papa chaos

I don't know much, but I do know that this has turned into a pretty solid rivalry over the past few years. I've heard that WB has had a couple of setbacks in the pre-season, but here's to hoping for the best. Go Govs! "We'll march on to victory. We'll do it if we try. So fight, fight, fight for the Governors, the pride of William Blount High!"

I'm just playing the odds here, but I'd have to take the under on that one. GQ has only lost by 2 td's or more ONCE in his 133 games as head coach at Maryville.

Debate? What debate? There is not debate, only facts. Maryville is currently 4A. When they are reclassified, they will not be. Can we just play this season out before we worry about all of that stuff?

I'm pretty excited about this game. I think it will be nice to have an idea of what we're fielding in the week leading up to Alcoa, although it does take some of the anxiety and anticipation out of that week for me. I'm also pretty excited to see all of the Halls fans on here supporting their team. It gets a little boring sometimes when it's just all us Rebel fans on here talking to each other. It's pretty refreshing to see a team coming in against us and actually expecting to win. We usually only see that from the fans of Alcoa, WB and whoever we play in the state championship. There are some things that this year's team has to face that I think could have an impact on it like none of the recent teams: 1. The Nike deal - putting that swoosh on the jersey put an even bigger target on the team's back. Honestly, this has drawn so much attention, both locally and nationally, that I think the bullseye grew even bigger. Further, I think it has been a pride point and a distraction for the team. 2. The streak - There's a lot of pressure on this team to maintain the streak. A lot of times in sports you'll hear coaches and players say that a loss was a good thing for their team or program. I wonder if Maryville's perceived lack of intensity isn't the result of great pride in off the field recognition (see point #1) as well as built up confidence over the long span of wins. 3. The big 0 - That's right, this team has never experienced a loss at the varsity high school level. There's a 0 in the L column. Not sure how I'd deal with that, but I think it would make me feel invincible and entitled and neither are a good thing. So, Maryville obviously has some challenges, but they also have some very positive assets as well. First of all, I count it as a certainty that GQ and crew will never be outcoached. If it gets close, MHS knows how to win and its leadership knows how to get them in that position. Next, MHS expects to win while Halls, like so many before them, only thinks they can. There is a difference. Last, Maryville has all the experience that goes with having won so many games along the way. Halls may have a great group this year, but that's something that can't be captured so quickly. I expect a good game Friday night, and I'm almost giddy with anticipation of kicking off another season of high school football!

First of all, I wouldn't say that they have the "same" advantages. I won't speak on behalf of Alcoa. I don't like Alcoa, and won't defend them. But for Maryville I will say that they have such a small percentage of student athletes who pay tuition (literally, there are only a handful on the team), that it would be unfair to lump them in with a group that has a majority of student athletes paying to play. In the spectrum Maryville falls much closer to the pure publics than they do to the privates. Second, that is NOT the reason that Maryville has put off the move. Have you talked to the coaches about it? No. I didn't think so. Try not to speak on behalf of their motives until you have. They are not putting off the move. They are waiting for it to come, while going about business as usual. When it comes, they will be prepared. They are spending their time thinking of ways to win gold balls and not thinking of ways "to avoid the big boys."

I could not have said this any better (but I can say it loooonger). Moving to 5A will not make Maryville any worse. They will have fewer truly weak opponents, but Maryville will still be Maryville. They will be more susceptible to the cyclical teams. During our run of dominance we've seen several teams that had a "special" group of boys who were able to make a great run that ended with the Rebels. At 5A, where teams draw from larger talent pools, those runs may be strong enough to overcome the Rebels. However, WB had one of those groups, and they still didn't have enough. We'll just have to see. But remember that Maryville has had some special groups too. Someone said that Maryville fans regularly predict that we would dominate anyone in TN. Let me say this: I've never seen a thread started by an MHS fan speculating on those dream matchups or claiming our dominance. On the contrary, we often jump on those threads to defend ourselves, make statements about how we have dominated (note the past tense which implies verifiable facts rather than sheer speculation) in 4A and extrapolate that we believe we could play with anyone, anywhere. We don't start this stuff, but we do believe in our team. So, looking back at what is no longer in doubt (our teams over the years) I will say that I thoroughly believe that MHS has had a couple of years in which they would have won state in 5A. Will they win it when they get to 5A? I don't know, but I don't think they are suddenly going to fall to state of mediocrity.

You're right. I shouldn't brag. What I do, say, feel and think has absolutely no bearing on what happens in the game, therefore, I have no reason to brag. My humblest apologies. Having said that, do you really think that yours is the first team to realize that doing all of the things above would considerably improve your odds against Maryville (or any team for that matter)? Knowing how to beat someone and being able to execute and do it are two very different things. IF your boys are able to cut off our deep threat, jam the receivers at the line, pick off passes, knock the snot out of our big TE every snap and put him on the ground, and leave us with nothing....well then A. you'll be the first in many years that was able to do that and B. you'll have a great chance of winning the game. But a few thoughts: - I sincerely doubt that we don't hit the deep ball at least once (even if it's a WR throwing it instead of the QB) - Good luck jamming our receivers. I'll line them up against any high school D. There are so many of them and they are so skilled that I doubt they stay in check all the time. - Mr. Douglas at TE gives more than he takes. He's really a beast. There's a reason that he's such a high college prospect. I'd expect that he puts more people on the ground more often tomorrow than vice versa. Good luck /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

There's so much wrong with your little rant... - "not many teams have broken it" -- well not many teams have rattled off 59 in a row either - we don't need the ball much. we strike as quickly as we want to. the less time you have the ball, the higher we've scored. - we won't be forced to pass. we prefer to pass. you'd rather we run, trust me. - hype doesn't win 59 in a row, never lose a game in your high school career, and contend for its 4th straight gold ball You're about to experience the next level effect. About this time tomorrow you'll get introduced to the excellence required to win the big one. You'll be better off for it, but you won't be sporting a championship because of it...at least not this year.

Clearly I'm bored. Absolutely the team is peaking at the right time. I'm not sure that 4A overall is down this year, but I do think that it's a rare coincidence when several perennial powers are down in the same year. I can't believe the season that Central had (although injury-aided I know). Motown West is obviously down. I thought that Hillsboro would fare better this season. But on the flip side of the coin, some teams that are not usually so tough have really risen up. It would be hard to say that Sully South was down or Red Bank, and then there are teams like Halls and Knox West that fielded particularly good teams this season. So, to sum that up, I think that the average team is probably about the same but some of the usual contenders are a bit weaker this season...I think that Maryville is also one of those top tier teams that is not at its best this year.

I think I'll try to resurrect this thread since the other one is so lame... I think we're experiencing a strange phenomenon here...at least in my opinion. Several observations: - most years headed into the state game, Maryville hears a lot about what we won't be able to handle from out West - never as much as this year have so many people doubted Maryville throughout the season, and yet... - here we are and it don't think Maryville has had so much of the public opinion behind them going into the game What's up with that? If this is the year that Maryville is supposed to be so vulnerable, then why is no one picking against them now? Does that say anything about Maplewood or am I just bored the day before state and trying to stir something up?

That lack of commitment on your part certainly takes some of the wind out of your sails.

12.42 and against statistically weaker competition than Maplewood has faced.

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting on that to happen there junior /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

their defense appears to be pretty stout. they're only giving up about 11 a game, although i'm sure that they've not seen an offense quite like ours...

Great post RR! I'll say this much...Maryville does not really know how to lose. BUT...they do know all about class and respect. Having a strong grasp on those character traits will carry you through a lot of difficult situations, losing included.

Well thus far we've got about 20 pages and it's almost entirely devoid of intelligent conversation. All we have is bickering between and among the schools from out west and the ongoing Maryville defense against the baseless accusations of ignorant haters. I really expected more from a state championship thread... Let me try to raise the bar a little bit. As I like to do, I've been crunching some numbers for comparative purposes. Here's what I've found: Offense: Maryville scores 36 per game. Maplewood scores 25 per game. Obvious advantage goes to Maryville to the tune of a touchdown (with a 2 pt conversion) and a field goal. Maryville's average margin of victory is 22 points per game, while Maplewood's is 15. A single touchdown advantage to the Rebels. Defense: Maryville allows 13 points per game. Maplewood allows 11 points per game. Advantage to Maplewood to the tune of 2 points per game. Strength of Schedule: Maryville's opponents have a combined record of 91-68. The average schedule strength ranking of their opponents is 18. Coacht has the Maryville strength of schedule listed at 9. Maplewood's opponents have a combined record of 94-66-1. The average schedule strength ranking of their opponents is 35. Coacht has the Maplewood strength of schedule listed at 6. Some conflicting numbers there as my numbers seem to indicate that Maryville has played tougher competition and coacht's tell another story. I'll assume that he has done more work on it than I have and say that the ever so slight advantage goes to Maplewood. I'll be back tomorrow with some more analysis and some possible trending information for discussion. In the mean time, the numbers suggest that it should be a closer game than many are predicting.

I concur with RR. That Melrose defense is the best I've ever seen. One of their DBs laid a wakeup call hit on one of Maryville's star receivers when he went across the middle on the first drive like I've never seen. That helped keep an amazingly powerful MHS offense in check the rest of the day. The Melrose defense gave up only 5.86 points per game that season. And they held Maryville to 7. That game was one of only 3 times in GQ's tenure that MHS has been held to 7 points or less.

Here's my take on the quarterback comparison... I think that if Brent played at Sully South, he would be the quarterback and Curt would play other positions. I think that if Curt played at Maryville, Brent would be the quarterback and Curt would play other positions. I can't speak for the South staff, but I know that GQ has done some pretty intelligent thinks with the QB position over the years. He managed 2 QB systems with Alex Rouse and Cade Thompson and then again with Derek Hunt and Brent Burnette. I could see him doing something like that with a Burnette/Phillips combo. Burnette would be your bread and butter majority of the snaps QB and Phillips would come in like Tebow behind Leak. They bring different things to the table. Brent is the better pure quarterback. Phillips is the far superior athlete. Phillips could play a number of positions on the field (i.e. ABSOLUTELY ANY POSITION HE WANTED) while Brent is very much suited to be a quarterback. I'm not sure why the debate matters, but I can't help but throw in my 2 cents. Good game Maryville. Your offense remained unstoppable, and your defense did what it had to do to contain a great player. Sully - welcome to the big time. I predicted that you would experience the "next level effect," and you did. Whoever said that what we brought you wasn't better than what you'd seen all year was just being ridiculous. You've now played against a very seasoned, championship caliber program...what you do with that is up to you. I hope that you take it back, grow from it and bring it again next season. Best of luck. Go Red Rebels and let's bring it home from the Boro AGAIN!!

i think i predicted 42-14...we were both on the right track...

South's defense has no answer for the Maryville offense. And i'm not sure that the South offense is explosive enough to get back in this game. Seem to be a little too plodding behind the big qb to make this comeback

yeah, like almost all of them

Maryville's making it look easy on offense. Scoring quickly on their last two possessions. Have 3 tds on their 4 possessions this half. South is grinding it out on offense. Sounds like MHS is having difficulty with the no huddle. 21-14 just before halftime.

Can't find any streaming video, and I'm not happy about it at all... Listening to the audio on truthradio. Maryville leads 14-7 in the second quarter.

Wow, I hate that I've missed out on this banter for the past couple of days. I'm out of town on business and won't be at the game tonight. It's killing me. These west coast folks I'm around just really cannot understand why I'm going to be sitting in my hotel room streaming a high school football game tonight... Anyway, I said earlier in the week that my prediction model which is based all on number always sells Maryville a little short because it doesn't effectively consider the way that Maryville always exposes and exploits areas of weakness or what I call the "next level effect." My prediction model has Maryville winning 14-13. So, what do I really think? Well, I think that South gets introduced to the next level tonight. They've not seen it before, and there's no way to prepare for it without experience. They think that they're prepared, but they won't be. Maryville's offense will be far more sophisticated than any they have ever seen. Perhaps it made sense while looking at film or against the practice squad, but in person it will be so much more challenging...and there WILL be NEW wrinkles that they have NEVER seen. Maryville's defense is underrated. They are very disciplined, and fast. They gang tackle. The DBs will not need any help, and that will allow the front guys to focus on superman at quarterback. I think South's defense get's overwhelmed and South's offense is held in check. South will move the ball and maybe even score on the first posession, and then you will see adjustments...great adjustments. Maryville wins big. South learns what it takes to play at this level. Hopefully they will build on that and represent NET again for years to come. I wish the absolute best to both teams, their players, their coaches and their fans. I hope that the game and travel are both safe. MHS -- 42 SS -- 14

You've got your opinion and I've got mine. Clearly we remember things differently. Just like this last Friday night, there were A LOT of folks predicting that the MHS streak was coming to an end. I know that I was a little nervous about that game. Was MHS the underdog? No way. I didn't say they were. What I said was that THS really thought that they were the better team. They truly believed that they were going to win. They had never played at that next level, and they didn't know any better. So, yes, they believed that MHS was the underdog. And they aren't the only team to have felt that way in the past 7 years. Really, any team taking the field should believe it is going to win...or go home. PS - just this season WB was picked by many as the favorite against MHS. Just another example...I believe there are some great quotes from the local paper from before that game from players saying that WB should be favored. Leading up the the game the THS players and fans were pretty brash. Taking the field, that team was clearly very confident. They did not lose to the "hype" of Maryville by any stretch of the imagination.