Big Games in Memphis ... Week 13 (Quarters & Semis)

[BMack]

I know what you are saying about the playoffs, but the way it's set up is for the best team in an area to make it out. Then it's best against best. Class 5A has been around since 1993. Rutherford County has had a team in the championship game all but 3 years. Riverdale has been there 9 times, Oakland and Smyrna 2 each. Then siegel and Blackman opened up and all Blackman did this year was win the toughest district in the state. Shelby County, on the other hand, has been there just twice and Tipton County once. Sure, we can agree to disagree, but it seems pretty cut and dry to me.

[FootballIsMyLife]

 

FootballIsMyLife, you are exactly right about Coach McDaniel. I know you said you get around to watch football, it sounds like you know your stuff. Where you going this weekend?

 

I'll be one of the 10-15 thousand folks at Oakland-Riverdale.

[FootballIsMyLife]

 

The first item I highlighted distinguishes the differences in our argument. Playing in the championship game does not indicate the level of coaching or the level of quality of teams for an entire region or regions. THAT is my argument.

 

Is winning the state championship not every team's ultimate goal? It is, right? Then why is that not a fair measuring stick? If repeatedly playing in a championship game does not represent the quality of a team, then please tell me what does.

 

The only TRUE data that could be conclusive and thorough would be a mixture of cross state play at the BEGINNING of the playoffs ... NOT at the end. IF YOU CAN'T SEE THAT IT IS BECAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE IT.

Yes, this would make it more conclusive, but the only thing we would see is the majority of West Tennessee teams go out in the first round. The way it's set up now, one of them is guaranteed a semifinal game. If it was set up your way, we'd never see a West Tennessee team in the semifinal round. They would all run into an Ooltewah, Maryville, Riverdale, Oakland, Franklin or Brentwood and be sent home.

 

The second item I've highlighted is a verification of how we can have these discussions ... yet things get misrepresented totally. I never said that there was ANYTHING WRONG with that coach. I even said that he was a good coach. I'm not taking anything away from him as a coach. I think the two coaches from Memphis are just as good. (Who said anything about the Wing-T?)

 

You said Aydelott was not a coaching virtuoso, I was just wondering why. I thought maybe it was because he runs a version of the Wing-T. Coaches that run the Wing-T usually catch a lot of flack. He's doing something right though. It's two early to tell about Rutherford, but if Saulsberry is just as good, then why hasn't he had the same success?

[kwc]

 

The first item I highlighted distinguishes the differences in our argument. Playing in the championship game does not indicate the level of coaching or the level of quality of teams for an entire region or regions. THAT is my argument.

 

Is winning the state championship not every team's ultimate goal? It is, right? Then why is that not a fair measuring stick? If repeatedly playing in a championship game does not represent the quality of a team, then please tell me what does.

 

AGAIN:

 

My argument is REGION QUALITY ... not team quality. TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.

[BMack]

Ok then, I said it best. Those Rutherford County teams are all in the same region/district.

 

I know what you are saying about the playoffs, but the way it's set up is for the best team in an area to make it out. Then it's best against best. Class 5A has been around since 1993. Rutherford County has had a team in the championship game all but 3 years. Riverdale has been there 9 times, Oakland and Smyrna 2 each. Then siegel and Blackman opened up and all Blackman did this year was win the toughest district in the state. Shelby County, on the other hand, has been there just twice and Tipton County once. Sure, we can agree to disagree, but it seems pretty cut and dry to me.

[kwc]

Yes, this would make it more conclusive, but the only thing we would see is the majority of West Tennessee teams go out in the first round. The way it's set up now, one of them is guaranteed a semifinal game. If it was set up your way, we'd never see a West Tennessee team in the semifinal round. They would all run into an Ooltewah, Maryville, Riverdale, Oakland, Franklin or Brentwood and be sent home.

 

 

That's the whole point of my argument. The statement you made IS NOT FACT ... it is an opinion based upon regionlized play that has one team from the West play a team from the Middle of the state after 3 previous rounds of REGIONALIZED eliminations. Every game is different and each team matches up differently with another. You cannot back your statement up with anything but conjecture and on that ... we don't agree ... ergo the difference in our argument and POV. Just because you say it doesn't make it true. THE ONLY WAY TO BE ABLE TO LAY CLAIM TO THAT STATEMENT is if the state played east vs west vs middle from the beginning of the playoffs. It's not played that way so that statement has no foundation. Like I said ... the present set-up gives skewed data. Believe it if you wish.

[JungleJim125]

I'm the one that said the football in West Tennessee (not Memphis) is not on the same level with football in Middle and East Tennessee. I wasn't talking about the private schools. Sure, on any given Friday night, a team from West Tennessee can beat a team from Middle or East Tennessee, but as a whole, the football is better east of here. That said, it looks like the winner of the Melrose-Mitchell game has a legit shot at a championship this year. However in 6A, Arlington lost to Indy in the 1st round and the winner of the Whitehaven-White Station game doesn't stand a chance against Franklin or Brentwood and for sure not against Riverdale, Oakland, Farragut or Maryville.

I agree i read your other post and only 33 titles in 40 years that is not good. But the only chance West Tn has in the higher classes is out of Memphis on a year to year basic! I live in a small town in Trenton Tn! There are no large schools in 5-6 A around here! Henry county is in 5A and there are out of it! I read on here from time to time about how weak Memphis football is. I just giving my output and mean no harm to any school out there! If the rest of West Tn is so good where are all the Gold balls! Around here on a yearly basic Milan is the only hope for a Gold Ball! I agree with u East Tn and Middle Tn dominates on a yearly basic! I just get tired of people bashing Memphis football not meaning u don't get wrong here! Football fans need to understand Memphis is in West tn but some from what i have read don't! I agree with u until West Tn starts winning titles on a yearly basic West Tn will get no respect! Great athletes come out of Memphis in football as well as basketball! Its great Memphis is a hot bed for BB every year! They always have some great teams out of Memphis and some of the best athletes in the nation! Ther schedules they are tough and its like going through a meat grinder ever night! People don not realize there are teams out of Memphis with 500 records that would dominate in these parts! Got some pretty good teams here but not like Memphis! It is BB season but didn't mean to get off on that! I simply agree u right numbers don't lie! But fans need to quit bashing memphis football! I don't mean u but fans in general! Good luck the rest of the way to all of the Memphis teams!!

[BMack]

This is funny. If a West Tennessee team can't regularly beat a Middle Tennessee team in just the fourth round of the playoffs, who's to say that they could beat Middle and East Tennessee teams for four rounds?

[kwc]

Ok then, BMack said it best. Those Rutherford County teams are all in the same region/district.

 

I know what you are saying about the playoffs, but the way it's set up is for the best team in an area to make it out. Then it's best against best. Class 5A has been around since 1993. Rutherford County has had a team in the championship game all but 3 years. Riverdale has been there 9 times, Oakland and Smyrna 2 each. Then siegel and Blackman opened up and all Blackman did this year was win the toughest district in the state. Shelby County, on the other hand, has been there just twice and Tipton County once. Sure, we can agree to disagree, but it seems pretty cut and dry to me.

 

In another comment I raised the fact that the championship game might have different results if moved to another site in the state from time to time. It is just one of the variables I account to my argument.

 

Look ... we could go round and round on this and never resolve anything. You guys can continue to believe whatever you want ... and I will think otherwise. Its not cut and dry to me ... it is far from it.

 

Agreed?

[kwc]

This is funny. If a West Tennessee team can't regularly beat a Middle Tennessee team in just the fourth round of the playoffs, who's to say that they could beat Middle and East Tennessee teams for four rounds?

 

Who's to say they couldn't? The way it is now ... there isn't any way to tell. You can make all of the ASSUMPTIONS in the world. It won't make any of it true, one way or the other. Besides ... if done right ... it wouldn't be middle vs west ... it would be a mixture of the whole state with the location of the championship game being revolved through different city's throughout the state on a regular basis. Anything else gives advantages that others don't have. As it is ... it is the most economical model ... but not the best to determine who is the best in a fair and equitable fashion.

[FootballIsMyLife]

I've got nothing else to say. It wrinkles my brain to think that people actually believe that West TN is on par with Middle and East TN when it comes to football. We will agree to disagree, and we will just let the numbers continue to show that me, Ace5, BMack and TraderB are correct.

[bandit1234]

My opinion on the matter. Take East Tennessee for example: If you remove Alcoa and Maryville, the overwhelming majority of the rest of the those teams are on par with the West Tennessee teams. You could say the same about a lot of Mid. TN teams at the top (Brentwood Aca in the 80's, Lipscomb/Goodpasture the last decade) that racked up a lot of state championships in the day. I don't think there is any doubt their best is better than our best in Div. 1. I do think what KWC is saying has lots of merit though in that a "good" team from the West can play with a "good" team from the East/Middle.

 

Let's look at it another way: In this years playoffs, these are the number of West teams in the playoffs:

 

1A - 6 out of 24 , 25%

2A - 6 out of 24, 25%

3A - 5 out of 32, 16%

4A - 11 out of 32, 34%

5A - 8 out of 32, 25%

6A - 9 out of 32, 28%

 

Total Div 1 = 45 out of 176, 25%

 

So, really, the other geographis regions SHOULD win more state championships, all things equal???