cricket

What's the status on hiring a new coach. Has the position been posted? Does anyone have any details on a time line?

Are you joking? When was the last time CC was top in the conference? Over a decade ago? The teams above CC had Division I players, decent facilities, community support, etc. You can't squeeze blood out of a turnip! I've watched them play. They've got nothing! I'd say their coach worked miracles just to have a winning season.

You don't have the full picture Maverick. Its funny you say they have not been in the top of their conference in the last decade. Well you can attribute half of that decade to the outgoing coach. And it's hard to say how many division one players CC could have and should have had. The outgoing coach seemed to thrive on running quality players away from the program. The outgoing coach discouraged his athletes from competing at their full potential regardless of the sport they chose to play. Example: BB players that did very well in the state track tournament. Your right, you can't squeeze blood out of a turnip, but you can get better if you spend your practice time shooting. Spend more time shooting and working fundamentals instead of cleaning the locker room. Since you seem to have all the answers: what did he do to improve his off season program? what did he do to improve his feeder program? The miracles you say he worked were done by the 3 seniors on the team and by the way have all had college offers to play collegiate athletics. I have also been watching CC for more years than I can count. I have witnessed this coach quitting on his team more than once and the players stepping up and controlling the game. How can you say the prior D1 players had better facilities. It's the same gym that CC has played in for the past 30 years plus we now have a state of the art rec center that is available. The community support is there and always has been. The problem is the outgoing coach didn't want the community support. Just go ask some of those former D1 players. They will tell you.

I am curious : how many faculty coaches versus non faculty coaches make it to the state tournament on a regular basis? Can anyone answer this?

I went to college to teach and coach. If somebody that wants to coach at the high school level then he or she needs to get a degree in education and find a job in teaching and coaching, and then, and only then is it O. K. for them to coach at the high school level. These summer traveling teams are fine for the men and women who do not want to teach. We all know that there are certain expectations that we are held accountable for, and sadly softball is a sport that is sometimes overlooked when it comes down to coaching strengths. But you have to pay a price to coach and mine was a 4 year college degree, a 2 year masters degree and teaching all day before practice and games.

With all do respect Dancing Bear I am going to have to disagree with you. While I can appreciate your stand that high school coaches need teaching degrees, a degree does not make you a good coach. I don't mean that personally. What I am saying is I have seen in all sports great coaches without teaching degrees and great coaches with teaching degrees. Likewise, I have seen TERRIBLE coaches with degrees and Terrible coaches without. So I guess my opinion is every school should evaluate their individual programs to determine what type of coach is best for them. If you have a coach with multiple degrees and they can't win, have no respect from their players, and is in it for their own self gratification then I'd say that person might need to change jobs. However, if you have a non faculty, non degree person that has a winning program, respect of their players, and is in it for the kids why would you want to change. Because of a piece of paper? Sometimes experience is more valuable than education. Just because a person has been to college doesn't make them ready or necessarily qualified to be a head coach in high school. Also, someone who played the sport doesn't automatically make them a good coach either. I have seen players turn coach that were terrible.

You mentioned paying a price to coach. I think volunteering your time, because we all know coaching supplements are a joke, should account for something. Non-faculty coaches are coaching for the love of the game not as a livelihood. One more note-I don't think coaches degreed or non-degree should be coaching at the high school level if they have a kid on the team. It leaves too much for question.

Thanks cricket for your response. I didn't know he was part of the coaching staff. That does answer a couple of my questions though about why he was so adamant it wasn't the coach's fault, but the girls talent level and work ethic not being what it should. Appreciate your insight. /popcorneater.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":popcorneater:" border="0" alt="popcorneater.gif" />

Pedo is an assistant baseball coach.

So now you are mad at Pedo and think he should resign. The great cricket has come to put the smack down on Pedo for being on a public forum and saying what he thinks. You should apply with coach t to monitor all topics and lay down the law to would be violators. He did not put the girl down just stated it as he sees it, so what and he is the one that needs to grow up.

I am not mad at Pedo, but I do think he used poor judgement by posting a childs name on a message board. Let's not forget these are kids, not professional athletes, and if someone wants to be critical of a kid have enough decency to not use names. He is also part of the cc coaching staff and has an ethical obligation to not publicly discuss students. He needs to think about that. He did put the girl down and his comments served no purpose.

They have been to the region twice....hosted it in 2004 and lost a close game to Oakland. Traveled to Riverdale in 2006 and got blasted. And With all the respect in the world to Kayla Moore, no she would not have helped this team. You use the word "athlete" too loosely. Olivia Thompson could have helped from the outside, you are right. What was wrong with Tipps' certification? Scroggins is currently 65-77 at CHS.

Shame on you Pedo, who do you think you are getting on a public forum and critizing a kid. You are no expert to say whether a kid is or is not an athlete. What makes you think you have the background or qualifications to do that. You have nothing other than a few swings at a baseball in high school. I don't think any scouts where knocking down your door. Kayla is a good girl with feelings and how dare you get on this board and talk about her. If you want to make an editorial like this use your own newspaper for it, not a public forum. It bothers me to know that a non faculty coach would go on a public forum and critisize a student from the school. You should resign tomorrow! This is not the first time you have put down kids. You need to get a real job and grow up! /mad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":angry:" border="0" alt="mad.gif" />

bump

How long does it take to make a decision. Bill Price resigned as head football coach in December. /dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=" It is my understanding that coffee has had several quality candidates and they themselves have helped with the decision making by withdrawing their names. It's sad that adminstration can't make a decision and the kids are left in limbo without a coach. Is that the right thing to do to kids? If choosing a football coach is such a struggling decision for people who are running the schools maybe they need to re-evaluate themselves and change careers.

I think anyone making the mistake that Tullahoma won't be tough to beat this year in their district is just ill informed. From what I hear Jones and Duke spent the best part of the summer playing very competetive ball with some fairly decent coaching and should be ready to step it up this year. They will probably start slow but be ready by tournament time...which is when it counts...

My prediction is that CC will be behind Tullahoma and either Columbia or Lawrenceburg, possibly both....

With Tullahoma being successful the last two years, why would this year be different with pitcher and catcher returning to lead this team?

No one said anything about Tullahoma being tough to beat, but don't think that Duke and Jones were the only players spending their summer playing competitive summer ball. I think that the girls from Coffee played just as much if not more. Get ready for a competetive season.

We both ask the same question....3rd and 8 ...maybe 12...run the ball...make them use their last timeout with a minute or less to go...then punt the ball away...or even go for it since they were deep enough in FC territory and then let them try to drive the field with no timeouts. But what gets me is the fake punt in the first half, absolutely mind boggling. CHS up 30-10 with a little over a minute to go, 4th and 12 at its own 36 yard line. Shelbyville has NO timeouts left and Coffee County runs a fake punt with punter Ben AAron of all people. Ben is a great player but to ask him to run 12 yards (plus the lengh of the snap) is ridiculous. Franklin County scored a TD and it was 30-17 at the half. Couldnt' believe it. But CHS kept fighting and tip your hat to Franklin County and Shaquille Shedd, they never gave up . Shedd had 366 yards passing wingman.

You make some good points, however at somepoint and time you need to decide wether you are going to support the Red Raiders, or try and make people think that you are some kind of football analyst that has played the game, have you, if my memory holds i believe you played BAseball not football. I have listened to you on the Radio and several times a player will make a mistake and you will become very critical of that player and never let it rest. If you are going to be one of the voices of the Red Raiders you need to be more supportive of the kids, even if they make a mistake, remember they are still high school students not college players, they will make mistakes. They dont need the Radio announcer to critize them, you are not on ESPN!!! As for the Coaches, guess what they make mistakes too, they don't need one of the people that is suppose to help build support, critize them, what kind of message are you sending. I think if you went down on the field after the game you would have heard Price say that he made some mistakes along with the team and that they was going to have to do better, and he was refering to the whole team including himself and the rest of the coaches. Thunder 1320 does a great job supporting the Red Raiders, you just need to listen to the broadcast and ask yourself should you have said what you said about a kid. If you had kids you might understand what i am saying. You also need to remember that you are suppose to be a Red Raider Coach too, how would you like for someone in the Red Raider coaching staff to go on the air or on line and make comments about one of your players or your Coaching staff, remember this is a small town and we can not afford for some of the comments that you make. As for the game, we made mistakes, anybody that was there knows it, but we held on for the win and that is all that matters. You do allot of good work Pedo just remember the feelings of the kids when you speak, this is just a little friendly advice.

P.S We played Franklin County not Shelpyville, see everybody can make mistakes. Go Big Red

Well I was at the game and it was not hard to figure out that Thornton took a swing at the other player. Not just my view others had the same view. Hard to mistake this with a "gentleman discussion"

are you sure you were at the game? the foul wasn't called for a swing. if you were at the game you would know that.

If he is such a good moral man he would not have let the politics in his program.

Do you even go to the games? There are 15 players dressed out, 11 of them have been rotating in and out of the games. You and I don't know what factors help make a coaches decision. We don't know what's been going on in practice, we don't know what the game plan is for the night, we don't know who's hot and who's not, we don't know who's sick, or who's having a problem with a class and missed practice to go for tutoring. All of these reasons and many more go into any coaches game plan not politics.

Cricket have you looked at the record under Taylor? .500 hundred with a player that is having his number retired?(Can someone explain the number deal Please)

Yes I have seen the record. Like I said in an earlier post. Everyone wants to win, but if these boys are being coached by a good moral man who is building character and is a good role model that is sometimes more important than how many "w" you have at the end of the season. You should listen to what his players are saying instead of worrying about his record.

Also, what do you care if a jersey is retired. The boy who wore it represented his school and team well. He is an outstanding young man and has made accomplishments that most have not.

I would have to agree. Why don't you try it. Or are you going to ask me my basketball/coaching background like you have everyone else.

No, I really don't care what your background is. My reason for asking was because it seems to me that some people's solution to the problem is to change coaches. Changing coaches does not improve a program that is not blessed with alot of athletes. CC is not a powerhouse.

I would have to agree. After reading all the post, it seem to me that the school board member and his wife is where the out of hand part starts. Why would members of the school system write something like that and sign their name? It must have hit a nerve. And no I not going to meet you at the game and have a "gentleman discussion" or line up a cross from a player. So what if someone thinks that Coach Taylor favors your son. Being a member of a board or part of a school system this can't be the first time something has been said. Yes it is my first post and after reading some of Titan 21 and Cricket's post anybody should just sign up and say whatever you want. 5A football fan, the concensus seems to be that it is the player and the coach and you can only change one.

I thought this was an opinion board. Is it not?

Do I need one to coach at Coffee County? The one we have didn't. Right on Pedo!!!!

I think you might need to take a reading comprehension class. Your post makes no since. I simply asked you a question. You either don't want to answer or can't.

Whether the middle school and westwood are two or three year programs is irrelevant. I do think that coaching at the middle school and westwood should be somewhat accountable for success at the high school level (not a lot but to some point they have to be held accountable)....Westwood has had serious coaching turnover in both the boys and girls in the past few years....Robinson (ccms boys) is the only one that has been around for any length of time.....but if the middle school's arent' having winning seasons (and they haven't been boys or girls except for the occasional seaason) then why should they magically begin to compete at the high school level? As far as the comment about having 1500 to pick from....well that is actually less than everyone in the district with the exceptoin of Tullahoma (maybe Lincoln County because of 9th grade academy)......Coffee County actually has fewer people to pick form which leads to more multi-sport athletes. Some other schools have at least 2-3 kids (starters) that are basketball only....CC does not have that...every starter plays at least one other sport some of them two other sports (with the exception of Trey who quit baseball just this past fall) therefore these guys have less time to devote directly to basketball. That may seem like it doesn't make that big of a difference but when these CC kids are playing their other sports the kids from other schools that are playing basketball only are off at camps... playing AAU ball and playing basketball year around....I think that makes a difference

Right on Pedo!!!! By the way wildcat, how many games have you attended this year you seem to have all the answers? What is your basketball/coaching background?

And your post means what? hs building freshman team, what are you trying to say?

I believe I was correcting wildcat3030's post. He stated the middle school and westwood programs were only 2 year programs. What I said was that not all of the current players have been four year players at the high school and let me also say that most of those players have not had alot of varsity play time until this year. Give the kids a break. They are playing their guts out. Get off their backs!

thats not right..we've all been playing together since we were freshmen except for our 2 seniors. one was at westwood and the other at chs. but all the juniors have been playing together since their freshman year. so have the sophomores

I think you better check your facts. One senior was at westwood as a freshman and one junior was at westwood as a freshman. Yes the one freshman did come over in the afternoons and played as a freshman, but he was not in the hs building during his freshman year.

so will riverdale return to the 5a power house it used to be

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Loosing a close third round play off game to the future state champs, should not make you anything less than a Power House.

Has the Def. cord. been named, if not who is the front runner.

Why not? The middle schools only have players for two years with the same coach. High school is four year program. If it is the responsiblity of the westwood and middle school coaches to make the high school some players then Taylor needs to send 1/2 his check to both coaches. Is this what you are now saying??? First it was the players now it's the middle and westwood coaches????

The middle school is a 3 year school (6,7,8) and westwood is a 3 year school (7,8,9). Up until 3 seasons ago westwood still had freshman playing bb. This is the first year that ALL of the freshman who play BB are attending the hs. Some of the players have not had the same opportunities as others because the programs were not combined.

played the game in hs and college "up nawth". never coached on either level but i think i know the game. have watched 8AAA basketball for years but have an interest in CC and Tullahoma. I agree with the statement on CC not putting an emphasis on mens basketball and just having "good old boys" playing the game. that is what they want coaching and that is the reason they hired andrew. nothing wrong with that unless you want to move to the next level. then things have to become more technical and feelings would need to be hurt. no politics in winning basketball.

Most kids coming through CC are not going to play BB at the next level. Every now and then you get a player like Micah Williams, but he is an exception. As you know if a player is good enough and serious about BB they must play more than just hs bb. They spend 24/7 in the gym year round. I don't think CC has the athletes to dedicate these 5 for BB and those 25 for football and 10 for baseball, etc. Most kids at CC play more than one sport. From that stand point I must agree with Big Boy. Sometimes it is better to have someone coaching your teenager that is a good person and is a positive influence on them. Sometimes parent's need to be realistic and realize that most kids are not going to make it to the next level. No one wants to lose but sometimes what doesn't kill us will make us stronger. In the game of life those boys at cc will become successful men because they are not quitters and have shown much character this season on and off the court. That's just my opinion.

why did you get on here and make a post like that thornton. that was stupid. you just substantiated everything this wildcat guy believes. you should give up your board seat now. with everything andrew has to deal with in the community now he has to deal with this. just stupid thornton.

topper, in reading your previous post you appear to have alot of advice and opionions for alot of programs throughout the state. Just wondering exactly what makes you an expert on high school athletics? What is your experience with teenagers and basketball? Are you a player/former player, coach, parent, or both? If you are a former player, at what level did you play? Just curious?

just curious from someone who isn't from the area being talked about but just by reading these posts I was wondering if you guys are talking about a program that was once really good and is now down or is it a program that has been always down? I heard they won a state title in girls a while back but can't remember ever hearing about the boys team ever doing much of anything. From an outsider, I do hope that whatever happens with your program that we all remember that it's a game played by kids and at the end of the day if the coach is a good person who doesn't mistreat the kids, is it really as bad as I have been reading? I remember coming to your community a few years ago and everyone there was very gracious and it seemed like a great place to be. Hope the best for all involved. I have never coached either but it seems to me the hardest thing about coaching high school is playing with the hand your dealt. Can't really press if you have guys who are slow, can't really rebound well if you have 5'10" and the opponent has 6'4". I just think sometimes high school coaches take way too much heat for things out of their control. If you have a group that plays hard and leaves it all on the floor, isn't that what you really want, win or lose, to me that's a team you can be proud of. Again, sry this is so long but just thought an unattached opinion may help. Good luck to you guys the rest of the way.

Well said Big Boy. CC has never been a power house. Just a bunch of good boys playing a game.