Ineligible player costs Bolton football team

[larry]

You go to sleep one night a lock for the playoffs and wake up the next fighting for your season.

 

You have to make the decision based on the rules. I feel for Bartlett, and can't find a copy of the playoff possiibilities prior to Bolton's forfeits, but didn't another team go to sleep that night with no chance for the playoffs and wake up the next morning with a chance for a spot in the playoffs?

[Spartansfan]

Bartlett knew about it the importance of the game vs Ridgeway alright.....the players found out during lunch the DAY OF THE GAME. That's awful hard to prepare for. Awful hard and I don't care who the opposition is. You go to sleep one night a lock for the playoffs and wake up the next fighting for your season. That's just not right. I don't buy the " you had a say in it" garbage. If you take away the Bolton situation and the chips fall like they did Bartlett is in and Ridgeway is not. Bartlett earned the spot and it's being stolen from them.

 

 

Hi Pantherbert. I might ought to not say anything about this but I guess I will. 1st, I hold nothing at all against Bartlett, and I do think they got caught up in an issue that is totally not their fault. All of that being said, Bartlett knew who they were facing, and had the normal amount of time to prepare. They also knew (at the time) that they were playoff bound. I can't imagine a team not being as prepared as possible, and not getting pumped up for the last game of the season prior to going into the playoffs. So Bartlett should have been quite prepared to play this game regardless of what significance it held for them.

 

If I'm not mistaken, Ridgeway was the team that was not in contention for a playoff spot, then found that they had a chance if they could defeat Bartlett? It sounds like they managed to elevate their efforts enough to get the job done.

I'm not a Ridgeway fan, and it really makes no difference to me which team is in/out of the playoffs. And I do feel bad for Bartlett that they were caught up in this mess. But I do contend that they had plenty to say about their own destiny. I would also say they "almost" earned a spot. Had they won against Ridgeway, they would have earned their spot, and they'd be playing next week.

[Pantherbert]

Hi Pantherbert. I might ought to not say anything about this but I guess I will. 1st, I hold nothing at all against Bartlett, and I do think they got caught up in an issue that is totally not their fault. All of that being said, Bartlett knew who they were facing, and had the normal amount of time to prepare. They also knew (at the time) that they were playoff bound. I can't imagine a team not being as prepared as possible, and not getting pumped up for the last game of the season prior to going into the playoffs. So Bartlett should have been quite prepared to play this game regardless of what significance it held for them.

 

If I'm not mistaken, Ridgeway was the team that was not in contention for a playoff spot, then found that they had a chance if they could defeat Bartlett? It sounds like they managed to elevate their efforts enough to get the job done.

I'm not a Ridgeway fan, and it really makes no difference to me which team is in/out of the playoffs. And I do feel bad for Bartlett that they were caught up in this mess. But I do contend that they had plenty to say about their own destiny. I would also say they "almost" earned a spot. Had they won against Ridgeway, they would have earned their spot, and they'd be playing next week.

 

 

Spartan, I'm not mad at you nor will I be for weighing in. That's what this site is for.

 

I understand making a decision on rules. The point is that they DID earn a spot. I know what you're saying but the playoff spot was earned by Bartlett on merit without anything to do with Bolton. I'm not taking anything away from Ridgeway for taking advantage of the situation as it stood but make no mistake....Bartlett had earned the spot.

 

I get what you are meaning to say about having the normal time to prepare and Ridgeway elevating their game. It's one thing to go from having no chance at a playoff birth, nothing to play for other than pride and then to getting that chance versus having it locked up and all the sudden not. If there's any fault on Bartlett's part that I would agree with you on it's that you should prepare for every game as hard as you can but even then Coach Armbruster had planned on resting his starters before this game................becuase the playoffs were locked up for them. The point is it never should have come to this.

 

( I take it you're a White Station guy. Man, I'm really, really hoping for a WS/Millington showdown. That would be one fantastic football game)

 

To Larry, it was my understanding that Millington, Bartlett, and Bolton had locked up spots with 4th up for grabs.

[Spartansfan]

..........Coach Armbruster had planned on resting his starters before this game................because the playoffs were locked up for them. The point is it never should have come to this.

 

 

I can see this as an issue in the preparation for the game, then being put in a position of changing the game plan at the last moment. That would be a problem. And you're correct that it should have never come to this. Again, it's really unfortunate for Bartlett to suffer because of the problems at Bolton.

 

( I take it you're a White Station guy. Man, I'm really, really hoping for a WS/Millington showdown. That would be one fantastic football game)

 

 

Yes it would be quite a game! I hat looking too far ahead, but since I'm not a coach nor a player, I guess I can do that. /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" /> Of course, the way the brackets are set up, Millington will probably face Whitehaven first, and that will be an extremely tough test for both teams. Whoever gets out of these games between regions 7 and 8 stand an excellent chance in Murfreesboro this year. It's an exciting year for our area football teams to have the quality that's evident this season.

[Pantherbert]

Yes it would be quite a game! I hat looking too far ahead, but since I'm not a coach nor a player, I guess I can do that. /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" /> Of course, the way the brackets are set up, Millington will probably face Whitehaven first, and that will be an extremely tough test for both teams. Whoever gets out of these games between regions 7 and 8 stand an excellent chance in Murfreesboro this year. It's an exciting year for our area football teams to have the quality that's evident this season.

 

 

 

You're correct about looking ahead. A lot can happen( shoot, just look at this thread /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> ) but White Station and Millington are the 2 best teams in this area. It's a game I'd love to go see.

[Rob_M]

Rob, you know I have absolute highest regard for your opinion and most of the time I don't mind Bolton seeing having a bad day. /blush.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":blush:" border="0" alt="blush.gif" />

That said, I'm just not content letting Bartlett get screwed becuase of a mistake that they didn't make and Colonel Jessep in Nashville ordering the Code Red. Bartlett knew about it the importance of the game vs Ridgeway alright.....the players found out during lunch the DAY OF THE GAME. That's awful hard to prepare for. Awful hard and I don't care who the opposition is. You go to sleep one night a lock for the playoffs and wake up the next fighting for your season. That's just not right. I don't buy the " you had a say in it" garbage. If you take away the Bolton situation and the chips fall like they did Bartlett is in and Ridgeway is not. Bartlett earned the spot and it's being stolen from them.

 

So, I for one hope Carter overturns it. Not for Bolton's sake, but for our players'. Sorry for sounding selfish but it's how I feel.

 

Best of luck to the Trojans as they begin the march to hopefully a championship. I plan to try and make it up to one of ya'lls games.

 

 

If you do make it up for a game, Make sure to come on up to the Press Box. As you know, I will be there. Off the topic of Football, I also plan on being at the Basketball PlayDay at Martin Westview this weekend as well. Should be some exciting matchups. Millington (Girls) play Gibson Co in one matchup. (This is interesting for a number of reasons, one the coach at Gibson Co is the former Millington Head Coach, and Two It is a matchup between two good teams.)

[wrestling fan]

What is considered reasonable verification of eligibility? If a parent forged documents, how is one to know? How can you verify mortgage company addresses? Due to privacy laws, phone verification would be futile.

 

As a Bartlett alumni and a parent of Bolton students, I have alot of interest in the outcome of the TSSAA decision.

I personally think that since Bolton did the right thing, they should be given grace. If Bolton had kept it secret, it would different. Each team knew where they stood playoff wise prior to the ruling, most competitive teams do not want to gain from other's misfortune, they want to earn it. I think Bolton earned it.

 

That being said, I will respect the decision rendered.

[Pantherbert]

If you do make it up for a game, Make sure to come on up to the Press Box. As you know, I will be there. Off the topic of Football, I also plan on being at the Basketball PlayDay at Martin Westview this weekend as well. Should be some exciting matchups. Millington (Girls) play Gibson Co in one matchup. (This is interesting for a number of reasons, one the coach at Gibson Co is the former Millington Head Coach, and Two It is a matchup between two good teams.)

 

 

 

That sounds like fun right there. I'm sure going to try and make it up. The only thing that may hinder me is if I have conduct a practice in the evenings as opposed to right after school. This freshman team looks very promising.

 

 

Hope to see you at a game my friend.

[Pantherbert]

What is considered reasonable verification of eligibility? If a parent forged documents, how is one to know? How can you verify mortgage company addresses? Due to privacy laws, phone verification would be futile.

 

As a Bartlett alumni and a parent of Bolton students, I have alot of interest in the outcome of the TSSAA decision.

I personally think that since Bolton did the right thing, they should be given grace. If Bolton had kept it secret, it would different. Each team knew where they stood playoff wise prior to the ruling, most competitive teams do not want to gain from other's misfortune, they want to earn it. I think Bolton earned it.

 

That being said,I will respect the decision rendered.

 

 

 

If the ruling is upheld, there is no way I can do that.

[Opperman]

Regardless of the decision that is made today...

 

A win in the courtroom should not count equally as a win on the field. I like the NCAA system where they simply vacate the victories rather than change them to losses.

 

It's beyond absurd for Bartlett to be punished because of a violation by a school other than Bartlett.

 

Spartansfan, I would argue that it's not that easy to be pumped up for game 10 when you know there's a game 11. I know when I was in high school, I would have been looking ahead to the playoffs already. Add what pbert said about resting starters, etc., and it's worse.

[Pantherbert]

The ruling stood. What a shock.

[CoachT]

I have numerous conflicting thoughts about this:

 

Bolton should be complimented for self-reporting this. When they did, though, they should have realized that it would result in the forfeiture of 9 games. It sounds as though they expected something different when there is no other option. Still, they did the right thing and should do it next time because that is the right thing to do. We don't applaud that kind of behavior enough any more.

 

After ten weeks, what caused Bolton to decide to investigate this kid? IF someone came forward and reported it then they did the right thing, too, but about ten weeks too late IF they knew about it all along. Too many of us, myself included, have known of suspicious circumstances that should have been reported and turned in (meaning athletes who claim they have moved but you see them every week or so in the same old town/neighborhood). Sometimes it is the "if they don't want to play for us, we don't want them anyway" attitude but that can end up really costing an innocent school, like it did Bolton. We need to report this immediately and quit turning our heads, refusing to get involved. I bet that someone, from Bolton or Craigmont, knew about this and could have reported it early and saved the Bolton team from this.

 

When Bolton decided to check this out, how did they do it? Did they confront the kid or what? It would appear that schools need to inverstigate every transfer thoroughly and it would be interesting, and educational, to know how Bolton managed to find the truth.