Has RB Eric Watson de-enrolled from Olive Branch?

[TraderB]

My former coach friends in the Mississippi/Memphis area agree with you about Fairley, East, and Melrose. They believe that Melrose is VERY good, although overall, not quite as good as last year. They think Fairley may be a little better than last year, and East is much better than a year ago. They think the main problem Fairley will have beating Melrose is mental. They are not sure that they can. My friends do not believe that Watson would make a HUGE difference at Melrose, but he would improve them, nonetheless. The only problem I have with him transferring now is that it is obviously for athletic reasons, and therefore shouldn't be allowed. You would have to agree that it is more than a little unusual for a player of his caliber to "transfer" in midseason. I always respect your posts, so I will be very interested to read your response, to see where we agree, and disagree.

 

Red Warrior, I disagree with your friends on three points:

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1) Melrose is better, overall, than last year.

 

2) Fairley is NOT better this year, IMO.......... Their defense has dropped off way, way too much. They will get their chance to prove me wrong this Friday, however, as they host Melrose.

 

3) Watson WOULD make a big difference for Melrose's running game (while I'm not going to revisit that issue, my position on this matter is well documented, in this very thread).

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While Watson's mid-season transfer might be unusual and appear suspicious, that is insufficient evidence, per se, to support the purely "athletic reasons" transfer theory. There could be any number of legitimate, non-athlethic reasons that dictated Watson's actions.

 

Now, don't get me wrong--I'm not saying that his transfer reasons are "pure;" I'm simply saying...Everything isn't always the way that it appears. In other words, the truth is very difficult to ascertain at this point.

[Red Warrior]

Red Warrior:

 

Adressing his potential impact on the Melrose team:

 

Eric Watson was considered a phenomenal football player when he played football in middle school where he was a playground legend. I heard about him a long time before I actually saw him play. I think a Melrose indoctrinated Eric Watson on this years Melrose team would change Melrose from 'one of the best' in 4A in west Tennessee to 'the team to beat'. A Melrose backfield with an already established Gabriel Nash and a very good Eric Watson as a 1-2 punch would push Melrose into another level on offense. That being said ... Eric Watson is NOT a Melrose indoctrinated player so that point is mute. Does he develop into one over the course of the remainig portion of this season? Time will tell.

 

Addressing his transfering:

 

Eric Watson is not the first athlete to transfer from school to school within the City of Memphis school system. Case in point, when I played back in the early 80's ... Whitehaven had a guy join our team from another school my junior year. He didn't sit out ... he became a starter at CB. He was a very good athlete and he was better then anybody else we had at that position. We only won 4 games that year. The next year, he transferd back to the school he came from for his senior season. As a matter of fact, our starting qb from my junior year transfered out with him to play for the other team our senier season. He got over there was was relegated to a minor role on the other team. We went 6-4 that year. I said that to say ... it's not news to hear about an athlete transfereing from school to school. I wasn't mad at the guys who left my team my senior year and I don't have any bad or ill feelings towards Eric for his traveling from school to school. It happens. Its par for the course. As long as they show a change of address. Another case in point. Whitehaven had a player who started at DE his jr. year transefer to Melrose his senior year and start on the Melrose team that lost to Maryville the second time. I personally knew his father because he and I both coached on the same pee-wee football team. He told me during his son's jr year that he was going to buy a house in the Melrose area and move so his son could play for Melrose because he didn't like how his son was being coached. He thought that the coaches were too soft on the players. (This coming from a guy who used a paddle on his players if he thought they were not giving 100% effort). I might add ... this was the around the time that the current Whitehaven coach took over the program ... look at Whitehaven now. It happens all of the time. If he is abiding by TSSAA guidlines, I have no problem with it. If he is breaking the rules ... he shouldn't play. The reason for transferring doesn't matter. MIAA is aware that players go to schools just to play for a certain coach or team. Winning programs attract good players. Losing programs lose players as a result. It is a part of the culture.

 

 

My point is that it is very unusual for a player of his caliber to "transfer" in the middle of a season. I understand that it happens with regularity from year to year, but not in midseason. If that's normal, then share other cases with me. Thanks for answering part of my question. You didn't respond to the part about the breakdown of the three Memphis teams. Also, at least in Mississippi, it does matter WHY a player transfers. It is a problem if the reason for the transfer is for athletic reasons. I am uncertain about Tennessee.

[kwc]

My point is that it is very unusual for a player of his caliber to "transfer" in the middle of a season. I understand that it happens with regularity from year to year, but not in midseason. If that's normal, then share other cases with me. Thanks for answering part of my question. You didn't respond to the part about the breakdown of the three Memphis teams. Also, at least in Mississippi, it does matter WHY a player transfers. It is a problem if the reason for the transfer is for athletic reasons. I am uncertain about Tennessee.

 

 

I agree ... transfers don't usually happen midseason. It's not the first time, but it's not the norm.

 

I'm sorry ... I totally missed the breakdown question. First ... I have not seen East play, but I have seen two of their opponents and I know they lost a closely contested game against Maplewood the first game of the season. Fairley and Melrose I have seen play against Whitehaven. Both teams are similar in athletic ability. I saw studs on the OL and DL and speed at the skill positions. Both play agressive defenses. Both have senior QB's who sit in the pocket and spread the ball around to different recievers. Both teams running games rely on the passing game being effective. I think Melrose has a more aggresive OL. They seem to take making holes for their RB personal. They actually have a DL mentality. Both have studs @ the MLB position, but the Melrose MLB is better. He's tall, fast and lean. Speed kills and both teams have an abundance on both sides of the ball. The biggest difference between the two is probably between the ears. Melrose players are expected to win, they know it, their coaches know it, the fans know it. Fairley players know they have the ability to win, but they may not always believe it. I would imagine that East's team is comprised of similar players. I don't know what kind of offensive philosophy they employ or what kind of defense they use.

[Red Warrior]

I agree ... transfers don't usually happen midseason. It's not the first time, but it's not the norm.

 

I'm sorry ... I totally missed the breakdown question. First ... I have not seen East play, but I have seen two of their opponents and I know they lost a closely contested game against Maplewood the first game of the season. Fairley and Melrose I have seen play against Whitehaven. Both teams are similar in athletic ability. I saw studs on the OL and DL and speed at the skill positions. Both play agressive defenses. Both have senior QB's who sit in the pocket and spread the ball around to different recievers. Both teams running games rely on the passing game being effective. I think Melrose has a more aggresive OL. They seem to take making holes for their RB personal. They actually have a DL mentality. Both have studs @ the MLB position, but the Melrose MLB is better. He's tall, fast and lean. Speed kills and both teams have an abundance on both sides of the ball. The biggest difference between the two is probably between the ears. Melrose players are expected to win, they know it, their coaches know it, the fans know it. Fairley players know they have the ability to win, but they may not always believe it. I would imagine that East's team is comprised of similar players. I don't know what kind of offensive philosophy they employ or what kind of defense they use.

 

 

Thanks. As usual, you are thorough and probably right on target. I must ask the obvious. Are you a coach?

[kwc]

Thanks. As usual, you are thorough and probably right on target. I must ask the obvious. Are you a coach?

 

 

I have coached in a lot of different sports, but I am not a coach in any school system. I have coached pee-wee baseball/Tee-ball for my church's youth baseball teams for the past 10 years. I have helped coach AAU soccer for my church's youth soccer teams for the past 4 years. I have helped coached pee-wee basketball teams that my son has played on for the past 4 years. I was an assistant coach in the orginization for which two of my sons played pee-wee football about for about 3 years. Everything that I have done has been volunteer and they have all been in rec leagues, except for football. I even helped coach my youngest two sons in Tennis for a while when my sons were taking tennis lessons. Man ... as I type this stuff out I had not realized how much stuff I have done in conjunction with my four boys.

 

I do, however, take my sons with me to football games on Friday nights. We mostly go see Whitehaven play because I am an alum, but I have been to a LOT of Melrose games in the past as well. We have traveled during the playoffs to watch either Whitehaven or Melrose play. Last year we watched Mitchell play David Lipscomb in the semi-final. My eldest is into the games like I am, but the other three could care less, even though I recently heard the other two mention that they think that they want to now play ... but we all get to hang out together ... that's what is so important to me. I started taking my eldest when he was two years old, and I brought along the others when they reached that age. It was a way for me and my guys to hang out together and also give mamma a break at the same time. That's why I seem to know quite a bit about some of the Memphis teams ... it's one of the ways I get to hang out with my son's on a Friday night. Besides ... I just love the game.

[Red Warrior]

I have coached in a lot of different sports, but I am not a coach in any school system. I have coached pee-wee baseball/Tee-ball for my church's youth baseball teams for the past 10 years. I have helped coach AAU soccer for my church's youth soccer teams for the past 4 years. I have helped coached pee-wee basketball teams that my son has played on for the past 4 years. I was an assistant coach in the orginization for which two of my sons played pee-wee football about for about 3 years. Everything that I have done has been volunteer and they have all been in rec leagues, except for football. I even helped coach my youngest two sons in Tennis for a while when my sons were taking tennis lessons. Man ... as I type this stuff out I had not realized how much stuff I have done in conjunction with my four boys.

 

I do, however, take my sons with me to football games on Friday nights. We mostly go see Whitehaven play because I am an alum, but I have been to a LOT of Melrose games in the past as well. We have traveled during the playoffs to watch either Whitehaven or Melrose play. Last year we watched Mitchell play David Lipscomb in the semi-final. My eldest is into the games like I am, but the other three could care less, even though I recently heard the other two mention that they think that they want to now play ... but we all get to hang out together ... that's what is so important to me. I started taking my eldest when he was two years old, and I brought along the others when they reached that age. It was a way for me and my guys to hang out together and also give mamma a break at the same time. That's why I seem to know quite a bit about some of the Memphis teams ... it's one of the ways I get to hang out with my son's on a Friday night. Besides ... I just love the game.

 

 

If we knew each other, we would be friends, although I am much older than you. Keep spending time with your sons. They are lucky.

[kwc]

If we knew each other, we would be friends, although I am much older than you. Keep spending time with your sons. They are lucky.

 

 

You know ... I have come to realize everyday how blessed I am!

[yyallhaten]

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.

 

Well Just to let you in on a little secret that all of you so called concerned individuals need to know about Eric ,Eric is one of the most humblest kids you will ever meet there will never be a locker room issue from Eric because he doesn't have to be that way his talent speaks for his self and if their is any kid who dislikes Eric it's an issue they have with him he has never been the type of kid who showboats or boast about himself talk to any coach that has coached him and I guarantee you they will tell you the same, so good for Whitehaven if they are that strong my thing is win a championship!

[kwc]

Well Just to let you in on a little secret that all of you so called concerned individuals need to know about Eric ,Eric is one of the most humblest kids you will ever meet there will never be a locker room issue from Eric because he doesn't have to be that way his talent speaks for his self and if their is any kid who dislikes Eric it's an issue they have with him he has never been the type of kid who showboats or boast about himself talk to any coach that has coached him and I guarantee you they will tell you the same, so good for Whitehaven if they are that strong my thing is win a championship!

 

 

I don't know Eric. I don't know what kind of individual he is. I don't know about anybody disliking him. I don't know if he is humble or not. My comments about him were in reference to his bouncing from school to school to school. It's not normal and no matter what the circumstances, it draws a red flag.

 

Whitehaven is strong. So is Melrose. So is Millington. So is Henry County. So on and so forth. What on earth does winning a championship have to do with the price of tea in China? If they win a championship or don't win a championship ... then what?

[Dr.J]

Going to Melrose actually makes more sense then anything else. Comming out of middle school, Eric was going to go to Melrose ... he had been working out and practicing with them in the summer before his freshman season. Suddenly before the season started he attends CBHS and starts as a freshman. The next year he enrolls at Olive Branch but doesn't complete the season only to (rumor) enroll at Melrose; where it all began in the first place.

 

Concerning transferring from school to school and still maintaining playing eligibility:

 

Eric may be going from school to school ... but why would TSSAA want to stop him from playing? CBHS, Eric's freshman school, is a Tennessee private school. Olive Branch, his 2nd school is a Mississippi public school. Melrose ... his 3rd destination, is a Tennessee public school. Even if Eric where to have transferred from CBHS directly to Melrose ... he would have been going from private to public ... either way ... it ia all acceptable under TSSAA rules and regulations as I understand them. If I am wrong, someone please educate me. There is nothing for TSSAA to do in this matter. NOW ... If he were transferring from public to public or from private to private between Tennessee schools ... then I think he would have to sit out a season. Someone with a better understanding may be able to give a more accurate and researched answer on this subject then I because I may be in error ... I am not an expert in transfers ... but I think I am correct.

 

 

He spent 2 years at CBHS. He was in the same class with my son. He came to CBHS because his fathered sued the Memphis City School System. As an 8th grader during a game...Eric was running down the sidelines for a TD and an opposing coach sent a player from the sideline during the run to tackle him and it broke his leg. The Watson's sued because no sanctions were brought upon the opposing coach. This is a fact and was well publicized in the Memphis Paper.

[Dr.J]

Um im pretty sure he went to CBHS as a sophmore. And from wat I have heard he is pretty good playing basketball too, so he would help Melrose in both football and basketball

 

 

He went as a Freshman and started on the varsity. My son was in the same class with him and we have known Eric for a long time.

[kwc]

He spent 2 years at CBHS. He was in the same class with my son. He came to CBHS because his fathered sued the Memphis City School System. As an 8th grader during a game...Eric was running down the sidelines for a TD and an opposing coach sent a player from the sideline during the run to tackle him and it broke his leg. The Watson's sued because no sanctions were brought upon the opposing coach. This is a fact and was well publicized in the Memphis Paper.

 

 

Yeah Dr. J ... I remember that now. I didn't remember about him breaking his leg though. I didn't know about the law suit either. But I remember hearing about the incident in the game. The way I remember it, the coach for the opposing team had a Woody Hayes moment.

 

Hopefully, Eric can go forward from here.