UPSGregg

I'm sure the guy wasn't trying to offend anyone from Montgomery Central or Northwest but let's be real here. Neither Northwest or Montgomery Central have ever truly been able to compete with CHS. Montgomery Central has kept their matches within reason and even had some close games with them but, much like Northwest, has never beaten CHS. Northwest tied CHS once or twice in 20+ years but Montgomery Central hasn't even done that. IF they have I missed it. Montgomery Central is a respectable program in AA/A and at a point now where CHS can't just sleep walk the whole game and still win. The days of benching the starters halfway through the first half ended years ago but as long as MCHS has had a team CHS was sure to beat them as long as they took care of business. With that said......the point is that CHS will probably lose that edge they had with Donahue as head coach. The edge that allowed them to beat teams that were probably just as good or even better than them. In the past you could rest assured that a Donahue coached team would be in the best physical condition they could be in and that they would play hard the whole game. That gave them an advantage over certain teams that were probably more talented then them. Just ask anyone that played for Northeast during the 1993 season. I have feeling that the new coach won't able to provide that advantage. It's hard to do so when the administration wants the team to be coddled instead of coached.

Still no word as to why? Unless he did something out of the ordinary I don't see how they could have let him go. I mean how is it that a new administration could figure out a "change" was needed but all of the previous ones never found a reason for it? Oh....that's right....maybe it was because the previous decision makers at the school had enough sense to realize that getting rid of a coach that was able to hang a new District Championship trophy in the school just about every year and only had 2 or 3 losing season in his 20+ year career would have been a stupid mistake. A state runnner up trophy in the display case wasn't too shabby either. And he did all this while teaching his players respect, hard work, and how to discipline themselves. And let's not forget how many of his players have gone on to be pretty successful after high school. Yeah...it sounds like Clarksville High needed "A CHANGE." <------Sarcasm intended.

What happened to Mike Irby? When did he leave Houston? Why? I've been out of the loop for a while so I am just now noticing he is no longer the coach.

I mean the best all around. I think Houston of 1999 and 2000 would beat anyone before or since then. In other words....if Hendersonville of 1998 was some how able to play Houston of 2000 I think they'd get beat at least 3-0. Kind of like those "Classic Teams" on video games where you can pair up the University of Nebraska from 1995 against Alabama of 1967. With that said.....My pick would have to be either Houston of 1999 or 2000 and I saw them both play. They just seemed to win with such ease and had much more skill than anyone else they played. Father Ryan in the mid 90s had some great teams but seemed to have a tradition of choking against Brentwood in the sectionals. Houston dominated the state from the start. The 1994 Houston team was probably the most underated team ever. They totally shooled Brentwood in the final that year. I don't think any of the Bearden or Farragut teams we've seen of late were as good as those Houston teams. I watched Bearden in 2002 and didn't think they deserved to be ranked #1 in the Nation. Maybe it's because the last Tennessee team I had seen ranked that high seemed so much better. That is just my opinion though. One could also make the arguement (I'm not but am using this for an example) that Bearden was the best team if you want to base it on come from behind wins. They came back from 2-0 on Clarksville High, who was a little underated, in 2002 and traded goals in the first OT before winning in the first few seconds of sudden death.

Just interested in knowing what everone's pick for the best team ever in Tennessee would be?

It doesn't play here. Just a commercial for a car dealership.

I'm sure some players from more than a few of the past state championship gams would agree with me but who knows? Yes, I wasn't there but I've seen my share of championship games. Based on what I've read, and heard, about this one I'd have to say it sounds more like it belongs in the top 3 but not quite the best game ever. I've heard all this before. Everyone believes their game, or the game that they saw, was the best ever. One thing is certain though. This game wasn't lacking any offense. That's the kind of soccer I like to watch. I'm just glad Farragut won.

I know what you mean about Bearden people seeming to think that way. My cousin went to Farragut and often said the same thing. I also noticed it when I watched Clarksville High play Bearden in the finals in 2002. To me those type of fans are common for schools from up scale areas but I noticed it more from Bearden fans. It's just a small minority though. Like with anything in life the few ruin it for the many. And like I said before...this is a rivalry so it comes out more then.

I'm not sure this was the best game ever but is surely near the top of the list. All this talk about obscene gestures and arguement among the fans is rediculous. What did you guys expect? When two rivals play each other in the state championship game there will be trouble. It's a given.

I played in the early/mid 90s and Farragut was the only team from Knoxville that I remember being in the rankings then. I had never heard of Bearden's soccer team until after 2000. Back then there was no seperate divisions for private schools. They were in the same districts/regions as everyone else. Farragut, Oak Ridge, Science Hill, Dobyns-Bennet and Chattanooga teams were always the ones from East Tenenssee in the rankings then. Middle Tennessee had Brentwood, Franklin, Hendersonville, Father Ryan, and sometimes BGA. West Tennessee was mainly just CBHS, Germantown and Houston. It was amazing how good Houston was because they were a brand new school. Their National Championship teams are still the best I've ever seen in Tennessee.

Clarksville being outshot like that is actually not a good way to judge the game. They have a history of being outshot like that. Some of their better teams were out shot like that and still won their games. The problem is that the past 3 or 4 years have been "down years" for them. It's hard to play "coutner punching" style soccer when your team doesn't have the talent it usually has.

I completely forgot about that Soddy Daisy team because Houston was so good that year. If I remember correctly they were National Champs. So, it looks like I was only partially right about that section. The district Soddy Daisy is in has made it to the finals a few times. It's the other district in that region that has yet to make it to the finals. It just seems like its always the same two or three districts/regions that make it. We'll see what happens this year. I'd like to see some different teams up there.

I'm not saying you guys have been written off yet. I just don't remember any teams from that Section winnig state. I only remember one even making it to the final and that was Ooltewah (probably didn't spell that right) and that was back in the early 90s. Correct me if I'm wrong though. I don't think anyone is taking Blackman lightly. History may be against teams from that section but it's ultimately up to you guys. I think most people are expecting Brentwood, Farragut, or Bearden to win this thing and Maybe Hendersonville or Houston.

The teams from region 3 and 4 are typically the weaker teams in the playoffs. I don't see Cookeville or Blackman advancing but anything could happen. At this point it's hard to pick who will take it all.

Apparently I missed a season. CHS has already had their first season below .500 back in 2005.