BDURHAM

Link to the FREE READ of the 5 Star Interview: https://www.5starpreps.com/articles/free-read-qa-with-lamar-brown-former-head-football-coach-at-west/

5 Star Preps FREE READ - Q& A with Lamar Brown, former head coach at West https://www.5starpreps.com/articles/free-read-qa-with-lamar-brown-former-head-football-coach-at-west/

It has gone on in every environment and every profession. Actions have taken place to hold people accountable since the beginning of time. Is everyone accused of a crime guilty? No but hopefully all the people who commit the crimes are arrested and punished. I could be wrong, but I do not think it happens with the frequency it did in the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s. And I hope West High School is a place where corrective action is taking place and safe for all students.

She was the principal on Wednesday.

Not the false comment that got the thread deleted, and I am not going to state what crossed the line. I doubt anyone positing on here has first-hand knowledge. Why not leave it to the police, district attorney and school administration to investigate and report?

Shocking news creates headlines and becomes click bait. Cannot yell fire in a crowded theater if there is not a fire. Not trying to encourage more gossip and accusations. Simply stating that there needs to be some integrity and connection to the truth on here. Having said that, I have no idea what the facts are, but I know someone yelled fire when there wasn't a fire.

It is not necessarily petty jealousy. The majority of public school coaches do not want to lose their players to private schools. Why do you think there has been such a history of recruiting issues with Tennessee high school athletics? Why did the coaches and administrators push for a complete split of the public and privates? There are a lot more advantages at private schools than the facilities. If you look at the schedules, 95% of the public schools are not interested in playing the private schools. Is there really a debate about this issue?

Please explain how the state legislature is going to improve the TSSAA as a governing body for high school and middle school athletics. Governor Lee's term will end in January of 2027. I am not sure anyone thinks that the state legislature has a better concept of governing athletics than the TSSAA. Surely the politicians have higher priorities than to try and reinvent the TSSAA or bully the TSSAA with half-baked impulses.

Disagree on the strategy of not playing privates, especially if they are close to the public school's campus. It may not matter to a school such as Bearden. Yet, for most schools, playing privates easily becomes an introduction to the private school for players and families. The recruiting lines are becoming increasingly blurry, but taking a team to a private school campus simply opens the door wider for recruiting. If you want to see how your team measures up to a private school team, scrimmage them. Unless a public school desperately needs a game to fill their schedule, there is no reason to schedule a game with a private school.

What strings are attached with a Tennessee school voucher?

It passed the Senate on Monday, April 7 by a 24-7 vote. Moves to the House Rules Committee next. https://newschannel9.com/news/local/tennessee-bill-could-change-tssaa-rule-regarding-transfer-eligibility-for-student-athletes Anyone know why state representative Scott Cepicky is so dedicated to sponsoring this bill? Cepicky went to U-Wisconsin and played in the MLB and NFL. https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/legislatorinfo/member.aspx?district=H64 Born in St. Louis, Cepicky attended Vianney High School in Kirkwood, Missouri, later attending the University of Wisconsin–Madison where he was a history major.[2] While at Wisconsin, Cepicky also played football and baseball, and after college declared for the 1989 NFL draft, where he went undrafted. Cepicky, a punter, was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Cincinnati Bengals, who cut him during the preseason.[3] He was later picked up by the Minnesota Vikings, where he was also cut before the end of preseason.[3] Moving on from football, Cepicky was drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the 23rd round of the 1989 Major League Baseball draft. He played Minor League Baseball for five teams from 1989 to 1994.[4] His wikipedia page states that he has coached baseball and football at Spring Hill High School. HB25’s author, Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, outwardly questioned the Legislative Council and believes his discussions with the TSSAA no longer seem to be in good faith. Cepicky said he feels the TSSAA will go back on its current rule if there isn’t state law on it. TSSAA executive director Mark Reeves said during his testimony that the TSSAA would not do that. “(Conversations with the TSSAA) started out as very amicable,” Cepicky said. “Unfortunately, it’s gone downhill from there.” TSSAA general counsel Rick Colbert told the committee in his testimony that lawmakers put the TSSAA Legislative Council members in a difficult position by chastising them in the media for failing to approve a Baylor School proposal for a one-time transfer rule in February. Adam Lowe, R-Calhoun, who authored SB16, publicly called the Council “tone deaf.” Reeves, Colbert and newly elected Board of Control president Grant Swallows reiterated in testimony Wednesday that the association will face serious issues if there are any high school athletics transfer rules in state law. Colbert said the TSSAA is ill-equipped to handle the increased litigation he believes would take place, and that he could foresee inconsistent court decisions across different jurisdictions. “We are disappointed with the vote but also understand that they have a tough job in trying to make an informed decision in a limited amount of time on a very complicated issue,” Reeves told The Tennessean in a text message. “I am, however, confident (in) our member schools, our (Board of Control and Legislative Council), and our staff will continue to work tirelessly to maximize opportunities for students while trying to keep athletics in its proper perspective.” https://www.knoxnews.com/story/sports/high-school/2025/04/03/tssaa-one-time-transfer-tennessee-legislature-scott-cepicky-mark-reeves/82748619007/

Are you a football coach? Have you been a football coach?

Interview with the new football coach, Eric Belew: https://fb.watch/xl7CFU3Jvu/ https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19k9mjWRrr/

Cecil Joyce Article Gary Rankin's biggest victory during his 43-year coaching career isn't one of the TSSAA-record 499 wins he has on the football field. The National High School Hall of Fame coach's most important triumph is a decision he made in June that likely saved his life. For the past 25 years Rankin has been diligent in getting his yearly physical in December following football season. This year Rankin did that in June. That decision allowed doctors to diagnose a very rare and aggressive cancer in its early stages. The diagnosis, surgery to remove the tumor and subsequent treatments made 2024 the most tumultuous year the 71-year old Boyd-Buchanan football coach has had, not only in his coaching career, but his life. For the first time Rankin has opened up publicly about his health issues, discussing the past few months with USA Today Sports Network. "My most important article I've ever done," said Rankin, who started coaching in 1981 at Smith County and has had state championship runs at Riverdale and Alcoa. Rankin is private guy, especially when it comes to his health. Few knew the issues he has battled since June. But he felt it was important to go public now as a warning to others. "I've had hundreds of coaches approach me on advice about football over the last 30 years," Rankin said. "I hope they take my advice in this article. Make sure you look after your health. Get your physicals when you're supposed to. Don't wait until there's symptoms. "It saved my life." How cancer impacted Gary Rankin, TSSAA football's all-time wins leader During a colonoscopy and endoscopy in June, a doctor found what Rankin's wife, Sandra Rankin, described as "a little erosion area." "He said that going in, everything looked fine," said Sandra Rankin, who has a medical background. "He said going out he said he saw something in a place he normally doesn't get to see, but it just so happens the camera saw it. He said he didn't think it was anything to worry about, but he was going to send it off to get tested." Not long after the Rankins received the news while the two were on a long bike ride, something both enjoy doing. "We got a call from the doctor's office, and it was the doctor, so I thought that was unusual, because most of the time it's a nurse that calls you with results, if everything is fine," Gary Rankin said. "He said, 'I found something that doesn't look good. You need to come in tomorrow.' " What he had was adenocarcinoma, a type of cancer that forms in glandular tissue and can hit a number of organs. The tumor was about one-eighth of an inch from Rankin's pancreas. "It was a punch in the gut," he said. "It was something that had no symptoms. I promise you, I felt good. We had as active of a summer as we've ever had. I had zero symptoms of something that could have killed me within a year." Rankin had a Whipple procedure used to remove tumors from the pancreas and other digestive organs on July 22 and spent 12 days in the hospital, including 10 in intensive care. He lost part of his stomach, pancreas and gallbladder in the more than eight-hour surgery. He began chemotherapy treatments immediately following the surgery and will continue those into March. "It's one of the worst abdominal surgeries you can get, as far as how it affects you," his wife said. "He was supposed to stay 14-15 days. We left the hospital against medical advice because he had to get out." Gary Rankin made adjustments to coach during 2024 season Rankin missed a portion of Boyd-Buchanan's preseason practices and scrimmages and was relegated to coaching in the pressbox for the first half of the 2024 season. That was to avoid being hit on the sideline. He also endured 72 hours of chemotherapy treatment every two weeks, often wearing a hidden chemo pump during practices. He said it was the toughest physical period he's ever been in. But it didn't stop him. "Not really," Rankin said, when asked if he considered sitting the year out. "I knew I could help in some way. I know some people will say, 'He cared more about football than he did his health.' But that's not true. (Football) really saved me. It gave me something to do for those 2-3 hours a day. It was really therapeutic to get out there." "I don't think he would have done so well if he didn't have football," his wife added. "It was part of the healing." The health issues were mainly a secret, however. Even his players didn't know. Only family and a close-knit handful of friends were told. Most were given the impression it was the result of a bicycle accident. "I didn't want that burden on (the players)," he said. "I didn't think they needed that hanging over them. Some of them still may not know." What's next for TSSAA football all-time wins leader Gary Rankin? At 71, Rankin knows his coaching days are numbered. But how long does he plan to continue? He has nothing left to prove. He has 17 TSSAA titles to go with his state-record win total. The national record is 585 wins, which would be an almost unreachable goal at this point of his career. But he still has a fire for coaching and competing. "I want to coach as long as I stay healthy and am effective," said Rankin, who is 32-6 in three years at Boyd-Buchanan, taking the Buccaneers to the DII-AA BlueCross Bowl in 2023 and state semis in 2024. "It's not about money. If it was about wins and championships, I would have stayed at Alcoa. "I hope to coach another 2-3 years. I don't do anything else. I don't fish or hunt. This is sort of my retirement. I still enjoy being around the kids, being successful and planning stuff. If I didn't, I wouldn't do it anymore. We'll see. I'll coach next year for sure and we'll go from there." Cecil Joyce covers high school sports and MTSU athletics for The Daily News Journal. Contact him at [email protected] and follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, @Cecil_Joyce.

I assume the Captain has been away at college...