NFL-style playing field donated to MBA

[larry]

NFL-style playing field donated to MBA

 

Sam Jackson would describe himself a traditionalist when it comes to high school football.

 

The Montgomery Bell Academy director of finance and operations says he has always looked forward to football Friday nights and seeing the rich, green grass field, complete with its meticulously painted white lines.

 

But at MBA, tradition has given way to technology. The Nashville private school has a permanently lined, NFL-quality football field, one that comes with a price tag upwards of $600,000.

[larry]

Congratulations to MBA on a top-level facility. I am glad they are able to do this and hats off to the alumni that made it possible.

 

Having said that, those of you who think that public and private schools should be competing equally on all levels are wrong.

[tdntn]

thats awesome congradulations to them and their new field

[VolunteerGeneral]

 

 

Having said that, those of you who think that public and private schools should be competing equally on all levels are wrong.

 

No we aren`t.

[rollredroll]

Observations on the issue:

 

I really don't see the new turf at MBA having that positive of an impact on the football program. Most of MBA's football players are multi-sport athletes (as are many kids at public and private schools alike), so it's not as if the football team is using the turf as a unit year-round.

 

I also don't see the new field having a direct, exclusive impact on other schools. Having Sprinturf is just one component of a school that "offers a lot more than a field". I doubt the presence of Sprinturf is going to be the sole deciding factor in a student selecting/not selecting to attend MBA.

 

MBA, as usual, loses a lot of key players from the prior year, and for the second year in a row, I don't foresee any future D-IA football signees in this coming year's senior class. It's going to take much more than a half-million dollar field for MBA to continue its success at football. Sprinturf does not catch passes, carry the pig, or make tackles.

 

larry says that those people who think that public and private schools should be competing equally on all levels are wrong. One's thing for sure - when it comes to MBA and its fellow aid-giving schools, the TSSAA agrees with larry. And that's why the new Sprinturf at MBA will not preclude any Tennessee public school from having a shot at a football title this coming year.

[Indian]

I've no problem with anything MBA does as far as building or adding to facilities, any player who enters, etc, since they're in Division II. I've never heard the first complaint about anything they've done actually, and don't even remember having to clean up a thread in the regular football posts from any of their fans/players as I had to one Nashville private school repeatedly last fall. BTW, I saw Ingle Martin listed as a sleeper QB prospect, the list I saw said he'd probably still be a second-day pick but will likely last several years where some players picked in front of him from 1-A schools possibly won't.

[wingman10]

I've no problem with anything MBA does as far as building or adding to facilities, any player who enters, etc, since they're in Division II. I've never heard the first complaint about anything they've done actually, and don't even remember having to clean up a thread in the regular football posts from any of their fans/players as I had to one Nashville private school repeatedly last fall. BTW, I saw Ingle Martin listed as a sleeper QB prospect, the list I saw said he'd probably still be a second-day pick but will likely last several years where some players picked in front of him from 1-A schools possibly won't.

Ingle is a smart player, hopefully, he will get a chance and a long stay in the NFL.

 

Wasn't the field donated? It looks great.

[Bighurt]

. . . I also don't see the new field having a direct, exclusive impact on other schools. Having Sprinturf is just one component of a school that "offers a lot more than a field". I doubt the presence of Sprinturf is going to be the sole deciding factor in a student selecting/not selecting to attend MBA. . .

Please don't take this as a criticism. I are correct that MBA "offers more than a field". However, the other stuff isn't news and doesn't get reported on the front page of The Tennessean. Just a thought.

Edited April 24, 2006 by Bighurt

[rollredroll]

Please don't take this as a criticism. I are correct that MBA "offers more than a field". However, the other stuff isn't news and doesn't get reported on the front page of The Tennessean. Just a thought.

 

I don't take it as a criticism.

 

Perhaps it was a slow news day. The Preds opener could have received more front page attention, but perhaps its late result relegated it to the Sports front page. I agree that it (MBA field) wasn't necessarily front page news, but maybe every now and then, people want to read about something other than murder, war, rising gas costs, and deathly acts of God.

 

To be honest, I just don't put much thought into if certain items that appear in the press have ulterior motives behind them. Perhaps my glasses are too crimson-colored (but probably it's more of a matter than I'm busier worried about more important issues in life), but I am not totally sold that the article (and its placement) has that much of an impact on admissions applications, and particularly not in late April after the 2006-2007 class has been established. Heck, my guess is that for every kid out there who may be impressed by the presence of the new turf and makes MBA his #1 choice based on the turf alone (and I think that number is low), there's probably a parent out there who can't get the thought of devastating injuries incurred on Astroturf (even though the turfs are apparently different) out of his/her mind and therefore may knock MBA down a notch in preference.

[VolunteerGeneral]

I don't take it as a criticism.

 

Perhaps it was a slow news day. The Preds opener could have received more front page attention, but perhaps its late result relegated it to the Sports front page. I agree that it (MBA field) wasn't necessarily front page news, but maybe every now and then, people want to read about something other than murder, war, rising gas costs, and deathly acts of God.

 

To be honest, I just don't put much thought into if certain items that appear in the press have ulterior motives behind them. Perhaps my glasses are too crimson-colored (but probably it's more of a matter than I'm busier worried about more important issues in life), but I am not totally sold that the article (and its placement) has that much of an impact on admissions applications, and particularly not in late April after the 2006-2007 class has been established. Heck, my guess is that for every kid out there who may be impressed by the presence of the new turf and makes MBA his #1 choice based on the turf alone (and I think that number is low), there's probably a parent out there who can't get the thought of devastating injuries incurred on Astroturf (even though the turfs are apparently different) out of his/her mind and therefore may knock MBA down a notch in preference.

 

So..rollredroll...how do you think MBA is gonna do in the upcoming Div. II high school draft? They gonna try to keep it all in-state or look further over the South?

[rollredroll]

They gonna try to keep it all in-state or look further over the South?

 

I'm not sure why the pool would be limited just to the South. We all know that Tennessee private schools, particularly the non-boarding ones, get kids from all over the country.

 

Maybe some of those kids who came to FRA from Texas in the early 90s have some younger brothers out there looking to come to Nashville.

Edited April 25, 2006 by rollredroll

[Antwan]

You would have to admit that this kind of donation is normally limited to private schools. Christian Brothers and MUS are also adding artificial turf this year. I don't know of any public schools adding artificial turf...although I am sure some have it in their indoor facilities. MBA will have only two games on natural grass next season (at BA and McCallie).

Edited April 25, 2006 by Antwan