defender25

Not being a big follower of high school volleyball, I'm really not sure what normal is. I knew they played quite a few matches, but didn't know exactly how many. But then I read in the Tennessean the other day about axing it down from 45 to 35, I was like "Dang, that cut nearly a fourth of their season away!" Why something so drastic, when other sports were just cut by 1 or 2. I was reading down the list and it really shocked me, 'cause it was so much more than any other sport.

As always, only exception being after their first game with Marion Co. It's at GV this year.

I also don't know much about Marion Co, so don't know what to expect there. Smith could get ugly. GV can beat Westmoreland, but I don't expect them to. I expect wins with RBS, MJCA, Monterey, Watertown, Clay, and FC. TC should be a barn burner. I say 7-3 would be a fair prediction here.

Ummmm......no. Maybe Lowery is better; maybe not. But I think Maryville made a pretty convincing case as it were. Couldn't have gotten much better.

My bad MPTigerT And whoever said FC didn't lose that many......HA! They're shippiin' 'em out

Scott's Hill's old gym (now the middle school gym) is AWESOME! I was in it like 2 weeks ago (again). It's my favorite gym in the state; bar none. I love the ceiling. They've recently just gotten new goals too, so it's even better. TC's old gym was great too. Though I never did shoot well there........I do know the last game in that gym was so loud I had to cup my hands and yell into the ear of the person next to me for them to hear me......vs Grace Baptist......fun stuff......

oknative, I'm in the same boat. I have been an official in TN for 3 years and have never been paid with anything other than a school check. Now on the other end of that, I also work at a bank, and know that fundraising monies are deposited all the time into accounts in the school's name. However, the account will not just be "Franklin County High School" (ex). It will be specific; "Franklin County Girls Softball Dugout Fund" (ex). And if you'll look on the check, more often than not the account name will be something to that effect. But I can vouche for the fact that the refs are paid with school monies.

Hey, so the minutes of the meeting were just posted. What do ya'll think? Passing league still OK, some date changes, etc.......let's hear it.

Apologies accepted old24eagle. No offense taken. Now just out of pure curiosity, because I have believed a misconception, where does the money come from for all this stuff? Is fundraising the big source of it? I know you can't speak for all public schools, for everybody raises money in different ways, but just speaking for the ones you know about. I just know that I went to a middle tennessee private school for 12 years (won't say which, but NOT FC!), and it wasn't because they had a good sports program. In fact, 1/3 of my graduating class had attended my school since 1st grade. But I did fundraisers out the wazoo, and many of my public school friends did not. I did participate in sports, and loved every minute of it, and wish every day I could do it again. All that to say, if it's not coming from tax money, then where? And the reason I say privates don't have an advantage in recruiting is because everything I see that privates do to raise their money, publics can do as well. They solicit local businesses to advertise through signs on their fences around their facilities (ex- baseball/softball fence/dugout, hang banners in their gym, on the fence around the football field), or have the PA announcer at a sporting event (or other event) promote their business. They sell cookie dough, magazines, candy bars, and things of that nature. They do bake sales and car washes. They might get support from a local doctor's office in turn for the coaches passing out flyers to the athletes or referring them to that office when there is an injury. These, and many other things, are the things that private schools do to raise their money for everything, including athletics. But the publics can do these things as well. And some do. It's just that I don't see very many doing it. Help me out. And again, no offense taken. This is a great subject to debate on a message board (in my opinion), and I'm glad this one's here

Sounds like to me you're just completely angry, and can't make any valid points because of it. You failed to answer any of my questions. If you think public schools don't get government funding, then you're just flat out wrong. Some get more than others, but that's because there are more people in some counties which directly translates into more tax money. But everything in every public school is paid for by tax-payers, including the tax-payers who send their kids to private schools. And that includes the sports programs. If you have a football team, then you have pads and helments that were paid for by tax money. 95% of public schools with football teams have their own fields, for which the land and goal posts were paid for with tax money. Then coaches who coach the teams, line the field, and cut the grass are paid with tax money. The footballs used in practice, and the refs who ref the games are paid for with tax money. Oh yeah, while I'm on this, there are more private schools without football teams than public schools without football teams. You know why? Because there are more private schools who can't afford football teams. You really won't like that fact; I can tell already. But it's true. Same for basketball. The gym that is played in, the basketballs that are used, the uniforms that are worn, the refs that call the game, and the coaches who coach it are all paid for with tax money. I could list many more examples. None of this is free. Yet you insist that if government funding was cut, you wouldn't know the difference??? Give me a break. And another thing. I really don't appreciate you trying to make it look like I called any parent or child or family that is involved with the public school system "lazy" or "ignorant". That is not my opinion, and I never, ever said (or typed) that. If I really did, then find it, quote it, and I will apologize over and over. I have 8 cousins, all of which either graduated from, or are attending public schools. My uncle teaches history and coaches basketball for one of the smallest, most underfunded 1A high schools in the state. Trust me, I won't call names, but this one is as underfunded as they come And you know what? They have the same un-coordinated people there as they do at private schools. And they have the same lazy people there as they do at private schools. But they also have intelligent people and good athletes, just as private schools do. People are people. How much money they have makes no difference. And athletes are athletes; makes no difference how much money they or their parents have. I just have a problem with it when people who have athletic talent and work hard to perfect their skills are accused of buying wins or championships. There is no store at which you can purchase athletes, or work ethic, or anything of the sort. Smyrna didn't go to the football farm and purchase a state title team. Same with Fulton, Alcoa, or Maryville. But guess what? Neither did JCS. Because that isn't possible. By the way, you STILL haven't answered my recruiting question......

What????

TC, FC, and GV are all Middle......all Region 4 for that matter......

Very commendable; great post; I agree

1. It's crazy to think you wouldn't know the difference if the government funding was cut. That's just silly. 2. What makes you think privates have all the athletes??? Publics have athletes just like privates. I don't understand the uncoordinated remarks directed at public school athletes. There are a lot of coordinated young men that play ball for public schools. And do you think privates have more kids on their team??? MJCA dressed 16 players this year! How many do you think MTCS dressed?? How 'bout FC?? I don't know, but not 50! And they don't have as many to choose from as their competition. How many does SC dress? How 'bout Watertown? The same amount as other 1-2A schools, public or private. In fact SC dresses considerably more than other 2A's. (just using SC as an example 'cause I know more about them than other teams ) 3. OK, privates schools have 1 gold ball. What, do you think they should have; none? Are private schools supposed to not win anything??? 4. There is no "we" in this, at least for my part. I'm not on the private school "side". I just call a spade a spade. 5. About the whining, would you whine if gov. funds were cut for publics, and kids had to make C's to play ball, and your enrollment was multiplied by 1.8 before you were classified? I think you would......And you expect privates to think all those things are fair??? 6. (and most importantly) I still don't understand the supposed advantage for privates in "recruiting"! Please enlighten me. I am not being sarcastic, I promise. I just don't see it.

What a silly post. How in the world could you think something like that. Privates obviously have the advantage. Can't you see that 1 out of 5 gold balls in DI went to private schools??? Don't you know that 1 out of 5 is dominant??? How are all the public schools that get no tax money going to compete with all the private schools with the government funding??? Not to mention the multiplier that almost DOUBLES the enrollment of the public schools??? Public schools just obviously can't compete with the government funded private schools, then when you throw that multiplier in there to double public school enrollment.....wait......I think I've got it BACKWARDS Seriously, I think we should cut government funding for public school athletic programs for 5 minutes. Just 5 good minutes. Make them raise their own dang money working their butt off doing car washes every Saturday morning, having bake sales out the wazoo, selling magazines and candy bars to people they don't even know, and soliciting donations from every business in a 15 mile radius. Just 5 minutes. Then to make it better, we could nearly DOUBLE their enrollment, ship them to Texas, and make them play the schools there twice their size. And then, to top it all off, we could require higher grades out of their students to participate on a ball team. Instead of just having to pass, they'd have to make at least D's, and sometimes even (get ready for this....) C's . Just 5 minutes. The whining would be so loud NO ONE would be able to hear ANYTHING else to save their life! And something else: DI privates have ABSOLUTELY NO ADVANTAGE over publics in recruiting! Tell me the advantage; someone, please! If there is anything that is unfair here, it's the stupid rule that makes privates play schools twiced their size. Talk about unfair....... By the way, great post Baldcoach!

1. I do not care whether or not you West Tennessee guys want to claim Memphis, you have it. Look at a map You can't say Memphis isn't a part of West Tennessee any more than you can get somebody else to go to the bathroom for you. Trust me, I understand the mindset there. Both my parents are from there (tiny town called Sardis:) Both grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and all extended family live there. I'm there frequently. I know how you don't even consider Memphis part of WT when talking sports. I get irritated at the Jackson Sun just like everybody else; it will be 3 months before they know it's basketball season, and by Feb. they still won't know anyone outside Jackson has a team But like it or not Memphis is in West Tennessee. Simple geography 2. West Tennessee - I Middle Tennessee - III East Tennessee - IIII

Sorry if I'm way behind the curve; I'm guessing Maynord is going to LA? At least he's leaving SC??? If so, that's silly.....very, very silly. He will regret that....

I know ya'll over in West Tennessee don't include Memphis in your heads as part of you, and I know the papers especially don't, but Memphis is as much West Tennessee as Milan or Jackson. I know when gold ball time rolls around in basketball season you're sure quick to include them.....

A good coach is a good coach. No matter private or public. In fact, when I think about some great coaches, nearly all of them are public school coaches.......

OK ya'll, that Smith County girl is MASSIVE

FYI, I'm on campus right now at MTSU, and it is FREEZING COLD! Not only that, but it's WINDY! So whoever wanted to know what the weather is up here.........

I'll agree. His stats are sickening

I never knew teams got in free to start with. They don't for the basketball tournament......

I think the girlfriend will just have to deal with it; the state finals only happen once a year (in football anyways LOL!)

LET'S TRY NOT TO POST IN ALL CAPS NEXT TIME.......jk! Welcome to coacht