Fieldgate Update: CIF-SS officials approve Cal High...game set for Friday at 7 p.m.

I posted on Robledo's site, which is supposed to be a biting, tough-as-nails analysis of this stadium controversy (he brought the subject up, not me). My message wasn't allowed, and this means he is only showing you the stuff he finds soothing. How nice.

Anyway, the crux of my message was that the people in the stands at these high school games are more than just a bunch of adults vicariously reliving their high school days; these are the people who for the most part are PAYING FOR many of the expenses of running these athletic enterprises.

That's right, the fans make donations, help raise other funds, help to serve meals, organize team meetings, buy tickets, drive the kids to practice, etc, etc. We're also the people who make the kids' experience exciting by showing up to cheer and creating the 'big game' environment.

Despite the crowded conditions at Cal High last night, there was a palpable sense of excitment in the air with all the people present. Take away all those people, and play in an empty stadium, and what would we have?

In view of this, I mentioned in my posting (which Robledo censored) that Steve Ramirez is only considering the team and CIF officials when he says that CIF "made the right decision." There is no denying that his stance leaves YOU and ME, the people who support all this, out in the cold.

This last item about Ramirez not supporting the fans is probably what Robledo wanted to shield Steve from having to answer for. Perhaps he will now tell us why we're not so important.

And the crying commences even after the final whistle...time to come to grips with reality people: the game is at Cal High. The end.

BREAKING NEWS ****************

WC fans are STILL crying on a blog post that had nothing to do with any decisions being made pertaining to the field selection. CALL THE SCHOOLS OR CIF whiner.

@ Steely Don,

The only thing that is of true substance is that you have written derogatory comments about La Serna the entire year, that you are not a fan of either team, that you did attempt to manipulate the game to the home stadium of your Alma Mater and home team, and you are only trying to discredit La Serna so that your Dons will look better by comparison. It is not about the game or injustice or the kids or the venue or the experience for you. It is simply about an insecure, manipulative, pathetic hater try to be the tallest guy in the room by dragging everyone else down. Get a life loser... Oh and maybe we will see those Don's of your in the finals next year.

The most telling sign that an injustice has been done with this venue choice is that the game itself has become almost a secondary issue this week!

This is a real shame, because those of us who love high school football shouldn't have the situation hijacked by a group of inconsiderate buffoons up in rich man's land.

Re-read Bulldog's fine analogy about holding the team's banquet at Denny's. He may have been stretching things here, because Denny's is actually a finer establishment in the field of restaurants than Cal High is in the category of stadiums.

To anyone who cares one iota about high school football, this venue selection reeks of the most arrogant, pig-headed motivation imaginable. It is like holding a prayer meeting in an outhouse, or a funeral at a circus.

You can rail at me all you want, but the volume of indignant posters here indicates that my message bears substance.

*****BREAKING NEWS************************************

La Serna head coach announces this years La Serna team banquet will be held at Denny's across the street from Pioneer High!

Beltran: "I feel like Denny's is the most suitable place for such a memorable and grand occasion. Denny's won the coin flip over Ihop for the right to host the banquet and I'm not moving the banquet despite the fact that Denny's capacity cannot seat all the players and their families. Our AD called Denny's and they will combine a few tables together so the football boosters approved the site."

Lancer:"It's not important where they have the banquet. As long as their is eggs and bacon on my plate and I don't have to spend gas money to have the banquet moved to a more suitable site."

La Serna Alum: "Last year we had our banquet at Del Taco. It's our first visit to Denny's since 1967!"

It is important to really look at peoples true motivational in their torrent of complaints. First you have Steely Don who has spent the season making derogatory comments about several programs but has make the most extreme negative comments for this years most successful programs La Habra, St Paul and now La Serna. This present campaign, carried after a final CIF decision seems to be bent on bringing any discredit he can muster so that he make ERHS look better by contrast. His is the old "cut out their legs and then I am the tallest" tactic. Prior to the CIF decision his motivation seemed to also include making a few bucks selling tacos by moving the game to El Rancho High. He absolutely is not motivated by "what is best for the kids". Next you have Bulldogs have Bite. He is an unapologetic Westco Homer who just seems to want to negate any perceived LS field advantage to gain one for himself. Commendable, but you lost the flip buddy and you lost your advantage. Now you can give it a rest. Then there is Bulldog Nation who while no doubt he is a Westco fan seems to be most interested in the opportunity to create the maximum havoc, fist fights, property damage to the surrounding home owners, etc. Are you perhaps a member of the WC Mongols Social Club Mr Nation? No matter, we will see you all Friday Night and then perhaps win or lose we can go have whine and cheese over at Mr Nation's clubhouse afterwards. Steely Dons can bring the tacos and Bulldog TIA can take care of the entertainment.

I know for a fact that even the La Serna family members and friends are questioning why the game is being held at Cal and not at a better facility...

Sorry Steve but Steely & Marquez are right-on on this one.

CIF bungled this.

I could not agree more with Steeley Don's comments.

As for the NFL playing in an cold weather environment in 2014. It took a brand new 1.6 billion stadium, co-owned by two NFL teams, a special waiver, and 4 rounds of voting for the most populated area in the US to get that through. (but this is off-topic so nobody cares)

Steve also said "But under the current rules and bylaws, CIF-SS, in my opinion had to make this move".

The CIF makes judgement calls all the time regarding rules ( player eligibility for one ). The CIF's hands were not tied on this; just another poor decision (that apparently you have bought into).

@Steve Ramirez: You've been around long enough to know that Cal High is going to be overcrowded on Friday, possibly to a dangerous extent. Knowing this, it's almost comical to hear you say that CIF "made the right decision." Your colleague Aram wouldn't have a problem coming right out with his opinion and saying that Cal High is a very poor place to play this game.

When you try to shirk ownership of your comments by saying you're "not siding with anyone", please let it sink in that by agreeing with CIF, you are siding AGAINST the fans who will suffer on Friday, and these are people who you expect to buy the paper and ultimately pay your salary.

Steely Dan: I'm not siding with anyone. My job as a reporter/writer is to provide an objective view of what's happening and report it that way. I have a pretty good relationship with both sides, and wish it would continue. It's clear in my eyes that CIF-SS officials want most of their football championships games, sans the Pac-5 and Southwest, at home sites. Nine of the 13 title games are at the home field of one of the teams. There's nothing in the bluebook that would eliminate Cal High as a host venue, which is why I believe CIF-SS made the decision they made. It could be, in this budget crunch that we are in, they don't want to force schools, or themselves, to pony up high rents for other venues, like local colleges, similar to why CCCAA has done the same with its championship games in the junior colleges. Yes, in a perfect world, it would be neat play in a bigger stadium to ensure everyone who wanted to come, but I think if nine of the 13 title games are campus sites, CIF-SS would have a problem if it denied one of those venues. Even Rio Hondo Prep, which has a very small field, to my understanding, has been approved.
Marquez: Check the site of the 2014 Super Bowl. It's going to be outdoors, likely in the snow. The NFL thought it would be a great idea to reward NYC, and some experts believe if it becomes a fun event, it might open the door for other cold-weather cities like Green Bay to host a Super Bowl, or maybe even go back to the days of a host team, without a neutral site, which is basically done for marketing and not so much because of the field conditions.
And for those who wonder, I will be on the sidelines, standing like I do at most games. The only time I will be seating, will be at halftime when I sit on the grass to write a few paragraphs of the first half to help make our early Whittier deadline, unless of course it rains.

For sure just gonna watch the game at home with my computer connected to the tv on foxsportswest.com! Screw the lines, freezing cold, and no seats!!

@ Steve Ramirez

Not surprising that you would have a strange "take" on this. You would still like to see the Super Bowl played on the "frozen tundra".

You said "If you are to allow them to be played on home sites, and have not previously stated certain minimum requirements, then don't penalize a school because it's field has certain limitations"

Then how about just good common sense?

oh no..,

Spot on my friend, spot on...

It's clear that today's 'inspection' of Cal High was the most comical of farces, a simple covering of officials' behinds when the inevitable disaster unfolds.

What were the CIF guys looking for...land mines? Or did they just stop by to pick up their payoffs?

I want to give credit to Steve Ramirez, too, for showing balls of steel by siding with the well-heeled La Serna faction. Those Lancer faithful owe you one for sure.

And so we wait for the trainwreck that's sure to ensue. The police, the residents near Cal High, the media, and even the players now realize this will be an event fraught with high emotions and great potential for trouble.

All La Serna basketball games are now attended by several armed guards, stemming from derogatory statements made by La Serna fans against Pioneer fans. Now, we see the same pattern unfolding in football, with extra security undoubtedly needed for Friday's game. Why are La Serna people unable to keep their rudeness in check? What have the poor people ever done to them?

I agree with Bulldogs have Whine here Steve

How dare the CIF not take into consideration the people who lean left and walk right, or the guy who changed the WC RBs diaper when he was a baby, what about that nice lady at the market who said hi to the coach that one time? Or all those starving children who want to go to the game? Travesty!!! Outrage!!!!!!!! BLASTPHEMY!

Steve,

As you stand along with thousands of other fans who are forced to stand throughout the game. Will you be able to say to their face that the right decision was made? How about the elderly? Or small children? Or the handicapped? Or expectant mothers all standing in the cold with a crummy view of the game? Will you look them in the eye and say this is the right thing to do?

How about the players? Players who would hope to see what it feels like to play infront of the big crowd just once.

It is what it is. CIF has spoken and we all will abide. But don't give us any of this right decision based on the rules baloney! It would of made little difference to play in a nuetral site close to La Serna for the betterment of everyone involved. Players, fans, media, everybody.

How is it penalizing a school to have both teams play on a neutral field? The only people who will be penalized are those who will be turned down at the gate or had plans to attend but will now not attend because they don't want to be hearded into a pen to watch a game! Don't let us catch you sitting down, those seats are for paid spectators!