re: LHSAA--Anybody heard any rumors about the LHSAA Executive Director's job?

the problem is the way the big catholic schools are set up historically in Louisiana they have a huge amount of political influence. So anything detrimental to the big catholic schools could cause a Legislative review of the LHSAA. The LHSAA does not want the politicians in their business so they have appeased the big catholic schools and held JC at bay. ECA being a part of this is a byproduct of the original treatment of JC by the big Catholic schools. ECA has compounded the sore feelings and been their own worst enemy in NORLA by their continuing to practice shady recruiting in an area dominated by public schools.

JC does things quasi legally, ECA bends the rules. So the methods of ECA gets lumped in with the success of JC and creates a controversy on two fronts in two parts of the state. When JC was 4A and ECA was 5A the outcry was from Ruston, who had ECA in their district. Nobody really complained about JC in 4A because they were very successful but they did not embarrass anybody. LHSAA Commissioner Tommy Henry started the push to diminish ECA and JC by pushing them to play in class. This was really about minimizing ECA and quieting the NORLA dissenters but JC was caught up in the mix.

After Tommy Henry was deposed, the new LHSAA powers that be came from NORLA - specifically Ruston (the new commissioner was the principal of Ruston) and they had an axe to grind with ECA. The idea to continue play in class had an unintended consequence as it solidified the 2A dissension about JC and ECA into one vocal group across the state. This vocal group gathered up support in 3A by those tired of Parkview and ND dominating 3A football. 4A and 5A public schools joined the dissenters because they didnt want JC or ECA back in the upper classifications and the idea of splitting came around from not having a consensus on what to do with JC and ECA.

A lot of this started in basketball years ago with Reserve Christian dominating Class B. Clyde Briley of Midland HS was a very vocal critic of Tommy Henry and the LHSAA's handling of Reserve and the seeds for splitting were sown at that time. The issue never really died and has picked up steam lately with the issues 2A are facing in football with JC and ECA.

So Class B and Class C are pissed about the way schools like Excelsior Christian, Family Christian and Reserve Christian pop up and dominate the small schools.

Class 1A doesnt really have a dog in this fight (except maybe OCS in football).

Class 2A is outraged over being forced to play JC and ECA.

Class 3A is pissed about the dominance of Redemptorist a few years ago. Parkview and ND in get lumped into that as well but neither team cheats so the outrage is not quite as strong. Splitting scares both sides in 3A because they are the class that stands the most to lose if there is a split.

4A and 5A are going to be relatively quiet because they dont want ECA or JC back but there really is no consensus about what to do with either school. Splitting hurts 4A and 5A publics because they depend on playing private schools the most for the gate.

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why not just force ECA and JC to play in 5A in all sports?

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because the big Catholic Schools in NOLA dont want to have to play them. Playing JC "legitimizes" JC in a way that the big Catholic schools dont want to do. They would rather pretend that JC doesnt exist than be forced to play them and potentially be embarrassed. Although the way the Catholic League schools have opened up their enrollment after Katrina, I doubt JC would embarrass Catholic League schools but JC would still beat them.