mjgIII

Thanks for the very enlightening asnwers (not sure about fastpitch softball cornpup), and the thought that went into them. What I gather is that he will not be harshly punished by not playing travel yet. Apparently, there is a "guest" level where he can still practice some with the team, play on his local team, and fill in with the travel as they need. You guys/gals have been a big help. Not having a soccer backgroung and having a kid that loves soccer has been different. TD, we are in Nashville and play in the HYAC (?) league. Not sure of the team that asked him to play since my better half took the call and set up the try-out. She liked the coach though and my son loved it. Thanks again. I have been very impressed with the sincerity of the responses.

Great job delaWarr. I think I understand but, as you stated, it would be easier to be in the room with brackets. I'm still not a fan of blind drawing the region champs and automatically seeding the returning placers. I understand everyone's hesitancy to just rank the wrestlers but I think it could be done and done well. Every seeding meeting I've been in has gone well overall. You give a little and get a little but in the end everyone seems happy, or has some nice motivating ammunition for their wrestler.

Heath, I'd love for you to do a camp. Nashville OK? I'll get some dates together and call you after states.

If I can get a yard pass from my better half I'll be there.

noonesfool, of course it would be subjective. Much better than by chance. And some regions are stronger, much stronger, than others. But you wouldn't be seeding regions. You would be seeding wrestlers. But my first option would still be with the old way. I've never been a fan of blind draw and that would be my last choice.

reftn, that's how they did it back in my day (late 70's. early 80's) and I still think it's the best way. Noonesfool, if you did seed 1-8 you would have to ignore region champs. I, personally, think region should just get you to state. Being the champ should not automatically get you a seed.

Sorry AGGSL. I just inferred Baylor cheated from a post by sly: "Lane was recruited to Baylor." Recruiting being against the rules, ergo Baylor cheated. Doesn't really matter how Baylor sees it, "at least that's the way Bradley folks see things." My post wasn't meant to be harsh, just mainly one of frustration. Chattanooga seems to take HIGH SCHOOL wrestling personal, whereas Nashville, Memphis, and Knoxville just want to wrestle. I guess I can understand somewhat since that's where it all began in Tennessee and maybe there is more history. I just hope the venom I sometimes see in these DI/DII discussions doesn't filter down to the wrestlers much. Some of my closest friends today beat the tar out of me on a wrestling mat years ago wearing the colors of my hated (not by me) rivals. We became friends because of the competition, not in spite of it. Maybe kids today get that in summer freestyle now. But I tell you what, wrestle a guy 3-4 times in a year (good matches mind you) and let it age a few years, and you open friends for life. I hope they get to experience that.

Sly, no argument there. Just wish they'd all act like adults.

You guys in Chattanooga are something else. Bradley won't wrestle Baylor or McCallie because each has cheated and taken wrestlers from it's program. Red Bank won't schedule Bradley because Bradley cheated and took wrestlers from them. Anyone else wanting to take their ball and go home?

Soccer experts, a non soccer parent has a question. At what age should a boy begin travel soccer? I have an 8yo that they say is pretty talented and he's been asked to be on a travel team. He's made all star in soccer, baseball, is equally good in tennis, golf, and wrestling. He stinks at bowling. Do most kids specialize this early? Is he history if we don't do travel this year and just play on a team? Any input would be appreciated.

Overtonfan, watch this site and Tennwrestling.com for clinic info. Also, at the state they tend to have pamphlets out concerning summer camps. As to midstate coaches, start with you own. Gabriel is very knowledgeable and would point you in the right direction. Both Simpsons will have clinics this summer. Connell from McCallie is usually in town for one or both. Tommy Badon and Bryon Dunning are good to catch. I think it's Brenwood that usually hosts an Ohio State clinic that is well thought of. Harding Academy is planning on the Army camp again and it seemed to go well last year. Anyway, some places to start and some names to look out for.

Hey Cole 703. Nashville Catholic didn't have the pleasure of wrestling Moore this year but would very much like to have them on the schedule next year if they can work it out. Same for MBA. You know, middle school wrestling season in Nashville is strange. The HVAC has some great teams, but their season starts and ends like three weeks into the city. And the city has different times than the county (MTWA) league. And they all have different weight classes. Are other parts of the state like this? Any talk of standardizing weights or dates?

Hey cw160, I could care less what coach Logsdon does or doesn't do. If I was him, which I ain't, I'd wrestle McCallie just to kick their butt every year. Same with all the DII schools. He opts not to wrestle DII teams. Hey, it's his team and he can do whatever he wants with it. I respect his decision and support his right to make that decision. And yeah, I'd pay $100 to watch the match because I think it would be a good match and a packed house and a heck of an event for wrestling...but those are for front row seats remember.

Deaddux, let me make sure I understand. McCallie wrestles Bradley after the state and the split is 33% each for UTC, Bradley, and the TSSAA? Not that McCallie needs the money, but don't you think they should get 33% somewhere in here? Maybe 25% for each then McCallie can donate theirs to UTC? Anyway, it's fun to dream and I'd pony up a few $100 tickets to see it, but it ain't happening.

Nice idea. It'll never happen.

Hipyou, the Fairview kid's name is Degaliford and I thought he looked good too. Actually, I was impressed with their whole team. WCW, we moved Bateman up to give him and your 175, Childress, some competition. He has the potential to be very good. He's exceptional for a first year guy and gave Aaron more than he has gotten from anyone else locally. Keep him in the sport and get him to some camps! Congratulations on your victory.

Now that the MTWA (Middle TN Wrestling Asso.) season is over, I thought I would add a few names to the list. Tullahoma has a few tough kids: Foutch at 75, Knight at 82, and Dodd at 138. The Shanes brothers from Hendersonville, along with Dobbs at 100, are good. The Jones brothers, from Springfield, at 107 and 123 are really tough. Edwards from Mt. Juliet was unstoppable at 130. And Bateman and Miller(115) from Nashville Catholic. Bateman, who weighed in at 151 and could have easily gone to 149 but wrestled up, Edwards, and the 123 Jones were the class of the field in my opinion. Not sure they wrestled a full match all combined. Top 4 were Springfield with 182, Nashville Catholic 174.5, Warren County 172, and Tullahoma 170.5.

Hey 1moretime, don't lump Ryan in with MBA, Baylor, and McCallie in terms of money. Nowhere close to the same. Not even remotely. Ryan is much more like a public school than private in that they have no choice on the majority of the students they have to take. ALL socioeconomic classes are represented. Notre Dame, Memphis and Knoxville Cathoic are the same. JP2 will be the same. CBHS is a true private school.

Jim and Paul alternated calling the matches with the other one acting as Ref Assistant. Both did an outstanding job and had no undue influence on the outcomes. Could you imagine if Pat or Frank detected any favoratism? I did not hear one person from either side even suggest a hint of partisanship, nor would I expect any from these two.

It's the McCallie tournament. They can, and probably should, wrestle their matches where ever they want. You don't like it, don't go, don't send your team. The State is another story. The host school should have no more say than any other school as to on what mat the matches are wrestled.

Wrestler4life, Morgan went the distance in the semi's, and lost 9-8, to Bateman from Nashville Catholic. Not a kid from Christian Brothers. Morgan is going to be a good one if he stays in the sport.

MBA wins 33-28.

I predict 34-18 Ryan. MBA just can't hang 152 down. Greenwood and Hiller win close matches. Cooper pins. MBA wins 145, 60,71, and 215. Should be fun.

Good calls on both Murphy and Jabaley. I don't think James ever got the respect he deserved. A couple of other names from the past: Chris Wilson, 2x state champ 155 in '77 then 167 in '78. I believe he beat a young Lyles in the finals his senior year? Eric Wood, 2xer at 155 then 185 back in '71 and '72. Impressive 30lb weight difference in one year. Greg Wingo seemed to place every year in the 70's too. And John Crawley, 2xer at 126 in 77-78. A bit unorthodox, but almost impossible to score on.

Sixteen teams total. Some standouts: Christian Brothers, Collierville, Bolton from Memphis, Baylor, Cleveland Middle, and OLPH from Chattanooga, Nashville Catholic, Freedom Middle, Grassland, Apollo, and Dickson County from the Mid-state. Five other teams I can't remember right now. Good cross section. Baylor and OLPH impressed me in the lower weights. Cleveland and CBHS in the Middle. Apollo had some nice atheletes in the upper. Good middle school tournament.