#1 team in the state

[REDSOX]

So MBA didnt beat BA twice last year??? Must have been a dream I guess. Most people know that if the privates were in a class it would be with the 5A schools. So you are saying that a school like oh lets say South Pitt could compete with MBA or even Franklin on a week to week basis???

 

You are right about last year and MBA and Brentwood Acadamy. I was thinking Carlton Flatt's last year when they were state champs in 06. My apologies. Like I said though that is usually the game they have to win. Now lets back up a minute. You started this by calling out Maryville not South Pittsburg. Maryville could play with any team in this state regardless of classification and yes I do believe that Alcoa in 2A could beat anybody on a given day because they have superior skill players and superior coaching. Hey I am a Maryville fan but Alcoa has a good chance this Friday to stop the 61 game winning streak. I hope it does not happen but my point is it is 11 on 11 and coach versus coach. Why is that so hard to comprehend or is it not hard to comprehend but hard to swallow for some people to accept that Blount County in east Tennessee produces two dynasties and certain folks in middle Tennessee can not swallow that bitter pill. I have been hearing this song and dance for years and it only makes folks on the other side of my argument look like they have sour grapes about Maryville's success. When Maryville moves to 5a and wins a gold ball what will you guys have left to gripe about.

[goldendome]

You are right about last year and MBA and Brentwood Acadamy. I was thinking Carlton Flatt's last year when they were state champs in 06. My apologies. Like I said though that is usually the game they have to win. Now lets back up a minute. You started this by calling out Maryville not South Pittsburg. Maryville could play with any team in this state regardless of classification and yes I do believe that Alcoa in 2A could beat anybody on a given day because they have superior skill players and superior coaching. Hey I am a Maryville fan but Alcoa has a good chance this Friday to stop the 61 game winning streak. I hope it does not happen but my point is it is 11 on 11 and coach versus coach. Why is that so hard to comprehend or is it not hard to comprehend but hard to swallow for some people to accept that Blount County in east Tennessee produces two dynasties and certain folks in middle Tennessee can not swallow that bitter pill. I have been hearing this song and dance for years and it only makes folks on the other side of my argument look like they have sour grapes about Maryville's success. When Maryville moves to 5a and wins a gold ball what will you guys have left to gripe about.

 

with all due respect i hope they do so they can claim to be the best , i am not arguing and 61 games is impressive to say the least i dont care if you all played lil sisters of the poor casue on any given Friday with a bullseye on your back its never easy so congrats.

All i would say is i wish they would play some tougher teams and travel to the midstate- i know for instance Independence last years 5A runner up ( and has been playing ball for only 5 years ) is in one of the toughest regions in the state but they go out and schedule tough non region games and do many other in the region - last year indy had MBA , BA this year BA and Lincoln Co at the pitt - Franklin has boro and McCallie- ravenwood goodpasture etc

[REDSOX]

with all due respect i hope they do so they can claim to be the best , i am not arguing and 61 games is impressive to say the least i dont care if you all played lil sisters of the poor casue on any given Friday with a bullseye on your back its never easy so congrats.

All i would say is i wish they would play some tougher teams and travel to the midstate- i know for instance Independence last years 5A runner up ( and has been playing ball for only 5 years ) is in one of the toughest regions in the state but they go out and schedule tough non region games and do many other in the region - last year indy had MBA , BA this year BA and Lincoln Co at the pitt - Franklin has boro and McCallie- ravenwood goodpasture etc

 

Here is the reason and it is a good one. They have 3 other teams in Bloubt County that are on the schedule and none play in Maryville's region so these games end up being their non-region games. These are rivalries and have deep history to them so they should be played. The good news is next year when reclassication starts one of these games will become a region game and that will leave an opening for Maryville to go outside the county. These county rivalries are good gate games and draw strong interest from the local community. It is not in Maryville's interest to schedule games based solely on what people in other parts in the state who do not have Maryville's interest in there heart think. Just fans that want to complain that Maryville is somehow dodging the competition. Just remember Maryville has ran through the best middle and west Tennessee has to offer in the TSSAA playoff system in 4a while maintaining a 61 game winning streak. The only thing left to prove is when they move to 5A. Then everybody will get their wish. Just be careful what you wish for.

[SPLITBACK]

Here is the reason and it is a good one. They have 3 other teams in Bloubt County that are on the schedule and none play in Maryville's region so these games end up being their non-region games. These are rivalries and have deep history to them so they should be played. The good news is next year when reclassication starts one of these games will become a region game and that will leave an opening for Maryville to go outside the county. These county rivalries are good gate games and draw strong interest from the local community. It is not in Maryville's interest to schedule games based solely on what people in other parts in the state who do not have Maryville's interest in there heart think. Just fans that want to complain that Maryville is somehow dodging the competition. Just remember Maryville has ran through the best middle and west Tennessee has to offer in the TSSAA playoff system in 4a while maintaining a 61 game winning streak. The only thing left to prove is when they move to 5A. Then everybody will get their wish. Just be careful what you wish for.

 

 

/thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

[logcabinman]

Let's not turn this into a public vs private debate because this post was about who is the best high school football team in Tennessee. It is very difficult to make that decision because the best teams do not play each other very often due to several factors including travel distance. When Tronto is closer to Bristol, TN than Memphis you are not going to find the Memphis and East Tennessee schools playing unless they are forced to do so. IMO, high school football is better in Middle Tennessee than other parts of the state due to the population growth. They don't really have better coaching and facilities but they have more players to select from and the higher number of good players makes those players around them even better. Another factor helping the Middle Tennessee players is the Titans and how they have reached out to the community and are helping at the grass roots level with clinics for the youth league players. Look at the number of former Titans that are helping coach at the middle school and high school level because they love the game and working with kids. It's not one factor it's a combination of things that make the Middle Tennessee high school teams strong.

 

 

Wow! What a wonderful post. I have never thought about this point.

[BigAir]

QUOTE (cbg @ Aug 26 2008 - 10:46 AM)

Let's not turn this into a public vs private debate because this post was about who is the best high school football team in Tennessee. It is very difficult to make that decision because the best teams do not play each other very often due to several factors including travel distance. When Tronto is closer to Bristol, TN than Memphis you are not going to find the Memphis and East Tennessee schools playing unless they are forced to do so. IMO, high school football is better in Middle Tennessee than other parts of the state due to the population growth. They don't really have better coaching and facilities but they have more players to select from and the higher number of good players makes those players around them even better. Another factor helping the Middle Tennessee players is the Titans and how they have reached out to the community and are helping at the grass roots level with clinics for the youth league players. Look at the number of former Titans that are helping coach at the middle school and high school level because they love the game and working with kids. It's not one factor it's a combination of things that make the Middle Tennessee high school teams strong.

 

i agree with the above stated also you forgot to mention and i think its a very big part is hte peewee football programs and middle school coaching etc

 

If I could respond to both cbg and goldendome here - together you seem to list three reasons the middle part of the state plays a superior brand of football:

 

"Population Growth" - I think you mean the total population base. If you look at demographic studies of the three grand divisions of Tennessee, I think you'll find that East Tennessee has, and has always had the largest population among the three grand divisions.

 

The Titan Tie-In - Not sure how many former Titans are coaching at BA and MBA currently, but I'm sure that, in the long term, some retired players will choose to stay in the Music City area. For many years we in East Tennessee have benefitted from the hundreds of former Volunteers who give back to their communities in amazing ways - including coaching our young 'uns. My boys have been blessed to play for coaches at every level who themselves played on Saturdays and Sundays.

 

Pee Wee Programs - Do you really think there are not deeply entrenched and successful "feeder" programs in this most established part of the state?

 

Finally, these threads mostly reveal our shared ignorance and the fact that different programs use different measuring sticks. At Maryville we use gold balls. /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" /> No one is about to convince me that DII has the best team year in and year out or that East Tennessee teams are weak, chicken, or both because they mostly play other teams within a gas tank's drive until the play offs. Neither am I functioning under any delusion that I can sway anyone from their geographic or private school bias.

[Guest workinprogress]

QUOTE (cbg @ Aug 26 2008 - 10:46 AM)

Let's not turn this into a public vs private debate because this post was about who is the best high school football team in Tennessee. It is very difficult to make that decision because the best teams do not play each other very often due to several factors including travel distance. When Tronto is closer to Bristol, TN than Memphis you are not going to find the Memphis and East Tennessee schools playing unless they are forced to do so. IMO, high school football is better in Middle Tennessee than other parts of the state due to the population growth. They don't really have better coaching and facilities but they have more players to select from and the higher number of good players makes those players around them even better. Another factor helping the Middle Tennessee players is the Titans and how they have reached out to the community and are helping at the grass roots level with clinics for the youth league players. Look at the number of former Titans that are helping coach at the middle school and high school level because they love the game and working with kids. It's not one factor it's a combination of things that make the Middle Tennessee high school teams strong.

 

i agree with the above stated also you forgot to mention and i think its a very big part is hte peewee football programs and middle school coaching etc

 

If I could respond to both cbg and goldendome here - together you seem to list three reasons the middle part of the state plays a superior brand of football:

 

"Population Growth" - I think you mean the total population base. If you look at demographic studies of the three grand divisions of Tennessee, I think you'll find that East Tennessee has, and has always had the largest population among the three grand divisions.

 

The Titan Tie-In - Not sure how many former Titans are coaching at BA and MBA currently, but I'm sure that, in the long term, some retired players will choose to stay in the Music City area. For many years we in East Tennessee have benefitted from the hundreds of former Volunteers who give back to their communities in amazing ways - including coaching our young 'uns. My boys have been blessed to play for coaches at every level who themselves played on Saturdays and Sundays.

 

Pee Wee Programs - Do you really think there are not deeply entrenched and successful "feeder" programs in this most established part of the state?

 

Finally, these threads mostly reveal our shared ignorance and the fact that different programs use different measuring sticks. At Maryville we use gold balls. /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" /> No one is about to convince me that DII has the best team year in and year out or that East Tennessee teams are weak, chicken, or both because they mostly play other teams within a gas tank's drive until the play offs. Neither am I functioning under any delusion that I can sway anyone from their geographic or private school bias.

 

Sure you measure them with gold balls. You have had an incredible run as of this decade. How did you measure before this decade??? Im not saying that DII has the best team year in and year out. I think there have been years when Maryville would have beaten 5A and DII and there have been years when 5A would have beaten anyone. And imo last year MBA would have beaten anyone. However the thread was who is the best in the state, my answer was MBA, BA, Maryville. An east Tennessean didnt like it and said I was biased which started all this mess. And dont blame it on gas. MBA is going to Ohio and BA is going to Alabama. Whites Creek and Ooltewah play. It can be done if teams want to. I understand the rivalry part but does Maryville really need three or four rivalries every year. Why dont they keep the two that are the most deeply rooted and then play a couple of real quality oponents instead.

[BigAir]

Who's blaming anything on gas? There's nothing to accept blame for here. Simply explaining that our yardstick for success is to compete for championships as best we can within the classification we're given. The average Maryville fan is comfortable with letting that speak for itself - not that everyone wishes to hear it.

[Rankinated2010]

Alcoa and maryville play friday????? what am i doin on here???? /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

[gbo]

Wow! What a wonderful post. I have never thought about this point.

 

 

 

I've grown weary over the past 15 years of certain schools in the smaller classifications beating up on inferior competition and crowing about how they are the best in the state. If you are 5A champ that is all you are is 5A champ. If you are 4A champ, that is all you are, the 4A champ. I don't care how many consecutive games you have won. But it is not all your fault for the predicament in which you find yourselves. The TSSAA (a state actor as we now know) bears much accountability here.

 

Consider that actions speak louder than words. It appears to me that the actions of the TSSAA (which is controlled by the public schools) favor the public schools as it has voted the desires of majority of its constituents and under the banner of, "If you can't beat'em don't play them!" created a watered-down high school football classification system. They can deny that this is the reason for the public/private split. (...actions speak louder than words) and say it's because certain privates give financial aid (while the publics don't charge anything...what an advantage they have) but it was really because certain publics were tired of losing to certain privates.

 

I heard former MBA head coach and now Phoenix Cardinals' QB coach Jeff Rutledge say that in 2005 he called 75 Tennessee public school football coaches to schedule a 10th game for Week Zero of the 2006 football season and couldn't get one because no one wanted to play MBA. So he went out of state and scheduled a team, Lexington Dunbar, in Lexington, KY. (...actions speak louder than words.) I.E. if you want to be the best you have to play the best...and he beat them on their field.

 

I'm not a BA fan, but I will give them credit for this: Back in the seventies BA began whipping butt at the lowest level of TSSAA competition, and as the seasons progressed they upgraded (regardless of their enrollment) all the way to 5A winning state championships at every level. Public school coaches and adminstrators (former Riverdale principal, Hulon Watson, and former Riverdale head coach, Gary Rankin, were chief among them) could be heard crying all the way to Nashville. Then the split occured! (If you can't beat'em, legislate them out of the way!) Maryville High supporters, players and coaches can make all the excuses they want as to why they don't, won't, can't play top competition, but the fact remains they are 4A and they play a 4A schedule. (Then Gary Rankin had the gaul and nerve apply for the MBA head coaching position! I wonder how long the MBA board of trust considerd that piece of paper before sticking it in the round file?)

 

Nashville David Lipscomb has kicked 2A and 3A butt for years in the public school division, yet they don't claim to be anything other than 3A champs! They know they don't play the big boys; just go to their games and watch their opponents and you can tell for yourselves. And they are a 2A school based on enrollment but the public school-controlled TSSAA Board of Control forces them to play up with a 1.8 multiplier, the highest multiplier in the country! This year, when they win their umpteenth "state championship" they will tell that it will be the 3A title, nothing more and nothing less.

 

So, Maryville High, take a hint from Lipscomb. If you are the best in 4A, don't claim you're the best in the state until you start beating top competition from outside your geographical comfort zone. (You are just a big fish in a small pond!)

 

You can criticize the MBAs and BAs all you want, but they have a history of playing and for the most part defeating top competition from not only the state of Tennessee but from the Southeast. Until you have done the same be careful how loud you and to whom you crow lest they think you are a fool.

 

Now don't get RollRedRoll started on this because he will hit you square between the eyes with his records. He'll post something like this: Since the public/private split, the original Super 7 Conference teams (MUS, Christian Brothers, Father Ryan, MBA, Brentwood Academy, Baylor and McCallie) have a winning percentage against TSSAA 4A and 5A competition that is somewhere north of 80% (RRR has the exact percentage). Furthermore, he will post that, since the split, the D-II champion has never lost to a 4A or 5A opponent or eventual 4A or 5A champion in their D-II championship season. The conclusion many draw from this is that, in general, the D-II champion is the odds-on favorite to be able to honestly claim to to be the top team in the state. But, we don't really know that because the public school controlled TSSAA will not allow the 5A champ to play the D-II champ. I wonder why? Is it because they are afraid that the D-II champ will win most of the games over a 10-year period? And if they were to do so, so what? At least Tennessee will have a legitimate state champion. Right now, all we have is division champions who are labeled by the TSSAA as state champions. How lame is that?

 

Again, actions speak louder than words. The TSSAA (public school principals, coaches and supporters) can talk all they want about fairness and crow about their umpteen dozen division er ah state championships, but until they structure it so that the 5A champ plays the D-II champ at the end of the season, and beats them, the claim of a 5A (much less a 4A) team of being the best in the state is mythical, at best.

 

Meanwhile, to be the best, one still has to play the best (even the high school kids will tell you that) and those who have been doing so will continue to do so.

[Guest workinprogress]

Who's blaming anything on gas? There's nothing to accept blame for here. Simply explaining that our yardstick for success is to compete for championships as best we can within the classification we're given. The average Maryville fan is comfortable with letting that speak for itself - not that everyone wishes to hear it.

 

 

The thread: who is the best: MBA until someone beats them from TN. They play quality football and have a very competitive schedule.

[cbg]

I've grown weary over the past 15 years of certain schools in the smaller classifications beating up on inferior competition and crowing about how they are the best in the state. If you are 5A champ that is all you are is 5A champ. If you are 4A champ, that is all you are, the 4A champ. I don't care how many consecutive games you have won. But it is not all your fault for the predicament in which you find yourselves. The TSSAA (a state actor as we now know) bears much accountability here.

 

Consider that actions speak louder than words. It appears to me that the actions of the TSSAA (which is controlled by the public schools) favor the public schools as it has voted the desires of majority of its constituents and under the banner of, "If you can't beat'em don't play them!" created a watered-down high school football classification system. They can deny that this is the reason for the public/private split. (...actions speak louder than words) and say it's because certain privates give financial aid (while the publics don't charge anything...what an advantage they have) but it was really because certain publics were tired of losing to certain privates.

 

I heard former MBA head coach and now Phoenix Cardinals' QB coach Jeff Rutledge say that in 2005 he called 75 Tennessee public school football coaches to schedule a 10th game for Week Zero of the 2006 football season and couldn't get one because no one wanted to play MBA. So he went out of state and scheduled a team, Lexington Dunbar, in Lexington, KY. (...actions speak louder than words.) I.E. if you want to be the best you have to play the best...and he beat them on their field.

 

I'm not a BA fan, but I will give them credit for this: Back in the seventies BA began whipping butt at the lowest level of TSSAA competition, and as the seasons progressed they upgraded (regardless of their enrollment) all the way to 5A winning state championships at every level. Public school coaches and adminstrators (former Riverdale principal, Hulon Watson, and former Riverdale head coach, Gary Rankin, were chief among them) could be heard crying all the way to Nashville. Then the split occured! (If you can't beat'em, legislate them out of the way!) Maryville High supporters, players and coaches can make all the excuses they want as to why they don't, won't, can't play top competition, but the fact remains they are 4A and they play a 4A schedule. (Then Gary Rankin had the gaul and nerve apply for the MBA head coaching position! I wonder how long the MBA board of trust considerd that piece of paper before sticking it in the round file?)

 

Nashville David Lipscomb has kicked 2A and 3A butt for years in the public school division, yet they don't claim to be anything other than 3A champs! They know they don't play the big boys; just go to their games and watch their opponents and you can tell for yourselves. And they are a 2A school based on enrollment but the public school-controlled TSSAA Board of Control forces them to play up with a 1.8 multiplier, the highest multiplier in the country! This year, when they win their umpteenth "state championship" they will tell that it will be the 3A title, nothing more and nothing less.

 

So, Maryville High, take a hint from Lipscomb. If you are the best in 4A, don't claim you're the best in the state until you start beating top competition from outside your geographical comfort zone. (You are just a big fish in a small pond!)

 

You can criticize the MBAs and BAs all you want, but they have a history of playing and for the most part defeating top competition from not only the state of Tennessee but from the Southeast. Until you have done the same be careful how loud you and to whom you crow lest they think you are a fool.

 

Now don't get RollRedRoll started on this because he will hit you square between the eyes with his records. He'll post something like this: Since the public/private split, the original Super 7 Conference teams (MUS, Christian Brothers, Father Ryan, MBA, Brentwood Academy, Baylor and McCallie) have a winning percentage against TSSAA 4A and 5A competition that is somewhere north of 80% (RRR has the exact percentage). Furthermore, he will post that, since the split, the D-II champion has never lost to a 4A or 5A opponent or eventual 4A or 5A champion in their D-II championship season. The conclusion many draw from this is that, in general, the D-II champion is the odds-on favorite to be able to honestly claim to to be the top team in the state. But, we don't really know that because the public school controlled TSSAA will not allow the 5A champ to play the D-II champ. I wonder why? Is it because they are afraid that the D-II champ will win most of the games over a 10-year period? And if they were to do so, so what? At least Tennessee will have a legitimate state champion. Right now, all we have is division champions who are labeled by the TSSAA as state champions. How lame is that?

 

Again, actions speak louder than words. The TSSAA (public school principals, coaches and supporters) can talk all they want about fairness and crow about their umpteen dozen division er ah state championships, but until they structure it so that the 5A champ plays the D-II champ at the end of the season, and beats them, the claim of a 5A (much less a 4A) team of being the best in the state is mythical, at best.

 

Meanwhile, to be the best, one still has to play the best (even the high school kids will tell you that) and those who have been doing so will continue to do so.

Now that is a mouth full!!!