On Tuesday, in a girls' basketball game, Pearl Cohn defeated Hume-Fogg 101-8.
Yes, you read that right.
One-hundred-and-one to eight.
It's the fifth time this season that the Lady Blue Knights have finished a game with only eight points on the board. But amazingly, it's not their lowest score of the season. That came on January 3, when Maplewood beat them 85-3.
No, your eyes still aren't playing tricks on you; that final score reads eighty-five to three.
Tom Kreager of The Tennessean - formerly of the Daily News Journal - published an article on Wednesday about Hume-Fogg's struggles. According to the article, the Lady Blue Knights have one player who returned from last season's squad, and no player on the team plays AAU ball in the summer to sharpen her skills.
Of course, the article goes into talk about sportsmanship, and running up the score, and this Saturday, when Districts 10-AA and 12-AAA meet to determine their brackets, sportsmanship will be discussed.
While running up the score certainly isn't ideal, what is a team supposed to do when they play someone who is obviously weaker than they are?
Hume-Fogg obviously aren't the only team who have been blown out in girls' basketball this season; LaVergne have also been drubbed; not as badly as the Lady Blue Knights, but the Lady Wolverines have only finished four games with more than 30 points on the board this season. And in their two games against Stewarts Creek in District 7-AAA play, LaVergne scored just 11 points in both games. They also lost 72-11 to Oakland on December 9, but last Friday, it was announced that the Lady Patriots were forfeiting that game, along with the 71-25 win over LaVergne on January 24, plus the 16 other games they'd won through last Friday, thanks to playing an ineligible player in those 18 victories. For LaVergne, it's the first time they've won a district game since 2013-14, and it's the first time they've won multiple district games in a season since 2009-10, when they went 8-2. Shame it had to come from forfeits, though.
Looking back through their old schedules on CoachT.com, both LaVergne and Hume-Fogg have been through long rebuilding periods during this decade; Hume-Fogg have not anything close to a winning season in district play since 2010-11, when they finished 8-8. The aforementioned 2009-10 season is LaVergne's last successful one to date.
Girls' basketball isn't the only sport where teams have struggled for a long time; Coffee County's football program has not finished above .500 since 2007. Warren County has not had a winning season on the gridiron this century.
Then there's softball. Blackman are finally making gains again after spending the last five seasons recovering from have their roster decimated by the formation of Jack City's spring travel ball program. Part of the Lady Blaze's rebuild has been the introduction of head coach Kelsey Ferguson, who's not even 30. LaVergne have not had a winning season on the diamond since 2003.
So, how does all of this tie in?
Well, every four years or so, the TSSAA executive board votes on whether or not to reshuffle classes. They typically do, especially next year, with many private schools opting to move to Division II. Schools are placed in classes by their student body counts; the public schools with the highest counts are placed in 6A in football, and AAA in other Division I sports.
This may have been a good solution before there was a division for private schools, but now, this is misguided. Placing a school in the highest class because of its student population is insane. Just because a school has a ton of students doesn't mean it's full of elite athletes. Every school has at least one elite athlete in a sport, but not all of their sports teams contain elite athletes.
It's time for the TSSAA to get radical about this; it's time for the TSSAA to introduce promotion and relegation.
"Promotion and relegation? What's that?" I hear you asking.
Promotion and relegation is a system used in European and Central and South American sports - particularly soccer - where a team is placed into a league based upon its performance in the previous season. The most famous example is the English Premier League, where the teams that finish in the last three positions on the table (18th through 20th) are dropped into the second tier of English soccer, the English Football League Championship, for the following season, and are replaced by the Championship's Top 2 finishers, plus the winner of a four-team playoff between the clubs that finish in positions three through six. A relegated club can immediately earn promotion right back to where they came from, and a promoted team can be sent right back down the following season if they don't perform. Leicester City, who famously avoided being relegated from the Premier League with a fantastic run through the final month of the 2014-15 season, then, even more famously, defied 5,000-1 odds to WIN THE PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE LAST SEASON, are currently one single, solitary point above the relegation zone in the current campaign. And yes, they can be relegated; being the reigning champions doesn't give them an exemption. Mexico's soccer leagues also use promotion and relegation, although their system isn't as simple as the leagues in Europe.
So, why don't we have this in the United States? It's simple: soccer teams in Europe are clubs formed by people in the pubs, whereas we have franchises purchased by billionaires. Instituting promotion and relegation in the USA would break antitrust laws.
That's not to say that people aren't clamoring for such a system to be installed here; there's a massive grassroots campaign to introduce promotion and relegation in American soccer. The man at the forefront is a gentleman named Ted Westervelt, whose Twitter handle is @soccerreform. Here is Westervelt's long but thoroughly detailed idea for American pro/rel.
While it would take legal wrangling to bring pro/rel to American professional sports leagues, it would be much easier to install at the high school level. Teams should be in a class based upon their performance, not their school size.
That's why I say it's time for the TSSAA to get radical, and introduce promotion and relegation to team sports. And I know exactly how I would implement it. How? Well, let me get the numbers from Hermitage, and I'll post a Part 2 to this blog this weekend.
-Michael Hackney
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Friday, February 19, 2016
Retracting some statements, and apologizing for jumping the gun
We are in the midst of the GNASH postseason, and next week, we finish pool play for all three tournaments.
Last night, Pope John Paul II defeated Franklin in the Henry Hine Cup, and Ensworth-Oakland defeated the Tennessee Outlaws in the same tournament.
I declared that JPII had clinched the first berth in the Hine Cup Final with their win, and that the Outlaws had fallen out of contention for the other spot.
Likewise, I declared that, with their win over Hendersonville on Monday, Ravenwood clinched the first berth into the Preds Cup semifinals from Pool B, and that Hendersonville were out of contention for the other semifinal berth.
On all of those statements, it seems I jumped the gun, and for that, I'd like to say I'm sorry to everyone for getting their hopes up so soon.
I will say that I am correct that Montgomery Bell clinched the first berth into the Preds Cup semis from Pool A (as well as the #1 seed), because they are 2-0, and the two teams they have beaten in pool play - Father Ryan and Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central - are right behind them (meaning the Big Red own the head-to-head tiebreaker on each of them), and the Fighting Irish and Golden Bears will decide the other semifinalist from Pool A next Wednesday.
Likewise, I am correct in saying that Centennial are out of contention for the second semifinal berth from Pool A, because they are 0-2, and right behind Father Ryan and Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central...the two teams who have beaten the Cougars in pool play.
It is also correct that Hume Fogg-Page are out of the running for a berth in the Mielnik Cup Final, because they are dead last at 0-2, and three points behind second place Station Camp-Beech, and can only pick up two points with one game to go (which, oddly enough, is against the Bison, so the PatriKnights can mess with Station Camp's hopes of getting to the Final themselves).
But back to the Hine Cup, and Pool B in the Preds Cup. After the second round of pool play last night, JPII are all alone at the top of the pool standings at 2-0, with Franklin and Ensworth-Oakland right behind them at 1-1, and the Outlaws in dead last at 0-2.
Pool B in the Preds Cup has the exact same look; just switch the teams out: Ravenwood are 2-0, with Brentwood and Lipscomb-Brentwood Academy right behind them at 1-1, and Hendersonville in dead last at 0-2.
What's the problem here, you ask?
In both cases, the leaders are two points ahead of a team they've yet to face in pool play. Likewise, the teams in dead last are, you guessed it, two points behind a team they've yet to face in pool play.
In both tournaments, we could have a three-way tie for first at 2-1 (in the Hine Cup, this would mean Franklin beating the Outlaws this Monday, and Ensworth beating JPII in regulation next Friday; in Pool B in the Preds Cup next Wednesday, this would mean Brentwood beating Hendersonville, and Lipscomb beating Ravenwood in regulation).
We could also have a three-way tie for second at 1-2 (in the Hine Cup, this would mean the Outlaws beating Franklin in regulation, and JPII beating Ensworth in regulation; in Pool B in the Preds Cup, this would mean Hendersonville beating Brentwood in regulation, and Ravenwood beating Lipscomb in regulation; in this scenario in both tournaments, one team would finish all alone at the top, and reap whatever reward they get).
I was under the impression that, because JPII and Ravenwood had beaten two teams in their pool, they were on to the next round. Then, I realized this is pool play; you're only facing your pool opponents once.
Now, if the Outlaws had won last night, instead of Ensworth, JPII would've gotten a berth into the Hine Cup Final, because the two teams they had beaten in pool play would be right behind them, and, the best part, they would play each other on Monday, preventing any chance of a three-way tie.
Same with Ravenwood. Both they and Lipscomb would be on to the Preds Cup semis if Lipscomb had been able to beat Brentwood on Monday, because both they and Ravenwood would be 2-0, with no chance of either Brentwood or Hendersonville being able to close the gap.
Two-way ties in pool play are settled like they are in the regular season: If you beat the team you tied with head-to-head, you get nod.
Three-way ties are handled differently. Unlike the regular season, where everyone played their division opponents twice, you only get one crack at each of your pool opponents.
If there is a three-way tie in the Hine Cup at 2-1, then everyone is 1-1 against the teams they're tied with: JPII would've beaten Franklin, but lost to Ensworth; Franklin would've beaten Ensworth, but lost to JPII; Ensworth would've beaten JPII, but lost to Franklin. How do you break the ties?
Here's the criteria:
(3) If three (3) or more teams have an equal number of points at the conclusion of pool play, their final order of position will be determined in the following tie-breaker sequence:
(i) The greater number of games won in pool play
(ii) The greater number of games won in regulation in pool play
(iii) The greater differential (subtraction) between goals for and goals against for head to head games in pool play. (Max seven (7) goal differential per game).
(iv) Least penalty minutes in head to head games from pool play
(v) Least penalty minutes per game from pool play
(vi) If these tie-breaking techniques do not resolve the tie, the Commissioner shall resolve the matter.
Well, you have to scratch the first two, because they'd all be 2-1, and they'd have all won their games in regulation.
The third criterion should simply read "goal differential". That is what will be used first to break a three-way tie. Right now in Hine Cup pool play, JPII's goal differential is +5 (8 scored, 3 allowed), Franklin's is +1 (6 scored, 5 allowed), and Ensworth's is -3 (6 scored, 9 allowed).
Of course, this could all be moot if Franklin and JPII win their respective games, or, Franklin lose in OT or a shootout to the Outlaws on Monday. The latter scenario would give JPII the first berth in the Hine Cup Final, and force Ensworth to beat them on Friday to get the other berth.
Well, I've done enough rambling. Again, I apologize for getting any hopes up, or deflating any hopes, and I hope that whatever happens next week, the situation is resolved fairly.
-Michael Hackney
Last night, Pope John Paul II defeated Franklin in the Henry Hine Cup, and Ensworth-Oakland defeated the Tennessee Outlaws in the same tournament.
I declared that JPII had clinched the first berth in the Hine Cup Final with their win, and that the Outlaws had fallen out of contention for the other spot.
Likewise, I declared that, with their win over Hendersonville on Monday, Ravenwood clinched the first berth into the Preds Cup semifinals from Pool B, and that Hendersonville were out of contention for the other semifinal berth.
On all of those statements, it seems I jumped the gun, and for that, I'd like to say I'm sorry to everyone for getting their hopes up so soon.
I will say that I am correct that Montgomery Bell clinched the first berth into the Preds Cup semis from Pool A (as well as the #1 seed), because they are 2-0, and the two teams they have beaten in pool play - Father Ryan and Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central - are right behind them (meaning the Big Red own the head-to-head tiebreaker on each of them), and the Fighting Irish and Golden Bears will decide the other semifinalist from Pool A next Wednesday.
Likewise, I am correct in saying that Centennial are out of contention for the second semifinal berth from Pool A, because they are 0-2, and right behind Father Ryan and Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central...the two teams who have beaten the Cougars in pool play.
It is also correct that Hume Fogg-Page are out of the running for a berth in the Mielnik Cup Final, because they are dead last at 0-2, and three points behind second place Station Camp-Beech, and can only pick up two points with one game to go (which, oddly enough, is against the Bison, so the PatriKnights can mess with Station Camp's hopes of getting to the Final themselves).
But back to the Hine Cup, and Pool B in the Preds Cup. After the second round of pool play last night, JPII are all alone at the top of the pool standings at 2-0, with Franklin and Ensworth-Oakland right behind them at 1-1, and the Outlaws in dead last at 0-2.
Pool B in the Preds Cup has the exact same look; just switch the teams out: Ravenwood are 2-0, with Brentwood and Lipscomb-Brentwood Academy right behind them at 1-1, and Hendersonville in dead last at 0-2.
What's the problem here, you ask?
In both cases, the leaders are two points ahead of a team they've yet to face in pool play. Likewise, the teams in dead last are, you guessed it, two points behind a team they've yet to face in pool play.
In both tournaments, we could have a three-way tie for first at 2-1 (in the Hine Cup, this would mean Franklin beating the Outlaws this Monday, and Ensworth beating JPII in regulation next Friday; in Pool B in the Preds Cup next Wednesday, this would mean Brentwood beating Hendersonville, and Lipscomb beating Ravenwood in regulation).
We could also have a three-way tie for second at 1-2 (in the Hine Cup, this would mean the Outlaws beating Franklin in regulation, and JPII beating Ensworth in regulation; in Pool B in the Preds Cup, this would mean Hendersonville beating Brentwood in regulation, and Ravenwood beating Lipscomb in regulation; in this scenario in both tournaments, one team would finish all alone at the top, and reap whatever reward they get).
I was under the impression that, because JPII and Ravenwood had beaten two teams in their pool, they were on to the next round. Then, I realized this is pool play; you're only facing your pool opponents once.
Now, if the Outlaws had won last night, instead of Ensworth, JPII would've gotten a berth into the Hine Cup Final, because the two teams they had beaten in pool play would be right behind them, and, the best part, they would play each other on Monday, preventing any chance of a three-way tie.
Same with Ravenwood. Both they and Lipscomb would be on to the Preds Cup semis if Lipscomb had been able to beat Brentwood on Monday, because both they and Ravenwood would be 2-0, with no chance of either Brentwood or Hendersonville being able to close the gap.
Two-way ties in pool play are settled like they are in the regular season: If you beat the team you tied with head-to-head, you get nod.
Three-way ties are handled differently. Unlike the regular season, where everyone played their division opponents twice, you only get one crack at each of your pool opponents.
If there is a three-way tie in the Hine Cup at 2-1, then everyone is 1-1 against the teams they're tied with: JPII would've beaten Franklin, but lost to Ensworth; Franklin would've beaten Ensworth, but lost to JPII; Ensworth would've beaten JPII, but lost to Franklin. How do you break the ties?
Here's the criteria:
(3) If three (3) or more teams have an equal number of points at the conclusion of pool play, their final order of position will be determined in the following tie-breaker sequence:
(i) The greater number of games won in pool play
(ii) The greater number of games won in regulation in pool play
(iii) The greater differential (subtraction) between goals for and goals against for head to head games in pool play. (Max seven (7) goal differential per game).
(iv) Least penalty minutes in head to head games from pool play
(v) Least penalty minutes per game from pool play
(vi) If these tie-breaking techniques do not resolve the tie, the Commissioner shall resolve the matter.
Well, you have to scratch the first two, because they'd all be 2-1, and they'd have all won their games in regulation.
The third criterion should simply read "goal differential". That is what will be used first to break a three-way tie. Right now in Hine Cup pool play, JPII's goal differential is +5 (8 scored, 3 allowed), Franklin's is +1 (6 scored, 5 allowed), and Ensworth's is -3 (6 scored, 9 allowed).
Of course, this could all be moot if Franklin and JPII win their respective games, or, Franklin lose in OT or a shootout to the Outlaws on Monday. The latter scenario would give JPII the first berth in the Hine Cup Final, and force Ensworth to beat them on Friday to get the other berth.
Well, I've done enough rambling. Again, I apologize for getting any hopes up, or deflating any hopes, and I hope that whatever happens next week, the situation is resolved fairly.
-Michael Hackney
Friday, February 5, 2016
The A-Game saga ends in disgrace
Over 24 hours ago, I walked out of A-Game Sportsplex, another GNASH broadcast in the books.
I knew that, eventually, I'd be walking out of the facility for the last time.
I had no idea that last time would be on Wednesday night.
Chaos erupted on Gothic Court early Thursday morning, as people pulled up to A-Game's entrance, only to find it blocked by members of the Franklin Police Department. They were told that the owners had changed the building's locks, and that no one was allowed inside. The facility was closed, a strong-arm tactic by A-Game's owners to get the groups that run the building's volleyball and hockey programs to finally terminate their leases early, so that A-Game's owners can throw the keys to Al. Neyer, the Cincinnati-based real estate firm that began the process of buying the facility last July so they can turn it into office space.
This led to outraged parents who had invested tons of money for their children to play a season on the ice or court, and children crying, wondering if they'd ever get to skate or play hockey/volleyball/basketball with their friends again.
All along, it had been said that after the sale was complete, the respective sports would be allowed to finish their seasons in the spring, then Al. Neyer could begin redevelopment.
So much for promises.
It got ugly the week of Christmas. When Sports Land Group LLC - A-Game's owners - saw talks between them and the volleyball and hockey groups - Alliance and MDG, respectively - of getting an early termination of their leases break down, SLG took action. The week before Christmas, SLG sent an e-mail to A-Game employees, telling them to collect their belongings on Christmas Eve (the facility, as it always was, would be closed on Christmas Day), because the facility would probably be closing for good.
When the two groups got wind of the e-mail, they took matters to court. A restraining order was brought down against A-Game's owners. The order was in effect from the week of December 21 until this past Tuesday, when it was lifted, as a Williamson County judge saw it necessary for A-Game to be able to complete its sale to Al. Neyer. Otherwise, the facility would be at the risk of foreclosure.
The most stunning thing in all of this is the fact that SLG had been losing $72,000 a month on its business venture, How the heck do you lose that much money on a building that's seemingly packed every weekend? I mean, sure, it costs a lot to maintain the ice, but $72,000? What were they doing, gambling away their profit on riverboat cruises?
As a broadcaster, A-Game has been a big part of my life since 2009. Not just with GNASH games, but with weekend youth hockey tournaments. I have many memories of that place, from seeing Ravenwood win the Predators Cup there in 2010, to seeing the Raptors, Centennial, and most recently, Montgomery Bell, skating the GNASH Cup around as regular season champions. I even remember the scene I left behind on Rink 1 on Wednesday night - a bunch of guys playing late-night open hockey.
I can't imagine how a kid who's spent a massive part of his or her whole life in that building must feel. It's all been ripped away from them.
By people who are supposed to be adults.
To quote a song from the long-running Nicktoon, The Fairly OddParents, "Adults ruin everything."
Too bad a song from a silly cartoon series has such a massive amount of truth to it.
I knew that, eventually, I'd be walking out of the facility for the last time.
I had no idea that last time would be on Wednesday night.
Chaos erupted on Gothic Court early Thursday morning, as people pulled up to A-Game's entrance, only to find it blocked by members of the Franklin Police Department. They were told that the owners had changed the building's locks, and that no one was allowed inside. The facility was closed, a strong-arm tactic by A-Game's owners to get the groups that run the building's volleyball and hockey programs to finally terminate their leases early, so that A-Game's owners can throw the keys to Al. Neyer, the Cincinnati-based real estate firm that began the process of buying the facility last July so they can turn it into office space.
This led to outraged parents who had invested tons of money for their children to play a season on the ice or court, and children crying, wondering if they'd ever get to skate or play hockey/volleyball/basketball with their friends again.
All along, it had been said that after the sale was complete, the respective sports would be allowed to finish their seasons in the spring, then Al. Neyer could begin redevelopment.
So much for promises.
It got ugly the week of Christmas. When Sports Land Group LLC - A-Game's owners - saw talks between them and the volleyball and hockey groups - Alliance and MDG, respectively - of getting an early termination of their leases break down, SLG took action. The week before Christmas, SLG sent an e-mail to A-Game employees, telling them to collect their belongings on Christmas Eve (the facility, as it always was, would be closed on Christmas Day), because the facility would probably be closing for good.
When the two groups got wind of the e-mail, they took matters to court. A restraining order was brought down against A-Game's owners. The order was in effect from the week of December 21 until this past Tuesday, when it was lifted, as a Williamson County judge saw it necessary for A-Game to be able to complete its sale to Al. Neyer. Otherwise, the facility would be at the risk of foreclosure.
The most stunning thing in all of this is the fact that SLG had been losing $72,000 a month on its business venture, How the heck do you lose that much money on a building that's seemingly packed every weekend? I mean, sure, it costs a lot to maintain the ice, but $72,000? What were they doing, gambling away their profit on riverboat cruises?
As a broadcaster, A-Game has been a big part of my life since 2009. Not just with GNASH games, but with weekend youth hockey tournaments. I have many memories of that place, from seeing Ravenwood win the Predators Cup there in 2010, to seeing the Raptors, Centennial, and most recently, Montgomery Bell, skating the GNASH Cup around as regular season champions. I even remember the scene I left behind on Rink 1 on Wednesday night - a bunch of guys playing late-night open hockey.
I can't imagine how a kid who's spent a massive part of his or her whole life in that building must feel. It's all been ripped away from them.
By people who are supposed to be adults.
To quote a song from the long-running Nicktoon, The Fairly OddParents, "Adults ruin everything."
Too bad a song from a silly cartoon series has such a massive amount of truth to it.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Shootouts in the GNASH regular season: Implement them fully, or dump them
The Thanksgiving break has arrived for the GNASH regular season. We have completed one-third of said regular season. A total of 40 games have been played, 20 for each division.
Of those 40 games, a mere four (10%) were tied at the end of regulation. Of those four, only one went to a shootout, Franklin's 4-3 win over Station Camp-Beech on November 13, the lone blip in an otherwise stellar first third for the Bison. In fact, the standings page on the GNASH website still hasn't been updated with the addition of a shootout losses (SOL) column; the Bison are shown as having played five games, but one of those results is missing. The other three ended in draws, being unable to be decided on penalty shots because there wasn't enough time.
The first of these, a 4-4 deadlock between Tennessee Outlaws and Pope John Paul II on November 4, suffered a long delay late in the third period, due to a loose pane of glass that had to be fixed for safety reasons. Following the JPII Hockey Twitter account that night, the game might have gone to a shootout if it hadn't been for that delay.
The second, a controversial 7-7 result between Outlaws and Hendersonville on November 13, ran out of time, simply because there were so many play stoppages, for penalties (especially in the second period), and, of course, for goals. As for how the game ended? That's for another discussion at another time.
The third, a 3-3 stalemate between Hendersonville and Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central this past Wednesday, looks like a normal game, from the box score. Only six total goals scored, nine total penalties. Was there a long delay? I'm not sure, because neither team has a Twitter account, nor did I see it in person.
Shootouts were introduced into GNASH regular season play in 2013-14. For a GNASH regular season game to go into a shootout, there must be at least eight minutes left in the time window of the game currently being played. That rule is not always followed, though. Remember that crazy game between Hendersonville and Centennial back in January? That went way over the time window, with constant stoppages for goals and penalties, and it still went into a shootout, where Centennial prevailed.
Of course, a game going into a shootout still doesn't mean someone will come out a winner. Shootouts in GNASH regular season games are limited to three rounds. If no one's ahead at the end of three rounds, the game is a draw.
Both of these rules pretty much render shootouts in the regular season meaningless. Tied at the end of regulation, but can't settle the score because there's no time? Sorry, guys. Here's a point for each of you. Good game, everybody. You go to a shootout, but nobody's ahead at the end of the three-round limit? Same response.
All of this to asking this question: Why do we have shootouts in regular season games if it truly doesn't matter whether or not someone wins the game? You obviously need shootouts in the playoffs (that is, if a 5-minute, sudden-death overtime period doesn't get the job done); someone absolutely has to win those games. But if shootouts in regular season games can be either/or, why bother?
This issue especially needs to be raised this season, when so much is at stake. No longer does being in the Gold Division guarantee you a spot in the Predators Cup. If you finish in the Bottom 2, you're on your way to the Hine Cup with the 3rd- and 4th-place finishers in the Blue Division, while the Top 2 in said Blue Division join the Top 6 from the Gold Division in the state tournament. A tied game failing to go to a shootout, or a shootout failing to decide a winner, could mean the difference between getting to play for the biggest prize in high school hockey in Tennessee, and ending up playing for GNASH's NIT equivalent. Same for determining the GNASH Cup champion, or ending up in the Mielnik Memorial, instead of the Hine Cup.
And in terms of time, I've noticed an anomaly with the schedule, particularly with the games at Ford Ice Center. Games on the North Rink are given a 90-minute window; games on the South Rink get 75. If you get a game on the North Rink, and it's tied at the end of regulation, you're pretty much guaranteed a shootout, unless there's a massive delay. On the South Rink, you'd probably have to have a minute amount of stoppages to get a shootout in a tied game. That is a major fairness issue.
I hope the board addresses this during the offseason; it's too late to do anything now. If you're going to have shootouts in the regular season, they need to be integrated fully. If any game is tied at the end of regulation, no matter how much time is left in the game window, you go to a shootout, and you don't stop playing until there is a winner and there is a loser. Otherwise, dump them, and go back to having drawn games when regulation ended tied. There should be no either/or here.
There's too much at stake; especially this season.
-Michael Hackney
Of those 40 games, a mere four (10%) were tied at the end of regulation. Of those four, only one went to a shootout, Franklin's 4-3 win over Station Camp-Beech on November 13, the lone blip in an otherwise stellar first third for the Bison. In fact, the standings page on the GNASH website still hasn't been updated with the addition of a shootout losses (SOL) column; the Bison are shown as having played five games, but one of those results is missing. The other three ended in draws, being unable to be decided on penalty shots because there wasn't enough time.
The first of these, a 4-4 deadlock between Tennessee Outlaws and Pope John Paul II on November 4, suffered a long delay late in the third period, due to a loose pane of glass that had to be fixed for safety reasons. Following the JPII Hockey Twitter account that night, the game might have gone to a shootout if it hadn't been for that delay.
The second, a controversial 7-7 result between Outlaws and Hendersonville on November 13, ran out of time, simply because there were so many play stoppages, for penalties (especially in the second period), and, of course, for goals. As for how the game ended? That's for another discussion at another time.
The third, a 3-3 stalemate between Hendersonville and Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central this past Wednesday, looks like a normal game, from the box score. Only six total goals scored, nine total penalties. Was there a long delay? I'm not sure, because neither team has a Twitter account, nor did I see it in person.
Shootouts were introduced into GNASH regular season play in 2013-14. For a GNASH regular season game to go into a shootout, there must be at least eight minutes left in the time window of the game currently being played. That rule is not always followed, though. Remember that crazy game between Hendersonville and Centennial back in January? That went way over the time window, with constant stoppages for goals and penalties, and it still went into a shootout, where Centennial prevailed.
Of course, a game going into a shootout still doesn't mean someone will come out a winner. Shootouts in GNASH regular season games are limited to three rounds. If no one's ahead at the end of three rounds, the game is a draw.
Both of these rules pretty much render shootouts in the regular season meaningless. Tied at the end of regulation, but can't settle the score because there's no time? Sorry, guys. Here's a point for each of you. Good game, everybody. You go to a shootout, but nobody's ahead at the end of the three-round limit? Same response.
All of this to asking this question: Why do we have shootouts in regular season games if it truly doesn't matter whether or not someone wins the game? You obviously need shootouts in the playoffs (that is, if a 5-minute, sudden-death overtime period doesn't get the job done); someone absolutely has to win those games. But if shootouts in regular season games can be either/or, why bother?
This issue especially needs to be raised this season, when so much is at stake. No longer does being in the Gold Division guarantee you a spot in the Predators Cup. If you finish in the Bottom 2, you're on your way to the Hine Cup with the 3rd- and 4th-place finishers in the Blue Division, while the Top 2 in said Blue Division join the Top 6 from the Gold Division in the state tournament. A tied game failing to go to a shootout, or a shootout failing to decide a winner, could mean the difference between getting to play for the biggest prize in high school hockey in Tennessee, and ending up playing for GNASH's NIT equivalent. Same for determining the GNASH Cup champion, or ending up in the Mielnik Memorial, instead of the Hine Cup.
And in terms of time, I've noticed an anomaly with the schedule, particularly with the games at Ford Ice Center. Games on the North Rink are given a 90-minute window; games on the South Rink get 75. If you get a game on the North Rink, and it's tied at the end of regulation, you're pretty much guaranteed a shootout, unless there's a massive delay. On the South Rink, you'd probably have to have a minute amount of stoppages to get a shootout in a tied game. That is a major fairness issue.
I hope the board addresses this during the offseason; it's too late to do anything now. If you're going to have shootouts in the regular season, they need to be integrated fully. If any game is tied at the end of regulation, no matter how much time is left in the game window, you go to a shootout, and you don't stop playing until there is a winner and there is a loser. Otherwise, dump them, and go back to having drawn games when regulation ended tied. There should be no either/or here.
There's too much at stake; especially this season.
-Michael Hackney
Saturday, November 29, 2014
Getting into the Predators Cup - what GNASH's Tier 2 teams must do with four games left, and, farewell to Kevin Whitmire
The GNASH season resumes tomorrow with a few teams practicing, as a briefer-than-normal Thanksgiving break - thanks to Centennial and Hendersonville having to play a makeup game on Monday night - comes to a close.
With two weeks left before the month-long Christmas/New Year's break, the focus turns sharply to Tier 2, where we're on the verge of determining which two teams will be playing in the Predators Conference for January play, and which three teams will fall into the Hine Conference.
By the end of Wednesday night's slate of games, one team could clinch a spot in the Predators Conference, and another team fall into the Hine Conference. We'll go through each's team scenarios by order of their current position in the standings, starting with:
Tennessee Outlaws
The Outlaws were pretty much a safe bet to get into the big show because they have so much depth. They've been at the top of Tier 2 since the season started, and with the exception of a couple of blips on the radar, both of which came against Pope John Paul II-Goodpasture, have been pretty solid and steady. The tier-leading Outlaws are up by four points over the second-place Knights (15-11), and could have themselves a spot in the Predators Conference before their game against Montgomery Bell next Saturday, which is being played ahead of schedule because of MBA having finals. The Outlaws needn't worry about JPII-Goodpasture, but rather, Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central, since there are, after all, two spots up for grabs, not one. The Outlaws have a five-point lead on the third-place Golden Bears, who play JPII-Goodpasture on Wednesday.
The Outlaws' four remaining games before Christmas are as follows:
Wednesday vs. Ensworth-FRA
Friday vs. JPII-Goodpasture
Saturday vs. MBA
December 12 vs. Hendersonville
For the Outlaws, the clinching scenario is simple: defeat Ensworth-FRA on Wednesday, with JPII-Goodpasture beating Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central in the game immediately preceding, and a spot in the Predators Conference is yours, and those games against MBA and Hendersonville become an early look at how you might do against Tier 1 competition. JPII-Goodpasture can beat Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central in either regulation or a shootout, because, even if the Golden Bears completely made up a six-point deficit to the Outlaws over their last three games, the Outlaws have beaten MJ-WC in both of the teams' meetings this season, so, Tennessee owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.
If Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central beats JPII-Goodpasture on Wednesday, then the Outlaws would have to win on Wednesday and Friday to snatch up a spot. I would post all the scenarios, but, I don't think there's any way the Outlaws are going to stumble now.
Pope John Paul II-Goodpasture
The reigning Blue Division State Tournament champions started the season 0-2-1 (a loss to Hendersonville on opening night, a stunning draw against the Outlaws, then a shocking beatdown from Blackman-Stewarts Creek on Halloween), but have since won five of their last six, the only blemish in this run being a 4-2 loss to MBA on November 12, and the biggest result being that vicious 6-1 spanking they gave the Outlaws (with one Russell Morris in the line-up, mind you) two nights later. Since those opening three games, the Knights have really gelled, and are back to playing the type of hockey we're used to seeing them play, a great occurrence after a difficult 2013-14 campaign, albeit with the happy ending. Unlike the Outlaws, who only have Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central to watch, the Knights have both MJ-WC and Ensworth-FRA looming behind them. The Knights are a point ahead of Mt. Juliet (11-10), and three ahead of Ensworth-FRA. The Knights' four remaining games are:
Wednesday vs. Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central
Friday vs. Tennessee Outlaws
December 10 vs. Independence-Summit
December 12 vs. Ensworth-FRA
The Knights can also have a spot in the Predators Conference secured by the end of the week, but, they're going to need some help to do so. First off, the Knights must win both of their games this week, against the Golden Bears and Outlaws, with Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central also losing to Franklin-Oakland on Friday night. They also need the Outlaws to defeat Ensworth-FRA on Wednesday. This entire scenarion occurring would give the Knights a five-point lead over both Mt. Juliet and Ensworth, allowing them clinch a Preds Conference berth at the end of the week. They can beat MJ-WC in regulation or a shootout and still be able to clinch on Friday, since they would then own the head-to-head against the Golden Bears. Otherwise, it looks like JPII-Goodpasture needs to win out (or, at least win three of their last four, with one of those three being against Mt. Juliet), because Mt. Juliet has three very winnable games remaining after Wednesday.
Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central
The reigning Hine Cup champs have a chance to abdicate their throne for greener pastures, but time is running out. They're sandwiched between a hot JPII-Goodpasture and a stumbling Ensworth-FRA, both of whom the Golden Bears have lost a game to. MJ-WC avenged that one loss to Ensworth a week ago last night, but, the Ice Tigers own the goal differential tiebreaker, outscoring the Bears 5-4 over both games. It seems, though, that the Knights are now the bigger concern. The Bears are without Kieran Ogle, now in Detroit, playing for the Belle Tire Selects, but have maintained the core that guided them to the Hine Cup last season, albeit having graduated Shaun Silk. The loss to Ensworth on November 5 stands out, because if that were reversed, Mt. Juliet would be a point ahead of JPII, but, you can't play with the past. The Golden Bears' final four games include a scheduling oddity:
Wednesday vs. Pope John Paul II-Goodpasture
Friday vs. Franklin-Oakland
December 10 & 12 vs. Station Camp-Beech
That's right - the Bears close their pre-Christmas slate with back-to-back showdowns with the Bison. As previously mentioned, the Bears' last three games are winnable, since their opponents have struggled, but beating JPII-Goodpasture in regulation would put them up by a point with three games left, going a long way towards getting that last spot. For Mt. Juliet, their scenario is simple but difficult: they need to win just one of their four remaining games (a win against JPII-Goodpasture must come in regulation, because a shootout win would give JPII the tiebreaker of number of points earned in head-to-head games, having already won the teams' first meeting), with JPII losing all of their remaining games in regulation, and Ensworth-FRA losing three of their last four in regulation.
Ensworth-FRA
The Ice Tigers started out by winning three of their first four, the lone loss coming to MBA on October 30. The trend has reversed, though, and they've now lost four of their last five, the only win in this run coming against Indy-Summit on November 14. Franklin-Oakland and Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central avenged losses to the Ice Tigers the week before Thanksgiving, and now, Ensworth's hopes of getting to the Preds Cup are slowly slipping away. They're seven points behind the Outlaws as of this moment, and, if that gap remains the same after Wednesday, their chances will suddenly take a big hit, because the gap to the Outlaws would be insurmountable, and they would find themselves locked in a three-way battle for the last spot. But the two teams immediately ahead should be their biggest concern. They pretty much need a collapse from both JPII-Goodpasture and Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central. Even worse news for Ensworth is the fact that their first post-Thanksgiving game is against...the Outlaws. Lose that game, with either side winning the JPII-Mt. Juliet game prior, and suddenly, the Ice Tigers need a ton of help. In fact, their remaining schedule is nail-biting:
Wednesday vs. Tennessee Outlaws
Friday vs. Blackman-Stewarts Creek
December 10 vs. Hume Fogg-Page
December 12 vs. Pope John Paul II-Goodpasture
The game against Hume Fogg-Page is pretty winnable, considering the tailspin the PatriKnights are currently in. The game against Blackman is harder to judge. But having to close out with JPII is just brutal. The odd thing is, it's the teams' only meeting pre-Christmas, and it happens to be the last night of play before the long break. The Ice Tigers are only three points behind JPII, but their task of getting that last spot is tall. If they lose to the Outlaws on Wednesday, Mt. Juliet beating JPII in the game before would be the lesser of two evils, because, they would still have a fighting chance. A four-point gap to the Bears is better than a five-point gap to the Knights. Forget about the Outlaws: Ensworth-FRA need to win three of their last four games, with JPII-Goodpasture losing three of their last four in regulation, and Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central losing two of their last four in regulation. It's a tall task, but this is GNASH, and crazier things have happened (Ravenwood-Brentwood winning the 2010 Hine Cup after having only won two games in the regular season, both of which came after Christmas, anyone?).
Franklin-Oakland
The Rebels were the #1 seed in the Hine Cup last year, but got forced out in two games. They finished their season as runners-up to JPII in the Blue Division Tournament. This season, a lack of pucks in the net have put Franklin-Oakland way behind the 8 ball, a shock when you consider how well Dylan Akers has played in net; taking over from Peter Yasso is no easy task. The Rebels have only two wins: against Hume Fogg-Page on November 7, and Ensworth-FRA on November 19. They have no draws, and no shootout losses, meaning, they have only four points. They sit seven points behind JPII-Goodpasture, and if JPII wins on Wednesday night against Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central, or even draws or loses in a shootout, Franklin-Oakland will find themselves in the Hine Conference. What's worse, as their last four games before Christmas show, they have to play a couple of Tier 1 squads; not great news for a struggling team:
Wednesday vs. Hume Fogg-Page
Friday vs. Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central
December 10 vs. Hendersonville
December 12 vs. MBA
The Rebels truly control their own destiny. The game against Hume Fogg is winnable, but they have only one game against the three teams immediately in front of them in Tier 2. Franklin have to tiptoe through a minefield to reach their goal; I'm sorry to say, I don't think they'll make it. They need a complete and total collapse from the three teams in front of them. They need to win out, with JPII, Mt. Juliet, and Ensworth losing every single game they have left. That's how tall their task is. I don't think they can beat Hendersonville; I think it's too late for them to make up ground.
These last two weeks are going to be a lot of fun to watch. Getting to the Preds Cup out of Tier 2 is as simple as following the Al Davis philosophy: "Just win, baby!"
Finally, a fond farewell to Kevin Whitmire, whom, tomorrow, will move back to his native Texas to start a new job on Monday. His wife and two children will join him after the school year wraps up in Maury County. They've also recently announced that they are expecting their third child. Kevin has been more than vital in helping MTSN get to where it is now. He joined us in September 2009, and has really helped get our GNASH coverage out there. He stepped away in 2011 to take up contract work with KBR in Iraq. He returned in December 2012, and got right back into GNASH coverage. His most recent broadcast with us was the UT-Vandy game at Bridgestone Arena back on March 30. Kevin's most recent broadcasting assignment was the State Wars roller hockey tournament in Fort Wayne, Indiana, back in late July and early August. In addition to GNASH, Kevin also did play-by-play for football and baseball on occasion, and helped me and Craig Jolly call races at Thunderhill Raceway in Summertown. He's a great businessman, and when we had the chance to get GNASH coverage on WAKM last season, he made a big push. He fell short (though, that's more down to the businesses not realizing the benefits of advertising with us, than him), but I'll always appreciate the effort. Kevin: Thanks, and good luck. We're gonna miss you.
GNASH coverage resumes Monday evening with Hendersonville taking on Ravenwood. The schedule for the last two weeks leading up to Christmas is up at MTSNOnline.com.
-Michael Hackney
With two weeks left before the month-long Christmas/New Year's break, the focus turns sharply to Tier 2, where we're on the verge of determining which two teams will be playing in the Predators Conference for January play, and which three teams will fall into the Hine Conference.
By the end of Wednesday night's slate of games, one team could clinch a spot in the Predators Conference, and another team fall into the Hine Conference. We'll go through each's team scenarios by order of their current position in the standings, starting with:
Tennessee Outlaws
The Outlaws were pretty much a safe bet to get into the big show because they have so much depth. They've been at the top of Tier 2 since the season started, and with the exception of a couple of blips on the radar, both of which came against Pope John Paul II-Goodpasture, have been pretty solid and steady. The tier-leading Outlaws are up by four points over the second-place Knights (15-11), and could have themselves a spot in the Predators Conference before their game against Montgomery Bell next Saturday, which is being played ahead of schedule because of MBA having finals. The Outlaws needn't worry about JPII-Goodpasture, but rather, Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central, since there are, after all, two spots up for grabs, not one. The Outlaws have a five-point lead on the third-place Golden Bears, who play JPII-Goodpasture on Wednesday.
The Outlaws' four remaining games before Christmas are as follows:
Wednesday vs. Ensworth-FRA
Friday vs. JPII-Goodpasture
Saturday vs. MBA
December 12 vs. Hendersonville
For the Outlaws, the clinching scenario is simple: defeat Ensworth-FRA on Wednesday, with JPII-Goodpasture beating Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central in the game immediately preceding, and a spot in the Predators Conference is yours, and those games against MBA and Hendersonville become an early look at how you might do against Tier 1 competition. JPII-Goodpasture can beat Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central in either regulation or a shootout, because, even if the Golden Bears completely made up a six-point deficit to the Outlaws over their last three games, the Outlaws have beaten MJ-WC in both of the teams' meetings this season, so, Tennessee owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.
If Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central beats JPII-Goodpasture on Wednesday, then the Outlaws would have to win on Wednesday and Friday to snatch up a spot. I would post all the scenarios, but, I don't think there's any way the Outlaws are going to stumble now.
Pope John Paul II-Goodpasture
The reigning Blue Division State Tournament champions started the season 0-2-1 (a loss to Hendersonville on opening night, a stunning draw against the Outlaws, then a shocking beatdown from Blackman-Stewarts Creek on Halloween), but have since won five of their last six, the only blemish in this run being a 4-2 loss to MBA on November 12, and the biggest result being that vicious 6-1 spanking they gave the Outlaws (with one Russell Morris in the line-up, mind you) two nights later. Since those opening three games, the Knights have really gelled, and are back to playing the type of hockey we're used to seeing them play, a great occurrence after a difficult 2013-14 campaign, albeit with the happy ending. Unlike the Outlaws, who only have Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central to watch, the Knights have both MJ-WC and Ensworth-FRA looming behind them. The Knights are a point ahead of Mt. Juliet (11-10), and three ahead of Ensworth-FRA. The Knights' four remaining games are:
Wednesday vs. Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central
Friday vs. Tennessee Outlaws
December 10 vs. Independence-Summit
December 12 vs. Ensworth-FRA
The Knights can also have a spot in the Predators Conference secured by the end of the week, but, they're going to need some help to do so. First off, the Knights must win both of their games this week, against the Golden Bears and Outlaws, with Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central also losing to Franklin-Oakland on Friday night. They also need the Outlaws to defeat Ensworth-FRA on Wednesday. This entire scenarion occurring would give the Knights a five-point lead over both Mt. Juliet and Ensworth, allowing them clinch a Preds Conference berth at the end of the week. They can beat MJ-WC in regulation or a shootout and still be able to clinch on Friday, since they would then own the head-to-head against the Golden Bears. Otherwise, it looks like JPII-Goodpasture needs to win out (or, at least win three of their last four, with one of those three being against Mt. Juliet), because Mt. Juliet has three very winnable games remaining after Wednesday.
Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central
The reigning Hine Cup champs have a chance to abdicate their throne for greener pastures, but time is running out. They're sandwiched between a hot JPII-Goodpasture and a stumbling Ensworth-FRA, both of whom the Golden Bears have lost a game to. MJ-WC avenged that one loss to Ensworth a week ago last night, but, the Ice Tigers own the goal differential tiebreaker, outscoring the Bears 5-4 over both games. It seems, though, that the Knights are now the bigger concern. The Bears are without Kieran Ogle, now in Detroit, playing for the Belle Tire Selects, but have maintained the core that guided them to the Hine Cup last season, albeit having graduated Shaun Silk. The loss to Ensworth on November 5 stands out, because if that were reversed, Mt. Juliet would be a point ahead of JPII, but, you can't play with the past. The Golden Bears' final four games include a scheduling oddity:
Wednesday vs. Pope John Paul II-Goodpasture
Friday vs. Franklin-Oakland
December 10 & 12 vs. Station Camp-Beech
That's right - the Bears close their pre-Christmas slate with back-to-back showdowns with the Bison. As previously mentioned, the Bears' last three games are winnable, since their opponents have struggled, but beating JPII-Goodpasture in regulation would put them up by a point with three games left, going a long way towards getting that last spot. For Mt. Juliet, their scenario is simple but difficult: they need to win just one of their four remaining games (a win against JPII-Goodpasture must come in regulation, because a shootout win would give JPII the tiebreaker of number of points earned in head-to-head games, having already won the teams' first meeting), with JPII losing all of their remaining games in regulation, and Ensworth-FRA losing three of their last four in regulation.
Ensworth-FRA
The Ice Tigers started out by winning three of their first four, the lone loss coming to MBA on October 30. The trend has reversed, though, and they've now lost four of their last five, the only win in this run coming against Indy-Summit on November 14. Franklin-Oakland and Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central avenged losses to the Ice Tigers the week before Thanksgiving, and now, Ensworth's hopes of getting to the Preds Cup are slowly slipping away. They're seven points behind the Outlaws as of this moment, and, if that gap remains the same after Wednesday, their chances will suddenly take a big hit, because the gap to the Outlaws would be insurmountable, and they would find themselves locked in a three-way battle for the last spot. But the two teams immediately ahead should be their biggest concern. They pretty much need a collapse from both JPII-Goodpasture and Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central. Even worse news for Ensworth is the fact that their first post-Thanksgiving game is against...the Outlaws. Lose that game, with either side winning the JPII-Mt. Juliet game prior, and suddenly, the Ice Tigers need a ton of help. In fact, their remaining schedule is nail-biting:
Wednesday vs. Tennessee Outlaws
Friday vs. Blackman-Stewarts Creek
December 10 vs. Hume Fogg-Page
December 12 vs. Pope John Paul II-Goodpasture
The game against Hume Fogg-Page is pretty winnable, considering the tailspin the PatriKnights are currently in. The game against Blackman is harder to judge. But having to close out with JPII is just brutal. The odd thing is, it's the teams' only meeting pre-Christmas, and it happens to be the last night of play before the long break. The Ice Tigers are only three points behind JPII, but their task of getting that last spot is tall. If they lose to the Outlaws on Wednesday, Mt. Juliet beating JPII in the game before would be the lesser of two evils, because, they would still have a fighting chance. A four-point gap to the Bears is better than a five-point gap to the Knights. Forget about the Outlaws: Ensworth-FRA need to win three of their last four games, with JPII-Goodpasture losing three of their last four in regulation, and Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central losing two of their last four in regulation. It's a tall task, but this is GNASH, and crazier things have happened (Ravenwood-Brentwood winning the 2010 Hine Cup after having only won two games in the regular season, both of which came after Christmas, anyone?).
Franklin-Oakland
The Rebels were the #1 seed in the Hine Cup last year, but got forced out in two games. They finished their season as runners-up to JPII in the Blue Division Tournament. This season, a lack of pucks in the net have put Franklin-Oakland way behind the 8 ball, a shock when you consider how well Dylan Akers has played in net; taking over from Peter Yasso is no easy task. The Rebels have only two wins: against Hume Fogg-Page on November 7, and Ensworth-FRA on November 19. They have no draws, and no shootout losses, meaning, they have only four points. They sit seven points behind JPII-Goodpasture, and if JPII wins on Wednesday night against Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central, or even draws or loses in a shootout, Franklin-Oakland will find themselves in the Hine Conference. What's worse, as their last four games before Christmas show, they have to play a couple of Tier 1 squads; not great news for a struggling team:
Wednesday vs. Hume Fogg-Page
Friday vs. Mt. Juliet-Wilson Central
December 10 vs. Hendersonville
December 12 vs. MBA
The Rebels truly control their own destiny. The game against Hume Fogg is winnable, but they have only one game against the three teams immediately in front of them in Tier 2. Franklin have to tiptoe through a minefield to reach their goal; I'm sorry to say, I don't think they'll make it. They need a complete and total collapse from the three teams in front of them. They need to win out, with JPII, Mt. Juliet, and Ensworth losing every single game they have left. That's how tall their task is. I don't think they can beat Hendersonville; I think it's too late for them to make up ground.
These last two weeks are going to be a lot of fun to watch. Getting to the Preds Cup out of Tier 2 is as simple as following the Al Davis philosophy: "Just win, baby!"
Finally, a fond farewell to Kevin Whitmire, whom, tomorrow, will move back to his native Texas to start a new job on Monday. His wife and two children will join him after the school year wraps up in Maury County. They've also recently announced that they are expecting their third child. Kevin has been more than vital in helping MTSN get to where it is now. He joined us in September 2009, and has really helped get our GNASH coverage out there. He stepped away in 2011 to take up contract work with KBR in Iraq. He returned in December 2012, and got right back into GNASH coverage. His most recent broadcast with us was the UT-Vandy game at Bridgestone Arena back on March 30. Kevin's most recent broadcasting assignment was the State Wars roller hockey tournament in Fort Wayne, Indiana, back in late July and early August. In addition to GNASH, Kevin also did play-by-play for football and baseball on occasion, and helped me and Craig Jolly call races at Thunderhill Raceway in Summertown. He's a great businessman, and when we had the chance to get GNASH coverage on WAKM last season, he made a big push. He fell short (though, that's more down to the businesses not realizing the benefits of advertising with us, than him), but I'll always appreciate the effort. Kevin: Thanks, and good luck. We're gonna miss you.
GNASH coverage resumes Monday evening with Hendersonville taking on Ravenwood. The schedule for the last two weeks leading up to Christmas is up at MTSNOnline.com.
-Michael Hackney
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Are the TSSAA's recent penalties about post-game football brawls teaching an unfortunate lesson?
On Thursday night, MTSN closed out its sixth season of high school football coverage, featuring LaVergne shockingly crushing Siegel 56-23 to nail down its first playoff berth since 2006. In the fourth quarter, after Roshea Grays scored his third rushing touchdown of the night from eight yards out, LaVergne offensive lineman Charlie Heughan and Siegel defensive lineman Isahia Gooch became entangled and started throwing punches at each other, leading to their ejections. The officials were quick to break up the fight, and both teams' coaching staffs did a great job in keeping their sidelines calm.
Earlier in the evening, on the Eastern side of the state, Daniel Boone and David Crockett engaged in battle while shaking hands following another rendition of their classic rivalry, the Musket Bowl. WJHL, a CBS affiliated located in Johnson City, captured three Crockett players pulling a Boone player out of the handshake line, and throwing him to the ground. Multiple Boone players charged in to aid their teammate, and all hell broke loose. A fan who came on to the field was arrested for shoving a cop.
Six days prior, in Memphis, as Hillcrest celebrated a win over Mitchell, a player from the losing team prepared to hit a Hillcrest player with his helmet. A Hillcrest coach stepped in between, took the blow, and twisted his ankle while falling. A brawl which included fans ensued.
All four teams have been banned from the next three postseasons, including this upcoming one, and fines totaling $4,750. They are all appealing the punishments. It's especially unfortunate for Hillcrest and Mitchell, who were going to finish in the Top 2 in District 16-A, earning themselves first-round byes for the Class 2A playoffs.
Siegel and LaVergne will be fined for the fight, since players were ejected, but because it didn't escalate into all-out mayhem, nothing else will come of it. A week prior, we featured Siegel taking on Blackman, where not one, but two scuffles broke out: one during the first quarter on the Siegel sideline, and the other right at the end of the game, when a spearing tackle against Blackman's Jauan Jennings caused tempers to flare. The latter scuffle forced Siegel head coach Greg Wyant to make his team leave the field without shaking hands as a preventative measure. Nothing of note came from either of those two incidents.
That leads to this question: Is the TSSAA sending the message that it's better to fight during the game than after or before? It sure looks like it. Think about the scenarios: in the Hillcrest-Mitchell and Boone-Crockett brawls, the game was over, and everyone was on the field, off the sidelines. Sure, the officials are outnumbered during play, but when the game is going on, they only have to keep 22 players in check. When everyone is brawling, the officials are completely outnumbered, because now, you're talking about close to, maybe even more than, 100 people on the field, all centering around an altercation.
Officials - and quick-thinking teammates - were able to break up the Heughan-Gooch fight without any further incident because it happened while the game was going on, and everyone else was on the sidelines - or in the stands - like they were supposed to be. It may have been in a dead ball situation, but, the game was taking place. Same with the first Siegel-Blackman skirmish the week prior. In the end, both altercations were minor incidents. The Hillcrest-Mitchell and Boone-Crockett brawls overshadowed the game, and, in the case of the latter, made headlines all across the state, even leading off newscasts in the Tri-Cities. It goes from a minor incident to a disgrace, and must be dealt with accordingly, though, banning the four teams from just this postseason instead of the next three is probably a better punishment.
So, lesson learned, high school football programs of Tennessee: if you're gonna fight, do it during a game, not before or after. And to everyone on the sidelines and in the stands, make sure you stay on the sidelines, and in the stands, or else, you risk your team's postseason eligibility.
Earlier in the evening, on the Eastern side of the state, Daniel Boone and David Crockett engaged in battle while shaking hands following another rendition of their classic rivalry, the Musket Bowl. WJHL, a CBS affiliated located in Johnson City, captured three Crockett players pulling a Boone player out of the handshake line, and throwing him to the ground. Multiple Boone players charged in to aid their teammate, and all hell broke loose. A fan who came on to the field was arrested for shoving a cop.
Six days prior, in Memphis, as Hillcrest celebrated a win over Mitchell, a player from the losing team prepared to hit a Hillcrest player with his helmet. A Hillcrest coach stepped in between, took the blow, and twisted his ankle while falling. A brawl which included fans ensued.
All four teams have been banned from the next three postseasons, including this upcoming one, and fines totaling $4,750. They are all appealing the punishments. It's especially unfortunate for Hillcrest and Mitchell, who were going to finish in the Top 2 in District 16-A, earning themselves first-round byes for the Class 2A playoffs.
Siegel and LaVergne will be fined for the fight, since players were ejected, but because it didn't escalate into all-out mayhem, nothing else will come of it. A week prior, we featured Siegel taking on Blackman, where not one, but two scuffles broke out: one during the first quarter on the Siegel sideline, and the other right at the end of the game, when a spearing tackle against Blackman's Jauan Jennings caused tempers to flare. The latter scuffle forced Siegel head coach Greg Wyant to make his team leave the field without shaking hands as a preventative measure. Nothing of note came from either of those two incidents.
That leads to this question: Is the TSSAA sending the message that it's better to fight during the game than after or before? It sure looks like it. Think about the scenarios: in the Hillcrest-Mitchell and Boone-Crockett brawls, the game was over, and everyone was on the field, off the sidelines. Sure, the officials are outnumbered during play, but when the game is going on, they only have to keep 22 players in check. When everyone is brawling, the officials are completely outnumbered, because now, you're talking about close to, maybe even more than, 100 people on the field, all centering around an altercation.
Officials - and quick-thinking teammates - were able to break up the Heughan-Gooch fight without any further incident because it happened while the game was going on, and everyone else was on the sidelines - or in the stands - like they were supposed to be. It may have been in a dead ball situation, but, the game was taking place. Same with the first Siegel-Blackman skirmish the week prior. In the end, both altercations were minor incidents. The Hillcrest-Mitchell and Boone-Crockett brawls overshadowed the game, and, in the case of the latter, made headlines all across the state, even leading off newscasts in the Tri-Cities. It goes from a minor incident to a disgrace, and must be dealt with accordingly, though, banning the four teams from just this postseason instead of the next three is probably a better punishment.
So, lesson learned, high school football programs of Tennessee: if you're gonna fight, do it during a game, not before or after. And to everyone on the sidelines and in the stands, make sure you stay on the sidelines, and in the stands, or else, you risk your team's postseason eligibility.
Monday, September 1, 2014
Hey, Nashville's new NA3HL team, where's the roster?
On May 1 of this year, the NA3HL, the third tier of the North American Hockey League, the biggest junior hockey league on the continent, announced that Nashville would be one of three new markets getting NA3HL teams (the other two being Decatur, Alabama, home of the new Point Mallard Ducks; and North Richland Hills, Texas, a suburb of Fort Worth, home of the new Texas Brahmas, whose head coach is ex-Ravenwood boss Al Rooney, who will come up again in this blog post). After being unnamed for a few weeks, the team decided to be smart, and call themselves the Jr. Predators, though they aren't affiliated with the youth program. The team is owned by Franklin-based MDG Management, which includes former Pred J.P. Dumont. Dumont is also serving as the Jr. Preds' general manager.
The team will play its home games on weekends on Rink 1 at A-Game Sportsplex in Cool Springs, the first being on Friday, October 3, though one game - against Rooney's Brahmas - will be held at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday, November 15. The team's first game is in 18 days, against the Topeka Capitals at the Kansas ExpoCentre. I hope to make it out to some games, and I hope you will, too.
However, not everything is completely rosy with the Jr. Predators. They really haven't marketed themselves very well, and they seem to spend more time retweeting stuff on their Twitter account (@NashvilleNA3HL) than posting news. The biggest problem on the team's website is the fact that they haven't posted a roster. The team Tweeted this three months ago:
But that's all I can find. Are there any other GNASHers who have signed up with the team? Kyle Kawamura? Kieran Ogle? Brenden Eng Tow? I don't know. Not even the team's "31 in 31" preview on the NA3HL website mentioned any players.
Meanwhile, Rooney's Brahmas have been announcing player signings left and right. Three of them are GNASHers: former Ravenwood Raptor, Zach McPherson; Brock Brown, now formerly of Station Camp-Beech; and Matt Alfieri, now formerly of Pope John Paul II. I've complimented Al and the Brahmas on announcing their signings; this is a great way to get people interested in the team, especially kids.
This brings us back to the Jr. Preds. Why have they said absolutely nothing about who will be wearing the sweater for them? Why did it take a Twitter search for me to finally find someone who's going to play for them? The team took part in the NA3HL draft in June, but didn't draft one player from the Nashville area. Did any of the players drafted end up signing? I have no idea.
What's even wilder about all of this is the fact that the team is on their second head coach before even playing their first game! In late May, Steve Howard, who won the league's Coach of the Year Award head-manning the Flint Junior Generals last year, was hired. By the time the league's camp in Flint, Michigan, rolled around last month, Howard had left his post to become an assistant coach with the United States Hockey League's Waterloo Blackhawks. Taking over was Karlis Zirnis, a Nashville resident for the last few years, who had worked at A-Game. Zirnis was an assistant to Ted Nolan for Latvia's men's hockey team during the Winter Olympics in Sochi back in February, where they reached the quarterfinals, and gave Canada a hard time, before the eventual gold medalists pushed Latvia out. A local coach in Zirnis and at least one local player in Elrod is a good foundation to build this team on.
But more has to be done.
Get out in the community with player appearances, buy ads on TV and the radio, put up a billboard, COUGH UP A ROSTER! No one ever got attention by sitting on their hands. The Jr. Preds are opening for business at the right time in this market, with the opening of Ford Ice Center in Antioch, but they need to make themselves visible if they want to succeed.
I love that the Nashville market has an NA3HL team, since it means that any GNASH players who want to go to the next level can do so without leaving the state, but getting a fanbase starts with them. So far, it seems that only the diehards are aware of the team's existence. The Jr. Predators failing would be a big blow to the Nashville market (and the youth version almost blew things up this past Spring, which would've been absolutely horrible for hockey around here), so, just give us a roster. That's all we need.
The team will play its home games on weekends on Rink 1 at A-Game Sportsplex in Cool Springs, the first being on Friday, October 3, though one game - against Rooney's Brahmas - will be held at Bridgestone Arena on Saturday, November 15. The team's first game is in 18 days, against the Topeka Capitals at the Kansas ExpoCentre. I hope to make it out to some games, and I hope you will, too.
However, not everything is completely rosy with the Jr. Predators. They really haven't marketed themselves very well, and they seem to spend more time retweeting stuff on their Twitter account (@NashvilleNA3HL) than posting news. The biggest problem on the team's website is the fact that they haven't posted a roster. The team Tweeted this three months ago:
First local tender announcement coming soon - things coming together for Nashville Jr hockey #NA3HL
— NashvilleNA3HL (@NashvilleNA3HL) June 4, 2014
But nothing ever came. In fact, the Twitter account, website, and Facebook page the team operate has only somewhat mentioned the players in regards to being a host family to those from out-of-town.
After months of Twitter searching, I ran across this earlier this morning:
Proud to say I've signed with the Nashville Jr. Predators of the NA3HL.
— Jacob Elrod (@ellyrod7) August 7, 2014
That's right. Jacob Elrod, one of the biggest pieces of Centennial's Predators Cup-winning team in the most recent GNASH season, has signed with the Jr. Predators. And good for Jacob. He deserves this shot at the next level, and I'm glad he's doing it in his hometown.But that's all I can find. Are there any other GNASHers who have signed up with the team? Kyle Kawamura? Kieran Ogle? Brenden Eng Tow? I don't know. Not even the team's "31 in 31" preview on the NA3HL website mentioned any players.
Meanwhile, Rooney's Brahmas have been announcing player signings left and right. Three of them are GNASHers: former Ravenwood Raptor, Zach McPherson; Brock Brown, now formerly of Station Camp-Beech; and Matt Alfieri, now formerly of Pope John Paul II. I've complimented Al and the Brahmas on announcing their signings; this is a great way to get people interested in the team, especially kids.
This brings us back to the Jr. Preds. Why have they said absolutely nothing about who will be wearing the sweater for them? Why did it take a Twitter search for me to finally find someone who's going to play for them? The team took part in the NA3HL draft in June, but didn't draft one player from the Nashville area. Did any of the players drafted end up signing? I have no idea.
What's even wilder about all of this is the fact that the team is on their second head coach before even playing their first game! In late May, Steve Howard, who won the league's Coach of the Year Award head-manning the Flint Junior Generals last year, was hired. By the time the league's camp in Flint, Michigan, rolled around last month, Howard had left his post to become an assistant coach with the United States Hockey League's Waterloo Blackhawks. Taking over was Karlis Zirnis, a Nashville resident for the last few years, who had worked at A-Game. Zirnis was an assistant to Ted Nolan for Latvia's men's hockey team during the Winter Olympics in Sochi back in February, where they reached the quarterfinals, and gave Canada a hard time, before the eventual gold medalists pushed Latvia out. A local coach in Zirnis and at least one local player in Elrod is a good foundation to build this team on.
But more has to be done.
Get out in the community with player appearances, buy ads on TV and the radio, put up a billboard, COUGH UP A ROSTER! No one ever got attention by sitting on their hands. The Jr. Preds are opening for business at the right time in this market, with the opening of Ford Ice Center in Antioch, but they need to make themselves visible if they want to succeed.
I love that the Nashville market has an NA3HL team, since it means that any GNASH players who want to go to the next level can do so without leaving the state, but getting a fanbase starts with them. So far, it seems that only the diehards are aware of the team's existence. The Jr. Predators failing would be a big blow to the Nashville market (and the youth version almost blew things up this past Spring, which would've been absolutely horrible for hockey around here), so, just give us a roster. That's all we need.
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