MovieChat Forums > Go Tigers! (2001) Discussion > Sad and pathetic

Sad and pathetic

posted 19 years ago by PhantomNocona
15 replies | jump to latest

As a person who grew up loving football, and playing for a couple of years, let me say that the town depicted here is screwed up. God forbid the school actually stress academics over athletics just in case an injury happens, or *gasp* someone actually isn't good enough (or smart enough) to play at the college level.

Since I actually live in Ohio now, I see first hand how much the residents of the state stress prowess on the gridiron. For the people in the Buckeye state, the cycle of life includes three more stops that excludes mere mortals...excel in High School Football...so you can play for Ohio State...so you can be drafted by either the Browns or the Bengals. It's either that, or work in a factory, or be a farmer.

When will people learn that if you place importance on sports "games" rather than the game of life, you can set yourself up for a great fall. How often have we seen the All-American take a fall from grace, and end up a shell of their former self? How many times do we have to read news stories about athletes who were placed on a pedestal at a young age, but couldn't face the reality of a world where they were no longer in the spotlight? Do we have to watch the news broadcasts for one more story about the athlete who had everything given to them, including second chance after second chance, who eventually ran out of second chances and is now spending time in jail?

Bottom line, Massillon, Ohio needs to step up and start preparing their kids better for the world outside of football.

On a side note, read the John Grisham book "Bleachers". It relates to this movie in a lot of ways.

[–] buckeye_movie_guy 19 years ago

As a fellow Buckeye Stater, I just wanna laugh at that one comment you made.

"...excel in High School Football...so you can play for Ohio State...so you can be drafted by either the Browns or the Bengals. It's either that, or work in a factory, or be a farmer. "

The first two things you said are true. OSU rarely drafts out of state. There's so much talent inside. Next to maybe Texas, Ohio is the most football crazy state in the land.

But many players go far beyond the Browns and the Bengals. In professional football, where you're from doesn't matter much at all. (Craig Krenzel plays for the Bears, just one example.)

And as for our only other options being farming and factory work? You could always be a miner.

God, you make us seem like some third world country.

[–] 19 years ago

[deleted]

[–] FinnDineen 18 years ago

Hey!!!!!!! Thats so *beep* wrong.....a lot of Ohio high school players go to Notre Dame as well.

You and your *beep* rope!!!..................................... "yes but do you have a flag?"

[–] FinnDineen 18 years ago

I tell you what though. Some of the schools in Cincinnati could give Massillon (and yes I have been there for a few games) a serious run for their money. Two names come to mind. Elder and Colerain. Those people are crazy, no footballs to newborns but they have them in the Cardnal and Panther jumpers by the time they get home. Princeton and Moeller were never like that.

You and your *beep* rope!!!..................................... "yes but do you have a flag?"

[–] Dswestmilton 18 years ago

I have to agree with Finn the Cincinnati schools always seemed to be better. Plus none of Massillon's 20 or so State Titles have actually been won on the field but are all mythical and been handed to them by the media.

[–] IceSW 18 years ago

Handed to them by the media in the same fashion college football wins championships. Massillon won the championships fairly and deserved every one of them, just as Texas won the Rose Bowl. At the times Massillon won the championships there were no playoffs just like in college.

I agree that since the playoff system has started Massillon has not won a state championship, but they were runners-up last year and have a good shot at it again this year.

[–] tigerot75 18 years ago

You know what, all ya all can go off somewhere. My school and city may love football, and yes we deserve all that we got and are going to recieve, because we bust our asses ON AND OFF the field. We love football because were great at it. And Cinncinati, Elder, we wiped them off the field as well. So you know what, all ya all can go off somewhere. See some of ya in the Playoffs!

-75

[–] IceSW 18 years ago

Tigerot - unfortunately you did make Massillon look good in your post. You made us (yes, I said us) Massillon fans sound like we are a bunch of red-necks("all ya all") who are uneducated. Please try posting again using proper english and saying something intelligent so others who do not live in Massillon will think higher of us and not less.

Massillon is a great city who loves football and the team certainly does work hard on and off the field. We are finally getting our status back as a team to beat. The Cinncinati teams have been tough for the past several years and it is time to show them that Stark County is back...yes, I even mean McKinley. Wasn't it better back in the day when both Massillon and McKinley were the best of the best? the teams to beat? It was awesome this year going into the Massillon/McK game with both teams at 9-0! We need more years like this to turn the attention from Cinncinati back to where it belongs!

[–] Morris_Fletcher 18 years ago

Talk about proving the O.P.s point, he remarks about how over-emphasized football is and you guys start arguing about what team is better! LOL!!
Back to the OP, living in Ohio and being a football fan I think high school football here is like a lot of other things in life, it has potential to accomplish good things for kids as well as mess them up. For every player who is a high school star and has issues due to football's over emphasis there are probably many more who enjoy football, get a good education and have a chance at a scholarship they might not have without football. Most high school football players enjoy the sport, take it for what it is, and move on because they are not going to play in college.
There are times the football mentality does create academic issues. A couple illustrated in this film are the practice of red-shirting and the whole school levy issue, how much of the levy wwould be needed if some of the funds that paid for the elaborate stadium, wieght facilities, and trainer for the freaking live tiger mascot were diverted to academics? Also I live in Columbus now, where cities routinely build new high schools to mirror population growth, but I was always amazed when I lived in NE Ohio how the cities would hesitate to build new schools for fear it would weaken the football program by splitting up the talent. Never a thought about the academics. That's just wrong.

[–] FinnDineen 18 years ago

Whoops Massy got their asses handed to them by X. Guess that OHSAA state TOURNAMENT title case is still empty.

Better luck next year.

You and your fecking rope!!!..................................... "yes but do you have a flag?"

[–] Dswestmilton 18 years ago

Finn- while the Tigers did lose the championship i wouldn't say that "Massy got their asses handed to them by X" they only lost by a touchdown.

[–] FinnDineen 17 years ago

uh oh, Tigers come back to Cincinnati and get their asses handed to them by a 5-4 Moeller team. O well, the tigers will do well to slip by rival Perry and even make it back to get bitch smacked by either Colerain, X, or pretty much whoever makes it out of region 4.

With that being said, thanks for Paul Brown.
You and your fecking rope!!!..................................... "yes but do you have a flag?"

[–] venrick 18 years ago

It's not just about weakening the football program, but it doesn't factor into the equation. There is entirely too much growth going on in terms of new schools in the columbus area. They re-zone each school and two kids from the same home may go to seperate schools. How can you have pride in anything, if you don't know what school you'll be going to next week? It's ignorant to do this.

My alma mater is a tiny school, so I am assured that no one will ever have to worry about splitting enrollment figures. We have 46 person graduating classes and routinely battle for the state championship. Football, is a way of life around here as it is in mass.

Saying we don't stress education, simply because we stress athletic success undermines the town, the team, the educators and everything we're about. It's absolutely irresponsible of you to even bother with such and issue. My school especially is about "the total package". If you don't carry at least a 2.5 (a 2.5 is not hard.) you can't play sports. We're possibly the only school in the state who had 4 coaches on a staff that were all licensed and accredited to teach AP Calculus.

[–] iLiveToFrolf31 18 years ago

dont mean to put a damper on your thoughts of Massilon but honestly I dont believe that they should count their state championships because they didnt have a state tourney to play in, but thats beside the point. Personally, coming from the area, I think Ignatius has a better program than Massilon. And I know there is always this big thing that they "recruit" but having a friend who was on their 01' state championship team I know that they don't. And since Massillon became a regular season game for the cats they've gone 1-10 including the beating Iggy put on them tonight. Kyle runs a great program and those guys always bust their ass and don't always get the appriciation they deserve...just my thoughts

(by the way you can watch Ignatius beat the tigers in this movie...)

[–] Capn_Nacho 18 years ago

I've got to say, when I watched this film in class I thought it was satire; an ironic commentary on the overemphasis on an idiotic game and the manner in which people waste their lives in devotion to it.
The first scene of the baby being given a football and his mother being told the kid will make a good linebacker someday was so soulless as to instantly set the tone of the film for me as one that is intelligent and sarcastic. Now, as I read comments from the filmmakers on the documentary's website, it occurs to me that this is just a really bad movie.