HowTheWestWasWon2017

My boys here in Radford had a crazy game with Gate City last year. The white kid had mad skillz. Now that he is gone and going over what I saw in the playoffs here is my preview for this way to early basketball poll. Feel free to comment. 
 
1.  Radford - Our guys havent forgot the last game they played and who they faced. Word on the Avenue is the Cats want a piece of that title held by Gate City and plan on taking it by force. Bobcats take it all this year. No questions. 
With QMR, Cormany, Jones and company we will have the title in hand come March. But for Gate City all you have to say is No Mac McClung.... No State Title. 
Nice run but it's done now. 
2.  Dan River 
3. Goochland
4. East Rockingham
5. Martinsville
6. Appomattox
7. Central-Wise. -  Had friends who went to watch Gate City play this team in their conference tourney and said without the Mac kid this team would have beat them.  Gate City is upset early by this team this year. 
8. Gate City - Watched Gate City play at Radford. Without the Mac kid they do not go anywhere. The tall white kid Irving is good but not as good as the pogo stick.The other kid Deans I think it is didnt do much that I saw. They will be very easy to guard and what I saw from the program not very athletic or tough. The Blue Devils get one year to experience a championship.  It's back to normal this year with the Cats. 
9. Glenvar - The Landers had a young team last year and played very competitive. Keep an eye out. 
Tie 10. Robert E. Lee - Staunton -  New head coach in second year and they lose a transfer guard and Vaughn who is going to Old Dominion. Lee will be competitive but not their old selves. Getting stunned in state took some steam out of their sails. If Lee makes it out of East somehow they get the Cats. Not much better for them again either. 
Tie 10. Central Woodstock

1. Union 
2. Ridgeview
3. Graham  
4. Abingdon     
5. Chilhowie
6. Marion
7. Richlands
8. Giles
9. Radford
10. Grayson County
 

Eva blind squirrrel finds a nut eva once in a while in da woods.  Jus no blind squirrels in Radford homie.  All da nuts where you be livin.  True dat. 

Why would dey follow da Graham  Wise game?  Evabody knows G gonna walk all ova Wise. Region D ain't got nuttin baby on Region C.  
G did beat da Dawgs from the Mahtinsville. Dawgs weak dis year tho.  
River gonna run all over da Ville. Then Radford gonna run all ova da River. 
GC tonight?  No chance. 
Union upset da Grayson County peeps. GMen prob gonna win it all.  Graham plus defnitely GC Wise all those teams players waaay overrated.   Graham region championa.  
Radford gonna blast on da Highland peeps dis night.  Cats gonna win da region @OUR house.  Region campions will be toasted in. Radford tomorrow night.   
Next Saturday we go in one step closer to dat ring!!
Go Cats Go!!
Radford STATE CHAMPS!!!

Go Bobcats!!!
 
Region D Quarterfinals
4)John Battle at 1)Graham
3)Lebanon at 2)Wise Central
 
1)Gate City vs. 4)Virginia High
3)Union at 2)Grayson County
 
Region D Semifinals
Graham vs Wise Central
Gate City vs Grayson County
 
Region D Championship
Wise Central vs. Grayson County
 
VHSL State Quarterfinals
Region D Champion - Grayson County
Region C Runnerup - Dan River
 
Region C Champion - Radford
Region D Runnerup -  Wise Central
 
VHSL State Semifinals
Radford vs Dan River
 
VHSL State Championship
Radford vs Robert E. Lee
 
VHSL Class 2A State Champions
Radford Bobcats
 
 
 

We here at Radford say thank you. LOL.  IF we were to meet the Blue Devils I would bet that after reading this post that we do all that we can to go right at McClung defensively.  The Nichols brothers were the real deal.  Darius who was a superb player at West Virginia now assists Mike White at Florida.  
I never saw any of the other guys play that were mentioned. I have seen highlights of the McClung guy and he does seem a bit arrogant the way he carries himself but that is just from observation of his highlights that are all over social media. I do not know him so I will not speculate.  The Nichols brothers?  If he turns out to be that good he is quite the player. 

Whoa whoa whoa!!!! They have been involved in a COUPLE of divorce cases?  It's high school football  The tickets were probably worth what 30 or 40 dollars?  I see why people from GC are going nuts on this board. People expect Super Bowl     champions not conference winners. People from other places are going to read this and die laughing. I can see it now. We make it to a state playoff game in football or dare I say basketball and play Gate City       in a region or state game. One of.our students will hold up a sign that says, "My mom got divorced     from my dad in Gate City and all.she got were these crappy football tickets!" I'm not sure how the game   will go on Friday. If Gate City were to lose and someone from Union sees this and the band plays a wedding march if they win, that might be equivalent to Baker Mayfield planting the flag on the O at Ohio State. 
 

Whoa whoa whoa!!!! They have been involved in a COUPLE of divorce cases?  It's high school football  The tickets were probably worth what 30 or 40 dollars?  I see why people from GC are going nuts on this board. People expect Super Bowl     champions not conference winners. People from other places are going to read this and die laughing. I can see it now. We make it to a state playoff game in football or dare I say basketball and play Gate City       in a region or state game. One of.our students will hold up a sign that says, "My mom got divorced     from my dad in Gate City and all.she got were these crappy football tickets!" I'm not sure how the game   will go on Friday. If Gate City were to lose and someone from Union sees this and the band plays a wedding march if they win, that might be equivalent to Baker Mayfield planting the flag on the O at Ohio State. 
 

Radford was a football school in the 80's but since Coach Cormany's arrival we are mostly known for our basketball.  A lot of that is because the players gravitate to our basketball program because Coach Cormany is a players coach.  He is all about his players well being and his team enjoying playing the game.  Don't get me wrong. Coach disciplines with structure but all the players love playing for the Bobcats. They know they will be pushed and have fun doing it.  If Gate City has become a "basketball school" as you say, I am sure it began longer ago than you thought because players started realizing where they would compete and work hard and at the same time having fun and winning for a coach that they love playing for.  You probably wont like hearing this but until that changes your school will probably continue to be a"basketball school" because players gravitate to people who enjoy what they do and enjoy having them there with them.  Sounds like a lot of your best coaches are in the basketball program especially if your school is a "basketball school" now.  Kids know who care about them not that the football coaches do not do so now. Kids are fickle though. As long as your basketball program stays hot and is very enthusiastic about the kids it will probably be your best program at Gate City. That is how it has been at Radford for a while and Cormany even encourages them to play football.  I think that makes them want to play for him even more.  The kids love a coach who supports them no matter what they do.  Just a perspective from the outside for you to think about.  Good luck to the Devils in future games though. All teams run through down cycles. Devils may be experiencing one now. Its your attitude though this cycle that will determine whether Gate City remains a "basketball school" or whether football makes a comeback.  Just my thoughts on the matter. 

Radford was a football school in the 80's but since Coach Cormany's arrival we are mostly known for our basketball.  A lot of that is because the players gravitate to our basketball program because Coach Cormany is a players coach.  He is all about his players well being and his team enjoying playing the game.  Don't get me wrong. Coach disciplines with structure but all the players love playing for the Bobcats. They know they will be pushed and have fun doing it.  If Gate City has become a "basketball school" as you say, I am sure it began longer ago than you thought because players started realizing where they would compete and work hard and at the same time having fun and winning for a coach that they love playing for.  You probably wont like hearing this but until that changes your school will probably continue to be a"basketball school" because players gravitate to people who enjoy what they do and enjoy having them there with them.  Sounds like a lot of your best coaches are in the basketball program especially if your school is a "basketball school" now.  Kids know who care about them not that the football coaches do not do so now. Kids are fickle though. As long as your basketball program stays hot and is very enthusiastic about the kids it will probably be your best program at Gate City. That is how it has been at Radford for a while and Cormany even encourages them to play football.  I think that makes them want to play for him even more.  The kids love a coach who supports them no matter what they do.  Just a perspective from the outside for you to think about.  Good luck to the Devils in future games though. All teams run through down cycles. Devils may be experiencing one now. Its your attitude though this cycle that will determine whether Gate City remains a "basketball school" or whether football makes a comeback.  Just my thoughts on the matter. 

Radford was a football school in the 80's but since Coach Cormany's arrival we are mostly known for our basketball.  A lot of that is because the players gravitate to our basketball program because Coach Cormany is a players coach.  He is all about his players well being and his team enjoying playing the game.  Don't get me wrong. Coach disciplines with structure but all the players love playing for the Bobcats. They know they will be pushed and have fun doing it.  If Gate City has become a "basketball school" as you say, I am sure it began longer ago than you thought because players started realizing where they would compete and work hard and at the same time having fun and winning for a coach that they love playing for.  You probably wont like hearing this but until that changes your school will probably continue to be a"basketball school" because players gravitate to people who enjoy what they do and enjoy having them there with them.  Sounds like a lot of your best coaches are in the basketball program especially if your school is a "basketball school" now.  Kids know who care about them not that the football coaches do not do so now. Kids are fickle though. As long as your basketball program stays hot and is very enthusiastic about the kids it will probably be your best program at Gate City. That is how it has been at Radford for a while and Cormany even encourages them to play football.  I think that makes them want to play for him even more.  The kids love a coach who supports them no matter what they do.  Just a perspective from the outside for you to think about.  Good luck to the Devils in future games though. All teams run through down cycles. Devils may be experiencing one now. Its your attitude though this cycle that will determine whether Gate City remains a "basketball school" or whether football makes a comeback.  Just my thoughts on the matter. 

As a Radford guy, I know in my sports experience the only school anyone up in the New River Valley talked about from far Southwest Virginia was Gate City in football and basketball.  
We had some rivalries with Virginia High in soccer but how many schools play soccer?  
Football and basketball are the main cash cows for a small school like us and I would guess Gate City.  
Hearing you talk on here it sounds like this may be a year where the basketball team may bring in more money than football. Maybe, maybe not. 
Gate City has been the one team I have always heard of from people living up this way. 
Like Radford our goals in basketball are not to win the district/conference title. Our goal is the state tournament yet some schools celebrate like they won a state championship when they defeat us. 
It's all about your reality and your culture. You either have a championship culture established where your players are focused on the end of the road in March or they just have a date circled to beat somebody local.  
I'm sure for some of Gate City opponents beating them is the best thing in the world and the only thing that matters. Yet for people like us up here all we are concerned about is meeting schools like Gate City at the end because then we know it takes the best to beat the best 
It's all about perspective. 

Heard from some friends who have family down south that a coach who was very successful here in the Roanoke Valley about 20 years ago at Salem resigned at the school he was coaching. I remember my dad talking about how strong the teams at Salem were under this guy named Charlie Morgan. He said they won some state championships when he was there. Did he resign on his own or was he forced? I talked to my cousins down there in Tennessee and they said the school where he was didn't have a lot of talent as it used to which probably factored in and they said it was probably his decision but wasn't sure. Any word of if he is planning a return to this area? The Roanoke Valley and the New River Valley are hotbeds for basketball. I'm sure if he wanted to coach here in this area again he could with his resume from Salem.

In the times that I have traveled south to the mountains (for example the Smokies, etc) I have noticed that there are not many middle class suburbs or communities in the Bristol or East Tennessee area. I have not been to places like Norton or Wise. I haven't been to Gate City or Abingdon but from what I can tell just by the lay of the land is that the people who lives in those areas down south need some kind of big business to move in and create jobs for all the people who live there. The only difference between that area and the New River Valley is spacious amounts of land in which to build. With as much mountainous terrain as there is I find it hard to understand what anyone does for a living down south. Someone told me that the city of Kingsport, Tennessee that you spoke of had a major manufacturing plant but honestly if one major buisness is all that you are able to have in that area then you will never have anything.
Pulaski County was a thriving economic center at one point because of all the industry it had.
The Cougars were a football powerhouse and at one time used to be ranked consistently in the USA Today Top 25. Then we had some industries and people move out and now we are nothing like we used to be.
If this city of Kingsport one main industry moves out it sounds to me as if the entire area would dry up.
Which leads me to one conclusion. All of you people had better be luring some big major factories or businesses to your area or one day you may regret it.

I was reading over this thread checking on Dan River information. I didn't see this person play but this kid you talk about with the ego and arrogance?  
To me there are two cases of arrogance:
 
There is the Bill Laimbeer, John Starks Rajon Rondo type of arrogance or there is the Michael Jordan, Reggie Miller or Larry Bird type of arrogance.
 
One is more productive and more likeable than the other.
 
I went a little old school with these examples but to me nobody in the league today exemplifies confidence, in a good way, more than these guys.
Stephen Curry probably can be included here. Maybe Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving. There are some other major stars who are riding the fence IMO.
 
I hope you understand my different levels of arrogance.

Holdbacks happen.

Holdbacks happen.

If the West did it like the East this is how your regional tournament format would look:
 
(These are all hypotheticals)
 
Conference 38 #4 James River at Conference 37 #1 Dan River
Conference 40 #3 Central Wise at Conference 39 #2 Graham
 
Conference 39 #4 Virginia High at Conference 40 #1 Gate City
Conference 37 #3 Buckingham at Conference 38 #2 Glenvar
 
Conference 37 #4 Appomattox at Conference 38 #1 Martinsville
Conference 39 #3 Grayson County at Conference 40 #2 Union
 
Conference 40 #4 Lebanon at Conference 39 #1 Richlands
Conference 38 #3 Giles at Conference 37 #2 Chatham
 
Quarterfinals
First two winners play at higher seed
#2 Graham at #1 Dan River
 
Second two winners play at higher seed
#2 Glenvar at #1 Gate City
 
Third two winners play at higher seed
#2 Union at #1 Martinsville
 
Fourth two seeds play at higher seed
#2 Chatham at #1 Richlands
 
 
Semifinals at James River
 
First two winners play
#1 Dan River vs #1 Gate City
 
Second two winners play
#1 Richlands vs #1 Martinsville
 
Consolation
Richlands vs Gate City
 
Championship
Dan River vs Martinsville.
 
 
Probably might end up with same teams with current format but who knows this time of year. I thought it would be very interesting to see some of the matchups if the West did their tournament like the East.

I hate to burst everyone's bubble from Richlands but I came down from Tech with a friend of mine to watch this much talked about matchup with him.
I am from the New River Valley and have never seen a Richlands Graham game
Here were my takes on it:
 
1. Graham would beat Richlands right now 15 out of 20 times. The other five times they would be resting their best players.
2. Graham has the best student body this side of Roanoke. I always thought the George Wythe "Soldiers" were the best. Not anymore.
3. The PG who had outscored Richlands by himself in the 4th qtr is hard to handle and may be bad news for anyone in the postseason. And from what the PA guy said he is a junior. Wow!
4. Richlands if they are good and if they have a dream team they played like a nightmare. I hope I never have a dream like that in my life. Just give the tourney championship to Graham. They are the best team by far.
5. The Graham beardown will continue into.the future. The JV team came back to beat Richlands in OT. Richlands should have won that one too. Graham is stacked for the future.
Not sure they could hang with Martinsville but all the other teams in the West better watch out. Even the much hyped Gate City and this Union team you talk of. If Union has any inside game at all and a good guard? Union would beat Richlands by 30. Richlands is not very good.
 
These are just my takes.

I hate to burst everyone's bubble from Richlands but I came down from Tech with a friend of mine to watch this much talked about matchup with him.
I am from the New River Valley and have never seen a Richlands Graham game
Here were my takes on it:
 
1. Graham would beat Richlands right now 15 out of 20 times. The other five times they would be resting their best players.
2. Graham has the best student body this side of Roanoke. I always thought the George Wythe "Soldiers" were the best. Not anymore.
3. The PG who had outscored Richlands by himself in the 4th qtr is hard to handle and may be bad news for anyone in the postseason. And from what the PA guy said he is a junior. Wow!
4. Richlands if they are good and if they have a dream team they played like a nightmare. I hope I never have a dream like that in my life. Just give the tourney championship to Graham. They are the best team by far.
5. The Graham beardown will continue into.the future. The JV team came back to beat Richlands in OT. Richlands should have won that one too. Graham is stacked for the future.
Not sure they could hang with Martinsville but all the other teams in the West better watch out. Even the much hyped Gate City and this Union team you talk of. If Union has any inside game at all and a good guard? Union would beat Richlands by 30. Richlands is not very good.
 
These are just my takes.

I hate to burst everyone's bubble from Richlands but I came down from Tech with a friend of mine to watch this much talked about matchup with him.
I am from the New River Valley and have never seen a Richlands Graham game
Here were my takes on it:
 
1. Graham would beat Richlands right now 15 out of 20 times. The other five times they would be resting their best players.
2. Graham has the best student body this side of Roanoke. I always thought the George Wythe "Soldiers" were the best. Not anymore.
3. The PG who had outscored Richlands by himself in the 4th qtr is hard to handle and may be bad news for anyone in the postseason. And from what the PA guy said he is a junior. Wow!
4. Richlands if they are good and if they have a dream team they played like a nightmare. I hope I never have a dream like that in my life. Just give the tourney championship to Graham. They are the best team by far.
5. The Graham beardown will continue into.the future. The JV team came back to beat Richlands in OT. Richlands should have won that one too. Graham is stacked for the future.
Not sure they could hang with Martinsville but all the other teams in the West better watch out. Even the much hyped Gate City and this Union team you talk of. If Union has any inside game at all and a good guard? Union would beat Richlands by 30. Richlands is not very good.
 
These are just my takes.

I hate to burst everyone's bubble from Richlands but I came down from Tech with a friend of mine to watch this much talked about matchup with him.
I am from the New River Valley and have never seen a Richlands Graham game
Here were my takes on it:
 
1. Graham would beat Richlands right now 15 out of 20 times. The other five times they would be resting their best players.
2. Graham has the best student body this side of Roanoke. I always thought the George Wythe "Soldiers" were the best. Not anymore.
3. The PG who had outscored Richlands by himself in the 4th qtr is hard to handle and may be bad news for anyone in the postseason. And from what the PA guy said he is a junior. Wow!
4. Richlands if they are good and if they have a dream team they played like a nightmare. I hope I never have a dream like that in my life. Just give the tourney championship to Graham. They are the best team by far.
5. The Graham beardown will continue into.the future. The JV team came back to beat Richlands in OT. Richlands should have won that one too. Graham is stacked for the future.
Not sure they could hang with Martinsville but all the other teams in the West better watch out. Even the much hyped Gate City and this Union team you talk of. If Union has any inside game at all and a good guard? Union would beat Richlands by 30. Richlands is not very good.
 
These are just my takes.

You know computers. They do stupid things sometimes. It was not meant to be put down 6 times. My apologies.

Hope the top four seed win in both group divisions. Will make for some really nasty football being g played that weekend.
 
Only upset I see could be Union over Dan River.

My friends at Tech from NoVa will probably hate this post. While taken back at the direction of this power point's post, the first official flag of the Confederacy was not the "stars and bars". The "stars and bars" actually was the third flag adopted.
The "stars and bars" was originally the Battle Flag of NoVa. Yes my NoVa friends from Harrisonburg, Richmomd, Arlington. This flag represented you.
Slavery was a great evil and still is in many parts of the world. The South was an agriculture economy while the North was more industrial and relied on products from the South for some of the industries like textiles.
The South had a way of life and the North had a way of life. Now slavery may have been a part of that way of life as sad as it may be but not every white person in the South had slaves as some might believe.
Go to http://newobserveronline.com/hidden-facts-about-slavery-in-america/
Now this isn't trying to "stir a pot". This is just putting out facts.
In defense of this small town Hurley, don't think of them and their people who are a bunch of racists backwoods people. Think of.them as people who were part of a group of people in history who were ready to go to battle for their beliefs. I am not talking about beliefs in slavery, I am talking about Northern infringement and influences on a laid back Southern way of life that today we now love.
And because Trump calls a spade a spade and calls some of the drug lords down south "bad hombres", he isn't trying to insult a race of people. Let's face it. Some people are way too sensitive in this world.
Yes we are a nation of immigrants as Hillary said but what Hillary needs to realize is that this is 2016 not 1889. Terrorists posing as immigrants coming to this nation with intents of destroying our country is a little different than people coming to here when the country is just a little over fifty years expanding west and new technologies and ideas are developing to help the country grow.
Yes we need more technical schools and vocational tracts in schools but what good does it do us without any jobs.
Yes I am a college senior with my own opinions. I try to keep an open mind and see reality for what it is.
Hurley, Virginia should be proud to be rebels.
Many people are more afraid of hurting feelings than telling the truth. I would rather someone tell me the truth than be PC and cower and cater to me. Just my opinions.
I'm ready to read the haters comments after this. I'm sure there will be some.
Oh well. I have my whole life ahead of me and I am sure there will be more.