Central figures to have a “Puncher’s Chance” when North rolls into Morton’s Gap
On paper, it doesn’t look likely Central emerges from Friday night’s game 3-0 when Madisonville North-Hopkins rolls into town. However, games aren’t played on paper. Central has some “big, heavy hitters” on the roster primed for this opportunity. You know what they say about Punchers.
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, KPGFootball
There is a phenomenon in boxing called the “Puncher’s Chance.” Puncher’s Chance is an idiom which indicates the improbable. In boxing, it refers to a boxer who is outmatched still having the ability to prevail if he can land one or two clean, heavy punches.
There is another moment, this one in cinematic history, which just as lucidly clarifies the phenomenon. The movie was entitled, “Dumb and Dumber” and starred Jim Carey as Lloyd Christmas.
In the movie, Lloyd falls for a woman named Mary Swanson who was hopelessly out of Lloyd’s league. Besides that, she was married and she had married very well and lucratively.
As the story goes, Lloyd talks himself up into “going for broke.” He asks Mary, “What do you think the chances are of a guy like you and a girl like me ending up together?” Obviously, for comedic effect, he flubbed the gender situation then existing but we digress.
Mary responds, “Not good.”
Lloyd: “You mean, not good like one out of a hundred?”
Mary: “I’d say more like one out of a million.”
Lloyd pauses an inordinate amount of time as if he is internalizing the information. Then he responds, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance.”
The comedy there appears readily apparent. There’s a chance, albeit one in a million, but there’s still a chance is an exceedingly optimistic way to view what he had just been told. It is what endears the character to the viewer.
In spite of incredibly long odds, Lloyd chooses to believe there is still a chance. God love him.
The computer algorithm believes North has a 90% chance of invading Morton’s Gap and escaping with a victory
Calpreps.com
There is a database which gives the odds in any high school football matchup across the country. It is somewhat an indicator. It is far from perfect.
It is called the Calpreps.com algorithm. We use it at KPGFootball as part of our tools to pick winners each week.
We have a pretty good track record. We are far from infallible.
The computer algorithm believes North has a 90% chance of invading Morton’s Gap and escaping with a victory which would run its record to 2-1, the same record the Storm would have should that occur. We would note it is a vastly superior chance than Lloyd Christmas has of ending up romantically involved with Mary Swanson.
Christmas would be unbelievably psyched about those chances. Perhaps Central fans should feel likewise.
If you are looking for a talent differential reminiscent of the “old days” in this rivalry, you will be disappointed. Central has the talent on its roster to win this game. We remember a day at KPGFootball when not a single starter on Central’s depth chart would have been on North’s varsity roster. Some of you reading this remember this too.
That isn’t true any longer. There are many starters, in all three phases, North would LOVE to pluck off of Central’s roster.
Basically, the smart money is probably still betting on North winning Friday night. If my life depended on it, that would be how I might play it.
…there are some big hitters on that Central roster…
Fletcher Long, Senior Sports Writer, KPGFootball
However, there are some big hitters on that Central roster. They have some heavy punchers. If Central can minimize mistakes and put together a strong effort with few penalties and no turnovers, they have a “Puncher’s Chance” in this match up to emerge 3-0.
“So you’re telling me there’s a chance.” Yeah Lloyd, shoot your shot, buddy. There’s quite a chance!
This is Fletcher W. Long, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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