BA Football

[silverballs]

I am tired of this. Please someone with more info let me know what is going on. I used to be a BA insider but I am now out of the loop. After watching the game tonight, I have realized we continie to get out coached in the big game!!! It is no longer we can rely on our better players to win games for us. What needs to be done to win us a state championships? I suggest we return to the lower classifications where we had our success in the first place.

[BAeaglefan]

I couldnt agree more, I've been disappointed with the BA performances in recent clinic bowls. At least Tom Moore kept the clinic bowl respectable. Maybe we should bring him back. As an alum from a previous generation, I think Flatt needs to go. The fact that he didnt kick a field goal at the end of the first half is unbelievable. Where's the creativity on offense? MUS had a diverse and exciting game plan. This wasnt the first time Flatt was outcoached in a Clinic Bowl. Maybe we should be playing the BGA's of the world.

[mmac23]

I disagree with your suggestion. The respect that BA has gained over the years is due to its unwavering belief that BA can not only compete but win against the best. Dropping down in classification is not an option. The only option is continuing to strive to be the best in DII-AAA. It hasn't happened yet, but it will.

[silverballs]

mmac23, I guess I have to agree with what you have to say. Maybe the success will come. It is just hard for me to stomach disapointment in the Clinic Bowl year after year. On the biggest stage, when the most people are watching, it seems that we can't get anything going. Handoff left, handoff right. Maybe we could take something from what MUS did tonight and what MBA has been doing for years.

 

As a fan, I am proud of the boys. The results of the past may have been tainted a little because of the lack of competition we played. Now we are in the Super 7 and we should be proud of our runner up finishes. Reclassification should be at least tossed around some.

[BAeaglefan]

I think the problem is that Flatt has a case of the Ron Zook's, he can get the players, he just cant produce on the field. He might have the record for most wins in TN, but he also may have the record for most losses in the Clinic Bowl.

[rollredroll]

mmac23, I guess I have to agree with what you have to say.  Maybe the success will come.  It is just hard for me to stomach disapointment in the Clinic Bowl year after year.  On the biggest stage, when the most people are watching, it seems that we can't get anything going.  Handoff left, handoff right.  Maybe we could take something from what MUS did tonight and what MBA has been doing for years.

 

As a fan, I am proud of the boys.  The results of the past may have been tainted a little because of the lack of competition we played.  Now we are in the Super 7 and we should be proud of our runner up finishes.  Reclassification should be at least tossed around some.

825449764[/snapback]

 

To be fair, in how many of the six DII title games has BA been the favorite? By my account, only two.

 

1998: Yes. Undefeated going into the title game, lost 21-19 to a 9-2 MBA team that the Eagles had beaten 21-13 in the regular season.

2000: No. BA's 8-7 loss to undefeated MBA was, for the lack of a better phrase, a moral victory after a 26-0 loss to MBA in the regular season.

2001: No. McCallie was undefeated going into the title game and had to be considered a favorite given McCallie's record and earlier 10-3 win over BA.

2002: Yes. BA trounced MBA 31-6 during the regular season. MBA's 27-11 turnaround title victory is probably the most baffling of all the losses.

2003: No. The controversy that ended BA's 27-24 regular season victory over MBA was the worst thing that could have happened to BA. Take the way that game ended, and the "Excuses, excuses" banner staring the MBA players in the face all game, and, with all due respect, I'm surprised MBA's 24-point margin of victory in the title game wasn't larger.

2004: No. MUS was the best team in the league this year, using a bunch of well-coached, disciplined, average athletes (with a couple of exceptions, particularly Lawhorn) with great senior leadership to beat everyone but Baylor (inexplicably), including a 23-14 victory over BA in the regular season.

 

I can understand disappointment in the '98 and '01 losses, but the other four went about as expected (yet the '00 MBA and '01 McCallie games, despite the heartbreaking losses in each, showed the resiliency of BA).

 

Five Clinic Bowls in a row, and six out of eight. That's pretty impressive to me, despite the outcomes.

 

BA will never reclassify. There's much more honor in playing in rugged DII-AAA than there would be if BA were to go to II-AA and go 12-0 every year (no disrespect intended for the schools in II-AA, but BA would likely have won every title since inception).

Edited November 24, 2004 by rollredroll

[KWoodroof]

I'm watching this thread as an MBA alum, and a fan of Carlton Flatt. I think maybe those of you on Granny White Pike are panicking a little too quickly about a problem that really doesn't exist. I'm sure it's painful to endure 4 losses in the Clinic Bowl, but there are schools that would die to have been at 4 Clinic Bowls in their entire history. Further, I think BA's pool of potential students (athlete and non-athlete alike) has taken a beating, for several reasons. Private schools are expensive, even with financial aid. There are more choices available now: Ensworth and JPII are new, and there are other complications. Remember that for much of the period that Brentwood was establishing it's reputation (i.e., mid to late '70's), MBA's program was struggling, and BGA had just gone coed, and was struggling financially.

 

From '74 to '78, MBA's records were 6-4, 5-5, 2-8, 6-4, and 6-4. The last two were Tommy Owen coached teams. I wouldn't even call BA's situation rebuilding.

 

My advice? Relax...tomorrow will be better, and August is not that far away.

[silverballs]

Rollredroll, with all due respect, it is easy to sit and pass compliments to others when you have been on top for so long. It is no secret that MBA has 'flatt' out dominated the competition since D-II began.

 

We are in a different position though. Despite the results you have posted, we have LOST!! And when you lose and lose and lose, things need to change. A famous quote once said, "If you keep doing what you've done, you will continue to get what you've got". I love what we have done, but it is time for a new chapter.

 

We have been smeared with recruiting scandles for so long, and we do not have a gold ball to show for it.

 

I am open to suggestions. Still think a drop in classification is the way to go.

[jek]

Rollredroll, with all due respect, it is easy to sit and pass compliments to others when you have been on top for so long.  It is no secret that MBA has 'flatt' out dominated the competition since D-II began. 

 

We are in a different position though.  Despite the results you have posted, we have LOST!! And when you lose and lose and lose, things need to change.  A famous quote once said, "If you keep doing what you've done, you will continue to get what you've got".  I love what we have done, but it is time for a new chapter.

 

We have been smeared with recruiting scandles for so long, and we do not have a gold ball to show for it. 

 

I am open to suggestions.  Still think a drop in classification is the way to go.

825449831[/snapback]

 

No! No! No! No! Dropping to DII-AA is not the answer. BA has been in the last

5 title games. How do you see that as being non-competitive? As a fan and parent

of a player, by no stretch of the imagination would I (or anyone I know) see

dropping down as a solution. We need to get over the psychological hump. Retreat is not the answer.

[BAeaglefan]

I have your answer, its not reclassification, its a new coach. Our only offense tonight came on a special team play and on a long run. We could never sustain a drive. With the level of talent that we possess I just expect more. Maybe we dont have the same players as we did in the 80's and 90's or maybe the competition is tougher. Either way, we are being outcoached in the new millenium. The best offense that we have showcased in the past 6 years came when Tom Moore had a say in it.

[rollredroll]

Rollredroll, with all due respect, it is easy to sit and pass compliments to others when you have been on top for so long.  It is no secret that MBA has 'flatt' out dominated the competition since D-II began. 

 

We are in a different position though.  Despite the results you have posted, we have LOST!! And when you lose and lose and lose, things need to change.  A famous quote once said, "If you keep doing what you've done, you will continue to get what you've got".  I love what we have done, but it is time for a new chapter.

 

We have been smeared with recruiting scandles for so long, and we do not have a gold ball to show for it. 

 

I am open to suggestions.  Still think a drop in classification is the way to go.

825449831[/snapback]

 

I agree to an extent with the first paragraph, but while BA is a heated rival and I have enjoyed MBA's good fortunes versus BA, I think I was fair and on target in saying that BA's ability to get to the title game so many times is impressive. Despite having one DII title each, Ryan, McCallie, and MUS have not shown any semblance of the consistency that BA has shown. Admittedly, given the choice of going 0-for-6 in title games versus 1-0 in title games, I'd take the latter, but only if that question is posed in a vacuum. Outside of that vacuum, I'd probably latch on to the program that has gone to the title game 75% of the time, because, as mmac23 pointed out, good things will eventually happen, and with that success rate of getting to the title game, the chances for repeat gratification (victory) are greater.

 

I'd prefer not to discuss the future of Coach Flatt (nor the past of Coach Moore) - that's the business of the Brentwood Academy officials. I still don't think moving down to DII-AA (or I guess it would really be not moving up, as BA has moved up to play in DII-AAA) is the answer. I have a few opinions, in large part formed by some really frank discussions with and revelations from people associated with the school (and none of these people likely even have a clue what coacht.com is), but as an outsider, I choose only to sit back and watch. I would hope that any school out there would listen to its constituents, though.

 

My condolences. While we all have rivals and teams we like to beat and see beat, I take no pleasure in knowing that feelings are hurt after losses. We've all been there, and it stinks.

Edited November 24, 2004 by rollredroll

[possumcop]

Pass out the hankies aand keep this matter private at your private school. The coacht moderators have shown a strong tendency to close all these "fire so and so" topics and justifiably so. Let the people in control of school policy make the decision!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!