Out-of-state games for 2010

[Redtwin]

What is the difference between financial aid schools, magnet schools, open zoned schools & schools that allow students from outside their county the opportunity to pay a fee to attend their school? In my opinion they are all pretty darn close to being the same with respect to the opportunities they have to get students.

 

Exactly, how are open zone or magnet schools any different from private schools? The tuition is substantially lower, they can admit whomever they chose, and the academic requirements are substantially lower. You won't see a Rae Sykes type coming out of DII anytime soon.

[pepvol]

You know Pepvol your repetitive claims of people not respecting Maryville and Alcoa are boring, baseless and delusional. Posters say almost apologetically over and over again how much they respect these teams and what they have done historically. Nobody even criticizes much less "bashes" your teams or its players. Yet even now some Alcoa "fans" still are taking pot shots at LAST YEAR'S MUS team and QB (and celebrating their loss this year to SP). They simply can not stand it when most of the football universe outside Blount County does not proclaim Alcoa the best team in Tennessee. I posted, as I had not seen both teams play and they had no common opponent, that they were "2 of the best 5 teams in TN." For that "heresy" I was excoriated. What BS.

If that's "disrespectful" then I give up.

 

What people who care about TN HS football and its reputation DO criticize is your SCHEDULE. We cheer for any Tennessee team when it plays what is hopefully a worthy out-of-state opponent (NOT Middleboro). Your ilk seem to care only about the glorification of your own team. You jeer the TN team, hope they lose, ridicule them if they do and demean both them and their opponent if they win, all because you selfishly and wrongly think it will elevate your own team's standing. Very sad. What elevates one TN team elevates all TN teams. And that's playing quality competition, especially OOS.

 

You may not like it, but this is the reality: Division II AA is the "SEC" of TN HS football; every year it has 3-5 teams ranked in the top 10 in TN. BA is the Alabama, Alcoa is the Boise State and Maryville is your Virginia Tech. Your season basically ends with the Maryville game because afterwards you play nobody that can compete with you now and probably ever. Pray that Maryville doesn't lose again (like last year). As things stand now, every year you win, it is your only "signature" victory. Va Tech has lost again; if Alabama and Boise State both go undefeated in the regular season, who will most people think is the better team? BA already is ranked ahead of Alcoa nationally. If they both go undefeated, who logically gets the nod in all those polls you cherish? Then once again your fans will start whining, remind us about how you beat McCallie twice 5 years ago and BA once 21 years ago, how many "Gold Balls" you have. You will insist that the reason you can't upgrade your schedule is NOT because your coach and administrators don't really want to play "certain schools" but that they and those "girlie schools" (as one of your more prolific posters endearingly refers to them) are "chicken." Or that you're just a poor little rural school that can't afford to travel. "Home and home" means "ya'll come to our place" 2 years in a row. That will get you some games....LOL

 

Maryville has never scheduled a game with a DII 2A school, but they played and beat a little school named Brentwood Academy TWICE in the 2A playoffs in the mid-70s when there were only 3 divisions and no public/private segregation. BA was a 1A school "playing up" in order to improve their program. The games elevated BOTH programs. Now Maryville has moved up as far as they can and is a perennial 6A contender. Maybe a good way to start elevating Alcoa is to "play up" as far as you can. Alcoa has beaten Maryville 2 in a row - can you not move up likewise to 6A? That game would then be a league game and free up a weekend to play an OOS "big boy" (like South Panola) and PRESTO! you've got all the recognition you crave, even if you lose. Wash cars, have bake sells, solicit donations, make it happen. You'd be amazed how many people would contribute. Heck, I would, as would probably all of these posters you criticize unfairly.

 

WOW , you sure did waste a lot of time writing your novel , and you hardly got anything right at all . I'm a Maryville fan , not an Alcoa fan , and find a post that I've ever made where I put down any team or school on here , I dare you . I don't agree with any of these best in the State threads , because they end up being a bash one of the better teams in the state thread . Find a post or thread where I've ever said Maryville or Alcoa was best in the State .... dare you , it won't happen . You say you respect then you go on comparing BA to Alabama while Maryville is VA Tech . You respect us , as long as we know our place , right ?

I "jeer the TN team, hope they lose, ridicule them if they do and demean both them and their opponent if they win, all because you selfishly and wrongly think it will elevate your own team's standing. Very sad. " ... really ... wow did you use a crystal ball to learn this ? Listen if you want to talk to me at least don't just make up stuff I've said , It's obvious you basically have accused me of doing everything you've ever seen a public school fan do when they're arguing with you ... just stick to what I've actually said in the future , and don't just assume i think this or that .

 

I could care less about national polls , and yes I said the same thing when Maryville was there , and I don't agree with any Alcoa or Maryville fan claiming State superiority , I wish there was no DII , and I wish everything could be settled on the field , so people like you wouldn't have to let us know how inferior we are to you .

[owlbooster]

WOW , you sure did waste a lot of time writing your novel , and you hardly got anything right at all . I'm a Maryville fan , not an Alcoa fan , and find a post that I've ever made where I put down any team or school on here , I dare you . I don't agree with any of these best in the State threads , because they end up being a bash one of the better teams in the state thread . Find a post or thread where I've ever said Maryville or Alcoa was best in the State .... dare you , it won't happen . You say you respect then you go on comparing BA to Alabama while Maryville is VA Tech . You respect us , as long as we know our place , right ?

I "jeer the TN team, hope they lose, ridicule them if they do and demean both them and their opponent if they win, all because you selfishly and wrongly think it will elevate your own team's standing. Very sad. " ... really ... wow did you use a crystal ball to learn this ? Listen if you want to talk to me at least don't just make up stuff I've said , It's obvious you basically have accused me of doing everything you've ever seen a public school fan do when they're arguing with you ... just stick to what I've actually said in the future , and don't just assume i think this or that .

 

I could care less about national polls , and yes I said the same thing when Maryville was there , and I don't agree with any Alcoa or Maryville fan claiming State superiority , I wish there was no DII , and I wish everything could be settled on the field , so people like you wouldn't have to let us know how inferior we are to you .

Your response is a CLASSIC example of why I made this post. I know you are a "Maryville fan," but you are posting on a thread where TN teams playing OOS teams is the topic, and ALCOA's schedule is a point of discussion. Change any "you" or "your" to "they" or "their" in my post then pull the wad out of your panties. I was referring NOT to "YOU" PERSONALLY but to to "certain Alcoa fans," and you should know who they are. (Hint: ask BCsportsfan how much money he won on the BA-Olive Branch game?)

 

No disrespect was meant by referring to Maryville as Virginia TECH, BUT you took it that way anyway, DESPITE the complimentary things I said about Maryville. This attitude is part of the problem - some fans look for offense where none was meant. They look for a fight. It was a pure ANALOGY, and a darn good one if I say so myself. If DII is the SEC of TN HS FB (argue against that all you want, it's still true), and BA is the best in DII, then BA is ANALAGOUS to 'BaMa. If Alcoa is the #2 ranked team AND ALSO far and away the best team in a less prestigious conference (sic: MWC = 3A), then they are ANALAGOUS to Boise State. Now here's the "hard part" for those not paying close attention. Alcoa, near the start of their season, beats a topranked team from a bigtime conference(the only competitive team on their schedule). That makes Maryville ANALAGOUS to Va Tech? GET IT? And what about your "inferior to you" comment? Man, just how insecure R U?

 

I too relish the days when public and private played together and there was a chance of BA playing Maryville again for a state championship, BUT THEY ARE GONE and NOT due to the wishes of private schools. I too could care less about any of then polls, but some people "live and die" by them. I reference them only because they supposedly have some objective basis and are not simply the opinion of biased fans. Last year,

"certain ALCOA fans" started a thread that basically ballyhooed their team as the best in the state "in any classification." A few fans, most not even affiliated with any DII school but just hard core TN HS FB fans, dared to disagree respectfully and some referenced those polls, but "certain Alcoa fans" turned it into an absurd hateful mudslinging that continues today. Read through the DII posts, which are full of less than polite comments from "certain Alcoa fans." Why are they even posting there anyway? Pure hate with a touch of class warfare. One last thing - special congrats to "APB" for your predicting the demise of South Panola last year. Great call!

[KWoodroof]

When the TSSAA formed D1 & D2 the private schools that gave financial aid could only have three (3) players on the varsity that received financial aid. IMO, the TSSAA should go back to the old financial aid rule along with doing the following:

1. Four (4) divisions in football

2. Have 8 regions in each division and the top 2 teams in each region make the playoffs

3. All private schools must play in 2A, 3A or 4A

4. All schools have the option to play up in 1 sport but with their enrollment in other sports

I'm with you on all but 1...I'm not sure Tennessee has enough schools to make 4 divisins necessary. In my day, there were three divisions, each with 16 districts, and only the winner went to the playoffs. This meant that every team had a handful non-district games. This would allow everybody the chance to go out of state for some fresh competition (maintaining the tenuous tie to the topic).

 

I'm not sure hwere you'd make the cut-off, as the previous ones were under 500, 501-999, and over 1,000. Schools are a lot bigger now.

[OmahaVol]

Owl, you've made some fantastic posts that I completely agree with. I have been preaching the same thing to these Alcoa/Maryville fans for quite some time now. I have received the same type of backlash from them as well. I reiterated, over and over again, that I am not a DII fan, but a TN fan. I support ALL TN schools, especially when they take on an OOS opponent. I'm afraid I am the one to blame for this argument carrying over to the DII boards. I started a thread on the 3A boards asking why Alcoa played a small KY nonpower like Middlesboro and it has escalated into what you have read so far on these DII boards. I expected to get mature and intelligent responses from these guys, but instead I received an onslaught of criticism for assuming Alcoa needed to improve on their schedule. All I can do now is wish both schools well and for them to both bring home gold balls.

 

Kwood, I also think that TN is too watered down with 8 classes. We need to go back to 4 classes and bring the DII schools back into the mix. This really is simple math. TN just doesn't have the numbers for 6 public classes and 2 privates. States that have 6 classes usually have 200-300 more schools than we do. It just doesn't add up here. However, we are doing better then some states in that department. For example, AR has about 225 schools(approximately 100 LESS then we do) and they have 7 classes. That is just asinine to me.

[shakinthefat]

This wishy-washy water down nonsense of hs playoffs and 8 different classes with 8 different winners, comes from the TSSAA trying to please everyone. Go 0-10 in DII football and go to the 1st round of the playoffs. That is asinine to me.

There are no losers in TN high school football. There are teams that "slip up" but don't call them losers, it could hurt these 16-18 year old feelings and scar them for life!

[big red big blue]

When the TSSAA formed D1 & D2 the private schools that gave financial aid could only have three (3) players on the varsity that received financial aid. IMO, the TSSAA should go back to the old financial aid rule along with doing the following:

1. Four (4) divisions in football

2. Have 8 regions in each division and the top 2 teams in each region make the playoffs

3. All private schools must play in 2A, 3A or 4A

4. All schools have the option to play up in 1 sport but with their enrollment in other sports

 

That train has left the station and is never coming back. We lived with that uncomfortable situation for a lot of years (i.e., 4 scholarship students could play varsity football). The coaches had to make some really really hard calls under that scheme. E.g., does the 4th spot go to a senior financial aid player who's paid his dues at practice and in the off-season (while never getting to play in games), or a bright hotshot sophomore with loads of potential? Saw it many times throughout my time there. Coach Owen, being the guy he was, always left that spot for the senior even if it might hurt the team's chances.

 

Once we were shunted into our own division, we happily got rid of that limitation. That's why (if if such a big deal to the pepvols of the world) we should just keep everything as is and try to meet up in the regular season. Lots of teams around TN have embraced this, though there are obviously a few hold-outs that never will.

[shakinthefat]

That train has left the station and is never coming back. We lived with that uncomfortable situation for a lot of years (i.e., 4 scholarship students could play varsity football). The coaches had to make some really really hard calls under that scheme. E.g., does the 4th spot go to a senior financial aid player who's paid his dues at practice and in the off-season (while never getting to play in games), or a bright hotshot sophomore with loads of potential? Saw it many times throughout my time there. Coach Owen, being the guy he was, always left that spot for the senior even if it might hurt the team's chances.

 

Once we were shunted into our own division, we happily got rid of that limitation. That's why (if if such a big deal to the pepvols of the world) we should just keep everything as is and try to meet up in the regular season. Lots of teams around TN have embraced this, though there are obviously a few hold-outs that never will.

 

That regular season meeting will become a thing of the past due to TSSAA playoff tie breaker policy.

A public school's W/L record now comes into play to make playoffs.

Pearl-Cohn, Maplewood and Independence now have jeopardized their playoff chances by playing a DII powerhouse and loosing. But PC and Maplewood took home $2000 for playing a DII school. Just doesn't SMELL right.

How long will it take before DI schools quit playing DII schools in the regular season for this very reason?

Edited September 15, 2010 by shakinthefat

[eers]

That train has left the station and is never coming back. We lived with that uncomfortable situation for a lot of years (i.e., 4 scholarship students could play varsity football). The coaches had to make some really really hard calls under that scheme. E.g., does the 4th spot go to a senior financial aid player who's paid his dues at practice and in the off-season (while never getting to play in games), or a bright hotshot sophomore with loads of potential? Saw it many times throughout my time there. Coach Owen, being the guy he was, always left that spot for the senior even if it might hurt the team's chances.

 

Once we were shunted into our own division, we happily got rid of that limitation. That's why (if if such a big deal to the pepvols of the world) we should just keep everything as is and try to meet up in the regular season. Lots of teams around TN have embraced this, though there are obviously a few hold-outs that never will.

 

The current system is about the $$$. HS football (everywhere) is becoming more and more of a "business". While there are obvious flaws to the current system, there are/were flaws to having 16 districts and the winner being the only team to go to the playoffs (i.e. Rutherford County and their 6A schools, the 2nd place team there is better than the majority of winners in other districts). I don't claim to have the answer, but perhaps we could just have a clause that you have to have a winning record (either overall or in district) to make the playoffs. If not, then another team from a different district gets in. Perhaps ALL winners are guaranteed and after that you get some type of equation/poll... just a thought and I'm sure it would have flaws to, such as who/what determines that equation/poll, but a winless or one-win team in the playoffs may as well be a bye and should never happen!