swva_havok_fan

Oh no... Lol. I've became to really like P Wade, Council's coach. Hate to see him struggle through another year.

I will be making my first trip to Salem for the title games. Definitely hope Union gets there. In 1A, I will be pulling for the winner of the Galax/Essex game because they've both been nothing but class acts towards the Big Red Army the last couple of years. I almost hope Essex gets it, because they've been there now so many times and came away with the silver. It's time for them to get the gold.

Thank you sir. I am slightly disappointed with our visitors seating at the football stadium, but as of yet, noone has even come close to filling the visitors side, even Gate City, who I thought would fill the visitors side and then some. Maybe next season, Union can be the first to fill up that side and we could get a drone fly over to take a picture of a full stadium. That's one picture I would pay money for. I still haven't seen the gymnasium yet except from some very vague pictures. I'd like to get to at least one home game this year just to see it.

The Wolfpack's inaugural basketball games are tonight at home vs. Grundy. Wished I could be there, but couldn't possibly make that drive from Bristol on a work night, plus the fact that I am on call and can't be more than 45 minutes away from the office anyway... Also, as an added bonus, nationally ranked Huntington Prep out of West Virginia takes on Mount Mission tonight, also at Ridgeview, once the Ridgeview/Grundy boys game is complete. Huntington has a player who has committed to Sparty at Michigan State. Should be a fun night of basketball. Anyone going to be able to go? Also, Ridgeview boys were supposed to play Council last week in a benefit game, does anyone know how that went?

I thought I saw it posted somewhere on here that it started at 1:30.

1. I can not say or comment anything on games being moved to neutral sites. I don't like it. I was very outspoken last year when Auburn convinced the VHSL to move the 1A West volleyball semis from Rye Cove to a more centralized location in Marion. Auburn was that good and could have beaten Rye Cove in Clinchport and not been a douche about it. It's no secret that Jimbo tried to get the Haysi/Burton playoff games the last couple of years moved to UVA-Wise, pretty much giving THEM the home game and not us. That and some other comments he's made over the years, will never get me to pull for Burton as long as he's a coach there. I'm thrilled Galax beat the crap out of them. Robbins tried to do the same back in '05 when PV had to come to Haysi. Granted, I will admittedly say that we stole home field advantage that year by beating Letcher Central who was in their first year of competition... however, by the system, we earned that right. Nobody from Haysi that I am aware of complained one bit about the potential of having to play Essex on their field. The VHSL moved the game. At halftime Saturday in BSG, I heard some Union fans whining about the possibility of having to make this trip. Accept it. Make the trip, take care of business (like I know the Bears will :-)) and don't whine about it. Appomattox stole home field by beating a 4A team the final week of the season. Next year, if you want home field, maybe you should try to schedule someone tougher in week 8 instead of Eastside. I was furious about 3 minutes into the Ridgeview/Jenkins game in week 1 when it became readily apparent how terrible a team we had scheduled... and apparently play again next season because playing teams like give you a win and 16 points and that's basically it. 2. As far as fans go around here, I will say that 99% of the area have been very receptive, warm and welcome to the Wolfpack fan base in season one. Especially the folks from Richlands, Union, Lee and even places like Grayson County and Giles. I did have one pompous jerk from Giles approach me in the parking lot in Pearisburg after the defeat ask me "How'd you like that taste of the single wing there pal? Can't stop it! Nobody can!" I'd love to find that guy today and tell him... "Apparently Glenvar has your number there pal..." And a lot of Central fans who thought they were the greatest team of all time after beating an inaugural program in its second ever game. And one Union fan trolled me on Twitter after the loss to Giles as well, who I promptly blocked. Not going to let one Union fan discourage me from pulling for the Bears. I know bullet point one will probably draw a lot of negativity in replies, but let me make it clear that I am pulling for Union and hope they win it all. Just trying to make a point to say don't whine about the trip at hand or if it has to be played at their stadium. Enjoy it, treat it like a second vacation and kick ass. :-)

How did they fit all of them in to Wise Central's visiting stands? Lol. My claustrophobia kicked in when Ridgeview played them there.

Lol... anyone who follows me on Twitter knows how I feel about that assclown. After calling a foul on a Haysi girl against Holston last year in basketball, he proceeded to high five a Holston player. He's a jerk.

I didn't ever get back to many Haysi basketball games, so I probably won't get back to too many Ridgeview games either. I'm not sure what the boys team will be like... I suspect the girls team should be very good though with key components of the defending 1A state champs on the roster. Living in Bristol now, at least I should be able to get to quite a few away games being in a new conference at least... (Gate City, Lebanon, Battle)

After watching Richlands in person last week, I would rather see that game as well, but Appo is 4.5 hours from Bristol... I'll just go to the BSG instead. Lol.

I prefer the current 16 team format now in 1A West and 2A West. If it is to be changed, then keep the 16 team format, but go the way of 3 and 4A East and 5 and 6A South with the two conference sectionals per division. Looking at 1A West and 2A West this season using THAT format, the only difference in a team being out or in would have been Covington in 1A West as they were only 9th best in their "Region C" sectional. Castlewood would have replaced them as being the 8th best team in the "Region D" sectional of 1A West. 1A West would have been like this: 47/48 (Region D) Sectional: 1 Burton vs 8 Castlewood 2 Honaker vs 7 Twin Springs 3 Hurley vs 6 Twin Valley 4 Patrick Henry vs 5 Northwood 45/46 (Region C) Sectional: 1 George Wythe vs 8 Narrows 2 Galax vs 7 Parry McCluer 3 Radford vs 6 Auburn 4 Rural Retreat vs 5 Bland County 2A West would have looked like this: 39/40 (Region D) Sectional: 1 Union vs 8 Lee High 2 Richlands vs 7 Grayson County 3 Wise Central vs 6 Virginia High 4 Graham vs 5 Ridgeview 37/38 (Region C) Sectional: 1 Appomattox vs 8 Gretna 2 Glenvar vs 7 Martinsville 3 Buckingham County vs 6 Dan River 4 Giles vs 5 James River

Lol... Well, in the playoffs, I'm 11 for 12. Only one I've missed is, I picked Central to beat Dan River.

As a guy who writes blogs making 2A picks each week... I'll be glad to take a stab at this. Richlands 28 Appomattox 20 (Richlands is my new favortie team now that Ridgeview is out, and really hope they beat Appomattox worse than this since the Raiders have talked LOTS of smack on Twitter) Union 28 Glenvar 24 (My dream of seeing a Richlands/Union state title game in Salem stays alive with a Bears win here) Abingdon 21 Lord Botetourt 20 (Falcons beat Northside who beat LB, the Cinderella run for Abingdon continues) Radford 48 George Wythe 35 (Bobcats laid the smack down on GW in the season opener, and though GW has improved leaps and bounds since then, Radford is still the better team) Galax 42 Burton 20 (Coach Dixon of Galax is a class act which is a whole lot more than I can say about crybaby Jimbo... if Burton and GW win, wonder if Jimbo will try to get Essex to move the game to UVA-Wise?)

I have been to every game of the Arby's since 2000 except for one year in which Haysi played in the High Country Classic over in Boone and I decided to go check that out instead. Mentor has become my team of backing over the last several years with their incredible three point shooting. The field seems down this year somewhat. Still interested in seeing what all of the out of area teams bring to the table though. :)