Each week I have the honor of voting in the Associated Press High School Football Poll, and I think I may have figured out why Cobb County cannot brag about a state title since 1967.

The county needs to quit building new schools.

Every week in Class AAAAA McEachern gets a vote as does Hillgrove in Class AAAA and I can't help but wonder what might have been.

In 2004, the Indians were 9-3. They followed that with an off year at 6-5, but instead of bouncing back, McEachern scraped to a 6-4 record in 2006 and then fell to four wins and five the next two seasons.

It is no coincidence this lull in Indians history could be a direct result of Hillgrove opening a few miles away.

Now, McEachern has recouped. This is the first year since Hillgrove opened that all their teams are back to full strength, and it shows, as the varsity is 6-0 and ranked No. 6 in Class AAAAA.

Hillgrove, in its second season of region play is 6-0 in Class AAAA and ranked No. 3.

Just imagine if all of Hillgrove's athletes that were originally in the McEachern district would have stayed there? What kind of team would the Indians have now?

I'm sure the same could be said about North Cobb, who has seen Kennesaw Mountain and Kell take what I am sure has to be some good talent away from the Warriors over the years. And now it's happening to the Warriors again, along with Kennesaw Mountain and Harrison, losing potential talent to Allatoona.

If Cobb County ever wants to win a state title in football again, maybe it should consider the watering down of the quality of student athletes before opening the doors of another new learning facility.

But, hey, that's just my opinion.

What do you think?