Gridiron60

Brother Lance. Uncle Percy says it’s about time to shutdown these topic and lock it away. The critics have expounded their thoughts and concerns. The “experts” have voiced their “expert” opinions. The head coach has been discussed, asst coaches’ names have been tossed around along with discussions on “recruiting” and other topics. As always, when it comes to Richlands, The Mayor of the Trailer Park has made the most sense. However, after 25 pages, 614 comments and 51k views Uncle Percy just laughs. He said “Out of this commenting there’s no Paul Harveys that know the rest of the story”.  Mayor, Uncle Percy says you’re probably the closest. See folks, Uncle Percy knows something the rest of us don’t and he’s not talking. He won’t even tell Cousin Claude and they both belong to one of those secret societies with about 13 - 15 handshakes and upteem pass words. So Bother Lance, Uncle Percy says if these people haven’t figured it out yet, they probably never will, except maybe the Mayor. So lock her down and turn out the lights as Dandy Don used to sing.

Not to be in disagreement, but us old RHS fans are not through with this thread yet.  Come on now, we haven't had to chance to voice our opinion on the assistant coaches, or what we think they will do to help the HC.  At least give us until after the beginning of 7 on 7's to try to swallow what TCSB may come up with as to the assistants.

Guys you know how this works, out of State transfers are inmediately eligible with a corresponding move into the attendance zone with a legal parent or guardian, it's not rocket science.   

Really Ryan? A Richlands guy looking for clarification or the intricacies about a WV/VA transfer from McDowell County? That's like a an Italian guy from Brooklyn asking what pizza is made of. Come on man

Who wants butter on their popcorn?

Good links to support your statement! Anyone trying to compare what JM does to SWVA kids going across town, neighboring county, or if they live on border county going to VA/WV/KY/TN is mixing apples & oranges. Was it last year that JM had one singular kid that was truly a kid from the area originally? I think a couple posters hit the nail on the head! JM coach is padding his resumè to move on to bigger & better things. 

VHSL can make a rule.  If you are the local AAU coach, you can't be on the coaching staff.  That's rule one.  They could argue conflict of interest and unfair competition and it would likely hold up in court and it would hold up to the point that a school like JM likely couldn't overturn that ruling.  That fixes a good chunk of it right there.
Lastly, all open enrollment schools that are within a city of over 200K have to play up in classification in athletics at the level in which the VHSL decides based on competitiveness.  It's really that simple.  Now, maybe only one or none of these rules holds up in court.  Maybe they both do.  But.......what you do is......TRY. You TRY to do something.  So far....I've seen no trying.

I agree 100% on this.  The thing going in Ty White and JM's favor is the open enrollment thing in Richmond.  That's a gigantic variable that separates a school like JM which is RARE.....very RARE....think about it......a small school (Class 1 or 2) that is within a city of over 200 or 250Kish.  You just don't see that, so even with open enrollment and the AAU connections and basically recruitment (which is kind of legal) they compete in Class 2.  In almost 90% percent or more of the country, the school within the large city would compete at the highest or one of the highest levels like Class 5 or 6.  I'm still not sure how the he** John Marshall and Thomas Jefferson haven't combined yet in Richmond, but oh well.  It's just weird and all the circumstances for John Marshall to dominate come together like the swiss cheese model.
1.  Open Enrollment City.  2.  By incredible odds, it's a small school that is public that is located within a 250kish city, so it competes in Class 2.  3.  Richmond has an AAU team.  4.  The AAU coach is the coach of the local HS team.  5.  It's located off or near I-95 (easy to travel to the Northeast and Southeast for tournaments.  6.  The VHSL lost the lawsuit to Liberty.  Everything just seems to line up.  If John Marshall was playing Class 6, which would be normal for most schools inside a large city  (see Hampton Roads and NOVA) then there's a chance at competition or at least some kind of a battle in the state semi's or state finals.  The circumstances are just lined up and perfect.

Central Wise and Ridgeview can likely play with JM's girls this year.  I would favor JM by 10 over Central.  With 10 points, you still have a chance.  Central would have a chance for sure.  You may see John Marshall's girls have a game within 15 points with Strasburg who is pretty tough in the semi's.  This year, 2023-24 will be the last shot at beating JM's girls in Class 2.  This is it.  Next year and for the years that follow (unless something changes with the program) not Class 2 school will beat them in girls hoops.  Their trajectory continues to be straight up.

I understand the mindset and morality of playing JM because you are not going to prevent a great one time moment for a 15, 16, 17 or 18 year old kid in their High School State Title game and you aren't going to withhold that from your school and fans.  I understand that.  I respect that, but...........at some point.......at some time......what is going on at JM which is being ALLOWED by the VHSL crosses into the threshold of social justice.  I don't know what that point is.  I truly don't, but I do know we are getting close, and coming at this from a morality perspective, we cross over the threshold of the moral thing to do and ensuring your team plays to.........NOT letting them play, withdrawing, not playing the game, and the lesson here is not just for the kids on the team, but the town, the fans, the alums, and all other Class 2 schools taking notice that School B just stepped up and made a statement.  They are SICK of TOLERATING bad behavior and are SICK of bad behavior being allowed by the VHSL. 

The girls aren't ready yet. They will be in about 2 to 3 years ready for class 6. There are about 15, maybe up to 25 schools in VA girls right now that would beat them. I think they have losses to Deep Run and a severe beating (around 30 pts) by LC Bird this year within Virginia. 
The boys coach at JM is also a good floor coach and that goes with the great talent. I don't know about the girls coach on floor coaching ability. 
With these successful and dominant open enrollment HS coaches with AAU and D1, sports agents connections in cities or large suburbs, they usually move on after 5 dominant years to the next level, and the dynasty moves onto some other High School. Charlotte, NC, in HS football is the perfect example as well as Texas, and in the Northeast in HS basketball.

This just my personal opinion and I could be wrong cause I've never spoke to the head coach at jm ever, I think he really doesn't care about these 2a championships, I believe he's trying to build his resume, getting national coach of the year last season along with multiple 2a titles, then interviewing for a d1 program they're going to look at his accolades he's heading for the big pay day, then he'll leave jm in the dust, it's just sad at the moment the rest of 2a has to suffer right now until he gets where he's going 

JM could sweep Class AA boys & girls! They might as well become a gloried prep school and just travel the nation playing likewise programs. If they had any ethics, they’d petition to play up to 6A. That’s where they belong if they’re going to be a public school. It would at least more competitive for them. 

Just like Richlands football in 2016, Graham/VHS know what they have to face if they advance to the championship. It sucks knowing that you’re going to get obliterated by JM but whoever wins should still be proud to make it there no matter the score. 

Graham vs V-High is now at Lebanon.

All 4 could be wrong and no surprise to me. They can all go either way. Honaker over Auburn would be the only surprise to me, not a huge surprise, but a surprise because if Honaker got the W, it would mean back to back wins over GW and Auburn and nobody saw thst coming if it happens.  I don't even think Honaker fans would have figured that would happen.

Virginia High and Graham Friday at Lebanon 6:00 PM confirmed from someone within the Graham community I trust.  Not UVa-Wise.
Abingdon and LCA at Virginia High confirmed for Friday at 6:00.

Maybe the want GMen to travel further? But  I’m like you, Lebanon makes more sense logistically for both. 

Graham was in control after the !st   Lead by 12-18 pts most of the night. Gretna hit few threes near the end to make it look little closer 

Maybe the want GMen to travel further? But  I’m like you, Lebanon makes more sense logistically for both. 

Boys
I think Honaker can beat Auburn. I'm picking Auburn, but Honaker won't be intimidated one bit and coming into the game thinking they can win. Auburn by 7 pts.
VH vs Graham. Just seems like Graham can't beat em in a close game. I'm going VH by 6. 
In girls, I'm going Central close over RV as Wise has been there and done that and I think that helps. RV can beat Wise, but I think Central Wise gets the w by 8.
Eastside and Honaker. Toss up. I have no clue. I'll go Eastside because of the previous win and their run last year having been there and done that. Eastside by 6.

Seems like Va High and Graham would want to play at Lebanon too-that’s right in the middle for both of them 

Graham plays Gretna Tuesday at 6:30pm, Altavista Combined School per Graham High School AD. 

$$$$$$ maybe? If they’d had them back to back maybe Graham/VH could have played at 7:30pm there. At VT they’re playing 4 games & cost is $15 per day. They could have done that. 

The boys were at least competitive in their games. The M7 and SWD are close most years. The M7 has DOMINATED the entire state in girls:) Central got hosed by the VCU medical staff one year but have won what 7? GC has won 2 and RV has also won state titles.