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Thursday, November 29, 2007
Lowndes-ward bound wisely seek edge
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Maybe it’s nothing more than a mind game, motivating his team to coax another yard out of a play where it wouldn’t appear there’s another yard to be gained.
It’s understandable why Roswell coach Tim McFarlin fought for the interests of his team’s fans when it came to the scheduling of today’s quarterfinal game at Lowndes. It’s about a four-hour trip down I-75, and for many Roswell fans - working folk just like the good people of Valdosta - getting off work early enough to arrive in time for the kickoff is a hardship.
So he didn’t sign the contract to play Friday at his first opportunity, though truth be told, he didn’t have much of a leg to stand on. What’s more, he painted himself into a corner by publicly admitting as much.
It’s Lowndes’ home game and therefore Lowndes’ call, he said. If the principals for both schools can’t work it out, the decision will go to the Georgia High School Association, he said. The GHSA almost certainly will rule in favor of Lowndes, he said.
Reading that, I wondered what motivation - other than goodness of heart - would the Lowndes principal, Wes Taylor, have for ceding any of his team’s home-field advantage.
McFarlin seemed to make it easy for Taylor to take a hard line, knowing Roswell didn’t have any leverage, knowing that McFarlin had already made it easy for the GHSA - which famously rocks the boat as little as possible - to simply rule in Lowndes’ favor, since McFarlin had already prepared fans to brace for the worst.
Yet, McFarlin pushed for an extra yard out of a situation where no extra yardage was to be gained. While the game wasn’t moved to Saturday, as McFarlin had hoped would reduce the strain on his team’s fans, you’ve got to give him credit for trying.
That may not sound like much, but if you’re going to the Concrete Palace - Lowndes’ Martin Stadium - you try to take whatever you can get. Toe hasn’t even met leather yet, to coin an old Ciraldoism, and the gamesmanship has begun.
Roswell isn’t a champion without reason, but it’s gotten some breaks along the way. The extra yard McFarlin tried to bargain for this week, Alex Daniel got last week for the decisive touchdown in overtime against Peachtree Ridge. That the ball popped free before Daniel broke the plane is a break - no different than hundreds of breaks that everybody gets in a season - but it must be remembered that the Hornets made their own breaks to position themselves for the freebie.
The fourth-down conversion on the last drive, the touchdown pass to Garrett Embry. Without those, Daniel is peeling off his jersey in the locker room rather than rumbling with determination in overtime toward Lowndes.
That said, the Hornets would have their hands full with Lowndes on any day of the week. Of the past three Class AAAAA championships, Lowndes has two. Roswell has a half. The Vikings have come up with monster home games when least expected. The nail-biter that was supposed to be the 2005 Class AAAAA championship became a Lowndes laugher, 49-7.
The moral of that story: One bets against the Vikings at home at his own peril. They’ve won 11 in a row since losing to Harrison in the season-opener. Says here they make it an even dozen.
Elsewhere, it’s time to break some “laws.”
• The Law of Reverse Polarity: “Every time you pick against us, we win.”
No doubt, some find the little extra motivational oomph to win when their name appears below the “loser” column. Conversely, some seem to misplace the juice when their name appears below the “winner” column.
This week, we’ll flout the law. Some of these picks are fake. Next week, after the games are over, I’ll reveal which ones were actually real, thus proving once and for all that The Law of Reverse Polarity can be faked out.
• The Law of Playoff Syllogism: Grayson crushed Chattahoochee. Chattahoochee beat Camden County. Therefore, Grayson will crush Camden County.
No.
Remember when North Gwinnett defeated Peachtree Ridge and Peachtree Ridge defeated Norcross and then North Gwinnett was supposed to defeat Norcross but got smacked in the head and coughed up a region championship?
That’s the commonplace exception that makes high school football so compelling. There are just some things you can’t count on, even though Camden County has been known to make a brother nervous (home playoff losses to Dacula in 2005 and Warner Robins in 2006).
• The Law of Charlton County Kryptonite: Charlton County has been Buford’s lone weak spot these last three years, but that all ends tonight in the swamp. Ralph Bolden’s torn ACL will weaken the Indians, though strengthen their resolve. But it won’t be enough. Buford wins.
QUARTERFINAL PREDICTIONS
CLASS AAAAA
Winner / Loser
Camden County / Grayson
Lowndes / Roswell
North Gwinnett / Newnan
Walton / M.L. King
CLASS AAAA
Winner / Loser
Northside-W.R. / Rome
Thomas Co. Cent. / East Paulding
Tucker / Bainbridge
Ware County / Habersham Cent.
CLASS AAA
Winner / Loser
Cairo / Carver-Atlanta
Carver-Columbus / Carrollton
Chamblee / Westover
North Hal / Perry
CLASS AA
Winner / Loser
Buford / Charlton Co.
Cook / GAC
Dublin / Pepperell
Thomasville / Lovett
CLASS A
Winner / Loser
Brookstone / Athens Acad.
Clinch County / Fellowship Christ.
ECI / Warren County
Lincoln County / Wilcox County
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