I agree with a lot of this but would add that they need a new AD as well. Nepotism runs rampant there and the AD office is part of that.
Simply no excuse to be consistently outcoached in title games across so many sports. Football leadership doesn’t promote their kids and doesn’t put in the year round effort that is the norm at other schools.
Who is the AD at Ridgeview now, come to think of it? Kent Grant? Is he still softball coach as well?
There’s definitely no grey area in this one. Here goes…the specifics so no one has to guess, wonder or speculate.
Coach was going off on his kids after they came off the field. It was in a huddle between dugout and first base. There was some inappropriate comments and then he called out two kids who were injured but were still playing through it. One kid, a Captain, smiled and shook his head. He said he did this as a reaction because he was shocked he was getting cussed at and he specifically told coach he was good and could play through his injury. Coach asks him “You thinking this is f&@ing funny?” And proceeds to get in kids face, forcibly chest bump him and threatens him to “Smile again.” He then tells the kid to “get the f$&k out of here”. The kid steps around the coach to leave the huddle and coach grabs his arm and tells him “You’re f$&ing useless.” Kid takes his jersey off in the dugout, packs up and leaves. Said kid is a senior captain and laid out to make a fantastic catch the previous inning.
Coach lost his shit and doesn’t deserve to lead young men. There were other instances of berating his players publicly and inappropriate comments.
If this is true, then it was probably just cause.
However, this is just the latest example of Ridgeview seemingly finally finding a decent coach in something, only to see them gone in very short term.
Yes. I’ve said before Union thinks they are Gods gift to SWVA football. I was talking to one of the Sproles boys from RV a couple years back. We talked about them beating Union for the first time in 2018/19, I think. He specifically mentioned this attitude. Gave him extra motivation and he absolutely delivered the hits that game.
Graham doesn’t have that same arrogance, IMHO. They gave respect to Richlands and had to fight and claw their way up to the top of the SWD and then the Region. I think they respect their climb and position a bit more. Now, this could just be my interactions with the fan bases but I’ve been around both enough to form this opinion.
I’ve spoke to both coaches before and like both of them. Good programs. I will say that I really appreciate Unions AD and commitment to being good in every sport.
I miss the Sproles boys... Probably my favorite two Ridgeview players ever.
Complaints about Letcher Co wasn't about the trip, but the refs we knew were waiting on us. Haha
I'll give you Clarke Co. That was a long haul. 5 1/2 hours for a semi-final was a little ridiculous. There were definitely a lot of complaints about that, but the stands/fence were packed. Guess the whining was superficial. Haha
I do like going new places. Looking forward to Science Hill next year.
Science Hill is awful. You sit approximately two miles from the field and the PA announcer.... though he sings an amazing national anthem, he is cringe worthy as a PA announcer....
Expect to hear a lot of this next season when describing a Tyler Moon TD run:
"And Tyler is off! TO! THE! MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!"
Plus they began charging for parking this past season down at the field, so you have to park up at the actual school and walk down unless you want to pay to park.
Never heard them complain about coming to Bluefield.
20 hours ago, Union_Fan said:
I resent that, and if you were less than 25 miles from my house, I'd come to yours and show you! haha
We love coming to Bluefield. Just don't like the ride home when we lose! 🙂
I think Whitesburg is just outside that 50 mile radius? Pretty sure Bears faithful complained anytime they had to go there. Lol
The one that really comes to mind is when Union played Clarke County that year in the semis. I think that whole week, I saw posters on here angry about having to make that trip. You see whining about travel moreso from the people east of Roanoke having to come down this way though.
I was always happy to make those long trips. The only one I dreaded was Essex, because us Haysi folk knew that was probably going to be the last game ever. Just hated it was going to happen six hours away.
Hey, I am from Dickenson County and I can tell you that Ridgeview fans are the absolute worst.
Ridgeview fans whine incessantly about officiating. Ridgeview fans whine incessantly about playing Abingdon in anything. (They're 3A! They don't belong in our district!!!!)
My only beef with Union fans is they complain when it's time to travel anywhere outside of a 50 mile radius.
Well, I seen in the Times News this morning, Dean has officially transferred to Miami (OH). So, there goes that hope of him taking his name out of the portal.
UVa-Wise may have finally learned that getting the best SWVA talent may not be all that bad after all. Things are trending upward after making the conference tournament final this season, mainly behind the work of Dean and Lawson. Hopefully Dean comes back next season after going to the portal.
Central Wise girls does not give the Devils their due, as Central beats Gate City by 1 pt and will play for the Class 2 state title game.
11 hours ago, BigWinners said:
That one surprises me
Not me. Robin wins when it matters.
District championship game didn't matter. Central was always going to be the 2 seed.
Region championship game didn't matter. Central was advancing regardless and still got to play their quarterfinal at home (though they didn't know that at the time).
When, it's win or go home, it's best to lay all the chips on the table and go with coach Dotson every time.
Ridgeview and Virginia High will be very interesting. Both teams play physical... depending on who the refs are for that one, could be 100 combined free throws in that one.
BDD: Honaker wins big since Grundy has three players out due to a mishap during their semifinal win over Hurley the other night. The real intrigue is in the third place game. Can Twin Valley win their first game of the season against a short handed Hurley (for the same mishap) and qualify for the region tournament?
Hogo, I will take Lebanon on their home floor. Matchup is pointless regardless as Lebanon is locked in as the Hogo 1 and Chilhowie is locked in as the Hogo 2.
Correct, if Union beats Abingdon and GC beats RV then they pass RV in that scenario too.
RV should beat GC, of course they should've beat Union. RV has done less with more talent than anyone in Region D this year. Time is running out to correct that.
I can agree with that. They have some very good wins, but they also have some very bad losses as well.
I saw a video little while ago and was told since no punches were thrown, it wouldn't be the three games for fighting, but since a couple from both teams left the bench, those would be suspended for the third place game (Hurley) and championship (Grundy).
So, heard there were some shenanigans between Hurley and Grundy last night at the BDD tournament and game was called with over 5 minutes still to play....
I'm very much a proponent of the one state champ in all sports except football model. I like what you've done here with this.
Having gone to the 15th Region tournament last year at Appalachian Wireless Arena, I can say it was one of the greatest basketball atmospheres I've ever been in. Place was probably about 90% full and the intensity of the game was top notch knowing if you lost your season was done. Pike County Central and Betsy Layne nearly had a bench clearer in the final seconds of their semifinal game.
I wonder also mainly because Richlands used to play Bluefield & Union and traded those for much weaker opponents in single A. I’d say they cruise round one in regional and may have to fight hard to get any further. When is the last time Richlands won both the SWD & the Region? I would presume during the Brittany Allen era?
Didn't Richlands play Honaker x2 this year and win both? I wouldn't call that a weak single A since they're three time defending champs. Did they play Twin Valley? They're pretty stout this year also.
I would also say that they won't "Cruise" in round one either. Both Union and Ridgeview split with Central this year. Richlands can beat either one that they wind up playing, especially with home court advantage. But it won't be easy.
Most likely Ridgeview or Union depending on who would win the consolation between those two. Even though both of those are capable of winning their tournament semifinal game and getting to the championship game, I think Central and GC are clearly better than Ridgeview and Union.
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Who is the AD at Ridgeview now, come to think of it? Kent Grant? Is he still softball coach as well?