Ezell basketball in trouble?

[nate3422]

i dont think twan and aj are playing b/c they are both going to get football scholorships and austin isnt playing b/c twan and aj arent playing. i talked to twan yeasterday and he just said he was goign to chill this year plus he is getting some bi oggers from big schools on football, wouldnt wanna get hurt.

[sportsfan0603]

The answer is blaringly obvious...

 

Last year's B-ball team had three seniors: Terrell (D-1 athlete at Vandy), Davis (D-1 athlete at Vandy), Shelley (D-1 athlete at MTSU), and three juniors: Owens (D-1 athlete going to UT), Blackburn (D-1 athlete going to UT?) and Henderson (who could be considered borderline D-1).

 

With six Division 1 athletes on ONE Class A basketball team, who on this message board couldn't have coached them to a state championship?

 

I blame Burnette. Yes, I know the team went to the State Championship twice, but I don't use that as a measure of success. I've seen less talented teams accomplish a lot more at Ezell. For instance, I saw a less talented team win the State Championship in '98. I saw an entirely different team in '99 make it back to State (lost 8 seniors after '98). I saw a team in '96 (that had no one go on to play in college) knock Sam Howard and Goodpasture out of the playoffs...two years in a row. I saw a '94 squad down Brentwood Academy for the region championship.

 

While none of those (except '98) are higher finishes than State Championship Runner-Up, I'm more proud of those teams. They played with everything they had. They maximized their potential. They utilized teamwork to accomplish their goals.

 

The question is not 'where did the team finish ranked in the state?' The real questions are: Did Burnette teach them fundamentals? Did Burnette help each individual player meet his potential? Did Burnette teach teamwork? The answer to all of those is 'no.' You could see it everynight on the court.

 

I do not blame the players. Those kids were willing to learn. You can't blame them. They kept their end of the bargain by becoming talented basketball players. I do not put the blame on the players because their leader - Coach Burnette - did not lead them.

 

Burnette failed at his job. Two years in a row. I don't care that Ezell didn't win the State Championship - that's not what it's all about for me. He didn't even give these guys a chance to be the best team they could possibly be.

 

I'd rather have no talent and a great coach than all the talent in the state with a bad one...

[ezfan]

well said, sportsfan0603. It is sad, but true coaching has killed this team...

[sportsfan101]

As I said, I don't think that Tommy Frensley has resurfaced anywhere, but with Burnette also being the AD, I don't think he'll be anxious to recommend getting rid of himself. A coach is also supposed to tighten the reigns when players get out of hand, and he didn't do that last year. He let the players and their parents call the shots. There was no discipline and that is truly what cost them a state championship.