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Please respect the privacy, character and class of Coach/President Akins at this time. He has earned that, at the very least. The rumor mill is grinding and it's horribly unfair. He has been under a tremendous amount of stress and idle talk accomplishes nothing, but can destroy much. There is not one person who can denounce what he has accomplished at BBS as president and as a coach. Everyone who has been associated with the man knows his love for young people and desire to move forward. I'm confident that professionally he'll do an amazing job wherever his next step takes him. BBS has been and always will be bigger than one man and Robert will be the first to tell you that. I commend the board of directors for their leadership. Though there is no slam-dunk in naming a new coach one thing is clear: the system, scheme and tone of BBS football that Coach Akins implemented rolls on.

Boyd Buchanan's Weston Perry has committed to play football for UTC in Division I AA. He chose the Mocs over several other programs as well as offers to play baseball because he feels that the program is "headed in the right direction". His duties will include kick-off specialist and working in the defensive secondary, as well as other special teams opportunities. "I know that I'll have to earn my spot, but I'm excited to be a college football player" (excerpts from Chattanooga Times Free Press article, May 20, 2006)

Thanks for your comment, BnL. It SHOULD be enough when told that "personal reasons" are the factors. There is no scandal, there is no "story", and a respected man who has served and lead in the way that Robert has deserves to be given his space. He will be missed, but he will be in demand immediately for his skills and integrity as a coach. My hat is off to the man for all that he has done for Boyd-Buchanan school and also to the board of directors for their continued leadership.

During a long losing streak I overheard one of the visitors fans say- "well, they ain't winnin' on the road and they ain't winnin' at home. I think they're runnin' out of places to play! After a monster home run:" That one would be out of most parks- including Yellowstone" - Bob Euker My favorite for our not-so-fast first baseman: WOW, he turned a sure double into a stand-up single! A basketball one , for which I was ejected from a game in 1977 "Didja lose that little ball outa yer whistle there, ref?" ( I tugged on his shirt to get his attention- didn't know that you can't touch a ref!) "The strike zones' on wheels!" "Ray Charles called- He said the pitch was outside!"

The tennis courts @Brainerd belong to Parks and Rec. Dept. of Chattanooga, not the school. The tennis team at Boyd uses those for practice as they don't even have courts on campus. It's a money thing. If you averaged 1000 to 2000 paying fans for a baseball game you can bet that they would have lights, big fieldhouses, stands and facilities, but it just isn't that way.

Spanked might be a bit harsh of a word considering that Boyd left 12 on base and left 'em loaded three times in the game. I think that Boyd may have been preserving some pitching because of the district schedule. Polk did a great job and deserved to win, but with the lead-off guy (and shortstop) coming out hurt and the team not practicing the previous week I think that Boyd may not have given their best effort. Congrats to Polk on a well played game after a tough loss the night before.

I haven't seen Meigs play but their stats in the paper look impressive. Boyd is hoping to be healthy by then and their pitchers should be rested up. Meigs: how is your seating for visitors? Also, most Boyd fans are wondering about one thing: How is the food?. Good food? Popcorn? Peanuts? Cold drinks? I know the local Hardees is top-notch but at the game we need munchies! Good luck and safe travel to both teams.

Nope. Boyd is off until Monday (Meigs.) I noticed that Polk didn't have lights either. This won't be a problem after daylight savings time kicks in, but apologies to the McMinn Central fans for having to travel again. Thank your friendly TSSAA for that 1.8 rule that puts a 300 kid high school against y'all in a district and region that covers all of s/e Tennessee! Boyd's administration wants players to focus on spiritual development and academics first: but having to drive (and ask the competitors to drive) that far on a school night for baseball and basketball is nuts! Just my opinion. After the game I heard an adult (maybe a coach, not sure) say loudly "A rich school like this with no lights??!!" To whomever it was: You have been drawn into the myth that "private =money" If you walked around at all you saw how dated the old high school (now the middle school) was. You saw how bad the home side bleacher area was on all of the fields (they did the visitors side first. You're welcome) ALL of this is done on tuition that is less than half of the "big timers" (Mcallie, Baylor, GPS) All of this is done without tax dollars and "big money" contributors. This kind of comment won't come from a kid usually, but an adult. The kids don't care, they just want to play. Adults (on both sides): THINK before you engage the pie-hole. McMinn played on outstanding game on the road and neither team gave in, as the 7-7 score reflected.

On paper this should be a couple of good games. Not sure how Polk has been playing lately, I only saw them during the Rhea county pre-season deal. Boyd has been playing well, but they could be a little rusty having been on spring break. Safe travel to everybody (it'll be a pain getting to either game during the afternoon "crowded drive on I-75"

Boyd is just having "one of those years." They'll play great one week and poorly the next. The combination of being a 1A size school playing up to 2A in a 9 team district with no tall kids punishes off nights terribly. Coach Brown is only in his 2nd year as a high school coach and the water is deep. That said, I really think that this team is just a couple of minutes away from being able to make some noise around tournament time. Played a fantastic 3 1/2 quarters against McMinn Central and has played 2 really tough games against Brainerd. When the kids are hustling and shots are falling this really is a fun team to watch

kinda wondered about that one myself. Maybe because of 6 picks in only 5 games at full time DB. I thought he was the best kicker we saw in 2A and played well at QB (but not all state stats.)

Boyd Buc had 3 linemen, the whole defensive secondary and 2 linebackers playing both ways. The QB played Corner or LB, kicked, punted and was the return man about 80% of the time. The RB was also a LB, most of the receivers were corners and deep backs. Conditioning is the key. If you are limited on available athletes, which 1-3A schools usually are (unless your name is Alcoa) and especially the Multiplier schools, you've got to have the kids ready to go flat out for 48 minutes, special teams included. It's one of the reasons that small schools who schedule 4 and 5A opponents hang with them for a quarter or two then begin to fall off. When Bayor played BBS in the past Boyd would spread them out and make the linemen scramble. By the end of the half and in the 4th Boyd would make it a tight game or take a lead. The big difference in this years' game was that Baylors line was in better shape and could pursue for 4 quarters. When Boyd played Cookeville this year I thought they were in the best condition of any 5A school I've seen. No surprise they had several kids going both ways.

The solution? A merit system. You win your division (or get to the finals for 2 consectutive years) you move up. You finish in the bottom 20% of your class then you move down (re-classify every 2 years.) With every school (D1 and DII) included over 6 divisions for football. Within 4 years everyone is where they belong in relation to their competition, regardless of enrollment. Then you've got a championship that isn't watered down or only between 7 schools or has an astrisk next to it! Of course it'll never happen but I can dream...

Apparantly you have been to some different private D1 schools than I have. #1 NFL coaches? First I've heard of it. The D1 privates in the Chattanooga area can barely afford two stipend coaches and the rest are volunteers. By the way, several public schools tha I know of have coaches who are not faculty members. Ask the booster clubs of most successful programs (public or private) and you'll find that the income of the coaches is almost identical, with a slight advantage going to the public schools. #2 What makes you think that there are no broken homes in private schools? The only thing that makes any real-world sense in this post is that private schools have more control over the discipline of the students. You are correct there. #3 Agian, there is no way that you've seen the facilities at Boyd-Buchanan, Ezell-Harding, Grace, Temple or DCA for that matter. Vastly inferior to most, if not all public facilities. Shoot, even Notre Dame ( 3A, in Chattanooga) isn't anything to get excited about. I stand by everything I've said here. Unfortunately you are standing in most of what you've said here.

I only mentioned the move to the other board because every time this subject comes up-that's where it gets moved to. The travel, cost and safety issues have to be resolved before there can be a total split.

"Please tell me of a magnet school that dominates in football? The magnet school is academically based, period. The privates do have advantages that the publics don't have. The multiplier does even out those disadvantages. It is not unfair. So, YOU need to stop all of YOUR whining!!!" Hmmmm. Somebody needs a nap! That would be Tyner (and they are a great football team!) and my post mentioned magnets AND open zones, dude. Please, can you tell me what real advantages (not PERCEIVED advantages) that private D1 schools have that do not also apply to magnets and open zones? Not whining-just answering devils' question.

Just wanted you to know that the Boyd-Buchanan fans were praying for you. Glad to hear you're ok!

Carnac says: "I see this thread being moved over to the Public/Private debate in the near future" Do you really want to know what folks think about this? Ok... I think it is a very manipulative and subjective way to organize classes. I thought so last year and I'll continue to think so until the complaints are dealt with fairly across the board. The advantages of magnet and open zone schools are not addressed at all within this system. I've watched as upperclassmen statewide have struggled this year to step up to another level (some during a rebuilding year) wondering aloud what their school did "wrong" to be placed in this situation. I do think that they have learned that life, indeed, isn't fair and that you do the best you can with the hand you've been dealt. If that lesson has been learned then they are all champions in my book. It is, after all, what we want for our young men and women- to learn life lessons from sports. The only thing that I see as a positive is that the whining has subsided for a year, but that's just me.

It's not next year yet, so you don't know who is going to step up. I do feel like the o-line and the defensive squads will be very good. At running back, full back and receiver spots Boyd will be fine. There will be open competition for the qb spot and the depth spots at receiver and linebacker.I've got a lot of faith in the kicking game. The big question is will this group step up in preparation to the level of competition which was revealed this year? The only way for these kids to beat Tyner, Red Bank,etc... is to compete for every spot on the field. EVERY scout teamer and 2nd group kid must push the guy across from him to the limit every workout, every practice and every snap. Boyd jsut doesn't have the numbers (being a small school) or athletic depth to compete at this level naturally. The kids will have to learn to develop at an accelerated rate. Play and work every day hard enough so that every potential starter scared to death that if he takes one play off he'll lose his spot. Then and only then will these kids get to the next level.

Yes, he does know what he is talking about. Why do you think he's wrong? I really believe that if: 1. The Rams come out smoking from minute one 2. They correct the things that Boyd did to move the ball on them (which they will, because the coaches are good) and 3. They play with intensity for 48 minutes, it will be a game all the way to the end. Alcoa lost a little bit of their advantage wih players being out, but they are still the favorites in this game, Tyner IS capable of the upset though. Go Rams!

To the Seniors: I have spent a big part of the last four years (58 games, 14 scrimmages and who knows how many practices) watching these guys grow up. I am proud of every one of them and the kind of young men they have turned out to be. They have played side by side with my son and the sons of my friends and have gotten to play ball under the guidance of coaches who care about them not as a football player, but as a soul that belongs to the Creator. You have been blessed. To the underclassmen: The shoes of a Buccaneer are large indeed. Nothing but hard work, heart and guts will fill them. I know you will rise to the challenge, just as those before you have. Carry yourself with joy, honor and class in all that you do. There are people all around you who have showed you how and I hope my boy (#7) has been a light to your path. To the band, cheerleaders and fans: You are the greatest! 'Nuff said. I promised many of you that I wouldn't get all misty until the last baseball game and I almost made it! To Coach T (.com) Thanks for this forum that allows us to encourage, root, fuss, brag about and discuss our teams successes and shortcomings. I hope you can keep it up for many years to come. With that- on to the round ball that doesn't bounce as funny!

Congratulations to the Rams! What a talented and fast team! To the Tyner faithful- I know that you can give Alcoa all they want, but your guys will have to step way up. You have the players and the coaching, but Alcoa will not give you 7 balls on the ground (we shouldn't have, but to your credit y'all made us pay every single time.) When BBS controlled the pace of the game I think the Rams got a bit out of sync. Coach Turner said on TV (and I agree) that if the turnovers didn't ignite the team then Tyner doesn't win the game. Make region 3 proud and don't wait for a good break to start playing ball! We'll be cheering loud for you (from the basketball game) Well guys, it's been fun. I don't know that this will be my last post in the football boards, but it'll be close to it. Being the dad of a senior has it's ups and downs but I can honestly say it has been a great ride.

Well, it's about 21 hours til kickoff, Lord willing. I hope that it is a good game with no injuries and everyone plays well. I just hope that the Bucs play a little bit better than the Rams. On Friday night near Hickory Valley Will be heard the loud playoff rally. The fans they'll be cold, the young and the old Can't wait for the final score tallly. If you're a Swashbuckler fan Or the Horned Sheep are part of your band, One thing is for sure, there awaits a north tour Up to Loudon or Alcoa land. So come on out and cheer loud Bring a big ol' boisterous crowd. Win one more, brave Bucs Pull an upset (with some luck!) Win or lose, you know we'll be proud. (Sorry, I couldn't resist. Every game could be my last shot for a stupid poem!)

Thanks, Dive. The kids and coaches are really the only ones who know just how difficult this season has been. I hope that all the adjustments and learning curves are peaking at the right time. However, if the season ends this week, next week or next month this is a very impressive group of young men. They could have detonated at any point after week one (and all the way throught the last Tyner game), but held together and kept after it until they could develop into a better football team. Their biggest asset isn't football prowess, but rather what genuinely good kids that they are. I was very impressed with the demeanor and character of the CPA teams that Boyd has played over the past 4 years. You can be proud of them regardless of record.

Yeesh. A quote from "The Sandlot" is in order here: You're KILLIN' me, Smalls! Why is everybody gettin' their drawers in a wad? 1.Tyner fans have every right to be confident. 2.No, every fan from Boyd doesn't talk like that. 3. Tyner will not put 100 on the board. 4. A Boyd win won't be by 3 touchdowns. 5.Tyner has more athletes. 6.Boyd will play a better game with different personel in new positions. 7.The halfback pass is the LEAST creative play in the playbook. 8. Boyds baseball team a few years back had enough mouths on it to keep the whole team in ISS for a month. 9. Not one Tyner or Boyd player is looking ahead to Alcoa (but Alcoa is ready for Murphreesboro.) and number 10... Y'all act like you got some sense! GO Bucs!