wheels

My recollection is that initially SBEC was kicked out when they moved to Mississippi. I understand that the provision under which they came back permits membership to a school that was formerly a TSSAA member that has relocated out of state, as long as the majority of students are Tennessee residents. On a related and interesting matter, Fort Campbell High School, which has won a couple of state football championships in Kentucky in recent years, is actually located in Tennessee.

TPS was one thing, Taft was another. TPS was a facility for kids who has become wards of the state, but had not been sentenced for a crime. Taft, in the old days, was a "reform school" (the non-politically correct term) and was run by the Department of Correction (not Children's Services, as it is now) for juveniles who had been convicted of a crime.

LA is Livingston Academy? If there was only one such game played at Taft, then I was the umpire for that game. It was a different atmosphere that Friday night, for sure.

Problem is not one for the refs, it's for the home administration to deal with. There's nothing in the rule book, or in any directive from TSSAA, regarding bands or fans with noisemakers.

1999, when they were champions in 3A.

Paul Poole and Johnny Tucker - each of which led their teams to a state championship. Both had a head full of sense, good leadership qualities, and decent throwing arms, even though neither was much of a runner.

IMHO, at this level, everyone should play. This does not mean that the kids should not get the impression that winning is unimportant, but they need to participate in order develop a love for the game. It's a delicate balance that, unfortunately, many little league coaches have difficulty with. And of course, parental pressure on the coaches and the kids makes things even worse.

That's going on at the University of Tennessee right now. I am told that Jonathan Crompton and his parents are steamed because he lost the starting QB job, even to the point of his family walking out of the stadium when Stephens was announced in the lineup. I would be interested in hearing from the kids, individually. "Would you rather get Mr. Football or win a state championship?" I think I know how 99% would answer.

I think it was when Blackman opened it was mentioned in the newspapers that Coach Alsup seriously considered immediately joining D-2 rather than playing a non-region/JV schedule until the next classification and realignment came around.

No. They are glorified regular-season games, not a post-season game played as a reward for a good season. Several of the jamborees played in this era are known as bowls, e.g. the "Tobacco Bowl" played annually at Hartsville. These shouldn't be regarded as bowls either.

It is an unfortunate fact of life that the small communities have fewer people than big places like Memphis and Nashville. TV stations charge for advertising based on the number of viewers. Nashville people are less likely to watch a rural game, so the station shows a game that will attract Nashville TV viewers. Yeah, a local business in a place like Pulaski could buy an advertisement on a broadcast, but even if the Pulaski businesses were lining up to do so, ultimately there would be less viewers and the station's incoming revenues would suffer due the drop in the advertising rate. You have the Nashville channels on cable in the rural areas because that's what viewers want. Otherwise, what would they show?

Breaking the huddle with 12 is not necessarily a foul under the high school rules - that's the college rule. The foul occurs when the "replaced player" does not leave "immediately Also, it's a foul (illegal participation) if a substitution or pretended substitution is done with intent to decieve.

I wouldn't say that without knowing a few more facts. If indeed this was a staffer, was it (1) someone who was doing legitimate work on the web site, and somehow accidentally made public something that was supposed to be a test. Or (2) someone with time on their hands and acess to the workings of the web site who was just screwing around. Or (3) someone who actually had malicious intent. I'd rather it be none of the above, but some tolerance should be exercised in case 1 and possibly in case 2 as well.

Actually, the requirement dates back to something like 1964. TSSAA got lax on enforcing it, and a couple of years ago, gave the schools until this year to get into compliance. In 2009, if the clock can't be operated from the field, the school will not be allowed to host a playoff game. See http://www.tssaa.org/BoardofControl/Actions/June2008.pdf Item number 19.

At one point this was a Constutional rights case alleging that TSSAA had violated BA's first amendment rights. As such, if BA prevailed, BA's "reasonable" attorney fees would be assessed against TSSAA. I expect BA's attorneys were expecting a huge award of fees if they won, but planned to write off all or most of the fees as pro bono work if they didn't.

The line extends all the way around the field, including end zones. For a gross violation of the rule, see this pic from a jamboree: http://www.shutterfly.com/progal/slideshow...5f5e&idx=87 /sad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":(" border="0" alt="sad.gif" /> /ohmy.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":o" border="0" alt="ohmy.gif" />

Getting the media back is supposed to be done by game administration (AD, security people) not the officials. If someone is inside the 2 yd restraining line, that's who needs to get them out. If the game officials need someone removed, after a polite request by the official, game administration should take over and move them out. Unfortunately, for years, the game administration people have been lax. And you mention being within the team area. That's been a no-no for years, and I can't believe many coaches would put up with photographers there. I see you are threating a lawsuit and alleging a "restriction of commerce" by the ref. (And who is the "state agency" involved here?) Good luck. For discussion purposes, suppose School A announces, "No media people inside the fence period. Any media people who want to cover the game can buy a ticket and sit in the stands." Why would the school not be within its rights? There have been a few games (not in Tennessee) where no one, but players and coaches were alllowed, due to threats of violence, measles epidemics, etc. Did the media have a right to be there? I don't think so. Speaking of lawsuits, a photographer strays inside the line and gets creamed, he'll probably sue the ref, the AD, the home team, and anyone else he thinks of. There's a case in the Texas courts now when a coach who was outside his area (Texas uses NCAA playing rules which are a little different) was run over and suffered permanent injuries. He sued the officials for not enforcing the rule! (Actually, I think it was his insurance carrier that forced him to sue.)

A couple of thoughts - First, what in the heck are you doing in the team box with the coaches and players anyway? That space has always been off limits to all but team and game administration people. And, if this doesn't work, why has it worked at the college and professional level for years? You do not see anyone in that two-yard belt, period, at a college game. Sorry, but you are wrong on this one. They are trying to promote safety, and prevent lawsuits.

That would be nice, but what about the students who are not athletes? Are they just supposed to sit at home and do nothing? And what about the districts the kids transfer to? Can they handle the overload, and are they willing to spend money on out-of-district students? Of course, if mom and dad move out of the district, the kid would be eligible at his new school. And if I were a parent in Cumberland County, I would be seriously considering moving. /motorbike.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":motorbike:" border="0" alt="motorbike.gif" />

Gosh, I just have to wonder what kind of message this is sending to the kids - something about how unimportant education is!! And apparently, these commissioners and the electorate don't hold education in high esteem. What is this society coming to?

Hey there, wait a minute. Blame TSSAA for everything. Did anyone consider that there may be little interest in Division II from the television stations and, most important, potential advertisers?

Get real. The parents of those inner city kids that somehow wind up at the privates are paying thousands? You think athletics are being paid for with tax dollars? How many thousands have booster clubs put into the public school athletic programs? What is being paid for with tax dollars, athletic wise, is getting less and less each year. And don't believe that privates are the only ones asking for more money. Some public schools are holding fund raisers, not just for athletics, but for money to pay the school's postage and phone bills. Yes, not every one can afford private school tuition, but who's more likely to get a scholarship - the outstanding athlete or just some ordinary kid who wants a private school education and can't afford it. Yes, there are some private schools that give an excellent education. But, see Exhibit A, there's a football factory over on Granny White Pike in Brentwood and you will not convice me that academics, or anything else, is more important over there than football.

I have lived in Nashville for the last 30 years, although I have continued to follow athletics in the area of the state I came from and also in the area surrounding Davidson County. There are a zillion factors as to why Metro is not competetive, and most of the posters here have validly mentioned them. We can wish for times long past, but those times won't come back. To me, the biggest factor is, parents don't give a #%@& about what's going on in their children's lives. That's a darn shame, but it's true. Society is suffering in a lot more ways than just in athletics. In football, we have had Hillsboro and Pearl-Cohn during the Fitzgerald era, and not much else. I had a friend who taught at Hillsboro several years back, after having taught at a couple of other comprehensive high schools. His take on the biggest difference - Hillsboro had parents who cared, and demanded a lot from the school. As for Pearl-Cohn, Fitzgerald promoted a community-school concept, and cared very much about his kids, even in an inner-city situation, and it worked.

I'm not sure. Do the statisticians consider a punt that becomes a touchback to be to the goal line or to the 20? There's your answer.

The kick is "in progress" until the ball is possessed or declared dead by rule. Merely touching (football rules terminology - "Muffing") the ball doesn't end the kick. All kicks, and this is still a kick after being muffed, going into R's end zone are touchbacks.