re: MSB, explain the perennial lack of Alexandria football talent

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This argument loses a lot of steam when you bring Monroe into the picture, though.

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Monroe area is very good in player development, though.

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so ASH has 1200 and Pineville 1350, Bolton and Peabody 650 each, and Tioga 900. If that was two schools it would be two of the largest in the state, and if it was 1, there would be 6A just for it... no one wants any school in LA to be that big

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This would be true, but think of it. That's part of what makes Texas football so good. Small towns, 1 or 2 huge schools, talent is stacked year after year, they play each other and become familiar with each other, develop with and against each other in little leagues and middle school and in high school, they come together. How many schools in Texas have more than 2000 kids? If I'm correct I believe that's only 3A or 4A out there.

The parish doesn't want that but even if it were 3 or 4, at about 1200-1500 that would be much better. I've said before on another board, the only reason many of these schools are open are still open is history. No one wants to close any of them because they're all pretty old other than ASH but simply put, geographically, Tioga serves no purpose, most of those kids live in Pineville or Alexandria and are bussed there and when ASH opened, Bolton and Peabody became too closely located for Bolton to stay large, its own area just doesn't have many kids anymore. The school board has bitten off of its zone more and more until everybody has a piece of it. It makes much sense to combine those 2, but it'll never happen, but imagine the combination of talent between Pineville and Tioga, Tioga and Peabody, Bolton and Peabody. The only school really not to benefit is ASH cause its so far out but even they would get some kids from Bolton closing. Its always been an underlying issue, always will be.

The closing of EAFB also hurt the talent pool

LSU was just fine at RB at that time. Harris might have been the more legit miss.

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Monroe area is very good in player development, though.

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Agree. The feeder schools do a great job of getting kids ready for high school football or at least they do in the Lee to Neville transfer. I would guess it is the same for kids that go to Ouachita and West Monroe.

Plus, the talent that comes from the Southside of Monroe blows my mind. It's been like that since I was in high school in the late 80's.

How many schools in Texas have more than 2000 kids?

That would be in the upper part of 4A enrollment here. I think 5A starts around 2,200 or so.