wtnoff

Here's wishing for a good week of practice for the Patriots. Good luck Friday!!

I've had the opportunity to work with all of these men at one time of the year or another. Our biggest problem in Memphis is that over the last three years we have had so many of our good veteran officials retire. We have a large number of young officials and generally during the year, assignments are made with two veterans, and three of the younger officials. During this time of the year the association looks to its veterans and those who have consistenly been rated high by our supervisors to handle playoff games and the "big" games during the regular season. As I said earlier, we want to be "taken out of play, and have the outcome decided by the performance of the participants.

Sorry, I forgot the reason for posting today. Wanted to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving and extend best wishes and good luck to the Pats this weekend. You've represented your region well. Play hard and good luck!

Well Duh...excuse you!! You said that no one that is not certified is qualified to coach. Here you explain that he is about to be certified (so does close count?). Explain one thing to me. Since Matthews has been coaching the defense at Melrose for years and they have been exceptional throughout all that time period, does that mean that they just got lucky, or rather, that regardless of certification or not, Matthews has done an outstanding job. Also, another tip...Next time there is a coaching change at Melrose, look for Matthews to take the reins. He'll do an exceptional job, even with so little time as a certified teacher. To quote my man, Charlie Brown....GOOD GRIEF!!!

A couple of other thoughts. Friday the weather forecast is for a high around 48 and at game time the temp should be around 38-40. Even though rain is not forecast, (It poured today) the field will be hard pressed not to have some moisture on it. If you stop and think about it, what type of weather do you generally find in the playoffs and particularly as you continue to go deeper each week into Nov. Generally, the weather can be described with two words, and that's cold and wet. What are some of the thoughts about how the weather will affect both teams-WS throwing and catching and Millington's run game. Is there any advantage to either team? If you look at past history, you find teams that run the ball generally are the ones playing in the semi's and finals.

Strange you should say that a coach that is not certified is not qualified to coach and yet you give kudos to Coach Matthews. WELL...NEWS FLASH...Matthews is not certified either!! The principal had promised Reginald the job, but it ended up going to Coach Alexander because he did not have his "paperwork!" He's handled the Melrose D for years and was there with Ingram too. (And in case it needs restating..The Melrose Defense is AWESOME!)

Just another comment on the "toughest coaching job in the state." I remember Coach Ingram talking at a clinic about the letters he received when he lost 7-6 to Maryville in the finals about "the disgrace he was to Orange Mound!" Also, when Coach Flowers lost in the Finals, 5000 people stood and booed when he went to receive the Coaches Runnerup Plaque. Unless you are familiar with the "Melrose Experience" you can't have any idea about the pressure that surrounds you as the "Coach of the Golden Wildcats!!!"

You can't be serious!! Gunfire bother guys from Orange Mound!

Don't ever consider becoming a bookmaker!!

Good observation on Major Wright. May be the most solid coach in Memphis. Again, W. Station will strike often and quick against Millington. Porous secondary will be Millington's downfall with them playing catchup all night. Wing t is not your catch-up offense. Congrats however to both teams for GREAT YEARS!!!

Sad state of affairs! Unfortunately, I have to agree with you. Looks like the continutation of schools "on the list" and the proliferation of the private schools.

Look for W.Station to be able to throw the ball against Millington. One thing that stands out is the sophisticated passing game of the Spartans. Millington all year has lived in a cover three regardless of the offensive sets thrown at them. Backs and receivers isolated on LBS gives a mismatch advantage to the offense and look for W. Station to take advantage of this fact. Also, look for W. Station to be successful trapping the Millington defense. This will come often and provide great results with W. Stations offset FB and I expect the couter trap to be a huge play for the Spartans! The only question in my mind is will the Spartans be able to slow down a dynamic and powerful Trojan offense. If Millington doesn't slow themselves down with turnovers, this could go down to the last possession. Expect a great game with the coaching decisions playing a huge part of this one. Prediction...W. Station 33 - Millington 24. JMO

Yep! The inside LB that is going to Miami reinjured his knee and will be out. Also the starting DE will be out with a knee. Huge losses for a tough Melrose defense. A significant dropoff between these two starters and their replacements. However, the D is still awfully good! Question is now, can Melrose come up with any type of effective offense against a solid Henry D. Look for Melrose to spread the field and put the ball in the air a little more than usual. If they are not effective this should play into Henry's hand and allow the run game of the Pats to not only control the clock but also field position. Early prediction...Henry Co 38-Melrose 12.

Understand the principal is trying to figure out a way to clean house again! The problem he's presented with is the fact that earlier, after firing the staff, and having to reinstate them (Board's instruction) is can he get away with cleaning house now that the seson is completed. My understanding is he is "weighing " his options and if there is any way possible, (and he is an individual that wants "his way") he will dump the coaching staff again. This is the word. My goodness, what a mess he has created!

Heard some rumblings. Anyone hear anything "concrete?"

I do think that Fairley is not quite as good defensively as they've been the past two years. As far as the Melrose-Kingsbury game is concerned, don't look for a repeat from Kingsbury. Melrose is playing better now than they have all year, partly due to the fact that several key injuries have healed and they are at full strength. No way will there be a repeat performance by the running back as he's had over the last two weeks. (over 800 yds). Look for Melrose to limit Kingsbury to 7 points or less and their total rushing to less than 120. Melrose's defense will dominate and control field position. Look for a score somewhere around 28-7 (Melrose)

Give us some specific information. What classification, location, history over the past say 10 years, community support, pay schedules, etc.

Another opinion coming your way. Yes Fairley is a pretty good football team..above average quickness with decent size. Kicking game is fair only. Defense at times is porous. Fairley is prone to turn the ball over 2-3 times per week. Looking at film, Fairley is very predictable. (ex. check depth of tb to decipher run or pass coming) Tend to be formation oriented also. Do not think that Fairley will be able to stay with Henry. Looking for a score somewhere around 31-14. Melrose will come calling the following week and this is where the excitement will begin. Unbelievable quickness on defense. Injured players are all back now for the first time in weeks and what a difference it has made. (Ask JNS about trying to run on these guys). What will make this quarter-final interesting will be the dynamic defense that Melrose will put on the field against the Henry offense that can pound it with Allen or finess you with the dart/spear game. Field position and mistakes will determine the outcome of this one. Now...Make no mistake. Henry must prepare well for Fairley but in the end the only bulldogs that will be happy this Friday will be those in the Gaddis household. Take care of business this week, and the fun will truly begin the following week. Congratulations to Henry on their Region Championship, and their tremendous play this year. Carry the Region 7 banner high and proud and best of luck throughout the coming weeks!!

The Melrose vs East games that you recall are now a thing of the past!! I had the opportunity to call 3 of these games over a 5 year period when both teams were in their prime. The atmosphere was unbelievable!! The two schools got together and changed the games to Saturdays and what you found was this was usually the only game in town. What crowds!! One year at the Fairgrounds, the stadium was completely filled with an overflow onto the track and eventually onto the field. It became necessary for the police to string yellow crime scene tape around the end lines so that fans behing the goalposts would not spill onto the field. Fans would line the fence along Central Avenue, and peer from high above the hills immediately below Redbirds Stadium. Tailgaiting and partying was at a premium. Fans at both schools would enjoy parades, bands, dance teams, DJS and their music, and a favorite beverage!! Smoke would linger over the stadium from the barbequing and taunts and jeers from the various fans would reverberate throughout the stadium. Melrose would arrive with a police escort with the sirens wide open and their band would lead them into the stadium. What a spectacle and generally the ballgames were exciting and hard fought. When the game was played at the MOUND, fans and opponents would first hear the sound of the Melrose band leading the football team down Park Av. to the stands. Homeowners would stand on their front porches and cheer the team as they passed. NO...These days are over!! And what a pity...This type of school and fan rivalry made high school football exciting. Although Melrose continues to have a solid program, with East falling out of the competetive scene, fewer and fewer programs are able to step up and present the challenge that East and Trezevant used to bring! I have fond memories of those days and it is regrettable that a great tradition of the Saturday confrontation between the two schools is gone!

I can remember when Kenny Ingram received a letter saying he was an "embarrasment" to the Orange Mound community when he went 13-1 and was beaten in the semi-finals. I witnessed Coach Flowers go to the State Finals and when they lost to Maryville, he was booed by thousands of Melrose fans when he went to accept the runner-up coaches award. Have things changed? Who knows!!!

The only problem you have is the complacency of the players in a mismatch such as this. The responsibility of getting your players ready lies with the coaches and I'm sure the Henry staff will make sure this doesn't happen. As I said, this will be over almost before it starts!

Obviously you still have to prepare to play, no matter who the opponent is. But as far as sweating bullets on this game, I can't think of a better way of putting it than what my man Charlie Brown would say and that is "Good Grief!"

No question about it. Certainly there are schools that take advantage of the open enrollment policy. For years, White Station ruled the city in basketball along with East. Kids came there wanting to play for coaches that had won state championships and won on a consistent basis. Include Raleigh-Egypt in that same scenario in roundball. In football, Melrose, East, along with several others were obvious choices. Both programs had won on a consistent basis, recruiters lived at the schools, you saw these teams on the news, and in all the media outlets, and droves of kids were signing scholarships. Several private schools, particularly CBHS began realizing the awesome talent in the city and has for years recruited a number of the best young players in the city. The ability to give a certain number of scholarships has been a huge plus. "Come play for us, get the exposure a winning program will give you, etc" Look at the improvement in the "Brothers" program with the addition of running backs from the city's middle schools and jr. highs. The really good athletes want the chance to win and also want the individual exposure they can receive at such programs. It finally gets to the point that if a program wins(no matter what the sport) athletes that are driven in that direction, will seek the school out rather than the coaches seeking the players out. People want to win...They will go to where they can win.