kareem

These polls mean absolutely nothing; especially in DII, where the two best teams other than Brentwood Academy are not represented. MUS and CBHS are far and away better than everyone else listed in the top ten other than BA. Shouldn't West Tennessee, and specifically Memphis media outlets have a say?

Perry County Question: What happened to Bryant Rhodes? Was he not in the running for the PC job?

The state tournament issue is a prime example of the TSSAA being unresponsive to schools, coaches, players, and fans alike. Too expensive to have 8 teams? How about slashing some personnel costs? How about slashing personnel costs at the central office before causing the schools, coaches, players, and fans who actually invest in their teams have to suffer? Carter and the Boys don't care. They are only interested in the bottom line. That is fine if you are running a corporation and are responsible to shareholders; however, if your purpose is to administer athletics for secondary school student-athletes, your main concern should be the secondary school student-athlete. The TSSAA is the most incompetent, ineffective organization currently operating in the state of Tennessee. The Tennessee General Assembly is made up of MENSA members compared to the TSSAA.

The TSSAA is really an ineffective body that is unresponsive to its member schools. It serves only one purpose: to administer the state tournament and state playoffs. They are trying to mess that up in basketball due to "revenue losses." Otherwise, it is a useless body that writes meaningless rules and regulations and pays exorbitant salaries to its administrators. These administrators are not required to think. They only to have to be able to push buttons on a phone or operate a fax machine. The TSSAA does not maintain effective oversight over schools nor over officials. The TSSAA has made ONE proactive move - other than collect membership dues, fines, and gate percentages - ever. That move was to create DII after Brentwood Academy held their feet to the fire. School oversight from the TSSAA: "You all have to live with each other." "Thanks for faxing in your bogus eligibility." Question for the TSSAA: Can you all leave Nashville to do anything or are you taking your gas stipends and cashing them in, ala the NBA officials with their airline tickets a few years back? Official oversight from the TSSAA: "You can only appeal a misapplication of a rule. Unsportsmanlike conduct is not a rule." "You can appeal if you send in $50." Question for the TSSAA: "Could you not add officials oversight to your jobs, or are you too overburdened setting the timer on the coffee pots?" An enterprising person in any of the three grand divisions, maybe along with regions of the border states could form an athletics association that would be responsive to its membership and oversee its organization effectively. How 'bout this? A governing organization that actually knows its membership, enforces its rules, and oversees all aspects of its operations - this would actually lead to people earning decent salaries for jobs well-done. In reality, the TSSAA steals from its member schools and programs by taking gate proceeds and administering fines that cannot be questioned. Robber barons, they are alive and well in Nashville.

Nothing to do with transfers; it has to do with adhering to rules and regulations. Sure, the transfer rule applies, but with open enrollment, the city has a tremendous advantage. If the city played by the same set of rules as everyone else, rest assured they would not be as successful. The TSSAA will not do anything regarding this matter - that much is for sure.

The TSSAA should not allow any Memphis City school team to even compete for the TSSAA title. With rampant recruiting by high schools of middle school/jr. high school kids and open enrollment, an environment has been created in the state's most-talented city that should not be rewarded with a gold ball. The TSSAA should at least ACT like a regulatory group, or the membership should get together and do away with it. They basically hold organizational meetings and take fees without any REAL enforcement. Schools that comply are penalized inherently. You are rewarded if you recruit and if you skirt the organization's guidelines. A school like Bradley Central, which draws from a small geographic area should not have to compete against schools like White Station or Memphis city schools that are able to recruit the whole city. Either this situation should change, or there should be no rules whatsoever!

Ridgeway and Wooddale in District 15-AAA will be problems in the district, much less thinking of White Station as 4-peat winners in the state.

Who is the dominant team in 12-A thus far? Who's better Summertown, CA, or Mt. Pleasant? Can Perry Co. win it?

What did he tell the team? That he is not returning?

Nothing but rumors

What are the reasons behind Perry County's slow start? Just lost too much from last year? How is the climate in Linden?

CBHS is obviously a sleeper in this discussion; however, they have an excellent frosh post and an extremely quick small point to complement an already deep supporting cast. CBHS will be hard to stop in late February.

Which jobs in West TN are currently open?

Who is slated to take over? Wes Huddleston?

I agree with gomab and TJ; 2003 is a down year for TN basketball. However, the future is bright. For example, in 2001, the SINGLE A state tourney was littered with D 1 players from South Fulton, Ezell, and Chatt Christian; AA and AAA had their usual complement of outstanding players. This year, Memphis will dominate the AA and AAA tourneys once again with Memphis Mitchell making a real run in A ball. Adamsville is a potential state tourney title contender based on their perfomances against very athletic Ripley and Fayette-Ware teams. Predictions A ball champ: Adamsville or Memphis Mitchell AA champ: Ridgeway AAA champ: White Station OR Fairley OR Memphis East or whoever survives that region DII: Let them eat cake.