Texas vs. rest of nation bowl game

[Yeofoot]

We do have a swagger ya know. They are going to have an All-Star game that pits anyone with Texas ties VS anyone without. That's just funny.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=2620788

[Spence]

Kirk Herbstreit set up something like this with highschools. Herbie matched up games with the top highschools around the country with some top Ohio schools. It was a pretty cool event staged in several locations across Ohio.

[Derek]

That would be a cool high school playoff idea. The best players in each state combine to form a team, all hand picked.

Then have a playoff over 4 weeks.


Just about any state in the south, sorry fluid, would finish in the top 10.

[billybud]

You won't see many Florida kids there...the Florida kids play in the two biggies...the Califlorida bowl (Fla vs California) and the Florida-Georgia Bowl...I can't see them playing a third.

[Spence]

A lot of the national top teams played. #3 Lakeland (FL) was there, they played #10 St. Xavier and beat them 25-22 in Overtime when Matt Roddenberry kicked a 41 yard field goal. McDonalds and ESPN is behind this, it isn't going to be small potatoes. They had teams represented from all over the country, including the top rated Florida team.

The matchups were:

Texas (Texarkana, TX) vs Findlay (OH)
Colerain (Cincinnati, OH) vs Cardinal O'Hara (Philadelphia, PA)
Byrnes (Duncan, SC) vs Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, OH)
St. Xavier (Cincinnati, OH) vs Lakeland (FL)
Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) vs Centerville (OH)
De La Salle (Concord, CA) vs Elder (Cincinnati, OH)
St. Joseph's (Philadelphia, PA) vs Davidson (Hilliard, OH)
Springdale (AR) vs St. Edward (Lakewood, OH)
Washington (Massillon, OH) vs Hamilton (Chandler, AZ)


Not all the teams are in for next year, but here are some of the visiting teams;
Mission Veijo
Hoover (AL)
Union (OK)
Dematha (DC)
Central Catholic (PA)
Long Beach Cal Poly (CA)
Evangel Christian LA (CA)

Ohio Teams slated so far;
Colerain(cincy)
Elder (cincy)
Northmont(Dayton)
Massillon-Washington
Canton-McKinley
Cleveland Glenville
Lakewood St. Edward

It should be a good recruiting tool for Ohio State also.

[Spence]

In case anyone is wondering Ohio went 3-4 all good games except De La Salle blew out Elder.

[Spence]

They are keeping some spots open to schedule some other top teams towards the end of the year.

[billybud]

The Califlorida Bowl and Florida-Georgia Bowl are not "team" venues but all star games where the best seniors of the respective states play each other.

Interesting that only one team from Florida...looks like Ohio had half of the teams...

Lakeland is a good team...I would have liked Palm Beach Gardens...the large school champ last year, to play. Or Neese from St. Augustine (4A Champ).

[Spence]

Half the teams are from Ohio because it is an Ohio vs. the nation sort of thing. Half the teams will always be from Ohio. They wanted top teams from all over the country. I am sure that more Florida teams will come in as the event becomes more popular. When they see the effect it will have in the national rankings, more will line up to play. I win in an event like this is going to have huge implications in the national rankings scene.

[Yeofoot]

no, no, it's not a high school all star game. It's for pro-prospects, to qualify, athletes have to be ranked in the top 15 in each position. Any player with a tie to Texas is on the Texas team (i.e. playes h.s. there or for a Texas college team).

[bama_girl]

rolltide, are you a buc fan?

[Spence]

no, no, it's not a high school all star game. It's for pro-prospects, to qualify, athletes have to be ranked in the top 15 in each position. Any player with a tie to Texas is on the Texas team (i.e. playes h.s. there or for a Texas college team).

Actually, now that you have said that, I remember hearing about it. Sort of like a senior bowl to promote Texas kids. I think that is a good idea.

[Jason G]

I like the Herbstriet High School thing overall but I would like to see two things happen that would make it better in my opinion.

1. Have some of the games be road games for the Ohio schools or at least sign a two-year contract so it would be a home-and-home type of deal for more national exposure. The away games for the Ohio schools wouldn't necessarily have to be considered part of the event for the future season they got scheduled.

2. Don't just make it a big school event, include matchups between mid-range and smaller high school programs as well. They don't even have to be among the best in the nation just among at the top of the polls in their respective states.

One thing I worry about often times in amateur sports is that if certain programs that are considered among the best always play the toughest competition it handicaps the ability of other programs to catch up or gain ground on these 'elite' programs.

[Spence]

You can't include the small or mid range schools because of money issues. Some of the schools could afford the travel(Elder), but some big schools like Glenville couldn't afford to do home and home.

[Jason G]

The money thing is true. Hopefully though the event will become big enough that it will pick up corporate sponsors that may flip the bill that would allow some of these schools to travel.

Another thing is I'd like to see more states get in on the act. It looks like next year is going to be heavy on California schools.