Small COC Prediction

[mowesten]

I'm not a Bolivar basher by any stretch, so respectfully, here's what I don't understand about their situation.

A) People defend them for not joining the COC Large because they're too small, etc., etc.

B) Some of those same people support them joining the OC.

That seems hypocritical to me. Either you're too small for the COC Large -- and by extension the OC -- or you're not. It has to be one or the other. It can't be both.

There seems to be a lot of inconsistency and incoherent reasoning going on. I expect that from parents and fans, but they're now going to be taking long bus rides to play games no one cares about with no rivalries because that lack of coherent reasoning apparently extended to the administration.

I feel for the kids but it seems the school did a really poor job preparing for this eventuality.

 

[Missouri Kid]

I'm not a Bolivar basher by any stretch, so respectfully, here's what I don't understand about their situation.

A) People defend them for not joining the COC Large because they're too small, etc., etc.

B) Some of those same people support them joining the OC.

That seems hypocritical to me. Either you're too small for the COC Large -- and by extension the OC -- or you're not. It has to be one or the other. It can't be both.

There seems to be a lot of inconsistency and incoherent reasoning going on. I expect that from parents and fans, but they're now going to be taking long bus rides to play games no one cares about with no rivalries because that lack of coherent reasoning apparently extended to the administration.

I feel for the kids but it seems the school did a really poor job preparing for this eventuality.

Logic is often a rare commodity on this board.

 

[Mister_Wizard]

Large COC and OC are two different, unrelated conferences.

 

[mowesten]

The leagues are similar in size, competitiveness and proximity. The arguments made here for not wanting to join the COC Large would apply to the OC as well.

 

[bullitpdq68]

The leagues are similar in size, competitiveness and proximity. The arguments made here for not wanting to join the COC Large would apply to the OC as well.

Ozark Conference seems weaker overall compared to the COC large when it comes to football. But if you take out Webb City they both are probable on par. Again that is just my opinion based on the fact that an OC school is rarely going to make it to the semis much less the championship game. But then again you take out Webb and the same could be said for the COC large?

 

[Mister_Wizard]

I'm not a Bolivar basher by any stretch, so respectfully, here's what I don't understand about their situation.

A) People defend them for not joining the COC Large because they're too small, etc., etc.

B) Some of those same people support them joining the OC.

That seems hypocritical to me. Either you're too small for the COC Large -- and by extension the OC -- or you're not. It has to be one or the other. It can't be both.

There seems to be a lot of inconsistency and incoherent reasoning going on. I expect that from parents and fans, but they're now going to be taking long bus rides to play games no one cares about with no rivalries because that lack of coherent reasoning apparently extended to the administration.

I feel for the kids but it seems the school did a really poor job preparing for this eventuality.

Difference in A and B in my opinion is, the Large COC is now full (with Joplin joining) so some people may be pushing for an OC bid thinking that maybe Central will back out or they don't realize Central is replacing Joplin. That may explain some of the conflicting thinking.

I'm still an advocate for a new mega conference in southwest Missouri (because I hate to see a school shut out with no options) but that's been discussed here before and is occasionally deserving of a new thread when some of us start to get a little bored.

 

[anon_ws6om0uyjrz8z]

So here is a thought...

Over and over again it seems like people want to point the finger at the Bolivar Football program that they pushed to stay in the Small COC so they could dominate and "beat up" on what people thought were all smaller schools by more than half or more. It has been implicated that they (the Bolivar football program and district) have avoided joining the Large COC or OC for that very reason. I'm sure football isn't the only sports program in Bolivar. I would say they have to have some 10-15 other sports programs with head coaches that I'm sure would get a voice in what the school does as a whole as far as what conference they are in. So how do those sports programs and coaches feel they fit into the Small COC? How do they fare in that conference? Are they completely dominating it to where the sentiment is that they shouldn't even be in that conference or is it actually a "competitive" conference for them? How do they feel about joining the Large COC or OC? Has it ever occurred to anyone that maybe football would have loved to have the chance to compete in a bigger more competitive conference (which I think it has been stated on here before that football pushed to change) but that there are a lot of other sports programs at Bolivar that have to be taken into consideration and that it's not ALL ABOUT FOOTBALL? If you look back at some of the football team's opponents in their open weeks it looks like they tried to schedule schools like Branson, Ozark, Willard, Republic, Harrisonville, Nixa, etc. Just something to consider...

 

[Jr4038]

Monett and Bolivar used to play each other every first game of the year but my freshman in 2006 we stopped! Maybe bullit or lib dad could explain that move! Bolivar only has about 100 kids on Monett! We dropped them for Mac county and they got Nevada! Basically both playoff caliber teams dropped a playoff game week 1 for losing programs and I've never understood those moves! I wish we still had em on the schedule and I know several Monett people who feel the same!

 

[sw5890]

This is the topic that just won't seem to die on this board. Bolivar is just in an odd spot with enrollment, geography, and existing affiliations. They are either going to be one of the largest or one of the smallest in their conference. There is no getting around it.

Personally I think the Big 8/14 makes the most sense. But that isn't an option it seems. The OC and COC are very comparable in my opinion (Aside from WC). Both mostly class 5 with a couple very strong class 4, and one class 6 (next year). But neither of them are an obvious fit for Bolivar. Could they compete, probably. But I can't fault them for not joining. The COC-Small may not not been a perfect fit, but it probably made more sense than other options. Maybe they would have jumped if they had known the COC-S would dissolve around them. Perhaps the only blunder was administration failing to foresee and plan for that. Really Bolivar had and still has no great options.

The long travel could ultimately have a negative impact on participation and overall program success. I think it's had a negative effect in Joplin and it may in Bolivar as well if they don't work out a solution.

 

[Blue8505]

Bolivar is in a tough spot as one of the smaller class 4 teams in the state. (But Harrisonville has done quite well with only 100 more students).

Also, In SW MO it seems like most schools are class 3 or smaller or class 5. Even though many schools like Monett/Reeds/LogRog etc... aren't much smaller in enrollment. This is the conundrum for Bolivar.

I feel like the OC would give them the best challenge in football for the Class 4 playoffs but the Big 8 would be best for all sports. Football games against Monett, Cassville, Mt Vernon, Lamar would be pretty fun too. Many times these schools would be pretty competitive in class 4 too. I would love to see the old Monett rivalry brought back.

 

[farmer_fran]

Nah, I lost envy after the 13th or 14th consecutive conference championship. I'd like to see us go in to the Ozark Conference and begin to compete there. Maybe that will happen after the current administration changes.

LibDad

Any word on when the advisory committee (of parents) is to report back to the School Board and any idea what the potential outcome could be. I agree with everything you have written on here. The AD dropped the ball on this and have heard "attitude and arrogance" played a part in much of this. Can you confirm this?

 

[Liberator Dad]

I admit I'm a greenhorn on here but need to point out the obvious. You say you wanted to join the OC, how about pushing your AD to schedule some tough opponents while you are independent and proving you belong in a larger conference.
Next year you will play 4 class 4 teams, 4 class 3 teams and 1 class two.
Why would the OC want a school that schedules down?
Nine games and only play at your level in 4 of them, huh
And before you make the independent excuse, the COMO schools and Jeff City are all independent. Surely they could have gotten a game or two from one of them.

I agree 100%. I can't defend the actions of the current administration. Once the hole was there they just dug deeper and deeper. Coach Johnson has a great attitude. He's playing the schedule that was given to him.

For the same reason Mt View Liberty at 327 students scheduled Bolivar with 804 students. I think the point is that people outside of Bolivar feel like the school district has been pretty cocky for years while beating up on the likes of Buffalo with 458 students or Hollister with 491 etc. I understand it isn't the kids, parents or coaches making these decisions. I also understand that the conference realignment has been in the making for several years and if the community would have been proactive this could have been avoided. Not going to get a lot of sympathy from most COC schools.

The community has been very proactive. There are probably a few fans who enjoy being in the small COC for the wins every year but I can tell you that the majority of fans have been calling on the administration for years to try to find a better situation for us. Whether that meant bringing different teams into the Small COC that are closer to our size or finding a different conference where we could find more competition. It's evident in the fact that we have scheduled some much larger schools in our nonconference games to try to garner experience. I get your point but the coach voted for a move. The community pushed for a move. Then the bottom fell out.

 

[Liberator Dad]

LibDad

Any word on when the advisory committee (of parents) is to report back to the School Board and any idea what the potential outcome could be. I agree with everything you have written on here. The AD dropped the ball on this and have heard "attitude and arrogance" played a part in much of this. Can you confirm this?

It would prob be best for me not to go down that road again. I've stated what I have heard in convo with admins from other COC Schools. I know several of the parents on the committee. Working hard. Not a lot of headway.

 

[Liberator Dad]

I'm not a Bolivar basher by any stretch, so respectfully, here's what I don't understand about their situation.

A) People defend them for not joining the COC Large because they're too small, etc., etc.

B) Some of those same people support them joining the OC.

That seems hypocritical to me. Either you're too small for the COC Large -- and by extension the OC -- or you're not. It has to be one or the other. It can't be both.

There seems to be a lot of inconsistency and incoherent reasoning going on. I expect that from parents and fans, but they're now going to be taking long bus rides to play games no one cares about with no rivalries because that lack of coherent reasoning apparently extended to the administration.

I feel for the kids but it seems the school did a really poor job preparing for this eventuality.

It's a good point but I think there's one thing we haven't pointed out on this board. The deal with the OC was going to include Bolivar not playing Kickapoo and trading off some of the other Class Five large schools. I don't know all of the details so I can't speak to them but I think it was the large number of Class Four teams in the OC that was appealing.