Ralph Potter Resigns

[baeagles1982]

Best of luck to Coach Potter and his family. I am a Brentwood Academy graduate with deep passion for the school. I'm not an insider with the football program, but Coach Potter represented BA well in public. I wish him the best at McCallie. Anyone who chooses to criticize the man, whether they're making fair points or not, would be well-served to remember that he and his family are enduring a very difficult time. I'm sure there are legitimate points to be made, but I hope they're done respectfully.

 

I agree and feel like he made the right decision; if that is the way it really happened. You never know in these situations what really happened. That is beside the point. I think McCallie is the best fit for him. He not the worst coach in the world just wasn’t right for BA. I have recently talked to several people around the program and the main issues seemed to be a disregard for Alumni, not listening to his coaches and he started the season out with a team that was not very happy with him. The pressure to win at BA is pretty intense. I’m sure he had a good deal of stress in making some of his decisions. Sometimes you get them right, sometimes you don’t. I wish him the best and I think he will be much happier around a program he has been involved with for most of his life.

[shakinthefat]

I do know that his wife and 2 kids are very well liked at BA. This will be a tough transition for them and for their friends.

His family was well liked at BA. But his statement at the sports banquet stated that he was leaving due to the "negativity" at BA toward his family. His quote in the Chattanooga paper, "I want to thank the administration at BA because my time there was a beneficial experience for me. I learned a lot. But the environment at BA is much different than at McCallie, and one of the things that stuck out is McCallie's unique approach to developing young men as leaders. It's right there in the mission -- 'honor, truth, duty' -- and working with those type kids appeals to me."

That statement and his banquet speech have a underlying discontent feel.

BA administration should tell the new McCallie coach to calm down and and depart peacefully without saying things that aren't true. Guess the BA mission of...nurturing and challenging the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – to the glory of God was not good enough, especially when you lack the nuturing aspect.

Edited December 6, 2011 by shakinthefat

[GoldenGoose85]

I must say I was taken back by the comments in both the Nashville and Chattanooga paper.

 

Blogs are a good vehicle to anonymously compare thoughts, viewpoints and feelings on subjects we feel passionate about. I agree they should be respectful, but hopefully people with common goals can have conversation in a common room without judgement or personal attacks on anyone, including coaches.

 

I think we fully agree there were many good things that h

occurred over the last 5 years, which comes with the job. He is obviously an outstanding man that never would have been hired if he wasnt outstanding. Much respect to he and his family for their service to our school. It is not an easy job for both coach and family. It does feel good, however, to know there will be a new chapter in our book that will unify and move our program forward.

[big red big blue]

let's not kid ourselves about one thing...these private school jobs are hard. There are lots of powerful people with money and egos who to a man think they are holding the answer key. Win a bunch of games, and also make sure my son Johnny is starting at QB. the coach isn't working hard enough; the coach is too hard on the kids; the coach isn't hard enough on the kids; all the wrong players are playing. Too much running; too much passing. Lots of influential stakeholders constantly whispering stuff in the decision-makers' ears. How many of these guys really walk away on their own terms? Flatt, and I guess Ricky, when/if he ever leaves EHS....Coach Owen at MBA. The irony of course is that 15-20 years ago, MBA and BA were coached by untouchable guys and were models of stability...MBA is on its 4th coach since Coach Owen retired; BA will have its third since Flatt's first retirement.

[baeagles1982]

His family was well liked at BA. But his statement at the sports banquet stated that he was leaving due to the "negativity" at BA toward his family. His quote in the Chattanooga paper, "I want to thank the administration at BA because my time there was a beneficial experience for me. I learned a lot. But the environment at BA is much different than at McCallie, and one of the things that stuck out is McCallie's unique approach to developing young men as leaders. It's right there in the mission -- 'honor, truth, duty' -- and working with those type kids appeals to me."

That statement and his banquet speech have a underlying discontent feel.

BA administration should tell the new McCallie coach to calm down and and depart peacefully without saying things that aren't true. Guess the BA mission of...nurturing and challenging the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – to the glory of God was not good enough, especially when you lack the nuturing aspect.

[/

 

I like what you have to say shakin, I was just happy and easing up since he went on. I have heard some stories of how he did some kids really wrong over the past five years, but have kept them to myself. His family is really nice, they have nothing to do with his coaching and I hate the situation for them. But you are right.

[baylorbigdog1976]

So has Alabama, Florida , Norte Dame, Ohio State, Michigan ..... it's the nature of the business. There are few Carlton flats and Ricky bowers in this world... The key is to find the next one ...coaches at schools who have tradition and don't win or beat their in town rivals don't last long... High school, college or pros...

 

let's not kid ourselves about one thing...these private school jobs are hard. There are lots of powerful people with money and egos who to a man think they are holding the answer key. Win a bunch of games, and also make sure my son Johnny is starting at QB. the coach isn't working hard enough; the coach is too hard on the kids; the coach isn't hard enough on the kids; all the wrong players are playing. Too much running; too much passing. Lots of influential stakeholders constantly whispering stuff in the decision-makers' ears. How many of these guys really walk away on their own terms? Flatt, and I guess Ricky, when/if he ever leaves EHS....Coach Owen at MBA. The irony of course is that 15-20 years ago, MBA and BA were coached by untouchable guys and were models of stability...MBA is on its 4th coach since Coach Owen retired; BA will have its third since Flatt's first retirement.

[baeagles1982]

Wow. look way down the Division II page, McCallie people sure seem excited to see him coming back. lol

[gofans]

Best of luck to Coach Potter and his family. I am a Brentwood Academy graduate with deep passion for the school. I'm not an insider with the football program, but Coach Potter represented BA well in public. I wish him the best at McCallie. Anyone who chooses to criticize the man, whether they're making fair points or not, would be well-served to remember that he and his family are enduring a very difficult time. I'm sure there are legitimate points to be made, but I hope they're done respectfully.

 

 

Right. I too am a graduate with sons that played for all three coaches. Unfortunately Potter didn't turn out to be the kind of Coach or leader we were hoping for and I a sorry for that. But he brought all this on himself. What he did to those boys was despicable, even shocking at times.

 

I can't believe what he said to the press about how McCallie attracts young men that have values more like his and they develop young men as leaders. What could their values be there? BA doesn't turn out leaders? I am sure there are many, many "Coach Flatt boys", as Potter called them, that felt like he made them into strong leaders with good moral values. With these kinds of statements he needs to go now!

 

My sons were so glad to hear the news!

[baylorbigdog1976]

I don't think anyone is shedding a tear at BA today... I just left the school and the atmosphere is festive ... In between classes the talk is more on his speech last night and the quotes in the paper...

[oldwiseone]

Wow. look way down the Division II page, McCallie people sure seem excited to see him coming back. lol

 

Seriously, you have no idea.

 

Do you really think the number of people posting on "Coach T" is an accurate indicator on how McCallie fans feel, positive or negative, regarding Potter returning to be the McCallie Football Coach again?

 

And I can tell you it is mostly positive.

[baylorbigdog1976]

I agree but its not a blanket positive trust me. I covered high school sports in N Ga and Chattanooga for local TV stations when I lived in Atlanta back when Ralph was coaching McCallie. I have talked to many of my friends there and I think most people see it with mixed emotions. Football at/to McCallie is not = to football at/to BA. Nor are the expectation the same even. They may say the expectation is to win a state championship and maybe so, but its a more realistic fan base who knows what they have and what they can accomplish and so forth. They have fielded a few competitive teams but McCallie has always been a 2-3-4 loss team with the occasional run at a state championship. They have 1 state championship since 1905!They also are neck and neck with Baylor in that series but have only won 12 of 44 games against BA, Ensworth and MBA combined. Its beat Baylor 1, then lets have a good year 1a. So the pressure on Ralph is no where near what it is at BA. Not even close. I do believe the fan base expects him to improve over the past few years and I think he might just do that. They have a real shot at beating Baylor next year with many of Baylor's starters graduating. They also made some progress with their team toward the end of the year last year. So the upside for Ralph is much greater than the potential downside of staying at BA. Just my opinion from years of covering TN ball.

 

Seriously, you have no idea.

 

Do you really think the number of people posting on "Coach T" is an accurate indicator on how McCallie fans feel, positive or negative, regarding Potter returning to be the McCallie Football Coach again?

 

And I can tell you it is mostly positive.

[meritage]

Right. I too am a graduate with sons that played for all three coaches. Unfortunately Potter didn't turn out to be the kind of Coach or leader we were hoping for and I a sorry for that. But he brought all this on himself. What he did to those boys was despicable, even shocking at times.

 

I can't believe what he said to the press about how McCallie attracts young men that have values more like his and they develop young men as leaders. What could their values be there? BA doesn't turn out leaders? I am sure there are many, many "Coach Flatt boys", as Potter called them, that felt like he made them into strong leaders with good moral values. With these kinds of statements he needs to go now!

 

My sons were so glad to hear the news!

For those of us who have interacted with him and/or have had sons who played for him, there are just so many incidents that the alumni and administration do not even know about because we stayed quiet about them. I don't want to come here and just spout negativity - it's not proper. Let's just say there is a general sigh of relief among so many people today, including my sons. It will be hard for the Jr class as they will have little time to make an impression but having listened to a large group of them talk last night, they know this is the best thing that could have happened for BA.

 

Andi agree with you that the public comments need to cease now. We need to all make our voices heard on that and not just on this msg board.