pressman

I thought so too at first glance but looking a little further, I found the following: Region 4: 32-24, 5 @ or above .500 Region 3: 26-26, 6 @ or above .500 Region 2: 27-26, 5 @ or above .500 Region 1: 32-22, 7 @ or above .500 Now, there are some pros and cons to this number crunching: Cons-Bye weeks throw some of this off a little, and I think the non-region games in region 2 & 3 are slightly more difficult (from top to bottom) than in the other two regions. Pros-It's pretty concrete to see a few things like although region 3 may have the worst win-loss (or tied w/2 depending on how you view bye weeks) records, they have the second best overall strength of region based solely on teams that are competitive (wins at or better than .500) & that although people hammer away at Maryville for scheduling, there is some merit to the fact that they have 7/8 teams at or above .500 and played Fulton & Alcoa out of region...wow! Regardless, that all gets played out in a few weeks anyway; the biggest score from doing this comparison might be that this is definitely a very competitive class overall (the parity is there, at least). For example, Roger Goodell would love these numbers!

No problem. Your bracket makes the most sense...so it will obviously not be the one that is released. But I digress. Good work.

First tie breaker (50% teams), MJ had jumped them before game tonight...in same district and so it goes to non-district, MJ had 6 overall (Centennial & Blackman), & SC 5 (Pearl).

Got a chance to see the action last night...first of all, Shelbyville may have as good of a QB and skill set as any 5A team...period. I have seen a lot of Golden Eagle teams, and this one is the most talented one I've ever seen. They are polished with their screen game, and have people that can house it. Having said that, I think Mount Juliet's D was a few fits away from having a good scrimmage. They did pick off 4 passes, and their secondary is very solid. It's hard to gauge who is what at this point, but it seems the MJ offense is moving the football through the air this year, and last night had several chances but timing wasn't there. Shelbyville's defense is also very aggressive. Now, when the young guys got in, MJ clearly controlled that part of the scrimmage. The Bears looked like this scrimmage was more about putting different young guys in situations with the Shelbyville's first group, and Shelbyville's first group (esp that QB), was most impressive. I guarantee both coaches loved the work and amount of reps that they got in, and I think both of these teams ended spring way ahead of a year ago. I know everyone always wants a score, but the format made it hard to say (Shelbyville had a few scores where MJ had what looked like half starters and half backups in). MJ scored in the same situations. I know this, if Shelbyville's QB stays healthy, I would immediately place them as a contender for the 5A title...yes, they are that good. As for MJ, if they can get those big young guys 3 more months of experience, they'll compete at a very high level.

I usually view without comment, but this is so far off base that I'll bite here to help inform you of MJ's situation in regards to college football players (current, at least), because like BKisler, I am close enough to the program to make informed comments. 1) Regarding Contrez, he is working hard at Garden City (the same Garden City that just sent Nick Marshall to Auburn). Did you know, WCP, that a coach actually drove him the 16 hours to campus? 2) Regarding players overall, and I hate doing this because I am not privy enough to know all of them & their current situation, but Murphy Fair had 16 players listed last year as current college players, the most in 9AAA. You have Brady E finishing up at Army, Ryan Jenkins as a preferred walk-on trying to earn the job at Clemson (academic full ride), Josh Belhu and Brett Dillard (who started as a freshman) at Tech, Matt Stewart at UT Martin, Vaughn Cornelia at Savannah State (legal matters pending), Joe McMahon at UTC, Reed Gurchiek, Tyler Emmetts, Austin Chaplin, Cody Carr, Michael and George Nwokoji, Hunter Locke, Brady Eady, Caleb Hopkins, Chris Bazile, and possibly others at Cumberland, Michael Khoury at Tusculum, Courtland Douglas at KY Christian, Robert Hill at Campbellsville, and a few others that may sign with an NAIA school soon I was told. Not to mention that both Slade Adams, Taylor Cisneros, and Antwaun Majors were all OVC performers who recently graduated. I am sure I left some out, but I think 8 at the FBS/FCS level in the last few years, and over 20 overall, compared to plenty of other places is fairly decent. I hope you are a little more enlightened and in the future, would suggest asking a person connected to the program instead of a disgruntled teenager that is under the impression that you can sit on your thumbs & get a full ride to an SEC program, and if that doesn't happen, then it is coaches' fault. MJ coaches work their tails off for the kids that work their tails off for them. I wouldn't lose any more sleep over that one.

Lebanon vs Mount Juliet will be the TNL game for that week.

Funny, BKisler, he didn't answer two of your three questions/statements. So, we should gather he has a son playing for WC and he predicted a WC win last year (oh, and the 11-4 freshman mark the last 2 years is average). Sounds like he has a real pulse on things.

Let's see if we can't exercise that selective memory a little further since you brought up the Friendship vs. Westmoreland games where Coach Perry is concerned. The following year Westmoreland beat Friendship 52-0, and never looked back. Temper or not, Coach Perry dominated Friendship during those years, and did something else Friendship can't do, had a winning record vs. Trousdale. MJ has no business auditioning their talent to Friendship. They sniff around enough as it is. You are right about one thing, it is hard to compare Friendship and MJ...MJ doesn't play any Red Boiling Springs and the little sisters of the poor year after year.

True.

Wish this were true. However, the only thing that was passed was to add an extra strength and conditioning class. This, by no means, levels the playing field with Sumner county, as they have their entire varsity teams in the same class period. Also, this is for one semester, Sumner County has both semesters for major revenue sports. A step in the right direction, but only a small one. However, I agree with your logic wholeheartedly.

What may have been left out by Springfield's head coach (see above) is that McGavock moved the ball up and down the field (fumbling twice in the red zone as well as throwing an interception-one t.o. was on the four yard line). McGavock also opened the game with a pick that Springfield turned into a score, and then fumbled on the very next play they had the ball (resulting in another score). And, if McGavock scored their last one on Springfield's 2s, Springfield scored their last two on McGavock's back-ups. I am becoming what I despise, a scrimmage negotiator...how about this, from someone that has no ties to either team, they both have talent, and should do well.

I'll say...free throws: Riverdale 18, MJ 1...is that a record for a double overtime game...1 free throw. Riverdale did not have a player over one foul (if that score board was on point at the end) and the team total at the end was 11-5 (Riverdale had only 5 called fouls after half...including 2 ots)...I should say you feel pretty well about the officiating...Riverdale-great, MJ-great, the fact that they played on Thursday rather than Saturday-not great.

I felt like foosball44 as well, but if there were small boys drawing and teams represented, I still wouldn't put it past them to have it fixed (you thought I was going to take the bait). To the second point, I know for a fact, based on the football debacle, that the TSSAA doesn't play out scenarios like the one you just suggested and here's why. The only guaranteed match-up between the two teams you mentioned is JUST LIKE THIS...the other way is by chance, and you don't double your revenue like the organization did in football on chance. Was this a blind draw? Probably (never say never), but can I understand how people are skeptical coming off the fall match-ups and the resulting revenue, ABSOLUTELY. Anything less is naive at best. And while we're on the subject, I was talking with a basketball officinado from GA and he laughed when I explained our setup. He said, after all that work, you guys leave it up to chance that quite possibly the top two teams in the state could match-up in the first round while one of two inferior teams make it to the final four? Before anyone goes on with the "you have to beat the best" or all 8 are good or they wouldn't be there. A-You should have to beat the best, or next best, but your body of work should put you in position to do that in the finals and B- you are naive if you believe that all 8 teams are equal based on plenty of head-to-head match-ups. Seeding does work, just like that other little tourney in March...now have at me.

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Understood to a degree...would more people be upset with an undefeated team getting moved into their quad or a 2 or 3 loss team...because geographics is a push. They will project, and the projection will include the Murfreesboro teams winning the first team rounds, which makes the Cookeville arguement rather moot, and you left out Smyrna...barring something unforseen, they will be the seventh team in that quad which leaves one to move...and that one should be Independence.

Randy, In response to Fred's original post, you posted total mileage between Brentwood and Franklin as compared to Mount Juliet. I see Indepenence as the most likely candidate of these four to go east. Because they are all so similar in geographics, I think they'll pluck the wildcard and send them east (which they mentioned earlier if geographics were similar and makes sense)...look at Independence on the travel tape. Independence to Murfreesboro: 27.4 miles Independence to Winchester: 89.2 miles Independence to Coffee County: 51.3 miles Independence to Cookeville: 101.7 miles Total: 269 (and I don't like totals because truthfully Independence is the same distance as MJ to Murfreesboro, and technically closer than MJ to Manchester or Winchester)...Cookeville is a remote possiblity for these teams as they will all likely enter as a 5 or higher and Cookeville will be a 3 if they win... I do not see sending a potential 10-0 team in MJ or 9-1 Franklin or 8-2 Brentwood (depending on outcomes of these two games) before a wildcard when they are all geographically similar...that does an injustice to the team you send and the teams you send them to...I would not want to explain to Riverdale that they are not a #1 seed after beating Oakland, Farragut, Smyrna, Siegel, and possibly Blackman because Mount Juliet is moving in...not very popular when it can be avoided. Having said all that, I think you have done an awesome job for the most part on this and hope that you are involved in some way because you have been open to discussion and made good observations.

I disagree that Henry County walks to the state championship. They are the team to beat, but Hendersonville and Gallatin can more than hold their own...Hendersonville with a win over Riverdale and Gallatin has been impressive the most in its two losses (MJ/Brentwood)...these two can challenge.

I will say this to the "Wing-T" theory...Oakland lined up in a Dead I Formation (double tights) for a majority of the season and state championship game, never threw the football when it counted in that game, and took home the hardware. ??

Guys, I was there, too. Fred, you must have went to the restroom a couple of times. MJ had a botched fg attempted with the ball inside the 35 and two more drives where they dropped passes inside the 20 (they were inside the 35 three times). I agree that MJ was not in the wing-t a lot (they had double wing...just throwing out of it), probably b/ce of the fb being hurt, I think. McAdoo was as advertised, and Oakland's secondary is better. MJ's defense needs to improve between the 30s, but they did create those turnovers (qb was under big pressure on the the 2 picks). Also, remember Oakland's only score came on 4th and goal from the 2 after MJ fumbled on their own 15). Your last statement is flawed. Oakland is as good as advertised, but MJ is closing the gap.

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If he (Ron) is in the mix, he is THE leading candidate...and I actually think this is a smart move for him.

Fair enough...I see Station Camp winning against teams in this district, for lack of a better comparison, as much as they don't. I can see that winning consistently usually donotes an above .500 percentage in the district, and my first comments really extended beyond that into their non-district (although I must say they have some tough opponents there). I can see them developing good rivalries with both counties, and we both know for rivalries to be healthy they'll have to win some of these games. Are they a playoff team next year? I don't know, because in all sincerity I don't follow them (not a closet fan secretly mounting a case). However, will they be a playoff team in this district in the next two to three years, I believe it is just as likely to say yes as the other 5A reps that we know will compete..