Jerry Meyer (fired) at MBA

[rollredroll]

It is a hot topic in my crowd, too. It is hard for me to see a decline in athletics at MBA. MBA has been strong in the sports it has always been strong in (football, tennis, and track primarily), and while we do not know what the future will bring (either through a cyclical decline in certain sports and/or the effect of the new Ensworth on athletics at all private schools), I do not see too dramatic of a decline. Since the formation of Division II, I think athletics have actually been on a sharp ascent. The football team has not only won four titles but has also dominated a program (BA) widely regarded as the top program in the state (although BA obviously has declined somewhat from its glory years) and garnered two national rankings in the process. The track team had a shotputter (Denbo) who not only set a state record for distance but also had the longest throw in the nation that year. The golf team had a player (Snedeker) who now is one of the top-ranked players in the college ranks.

 

I am an MBA grad, and I want my son to go to MBA. Do I have friends who are alums who feel differently? Sure, but few and far between. I would say those few are saying that more as a result of disdain for Brad Gioia than for desire to go to the new Ensworth or another private school. I will readily admit my concerns about Brad Gioia. He is too focused on fundraising and does not gravitate toward the children of alums as much as I think he should, but I will give the guy credit. He has produced on and off the field.

 

As I said before, I think Ensworth High is a great idea. If private school is in the future for my daughter, EHS would hold an advantage now over Harpeth Hall or any other school. However, I still have my doubts about how long it will take Ensworth to make its own name in athletics and academics. I think academic success will come much sooner. What concerns me is the feeder program. How many students will EHS take that do not attend grammar school at Ensworth Middle? My sense is not many, but who knows? The problem is that MBA (and other schools) will still have Harding, Oak Hill, Overbrook, et al. as feeders, and those students will not gravitate towards EHS en masse. MBA has had some great student/athletes from Ensworth Middle, but they certainly have enough from other schools to absorb whatever losses it will encounter.

 

This is a good topic, but maybe it (EHS vs. MBA) should move to another board (Public vs. Private?). As for Jerry Meyer, the folks at MBA felt they were due for a change, and I am sure they wish JM the best. As for Jerry, he does not have to deal with Gioia after this year, and that is probably good for him.

[harry100]

I presently attend MBA, and when I came to school, I was very shocked that he would be fired. The decisions made by the administration are always final, but I think they should have evaluated the situation more. When Bowers, the previous coach left, he had athletes like Ingle, Dominique, and Moses to work with. This is not to say that the athletes on the basketball team were not good, because there were good if not great athletes on the team. I also feel for someone to say that our basketball players are "soft" and unskilled is an insult to the players and the coaching of Coach Meyer. He had his players work and play at the highest level of competition. He did this through practice. I personally went through his fall practice, and it was tough, but it everyday everyone was a better player. The hard work and determination was with players of whom many were in their first year of varsity basketball. He created a system and game plan that enabled his team to win ball games. Unfortunately, many games were lost by slim margins. A last second shop versus Elizabethon separates them from one of the best teams in AA. They only lost to Germantown by 6(I think), and Lasanne by about 3 or 4. Not to underestimate that BA and Father Ryan are teams that are very good, and would go to state in AA if not AAA, since Father Ryan would be in Hillsboro's region. The possible reasons of other kids quitting before the season because of the coach is untrue. Many decided to not play because players did not want to play due to focusing on one sport. It was only two also, many kids are capable of playing basketball, but there are various reasons why some kids playing freshman year are not playing this year. Only one kid who played freshman ball is still playing. And also, Coach Meyer is good teacher of Basketball and in the classroom as an English teacher, so I know his passion for both should feed into his students and his player. I honestly feel that he may have worked better at a pro-basketball type school like Goodpasture, but at MBA, the expectation of the winning footabll program feeds into every other sport, and a 5-21 record soesn't bode well for the expectation of winning at any school, espically MBA. Hopefully, he does well at his next job, and I wish him the best of luck. A better thought process should have been made though, and the newspaper article certainly overlooks some facts pointed out by people in the firing process.

 

Just a thought from a fan

[PantherGam]

Jerry Meyer is a class act. I really believe that whoever takes his place will have a hard act to follow. MBA is a great school with a lot of tradition and I wish them well, but lets get real -- they do not have the players they had under Bowers. I know, we scrimmaged them and they were always very well coached -- you will see! You will miss Coach Meyer; he never had a chance.

[itzme]

Bottom line is that MBA, the Headmaster and the Board of Directors can choose to hire or fire anyone, and it's really not up to those outside of that community to pass judgment. I believe that nobody who is not directly involved in the situation can really know all the reasons, and should not be blasting anyone at MBA over this.

 

You hate to see anyone lose their job, but it happens.

[Edited by itzme on 3-4-03 11:00P]

 

[bigmom]

johnjacob.... are you an mba fan, a cpa fan, or an ensworth fan?

[NightStalker]

Bottom line, people with money can't stand to lose or have their feelings hurt. It's not that they're just not good enough, it has to be somebody else's fault.

[sbcoach]

Best wishes to Jerry M. One of the great basketball minds in Middle Tennessee. This guy preaches what he lives, he lives basketball. Most people don't know the heart that he & his dad have for the game OR for people. They don't go looking for press clippings, all they want to do is help someone be the best that they can be. If they will work with him & support him in all his motives, they will be better people & players.

MBA, sit back & listen. You have had great players & coaches in the past. Probably will in the future, but take a lesson from one of your former coaches, help your students to be the best that they can be, make them tuffer in the classroom, in the lab, on the court or where ever they may be. You just lost one of the best teachers. JM knows what it's like to be a student/athlete & what it takes to succeed. He also knows how when you make mistakes how to stand on your own two feet. Too many administrators are being tooooo soft on it's students in public & private schools. Take a breath & take a look.

Good Luck to Jerry & best wishes!

[SCRAPPY]

I'm just hoping that the MBA guys circling the wagons on this were not critical of Brentwood Academy during their football coaching change.

[JohnJacob]

One time MBA fan (before it became a corporation).

[briantodd]

My thoughts exactly!

[itzme]

Posted by SCRAPPY:

I'm just hoping that the MBA guys circling the wagons on this were not critical of Brentwood Academy during their football coaching change.

 

[bigred11]

i went to mba, and i despise the fact that money talks there. i can tell you for a fact if the two players who quit weren't from influencial families, jerry meyer would still be there. he is a good coach. all of my friends that played under him have the utmost respect for him. i have never heard one of my friends who played under him and Bowers say that he was mean or abusive. the only thing they talked about was how he worked ron slay with a eye that was swollen shut and bleeding. he will win at any cost and expects that from his players. i honestly hope that he comes back to MBA, on the other side, and mops the floor with Pettus and Jaques, unless he goes to Ryan.