Evidently the more things change the more they stay the same. The standard chicanery that usually ensues during the “offseason” (as if something like that even exists anymore) has begun quite early this season, much like the warm temperatures bringing in spring in February. The shortest month of the year has provided us with fireworks and we’re only just past the midpoint. One might surmise that an opening like this can only mean that we’ve got a veritable plethora of carnage to recap right? Well, not exactly. Some of these comings and goings aren’t exactly what we’re making them out to be. Let me explain.

We could start all the way back at National Signing Day, but so much has been going on (especially with regards to the topics on the board) that we might end up going well into the night like Congress trying to pass the budget right?

We still don’t know what’s to come of the Armwood situation and apparently people either aren’t happy that “justice” has been done quick enough, while schools like Land O’ Lakes are getting hit with penalties because of “transfer issues” and just as recently as yesterday it was reported that Plant has picked up a QB transfer from Orlando by the name of Colby Brown out of Olympia High School. Funny; they should name a new game entitled “Six Degrees of Separation: The Rivals Version”. Here’s why.

We already know that Plant and Armwood is the premier match-up in this area, but correct me if I’m wrong; Isn’t the entire Armwood situation stemming over a transfer from Dr. Phillips? And isn’t one of Dr. Phillps’ biggest rivals Olympia? Not saying there’s a conspiracy or anything, but I just thought that was interesting. Another juicy tidbit is that the Panthers (as in the Orange County version) were just the beneficiaries of the arrival of a nationally-rated CB from GROVELAND South Lake High School. Do you know what it takes to get from Groveland to that part of Orlando on a daily basis? Whether legal or not, the game of Russian roulette is back on over yonder and it’s just starting to get good.

Let me say this though regarding the situation in South Tampa and in Seffner for that matter. It’s seems kind of hard or shall I say that’s a ton of schlepping around evading actual legal issues (although certainly not impossible as we’ve seen from others) but to me (in Brown’s case) the timing of this move in conjunction with where he’s going JUST to possibly be what? Number 2 or 3 on the depth chart is going to make Plant THAT MUCH better than they already are?Just seems that theory is the equivalent to a dog that won’t hunt.

I saw enough of Plant’s current QB’s on Saturday at the Ignite to know that just because he’s a sophomore that’s 6-1, 185lbs with upside and the chance to flourish from nowhere a la James Few this season doesn’t guarantee squat. I realize this is a big deal because it”s Plant, but Olypmia’s five losses this season were against the five best teams on their schedule. (Dr. Phillips, Freedom, Lake Brantley, Mainland and Timber Creek.)

Not to mention the young man was 50% or worse in completion rate for 6 of the 12 games he played. Please let me stop right here though. I’m only trying to make a point, not bash a kid before he even steps foot into Dad’s Stadium. My point is this isn’t the equivalent of Orson Charles moving from Riverview or Wilder from Chamberlain. Not yet anyway. I’d be more worried about what ELSE Plant has coming through the pipeline, (their own one at that) not what just came streaking down I-4 and by all accounts as legal and legitimate as they come.

As far as the transfer situation within Tampa Bay and beyond is concerned as a whole, let me give a not-so-conventional-yet-makes-perfect-sense-to-me type of suggestion. My last name doesn’t end in Culpepper or Kurland or my number isn’t 1-800-AX-Gar-ree, but I can safely assume that falsifying documents (especially in the case of providing a fake address) is a crime. I thought that when you changed your address or moved to a new house that you then received a letter from this dude called the Tax Collector regarding how much you owe in property taxes. Even if you’re renting, would the address you gave on the application be the same one on your TAX documents filed? Isn’t there a credit check run by property management companies?

I could be wayyyy off base and sound stupider than Miss South Carolina talking about maps and “The Iraq”, but wouldn’t someone think (if based upon REASONABLE suspicion that a “crime” has occurred) to check the records of THEEEE ONE entity that is undefeated in the history of crime fighting? You know? The IRS?! I haven’t really come to a full conclusion on just how far one could push the investigation without some sort of legal eagle ripping due process to shreds, but it seems to me that making a “crime” out of transferring may in fact be the ONLY way to get the situation corrected in my opinion.

I realize the man hours and resources investigations require, but what’s the alternative? School Choice is what it is and it’s not going away. County AD was on record 3 years ago alluding to the almost “I give up” mentality since it IS so difficult to prove illegal residence in a court of law. Or is it? Like I said, the IRS is a bigger juggernaut than, well EVERYBODY.

At that point, if you’re willing to falsify addresses, tax documents and so forth, then “do you” as the vernacular goes. It’s almost (ALMOST) like saying, “Gee, I know I shouldn’t start growing “herbal supplements” in this house, but damn if I won’t try and gain what I can from it before I get caught.” if you ask me. Both situations are conscious choices to outwardly break the law. Why is one different than the other if you apply the letter of the law?

I can hear some of you already and envision your heads about to explode through the keyboard and monitor, but I sincerely believe that if you want to stop the madness, then make it a CRIME. The vast majority of transfers I’ve seen take place here or anywhere else usually involve people that truly aren’t trying to have police records. There are those that are without remorse for ANY law much less what the districts have decided as “fair” regarding their child’s athletic endeavors at the prep level; again I’m not THAT stupid or naive (or both), but I’m smart enough to know when there’s a time to send the message via a little shock therapy.

Otherwise, let’s just face the facts that this issue has become the Pit Bull or Rotweiller that wasn’t properly shown who the alpha or pack leader was when they were a puppy and that the current administrations throughout the region and state aren’t exactly the second-coming of Cesar Milan capable of whispering some commands or in-line skating this issue back into submission.

If we can’t hit this with a little more voracity than we already are, then quite frankly we should all shutup and hang on for the ride. It saddens me to no-end that we have to depend on dry-snitching which sets a slippery slope for sure. We’ve already established that it’s not safe to simply tell on someone for doing something wrong nor is it exactly the best thing to do in general as a rule in my book, but what about the corner we have backed ourselves into already? The people are demanding “justice” but don’t realize the cost until it’s either too late or in fact DO realize and are actually a BIGGER problem by hiding behind the curtain like the Wizard of Oz.

It saddens me that the kids know how to pimp this particular aspect of this system almost better than the adults themselves (who are in many cases just as if not perhaps more guilty than the kids.) It saddens me that schools with perfectly good rosters and perfectly adequate if not superior coaching and their fans resort to the mud-slinging, but not as much as the overall treatment of the issue itself. People will be a-holes. Hell, I’m not immune to that *cough* characterization either.  It’s just a given and about as surprising within the athletic world as it is a given that message boards in general serve as the Cyber-Brooklyn Bridge in which the trolls congregate beneath by the masses.

So that’s it. That’s my moronic, short-sighted and devoid of common sense approach to most of us getting what we want; which is for all of us to live in lollipop and gumdrop land where every student plays for their neighborhood school and every parent or guardian wells up with school pride deciding to be the moral compass for our youth right? Call me crazy, but actually going the extra-mile to hold some accountability to those from top-to-bottom even if it’s a bit of a shock at first is the only thing to keep that dog from breaking off the leash and becoming the menace to our athletic society that many of us seem to think it is.

Somebody call Cesar.