shnikens

Knox2, who on earth are you defending? Based on the tone of your voice and the frustration I sense in your words, you either founded CAK yourself, feel some devinely inspired responsibility to defend it in these aspects, are on the board, work there or are extremely close to someone who does. We are all going to have to agree to disagree on this one because we are just arguing in circles. I wish the best for these kids and I know everyone else does too (well, except the posters from Catholic)(which, by the way, I never thought there would have been a reference to the mouses ear on this thread when I started it but whatever). Steve Denny wants to take the basketball program in a different direction at CAK. Coach Darden is a good coach and an even better man. These are the two most basic facts of the situation, and that's what it boils down to. Everyone makes mistakes, and there were probably mistakes made by both sides in this situation. CAK and those who defend it, please stick with this decision you've made, and understand that people are going to be unhappy when you make a decision that does not make any sense to them. As for Coach Darden, he will move on and will coach again. No matter what happens, God is in control and we are instruments of his will. This all happened for a reason. Finally, regarding Catholic, please get off your computers and work on your game because CAK will be the least of your worries next year. Good luck against Bearden and Farragut. Maybe your egos will shrink a little in the coming years, and maybe CAK will get where the administration wants it to go.

Thanks for the complement, Knox2. I didn't know our relationship had progressed that far yet! Seriously, if you are who you say you are (a parent), then I probably know more than you do. If you're not, I wouldn't be surprised. If you are and you know more than me, well, that's wrong, unless you're on the board. But to answer your questions since you started the sarcasm battle. Some of my answers are sarcastic and some won't be. It's for you to decide. Let's just say that they all are. The reason why the parents who liked Darden weren't able to prevent him from being "let go" was because they didn't offer enough money to the school for new projects. Also, these parents did not stand next to the AD at every home game right at the door to the gym and butter him up like one in particular did. They also did not "play" basketball in college and do not know as much about the sport as others do. There are parent votes, obviously, in the form of feedback to the administration, which probably happens on a day to day basis in one form or another. That's how all of this started in the first place (which, believe it or not, I do not have a probem with in general). When the parents can't decide what to do, the administration takes bribes to declare a winning side. Anymore questions? Again, remember that this is tongue and cheek!

Natureboy gave an accurate and succinct description of how this information is leaked. I was going to describe it again in a much longer explanation but realized abruptly that Natureboy's description was fair and correct. Regarding the confidentiality issue, CAK has probably not said a word to anyone about who has applied. BUT, I'm sure there were phone calls made on behalf of the school to several "candidates" by the aforementioned parent before the season was even over. But, aparently, you and he did not speak last weekend because I knew about the Webb job being vacant on Saturday (do I get some sort of reward for that?). Come on, Irishbball, you know certain people in your "pretty small close knit bunch" treat this stuff like it's your real job, which, brings me to my next point: How do you have this much time to be on this website posting at various and numerous times in the day. Lucky for me, I don't have a normal job. I guess you don't either. Looking at your credentials, it seems you are overly qualified to coach CAK. Are you applying? Oh, and, Shamrock, you are the pot calling the kettle black, but you gotta stick up for your Irish boy, altho he is baptist.

Ha....your answer is LESS, that is, unless the good ole parents chip in to pay a coach extra, which does happen. Just another example of how the parents run the school.

Laundry?! Really?! I think his name is Landry. Either way, I heard that through the grape vine, too. Probably the same grape vine that is spewing out all this "inside" info on who CAK is looking at to fill their vacancy. That grape vine is tall and extra skinny and has a few offshoots that didn't fall too far from the vine if you know what I mean. Anyway, I heard Landry accepted a college job. Can anyone vouch for that?

Nice comment. Thanks for putting this in perspective for us. Altho, I'm sure Mr. Naler is working hard to get someone he wants to fill the position. He's probably already contacted Green and a host of other people. Mr. Denny will be the one to teach him how to coach.

If you look back at all of the posts made on this thread, you will not find any that say anything negative toward Coach Darden's character or his ability to teach the game or his teams' ability to improve. These are the things that REALLY matter. The kids need to learn the game and show that they have learned it by improving throughout the year. I would say that EVERYONE who has played through Coach Darden's program at CAK would vouch for that statement, and I know for a fact they find it offensive that people keep saying that the basketball program has not been competitive. Sometimes, things just don't work out. No one school has to be or realistically can be as competitive as people think they should be in every sport. Do we want Austin-East to have a "competitive" soccer team? Do you think it's all about being "competitive" at TSD? Let's be honest, this is mostly about wins and losses. You said yourself that you can't judge an athletic program's success without it. But, not even you have said anything negative about Coach Darden or his ability to teach the game or his teams' ability to improve throughout the year. I bet all of Coach's former players would have no problem letting their son play for him at CAK. If CAK had been "competitive" and had been to the district championship game every year for the last four years, we would not even be in this conversation. We are masking the wins and losses argument with the word "competitive." The parents probably would not say that it's all about wins and losses, but there might actually be a difference between what they say and what they think.

Please allow me to explain myself further. I was not trying to take anything away from the soccer team at CAK. They've done a great job, and G is obviously a great coach. When the multiplier was put into effect, the soccer team did not have to move up a class because 1A and 2A are already coupled together in soccer. However, since basketball is broken down into three classes (1A, 2A, and 3A), CAK had to move up from 1A to 2A. CAK used to play teams like Greenback, Midway, Cosby, and TSD, but then they had to play Catholic, AC, Kingston, Loudon, Stone Memorial, etc. (a little stiffer competition). If CAK soccer had to move up a class like the basketball team had to, maybe their results would be a little different. We need to take these things into account when comparing teams. I know they play good teams. I made the point that they play Farragut and Bearden and the like. But, those games don't count towards their district record or postseason play. I'd also like to note how much emphasis we are putting on wins and losses here when everyone says it's all about the kids.

1. What does "improve" mean? The baseball team has had 3 D1 prospects (by my count, there may be more) in the time that coach Darden has been at the school (I use this measurement since we are comparing these 2 teams), and they went or are going to go to decent/good baseball programs (Clemson, Memphis, and Vanderbilt). The basketball team has had 2 players, both of which were on the state tournament team, that were offered scholarships to play at SMALL schools since he has been there. You can either look at it two ways: the basketball team never had the talent while Darden was there, or he never groomed any talent. It seems to me that the latter argument is pretty ludicrous. Your chance at "improving" a program usually has a lot to do with talent and/or, to be fair, utilizing new ideas and new schemes (i.e. Pearl's use of the players he inherited at UT when he first came here was, I believe, a case of both; Lofton/Smith, etc. plus the run and gun worked pretty darn well). So, whoever is the next coach, hopefully they will bring that breath of fresh air into the program that the AD (and lets be honest, the parents, too, because they are the ones who really run the school) is hoping for. By the way, the basketball team improved greatly this year, too, DESPITE not having any seniors and just 2 juniors (again, another point that could be argued 2 ways). 2. CAK soccer never had to move up a division, so you can throw both of those teams (girls and guys) out of the discussion. Please realize that they still play teams (like Oneida last week) that don't even have regulation size fields. CAK is a soccer school, first and foremost, and it has always been that way, partly because they have a history of good talent but also becuase they play pretty weak teams. So, please also note that if they had to move up, they would be playing against teams like Farragut and Bearden and definitely would not have the same kind of success that they've been fortunate to have in the past. Just look at CAK's record against these teams, and you will get a picture of what it would look like. You know well enough, IrishBball, that it will be a tough move next year for you guys when you move up in basketball and football (and maybe other sports, I'm not familiar enough with the situation to know). If Catholic's parents are the same as CAK parents, Hutch will want to watch his back just as Coach Darden had to at CAK. 3. Shane Wells is an outstanding person and a good coach. He would be a good option for CAK (I do not know the UC coach). However, CAK is doing a "national" search for a coach, so this process may take a while. Maybe they should save the money they are spending on this "national" search and distribute it to their grossly underpaid contract workers who get paid crap for compensation and then have to pay taxes on their stipends on top of that.

This synopsis is remarkably accurate, Sultan. Thanks for the insight.

Good observations IrishBball. The best one you made is that CAK should give their next coach ALL of their support. Too bad Coach Darden received very little. In fact, this job will be a good opportunity for anyone that applies ONLY if that person gets the support he deserves. It will be a good atmostphere to coach in, also, if CAK changes its priorities, namely, letting the basketball program use the gym whenever they want OR building a new gym just for basketball with NO stage in it.

By the way, Coach Darden WAS fired. In no way was the decision his choice. The headline of this article (altho fairly pro-Darden) and other things you hear (possibly from those that don't want CAK to look so bad) may lead you to believe he left because he resigned. That is not the case. Please keep posting in support of Coach D. I know he appreciates everything that is being said. Thanks.

Yes, most coaches take into account that they are going to get fired. But, in this case, there was no wrong doing on Coach Darden's part. His team will do well next year, and he will get no credit for it. As for Pifer, it doesn't matter whether he was coaching college before he came to CAK. Unfortunately, neither you nor I know all the details on his situation, so neither should comment. All I know is there are going to be several positions CAK will need to fill for next year, and that is not a coincidence. Let's focus on positive comments for Coach Darden.

If you were not aware, Coach Johnny Darden was let go Monday from his coaching position at CAK after 6 years of service to the school. Darden led the Warriors to the state tournament in only his second year, but wins were hard to come by after that. A shortage of talent and a change from class 1A to 2A the year after their state title run made his job difficult. However, his teams ALWAYS improved, ALWAYS played their best at the end of the season, and ALWAYS played to their potential. Many of the "allegations" against his coaching style brought by people in the institution that fired him simply did not contain any merit and some of them were flat-out lies. Johnny Darden is an excellent coach and an even more excellent Christian man. If you do not know him, you are missing out. I can only hope to be half the man he is. Please post a message in support of Coach Darden.

The difference in scoring was at the guard position, yes. But the difference in the game was on the defensive end. Bearden gambled at the wrong times and was undisciplined on defense. They were poor against the drive and the high screen. DB was all over the place, using quick hands like Tennessee does to create turnovers and fast break opportunities. It's hard to win a game of that calibur when you're not a very good outside shooting team, and you let the other team score 70 points. DB played together more as a team and beat a more talented team in Bearden. Good luck at state.

Either take the word dangerous or the word very out of the last sentence, and I might agree with you. Man, did anyone hear about the JV boys' game? That was awesome (except for the fact they ended the game in a tie)!!!! Go JV boys!!!

i can't wait for these matchups tomorrow. there's nothin that gets my gears goin quite like girls' high school soccer. wooooohoo

Congrats G on another title. You guys represent Christ well. You are a model for our other CAK teams to follow. It would be nice if you shared some of the state title wealth with the rest of us though!

For most intents and purposes, you got it right. However... I don't really know much about soccer, but I do know that there are 11 players on the field at once. So, it might be a stretch to say getting one or two good players at a private school is going to automatically make them contenders for the state title. As for the original question of this thread, I'd have to throw CAK's name into the hat.

co765co, you are very correct. I don't really know what happened or who the players were, but a coach should be aloud to run off whomever he or she likes if the reasons are legit (usually for attitude reasons). A coach should have a vision for his team and if that vision doesn't include certain players, especially for attitude reasons, there's no reason to keep them. BTW, it doesn't appear Gum was run off by parent's of players he might have "run off."

It's amazing that everyone "knows" what's going on here. How do you guys know that CAK's got the money to throw at these big name public school coaches? That's more of an assumption than a fact. Just because CAK's a private school doesn't mean they are paying top dollar to bring these coaches in. The hiring of Cowan, Darden, and Young can be attributed mainly to them receiving public school pension on top of a salary from CAK. Some parents carry a lot of clout at CAK but they have nothing to do with how much coaches get paid. They probably have the most say in getting people fired partly because they voluntarily send their kids to school there and without them, there would be no CAK. However, they make no direct contribution to coaches salaries. Believe me, I wish they did.

Are you serious?

Alcoa 42 CAK 24

CAK wins by a field goal. As for Harb, I would liken him to Peyton Manning, but not the Peyton Manning you're thinking of. Go vols.

That's pretty accurate