Guest Opinion, Continued
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    This Guest Opinion is by Lance Shaw, a former star running back for St. Joseph's Prep (Class of '94) and Fordham and the brother of Drew Shaw, currently a star linebacker for Carroll. He sent these thoughts in two different e-mails. So if this is a little disjointed, blame me, not him. He's pretty excited about seeing a Prep/Carroll game. I share that desire. I'm just a little calmer.
    If you care to comment on this Guest Opinion or offer a Random Thought, send it to silaryt@phillynews.com. If you don't say anything too over-the-top, you may remain anonymous. Thanks!
    The responses are POURING in. I might have them all posted by the first snowfall. Write coherently. Use capitals where they belong. Pay attention to possessives. Do I sound like an English teacher? I'm not. I'm just using too much time fixing errors. Thanks, troops. 

*******SCROLL DOWN TO SEE RESPONSES, (brace yourself)*******)
                BELOW THAT ARE OTHER RANDOM THOUGHTS

    Finally, do a big breakdown of the game and key matchups etc. with a big spread yada, yada, yada. This would be the most insane thing, in a good way, you ever did.

RESPONSES...........

    I don't really know if this would be much of a game. I don't think that Dave O'Beirne and F.J. Wesner would be able to handle Derek Zambino on the 2 passes he completes a game. Yes, that's right, his season average was about two completions a game.  So that right there allows the Prep to put eight or nine guys up at the line to stop that vaunted wing-T offense because they have no
passing game.  Then, when Heenan and Wagner stop Mattaway and Larkin, it's time for the Prep's BALANCED offense to take the field.  You have to respect Mike McGann's arm, so you can't stack against Ambrogi.  The O-line is just ridiculous. I'd love to see Drew Shaw and Jeff Vanak try to get through and then get pancaked by one of the three first team All-Catholics (in the real division).  Not only would The Prep kill Carroll. but I would bet at least 2 other teams would, too, so that would leave Carroll a very
mediocre fourth in a real division.
            ---- Prep '01

    Brendan Mallon -- Congratulations! You win the dumbest comment award!  All of you other Prep kids can stop competing now because Brendan takes the cake!  Way to go, champ!  By the way Carroll would smoke The Prep, no question about it.  We cannot be stopped.
        ---- Mike Holt, Carroll Football '03   (scout "D" All-Catholic)

    Carroll needs to get the facts straight first!!! We did try to play you guys at the beginning of the season. Of course, you refused because you were scared you would lose and you wanted to have an undefeated record in the WEAK Blue Division. I can't even believe that you could even compare Carroll's team to ours!! As for saying that we have little rich boys egos???? Where did you get
that?? It's called PRIDE, and we have a plethora of that, which we show in every game that Prep plays. Our Prep football team is the best I have seen since 1997, when we won the Catholic League Championship!!! I don't know where some of those Carroll kids are coming up and saying they can kills us like they do Wood?? Wood stinks!!! Why don't you guys play some decent teams like uhhhh, Holy Cross and North Penn (which is actually good this year. I mean, hey, they only lost to CB West by a touchdown ), O'Hara, and La Salle!! Now that's a lineup of good teams. What I am getting at is that this is a joke. Lance "My Brother Owns Me" Shaw is first off embarrassing himself and also making the most absurd statements. I can't wait for prep to play Carroll. But first Prep has to win the Catholic Red ( the real league) and then we will concentrate on Carroll. I will be in the stands with the 500 other Prep fans getting ROWDY!!!! And watching 1. The Prep beat Carroll!! 2. All the 10 Carroll fans leave because they can't bear to watch anymore, and 3. Lance "My Brother Owns Me" Shaw getting booed out of the stadium. Prep 24, Carroll 7.
        ---- Brian McGrath, Prep Class of '01

    Mike Holt, I wrote that "dumb comment" because I am sick of reading all of these comments. The two teams will never play, so I was making a joke about it. You obviously have no sense of humor, probably because you are tired of getting run over every play on your scout team D. So be happy that the other players on your team are going to win the championship, while you sit on the bench and cheer them on and bring them water.
    ----  Brendan Mallon, Prep '01

    Brendan Mallon is "The Man."
    ---- Eric Smith, Prep '02

    I have been out of the whole Catholic League football picture for sometime now, and my familiarity with the new alignments of schools is not as intimate as Lance's. But, nevertheless, I will try to endeavor on a complimentary unbiased rebuttal. First of all, none of you newbie "PREPPERS" should ever question Lance's loyalty to "PREP," nor do you have the right to question to his loyalty. What we should question is the pretense under which Lance made his outlandish statement . . . "NEPOTISM." Lance, we all know Drew "The Greatest Linebacker in High School History" Shaw (Lance that was sarcasm) is your brother and YES, he is a very good football player, no need for you to boost him up anymore . . .BLAH, BLAH, BLAH. All you're doing is taking away from Drew's already accomplished career. Let's call it like it is, PREP/Carroll, a Dream Matchup That Has Been Forsaken? For many of us traditionalists, the Catholic League Championship game represented the be-all and end-all . . . where each team from either Division had the unequivocal chance to prove who was best. Now with the new alignment, we are reduced to speculation and rhetoric. For those of you who are influenced by pride rather than practical consideration, SHUT UP!!! PREP/Carroll football has become quite the bittersweet rivalry over the past decade; mainly because these teams have been so equally matched and the tides of victory have swayed back and forth so many times it would be hard to say who would win outright. Or it could be Carroll kids are bitter they couldn' get into PREP. But seriously, as a realist I am governed by truth and pragmatism . . . let the game be played and see how the chips will fall. Those same rules of realism also dictate that as it stands we won't be seeing this matchup. If the game was to be played the score would be 14-13, PREP
        ---- Dorian Henry, PREP '94

    I would like to add my two cents to all the hype about a "Prep/Carroll showdown. The Catholic League has done a major disservice to the fans, coaches,players and parents who support one of the best leagues in the country. The league needs a True Champion, not a split champion or a paper champion. These two rivals are far and above the best teams in the PCL. I personally don't care about where these teams fall, in perspective, rankings or ratings in the area. Just having a team to be called PCL Champion is enough for me. These things tend to be cyclical. Being a coach in the Catholic League for 16 years, I was a little dissapointed in the realignment. I miss those games against Prep, Bonner, O'Hara and Roman. (I really do!) In the old Southern Division, since '85, no one team dominated for a long period of time. Every team had a chance at the division. No one team stood on top for more than two years at a time. In the Northern Division, Ryan, La Salle & McDevitt has had some strong championship runs.  This debate is a lot of fun, but most of us are annoyed by it. Being a fan I want to see this game!  This might shut a whole lot of people up,....Finally! I would like to make a suggestion on the problem of rating the teams in the PCL, which might put a lot of the argument about "who is the best team" to rest. Instead of playing teams all around the nation in the preseason, play crossover games throughout the PCL. One game outside the PCL, but two in league. The format could be the teams that finished the year before in 1st & 2nd place in its respective divisions, will play in games against each other. Teams in 3rd & 4th, 5th & 6th and 7th & 8th, to do the same. Make the games count in the team's overall record. This might put to rest about "who is the best team in the Catholic League" NO POLLS! NO SPECULATION! Just a Champion! Also, it might stop the bashing that the Blue division teams receive. Last time I checked, there were some bad teams in both divisions .... along with some pretty good ones!
        ---- Steve Smith, offensive line coach, Neumann

    I'm tired of all the kids that don't even play football telling people who would win what.  For the last time, shut up, you have no affect on the outcome of the game, nor do you have anything but stats to back up your opinions.  The game is decided when the two teams get out on the field and compete.  None of you kids have played against or with either team, so you have no right to make a statement.
        ----  player

   Oh, Dorian. I am certain you are a very well educated man, I mean, you did graduate from The Prep. But, this aside, for Lance also graduated from Prep...and, well, we all read his little e-mail, I'm sure.  (Not exactly a masterpece in the literary or grammatical worlds.) Anyway, you and old Lancey boy should go have a nice long chat together because obviously you hold many of the same views, and you two are probably the only ones you would talk to each other, considering the way you are each thought of in the
minds of us TRUE PREPPERS. Well, you both show an extreme lack of pride and passion in the things you should believe in, most namely THE PREP, each of you pretty much flushed away about 30,000 dollars of your parents' money (a rough estimate gauging from the fluctuating tuition dollars), and more importantly than money, you both wasted four years of your lives at The Prep. Frankly I am embarassed to say that I went to the same institution as you two, who would turn your back on a place that has done more for me than anything in the world in an instant. To have the audacity to post something like that on a website that half of the Delaware Valley will read (Ted's note: at least half; maybe three-quarters) proves that you got absolutely nothing out of your high school experience. The posts by each of you wastes of the Prep's time shows everyone who knows what true Prep Pride is what ignorant, self-seeking, dolts you are. P.S. Homecoming is in 10 days. Don't dare show your faces, you never deserve to set foot on Prep grounds after your clear repugnance for everything we true Preppers hold as sacred!!!!
        ---- former Prep student, current Prep alum, always a true Prepper!

    Hey, Brendan Mallon -- Carroll's scout team defense is better than Prep's starting defense.  I am sick of all this talk, I want to see Carroll roll on Prep so you can shut up.
        ---- Mike Holt, Carroll Football '03 (the best scout team defensive player......ever)

    This playoff system is ridiculous and the game locations couldn't be more inconvenient. Bonner vs Prep at Northeast??? It's
infuriating. WHO IS MAKING THESE DECISIONS? (Ted's note: The CL football moderator is Chuck Knowles, of Conwell-Egan. Ultimately, it's his responsibility to schedule the playoffs.) Who designed a playoff system that leads only to speculation over who
has the best CL team?? WHO? WHY? WHO AGAIN? (Ted's note: The ADs and principals. Originally, it was pushed entirely by coaches/ADs at schools who realized they had little or no chance of ever again winning the overall league championship.). The thing that is most interesting and compelling about HS football -- especially in the CL  -- is the old-time rivalries and how these rivalries play out year after year. The RED/BLUE system has wrecked this during regular season play. And, if you want to see a playoff game between two traditional (Southern Division) rivals, you have to travel to Northeast?!?! Ugh. If Prep and Carroll do meet on the field instead of in cyberspace, Prep wins, 24-21. I hate to admit it, but all that recruiting has added up to one impressive football team. Lance Shaw has a great idea. Let them play.
        ---- Matt G, Carroll '89

    Why are all you Carroll fans dissin' us Preppers? We've got the baddest team ever!! The only thing badder is our fans!! You can take us out of North Philly, but you can't take the North Philly out of us!! I resent all your criticism!! Let's rumble, Carroll!!
First we'll beat you on the field, then our fans will mock you!!
        ---- SJP alum '00

    That dude Mike Holt should know his role and shut his mouth because if he keeps flappin' it, he and all the other (knuckleheads)   on Carroll's squad are gonna get checked into the Smackdown Hotel. If he is so interested in seeing a Prep-Carroll game, he should devote his life to becoming Carroll's AD so he can watch Carroll get spanked every time by Prep. Seeing as how he goes to
Carroll, I doubt he will ever get a job higher than janitor there or any other place. As for his comments on my boy, Brendan Mallon: Should Brendan ever decide to play football again, he would tear through Mike Holt and the rest of his scout team "d" like snot through a tissue. For now, Mike Holt, be thankful you get to hold a bag and get run over by the players on your team.
        ---- Prep starter

    Carroll should definitely play The Prep this year. Two great teams in a great league and they don't get a chance to play? Doesn't make sense.
        ---- Frank Matozzo

    That dude Mike Holt is The Man! Yo, I'm telling you, this kid is something else. He is sooo right when he says that Prep would get a woodshed beating by Carroll. And he is correct when he says that Prep is a joke and full of themselves.  I love this kid!!
---- anonymous

    Hey, Brendan, and all you other punks. Don't you even be dissin' my boy Mike Holt because we'd totally wreck your little "preppy" school. Why do you go to a prep school, anyway. I wonder. Carroll 49, Neumann 0.
        ---- anonymous

    Prep Pride is not mocking other schools like most of The Prep people on this board seem to be doing. Is Prep a great school? Yes, but in no way does that give anyone the authority to be cocky and elitist. Reading all of these posts, I am beginning to realize why everyone hates Prep. It is not because they are jealous as was suggested by too many people on this board. The reason is because a group (I wish I could say small group, but I am afraid it is very large) of Prep students, alum, parents are ARROGANT. It is embarrassing, and apparently The Prep's message of being "Men for Others" hasn't been adopted by the members of this group. Grow Up!
---- an anonymous Prep grad

    Dear Mike Holt -- First of all, you clown, I just want to say don't talk about your scout defense being better than our defense, 'cause I'm pretty sure your "scout d" would not hold Julius Davis 
(preseason All-South-Jersey and full ride to Clemson) to some 60 yards and Kevin Jones (nation's best player) to 127 yards. I mean, come on, man,  get real. Why don't you shut your mouth and instead of writing all these letters, I'm sure you have some homework to do. So go study and make yourself useful. Once again, Brendan Mallon is "The Man."
        ---- anonymous

    Mike Holt -- You don't know anything about Prep football, so keep your mouth shut. The Prep's offense would make you cry. So go play on your scout team defense and keep your comments to yourself.
        ---- Prep student

    To: Former Prep Student, Current Prep Alum . . .(whatever) -- This forum was intended for sports conscientious Catholic League football fans, who desired to see a great football game between two great teams. But, people like you have reduced this to your own little playground where your personal attacks on former players like Lance and just recently myself are heard. Well, I refuse to let an uninformed, snot-nosed imbecile like you get away with it, and I will take up the dauntless task of shutting you up. You're a coward. Any real man, let alone a Prep grad, would at least state their name for the record after such controversial statements. Secondly, lemme ask you this? Have you ever stepped on the field as a PREP football player? NO! Just what I thought! And if you did play, you were probably one of those scout team scrubs that were more useless than the dummies. I think you would do yourself a great service to keep your misguided lashings to yourself. Because, the hubris you feel when the PREP takes the field, the recognition of greatness that is synonymous with 'PREP' football, is owed to people like Lance and myself and the people who came before us. We laid the foreground for excellence, it was the class of '94 who re-opened doors of tradition so sideliners like yourself had something to relish in. A punk like you to say anything . . .where do you get the gall? Not only will we be at Homecoming, we'll be on the field right with the team and Gil.
        ---- Dorian Henry, PREP '94

    To SJP alum '00: Carroll would roll on The Prep. And you said that the Prep has the baddest team ever. Well, I agree with you on that. The Prep does stink and is the worst team ever. Every team the Prep ever had was BAD. Your fans are the worst fans ever also. We can rumble if you want. And, of course, the PATRIOTS would come out victorious once again. So just bring it!
        ---- Chuck McHugh , Carroll football player (scout team "O")

    Chuck "Fat Boy" McHugh -- Don't talk. Keep your comments to yourself. You are the biggest 300-pound scrub in the world. No one cares what you have to say. You don't play, so don't talk. The teams we have played, any one of them would kick your butt. So do the man, Ted Silary, a favor and don't waste his time because you are a NOBODY.
        ---- Prep football
        (Ted's note: I love having my time wasted by good kids with marvelous thoughts. I'm not sure this qualifies, but, ah, it's fun.)

    This is to the dude who called Mike Holt a clown.  You said you held Kevin Jones to 127 yards rushing. Just to let you know, that is nothing to be proud of. You obviously don't play football.  Oh, yeah, and to the Prep "starter" who wants to check Holt into the Smackdown Hotel....Holt would roll on you, and Brendan allon has got to feel really stupid, there's no other way around it.
        ---- Carroll football player

    What I have read has absolutely boggled my mind.   To even think that Carroll could hang in with Prep is a joke.  Being a La Salle football player I have seen the Prep play and I have also attended some Carroll games.  My God, Prep would absolutely destroy Carroll. How many good teams has Carroll played? K-K? Wood? HA, HA, those teams are a joke.  This question of who would
win is also a joke.  For the simple answer is that Prep would come out on top by a lot.  Also, I think if Carroll joined an actual competitive league such as the Red Division (don't even try to tell me that the Blue Division is a league cause it isn't, even Ted would agree with me) they would come in fourth place behind Prep, O'Hara and La Salle.  I'm not even saying La Salle would finish ahead of them because I'm on the team, but you have to be realistic about the talent we have and the talent Carroll has.  Granted Carroll is a very good team, for their league, they just couldn't hang with the big boys.  So I would have to agree with the O'Hara football player in that Carroll would have four definite losses. So Carroll, continue to be overrated and good luck in those "competitive" playoffs.  Oh yeah  the answer to the question: Prep wins, a lot to a little.
      ---- La Salle football player, class of 2001

    Wow, these Prep kids are lame. They are all about Prep Pride and whatnot. Come on, now, get real. In 11 games, Carroll has held its opponents to 25 combined points! End of story.
---- Justin Faust, Carroll football '03

    Silary needs to get off The Prep.....
        ---- anonymous
(Ted's note: Finally, a short comment. I apologize for doing profiles on four players -- Ambrogi, Heenan, McGann, Lachman -- on an 11-0 team in the city's best division/league. Serious overkill, right?)

    Unlike Carroll, Prep is a true football team, with true players and a true program. Because we won't be able to play this year, why don't you guys schedule a game for next season? I'm sure you won't because you do realize that your team will be absolutely horrible. Just like freshman year, when I think we beat you by about 35 points. I hope we play you and if we do, you will be so humiliated. I can just see it in the papers "CARROLL THOUGHT THEY COULD PLAY WITH THE BIG BOYS -- PREP 50, CARROLL 0." Maybe another year, Carroll.
        ---- anonymous

    Hello, friends. I never saw a bunch of pansies in my life till I saw a group of Prep kids. They've got their ties on, they've got their slacks pressed well. The Prep kids are a bunch of no-good, wanna-be suits, who have nothing better to do than talk trash about how good their team is. From what La Salle told me, your team's a bunch of scrubs. . . Our team would run over your team all day. Final score: Carroll 24, Prep 17.
        ---- Carroll '01

    This game, if it were to take place, would no doubt be good for both schools, the CatholicLeague and all football fans in the Philadelphia area. I saw the Prep play today for the first time this season against LaSalle in possibly the best Thanksgiving Day game around. I have been up at college and haven't been able to see my buds McGann, Spadaro, Ambrogi, Connors, Minetti, Gallagher, O'Beirne, Wesner, Chromiak, Lachman, Mailey, Tucci, Giangiulio, Heenan, Wags, Hepp, Battipaglia, Holloway, Farrell, Kaiser, Lord, O’Hara, Chaiken, etc., absolutely tear the league apart. Although I played at Prep and know the capabilities of each player from having bunked with them at camp and having banged pads with them at practice, my opinion is far less informed than that of a current Prep coach. A coach, who will remain nameless, said to me today on the field after the Prep's victory: "I think we play better when we're behind." I don't know if the Patriots have overcome a lead this year, because I haven't seen them play, let alone my Hawks. But judging from the scores that I read online, I don't think they have. If I am wrong, please let me know. Keeping this in mind, Carroll wouldn't know what to do if they faced a two-, three- or even just a one-touchdown deficit. The Prep has the weapons, the heart, the best fans in the city, and they have the resilience. If Carroll, and this is a BIG IF...if Carroll were to jump out to an early lead, The Prep would no doubt be able to overcome it. I can't say the same for the Patriots, though. I was upset that I was not able to play and beat Carroll my senior year. The realignment upset several other people as well. This game would be a golden opportunity ease the pain. Prep beats Carroll in a great game.
        ---- Eddie Turner, Prep '00

    OK, they said we couldn't beat Bonner. Um, we did. They said we couldn't beat Wood. OK, 77-0. Next they said we couldn't beat McDevitt. OK, 27-0. They even said we couldn't beat Malvern. Ha, ha. They were a joke against our team. What else do we need to do to prove that we are the BEST
team in the area.  That's right....we are flat-out BETTER than The Prep! Hey, Prep, have a little trouble with Bonner last week? Ha, ha.
        ---- anonymous Carroll player

    Carroll wants no part of The Prep. Personally, I think Carroll can't handle a Top 5 team. Look at who they have played all year. Big accomplishments. Yeah, I'm sure Carroll can stick with a team that is better then they are. But they don't play any because they are scared. Look what they are doing next year. Dropping Malvern Prep so they can play Shanahan. Wow! Isn't that a shock to everyone now? Believe me, if Carroll and Prep played, The Prep would totally dominate any day of the week. Carroll fears good teams. I think it's bull to have those teams in different divisons. It just sickens me to not see a good game, in which Carroll would get manhandled.
        ---- HS player

    Lance Shaw, what have you done? Both teams are obviously good, but everybody speculates that they'll both go undefeated. Don't count your chickens. Dorian Henry is the smartest man alive.
        ---- anonymous

    Well, CARROLL 31, MALVERN 7. No one believes me when I say depth. Depth, depth, depth -- that's what Carroll has. You can't see it by reading newspapers or reading these comments by students of our local high schools. But you can see it if you were at the Carroll games this year. This team
would be hard to beat even by powerhouses like CB West and Strath Haven. North Schuylkill played for the State Championship against these powerhouse teams and Carroll whipped their butts. Malvern had a lot to say and Carroll whipped their butts -- Carroll does a lot of talking and they carry a big
stick and they know how to use that stick and back-up what they say. Mr. Silary, if you would spend a bit more time writing about other schools like Carroll (Ted's note: huh?), maybe the high school fan would get a clear picture of what team is better. I assume you know something about football -- try
putting your knowledge to work and learn why Carroll is one of the best teams in the tri-state area in the last twenty years. (Sure wish the Inquirer would give more print to Carroll; example -- not even a mention of the Carroll win over Malvern in your Thanksgiving Edition; shame on you guys for
NOT REPORTING THE NEWS.) And Mr. Silary, why were you not at the Carroll-Malvern game Wednesday? Getting prepared for the PREP game, I suppose. (Ted's note: I WAS at the Carroll-Malvern game. I was NOT at Prep-La Salle, though I did write a story about it.)
        ---- Carroll fan

    Would everyone taking sides in this issue please shut up? How can anyone say who is better based on who we have played? The Carroll administrators would not let us play Prep. Maybe if the Prep would have wanted to play us last year, we wouldn't be in this argument. Oh, by the way, Corbett,  way to tear up our secondary. The fact of the matter is, Prep and Carroll are very good teams and if people want to point fingers, go directly to the Catholic League officials who decided on the pointless set up. How can there be two champions in the same league? It doesn't make sense. Believe it that we at Carroll would rather play Prep, O'Hara, and Roman than Dougherty, Conwell-Egan and
Kennedy-Kenrick. Not just because of the lopsided scores, but because there are is no rivalries. Isn't that what high school football is all about? Due to the Blue/Red Division split, we have no rivals in our division. People can say all they want about Prep or Carroll, but we won't know who is better unless we play. So, why doesn't everyone take a break from all this talking until both teams reach their goals of winning a Catholic League Championship in their respective divisions.
---- Carroll football player
        P.S. -- Could someone from Prep proofread this and tell me if there are any grammatical errors?

    Carroll is that damn good, and Brian Mattaway is a back very reminiscent of Greg Watson, of O'Hara, who in my opinion is a better runner than Kevin Jones.
        ---- Malvern Player

    First of all, this argument is pretty null and void as the two best teams will not have the opportunity to play each other this year.   All this talk should be directed to the individuals responsible for this scenario (school ADs and coaches) who decided it was best to create two divisions without having the two champions play for a true Catholic League title.   This realignment was created as a result of coaches and ADs feeling that their teams could not compete year in and year out against other teams. This is not true, substantiated by the rebirth of the PREP football program from the bottom of the Southern Division throughout periods in the '80s and early '90s to Catholic League dominance.  The success of PREP football in recent years is a direct result of the hard work and commitment of all involved with the PREP football program starting with Coach Gil Brooks, Lance Shaw, Dorian Henry and many more that I wish I could mention but my e-mail would never get posted.  I was a 1994 classmate of Lance and Dorian's; although I do not agree with Lance's view that Carroll is a better team (even if he did say that, which after so many rebuttals, I have forgotten what was originally written) I support him through thick and thin as a true PREPPER would do.  For those current PREP students and football players who want to gloat about recent success, don't forget about the players who came before making your success possible.  For any of you who may question their contribution and loyalty to the PREP leading to your success, DONT.   My final comment: Dorian, you are right.  Anybody (PREP, Carroll or anybody else) writing a rebuttal should at least have the guts to write their name.   Be a man and stand up for what you believe in (in my case PREP Pride).  I hope to see the PREP/Carroll showdown after the season is over but unfortunately I do not think it will happen.  I too think that the PREP would be victorious.  PREP PRIDE!!
        ---- Kevin Crow, Prep '94

    This really isn't a big deal now, but I just wanted to say Carroll beat us up pretty good, and I personally got to see that their defense is pretty tough. We lost to O'Hara, 38-35, but in that game I had a lot more time to throw. The other night, Carroll's defense truly made me eat my words and I just have to say that to me, they have definitely proven themselves as a solid team who
if in the big division, could at least find themselves in second place.  As I sit here, with a concussion and numerous bad bruises, remembering all eight sacks and 15 knockdowns that Mattaway, Vanak, Shaw and Co. delivered, I realize how stupid it is to talk trash, especially when "you just don't know" how to rate a team until you play against them.  I really don't know who would win in
a Prep/Carroll game this year, and it's really none of my business, but I have to give credit where it's due. While Malvern didn't play one of their best games Wednesday night, no one can say that Archbishop Carroll is 12-0 because of their schedule. By the way, solid season Malvern.
        ---- Thanks, Bill Corbett, Malvern QB
    (Ted's note: Pretty classy, eh? Bill deserves MUCH respect.)

    In response to all this hype about the Prep, and recruiting, and how good Carroll is, I've got a couple of suggestions: 1. Go back to the North and South Divisions. The new system just kills all the rivalries. 2. Go back to the old playoff system. Re-create that North/South rivalry. 3. In my honest opinion I think we should ship the Prep and La Salle off to the Inter-Ac. If these guys want to give guys money to go to their school, then that's all right, but go do it in the Inter-Ac where Malvern already does it. Also the Prep and La Salle aren't even Archdiocesan schools, so right from the beginning there are unequal grounds. If they don't want to go to the Inter-Ac, tell them to go play with the public schools. My answer as to who would win the game would be is easy. Carroll beats
the Prep because Carroll has more heart and they also don't run around like fairies screaming "Prep Pride!" The Prep players would have their pride in between their legs after the spanking they would take.
        ---- Rudy Fabry, Carroll '98, C-DT

    First of all -- Bill Corbett, you are an impressive young man. For all the Prep guys who think Lance is an ass, I agree.  However, I
am allowed to talk like that, because he's my friend, I know what he's like, and I'd say it to his face. I guarantee most of you would not (he's a genetic freak).  Lance is a lot of things, but disloyal isn't one of them. Being friends with Lance, I also know Drew -- a great kid, and great football player, there is NO reason to criticize or attack Drew or his ability, because of statements Lance has made.  Notwithstanding my friendship with Lance, I disagree with his decision to start this controversy.  However, I'm sure he had no idea it would snowball like this.  Let's deal with two undefeated teams when the season is over. Why debate such a topic until that point? CARROLL - Congratulations, for a great season so far.   Drew, I haven't seen you play yet, but I hope I get the opportunity. 
PREP - You guys play with a lot of heart.  Kyle Ambrogi, you're the catalyst.  Good Luck, and in the immortal words of Adrian Balboa, "win ... WIN!" Don't listen to the hype, just play football.
        ---- Billy Baldini, Prep '94

    Well, now we all know that Carroll is good......real good.  I, like many of you, thought they had no skill and they were winning games only because they are in the Blue Division.  That was a belief of mine until the Carroll players beat us, the Malvern players, into the ground.  They are that good.   They would no doubt beat O'Hara and give Prep a great game.  And Carroll's JV squad is good, too, because they beat Malvern's JV.
        ---- Kevin Lilly, Malvern football '03 (son of John)

    To Bill Corbett, Malvern QB: Thanks for your kind words about the Carroll team. It was a hard fought battle and Carroll finally came out the winner. You're right about no one knows just how good a team is until they play against them, and I must tell you that
my son, a Carroll Offensive Line starter, said your defense was the toughest he had met this season, by far. (He is still feeling the pain of battle, but enjoyed every minute of the game.)  Bill and the Malvern Team, thanks for an exciting two hours of football Wednesday night ! ! ! ! !
        ---- A Carroll Player's Dad

    Bill Corbett, I want to thank you for your comments, both positive and negative.  The negative comments gave us motivation, and the positive comments showed a lot of class.  I think Carroll has a new respect for Malvern, and I hope Malvern feels the same way.  I think we saw that on Wednesday evening.  I will definitely miss watching Carroll vs. Malvern on Thanksgiving, I have seen every one of the games.
        ---- Matt Kirsch, Carroll '01

    Rudy Fabry -- I just want to let you know how wrong you actually are. The Prep does not recruit athletes; however, I'm not sure whether La Salle does or doesn't. The two schools may not be Archdiocesan schools, but they're just as much part of the Philadelphia Catholic League as Carroll is. If The Prep and La Salle were "shipped off to the Inter-Ac League", it would be one of the two schools who won the championship every year. Why not let them stay in the Catholic League where they belong?
            --Prep '02

    First of the all, the game will never happen. As much as I, along with other members of the Prep community would love to see this game, I don't feel it would be fair. Carroll has nothing to lose. If they did lose, people would just be saying that they were supposed to lose. I don't feel we would get any more respect than we have now. But if we lost, we would probably get torn apart in every newspaper and maybe even on TV.  I personally feel that we would handle you if it was in the beginning of the season, but we might have some trouble now because of all the tough teams we play. We might play some teams that aren't very good, but they are all tough kids.   After every game, no matter if we play O'Hara or North, everyone is in some kind of pain and needs time to recover.  I'm sure the same is with Carroll, but if you played in our division, you would probably be hurt more due to the fact that you play everyone both ways.
        ---- Prep dude
        (Ted's note: Carroll does not play everyone both ways. The two-way total is four or five, depending).

    Rudy Fabry is just scared that the Prep's defensive line of Mailey, Tucci, Giangulio, and O'Hara  would rip his lil bro up and that's why he wants Prep and La Salle in the Inter-Ac.
---- anonymous

    After reading all this, I'm hoping that next week we'll be arguing over whether McDevitt or O'Hara is the real Catholic League champ.
        ---- Red Division Fan

    OK, first off, to all the Carroll and Prep players, you guys are playing a great season this year and I give grats to all of you.  But to my Carroll boys, just one word, AWESOME!  You guys have been so great this season, pulling together in every way. That's what a team is all about.  Persistence, dominance and patience -- that's what makes us UNDEFEATED!  A game between Carroll and Prep would be probably one of the best games I would ever see.  I think all of you should pull it together because if you are really serious
about it, you would have played against each other already.   So come on, "Prep Pride Players," make the date and Carroll will be there to show what a "Real Pride Team" is all about. Good Luck at the championships on Saturday, boys. Carroll is going to kill McDevitt!
        ---- Chica Carroll student

    To the Carroll football player who asked someone from The Prep to proofread his essay for grammatical errors: the second clause of your sentence in line 7 doesn't make much sense.
        ---- Prep student

    I would first like to thank all the poets and storytellers who so graciously humored me.  I just read all of your comments for the first time and I have never laughed so hard in all my life.  It takes scrubs like Mike Holt, strap-jobs like Dorian Henry and people that just plain crack me up like Brendan Mallon to make this Prep-Carroll rivalry worth paying attention to. I'm not going to sit here and write about who I think will win because these two teams WILL NOT play this year.  I guarantee there won't be as much hype
over all this next year.  This will all die down in a few weeks.  What I can say, as a PREP senior and an avid sports fan, is that I see Carroll doing a lot of talking, but not a lot of walking.  Carroll reminds me of my little sister who runs up to a big bully, says something mean, and then goes and runs behind mommy.  There is no polite way to say this so I'm just gonna say it: Carroll is the weakest punch of panty-waist crybabies I have ever seen.  All you guys do is cry and moan.  JUST SHUT  UP.   I'm sick of your crap. I'd love to just randomly bump into one of you "tough guys" walking down the street.   Not only would I pimp-slap you till your cheeks hurt, I would just laugh in your face.  You guys think you're tough.  YOU'RE NOT.   Sure  your team is undefeated.  So is ours.  Who cares.  In all sports -- YOU HAVE NO HEART.  I don't care if you're a 300-pound lineman  or a soccer goalie who thinks he's tough with a shaved head,  you guys flat out   make me LAUGH.
        ---- Sincerely,  Dennis DiGirolamo, a humored PREP SENIOR

    I have just been informed that we have offered Carroll a game the first two weeks of the season next year; we all know this won't happen.   So, Carroll, pick a date so we can get this game on and beat you like we did freshman year.  And to that Chica Carroll Girl, don't talk because you don't know football. You probably wouldn't even know what the positions are, so go and paint your nails or something. Im a nice guy and all, but if you wanna talk, put on some pads. I wouldn't mind hitting you a few times to knock some sense into you.
---- anonymous

    Holt, please shut up.  I am the greatest scout team player in the Catholic League, not you.
---- Tom Bradley, Prep '03

    Dorian, how dare you EVER call me a scout team scrub??!! Yes, I know you and Lance "paved" the way, more like FOLLOWED the cement truck if you ask me. I know this because I played with you, but of course neither of you would even know I existed, you were so wrapped up in your own arrogance. Well, after you left, I filled your shoes -- Honorable Mention A-C in '96, so don't tell me I don't know what Prep Football is all about.
        ---- anonymous

    This section of the website is an embarrassment to both schools. I thought it was funny at first, but now it's just embarrassing. The point was to debate whether Carroll and Prep should play or not. It's was meant to argue the new CL football divisions and the loss of rivalries. It was a petition to those in charge to consider staging this event. It has become a back and forth among morons. I think that there were about three compelling comments addressing why these teams should play a game or not play a game. I would like to see a game, but I don't think the game should happen. You can't rewrite the rules after the games have been played. This isn't a presidential election. If I read "you suck" or "we'll run all over you" or "you have no heart" or "I'll kick your ass" one more time, I'm going to get sick. These are both good teams in completely different leagues. Yes, although at one time it was one league, it is not anymore. The old league is gone. However, both of these teams are dominant in their respective leagues. Both teams play with heart and determination. And both teams should be congratulated for unbelievably successful seasons (after this weekend). This web page diminishes the efforts of both teams, and their coaching staffs (no offense, Ted, you just provided the forum).
        ---- Pat Fleming, Prep '93
    (Ted's note: My girlfriend agrees. She thinks I'm nuts for letting this silliness continue. I just tell her, "Go make dinner, honey." Moments later, presto, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. With stale potato chips.)

    I'll hand it to them, Prep and carroll are both very good football teams. But if they played, Prep would own them.  The Blue Division is very weak and doesn't beat you up like the Red Division.  Almost every week in the Red, you know that the team you are playing is going to play you tough. But back to Carroll-Prep....What about O'Hara? Remember the Lions? Preseason favorites? Sure they lost two games, which could have, and in the case of Roman, should have been won.  Sure Prep and Carroll are undefeated -- big deal!  O'Hara is by far the most talented team in the Catholic League.  And if Prep doesn't believe this, wait until the Lions come
out fired up on December 1 and upset the almighty Prep.
---- anonymous

    First off, this goes out to all you Prep kids and the clique you claim. I reckon' Carroll would easily pulverize you! Carroll is the dog'gone best team this side of the Blue Division by far, and they have already proved that! What in tarnation have you proved, Prep? Sure, as most people would say, you have worked just as hard as Carroll. But I don't say that! My prediction: Carroll 42, Prep 6 (Because you would miss a field goal, that's how bad you are, face it!)
        ---- Kevin "Dirty Billy" Lilly - Son of John - MALVERN 4 LIFE

"Prep-Who"? -- The old saying used to be "O-Who". Nothing personal against O'Hara, just one of the insults that an opposing team probably made up at a game and started chanting towards the fans. I'm sure that before tonight, Prep fans had no idea "Who" "O"[Hara] was. Well, if that question hasn't been answered by the Offense, Defense, and Special Teams of this phenomenal team tonight, then I
don't know how to answer it. With only two losses this season (Roman and St. Joe's Prep) O'Hara was standing pretty tall coming into tonight's game. With a thirst for revenge, they physically, and mentally outplayed their opponent. I'm not sure what it was exactly that cause O'Hara to come into the game and play at such a level that they could crush the Prep like this. Their coach must have given one hell of a pre-game talk, or maybe it was something in the water, or maybe it was just the fact that everyone wanted to see the Prep lose. If you take the time to read back over the other letters submitted to this site, and you try and rate the personality of the Prep students/players who wrote them, you might end up thinking that the Prep kids are a bunch of cocky punks who need to be put in their place. With all fairness throughout this whole war between all the schools who submitted letters to this site, I
think everyone is happy that Prep lost because now they can sit back and read through the letters again and laugh. And laugh again, and laugh even harder. I've never really been one to capitalize on another's losses, but hey, St. Joe's, you guys deserve it. Running your mouth has gotten you nowhere. I'm sure you'll still say you're the best and that this or that happened tonight and that you should have won or that you already beat O'Hara or something lame like that. I'm sure you won't accept the defeat, but for
the rest of my life I will always remember what happened tonight. And I'm not saying I'm a cruel person, but after all the trash you talked on everyone, all the provoking you did, I just can't help but to smile. Hope you guys enjoy it, you earned it. Best of luck next season, and maybe next season you
won't want to be so sure of yourselves.
---- Speaking for everyone

    The O'Hara Lions have done the unthinkable.  The mighty, mighty Prep has fallen. Now the question becomes, O'Hara-Carroll. This should have been the question all along.  O'Hara played the best High School Football game that I have ever seen.  Complete and dominant from start to finish.  A great finish to a great season for O'Hara.  Congratulations, boys.
        ---- anonymous

    All I have to say is one thing. O'Hara DESTROYED The Prep tonight! Now Carroll could easily beat O'Hara in any sport, such as ping pong, drag racing, motor boat fishing, etc., but especially football. And you know what that means!!! CARROLL WILL BEAT PREP!
        ---- anonymous, but I'm son of JOHN! (MALVERN PRIDE)

    Everybody was talkin' about Prep/Carroll. Everyone forgot about O'Hara. If you look at the season as a whole, Prep never really improved from the middle of the year whereas O'Hara, especially on defense, improved big time. Aww, so sorry, Prep fans, but I guess you wasted your chance of running on the field against La Salle in the regular season!
        ---- Dan Buckley, #80 La Salle

    Yo, "Dirty Billy" if we stink so bad, how do you explain a 12-1 season?  Yeah, we got beat in the game that counted but we still have the best record in the Red Division.  That Kevin Jones is incredible and they shoulda given him the plaque, not the school.  He played almost every second of the game. All you people say we ran our mouths for nothing, we did it for something, we are still the best.  You can't say O'Hara is better, maybe Kevin Jones is, but not O'Hara. We beat them earlier in the season.  So everyone can say what they want about Prep stinkin'. Just because they got beat in one game this season doesn't mean we aren't the best.
        ---- Prep Student

    Now that the seasons are over, I looked back on this website and read everything Prep has had to say.  Well, Prep, you have had your chance to be champions, and you lost, so please don't ever write  anything else on this website. (Ted's note: Write what you want. This guy is not my webmaster.)  Prep, you have proved you cannot when the big game, and Carroll can.  I've said it before and I'll say it again, the real game would be Carroll-O'Hara. Prep, stop bashing on Carroll. They proved they are
champions and you proved you are only second best in your league.  That little chant you guys had going at the game -- "We want Carroll." Well, Prep, you've got to beat O'Hara first.
        ---- Michael Eagle

    Hey, Kevin Lilly, you must be stupid. You mention Malvern pride. What's that? It doesn't exist. There are no Malvern football fans. Talk of things that are real when you write in.  Since this is still the Prep/Carroll debate, people should know that Prep would still roll on Carroll.  A loss to O'Hara only means they are better, too.  It is a shame, however, that all the talent you speak of went to waste this year by playing no good football teams.  Carroll may be undefeated, but but they defeated no one good.  You will go down in history as undefeated and Blue champs, but so what? That's as good as makin the playoffs in the real division (Red). THE HAWKS WILL NEVER DIE!  We may be cocky, but when you go to The Prep, you just are proud of what it is.  We're not punks. We're proud. You bet we will be back next year.  Thanks to all the players who played so hard and so well this year.  And to Dan Buckley, I can only laugh at you twice. Prep blew you out this year. Try to talk about La Salle instead of Prep. Ha, ha, ha. I hope you had a happy Thanksgiving.
        ---- dedicated prep fan

    I am not going to talk trash on the Prep football team, because if you think about it they never really acted cocky, they just won games.  But I will not hesitate to talk trash on all of the salty Prep fans who are stuck up and talk trash on everyone.  The Prep fans with all of their corny cheers and snotty attitudes inspired O'Hara to knock the ish out of the Prep on Friday.  I feel a little bit sorry for the players but to the fans: This should be a lesson to you.  You may be 12-1 or whatever, but you lost the most important game.   Carroll doesn't choke in big games.
        ---- anonymous

    Sure the Prep lost, and I'm not gonna say we already beat them or they got lucky, we just got outplayed.  Congratulations to O'Hara, they played a great game.  But this proves nothing between the Prep and Carroll.  Our losing to O'Hara does not make Carroll a better team.  We could still beat Carroll.  Our loss just proves something that I have been saying throughout this entire argument, that the Prep is not the only team that could beat Carroll.  I'm sure there will be tons of Carroll kids coming on this website saying, "The Prep lost, now we're definitely a better team."  False -- you should say, "The Prep lost, now O'Hara is also a better team than we are."
     ---- Prep '01

    Well, Dan Buckley, you're just hilarious.
        --- SJP 2003

    OK "Speaking for Everyone" -- So you say that Prep kids are a bunch of cocky punks who need to be put in their place, and you also say that everyone wanted to see the Prep lose. Do you think we care that people wanted us to lose? Why wouldn't you want an undefeated team to fall? It's a known fact
that practically no school in the Catholic League likes the Prep. But do you think we're that stupid to let that bother us? I think not. And you know what, when I look back at what every Prep kid has written into this site, I'm not gonna laugh because everything they have written is still true. So you just sit at home and accept that. And Dan Buckley, why don't you just cry ME a river because you couldn't beat The Prep at all the last two seasons. It's a shame you won't get another chance next year. Actually, it's not!
---- Me, another PREP KID
        P.S.  -- Hey, Kevin Lilly you sit there and talk about "Malvern Pride" probably because you're just a little upset you'll never experience PREP PRIDE. Well it's too bad this "Malvern Pride" doesn't even exist, buddy.

    Malvern Pride? Gimme a break!
---- Prep student
(Ted's note: Ah, a nice, short note. Know what I saw last week? A license plate that spelled SIX words with seven letters. Here it is: ICUUCME. Cool, eh?)

    About the Prep-O'Hara game.  I think it was simply great coaching for throwing on first down. Who would have thought?  But you can't knock Brooks for stacking up against the run. If he didn't, either Watson -- he's just as good as Jones and would start for any other team in the league (Ted's note: He starts for O'Hara) -- or Jones would run 60 yards for a score. We can't go around saying one team is better than another, because Prep and O'Hara beat each other once, it just so happened to be the Championship
that O'Hara beat the Prep, and they never played or will play Carroll.  They should do away with the realignment just like they should do away with the BCS. Teams are ranked ahead of each other and they have never played.  It should be decided on the field.
        ---- 1999 Prep JV Most Improved Football Player

    Yeah, that's right, Mike Eagle, you're not the webmaster. Because Prep lost to O'Hara does not mean Prep wouldn't beat Carroll. You have to see that, Mike Eagle. If you do look back on this board, you will also see that there were cocky Carroll fans as well, so don't go saying Prep kids are all cocky punks. There are others that run their mouths, too. But this was fun. This website was fun this year. I hope there will be something like this next year to make the rivalries more heated and show that Prep is the best. Special thanks to Ted Silary for puttin' it up. (Ted's note: Special your welcomes.) GO PREP!
        ---- anonymous

    Just too bad Prep didn't beat O'Hara. Tough luck. Why don't we turn the debate into Carroll-O'Hara?
        ---- anonymous

    Look who Prep has back for next year: connors, mailey, tucci, gianguilio, gallagher, lachman, chromiak, chaiken, mair, minetti, hepp, kaiser and ambrogi. 13 starters back. That's a lot of experienced talent coming back. The top performers from the other teams are gone -- weidenmiller, jones, barksdale, lomas, mccourt, paxson, marabella, parfitt. Of course, other teams like bonner, judge, and ryan are going to have tough teams, but Prep has the best and most solid players coming back. McGann's gone, but gallagher showed what he could do in the ryan game. Prep will have a different type of team but a better team that will be hungry for a championship. (Ted's note: I didn't feel like capitalizing all these names. I'm too tired.)
        ---- anonymous

    Well, first I would like to say to the O'Hara players: Congratulations, you guys played an awesome game. I think you really deserved it, you came out and wanted it more then us. I have a lot of respect for Mike Lomas and Ryan Barksdale for saying the things they did about out players. I know others would have just bragged about winning. Both of you played great. But i do want to say that all the trash talking and and other unnecessary BS came from other people and not the players. I think we all learned a lesson in this by not judging things before the outcome. All the chants are kinda harsh and do sound very cocky, but that is just the way it's come off to people who aren't in our school. I think our fans are great, that's why we got voted the best fans in the Philadelphia area. They are grreat and I thank them for their support. Even though I feel we are the better team, everything that I say doesn't mean anything cause you are the ones that came away victorious. You have a great coach, who prepared well for the game. You did things we haven't seen before. And for all those Carroll people: next year. We have offered the first two weeks, so go ahead and pick one. And I dont know how you can call us cocky, when you guys talk as much smack as us. How can you be proud of a 13-0 year when you play teams with a combined record of 37-44? (Ted, you can check if  you want.) I saw the game on TV. I know you have a good team, but then how can you talk about wanting to play us and talk about how bad we are, and you are team that turned us down? I don't get it, so someone explain this to me. And I have no doubt in my mind that Prep and O'Hara would beat Carroll. All they have is a great run game, and good defense. Prep and O'Hara both have good defenses against the run. Prep shut down Jones to 80 yards. I know that Mattaway and those other dudes are really good, but Jones is at the top. Last, I want to say that Ted Silary is the Man, and this is to his girlfriend: You should give him lots of love for puttin' up with all this nonsense.
        ---- E.S. Next year, Carroll

    OK, first of all, this is no disrespect to the Prep players. O'Hara respects you. But, your football fans are incompetent. Let's think about it, for the person who wrote about whose stats were better -- maybe they were, but our D shut you down, you didn't get in the end zone enough to win the game. And for the other idiot who said your record is still better, you lost the game that counted most ......THE CHAMPIONSHIP! All the trash talking should cease now, because we proved who the real champions are! Prep fans, you didn't put up, so shut up!
        ---- O'Hara Player (Ted's note: And a good one, too.)

    First off, I want to say congrats to all the O'Hara PLAYERS. They truly just outplayed The Prep, and played that way when it counted, in the championship game. Though it stinks for The Prep, I was deeply hurt by the loss, and it is tough to say, but O'Hara played like they deserved that plaque more than we did. But now to all you O'Hara knuckleheads, who don't play football and call  yourself   "fans": We at The Prep are true fans. Nearly half of our student section has never missed a game all year, but you O'Hara kids are nothing more than frontrunners. Most of you, and I know from asking MANY kids, went to MAX three or four games ALL year (That's as many as I went to) and now you're trying to tell US, "the most dedicated fans in the Catholic League," that you are better than us. Yeah, "your" team proved they were better on the feild, and they were, but NO team has better, more dedicated fans than us. So, either get up off your butts at Pat's Pizzera, Alberto's (or whatever that pizza spot is called in "MO-TOWN"), Aronimink, and all the selected gas stations around DELCO, most namely the one in Clifton, and come to game every once in a while!!! Until you decide to do that, SHUT UP!!!!! That is, unless you are a player. I would like you guys to shut up, too, but as it is now, I can't tell you to do that.
        ---- Anthony Mattero '02

    That's right Anthony Mattero, you can't tell the champs to shut up.  I agree, our fans were not as enthusiastic about our football season as some of your fans.  But let me explain that the night of the championship game, our school play had a show.  So that is a good majority of our fan base.  Also, our band had to perform at the play also. That will explain the lack of fan support at the championship, although I think our parents and the students who did come did great.  But anyway, now that you guys lost the game, you are trying to outdo us in other areas.....If you guys want to be known as the best (most annoying) fans in the league, fine, you got it.  But WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS, and that's all that really counts.  Maybe if your fans didn't talk so much trash, then we wouldn't have been as fired up and blown you out.  You guys can say anything you want, but that isn't gonna take the championship away from us.
       ---- One of O'Hara's Fearsome Foursome, Red Division Champs 2000

    Anthony Mattero -- this is about talented football teams, not fans.  No one cares who has talented fans.  And don't knock Pat's Pizzeria. It is the chill spot.
        ---- anonymous

  I have one and only one thing to say to Carroll: I am a football player from The Prep. I challenge you all to a game the week after football camp to open the season. Please be men and reply.
        ---- anonymous

    To "anonymous," who so bravely challenged Carroll to a game. Please be a man and sign your name.
        ---- Ward Williams, Carroll '01