Sad times for 5A NIL/Nashville Metro football!

[stuman89]

I'll have to say, with only a few variations, the themes above have been replicated in Memphis. One of the major differences is the lack of a Metro system. This has had the result of reinforcing some of the ill effects of busing and urban sprawl. The city schools have suffered, and while most of the county schools remain strong ( think Germantown, Houston, Collierville, Millington, etc. ) it has come with a price.

 

I know that the subject of busing is a sensitive one. I am a supporter of public schools ( as both a graduate of a Memphis City school, and with children who have also graduated, or will) and there are some bright spots. But I am focusing on one of the major downsides; I think it helped ruin local schools in many, many cases by eroding community support.

 

What can be done ? I am not sure. Will suburban sprawl ever be reversed ?

[KWoodroof]

very interesting posts. I am glad folks still care. The old NIL was very competitive. I remember the Glencliff teams of the 60's. As good as anyone in the state.

 

From my 6th birthday in '67 until I was playing Jr. High football, I spent almosr every Friday with my dad at a game, usually Cumberland's, until it closed. It was the highlight of my week, and there were lots of other fathers doing the same thing. I wonder if that happens much these days?

[Hoganknows]

Most of the Nashville schools, in better times, were lead by principals who valued athletics. Most of these were former coaches themselves. Now, there are too many women and wimpy principals who fail to support athletics. I agree that the neighborhood schools being destroyed is the primary reason for the lack of support of athletics; however, a lack of administrative support is also a contributing factor.

Athletics can unite schools and communities. I wish somebody with the proper influences would realize that and do something about it. We had a chance recently, but we didn't elect Buck Dozier as mayor. Sadly, private schools will continue to flourish while public schools become more dangerous, inadequate, and unsupported.

 

Good post with some great points--ex-coaches use to run the schools and everything worked just fine. Buck would have set the schools straight along with the Police and Fire Departments. Busing worst idea ever in America--Nashville is a perfect example.

[fb247]

I have enjoyed watching football in Nashville for 25+ years,sad to see so few at games involving Metro public school teams. I go to more games now to watch private schools play or bordering counties. The games and the crowds are more like the old NIL games.

[82cat]

I think I may be an example of what is hurting metro football

 

 

We moved to Smyrna well over 20 years ago even though we both had jobs in Nashville. If there were no busing and we knew we could move into a neighborhood and attend the school that was close to us in the neighborhood and stay there we would have moved to nashville.

 

We found out we would have been bused across town to an awful school academically. We had a choice private or public. We decided we wanted our kids in public school and decided on smyrna.

 

Now I am not saying I or my sons are anything special but my sons have played hs football and a couple of them were pretty good so metro missed a couple good players. I also am very involved with the football program as a booster and qb club president so metro missed a parent that would have been involved and supportive.

 

I am sure there are numerous stories similar to mine

 

 

busing and constant zone changes along with terrible schools were at their zenith in the early 80's and it killed metro and it still is.

[shadow]

I think many good reasons have been mentioned about the lack of support, but to give a couple more. When the school boards were elected and become instant experts on every aspect of education [although being clueless], reasoned we had nobody in our city or state that could be in charge of our schools began the trip down the slippery slope. No knowledge of our society, our priorities, our loyalties, they beget change for change sake, and our school system began to fail. Adminisrators were hired that had no idea the positive effect athlectics had on a total school curriculum, and the students. Pushed aside and not promoted were the rules of the day by the leaders of our schools, and lets build mega- size schools to futher isolate the sports and the participtants, so that the student body would have no ownership or loyalty to the teams. NO STUDENTS at games equals NO CROWDS!

[nrgrizzlies]

quote:

I am sure there are numerous stories similar to mine

...........................................................................

 

Too many to name.

Count this Hillwood grad living in Rutherford for the last 17 years as one.

Add in that the cost of a similar house in a nice area of (Westmeade/brookmeade/Bellevue) would be more than astronomical...you just can't go back. But I still pull for the Toppers and wish them the best.

[Hoganknows]

I think many good reasons have been mentioned about the lack of support, but to give a couple more. When the school boards were elected and become instant experts on every aspect of education [although being clueless], reasoned we had nobody in our city or state that could be in charge of our schools began the trip down the slippery slope. No knowledge of our society, our priorities, our loyalties, they beget change for change sake, and our school system began to fail. Adminisrators were hired that had no idea the positive effect athlectics had on a total school curriculum, and the students. Pushed aside and not promoted were the rules of the day by the leaders of our schools, and lets build mega- size schools to futher isolate the sports and the participtants, so that the student body would have no ownership or loyalty to the teams. NO STUDENTS at games equals NO CROWDS!

 

Great Post!!

[big red big blue]

very interesting thread...Very informative.

 

What's interesting to me is how dominant middle TN teams outside of metro Nashville have been...especially in 5A. Consider all the middle TN teams that have won 5A titles the past 10 years: Riverdale, Smyrna, Oakland, Ravenwood, and Brentwood High. Since the public/private split in '97, middle TN teams have won 7 of 10 5A titles, with only Riverdale winning multiple titles. That has to tell you something about what has happened over a generation in middle TN in terms of school choice.

 

Hillsboro has been a real bright spot for metro the past decade.

[SACKEDBYME]

One thing that I think is being overlooked are the kids themselves. When I was in high school, it was a big deal to play sports and represent your school. There wasn't a whole lot going on in town besides school sports. Now look at all the stuff there is for kids to be involved in. It would also appear to me that a lot of kids work more now than then, whether it is from necessity or just wanting stuff. I'm not sure the schools are entirely to blame for the lack of school pride. You have to admit too that is is easier to get behind a winner, ala Hillsboro!

[cooner25]

REMEMBER THE 1973 CLINIC BOWL? MCGAVOCK VS OVERTON!! 30,000 PEOPLE!!

[nrgrizzlies]

Remember Maplewood-Father Ryan at Vandy? E.J. Junior vs. Mike Wright. Almost a sell-out.