Here is the entire article...GREAT FOR SIXMAN, GREAT FOR IRA!!!
Ira’s Toby Goodwin has been one of the most successful six-man coaches in the Big Country for more than a decade, posting a 137-40 overall record, including seven seasons of 10 wins or more since 2003.
He passionately argued that former Ira star Lance Morris’ six-man rushing record of 11,866 yards (set last season) should be included with those posted by 11-man players. He also debated strongly with the author of this article, who suggested Morris’ record should have an asterisk if included with the 11-man records.
Goodwin now visits with Evan Ren to rehash their argument and some of the misunderstandings about the six-man game in this week’s Big Country Q&A.
Q: Coach, thanks for speaking with us. ... One of the questions I have for you and the entire six-man community is regarding what I would describe as the “six-man chip” on your shoulders when it comes to respect. I’ve found that some people in the six-man community can be very defensive and even hostile when it comes to the amount of respect their game gets. Do you see it that way?
A: “On the whole, I’d say you are right. As a community, we do feel a little disrespected on some aspects (when compared) to 11-man football. ... ‘Six-man isn’t real football’ — you hear that all the time. Of course, there’s no arguments against 11-man because it’s been around forever. ... So we feel like six-man has been treated like a stepchild or the little brother. ... In the past few years, six-man football has grown and we’ve produced quite a few athletes who have gone on to play at the next level. ... Football is valuable to the kids. Whether it’s six-man, 11-man, eight-man or whatever we’re playing. ... The state championship is just as important to six-man kids. They get just as excited and it means just as much. ... So yeah, we’ve felt a little disrespected.”
Q: Last season, when Lance Morris became the all-time six-man rushing leader, there were those in the six-man community who felt his statistics should be included with those of 11-man players. I argued publicly that they shouldn’t be, since the games are different, and you and I argued quite a bit about it. Some six-man fans took my position very personally. Can you talk about why some of them got so angry?
A: “Well, this sort of goes along with your first question. The six-man community is tight-knit and you don’t want to mess with us. We’re going to fight and claw with each other, but if you ever mess with one, you’ll have to mess with us all. I think that’s how it is and I think you’re right. Some people took it personally. Is that right or wrong? I don’t know. Is it because of the passion for the game and the passion for the kids? Yes, without a doubt. ... But the games are different and there’s no reason to hide that fact. However, our arguments are that six-man has different rules, different regulations, smaller fields and has (the 45-point rule). ... I’m glad we kept the stats on Lance because he did something special. But it’s the stats we didn’t keep that hampered him the most. In his four years of football, I don’t know how many of his games ended at halftime, which is something that hampers his stats. Can you imagine what his stats would be if we played four quarters all the time? ... That’s where we have an argument. If those factors weren’t involved, then the stats wouldn’t be comparable. ... But as far as Lance, whether it’s six-man or 11-man, he has rushed for more yards than anybody. We can let the debate go on, but as far as Lance is concerned, nobody has rushed for more yards and nobody can debate that. ... There’s a lot of things you can debate, and yes, there are differences between the games. To me, that’s what we’ve all got to accept. I think the differences you and I have had have been good for me. ... Whether we get mad or have a chip on our shoulder, we’ve also got to accept the way things are as a six-man community. And I think we do. We just don’t like getting picked on sometimes — and whether we’re (really) getting picked on or not, that’s how we feel.”
Q: OK, tough question time. There are those of us who believe the six-man game would benefit from having the field reduced even more than it is now. Some people, including myself, believe the six-man game would improve if the fields were even narrower and shorter than today’s 80-yard fields, because it would reduce the space between the players. What do you think of that argument?
A: Honestly, I haven’t heard that argument. It’s possible that it could cut down on some of the scoring, but you’re right, that is a tough question. I don’t know how much more narrow we could make it and still have the quality of the game. ... I know defense is a tough thing in six-man. It’s always high-scoring and that might help in that aspect. But at the same time, you don’t want to cheat the offense from their opportunities.”
Q: Coach, you’ve got about 30 players in your program, which is more than some 11-man teams have. What are the chances of your program jumping to 11-man and have you considered it?
A: Well, our numbers are exceptional right now, and I’m one of those guys who will try to get every kid out there playing because every kid is valuable, one way or the other. ... Yes we’ve got good numbers this year. But it’s not going to be that way every year. ... We can’t commit to the 11-man game, just because of the numbers down the road. ... As long as we can compete and play (six-man) that’s where we need to be. Even if your numbers are high, that doesn’t mean you can compete at the next level.”
Q: I think you caught some people off-guard when your baseball team got to the regional semifinals and gave Stamford a tough series last year. Did you and your athletes view that as an opportunity to gain some respect for six-man schools, and do you think it worked?
A: “I think it did. The fact that our program and several others continue to be successful every year at everything we do shows that we do have kids who have athletic ability. But we’ve also got those other kids who are going to work their tails off and do anything they can to be successful. ... You have to play nine kids out there and they’ve got to bat and field, so they’re active. ... In other sports, you can ‘hide’ a kid, but in baseball, everything is right there, so it shows the wide range of kids we’ve got and who can compete with a Stamford and have a chance to upset them. ... (Earlier) we beat Miles, who (no disrespect to Stamford intended) we believed was the best team in the state. We beat them in one game then had to go compete in the state track meet. Then we came back and beat them again. So that shows that not only is our athletic ability there, but our mindset is there. ... But I really think our baseball team did open the eyes of the (athletic) community, and it was something that was really neat for our town. They all jumped on board and were Ira baseball fans. ... But yes, I think we opened some eyes and gained some respect, not just for Ira, but for all small schools.”
Q: If there was one thing about the six-man game that you could make the 11-man community understand, what would it be?
A: “That the value and the passion that the kids have for six-man football is absolutely no different than the value and the passion that everyone else has for their sports. Again, I think the perception that it isn’t real football is just wrong. ... The preparation these kids have to go through is incredible. All six kids on a six-man field have to know several different positions. ... Those guards and tackles in 11-man football are pretty much going to do the same thing each and every week. But ours is a wide-ranging game, and I think that’s part of the reason we’re so tight-knit. ... I think perception that a lot of people have in their minds blocks their understanding of our game. I think once someone has their mind made up, it’s hard to (change it). ... People think that it’s playground football and it’s not. We have to execute our blocks and our tackles just like everybody else does.”
