rappy

Jack, Of all the years you worked your rear end off for Brentwood, Ravenwood, Page, and Williamson County, I have to say you did it the right way and should be proud of your past and current effort and its impact to the football programs in Williamson County. I was amazed how you and then Coach Rector took a dirt field from scratch and made it a thing of beauty. Your impact is unknown to many but you were the one behind the scenes driving the improvement to athletic facilities as these new schools were being built throughout the county. Your dedication, service, and turf knowledge is very much appreciated. You can say that you did it your way and pretty much the right way. Now on to the big question: It seems Williamson County has taken a back seat to Rutherford County in football the last three years. When all teams are competitive in the Williamson County, it makes all teams better and they go deeper into the playoffs. Since Williamson County Schools dropped the hammer (and I mean a big hammer) in July 2008 with their expanded version of the School Support Organization Financial Accountability Act as applied to coaches and support booster clubs, Williamson County High School sports has not been the same and the results are glaring. The net result from these implemented regulations punishes coaches and the teams support organization needed to excel in athletics. I stood before your predecessor and county schools attorney Jason Golden to ask them to back off these regulations but implement the ones as per the second version of the State law that had corrected the overreach of the initial law. I was told, "The State Regulators/Auditors lives in Williamson County and all they like to do is to stay local and audit Williamson County. Therefore, we need to make sure our system is the one for all to follow." I had argued the point that the Williamson County regulations were based on the repeal January 2007 State law and HB3278/SB3530 overturned it in January 2008 and replaced it with a new one in May 2008. I held up the HB3278/SB3530 and said "Did you not know this law was repel and replaced with a milder version." Well, I got the "Deer in the headlight look" then passed the governor signed bill over to them to read. Jason Golden said the County School board had adopted this policy during the August 20, 2007 meeting (section 4.503). I said, "Don’t you think the county needs to go back and revisit this policy and correct it to the less restrictive HB3278/SB353 law?" I got the double talk about how hard it is to change policy and the school board wouldn't take it up until late 2008 therefore the 2007 policy will stay in effect. This went nowhere despite my best effort after meeting with other schools booster clubs to gather support to ask the school board to overturn or support to take legal action to overturn this flaw policy. It seem all anyone wanted to do was moan and groan with no action. I've learn my lesson here, once a policy gets on the books in Williamson County, it is next to impossible to get it corrected, no matter how flawed. The impact of this policy has been devastating to athletics in Williamson County while the Rutherford, Wilson, Sumner, Blount (including Maryville and Alcoa), and other counties in Tennessee are leaving Williamson County athletics in the dust. It a sad situation Williamson County has done to their athletic coaches and support organization. After seeing how this has impacted the Athletics in Williamson County Schools, is there any possible way to motivate the county to go back and correct this flawed 2007 policy so Williamson County Schools can once again go toe to toe with the likes of Rutherford County in sports? Thanks, Rappy

Taco, give it up...you're busted. As much as you say you know, you really don't while making yourself foolish. You make stuff up, state untrue rumors without facts to back it up. I'm still trying to figure out how you went one day from kids attending Centennial one day and suddenly turned into retired old man. Best I can tell you are about 15 or 16 and trying to play in a man's world.

Coach Drinkwine and Mays started the Sunset program in the school first year in 2006. As sixth and seventh graders in 2006, the wrestlers were competitive but just learning the ropes. By 2007 and 2008, Drinkwine and Mays had these boys on the wining track. You could tell they were well coach in fundamentals, especially since Drinkwine was a State Champion Wrestler in his high school days at John Overton. Although the coaching was not as good at Woodland, it had talent. Coach Peck been coaching those boys up once they got into his program. The larger part of the Sunset wrestlers from 2006 are yet to reach their Senior year. Peck has done a excellent job of working with the Sunset and Woodland coaches and it seems to be paying dividends as the result. Drinkwine has since moved into administration as the Assistant Principal at the new Spring Station Middle.

Bear crawls up and down the smoking hot track during the hot summer that fried and ripped flesh the players hands, causing emergency room and doctors visits for burn and wound treatment almost done him in his last season at Ravenwood. It was the only time that I can remember Rector doing a public apology in front of parents, players, administration, and coaches. It reminded me of General Patton slapping the soldier for cowardice in the medical unit, then distastefully apologizing to the entire Seventh Army. It gave the players a football memory to carry with them the rest of their lives. They all survived to tell their future sons the story of that day. Yes, Rector was forgiven by most because it was innocent mistake. Players previously performed bear crawls and push ups on the track before but the conditions of the track being black polyurethane with the rubber granules surface on sun baked hot summer day can tenderized, fry, and bleed the bare hands up pretty good as witness during bear crawls. It was important lesson to the players not to tick off the coach. If you do, make sure you are not near to the track but close to the sand pit.

Shuman taught Special Needs as well as his wife before Wellness. Rector always taught History - European and was told to be very good as teacher. Rector was always good at knowing where the players were off the field. If there is a party, he may show up uninvited to check on his players to see if they are doing anything they shouldn't. He would recruit spies ( his CIA background) to fill him in otherwise and you would never know who the spies are. Warn your player this nonsense as well as anything you can think of will not be tolerated nor showing up for workout or practice. Here a warning for Mommies and Daddy's wanting to complain about playing time, don't do it if you ever want to see junior on the football field again...ever. What I can't understand is why Shuman as head coach did the direct opposite of Rector. Shuman is a very good line coach but I guess he needs Rector there kicking him in the rear for motivational purpose.

If you look at Williamson County football has a whole over the last couple of years, it has slid back while the Rutherford County teams have become the dominate football county with great competition between the teams. With the hiring of these excellent coaches one can only hope Williamson County football competition will step it up by getting better all around, producing "knock down drag out" football games while elevating Williamson County to the top of the Tennessee High School football world.

Tommy Rewis will be staying while Tom Shuman has let a few of players know that he will be going to Centennial and hinted for them to follow since the County just voted to open zone Centennial for up to 50 students from Ravenwood. OC Coach Reinbold was promoted as one of the top cops for Metro so I doubt he will be back due to his new responsibilities. I have no ideal on DC Coach AT Owens, but he coaches football as a hobby and works for company outside the school system. I believe Assist Head Coach Andy Holiday is gone or maybe trying to get on with Coach Kirby, new Summit AD. There are others who may stay. It is talked about in today's Brentwood Homepage. New RHS coach already counting the days

It appears to me that it is trying to get out.

You are right, forgot about schools being out for MLK day. It will be announced to the team before going out to the news on Tuesday. I'm don't plan to spoil the announcement for anyone by letting the "cat-out-of-the-bag" before hand. I couldn't find the "cat-out-of-the-bag" emoticon to add...were did it go?

and there will be news release on Monday

Yes, its official.

It would help if the name was change to give it identity with the local community. Something like Franklin-Centennial High or East Franklin High.

The track record you mention is the Cool Springs Blvd. area being zone from Ravenwood to Centennial. They are the ones not wanting to be rezone and now that they are rezone to Centennial, you are critical of the same people attending Centennial. Should you not support these new kids and parent that are leaving the Ravenwood zone kicking and screaming by showing some compassion and welcome them to Centennial? Ravenwood is way over crowded and still has the largest student population in Williamson County despite the rezoning, yet it remains top notch school in education and offers the most sports variety for any school in Tennessee along with Farragut, Bearden, and Brentwood. If Centennial is so great in your opinion, I would like to know why parents object for their children being rezone to it from Franklin, Independence, and Ravenwood? The way you tell it, you would think the parents would be kicking down the doors to get in at Centennial. Centennial is the real City of Franklin School with it population based all in Franklin while Franklin High has the fringe elements of the City of Franklin but gets a large portion of it student body in the North by Northwest Area of Williamson County.

I don't know if SaraPalin is sarcasm or not but there has been no political view in the Sports Forum from SaraPalin, just pure sports talk. However, the HillaryBill with the Hillary 2012 promotion is "over-the-edge" political view that does not belong except in the Politics & National Issue Forum. If you support her, fine but this is not the correct forum to express your political views.

I would suggest you ante up on your rumor mill to save credence. You speaking positive about Centennial is good but speaking poorly of Ravenwood is out of shear desperation and a pathetic attempt to make Centennial situation sound better. It’s the tiny p syndrome. If you can’t stand on your own two feet, sit down.

The difference this time around versus last time is the County AD Jack Daniels. Jack started the program and brought in Brian Rector. So if you are coach interested, it would help to know Jack…in more ways than one. All I ask is for the next head coach to restore the tough as nails displine, honor, and courage back to the program. Playing patty cake on the sidelines, unsportsmanlike penalties, and lackadaisical attitude is not going to work here and will not be supported. One more thing, the "Hawk Head" needs to go back on the helmet. Playing around with Alabama or Penn State look on the helmet is not who we are and breaks from our short history of tradition. Someone asked in earlier post about Brian Rector, he was one of the few retained from the Western Kentucky house cleaning from last season. He moved up from graduate assistant to running back coach this season and coaching the #7 running back in the NCAA D1.

Not in the least, it's about being a head coach. Ravenwood has coach called head coach but he is not a head coach..."empty suit" as the phrase goes. Whatever Brian Rector was, he is 180 degrees opposite of everything Rector stood for or instilled into the program. It's just totally disgraceful...nothing but disgraceful.

I would say there is a higher probability Ravenwood will be looking to send the head coach back home to West Virginia than making the playoff's.

I agree and disagree just a tad. Item 3 helps (Wins over teams winning 50% or more of their games.) but it is better than 2009. Maybe they will tweak it every year until they get it right. It doesn't resolve the problem with knowing the 1st game playoff competition until Saturday mid day. It may muddy the picture more than 2009. http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100316/SPORTS07/100316099/-1/RSS05

Good to hear you are getting better and staying on diet is real tough unless it becomes a permanent life style change. I read that your old buddy "Batman was a Tree Hugger / The Green Lantern" was back in town looking for job at Hillwood. I guess the old saying is true, "the grass is not always greener on the other side of the fence". If Gilligan can turn that program around, I say go for it...maybe the old dog has learn a thing or two on his coaching trips around the state.

Haven't heard anything like this, but anyone patterning themselves after what was done at RHS last year needs to be fired. That was the biggest boondoggle ever. From what I've heard since then it was just a bunch of lies and truth bending so that the principal could hire the person she wanted. Not a very professional way to do things. With that said, I don't think that's the Indy situation...but I could be wrong. I thought RHS was a class place before last year. Shows little what you know!

Congratulations to Union City on the State Championship...the ride back to UC will be sweet! The game was a very enjoyable to watch and the shear determination of the Union City team as well as the fine play of South Pitt team. It seems the South Pitt posters were way over the edge in confidence of another State Championship only to be humbled. Well...it happens...lesson taught...lesson learned.

It can happen for Indy if the team so desire. It did for Ravenwood in 2006. Ravenwood got smack by Dickson County in their mud pit (much like last Friday) in the last game of the season, finished 6-4, and fourth place in the district. Ravenwood had to go play a hot 10-0 Gallatin team in the first round of the playoff's that was ranked by some #1 in the state. They went through Gallatin like a hot knife through butter and all the way through the playoffs on the road to only loose to the Sonny Gray Smyrna team in the 2006 Championship Game. When the playoff come about, it's fresh start at 0-0. I rather be 6-4 regular season playing against tough competition in Williamson County which has been proven fact over the years than be 10-0 against competitive teams out west. Anyway, I don't see anything really changing this year as per the past history against Williamson County teams despite the stacking of Memphis area teams and weak 6A teams playing weak 5A teams west of Nashville in the playoffs. It should make it easier for Indy, Franklin, or Brentwood to clean house on the way the championship game.

I totally agree about adding Rugby. It's a true gut-check sport and not for the faint of heart. No pads, no helmet, no problem. Williamson County now has middle schools playing Rugby as well as the high schools. The one thing that gives Rugby an advantage over Lacrosse on field use at high schools, Rugby don't tear up the field like the Lacrosse goalie area. Lacrosse needs to figure out that problem and get it fixed if they want to play regularly on high school stadium fields. Lacrosse needs to lay down temporally artificial grass around the goalie area when they play.

I sure hope things improve because this is absolutely the worst. It's like going back to 101 for a message board.