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I have nothing but ABSOLUTE RESPECT for Gate City and the fan base. You guys have earned it. When it doesn't effect my Blues I pull for you guys. We always wished when I was younger we could be like the Gate City Blue Devil's. Good luck this season... I think you all will win many games and be a factor come November.

You need someone with a rich, baritone voice who has strong opinions regarding these games that often clashes with your own. Now, where to find someone fitting that description...

They'll give a good account of themselves, but it'll still be a 40-something to 20-something game.

Sorry that the truth hurts. I'm always there thick and thin. I just call it how I see it. I want them to win more than anybody and it kills me on the inside to see our program in such a low state. But I'm not going to sit here and sugarcoat it. We can still go 7-3, but the coaches are going to have to get on the same page, and our 15 players that touch the field are going to have to get a little fire. I'm not satisfied with a 27-6 loss to Richlands like some are. It's up to our upperclassmen to raise our young guys up and pat em on the tail and get after them next play. Young guys like Sallee are gonna make mistakes due to inexperience, I can swallow that. But when we have players running into each other, every other play in the backfield, offensive linemen leaning backwards when they are pulling (As a lineman myself - IT OBVIOUS AS S***!), and having to burn TO's right after a kickoff, and not knowing what down it is and trying to trick the refs into believing we stopped them on downs, that's not Gate City Football! Akers is going to have to be more open to what his players tell him they are seeing out there and trust them when making plays calls instead of just going down a list of plays and guessing. He's also going to have to be more open to his coaches opinions and trust what they see. That's why he had to hire all new coaches anyways. Yes he is the head coach, but why have assistants if you don't take what they say into consideration? And Coach Larry? I like it! It has a good ring to it. Hate me if you want brother, I wanna win!

i just left the park, the field is being marked off,they expect to play unless lighting is present

I got Richlands in a close game. It seems like the better team doesn't win this game. I am just not buying this stuff about the talent level being that different between the schools. Both schools have some serious talent and there isn't that much difference. Union has the experience at skilled positions, but the games are won up front, and Richlands this year, 2017 (regardless of the skilled players lost) is absolutely nasty up front. I think the Blues control games and manage to stay in a game like this one with Union because of the big ugly's up front. The lineplay of Richlands will give the young skilled position players time to improve and iron out those useful mistakes and Richlands is going to be truly badas* by regular season's end after playing that tough schedule. Mance is one heck of a coach and don't believe for a minute Richlands is undisciplined. They are simply young and raw at many positions, and Mance will turn the discipline, lack of attention, focus, and youthful mistake stuff around quickly. I have seen to many times over the years where Richlands supposedly loses a lot, and they turn around an run off a 9-1 or 8-2 type year again only to go deep into the playoffs. This year ain't no different. I watched what they did to our line and our line at GC is pretty dang good, and we simply couldn't do anything with em. They were in the backfield all game long. Offensively, by the late second, they were getting a 5 yard push off the ball with about every snap. Union's big's better be ready to battle. I got Richlands in a close, mild upset game at 24-20. With that prediction, I have to admit I have not seen Union this year.

The current weather forecast is an 80% chance of rain/thunderstorms for tomorrow evening. If the game is played on Friday, I plan to attend; the weather will likely have a real impact on the outcome. I think Union is very comfortable playing out of the old school "T" formation but I'm not sure that's the best approach against Richlands this season. With the bad weather, turnovers and penalties become the most important statistic.

It was being discussed, but it will be played tomorrow as scheduled. Bring your rain gear.

I'm saying it now, watch out for Wise Central. If the Jesse kid along with Mullins can stay healthy, they'll be able to compete with anyone. Central 34 Grundy 13

GMan- I have been married for 32 years and bye God, I wish he would come and still my "girlfriend"/wife/wench! Freedom!! Hey man, not to knock number 10 because this kid seems like a superstar. Down at Gate City, he looked to me to be the best athlete on the field and right there with Cooke. This kid has the athletic ability to play at the next level at WR/Slot/Flanker etc, and I think FBS type ability. He's gifted. But, he's not playing at the next level at QB, and as long as he's at the QB level in High School, he's just not going to be a passing threat for defenses, and it's going to hurt his chances for playing at the next level. I questioned why the Graham coach doesn't have the guy at WR. But hey, it's not my call. I am not paid the big bucks to coach and don't have the knowledge to do so, but....I can move some dang coal from point A to point B with the best of em.

Ryan, You can try the format at blogtalk radio, it would allow you and a co-host to record from two different locations. Also, if you have a regular scheduled program, it will provide you with a number and you can take call-ins. Once the program ends, it is then available as a live stream via an rss feed. Hope this helps

Much more manageable. Inclines and declines aren't nearly as sharp or steep.

I can start doing that. Never thought about that part. Thanks for that!

3-2 is an optimistic outcome for the first 5 games for the Blues. If they get a few breaks (key turnovers) they could do better. As they say speed kills and the opponents in the next four games will have speed in abundance.

Half of the discussion has been about Richlands vs. Blacksburg instead

I was looking at the Blues schedule and they have their hands full these next 4 games. They could very easily go into game 6 with a 1-4 record. I doubt they lose all the next 4 games but it definitely won't be a cake walk. But that's why you take it one game at a time

Neither is Rose Ridge to be honest...

By the way, great Podcast Ryan. It was fair, honest, and very unbiased. The only thing I would suggest is to give us some stats,(rushing/passing, first downs, turnovers, etc.) from the bigger games, especially the game of the week. But overall it was good!

It worked on my end.

Blacksburg by a lot. To much speed.

I said over on Preps that Richlands didn't look what they "should have" in many fans view, and GC is improved, certainly beyond what I thought they were.

Ridgeview at Shelby Valley has been moved up to Thursday night! That means I can be at Bullitt Park Friday night now! Woohoo!

Battle 28 Vhs 17

As a Richlands fan, I wasn't upset with the caliber of play by the Blue Tornado. They stuffed the Gate City running game, and both major drives by Gate City were sustained by long passes on 3rd and forever ... passes on which the defensive backs either had position to make a play or the ball just happened to be placed in the perfect spot. Credit should go to the Gate City receivers for making better plays on the ball than the defensive backs. Regarding the offense, they were able to run the ball well and they hit on big passes when they did go over the top. The dedication to run by both teams shortened the clock.

All I can do is speak for myself, but when I talked about the upcoming game against Union and /or looked back on the GC game, I mean no disrespect to the GC fans or team, I am simply looking at what my team needs to do to get better to be able beat a team like Union with receivers like they have. Richlands needs to get better at coverage. They are already pretty good against the run, ( of course they can get better at that also it's still VERY early ) and again I mean no disresect to the GC team, but the skill level ( this year ) at WR is not at the level that Union has, and if the Blues expect to beat a team like Union,Graham, Bburg then the coverage has to be better. One blown coverage is a TD against a team like we are about to play and a couple of times the DB's seemed to be a little lost, but it was the 1st game and it will get better. This year the Blues do not have as big a margin for error as some of our teams in the past so I think that is why you see at least some of these comments from us. We have always respected the GC program and have stated it many times on here, but I know how the Devils fans feel when you feel like the other team is not giving your team any respect. But trust me, we do have a lot of respect for your program !

We as fan bases seem to base things on recent history. Richlands the last four plus years has been superior to Gate City in talent so Richlands expectations are higher based on the recent history. I did not see the game but did listen to it on WGTH and Ben was complimentary of the way GC played. This is a message board and games have winners and losers and the winner, as in real life, gets to control the narrative. All that being said Richlands won and I am glad that GC has improved to the point to where the game wasn't just another scrimmage for Richlands before their game with Union. I wish the game was later in the season, but it seems to work out well for both teams. I respect the Richlands fans on here but to come looking for compliments on a message board is naïve, Gate City has to start beating people again and then the compliments or hate will come pouring in.

My gut tells me that this game is not added to the list of classic games between these two. I'm thinking Union by 14. Not sure why you Richlands guys are talking about needing to greatly improve your secondary. Against GC I only remember one time where we had a guy get wide open behind the secondary.....we overthrew him. We had a WR make two great catches in the secondary that got us some yardage. Coverage was not bad at all. Heck....you guys had three INTs in the game. Two inside your 10-yard line that may have stopped scores, and one that was returned for a TD. That translates to 30 regular season interceptions with 10 of them being returned for TDs. How many teams would not take that? :)

last year i spoke about the fullhouse as being the difference, it was, and i dont see MANCE letting UNION run at will again. I would think that he will make UNION and MITCHELL beat him with the pass. HARVEY coming in will only help that plan to limit the downfield throws.On the RICHLANDS side i see the QB run as the biggest challenge to our "D" and a few screens to the backs to slow down the rush.So far no one has been able to run on UNION and I think MANCE will know that.Its going to be sloppy, whoever turns the ball over the most---looses

If Central stops the Wave running game they will roll. The QB play for Central will be too much. 42-14 Central.

4 straight years! The first game wasn't decided until 1:27 left in the 4th and the 2nd game was still in play with under 5 minutes.

Just wait a week and drive down to Union and watch Richlands @ Union. 6 games decided by a combined 13 points, I believe. And three straight games decided on the last play. There is no better rivalry.

We could make a killing selling Dramamine at steep markups.