beegdawg

I know of it happening. And I am NOT going to violate board rules by naming names...but the 'people in power' happen to be the persons responsible for hiring and firing coaches (inside the school system)..they have been known to bend to the will of people within the community with the so-called power to make their lives tough. (If you do not know they exist there, then you are at the very least extremely naive.) And frankly, you have very little right to be tired of anything after coming off with starting this obnoxious thread in the first place. What is YOUR motivation...besides stirring the pot even more?? Again....you folks quit meddling with the program before you get to the point that you cannot hire anyone who is off of all fours!!!!!

It would be nice to think that he would be allowed to do that; but if precedent is followed, the coach will be stopped by someone in power there. Hate to say it; but the coach probably needs to realize that he is spinning his wheels there and get out before they get him out. And again, all this public turmoil serves to advertise the situation there to other prospective coaches.....

My friend, you nailed it on the head. The kids learn from the parents...no wonder the cycle never breaks on the hill. And the sad thing is about it...this hurts the kids. Badly. I have seen from the inside how the kids are torn apart due to these manufactured parental controversies...and it sours them on anything positive at that age. Most of them would like to tell the older ones to shut their pathetic little mouths and leave their coaches alone (if they haven't been ruined by their parents and already turned into part of the problem...which is even more tragic.) Quite frankly, the rabble-rousers up there are nothing but selfish little trolls. Shame on them. Oh, and by the way, it is just not the kids who read this garbage. I can hear potential future coaches running as far away from Macon as possible...

You know what, lady? People like YOU will be the reason why coaches with any knowledge of the situation up there will avoid Macon County like the plague. NO ONE wants to bust their tails trying to teach kids only to have their work undermined by a bunch of juvenile adults backstabbing, second-guessing, and rabble-rousing all the time. It makes their jobs darned-near impossible...and I have seen this for god-knows how long in that county. This behaviour by you and your like disgusts me thrououghly. /mad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":angry:" border="0" alt="mad.gif" />

I'll let CoachT determine whether you are a troll or flamebaiter...posts have been reported. Geezzz...

Sounds like from some of the other threads on here (and the brand new 'posters') we have a TROLL trying to flame LA. They need to pull their panties up and SHUT UP.

Especially after ya'll guys cooked them! Over a blue flame, of course...

Haskins had some issues over the way the bb coach dealt with the players...and apparently wanted to have him removed for this. Word got out over this; and the superintendent clarified the situation. He was quoted: 'I make the hires and fires, not the principal.' Haskins (the new principal) apparently wes under investigation (am not privy to details); was put on administrative leave at the start of the month; and resigned about 3 days ago. That's all I know at this moment.

There were a LOT of seniors on the '05 championship team; and combined with all the mess from last year it is taking a bit to recover. LA also plays one of the toughest schedules in the state. We'll see if Grant Swallows can continue to bring the program around. Is the controversy over the principal having any effect over the team? (I do not know the details of the resignation of Haskins; but he did create a stir over the boys' basketball coach when he tried to unilaterally fire him when he took the principalship this summer...and was overruled by the Super.)

The school board HAS been part of the problem, though. They are receptive to the controversies (and are at times actually involved directly in them) and are at times as split as the community is. I also feel for the coach's wives as well. With the passion that is felt at times on the hill I am not too sure you could even feel safe...remember, this is a place where about 20 years ago a vice-principal was nearly beat to DEATH, at school, by some out-of-control parents who felt the school was asking too much out of their kids. Not a conducive atmosphere for learning...

There are some places where this activity is part of the culture of the community, however. It is allowed by the administration (where in many cases there is also a lot of political back-stabbing in the community overall); there are two or more diverse societal groups that have issues with each other (and want things done diametrically different from the other); and sometimes the way these so-called controversies are handled allow for things to consistently blow up. I do agree with you about how it should be handled, but I can tell you from my knowledge of the community it is not the way they do things there. Thus the instability of the program at this time (and it is NOT thte first time this has happened here...)

You know, the thing about this mess is it is being advertised all over this website; therefore, any potential future coach can easily see what is going on here and make up their mind's whether they want to subject themselves to these cauldrons of controversy. Don't think that they do not look here...and that they do not form opinions based on what is being said by fans, parents, onlookers, and observers (informed, casual, or otherwise). This does not look good on Macon County.

I seen it firsthand when I was there several years ago. It is rampant in that community. There are groups of parents and powerbrokers (imagined and otherwise) who want to run things there; and most of the time they are factionalized between town and country...and this makes for an almost impossible situation. And it tends to ruin almost everything there. So yes, I know. And somehow I am not surprised. And it is not a place I would recommend for anyone to coach.

I know the area from several years back; and yes, they have got a LOT of meddling parents and townsfolk in that county. And it is so factioned that if you please one faction, you tick off the other. That is the reason why they cannot sustain success...anyone who knows what they are doing will eventually cross someone; or they will get smart and flee. Sad for the kids; but they can blame the parents for this.

Let's add to that an invite to the prestigeous (and nationally select) Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic as an honored performance group (only 10 HS bands a year get this invite)...and the Sudler Trophy for Excellence (recognizing one of the best concert bands in the nation) within the last 24 months. There is only one other band in Tennessee that I can recall receiving even one of these honors.

Actually, you do not have a clue. The competitive bands I work for DO strech, work out and run before they even start practice; there have been collisions and injuries in high-velocity drill moves (including broken bones and concussions..); and in many sections (especially percussion and guard) there are conditioning sessions that are so hard-core that it would make most athletes collapse. I guarantee that most people could NOT make it through those sessions. So I would be very careful Hoglover. The only thing you have proven in your flame is your teenage ignorance. I would suggest you spend your time in the books and not on the boards.

I think they saw it Saturday. Let the results speak for themselves...

I have to respond to this...please note that I was involved in both football and band in HS; and am actively involved in the band activity at the top level...as well as an avid sports fan. Marching band is an art with a heavy physical component that has been proven to match the exertion level of world-class sprinters. At the top levels of the band and drum corps activity the amount of physical activity matches the best of collegiate and pro athletes..and they do not bend over and scratch, spit, and pant after each show. (The study quoted is from Indiana University's SPORTS MEDICINE department.) You have to be in shape in order to perform the top-end contemporary shows in the better groups; and the practice schedule is more daunting than most sports' groups...and they also perform Saturdays as well as Fridays. Indeed...I have seen football coaches actively recruit band members for their teams...for their conditioning and attitude. I take that as a compliment, not competition. As there is a certain amount of art in sports (and how many times have you heard of pro athletes taking BALLET to help their footwork?..A lot...) as there is a lot of sport in today's marching music groups. Having said that; in Texas the UIL (who is the similar component of TSSAA in TX) also sanctions the marching band activity in TX...with mixed results, grant you. For this reason I would not want band to be considered a sport. As messed-up as TSSAA is here; the last thing that needs to happen is for them to have anything to do with band. (And I have personally known both the present and the previous directors of the TSSAA..not a reflection on them.) In short, it is apples and oranges...with a tad bit of cross-pollenization...

You might be interested to see the Friday Tennessean HS Stadium article...the Greenies has one of the Top-10 stadium atmospheres according to them...and is bound to get better when the new stadium gets seasoned with the full houses sure to come in the following weeks. Congrats...

It is a fact of life..if you play HS football you do have a certain amount of public visibility...and someone who is not smart enough to stay away from illicit drugs (even after being given a final chance as it seems he had) has put themselves into a position of visibility...and scrutiny. Coach Rankin had it right...he should NEVER be allowed to play at Alcoa, ever again. And any university that would offer this person a scholarship is being incredibly foolish, to say the least. I know it is a hard thing to say these things; but there are too many kids who stay away from these bad influences and walk the straight and narrow to give too many chances to someone who cannot respect the chance he was given. 16-17 year olds are way too smart in this day and age to attribute this to youth. This was just plain illegal behavior. And the best thing to happen to him was to have his hand called. It could save his life on down the road.

This is very saddening. My prayers go up to the two young men, their grieving families and friends.

Are they going to have the other side of Sam Davis Park repaired before this game...or is it out for the season?

Granted, Stone had a BIG win in their first outing...but Cumberland Co. is not in the same league as the District of Doom. This will be a reality check for Stone..take it like men and use the lessons for the future. Knox Catholic by quite a bit.

Neither is band something anyone can do. (Actually, football is basically easier...you throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit (run with the) ball. Just physical activity refined to a single sport. $1 to Kevin Costner/Crash Davis) And size does not matter when it comes to scholarships...you still have to excel. And do not forget that at most major colleges (UT is a prime example) the athletic dept. does hand out scholarships for the marching band...but the band DIRECTOR makes the decisions as to who gets them. Plus there are other scholarships that are not connected to the football bands at the university level. BUT...the college marching band is SOLELY for the purpose of adding to an athletic event..with some other usages. HS groups are actually academic groups with the large extracurricular component. And insofar as Tullahoma goes, that group is one of the top groups in the Southeast...not just the Midstate. So they get scholarships on merit, not just on a universities' needs. PS...I have done both football and band...at the same time. So I know. Not guessing...or being 'told' as you put it.

KEV-O...time to give you some facts...I don't expect you to listen, but others can compare this to your flamebait; and can make up their own minds... Someone tell Dennis Green (NFL coach) that there is no athletic ability at play with marching...he would laugh at you (if not call you some names I will not use here..). He is a big fan of a DCI corps based in Arizona and has watched practices of this group. (HS bands are very similar in performance demands these days.) He compares the members to professional athletes in cardiovascular health and ability. Bobby Knight took his IU team over to another practice of one of these groups as a demonstration of how TO practice...and how physical it truly is. He is also a big fan. There are many more in professional sports who are fans. Indiana University did a study of one of these 'band' athletes during a 10-minute run of their show...the demands on the body are similar to a world-class sprinter...except when they stop, they cannot scratch. These kids are outside...starting in late June (much earlier than football teams...and the guard is usually practicing earlier than that) for longer hours than the football team; many of the competitive groups do running and PT; and not only do football games; but a 10-week contest schedule on Saturdays (after the long Friday nights) doing sometimes 3 shows each day (to PACKED stadiums...); plus parades, community events, and other performances...and that is in the fall. (A lot more activity than football...) Bands do NOT have an off-season...they just have different phases. Also...after a 1+ mile jog, try to assume the attention position and control YOUR body absolutely still. Do not scratch or even turn your head. THAT is what is required of a marching member of the modern band...AND they have to use air to play an instrument at a level expected of a sit-down concert group..all under complete control. I have seen athletes also do competitive band...and they say the training is MUCH harder than football, basketball, or soccer. TO A PERSON. I had a coach of a recent state-championship football team tell me he wished his football team worked as hard as the band did. Oh, and on the 3rd qtr break...get over it. The band had practice in the afternoon; played a pep rally; and had been busy with pregame festivities...so they need that break. (Remember, they did NOT have half-time off...) And usually the band members know as much about football as the best fan...remember, they see more games in 4 years that anyone else except the players themselves. And most directors will teach the band about the rules, so they will know how to react and when to prepare to play. I do not expect this to change your mind...you seem to have your own agenda, as small-minded as it is. This is just for the record, in the case you may be inclined to grow in your understanding of this small corner of the world. (BTW; I did both football and band, too. So I DO know.)