Signal Mountain to appeal

[smeagle1]

The TSSAA assumes that the administrator that inputs the information knows the rules because that is the administrator's responsibility. If there are no red flags ("no" clicks) then they have to assume that everything is correct. Only when it is brought to their attention do they go back to verify.

 

What's going to be interesting with this appeal is if we learn when the TSSAA decided to investigate. Since they were told about the situation on the 22nd (Thursday) at an administrator's meeting in Chattanooga, I doubt that Childress man decided to formally investigate on that date. He probably returned to Nashville, may or may not have gone into the office on the 23rd and enjoyed his weekend. Sometime early the following week, he could have met with Gene Menees and others to decide if there was enough smoke to hunt the fire. During this time, they could have been pulling the information, checking the HCDE website for zones and making a final decision to investigate. Hey, It could have happened this way.

 

Should it have taken 2 weeks for them to decide they were going to investigate? Sounds unreasonable, but I don't know their schedule or their protocol when they receive requests for investigation. I'm sure that they receive numerous complaints and accusations throughout the year that never make it to the point of formal investigation. How mad would the Eagle faithful have been if that Childress man had told McCullough on the 22nd that accusations had been made, SMMHS sat the kid in question and then 2 weeks later (the obvious time frame to determine if they are investigating or not) the TSSAA come back and said, nah.. we don't have enough smoke here? All of these SMMHS posters would be on here talking about how the TSSAA is "after" SMMHS, how the TSSAA is unfair, how the TSSAA just wanted to keep SMMHS out of the playoffs, how that Childress man has a hardon for SMMHS, how... Oh wait, they are already saying all of that! I guess for some of them the response was going to be the same no matter what the outcome!

 

Actually Mr. Childrees was quoted as saying he found out on at the 22nd meeting and they decided to investigate. So he didn't have to go back and do anything he had already decided. Just for a little icing on this cake. Here is a bit out of the TFP yesterday that confirms this to be true.

 

" Meanwhile, Sequatchie County principal Tommy Layne, a member of the TSSAA's board of control, called to say that neither he nor his coaching staff had anything to do with the Eagles' current situation.

 

"There are rumors out there that Sequatchie County turned them in. We did not," Layne said. "The first I heard about it was a comment from [TSSAA executive director] Bernard Childress at the administrators' meeting on Sept. 22.""

 

Funny our AD was at this meeting and none of these people mentioned anything to her.

[THSVikings2004]

Actually Mr. Childrees was quoted as saying he found out on at the 22nd meeting and they decided to investigate. So he didn't have to go back and do anything he had already decided. Just for a little icing on this cake. Here is a bit out of the TFP yesterday that confirms this to be true.

 

" Meanwhile, Sequatchie County principal Tommy Layne, a member of the TSSAA's board of control, called to say that neither he nor his coaching staff had anything to do with the Eagles' current situation.

 

"There are rumors out there that Sequatchie County turned them in. We did not," Layne said. "The first I heard about it was a comment from [TSSAA executive director] Bernard Childress at the administrators' meeting on Sept. 22.""

 

Funny our AD was at this meeting and none of these people mentioned anything to her.

 

Is it possible he just heard of the accusation on the 22nd and didn't have the required proof to declare the ineligible?

[SCHSPRIDE]

This article from the TFP today

5 at 10: Signal appeals, by Jay Greeson

 

Signal appeals

 

Well that shocked exactly no one. When word came down that the TSSAA ordered Signal Mountain to vacate its six high school football wins and put the postseason almost certainly beyond the Eagles' reach, an appeal seemed like a certainty.

 

That certainty became fact Tuesday when Dr. Tom McCullough told TFP prep ace Ward Gossett about their intentions. Now, what's next? Let's see if we can cover a collection of points, and remember this is the 5-at-10's opinion in our family-oriented, Interweb-based sports column:

 

— There appears to be hurt feelings that the TSSAA was informed Sept. 22 of the allegations that Signal Mountain's Tim McClendon, a two-way starter, was not eligible. The TSSAA did not act until last Thursday, meaning even if the Eagles swept their last three games, they were going to need a lot of help to make the postseason. Well, the TSSAA has an entire state to overlook so dropping every thing to inform Signal about the allegations seems a little presumptuous. Plus, if the TSSAA made it protocol to call schools as soon as every allegation was made and told the school that Player X had eligibility questions, the weekly fallout would be overwhelming. If that was the expected policy, a team, player, coach, fan or custodian that didn't want to face that stud running back at your rival school could call the TSSAA and drop a rumor and maybe the school sits him down that week.

 

— There are questions about the Hamilton County Board of Education's role in issuing a hardship waiver that said McClendon was eligible to attend Signal Mountain despite living in the Brainerd zone. Signal administration and Dr. McCullough are putting a lot of their appeal eggs in this basket, even using the less-than-veiled threatening language of "If the TSSAA maintains that board-approved hardships do not establish 'territory,' then there are numerous student athletes in Hamilton County and across Tennessee whose eligibility may be questionable," in Tuesday's release. Here's the 5-at-10's take for what that's worth about the hardship: Hamilton County determines which students go to which schools, the schools and ultimately the TSSAA determine if they are eligible to participate in athletics.

 

— As for the "numerous student athletes in Hamilton County and across Tennessee whose eligibility may be questionable," part of that, well, that's a blanket statement that may or may not be true. And maybe there are dozens or even hundreds of ineligible student-athletes participating in high school sports in Hamilton County and across the state. But to even hint or rationalize or suggest that it's OK to do something wrong because that's the way everyone else is doing doesn't wash. If you think it does, try using the "Everyone was speeding officer," defense the next time a cop pulls you over for going 75 in a 65.

 

— That said, if you had the recent history of Signal Mountain's football program, including the summer scrimmage skirmish and the ensuing penalties from that event that drew the ire of the TSSAA for not being tough enough, aren't you going to make 100-percent certain that all of your T's are crossed and your I's are dotted? Especially when the transfer is 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds and is one of the most impressive-looking players on the field every Friday night?

 

— It's a flat-out shame for the seniors on the Signal football team, including McClendon, who almost assuredly did not make the paper-work miscues that have served as the launching point for the TSSAA's investigation.

 

— Who knows how this turns out, but it's been of high interest and it's been filled with heated emotions

[smeagle1]

It seems that SM's arguement is that since the HCDE granted this hardship exception, that the SM territory was redefined. The TSSAA rules do state "as defined by the local BOE",, but one exception does not redefine the territory. As a few have said,, a simple phone call explaining the situation and asking whether to check yes or no, would have avoided this entire episode.

 

Charlie thinks they should get the 2 games back... SM should have been informed of the issue before the 23rd if the TSSAA had intention to investigate from the info gven on the 22nd.

 

Our argument is this hardship student's territory was redefined by the HCDE. HCDE confirms this to be true. They by issuing the hardship redefined what school this student is assigned to. This isn't something SM has a say in we must take the student. Our school is full and if anyone paid attention to the building projections of the HCDE SMMHS was on it for expansion. Of course there wasn't a cost associated with our expansion as I'm sure they would like the community to foot that construction bill too.

[rlh]

Actually Mr. Childrees was quoted as saying he found out on at the 22nd meeting and they decided to investigate. So he didn't have to go back and do anything he had already decided. Just for a little icing on this cake. Here is a bit out of the TFP yesterday that confirms this to be true.

 

" Meanwhile, Sequatchie County principal Tommy Layne, a member of the TSSAA's board of control, called to say that neither he nor his coaching staff had anything to do with the Eagles' current situation.

 

"There are rumors out there that Sequatchie County turned them in. We did not," Layne said. "The first I heard about it was a comment from [TSSAA executive director] Bernard Childress at the administrators' meeting on Sept. 22.""

 

Funny our AD was at this meeting and none of these people mentioned anything to her.

 

Are you guys going to call Tommy Lane as a witness to get the 2 games reinstated or are you guys going to call him a liar? However, there are several officials here with contradicting information. My it is time to bring in a polygraph operator. I find it fascinating that the SM AD and Mccullough think that a hardship waiver for 1 child automatically puts the entire Brainerd zone in SM's territory for the TSSAA. There is one thing Signal has brought to HS football is drama.

[rlh]

Our argument is this hardship student's territory was redefined by the HCDE. HCDE confirms this to be true. They by issuing the hardship redefined what school this student is assigned to. This isn't something SM has a say in we must take the student. Our school is full and if anyone paid attention to the building projections of the HCDE SMMHS was on it for expansion. Of course there wasn't a cost associated with our expansion as I'm sure they would like the community to foot that construction bill too.

 

The TSSAA rules and bylaws describes territories for schools not based on an individual student. As far as having to take the student academically, that is a different matter. Athletic eligibility is a separate matter. The problem is that signal agreed to these rules when they joined the TSSAA. I suppose if they don't like the TSSAA, they could pull out and form a league with Taft Youth Center, Lancaster Christian etc.

[Charlie Murphy]

The TSSAA rules and bylaws describes territories for schools not based on an individual student. As far as having to take the student academically, that is a different matter. Athletic eligibility is a separate matter. The problem is that signal agreed to these rules when they joined the TSSAA. I suppose if they don't like the TSSAA, they could pull out and form a league with Taft Youth Center, Lancaster Christian etc.

That was my point,, the TSSAA says the schools territory as determined by the BOE,,, not the students territory based on a exception by the BOE. SM's territory is what it is,, and is not changed on a student by student basis.

Edited October 12, 2011 by Charlie Murphy

[wardawg2038]

Again I have had experience with the situation before and if the school had done its homework correctly the issues would not be here. Signal can appeal but I see it as a waste of time. Give you an example of my experience, while in Chattanooga had a student-athlete who lived in the school zone for the school I was at but got a hardship to attend another school. Went there as a freshman and sophomore and played ball perfectly fine because as an upcoming 9th grader he had no athletic record. Next, his Jr year decided to move back to zone school and wanted to play, got it approved by school board and moved schools. When eligibility was entered he was declared ineligible. Appealled decision twice to TSSAA and was denied twice, even had a hamilton county school board member with him the second time to explain the zoning issue. The issue I see with the RB in question is more the athletic record of the student. He must have a bonifide change of address and that address MUST be in the territory of the school. That means school zone not modified zone. Hardships do not change a schools territory they simply allow the student to attend school outside their zone. If it changed the school's zone then basically any student could go anywhere in Hamilton county and play ball without applying to TSSAA to get approved. This would open a HUGE can of worms. There was a simple solution if the player wanted to play at Signal when he left Georgia then he should have movided into Signal's zone and the coaches should have told him that from day 1.

[rlh]

作弊和接å»

 

wow, what a sub plot.

[snoball5278]

作弊和接å»

 

wow, what a sub plot.

 

 

蹲下的騙å­ï¼Œæš—è—的親å»

 

directed by ang lee

[ROCKYTOP3]

Who had the most to lose if none of this come about come play-off time? Red Bank or Greenville? Or was it a District foe that will lose in the 1st round or maybe a parent on SM team. I have heard of parents on my sons team wanting to pull the plug on kids that have moved in that are taking playing time from their kids, the problem if the parents do this is that all the kids they are questioning are legitimate and they don't really understand the re-precussions if they holler fox and it turns out to be a yorky. Todays politics goes beyond kissing a coaches butt and is really sad to see the different levels people will go to in hopes of gaining advantages over others. Also, BARB, you are a Greenville fan who has open enrollement so how can you say anything you guys can take who you want, kinda like the Yankees!

[snoball5278]

Who had the most to lose if none of this come about come play-off time? Red Bank or Greenville? Or was it a District foe that will lose in the 1st round or maybe a parent on SM team. I have heard of parents on my sons team wanting to pull the plug on kids that have moved in that are taking playing time from their kids, the problem if the parents do this is that all the kids they are questioning are legitimate and they don't really understand the re-precussions if they holler fox and it turns out to be a yorky. Todays politics goes beyond kissing a coaches butt and is really sad to see the different levels people will go to in hopes of gaining advantages over others. Also, BARB, you are a Greenville fan who has open enrollement so how can you say anything you guys can take who you want, kinda like the Yankees!

 

it aint like that rockytop! greeneville only uses that open enrollment courses for chinese classes... or to fill a home econ. class... or when they need a really good trumpet player for the band... or... well... they are really good with paper work... or blah blah blah... or yack yack yack... or cluck cluck cluck...