NETFan

I know there are some players listed that are not the best or even proven to be good. I said D1 ability. That is clearly defined as the best. In today's world, the player who is in the best in TN will be found no matter where he lives. So that does not fly. The player who is in the best and can't make ACT scores will still be found by someone. It just blows my mind that the question is who are the best and guys are giving 5 players from one team that will not make the state. If you have five players from one team that are the best in TN, they should win the state. I'm just saying this thread has become a joke. If you want to start a thread that says good kids, or kids that will play varsity, or something that is fine. But don't have a thread that says best 2011 and list 50 kids. Many of these guys listed have never played varsity. If they are that good, I don't care what school in TN they are from they would have played last year as a sophomore. Let's change the title to 2011 ball players in TN.

I disagree this is the best of 2011. There is no way these are the best. there are pitchers named that don't throw 85 mph and players that have never started a varsity game. The best means those who will go D1 in 2 years. The best is not a list of 2011 players.

Daniel Norris is by far the best of the 2011 class. Perfect Game has him rated as the #1 player in the United States for the 2011 class. He hit 94 and some say 96 this summer as LHP. He plays for Science Hill. Kevin Connell from Boone is another lefty from Northeast Tennessee who is highly ranked nationally. He his 93 this fall. The game when Boone and Science Hill face each other should be standing room only with college and pro scouts to watch these two highly ranked lefties face off. The faced each other two times last year and it was crowded and they were only sophomores. Each one of them won one. This year should be unreal each time they play.

Back to back conference games did happen just not same team on consecutive nights. All conference games are Mondays and Tuesdays. Still keeps you from pitching the same pitcher twice in one week. YOu at least have to have two or three pitchers for each team. Boone surprised me this summer with some competitive games without Connell on the mound. Central has Harmon who pitched good last year. But don't know of any others. I saw no pitching from Volunteer this summer. SHHS will have Will Carter who pitched some at the end of last year.

Heres how I see each team Davy Crockett- should be the team to beat. They have most players back headlined by ETSU signee Clinton Freeman along with another righty that throws it well (my mind has gone and can't remember his name). But they also have many players returning. They will hit it good and be strong defensively. Daniel Boone - replacing everyone except Connell at pitcher and first and Chandley at catcher. Will have a couple of other lefty pitchers and should be okay. Will be the unknown team. Dobbyns Bennett - will have all new pitchers from last year that have any experience. They played good this summer. Have team speed and hitting and fielding. Should be better than last year if they can find some pitching. Sullivan South - Have to pretty much replace everything. Pitching is gone. They will be ok but nothing extraordinary. Pitching will be their greatest weakness. Science Hill - With Norris on the mound they will be tough. After him it is a big drop. They don't have a #2 but some who can throw. They will also feel the bite of not having a head coach since in many peoples opinion, their assistant was actually the coach the past couple of years. Be interesting to see if the real head coach can coach. With all conference games being back to back days it should make pitching interesting. Volunteer - Don't have anything. Didn't look good last year and even worse this summer. They have some middle infielders but no pitching and without pitching you can't win games. THS - Has a strong junior class but no dominant pitching. They will be good and will have some decent pitchers just no one to say can win the big one. Good hitting and fielding. This may be the weakest pitching I have seen in many years other than the big 3 lefties. I'm sure some others will come on but when Connell and Norris face each other it should be standing room only with college and pro scouts galore. Both hit mid 90's this summer. Norris is Perfect Game's #1 player of the 2011 class for the entire US.

I can agree with the retiree from Ga. double dipping. It happens a lot with Ga. coaches going to Fl. and Fl. coaches going to Ga. WaCo, do you think they ought to hire Turner?

there is no way a successful high school coach from Georgia would come here for that salary. The pay cut would be amazing.

I have never been a Volunteer apologist, but to be in games without your big man is a miracle. The game last night was an example of not having him. The inside game for Boone was too much down the end for Volunteer. Too many turnovers on both sides. I am glad to see that Volunteer has finally decided to play clean ball. The Big 8 is as even as can be but Volunteer will struggle until Bigun comes back. I don't see the 2 man game. It seems to be a 3 man game and that is about all that really score for any team.

I am noticing more coaches being public about their disgust with the Region One officials this year. In one week, Vaughn from Central, Morgan from DB, and Whittemore from Volunteer have made comments in the paper about the bad officiating. I have complained before but I believe it is worse this year across the board. I have seen some terrible mechanics in varsity games. I have seen a 3 man crew that no one on the floor knew whether a ball went in the goal and had to go ask the scorekeeper. I have seen a 3 man crew with no officials calling a ball out of bounds and having to call a jump ball because no one knew who it went out on and no whistle being blown. THe players just stopped playing and looked at the officials. Technicals where when the coach asked what for the official did not know what the player said "but it was bad coach." The problem is that there are no repercussions on bad officiating, especially in region one because the leaders don't do anything about it. There have even been discussions in their meetings outloud about certain long-term officials who call big games saying they do not like certain coaches and they hope those coaches never win another game. There is no way those officials can be unbiased calling those coach's games. As I have said before, those officials need to remove themselves from those games. They are not hurting the coach but the players. When will this be resolved?

The salary was surprisingly low to what I would have thought it would have been. Knowing what coaches in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and Texas make this is extremely low. I know assistants in other states that make 12,000 at AAA schools. I know some of you are going to say they should not make that much but look what they bring in if they are doing their jobs right. Football brings in a bunch of money if there are 5,000 fans at every home game. To be successful and draw the top level coaches, the salaries must be increased.

So someone tell. Can't seem to find anything that says what happened.

in the football powerhouses, Georgia, Florida, Texas, and Alabama the coaches are not given tenure if they are hired as a coach so they can be replaced. They are given 1 year contracts but they are also paid a lot more. Many of the larger schools give the head coaches the opportunity to bring in as many as 6 assistants that are football only. The problem around here is that the head coaches have no say in who they can hire and fire as their assistants. I will say that Smith and whoever is hired will not get a fair deal in that manner. They have to take what they are given and work with it. I say for sure that anyone who is considered should not be an assistant coach. Side note: saw where the head coach that was at Hoover, Alabama went to Georgia and made $150,000 and made the state championship the first year.

So by yours the only good player is Cross because his is the only undefeated team. Again I don't think Cross caused East to win and he didn't make his team great that night. 39 fouls to 8 during the run helped East more than anything

The Boone team is 4-1 since football. Hayden guarded Cross when they played East. What more can he do? Gray needs to shoot more. Boone should be good.

Boone has a three sport player that did what you are saying is the best in the NET against 3 of ya'lls top 12 players in Hayden Chandley. He has played against Unicoi, East, Crockett, and Chucky Doak and averaged 20 pts.

I'm not disputing what you are saying but 3X Jenkins's salary seemed kinda high to me. Isn't Jenkins a principle too? That would put 3X his salary well over 150K right? I don't see it from a basketball school. But, who knows? Well I think around 40k is a base teachers salary at SH? So that is part of the money. Boosters and such...heck guys that is going ALL to the stadium is it not? I think the money will be good but saying over 100,000....I don't see that as happening. Will. it be high? Yeah I would say it would, but not over 100,000....unless Nicewonger decides to make a donation at SH of course If it is not over 100,000 then something is wrong. From one of the largest schools in TN, that is rediculious compared to other states. The total package including booster money should be 125,000. If not, then they don't care about football like they say they do. That would make sense why they are not getting the applicants that could produce the program at SH.

My bad. I don't count the teacher's salary or vice-principals salary as the coach's salary. I'm talking stipend. No it would not be 3x the total salary but 3x the stipend.

I understand the outside booster money this time will be tremendous. I think that is the problem with going outside this area. I have friends that coach in Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and Texas and they make $100,000 plus. The leading coach in Ga. makes $250,000 for high school. I made more as a lay coach than most assistants make here. I just think that if the number I heard was true, any of these guys will have to think about it. I know it would be tough for either but you have to do what is best for your family. I don't think Gray or Colonial Heights will match the booster money. I know there are guys in JC that want a winning program bad enough to pay for it. The problem with either guy would be if he could not win there, there is no going back.

Cross is definitely the best of these. The interesting part of it to me is you guys have the AAU players picked as the top and none of them led their teams at the Hardees. Lyle has to learn to play with someone on him. He took himself out of two games with bad fouls. Cross was the best of the group but got overshadowed by a teammate. Garland just does not have it. I thought Tartleton would make them better but I think they are worse this year than last. He has him out at the 3 point line at times. Just lob it up and let him dunk it. He has no footwork and gets pushed around by guys half his size. We will see how it works out. Right now I think you have to put Hayden Chandley from Boone in the ranks. He has averaged 20 points a game in the first games.

Now that Smith is out we can hire Bart. He has been groomed to be the next coach. Just look at the Jr. Topper program. FormerBlazer don't count Jeremy out. Money talks and I am sure the next one at SH will make 3 times what Jeremy does at Boone. Loyalty is one thing but when the money starts talking it is hard to turn down and who could blame him. Caine probably will make more at Greeneville next year than SH could offer especially if he wins the state. I don't see Shawn leaving because I am sure some (one) former Elizabethton player is making sure he stays there and is taken care of financially. Carter may be the best option but it will take a lot of money for him to take the grief of leaving South after this year. The good part is the distance between towns would be okay. Why would they consider Green? He only beat the teams he was suppose to beat. I think it will be Carter or Turner. Unless they want to just give it to Bart. What about Steve? He could come back and be the head coach and get his name on the field again.

I think Lyle will be fine, but if he can't handle the pressure, Unicoi is in trouble. Boone did look good with only having one practice before playing for most of the players. Jordan Gray has to shoot more. Boone will play physical, especially for a while because they are coming out of football. It may bite them if they get officials who call it real close.

Lyle did not start Hardees very well. 12 pts fouled out with 6 mins to go and team lost. Boone had 2 football players with 29 and 19 pts.

Looks like the minnow will sail for one more year at the new stadium. That is a good thing for both the DB schools.

Better put Jordan Gray from Boone in there somewhere. It is funny to me that you guys base everything on aau. Some of these guys will be flops this season because they can't carry their teams.

BTmammmmma, I'll bet Bobby gets some high fives after the game from a lot of the Boone fans and players. Hopefully, he also gets a few help ups after tackles during the game. 1 more day. Then all of NET can cheer for one team. Couldn't believe when I went by there that there were so many seats reserved on both sides already. That is unreal. Should be a packed house. The bad part is there will be people there that have not been to a game for either team all year. And whoever loses, those people will trash the players and coaches for bad plays and bad coaching. They are the ones that drive me up the wall every year.