I don't think I admonished anyone...I just said I wish Charlotte fans would give East a little credit for the good job they have done over there. If you guys remember at one time many fans on here were saying that the Mallard Creek coach was the reason they couldn't win the big one. Now they are saying he's one of the greatest of all time. I really think coach Willert is a great coach and one day they'll get over the hump and when they do I hope people really give him and his staff the credit they deserved. They took that program from the gutter and have made them a State contender. In my opinion thats much tougher than taking over a new program or somewhere with a winning tradition and adding to it.
I'm not a psychologist, but I've studied how the mind works and motivation over the last several years. Before Mallard Creek won the big one, it wasn't their coach. I got ridiculed a bit, but when after they lost to Page in 2011, I stated the game had gotten into their heads. That can happen from the coach on down to the assistants and the players. Up until that time, Mallard Creek had been blowing teams out with a so so schedule. After that 2011 debacle, the next season, they opened with Butler. The following year, they played Dillon in Dillon. They won that game. They began to see they could win those tough games in a tough environment. So, they have one of the toughest schedules in the state every year now.
I'm sure coach Willert is doing a great job at East. His players have bought in. I'm sure I'll get ridiculed here, as I was a few years ago by fans of Mallard Creek. Charlotte teams have gotten into their heads. Again, this can happen from the coach on down. Therefore, when they start coming back, they blow a lead to Providence in 2014. Last year, they blew a lead on Mallard Creek. I'm not a native, but I've lived in Charlotte since 2009. East blew it big time against a team they had on the ropes. I saw the game. East played tight in the second half of the fourth quarter and in overtime.
In 2012, with one of their best teams, they couldn't seal the deal against Butler. I don't want to hear, "well, if the game was played in Kernersville...". It wasn't. You've got to have experience to get your mindset right in playing in tight games, against good teams on the road. East hasn't conquered that monster either. Not with playing one playoff game on the road since 2012.
Butler had to get over that mindset hump against Tommy Knotts and his Independence teams. Mallard Creek had to get over the same mindset hump against Butler, then other good teams on the road. In like manner, coach Willert and his East teams are going to have to get over that same mindset hump against top teams and then win on the road.
I've been following high school football for over 55 years. I've seen this same pattern play out time and time again. Playing Harding, Olympic and Independence when they were down is a decent start, but they've got to start developing the mindset that they can win against the top tier teams, not just play with them.
I'm sure they feel they have a tough schedule when they play a top triad teams, like Reagan when they good. Ok, that's a good start. But it's just that; a start. Take 2014 for example. Reagan finished the regular season 10-1. Their only loss was against East 45-31. They then proceeded to knock off A.L. Brown 50-42 and North Davidson 48-24. Then they meet Catholic....a 49-0 loss. Uhhhh..the tough Triad schedule just wasn't enough. The same holds true for East.
If they want to attain that elite status and truly be considered elite, they need to get their mindset right. The only way to do that, is to amp up their schedule and schedule those games away from Kernersville. When they start winning some of those games, then they'll be ready, not only with ability, but with the correct mindset as well.
