I haven't checked very closely, but only two people in this thread have said they are John Curtis alums, and I didn't say one word about professional sports or the Yankees. I agreed that a split is probably the only solution that will make people happy. I also answered your "challenge" to list the other state titles that John Curtis has won in sports besides football. Did that not help prove your point? Were you hoping that John Curtis wouldn't have won state titles in other sports, to better prove your point that John Curtis would not survive without football?

So all of this is really about school zones, right? All high schools in the state of Louisiana, public and private, have school district zones. If a student chooses to go to a private school outside of the public school district he lives in, he or she must sit out one year. If the student lives in the district, he or she can play without having to sit out one year. If a kid really wanted he/she could go to a public school, out of his/her normal public school's zone, as long as he/she goes through the proper legal actions.

This worked out well for most of north Louisiana and all the 4A and 5A schools. They sent the two schools that have dominated 4A and 5A down to the lower classes, meaning the door should be wide open for both West Monroe and Neville to win as many state titles as they can handle. Let's face it . . . When private schools win, they clearly cheat. When public schools win, then it is clearly because of good coaching and hard work.

The only problem is that the LHSAA is allowing some schools to play up in the next two years (in spite of the new rule), they just happen to be the schools that do not field good football teams. That is not fair either, but then again all of this is about trying to tear down just two schools for winning too much. If they wanted a fair solution that would allow all schools to play up if they choose, then they would use the "multipler system" that is popular in states where public and private schools still play in the same association.

It seems very simple to me. All teams should have to play in the class that their enrollment dictates according to the recent vote, no exceptions. If either Evangel or John Curtis have broken any rules then kick them out of the LHSAA. Sadly, the LHSAA is allowing only some choice schools to play above their class and they still have not been able to prove that either of the "football factories" are breaking the rules.

This is an odd situation, even the NYTimes covered this issue in a recent article called "When Goliath Strikes David Back, From the Sideline" By JERE LONGMAN (Published: November 26, 2004). The main focus of the article is the LHSAA, John Curtis, Evangel, and the recent vote (but they do mention other states and how they address this issue). Just type the article title into google and you will find several websites that have archived it.

The arguemtnon both sides is good, both sidea have made valid points and bad points.

That is why the new super class I think would be a good option.

Put the big private schools in a top class and then let everyone who wishes to join them. I think you would have 10-15 schools decide they want to play the best and take their shot. Just make it a permanent move when they decide it so that the classes don't get switched every 2 years.

The Yankee analogy is pretty week but so is the only better because they recruit and and the public schools can't compete analogy. Some of these public schools can compete just fine.