raiderray

Dear lord, do we have emoticon envy now? I am really surprised that the Greene Bank doesn't use small colege officials for thier tournament. The tournament officials might be blind to it now, but it is eventually going to hurt the level of schools willing to come from out of the area. All of last year's out of town teams were complaining about the refs, and that is going to carry over to making a decision to come back. The draw for that tourny is that year in and year out it has top quality teams from across the state come and showcase thier talents. I bet Briarcrest never comes back. And now, I give you the triplets: /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

Spoken like a true sportswriter...... speaking of sportwriters, where's our buddy?

Wow, won't that be Acuff's 3rd different organization in 4 years?

Statman3 is your cherokee pipeline. We are usaully devoid of a West rep, so I am sure the IMAC posters are glad to have you. As for the other, it will heat up when games/scrimmages start happening. With the new rules limting the "preseason" scrimmages, there is a little less to talk about at this point. Our freshman - junior year, we had played in one playday already, had another scrimmage date this week, and had another playday coming this weekend. All that after a fall play schedule. That is not going to happen again with the recent limtations. Rob, I am glad to see new blood in here. My interest is going to be limited this year, so it is good there will be another poster on here, and you will also offer possibly a different perspective from PTS. We have prided ourselves over the past two years at getting in the 500 post or more range without getting closed down. I hope that continues this year also. Rob, do you think your KGC seniors-to-be will play for another organization this Spring...Select, Trotter, Flight? Maybe the Express out of Bristol?

I am truly sorry to hear this about Kelsey. I admired her for playing her role on her team, and the fact that she gave it every thing she had when she was out there. I did not know of her soccer abilities - I truly hope she recovers and can go on to achieve her dreams. I read an article in SI recently that addressed this very thing: A senior, looking forward to his senior year, gets hurt in practice before the first game of the football season, and was forced to sit out his senior year. Not only how it tore him up, but the father (the author of the article) was hurting for his son. I thought at the time that we were very fortunate to have my daughter get through all those years with only a concussion in an AAU game that held her out a while. Good Luck to Kelsey. I hope she works hard at rehab, and is able to see her dreams become a reality. Small college sports are just as tough as big school sports, they just use headlights, not searchlights, to illuminate their programs.

My two cents - preseason: 1. West 2. Cocke 3 Greeneville 4 East 5 Jeff 6 Cherokee West lost one average post player, picks up a better one (Hall) that is more versatile. And remember the run last year at the end was without Goins. Cocke has Depew and Buda return with two years of experinence. Suggs is back ( my pick for best underrated player in the conference), they got some good play last year from some new post players, and the other 6'0 girl (name escapes me, Lewis maybe?) returns from injury. Greeneville has Dickson, and a host of unkown quantites (outside of Greeneville itself BARB). Ramsey had trouble at the point, and they lost 3 very key players. Some folks are going to have to step up, or GreenEVILle is going to see various forms of Box and 1s this year, with the box on Nicole. Last year, every junk defense that got thrown at them ended up failing because McIntyre or someone else would shoot you out of it. East has maybe the most atletic post/wing player in the league, but thier problem last year was guard play. Trottercoach, did East get a point guard on campus? Jeff still lacks height. They lost 4 seniors from last year, but they get the benefit of starting (and playing) this year without all of the turmoil. Can they outrun and out shoot everybody else? Does everyone understand their role, and can they execute? The scheduule is softer, so the non conference record might look better. Cherokee has Ryans, an up and coming star, but do they have anything to go with her? Nicole Dickson can mess your defense up by going outside, but Casey is likely to see numerous sagging zones this year in the post. Outside shooters and playmakers have to step up. The Seniors that are gone had 4 years of Varsity experince per player, and played most of the minutes. Hard to replace that. Okay, everyone get thier pea shooters out. I am an easy target. One last comment: Barb - devilettes? Don't you have to wash your mouth out with Arm and Hammer now? /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

Thought I would get this started so "all our rowdy friends" could come out an play! /ph34r.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":ph34r:" border="0" alt="ph34r.gif" />

Rob, I am surprised you were able to get that typed out, your tongue had to be almost glued inside your cheek!!!!! LOL! /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> My experience (and I was one also /blink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blink:" border="0" alt="blink.gif" /> ) is that just about any gym is full of coaches, with only a few on the court. As I said on another post, now that the coaches in the stands seem to have gotten the coach on the court that they want, I hope they support him and let him coach without the backlash that I feel has been happening at Cocke County for a few years now. I think there is going to be some high expectations this year in Cocke County. They return just about everybody, get one girl back that spent the 2nd half of last year on the sidelines, and now they have gotten the old coach out of there. If they don't do well, then I think it could get rough. We probably need to get the I-MAC (district 2AAA) thread started so as to not bore the Big 9 and Knoxville folks with our discussions.

She is attending UT Knoxville. Her intentions as of today are to major in Accounting. She was the assistant coach for one of the Trotters 11U teams last Spring. She really seemed to like it. If you know her at all, she won't do anything half way, so I can believe that she was in to it!!! I think she would like to keep her hand in it. Again, thanks for the interest....

She seems to be doing fine. I think she really enjoys being a small frog in a HUGE pond. Thanks for asking!

Stat - you read my mind....

Rob, Really, I am not trying to stir up the sand here, but I know what I am about to say is likely to get some hearts started. I hope the new coach lives up to everyone's expectations. I don't know the new coach at all, but I know that the move from travel ball to HS ball can be a bigger leap than many people think. If this is the coach everyone (players and parents) wanted, then they better stay behind him, and they had better play for him. Expectations should be HIGH at Cocke County this season. West is going to be tough, but Cocke County didn't graduate anyone who had significant playing time last year, and they argueably have the best point guard/big player tandem in the league. Your right, it has the potential to be exciting.

I would think the link on Greeneville's coach is that I believe that her husband works at Eastman. or soemwhere else in the tri citites. So that is the likely start of the rumor.

LadyRedFan - thanks for the kind words about Kelsey. You are right that so many of these players become common names in our households, and in many cases we don't know them at all. That Soph game you reference holds many special memories for me, and I appreciate you noticing the joy that Kelsey had in playing the game. Although we didn't know it at the time, that was actually the 7th 3 pointer of the game, tying a school record. She shot that ball from right in front of her bench, and as she tells the story, as it left her hand, Coach Potts was already up calling time-out, he was certain it was in. I will miss the IMAC posters, I have had a lot of fun the last three years as I first discovered, and then became addicted to CoachT. It was for the most part a fun group to interact with, and the good natured jabbing between several "regulars" was quite entertaining. I have endured in silence for the most part the few shots taken at players I know, especailly my daughter. As Chris Loften has shown us recently, there are sometimes other things affecting one's play that are not obvious to the fan in the stands, or to the typist on these boards. I hope that everyone will consider that the next time they decide to come down hard on a particular individual. I was also proud to be part of a group thread that could twice be around 500 posts without getting shut down. Thanks /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

Congradulations to Ashlee, I saw where she has signed with Milligan to continue her basketball career. Good luck to a very quality young lady, a class act. Kelsey is going on to University of Tennessee to be a student. As her father, I was blessed to watch her play basketball for a long time. I am very proud of what she has accomplished, both on and off the court. Because of athletics and the technology of MySpace and Facebook, Kelsey and Ashlee have developed an apprecaition for each other, if not a true friendship. I have watched them play against each other for three years, and after all the tough battles, they have still sought each other out after games for more than the normal post game handshake. To me, it is what sports is all about.

What will be interesting to watch tonight is who has quality pitching available. The Saturday rainout really put West and East in a bind. I have not watched much of the IMAC games this year, but I would assume that both teams pitched their two top pitchers on Monday and Tuesday, and in East's case, even used another pitcher for two innings on Monday. Jefferson County had the advantage of being able to throw Sherrod on Friday, and bring him back on 3 days rest to throw last night, a gutty performance by a young man who is not known for his pitching stats. A roll of the dice by Coach Seals that worked. Hats off to the Patriots, who have been on a hitting tear for 2-3 weeks now. I would assume that East and West are throwing everyone available in the 5pm game. I am betting on Kirkpatrick throwing for Jeff. It appears that the winner of our district will see South, while the loser most likely will be traveling to Science Hill. GO PATRIOTS! /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> /popcorneater.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":popcorneater:" border="0" alt="popcorneater.gif" />

That THUD you just heard was the BIG 9 crashing again. So much for the the 6th place finish theory. But I guess you are happy 17, your Betsy girls won. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> If West beats Greeneville, will West do like they did in 2006, and play the Sectional at Greeneville? Likely a moot point, I think Greeneville wins again, but I am not counting West out. And if West were to win, Greeneville at Oak Ridge potentially. WOW! /ph34r.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":ph34r:" border="0" alt="ph34r.gif" />

I could see Greeneville putting Mcintyre on Montgomery, and allow Dickson to help in the paint area. If that doesn't work, I think Dickson is quick enough to play Montgomery. And West has had size problems all year, yet they overcame a decided size problem to beat Mo East in the first round, and Cocke County in the 2nd round. Speed is West's advantage, and it has worked for them often enough this year that I can't discount it. Cherokee/DB Ryans can match Frolich Price can match Devine Ewing can match Head Avery can match Blair Gilbert/Cupp, etc match France/ Harville So it comes down to execution, and who is hot that night, and who stays out of foul trouble. Ryans and Frolich are both foul prone, as is Ewing and Head. It may come down to whose back-ups step up. I just can't see Cocke County winning, unless Good gets in foul trouble, and Depew has got to keep her head and have a big night. I think all 4 games will be close, mainly because the 1/4 games are not the usual 1/4 seeds.

I have seen DB play twice this year against Jeff County - a split. I have seen Science Hill and Tenn High at the Ladies Classic. Haven't seen South. My observations are made based on what I have seen. I can't go against GreenEVILle at home. Tenn High will present problems to GreenEVILle at the guard postion, but I don't think they will slow Dickson enough without playing some kind of junk defense, and GreenEVILle has proven many times this year that they can react and beat junk defenses. Those that know Tenn High, would they play Snapp on Dickson? Coach Galyon will be well prepared for South. I think this ends up being won by the team in the least amount of foul trouble, and I pick Morristown West to survive. If the Science Hill / Cocke County was at Cocke County, I would give the edge to Cocke County, but against quality opponents, they have not played well away from home. I also think the SH's height at the guard postion will give Cocke County fits. My upset special is Cherokee. They have the matchups to win this, and if Ewing can get Head into foul trouble, and stay out of it herself, I think Cherokee wins on the road. Good luck and good health to everyone! /popcorneater.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":popcorneater:" border="0" alt="popcorneater.gif" /> /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

Getting here late, but if you are Greeneville, do you put Dickson on Smith, leaving your gurads to stop Fanney and Mayes and Watson? Collins can stop George/Hall, if she can stay away from dumb fouls. Other game: Depew on Price Suggs on Ewing Pettis(sp?) moving Ryans around. Can Buda stop Gilbert? That could be the match-up that decides the game. And can the other Cocke County player (whomever is in the game) stop Avery. The real question: can Cocke County win away from home? Cherokee looked right at home Wednesday night against Jeff, and from the radio account, were holding their own until the turnover bug hit in the 4th quarter ( I was listening to the web braodcast from the Cherokee station). Good luck to all. I wish we were still playing. /ph34r.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":ph34r:" border="0" alt="ph34r.gif" />

This will be a moot point in 4 hours, but if District 1 finishes: 1. DB 2. SH 3 Tenn 4 Sull South And district 2 finishes: 1: GreenEVILle 2. West 3: Cherokee 4: Cocke I would argue that the team with the toughest opening game is West. I know Cherokee has not fared well against upper level District 1 teams, but Cocke County can match up with DB, and Greeneville should slam South.

If it is like last year, top seeds will host on Friday Feb 22nd. The four teams advancing will play Monday (25th) at Greeneville, with the Championship game Wednesday.

Or Blaylock? Neither apparently played Monday night, according to the CT article, and both were questionable for tonight. Plus, thier were comments about illness.

It was not played as a tournament, and they just played two games, so that is why I think it would be considered as "regular" games. It has a different format, as they bring a lot of teams together in one location, but you don't play a round robin or bracket, so that is why I believe it would be considered as a regular scheduled games. I think it is possible due to the new 24 game restriction, that you might see more 4 game tournaments, as a way around the rule. Coaches and players always want to play more games. It would also be a great drawing card to get more or better teams in your tournament. How you play 4 games in a short window is probably the biggest hurdle, but AAU tournaments regularily play more than one game a day. Is there a rule in HS basketball that limits the # of games you can play in a day? /blush.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blush:" border="0" alt="blush.gif" /> /motorbike.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":motorbike:" border="0" alt="motorbike.gif" />

Greeneville's record on here is 25-5, three of which are HOF games. They have played 20 regular season scheduled games, and two tourneys (3 games in one, and 4 games in the Ladies Classic) to come to 27 games. The trick is to find tournaments that have a minimum of at least 3 games, but have a possibility of more than that. /popcorneater.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":popcorneater:" border="0" alt="popcorneater.gif" />