Red77

The white hatted referee to whom you refer was the same referee in the 2003 BA game who was reprimanded by the TSSAA for allowing BA to snap the ball before the players were set and accepting a field goal kicked after time had expired to send the game into overtime, which we ultimately lost. He did the same on Ravenwood's last drive in which the back judge had already counted off the five seconds with the QB running on the field. They snapped the ball before the players were set with no penalty. Tom Corcoran's interception was nullified because of a roughing the passer call that supposedly occured before the ball was tipped and ultimately intercepted. Once the ball is tipped there can be no roughing call, and there isn't enough time to rough the passer on a tipped ball. The films show the ball clearly tipped almost immediately after the release. That drive was allowed to continue for Ravenwood's third touchdown. One of our linebackers was drilled very late out of bounds on that drive after jumping over a pile so as not to incur a penalty. One of the officials was right there with the no call. On the same drive, on third down and long, the QB scambled and threw a ball to the ground that skipped into the receiver's hands for a first down. They scored two plays later. Coach McGugin asked the official on MBA's last possesion for a timeout to be called when the play clock was down to one second. (This mistake occurred as the game clock showed twenty-nine seconds left in the game.) After the officials mistakenly allowed the time to expire, then put up six seconds on the clock instead of the four differential, they denied the timeout called by Coach McGugin and lied to the crew that he had asked for it. Then to make matters worse, gave MBA a delay of game penalty for their own ineptness. (The back judge never demonstrated his five second count.) Coupled with the comment from the referee of how the mighty have fallen to a seventeen year old young man who has played his heart out, these calls or no calls seem to indicate a considerable bias against either MBA or perhaps DII schools in general. Granted, the Ravenwood team played with great heart. (One player said they were the scrappiiest team we've played this year.) I do not mean to take anything away from these young men. They played well and could have won this game. However, this inept and possibly biased officiating should not be tolerated by the TSSAA. I'm sure that MBA will send the films to them for their review. Let's hope there will be consequences.

MBA's 22 starters at the beginning of the season came from the following schools: Harding Academy (4), Oak Hill (4), St. Henry's (3), St. Paul (2), CPA (2), Ensworth (1), FRA (1), BGA (1), Brentwood Middle (1), Grassland Middle (1), Antioch Middle (1), and Croft Middle (1). With very few exceptions, the families of these young men had planned to have their sons attend MBA long before any so called "recruiting" could have taken place. In several cases, they are sons or grandsons of alumni. The few who made their decisions later to attend this fine institution did so because of its outstanding academic reputation and its focus on producing gentlemen who will be leaders in their respective communities. The school clearly has its advantages (facilities, coaching, parental involvement, strong community support, etc.) and as a result, may not be on a level playing field with many other schools; however, having superior athletes to the other schools in the area is not one of MBA's advantages. The complaints of our "recruiting" become somewhat tedious and diminish the effort that these coaches and players have made to achieve their success.

There's no way this kid attends MBA. It sounds just like the "UT Grad" who called Bill King's show several years ago to ask where the homecoming game was going to be played.

Sorry to correct you, but MBA lost to Covington 20-13, and the game turned on an ill advised pass into the short flat that was intercepted and returned for a TD. The week before, MBA was ranked 1st in the state and Ryan was ranked 2nd. They played a very emotional game at Dudley Field with MBA prevailing 24-3. Against Covington, MBA was out-coached and out-played, and Covington was a deserved winner. However, all the players will tell you that they went into the game over-confident and looking forward to Bristol. I do not know if they would have beaten Bristol, but I know they would have given them a much better game than Covington did. Unfortunately, we'll never know.

Best of luck to Coach Elliot. He is a fine teacher and a finer man. BA is fortunate and will be pleased. However, as far as the "sky is falling" attitude exhibited by many who disdain this fine institution, I seem to recall that last year the sentiment was similar. The results just didn't pan out for those naysayers. Change is part of life. It isn't always a bad thing. There are some very positive additions happening as well as well. It may be a little early to get excited about MBA's demise.

I guess you're right. The MBA football off-season program doesn't apprear to be working very well for them. Especially, their line. It was especially poor this past year. I guess you're right. The MBA football off-season program doesn't appear to be working very well for them. Especially, their line. It played very poorly this past year.

Mostly juniors who are working to get bigger, stronger, faster for next football season. They're dedicated first to football. This year's experience was apparently so good that they're very focused on repeating.

Sorry. I was very familiar with the poll in its time. "Lithenhouse" was a typo. Mrs. Bowen would not be proud.

Vince Lombardi once said that football was not a contact sport, but a collision sport. It can generate tremendous emotion on the part of the players and the spectators. Things are often said and done in the heat of that emotion that the individuals often regret. It comes with the game. With that said, as an MBA alumnus, it is difficult for me to admit, but Brentwood Academy has without a doubt over the past thirty-three years been the most consistently successful program in the state. With as many state championships as they've won, they have even more seconds, which is remarkable. They've not had a losing record since 1972. And, although many down play early success by the limits of their classification at the time, they attempted to play "up" as often as they could. They have a great school and a wonderful community. They've been a great rival for MBA, and although there is now no one we'd rather beat, we have tremendous respect for them. Now, with regard to "mythical" championships, I guess we should start calling all those college championships that each of our schools have earned over the years as "mythical" also. In the same sense that we play within the constraints or our classifications, we also play with the playoff system or lack thereof at the time we participate. Not to take anything away from BA's success, but the history of MBA football is not something to take lightly. Nor are their early championships. The TSSAA was not formed until 1925, and their first responsibility was to oversee the state basketball tournament. Their playoff system for football did not begin until the 1969 season. From 1941 to 1968, the State Lithenhouse poll crowned the Tennessee state champion for football, and MBA was declared champion in 1955, 1967 and 1968. Prior to the TSSAA, the State Athletic Association was formed in 1902 and had its first championship game, much like the BCS championship game today, in 1915. MBA won that first Tennessee state championship. They also won in 1917, 1925, 1926, and 1927. In the 20's and 30's, MBA was also part of the old Mid South Conference, which included schools outside the state, and the 1925, 1926 and 1927 teams also were Mid South Conference champions, which at the time held greater distinction than the state championships. MBA won its 14th state championship this past weekend, and there is nothing "mythical" about any of them. Some of those early championship teams were as dominating for their era as any today. And with regard to our modern day rivalry with BA (and these facts are meant with no disrespect and take nothing away from my earlier comments regarding their great success), MBA has played BA a total of 18 times since 1995. MBA's record...12 wins and 6 losses. I'd say the MBA community can also be proud of our program. Roll Red, Roll

That's classic! You're right on target.

In the 1969-70 school year, The Oak Hill School included grades K through 9. Bill Brown was the headmaster. The following year the school only went through the sixth grade, because Mr. Brown took the rising seventh through tenth grades, along with several teachers and coaches, to form Brentwood Academy. The founders of the school were able to work out an arrangement with First Pres to allow the move. The middle school teams at Oak Hill were perennial winners in the old HVAC, even traveling to Atlanta on several occasions to play Westminster. So there was a very good nucleus of talent, albeit young talent at BA from the beginning. For at least the first year, the school played a JV schedule, much as Ensworth did the past couple of years. However, it was no surprise that they succeed as quickly as they did. Not only did they have outstanding coaching, but also they had home grown talent from Oak Hill. There were also a couple of good players that came to BA from the Joelton area because of their relationship with Coach Flatt who contributed greatly, but to say they were recruited would not be fair, as one was his cousin and another a very good friend of the family. Although I am on the other side of the rivalry from BA, I have enjoyed my friendships with those who attended there and played there over the years and have a great deal of respect for them and their school. I hope tonight we'll have a great game from both sides. Roll Red.

Unfortunately, the posts on this board from those who support Ensworth versus the posts of the MBA folks do not support your position. Your own words "But, I guess, MBA can use all the fans they can get considering the majority of other high schools in Middle Tennessee want Ensworth to show up the big red," show the prevalent attitude.

As an MBA football alum who has followed the Big Red for over forty years, through the good, bad and ugly years, I have seen several rivalries rise and and fall. Most of them were strong because of the mutual respect that both teams had for each other. Although our rivalry with Father Ryan was oftern heated, I never had the impression that the players or fans from either school despised each other. In recent years, the BA/MBA games have generated great intensity and excitement, but again the mutual respect that each of the teams has for the other is evident amoung the players, coaches, parents and fans. However, over the past couple of years, the envy, anger, disingenuousness and lack of respect that is displayed by many of those who attend and support Ensworth toward MBA is such that these individuals lose all credibility. Conversely, everything I hear from the MBA contingent with respest to Ensworth is positive. Ensworth is a very good school, which already has a strong athletic program, to go along with many other areas of excellence. Considering the growth that Nashville has experienced over the past few decades, there is clearly a need for another good private school in the area, and I am confident that both schools will continue to thrive. As far the football games go, over the next several years, MBA will win some, and Ensworth will win some. Both schools will pursue excellence, but the quality of the teams will ebb and flow, as is natural. However, it will serve the Ensworth folks well to handle both their successes and failures with dignity and decorum, as is consistent with the goals of the school. As a good friend of several of the Ensworth coaches and as a good friend of many of the Ensworth families, I wish them all the best for the future of the school and of the football team. These two schools will be rivals for many years to come, and let us all work to making it a great one.

Steve Burger went to Donelson High School. His little brother Ken attended MBA.

I don't know who you are, but you give the impression of being very close to MBA, and also having a serious bitter bone to pick As an alum, who is not only close to the school and football program but also to many, many MBA football alumni, I have to say that Coach McGugin has gone out of his way to get us invovled again in the program in a way I have not experienced before. If I listed the functions, correspondence and personal communication that he has already offered, anyone would be impressed by the effort. Whether he will be successful or not, only time will tell, but the amount of work that he is committing is more than admirable. Plus, the players love his enthusiasm and dedication. There is a very optimistic spirit surrounding the team thus far, and if you are in fact an alum, your continued criticism is not only not appreciated by many, but also in fact taints our beloved school. Although I have thought most of your comments should not be dignified with a response, and as you can see, I rarely respond to anything on this page, I do think young Daniel deserves defending in light of the efforts he has been making. Roll Red, Roll.