You, on the other hand, are directly saying the reason the Chapter did not get the game was because of some deficiency.
I never said that there was a deficiency. What I said was that there was OBVIOUSLY a reason the coach didn't pick the Austin chapter. Why? Who knows. It could be something very stupid on his (or their) part(s). What I did say, and what I still believe is that we ALL should take these sorts of things as a challenge to work harder, get better, and make any reasonable decision on future playoff assignments easy for coaches. If they aren't going to be reasonable, then there's nothing we can do about it. But I didn't figure I really needed to emphasize such an obvious point. I also didn't figure I needed to point out that if coaches aren't going to be reasonable, there isn't any point in going and talking to them. I figured Doc was smart enough to know all that.
I NEVER SAID THAT THE COACHES' REASONS WERE JUSTIFIED AND THEREFORE AUSTIN SUCKS. I don't believe either statement (or anything close to them) to be true. You can't argue on one hand that "we all need to get better" is a valid point but on the other hand saying that with respect to Austin and this particular playoff assignment is somehow insulting the chapter. If its valid for one person its valid for everyone and it doesn't insult anyone.
I didn't get a state title game this year (or probably won't -- not holding my breath anyway). Does that mean there's a deficiency in my game? I don't think of it as a deficiency (i.e. a point where I screw up continuously), but I do take it as a challenge to get better for next year starting now. My crew was told by a coach he would likely pick us for a playoff game. That didn't happen. I'm going to work my butt off so next time I work his game, we'll leave no doubt he should pick us. At least, that's what I'll try to do.
Bottom line, trying to comprehend coach reasoning is a lot like trying to understand why women do what they do.
I couldn't agree with you more here. But you left out three key points in the discussion: the part where Doc suggested someone go talk to the coach -- as stated earlier, why would that do any good if the reasons for not picking the chapter aren't reasonable? Also, the part where I stated that I am in a chapter that, mathematically at least, doesn't get what we think our fair share of the playoff games are, yet my view is not to complain about it but work harder and make the choice obvious. Lofty goal? Perhaps, but I have a habit of setting (and sometimes reaching) lofty goals. Finally, the point about Austin benefitting in the past from a similar situation in another chapter. I'm sure you would agree with me that this situation had to have occurred at one point in time or another. You seem to be focusing on points I didn't make and ignoring points I did.
Look, I don't want to ruin this thread more than it is -- and I'll take partial responsibility for that. But I didn't start this. So please, continue this discussion by message on here. I still don't understand why the defensiveness to the idea of "we all need to get better" exists, or to the idea that coaches picks may not make sense so we need to take that as a challenge to work harder. I'm sorry but that is NOT denigrating anyone, and it baffles me that you would argue it is.
But even with all that, calling me a troll is hardly productive and just as unreasonable as any actions any coach might have made that Doc is complaining about. You have a hard time trying to make the point that I'm blasting the Austin chapter, which is a bad thing on my part, but its OK for you to blast me. I don't care what I'm called, but I was hoping we could keep a mature level of discussion on here.
