BigRedDad

I agree that the injuries are a blow for MBA, but EHS has some significant injuries as well. Wesley will need to play more defense, but it won't be every play, and EHS plays most everybody both ways, so in terms of the need for endurance, advantage MBA.

Actually DB offered that a couple of years ago, but Jeff Rutledge would only agree to a home and home. It is a shame that traveling has gotten to be such a huge expense. I missed the game in 2002 moving my daughter into college, I heard it was a great game though.

I made the initial comment so let me respond. I think I said, at least I intended to say from the tone of the post that I respect Ricky as a coach. I think he is a good coach and that is why I included him in that comment. Having said that I have the utmost respect for Jeff Rutledge as a person, and as a coach. I will stick my neck out and say that I think Jeff Rutledge has forgotten more football then Ricky Bowers knows. He won a National Championship with Bear Bryant, he played in the NFL for Bill Parcells, Joe Gibbs, and Bill Belecheck (sp?). Now he is coaching a Heisman Trophy winner at Arizona. I was sorry to see Jeff's tenure at MBA end the way it did, I truly liked him, and I think he is probably better off where he is. As to Daniel, you are correct, he is humble and he would not put himself on the same plane as Ricky. But to say he learned all he knows about football from Ricky and therefore the student can't outshine the teacher is simply wrong. After Ricky left MBA, Daniel spent 2 years at Miami of Fl as a graduate assistant with Larry Coker. I suspect he learned more there then he ever learned from Ricky. I have been very impressed over the last 2 years with Daniel and his staff. I think they probably watch more film and outwork any of the coaches they play against. Watch the team play, they are always well prepared and they always have a few new wrinkles. I probably shouldn't have made the comment about Coach Bowers, I will use more discretion in the future

I have one other point to make about your comment that last years seniors took a significant risk deciding to go to EHS. First of all I would point out that risk is a double edged sword, the greater the potential risk the greater the potential reward. Secondly when you look at the people behind forming the school they are clearly very successful people and the chances of the school being a bust were minimal, if that much. lastly last years seniors had the advantage of being coached by some of the finest coaches (I'm still sorry to lose Edd Caudill...it cost us a state championship in '04, you can have Ricky, I have said before I wouldn't trade 5 Ricky Bowers for 1 Jeff Rutledge and the same goes for Daniel McGugin...just my opinion, but that said Ricky is a good coach) in the state. They got more one on one attention then any freshman, Ingle Martin or R A Dickey ever got at MBA. Ricky seems to pretty much have carte' blanche' to get the players he needs. Plus those seniors got make the traditions, and be the first leaders. Not so much of a risk if you look at it that way.

On the previous thread ehsfootballrules wrote: In response to all of the people saying Ensworth scheduled a lot of weak opponents: You are right. However, I think that there is a significant reason behind the decision that is not being mentioned. Games are scheduled as a home and home series, so this year's schedule is the same one that EHS played last year, with the only difference being the venue. Last year, EHS' team was filled with players from the school's first ever senior class. They took a significant risk in coming to the school, and they certainly weren't able to compete at a high level in their first few years. Also, the Class of 2008 played a large role in EHS' move up to the upper part of DII. As a result, I think that Coach Bowers felt a responsibility to those players to guarantee them some level of success. EHS wasn't expected to compete like they did last year against the likes of MBA, Father Ryan, BA, etc. so I think Bowers wanted to make sure that the Class of 2008 would have some victories to show for all of their sacrifices. The only problem with that was that now this year the current team is stuck playing the same schedule which was pretty weak early on in the year. My response is: We will know for sure when we see next years schedule won't we?

It's not just MBA they have to surpass, it's also BA, MUS, Christian Bros, Baylor, McCallie and all the rest. And don't tell me you have already passed McCallie, you beat them by 1 pt in double ovetime because McCallie can't kick the football. That is hardly surpassing them. If Ensworth really wants to be the premier team they need to quit playing the cupcakes, and step up and play some of the big boys in the non-region games. I suspect the Coach Bowers knows what he is doing when he schedules those cupcakes. EHS is thin, and can't afford to play tough competition before the region games and take a chance on getting anyone hurt.

This thread sure seems to be a lot of ensworth kids talking to each other. Nothing really of value.

If the god king tavarres is currently far across the Atlantic Ocean he will be to jet lagged to mutilate anyone let alone the Big Red come Friday night. Just keep dreamin'.

What makes this a rivalry right from the get go is that 6 years ago a lot of the boys playing for Ensworth would have been playing for MBA. MBA/BA is a neighborhood brawl, MBA/Ryan is a huge game that goes back years. MBA/Ensworth is more like the Civil War, literally in some cases brother against brother, splitting families. There is not a boy at MBA that wants to be part of the first football team to lose to Ensworth. Add to that the way Ensworth raided MBA's faculty, and there is no love lost from the MBA side.

I am publicly going to give props to Maryville. Winning 65 or 66 in row is a huge accomplishment. MBA has won 19 in a row and believe me there are those who want to see it end. Last week we had to not only beat a good Ravenwood team but we had to beat the referees as well. There were reports from players after what was a particularly bad call, that negated an interception and kept a Ravenwood scoring drive alive that the Head Referee said to one of the MBA players "looks like the mighty have fallen". The ref's have biases just like everyone else. It might be a little harder for a private school, because there are so many out there who don't want to see a private school have success. I don't think the coaches or players pay much attention to the unbeaten string, they just keep working to get better. But it is real tough to keep winning. Congrats to Maryville.

I haven't seen Ensworth this year, but last year Ricky wore brown and white golf shoes on game night.

That is true, but there is also an advantage to having a handful of 9th graders who get the undivided attention of coaches like Ricky Bowers, Edd Caudill, and David Pack. The next year you add a few more ninth graders to the boys that are now tenth graders, and so on. From this point forward your Freshman and some of the Sophomres will not be coached by the Varsity coaches everyday, and they won't get the same one on one attention last years Seniors got from those terrific coaches when they were Freshman. It is a benefit. By the way Coach Bowers made the comment after the game last year that MBA had played 1000 games and Ensworth had played 6. That is a meaningless point.

I'm glad to see you guys have figured out the benefit you have to the school being built one grade at a time. It will be an advantage that will be less important over time. At least this year we won't have tyo hear the whining about "they've played 1000 football games and we have played 6", like something that happened in 1939 had anything to do with the outcome of last years game or this years game for that matter.

If you think those ref's favored us we would be happy to let you have them every week from now on, so they can't do us anymore favors. They were awful for both sides

I am especially fond of Coach Bowers golf shoes. They really set off the rest of his coaching outfit.

I don't disagree with anything you have said. In fact the atmosphere you describe sounds like an MBA game. Whilr you and the coach and the players have not claimed anything you haven't won, other posters on here have, and in fairness fans of other schools have made claims as well. Since all of the teams can't play each other it is a never ending argument.

Yeah, that is what you said I just didn't feel like quoting the whole thing...sorry. He may run for 250 like he did against McCallie, but I would expect for MBA to try to slow the game down and keep the ball out of his hands, as well as have someone like #19 on his tail all night. EHS will have to be able to throw some to keep MBA honest or it will be a long night.

Ok, now i'm gettin warmed up. The reason this game is not getting much conversation is because no one knows what to make of Ensworth. They have put up gaudy numbers against inferior (except for McCallie, and possibly 1/2 Webb) competition. We don't know if they are for real or not. If they put up these numbers against MBA's schedule then we would have something to talk about. I assure Coach McGugin is treating this like Ensworth is for real though.

It's only been that way a couple of years. It wasn't long ago we were having to travle a couple of thousand miles a season to get games.

I guess I'm not to excited about this one since I won't be there. I will be enjoying Parents Weekend with my boys at college. As much as I hate to miss this game, I would much rather be there. I posted this earlier in response to someone who said Orleans would win this one singlehandedly: If Ensworth is one dimensional, Tavares and Orleans will get some yards but I think they will have a hard time beating the Big Red. They will have to mix it up, or MBA will stack it up and stop the run. Now I will say: MBA has some injuries but we might have a couple of players coming back this week. I have heard that EHS has some injuries too. I think MBA will have better depth, fewer guys going both ways, and that will hurt EHS. I would hate to be the Ensworth center trying to block Bubis. He might be the biggest hitter MBA has had since his brother.

If Ensworth is one dimensional, Tavares and Orleans will get some yards but I think they will have a hard time beating the Big Red. They will have to mix it up, or MBA will stack it up to stop the run.

You are spot on in your analysis. This a good news bad news scenario. Bad news that they are still making these mistakes, but good news that they are 6-0 and still have a lot of room to improve. If they keep working hard and stay focused, this team can achieve something special.

How could I forget that team that put up 6 big points on us in 2 games last year? Of course that is all BA put up on us too. Last year was really satisfying especially being the dad of a Senior. But now upward and onward.

Actually there are 13 teams in DII now: MBA BA Ensworth JPII BGA Baylor McCallie Webb MUS CBHS Briarcrest ECHS and one other in West Tennessee (see Kelly I remembered to capitalize West just like Mrs. Bowen taught). I actually never had the pleasure of studying under the tuteluge of Mrs. Bowen, having not grown up in Nashville. But both of my boys learned from her Big Red Notebook in 7th grade. oh ya, sweet dreams.

Someone please explain to me how this Ravenwood team lost to Goodpasture.