SMITH'S INSIDE SLANT

If there was a way I could ever be in three places at once, I’d try it tonight. There are several big district matchups on tap, and I thought I’d start some discussion by throwing in my two cents…

Osceola FB Bryce Williams (Times photo by Willie Allen, Jr/Click to enlarge)

BOCA CIEGA (3-2) at OSCEOLA (3-1) Do the Pirates have any late-game magic left? Coming off a last-minute victory over Lakewood and a double-overtime thriller against Gibbs, Boca Ciega may be in for another barn-burner tonight at Osceola. The Warriors, boosted by a strong senior class, have already won more games than they did all of last season (2), and they have a hefty workhorse to thank. Bruising fullback/linebacker Bryce Williams (6-1, 225), who is getting looks from some D-I schools, rarely steps off the field.

DID YOU KNOW? Osceola coach George Palmer had versatile quarterback Sergio Allen mimic Bogie QB Orhian Johnson’s scrambling ability this week in practice. Keeping Johnson in the pocket will be key for the Warriors.

GAMEBREAKER: Osceola RB/WR Justin Hart. Palmer likens Hart, a 6-1, 178-pound slasher, to Bogie senior tailback Josh Bellamy. Both can make defenders miss – and break the big one.

JOE’S PICK: Osceola

Dunedin tailback Rico Boykins (Times photo by Thomas Whisenand)

EAST LAKE (4-1) AT DUNEDIN (3-1) Dunedin defensive end Ryan Carlson said some of the Falcons’ had “big heads,” following their 3-0 start. If they did, getting thumped 31-0 by Largo last Thursday should have had them quickly refocused on another tough home test in East Lake. The Eagles ‘D’ has been stingy so far, forcing 12 turnovers in the first four games. If East Lake’s offense, which continued its troubling trend of fumbling seven times last week (three lost), doesn’t put its ‘D’ in tough spots, the Eagles could pull off a big district victory.

DID YOU KNOW? East Lake started 4-1 last year, too, before a loss to Dunedin in Week 6 sent the Eagles on a season-ending, five-game losing streak.

GAMEBREAKER: Dunedin quarterback Terry Nnatabeugo. The short but swift signal caller completed nearly as many passes last week (5) as he had the previous three games. He’ll need to develop a rhythm – and keep the Eagles ‘D’ off balance.

JOE’S PICK: Dunedin

Lakewood receiver Ronnie Lane (Times photo by Bill Serne)

NORTHEAST (4-1) at LAKEWOOD (2-2) Lakewood coach Otis Dixon said, besides Largo, “Northeast will be the most balanced team we’ve played this year.” He’s not kidding. Northeast QB Armando Sanchez can stretch the field, with RB Jeff Brinson adding tough runs between the tackles. But this is a much-improved Lakewood team from a year ago, when the Spartans went 2-8. Nose tackle David Woods (6-2, 285) is a one-man run stopper, and QB Corey Henderson has improved his grasp of the system every week. So don’t be surprised if you see an early-season district upset tonight.

DID YOU KNOW? Lakewood defensive back Jacquez Jenkins will play for the first time since injuring his ankle against Largo in Week 2. Cornerback Paul Britten (sprained knee), however, is a “game-time decision,” Dixon said.

GAMEBREAKER: Lakewood receiver Ronnie Lane. Arguably one of the top wideouts in the county, Lane (17 catches, 321 yards) is also arguably under-utilized in the Spartans’ spread offense. The games Lakewood has established Lane (aka Gibbs), they have faired well.

JOE’S PICK: Lakewood

YOUR TAKE: Of all the county games tonight, which one is destined for an upset?

-- JOE SMITH

Comments

I agree....Lakewood will get it done, and I think that East Lake will dominate Dunedin. Too much hype for a an average team.

Bogie has a real chance if Stevie really has seen the light. He has the best running back in the county if he can get past his own EGO and run a balanced attack instead of trying to show everyone he is a passing guru. Get off your past Stevie, its like yesterdays newspaper, wrap fish. No one cares. Coach the kids, you have an abundance of talent.

I am really not sure which is the most overrated team in Pinellas, Dunedin or Northeast. Dont matter tho, both will lose tonight, Dun Dun cause they are just not that good as all the press they have received. Notheast cause of Good Ole Jer.

[sarah]

dont hate on northeast just cause u dont like the coach..its not far to the kids who play..

*fair

LAKEWOOD BY 30!!
DUNEDIN BY 3!!

[jordan]

GO LARGO LARGO IS NUMBER 1 MAN

No hate for Northeast. Just meant that the system isnt fair to the players he has. specially Sanchez

i have been coaching around here a long time. fair is austin has had about 8 d-1 qb's in his 28 years.

Looks like Sanchez will be 9.

I have not seen one go to an actual D1 school except his son. His son could not hang at a D1 school though. He went through what 3 or 4 colleges.

Davis has had his last three QB's all go division I.

See how fast his son throws the WIng-T under the bus when he takes over. If for nothing else to get kids wanting to come to his school with choice.

well i figured there would be some statements. so here is a list according to our records. i have beck who couldn't hack nebraska,jay davis to n.c. state. crow who is going. who were his other d-1 qb's.

nehi d-1 qb's

d. hoper s. miss 81
s. ristmiller uf 83
b. byrd um 86
j. austin uf 90 then 10 other places
c. jordan miss 95
d. harris ucf 00
j. harris s. illinois 02
d. waechcter 99 usf but went bas eball

Bobby Byrd, NEHI class of '87. Played QB but was recruited as WR. He went to UM after 2 year stint at a Junior College. Same year Derrick Golden Miami, TE. Shane Hubble East Carolina, DT. Jim Bekas Florida State, OT. John Paul Martin Tulane, DB. Was a record for county at time. There also many players that year that went to smaller schools to play football Jim Miller, Pat Walton etc. Big article in times back then and should be in archives.

[ETC]

So where are all the people that said that Dunedin would lose????

It's real funny that Bogie has won 2 overtime games by running the ball.
Thank God Jamaar Newsome isn't there anymore, 'cause Stevie would have to console him.

How many actually played QB. Wing-T QB's who are atheletes get recruited they just dont play QB. THey are DB's and wide outs. Did you notice the trend 90, 95, 2000, 2002. Every 5 years even in his glory days.

Austin's kid never really played QB at a D! school. He does not count. He transfered out to a 1AA and finally a divison 2 school.

lets don't get into kids who signed but didn't play. we could go on and on and on. the key is signed. beck hasn't played, davis played a little, crowe will probably not play because the coach will be gone. billy tapp ain't gonna play, chris davis got benched mike ross didn't play. the argument is signed. we are talking about gatting kids in school who can get a free education.

nice post about trends. most of austins qb's start for 3 years. notice a trend there?

[bigdog]

Yeah, and most of them play both ways and are great athletes.

say what you want about the old fart but he is a winner. He has never sold out to a trendy offense like everyone does these days. Everyone running the spread will fade but the mighty wing t will still be at NEHI. And for everyone saying the offense is old and played out, then why cant you stop it. Dont you say there is only what 12 plays, so what does that make you a sorry coach because you cant stop a 12 play offense. I mean be for real he has only started every game with the same play for 27 years. And yet you still cant stop it.

They have not won a district in 4 seasons. They have been pitiful. When you start talking about kids who graduated 10 years a go it is because you have not had any lately.

Thank God the old whinner is finaly retiring. Hopefully he can come in second in the district and make the playoffs his last year.

He averages what 10 points a game? SOmebody is stopping him. He has not won a district in 4 seasons somebody is stopping him. Dunedin stopped him.

The success they have had have been in spite of him the last few years.

Heck of a coach 10 years ago maybe.

You can slam old jer all you want but the KIDS at NEHI love him and they play hard of him every game. Let's not forget that it's the Athlete's at Northeast who PLAY the GAME.

Jerry might not always have the greatest athletes but he puts all of his kids in the position to make a play. If they make the play or not is not his fault or any coaches. You can lead a horse to water but you cant make them drink it.

Bottom line is he is the greatest coach in Pinellas county history. He will be in the record books for years to come. I hope he stays around another year or two because he has the best junior and sophmore class in the county. This team will go to the postseason this year and to the state tournament next year. Nehi is only going to lose 3 starters on offense and 2 on deffense.

Jerry won 100 games in the 90's i don't think that record will ever be broken either.

Jerry has won more district championships than some coaches in this county have won regular season games.

You can add any 3 or 4 coaches together and you won't get enough wins to pass Jerry.

8:49. pitiful is losing to lakewood and dixie back to back. pitiful is losing to northeast with the best team in c-sides history (10-3}. northeast was pitiful and pounded beck, filer, gwynn and company. what does that say about yall. nehi was 5 and 5 but still beat your ass. that is what everyone is talking about when they say the old man can flat out coach em up. c-side needs to step up and win one they are not supposed to win. thats when you find out if you can coach or not.

Wow! Lots of love for ole jer!

Problem Bro is it is not the 90's. Did you miss the memo it is a new centuary. Old Jer is in the drop program and out the door. Thank God. Maybe we can get back to where the talent should be taking us. He misuses the players and run a offesnive that no D1 college or pro team has used in 20 years. He is old and feable and needs to turn it over to new bood.

Gotcha Bro! Did you miss the third grade? Looks like you missed the spelling class memo. Remember this isn't the pros this isn't college. This is high school. The wing - t is arguably the most succesful offense in the history of Florids high school football. It is definitely the most succesful in the history of the county. You obviously don't follow HIGH SCHOOL BALL enough to be on this blog. You might want to catch a remedial spelling class over at j.c. when ya get a chance. Wing-t won 4 titles last year.

Did that guy at 8:05 just compare high school ball to the pros? It just gets better and better.

Wing T WAS the most successfull. Just like Horses were the most successfull mode of transportation before cars.
Quit living in the past with Jerry.

Thank god for the drop program. Then NEHI will be able to compete for players when junior opens up the offense. Cant complet for players under choice with it.

p.beach gardens, bolles, st. augustine, chaminade, all have 1 thing in common. wing -t. Oh yeah and they won the state championship in the year 2005. horses are still around. go throw the ball and be the best booster club member you can be.

Was the most succesful??? What has taken its place? Please bring facts.

WING-T will never die!!!!! How many years has it been around oh maybe 50 plus years. You are a loser go work your concession stand and leave the football to people who know what they are talking about. Any running back would love to play in this offense. And the blocking schemes are all about angles. I run the wing t in my youth program and my kids average 230 yrds a game on the ground and at least 80 to 100 in the air a game.

then you must have one damned good little league team averaging 300 yards a game

Lakeland and Armwood the two most successfull programs in the state dont run the wing-t. Largo and Countryside the two most successfull progrqms in the county dont run a wing T.

Wing T used to be run in college decades ago, not any more. Lazy stupid old fool wou refuse to change and refuse to use computers (like Ole jer) run the wing T.

Ignorance is not a badge of honor.
Parents and players are voting with thier feet. In Pinellas wing T programs are second rate for the last 5 years. Good player dont want to run a system that they will never run in college. When they leave via choice ole jer yells recruiting at C-side, Largo, Dunedin, and CCC. Bitter old man that life is passing by.

We keep saying the Wing t doesnt win but whether we like it or not NE is 4-1 and may win there district.

I despise the Wing T plain and simple and prefer a more pro style offense but it can work in high school with the right coaches players and program. BTW have you ever seen Armwood buddy its not the wing T but it is similar

Largo and countryside are 6-0. Countryside is on their way to thier 4th or 5th district in a row. Northeast would be one out of three if they win. Seminole and Saint Pete run the Wing T and they suck.

The Wing T is old and dated. The Armwood guy is smart enough to change to the talent.

What I meant asshole, is the wing-t won as many state champiuonships last year as Lakeland has won in their history. Tell Corky Rogers at Bolles his offense is outdated. 300 and something wins and counting. Armwood still runs wing-t/double wing style. Largo runs the I. The I has been around longer than the wing-t, dork! C-side runs 3 screens, a comeback, and a draw with a back that probably wasn't there in the 9th grade. Get off the blog king of screen. C-side count your wins since 200O. Count your coaches wins. Count your 10 win seasons. Count your undefeated seasons. Count your playoff record. Hell, yall act like beating p. harbor, clearwater, and east lake is a national title. You don't become an elite program by winning games you should win. You become great by winning the ones you are not supposed to. WIN something besides that sorry ass district so I can agree with something you post besides our booster club rules and we throw the ball. Albeit we throw it sideways.

Armwood guy is changing to the talent? Yeah, he changes to fresh backs every 3 plays.

Callahan has not changed his offense 12years. He can change the gameplan because his playbook is deep but the offense has not changed

this blog is just proof that C-side boosters know nothing about football. They make up all this stuff to make it seem ike they know so much about football. Then boom someone busts their ass. and they go run and hide in the cocession stand and read more news paper article to see what ele they can come up with.

Wow, deep deep hatred for Cside. Wonder how many people really hated them when they were a doormat

All the losers hate a winner.

Nobody hates Pinellas Park.

THEY ARE STILL AND ALWAYS BE A DOORMAT. NO ONE RESPECTS THEM. THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO DESERVE RESPECT YET. GOTTA GET SOME PLAYOFF WINS. GOTTA BEAT SOMEONE! THEY THINK RESPECT COMES FROM BLOGS AND ARTICLES. WHAT HAVE THEY DONE? DON'T UNDERSTAND THEIR SENSE OF BEING A GREAT TEAM.

HEY, CAPS. WHO IS YOUR GREAT TEAM OF LATE IN PINELLAS? I DONT SEE ANYONE TRYING TO SAY CSIDE IS A GREAT TEAM WITH FIVE CHAMPIONSHIP RINGS, ALL I SEE THEM DOING IS GIVING CREDIT WHERE IT IS DUE, THEY ARE THE BEST IN PINELLAS AND HAVE BEEN OF LATE. QUIT BEING SO BLINDED BY YOUR STUPID HATRED, NOT COOL.

HEY CAPS LOCK RESPONSE. ITS NOT HATE. ITS WANTING TO UNDERSTAND THE MENTALITY OF YOUR POST. HAVING PRIDE IN WINNING THAT DISTRICT IS ONE THING, BUT PUSHING IT AS A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT IS ANOTHER. C-SIDE HAS DONE NOTHING TO BE CALLED GREAT. IN THE HISTORY OF PINELLAS COUNTY MOST GREAT TEAMS OR DOMINATE TEAMS HAVE BEEN UNDEFEATED AND WON REGIONS OR AT LEAST WON SOME OUT OF COUNTY PLAYOFF GAMES. YOU CANNOT USE ELITE, DOMINATE, OR GREAT UNTIL YOU HAVE DONE SO. NO HATE, JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. YOU NEVER JUSTIFY IT. YOU JUST TYPE IT. YOU RIP ON DUNEDIN, THEY HAVE A GREAT HISTORY IN THE PLAYOFFS, YOU RIP ON SEMINOLE AND THEY HAD GREAT PLAYOFF RUNS, YOU RIP ON NORTHEAST AND THEY HAD GREAT PLAYOFF RUNS. YOU WILL PROBABLY SAY THEY "HAD", THEY ARE LIVING IN THE PAST AND ALL THAT. THE KEY IS C-SIDE CANNOT SAY THAT. THEY CAN'T SAY "HAD" OR THAT THEY HAVE DONE THAT. THEY CAN ONLY SAY "WILL" BUT THAT HASN'T BEEN HAPPENING EITHER. KEEP WINNING YOUR LITTLE DISTRICT BUT THAT DOESN'T EARN RESPECT AS A GREAT OR ELITE TEAM. MY RESPONSE IS WHEN "WILL" C-SIDE BECOME A GREAT, ELITE OR DOMINATE TEAM? I PULL FOR P. COUNTY. I WANT P. COUNTY TO REPRESENT WELL STATEWIDE. C-SIDE HAS TO DO MORE.

Best in Pinellas as of late would have to be Largo.

LARGO HAS BEEN THE MOST DOMINATE LATELY.

In 2003 Countryside beat Bradenton Bayshore in the playoffs, and went on to play Armwood. Then the next season, because of a screwup by Armwood, they had to play them again in the first round. Last year should have been a better post season, but there were some devastating injuries in the very last game that prevented that. C'side has done pretty well in post season for the past few years.

Oh....boosters can't hide in the concession stand, that is run by the band.....

And let's face it, none of the districts in this county even come close to comparing to the one Countryside and Dunedin are in. The teams in the county are for the most part, sub par this year. Which is too bad, but it is what it is. Largo, C'side, Dunedin and whoever else will have their work cut out for them in the playoffs. Maybe all of you other teams should step your game up and bring it up to the top teams in the county instead of bashing them, or talking about things that happend back in the 80s and 90s.

10:35 YOU JUST PROVED MY POINT AND THANK YOU FOR BRINGING IN SOME FACTS. SHOULDA, WOULDA, COULDA, IS ALL YOU GUYS HAVE. THEN YOU BASH TEAMS THAT HAVE DONE IT!! LIKE I SAID, YOU HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING IN ANY DECADE. THAT IS WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT. WHY DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE DONE WELL IN THE PLAYOFFS. WHY DO YOU FEEL YOU HAVE A "GREAT" PROGRAM. WHY DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TRADITION WHEN YOU HAVE ONLY BEEN CONSISTANT FOR 2 OR 3 YEARS IN THE COUNTY. IT TAKES LONGER TO GAIN SUCH STATUS. THE FACT IS YOUR PLAYOFF RECORD SUCKS. PERIOD. INJURIES, ARMWOOD, WHATEVER, YOUR PLAYOFF RECORD SUCKS. 5 YEARS FROM NOW MAYBE, IF YOU DO SOMETHING, YOU CAN LOOK BACK AND SAY THAT WAS SUCCESSFUL. FACT IS THAT IS PITIFUL FOR ALL THE HYPE YOU ALL BRING. YOU TALK A BIG GAME ALL YEAR LONG, THEN WHEN IT IS PUT UP OR SHUT UP YOU LAY DOWN AND TAKE AN ASS WHIPPIN. I DON'T HAVE HATE, I JUST GET TIRED OF THE BIG TALK AND NO RESULTS THAT YOU KEEP BRINGIN ON THIS BOARD.

12:38. good stuff. finally some truth has been told on here. I hope you don't expect a response because you probably won't get one.

Well, I consider a team successful if they have made it to the playoffs for four straight years, and looks like they are headed for a fifth straight winning season. At least they get to the playoffs, which, I am guessing MR. CAPS LOCK....your team hasn't done for a good long time. I am assuming your 'team' is from the south county and that they are mediocre at best this year. Unless your team is Armwood or Lakeland, there are really no teams around that are consistant year in and year out, and five straight years is not bad at all. I know it is hard for some of you folks that Countryside has a good team....but they do. They have a good coaching staff, backed by a solid booster club and support from the school and community. Kills ya, doesn't it? And unless your team this year is oh...that's right NO ONE, who has given C'side their ass whuppin? I do agree that last year, they fell apart and did not get it done as they should have, but hopefully the team and coaches learned from that and can do much better this year. Countryside is doing just fine, as is Largo, and to some extent Dunedin and NE. But the rest of y'all....please.......pathetic.

TARPON 14 C-SIDE 7!!!!

What else needs to be said?

tarpon 14 c-side 7. 'NUFF SAID!!

cside will best dundedin
win it all .
dundedin are not the 2 to team at all cside is .

cside will best dundedin
win it all .
dundedin are not the 2 to team at all cside is .

The offensive at dundedin is one man show.
They can not play with us this week .
from cside defenive

[kisskim]

john get off the blog

donut play the bosses son where is the ice cream man these is he still taking to parents for you.

what

what

hi

get off the blog cside

how about thow the cside win

coach Dave out has haed caoch at cside as to more .

todd get of the blog

[kj]

I would like to say that Boca Ciega had a multitude of talent on the field and off. But with no great leadership (head cosch) these boys could have made it all the way, i think. every game that i went to you could see that they were calling the same plays, and if you had your quarterback playing both ways why not some of that great defense on offensive, but it really didnt matter i guess cause once the coach stopped coaching, although i really dont know when he did that the morale of the players went down and you watched it happen. Many people have shunned the fact that this Boca Ciega program was showered with talent but the coach failed to capitalize on it. Which only brings me to say that just beause you played the sport doesnt mean you can coach it. It was unfortunate that the practices werent even ran effectively: defense one day, offense another, special teams the other. People have to realize that the only head of the team is the coach (and you dont have to demand respect its already given because you arae who these kids look to for guidence) and the neck is the quarteback (that must be the other leader to guide the rest of the team). I dont when the last i watched ESPN and heard them talk about a kicker that didnt make the perfect throw to win a game or for that matter a safety that missed a tackle, excuse im wrong they did but how long did that clip stay in highlights. but i do remeber the last time a coach lost his job because of 0-10 season or a quarterback being trader because of season after season of inaccurate throws and bad decision. But hey i could be wrong. You are only as good as your leadership as i say that for the second or third i lost count, just like i would count on the number of times the coach would call the same play over and over again as if the other team has not figured it out, but again i could be wrong. I say all of this to hopefully open up some type of dialougue that so many people seem too scared to talk about and although this season is over Bogie still has leftover talent and to this years graduating seniors what was done on the feild and the sidelines and for that matter the locker room leave it there you all have promissing futures and if it still in football you all are moving on to programs that have people that are wanting the same thing to win and work hard or maybe harder than you to get there and you will have coaches that will push you to be better with that tough love and comments that will make you wanna get back in the game to show coach i was listening, and not to mention a coach that already has respect for his players there for the players give it in return