Best Programs in State History?

[daylily]

McGavock had some very good teams back in the 70's & 80's with most of their players moving on to play professional or college baseball. Steve Liddle played at McGavock, Lipscomb & professional baseball and is now the bench coach for the Twins. If people want to know why Mt. Juliet has developed a very strong high school program, look no further than their principal (former McGavock head skipper)Mel Brown.

Tullahoma for many years was a powerhouse and still has a good team this year. They defeated Farragut by the way! I get a laugh out of all this reference about Farragut. The talent they have had would give any coach the opportunity to be very successful.

[SwamiSays]

McGavock had some very good teams back in the 70's & 80's with most of their players moving on to play professional or college baseball. Steve Liddle played at McGavock, Lipscomb & professional baseball and is now the bench coach for the Twins. If people want to know why Mt. Juliet has developed a very strong high school program, look no further than their principal (former McGavock head skipper)Mel Brown.

 

Just saw this thread. Interesting one indeed. I watched a lot of McGavock baseball back in the 70s and 80s. Mel's teams were disciplined and hard working as well as very talented. One of Mel's boys, who played on some of those 80's championships is the principal at Centennial. Hearing lots of positive talk about that school too, just like Mt. Juliet. Both are turn-around stories. I live close to Ravenwood, but hear more positives about Centennial these days.

 

No one really wanted to play McGavock back then. Best overall baseball program in middle tennessee, hands down, and arguably in the state, up until Mel left in the early 90s. Then it started down hill.

[SwamiSays]

Tullahoma for many years was a powerhouse and still has a good team this year. They defeated Farragut by the way! I get a laugh out of all this reference about Farragut. The talent they have had would give any coach the opportunity to be very successful.

 

And McGavock beat Tullahoma in a 2 of 3 state championship series. If I remember correctly, they swept them and Tullahoma never scored on McGavock. That was mid 80's, 86 I think, but could be wrong. I was at those games. Fun stuff.

[HSbaseballguru]

In high school athletics, I don't think you can just look at State Championships as the measuring stick because there are so few teams that realistically have a shot to ever win one. I think Region appearances is a much better way to judge a program. There are several reasons for this but the best one is the fact that only 3 classifications exist and that creates a huge enrollment gap between the biggest and smallest schools in a classification. This is especially true in AAA. It is tough for an 1100 student school to consitently compete for championships with 2400 student schools. But, generally speaking, the enrollment figures within a District are usually much closer and therefore you get a more accurate depiction of who the better "programs" are and not just who has the most talent. I don't want to get too long on this post so I will leave it at that. This does make me want to start a new topic about problems with the TSSAA and what corrections you would make if you could.

Thoughts?

[Volzchamps]

And McGavock beat Tullahoma in a 2 of 3 state championship series. If I remember correctly, they swept them and Tullahoma never scored on McGavock. That was mid 80's, 86 I think, but could be wrong. I was at those games. Fun stuff.

Those McGavock teams of the 80's along with Germantown were the best of that era.

 

Others deserving to be mentioned in smaller classes are Goodpasture and Lipscomb. Also in the 80's Upperman was dominant and consistently turned out big time talent.

[daylily]

Those McGavock teams of the 80's along with Germantown were the best of that era.

 

Others deserving to be mentioned in smaller classes are Goodpasture and Lipscomb. Also in the 80's Upperman was dominant and consistently turned out big time talent.

Prior to those games Tullahoma knocked McGavock out of the tournament and also defeated them during the regular season. This rivary was one of respect between the two coaches Mel Brown of McGavock and Jerry Mathis of Tullahoma. Still two of the best to put on a uniform and compete..the game was was always one of fundamentals and sound outstanding game preparations.

[SwamiSays]

Prior to those games Tullahoma knocked McGavock out of the tournament and also defeated them during the regular season. This rivary was one of respect between the two coaches Mel Brown of McGavock and Jerry Mathis of Tullahoma. Still two of the best to put on a uniform and compete..the game was was always one of fundamentals and sound outstanding game preparations.

 

What tournament was that? I dont think your information is correct. I followed them pretty close back in those days and I am older than dirt now so my memory is probably off. I may be wrong on the years, but I remember McGavock going down to Tullahoma and beating them at the beginning of the season. Upshot is, either way, McGavock won at the right time, two shut outs. And I completely agree, both coaches were outstanding and two of the finest men ever. Mel has a cult like following in his former players.

[daylily]

What tournament was that? I dont think your information is correct. I followed them pretty close back in those days and I am older than dirt now so my memory is probably off. I may be wrong on the years, but I remember McGavock going down to Tullahoma and beating them at the beginning of the season. Upshot is, either way, McGavock won at the right time, two shut outs. And I completely agree, both coaches were outstanding and two of the finest men ever. Mel has a cult like following in his former players.

Tullahoma defeated MvGavock in 1973 to advance to the state finals against Knox. Central. You are correct in reference to 1986 when they did shut Tullahoma out two times in two great games. That same year Tullahoma defeated them during the season. Your info is close to total accuracy though. I played on the Tullahoma team and always looked forward to playing McGavock because of the two coaches going after each other while still being very close friends as they still are today. Those days of pure sound baseball is gone.

[SwamiSays]

Tullahoma defeated MvGavock in 1973 to advance to the state finals against Knox. Central. You are correct in reference to 1986 when they did shut Tullahoma out two times in two great games. That same year Tullahoma defeated them during the season. Your info is close to total accuracy though. I played on the Tullahoma team and always looked forward to playing McGavock because of the two coaches going after each other while still being very close friends as they still are today. Those days of pure sound baseball is gone.

 

What years were you playing at Tullahoma? 73 was early for McGavock and in the first few years of the school. I was hanging around then too, lol, but not watching McGavock baseball as they had yet to emerge as a top program. If you are talking the 86 Tullahoma team, I remember a big moose lefthander that could throw the heck out of a ball.

[DoyleHargraves]

Well we all see how the program is going to be after all of Pharrs players leave. lol @ buckner.

[tennessee12]

Well we all see how the program is going to be after all of Pharrs players leave. lol @ buckner.

 

super comment. what mediocre school are you affiliated with?

[Soxfan1]

super comment. what mediocre school are you affiliated with?

He is associated with Troll High.