Law&Order

Well, they are there, but one might say they are a Cinderella team. The regular season does not figure into making the post season. As long as you win the right games during the district, region, and sectional, which they did, then you make the big show. Those wins might be the upsets. As far as a tough non-district schedule, I would classify it the other direction for the most part. Strengths: Luck, and a couple of good pictchers. Weaknesses: Team split due to coaching change, young kids, lots of controversey on the team.

I pretty much agree with this assessment except maybe a bigger spread on the points. Bartlett has their own issues, but I'm betting they will be tuned up just right to make another run at the championship. /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

I agree. Clayton is definately a stud pitcher, and has been since he started winning high school games by throwing in the high eighties.....in the eighth grade. As I understand it, his granddaddy, daddy, older brother, younger brother, and even his mama are all accomplished pitchers. The sweet thing about Clayton Gant is he has a pitcher's mentality, and he owns the mound when he steps on it. Bartlett's team is awesome, and well respected, but don't shake off that loss as just having a bad night. Clayton has been making bad days and nights for lots of folks for several years. I hate to see him graduate but I do look forward to hearing about his pitching up on the hill in Knoxville next year. USJ to SEC. Sort of has a nice ring to it. /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" /> And as a prediction for next week, USJ has a very young, yet strong team and is my pick for State champion 2A! Go Dyer & Co!

You are exactly correct 1historian! That realestate guy spouting off the coach was not rehired due to a disgruntled parent is way off. Give the education administrators the benefit of the doubt everybody. If they didn't rehire every time a parent was upset, there would be no teachers/coaches left in the school system. There are other concerns that are much much more serious than an unhappy parent. There is no need to publish them here. That would only serve to hurt the coach. They need to finish the season and part ways. By the way, I don't have a kid on that team, and didn't know there was a problem until after the decision was made to not rehire him.

Whoa there, me and my counterparts didn't do anything but respond to this message on Coach T, so I am sleeping just fine. I just wanted to remind you that the kids did the playing in my earlier post. You keep posting all over this board how great he is, but somehow Ripley baseball managed to be plenty respectable before he came along, so all the success of winning a couple of post season games can't all be atributted to just him. It takes a team to win and it takes a team to lose. This is high school baseball, and the coaches and umps should be in the background.

You keep sticking Coach M in the spotlight, but you know he was not rehired for next year. Yes, Ripley won two of the right games, but if you credit the wins with great coaching, then you must credit the upcoming losses with poor coaching. The truth is that it takes much more than winning to make a great coach. Treat all the kids with the same respect. Lead by example. Baseball is a team sport, and those wins lately are due to the kids making the right plays along with the coaching staff. Win as a team or lose as a team.

It's o.k. to berate players, but be consistant and berate all of them the same. Don't play favorites with a few choosen ones that come over to the house for burgers and video games, and then be rough on the other kids that were not invited. Good, bad, indifferent, just be consistant. /blink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" /> That guy in the past that hooped and hollered had a lot of show, that's for sure. But, he was not bashfull about who he hollered at. Messer is a young fellow and he will rebound out of this little rift. Unfortunatley, the kids on that baseball team have to deal with conflicting issues right at post season time. It is going to be rough to go very far with a divided team. Good luck tigers! /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

Lexington has a good ball club, but ya gotta give SS their due, the "W" is what goes in the books. Oh yeah, the bragging that started in preseason just gives people some ammo to take a shot at your team, Lexington. Let your play on the field do the talking. That's all that really matters. /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

Does Lexington play USJ this year? That ought to be a good matchup to be played every year, IMO. Good look Lexington.

I am more familiar with West Tennessee Baseball, so I have to say USJ is a good representative, and will show very well. I only saw GoodP. once this year, and that was against USJ. Despite what some people have eluded too, USJ controlled and dominated the game through the fifth inning, when it was painfully obvious a pitching change needed to be made. The coach was working to a master plan, that in hindsight, was brilliant. He could have made a change and won the game, no doubt. However, he allowed the freshman pitcher to feel the pressure, it's part of maturing as a pitcher. It cost them the game, but what most folks don't know, is the need to use 8 pitchers in the next 10 days. Yes, USJ lost that game , but they prepared a depth of winning pitching that has them in awesome shape for today. It's all about what are your long term goals. Win the battle or the war. USJ is going to win the war. 2nd item. GP has an awesome team, but tone the girls softball chanting down a little. It's too similar to Gibbs. /tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":P" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" />

Now that's funny, I don't care who you are. /laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" /> No harm done PMan, have fun today. See ya! /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Page, if you are going to poke the dog , don't whine when he snaps at you. You keep poking comments at the USJ group trying to get something going, and then acting insulted when they respond back. Quit insulting them about their statistics, their coach, their tuition, their kids, etc... Chill out and I'm sure they will as well. Surely we can talk baseball without name calling. /biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> I'm not sure about Jose, but I'll buy you a Diet Coke when I get there. Although I will be late. /cool.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="B)" border="0" alt="cool.gif" />

It's hard to fault a team for their schedule strength ranking due to many things beyond your control when the schedule was set. For example, Coach T's formula considers the win/loss of the opponents. USJ's schedule strength is 32nd, while MC is 72. The strength + success for USJ is 2nd, versus MC's 32nd. Heck, if we went by these formulas, there would be no need to play the game, or for me and you to banter back an forth. No fun in that. /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> Normally, on most teams, I might agree youth can often bring inexperience. However, the freshman on the team are no liability. One is 6'2" 225lb 15 year old that has hit around 15 homers and accurately throws in the high 80's. Arguably, one of the best players in the state. Another freshman has hit several homers, and almost pitched a perfect game against one of the better teams in west Tn. One of the sophomores has a 10:0 pitching record, and another has multiple homers and awesome defensive plays. Those boys have earned their spots and can hold their own. Win, lose, or draw, I think you will recogonize the quality these young players represent. It ought to be fun game. Good luck, see ya Tuesday.

PageMan, you can quit wondering. I assure you the University School of Jackson is indeed the real deal, and no, their schedule was not weak. It was just the opposite, one of the hardest in the state, that's how they prepare for this tournament. MC has some good competition for Tuesday. Good luck and be prepared.

Get used to sitting on the couch, because with an attitude like that you are a true loser,and that's where you will stay. Learn some sportsmanship, and respect for the kids out there putting out 100% effort to get some success.