Does Six-Man Need Richland Springs to win its 9th Title?

[granger]

Does Six-Man Football Need Richland Springs to win its 9th Title?

by Leman Saunders

All six-man football fans know about Richland Springs. In fact, most Texas high school football aficionados now know about Richland Springs and their eight state championships. This week, the Coyotes begin their quest for a 9th state title, which will set the record for most state titles won by any school in the state of Texas.

My question is this: If Richland Springs sets a new state record for most football championships won, will it force some sports writers to start treating six-man football more seriously? Does six-man football need Richland Springs to win its 9th title to gain respect for the sport?

The answer unfortunately is NO. Not because it wouldn’t be an amazing accomplishment, but because it will not matter. In the end, it will go largely unrecognized by many in the media.

There is a history of ignoring similar school/team accomplishments of six-man teams.

If you look around at which Texas high school team has won the most consecutive games, you will come up with Celina’s 68 straight wins from 1998-2002. Completely ignored is Fort Hancock’s 70 straight wins from 1988-1993. The Fort’s epic win streak was well covered in the press, so ignorance to the record cannot be used as an excuse. In fact, rarely are any six-man win streaks listed at all. Nueces Canyon’s 47 (1955-60) straight is lost to history, as are long streaks by Jayton, Marathon, Weinert, Highland and others.

To help prove my point, we can also look at how the mass media, by in large, treats individual six-man statistics, to try to understand how they feel about the sport. Never is Lance Morris listed as the state’s career leading rusher with his 11,866 yards at Ira High School. Sugar Land’s Ken Hall and his 11,232 yards are still at the top of that category. When McKinney RB Matt Gadek rushed for 599 yards in a game against Plano East this year, he was pronounced as setting the “new Texas single-game rushing record.” Ignored is the fact that Tony Diaz of Paint Rock rushed 621 yards against Novice in 2010 and Andrew Bischsel of White Deer rushed for 615 against Hart in 2014.

If you bring up these facts, you will be shouted down with the excuse that six-man football isn’t the same and thus not worthy of inclusion on the list. If you point out that, in fact, six-man IS a UIL classification, and express Gadek does not actually hold the Texas HS record (which he doesn’t), you will be told, “that is just semantics”, and to, “stop being the word police.” If individual statistics of six-man players are cited at all, they are pushed to the side and given separate but equal status.

I only bring this up to being my answer to the question at hand into focus. I think that by looking at how individual statistics are treated, we will see how any records set by a team or school will also be treated. So, if Richland Springs happens to win its 9th football title this year, while it would be an amazing record setting accomplishment, don’t expect the mass media by in large to recognize them as the record holder. The separate but equal status is the best we can expect.

The Associated Press does not even rank class 1A football. It is the only classification they do not rank. Along the same lines the Texas Sports Writers’ Association, an organization I use to be a part of, does not select an All-State Football team for class 1A football. They select volleyball, basketball, and even baseball all-state teams for 1A, but not football. While I was a member I offered several times to help the TSWA select a six-man All-State team, my offer fell on deaf ears.

All these issues are related to the same problem, the unwillingness of writers and reporters to treat six-man football the same as all other classifications.

So how can we change this? There are great newspaper and television reporters out there that treat six-man well and those men and women need to be acknowledge and thanked at every chance. Those who follow six-man football know who they are, as they are based in regions that have a large number of these schools in their area. I would suggest reaching out to these reporters and ask their help in convincing their colleagues at other outlets that make up the mass media, the Texas Sports Writers’ Association and AP writers, to start treating six-man/class 1A football the same as they do all others. That would be a baby step in the right direction and maybe over time the separate but equal status for six-man football will be a thing of the past.

[Coach Hester]

Well said

[oldfat&bald]

The guy at the sportswriter’s association that does the softball all state teams is trying real hard to get a 1A team out. The problem he’s having is coaches aren’t nominating girls. So, all you softball coaches out there need to send him nominations.

[Jcoldiron]

Well said Leman!!

[Johnny South]

.

[FCSA football]

Ref: Johnny South’s diatribe.
I’m sorry sir but I read and reread and reread again the post you referred to and I can’t see anything that remotely brings me anywhere close to your conclusions or deserves your comments and condemnation.
I know that I am kinda of new here, but my last name is Harvey, so I would like to hear the “Rest of the Story”
Can somebody help me out here?

[Rcblank85]

I think and I may be wrong which happens from time to time. What he is saying is that yes it would be a great accomplishment but other than us within the sixman comminuties, who would truly give it recognition? sure there will be media coverage of a 9th title. But when it's said and done, to most everyone else outside sixman football it will be a record with an asterisk...not to say it's fair to the teams, school, parents or community, but it's just plain ol truth...
Little history....1984 DCTFM includes sixman for first time...they ranked May #1.. from that we did get a little more exposure than usual..Fort Worth star telegram did a front page story. May and Jayton both were on tv out of Abilene about the state game..Houston paper did big piece as well. Oh and we lost to Jayton so they got it wrong...
Now compare that (as cool as we thought it was) to what has happened in past few years with the media coverage and I say the game has come a long long way....however it's still at this time just not given the respect that an 11 man team gets...

[Leman Saunders]

Does Six-Man Football Need Richland Springs to win its 9th Title?

by Leman Saunders

It seems that your title of the thread is a little bit off. Just who is "Six-Man Football" that you mention in your title? Does it have anything to do with Richland Springs, the kids and coaches who have busted their tails every year to become the most recognized program in the state? Does it include the community and the fans who have supported their team to the hilt each and every year? Do you even have any inkling of what goes into winning a State Championship? You say that "it does not matter" if a team can attain the heights of exemplary play and win a ninth State Championship. I can detect just a small amount of jealousy here. And, that may explain why you pick against the Coyotes at every opportunity. I think that you may be one of those who believes that it should be spread around to all the teams, deserving or not. EVERYBODY GETS A TROPHY!

Whether or not six-man is ever recognized by the big city sportswriters for the game that it is, at least the small town folks know where the "real football" is played.

And by the way, whether it happens or not, IT DOES MATTER!

Sorry but I think you might have missed the point of this, simply using the possible record setting season for RS as a catalyst to explain the games reception to those outside the six-man world.

As to always picking against RS the only two inseason games I made picks for a RS game were week 1 and week 6 and in both I did pick RS to win. Here is a link incase you missed that
http://www.texasfootball.com/2017week1/
viewtopic.php?f=100&t=27479
http://www.texasfootball.com/week-6-pre ... ootball-2/

I did say a few weeks ago I felt RS would lose in the playoffs and still feel that way, but the East is stacked and anything can happen

I never said it doesn't matter to six-man folks and for sure anyone involved with RS...I'd never even consider that thought I know it matters the world to them and would never suggest otherwise. Again, I think you missed the point of this article.

Anyway this piece this isn't about RS

And I can not argue with one point you made which was on topic "Whether or not six-man is ever recognized by the big city sportswriters for the game that it is, at least the small town folks know where the "real football" is played." That is a valid take on this subject.

[FCSA football]

I can agree with that but I can’t seem to find the “jealousy” and “participation trophy” aspect.
If you follow this thread very long you can also see that some in the public school Six Man ranks think that any six man non-public school team is not worth mentioning, unless of course they fill out their schedule. So maybe a little introspection is in order here. Or maybe I should say if you criticize one side of the six Man family and say they are not worthy of consideration, why would you be surprised when someone else uses that to describe the six man family as a whole?
Just saying......

[Leman Saunders]

I think and I may be wrong which happens from time to time. What he is saying is that yes it would be a great accomplishment but other than us within the sixman comminuties, who would truly give it recognition? sure there will be media coverage of a 9th title. But when it's said and done, to most everyone else outside sixman football it will be a record with an asterisk...not to say it's fair to the teams, school, parents or community, but it's just plain ol truth...
Little history....1984 DCTFM includes sixman for first time...they ranked May #1.. from that we did get a little more exposure than usual..Fort Worth star telegram did a front page story. May and Jayton both were on tv out of Abilene about the state game..Houston paper did big piece as well. Oh and we lost to Jayton so they got it wrong...
Now compare that (as cool as we thought it was) to what has happened in past few years with the media coverage and I say the game has come a long long way....however it's still at this time just not given the respect that an 11 man team gets...

You are spot on sir. If they win their 9th it would be great! My overarching point is that if they do they should be given full credit and acknowledgment for doing so by all media outlets and record keepers , but I am pessimistic that that would happen (the recognition that is). I would happily fight to help assure their spot in history

[Leman Saunders]

I can agree with that but I can’t seem to find the “jealousy” and “participation trophy” aspect.

That is also lost on me

[FCSA football]

Amen to that Leman.

[51eleven]

Does Six-Man Football Need Richland Springs to win its 9th Title?

by Leman Saunders

It seems that your title of the thread is a little bit off. Just who is "Six-Man Football" that you mention in your title? Does it have anything to do with Richland Springs, the kids and coaches who have busted their tails every year to become the most recognized program in the state? Does it include the community and the fans who have supported their team to the hilt each and every year? Do you even have any inkling of what goes into winning a State Championship? You say that "it does not matter" if a team can attain the heights of exemplary play and win a ninth State Championship. I can detect just a small amount of jealousy here. And, that may explain why you pick against the Coyotes at every opportunity. I think that you may be one of those who believes that it should be spread around to all the teams, deserving or not. EVERYBODY GETS A TROPHY!

Whether or not six-man is ever recognized by the big city sportswriters for the game that it is, at least the small town folks know where the "real football" is played.

And by the way, whether it happens or not, IT DOES MATTER!

Sorry but I think you might have missed the point of this, simply using the possible record setting season for RS as a catalyst to explain the games reception to those outside the six-man world.

As to always picking against RS the only two inseason games I made picks for a RS game were week 1 and week 6 and in both I did pick RS to win. Here is a link incase you missed that
http://www.texasfootball.com/2017week1/
viewtopic.php?f=100&t=27479
http://www.texasfootball.com/week-6-pre ... ootball-2/

I did say a few weeks ago I felt RS would lose in the playoffs and still feel that way, but the East is stacked and anything can happen

Anyway this piece this isn't about RS

And I can not argue with one point you made which was on topic "Whether or not six-man is ever recognized by the big city sportswriters for the game that it is, at least the small town folks know where the "real football" is played." That is a valid take on this subject.

Too much unfortunate truth. There are no big city sportswriters for High School anymore Football period.
Waco Trib not withstanding. Maybe Austin Statesman or Dallas for 11 man, Houston or San Antone???

I've quit buying a Saturday paper. Strawn Gordon was featured In the Fort Worth Star Telegram 20 years ago. Now they show a few Few 11 Man summaries, a couple of stories on top local teams.
It's a digital world. Nobody in the state or east texas reports anything on Union Hill

[CT6MFL]

uh oh.. beating up a dead horse again.

[RogueEconomist]

UIL needs to get serious about enforcing recruiting rules. When students see schools cheating or badly twisting the rules it sets a really bad example that will carry the rest of their lives. Ether make recruiting legal or hammer those schools that violate the rules. Those that cheat and twist the rules should not be admired and celebrated, the kids are watching and it far past time to clean up things because it is hurting the kids.