HM3-8404

A few new faces in the crowd last night at the Richlands/Abingdon game. Don't know if they were watching AHS or RHS. They were scouts for sure they always have those sneaky looking eyes. LOL

# 5 for Bluefield is a man on both off and def. #1 for Bluefield I think was playing really bad busted up in the 4th quarter vs. Richlands he should get a purple heart for his effort. At least half of the Union team was limping and walking all humped over against us but sucked it up and played like men #7 really sticks out. #17 for Graham could play on any team in SWVA. Collier from GC. #7 for Virginia High was great and the QB was little but tough as nails. Central QB was really tough also. Union is the team I would least like to face again, and one of their best players didn't play. We played a flawless game against Graham they are a better team than showed up against Richlands. If we played them again it would be a much different score.

My money is on Union, but look at the source.

Thanks bluecrew nice to know the VA side. I knew somebody knew. lol

You have to admit this topic has gotten alot of replies. That is what I like about this forum multiple points of view. More than a few teams have been said to water down the ole field, if the next team you are playing is faster than you. I'm sure Richlands has done it more than once, Grundy may have also according to old wives' tales. I wonder if Richlands has an old pair of those cleats in the trophy case, after all they are the most famous piece of memorabilia in the state of Virginia. When I worked in Salem a guy who was a big fan got me to get him a hat and shirt with Richlands on it, he also said he would pay good money for a pair of those cleats. I told him we bought them in Salem and that was the reason we got caught.

When does Grundy and Hurley play? That game has heated up the last few years.

The difference is that we did something illegal and then we got punished for it. People forget that we had a really good team the next year that couldn't play in the playoffs because we were on probation. Also other fans from other teams have said the same thing. I believe a Graham fan said that they have had about 15 games taken from them over the years. With this being said I guess in the long run you really can't blame anyone but ourselves because we schedule them. The choice is play Bluefield and risk the refs or play someone 3 hours away. Maybe we can drop them for Ridgeview in the near future.

Thanks for clearing up the last paragraph Gman. Does anyone know how they choose refs for games either in VA or WV, it would be nice the next time I see the guy who told me this a little more than just " that's bullshit ". Like I said it was an Honest Question. I come to this forum to learn things not stir up crap. Some posters on here are in the know ( Gman-Ryan-UVa) not Parsons LOL. And double ironically Richlands fans complain about the officiating at Richlands.

I hate to see kids quit. Hopefully GC can get things worked out.

Dawgsforlife are you by chance one of those big stone gap police officers that were intimidating senior citizens at football games? I'm going to go out on a limb and say you are one of the resident jacknuts from Union. 99% of Union fans are respectful and appreciate tradition. Unionfan and ALL the other Union fans on this forum are humble and proud ( in a good way). Taking a cheap shot at GC while they are down is juvenile at best. You guys may draw GC in the playoffs. I personally think Richlands is a better team than Union, but Union beat us fare and square and right now are the better team until we can or can't prove otherwise. As a Union fan ( and you are the only one ) I wouldn't be so quick to discredit GC considering they gave Union all they could handle. All other Union fans like I said you guys beat us head to head 3 years in a row and I respect your program just like I do GC's program. Richlands, GC and Union's programs deserve respect for their tradition, tough schedules and dedication to fundamentals even in a down year.

Also if GC had Marion's schedule or Lebanon's schedule they would be 6-0. GC I hope will make the playoffs and make some noise I just hope Richlands don't draw them. Lol

Well I know Richlands does a 2 year home and home, so it's usually a two year rotation and every two years you are scrambling for the next two years. This is not college you are not making a schedule for 2020 right now. GC has a tougher schedule than either Richlands or Union this year and I'm a Richlands fan. I'm not taking anything away from Union or Richlands but the truth is the truth. We all three have a tough schedule and Richlands and Union are both better this year.

I spoke with some Tazewell fans at the Richlands/Bluefield game last night, they were really nice no horns or forked tails either. Lol. Tazewell always play us hard. It may not be close but they will leave it all on the field. I remember well when Tazewell would wipe the field with us and I told those good ole bulldogs that last night.

Say what you want about GC's schedule. They play one of the toughest schedules in the area year after year and don't pick cupcakes and 90% of the time have a very good record against it. 80% of the schools in the area would not have a winning record playing the same schedule. If they played a cupcake schedule like some schools do in this area they would be 5-1 or 6-0. Just ask Union who is maybe the #1 team in VA or Bluefield #2 or 3 in WV if they would like to play them again? I have the utmost respect for GC 10-0 or 0-10.

Okay bigrhsfan I will give you that one (lol) I didn't hear that on the radio because I was at the game. Which brings up another question. Isn't pulling a blocker down by his jersey a penalty? It was out in front of the play at the point of attack, so they saw a block below the waist but not the out in front wide open foul? Plus I didn't even mention Bluefield being off sides on about 75% of the kickoffs. I sat on the 40 yard line right on the line. I was sitting near some Richlands fans who are very respectable and 2 of which played college ball ( in other words not jacknuts ) whom almost never say anything. Also I think my record on this forum speaks for itself I pretty much call it like I see it. I know some times the calls go your way and some times they don't. I just really feel like when you play at Bluefield against the Beavers you are going to get raked over the coals by the officiating crew. Mark my words it will come back to haunt us in the future just like it has in the past.

I was not let down, it is still very bad. I have to say that it is getting better so it went from horrid to just very bad. I say this not taking anything away from the team, coaches or fans from Bluefield, they have a very good team and should be proud of them. 1) REALLY late whistles, in VA when your forward momentum is stopped a second later the whistle blows, at Mitchell the back is driven 15-20 yards back and at any time during this if you drop the ball its a fumble. 2) The reason for the late whistle in my opinion is no one knows where the forward progress stopped thus leading to the bad spot of the ball, literally the ball is spotted at least 1 maybe 2 yards off on each play. People sitting near me where flipping their lids after each spot. 3) No calls on obvious fouls, a pass interference no call in the middle of the field, a hold by the receiver on a big run in the open field, 12 players on the field. someone was saying 4 timeouts for Bluefield in the first half ( I can't verify that statement ) but the other 3 statements anyone at the game can testify to. 4) A phantom holding call on a kickoff return for a touchdown, I was looking at the play when it happened. #80 from Richlands hit a Bluefield player and knocked him backwards while falling backwards he reaches up grabbing #80 by the jersey pulling him down on top of him #80 with both arms out wide falls on him thus holding on Richlands? As any Richlands fan can attest their is a huge difference in officiating at Mitchell depending on if you play Graham or Bluefield. Do any other VA teams have a problem with this? Do WV teams have the same problem? I have an honest question if someone who is in the know could answer it. I was told years ago that in VA the District and or VHSL finds and pays the refs and also that a ref from say Tazewell can't officiate a Tazewell game, But in WV the home team finds and pays the refs thus if the refs don't perform to the home teams expectations they will never be called upon to ref anymore of their games. So the question is, is this true or was someone just blowing smoke up my butt?

Coaches get motivation where ever they can get it . If they could get footage of a piss ant in a Bluefiled jersey eating a bail of hay with a Richlands jersey you can bet your sweet a$$ it would be posted in the locker room. Pretty much anyone who has ever coached and or played has stated that stuff gets posted in the locker room. I don't care if it's in a national news paper or a 2 year old in crayon a good coach will use it for motivation. I played in the 80's coached in the 90's and now, and my step-son played in the late 2000's early 2010's and I can tell you it has not changed or will it ever, good coaches find something to motivate players always have and always will. When I was in the Navy I coached a team of grown a$$ men and before a big game I " found" and diaper with a note in it from our next opponent who just happened to have a future RB for the Broncos on it and we played out of our heads and shut him down the only game he didn't have 200+ yards all season. Myself and another coach from Texas completely pulled some head games on our own team we had the best game all season (but lost not by much). You guys who doubt this stuff go ahead and coach some youth football and I'm telling you you will lose sleep at night trying to motivate some of these kids.

Well then feel sorry for every football team from peewee all the way up to the NFL. It's obvious you've never coached.

Ole dickie poo if you think coaches don't post things in the locker room you are sadly mistaken. I've seen coaches make up things for motivation. That being said I don't think either team needs any locker room material posted to get Richlands or Bluefield motivated for this game. I can't remember the last time we have beat them at Mitchell if ever. I do know one thing for sure and that is Richlands better come to play we will have to be about 3 or 4 TD's better than Bluefield taken in to account the officials at Mitchell when you play the Beavers. The last time we played at Bluefield the officiating was pretty good but Bluefield had a MUCH better team than us, the players decided the game on the field. It really makes me nervous playing them at home when the teams are close to equal.

Last year I think a better Bluefield team got beat by an over achieving Richlands team. This year I hope we don't get paid back. I also have a serious question, every friday night I watch either the Beckley or Bluefield (WVVA) broadcast. Does anyone else think that 90% of the West Virginia teams look like youth football teams not counting Bluefield and maybe Princeton? My step-son and about 4 of his friends all of which played for Richlands over the last 10 years or so have made similar comments. Just wondering if anyone else thinks this or if I've had my views contaminated by this feedback?

I love the saying " Donkey Stomp". That's a new one on me, But I'm pretty sure it's happened to me once or twice. lol

I sat on the Virginia High side tonight and I could hear the defensive coach (light skinned African American), and I was very impressed by how he was talking to and what he was saying to the boys. He was a real class act and had a great attitude those boys are lucky to have him to look up to. You Virginia High guys take care of him, he is a keeper.

Union fans are not afraid they are just being respectful of GC's great tradition as they should be. As GC and Richlands and Union all do each other it's just the classy thing to do.

I should have said up until about 12 years ago, I just brought up the the 1992 game as an example of how close Marion and Richalnds games used to be. Gman I did graduate from Richlands so in all of my math classes in high school 2+2=FOOTBALL. LOL.

Redtiger gives great directions.