HS Football...Oh My Friggin' God

[Iron Chef]

Today, my kids and I went down to the YMCA to do a little workout. They just finished remodeling and it really is a beautiful facility. Olympic pool, indoor track, climbing wall, nice workout area, etc.

I asked my son how this compared with the facility at his school, expecting him to say the Y was much better. He said "It's ok, but ours is a lot nicer." Nicer than this? "Yup." So after we were done, we went past the school to see THEIR new facility. The bottom half of my jaw is still back there. This is high school folks, not TCU, Penn State or Florida. Jiminy Christmas...my tax dollars at work!

State of the are weight room:



Must have thirty of these machines:



With the Aledo logo of course...



And of course there's the new INDOOR practice facility:

[carlton_fritz]

Texas?

[Kerrmudgeon]

Strange priorities when you consider the amount of highschool grads who have a hard time reading.....?

[Defib1961]

Originally Posted by carlton_fritz

Texas?

[Will]

Real Men weight train for high school football in a hot, rusty, converted old garage building with no central air or heat.

WTF is this crap?

HIGHLY offensive and every taxpayer in your local area should be pissed if one cent of the construction cost wasn't privately raised.

[Iron Chef]

Originally Posted by Kerrmudgeon

Strange priorities when you consider the amount of highschool grads who have a hard time reading.....?

Before blaming the athletic program, consider that one should know how to read long before high school.

[RedLS1GTO]

Not at all familiar with that area or the schools... you said "my tax dollars at work" so am I correct in assuming that is at a public school?!?!?

[JRD77VET]

Originally Posted by Will

Real Men weight train for high school football in a hot, rusty, converted old garage building with no central air or heat.

WTF is this crap?

HIGHLY offensive and every taxpayer in your local area should be pissed if one cent of the construction cost wasn't privately raised.

We have the same over done crap here in PA. Even the f*cking school district offices look better than the taj mahal

[Iron Chef]

Originally Posted by Will

Real Men weight train for high school football in a hot, rusty, converted old garage building with no central air or heat.

WTF is this crap?

Really? I didn't know that. Let's see: Made it to the semi-finals nearly every year for the last 10 years, won three state championships in that time, the last two consecutively. But no matter! I'll just let these "fake men" (my son being one of them) know that according to some guy on my Corvette site, they're doing it all wrong. I'll let you know what they say.

Or if you prefer, I'll give you the athletic director's Email address and you can tell him yourself.

Originally Posted by Will

HIGHLY offensive and every taxpayer in your local area should be pissed if one cent of the construction cost wasn't privately raised.

Lighten up Francis...it was part of a bond measure, so our supposedly pissed off taxpayers asked for it.

[Kerrmudgeon]

Originally Posted by Iron Chef

Before blaming the athletic program, consider that one should know how to read long before high school.

I agree, and I'm not blaming athletics, only the seeming importance placed on same at that level. My university is a top ten school up here and services 23000+ students, and a top rated squad, and out facilities would be half that maybe!

[yell01]

Originally Posted by Iron Chef

Really? I didn't know that. Let's see: Made it to the semi-finals nearly every year for the last 10 years, won three state championships in that time, the last two consecutively. But no matter! I'll just let these "fake men" (my son being one of them) know that according to some guy on my Corvette site, they're doing it all wrong. I'll let you know what they say.

Or if you prefer, I'll give you the athletic director's Email address and you can tell him yourself.



Lighten up Francis...it was part of a bond measure, so our supposedly pissed off taxpayers asked for it.

I think you missed the humor chef.

Seems excessive though for H.S.

[Iron Chef]

Originally Posted by yell01

I think you missed the humor chef.

I don't think I'm the only one!

Originally Posted by yell01

Seems excessive though for H.S.

Not in Texas!

[ConstantChange]

I'm a gym rat, so I've been in many, many gyms in my day. To me, it's overkill. Each player doesn't need his own power rack. An indoor facility for HS...come on.

In college I can understand going overboard simply for recruiting purposes. You bring in a kid and show him this world-class gym and he's impressed.

The bottom line is HS football is now a big time money generating sport. Like Iron Chef stated, this school competes for state championships every year. This means they are also generating significant funds. They are also recruting kids whether anyone will admit it or not. I'd be VERY surprised if some of the star players on that team actually grew up in that school district.

The schools get more money and win state championships. The good athletes get more recognize and a better opportunity at a scholarship at a major university.

Don't hate the player...hate the game.

[Will]

Sorry bro. You're not a real man until you get tetanus from decades old gym equipment in a pre-fabbed steel shed and fire ant bites on your ankles from the practice "field"

[BuckyThreadkiller]

It should be pointed out that this school is the reigning, back-to-back Texas State Division 4-A State Champion.

Must be somethin' to it.


That said I did vote against the bond issue in every election we've had.

[Kerrmudgeon]

And, even if those facilities were outside funded, the taxpayer still foots the operational bills, like air conditioning that huge chuck of Texas indoors, and lighting it. Like you intimated in your title.....WTF!

[Jeff '79]

Originally Posted by Will

Real Men weight train for high school football in a hot, rusty, converted old garage building with no central air or heat.

WTF is this crap?

HIGHLY offensive and every taxpayer in your local area should be pissed if one cent of the construction cost wasn't privately raised.

That would frost my bananas if I paid for that with my tax dollars.

[ConstantChange]

Originally Posted by tuco

Hell if your putting 5-15000 in the gate for a game imagine the $$ their raking in. Few bucs a pop for students higher for everyone else and with the the consignments also.

Exactly. Add in all the donor money to the football boosters program and I'm sure they were easily able to afford all that equipment.

I'd also guess a few alumni donated their services or gave a discount price on the equipment. Anything to help the program.

All that being said, I still think it's overkill. It is cool though.

[Iron Chef]

Originally Posted by BuckyThreadkiller

It should be pointed out that this school is the reigning, back-to-back Texas State Division 4-A State Champion.

Must be somethin' to it.


That said I did vote against the bond issue in every election we've had.

And I can't fault you for it. With no school-age children, what's the benefit to you?

Originally Posted by Kerrmudgeon

And, even if those facilities were outside funded, the taxpayer still foots the operational bills, like air conditioning that huge chuck of Texas indoors, and lighting it. Like you intimated in your title.....WTF!

The building is not air conditioned. Ventilation and large fans only.

Originally Posted by ConstantChange

The bottom line is HS football is now a big time money generating sport. Like Iron Chef stated, this school competes for state championships every year. This means they are also generating significant funds. They are also recruting kids whether anyone will admit it or not. I'd be VERY surprised if some of the star players on that team actually grew up in that school district.

The schools get more money and win state championships. The good athletes get more recognize and a better opportunity at a scholarship at a major university.

Don't hate the player...hate the game.

Exactly.

And I must tell you...when my son started playing football in 8th grade, I held my breath. He was small, a little chunky and clumsy, and somewhat reserved. Three years later, he's trim, cut, works out daily, has a group of really nice guys on his team as friends and loads of self-confidence. I'd have loved him no matter what, but if this is what a program like this can inspire, I'd pay them triple.

[78SA]

Texas, where football is serious business.