orange12

All the above are good players, but the two best to ever play at Beene Stadium were back in the early seventies. David Coates of Bridgeport, AL (Ole Miss) and Kippy Brown of Sweetwater (Memphis and later a UT and NFL assistant coach) were absolute studs. Ask anyone who was around or played during this era and they will probably agree.

The privates begging TSSAA to send them somewhere else? We all know that did not happen. The facts are that the majority of the 1A privates (especially the good ones) moved to 2A and Trousdale did not stay in 3A, but moved back to 1A. Those are the facts and the facts remain undisputed.

Copper Basin is always well coached and usually has plenty of size. The trouble they have with SP is speed and athletes. They just don't seem to match up very well in those areas. Being from TCHS, how would you know if SP has put together a complete game or not? The Sequatchie County game (pretty good team) was pretty complete, especially considering the injuries SP had. SP plays a lot of young kids (freshmen and soph.) so there are ups and downs with that. As the season goes on they will get better and more consistent with playing time. Also, when Matthews (starting tailback) gets healthy look for them to take off.

What if a team goes 4-6 and wins all their games in their class, but plays six schools from larger classifications? Would you still not let them go to the playoffs in their own class?

Absolute hogwash!!!! I know them both and am very close to one of them. They have a lot of respect for each other and genuinely like each other. I don't care who has told you that, but take it from someone who knows, that is hogwash!

They just don't have talent this year, it's as simple as that. They lost 16 seniors from last year and then lost 5 starters after spring practice (a very talented quarterback and tailback plus three linemen). They basically have two kids that can play, the quarterback (Allison) and the reciever (Robinson), after that there are maybe 2 or 3 others that are decent. Their line is not good and too small, they can't gain anything on the ground and the quarterback runs for his life. The quarterback and reciever have both missed time and played hurt in all of their three games so far this season. They did have a week off, and if the line play improves and they get healthy, they could still beat some teams. This post is not to make excuses, it is just a down year.

Actually they have lost 5 starters since spring pracitice (3 linemen, the quarterback, and tailback). Three flunked out and the other two just quit the team. It would be very difficult for any team to lose that many starters, but that is what they're left with and have to play with it. I don't think anyone on their schedule will feel very sorry for them. The coaches do a great job there, but there is only so much they can do. If the home life isn't there, it isn't there. They still have some athletes and will do ok. They have a great coaching staff, and they will have them ready to play. The thing about small town rural schools is that some years you don't have the players, but year in and year out, SP always plays tough.

Actually Tyrone is not the father of the SP wide reciever. Tyrone is his uncle. The kid's father is Vincent who played basketball at Memphis and then UTC. He does have a great bloodline.

I recently had a chance to see Antonio Robinson from South Pittsburg play. He is a soph. and is 6'5". He averages about 18 or 19 points and 14 rebounds per game. His dad played at Memphis State and then at UT Chattanooga. Very good player with a bright future. Keep an eye out for this guy.

I'm sorry, my mistake. Now refresh my memory. When exactly was the last time Lookout Valley dominated in anything?

I'll guarantee you that in games between 1A Privates and 1A Publics, the winning margin is nowhere near 53% to 47%.

First of all, I don't think that the 1A Privates have cornered the market on attitude and work ethic. I think Publics like Cloudland, South Pitt., Gordonsville, Collinwood, etc... that usually have pretty competetive teams almost every year have displayed a little bit of work ethic. They only play the kids that grow up in their small towns, and can't replenish from other areas. I think that shows a lot of attitude and work ethic. What ever you or any other parent feels is best for their child is the right thing to do. But along the lines of this argument, let me ask you why is it that the 1A Privates that are now dominating are all in Metropolitan areas? Do you see a school like Friendship Christian (not from a big town) up there with DCA, CPA, Boyd, and the like? The whole issue is a level playing field. How does a team like Lookout Valley (17 kids) expected to compete yearly in football with Boyd (60 something kids)? Do you see public schools running newspaper ads or having billboards on interstate highways? You are asking teams from towns of 2 or 3 thousand to compete with teams that pull from areas of 300,000 or better. I know several parents that send their kids to these schools, not all of them are even athletes. You have to admit, and I know this for a fact, that a lot of parents live through their kids in sports. There are a lot of kids in this country that spend a lot of time in specailzed camps (trying to be the next Tiger Woods) and they want them to play on winning teams. I know several of them that send their kids to privates for that particular reason. Don't get me wrong, that is a choice and that is fine. There may be a lot of other parents that would take the same route if they had the financial means to do so. But the underlying argument is that the small town publics are restricted by area and pure numbers, so it is getting harder and harder for them to compete. I think all the are asking for is to compete against schools like themselves. You said yourself there seems to be some advantage, and I also believe there is.

You must not have been much better. Didn't an earlier post say that they beat you twice that year. Maybe if you had played a third time.....

Portland over Walker Valley

I'll say this about that: South Pitt. 52 Sequatchie Co. 14 Boyd 24 South Pitt. 6 Goodpasture 26 Boyd 12

I heard a radio interview just a few days ago with Casey Clausen. His words were that the rumor is totally false, his youngest brother is NOT coming to Maryville.

Watertown over South Pitt., what are you smoking. Must be some good stuff.

A teacher at his school told me that.

Look, Cloudland probably has a very good team, but they are probably ranked just about right where they deserve to be ranked. I saw them last year against Boyd, and they were a step down the ladder from Boyd. I live fairly close to South Pitt. and they also have a very good team (I have seem them play). These two are probably the best TRUE 1A teams in the state, but have to compete with the 1A privates. Whether that is right or wrong is a discussion for another topic, but anyway their ranking is probably about right. The guy who made the statement earlier comparing their ranking to SEC vs Sun Belt hit it right on the head. Again I say that Cloudland probably has a very good team (I know the QB is good), but the area up there is weak. Good Luck to them and all the TRUE 1A teams.

Cody Walker, RB, South Pittsburg. You will all know this name well in the future. Is now the starter, for the high school team.

The freshman back, Cody Walker, had around 115 yards on 12 carries. Didn't play a lot.

Hey pujo, that group of 10th graders Cloudland beat 2 years ago are now seniors. Talking about gold balls, since you probably have never seen one, drive down to SP. There are a few down there. P.S. I saw Cloudland vs. Boyd last year...Dream On.

Great kid, never in any trouble. Word is he made 30 on ACT. Straight A student.