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I understand this completely having married a Beaver girl myself. That's the main reason we take the last week of August as our vacation week at the beach...saves us a lot of money by not having to go through a divorce.... Seriously, the last time we went to a Graham-Bluefield game was in 2001...and I was left sitting by myself after halftime....

I will make my list based on wheelchair accessibility. Because that is very important to me. lol My favorites to watch a game are the following: 1. Ernie. HOME!!!! 2. I enjoyed the experience at Salem at the state game this past year. Very great views from the wheelchair seating area. No hills to climb to get to the seats. 3. Virginia High. Great accessible seating and visitor stands are raised enough that you are not obstructed too much by the players on the sideline. 4. Mitchell. It is a massive stadium. I just wish there was a way they could have made the accessible seats higher up. Lack of height and distance from field makes it hard to see, depending on where the action is. 5. Bullitt Park. Great accessible seating. Most times I can get right on the 50 and they have seats beside of the spots for the wheelchairs so someone could sit with me. Honorable mention is Falcon Stadium: The stadium has great views from anywhere in the stadium. That HILL is quite tough (to say the least). Like some have previously said, they should have made a ramp to the front of the visitor stands as well. Thankfully I have had buddies to help me up that hill. YES, multiple buddies is needed to push me up that hill, AND they do it in shifts!!!! lol My 2 arm drive doesn't work too well on that steepness lol.

Big Creek's original field was neat. It was built on the front lawn on the school with bleachers on one sideline and the front steps to the school on the other sideline. There was also a huge green fence with an owl painted on it behind one of the goalposts to separate the field from the railroad tracks

Unlike the list regarding the "best" places, this list is lengthy and cumbersome. (1) Mount View. Never have I seen a crowd shower an opposing marching band with beer bottles, beer cans, and tins of snuff. And the dilapidated bleachers built onto an unsteady rock face are a sheer hazard, no matter how one looks at it. The field was never adequately cut, especially if your team was faster than Mount View. And after about 2 quarters, those poop brown and baby turd yellow uniforms are a visual nuisance. Just an absymal setting, and this comes from a fan whose team slaughtered Mount View. (2) Carroll County. Worst field ever. The number of injury timeouts I've seen for sprained ankles on Tommy Thompson field is staggering. I sure hope it's improved in the last 8 years. (3) Grayson County. Second worst field ever, but also the second worst bleachers ever, so it's a real lose/lose. You can tell the administration, on a county and school level, have little pride in that facility. (4) Pocahontas. The setting for their old stadium was absolutely gorgeous, in that clearing in a grove. But the grass was never less than 8" high, and the bleachers were something out of a Stephen King novel. It's a shame that such a beautiful backdrop was so poorly maintained. I really wanted to like that place, but couldn't. (5) Richlands. I'm just putting Ernie Hicks here just to piss people off. I really don't think Ernie Hicks is that bad, especially since the mountain running down the center of the field has been leveled, but it's my list and I say Richlands is 5th worst. Prove me wrong. :)

I know this full well. I'm just trying to somewhat keep the peace because Hokiebird7 and myself get along about as well as CNN and the Trump administration.

Mitchell Stadium doesn't move the needle for me in a hugely positive way. While it's a perfectly fine venue in every way for playing games and it's (obviously) durable, the only thing that really commends it is the relative scale compared to other area venues. And unless things have changed, the men's room experience at Mitchell still stands out as little more than an opportunity to urinate on an interior wall rather than the less socially acceptable practice of relieving oneself along the exterior. Admittedly, the fact that I can only recall witnessing one Richlands victory on that field during my entire growing up years might be clouding my judgement just a wee bit.

Not everything else. VT's women's lacrosse hasn't ever beaten UVA, in 18 matches. VT's men's tennis hasn't beaten UVA since before I went to college. VT's women's basketball is 2-22 in its last 24 against UVA, including a 76-27 beatdown of a #19 VT in Blacksburg last year. VT men's basketball is 3-11 against UVA in the Tony Bennett era. Until Mark Bernadino's exit, neither of VT's swimming/diving programs were in the same universe as UVA's. Neither VT golf program has been competitive with UVA this decade. I'm not even counting baseball, where VT has outperformed itself in the rivalry but still falls well short of UVA (3-11 in the O'Connor era). There's a whole bunch of lopsidedness in this rivalry, but it largely favors UVA. The only two sports that really favor VT on a consistent basis are football and softball. That's it.

It is for grandparents who have accessibility issues. Why didn't they build a ramp on the away side like they did the home side?

Big Creek was the first field to permanently install lights in 1931. Princeton was actually the first to play a night game in WV vs Shady Spring in 1929. They brought in the "portable flood lights" from Concord) Since everyone wanted to have the experience of playing at night Big Creek played a lot of home games in 1931 and 1932. They were originally called the Big Creek Warriors. This was a compromise with the people from Coalwood and Berwind. The people in War wanted to call the new high school War High like the old school in War was called but of course the people of Coalwood and Berwind objected. So the name was taken from the voting district which was the Big Creek district but the nickname was the Warriors. But since Big Creek played so many games at night everyone quickly started calling them the Owls and it stuck.

Had occasion to visit that field back in 2015 as part of a commemoration of the old Welch-Gary rivalry. Among other things that struck me, the responsible parties have apparently given up on maintenance to the point that they stopped trying to cut the vines growing down into the stands from the hillside. They had actually constructed a chain-link fence along the bottom quarter of the existing stands (which is probably all they really need in terms of attendance) and allowed the vines to take over. My youngest son was the only member of my household who accompanied me on that trip with my parents. It definitely made a major impression on him -- and I think I'll just leave it at that. As for Mount View's color scheme.... Among the seemingly endless poor decisions made by the leadership of The County, that choice of brown and gold is yet another one that makes you ask, "What were they thinking?"

I think both schools win if it ever happens....no reason to have 2 schools in this county. Narrows people are worried their kids wouldn't get a fair shake in sports which is total BS....the Cook boys were from narrows and played at Giles and they sure weren't passed over for a Giles person

There was an old aerial pic of Big Creek during a big game, maybe Bluefield. The entire area was filled with cars and they even had brought in bleachers on the school side of the field and the place was packed. I wish I knew where to find it again... I hear that was a tough place to leave with a win even when the Owls weren't that good.

And the engineers would stop and watch the games. Wasn't uncommon for them to blow the whistle when the other team had the ball, The original train horn.

and JIB? really? crab grass and seats they manually move out of the way during baseball season? That place is trash!

Never been to Mitchell, played at Hicks once when it was grass and the end zone out to the 5 yard line was flooded (scrimmage). For myself I need to separate the list between played and watched. "Home" will almost always be your favorite. With that said; Northwood (home) good field, great home side stands, a lot of history in that venue. Football has been played on that field since 1920 and the Saltville Alkalies semi-pro baseball team played there. (picture taken in March of 1967) Played (in no real order) Watched George Wythe John S. Battle (hated playing on the field) Marion (before they moved the field the baseball infield came out to around the 8 yard line it was pretty cool) Abingdon St. Paul (just different, felt like the crowd was right on top of you) Gate City (it kinda wowed me with the home side filling half the visitors bleachers and their GC chant) Chilhowie - Because most of the home side thinks their $h!t don't stink and the visitors don't like them, it makes for a great aptmosphere

Brian Woodson‏ @bdtwoodson When the Bluefield Beavers play host to Richlands on Sept. 29, it will be the 1,000th game in the history of Bluefield High School. great state

Down in a hole... https://www.google.com/maps/@37.4128526,-81.6058701,3a,60y,169.64h,87.24t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1shZori-yyqBFl62Gvm3nI9A!2e0!7i3328!8i1664

On the edge of a mountain in the middle of nowhere... https://www.google.com/maps/@37.6402996,-82.0762428,3a,60y,205.07h,94.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1seeveR7gSHgD3IChlYY76Vg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

The reason probably has something to do with the fact that Graham has historically been pummeling both Tazewell and Richlands and/or they've been too preoccupied with Beaver to give a lot of thought to other rivalries. The Blues-Dawgies rivalry has lost some of its luster since the two programs took on such radically different trajectories this century. It was a fun level of hatred once upon a time. For instance, we started the 1984 football season 1-5 but a lot of folks weren't terribly upset because the one win was against Tazewell. The long drought in the series immediately thereafter is a stain that three different graduating classes (including mine) bear shamefully. And on a personal note, one of my best friends just married a Tazewell grad. She's a lovely gal, I'm happy for them, and I certainly wish them all the best. But I've got to be honest in that I'm struggling more than a little bit with accepting this "mixed marriage." And I still have a general aversion to green as a primary color for any athletic team.

If Mitchell Stadium isn't your #1 choice, there are three possibilities. One, you've never been, in which case I would demand you go on the fourth Friday in August. Two, you've suffered a traumatic brain injury that has robbed you of your memory of how wonderful it is, in which case you have my sympathies and prayers for recovery. Three, you're wrong, and you need to repent of your foolishness.

Bluefield - Graham is the best. Played every year since 1938. Come to see it. Party starts at 10 a.m. Tailgating, live music, radio station remote broadcasts. When any other game can claim that then come talk. Great rivalries that are just a cut below but still great. Richlands-Tazewell: I know it hasn't meant much lately but this goes back to 1926. Played every year but 1943 when the war caused the board to drop teams at Tazewell and Richlands. For whatever reason Tazewell has always put more emphasis on the Richlands game than Graham. Bluefield - Princeton - goes back to 1924. How many schools can say that they were actually banned from playing each other in any sport for four full years? Bluefield and Princeton were not allowed to play anything from 1966-1969 due to the intense rivalry with misbehavior on the field/court and in the stands. Virginia High - Tennessee High - Goes back to about 1915? This would be right there with Bluefield-Graham if the Bearcats were better and if the festivities were there. There was a time when they shared the same field until Gene Malcolm came along. Honaker - Lebanon - I attended one of these once and it surprised me the level of animosity towards each other. Got a lot better when Honaker got better. Abingdon - Marion - played every year usually at the end of the season and the series is very close. Some other good ones. Twin Springs - Rye Cove Narrows - Giles Galax - Grayson George Wythe - Radford Giles - Blacksburg And then those that have died. Appalachia - Powell Valley - every bit as good as Bluefield-Graham. Such a shame it is gone. Welch - Gary - The battle for the barrel. Always played on Thanksgiving in the early days and Veterans Day in later days. Bands, Cheerleaders ,etc were in the parade and then went to the game. J. J. Kelly - J. I. Burton. Again such a shame it is gone Haysi - Clintwood

Want to talk about asymmetry...look no further than Lebanon. I have to rate it as the weirdest stadium to go to.

I'm not sure how anyone from Tazewell can say that Ernie's visitor side is bad and compliment their own stadium when they are virtually the same bleachers at both. The only difference is the visitor side at Richlands is elevated a touch, be it not much.

Northwood's old gym left only a couple of feet from the playing surface to the first row of bleachers. That made it pretty intense atmosphere. Their "new" gym is pretty cool, plenty of seating and the visual effect of a sunken floor. I didn't attend many games in other facilities.

I'm a Richlands fan when I'm not a Ridgeview fan, but Ernie is a dump and needs renovations badly. Sorry. That's the biggest complaint I see on Ridgeview, that you are so far away from the action. Also, when you're on the home side in the early season games, the setting sun nearly blinds you as it's right in your face. Ralph Cummins for the final Haysi/Clintwood game ever was just a fantastic atmosphere to be in. My fave 5 would have to be: 1. Sandlick (Haysi) 2. Mitchell (Graham/Bluefield) 3. Stone Castle (Tennessee High) 4. Bullitt Park (Union) 5. The Cliff (Hurley)

I'll be the first to admit that Ernie Hicks needs an upgrade on the visitor side. One of my all time favorites was Ralph Cummins Stadium. That place during a big game was right up there with those already mentioned. Ernie Hicks and Mitchell are 1 and 2 for me. A big game at either place is hard to beat.

Agree with visitor seating, plenty of room and no trouble parking at Abingdon. As for the HILL going up to the visitor side, a killer. I have looked for the escalator several times, but no luck. lol

so sorry to hear this, will be praying for his friends and family !