Ensworth vs Mba Championship game

[KWoodroof]

It was certainly a wild game to watch. I can't imagine anybody picked 17 total points for this one, given the way D2 scores have looked this season. And you can't count Bowers' teams out until the referee holds the ball over his head; they're just so poised.

 

And while it has nothing to do with football, really, the game didn't seem to have that underlying nastiness that seems to have been present for a number of years. Certainly both teams played (and hit) hard, but you didn't have the yapping at one another after plays, the pushing and shoving, or the whole range of stuff that really has no place in the game. Yeah, I'm old, and remember all sorts of outmoded concepts like sportsmanship, personal accountability, and class.

[big red big blue]

I'll come out of retirement to post...

I just laugh at the absurdity of yesterday and the social media pictures of MBA and Ensworth loading up dozens of buses at a cost of thousands of dollars to ensure that anyone was at the game at all last night.  I guess if someone has to play Thursday night in the middle of nowhere, it might as well be us, because at least we have the money to fund the travel.  I mean, two schools separated by about 10 miles busing hundreds of people to Cookeville 2 hours away to play on Thursday night.  At least it looked like the students from both sides were having a lot of fun.

 

I can't imagine what the walk-up crowd and attendance would have been had these two played Saturday at 3:00 at Vanderbilt.  8 games in Cookeville over 3 days...I wonder, just maybe, if that's too many games to play in a town of 30,000 people?  I wonder if maybe the centrally located metro area of almost 2 million people might be a better choice?  I asked one of the Frists if she would write the check to the TSSAA to move the game to Vanderbilt this weekend, I would mow her grass for the month of December...oh well, she didn't take it.

 

Congrats to MBA, congrats to Ensworth...the refs were, um....certainly interesting last night....Very different affair from the last meeting.  Congrats to Coach Eu, whom I certainly questioned early on in his tenure.  In years past I've certainly sided with the D2 side, but not this year...a lot of parity but not the super, great teams of years past...MBA, ENS, MUS, BA, Oakland, Blackmon, Ravenwood, and Maryville would make a heck of a final 8.

[WesVLT]

I'll come out of retirement to post...

I just laugh at the absurdity of yesterday and the social media pictures of MBA and Ensworth loading up dozens of buses at a cost of thousands of dollars to ensure that anyone was at the game at all last night.  I guess if someone has to play Thursday night in the middle of nowhere, it might as well be us, because at least we have the money to fund the travel.  I mean, two schools separated by about 10 miles busing hundreds of people to Cookeville 2 hours away to play on Thursday night.  At least it looked like the students from both sides were having a lot of fun.

 

I can't imagine what the walk-up crowd and attendance would have been had these two played Saturday at 3:00 at Vanderbilt.  8 games in Cookeville over 3 days...I wonder, just maybe, if that's too many games to play in a town of 30,000 people?  I wonder if maybe the centrally located metro area of almost 2 million people might be a better choice?  I asked one of the Frists if she would write the check to the TSSAA to move the game to Vanderbilt this weekend, I would mow her grass for the month of December...oh well, she didn't take it.

 

Congrats to MBA, congrats to Ensworth...the refs were, um....certainly interesting last night....Very different affair from the last meeting.  Congrats to Coach Eu, whom I certainly questioned early on in his tenure.  In years past I've certainly sided with the D2 side, but not this year...a lot of parity but not the super, great teams of years past...MBA, ENS, MUS, BA, Oakland, Blackmon, Ravenwood, and Maryville would make a heck of a final 8.

Heck, I'd settle for MTSU if the TSSAA wanted a slightly more intimate venue. But Cookeville is central for nobody in DII. I would deeply enjoy watching the powerful private schools split from the TSSAA and form their own league. The good public schools rarely play us anyway.

[fredjones]

I'll come out of retirement to post...

I just laugh at the absurdity of yesterday and the social media pictures of MBA and Ensworth loading up dozens of buses at a cost of thousands of dollars to ensure that anyone was at the game at all last night.  I guess if someone has to play Thursday night in the middle of nowhere, it might as well be us, because at least we have the money to fund the travel.  I mean, two schools separated by about 10 miles busing hundreds of people to Cookeville 2 hours away to play on Thursday night.  At least it looked like the students from both sides were having a lot of fun.

 

I can't imagine what the walk-up crowd and attendance would have been had these two played Saturday at 3:00 at Vanderbilt.  8 games in Cookeville over 3 days...I wonder, just maybe, if that's too many games to play in a town of 30,000 people?  I wonder if maybe the centrally located metro area of almost 2 million people might be a better choice?  I asked one of the Frists if she would write the check to the TSSAA to move the game to Vanderbilt this weekend, I would mow her grass for the month of December...oh well, she didn't take it.

 

Congrats to MBA, congrats to Ensworth...the refs were, um....certainly interesting last night....Very different affair from the last meeting.  Congrats to Coach Eu, whom I certainly questioned early on in his tenure.  In years past I've certainly sided with the D2 side, but not this year...a lot of parity but not the super, great teams of years past...MBA, ENS, MUS, BA, Oakland, Blackmon, Ravenwood, and Maryville would make a heck of a final 8.

The officials were from Chattanooga per an article posted on coach T Monday from "The Chattanoogan".

[Indian]

The game was an hour away at 7 pm, no reason for MBA and Ensworth to have light crowds. Cookeville wanted it more than Murf. And Nashville.

[plumb69]

 

Ensworth by at least 50[/quote

And that will be the last post from wbrewer3. Congratulations MBA.

[drewpearson]

The game was an hour away at 7 pm, no reason for MBA and Ensworth to have light crowds. Cookeville wanted it more than Murf. And Nashville.

 

who cares if Cookeville wanted it more? It shouldn't be about if Cookeville or any other city wants it more. It should be about the teams and athletes actually playing the game. Its their memories and experience that should matter.

[Indian]

So if Baylor and McCallie make it, break a contract, and move it to Finley in Chattanooga. I see.

[big red big blue]

The game was an hour away at 7 pm, no reason for MBA and Ensworth to have light crowds. Cookeville wanted it more than Murf. And Nashville.

It's an hour away, assuming you are Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the 88 car.  And you're right, aside from navigating school, jobs, kids, bedtimes, and homework, to drive 2 hours to watch a game in the middle of nowhere at a dilapidated stadium, there's no reason for the crowd to be light...and if Cookeville wants it so badly, then its people ought to prove as much by showing up at the game.  If they don't want it, and don't care about it, then let someone else host it.

 

I just had lunch with an ENS parent..not of a player, just a student...who went to the game.  Left at the final gun (didn't stay for the trophy presentation); made it home at 1:00 AM.  The TSSAA....it's FAAAANNNN TASTIC! 

Edited December 5, 2014 by big red big blue

[Indian]

Google maps has Ensworth to TTU at 1:15, not sure of your route. Except for the late return on a school night, all of those issues could take place on a Friday too. It's one time a year, getting back late should be worth it.

[pepvol]

Great Game , very nerve wracking at the end for me , so I know both fan bases were sweating ! My first thought when the TD was called back was Oh No !!! But the Receiver was definitely covered when they showed the replay . I agree with someone else when they said it was nice to see both teams showing Class , didn't see any Yapping or being disrespectful ... nice to see , well done both team , Congrats to MBA !

[WesVLT]

Google maps has Ensworth to TTU at 1:15, not sure of your route. Except for the late return on a school night, all of those issues could take place on a Friday too. It's one time a year, getting back late should be worth it.

Your attitude mirrors that of the TSSAA: Telling us what our interests are and why we should adapt, rather than listening and fostering collaboration and workable solutions. Perhaps if DII were better represented (or represented at all) on the Board of Control, it would have the ability to voice these issues and receive better answers than "This is the way it is...after all, it's one time a year."

 

When zero DII-AA schools are within an hour of Cookeville -- and many are more than 3 hours away -- it is not reasonable to schedule their championship game on a weeknight far from their campuses. Is it a miserable trip for the Nashville private schools? No, merely inconvenient and suboptimal. But how about MUS, who appeared in the last two title games? What about the Chattanooga schools, for whom there is no direct, easy route to Putnam County?

 

Why not hold the game in Nashville the preceding Saturday? It's a central location, a great venue for walkup ticket purchases, and a much more amendable time of the week. The TSSAA is locking DII in the basement and then wondering why it isn't showing up for dinner. Turnout will never be good -- even for the best division in the state -- if the organization perpetually relegates its title game to such a terribly inconvenient time and place.

Edited December 5, 2014 by WesVLT