AJC > Sports > Highschools > Blog > Archives > 2007 > November > 01 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USThe ABCs of prognostication
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The Winless Protection Program left me 26 games short this week. That’s 23 games that involved at least one 0-fer and three others that actually qualified for double-secret winless probation because neither sideline has known victory since back when Georgia wasn’t Arizona.
Winless Protectees drop beneath the prognostication radar because their games simply have become too easy. At some point you have to subtract the monotony of “[insert team of futility here] loses again” this week and go to playoff mode.
At least three 0-fers will rejoin the fold next week because they’re forced to win. Until then, I present the ABCs of prognostication.
A is for accident. As in, what it would take for McEachern to beat Harrison this week, or what many Harrison fans consider that Sept. 14 loss to North Cobb.
B for blunder. No matter how badly teams from regions 1-AAAA and 6-A blunder, they can’t miss the playoffs.
C is for catastrophe. If GAC accidentally blunders and loses to Decatur, it’ll be a catastrophe.
D is for Dutchtown, which has the most football appropriate-sounding school name in the state (just transpose the D and the second T), but not enough else to stop Baldwin today.
E is for East Coweta remaining unbeaten because it’s idle and just benefited from F is for forfeit, erasing a season-opening loss to an Alabama team which used an illegal player.
G is for Glascock County, which practically invented winless protection when it lost 82 in a row but has no need for it now. However, it could use a little Athens Christian Protection today.
H is for Henry County, which will beat Ola to tie its most wins in a season since 1955 (eight).
I is. U is, too. Don’t do this in English class, kids, or the F you get will not be for forfeit.
J is for Jefferson, which hasn’t beaten Commerce since 1995, but breaks the streak tonight.
K is for Kell, which most minimally has avoided winless protection, but doesn’t have enough left to beat Corey Tower-less Wheeler.
L is for Laney, which will avoid an unfortunate alliteration — “Lucy Laney loses” by beating Jefferson County in a big Region 3-AAA game.
M is for McNair, which has a worse record than Southside, but will beat the Lasers handily.
N is for Northside-Warner Robins, perhaps the state’s best team with Marques Ivory, but a tempting upset pick without him and with Westside-Macon as the opposition. But I’ll resist.
O is Oconee County, today’s only “O” winner.
P is for Peachtree Ridge, which is back in fourth in Region 7-AAAAA, the spot from which it launched a state title-sharing run last season.
Q is for Quiles (quarterback is too easy), as in Marquese, the North Gwinnett star defender who has a week until the big Norcross game.
R is for Rome rocks Ridgeland. Right.
S is for Salem settling a score with Cedar Shoals and snatching the subregion lead.
T is for time off, exactly what Claxton will have until August after losing to Bryan County.
V is for Valdosta victory No. 837 tonight.
W is for “Westminster wins” because it does and “wrong” because I have been about them for much of the season. And for “whoa.” Don’t want to get in the habit of that.
X and Z are for Xzavian Brandon, vainly trying to keep Northview from losing to Roswell today.
There’s no Y, OK? That’s Y I end on a Y not.
Check out his video • See the full list of predictions
Permalink | Comments (21) | Post your comment | Categories: Darryl Maxie
Comments
By Confused
November 1, 2007 5:26 PM | Link to this
Why are you wearing a Donovan McNabb jersey and a Phildelphia Eagles hat? Don’t you write for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution?
By ths pride
November 1, 2007 10:15 PM | Link to this
Has the AJC TOTALLY forgotten that there is a team, 6AAAA, called TUCKER??? There is very little coverage by your Pathetic periodical of the 8-0 team. We are not even mentioned in this week’s predictions. We’ll show you!
By Big Fan of 4A
November 2, 2007 12:59 AM | Link to this
Hold on, ths pride…I think his little footnote explains the omission of the likely 6AAAA top seed in today’s prognostications…All of the Mr. Maxie’s, (inside or outside of his head—LOL!), could NOT come up with ANY possible scenario in which North Springs upsets Tucker, therefore earning exit from the Winless Protection Program…Just make sure the team gets on the bus, headed in the right direction up I-285, in plenty of time to deal with Friday afternoon traffic, and your team will get the 6AAAA coronation tonight!
By HSballfan
November 2, 2007 10:58 AM | Link to this
I’m not sure that Tucker/North Springs qualifies as a game… execution would be more appropriate. We can only hope Coach Stephens guns it up to 35-0 before half time so they can run the clock and let the junior varsity get some playing time.
Assuming Tucker gets by whatever region 8 throws at them in the first round of the playoffs, I’m looking at a possible matchup with Douglas County in round two. THAT might be interesting.
By steve coleman
November 2, 2007 11:04 AM | Link to this
if sandy creek were to win its last two remaining games, would’nt they get to play for the region championship game since they beat the # 1 team and if they beat the #2 team for their last game?
By HSballfan
November 2, 2007 11:18 AM | Link to this
By Steve Barton
November 2, 2007 3:47 PM | Link to this
Nice video. Hate the pick, but it was quite entertaining. Good work! Steve Barton Dunwoody, Georgia
By Troy Baker
November 2, 2007 4:29 PM | Link to this
Wrong information on Henry County Darryl. Try 1993 when Kim Braswell’s bunch went 8-2 and then lost to Woodward in the ‘region’ playoffs to finish 8-3.
By Drago
November 2, 2007 5:23 PM | Link to this
That is not THE Troy Baker is it? Surely not.
By Veteran Fan
November 2, 2007 5:27 PM | Link to this
Daryl, lay off Kell, no team has played four teams ranked in the top ten(North Cobb(1),Walton(6),Roswell(1) and Marietta(8))) this season. Did you know that if they win their last two and Walton beats Lassiter and Wheeler, Kell goes to the state playoffs with a 3-7 record! It could be real interesting next week. Gotta take care of business this week against a good Sprayberry outfit!
By justinfh88
November 2, 2007 11:23 PM | Link to this
to The Original Cougar Mom and hoochdad..Paper tigers..to a 3rd place team at best…where should we shove the crow in? your mouth or….
By justinfh88
November 2, 2007 11:46 PM | Link to this
to The Original Cougar Mom and hoochdad..Paper tigers..to a 3rd place team at best…where should we shove the crow in? your mouth or….
By Dunwoody
November 3, 2007 12:19 AM | Link to this
HOW BOUT DEM WILDCATS!!!!!!!!!!!!
By rudy
November 4, 2007 8:54 PM | Link to this
Going into the last week, there have to be several scenarios in the different regions. I am interested in the 6AAAAA region. If there is a 3-way tie who’s in and who’s out, what needs to be done for any of the 2 out of 3 to get in. Is this scenario playing out in any other region?
By HENDO
November 5, 2007 7:34 AM | Link to this
Do not understand your ranking, how can you rank a 7-2 team higher than a 9-0 team!!!!!please explain it,,,thanks…..hendo
By Big Dog Hoya
November 5, 2007 9:54 AM | Link to this
No accident at Hoya stadium Friday night. As inconsistent as they played they still came out on top big time.
By Julia Weaver
November 5, 2007 12:49 PM | Link to this
The video was great. Dunwoody 6 Westminster 3.
Julia Weaver Dunwoody, Georgia
By Cougar Mom
November 6, 2007 2:39 PM | Link to this
Cute Maxie….
Justinfn88 - Try Todd’s blog - Original Cougar Mom being a woman of her word. She doesn’t need to eat crow but perhaps you need to swallow some pride and learn a little humility. She is a MOM supporting her SON. Ofcourse she is going to say they are going to win. That is what we Mom’s do :) Just like I am going to say that the AHS Cougars are going to BREAK the DC Tigers winning streak this week to continue our own winning streak and claim county braggin rights by beating them :) Now, everyone looking at the “stats” is going to laugh and roll their eyes and make rude comments, {cough cough - Justinfn88}to me about how football predictions work and sizing the teams records up against each other and how you take into consideration injuries and formations and play calling and experience….but, alas, I believe. I believe in our boys, our coaches and even our band! I believe in the power of the underdog. I believe that confidence and arrogance can defeat a team from within and I believe they have nothing to loose and we have everything to gain. That is my prediction for the week Maxie :) Oh, and Justinfn88 - get off it and move on. You were right, she was wrong - they lost. She believes in her boys :) Nothing wrong with that….
By justinfh88
November 7, 2007 3:37 PM | Link to this
COUGAR MOM AFTER ALL OF THAT. THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU LOST. NOT EVEN A 6TH GRADE COACH WOULD HAVE MADE THE DUMB CALL AND EVEN YOUR COACH SAID SO. SO YOU BELIEVE IN A COACH THAT DOES NOT HAVE IS HEAD ON STRIGHT?
By justinfh88
November 7, 2007 3:38 PM | Link to this
COUGAR MOM AFTER ALL OF THAT. THE BOTTOM LINE IS YOU LOST. NOT EVEN A 6TH GRADE COACH WOULD HAVE MADE THE DUMB CALL AND EVEN YOUR COACH SAID SO. SO YOU BELIEVE IN A COACH THAT DOES NOT HAVE IS HEAD ON STRIGHT?
By Cougar Mom
November 8, 2007 12:47 PM | Link to this
Um Justinfn88 - I am with the Cougars in Douglas County - Alexander High School - not Hooch - although I fully support our twin school :) GO COUGARS!
We took the liberty of making an appointment for you at an anger management clinic….they specialize in removing buttocks from shoulders and cashing reality checks :)
Good day.
GO COUGARS!!!!!! HOOCH AND AHS!