District 3 AA @ Pigeon Forge

[eaglefan85]

I will say this once and only once. Most on coacht have no idea what happened in the GP situation nor should they (This is not the place to air your dirty laundry.). As far as throwing the game to avoid Fulton, what would one gain. You still have Carter and AE from that district. GP has to beat Alcoa before they can think about anyone else and then there is a good chance they will face Carter again. So pick your poison. If you had watched GP's last several games one would see that in the words of MMcCroskey "a lot of the boys were focused on other things than basketball lately". It was time after the Carter loss if they had any chance of winning another game the coach had to do something. Did he make the right move? I don't know. Did he make the wrong move. I don't know? At least he did something. Yes, all but 2 of the varsity were suspended. 1 a freshman who has gotten a little playing time lately and 1 a Senior Captain who has been a sometimes starter over the last 3 years and when not is usually one of the first off the bench (Don't forget it certainly wasn't an easy task for the 2 to play AE without their varsity teammates. I for one wouldn't have wanted to be in their shoes. Maybe all the posters should be commending those 2 boys instead of judging the coach and other players.). I will end with this. If your not a GP Coach or player and privy to team meetings don't judge.

[jna71305]

Agreed, noone should post unless you know the situation. But this is getting a bit old above the tunnel. Everytime you turn around something is going on at GP. Can the coach stand up or sit down to coach. Who is the actual coach on record? How do these players get to GP? How do two players not egilble at a rival school all of the sudden become eglible? And word is this is not the only time these players have been caught doing what they were doing? Seems like typical Sevier County politics to me.

[m34tba11]

Well, I will commend the players (both sides) in that consolation game. #32 for GP did everything he could to keep things going, ( I was one of the photographers on the sideline last night). I'd also like to commend the boys from AE for holding back (and yes they held back alot). They could have very easy steamrolled GP out of that gym by 60 or 70 points, but they let a lot of uncontested shots go by, and was very light on the defense last night, very classy in a bad situation (IMHO).

[cneagle82]

Coach P... I don't know if you read boards like this but in case you do...You did the right thing and the people that matter know it. Throw a game...what a joke. They have never competed with you. Keep on teaching those kids how to hoop and how to play this crazy game of life. GP is lucky to have you. Now quit reading these crazy boards and go get them tornadoes!!!

[MMcCroskey]

Coach P... I don't know if you read boards like this but in case you do...You did the right thing and the people that matter know it. Throw a game...what a joke. They have never competed with you. Keep on teaching those kids how to hoop and how to play this crazy game of life. GP is lucky to have you. Now quit reading these crazy boards and go get them tornadoes!!!

 

I am very glad others "get" this situation - thank you.

 

I can say to those that doubt what has happened here, there was clear and VERY recent activities that brought this all to a head, and it may or may not be over - its up to these young men to respond.

 

Are we supposed to wait until something REALLY stupid happens (think UT) until actions are taken? I'm personally very glad this coach is trying his best to instill some sense of responsibility in these kids.

 

Drew Barton is the senior captain that has shown a tremendous amount of class over his 4 years, I'm a big fan of his. He is an excellent athlete, who will be playing college baseball without a doubt. Davis Soehn is the freshman that is showing great promise.

 

Trust me when I tell you not all the parents are happy about what the coach is doing - but I am here, publicly, to state my appreciation to Raul Placeres for continuing to do his best to truly teach these players about much more than basketball.

[IrishBBall]

Coach P... I don't know if you read boards like this but in case you do...You did the right thing and the people that matter know it. Throw a game...what a joke. They have never competed with you. Keep on teaching those kids how to hoop and how to play this crazy game of life. GP is lucky to have you. Now quit reading these crazy boards and go get them tornadoes!!!

 

I am very glad others "get" this situation - thank you.

 

I can say to those that doubt what has happened here, there was clear and VERY recent activities that brought this all to a head, and it may or may not be over - its up to these young men to respond.

 

Are we supposed to wait until something REALLY stupid happens (think UT) until actions are taken? I'm personally very glad this coach is trying his best to instill some sense of responsibility in these kids.

 

Drew Barton is the senior captain that has shown a tremendous amount of class over his 4 years, I'm a big fan of his. He is an excellent athlete, who will be playing college baseball without a doubt. Davis Soehn is the freshman that is showing great promise.

 

Trust me when I tell you not all the parents are happy about what the coach is doing - but I am here, publicly, to state my appreciation to Raul Placeres for continuing to do his best to truly teach these players about much more than basketball.

Golf claps

[redandblack63]

Coach P... I don't know if you read boards like this but in case you do...You did the right thing and the people that matter know it. Throw a game...what a joke. They have never competed with you. Keep on teaching those kids how to hoop and how to play this crazy game of life. GP is lucky to have you. Now quit reading these crazy boards and go get them tornadoes!!!

 

I am very glad others "get" this situation - thank you.

 

I can say to those that doubt what has happened here, there was clear and VERY recent activities that brought this all to a head, and it may or may not be over - its up to these young men to respond.

 

Are we supposed to wait until something REALLY stupid happens (think UT) until actions are taken? I'm personally very glad this coach is trying his best to instill some sense of responsibility in these kids.

 

Drew Barton is the senior captain that has shown a tremendous amount of class over his 4 years, I'm a big fan of his. He is an excellent athlete, who will be playing college baseball without a doubt. Davis Soehn is the freshman that is showing great promise.

 

Trust me when I tell you not all the parents are happy about what the coach is doing - but I am here, publicly, to state my appreciation to Raul Placeres for continuing to do his best to truly teach these players about much more than basketball.

 

Commendable that coach would discipline players even when it means thsy may loose n important game. What do you think about his rumored use of profanity to his team. Please dont say all coaches address theri team in his manner.

[Iknowbetter]

It is funny reading these responses because it definately is not about the coach. He did the right thing. To me it is about the players and the parents. These are not college kids, they are high school kids who are still at home, and if the whole team is out in the community partying, painting cars, breaking windows, or whatever, it should not be up to the coach to discipline the kids. It is amazing that the community is mad at the coach, instead of looking alittle closer to home.

[etcoach]

Obviously, SOME of you do not understand my rationale. I do not know anything about GP and the situation that has transpired. I do not know Coach P. All I know is the current system continues to be heavily flawed. Losing 2 games in a row at tournament time should not even warrant a move to the next tournament. If you agree that it should, then I would like to hear your reasoning. Whenver there is a dominant team in a District like Fulton...(and all you guys can get on here and try to play up Carter and AE all you want, but FULTON IS THE OBVIOUS TEAM TO BEAT in the whole region) it is beneficial to lose the consolation game, and that is what occurred.

[Leaper]

I wonder if this statement rings a bell for Coach P...."I will do whatever it takes to stay out of Fulton's Bracket."

 

If these players are suspended at Alcoa, then it was a good move for Coach P. If they are not, then it might be considered a bit shady.

[JoshRussell48]

This situation is "dang if you do and dang if you don't" if you know what I mean. Bottom line the coach felt that this was needed for his team to understand a lesson. If it is one game or ten games that is up to the coach. A lesson is a lesson. Like some said on here only the coach and his team know their rules. You have a parent admitting the coach was right in what he did, enough said.

Going back to teaching a lesson to a team, it never occurs when you want it to.Applaud the coach for taking action and not giving a dang like the team they played in the consolation game.

Lastly is was pointed out that the coach was trying to avoid Fulton? So my understanding is he would want to lose on purpose and travel to Stone Memorial( because if you go with the thought of East TN Stone should have won because they dominated that District) who is ranked in the state instead of winning the 3rd place game and playing what should have been Alcoa a 500 ball club?

Bottom line is he took a stand. How many coaches around our area just let things go just for the sake of winning games????

[etcoach]

In order to make it to the sub-state, you must win the first 2 region games. Now I ask you the question...assuming Stone would have won (and I don't give a flip about rankings..if you know how they are done you wouldn't care about them either) your choices are

 

1) Play Stone Memorial and then the winner of Carter/CAK

2) Play Alcoa and then the winner of Fulton/Loudon

 

So would it have been easier to beat Stone AND Carter or Alcoa AND Fulton?

 

Now, as it turned out the following scenario has played out for them

 

They now have to beat Alcoa AND Carter instead of Stone AND Fulton.

 

Now I ask everyone again...Was it better to lose or to win the consolation game?