TTownTigers

This thread turned into a discussion about the status and future of Gate City football with some agreements and some disagreements. The discussion has been largely civil in nature.It's largely been non-GC folks in this thread acting as talking heads in some posts or attempting to stoke the flames or make something worse than what it is. With the amount of input from the GC fans in this thread, it would be difficult to have a more civil discussion on a message board in my opinion. This again shows that GC is class. Comparing GC to Hurley and Tazewell is comical. "We ain't the same." We've actually won forever and ever until just a few years ago. GC will be back. There's no denying that, and for all GC fans who have posted in this thread, I thank you for your thoughts and honest opinions and the discussions which were heated at times, but overall, the discourse was pretty solid and done with class. Regarding one poster's comments about "removing coaches" sheds little light on the issue. Removing is an afterthought of the root. The root is.......the hiring decisions. This is where Tazewell has struggled over the years. It's not who they have removed. It's who they have hired, yet that is a much more difficult discussion and problem with large sets of variables. Additionally, a hiring is more private and hidden more behind the public eye compared to a firing or removal. My point is, careful who you hire. Additionally, when Colobro was hired back at Tazewell (finally a good decision on their part in many years) there were already concerns about the offense he ran and questions within days about the subject.<-----strictly hearsay and opinion, but what I was told by two folks that live in Tazewell. Immediately, Colobro came to his senses and realized, this isn't the old Tazewell he was accustomed to. Regardless of these matters, Gate City could hire, fire or remove 5 coaches in the next 5 years and GC and Tazewell are still......not the same. Rings get a little old, but you can polish them up. State Title Banners can be reprinted. In summary, state titles, regional titles, district titles, and the rest don't go away. That's the difference and the two are not the same, whether a non-GC fan "wants" those two to be the same or not. Wishing something, and something being a certain way aren't the same. So, for the rest of the fans not from GC who have tried to make mountains from anthills, you have lost. Chalk that up in your history as yet, another loss to the Big Blue. I want to be clear that I am talking only about some fans who have attempted to make this thread seem more negative than it is. I am certainly not implying that all or even most non GC fans did that in this thread. There were only a few, but that few had a loud voice. GC fans, I thank you for the discussion and thoughts and whether we agree or disagree, we all want GC to win again, and that internal desire and fandom is what has made GC so great for a long time. That internal desire and fandom is what separates us from the rest. It's exactly why a team like GC can never truly "stay down." It's just not possible. Its a blimp in the radar screen in a short moment in time. I will not be here in 2050, but by 2050, the Gate will have added more state titles to the collection than the overwhelming majority of the rest of the teams/schools in SWVA from now until 2050. Why? History is a good teacher, but tradition and a desire to win is an even greater teacher and predictor, those things haven't changed at GC, no matter how down we seem to be or what the record is, or what the situation looks like at this moment in time, the underlying things that have made us "different" from the rest haven't changed. They are still in GC (and somewhat across the border in TN of course, lol). Go Big Blue

I agree with you on the Parmesan. Don't know about the whole state title thing. I'm hoping to Gosh GC isn't doing the Tazewell thing. I have heard that mentioned before and it scares the heck of out me and I'm serious. I hope it doesn't pan out that way. Either way, I am going to be there and support the kids and big blue. You know what is scary? The scary part not just for me, but I think deep down for most GC fans is worrying about a talent issue. We want so badly to believe it's the system or the coach or this variable or that variable, but deep down, we know that if the problem truly is a talent thing, then it's a much harder problem and long term problem requiring fixing. Well, at least that's my worries. Either way, good luck to your G-Men the rest of the way who will not need it. I watched them down here and it's pretty obvious, they are much better than us. I will be rooting for Graham come playoff time assuming they come out of SWVA. I think the G-Men are better than Richlands and Giles and Union this year.

Going to get ugly up that way, and quickly. I got Graham in this one by 50+ points.

Man on man, lol, GC fans have done absolutely nothing to you. I disagree with your comment, especially because you classify all GC fans as knuckleheads. That's inaccurate and a bit immature. Perhaps, Hurley can hold GC's beer when it beats your team by about 70 points or wins 2 times the amount of state titles. I sense resentment, especially in a thread that simply doesn't pertain to you, and not one Gate City fan has lashed out at you or attacked you.

No, Bluefield's third team is actually......not better than Tazewell's starters. That would be in my opinion......be either hyperbole or.false.

What does that mean? Am I sure? Are you sure? Bottom line is.....I refer you to the first post of the thread in asking about opinions of the game. I gave mine. The "are you sure post" is good I guess, but it could apply to any post in the thread. But, for the sake of answering your question. No, I am not sure. The game hasn't been played yet. With that written, nobody else who posted in the thread is sure either. I gave you my opinion....45-14 in favor of William Byrd, and yes, I am sure of one thing, if a team loses last year only to Salem in the regular season by 3 points and goes 9-1, then loses to them again in the playoffs, and that team is slightly better this year, then yes, I am sure that team is pretty good. And....that team in my opinion only, will win the game by 30+ points at 45-14. Time will tell. I guess the real truth or "surety" is, if I were to post an opinion stating I feel Richlands were to win the game, there would be no, "are you sure" post. Either way, it won't change the outcome. It will get ugly in Vinton.

No grammar police here. I'm a coal miner for most of my life and not a scholar. I like the wing T. You can throw or run out of it. I like about any offense other than the wishbone. Dude, might as well run power eye. We aren't fooling people with a wishbone formation. Defenses have evolved dude. The 80s have came and long gone. Single wing is a separate beast unique only to a few. If you ask any football fan or coach at the college level, they will tell you option offenses today are at least triple option because of what it requires the defense to do. It's almost UNHEARD of (still exists, but rare) for a team to run the old wishbone. It is a direct and scary reflection of what Akers doesn't know about offense. There is really zero explanation for a team running the wishbone instead of the triple option. There are zero advantages with the wishbone over the triple option, but much more advantages with the triple option. Why is he running the wishbone? Because he was taught it at Graham years ago and it is all he knows. That's why I'm concerned. He hasn't learned enough about offense to run anything else. My older brother played at TN. High and coached at Emory and Henry as an assistant, then at Memphis as an assistant long before Fuente was there and when it was still Memphis St. Look, I think Akers has done an excellent job on discipline, fitness, and the leadership aspects of running a program. I've wrote this before. I have praised and critiqued. My ONLY critique has been the offensive system. It's outdated, and it's concerning about underlying xs and os knowledge. I want GC to win just like you. I also want Akers for a minimum of 3 years...at least 3.

I think Akers needs 3 years. Colobro is the man, but remember, Colobro also didn't coach offense at Abingdon. Abingdon turned it around and better on both sides of the ball, but keep in mind, the offense picked it up as much as the defense. I hope Akers is the coach at GC for a minimum of 3 years, then a decision made for a change or a stay for the long haul. I think thats fair for any Higj School Coach. My critique or concerns have been the xs and os, the wishbone, and this being far, far more of an issue than the overall record. GC brought much of this on itself if it doesn't work out. Why? In an interview, your get to know a person and questions such as, what kind of defensive sets do you like? What kind of offenses do you prefer or run, etc? These questions come up along with tons more that are not just football related and when the answer...."wishbone" was given, not just alarm bells, but airplane engines should have went off in the administrators head. Again, he may turn it around. Only time will tell and I hope he does. I know this, there should absolutely be zero changes made at the end of this season. That would be wrong in my opinion.

I wrote this 2 weeks ago. Byrd is the best team Richlands plays in games 1 to 10. Byrd lost twice last year. Once to Salem by 3 in regular season, and then again in the playoffs to Salem, and Byrd is better this year. This will be Richlands worse loss of the season which includes regular season and the playoffs. Byrd is better than Blacksburg, and the best team Richlands plays is certainly not Union, or even Bluefield, not Graham, and not even defending state champions Blacksburg, it is William Byrd. W.Byrd 45, Richlands 14, and a game never it doubt. WB is the real deal.

LOL, there it is, the old "you know it all when it comes to offense and coaches." My Lord, my entire premise was to prevent the predicted response which is........a message board poster or fan can give praise and critique, but coaches are compared to other coaches, not message board posters." Yet......you just can't help yourself can you? If you don't care what I think, then why respond? Why did you type any words? Obviously, your do care. Once again, what I think, what I know, what I don't know, what you know, or any of that as it relates to the coaches at GC is irrelevant. You do understand I pointed this out in my first post? The standard by which Akers is/will be judged is a comparison to his fellow coaching peers at the High School Level across Virginia, not a comparison to you or me. Therefore, your attempt at shifting the argument into a dilemma as to whether Coach Akers knows more than the message board poster is a waste. That will not allow him to be at GC for 25 years or to be gone in 1 year. If you disagree with me. I respect that. Tell me why you disagree and give reasons why you feel Coach Akers is doing a solidjob, average, or not good, but for Gods sake, be more mature with the argument than simply attacking me because you disagree. Your better than that. P.S. Same here, Class of 83 GC. As for your "we" comment referring to GC, you must understand that YOU don't speak for everyone in GC. People have different opinions on the subject. Did you get the town together and come up with a "we" consensus? The answer is no, your didn't, and that's why I called you out on the "we" comment.

I think it's inappropriate to call a coach a country club bum. It is irrelevant as to whether he was a kicker or all American or never played. Ask Mike Leach. He's been successful and never played. I don't know about what kind of "work" he's put in or done or not done. I think it's fair to judge acoach on his outcomes, actions, technique, etc. But, theres a huge leap in that and literally calling a coach names. That's uncalled for. A coach could have been raised in lower Manhattan in a 67 story Penthouse, the son of a multi millionaire, and only been a manager on a football team, but be effective. Vice versa...one could have been a superstar in High School and bench press 400 lbs, and be ineffective. Those things are irrelevant.

I agree. I also feel Akers should have at least 3 years.

Scary, scary world we live in when we are missing the forest and only seeing trees. Meaning, who gives a giant Cleveland Steamer if Akers "cusses the kids." Dear God people, what is wrong with you? I hope he cusses more at the "kids." Did you ever notice how when a 16-17-18 year old makes a great play and boom, he is called a "young man?" When its something possibly negative on that young persons part, we immediately call them a "kid." Harry Fry never cussed, but would talk to you like you were a third rate South Philly pimp when you messed up. Literally, screaming. I have no problem whatsoever if Akers "cusses at kids." My concern is...the xs and os, the chessgaming of football which is where he's lightyears behind a Houseright, or Mance, or Turner.

Who is "we"? I am not sure who " we" is. You can measure a coach how you wish and "only two or three good coaches in SWVA" are your words, not mine. What I wrote was.....coaches are compared to one another, not measured against message board posters. With that written, most would agree its not just about overall record (as your post implied) but its about the talent you have to work with and the record. GC has a touch more talent than Rye Cove or Bland or Hurley or Central, etc. Do you really think Bland County is ever going to win in football or be a powerhouse? No offense Bland fans, but the talent isn't there regardless of who coaches. I repeat, running a wishbone offense or formation in 2017 suggests how little a coach knows about offense. If you could poll 1000 coaches on offense and defense across the country, I feel an overwhelming majority would agree the old wishbone is a joke in today's time (only my opinion, no way to tell). I can tell you this, its a bad sign. Now.....triple option like GT, that's different, but complex. It's almost as complex or requires as much attention to detail as the single wing in that you need to get that started in the little leagues, or in junior high. What GC has ran this year is nothing resembling a triple option. The wishbone formation only allows the defense to place another corner or safety in the box against an already slow-run oriented team. It's absolutely comical for the year 2017 to have a team like GC in a wishbone formation. it requires very little defensive preparation for the opponent and again, it shows how little Akers knows about offensive coaching. He's relying on what he learned in the 90s in which the wishbone was already outdated then. It suggests very little learning offensively after his entry into the Coaching profession. Like playing, coaching is also a lifelong or career long learning process like most professions. This post is only one old dudes opinion. As Billy Joel said, "you may be right, you may be wrong."

Marion absolutely is on the level of Union this year AT THIS TIME. Meaning........Union is not the same team without Turner. They simply have had a huge drop off offensively. I think if they played, its Union 27, Marion 14 or 17. I think "on the same level" applies to a 10-13 point spread. Why? Because, ever week, especially in college ball, teams that are 10-13 points than one team can easily lose. If Turner is healthy, Union by 24 points. Marion is much better than they have been. Also, very well coached.

I haven't see BBurg this year, but hear they are about like last year or slightly better. I watched BBurg last year and have seen Union this year. With Turner, BBurg 31, Union 21. Without Turner, BBurg 38, Union 17. As for Appo, not buying it. They would have beat Blacksburg by 2 TDs last year and this year, its nailbiter as Appo is slightly not as good as last year, and BBurg seems slightly better. Union isn't beating them without Turner, Giles isn't beating them because Appo is to well coached in that they get their athletes in space and that would eat Giles alive with short passes over the middle where Appo would have long short pass, but breakaway plays. Graham wouldn't move the ball well on Appo. If you think Bluefields or Unions D is good, Appo's is even much better. There isn't any team from the West that will beat Appo in my opinion. Union, if Turner were healthy, was the Wests best chance to beat them this year.

Wishbone offense is a direct reflection of what he doesn't know about football compared not to me, or other message board posters, but compared to his coaching peers. He played at Graham and Graham (kind of) ran a wishbone offense. At least the formation was wishbone, but very little optioning out of it. The wishbone has been studied and dissected by defensive coaches more than ANY offense in history. It's defense 101, which is why the old wishbone is a thing of the past because teams can stop it. The triple option (GaTech) is a bit different. Every time I see GC in a wishbone formation, it tells me or reminds me of one thing. Akers hasn't travelled outside of SWVA much and needs much more education on offensive football. He should travel to a coaching camp this summer to Oregon, or California, or South Carolina, Texas, etc and learn more about offense than relying on what he knows. The 80s and 90s have came and gone. If he wants to stay with an option offense or formation, then travel this summer to Atlanta and GT and attend one of P. Johnson's camps. The point is.....he does not have the offensive coaching knowledge to be effective at GC. He could gain it, but it requires traveling in the summer and not watching Graham football tapes from the 90s. That's only my take and spare me the "you think you could coach better" robotic response. The standard by which a High School coach is measured and evaluated is a comparison to his fellow High School Coaching peers across SWVA, and the rest of the country, not to a message board poster.

Grillin and Chillin and Ready for Some Action. I change my pick. Screw it. Gate City wins 28-17. Give em he%* Big Blue Cannonball!!!!!!!!

Probably a bit overrated as a rivalry, but also underrated by many not close to the area. I worked at Hungry Mother State Park as a young man, and can't count how many Tazewell natives crossed the mountain and into the park. My younger brother played against a 10-0 Marion team in the 80s led by a vicious RB named Puckett for Marion, and I remember the friendly "jawing and innocent trash talking" in the summer at Hungry Mother between Tazewell guys like Jeff Lamie and Puckett from Marion. I don't know about now, but back then, it wasn't uncommon for a few Bulldog and Scarlett Hurricane players to be sharing the High Dive at the Lake on a given July day. Based on this, I think this is a bit more of a rivalry than some realize, but...I have no idea about today . Even though Marion and Tazewell is only a few aerial miles, driving time is a bit of a haul over those two mountains going through Frog Level out of Tazewell. One poster mentioned GladeSpring? Now, either I am old, or truly just stupid as my wife often reminds me, I don't recall Glade Spring being anywhere between Tazewell and Marion. I can think of 2, maybe 3 ways to go from Tazewell to Marion. 1. 460 out of Tazewell through Bluefield, then to 77 South to 81 South. This would be crazy and take forever, but 4 lane and super bus friendly. 2. Go from Tazewell over past Cove Creek to Rocky Gap to pick up 77S, then to 81 S in Wytheville. Thus would be more bus friendly, but if I'm not mistaken, rough road from Tazewell to Rocky Gap. 3. Over the mountains. And yes, I made it consistently in 30 minutes years ago, but man oh man, dangerous for a bus. But....much shorter.

Giles is right there with Graham and Richlands even though down, will be a different team come playoff time. I have seen Unions sophomore QB play in 8th grade, if its the same kid. He's an athlete and the real deal, just raw. Come playoff time, Union, Richlands, Graham, or Giles (any 1 of the 4) could be the one left standing from the West. All 4 are close and whichever one is left standing would not surprise me.

I hate to say it. Daniel Boone will beat us worse than Abingdon and Richlands.

No forgetting here my friend. Going only by what I read. I thought I read where Graham had 3 turnovers to Giles 2 turnovers, not 2 to 2 as your post eluded. Lets say for the sake of reason, Graham had zero and Giles had 7 turnovers. That's still two years in a row in which Graham has won the game close over Giles. Do you feel it would be reasonable for me to place Giles ahead of Graham in a simple, totally opinionated top 5 SWVA football fan poll? Common sense from any objective and neutral non-giles and non-Graham would say, "no." With that reasoning, one could say, then why Bluefield ahead of Graham when they beat them? Because it's a rival game and anything goes in rival games. Also, Giles bested Bluefield pretty good in a scrimmage, so all 3 are pretty close in truth. "Giles had two turnovers too." <---your words. According to the Bluefield Daily, your statement is incorrect. The Bluefield Daily states Graham had 3 and Giles 2; therefore, the "forgetting" part may not be in my direction, but may be in yours. I'm going only by what I read.

1. Graham 2. Giles 3. Bluefield 4. Union (no starting QB, and no way around it, not the same team. It went from a state title contending team to a final 8 team in one play). 5. Richlands Honorable Mention/Votes: Fort Chiswell, Marion, Narrows. Richlands is still better than all 3 of them. Graham is the best team in SWVA or at least, in the SWVA Sports coverage area. Graham should have beat Giles by more, but the turnovers and mental toughness thing kept it close. Graham didn't lose to Bluefield, they were outcoached. Graham is 2 touchdowns better than Bluefield and so is Giles. This is why I have Bluefield 3rd. No offense Bluefield fans.

William Byrd is slightly better than Blacksburg. Graham, Blacksburg, William Byrd, Bluefield all 4 very tough ones left for Richlands. Additionally, Marion may make this a close game as they are 3 and 0 and have their best team in years. Tough road ahead for the Blues, but come playoff time, this bunch will be battle tested.

Halftime, S. South 21, Gate City 14