ELA

I hate viruses and I wish we could catch the smart S-O-B's who create these things and put their minds to better use, like destroying our enemies computers in the Middle East and Southern Asia.

Copied from football message board: CoachT... I would have emailed you about this, but I was afraid I would spread the virus to your computer by doing so! I received an email at my email address that I only use on these message boards to communicate with my CoachT friends. The virus is known by several names, the one I received is called "I-WORM/Klez H" and it is very difficult to remove. If ANYONE has sent or received an email from someone that reads "BOARDS" or "Message Boards" in the "from" section, please don't open. Also, if you receive an unsolicited email from me over the next two days, don't open!

Your plan has some merits, but until you abolish regions, your plan may not work because some teams will volunteer to move back up even though they can move down so they can remain in certain regions. Review what happened to AA two years ago when so many AA schools moved up to AAA to avoid playing in a region with Goodpasture and David Lipscomb.

Since I coach at one of the schools you mentioned, I don't think they would have too many problems finding people to play! All of the local schools would use them as one of the two scores not used for Earl's numbers! That is why there must be a set criteria established to provide for this type of scenario! RBS would play Celina simply because they are local rivals, so would Jackson County, Monterey, Watertown, and those schools who have a long history of playing them! Since I first started this idea on the other board, I think with a few changes, it might work better than what we have now! Why do we think we have to stick with this old concept of districts or regions? In the computer age, we don't have to compete in established patterns in order to create playoff brackets! We must think in different terms!

Thanks CoachT... this is a great message board! I think many of your members will spend some time on this board from all of the various sports, once they figure out where it is and how to get to it! I hope the "powers-that-be" at the TSSAA office montior this site from time to time to see how the grass roots feel about their policies and the struggle(s) within and outside the gridiron and/or court(s). All Tennessee sports fans really should have a say in this very public debate and I hope we can all find a solution that everyone can live with (all sports, schools, etc). I know there is a better form of organization out there somewhere, if we find the best that other states offer and combine those attributes we can create something new and exciting for Tennessee! The real challenge will be to communicate this message to the existing establishment and convince them change is needed (although I think they know this and are waiting for the results of the lawsuit before making anymore changes). Anyway, thanks again... ELA!

I agree... it is a big mess! But you know, no one wants to increase their taxes, so teachers and coaches are cut to save money for the masses! I think their philosophy is "To HADES with education, all we care about is our pocket books!" Good luck... I wish you well! May you find twice the pay for your efforts.

I just remembered this one from a few years back. we had a very talented, but obnoxious young sophomore who thought he was God's Gift to football. He was tall and lanky and could run a 4-5 40 (honest). We had a JV game one sunny afternoon at Giles County and we needed a big play. We lined down in a Slot Left, then put him in motion across the field to the right. The QB dropped back with a play action pass and threw the ball deep. The young GC CB had slipped out of zone coverage to stop the run (he bought the play-action fake hook, line, and sinker). This young 10th grader was wide open and our QB released the ball right into his hands forty yards down field (all by himself). The WR caught the ball and sprinted toward the end zone until he realized he was all alone. He turned to the opposing sideline and grandstand and began taunting the crowd as he had seen "Prime-Time" do on TV. Then he walked backwards into what he perceived to be the end zone and spiked the ball in victory! THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS HE WAS FIVE YARDS SHORT OF THE GOAL LINE! The Bobcats recovered the ball and took possession with 3 minutes left and we had no timeouts. If it wasn't for the fact that it was a JV game I would have been furious, but all I could do was laugh with the 100 or so fans who were rolling in the stands. He was vain enough to think he had scored and they were happy for his performance. Needless to say, we never let him live it down when he moved up to varsity!

A few years ago I was coaching defensive line at a AAA school. We had a deaf NT (great athlete) who had broken one of his hands and sprained some fingers on the other. Both hands were taped up like a club. We placed him at NT so he could watch the ball as it was snapped, knowing he would never move until the ball moved. During a play near the end of the first half, the REF called him for jumping offsides. Then a few plays later, the same REF called him for a personal foul. When asked at halftime the REF said the boy had grabbed the QB's ######s when he was in the pile and the REF was trying to warn him about keeping his hands to himself. After the game I walked the player up to the REF (a guy I knew) and I asked him if this was the boy who had grabbed the QB and was drawn offsides by the sound the QB's cadence? He looked at the kid and said, "yeah... that's him." The player was standing with his hands behind his back facing the REF. In sign language his brother told him to show the referee his hands, they were still taped up from the game. Then he asked him (in sign) to shake hands with the referee. The referee felt about 2' tall and said he must have made a mistake! We laughed about that every time we saw that referee for two or three years!

EGO... I don't know much about West Tennessee Schools or Teams! VG... There are two different all-star teams and they are selected by the coaches and others who are involved in Tennessee Football. Every year... someone calls me and asks if I have any players that should be considered for the all-star teams. I'm sure many coaches receive the same call. You guys may not like the way the teams are selected but I think they do a good job in the selection process! In years past, I have coached boys that played in the all-star game... but it has been a few years.

Why don't you want us to take a vote?

A general weight training program that is used for football can be adapted for baseball! You want good overall muscle tone for defense, and both upper and lower body mass for offense!

VG... would you be willing to live by a good old fashioned democratic vote? Let's allow every high school in Tennessee to have one vote each... and we'll see what happens? Then each parent can't look at the matter and decide where they want to send their kids!

I've been telling you guys for two years that Jason Hoath (SH) will be one of the best QB's in Tennessee by 2002! He has got to be one of the strongest players at any position (over 1600lbs total max in the major four lifts SQUAT/CLEAN/BENCH/MILITARY) and a great arm and speed to boot! If he was playing for the infamous Riverdale, Brentwood H.S., or any top passing offense, he would be a BLUE chip player on everyone's recruiting list! I've seen this kid play since he was eight, and I can tell you he is the REAL THING! Last year, I was the only one that said Ezell Harding would be the 1A camps; believe me now, if this kid doesn't get injured, he should be a D1 player at the next level!

Both Ackley and Hoath are excellent athletes and should do well in college!

Jeremy Taylor should be an outstanding senior in 2002. He has grown in both stature and maturity in the off-season and increased his overall strength. He is just under 6' tall and about 255lbs. Bench Press- 300lbs, Squat-550 lbs, Clean-300lbs, Military Press-200lbs. He runs a 4.9 40 yard dash (good for a big guy) and is feared and respected both on and off the field of competition. Jeremy is also a great track and fielder! Good luck JT in 2002! We are counting on you to be one of our leaders!