pseudophobia

Wow!!! This says a lot!! Can you see why people think of Farragut teams as a little "upetty"? I would think that it would be expected that after a team has finally "gotten over the hump" you would expect a celebration. Now, I get the part about being classy and showing some class, but it seems like the Farragut fans and players would just sit back and say...O.K. have your moment- we will be back. Look, the season is early and if anyone thinks Farragut will not get a lot better by the end of the season, then they are wrong! Farragut has been a top tier team since soccer began and this is a small dip in the road! When you have a coach that has won as much and been on top for so long, the only place to go is.....well, a little below your average!! Don't panic ihavenofriends!!!! What I really want to watch for is the reaction later in the season when the two teams meet again!! What will happen if Farragut wins? What might their celebration be?? We will see a lot of the same thing I bet!! Time will tell!!

I wish I could have seen this game!! I am happy for Maryville....I had watched them over the years and as a parent for Bearden (and Oak Ridge) players, I always thought that the only problem they had was lack of agression. I am gald to see that they are bringing more intensity to the field. As far as the not knowing how to act.....I would remind everyone that these are still young men and they play with great passion. Let winners have celebration!! How many times have they watched others celebrate when they were beaten! Hey, what goes around comes around! I look forward to watching the Maryville Bearden game. I will be there!!

Saying the US is the only country where size matters is not completely true...especially at World Cup level. Here's something to look at- here is the average heights of the following World Cup Champions: Year Team Average height 1982 Italy 5' 10 1/2" 1986 Argentina 5' 9" 1990 West Germany 5' 10" 1994 Brazil 5'9 1/2" 1998 France 6' 0" This years U.S.A. World cup team (so far 23 players) Average Height 5' 11 1/2". Sorry for the missed years- but I couldn't find those size rosters. The point I am trying to make is that the U.S. does not try and find huge players because, as you can see, they don't. Still, it's only logical that a bigger, stronger player with the same speed as a smaller player WILL have an advantage. I think the more important thing is not the SIZE of the player....rather the intensity that player can bring! You can't find that statistic on paper.....I wish we could!!!

To Big G and Akula....good to see you guys are still....kicking! Hah, couldn't resist that one. I have to say that I was surprised to see both your teams ranked so high in the state....with so many losses!! Then I looked at the schedule that both of you played- Impressive! Both of you have played a brutal schedule and I would say that this is the recipe for returning to the State Championships over and over. It is a tried and true approach to anything- play the best possible competition and you get better. I am glad to see that the rankings reflect on the strength of the team, not just the wins and losses! I am going to watch the Farragut game first....but if it is a blow out, I look forward to driving a few miles down the road and see CAK play!! Wish they could have put of guys at 5:00 p.m. Oh well....Should be a lot of fun!! Good luck to both of you and hope to see you guys play in the Championship game! (that is possible I believe??)

Predictions for the Sub-State games welcomed. Please include a reason for your predictions! In good taste please!!

I have to agree with Oldsoccerfan. We moved here from Texas some years ago, but I still remember those teams very well. I think that we are just WAY behind in soccer right now. This is not meant to insult anyone or belittle any good soccer program. Nor is it saying that athletes in other states are superior to kids in Tennessee. If anything, I think kids here are probably superior to them!! What makes the difference is simple- numbers! Texas alone has more than 100 high schools with more students than Farragut has. I think the last time I went down this road, I had to look up the enrollment numbers in Texas. I think there more more than 50 schools with more than 3500 students in them. Couple that with the fact that Texas is flat (very easy to make a field....some chalk and 2 goal posts!) , weather is favorable all the time (in most of the state) and far superior youth programs- not to mention better training for coaches.......it just makes sense. The same is true of schools from California, Florida, and Georgia too! National rankings for High schools have been and always will be a joke. How would the state champions from Wyoming do against Brentwood, Farragut, CAK, CBHS?? Probably not too good. So if a team from Wyoming went 22-0, beat everybody by 4 goals or more....should THEY be ranked #1 in the Nation? How about 10th? Let's be honest about this National ranking stuff and just enjoy the things we can control....winning a State Championship!!!! Go Farragut!!! Bring that Championship back to Knoxville....where it belongs! /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

Really nice post!! I think you are exactly right- they are in the toughest district and they are competing with the best. Only losing 3 seniors makes next year bright indeed! I had posted on the top sophmores earlier in the year- I had Austin Pugh as on of the 5 that really, really impress me.....and I totally forgot one of them- Josh Manor- another great sophmore that has a great soccer future in front of him. Just remember, about 10 years ago, Bearden and Farragut were about the only teams that had a huge pool of players from competative club teams- but that has changed. They (Maryville) are getting as much talent as the rest of the schools....so it is getting more balanced all the time! The bad thing is that Bearden has a very young team also and next year looks bright for them too. Keep it up- it only makes the whole district better and better. I would like to add that I think Maryville plays a really good game of soccer. Not kick ball, they move the ball well and I always enjoy watching them!! Good luck Maryville. Now Maryville has to prepare for the 3 losses thye will take in football this year...................times (and conferences) are changing!!!!! ( To be specific- Farragut, Bearden and Catholic beat them this year) /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> /blush.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blush:" border="0" alt="blush.gif" />

because dummy.......I don't think they will beat Bearden!! Actually, it's because I know very little about them. I know that isn't fair but I can't help it- didn't get a chance to see them play. I know they are usually strong all the time, but I don't see them getting to play the tough season the others do. Just think, Bearden, Farragut, Alcoa, Oak Ridge, Catholic, West and CAK get to play each other all the time. 4 of these teams are still left in the state championship, with the possibility of a re-match for a State Championship. Oak Ridge, West and Catholic are not here because they had the misfortune of having to play the other teams. See my point? I just go with the teams from the east because over the last 10 years they have been totally dominate. It's just a simple fact. They could all lose tonight and blow this out of the water- we'll know in a few hours!! /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

I will have to say Bearden to beat Brentwood in a very, very close game. I just think that Bearden has played the tougher competition (3 losses to Farragut alone). I see all the scores of 3-0 by Farragut...I think it will be much worse. It seems simple to me...Farrgaut has the stronger team, played a tougher schedule and these kids are used to playing at a much faster pace. No matter the talent Cleveland has, speed of play is hard to adjust to...add a ton of constant pressure....as Farragut will and it spells disaster!! I'll say 5-1 Farragut. Sorry Cleveland fans.....it has been a great season either way. I have to admit that I will pull for Cleveland because they are the under-dog in my opinion...rankings mean nothing to me at this point! Prove me wrong Cleveland!!!! With that being said....I think the only team that has a chance to beat Farragut is Bearden. Why?? Because it is very, very hard to beat ANYBODY 4 times in the same season. Is Farragut the best team left?? I sure think so and they are more than capable of beating anyone, any time.....but Bearden would have nothing to lose!!! /dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="

No...Tinman is still Tinman. UCSoccer is another kid. Tinman is red-headed kid and is playing in the USL right now. He was on that Crush team when they just started. I know this...because I was the coach of that Crush team. Tinman is playing for the Baton Rogue Capitals....they will be playing the Nashville Metros (I think that is the Nashville team name) tonight at 8:00 P.M. (Easter time) I will be at that game! By the way, Tinman will still be able to play his last season at The University of the Cumberlands this coming season. They should be a good team to watch!

Finally.....someone who has it exactly right!!! On the pitch- you nailed it. Some of those teams have 28 year old players that come from other countries, where their club teams are awesome. So it is almost an unfair advantage- but along with that, these teams fully understand possession and movement. This is why I enjoy watching them. /biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

I won't tell you WHO UCsoccer is.......but he isn't Boone. He played 1 year older than the Stars 88 team. By the way, that was a great team with a ton of talent- Boone was one of my favorite kids to watch play- I watched him since he was 8 years old. Also, that Stars team had a great coach- which is always nice! /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

Great post!! I completely agree! Any team that plays the schedule they have and comes out undefeated deserves a big congrats! It is rare and special, and all the players, coach and the fans should be nothing but proud of themselves! A National ranking is sweet, but a State Championship lasts forever!! Now, they have put a giant target on themselves...that's what hard work does and they are going to have to step up and beat everybody else! This is what it's all about folks!! Everyone should be proud of them!! Good luck Cleveland!!!!!! /biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />

Well, since I missed the OR VS Farragut game so badly "Oak Ridge is due to beat them" I should just quit...but what can happen now? It appears to me that Farragut has peaked and are playing very good soccer! I guess the question isn't Can anyone beat them- rather, can they loose? I think they are deep enough to beat Bearden again in the region. So I predict Farragut 2-1. However, if this happens it could very well set up another Bearden vs. Farragut final. No disrespect to any other teams left- but the East Tennessee area has been strong for the last 10 years. They have "been there, done that" many, many times. Advantage is to both of them. The only problem with that is- it gets harder and harder to beat the same team over and over! If they met in the finals, Farragut might get the idea that they own Bearden and Bearden has nothing to loose (except the 4th game between them). I love this time of year!! Good luck to both teams and no matter what happens...represent the ET area well!!! /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Big L...I don't know who you think ucsoccer is....but his name isn't Craig. I do know who UCSOCCER is though and I can tell you that most of what he said is correct. He did not play at a successful high-school- which was a shame. Had he played at a Bearden, Farragut, OR, CAK, Catholic, etc -he would have made them that much better. He was right, he did not have the best speed, was not very strong and is small. What he did have (and still does) was amazing touch, great vision and soccer intelligence (even if he can't spell!) along with a very good attitude. So for him to make it at a school that finished ranked 13th in the nation last year is quite the accomplishment! I think the remarks above are meant to belittle the "NAIA level". I don't know what this is supposed to mean but perhaps you should look at the results of what happens when these NAIA schools ( high ranked ones) plays a division 1 (D1) school-also high-ranked ones! Better yet, go and watch when UC plays another quality team- like Lindsey Wilson and then decide for yourself. What you will see is two teams that play very, very good soccer. They will possess the ball, show patience, rarely make a bad or forceful pass. They play at a speed rarely seen anywhere else and the physical contact is almost hard to believe! You would get a chance to see UCSOCCER play a game- then you can have something to post about..... By the way Big L- what are your soccer credentials? Are you paying at a D1 level? D2, NAIA.....enlighten me with your vast knowledge! /rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />