I'd like to see who everyone that knows Tennessee JUCO thinks will be the top teams next year. Taking in consideration coaching, tradition, returning players, new comers, etc. I guess it would be a no-brainer to say that Walters will come out of the shoot on top in the beginning.

What say ye?

quote:

Originally posted by YoungGunDad:
I'd like to see who everyone that knows Tennessee JUCO thinks will be the top teams next year. Taking in consideration coaching, tradition, returning players, new comers, etc. I guess it would be a no-brainer to say that Walters will come out of the shoot on top in the beginning.

What say ye?

I am sure that both Walters State & Volunteer State will be @ the top of the pack along with some other programs. The conference has alot of parity from year to year.

The one good thing that Volunteer State has going for it's program this year is winning the Tennessee JUCO title this past year. With that like in any conference it definitely attracts top recruits to its program.

Vol State should start next season with a lot of swagger and momentum.

A couple of comments on this subject:

1. While Walters has done the best over the last 5 years without question, Vol State has not been the most consistent school behind them. Would be more the likes of Dyersburg State, Cleveland State and Chattanooga State.

2. When hasn't Vol State had a lot of "swagger" beginning a season??

2007 Volunteer State finished 2nd in the conference tournament.
2008 Volunteer State finished 2nd in the conference tournament.
2009 Volunteer State finished 1st in the conference tournament.

Mike Crossland (Volunteer State) has a way of getting his players ready for the conference tournament which is really the only thing that counts. Regular season play is great but if you don't win the conference tournament you cannot advance to the next round.

The only JUCO program in Tennessee that has done better in tournament play than Volunteer State the last three seasons would be Walters State.

CBG- a little partial are we? Vol State is below average in the conference according tothe TBCA website"s scores and standings over the past SEVERAL seasons. I have to agree with Slick Fielder and say they aren't that consistent. But they ought to be good with the name "Vol State". Swagger? What good program doesn't have some swagger? According to the last three seasons the rankings from conference records on TBCA.ORG look like this:

1)Walters State
2)Dyersburg State
3)Chattanooga State
4)Clevland State
5)Jackson State
6)Columbia State
7)Volunteer State
8)Hiwassee
9)Southwest Tennessee
10)Motlow State
11)Roane State

How can one be partial when they are quoting numbers and stats? Facts are facts and there is no way to hide stats. Volunteer State has played very average ball during the regular season but they have played very well during the tournament the last three seasons. IMO, the sign of a good program is what they do during the post season.

I appreciate the views of all about Tenn JUCO ball.

I am of the adage that regular season games can be very misleading for many reasons, i.e. strong vs. weak competition, injuries, etc. A team can go .500 or below during the season from playing top ranked/stronger competition and still benefit come time for conference playoff's. Just a fact. Conversely, a team can beat the world playing weak teams week in and week out and bomb during the playoff's if they are even lucky to make it.

I agree wholeheartedly with you cbg...it's what you do in postseason that counts. You don't win a ring for the regular season wins do you? lol.

Crossland HAS to be doing something right to be playing for the 'ship for the past 3 seasons!

Well, I am disagreeing with both of you! Most of the times, the best team does not win it all. Look at the World Series in MLB, many times the wild card wins it all. Maybe with luck and getting somewhat hot is the reason Vol State has made it that far. I can't believe you are saying that other teams have weak schedules with Vol's being stacked....it doesn''t make any sense at all. Nevertheless, this is a good conference with many teams that are just as good and better than Vol State while also possessing coaches who are better than Croslant. This is just my Opinion.

quote:

Originally posted by sportsbuff30:

I can't believe you are saying that other teams have weak schedules with Vol's being stacked....

I didn't.

Some good points have been made and strongly emphasized here and I would like to "chirp in" some also. I can't completely agree with the fact that a good tournament is the final determinant on a good season. Everyone knows that the best team doesn't win the tournament (usually ) it is the team that is playing the best. That is not to say that Crossland doesn't deserve recognition for that but I am more a proponent of judging the WHOLE season and program and not just a WEEKS worth of judging. Schedules and all of that are basically "whatever" as all teams play good teams and bad teams and that is just JUCO baseball. Look at National Champion Howard College this year, 63-1 for the season. All tough teams??? Probably not but still.....63 wins is SALTY and shouldn't be broken down. My point is I recognize the relevance of the tournament and don't discount it but I really enjoy looking at the totality of a program.

And "swagger" is good but sometimes need to be more EARNED and not ENTITLED!!! That is all I meant!!