to be idle.

So now that the history lesson (at least lesson 1 is concerned) we go back to Bridgman's move from the Lakeland to Red Arrow, it's a smart move for the Bees. Bridgman has not found the success in the Lakeland, especially since Bridgman is a small Class C school and playing against Class B teams like Berrien Springs, Coloma, Buchanan, and Edwardsburg.  Playing those schools usually do more harm than good to the small school.

Another shocker is that a third Lakeland school is on the move to the Red Arrow for football (again, we only know about football), Cassopolis is also heading to the Red Arrow.  Many of the same reasons for the Rangers move also have to deal with numbers of students compared to the Class B teams such as Coloma, Berrien, Buchanan, and Edwardsburg.   Now Cass has held their own in football the last few years, basically butting heads with Coloma for the Lakeland lead in the past two seasons.  Well, the Rangers are really going to be looking to become the big fish in a small pond by joining the Red Arrow.

The Red Arrow in eight seasons has gone from eight full-time members, down to four, and then two, back to four, four with another four to make a football schedule, to one of Southwest Michigan's mini mega conference.

Plus I have yet to mention that Michigan Lutheran's fledgling football team will take to the field full time with varsity status in 2010... and yes in the Red Arrow and with an 11 man team on varsity... Not eight man football

So when the 2010 football season rolls around, he's a look at your Red Arrow Football Conference.

Bridgman Bees
Cassopolis Rangers
Covert Bulldogs
Eau Claire Beavers
Lake Michigan Catholic Lakers
Michigan Lutheran Titans
New Buffalo Bison
and River Valley Mustangs

That looks like a very competitive and wide open conference for football.  Now you're probably going to be asking about what's going to happen to the Lakeland.  Well, not to worry. If you remember those four schools from the St. Joe Valley, some of them are going to be playing in the Lakeland, and Mendon is one of them.

The five remaining Lakeland Schools.
Berrien Springs Shamrocks
Brandywine Bobcats
Buchanan Bucks
Coloma Comets
and Edwardsburg Eddies

Now for any of you doubters about the plan... The Red Arrow league football schedule for 2010... according to sources has already been completed.

Posted by Dave Wolf at 07:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The high school sports seasons are starting to wind down, the track regionals are finished, the tennis regionals are done, and there are only a handful of baseball, softball and soccer games left before the tournaments begin.  So I guess this is just going to be one of those "all over the place" type of entries so be prepared for a ride with Dave in a car with no steering wheel... (figuratively of course).

OK. Random Football Ranting

First off, the schedules for 2009 High School Football season are pretty much finished, I am currently working on the WSJM football website as you read this.  But getting the final schedules for the 31 area teams is a little bit of work with the schedules seemingly changing from week to week.  Not to mention Lake Michigan Catholic's "home" games still have to find a "home" field as Dickinson Stadium in St. Joe is unavailable for two of the four LMC home games in 2009.   LMC's four home games are 9/3 vs. Cassopolis, 9/25 vs. Centreville, 10/16 vs. New Buffalo, and 10/23 vs. White Pigeon.  The two games in October can't be played at Dickinson Stadium in St. Joe as the Bears have home games against Lakeshore and Portage Northern.  But after looking at the schedule of LMC, Lakeshore, St. Joe and Watervliet.  Here's what should happen...

LMC's game's on 9/3 vs. Cassopolis and 9/25 vs. Centreville should be played at St. Joe, the Bears are at Harper Creek and Benton Harbor respectively.  The Lakers 10/16 game vs. New Buffalo should be at Lakeshore and the 10/23 game should be at Watervliet.  LMC usually has a game every year in Watervliet because of the catholic school in Watervliet.  But a lot of this could be avoided if LMC wasn't so opposed to be playing on Saturday.  Now when I say Saturday, I'm not talking about Saturday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.  I am talking Saturday Night at 7:30 at Dickinson Stadium in St. Joe.   Dickinson has always been LMC's "Home" stadium, but the new administration at LMC is somewhat opposed to playing Saturday games.

Think about it.  Yes there is College football to deal with on Saturday, but not Saturday night, the area teams have already played by then, Notre Dame, Michigan and Michigan State are all usually done by 6 pm.  Plus when you are the only game in the area on Saturday night, you will have a ton of people from the area who will show up to watch the game.  For some reason LMC doesn't see that, they are trying to play all of their games on Friday night, but when you think of the problems of waiting for St. Joe, Lakeshore, Watervliet, even Benton Harbor to finalize their schedule every year to find a place to play your games has to be a unnecessary headache for the LMC football program.   Did I mention the added gate and concession income?

Another benefit would be exposure, when you are the only high school game in the area, you'll get the only high school coverage in Sunday's paper, plus maybe  even a few football games would be aired on the airwaves of WSJM AM-1400 The News and Talk of Michigan's Great Southwest!!!! (Cheap plug I know).

Maybe I'm not privy to the real reason as to why the Lakers still continue to roam from home to home to home each season.  Oh, did I mention playoff games??

Michigan Lutheran Football goes varsity... mostly.

In 2008, the Michigan Lutheran football program played for the first time since 1984.  The Titans played a JV schedule of 6 or so games a year ago.  Well this year the Titans will be playing for keeps at the Titans will be playing 5 varsity games. Two games against River Valley, and games against Wyoming Lee, Covert, and LaLumiere,  There are also two JV contests against the White Pigeon and Centreville JV team.  Now the Titans aren't playoff eligible just yet, but the Titans new football team will most likely get that chance in 2010 when the current Red Arrow/St. Joe Valley football agreement ends, as well as the addition of River Valley to the Red Arrow in 2010.  The Titans will be most likely be the sixth team in the new Red Arrow.

MHSAA to look at using instant replay in basketball

The MHSAA announced that the board is looking at allowing the use of instant replay to review potential game winning buzzer beating shots at the end of the fourth quarter and overtime games at the MHSAA finals.  Here is the story that I saw on the news wire here at the station this morning...

"Michigan is likely to get instant replay starting next season for last-second shots in high school basketball championship games.  Michigan High School Athletic Association spokesman John Johnson says a committee would have to approve the change, but replay technology exists and could be used in semifinals and finals.  A rule change by the National Federation of State High School Associations allows replay for review of a shot attempt at the end of the fourth quarter or overtime. It would be used only when the last-second shot would affect the outcome of the game.  The change was prompted by controversial finishes in 2008 championship games in Michigan, Ohio and South Carolina."

All I can say is... How about football too?  I can think of a few St. Joe playoff games where it would have helped the Bears.

NHL

Now this isn't high school sports but I really have a lot to say in the matter.  That is the situation with the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes.  In case you don't know, the Coyotes are in financial ruins, owner Jerry Moyes has filed for bankruptcy, the NHL said no they're not because the NHL is in control of the team.  Well in the bickering on who controls the team, Canadian billionaire Jim Balsille who makes a big chunk of change from those Blackberry devices, made a conditional offer to buy the team IF they would allow the team to be moved to Hamilton, Ontario. 

If you need a history lesson, the Phoenix Coyotes are the previously relocated Winnipeg Jets who moved to the desert 12 years ago.  They Coyotes haven't made the playoffs... well for a while, and a majority of the fans showing up for their home games are actually relocated, vacationing, or visiting fans of the opponent that night (as in Detroit and Chicago).

Now a few things that bug me are the (we'll say) "Brass" by Balsille who is making his third attempt at buying and moving an NHL team to his backyard.   Hamilton may be in Canada, and Southern Ontario may have a plentiful hockey rich fan base. But there are also three other NHL teams nearby.  Detroit, Buffalo, and Toronto.  Buffalo would have their territory infringed on by the Hamilton team. 

Also, take a look at these two photos from the Arizona Republic.

These are from the "Save The Coyotes" rally held last week, a whopping 200 people showed up to "Save The Coyotes."  If you look at some of the signs, it says "OUR NHL TEAM," or "OUR COYOTES."

OUR TEAM???
OUR TEAM???
OUR TEAM???

That's not your team... Technically it was WINNIPEG'S TEAM!!!  The Winnipeg Jets team was basically stolen from the fans of a real hockey market and moved to Phoenix.   The lure of Phoenix was supposed to be a new arena and greater profits.   Well they did get the new arena... 8 years later.  And the team has LOST  money every year since moving to Phoenix.   If anybody deserves to get the Coyotes... It's Winnipeg.  NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman reportedly told a Coyotes lawyer that he would rather Winnipeg get the team back instead of Hamilton.  I've been to the arena in Hamilton.  Copps Coliseum does have the capacity to host an NHL team, but the arena is nothing like the new modern facilities that teams nowadays enjoy.   Copps Coliseum is 30 years old, around the same age as Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.   If you're going to move for greener pastures.  I would rather have a new arena than a remodeled 30 year old facility.

And to the 200 or so fans that showed up to "Save the Coyotes."  No matter how many people you get to sign petitions, wearing T-shirts, making calls, will ever matter.  If you need a lesson, all you have to do is ask the 35,000 fans that did the exact same thing you are trying to do for the exact same NHL franchise.  The Winnipeg Jets held a rally in 1995 for the same reason and 35,000 supporters tried to entice the team to stay... It didn't work.

So to the 16 and two thirds dozen "Save to Coyotes" supporters.  Give us a break.  Let's end the biggest mistake the NHL has made and allow this team to fade into hockey oblivion, like the California Golden Seals, Minnesota North Stars, Colorado Rockies, Atlanta Flames, Hartford Whalers, Cleveland Barons, and Kansas City Scouts.  Add the Coyotes to the list... please.  Give us back the Jets.

That's all for now..

LET'S GO RED WINGS

Posted by Dave Wolf at 07:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As reported in Tuesday's Herald Palladium.  Former Lake Michigan Catholic Head Coach Josh Beckman was named the Head Coach of the Coloma Comets.

We reported last week on why Beckman was let go at LMC. (http://wsjmsports.com/blogs/kickoff/2009/05/beckman_out_at_lmc.html)

Beckman wanted to be the head coach at Eau Claire, which would have been a lateral move from Lake Michigan Catholic, both Class D schools.   Well after losing out on the Eau Claire job and the fallout for his interview at Eau Claire have given Beckman a real move up.

Beckman goes from Class D Lake Michigan Catholic to Class B Coloma.  

Beckman takes over from Brent Nate who resigned in March after the season.  Coloma has struggled a bit over Nate's tenure as coach, but a new coach can sometimes work wonders.

Posted by Dave Wolf at 04:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We've learned that one of those such candidates for the head coaching position at Eau Claire was the now former Lake Michigan Catholic Basketball coach Josh Beckman.

Beckman, as it turns out, interviewed for the position at Eau Claire.   If you need a refresher... Lake Michigan Catholic and Eau Claire are both rivals in the Red Arrow Conference.

Lake Michigan Catholic became aware of Beckmans interview and less than a week after finding about about the interview.  Beckman was called and was told by the Lakers that he was no longer the head coach of the basketball team.

Now, I don't have a problem with a coach intervewing for another position.  Provided of course he's not doing it IN THE SAME CONFERENCE.  It's not really a move up... Both are Class D schools so what's the lure???

Beckman's decision proved costly.  He was ready to leave a job for another job, but because of his decision he doesn't have any job.

Posted by Dave Wolf at 06:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As reported by the Herald Palladium on Wednesday morning, St. Joseph Boys Basketball Coach Gregg Schaffer resigned as the Bears head coach.  Schaffer joins Cassopolis' Josh Hood and Coloma's Brent Nate as coaching casualties so far this season.

Schaffer's reason for stepping down was he wanted to spend time with his family.  His two sons are around school age now and it's understandable to be there when your kids come home from school and watch them grow up, something that he really hasn't been able to do much serving as the Bears head coach.

Let's face it, being a head coach is a year round job, even though the seasons on the court are from December to March.  But you deal with summer camps, skill camps, team camps, summer leagues, not to mention daily practices, games, tournaments.  It does tend to become a bit of a grind.   Schaffer spent 11 years at St. Joe after spending 8 years at Otsego.  Not to mention he is the son of the Legendary River Valley Coach Jerry Schaffer.

The Schaffer family is synonymous with basketball in Southwest Michigan, their legacy around the area is for fundamentally strong and defensive intensive basketball.  They work the passing game on the offense looking for the open shot, as well as a high free throw percentage.

The Schaffer legacy hasn't really brought the type of success that Bears fans have desired, the Bears have won three district titles in Schaffer's 11 years, but those three came in the last 5 years and in none of those district title years did the Bears advance past the next game, losing in the Regional semifinals in each of those seasons.  The last Regional took place on the Bears home floor at the Bear Den at St. Joe High School.

When you want to rank the coaches in the history of the Bears program, Ray Haack is still probably the standard when it comes to the Bears.  He won 2 of the Bears 8 state championships.  I can't say if Schaffer is in the top 5, but he's in the top 10 easily.

So the search for the next Bears head coach will begin.  The Bears spot should draw a lot of attention, a very attractive program in a talented heavy league.  St. Joe Athletic Director Kevin Guzzo just got done with finding a new Head Volleyball Coach, now he has to fill another coaching vacancy. 

Schaffer will remain at the high school as a teacher.

Posted by Dave Wolf at 04:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

As some of you may have heard, Terry Geisler, also known as "The Candyman," passed away on Saturday morning.

Geisler wasn't only the man who refilled the vending machines at the station, but he also was one of the best area referee's.  Geisler worked many years as a basketball referee for the area conferences.   He also was one of the best softball and baseball officials, not only did he work MHSAA games, but he worked a lot of the tournament games at the annual tournaments at Eaton Park.

He also was one of the guys who worked on the chain crew during St. Joe football games and his sons both played at St. Joe.

I wanted to express my condolences to the entire family.  He will be missed by everyone who knew him and while many people didn't always agree with his calls while refereeing, they too will miss him.

Posted by Dave Wolf at 04:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)