New age sports fans take an all or nothing approach

Sometimes you have to use sports conversations like a buffet line to encompass
one theme.

Imagine just for a moment going into buffet style restaurants like Golden Corral or
Hometown Buffet. You have appetizers like salad and soup. With entrees, you can
go around the world from American, Italian, Mexican or Asian to name a few. Are
you hungry yet?

Listening to sports talk or a game, be it hosts, commentators or fans, it seems like
the new age fan either a) Rushes to judgment or b) Takes an all or nothing
approach or c) Does not listen to an entire statement, just uses a selective memory
approach to the portion of the statement he or she wants to believe. Sports has
become all too similar to partisan politics. I hate to go down that rabbit hole but
there is ample truth to that notion. It’s as if you have to be “all in” with one side or
the other and if you are aligned with one side or the other but have any dissenting
viewpoints, you are everything from chastised to ostracized to outed. The viewpoint
becomes, “How dare you think this way?”

I’m sure I can think of many topics and/or ideas but here are a few that readily
come to mind for now:

Scoring explosions

The recent Monday Night Football matchup that featured the Los Angeles Rams
defeating the Kansas City Chiefs 54-51 involved the first time in 217 games in NFL
history that a team scored 51 points and lost. The game drew enormous ratings
and reactions from “I love it” to “I hate it” to “Meh, I’d like to see a mixture of offense
and defense.”

The most laughable response was “What would you rather watch? 54-51 or a
10-7 game between the Jacksonville Jaguars and Baltimore Ravens? If given the
choice, it’s a no brainer for me.” I realize we live in a generation of hot take-ery
but why do I have to chose either? Just because someone says they don’t like
54-51 does not automatically mean they like 10-7. If you interperet such you are
delusional.

As a 46-year old, I grew up watching football games where 10-7 or 14-10 was
the norm. I don’t love games like that but 54-51 to me is not football. It’s flag
football or 7-on-7. Give me a 28-24 game and I’m happy. I see a mixture of both
offense and defense.

I feel the same way about baseball games that are 13-10. In my world, that’s not
baseball. It’s Beer League Slowpitch Softball co-sponsored by Natural Light and
Schlitz. I do not mind a masterfully pitched 2-1 game but give me a 7-5 game and
I’m fine.

Being great at one thing does not equal being bad at another

The examples are endless, take a quarterback that can run -- that means he can’t
throw. Take a great shooter in basketball, that means he either can’t drive or play
defense.

Look no further than Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry, who is the most
prolific 3-point shooter in the history of the NBA. Is he Allen Iverson when it comes
to driving to the basket? No. Is he Gary Payton as a defensive player? No. Then
again, the Warriors do not ask him to be such a player but he is serviceable in both
roles. Last time I checked, serviceable does not mean bad. James Harden and
Russell Westbrook are prolific scorers but often see defense as a rumor.

Oh My God! You just compared …..

Imagine you are watching a college sporting event or a young player beginning his
professional career. Just as a for instance, you might hear the commentator say,
“(Insert young player) has a running style that is similar Earl Campbell.” In multiple
living rooms, someone falls out of a chair screaming, “Oh my God, how dare he
compare (said player) to Earl Campbell!” or “How dare he say (said player) is as
good as Earl Campbell.”

There is absolutely nothing in the commentator’s verbiage that compares said
player to Earl Campbell or states he is or will be. If you think the commentator did
either, you are an idiot and moron rolled into one.

Napa Valley high school football around the horn

The week that was in Napa Valley high school football involved a) Returning to the field,
b) Two teams’ seasons ending against higher seeded teams and c) Another finding resolution
to who their opponent is.

Various wildfires throughout California caused everything from deaths, missing people,
unhealthy air quality and other forms of devastation that led to cancellations and
postponements of many CIF football playoff games throughout the state. In Northern
California, the Camp Fire in Butte County was the epicenter.

Most teams last played a game on Nov. 2 but those who had first round byes had not taken
the field since Oct. 26. Focusing attention to Napa Valley teams, the American Canyon
Wolves and St. Helena Saints saw their respective seasons end on Saturday. In the CIF
North Coast Section Div. II playoffs, the No. 8 seeded Wolves fell to No. 1 Rancho Cotate
(Rohnert Park) 42-7. The Cougars will host No. 5 Marin Catholic, which defeated Granada
(Livermore) 14-7, on Friday. In NCS Div. V, the No. 7 seeded Saints lost to the No. 2
Salesian (Richmond) Pride 49-28. Salesian will host Stellar Prep (Oakland), which defeated
Berean Christian (Walnut Creek) 32-27.

In NCS Div. I, the No. 8 seeded Vintage Crushers discovered their next opponent as No. 4
seeded San Ramon upended No. 5 Monte Vista (Danville) 21-17. Vintage was one of only a
few teams that played on the weekend of Nov. 10-11, upsetting No. 1 Antioch in double
overtime 24-21.

Here’s a closer look:

AMERICAN CANYON

Looking back: The Wolves appeared poised to give Rancho Cotate a four quarter battle
when trailing just 14-7 at halftime but then the second half happened as American Canyon
committed five of its six turnovers in the second half. The Cougars also unleashed their
version of triplets (quarterback Jared Stocker, running back Rasheed Rankin and wide
receiver Connor Barbato). In the first half, the Cougars offense spread the Wolves defense
out and followed with power formations in the second half. Rancho Cotate scored 21 third
quarter points to put the game out of reach.

The Cougars defense limited American Canyon running back Eddie Byrdsong to 79 yards
on 23 carries. In the Wolves 43-29 win over Montgomery, Byrdsong had 356 yards on 43
carries. Darrius Thomas supplied the lone Wolves touchdown.

Looking ahead: The Wolves finished 6-6 under first year head coach John Montante.
Though the team had its streak of six consecutive league titles (solo or shared) snapped,
American Canyon had a tremendous in-season turnaround in turning an 0-4 start into
winning six of its last eight contests. The lone defeats came to Rancho Cotate and eventual
Vine Valley Athletic League champ Vintage. Granted, the Wolves turnaround is partially
attributable to a brutal nonleague schedule followed by better landing spots in VVAL but
most teams that start 0-4 go into circle the drain mode. American Canyon, however, did not
succumb to a mental shutdown.

The biggest loss will be Byrdsong because he was the team’s No. 1 weapon. Other key
losses will include Brandon Seay (wide receiver/defensive back) and defensive stalwarts
Kekoa Wilson and Derrick Conner. The program, however, has more than enough talent to
keep up its winning ways. The biggest hurdle in VVAL will continue to be Vintage.
American Canyon will be able to hit the ground running in ways it could not this season.
Montante, who was not hired until June after Larry Singer resigned, will have the benefit
of a full offseason and built-in familiarity with the roster.

ST. HELENA

Looking back: The game could not have started more auspiciously for the road underdog
Saints. The defense produced a three and out to start the game. On the next series, the
offense generated a two play drive that quarterback Daniel Martinez completed with a
26-yard touchdown run. Luis Robledo added the PAT for a 7-0 advantage. The problem
thereafter was multiple for the Saints: a) The defense had no answer for Salesian’s ability
to repeatedly strike for explosive plays. b) The offense produced plenty of points to stay
remotely in the game but also wasted two short fields as a result of takeaways.

The Pride’s offense was like an octopus, if one arm didn’t get you, any one of seven others
did. Salesian recorded 511 yards of total offense (252 passing, 259 rushing) and tallied 29
first downs in the process. The two lost opportunities that were costly were a Jake Lehman
interception return to the Salesian 24 -- no points. The other one was a George Cutting
fumble recovery on a kickoff at the Salesian 26 -- no points. Does the outcome change?
Probably not. Salesian’s athletic prowess is no joke. In big games when you are at a
disadvantage, you cannot waste those chances.

Looking ahead: Ivan Robledo, Cody DiTomaso and Daniel Martinez. That is one
dynamite threesome. Robledo is a freshman and for the fourth straight game, led St.
Helena in rushing with 186 yards on 16 carries. He also caught two passes for 24 yards
and a score. DiTomaso added 58 yards on eight carries. Martinez had seven carries for
35 yards and a score. He also completed 4 of 5 passes for 67 yards and a touchdown.

Losing Luis Robledo will hurt but by all accounts, the next three seasons are in head
coach Brandon Farrell’s wheelhouse. St. Helena hit a valley at the end of 2016, losing
three out its last four followed by a 3-5 campaign in 2017. The 2018 season marked a
return to respectability and the first postseason win since 2014. Farrell will also be
getting a JV team that went 19-1 under Ian MacMillan. I’m usually the first one to say
“pump the brakes” on JV success but with a solid program foundation, I believe that
success will translate on the varsity side.

VINTAGE

Looking back: The last time the Crushers were on the field, they broke the hearts of
top-seeded Antioch with the aforementioned double-overtime win. With the win, Vintage
won its second playoff game in seven days after not having won a postseason contest in 32
years. The Crushers have ten wins in a row after an 0-2 start.

Looking ahead: Awaiting the Crushers is a trip to San Ramon on Saturday for a 7 p.m.
contest. The Wolves, who compete in the East Bay League’s Mountain division, defeated
league foe Monte Vista 21-17 on Saturday to advance. That league features perennial power
De La Salle (Concord) along with San Ramon, Monte Vista and California. Winning at San
Ramon will by no means be an easy task but the Crushers are riding high with confidence
after a) Having won 10 straight and b) Taking down the No. 1 seed in their building.

Coin flips deciding NCS playoffs -- I do not get it

When weather puts a sporting event in question, you frequently hear terms like “weather
permitting the game will take place at (insert time and date).”

Lately in California as it pertains to various CIF Section playoff football games, the
narrative becomes “air quality permitting.” Such a notion has run rampant because of
wildfires that have continued for the better part of three weeks. First responders are still in
the process of containing the blazes that have caused various forms of devastation including
but not limited to death, missing people, lost homes and poor air quality.

In a sports context, the poor air quality has caused numerous playoff football games to get
postponed on multiple occasions. Here in the Napa Valley, the postponements effect three
schools -- Vintage, American Canyon and St. Helena. The soonest Vintage would resume
play in the North Coast Section Div. I playoffs is Dec. 1 as the No. 8 seeded Crushers await
Saturday’s winner between San Ramon and Monte Vista (Danville). The Crushers last
played on Nov. 9 when the upset No. 1 seeded Antioch.

The good news is that rainfall graced its presence in Northern California on Wednesday
and is scheduled to continue throughout the week. That fortune is significant for first
responders to contain the fires and on a much lesser scale in the grand spectrum, high
school football games can continue. As of this writing, there have been no announcements
of further postponements.

In the NCS Div. II playoffs, No. 8 American Canyon visits the No. 1 Rancho Cotate
(Rohnert Park) Cougars, which had a first round bye, on Saturday at 7 p.m. The Wolves
last played on Nov. 3 when they defeated the Montgomery (Santa Rosa) Vikings 43-29.

In the NCS Div. V playoffs, the No. 7 seeded St. Helena Saints visit No. 2 Salesian on
Saturday. Salesian had a first round bye. The Saints last played on Nov. 2, defeating the
No. 10 seeded Hoopa Valley Warriors 48-22.

While I am thrilled to see high school football playoffs potentially return, there is one
downside. Given that the quarterfinal dates in the NCS are not getting played until Nov.
24, there would not be enough time to complete the NCS playoffs from Div. II-V in order
for the Northern California Regionals to begin on the weekend of Dec. 7-8.

The section will use head-to-head results to determined which finalists advance. If the two
teams did not play, a coin flip will break the tie. When I first read that statement, I vomited
in my mouth.

The option of playing the section playoffs but forgoing NorCal and State finals was
presented to the CIF but NCS commissioner Gil Lemmon said in various news outlets that
he does not see that as an option. Teams in Div. II-V were offered the chance to travel to
Eureka to continue the NCS playoffs as scheduled but travel and logistics would have
been costly.

Though I would like to see the playoffs continue with some semblance of timeliness, I
understand Bay Area schools not wanting to drive four hours and change. It’s a long drive
for one thing, not to mention you will not bring remotely the fans as normal.

However, for the life of me, I do not understand previous head-to-head matchups and coin
flips deciding which team advances to the NorCal Regionals. I will say that even if one of
my beloved Napa Valley teams benefit. State championships were instituted in California
in 2006. I was in favor of it then and remain a supporter of it now. However, finishing the
section playoffs and bypassing the Regional and State playoffs are such a no-brainer it
kills me.

The backstory of 2018 was the season starting two weeks earlier in large part because the
State playoff expansion. I don’t know what’s worse, moving on to the next round based on
head to head matchups from earlier in the season or a coin flip?

Ask any coach or athlete at any level of sport and all they want win or lose is a chance to
have it decided on the field. The fact that it won’t be is both blasphemous and an outrage.

Damn, and we thought participation trophies were bad.

Feeling a void without Friday Night Lights

Sometimes you feel a void because you simply were not ready for the
ramifications.

For the second time in as many years in California, lives were turned upside down
because of wildfires that caused everything from deaths, missing people,
hospitalization, devastation and people losing their homes. In 2015, it was Lake
County experiencing the brunt of this devastation. In 2017, it was people in Napa
and Sonoma County. At present, it is Butte County. I guess what they say is true,
misery loves company. On that note, my heart goes out to those who have suffered
to such an extent. I also give an enormous shoutout to first responders who are
doing everything in their power to end this dastardly blaze. Even if you were
hundreds of miles from the fire location, your life was compromised because of
air quality that ranged from unhealthy to unsafe. My voice sounds like I smoked
two packs of cigarettes.

On the sports front, numerous football games in the North Coast Section playoffs
have been postponed for the third consecutive week. Initially, the games that did
not get played on Friday, Nov. 9, were slated for Monday, Nov. 12. Poor air quality
had other ideas and pushed various games to Saturday, Nov. 17. The air quality
continues to be in that condition and as a  result, quarterfinals have been
postponed until Saturday, Nov. 24, assuming the air quality improves by that time.

I limit the focus in this space to the Napa Valley because that is where I reside,
along with most of this readership, even if it is all 18 of them. In the NCS, on the
Div. I side of the ledger, the No. 8 seeded Vintage Crushers have been riding the
crest of a 10 game winning streak. The Crushers blasted the James Logan (Union
City) Colts 36-0 for their first playoff win since 1986. One week later, Vintage
traveled to No. 1 seeded Antioch and upset the Panthers 24-21 in overtime.
Vintage will play the winner of No. 4 San Ramon Valley and No. 5 Monte Vista.

In Div. II, the American Canyon Wolves continued their tremendous in-season
turnaround. The Wolves were once 0-4 but dusted themselves off the canvas to
win six of their next seven games including their 43-29 win on the road against the
Montgomery (Santa Rosa) Vikings. The Wolves will play at No. 1 seeded Rancho
Cotate (Rohnert Park).

In Div. V, St. Helena defeated Hoopa Valley 48-22 and is slated to travel to
Salesian (Richmond). Both clubs are 6-4.

The first thing I want to see are those most directly affected by the fires to be
able to begin their healing process. Having never been in that situation, however,
I could not even begin to give advice.

From there, once the air quality improves the questions can become: a) Can
Vintage continue its tremendous ride? b) Can American Canyon shock the world
and beat Rancho Cotate? And c) What does the 2018 chapter of St. Helena/
Salesian bring? There is an American Canyon football angle to the fires in Butte
County. Lavar Seay, who graduated from American Canyon last June, attends
Butte Community College (Oroville) and plays football there. His younger brother,
Brandon, is a senior on the Wolves football team. Shannon Seay, who is the
mother of Lavar and Brandon, has posted on social media at various times that
Lavar is safe.

Yours truly was quite outspoken about the earlier than normal start to the 2018
high school football season in California. The earlier start in large part stemmed
from the expansion of the CIF Regional and State playoffs which subsequently
pushed the season deeper into winter sports season. Granted, that scenario
only affects a select few schools but it presents a problem nonetheless. Here
were my thoughts at the time:

http://vincedadamo.blogspot.com/2018/07/early-start-to-high-school-football.html

It turns out the early start time was a pre-emptive contingency plan since wildfires
in California have become exceedingly problematic.

Hoping for a return of Friday Night Lights.

Napa Valley playoff football halfway around the horn

The wildfires in Butte County, CA, caused the CIF North Coast Section to call an audible
with its football playoff schedule.

Though the Northern California fires most directly affect Butte County, wind gusts have
blown smoke into surrounding counties that include but are not limited to Solano, Contra
Costa, Yolo, Lake, Napa and Sonoma Counties. As a result, NCS commissioner Gil
Lemmon e-mailed a variety of people informing that 75 percent of Friday’s scheduled
playoff games would be moved to Monday.

Two of those games involved Napa County teams. No. 8 American Canyon was slated to
top-seeded Rancho Cotate (Rohnert Park) in a Div. II matchup. No. 7 St. Helena was
scheduled to visit No. 2 Salesian (Richmond) in a Div. V contest. Both of those games
have been moved to Monday, the former for a 7 p.m. kickoff, the latter for 1 p.m, as there
are no lights on Salesian’s homefield.

Two other games, however, took place. In Div. I, the No. 8 seeded Vintage Crushers stunned
the No. 1 seeded Antioch Panthers 24-21 in double overtime. In Div. IV, the No. 10 seeded
Justin-Siena Braves saw their season end with a 37-21 road defeat against the No. 2 seeded
Del Norte (Crescent City) Warriors. Here’s a closer look:

VINTAGE

The deeper meaning of the win: Besides playing the role of bracket buster in the NCS Div.
I playoffs, the win brought smiles to the Vintage community for a different reason. On
Wednesday night, 2018 Vintage High graduate Alaina Housley was one of at least 13
people confirmed dead in the mass shooting that took place at a western bar in Thousand
Oaks, CA. Housley was a freshman at Pepperdine University. Yountville and its Chamber
of Commerce held a candlelight vigil for Housley on Thursday night.

After the game, Vintage head coach Dylan Leach posted a powerful and moving statement
on his Facebook page: “I want to thank everyone who supports me and the Vintage High
School football program.

Tonight was a big win for us. We as a program discussed playing this game for our
community, who is broken and grieving right now. I know it means little but our hope was
to bring pride and joy to the community if only to smile, cheer, and be joyous for the
moment.

I coached tonight for my friends, Arik Housley, Hannah Housley and Adam Housley and
their whole family. You were on my mind the whole way. The Vintage football community
loves you and sends our love and support. We can't imagine your loss but I guarantee you
we will fight next week for the school and community we all know Alaina loved.

Best wishes! You are loved and supported”

Looking back: One week after scoring its first playoff win in 32 years, the Crushers
travelled to East Contra Costa County, reached into the chest cavity of the No. 1 seeded
Panthers and ripped their hearts out. Vintage overcame a 14-0 deficit in the process as
Antioch’s Willem Karnthong delivered a 39-yard touchdown pass to Gaudie Campbell for
a 7-0 lead at halftime that swelled to 14-0 when Devonyae McClay returned the second
half kickoff 89 yards to paydirt. In the process, Vintage lost starting sophomore quarterback
Jacob Aaron with a shoulder injury, which pressed senior Michael Webber into duty.
Webber also plays wide receiver and cornerback.

Vintage also had to overcome what looked like a costly lost opportunity when it marched
13 plays and 8:31 off the clock before turning the ball over on downs. The Crushers shaved
the lead in half with 27 seconds left in the third quarter as Viliami Schaumkel capped a
12-play drive with a 5-yard touchdown run. On the ensuing possession, Vintage defensive
end Colton Fisher recovered an errant snap at the Antioch 14. Four plays later, Schaumkel
tied the game with another rushing touchdown.

Antioch had a chance to win in regulation but Omar Curiel’s 35 yard field goal was no
good. In the first overtime, Schaumkel scored to put Vintage up 21-14 but Antioch answered
with Karnthong connecting with Campbell for another score. In the second overtime, Curiel
missed another field goal but Vintage’s Eddy Gonzalez drilled the game-winning 35-yarder
for a walkoff win.

Looking ahead: The Crushers will not know their opponent until Monday night. Vintage
will take on the winner of No. 4 San Ramon Valley and No. 5 Monte Vista (Danville). The
date, time and venue will be determined. Both teams had first round byes and compete in
the East Bay (Mountain) Division, Monte Vista and San Ramon Valley went 7-3 and 6-4
respectively. Neither team has a common opponent with Vintage.

Though there has been no official word from the Crushers, they are going to have to make
due without Aaron, who has given the team a steady hand at quarterback. Aaron's mother,
Katie, revealed on her social media plays that her son has sustained a broken collar bone but
the good news is that surgery will not be required. Also good news is that Webber
is a capable replacement who knows the offense. The Crusher defense also gives this team
a puncher’s chance in any game. Vintage’s defense played a huge role in the team’s
comeback victory over Antioch. Webber had two interceptions.

JUSTIN-SIENA

Looking back: This game in many ways, was a microcosm of the Braves season: Much
excitement on offense from senior quarterback Barrett Donohoe but enough mistakes to
get beat. Justin was within ten minutes of scoring its second NCS Div. IV playoff upset in
as many weeks but to no avail. Justin led 21-20 with 10 minutes left in the contest before
the Warriors scored 17 unanswered points. Del Norte will play the winner of Monday’s
game between No. 3 Kennedy (Richmond) and No. 6 Fortuna.

The Warriors took the lead for good with OJ Calleja’s 1-yard scoring run followed by an
Ethan Price two-point conversion. Price set up the touchdown with a 63-yard run. From
there, the game unraveled for the Braves. On the ensuing possession, Justin was forced to
punt but the snap sailed over punter Shane Rosenthal’s head for a safety, thus creating a
two-possession game. Price later punctuated the win with a 40-yard touchdown run.

Before the Warriors iced the game, the contest had six lead changes. Del Norte’s scores in
that span came on a 30-yard Price to Calleja connection, a 12-yard Sebastian Puente run,
and a 5-yard Conrad Say run. For Justin, its scores came courtesy of a 12-yard Donohoe
to Tyler Brazil connection, a 12-yard Donohoe to Michael Fitzgerald hook up, and a 5-yard
Donohoe run. Donohoe finished the game 18 of 25 for 218 yards.

Looking ahead: The Braves finished the season 5-7 with three losses by a combined 10
points and recorded their first playoff win under third-year head coach Brandon LaRocco.
Among the key returnees are receiver Solomone Anitoni, running back Francisco
Morales-Florentino on offense along with defensive standouts Marcus Nunes, and Miles
Williams. Losing Donohoe, however, is a gaping hole.

The Braves proved they can compete in the newly formed Vine Valley Athletic League but
climbing the ranks will be tough. The VVAL figures to go through Vintage and American
Canyon until further notice. Napa was 0-10 and while it may not become the powerhouse it
once was, it won’t stay this far down forever. Since the Braves play in Div. IV, the regular
season is just a matter of survival in order to reach the postseason.