FalconVoice

Good luck with your new venture and many blessings.

I'm not posting this here for any kind of emotional goodbye or anything-- I can honestly say I discovered this site far too late in my time as the PBP voice of Falcons sports (unfortunately) to get to know many of you very well. I appreciated the discussion and the camaraderie (and even the disagreement) on here. As for my time broadcasting on WABN, I want to thank all of you who may have tuned in, even for just a moment. As Vin Scully recently said in his retiring remarks, I always felt like I needed you more than you needed me, and I think that was certainly the way it was in my case.
 
I still plan on being a member on the site and checking in from time-to-time, but at least part of the reason that I decided to step down was because I have taken a new job that will force me to relocate elsewhere in The Commonwealth. That in addition to going through a grueling breakup with the woman that I intend(ed) to marry has sapped me of most of my energy and enthusiasm for broadcasting at the moment, and I don't want to cheat the listeners by not being 100% on air, because it's not fair to them.
 
Also, thank you to WABN, Rusty Cury, Cody Jennings, Pam Holmes, Mike Cox and to my broadcasting partner and color commentator in Ginger Largen. Without her expertise and familiarity with this current generation of Falcons sports, I would have been totally lost (as an Abingdon-to-Norfolk-to-Alexandria-back-to-Abingdon-to-Blacksburg-back-to-Abingdon again transplant after college and during graduate school). Also thank you to all of our sponsors, because without you, we wouldn't have been on the air.
 
For myself, I have to say that being able to return to the high school where I graduated to become the voice for the teams I once played on, on a very personal level, was special for me. And I certainly hope that sentiment came across on our broadcasts. And of course, with the recent successes of Falcon sports coinciding with my time in the booth, I have to say I enjoyed this stop in my broadcasting career (if you could call it that) more than any other. It was an exciting adventure and I will cherish it always. But now I have to embark on a new adventure, and I don't know if broadcasting will be part of that adventure, at least initially. But I encourage anyone who wants to keep in touch (through Twitter or other social media, or if you would like my number or e-mail, please feel free to message me on here), and I will try to do the same and update you on my path--especially if it includes broadcasting. Thank you all again and keep up your passion in enjoying the fruits of what Southwest Virginia sports continue to produce.

Sorry to hear about your breakup in your personal life,  sometimes we don't understand why things happen the way they do,  but they can lead us down a different road that we can't see now,  but may be better for us in the long run.
Good luck with your new job and move !   

I'm not posting this here for any kind of emotional goodbye or anything-- I can honestly say I discovered this site far too late in my time as the PBP voice of Falcons sports (unfortunately) to get to know many of you very well. I appreciated the discussion and the camaraderie (and even the disagreement) on here. As for my time broadcasting on WABN, I want to thank all of you who may have tuned in, even for just a moment. As Vin Scully recently said in his retiring remarks, I always felt like I needed you more than you needed me, and I think that was certainly the way it was in my case.
 
I still plan on being a member on the site and checking in from time-to-time, but at least part of the reason that I decided to step down was because I have taken a new job that will force me to relocate elsewhere in The Commonwealth. That in addition to going through a grueling breakup with the woman that I intend(ed) to marry has sapped me of most of my energy and enthusiasm for broadcasting at the moment, and I don't want to cheat the listeners by not being 100% on air, because it's not fair to them.
 
Also, thank you to WABN, Rusty Cury, Cody Jennings, Pam Holmes, Mike Cox and to my broadcasting partner and color commentator in Ginger Largen. Without her expertise and familiarity with this current generation of Falcons sports, I would have been totally lost (as an Abingdon-to-Norfolk-to-Alexandria-back-to-Abingdon-to-Blacksburg-back-to-Abingdon again transplant after college and during graduate school). Also thank you to all of our sponsors, because without you, we wouldn't have been on the air.
 
For myself, I have to say that being able to return to the high school where I graduated to become the voice for the teams I once played on, on a very personal level, was special for me. And I certainly hope that sentiment came across on our broadcasts. And of course, with the recent successes of Falcon sports coinciding with my time in the booth, I have to say I enjoyed this stop in my broadcasting career (if you could call it that) more than any other. It was an exciting adventure and I will cherish it always. But now I have to embark on a new adventure, and I don't know if broadcasting will be part of that adventure, at least initially. But I encourage anyone who wants to keep in touch (through Twitter or other social media, or if you would like my number or e-mail, please feel free to message me on here), and I will try to do the same and update you on my path--especially if it includes broadcasting. Thank you all again and keep up your passion in enjoying the fruits of what Southwest Virginia sports continue to produce.

I'm not posting this here for any kind of emotional goodbye or anything-- I can honestly say I discovered this site far too late in my time as the PBP voice of Falcons sports (unfortunately) to get to know many of you very well. I appreciated the discussion and the camaraderie (and even the disagreement) on here. As for my time broadcasting on WABN, I want to thank all of you who may have tuned in, even for just a moment. As Vin Scully recently said in his retiring remarks, I always felt like I needed you more than you needed me, and I think that was certainly the way it was in my case.
 
I still plan on being a member on the site and checking in from time-to-time, but at least part of the reason that I decided to step down was because I have taken a new job that will force me to relocate elsewhere in The Commonwealth. That in addition to going through a grueling breakup with the woman that I intend(ed) to marry has sapped me of most of my energy and enthusiasm for broadcasting at the moment, and I don't want to cheat the listeners by not being 100% on air, because it's not fair to them.
 
Also, thank you to WABN, Rusty Cury, Cody Jennings, Pam Holmes, Mike Cox and to my broadcasting partner and color commentator in Ginger Largen. Without her expertise and familiarity with this current generation of Falcons sports, I would have been totally lost (as an Abingdon-to-Norfolk-to-Alexandria-back-to-Abingdon-to-Blacksburg-back-to-Abingdon again transplant after college and during graduate school). Also thank you to all of our sponsors, because without you, we wouldn't have been on the air.
 
For myself, I have to say that being able to return to the high school where I graduated to become the voice for the teams I once played on, on a very personal level, was special for me. And I certainly hope that sentiment came across on our broadcasts. And of course, with the recent successes of Falcon sports coinciding with my time in the booth, I have to say I enjoyed this stop in my broadcasting career (if you could call it that) more than any other. It was an exciting adventure and I will cherish it always. But now I have to embark on a new adventure, and I don't know if broadcasting will be part of that adventure, at least initially. But I encourage anyone who wants to keep in touch (through Twitter or other social media, or if you would like my number or e-mail, please feel free to message me on here), and I will try to do the same and update you on my path--especially if it includes broadcasting. Thank you all again and keep up your passion in enjoying the fruits of what Southwest Virginia sports continue to produce.

I'm not posting this here for any kind of emotional goodbye or anything-- I can honestly say I discovered this site far too late in my time as the PBP voice of Falcons sports (unfortunately) to get to know many of you very well. I appreciated the discussion and the camaraderie (and even the disagreement) on here. As for my time broadcasting on WABN, I want to thank all of you who may have tuned in, even for just a moment. As Vin Scully recently said in his retiring remarks, I always felt like I needed you more than you needed me, and I think that was certainly the way it was in my case.
 
I still plan on being a member on the site and checking in from time-to-time, but at least part of the reason that I decided to step down was because I have taken a new job that will force me to relocate elsewhere in The Commonwealth. That in addition to going through a grueling breakup with the woman that I intend(ed) to marry has sapped me of most of my energy and enthusiasm for broadcasting at the moment, and I don't want to cheat the listeners by not being 100% on air, because it's not fair to them.
 
Also, thank you to WABN, Rusty Cury, Cody Jennings, Pam Holmes, Mike Cox and to my broadcasting partner and color commentator in Ginger Largen. Without her expertise and familiarity with this current generation of Falcons sports, I would have been totally lost (as an Abingdon-to-Norfolk-to-Alexandria-back-to-Abingdon-to-Blacksburg-back-to-Abingdon again transplant after college and during graduate school). Also thank you to all of our sponsors, because without you, we wouldn't have been on the air.
 
For myself, I have to say that being able to return to the high school where I graduated to become the voice for the teams I once played on, on a very personal level, was special for me. And I certainly hope that sentiment came across on our broadcasts. And of course, with the recent successes of Falcon sports coinciding with my time in the booth, I have to say I enjoyed this stop in my broadcasting career (if you could call it that) more than any other. It was an exciting adventure and I will cherish it always. But now I have to embark on a new adventure, and I don't know if broadcasting will be part of that adventure, at least initially. But I encourage anyone who wants to keep in touch (through Twitter or other social media, or if you would like my number or e-mail, please feel free to message me on here), and I will try to do the same and update you on my path--especially if it includes broadcasting. Thank you all again and keep up your passion in enjoying the fruits of what Southwest Virginia sports continue to produce.

And beat the piss out of me in the process.

And beat the piss out of me in the process.

And beat the piss out of me in the process.

The 2004 state-semifinalist team at Richlands had all home grown talent...

And again, for those of you wondering why I said Blacksburg was the best team that Abingdon played...
 
Congrats to the Bruins!

What Blacksburg has done is straight impressive. Props to Coach Wells and what he has done at Blacksburg! No one gave them a shot to win it week after week in the post season.

This is certainly true.

hard to argue with a hoo about bad football, they know it best

Blacksburg wins 24-17

Very surprised by the Graham/Richlands score. Of the teams Abingdon played this year, I would have put them 2 and 3 respectively with a big differential between the two (granted I'm going off of two games and just reports I heard from trusted sources). For one, Graham seriously outcoached Abingdon in their matchup, and Meade was dominant. It sounds like tonight he had that really big play early on and then not much after that. For Richlands, I saw the potential, but as we have discussed here before, they're not as good as 2015 Richlands because they couldn't run the ball. Sounds like they've done some serious work on that and it's paying off. Congrats to both teams on their wonderful seasons and to Richlands for keeping their season going to the state semis. Sounds like they wanted it more tonight.

Very surprised by the Graham/Richlands score. Of the teams Abingdon played this year, I would have put them 2 and 3 respectively with a big differential between the two (granted I'm going off of two games and just reports I heard from trusted sources). For one, Graham seriously outcoached Abingdon in their matchup, and Meade was dominant. It sounds like tonight he had that really big play early on and then not much after that. For Richlands, I saw the potential, but as we have discussed here before, they're not as good as 2015 Richlands because they couldn't run the ball. Sounds like they've done some serious work on that and it's paying off. Congrats to both teams on their wonderful seasons and to Richlands for keeping their season going to the state semis. Sounds like they wanted it more tonight.

QB is just so hard to project, the transition is so difficult. Its encouraging to hear Sturgill is extremely intelligent and has a high football IQ, but its a lil worrisome that he did drop off slightly this year. Watching some of his film, he just seemed more confident last season and seemed like he was more out to prove a point. I just think the leap from starting QB in SWVA against even good teams like Richlands or Graham is gigantic to the D1 level. I was lucky enough to grow up around a great HS QB, a gym rat with intense desire to be great and football IQ off the charts. A lot like Sturgill sounds like, his teammates truly believed in him and he knew football better than almost everyone else. He was a physical specimen as well, his throwing motion was maybe a little longer than Sturgill but the mechanics where rock solid. But even with all that, he didn't make it as a P5 conference QB. (But he was an excellent baseball player, like elite. I'm not sure if he hadn't been solely dedicated to baseball, he wouldn't have been drafted he was that good.
 
I'm not disparaging anyone at all, jus telling ya what I saw and how hard the leap must be at QB. Just the level of competition and getting used to playing with elite athletes and having to develop completely new timing and adjustments is so difficult, then combine that with leaving home, leaving comfort zone, new staff, new people, etc.. I truly hope Sturgill (ands Asbury, every SWVA kid) has success wherever he goes, I just hope he doesn't view being a starter at D2 or FCS as something less, thats an AWESOME accomplishment. Hell being a startin QB at a NAIA school takes insane talent, dedication and intelligence!

I don't know. My eyes tell me yes, but I want to be sure I'm not looking through rose-colored glasses. A lot of what makes the difference at that level to distinguish it from DII or DIII is intelligence, confidence and know how, and thankfully for Jake, he's got those things going for him. Am I saying he's going to go there and start day-1 (or at all)? Absolutely not. But the kid is not going to be stumped by anything you throw at him, and I think he truly believes in himself/his teammates believe in him that he'll/they'll succeed on the play.
 
It's pretty hard to project the competition he's seen in this area to that level and get any kind of accurate read. I do think he's the best football player that Abingdon has ever produced and that he CAN play on that level, it's just a question of the right offer comes and it's the right fit.
 
For what it's worth, I have a friend who was a scout for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and he reviewed his tape and numbers and thought they were excellent. He told me that nothing in his footwork or mechanics suggest that he can't play DI football. His only concern? It looked too easy for him, so he wondered about the competition. Also, as Abingdon fans know, the season that Jake put on tape in 2015 was far superior to his 2016 campaign. Not that it was a bad season by any means, just not transcendent like 2015.

David Teel is about as good as it gets in VA.

Hey guys, as is the case every year, I'm allowed to cast 3 votes for the following categories for the NSMA (National Sports Media Association, formerly the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association) Awards. I think I know who I'm voting for, but any suggestions (or reminders for a particularly great piece or body of work, and please list them if there is something that needs to be included as a seminal moment in sportscasting/sportswriting) are welcome. Also, just in case someone were to be kind enough to ask me to nominate myself, that is not allowed, and I'm sure there are much more deserving candidates as well. The deadline is 5 PM ET today, so I'll check back before then.
 
State Sportscaster (VA)
State Sportswriter (VA)
National Sportscaster
National Sportswriter

Also, just a small tidbit, but Sturgill had a meeting with UVA today in Abingdon.

I honestly must say Lloyd combs, he suffered a stroke a short while back and has been in/out of nursing home. But yet in his wheelchair he has been hand carried into press boxes to announce games for 100.7 while also contributing to the herald carrier, bluefield daily, and Virginia mountaineer.

Also, just a small tidbit, but Sturgill had a meeting with UVA today in Abingdon.

Amen, in this area especially (but in HS in general as well), they're hard to find with any regularity.