MBA vrs Trinity

[4AFAN]

Did you have a chance to see Austin East play the team from North Carolin last year before they one the State championship. They had me amoungst boys. This team had the coachable players like what MBA would have and the athletes like that of some of the Memphis teams. I do admire MBA for playing teams like Trinity. The one thing about teams that are public is Money, Money, Money. Even Maryville with its large public school budget may have a hard time putting the kind of money it takes to play some of these out of state teams. What kind of budget would you think teams like MBA, Maryville, Brentwood, Hillsboro, Fulton, Ridgeway, etc would have for one year.

[rollredroll]

4A, I haven't seen A-E play since the Leroy Thompson days in the mid 1980s (good teams - I saw them lose to Andy McCarroll and MUS in a title game but I think they beat BA the next year). I know that score against Independence (NC) was ugly, 77-14 I think, but my guess is that game helped prepare A-E tremendously for their run later in the season. You want to win those big, travel games, but I'm sure you will agree that you can learn a lot and get better by playing quality teams, even in defeat.

 

While not on the same scale, I think MBA's trip to Dobyns-Bennett did the same this year. 300 mile drive, tough opponent, tough environment. MBA won, but I think even a loss would have helped.

 

Yes, $$ is a concern. Not sure what it costs to travel out of state, but if costs were to be minimized, there are plenty of quality teams that are within driving distance of Tennessee cities. I am fairly confident that the DB team drove half-way, stayed in hotels on Thursday, and drove the rest of the way on Friday when they visited MBA in 2001.

[4AFAN]

I have been around several teams and have been involved with the budgets. I have not seen the budget of any of the private school surrounding Nashville nor Memphis, but I do have an idea of what Baylors was 5 years ago. It was way above even some of the richest public schools. I have been around several higher profile public schools and several lower end public schools and these are below the 60k dollar range. This is not any where near what Baylor had.

[footballer]

excuse me, but i wouldn't be dissin mba's line. any line that can carry their team to a state championship should deserve a little credit. sure, they were small, but when in the clinic bowl did you see king dunlap, mr. football winner blow over the mba front 5? he never did anything. mba's line is the most tenacious in that state. they're not afraid of anybody. so give them a little respect. they deserve it.

[GWAVE1]

In 1940 and 1941 the midstate had a playoff. It was before the war really hurt the schools in athletic competion. The champion was declared the Mid-State Champion. I believe that Licktenhouse did provide the teams for the competion.

[BigRed3]

in the nfl you only have to win 2 or 3 games to make it to the super bowl...so how is that any different than mba's situation..just because you don't have toplay 7 games doesn't degrage DII or take anything away from mba's title.

[Redtwin]

i wasn't disrespecting mba's line, but anyone with half a brain could tell you that the line will be their biggest problem next year. they get plenty of good skill guys back, and i'm not saying the line didn't do a good job this year, but they definitely need to hit the weight room. matt barnes' return from injury should help, and e double d will always have his line prepared and well trained. i think any five guys could be a good offensive line with him as their coach, but mba needs a little more size to help him out.

[Guest dudley]

Placall, I don't know if you will see this a month after your comments, but my reply then did not go through and I hate seeing people continue to misinterpret Dee Thompson's initiative. He was not claiming that MBA was the best in State. He was simpy trying to bring attention to the problem which you yourself addressed, MBA only had to win 2 games (against teams they played in the reg. season) to get into the Clinic Bowl. Do you not agree that it is unfair for these athletes, who clearly love challenges, to play for such a watered down trophy. Why do we assume the 5A champs to be the best in State when they are not willing to play teams like MBA in the regular season?

[4AFAN]

I am for no reason taking any thing away from MBA, and by no means do I think that the 5A teams are the best. The NFL only plays three games to go to the Superbowl, but there are only 32 or 33 teams in the NFL not 100 or more. Playing 5 extra games can be brutal on some high school teams, and yes playing three games extra is brutal. The Private school teams have money to do what they want. I read an article where Dee had said he would like to show all those people how great MBA is. Yes they do play great teams, and schedule great teams to play. The schedule they play is not the toughest from top to bottom (knoxville Catholic not to mention a few others). I can remember a couple of years ago a team from Knoxville Halls got spanked by MBA, but the year before beat them. Knoxville Halls is only a 4A team that plays in the same region as Maryville, Knoxville Central, and POwell. This was several years ago, but not that long. MBA folks were saying the same thing back then. I also think that you have forgotten MBA has a choice of who plays for them, public schools can not recruit. Once again MBA is an exceptional team, but not the best. 2000 Maryville lost its first 4 games and one a state championship. They have one three in a row. I sure would like to see MBA and Maryville play, or even Hillsboro and MBA.

[4AFAN]

oh yeah. I am not a Maryville fan----------------------

[dan]

MBA never lost to Halls. MBA beat them bably three times in the late 90's. The games were not close.

[rollredroll]

MBA played Knoxville Halls in 1997 and 1998. MBA won 28-3 in 1997 and 24-10 in 1998.