Another Jackson Prep Championship, Another Essay by Curmudgeon

[curmudgeon]

on why Mississippi schools should go the way of Tennessee and Alabama and all play in the MHSAA.

I would even modify my plan and go to 7 classes (either 7A like Alabama, or create a "Division II" like Tennessee)

The larger private schools can compete in their class. Jackson Prep and JA would be 5A, MRA would be 4A, most of the MAIS AAA would be 2A and 3A, and most of AA would be 1A and 2A. Create a Division II class for the smallest of the small schools (under 150 students, public and private).

MAIS is getting ridiculous. Other than three teams that could compete in the MHSAA, Its a joke.

[notsofarawaydawg]

The MAIS chose their own path years ago when they didn't want to go to school or play sports with black people. Not condemning them for doing that but they dug their own grave when they made that choice. Now they are seeing what money can buy and where their are a lot of rich people (your big 3) their are going to be dominating teams because they can openly recruit (regardless of what they say they do or do not do). Why should it be up the MHSAA to fix that problem? They did not create it. Fire away !!!

[SDDawg]

That recruiting has been going on forever too and it's the same schools on top year after year for sure. I went to an academy and I thought we were pretty shameless about it, even though it was a pretty small school, definitely should have been playing against more talented teams. Needs to go the way of the dinosaurs...

[BulldogDX55]

The way that Florida classifies private schools is that they are classified based on number of male students x 1.5 in order to make up for their ability to (legally) recruit. I think that'd work.

[engie]

Think 1.5 is a little high...Makes sense with the amount of talent in big, urban areas with tons of talent in Florida. Makes less sense in rural MS. 1.3ish in MS...IMO...

And I agree, it needs to happen...

[curmudgeon]

The 6 week basketball playoffs with three different state champions in the same class is keeping the MAIS afloat. That's their big money maker. If they played a normal state championship schedule, they'd be financially underwater in one season.

Don't know what I am talking about?

Say you are Jackson Academy. At the end of the basketball regular season, you go to:

District Tournament = MAIS gets half the gate. Top 4 advance to:
Division II state tournament = MAIS gets half the gate. Top 4 advance to:
AAA State Tournament = MAIS gets half the gate. Top 4 advance to:
Overall State Tournament = MAIS gets full gate.

The winner of the latter three claim a state championship. It has been three different teams several times, especially in the smaller classes.

Rebel Academy is falling apart. They built a new gym a few years ago so they could host all the Class A basketball district and state tournaments. That gate is keeping that school open.

[curmudgeon]

The index that I think works in Mississippi would be 1.2. Alabama uses 1.35 and Florida uses 1.5

[Liverpooldawg]

They made their bed for a dead wrong reason. Let them lie in it. If they go to the MHSAA the multiplier should 2x or 3x.

[engie]

They made their bed for a dead wrong reason. Let them lie in it. If they go to the MHSAA the multiplier should 2x or 3x.

So you are in favor of punishing kids for a decision their grandparents made -- in such a way you GUARANTEE no merger ever happens? That's beyond ironic...

[Liverpooldawg]

So you are in favor of punishing kids for a decision their grandparents made -- in such a way you GUARANTEE no merger ever happens? That's beyond ironic...

That choice is still being made.

[engie]

That choice is still being made.

With your viewpoint -- which discriminates unfairly against the private schools -- there is no choice to be made.

[Liverpooldawg]

With your viewpoint -- which discriminates unfairly against the private schools -- there is no choice to be made.

That is hilarious, on many levels. There are private schools in the public league you know. We all know why the rest of them aren't.

[chef dixon]

Certain areas of the state there is no other choice but to attend one of these schools if you want your child to have the best chance of being successful. That's just the way it is.

[Todd4State]

So you are in favor of punishing kids for a decision their grandparents made -- in such a way you GUARANTEE no merger ever happens? That's beyond ironic...

I'm sure everyone at Prep goes there solely because there are no black people there.*************************

[curmudgeon]

I have no problem with private schools, I'm just against segregating the competition. Every other state in the South has gotten past this.

[curmudgeon]

I'm sure everyone at Prep goes there solely because there are no black people there.*************************

* Unless they can run the football or drive the paint, then they are welcome.

[Liverpooldawg]

Certain areas of the state there is no other choice but to attend one of these schools if you want your child to have the best chance of being successful. That's just the way it is.

I never argue with personal choice. I respect that. The corporate choice that continues to be made is a bad one though. It isn't good for either system.

[Todd4State]

on why Mississippi schools should go the way of Tennessee and Alabama and all play in the MHSAA.

I would even modify my plan and go to 7 classes (either 7A like Alabama, or create a "Division II" like Tennessee)

The larger private schools can compete in their class. Jackson Prep and JA would be 5A, MRA would be 4A, most of the MAIS AAA would be 2A and 3A, and most of AA would be 1A and 2A. Create a Division II class for the smallest of the small schools (under 150 students, public and private).

MAIS is getting ridiculous. Other than three teams that could compete in the MHSAA, Its a joke.

I can't see it ever happening because of Prep and to a lesser extent JA and maybe MRA.

It's a pretty sweet situation for them. They play some public schools and at the same time, they are going to win the MAIS championship or finish second. They could compete in 4A-5A, but I doubt they would win championships regularly like they do. The smaller schools are all under the Jackson Country Club's teams thumb.

Prep has a lot to "sell" (championships, still play good public school team and can compete with them, has sent players to the NFL) which helps them to recruit legally. Having the money that they do is an advantage even over a school like Northwest Rankin where they have to split things up with Brandon and the other Rankin schools except for Pearl.

That and the fact that if they go to the MHSAA, they would have to cut out their 5th and 6th grade teams at First Pres. That's a BIG issue. Having those teams is a big reason why Prep is so fundamentally sound and good IMO. They start younger than everyone else- as does JA and the other private schools.

[chef dixon]

I never argue with personal choice. I respect that. The corporate choice that continues to be made is a bad one though. It isn't good for either system.

I mean I agree with what you're saying, but there really isn't even a "choice" to be made for some.

[Liverpooldawg]

Give the private schools a district comparable in size to their neighboring public schools and totally ban recruiting and enforce it then I have no problem with private schools competing in the public league, providing they don't discriminate.