Carlton Flatt announces retirement

[fan6]

When you consider the enrollment at BA compared to the # of great football players over years that play there you cant deny that recruiting was taking place. Now technicoloy they were not breaking the rules however, public schools were not able to do this b/c they were not a private school. So, you ask diff people to come to your school as a private school b/c that is how you make money and continue the existence of the school. That is very understandable, when all of the kids you ask to come to the school or atleast a high % of them are very large or are very good athletes in football or whatever sport that is recruiting and it does give that school an advantage over public schools. I am not trying to disscredit Coach Flatt or even say that he wouldnt be a great coach at a public school with whatever hand he was delt on a yearly basis. I am just saying that we dont now and never will know.

 

You don't think it's possible that good players came to the school and showed interest on their own?? Obviously there have been a higher number of good athletes as a percentage of the student body over the years -- this doesn't mean they were recruited. I would also guess that there have been a higher percentage of students who excell in the classrooom as a percentage of the student body (the composit college board tests would indicate this), a higher percentage of students who excell at Forensics (the regular ranking in the Nationals would indicate this), a higher percentage of students who excell at Model UN as a percentage of the student body . . . were they all recruited (or "asked to come")??

 

I understand that Private schools end up with an advantage because of what they are. Once you start to win at something, people hear about it and want to be a part and unlike a public school (where people generally have to move to get in) a private is not bound by geographic lines. Where I have issue with your post is your assumption that all of the athletes at BA were asked to come . . . If you show interest in the school (whether you are an athlete, a musician, whatever), the school will try to convince you to come -- enrollment is what keeps the doors open. To imply that BA is singling out potential athletes, seeking them out and asking them to come is to say they are breaking the rules. It also implies (whether you mean it to or not) that Coach Flatt is less of a coach because he had more talent to work with.

[Sweep Left]

You assume way too much. I did not say you were jealous of Coach Flatt. I said that you spewed venom and jealous drivel, which is routine from someone who had their butt chapped a few times at his hands. Ringing any bells????

 

haha okay......I spew venom and jealous drivel and am considered by you a bitter man. Your obvious blind devotion to the man with Williamson County's largest ego is admirable. You obviously have played for him or paid for a son to play for him. Congratulations on the many championships your team won fair and square.

[Batts]

haha okay......I spew venom and jealous drivel and am considered by you a bitter man. Your obvious blind devotion to the man with Williamson County's largest ego is admirable. You obviously have played for him or paid for a son to play for him. Congratulations on the many championships your team won fair and square.

Well finally one of your suppositions is correct! I did play for Coach Flatt! I base my opinions and observations on countless hours that I spent around him and Brentwood Academy. My "admiration" was earned - first hand! Where do you get all of your hate? (This is the part where you tell me about all of the people you know that were offered cars and money to attend BA).

[Sweep Left]

Well finally one of your suppositions is correct! I did play for Coach Flatt! I base my opinions and observations on countless hours that I spent around him and Brentwood Academy. My "admiration" was earned - first hand! Where do you get all of your hate? (This is the part where you tell me about all of the people you know that were offered cars and money to attend BA).

 

Who said anything about hate??? Look, the vocabulary you have used in our discussion has been impressive....spewing venom, drivel, and suppositions are not the norm of Coach T posters. I appreciate the loyalty but WHY can't you accept the fact that not everyone looks at him as you do? Your vocabulary points to at least a minimum amount of common sense. Get over it!

 

By the way, did anyone hear Coach Flatt on the George Plaster show yesterday?? Pretty interesting points he expounded on.

Edited December 14, 2006 by Sweep Left

[Cowboyfan71]

BRENTWOOD ACAD FANS: You're not getting GQ.

 

MHS 3

BA 0

[itzme]

 

 

By the way, did anyone hear Coach Flatt on the George Plaster show yesterday?? Pretty interesting points he expounded on.

I missed it. What did he have to say?

[Kevin38]

You don't think it's possible that good players came to the school and showed interest on their own?? Obviously there have been a higher number of good athletes as a percentage of the student body over the years -- this doesn't mean they were recruited. I would also guess that there have been a higher percentage of students who excell in the classrooom as a percentage of the student body (the composit college board tests would indicate this), a higher percentage of students who excell at Forensics (the regular ranking in the Nationals would indicate this), a higher percentage of students who excell at Model UN as a percentage of the student body . . . were they all recruited (or "asked to come")??

 

I understand that Private schools end up with an advantage because of what they are. Once you start to win at something, people hear about it and want to be a part and unlike a public school (where people generally have to move to get in) a private is not bound by geographic lines. Where I have issue with your post is your assumption that all of the athletes at BA were asked to come . . . If you show interest in the school (whether you are an athlete, a musician, whatever), the school will try to convince you to come -- enrollment is what keeps the doors open. To imply that BA is singling out potential athletes, seeking them out and asking them to come is to say they are breaking the rules. It also implies (whether you mean it to or not) that Coach Flatt is less of a coach because he had more talent to work with.

 

Ok I did not say that every single kid that played at BA were recruited but there were enough of them that would to give the school an advantage over public schools. Another thing you said was that kids want to go play for a winner; well I was asked by a private school to come play for them (not BA). This was a good team but loyalty to my friends and teammates was very important to me. I really feel that it is selfish for a kid to turn his back on the school and teammates that he grew up with. I wound up being a part of a team that won a state championship; I have alot of pride in my school and would never sell out. Once again I am not saying that Coach Flatt would not be a great coach w/ less talent but that we just dont know.

Edited December 14, 2006 by Kevin38

[Bighurt]

A quote from Joe Biddle's column in The Tennessean (Flatt has admirers, detractors) this morning sums up the perception of Coach Flatt - "Every time I hear his name brought up in conversation, there is no middle ground. People either love him or hate him."

 

I agree with Joe. I am not a big fan but I will give him credit for being a great coach.

Edited December 14, 2006 by Bighurt

[bigchief]

Carlton Flatt is the ultimate conundrum when it comes to high school football in the state of Tennessee. I've met the man several times through the years and he was always above board and cordial to me, and for that I am appreciative. He was/is an outstanding football coach and molder of young men, and he will be sorely missed. I wish he, and his family the best in their future. I have known Jeff Brothers since I was 8 years old and their search should start and stop there. He's a true Brentwood Academy guy and he's still young and would be there a long time. Brian Rector would be a great candidate, but he's doing such great things over on Wilson Pike that it would be a shame for him to leave for that job for the reasons that I will bring up in a moment.

 

However, I have to admit that a lot of what BA accomplished in the late 1980's, into the mid-1990's is a bit tarnished in my eyes. Its not all their fault, because similar things happened at Riverdale (talking about a pot calling the kettle black Rankin) and Hoover, AL, but there was certainly some "player steering" going on from at least one junior pro football system in Southern Davidson County into the Brentwood Academy pipeline that I am directly aware of. I mean, it was blatant!! There were holdbacks of kids when they got enrolled there for "maturing" and other issues. As I have always said, it isn't just coincidence that the Antioch's, Hillsboro's, and Brentwood High's started having a lot of success as soon as the BA-TSSAA suit hit around 1997. BHS didn't ever win more than 5 games in a season between 1985-1997, as far as I know. With that said, I hate this stinking watered down split, and I wish somebody smart at the TSSAA (insert joke here______) would reunite the divisions under 4 classes (we might be big enough for 5 classes now, but it was a reach when they did this 10 years ago) with a 1.5 multiplier, but watch these privates like a hawk on the financial aid side.

 

Now, I admit that I am a proponent of public schools, so I am a bit biased, but the BA's of the world did a lot of damage to public schools in general, and public school sports in particular. I'm jealous of the days when our father's played high school ball at Central, Cameron, Cumberland, Antioch, Overton, Hillsboro, Madison, DuPont, Pearl, East, Litton, Hermitage, and the list goes on with the guys they went to church with and lived down the street from. These public schools used to be woven into a fabric of the community and were something that all people, rich or poor, black or white, could unite and support on Friday's in the fall. White flight (kids read up on that for social understanding) and the establishment of these "Christian educational systems" in the 1970's have absolutely killed the public educational system in this country. I can't blame the parents for wanting their kids to have a better learning environment, but maybe this vigor should have been utilized to better the public school systems that these same parents were products of.

 

I don't mean to get too political about it, but I hope you all understand where I'm coming from. I have no qualms with Carlton Flatt, the man, and I wish him the best in whatever he decides to do. He has worked his butt off to be a success and the mission was accomplished!!!! My concerns are more with the system as a whole, than it is with Coach Flatt. Coach Flatt just used the system to his advantage, and there is ultimately nothing wrong with that. Good Luck Coach!!!

Has John Patton announced his retirement from the BA "steering committee" yet?

[USA1]

BRENTWOOD ACAD FANS: You're not getting GQ.

 

MHS 3

BA 0

Good news for Maryville. Quarles has been approached along with a few other top coaches. However, he is a back-up. Rector is the primary target. My intel is that it is Rector's job to accept or decline. If he declines, they will move down the list.

[2platoon]

Who said anything about hate??? Look, the vocabulary you have used in our discussion has been impressive....spewing venom, drivel, and suppositions are not the norm of Coach T posters. I appreciate the loyalty but WHY can't you accept the fact that not everyone looks at him as you do? Your vocabulary points to at least a minimum amount of common sense. Get over it!

 

By the way, did anyone hear Coach Flatt on the George Plaster show yesterday?? Pretty interesting points he expounded on.

That was an interesting interview. I heard it and they touched on many points such as the league BA plays in and the quality of coaches in D2 AAA.

[RaptorFan10]

Rector would be my choice. He is a good young coach..someone who could stay awhile and continue on the BA tradition.

 

 

 

Regardless if BA hires Rector or not , I have never been around a more charasmatic coach in my life. If they do sit down with him and get to know how much he could do for that program. They will take that program back to the national championship years. I would hate to lose coach rector but that would be one heck of an opportunity for his family.