world cup

kyhoopsfan makes an incredible point. The contention of many people is that he did something to catalyze the situation. Abuse does not go unheard. Kids or parents who don't like something are going to find a way to make a situation work for them. I'm sure if Donahue had verbally or physically abused someone we would have heard about it. Let's not forget that he's been there 26 years so there was certainly plenty of opportunity for that to happen. My contention on the other hand is philosophical difference, not verbal or physical abuse. The only verbal abuse that went on was probably when this AD rubbed Donahue the wrong way and Donahue let him know how it was. I'm guessing, if anything, that this athletic director crumbled under the influence of one or two scary parents in his illustrious two-year tenure. Coach Donahue, answer me this. How many parents did you crumble under in 20+ years of coaching. I'm sure your already on counting fingers on your other hand (or falling over in your chair laughing). Let's be realistic. Donahue didn't care about the parents. He cared about the players. The reason for this is (and I'm sure that most coaches will agree) is parents don't go to school, practice, take tests or play soccer for 80 minutes. The kids do. Thus, why should Donahue or any other coach for that matter waste his or her time with the parents (unless of course they're boosters)? That's what spineless guys like Mike Gibson don't understand. All parents can do is talk. In the end they can threaten, but they can do nothing. Mike Gibson sure made something out of nothing. Again congratulations Coach Donahue: You've just been Knighted... Bobby Knighted.

Fair enough. My apologies. My point is that stones can't be left unturned. This is a disgrace to coaches everwhere. It's my understanding that Mike Irby has resigned from Houston as well. I wonder to what that was do. Again no offense intended. I just want to see if anyone has any comments, good or bad about Coach Donahue. This is a great disservice to the architect of one of the state's most storied tutors. Dave Donahue has been Bobby Knighted!

This is pretty much appalling. I can think of no greater travesty in high school soccer in the past 20 years. He has run a clean program and for those of you who say that he "abused" some of his players (in reference to some of the messages on leafchronicle.com), you were probably either players who couldn't hack it, parents of players who couldn't hack it, or fans and or players of other teams who got shelled by some of his teams. Correction UPSGregg: he never had a losing season. I'm guessing that the athletic director has someone in mind and doesn't like a warhorse. Probably going to get someone spineless in there just like himself. I used to love Donahue talking in interviews about how "Momma don't drive the bus on this team." Sounds like this guy is probably going to allow the opposite. And I certainly do not want to hear anyone say that "I'm glad someone finally stood up to him." In his 26 year tenure he was straight up with everyone unless they were not. If they were not, then he had nothing to do with you, whether you were a player, coach, fan, administrator, or parent. Wait, I forgot: he didn't deal with parents. So congratulations Clarksville-Montgomery County School System. You have successfully destroyed a legacy and have thrown away one of the most solid rocks in that shamble of a school system since Chuck Babbcock. I don't ever send out sarcastic messages, but this makes me sick. That school system hasn't looked out for one coach or teacher in years. Again, Congratulations. I predict that program within two years to be on the same level as Montgomery Central or Northwest. My condolances coach. If I were you I'd leave that school and go take that coach's job at Rossview.

I would like top finally thank someone for congratulating the team who won and not badgering the team who lost. I have never seen so many people say that it was such a series of problems thast caused a team to lose. Maybe the other team played better, maybe the other team (at that point) was better, and maybe there's a reason that the other team (I seem to have forgotten their names due to the fact that they shouldn't have won in the first place) had all those banners. I seem to remember the same situation in which Hendersonville was sub-.500 and took Clarksville into overtime, except that was in the regional finals the year (are you all sitting down) that Clarksville went to the state championship. Can you believe that? A team with a bad record went the distance with a team with a good record. That was much to the attribution of Russ Plummer knowing how to win when it counts. The same goes for Donahue at Clarksville. You guys seem to have completely forgotten that both Plummer and Donahue have done this year after year. You Wilson Central boys have also failed to come up with an excuse as to why Hendersonville beat you guys like a drum in the District Finals, after having lost to you all in the regular season. The arrogance you all display is really disturbing. You should commend the coach at Wilson Central for the successful season. You should also congratulate the deserving team. Remember, it's not far to criticize WCHS for losing, but it is far to commend the other team for winning.

I would like top finally thank someone for congratulating the team who won and not badgering the team who lost. I have never seen so many people say that it was such a series of problems thast caused a team to lose. Maybe the other team played better, maybe the other team (at that point) was better, and maybe there's a reason that the other team (I seem to have forgotten their names due to the fact that they shouldn't have won in the first place) had all those banners. I seem to remember the same situation in which Hendersonville was sub-.500 and took Clarksville into overtime, except that was in the regional finals the year (are you all sitting down) that Clarksville went to the state championship. Can you believe that? A team with a bad record went the distance with a team with a good record. That was much to the attribution of Russ Plummer knowing how to win when it counts. The same goes for Donahue at Clarksville. You guys seem to have completely forgotten that both Plummer and Donahue have done this year after year. You Wilson Central boys have also failed to come up with an excuse as to why Hendersonville beat you guys like a drum in the District Finals, after having lost to you all in the regular season. The arrogance you all display is really disturbing. You should commend the coach at Wilson Central for the successful season. You should also congratulate the deserving team. Remember, it's not far to criticize WCHS for losing, but it is far to commend the other team for winning.

Oh I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. I'm glad that you have personally seen Dickson County play and that they have a tough five game stretch. The problem is that they have a three game stretch in which they play FRA, USN, and Clarksville. If you think that lumping in Pigeon Forge, Harpeth, or Dekalb County with that stretch than it is obviously you Goalie16 who is the idiot. Clarksville does play more games than Dickson much to your chagrin, three more games to be exact (one of them isn't posted on soccerinfo). You are very right; Clarksville couldn't score a goal against Hendersonville, Brentwood, Bearden, or Maryville. Now what is the problem with that? I'll tell you what the problem is; Dickson has played one team with a winning record. One. One. Hendersonville and Maryville put together have won more games and lost fewer than all six teams that Dickson has played. I gave the district information because someone earlier had wondered what that was. But now that you've decided that I'm an idiot I'll let you know exactly how big an idiot I am. My last post had nothing to do with the past. It had everything to do with how prepared each team is when tournament time comes which is why Clarksville (in their down year) will be more prepared. That doesn't mean that they will smoke Dickson or that Dickson will run away with the title. The point is--and any coach will tell you--that you have to schedule good teams. Now to appease you you have something (as small as it is) to reference and that is that the two have a common opponent: Springfield. Both scores ended with Springfield losing 2-4. So now you've got something. Now my suggestion to you is to calm down and not try and assess the fact that you've seen them play. Check the schedule, talk to other people, look at other teams. Sorry, but I'm afraid you're mistaken about me

Well said bootitupthefield. And in response to ITALYandSWEDEN, I made the point that Clarksville hasn't played similar opponents. They will eventually, but like the man said comparing scores doesn't matter whatsoever. MatWizard87 is also right by stating that when you get out of the top 10 or 15 it's hard to start rating. In other words a 30th ranking means nothing and it's also important to realize that there are few if any rankings that go past the Top 25. It's nice that they're having a good year, but the fact of the matter is you schedule good teams to prepare for May. That's what teams like Clarksville and Rossview do, or at least Clarksville always has. Dickson just doesn't have the schedule to prepare them for the tournament. After getting their tales whipped, Clarksville is going to have a chip on its shoulder and will have the proper training to prepare them for the tournament, while Dickson won't. Sad, but true.

Well, with all do respect to you and your polls, who are the coaches? I'm usually not one to throw around slaps, but I am interested to know who the coaches are that have input in your poll. Quite frankly, if you take players and parents into serious account when constructing your polls then I think that you should probably reevaluate your system or retweek it. The fact is (and this is in no way an attack on your poll or your system) that the coaches are the ones who see the players first hand, at practice, games and tournaments. What I am saying is that a coach is probably going to be less bias than a parent who is trying to get his or her son some PR or a player who is trying to get it himself. The good coaches (obviously not all coaches) know who the good teams are. That's why Barry Redmond was so good at rating the teams. He had a great deal of trust in the coaches from whom he got information, which is similarly why Bob Klosky is good at rating the teams that he does. Guys like him and Eric Turner, Mike Irby, and Russ Plummer are going to know who the teams to reckon with are. Understand that while can I appreciate the fact that you put so much time and effort into your polls, I along with most of the rest of the state are probably going to trust the NSCAA soccerinfo ratings more.

And by the way for those of you who wanted to know: Clarksville has won 14 District 10 AAA titles, Northeast 2, and Rossview 1. Dickson has none. None. And by the way, Dickson is not ranked because nobody goes by obscure rankings that are polled by passers-by rather than voted on by coaches. Get a clue. I'd listen to MatWizard87 and bootitupthefield...and me. I'm guessing you're a player.

ITALYandSWEDEN, you must be joking. I have seen some incredibly questionable posts and threads, but yours takes the cake. First of all, you are basing your prediction that Dickson County will win the District (and are implying that) on the fact that they have beaten every team they have played. Second, this followed by the fact that some of the teams that Rossview and Clarksville have lost to have lost to Dickson. This is incorrect seeing as how to this point Clarksville and Dickson have no similar opponents that the two have played. Rossview yes, Clarksville no. Third, I would like to congratulate Dickson on those impressive wins over Northeast (1-2-2), Henry County (1-4-1), Columbia Central (2-3), and Hillwood (1-4-1) by a total score of 11-4. Kudos to Brenda Zbozien for scheduling such formidable opponents. And by the way, congratualtions on the win against Springfield, the only team that has a winning record and coincidentally a worse opponents W-L-T record than Dickson. Dickson doesn't have the horses much less the coaching to hang with the teams that they have to beat, and I'm not talking about their District opponents. I am going to give any Dickson players who know who this nincompoop ITALYandSWEDEN is a strong piece of advice: tell him to stop talking. I know for a fact that Donahue and Chartrand (both who have schedules that would give Dickson County nightmares for years) don't take kindly to reading these kinds of things. I seem to remember the last time that Dickson thought they were going to run all over Clarksville: in 1999 they lost in a monsoon to an undefeated Clarksville team that was ranked third in the state. The rest of the story goes they went to Clarksville for the tournament and lost 9-0. If Chartrand is anything like Donahue, than his team will conversely be receptive to these kinds of remarks. Donahue always had a way of motivating less talented teams with comments by silly people trying to see if people would reply to their threads. Have fun and good luck, you're going to need it.

Just checked on NSCAA. As of this year Donahue's record was 331 wins and Dennis Rush's was 335 wins.

This is an impressive milestone. I'm glad to know that such a well-respected coach is going to achieve such an impressive accomplishment that not many can say are or have ever even come close to. Does anyone know how many games he prospectively has until he is number one?

I have recently heard that Dave Donahue indeed is still the coach at Clarksville and that he is about to achieve a milestone. I spoke with a reporter from the Nashville area and was told by this person that he is closing in on Dennis Rush's all-time wins record. Could someone please confirm this. The reporter confessed that he was unsure and that he'd heard it from another coach. If this is so I would most definately love to witness this milestone and congratulate him on his success as one of the greatest coaches in the state's history of the sport. Please reply if you know more.

cbusoccer13, you are very right and you are very wrong. You are right in that the Houston team of 2000 was quite possibly one of the finest this state has ever seen. I've talked with several coaches who coached against that team who agreed that it could have hung in with several college teams. Undoubtedly incredible. You are wrong, however, in that there have been not one but two teams since then from separate schools who have gone undefeated: Bearden in 2002 and Farragut the following year. Not a bash, but it's a bit silly to try and say that Houston is the only team (like the 72 Dolphins) who can say that they have an undefeated season. It's happened several times and a few since then. Irby, though, is one of the finest coaches in the state and I think it's sad that you and I and one other person have posted him as one of the greats in Tennessee.

I just saw this post and it sounds like a rather shady incident on all parties. I do not in any way mean to pass judgement on situation for I was neither there nor anywhere near the incident when it happened. But if anyone could answer any questions of my following questions, please do (but do so in trust that you were either there or know first hand about the incident: 1.) Did the injuries sustained by the player take place during the alleged collision? 2.) If this incident took place during a previous season, why is action only being taken out now? 3.) Who were the officials during this game? 4.) Why was the TSSAA not immediately contacted by the coaches or the parents of the player who sustained the injury? 5.) What has further come from the situation? I am not harping on either side, but I am interested in this lawsuit; it really opens a new door (or possibly a Pandora's Box) on how schools and the association handle situations like this. Plus (and I am in know way harping on the style or aggressive behavior of Williamson County schools), Williamson County officials have been well known to allow certain play that would not necessarily fly in other regions of the state, particularly on the opposite side of town. Like I said before, this incident seems to stink of something the likes of which we as soccer purveyers have never witnessed.