tradertwo

This is actually one of the better of many "ideas" to expedite the process of selecting the final eight for the state tourney. Problem is, it doesn't improve over what is in place. Increasing the field by double would decrease regular season significance, and condense it into a one game to advance scenario, as well as taking a couple of home games from top seeds. I also don't agree with the reasoning of the "true double elimination" for the final eight...I like the winners/losers brackets formula because it rewards consistency, and you aren't eliminated until you lose twice anyway. Championship game participants have either earned their way there by avoiding a loss, or overcoming one. The only thing that I don't like about the current setup, your proposition doesn't address...depending upon what stage of the process you incur a loss determines whether you are eliminated or advance.

Don't worry too much about the "odds"...everybody was posting that Loretto had an easy path to the championship game in '16 because "the tough teams were in the other side of the bracket". We beat them twice and the defending champs to win it. Easy side...hurumph!

People need to understand the dynamics of something before denouncing it. Open zone vs. closed zone is a "hot topic" in sports, but has little to do with it in concept. Open zone policy is for taxpayer equality...here in Henderson Co. we have multiple schools at every level, and although we are proud of all of them we still offer the choice of where your child will attend. We run bus routs which are computer generated, determining (according to address) which school your child attends unless you provide transportation, in which case you have choice of any of them. If building capacity isn't maxed out, we then offer to accept out of county students provided they pay a tuition amount equal to that which the county covers for in county students on a first come/first serve basis. Pretty simple...it's the best policy to offer "fairness" and choice to the taxpayers.

ALL public schools are open enrollment UNLESS their own Board of Education voted to limit it.

Good luck to McNairy next season...our district was murder, but the competition and sportsmanship was super! Iron sharpens Iron, and playing the schedule we faced made our team better...that's the objective as far as I'm concerned. Early in the season, one of the best eyes for the game around told me that none of the 7AA teams had anything for Covington, and though they are in Murfreesboro, I think that McNairy proved our district could play with them at the end of the year. I'd like to finish by saying good luck to the Panthers...Riverside and Scotts Hill go back decades as hated rivals, but if my Lions can't win it, I hope that Riverside can bring it home.

I still like it...if you can put UC in the losers bracket, the path to the championship game(s) is then easier than anyone else's...(IMO). NOT saying that there are any cupcakes in the tourney...this years field looks like one of the toughest top to bottom that I can remember, but with TCA and Loretto in the opposite side, the UC/G'back loser in a one and done position, the game planning and path of least resistance is in the winners favor. My two "wildcards" are CA and South Pitt...I know that they can play, but just how good are they?

Greenback's "big game" comes early...the two best (IMO) on that side of the bracket face off in game one, and the winner will have the inside track to the championship game(s). Other side of the bracket has TCA and Loretto potentially meeting in the second game with the same consequences. Loretto is probably the best suited team in the tourney to win it from the losers bracket, but also the most likely not to be in it. Gotta' root for TCA to bring home the hardware...great program with some great fans, but I have a hard time pulling against most of those left.

Covington is what I'm hearing in the western side of the state. McNairy took them to the last out with a good chance to send them home (two on and no outs, trailing by one), but all good teams seem to have those "scare you to death" games, and find a way to escape, and McNairy is definitely state caliber. Riverside has been playing great for the last two weeks, and won (IMO) the toughest region in the state. Their #1 arm is good enough to beat anyone, but I don't know if the rest of the pitching cam keep them in games if their bats cool off some. If they continue to hit and play defense as they have been lately, don't bet against them either.

And if he had gotten the job??? How can you hold a man's decisions regarding the welfare of his family against him? We at Scotts Hill went through losing a great coach to a "better" situation...my point of view was that he left us in much better shape than when he applied for the job at SH, and surely after the run the Cherokees have had with him you can't argue against that logic. Same with D Rang at Dresden...those fans love their football up there, but as disappointed as they were to lose him to GP, they wished him well and moved on. If you have other issues with the man or his coaching, put it out there...if not, you're acting like a jilted little girl who has just heard that your bf is talking to the head cheerleader.

Our district was probably the toughest top to bottom in the state, in any classification. Riverside, McNairy, Chester Co., Lexington, Scotts Hill, and maybe Southside were all good enough to have won it ( or even the state title) had the breaks gone a little differently, but Riverside is the only one still playing...most likely means the "monkey" didn't do anything wrong either.

This might be a dumb answer, but the region represented by Memphis schools sometimes forfeit. My experience is with 1A schools, and AA might be different. There are a few very good "baseball schools" in Memphis, which are AAA...we've been slated to play a region runner-up and have them pass on the travel expenses and just stay home. For what it's worth, I thought TSSAA had "strongly suggested" that they play.

Odle is solid, but SG is tough both on the mound and #'s 1 through 9 in the lineup. Hope that Riverside can pull one off (and they're capable), but I'd make the Hornets the favorite.

Congratulations on a good season, and for the seniors a great career! You ladies have not only brought respect for the program that will continue long after the sting of playing your last game has faded, but you've given myself and all the Scotts Hill faithful lasting memories that we will cherish always. Remember...you can't win 'em all, but you ladies have always lost (very few) with class and won with dignity. You will only realize how much you've meant to the community when you sit in those stands watching your own children, nieces, nephews, or neighbor's kids, and you're as proud of them as we all are of you. Never forget...ONCE A LION, ALWAYS A LION!!!

I'd like to congratulate "my" Lions on a good season, and for the seniors a great career! You can't win 'em all, but you can always conduct yourselves with dignity and class. Thanks for the memories that I'll cherish, and for bringing not only Scotts Hill's first championship, but respect for the program that will carry on. Remember...ONCE A LION, ALWAYS A LION!!!

The community is a huge part of SH's success. Countless hours of volunteer work and money that a community like ours can't really afford have been poured into supporting our schools, and that's not by accident. Give people a chance to help and they will surprise you...don't believe me, orchestrate a project and ask for it. Our FFA chapter (top 5 in state for years) recently needed a "barn". They set a goal to raise $6,000, and raised $20,000...the state embellishment grant administrator was so impressed that he said that there was a matching grant available, but had a $26,000 minimum. One auction/dinner later with donated and built items, and they had another $10,000 +. That's a total of over $56,000 from a goal of six. Our accomplishments aren't easily or quickly attained, but are far from unique. Bradford is ranked slightly higher than us (we're gunning for them) in most independent sites rankings, and neighboring Chester County is not far behind. The "right" people in just a few places make all the difference. In less than ten years we went from one of the worst to one of the best, with the placement of a Principal and a Director of Schools. Didn't mean to hijack the thread, but for folks to say that the "system" can't work, when some do so well irk's me a little, and every effort makes a difference, no matter how small.

If you haven't already, you will. Coach Stowe happens to be fond of my little sis.

Didn't mean to imply that teammates would not accept him...bet that opposition will know his "status" though.

He just had a target placed squarely on his chest too...eighteen year olds sometimes don't like thirteen year olds "upstaging" them. Maybe the kid does well and handling the pressure makes him better, but maybe he plays like a thirteen year old. Not fair for the young man to be anything other than a freshman playing for a spot.

Bet I've got some family there who are happy 'bout it.

WOW!!! Never thought you'd predict Alcoa to be anything other than #1. Here's mine. 1. Alcoa 2. Not Alcoa 3. Not Alcoa 4. Not Alcoa 5. Not Alcoa

WRONG. On every level, that's an untrue statement. If your school isn't meeting your standards, get off your tail and get involved...not slandering and downgrading involved either. As a taxpayer (presumably), the school belongs to you and your community. School boards meet monthly, so go to one and ask some questions. All the facts are available at your Director of Schools fingertips, such as ACT scores, graduation rates, college enrollment percentages, ect.. Uncle Sam mandates that these benchmarks are monitored, and comparison's to other schools are supposed to be public knowledge. Ask about the Ayers Foundation (I believe that it's available to your system) also...with their counselors and grant writers, virtually every student with passing grades who wishes to enroll in higher education will have the opportunity. If your public school is underachieving, you have the opportunity to run for your district's board seat and change things...or you can just anonymously slur them on a sports forum's message board and see if that helps. Just a FYI...at Scotts Hill our average ACT score last year was between 22 and 23 (state target is 21 by 2021), graduation rate was 100% (averaging over 98% for the last six years), college enrollment was over 90% (check it for yourself), and proficiencies in every subject were well above state averages. The school has won state awards for those numbers, we have had the teacher of the year for the entire state, and many individual students have received national accolades for their achievements. Bragging? Yes, and if our little hole in the wall, one four way stop town who educates every kid who gets off the bus can do it, yours can as well.

doing well BEM. I think that second place is locked up going into the tourney. You know how baseball is though...in '16 we were fourth in district, second in regionals, and first in the state. we've got a solid team who could go out early, or go to championship Saturday. Strange that you should contact me today...just yesterday a couple of autographed footballs came into my possession with some familiar sounding names on them (maybe West Tn. all-star game). Some names are; Coaches Stewart, Morris, and Powell...players Zach Parker, Ben Cooper, Will Burleson, Jonathan Payne, Cody Jones, and many others. Know anything about them? I was going to message you and Intense to see if maybe either of you are interested in owning them...my treat!

You were talking about ALL public schools, even juggernaught Loretto. We're not trying to beat any one team, we're trying to play our best baseball every time we take the d field. If we do that and lose, I'll certainly not be on here slandering the team that whipped us. Have a nice day!

I'm not going to follow your lead and discredit the fine bunch of young men that "my" Lions beat in '16 for the title...they were a credit to your school and never faltered. They also weren't the best team that the Lions beat that year in the tourney, that would be Loretto (twice). There's no shame in losing, especially in the championship...but to throw that elitist manure out there is shameful. Win with class and lose with dignity.

David Russell's Bradford teams of the mid nineties...three class A gold balls in a row, and multiple Miss Basketball winners. The late Bill Haney commented on the air one year that in his opinion Bradford was the best team in Murfreesboro, and it wasn't close. That's pretty awesome for any single A team.