Greenwich and Staples met today at Cardinal Stadium, and the Wreckers came away with a 20-0 victory. The repercussions are interesting, but not dire. For the Wreckers, they advance to the Class L playoffs. The Cardinals lost at home for the first time since 2000, when they lost to - who else? - Staples (14-8). The Cardinals might have also lost the opportunity to host a home game, but that will be decided when West Haven and Fairfield Prep meet. The only thing I know for sure (at least, this is the rumor) is that the Jesuits will play the Cardinals on Tuesday night at 6:30 in the Class LL semi-final.
For you trivia buffs, the Cardinals last won the state championship in 1999. Who did they play in the semi-final that year? Ding Ding...the Fairfield Prep Jesuits!
I thought the Cardinals looked flat today, while the Wreckers played possessed. If they play on a dry field, with all things being equal, I think it's dead even. In fact, I'd have to give the Cardinals a slight edge. But today, with the playoffs on the line for Staples; Nick Edwards, Jimmy Dunster, and Sean Bannon all sidelined for the Cardinals, and a wet ball that Joe Poletsky had trouble handling, the Cardinals never seemed to have a chance. Credit to the Wreckers coaches for being prepared, and to the Wreckers players for having such tenacity. Bottom line - the Wreckers won.
So who will be number one when I vote in the FCIAC Five? Somebody told me to take myself out of it. Frankly, I don't like that suggestion, because that’s EXACTLY why I don't like being a part of the poll. If I vote for the Cardinals, many will say that I'm a Cardinals/Albonizio lackey. If I vote for the Wreckers, then I get hammered for not being loyal, which is something I hate anyway. Plus, having talked about visiting with Marce Petroccio earlier in the week, I will undoubtedly get accused of being a new member of the Coach P Fan Club. Oh, I can handle the vote without my heart being a part of it, thank you very much, but there are politics involved. I could just vote, and not post my opinion, but I don't want to do that.
I'll think about it over the weekend. I've gone back and forth several times. I will say this - I can't simply judge it off of today's game. It might even come down to a coin flip.
3 comments:
I think you can look at it in two ways:
1. Greenwich won the FCIAC championship
2. Staples beat Greenwich
If you are loyal to the whole "system" you'll vote Greenwich and say they did win the FCIACs and should stay number one. If you're like a lot of people right now you'd say, wait a sec, Staples beat the FCIAC champs, why aren't they number one? At this point, I'd say it doesn't matter at all; The championship was already played and it doesn't count for anything except fan points. Now, if you ranked states, that'd be a different story. I like your idea of a coin flip, but make it two-out-of-three just to be fair.
How far has my broadcast of that Staples/Central game gone? This is incredible how all of Fairfield County now know me as "That Kid Who Said Meet My Friend Momentum" on the radio. Amazing, but funny.
-Greg Kaplan
Great comments, both. First - on the Greg Kaplan "momentum" call, you're now learning the power of radio. It's happened to me for years, and still shocks me whenever it does happen.
Greg, keep your sense of humor about it, and hold onto that moment for the rest of your life.
Adam, I like the two-out-of-three coin flip idea. Every time I think I have a strong feeling of where my vote is going, something else muddies the water. When the time comes, I'll make my pick (coin flip or not) and just live with it!
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