what public schools are the best jobs in the state?

[BradlyPitt]

lets say you are a top of the line coach and you can be the head coach at any public school

what school would you choose and why would you choose it?

in the WPIAL I would think North Allegheny would be a good choice as they have always been a top team and they have the financial resources along with out of state transfers often choosing the district for various reasons, and they are the largest school in the WPIAL

but maybe the entitled parents in that school would be a pain in the ass so maybe it wouldn't be the best choice for a coach, maybe the school board would be a pain too?

what school would you choose and why?

 

[new2pa]

The district that give me a 5 year guaranteed contract with automatic 1 year extensions for every winning season. 2 years for WPIAL Championship, and 5 years for State Championship. Parents and admin wouldn't matter. Also, need to up the pay - alot.

 

[RoverNation05]

This question looked familiar. Found my answer from when this came up in 2019 for District 11. Most of my points stand, Bethlehem Catholic was #1

In District 11:


#2 Parkland
Pros: Second biggest school in District 11 and the 7th biggest school with football in the state, so a huge pool of athletes to choose from. Average income in Parkland school district is nearly $100,000, plus with Air Products there is a large corporate tax base. This means facilities are second to none (the weight room is as nice as Lafayette or Lehigh's, for starters), booster club can support any need or want the coaching staff has, salaries are amongst the highest in Pennsylvania, and players families have the money and motivation to pay for private coaches, offseason teams, strength/speed training, etc. Superintendent of schools is Hall of Fame coach Rich Snisack and athletics take a priority in the district. Tradition of success over the last 30 years that is the best and most consistent in D11.
Cons: Expectations are through the roof, not only to win but keep parents happy.

#3 Emmaus
Pros: A lot of the same socioeconomic advantages as Parkland in terms of teacher/coach pay, family income and support for the program. 11th biggest school in Pennsylvania, so a huge number of athletes to choose from. Well run athletic department that fields consistent winners in "non-revenue" sports, so support for coaches and mission is there.
Cons: Facilities are amongst the worst in the Valley. Despite the inherent advantages, there is very little winning tradition in football. Has the "soft rich kids" label that dogged Parkland for a long time. And speaking of Parkland, right down the street (literally) from the best team in the conference and everything you do is a comparison.

#4 Easton
Pros: Despite lagging numbers nationally, had 116 kids out for football this year. Tenth biggest school in the state, plus a football crazy community with three major feeder programs that pump a ton of kids into Easton football. Vertical alignment from flag football on up for high school offensive and defensive concepts. Still plays to big crowds, which is a reason kids want to stick with football (kids want to be a part of something - even if they’re good athletes in other sports). Phillipsburg rivalry is the type of community event that keeps you relevant and supported by more than just team parents and families.
Cons: Total lack of leadership from an administrative perspective that poisons everything that happens in the athletic department. Community expectations can be unreasonable, and more stakeholders want a say in the program than is healthy for success. Title I school where over half of the student population classifies as "economically disadvantaged" - presents a whole different set of challenges for a football coach than the other schools on the list.

#5 Southern Lehigh
Pros: One of the few areas that is still growing/holding enrollment as other areas decline in population. The lone 5A school in a small school league - can choose from more athletes than its competitors. In a weird 5A class at the district level with schools that are struggling to compete in the EPC. The highest median income in the Lehigh Valley, so all of the inherent economic advantages. Doesn't compete against the big schools in 6A, but also missed Bethlehem Catholic/Allentown Central Catholic in 4A. Only one private school in the classification statewide makes for a more balanced class than any other.
Cons: Little to no football tradition. Not fully developed feeder programs. Exactly the type of population that is turning away from football. Not a strong athletic department.

I'd say the highest potential to be competitive in the state is Bethlehem Catholic (I think Henrich has mightily underachieved there). Parkland is probably the "easiest" job in terms of stability and what the baseline level is/can be. Emmaus has the most potential of schools that don't have a huge winning tradition (which is why Harold Fairclough took the job - he can win big there and totally change the program). Easton has the biggest swings - the downside is the biggest of these five, but the upside is just as high as Becahi or Parkland. And Southern Lehigh has the most advantages relative to its league and classification

 

[2020sports]

fun question- at face value i agree w bp- I'd go w North Allegheny- the guy, who's like part-time teacher, mostly coach- makes like 130 thousand!!

 

[steelcurtain55.]

District 7
Central Valley - you're in the heart of a talent rich area that is multicultural and still has a blue collar mentality.

District 3
Central York - a lot of multicultural talent that has both high and low income areas. They've got a great coach now and have just begun to scratch the surface.

I'm big on having more then one race to make up the majority of a football program. Novak once said Woody High became a special place because 2 groups of people learned to live and grow together. Each had to adapt to one another and the program flourished because of it.

 

[northalleghenytiger]

If I can’t do North Allegheny, then I’m doing something completely different. I’d coach the worst Wpial 1A school, which last year was Summit Academy. I have actually written a plan on how to turn that program around:

Step 1: talk to every boy and their parents in the entire school. Persuade them onto the team The most important part here is creating depth. My staff needs as many bodies as possible

Step 2: assuming the school doesn’t have a gym, I ask my gym owning buddy to let the team lift at his establishment. Weight lifting is perhaps the most important component to having a dominant team

Step 3: have a film crew document every second on my tenure there. After we win states ill sell the documentary titled “the greatest turnaround”

 

[sammyk]

personally I would like to be either at my Alma mater Carmichaels. Just kidding. Give me west mifflin to where I can get the River kids to move in or Belle Vernon where I can get the Monessen kid to move in a good mix of kid at both places and there is talent in and around the area. Other than that Harrisburg. The schools I have coaches at and had success Parkland (this school is a bigger Westinghouse) and Rolesville (this school is what Woodland Hills used to be ). Give me speed all day long. So outside of district 7 would be Harrisburg or even Coatsville

 

[BradlyPitt]

District 7
Central Valley - you're in the heart of a talent rich area that is multicultural and still has a blue collar mentality.

District 3
Central York - a lot of multicultural talent that has both high and low income areas. They've got a great coach now and have just begun to scratch the surface.

I'm big on having more then one race to make up the majority of a football program. Novak once said Woody High became a special place because 2 groups of people learned to live and grow together. Each had to adapt to one another and the program flourished because of it.

but he also said that he had to drive those kids back and forth because they didn't have a ride otherwise, that would be a pain in the ass

also he had many kids that got in trouble with the law, that's a lot of drama i wouldn't want to deal with

 

[BradlyPitt]

fun question- at face value i agree w bp- I'd go w North Allegheny- the guy, who's like part-time teacher, mostly coach- makes like 130 thousand!!

was he ever threatened to be fired when they went 10 years without a title?

I remember Jim Render went 10 years without losing a conference game, won and played for numerous titles including in 1997...and then they had one bad season in 98 and they tried to fire him

that's why maybe those jobs aren't the best, you can have a ton of success and then they want you gone for one bad year, it would be beyond stressful and frustrating

maybe Thomas Jefferson is the best job, as far as I know they worship Bill Cherpak there, they even named their fried chicken in the school cafeteria after him

 

[2020sports]

was he ever threatened to be fired when they went 10 years without a title?

I remember Jim Render went 10 years without losing a conference game, won and played for numerous titles including in 1997...and then they had one bad season in 98 and they tried to fire him

that's why maybe those jobs aren't the best, you can have a ton of success and then they want you gone for one bad year, it would be beyond stressful and frustrating

maybe Thomas Jefferson is the best job, as far as I know they worship Bill Cherpak there, they even named their fried chicken in the school cafeteria after him

funny- in a way, Art Walker is kinda like Mike Tomlin- always has winning record, but for a long time now, does not win the "big one." No, i've never heard of rumblings that he might be fired. I think he is a good coach, and is smart enough to not piss off the wrong people- makes admin and parents "happy enough"

 

[BradlyPitt]

at least Art regularly won playoff games throughout their 10 year title drought

Tomlin is the most praised and celebrated mediocre coach at best, it's sickening to see the special treatment he gets while people have no problem with more accomplished coaches get fired

 

[northalleghenytiger]

Speaking of the NFL, Mahomes is the best quarterback I’ve ever seen. Not a fan kf
His voice

 

[BradlyPitt]

Speaking of the NFL, Mahomes is the best quarterback I’ve ever seen. Not a fan kf
His voice

he's not better than Brady and at least in the regular season he's not better than Peyton Manning

 

[northalleghenytiger]

he's not better than Brady and at least in the regular season he's not better than Peyton Manning

Maybe not yet career wise but he’s had the best opening 6 years ever

 

[BradlyPitt]

Maybe not yet career wise but he’s had the best opening 6 years ever

if he wins this super bowl next week yes

if not I'd still rather have Brady's first 6 years with 3 rings, quarterbacks are remembered more for super bowl wins than numbers and mvp's

 

[sammyk]

if he wins this super bowl next week yes

if not I'd still rather have Brady's first 6 years with 3 rings, quarterbacks are remembered more for super bowl wins than numbers and mvp's

Give me the rules from the 70’s -90’s the. Tell me how good they are

 

[northalleghenytiger]

if he wins this super bowl next week yes

if not I'd still rather have Brady's first 6 years with 3 rings, quarterbacks are remembered more for super bowl wins than numbers and mvp's

Unfortunately that’s true. I will say I’m rooting for him next week

 

[northalleghenytiger]

Give me the rules from the 70’s -90’s the. Tell me how good they are

Who you picking Terry Bradshaw or Big Ben

 

[sammyk]

Who you picking Terry Bradshaw or Big Ben

Hmmmm. Well Bradshaw has 4. Love Ben but give me Terry

 

[steelcurtain55.]

Who you picking Terry Bradshaw or Big Ben

 

[northalleghenytiger]

If the Steelers drafted him they’d have 10+ superbowls by now

 

[sammyk]

Marino kills the NFL with today rules

 

[BradlyPitt]

Give me the rules from the 70’s -90’s the. Tell me how good they are

there were a lot of defensive backs that played then and a little into the 2000's that couldn't play now

they were good at tacking and playing against the run, but couldn't cover receivers

just thinking of the Steelers, I don't think any of their defensive backfield from their 2001 team that was the number 1 seed and lost in the AFC title game would get a roster spot today

I remember Lee FLowers saying in 2002 when they got exposed by a young Tom Brady and Rich Gannon, "the coaching staff put me in situations that are not to my strengths", meaning they wanted him to help cover receivers instead of just playing the run

 

[BradlyPitt]

i don't know i think he's a bit overrated, not only no rings but I don't think he ever even got back to the AFC title game after his 2nd year

you can say maybe he didn't have the team, well why didn't he leave if that was the case? maybe he wasn't much of a leader?

i have a cousin that claims Marino paid him $50 to take his finals exam at Pitt

Steve Young seems underrated to me, I never hear his name mentioned among the greats, he won 2 MVP's and had a dominant Super Bowl win throwing 6 touchdown passes

 

[steelcurtain55.]

there were a lot of defensive backs that played then and a little into the 2000's that couldn't play now

they were good at tacking and playing against the run, but couldn't cover receivers

I've often asked the question who were the best receivers of the late 80's and mid 90's?

1. Rice
2. Carter
3. Brown
4. Irvin
5. Sharpe
6. Reed
etc etc etc

None of these guys were "burners." They were great WR's - no doubt. However, when people just want to throw Deion to the top of the heap as the best CB ever, I say "he was able to play the way he did because none of the greats truly threatened him vertically." If he played from 2000 until now, I think we'd have an entirely different opinion of him. We have TE's @ 260lbs who run faster then those receivers of Deion's era. He was very fortunate Randy was just coming into the league when he was starting to fade out.

 

[steelcurtain55.]

i don't know i think he's a bit overrated, not only no rings but I don't think he ever even got back to the AFC title game after his 2nd year

Definitely not overrated. The rings thing never made sense because it's a team game. If we hold that standard to baseball, we can't say that Ted Williams was the greatest hitter of all time.

you can say maybe he didn't have the team, well why didn't he leave if that was the case? maybe he wasn't much of a leader?

His teams usually had massive holes in it.

His teammates and opponents bragged about his leadership qualities.

 

[steelcurtain55.]

just thinking of the Steelers, I don't think any of their defensive backfield from their 2001 team that was the number 1 seed and lost in the AFC title game would get a roster spot today

I remember Lee FLowers saying in 2002 when they got exposed by a young Tom Brady and Rich Gannon, "the coaching staff put me in situations that are not to my strengths", meaning they wanted him to help cover receivers instead of just playing the run

The reason the NFL defended the way it did back in the early 2000's is the same reason San Fran is having so much success now. Most teams based out of 21 personnel where you only had 3 vertical threats. Teams ran a ton of cover 3. There wasn't a great reason not to have a SS who was a thumper like Flowers. Belichik and company started running 12 and 11 personnel and the end of traditional cover 3 took place. Cincy did it to the 2001 Ravens vaunted defense. Coming off the Super Bowl win, they realized they could not matchup vs Goose and Adams. They knew Ray would just run free. So they got the fullback out of the game and it got Goose all off the field. Kitna had a field day and the rest of the league began to copy the strategy. Shortly after that, Baltimore switched from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 to matchup to the rest of the league.

 

[BradlyPitt]

Definitely not overrated. The rings thing never made sense because it's a team game. If we hold that standard to baseball, we can't say that Ted Williams was the greatest hitter of all time.

His teams usually had massive holes in it.

His teammates and opponents bragged about his leadership qualities.

quarterbacks are the most important position in pro sports because a true elite one can carry you to a championship

Tom Brady won rings with and without great players around him, i don't think Peyton had many stars on his teams, I always felt he made Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison look better than they are

no baseball player should be judged based on rings, that is the true ultimate team game, the best player in the world can only be in one spot when he fields and only gets a few at bats, and pitching is arguably more important than anything

 

[BradlyPitt]

The reason the NFL defended the way it did back in the early 2000's is the same reason San Fran is having so much success now. Most teams based out of 21 personnel where you only had 3 vertical threats. Teams ran a ton of cover 3. There wasn't a great reason not to have a SS who was a thumper like Flowers. Belichik and company started running 12 and 11 personnel and the end of traditional cover 3 took place. Cincy did it to the 2001 Ravens vaunted defense. Coming off the Super Bowl win, they realized they could not matchup vs Goose and Adams. They knew Ray would just run free. So they got the fullback out of the game and it got Goose all off the field. Kitna had a field day and the rest of the league began to copy the strategy. Shortly after that, Baltimore switched from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 to matchup to the rest of the league.

it was Kitna that originally exposed the Steeler defense in 2001

nobody the rest of that season was smart enough to copy it, not until the Patriots in the opener in 2002 and then the Raiders the next week did the same thing, the Steelers couldn't stop the pass again until 2004 when Polamalu and Ike Taylor came into their own

 

[northalleghenytiger]

quarterbacks are the most important position in pro sports because a true elite one can carry you to a championship

Tom Brady won rings with and without great players around him, i don't think Peyton had many stars on his teams, I always felt he made Reggie Wayne and Marvin Harrison look better than they are

no baseball player should be judged based on rings, that is the true ultimate team game, the best player in the world can only be in one spot when he fields and only gets a few at bats, and pitching is arguably more important than anything

Who do think is better: Big Ben or Aaron rodgers

 

[BradlyPitt]

Who do think is better: Big Ben or Aaron rodgers

Rodgers easily

Ben was lucky to play for an elite defense early in his career, and lucky to avoid the Patriots in the playoffs the 3 years they made it to the Super Bowl

he became a much better quarterback with age, but he's a poor leader and has a poor work ethic, and could no longer be protected by an elite defense

he was as talented as anybody but i don't think he reached his potential

I think Rodgers is arguably the most talented ever but he too is a poor leader and seemed to regress in the playoffs

his 4 MVP's to Ben never even getting a vote makes Rodgers the easy pick here, along with the eye test

 

[sammyk]

Rodgers easily

Ben was lucky to play for an elite defense early in his career, and lucky to avoid the Patriots in the playoffs the 3 years they made it to the Super Bowl

he became a much better quarterback with age, but he's a poor leader and has a poor work ethic, and could no longer be protected by an elite defense

he was as talented as anybody but i don't think he reached his potential

I think Rodgers is arguably the most talented ever but he too is a poor leader and seemed to regress in the playoffs

his 4 MVP's to Ben never even getting a vote makes Rodgers the easy pick here, along with the eye test

Thing is the Packers had two hall of fame QB's Back to back and won just 2 superbowls. What a waste. The Era Big Ben played in might very well be the best Era of QB's in NFL history. During that time you had
Brady
Favre
P. Manning
E/Manning
Phillips
Rogers
Collins
Brees
Flacco
Palmer
Warner
McNabb

 

[BradlyPitt]

Thing is the Packers had two hall of fame QB's Back to back and won just 2 superbowls. What a waste. The Era Big Ben played in might very well be the best Era of QB's in NFL history. During that time you had
Brady
Favre
P. Manning
E/Manning
Phillips
Rogers
Collins
Brees
Flacco
Palmer
Warner
McNabb

yeah they underachieved in the playoffs

if Ben was their quarterback, they would've won zero super bowls

I don't know about the best era, and some of those names have no business being mentioned as "great" like Flacco, Palmer, and Collins

from late 80's to late 90's you had Montana, Marino, Kelly, Elway, Aikman, Young, Favre, Moon, and Warner's best season in 99

I think only Brady, Peyton, Rodgers, and Brees are in that class

Mcnabb is another guy that underachieved in the playoffs but I think he is arguably better than Ben, Eli and Rivers... i personally wouldn't vote for those 3 to be in the hall but they'll get in with their compiled numbers

 

[2020sports]

how good is Donavan Mcnab, lol...

uh, you boys have massively sidetracked off thread topic!!

 

[BradlyPitt]

how good is Donavan Mcnab, lol...

uh, you boys have massively sidetracked off thread topic!!

yeah but it's the offseason

 

[northalleghenytiger]

yeah they underachieved in the playoffs

if Ben was their quarterback, they would've won zero super bowls

I don't know about the best era, and some of those names have no business being mentioned as "great" like Flacco, Palmer, and Collins

from late 80's to late 90's you had Montana, Marino, Kelly, Elway, Aikman, Young, Favre, Moon, and Warner's best season in 99

I think only Brady, Peyton, Rodgers, and Brees are in that class

Mcnabb is another guy that underachieved in the playoffs but I think he is arguably better than Ben, Eli and Rivers... i personally wouldn't vote for those 3 to be in the hall but they'll get in with their compiled numbers

I’d say Big Ben was better than all three of those QBs. Eli threw way too many interceptions. Rivers was the antithesis of clutch. Mcnabb was probably equal to ben. Although I will say ben played pretty poorly in his 3 superbowls.

Super Bowl 40 he had the worst passer rating of any Super Bowl winner

Super Bowl 43 he played decent but Arizona had a pretty bad defense relative to Super Bowl participates

Super Bowl 45 he pretty much folded in the first half, throwing two picks including a pick 6. Even with his performance he had an opportunity down 6 with 2 mins left and couldn’t do it.

 

[steelcurtain55.]

Super Bowl 43 he played decent but Arizona had a pretty bad defense relative to Super Bowl participates

He also had one of the historically bad OL's to ever make it to a Super Bowl.

Super Bowl 45 he pretty much folded in the first half, throwing two picks including a pick 6. Even with his performance he had an opportunity down 6 with 2 mins left and couldn’t do it.

Chris Kemoateau is to blame for the pick 6.

 

[BradlyPitt]

I’d say Big Ben was better than all three of those QBs. Eli threw way too many interceptions. Rivers was the antithesis of clutch. Mcnabb was probably equal to ben. Although I will say ben played pretty poorly in his 3 superbowls.

Super Bowl 40 he had the worst passer rating of any Super Bowl winner

Super Bowl 43 he played decent but Arizona had a pretty bad defense relative to Super Bowl participates

Super Bowl 45 he pretty much folded in the first half, throwing two picks including a pick 6. Even with his performance he had an opportunity down 6 with 2 mins left and couldn’t do it.

River put up better career numbers than Ben even when Ben started in 2004, Rivers didn't start until 2006

if they switch teams, i think they switch super bowl records too, maybe the Steelers compete for more but we will never know for sure

I don't like Eli at all and the only reason anybody likes him is because of two playoff runs, but his two playoff runs were great and better than any of Ben's playoff performances

 

[BradlyPitt]

He also had one of the historically bad OL's to ever make it to a Super Bowl.

Chris Kemoateau is to blame for the pick 6.

they should've kept Santonio Holmes, no way he was more of a trouble maker than Antonio Brown, he would've helped a lot in that Packers Super Bowl, Mike Wallace gave up on that one play that could've been a long touchdown pass

it's going to be a long time before we ever see a Steelers Super Bowl win

 

[northalleghenytiger]

He also had one of the historically bad OL's to ever make it to a Super Bowl.

Chris Kemoateau is to blame for the pick 6.

That’s true his line early in his career was pretty bad. I think the year they won the Super Bowl 2008, he played the eagles and got sacked 9 times