Lafayette Throwing District???

[4TheLoveOfTheGame]

A couple of people on this board seem to be implying that coach belfour isn't playing people in "certain" posisitons because he doesn't want to be on the same side of the playoff bracket as jesuit. This is rediculous. What do you guys think about this?

[Center]

I am sure that is not true. But I would not blame him. I dont think that any coach would "Throw" a game, perhaps not be totally distraught if they come out second and have a path that better suits their team.
I mean what kind of a reward is it to win district and then get Jesuit on your side. A better system needs to be put into place.

[coachray40]

I'm not buying all of the "throwing the district" hype either. Now, Lafayette is 2 games back of Acadiana, and Acadiana has a win against them, so winning the district might not be as plausible as it once was. If Coach Belfour is now looking at the potential first round match-ups in the playoffs, and trying to position his team for the best draw possible to advance, then that to me is good strategy. As coaches, we have to be realistic about our teams chances, and the best coaches evaluate their talent and team on a continuous basis. Sometimes that realization isnt popular, and doesnt appease the rahrah types, but once the playoffs start, the goal is to continue to advance. At this point in the season, perhaps Coach Belfour doesnt think his team is playing their best and wants to get to a certain point where he can get them a chance to advance and build confidence going into the later rounds. A sound strategy, if you ask me. Is a district Championship that important? Ask the Dunham Tigers football team this past year, or last years St Amant Baseball team. Neither of these teams won their district (St Amant finished third), but both won State Championships. Its about the PLAYOFFS, man!

[Ghandi]

4TheLoveOfTheGame said:

A couple of people on this board seem to be implying that coach belfour isn't playing people in "certain" posisitons because he doesn't want to be on the same side of the playoff bracket as jesuit. This is rediculous. What do you guys think about this?

I think it is hilarious.

[4TheLoveOfTheGame]

well im assuming it was a lafayette player that said this but perhaps he's making excuses for why lafayette is not up to par this season. Ghandi I have nothing against u guys I think yall have a talented bunch but if belfour is afraid of playing jesuit then yall are going to lose. If this is just an excuse then whoever said it first and second being that i've read it twice needs to get thier stuff straight. They are making yall look like fools

[Ghandi]

Nothing means more to us than beating Acadiana. Belfour says he loves playing Jesuit because Lafayette's level of play goes up about 8 levels. It just so happened that coming in second in District may work to our advantage. Besides, what games could have we have thrown? You do not go into overtime ( our two losses ) with the intention to lose.

[FrancescoTotti]

I doubt that's the case the Belfour just wanted to play Jesuit in the finals..That's just an excuse why they aren't winning district. If they lose tonight then I hope they lose the first round of the playoffs as a wildcard team. Becuase that's all Lafayette does is make excuses. I would rather play our hearts out and lose to the best team in the state then to lose in the finals. Good luck Lafayette tonight let's ee if yall can make 2nd place in district.

[soccer05]

Pretty pathetic i'd say.. i guess they don't want to be on jesuits side when they lost to them 3-0,3-1 and the one goal that they scored was an own goal..

[McScruff]

I honestly don't believe that anyone associated with Lafayette said that they were throwing district. When I was in school, winning district was a pretty big thing and something to be proud of. I don't think that has changed. And Lafayette would NEVER throw a game to freaking Acadiana. Are you kidding me? I also know that Belfour expects his players to play their best every time they step on the field. He expects to win every game.

Anyway, this topic is just ridiculous and probably started by some stat geek who just wants to stir the pot.

I'll ask this question, though. Why would Lafayette rather play Jesuit in the finals than earlier. Jesuit is GUARANTEED a home game in the finals. If they play in the quarters or semi's then at least there is a chance that the game could be played in Lafayette. Doesn't make too much sense that Lafayette would rather play on Jesuit's home turf.

One last thing...there is only one champion, so it really doesn't matter when you lose in the playoffs. If you can't beat Jesuit in the quarters then you can't beat them in the finals either...what's the difference?

[xpress23]

the problem i have and is probably hard to get around is seeing how a team like dunham football, st amant baseball, dutchtown baseball and oklahoma football( although they didn't win, they had a shot to win it) can win a championship and not win your district or conference. should you really be condsidered the best in the state or the country if you your not the best in your district. i'm not saying lets change the playoff system to only district winners because i like the numerous amount of teams, the longer post season makes it harder to win it. i sure want to see just a semi final and final rounds. its just the paradox of sports that a team can be the best overall but not in their district.

[xpress23]

i don't want to take away from the teams that did win it, because is definately is an accomplishment, being able to beat all the teams that make the playoffs is certainally worth taking note of. so congradulations to all the teams that can overcome the challenge of starting off in a worse spot than a district winner and end up taking it all

[McScruff]

xpress, so only nine teams should make the playoffs? That college football/conference championship argument doesn't work(for me) in any sport where there is a playoff system in place. How crappy would the NCAA bball tourney be?

[hdkjga]

Lafayette won district last year and won state. They went to the finals the year before and lost 2-1 after ranking third in district. Personally, I think this district is pretty much wrapped up for Acadiana. Lafayette is going to make playoffs and that's all that matters. It's us on the boards that put such high expectations on LHS this year b/c of last year. However, I think any team in the state would love to be where Lafayette is right now. They are #3 in the state and have 20+ wins on the season. #2 or #3 in district doesn't really matter as both will be on the bottom half of the bracket. Just let Lafayette play their games and everyone else play theirs. Two OT losses in district is not what I would call throwing district. Especially when the 2 teams that beat you are currently in the top 10.

As for the 3-1 score with Jesuit.....it wasn't an own goal. It was off Kevin Carter when the keeper went to clear it. He jumped in the way and it went in.


Also, nobody seems to think Jesuit will lose in their district. BM sits in second with only 1 loss and that is to Jesuit. BM lost in OT to the bluejays and are capable of knocking them into the the #2 spot. Too many games left to be played. Let's worry about the playoff match-ups when the playoffs are closer.

[hdkjga]

My question is:

If you just take the district champions and let them play for the state championship.....does that mean that Ruston/West Monroe is better than Lafayette,Comeaux, BM, Rummel, Mandeville/St.Paul, St. Amant??

District is played to get the best teams out of the districts into the playoffs to play against the rest of the best, and when all is said and done.....one team is left as the best team in the state.

[xpress23]

thats my point about the paradox
mscruff i think i explained that i liked the long playoffs including march madness. in a perfect world you would have 64 conferences with all the winners playing for the national championship, but i think we all have to be realist

and as far as the issue of team "a"being better than team "b" but team "a" finished second in their district and team "b" finishing first in another district, that may be true but team "a" couldn't beat the first place team in their district so in theory team "a" wouldn't beat them in the playoffs. i hope this make sense.

but again just to reiterate my initial point, that is the paradox in sports

[xpress23]

i think the college football argument was a good example, in 2003 oklahoma lost to kansas st. in the big XII championship but still got to play for the national championship against lsu. now lets say that OU won, what you would be saying is " you weren't the best in the conference but we'll let you play for and be national champions. there is a big debate on this in ncaa d1 football, so i think that the argument is justified

[lhssoccerfan]

Good points made in this thread, but the premise of the initial post here is way off...With the rivalry in this district, you couldn't support an idea like that in any fashion....these guys all want to win...

[Pitchstalker]

I think it's bogus...how do you convince a full team of high school players to LOSE soccer games they can win? That would be the easy part. How do you get them to KEEP QUIET about it? Can't be done...

[zzxxvvbb]

wow... lafayette would never do that...or ne other team in the world that plays soccer.

Thats far fetched. If i was him i would want to play them early and knock them out early to make them feel as if they didn't deserve to make playoffs.

[lhssoccerfan]

There you go...Sounds good to me. Doesn't matter when you play them, just if you beat them when you do... ;D