TSSAA strips Signal Mountain of its six wins

[binns37388]

You just don't get it, do you? I'm not blaming anyone. You may not believe it, but I truly believe it was a stupid mistake on the form, not willful intent to circumvent the rules. Even if you want to say it was "willful" cheating, it should have been handle in the same manner as the Perry County investigation. Still could have declared him ineligible, called us cheaters, and vacated 4 wins. Didn't have to rip the kids' hearts out in the process.

I've been around instances in our area where a player might or might not be eligible. The schools here would sit out the player until it was confirmed one way or the other by the TSSAA. It didn't make any difference how good the player was. If this incident was known to be under investigation on 9/22, then the kid should have had to sit out every game until his eligibility was confirmed. I have no idea if the mistake was willful or not and shouldn't have anything to do with this. From incidents concerning Signal Mtn the last two years, it seemed like a bomb ready to explode and it finally did. The rich and poor must play by the same rules. If you're gonna dance, you have to pay the fiddler.

[smeagle1]

Signal scores and kicks to Polk with approximately 40 seconds remaining in the half. Polk is content with the 15-13 lead and decides to take a knee. Mind you SM has only 2 timeouts so there is no way they can force a punt. Polk takes a knee, turns and sprints to the field house. Just as they are entering the locker room, SM takes a timeout with about 1 second to play.

 

Actually there was a little more than 1 second left he could have taken his second time out after Polk ran another play. The Polk team just got caught up in his attention toward the Refs. He was not happy with them and wanted a little more time to chat.

 

But heck if you watch TN play you will understand the Center to QB exchange isn't a given.

 

See Trolls response below much better than mine. I really don't know why he called the timeout I know he was getting on to the refs.

Edited October 10, 2011 by smeagle1

[polkalumni]

I normally do not post, but I have been keeping a close eye on these threads and do have a few thoughts. First, my heart goes out to the young man and his team mates, especially the seniors. Most of them will not have the opportunity to play at the next level and for their last season to essentialy end like this has to be devastating. My second thought is that this could be a teachable moment for them. In life sometimes small mistakes have far reaching consequences and that is a hard lesson to learn at such a young age, but hopefully the team and those around the program can learn from it and be better for it. Third, the timing of the punishment was unexcusable, but is par for the course for the TSSAA. Good luck to the Eagles for the rest of this season and I look forward to coming to the Mountain for next seasons Polk game.

[smeagle1]

I've been around instances in our area where a player might or might not be eligible. The schools here would sit out the player until it was confirmed one way or the other by the TSSAA. It didn't make any difference how good the player was. If this incident was known to be under investigation on 9/22, then the kid should have had to sit out every game until his eligibility was confirmed. I have no idea if the mistake was willful or not and shouldn't have anything to do with this. From incidents concerning Signal Mtn the last two years, it seemed like a bomb ready to explode and it finally did. The rich and poor must play by the same rules. If you're gonna dance, you have to pay the fiddler.

 

Thanks for your reply. I think what you missed in Troll's message was we didn't know there was a question on his eligibility. The TSSAA by their own admission said they were notified on Sep 22nd and started investigating. Our athletic director was at the meetings where the TSSAA said they were made aware of the violation by what they say were several administrators from our area. Yet there wasn't even a mention of a possible issue to our athletic director. They didn't inform SM until Oct 6th when they came to visit. Had they told SM two weeks prior he would have sat and we wouldn't have had to vacate those wins and would still be a playoff contender. Sad thing is they just had a situation in PC where they notified them of the investigation and advised them to sit the kids in question. Why wasn't SM afforded the same? Looks like you're saying in your area the TSSAA has told schools they are investigating a player and the player sits while the investigation is taking place.

 

I agree the rich and poor have to play by the same rules. So no matter if we are the rich or poor we weren't afforded the same treatment by the TSSAA that other schools were.

[MountainTroll]

Do you honestly not understand why people have such hatred for Signal? I agree 100% that some of the reason is pure jealousy of the success you guys have attained in such a short amount of time (valid or otherwise). However, instances like the one at the end of the half against Polk County last Friday night give opposing teams and fans plenty of reason to feel your coaches (who made the call) and your fans (who acted as if they had one the Super Bowl when the call was made) are classless and arrogant.

 

I cannot wait to see you and your cronies try to defend Wild Bill on this one.

 

Don't know all of Coach Price's history. I do know he is character, as many coaches are. Lots of people don't like him, but I've met lots of people (outside of Signal) who like him and say very good things about him. I don't know why he called the timeout, maybe just to be an ####. I've done some pretty childish, spiteful, hateful things in my lifetime, especially when I am hurting and beaten down.

 

Unfortunately, this is all a vicious circle. When we started the school and were fortunate enough to have some really good athletes and a good coach and were winning, ... sure we bragged, more than we should. I don't think we rubbed anybody's nose in it, any more than the typical smack talking that goes on in sports. People started blasting us, and we got defensive. Didn't help matters any. Had some really good athletes transfer to Signal cause they wanted to be part of it. All of them legally. T$$AA has already looked at past years and players, by the way. No wrong doing. Recruiting? I doubt it. The transfers I know personally about, independently transfered up and went through the proper channels. Either moved up to the mountain or got permission from the HCDE. If they had an athletic history, they sat for 12 months, then played.

But allegations of recruiting and cheating, I believe are total BS.

 

We've had our problems with underage drinking, fights, etc. That crap went on when I was in high school 36 years ago. These things seemed to make their way to the front page of the paper, and people jump on us even more. We get defensive and try to defend our honor and our kids. And things just keep escalating. Did we, our administration, and our coaches handle things in the best way possible? Far from it. But ... when your in the corner, getting kicked in the nuts, your probably going to come out swinging. If we didn't have a successful school, nobody would have cared about any of this, and nobody probably would have even known. I'm not talking about the ineligible player, I'm talking about all the other crap over the past three years.

 

As for the last thing, stupid mistake, but nobody gonna believe that. People start talking about recruiting, cheating, Wild Bill, arrogant rich mountain people, etc. And again, I feel obliged to defend us.

 

Now, back to the smartass timeout call and our crowd reaction. I don't know why he did it. Just hurting and spiteful I guess. I am too right now. Guess you know we just heard T$$AA's ruling three hours earlier. Ever seen a bus load of football players crying on the way to a game? Rips your heart out. Who do I blame? The person who didn't fully understand the T$$AA bylaws and checked the wrong box. Like I said, I am confident T$$AA would have given him a hardship eligibility, given the circumstances of his transfer. We didn't ask for a hardship, cause we thought his bonafide change of residence didn't require it. Our mistake, we will pay our penalty.

 

But if you read my other post, I think, or at least hope you would at least agree that Childress should have handled this differently. Could have enforced the bylaws and made whatever point he was wanting to make, but didn't have to make the kids suffer so much. Most posters have said they feel sorry for the kids. If Childress had handled this appropriately, he could have vacated some wins, chastised the school and administration, fined us, etc. And still not take away the kids' playoff dreams.

 

Sorry to ramble. Guess most people won't read all this anyway. Important for me to do this as I go through the Rationalization phase of grieving. I feel better. I think the Anger phase is just around the corner.

[Indian]

The baseball coach is now getting the attention on the Free Press comments. Some have been deleted, it's been written. I have zero idea, the same as most, about any of these situations now being discussed with that sport.

[MountainTroll]

I've been around instances in our area where a player might or might not be eligible. The schools here would sit out the player until it was confirmed one way or the other by the TSSAA. It didn't make any difference how good the player was. If this incident was known to be under investigation on 9/22, then the kid should have had to sit out every game until his eligibility was confirmed. I have no idea if the mistake was willful or not and shouldn't have anything to do with this. From incidents concerning Signal Mtn the last two years, it seemed like a bomb ready to explode and it finally did. The rich and poor must play by the same rules. If you're gonna dance, you have to pay the fiddler.

 

 

Sorry, but you still don't get it. They didn't tell us they were investigating 9/22 or we would have sat him. We were not informed of the investigation until 10/5. They (T$$AA) let him play two games during the investigation, including a critical district game. By the time they told us, it was physically impossible to make the playoffs. They didn't handle it the same way they handled the Perry County investigation.

And then you have the audacity to throw in the Rich Poor crap. gonna dance, have to pay the fiddler. Give me a break.

[binns37388]

Thanks for your reply. I think what you missed in Troll's message was we didn't know there was a question on his eligibility. The TSSAA by their own admission said they were notified on Sep 22nd and started investigating. Our athletic director was at the meetings where the TSSAA said they were made aware of the violation by what they say were several administrators from our area. Yet there wasn't even a mention of a possible issue to our athletic director. They didn't inform SM until Oct 6th when they came to visit. Had they told SM two weeks prior he would have sat and we wouldn't have had to vacate those wins and would still be a playoff contender. Sad thing is they just had a situation in PC where they notified them of the investigation and advised them to sit the kids in question. Why wasn't SM afforded the same? Looks like you're saying in your area the TSSAA has told schools they are investigating a player and the player sits while the investigation is taking place.

 

I agree the rich and poor have to play by the same rules. So no matter if we are the rich or poor we weren't afforded the same treatment by the TSSAA that other schools were.

I'm confused. You stated your AD was at the meeting where the TSSAA said they were made aware of the violations on 9/22. That is when you sit out the player. You don't wait til they come to the school on Oct 6th. Its hard for me to believe that someone connected with the school, players, coaches, administrators, parents and etc didn't know anything about this issue until Oct 6th. Even if its just a rumor, it needs to be investigated to prevent these problems. I hate it for the kids and community. I don't think it will hurt the kids who are good enough to move on and play college ball. The recruiters know who they are.

[MountainTroll]

Im sure he would ..it already has ,just some coachters wont let it die.. recommend firing that price man now..

 

 

No I won't let it die. Don't know what he ever did to you. I personally am fine with him. Don't know how well you know him or how he might have crossed you in the past. I think he's a good man and a good coach. Crazy as the proverbial outhouse rat, but so am I.

Edited October 10, 2011 by MountainTroll

[signalbirdie]

I'm confused. You stated your AD was at the meeting where the TSSAA said they were made aware of the violations on 9/22. That is when you sit out the player. You don't wait til they come to the school on Oct 6th. Its hard for me to believe that someone connected with the school, players, coaches, administrators, parents and etc didn't know anything about this issue until Oct 6th. Even if its just a rumor, it needs to be investigated to prevent these problems. I hate it for the kids and community. I don't think it will hurt the kids who are good enough to move on and play college ball. The recruiters know who they are.

 

 

It is my understanding that Childress man was informed privately(before/after meeting), Signal's AD not included in that little pow-wow

[smeagle1]

I'm confused. You stated your AD was at the meeting where the TSSAA said they were made aware of the violations on 9/22. That is when you sit out the player. You don't wait til they come to the school on Oct 6th. Its hard for me to believe that someone connected with the school, players, coaches, administrators, parents and etc didn't know anything about this issue until Oct 6th. Even if its just a rumor, it needs to be investigated to prevent these problems. I hate it for the kids and community. I don't think it will hurt the kids who are good enough to move on and play college ball. The recruiters know who they are.

 

Our AD was at the meeting where the TSSAA says they were made aware. They were not made aware in an open forum it had to be privately. Here is what was in the letter to SM on Oct 6th. " Our staff received several questions about the student-athlete's eligibility from Principals and Athletic Directors during Administrators' Meetings in the Hamilton County area. Each individual stated that the family was not living in the Signal Mountain High School zone and there had been no bona fide change of residence that justified a change of schools. After receiving so many questions, we were obligated to check into the situation in hopes of proving that the information submitted did justify a change of schools to Signal Mountain High School."

 

Now if their staff received all these questions and it was enough to prompt an investigation don't you think they should have let our AD know something since she was at the meeting. Again none of these accusations were made in an open forum and not one person there mentioned anything to her. The TSSAA didn't tell us anything until Oct 5th.

[MountainTroll]

I give SM credit where its due in the threads. I do call a spade a spade sometimes. The fact is, Signal has had so many transfers over the past 3 years that it has created a lot of rumors, some justified, some of them not. Most of us never said the young man did have a heart warming story. However, we just didn't realize that SM was the Mother Theresa school. Does this mean you will be running numerous school buses down to Howard and Brainerd to rescue this poor lost children.

 

You're a bigger pile than I thought you were. You give us credit when you have no option.

Rumors yes. For your information, T$$AA has already looked at all of the transfers. All legit, except McClendon. And that was stupidity on our part.

You trying to tell me that if a good football player transfered to South Pitt legally and said he wanted to play football that Grider would tell him to get lost? Give me a break.

As for the last part of your post. Any kid that wants to transfer to Signal Mountain legally is welcome, whether he plays football or fiddle or tiddly winks. We don't go out trying to get these kids, but if they want to come we try to make them welcome. Ask all the transfers that are up here and not playing any sports or engaging in any extracurricular activites. There are lots of em.