Before we get going on a few items of interest, we ask you to join us in extending our prayers to the friends and family of Owen Kilcoyne, the legendary coach and friend to so many. He taught a lot of football players how to win, but we all know his impact is much greater than his effect on a game.
When it comes to local sports, we really don’t care about who wins and who loses, but, with all due respect to St. John’s and its fine program, we’d love to see the Guardians come up with some magic this Thursday morning.
Kilcoyne was still a wet-behind-the-ears 26-year-old when he was hired as the first head coach in the history of the Hudson Catholic High School football program. That was the fall of 1960.
The year before, 1959, was Kilcoyne’s only one as an assistant coach before moving out of the limelight at St. Peter-Marian prior to last season, His football coaching internship, as it were, occurred at Notre Dame High of Fitchburg.
During his time as a head coach Kilcoyne compiled some staggering statistics. He retired as a head coach with:
Exactly 250 victories and a career record of 250-164-8.
Three undefeated seasons – 1980, ‘93 and ‘95. Four if you count the Green Wave’s 1-0 varsity record in that inaugural 1960 season.
Six one-loss seasons – 1977, ‘78, ‘92, ‘94, ‘96 and 2002.
Six Super Bowl victories overall – 1980, ‘92, ‘93, ‘94, ‘95 and ‘96. The five consecutive Super Bowls he won from ‘92-‘96 are a state record.
The distinction of having never lost a Super Bowl.
Speaking of Thanksgiving football, picking one game to go to will be a tough task for fans hanging out in a neutral corner. There’s always a lot on the line on Turkey Day, but for some schools it will literally make or break their seasons.
In a couple of accidental conversations with local coaches, each one said if their game happened to be on Wednesday night and they had Thursday free, they’d go to see Fitchburg and Leominster duke it out. There probably won’t be any room, anyway. Be sure to join us this week to make your picks. You’ll win a prize for being the “most right,” also known as the “best guesser.” We’ll get to read e-mails from you about how dumb we are when we pick against your school. So, really, we don’t have to wait until next year’s football playoffs to experience “everybody wins.”
On to another subject. We tried to bring up a little controversy without discussing religion, politics, race or proclaiming that there was more than one guy who played the Undertaker in wrestling. We figured declaring Bromfield boys’ soccer the greatest dynasty in the history of Central Mass. sports would get some resistance. It got very little, although we did hear about some great baseball programs (Leominster, Milford), Gardner swimming, another Bromfield team – girls’ cross-country - and the NDA field hockey team. Still couldn’t compare and Bromfield distanced themselves even further by winning the state championship yet again.
That’s it for today. Start studying your game films and talking to sources about injuries and locker room tension to be prepared to win the Turkey day Pick ‘Em contest.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
The Trojan Dynasty
You probably haven't won more than half of the pickup basketball games you've played in. You definitely haven't won more than half of the fantasy cricket leagues you've been in. Using that logic, it's safe to assume that unless you're Red Auerbach's great-nephew, you've never seen a dynasty up close. But there's one closer than you think. In the tiny town of Harvard, home to the Bromfield boys' soccer team.
The term "dynasty" being used to describe a high school team usually makes me want to do this to the describer. It's just silly. It's high school, four years and see ya later. There are no drafts or free-agent signings or organizational philosophies. Just 15-18-year-old kids playing a sport.
At Bromfield, though, it's been consistent. Consistently dominant. Seventeen-out-of-29 CMass championships, multiple CMass titles in each decade from the '80s through Sunday afternoon.
Last year's state championship team was stacked with senior talent. This fall, other quality teams were getting that "championship feeling," perhaps thinking the Trojans were down a bit, or "rebuilding" (another word that should not be spoken in relation to high school sports).
Didn't happen.
The reasons for the Bromfield Dynasty are as numerous as the blue and white soccer banners that hang in their small gymnasium.
The first is talent, obviously, which is as much nature as it is the nurturing the players get from a very competitive youth program.
The most obvious is coaching. Bromfield coach Tom Hill has been in the game for a long time, coaching the same way in the same place. His style certainly wouldn't appeal to Dr. Phil. He sometimes even raises his voice to players when they aren't following directions or playing to their potential. That's a novel concept. Credit here should also go the decades of parents who have trusted Hill and not started a petition or gone running to the school board because a coach "was a meanie" to their kids. The same parents who pretend to subscribe to the sports is an extension of the classroom belief, apparently believe that their kids' future bosses will coddle them when they fail to be accountable for their actions.
The dynasty is even more impressive when you consider that Bromfield, on a yearly basis, houses about 200 boys in grades 9-12. (See for yourself here). And it isn't like the school's standout athletes all rush to the soccer team every fall. Keep in mind that Bromfield has a solid cross-country team and is part of the Littleton football team.
While banners, championship and scores of players moving on to play in college are the factual evidence, the anecdotal evidence is more impressive. Many teams talk about, but few are about it when it comes to "playing anyone, anywhere." The Trojans do, annually pitting themselves against D1 and D2 opponents to test their mettle before the postseason. Don't be surprised if it gets harder and harder for Bromfield to fill out a schedule in the future. They have proven to be the Beast of D3, and any school with a larger enrollment is in a no-win situation when Bromfield comes asking for a match. Beat a D3 school and "you were supposed to," lose and face the ire of chatroom analysts and coaches.
That's our take and, believes us, we tried and tried to think of another program that even comes close in any sport. Try for yourselves. We enjoy friendly arguments, but the list of teams that have won more than half of the possible CMass championships in the last three decades is fairly short.
The term "dynasty" being used to describe a high school team usually makes me want to do this to the describer. It's just silly. It's high school, four years and see ya later. There are no drafts or free-agent signings or organizational philosophies. Just 15-18-year-old kids playing a sport.
At Bromfield, though, it's been consistent. Consistently dominant. Seventeen-out-of-29 CMass championships, multiple CMass titles in each decade from the '80s through Sunday afternoon.
Last year's state championship team was stacked with senior talent. This fall, other quality teams were getting that "championship feeling," perhaps thinking the Trojans were down a bit, or "rebuilding" (another word that should not be spoken in relation to high school sports).
Didn't happen.
The reasons for the Bromfield Dynasty are as numerous as the blue and white soccer banners that hang in their small gymnasium.
The first is talent, obviously, which is as much nature as it is the nurturing the players get from a very competitive youth program.
The most obvious is coaching. Bromfield coach Tom Hill has been in the game for a long time, coaching the same way in the same place. His style certainly wouldn't appeal to Dr. Phil. He sometimes even raises his voice to players when they aren't following directions or playing to their potential. That's a novel concept. Credit here should also go the decades of parents who have trusted Hill and not started a petition or gone running to the school board because a coach "was a meanie" to their kids. The same parents who pretend to subscribe to the sports is an extension of the classroom belief, apparently believe that their kids' future bosses will coddle them when they fail to be accountable for their actions.
The dynasty is even more impressive when you consider that Bromfield, on a yearly basis, houses about 200 boys in grades 9-12. (See for yourself here). And it isn't like the school's standout athletes all rush to the soccer team every fall. Keep in mind that Bromfield has a solid cross-country team and is part of the Littleton football team.
While banners, championship and scores of players moving on to play in college are the factual evidence, the anecdotal evidence is more impressive. Many teams talk about, but few are about it when it comes to "playing anyone, anywhere." The Trojans do, annually pitting themselves against D1 and D2 opponents to test their mettle before the postseason. Don't be surprised if it gets harder and harder for Bromfield to fill out a schedule in the future. They have proven to be the Beast of D3, and any school with a larger enrollment is in a no-win situation when Bromfield comes asking for a match. Beat a D3 school and "you were supposed to," lose and face the ire of chatroom analysts and coaches.
That's our take and, believes us, we tried and tried to think of another program that even comes close in any sport. Try for yourselves. We enjoy friendly arguments, but the list of teams that have won more than half of the possible CMass championships in the last three decades is fairly short.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Our vote for No. 1
Well, for all the politicking, Power Point presentations and pie charts that go into the bizarre world of realignment, also known as the process by which who plays who in CMass football is sorted out, it seems pretty simple, really.
As Friday night proved, football really is no different than any other sport. You get a coach and some equipment and he or she chooses the best players from a particular school. It’s that simple.
No matter the size of the school, the kids are the same. Nobody is running a 4.2 40, nobody’s throwing up 500 pounds on the bench. On “any given Friday,” anything can happen.
Each local high school football team has some talented kids, whether the games are played in front 3,000 fans or friends and family.
As a matter of fact, while writing this masterpiece, we’re half-watching two CMass products go head to head in Big Boy college football, Emil Igwenagu of UMass, who played at Holy Name and Josh Droesch of UNH, who played at D3 West Boylston.
In a related note, the new playoff system is working to perfection. The idea was to give more kids the opportunity to play as many meaningful football games as possible. The playoffs start on Thanksgiving, as many spots in the postseason have yet to be occupied.
Finally, the most important election in history, at least since Nov. 4, takes place this weekend when we, along with nine colleagues, will decide who is the best team in CMass football via the T&G’s media poll.
There is no rule in the poll that states that any team deemed No. 1 must play in Division 1. That being said, this vote will go to a non-D1 squad as the top dog after losses by both Holy Name and St. John’s. The answer to your next question, if that question is, “What if they lined up and played head to head?” is “Nobody knows.” But, to say that a team like Auburn, Lunenburg or Tantasqua would have “no chance” against a school which happens to be private or located in a town with a larger population is preposterous.
Check back in this spot later this week when we reveal the greatest dynasty – yes, you can use that word to describe a high school program in this case – ever in CMass sports. It’s really not even close, so put on your debating pants and try to prove us wrong. Thanks for reading. Oh, and check around the site to win free things.
As Friday night proved, football really is no different than any other sport. You get a coach and some equipment and he or she chooses the best players from a particular school. It’s that simple.
No matter the size of the school, the kids are the same. Nobody is running a 4.2 40, nobody’s throwing up 500 pounds on the bench. On “any given Friday,” anything can happen.
Each local high school football team has some talented kids, whether the games are played in front 3,000 fans or friends and family.
As a matter of fact, while writing this masterpiece, we’re half-watching two CMass products go head to head in Big Boy college football, Emil Igwenagu of UMass, who played at Holy Name and Josh Droesch of UNH, who played at D3 West Boylston.
In a related note, the new playoff system is working to perfection. The idea was to give more kids the opportunity to play as many meaningful football games as possible. The playoffs start on Thanksgiving, as many spots in the postseason have yet to be occupied.
Finally, the most important election in history, at least since Nov. 4, takes place this weekend when we, along with nine colleagues, will decide who is the best team in CMass football via the T&G’s media poll.
There is no rule in the poll that states that any team deemed No. 1 must play in Division 1. That being said, this vote will go to a non-D1 squad as the top dog after losses by both Holy Name and St. John’s. The answer to your next question, if that question is, “What if they lined up and played head to head?” is “Nobody knows.” But, to say that a team like Auburn, Lunenburg or Tantasqua would have “no chance” against a school which happens to be private or located in a town with a larger population is preposterous.
Check back in this spot later this week when we reveal the greatest dynasty – yes, you can use that word to describe a high school program in this case – ever in CMass sports. It’s really not even close, so put on your debating pants and try to prove us wrong. Thanks for reading. Oh, and check around the site to win free things.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
We're back
Well, we're back. Never really went away, actually. In techinical terms, we had what is know as a huge "Oh sh*t moment" with our Web site.
That turned out to be a good thing, as you can see from the rebuilt version. Like Will Hunting, we spent $1.50 in late fees at the public library and figured it out.
We know you only care about sports, though. So let's get cracking. It's time for us and for you to talk some football. In the weeks that our picks weren't visible on line, we went 120-1. It's a shame nobody saw it.
Anyway, we'll get a few thoughts out on this initial post and update it frequently. First, we searched high and low and surveyed 20,000 local sports fans and have not come up with a more dominant sports program in the history of CMass sports than the Bromfield boys' soccer program. Seriously, try to challenge that. It's a dynasty.
We can give it some more thought and try to visit as many diners as we can and talk to old guys, but we doubt it will change our minds.
Couple other things...Believe it or not, we sometimes get e-mails telling us that the magazine sucks and and our writers suck. Well, ESPN the Magazine thought we had at least one decent writer, but what do they know? Check out the work of one-time CMass Insider freelancer Anna Katherine Clemmons, who went from writing about the dominant O'Keefe family and Quaboag basketball to writing about Jake Plummer's high socks and handball.
And just for laughs and because Baron Davis is TF's favorite NBA player, check this out. A true time-wasting classic.
That turned out to be a good thing, as you can see from the rebuilt version. Like Will Hunting, we spent $1.50 in late fees at the public library and figured it out.
We know you only care about sports, though. So let's get cracking. It's time for us and for you to talk some football. In the weeks that our picks weren't visible on line, we went 120-1. It's a shame nobody saw it.
Anyway, we'll get a few thoughts out on this initial post and update it frequently. First, we searched high and low and surveyed 20,000 local sports fans and have not come up with a more dominant sports program in the history of CMass sports than the Bromfield boys' soccer program. Seriously, try to challenge that. It's a dynasty.
We can give it some more thought and try to visit as many diners as we can and talk to old guys, but we doubt it will change our minds.
Couple other things...Believe it or not, we sometimes get e-mails telling us that the magazine sucks and and our writers suck. Well, ESPN the Magazine thought we had at least one decent writer, but what do they know? Check out the work of one-time CMass Insider freelancer Anna Katherine Clemmons, who went from writing about the dominant O'Keefe family and Quaboag basketball to writing about Jake Plummer's high socks and handball.
And just for laughs and because Baron Davis is TF's favorite NBA player, check this out. A true time-wasting classic.
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