Bella8

Go to t$$aa.org and pull up the attendance records from when it was at Vanderbilt back in the day. 5 times what it has been at MTSU or TN Tech. Bottom line is the casual fan went to Nashville and won't to other places. T$$aa takes bids and somehow Nashville lost it years ago and hasn't fought to get it back. Not sure of dynamics there but if I were with t$$aa I'd be trying to get Nashville back. But with all things $ plays biggest role and especially with t$$aa. Horrible organization

Great article about t$$aa and how they are hurting football. Unaka situation is good to raise issues even though it sucks right now. Maybe, doubt it, but maybe will help lead to change.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/sports/columns/story/2016/nov/04/unakas-forfeit-points-out-problem-tssafootbal/396031/

It's really insane. I also empathize with them. Unaka was losing by 45 pts. a game. Yes they should finish what they start but at same time they didn't create such an asinine system in which actually punishes them and their program. Yes their program would actually lose money bc they would only get 25% of the gate. T$$aa. A state association that makes decisions for $ reasons and not kid reasons will continue to make BAD decisions for our state. It's not going to get any better with the new classification system either. The board of control obviously isn't looking out for the masses but only for their schools. Nobody in their right mind truly believes that TN is big enough for 6 public and 3 private classifications....do they? Heck Texas has 6 classifications and twice the size of TN. I'd bet they don't have 3 privates but even if they do it makes more sense. It's really mind boggling that we can't get a better system. TN should have 4 maybe 5 classifications and 2 private.

No way they knew. Their kids. I'd say the adults didn't know either bc there's no precedent set for this to refer back to. At the end of the day it's really simple. The state is at fault. T$$aa. Period. Basketball players nor any other sport should be punished. It is what it is. Those kids shouldn't be put in playoffs being 1-9. It's that simple and there's no 'other' rationale. T$$aa should stop with new classifications immediately and redesign for the next class cycle or again 1-9, 2-8 teams will be subject to punishment of playoffs. Consider Coffee County (1-9) is about to travel to Maryville (10-0) this Friday. Now Maryville does a great job of putting in subs early and backing off but those kids are physically about to get beat up. It's not OK. Hate situation for Unaka but it's NOT their fault.

I've never posted but feel compelled on this issue. I coached in TN for 24 yrs. and I for one am VERY glad the players decided not to play. T$$aa has indicated time and time again that they can NOT properly function on behalf of our state and great game of football. The state of TN isn't anywhere close to being big enough for all these classifications. At minimum the Z-plan is only possible way and even that sucks. When money is the driving force and not the kids and coaches and schools bad decisions will be made as is the case here. I don't have a clue about Unaka. Can't even tell you where it is. But for those kids to endure a season they already have and then get on a bus to travel however far to KNOW they are doomed is proposterous at BEST. It's a system failure! I truly hope people stand up and protest t$$aa for change. 4 maybe 5 classifications is only way for TN to keep fair and just competition and avoid playoff matchups destroying kids and the game. Sorry for rant.