HShockeywatcher wrote:rainier wrote:I'm not from Hermantown, I'm from Hibbing, and my team's history is a reason why I find trophy chasing metro private schools so repulsive.
Hibbing first went to Class A in 1994, and they went on to finish 2nd in state, losing to a Wyatt Smith led Warroad team. As fans, we did enjoy making it as far as we did, but there was some luster lost as we knew we were crushing overmatched teams SCC and Edison by a combined score of 18-4 in the quarters and semis.
Hibbing stayed in A for 95, but then opted up for the next 5 seasons because they knew great squads were coming up and staying in A would have been weak.
While Hibbing opted up, they had Page Stat ratings of 5, 22, 13, 11, and 12 before dropping to 46 in their 1st year back in A. They made it to the 7AA final twice, losing 3-2 to 23-0-1 Duluth East and 2-1 to eventual state champ Elk River in those seasons.
The bottom line is that Hibbing could have easily stayed in A over that span, and would have likely come home with at least a state title or two. They certainly would have been going to state every season. But even though state powers Duluth East, Greenway, Cloquet, Grand Rapids, and Elk River were in 7AA, they decided to play against the best instead of taking the sure thing.
Metro private schools such as STA, Breck, T-G, etc. can compete in AA and have a reasonable expectation to make it to state. But they don't. (STA finally did, mercifully) They are a business and their motive to earn is greater than their desire to challenge themselves. It hard to describe how revolting that is.
Enjoy your trophies, I guess. At least it's the sure thing.
Okay, I will answer your questions and then give you a chance for a response, but then I want to see you accept the ""Rags to Riches" challenge.
I understand everything you said in paragraphs 2-5, and it is great that you have finally actually explained your point of view (one of them) instead of just assuming everyone can read your mind. But I have two things (assuming you are willing to have a coherent conversation for once:
1. Why does this line of reasoning of yours only apply to schools from the metro and that are private? If it applied to Hibbing (outstate and public) 20 years ago, why does it not apply to those same schools now?
What are the other outstate public schools that can reasonably opt up to AA? I can think of one: Hermantown, yet I can think of several privates that meet this standard: STA, Breck, T-G, Blake, Lourdes, and Duluth Marshall. And think about the public schools that do opt up: Roseau, Grand Rapids, Bemidji, and Cloquet. If these four teams played STA over the last 7 seasons what would the collective record have been? I would say 3-25. And if others don't opt up, then why does that make it okay for STA to not opt up? Aren't they leaders who teach integrity? Shouldn't they set a good example for all teams who should opt up?
While I don't share the opinion completely, I can at least understand the view 100% if you were to be saying that certain public schools should be opting up in recent years because they fit the mold as well. But it is lost on me why it only applies to private schools.
The reason I'm not as hard on Hermantown is that they are a town of 9,000, but the metro privates are in a major metropolitan area of 2.5 million. If you don't see a major distinction there, I seriously question either your honesty or your IQ, depending on the sincerity of your belief.
2. Whether you want to admit it or not, unless a private school is young, they do not
know for sure what their future will hold like, unless a public, outstate community.
(Please write clear sentences, this last one is garbled.) In a typical year, most private schools will lose a decent amount of their top players to graduation (or other) and "be at the mercy" of new students. They can't know they will have sustained success as some public communities can.
I'm not saying this is a reason for a successful program to not opt up,
(then this entire question helps your argument how?) just simply pointing out that it isn't exactly the same. There are multiple schools I can think of that fit this bill.
(Please list them.)
Welcome to high school hockey. No one knows exactly what they will have every year. Players graduate from every school, kids quit, get suspended (Hibbing's 3rd best forward didn't play all season because of suspension), don't improve, get injured, leave for juniors, etc. But almost all teams, public and private, will have a good idea if they have a solid shot at going to state, which I think it a good criteria or opting up.
Also, I have a hard time believing a team like STA doesn't have a pretty good idea which bantams will be coming in. I don't think these kids pick their school on August 31st, it has likely been established beforehand. And BSM, Hill-Murray, Holy Angels, Holy Family, etc. seem to be okay with this uncertainty, why not the other privates?
As to your last point, the reason the change didn't happen isn't what you are claiming. You may not agree with the reason (there are alumni who don't, so you wouldn't be alone), but claiming something we know not to be true doesn't make sense just for the purpose of slander.
Fair enough. 
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