Has RB Eric Watson de-enrolled from Olive Branch?

[TraderB]

Breaking News???

 

 

Earlier today, (on a Mississippi HS sports website) I read where former CBHS running back, Eric Watson, left Olive Branch's football team and de-enrolled from the school! In turn, they also said that he then enrolled (back) into a Memphis, TN High School (Kirby & Whitehaven were the two Mphs schools mentioned).

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Questions for anyone with knowledge of this situation:

 

 

1) Is there any truth to this story - (a SUPER-HOT topic of discussion on the Mississippi boards. They say that it is 100% true!) ?

 

 

2) Any details?

[kwc]

Breaking News???

 

 

Earlier today, (on a Mississippi HS sports website) I read where former CBHS running back, Eric Watson, left Olive Branch's football team and de-enrolled from the school! In turn, they also said that he then enrolled (back) into a Memphis, TN High School (Kirby & Whitehaven were the two Mphs schools mentioned).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Questions for anyone with knowledge of this situation:

 

 

1) Is there any truth to this story - (a SUPER-HOT topic of discussion on the Mississippi boards. They say that it is 100% true!) ?

 

 

2) Any details?

 

 

This is news to me. This is the first that I have heard of this. IF this is the case I would think that he is immediately elidgeable to play because CBHS is private and Olive Branch is a MS highschool. Whitehaven could always use a player of his caliber and so could Kirby. I know he wouldn't start at Whitehaven though ... he wouldn't be the feature back THIS year ... but he could work his way into the rotation of RB's.

 

My concern would be Eric's/Dad's need to move Eric from school to school. I see a potential locker room attitude issue. I don't think Whitehaven would want to risk a disruption in their locker room if there is an attitude problem. It seems to me that someone doesn't think Eric is getting enough touches or whatever. I can't speak for Kirby, but I would think that coach Flowers would love to have him as well, but I would think that Eric would have to earn PT just like everybody else. Whitehaven is 100 strong on the sideline with about 69 additional JV players that don't even dress out when the varsity plays ... they don't NEED Eric ... but I am sure they would be glad to take a talent like him into the fold with a firm understanding. I would have to have a long sit down with Eric/Dad and set the tone and the situation. Demands for Eric to come in and get this many touches and whatever will not be tolerated and they may need to look elsewhere if that is the case. That's just me.

[LiLolme]

to quote pope ronnie Carter"It's not the A to B that creates concern;It's the A-B-A or A-B-C!

[MarkH]

What I had heard earlier in the season was that by the time basketball started he would be at MELROSE.

Apparently Watson and/or his father did not get along too well with the OB basketball coach and so the story goes that Watson would play football at OB and be at Melrose for basketball.

[rhs1]

Nothing on the MS website yet but it has also been said around town that the lineman who transferred from BTW, who is Watson's cousin, also withdrew from OB. Will Easterwood be next?

[Trojan Fan]

He's definitely off the OB team and either gone or about to be gone from school. Good info/sources on that. Here's a thread on it if you can wade through the petty garbage from a few in the thread. No Olive Branch discussion takes place without sniping b/w OB and South Panola fans and a few regular interlopers who enter every discussion involving either school. It can be entertaining if you like that sort of thing.

 

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=397&f=1298&t=3164812

[TraderB]

Nothing on the MS website yet but it has also been said around town that the lineman who transferred from BTW, who is Watson's cousin, also withdrew from OB. Will Easterwood be next?

 

Wow!

 

If any of this is true, then it makes one wonder -- what the heck is REALLY going on over there, at Olive Branch HS!

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I must add, ever since Memphis players started transferring to Olive Branch (this goes back at least a year or two, if not longer)... a good number of folks on the Mississippi boards often claim to have knowledge of a quiet, well-coordinated campaign to establish (bogus) "residency," for these star players.

 

Now, I'm not suggesting that "residency" is the issue relative to Eric Watson's alleged de-enrollment from O.B; As a matter of fact, the folks on the Mississippi boards said that "something else" caused Watson's departure. They do, however, routinely raise the "bogus residency" issue concerning other Memphis-OB transfers.

 

Stay tuned...

[TraderB]

This is news to me. This is the first that I have heard of this. IF this is the case I would think that he is immediately elidgeable to play because CBHS is private and Olive Branch is a MS highschool. Whitehaven could always use a player of his caliber and so could Kirby. I know he wouldn't start at Whitehaven though ... he wouldn't be the feature back THIS year ... but he could work his way into the rotation of RB's.

 

My concern would be Eric's/Dad's need to move Eric from school to school. I see a potential locker room attitude issue. I don't think Whitehaven would want to risk a disruption in their locker room if there is an attitude problem. It seems to me that someone doesn't think Eric is getting enough touches or whatever. I can't speak for Kirby, but I would think that coach Flowers would love to have him as well, but I would think that Eric would have to earn PT just like everybody else. Whitehaven is 100 strong on the sideline with about 69 additional JV players that don't even dress out when the varsity plays ... they don't NEED Eric ... but I am sure they would be glad to take a talent like him into the fold with a firm understanding. I would have to have a long sit down with Eric/Dad and set the tone and the situation. Demands for Eric to come in and get this many touches and whatever will not be tolerated and they may need to look elsewhere if that is the case. That's just me.

 

 

Good points, kwc.

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If this story has any merit, then it would APPEAR that a lot of erratic, rash (poor?) decisions are being made by somebody close to Eric Watson.

 

I mean...first the kid was in Mphs PUBLIC schools. Then he transferred to CBHS, a PRIVATE shool. Then he left the State, to go play football for Olive Branch Mississippi -- a public school. Now, he's alleged to have left OB (hasn't even been there a full season, yet) and returned to the Mphis public school system!

 

What the heck!!!

 

Now, mind you, all of this zig-zagging took place within a time span of -- what, only 1 1/2 or 2 years!

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Astonishing! Simply mind-boggling...

[kwc]

Astonishing! Simply mind-boggling...

 

 

Yep ... I agree.

 

On a different note ... Man ... the more I see Cortez Mosby run the ball ... the more and more I like that young man! No nonsense style ... 5'-10", 215 lbs power and speed. Watching him, his "LB head hunting FB" and that big, powerful and fast OL go to work is a pure delight and well worth the price of admission. Line'em up and hit'em in the mouth ... play after play after play after ... it never gets old. They put on a clinic in the 2nd half last night.

[rhs1]

Good points, kwc.

------------------------------------------------

 

If this story has any merit, then it would APPEAR that a lot of erratic, rash (poor?) decisions are being made by somebody close to Eric Watson.

 

I mean...first the kid was in Mphs PUBLIC schools. Then he transferred to CBHS, a PRIVATE shool. Then he left the State, to go play football for Olive Branch Mississippi -- a public school. Now, he's alleged to have left OB (hasn't even been there a full season, yet) and returned to the Mphis public school system!

 

What the heck!!!

 

Now, mind you, all of this zig-zagging took place within a time span of -- what, only 1 1/2 or 2 years!

--------------------------------------------------------

 

Astonishing! Simply mind-boggling...

 

 

 

He enrolled during the Christmas Holidays last year so he hasn't even been there a full year. He played with the basketball team during the holidays and there was controversy over how he was enrolled b/c school wasn't even in session at the time.

[MarkH]

I can confirm that Eric Watson is no longer at Olive Branch. Look for something in the next couple of days in the Memphis Commercial Appeal. I am not sure where he is going but as stated above the leading candidates are Kirby, Whitehaven and Melrose. The question is will the TSSAA allow him to play.

[TraderB]

I can confirm that Eric Watson is no longer at Olive Branch. Look for something in the next couple of days in the Memphis Commercial Appeal. I am not sure where he is going but as stated above the leading candidates are Kirby, Whitehaven and Melrose. The question is will the TSSAA allow him to play.

 

Thanks for the info, MarkH. I'll keep an eye out for the CA...

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1) I don't see how TSSAA can NOT allow him to play, given that he's moving in from another State.

 

2) If Watson is allowed to play, then Melrose would be the best situation for him....Melrose NEEDS a RB like him, badly!!

 

Melrose's starting RB (Nash) is slow, lacks balance, elusiveness and has weak RB skills. His backup is a much better (should be the starter, IMO) but still does not posess the RB skills as does Watson. Plus, he'll get more publicity @ Melrose. They are perennial Championship contenders.

 

3) While Kirby would be the 2nd best option, I doubt he'd want to play for them. Their school has a bad reputation. Their football program appears to be improving under their new Coach, but is nowhere near a Championship contender. They are still a longshot (despite their 5-2 record) to even MAKE the playoffs in the tough, tough Region 8-5A.

 

4) Whitehaven does not need Watson. They have an outstanding RB, already (kwc has commented on this kid, a number of times). Even if he went there, he'd likely find himself as a backup. Plus, I don't think that Eric or his father would be interested in such a role.