TedLNancy

CFAfan Here are your words on a different thread about Father Ryan: "Whats the story here? This seemed like an odd move to me. Did FR step up big and pay? Does that mean they will put the $$ and resources necessary into the program to get kids in who can compete with the big boys? This is a 2 step process: 1) pay for the coach 2) allocate necessary resources to put tools in the box" Your words are the reason many of the D1 privates and even the D2 middle level schools have no desire to compete with the powers in D2. They either don't have the mechanism in place or have no desire to have a mechanism in place to "get the kids who can compete with the big boys" (you own words, not mine). It will either take a drastic change in the financial priorities and mindset for these schools to compete at that level or they will have to be satisfied with being cellar dwellers. That is the bottom line in why some of these schools stayed in D1 and had to be enticed with an enrollment number to move over to D2. The Nashville Scene ran an article several years ago comparing what is happening at the big schools to a nuclear arms race. When one school builds something in Nashville, the others feel the need to one up them. Some schools don't have the endowment, deep enough pockets or the desire to enter that arena.

Here is what I have been led to believe. The numbers were established as a carrot on a stick to entice all D1 privates to make the move to D2. (I.e. "You don't ask someone to buy a house without looking at it first".) Some schools were on the fence not knowing where they would fall if they made the move, but knew where they would be if they stayed D1. By setting enrollment on the front end, most private schools took the bait and left D1. In that respect, it almost worked. I think these numbers will last 4 years (unless Knoxville Catholic and/or Columbia Academy win the state in football in 2017 and blow things up early) and then in 4 years, the numbers between the classes will be evened out. This is just my humble opinion based on talking with people who were at the meetings. My guess is that by 2020, at the latest, all privates will be forced into D2 and classes will be even.

Not sure how the Tennessean article is worded, but Lipscomb will be playing in the upper half in all sports but football. There was never any possibility that things would be otherwise in those sports. If the Tennessean said otherwise, they are mistaken.

I didn't realize that prefessing a scenario that has been suggested in the Tennessean with the word "if" constituted an accusation. The point I was trying to make with the NCAA example is apples to oranges, but comparing the athletes roaming the halls at the larger D2 schools to schools with similar enrollments is also apples to oranges. They are not playing the same game at the same level, no matter the enrollment size. Lipscomb hasn't had an offensive lineman sign with a D1 college since the 1970's. By the way, I am a tea toddler, so I will have to substitute decaf iced tea for that fine "whine" you are already accusing me of doing.

When scholarships are involved, you should throw the enrollment numbers out the window. Wake Forest has 7500 students and FSU has 41,000, yet they are in the same conference. Scholarship limits are the great equalizer there. That is one reason why the D2 large class Teams can compete at the highest levels in the state, or even the nation. The small schools have tuitions at roughly half the rate of the bigger ones and pay teachers less than public school teacher salaries. Do you think the student bodies at the middle size private schools look like the student bodies at the larger D2 schools, in proportion of course? In the last 36 years, Lipscomb has had 5 kids sign D1 scholarships. Jonathan Shaun (98) at Vandy, Ethan Flatt (02) at Ole Miss, Zach (04) and Austin Rogers (08) at Tennessee and Jackson Mitchell (14) at Navy. Flatt's dad was the University president and the other 4 had parents who went to high school there. They have the Reitmaier kid this year who has committed to Oregon. That is one kid every 7 years. Don't some TSSAA D2 schools have years where that number are signed out of a single class? I bet some of them have more kids in the NFL than Lipscomb has had in the SEC. If BA and Ensworth want the majority of their region games to have a running clock the entire 2nd half, then they should stay put. Not really sure why any coach would want that, unless they are planning to lower the goals they have for their programs.

I was at the FRA vs. Lipscomb game last week. There were only a handful of athletes in that game who would have touched the field if they were at MBA vs. BA. I would guess that BA regularly has more kids sign with DI colleges per year than those two schools have combined to sign in the last generation. In D2, 500 kids at one school is not necessarily equal to 500 at another school. I really don't know what BA or Ensworth would gain from staying down other than some easy wins. It would be like UT playing Carson Newman, Maryville College, Tusculum,.... to cut down on travel. Those big D2 schools are playing at a whole different level.

A great coach and an even better man, Jim Wilson, passed from this life this morning. Coach Wilson was an outstanding coach at Goodpasture (football and baseball), Glencliff (football and track) and then East Literature (football). He had many outstanding teams. They were always well coached and well prepared. He was a man of faith who "walked the walk". I am grateful I had the opportunity to know him. He fought cancer for several years. If my memory is correct, he was in the battle during his last few years of coaching at East. Please keep his family in your prayers.

You couldn't make this stuff if you tried to. This sounds like one of those cheap teen movies from the 1970's that has football themes that are just ridiculous. Maybe someone will make a movie out of this. How could grown men be so ....?

How about Bo's performance tonight against Texas? Few people in the state, outside of West Tennessee got to see it, since it was only on the Longhorn Network and a few stations in Mississippi and Memphis, but Bo had a great night. In the second half, he lit up the Longhorn defense as Ole Miss rallied with 30 unanswered points to beat Texas 44-23.

You have to include Tim Priest, Chris Donald and Terrence Bell. I have heard people from Huntingdon talk about a great player they had in the 60's who played for Ole Miss, but I can't recall the name.

What in the world is going on? I have heard 2 coaches lost their jobs and that there is a lot of opposition to this move with in their community.

Tonight, Bo Wallace was awarded the "Conerly Trophy". This award was presented at a banquet in Jackson, Ms and is given annually to the top college football player in the State of Mississippi. When Bo was a senior at Giles County, I thought he had SEC quarterback written all over him. He had to take a long road to get there, but he finally got his shot and steadily improved all year. What was even more impressive to me is that his shoulder was less than 100% for most of the season, and he still put up some big numbers against some great SEC teams. I made it down to Oxford to see the Rebels play both Texas and Mississippi State. The progress Bo made during the year was remarkable. At the Egg Bowl last weekend, he struggled with a few turnovers in the first half, and then lit up the field after half time. Patrick Willis of Bruceton, Ole Miss and now the San Francisco 49'ers was the last Ole Miss player to win this award in 2006. Great job Bo! I hope you can have 2 more great years in Oxford.

Real classy post. Still living in your college days huh? Tell me how that works out for ya. It's not bad. I'm on the 30 year plan. Hopefully, I will graduate with Tony Barham and Kent Scott in December. Congrats on the Farragut win. Hope y'all make it back to Murfreesboro.

They seem to be hitting thier stride right now with a rested starter and Newby in releif, Halls will have to execute perfectly to stay in this game. Just my opinions Newby must be a lot better than his dad was. When he pitched at Westview, he had a standing appointment with Dr. Tony Kirk, of Martin Chiropractics, after every game to fix the crick in his neck he got from watching the balls he pitched be blasted over the fence. Dr. Kirk would tell him, "But hey, this is how they do it at Texas A & M." His college coach, Charlie Smith, said that Newby lost control at the same point in every game-right after the national anthem. I am glad Jordan didn't inherit his dad's 64 mph fastball.

Great Job Bobcats. You were the better team. As someone posted earlier, DL needed to score everytime they had the ball. The Giles defense bent a little, but they never broke. Your offense played like a team on a mission-which they are. You have a first class facility, great fan support and a team that is impressive. Good luck. I hope you can stay on a roll and bring the gold ball back to Middle Tennessee.

Good Post! I like that, lol. But admit it. Sorta fun, huh? The best part. Some get to shout out the ol "see, I told ya so" Saturday morning!!! Yeah, it is entertaining. I will have to compliment the majority of the posters. Most of you are refraining from making this personal and it seems to be in good fun. Setting the "I told you so's" aside, I know that when the game is over, the coaches and players will meet in the middle of the field, shake hands and display the great sportsmanship that both coaches expect. One side will be disappointed that a season has ended and the other will be sky high and ready to head into the quarterfinals. I hope the posters on this thread will show as much maturity as I have seen from both teams the last 4 years and that I expect to see again this Friday. Fans should get their money's worth. Now for the most important question. How long of a wait will there be at the Hickory House Friday afternoon? Is there any use in trying it? It is one of my favorite places to eat in Middle Tennessee.

The thread is becoming what I had envisioned. Fans from both schools (and others) are pulling stats, facts and figures from numerous sources to tell us exactly what is going to happen Friday night. Giles County will win because they have more passing yardage. No wait, Lipscomb will win because they have played a tougher schedule. Pulaski is balanced and hungrier, but Lipscomb is game tested and has some kind of three headed monster, .... Where are Lee Corso and Lou Holtz when you really need them? I once heard an old coach say, "It ain't about x's and o's. It's about Jimmies and Joes." Well, what do old coaches know about winning games? Blocking and tackling won't make much difference once the ball is kicked off on Friday in Pulaski. The real story will be, "It ain't about the shot gun or the wing-T. It's about what is written on Coach T."

When Lipscomb and Giles County get together, there are always a few fireworks on the field. But they can't compare with what happens here on CoachT. The game is really secondary to the chat. People will forget scores in time. What happens on CoachT will remain forever. Afterall, this is where those in the know lurk. They will fill us in on what each team is thinking, what the fans are doing to prepare, how the first play of the 2nd quarter of the 2007 game impacts this year's matchup, how the pregame Scottish bagpipes of Coach McCadams vs. the Irish Tenor of Coach O'Conner will turn out and least importantly, exactly how the game will play out on the field. So, forgot about game predictions. Let's get to the important stuff. How many pages will the official thread (the one started by likearock) end up with by next Friday's kickoff? The closest guess will be awarded a year's worth of free meals (52 $10 coupons) at any participating Middle Tennessee Mrs. Winners location. The tie breaker will be this: Guess the day and time when the official thread will be locked down. I will start things off. I am guessing that the official thread will reach 139 pages. It will be locked down on Wednesday Nov 11 at 7:27.35 p.m. CST. Good luck to all. Contest Rules 1. No purchase necessary to enter or win. One entry per household. Duplicate entries will be voided. 2. Contest begins Nov 7, 2009. Entries are due in by 4:27 A.M. CST on Nov 9, 2009. 3. Each contestant should print out their prediction, fill in their Name, Address and phone number, and sent it to the Federal Citizen Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado. 4. Completed entries may be submitted via mail, online, in person at CoachT National headquarters or handed to the cashier at the Hickory House in Pulaski. 5. The name of winner will be announced on ESPN College Game day by Lee Corso who will either don a bobcat mask or ride a mustang stick horse. 7. Employees of Mrs. Winners Corporation, CoachT forum moderators, or ESPN and their immediate families are not eligible to win. 8. Name, address and phone number must be included with entry. 9. Participation is limited to persons eighteen (18) or older. Residents of Arizona, Alaska, Alabama, Alcoa (shhhh-they think they are a state) and graduates of Cincinnati Moeller, Odessa Permian or T.C. Williams High School are not eligible. 10. The odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. Taxes applicable to the prizes are the sole responsibility of the winner. The prize value, $520, will be reported to the IRS and is subject to taxation without representation. 11. The winner will be notified by telegram. Also, your name will be published on Monday, Nov 16 in the afternoon edition of the Nashville Banner. 12. Coupons will not be recognized by Church's Chicken. Void where prohibited. License number 349. ***Since the original prediction thread was combined by the moderators into the official thread, any contestants who try to manipulate the number of pages by frequent postings will be disqualified from winning the grand prize.

If you are a Lipscomb fan, you must have missed the times the Mustangs played against Bo Wallace. Many of us remember the show he put on as a freshman against Lipscomb when he filled in for an injured QB. He did not play like a freshman. I have to agree with Okee.... the Lipscomb coaches feel that Bo Wallace is the "real deal" and is a special player. He has the talent to take over a game. Unfortunately for Giles County's opponents, he is surrounded by a quality team and if you focus too much on Bo, other great players can burn you. He was very impressive against Lipscomb last year. He did a great job in the secondary for Giles County. Most Lipscomb fans are glad they didn't have to play Giles 5 times last year. 2 times were plenty. Lipscomb had a great team and both times had to find a way to win in the last minute. I don't think you will find anyone from Lipscomb who was on the field with Bo that doesn't have tremendous respect for his ability.

This has probably been addressed on the 1A and 2A board, but there is a financial disadvantage to the 8 teams in 1A and 2A who get the first round byes. While the bye in week one of the playoffs could be good for getting healthy and sharp, they lose their share of a first round gate. That money is huge for most small school programs. Unless they are being compensated from first round money in some way, this will hurt the bottom line. If my memory serves me correctly, there was one year in the early 90's where the region champs were given a first round bye. I think it was Calvin Short of Gallatin (who may have been an administrator at that time) who was quoted in the paper as saying that the reward for winning the district ended up being one less chance to host a home playoff game, make concession stand money,.... The next year, a full 32 teams qualified from each class. I think this was in the 1993 and 94 seasons, but my memory may be faulty after all of these years.

When I saw the article, my first thought was, "Oh no, here we go again with the public/private fire being rekindled in the newspaper." This young man sounds like a fine person who has a great opportunity. Can the athlete's family afford the tuition at Ensworth? If not, then he must be on financial aid. The obvious question from someone from the public school perspective will be something like this. Would a 5'4", 105 lb young man who ran a 5.5 40 from Mt. Pleasant be granted this same opportunity? I don't know the answer to that one. The question isn't as important due to the Division 1/Division 2 classification. A few of the large DII schools have very deep pockets and can provide facilities and opportunities-both athletic and educational- that small public schools and most private schools can't provide. This story is not as big of a deal today (at least to me) as it would have been 15 years ago. D II exists and those schools have tremendous competition in all areas as they compete against each other. There was an article in a national business magazine last year describing the near "arms race" that is going on among the upper DII type schools. Just look at the facilities-both educational and athletic. Parents who can afford it have all the rights in the world to provide it for their children. As long as they are in their own class, let them have at it. They are turning out great students and great athletes. While a program like Mt. Pleasant was hurt badly, at least Mt. Pleasant doesn't have to play against him. If Mt. Pleasant really thinks that the small single A privates (and even DII small schools) are playing the same game as the large DII privates, then they have not been on the field with an Ensworth, MBA, BA, MUS,.... It is a whole different level. And it is a level that is bringing national recognition (both educationally and athletically) to Tennessee. Just keep them in DII.

Mike, I would love to visit your new stadium sometime, but I would prefer waiting until after Bo Wallace has graduated:). I still don't know how we got out of 3 of those games with wins. I guess the Mustangs used some of the cats 9 lives. If Lipscomb doesn't make the playoffs or if they are eliminated early and Giles County is still playing, I would have to strongly consider taking a trip down I-65 to watch the Bobcats play, but only after a little time at the Hickory House, one of the best places to eat in Middle Tennessee.

Likearock has a point. I know last year and just about every year recently when Giles went to Lipscomb alot of the fans were forced to sit in the empty seats on the homeside of the stadium because we filled the visitors stands up. 'MikeWinchell, You must be judging Lipscomb crowds by what you have observed as an early arriving visiting fan. Lipscomb usually fills up their side of the stadium. The problem is many of their fans are like Vanderbilt fans. They don't get to the game until after kickoff. There have been MANY Lipscomb games where 1/3 of the home side has been empty at kickoff, but they have been full by the time the 1st quarter ends. When Lipscomb plays a team that overfills the visitors stands (like Giles County), the visitors will often spill over into the home stands and take over the seats. They have the right and should do that. (The early bird gets the worm....) When the Lipscomb fans arrive late, they either have to stand up or they leave when no seats are available. When Lipscomb played Lexington several years ago, Lexington filled their stands and half of the home side before the teams came out to warm up. It was an awesome game atmosphere. Unfortunately, some DL fans never learn and still arrive "fashionably late." So, you are right about Lipscomb not filling up their stands at game time, but they are generally full of Lipscomb fans by the end of the first quarter-if the visiting team does not get there first.

While I haven't had the chance to see the new field in Pulaski, as long as "The Hickory House" is next door, you will have the best atmosphere in the state. The only thing that beats the smell of the smoke drifting over the field is going through the buffet line there.

I always get a chuckle when I see these High School times. If he truly runs a 4.4 then, he'd be the fastest QB, the fastest RB, and in the top 5 WRs at the NFL combine. I'm sure he's fast.............but really nfl.com/combine/top performers The big difference is that times you see for combines are fully automatic times (FAT). That is the reason they are listed in hundredths of a second. The majority of the times you see on a high school kid (especially those done by their coaches or their daddies ) are from hand held stop watches. In a track meet, those times would be rounded up to the next 10th and then .24 seconds would be added to make them match up with FAT times. The difference is the FAT times are exact and the stopwatch times seem faster because of the time it takes the human eye to react to the start and stop. If a kid is timed at a 4.4 by his coach, at a combine, his time would problably be somewhere between 4.6 and 4.7. That is why you have so many kids (and their parents) who think they are faster than NFL stars.