Dekalb Football Program time for a change?

[kdays78]

I have been wanting to ask others opionin on this topic for sometime now, but never posted it so here goes.

The Dekalb football program has shown NO signs of improving, but there is never talk of changing coaches. Does it have anything to do with the last name of the coach as this name has been in the school system for years. I just recall in the past in the Dekalb sports program it was either perform, or find a new one. I can understand down years, but can we bring the proud Baron tradition back!

Maybe I am alone in thinking this, but I wanted to see if anyone agreed.

[Mrs.Slotz]

What?
What?

[Chiguy65]

I have been wanting to ask others opionin on this topic for sometime now, but never posted it so here goes.

The Dekalb football program has shown NO signs of improving, but there is never talk of changing coaches. Does it have anything to do with the last name of the coach as this name has been in the school system for years. I just recall in the past in the Dekalb sports program it was either perform, or find a new one. I can understand down years, but can we bring the proud Baron tradition back!

Maybe I am alone in thinking this, but I wanted to see if anyone agreed.

You would think that it is time for a change, but with all the cuts in the state budget, schools will have to get more people to turn out. I don't go cause the product on the field is not good. But I don't want the priority to be on sports. Education should always come first!!!!!

[zdog1962]

I was at the East Noble game last week. They were competitive for the first quarter, then East Noble put the hurt on them. I looked at the roster and saw only 3 Seniors. To me that is a red flag, in a school that size, there has to be a reason that only 3 Seniors decided to play footbal. Discover the reason why and you will discover the problem with the program.

[Proud Parent]

It is well known(since he announced it to players and parents)that Coach Hummer's contract was not renewed last year. That means that he is on the final year of his contract which would lean towards the idea that there will be a change next year. Just to clear up, there are more than 3 seniors, but there is not more than 10. I don't know that Coach Hummer is to blame for this since there are some good athletes in this class that have decided to consentrate on only one sport. I will say that the Baron team has been hurt by injuries to some key players this year. Now this week they have been hit with four key players being suspended for several weeks for actions away from the Football Field. I don't know that Coach Hummer deserves to keep his coaching job, but it should be noted that all oppenents so far including CC this week are in the top 15 of either 4A or 5A, so it is not like the Barons have been getting beat by bad teams.

[Gunner63]

This has gone on too long, and my fear is that this stagnation of not replacing coaches (i.e. our football and current basketball coach) has turned MANY kids into non-participants as athletes! These coaches are good teachers, and good people, but our athletes deserve better coaching.

The word "BARON" used to be feared in every level of comepetition, whether it was a 2A school or a 5A school (however hard the level of competition was); but in the last three seasons of football and basketball, we are a laughing stock. It's awful for our student athletes and fans in the stand (what few there are).

[TheBigB]

The word \"BARON\" used to be feared in every level of comepetition, whether it was a 2A school or a 5A school (however hard the level of competition was); but in the last three seasons of football and basketball, we are a laughing stock. It's awful for our student athletes and fans in the stand (what few there are).

Back in my day, Dekalb pretty much was the gold standard. Of course, them hosting the sectional sort of made it the default choice in basketball, but if you beat Dekalb, it was a good win - one of the season's highlights.

[HomeyG]

Back in my day, Dekalb pretty much was the gold standard. Of course, them hosting the sectional sort of made it the default choice in basketball, but if you beat Dekalb, it was a good win - one of the season's highlights.

Back in my day the DeKalb Barons were nonexistent, but the games between the Auburn Red Devils, Garrett Railroaders, Ashley Aces, K'ville Comets along Waterloo, Angola, Butler and Avilla whose nicknames has escaped me for the moment were games to behold. Often a successful season was not based on your won, loss record but how you did against these teams. Throw in the teams from Fort Wayne, New Haven, Decatur and Columbia City you had a full and challenging schedule.

[TheBigB]

Back in my day the DeKalb Barons were nonexistent, but the games between the Auburn Red Devils, Garrett Railroaders, Ashley Aces, K'ville Comets along Waterloo, Angola, Butler and Avilla whose nicknames has escaped me for the moment were games to behold. Often a successful season was not based on your won, loss record but how you did against these teams. Throw in the teams from Fort Wayne, New Haven, Decatur and Columbia City you had a full and challenging schedule.

50s or 60s? Or 40s? [gasp!]

[Thorman]

Back in my day the DeKalb Barons were nonexistent, but the games between the Auburn Red Devils, Garrett Railroaders, Ashley Aces, K'ville Comets along Waterloo, Angola, Butler and Avilla whose nicknames has escaped me for the moment were games to behold. Often a successful season was not based on your won, loss record but how you did against these teams. Throw in the teams from Fort Wayne, New Haven, Decatur and Columbia City you had a full and challenging schedule.

The nicknames were/are the Waterloo Wildcats, the Angola Hornets (I hear that that they still call themselves that), the Butler Windmills, and the Avilla Panthers. Also for other people: the New Haven Bulldogs (still are), the Decatur Yellow Jackets (now Bellmont Braves), and Columbia City Eagles. Always trying to be helpful....

[HomeyG]

50s or 60s? Or 40s? [gasp!]

Although I was around in the 40s I was too young to remember much but yes to the 50s and 60s. On my listing of teams I intermingled football with basketball teams because most of the schools could not support a football team because of their size.

[HomeyG]

The nicknames were/are the Waterloo Wildcats, the Angola Hornets (I hear that that they still call themselves that), the Butler Windmills, and the Avilla Panthers. Also for other people: the New Haven Bulldogs (still are), the Decatur Yellow Jackets (now Bellmont Braves), and Columbia City Eagles. Always trying to be helpful....

Thanks Thorman,

Add Fort Wayne's Central Tigers, Central Catholic Fighting Irish, Redskins from the North and Archers from the South, all powerhouses in their time.

[Chiguy65]

I have been wanting to ask others opionin on this topic for sometime now, but never posted it so here goes.

The Dekalb football program has shown NO signs of improving, but there is never talk of changing coaches. Does it have anything to do with the last name of the coach as this name has been in the school system for years. I just recall in the past in the Dekalb sports program it was either perform, or find a new one. I can understand down years, but can we bring the proud Baron tradition back!

Maybe I am alone in thinking this, but I wanted to see if anyone agreed.

Well another loss to Columbia City...... This team is the pitts..... I think the reason that there are not more seniors playing too many rules............
You can't cut up in class, you can't go to a party, you can't be late to class, you can't be a kid who just wants to play for the love of it...........
get rid of some of the b.s. rules and get a coach that is a great motivater and someone the kids can relate with and maybe the program will return to it glory.......
During Basketball season if you want to see some great basketball on saturday morning head down to the Campus Life gym and see some great action. Great basketball very little rules.

[Chiguy65]

Time for a new direction, new outlook, new coach...
Come on DeKalb demand a new direction
our kids deserve better...

[Thorman]

.... I think the reason that there are not more seniors playing too many rules............
You can't cut up in class, you can't go to a party, you can't be late to class, you can't be a kid who just wants to play for the love of it...........
get rid of some of the b.s. rules and get a coach that is a great motivater and someone the kids can relate with and maybe the program will return to it glory.......

I kept reading your solutions to fixing Dekalb's football program and I kept finding myself asking why would you not want someone who expects the football players to not act like jerks in class, doesn't go to parties, and is on time to class? Goodness sakes, I would want all students to behave regardless of being an athlete or not.

Could you please explain to me what is truly wrong with those rules? I understand that Dekalb football is struggling but by removing those simple rules regarding decent behavior, do you really believe that the Dekalb football team would be something that you want representing the school?

[Rubycat1]

I kept reading your solutions to fixing Dekalb's football program and I kept finding myself asking why would you not want someone who expects the football players to not act like jerks in class, doesn't go to parties, and is on time to class? Goodness sakes, I would want all students to behave regardless of being an athlete or not.

Could you please explain to me what is truly wrong with those rules? I understand that Dekalb football is struggling but by removing those simple rules regarding decent behavior, do you really believe that the Dekalb football team would be something that you want representing the school?

You are right on Thorman. I was thinking the same things.

[james_t]

DeKalb football coach Jim Hummer resigned last night (note: story requires subscription):

http://www.dekalbstar.com/index.php?...299&Itemid=232

[tdl_auburn]

I grew up attending Western High School in Parma, Michigan - part of the Jackson Michigan athletic schedule. I was not an athlete and didn't participate in sports (except in marching band during home football games). Our athletes were held to a high standard in regard to grades and behavior off the field. "Jocks" are typically viewed as the eliete in popularity and stereotypically responsible for bullying. However, in my school this was NOT the case. As a victim of bullying when I was in High School (until my senior year) I will say that I was NEVER bullied by an athlete. They had to keep at least C average in each class to stay on the team. As for being late to class and such... I don't recall any rules that nit picky. I know the coach would get on the guys about stuff like that and he could come down hard - but they'd really only be prevented from playing when they dropped below a C in a class or were involved in serious misconduct. But when I was in school those issues didn't surface very often.

1980 - 1993.

[Rosco P. Coltrane]

I have been wanting to ask others opionin on this topic for sometime now, but never posted it so here goes.

The Dekalb football program has shown NO signs of improving, but there is never talk of changing coaches. Does it have anything to do with the last name of the coach as this name has been in the school system for years. I just recall in the past in the Dekalb sports program it was either perform, or find a new one. I can understand down years, but can we bring the proud Baron tradition back!

Maybe I am alone in thinking this, but I wanted to see if anyone agreed.

looks like you got your wish, kev.
it just took a little over 2 years, but here you go.

welcome back Mike Cochran.
See: http://www.dekalbstar.com/index.php?...est&Itemid=232

i'm happy to see cochran here, and I think parents will be thrilled with him. the people that played for him or with him in the past understand how seriously he takes the game. this is a good thing.

[HuntingtonFarmer25]

looks like you got your wish, kev.
it just took a little over 2 years, but here you go.

welcome back Mike Cochran.
See: http://www.dekalbstar.com/index.php?...est&Itemid=232

i'm happy to see cochran here, and I think parents will be thrilled with him. the people that played for him or with him in the past understand how seriously he takes the game. this is a good thing.

I agree Rosco, it'll be good to have Cochran back at DeKalb. He's a good coach and will do good things with that team. It was time for a change, and it looks like there will be. Football season will be here before we know it!