TheEgoHasLanded

pujo, I understand your example...but let's look at what you said. They have smart dedicated students with total support from their parents.They should be very proud.They will accept nothing less than the best Do I agree with that...YES Is that a reason for seperating public and private...NO First off...they can't PICK anyone...until that person comes up to them with the finances and says, I want to go to your school can they decide on him...I have a friend who now could honestly be playing D1 football or D1 basketball and He wanted to go to our private school...he was about 6'4 275 pounds runs around a 4.8 and benches over 380...he applied but his grades were not good enough...Gosh think if we had him though? He would be all world against private schools...so I don't believe this we get to pick stuff...thats BS, instead hes goin to the school he is zoned to...I want to here your argument against that ELA, my school probably could have won state in football, no one was going to stop that kid from blocking, posting up, or tackling him. Look at Vanderbilt...guys like Ron Mercer that would have loved to have gone their, but their academic standards and financial criteria make it nearly impossible to walk on or get a scholarship...and there are several walk-ons in football and basketball that make an impact, Nathaniel Root, Clyde Wade were two and now they play for Memphis.

Let's examine this one more time. 1-How does that make the playoffs better. 2-You are implying that private schools would not bring a crowd to the game. 3-How do privates not treat you fairly? I always got cussed out by players, spit on, or cheap shotted against public schools...never against a private school...we lost in the semi finals the last two years, and I still respect the teams we lost to, they were fair and didn't trash talk (something I was guilty of) -Taking out teams like USJ, Ezell, CPA wouldn't make the playoffs better, it would water it down even more... -When Bishop Byrne went out of D2-AA then it didn't make thing better, it watered the competition down...my teammates and me wanted to play the best competition, and see how good we really are...it didn't make it better when they left...

ELA...let's say they do split...and then teams like Trousdale County come back...are you really looking forward to having Cloudland, Collinwood, South Pitt, Trousdale, and a few other powerhouses? Leave them how it is...7 out of the last 10 state championships are from publics in football.

well i dont think ELA is bias but it does make me angry. What is the advantage privates have in 1A? -They don't have a set school zone, so they can never feel completely great about enrollment or athletes or academics. -Kids have to pay to go there...which always causes problems -They are more difficult to attend than public schools...im Sorry but they are, some public schools are great, but some are jokes...Kingsbury's valedictorian had a 4.2 GPA but couldnt get an 18 on the ACT...I went to a private school and had a 3.7 GPA...if I had gone to MUS...it probably would have been 2.9 or 3.0 its just a lot harder. -They are not funded by the state, therefore they have to come up with their own budget, raise the money themselves, and not rely off of taxpayers. -Private schools are different based on religion, which can help or hurt you. -ELA I just think you are sick and tired of losing, and I understand that, but it's not greener on the privates side...I mean take St. Benedict, they won only a few games this year, and none last year...and had 1 person there on financial aide for 1000 dollars...yet they are playing teams like CBHS, or McCallie who are paying out over 100,000! Now that isn't fair...

So what are the financial aide teams supposed to do then? Just get rid of scholarships all together and then play?

Aren't going to beat White Station..WSHS went undefeated in the University of Memphis Tournament...they were missing two starters and their 6th man...what's scary is..Bradshaw did very well at the last camp he was at (you can read about it on one of hte other posts) and then two of the other white station high school kids went to the prestigious Blue Chip camp at Georgetown College in Kentucky...one was named MVP the other was named Runner up MVP (my brother told me that and also said there were several future D-1 players)... I respect SCIENCE HILL basketball, cus they play hard, fairly, and play how its supposed to be played, but it will be tough to beat White Station next year.

Driving wise it does cause problems 1-Memphis is a prime example...I can't think of any 1A teams that are in the city...all of them play 2A I believe...so we would have to wait till the inner city teams (like Southside who didn't win a game for 3 years) lose and lose and lose...till they get bumped to 1A, then they would have to wait for other teams to lose (I might be completely wrong, but you did say we would bump teams down in classification correct? Otherwise you would have teams that would just stay in one class and never leave). 2-Why would a team necessarily want to move up for equal competition? Ezel was pretty bad for about a long time there (I have to be careful what I say cus they like to bash me for no reason whatsoever). I have a hard time believing that after years of living in the gutter, they would suddenly want to move up and start all over again (You can see what I am saying I hope). By the same context, BGA has won the state title in like 95,96, 97 (all three years of Fleming) and again this year...yet I don't see them asking to move up...and BCS has gone to the last 4 title games, yet I don't see them asking to move up. 3-I really don't think I am reaching...I don't think my school played an away game till week 6. And that was because it was mandatory by the TSSAA (had to take that cross state journey, and we went on to only play 2 other road games). 4-I see what you are saying with the 10 class thing...but I think maybe instead of moving a team up automatically for winning a state title...perhaps we should move a team up a little bit for reaching say the semifinals...a good example would be USJ...who has never won a state title, but has played in 2 or 3 in the last few years...Or Briarcrest Christian, who has gone to the last 4 clinic bowls but failed to get the title...who cares that they lost those ones...they still made it that far four times, which must be harder than winning it just once...perhaps we should move them up for going to the summit even if they didn't win...other wise let's say they did win, and it didn't bump them up...you would have one team dominating for a decade (like USJ or BCS, yet has only one 2 titles...isn't that the basis of your plan? To make the classes fair?) 5&6...I guess I can speak because my school is in Division 2-AA and we were forced to play 3 new teams in one year...thats a potential for 3 losses which really hurts your playoff position...I mean think about that 3 new teams you have to play...and 2 of them are larger schools (D2-AAA)...AND the other is across the state! I don't think anyone on our team was just ecstatic on having to play these games...and I could see where a team who had just won the state title wouldn't be too thrilled about having to play in a tougher bracket...I mean if BGA went to D2-AAA...they would lose every game, no doubt in my mind...If Bishop Byrne went to D2-AA they would lose to ECS( which they did), BCS and Harding (which beat ECS three times combined). Bishop Byrne went 0-3 against those 3 schools last year...or even if let's say SBEC had won state and was forced to move up...it would have been even worse! Harding Beat SBEC like 49-6 in a scrimmage, and BCS beat them at least 63-0...can you imagine that? As I said before, I like the idea, I like it more then a multiplier, and it allows privates to keep smashing the publics...but I am just presenting so called problems that may arise...nothing will ever satisfy the rural 1A schools...you get rid of the privates, then Bruceton and South Pitt continue to dominate...VolGen you know more about 1A then me with the luxery of JCS and USJ in your back yard...I really like the idea though.

HAHA well said Just1np And just so you know, Privates did play publics in LA...I believe one of the mannings went to a school called Newman or something like that...with about 50 boys a grade, and they would beat some pretty good competition...basketball wise they were pretty darn good too. Maybe you have heard of a school called Evangel Christian? I would say off hand that at least 3 of LSU's players are from there if not more.

A 3.0 multiplier...thats extreme for just about anyone that isn't Brentwood Academy. That's pretty ludicrous.

I think the numbers are off...by a lot. St. Benedict would be classified as 4A! You have to be kidding me! They have right at the amount of kids Harding Academy has...and Harding has beaten them 4 years in a row by over 30 points! Briarcrest Christian in the same classification as Maryville! I don't think the enrollments are the same. BCS has about 120 kids or so per grade...my brother goes there so he would probably know. I would say that Maryville has more than 480 kids in the high school. You also have ECS playing in the highest classification, yet they have less people then Briarcrest, which I also don't understand. They probably have about 10 less per grade, but that still wouldn't have them in the highest region Montgomery Bell is in the same classification as St. Benedict? I don't understand that...MBA has all boys SBA is coed...did I miss something here...I hope I am completely wrong, but this goes by just pure numbers then it is completely wrong. CBHS has about 900 boys...the TSSAA website has them at like 1400 but I think they are figuring in the girls from St Agnes, IC and a few other sister schools, which obviously has no factor on the Brothers...do we multiply their population by 2 to get their actual enrollment? As I stated earlier I like the plan, but the numbers are off so I can't really comment on that part of it.

I don't think Harding, BCS, MUS or ECS has work study programs... So I'm with Sportsguy, find a different argument.

As I stated earlier... My school has one of the best records against public schools in the state...In the four years that I played football we only lost to one public school..and that was a 5A school that went toe to toe with Germantown! Speed is overrated ELA...I gotta disagree with you on that one. I am going to use ECS, Harding, and Briarcrest as Examples... Harding has beaten Tredwell, Overton, Westside, White Station, Catholic, Bishop Byrne, and a host of other inner city schools that are predominately black. ECS has beaten EAST in the past...thats right EAST! They have also beaten Bishop Byrne (35-6), Catholic, and a few other really good teams like MUS and CBHS. Briarcreset has had success over Bishop Byrne, Catholic, Tredwell, Ridgeway-Rueben Mayes and Willie Henderson, Kingsbury (2 or 3 UT recruits), and a few other really good teams... ELA...speed is great, it really is, but you have to have size and speed...you can't have a bunch of 5'6 160 pound string beans out there trying to cover guys and make tackles...not in 1A, or even in privates (except for D2-A). It's not about athletes...its about intelligence as RollRed said... When you combine...tenacity, intelligence, dedication, and then athleticism/ strength...you got one heck of a football player. I have said if for years and I will say it again...I was never afraid of the 6'4 250 pound lineman, I was afraid of the 5'10 195 pound lineman, cus if hes playing then he must bring some heat, and I know even at your school you must have some guys that fit that criteria.

1-it does create hastles driving wise 2-in some ways it does punish a team for winning the state title, and it does get rid of rivalries. 3-it would create scheduling conflicts...let's say Goodpasture is in 2A, and they are virtually a lock to win the state and then move to 3A, wouldnt they want to host every game they were going to play, then not even worry about playing home and home cus they won't see those teams again. 4-it gets rid of familiarity in the games...who wants to play 10 new teams a year, or not even be sure what teams they will be playing? 5-I would also say it would make it harder to judge how good or bad a team was the next year...Let's take Ezell, if they moved to 2A, with a new Qb and without a few other skill players, and lets say they went 6-4...do we know if they would have gone 6-4 the season before that...or was it the competition or lack of players this year. 6-I just don't think its right for a team, let's say like Maryville a few years ago, who won state, but did struggle a little bit, I think they got on a big time roll and just crushed East in the state title game...I don't think its fair to move them up, because they weren't just blasting the competition...they got better as the season progressed, and weren't head and shoulders better then everyone through the whole season. I like the idea, VG...I like it more than a split, I like it more than a multiplier, I am just presenting flaws that might not even be relevant but I was able to think about in the 2 minutes it took to write this.

Coach T or ELA... I respect both of your opinions for many reasons 1-you don't personally attack people, like myself and other people do. 2-you do your homework and research and are seldom corrected. 3-you really believe what you write is correct, and I respect honesty. I guess I never thought about this, but I think we should all try and get some private school coaches on this board. It would be interesting to hear their opinions about the private public debate...maybe they feel cheated? Do you even consult with private school coaches ELA? What is your opinion on them, and do you think they would want a split?

In regards to equipment I went to a private school and played football all four years in high school. I had douglas shoulder pads, I had 3 pairs of under armor, and a pair of long sleeve white underarmor. I paid for it all...We raise money every year, last year me and my friends were able to raise 1600 just from one kind individual! That was 400 dollars a piece...we used the money to build a new weightroom, sound system, locker room with new lockers, and we painted our face masks black, we bought white game pants, we bought black game pants, we got nicer jerseys, we got new weights, expanded the weight room, decorated the weight room with pictures, bought more weights, bought more free weights, every member of the team also had 2 pairs of football shorts, at least 2 T-shirts and either a sweater vest, or a nice polo style shirt to wear on Thursdays... we paid for it with our money, or we had a lift a thon and raised it ourselves...if a bunch of 14-17 year old kids who on the average don't even have jobs or a car are able to come up with nearly 20,000 each year...then I think it's possible for you guys to figure something out... You say that private school kids work a lot harder then public school kids, and I choose not to comment on that, but I don't see any the private school kids complaining when the basketball coach asks for 250 to 300 dollars to be on the team, or at least 200 dollars from the football coach or you get the bad girdle...we went out and raised the money...not every private school kid is as rich as you guys think...I have said on many times many of my friends are going to have to go to a community college or a college near home because of lack of financial freedom.

Another tough place to play is Whithaven. It's a huge stadium, and they really do have one of the best bands in the state...in fact on a friday night you can hear them play from Bishop Byrne High School...which isn't that close to WHS. It can be real nightmare for opposing teams.

Melrose has had some incidents involving firearms, but the same is also true for Whitehaven..the actual fans are very hospitable to you in Orange Mound...it's leaving after a loss or sometimes a win that scares me.

Sportsguy... Congratulations, that made complete and utter sense. People that are for a split won't realize that...it's too hard to handle. HAHA if Trousdale was still in 1A...it might be less then 30%...Privates aren't giving away scholarships...they are making the kids pay money to go to the school, and probably work harder in the classroom than at public schools Goodjob Sportsguy.

haha I dont think anyone wants to play Melrose...its dangerous, I'm not going to lie...the stadium is succeptible to gunmen because it basically is surrounded by apartment buildings...its sad but I would never want to play there...seeing them march down the street chanting is very intimidating.

I'm looking at the future, lacrosse might be later on, I know Germantown, Cordova, CBHS, MUS, Houston and a few other schools have formed a league...who knows what might happen in the future.

VG... Yes in 1996 they went to the Class A finals I believe...that would have been I guess 5 or 6 years ago, then in 97 they dropped off a lot but were still pretty good... I guess after that their coach left, and these have been the scorers since then 9th-42-14 10th-46-8 11th-34-12 12th-48-14 so they have definitely slacked off some since then, they hired a new coach who is hilarious to watch, they are going to a spread, I doubt it helps...they in all honesty have had lines that averaged around 300 pounds, and could bench over 400...im being totally serious, but the guys couldnt hit an egg with their helmets and they lack determination and athletes...

nope I didn't but I played against them...if you would my email I will give it to you in secret, I could tell you more about how I really pull for and who I played for.

I liked the thought about the other sports Does anyone want to play CBHS or ECS in baseball. What about golf...the D2 schools are pretty good. MUS owns Tennis, and lacrosse (won 4 of the last 5 state lacrosse championships) Wrestling wise-Ryan, Baylor, McCallie, CBHS and the rest of the teams are all really good. Basketball wise I saw where Ryan was #5 overall in the state...what about Brentwood Academy last year? David Harrison was pretty tough. We really should step away from football and think about this, cus I can tell you right now that Tennis, Wrestling, Golf, Lacrosse and a few other sports would be dominated by Private schools.

U heard right Volunteer general...every team in Division 2AA must play at least two opponents from Division 2-AAA (Some teams like Briarcrest choose to play 3)...ECS for instance had to travel to play Father Ryan in Nashville (that was their forced game across the state) and then it chose to play either MUS or CBHS (the other of the two being voluntary). St. Benedict (who last year didn't win a game) was forced to play CBHS or Father Ryan (and lost 49-0) and then had to go to Chattanooga and play Notre Dame...a game they also lost... Neither of these games count in anything towards the playoff race because Ryan and Notre Dame aren't in West Region... Harding lost to Brentwood Academy and MUS and neither game counted towards the region because they were both D2-AAA Basically the TSSAA forced the D2-AA schools to play 2 games against meaningless competition, and then travel across the state to play a game that means nothing as well... I have noticed that the moderators and the public school people don't say anything about this...you guys make me laugh, you complain about playing schools your size who have kids who pay to go there...and then here are some D2-AA schools who have to play teams that are bigger, better (D2-AAA beat every D2-AA team this year) and we are forced to travel across the state to play them. I will be very surprised if I receive any sympathy or even a comment about what I just posted.

I like the idea...but what about a team that goes from 1A to 3A after winning a few state championships...where is it supposed to find teams to play if there are no 3A teams in that area? Is it that hypothetical? What about just bear with me if a team like Tennessee High had to move down to 3A or 2A...who is it going to play for 10 weeks out of the year? Also...to the best of my knowledge Memphis has no 1A teams in football, but they definitely would if you went to a merit based system (many schools just aren't that good) Let's say hypothetically TEAM X has an enrollment of 900 kids in Memphis, but must play 1A (This isn't really hypothetical many Memphis teams would have this problem) who is it going to play? Are they going to have to go to Jackson or Fayette County to play teams?