Dear ADs Coaches and Parents.

[Ericblair]

As I pulled into last night’s packed house district tournament, my ole buddy Bob was collecting money for parking…â€$1 pleaseâ€. “Bob, how’d you get stuck doing thisâ€, to which he responded, “we (athletics) need the moneyâ€. It sure seemed odd and out of place that with a packed house of paying customers inside that a parent is outside in subzero temperature raising funds for athletics.

 

But so the story goes for most if not all athletic programs across the state. Parking fees, discount cards, car washes, bubble head dolls etc. are well known to most parents, coaches and ADs across the state as they beg/plead and do pretty much just about anything to provide for those less fortunate and to make ends meet. No so however with the Association that governs and takes money from athletics in TN. Their financial condition would be the envy of anyone other than perhaps Warren Buffet or Bill Gates.

 

From their percentage on gates and fobbed off stuff like Hall of Fame games, in the last three years the TSSAA has profited over $1.6 million and currently sits on over $2.25 million in cash. And all this despite dramatic increases in executive pay and expenses for such nonsense as $39,000 for “profession fees to monitor legislative activities†not to mention $2.5 million spent to sue Brentwood Academy.

 

And now with an exercise on credulity that excels their best, the Association is going to appeal (in order to “protect kidsâ€â€¦please), a chancellors open records ruling and I just wonder how much all that is going to cost. Just what on earth does a secondary athletic association need to keep secret? Does it know how many licks it takes to get to the center of a tootsie pop or the whereabouts of the Lindberg baby or the Holy Grail?

 

Back at his office, Bob makes a final count of his efforts on the evening…a sore throat, four complaints about having to pay to park and $256 or just about what the Association will pay for one of the hundreds if not thousands of hours’ worth of legal fees to fight a chancellor’s ruling. Ignorance is often bliss but in circumstances such as these, one is left wondering, 1) why is the Association doing so well when everyone else is doing so bad and 2) when will enough coaches, ADs, and parents become informed enough on these issues in order to regain the financial benefits that are rightfully theirs to begin with?

Edited February 22, 2013 by Ericblair

[DougS]

Exceptional well written.

[ksgovols]

It's about the kid$

[bigballfan]

You are exactly right. It is ALL about the money. As an example: splitting boys and girls tournament play nights, so that supportors have to spend twice the money to support their school.

 

Also, whom are they accountable too??? They have set up a system so that their officials have NO accountablity for their performance. How many working people aren't evaluated in their jobs and aren't held to any accountability to the people they serve (players, coaches and fans)??? Don't get me wrong, there are a few that are trying to do a good job, but many are on an ego trip and feel that it is their responsibility to "even up" the game, instead of objectively making the right call.

 

I have also seen a phenomenon of ex-officials becoming assistant coaches. Enough said there.

[Galilee]

Man it is pathetic, they take their cut off the top for football playoff games. You have to pay all the expenses out o what is left and then divide the balance between the two schools. It is all about money.

[Indian]

Monday through Thursday games are now split so you won't have 3 pm starts to get four games in, or play to 10 or 11 at night.

[BigPoppa]

Yes, we have a tournament each year and had one of our best gates ever. Our reward was we had to give 19% right off the top to our governing body. What did we get from them in return for over 2 grand? Four plaques to award to our championship game participant$. Those were some expensive plaque$ indeed!

Edited February 23, 2013 by BigPoppa

[bhhvols]

T$$AA - Totally Self Serving Athletic Association

[IrishBBall]

 

Have to split come Region time. Potential different locations and some teams share coaches, cheerleaders, etc.

If the TSSAA were a publicly traded company, I'd buy stock!

 

Edited February 23, 2013 by IrishBBall

[airstrip1]

Me too on the stock but no way could these guys past mustard on internal control stuff, with the first step in the lobotomy being the Control Board. I wonder if any of these guys have every taken up money for parking...I got a Franklin that says no.

Edited February 23, 2013 by airstrip1

[practicehard]

Kids should not have to pay the same price at the gate as adults either. A family with three kids have to pay $25 just to get in the door. Thats not including how much they spend on food. . students should be no more than $1-$2 dollars if not free.. Just my opinion

[IrishBBall]

Don't let them know you're getting money for parking. They'll count the spots in your parking lot and tax you accordingly.....LOL

Me too on the stock but no way could these guys past mustard on internal control stuff, with the first step in the lobotomy being the Control Board. I wonder if any of these guys have every taken up money for parking...I got a Franklin that says no.