Liam McPoyle

Allow me to tweak your analogy. You, a private citizen in your own car paid for with private funds give a person a free ride. That person's right to free speech is not protected inside your private car. You, as the car owner, have the right to shut down their speech and remove them from your car for whatever reason you decide. Once outside your car and on the street, the person can exercise their right to free speech.

There is no right of free speech when a person voluntarily becomes a member of a PRIVATE website owned by a PRIVATE citizen using his PRIVATE funds.

You really need to be familiar with the Gate City fan base to fully understand the problems that come with that job.

I'm pulling for the Warriors and think they'll win in a close one, but I do have a few concerns. First, we're 13 games in the season and Chilhowie's only real test was the benefit game at Ridgeview.. Meanwhile, Galax has been playing a much tougher schedule including Radford, Glenvar, and Northside. The Maroon Tide will be battle-tested which should pay dividends. Second, as mentioned earlier, the new-look Tide is now slinging the ball all over the field. It's hard to find weakness with CHS, but the pass D is a concern. Third, Mark Dixon has had a full year to plan his revenge strategy and that's scary.

Well, that's the first time a post on this site sent me to Urban Dictionary.

I think the majority of Marion fans are pulling for Chilhowie to win it all or don't care either way. The bitterness and acrimony between the schools faded away years ago. It could best be described these days as a friendly, neighborhood rivalry. Go Warriors!

I knew you weren't serious...I wasn't either. My apologies and hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving (no sarcasm).

Ladies and Gentlemen of the jury, I now present the most compelling piece of evidence that proves, beyond a reasonable doubt, Gate City has the most delusional fan base in the State.

Congratulations to the Lady Rebels for bringing the gold home to SWVA! PH never trailed in taking a 25-14, 25-20, 25-11 victory over Riverheads in the VHSL Class 1 state finals today at Northside High School. (via Bristol Herald Courier)

The Palmers...(Tony @ Graham and Mark @ Patrick Henry)

Talk about a series of unfortunate events...

I hope the Terps hold on. Those players deserve something good to happen to them.

You could throw away the tainted turkey...Or you could send it to next week's opponent as a Thanksgiving gift.

It IS possible to win at Wise. Historically, Wise/JJ Kelly was not a barren wasteland of football success. They had a respectable .540 winning percentage The Indians battled with Cummins' Green Wave teams in the '70s for LPD Crowns. JJK even won state in '81. Stecker, Sauders, and Salyers all found some success coaching there. But the problem was when JJK had bad years, they were REALLY bad, and that is what most people tend to remember. source: fourseasonsfootball.com

If we considered 1A only, I think a strong argument could also be made for Chilhowie's Zack Cale (QB, DB) and Greg Sanchez (RB, DB).

Perdue recruited me out of high school as a nugget maker.

Our local sports journalists produce excellent material and are grossly under-compensated. Jerry Orr (Smyth County News) was the quintessential small-town sports writer/editor. That was until the heartless folks at Berkshire Hathaway Media decided to eliminate his position after 35 years of service. He had worked for the paper since his 1983 E&H College internship. His wife, Cindy Burkett (former Rich Valley and E&H star), volunteered countless hours for the paper as a sports photographer.

Chilhowie will be one step closer to football title no. 2. Grundy will be one step closer to wrestling title no. 22.

Against Marion, Devin Lester was the "stud in the mud". He scored 3 TDs three different ways (7 yard run, 53 yard reception, 101 yard interception).

You may not like him, but Darren Reed wouldn't have allowed a thread to decline this far.

If somebody ever asked me why I love SWVA football, I'd simply have them read Tim Hayes' article on Appy Bulldogs and then they might just understand. FOOTBALL: Appalachia Program Built On Toughness Tim Hayes Aug 13, 2009 Appalachia lineman Toby Needham talks to a teammate on the sidelines during a 1996 playoff game with Rural Retreat APPALACHIA, Va. – When recalling the glory days of the Appalachia High School football program, several images quickly come to mind. There’s the plain blue helmets and no-frill jerseys. There’s the muddy, spartan-like playing surface of Riggs Stadium. There are legendary coaches Jim Riggs and Tom Turner. There’s the toughness. There’s the tenacity. But perhaps the true essence of the institution known as Appalachia football was summed up by Turner himself. “It’s tradition,” the late Turner told the Bristol Herald Courier in a 1992 interview. “And all the credit goes to the kids because they grow up thinking they’re supposed to do well. They believe in Appalachia football. “We don’t have any doctors’ or lawyers’ kids that have cars to get around in or money to blow in town, so football is [the] biggest thing going here.” Turner seemed to be at the center of all of Appalachia’s biggest wins. He starred as a player on Appalachia’s 1971 Virginia High School League Group A state championship team and then coached his alma mater to state titles in 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996 and 1997. The small Wise County school was many times outnumbered, outsized and given little chance to succeed. However, the gritty Bulldogs always seemed to get it done. “You can’t compare the heart of a Bulldog to anybody,” said Shane Gibson, the star running back on Appy’s 1989 VHSL Group A, Division 1 state title team. “Every down and every guy, it’s 100 percent.” Turner stressed to his players that no opponent was unbeatable and no goal was unattainable. They listened and played with an unbridled passion for the sport. “I just remember we were expected to win. Not necessarily by everybody else, but ourselves,” said Chris Mabe, a standout linebacker on the 1992 state championship squad. “When we came up, he instilled in us the attitude, you come from a smaller school, but you still should be able to beat anybody out there … He expected us to outplay whoever we were scheduled to play.” The start At 6-foot-3 and 225-pounds, Turner was an intimidating presence as a player at Appalachia in the early-1970s. It didn’t take him long to set the tone his senior season in 1971, racking up 11 tackles in the first quarter alone in a 40-14 win over Saltville in the season-opener. His bruising style was a big reason why Appalachia rolled to a 13-0 record and captured the Lonesome Pine District and Region D titles. Under the direction of Riggs, the Bulldogs capped an unbeaten season with a 24-0 win over Madison in the state finals. Turner led Appalachia to the state basketball title that winter and earned a football scholarship to Virginia Tech, where he shined as a defensive lineman. He would officially become the head football coach at Appalachia in 1980. Nine years later, he would guide the team to his first state title as a coach in unlikely fashion. The 1989 Bulldogs finished the regular season just 5-5, lost its final three regular-season games and squeaked into the playoffs. “There was just at lot of pressure on us,” Gibson said. “The three previous years we had faced getting in the playoffs and there was a lot of pressure to get it done and win. We all had a lot of heart.” Appalachia posted close wins over Twin Springs and J.I. Burton in the regional playoffs. In a 27-23 victory over heavily-favored Bath County in the state semifinals, Gibson displayed his toughness by rushing for 285 yards and two touchdowns on 45 carries. “I was so excited with the win,” Gibson said. “We were such underdogs. I was so happy we won, the thought of being tired never even crossed my mind.” The next week Appalachia claimed the state crown with a 22-14 victory over Madison County. Appalachia would claim another state title in 1992, this time with running back Kris Clark and quarterback Ken Sizemore leading the way on offense and Mabe wreaking havoc on defense. However, the best was yet to come for the Bulldogs. The T-and-T connection Being the head coach’s son, Travis Turner had been groomed to be a star football player at Appalachia as long as he could remember. “Appalachia football was a big part of my life, growing up and being around it 365 days a year,” Turner said. Travis Clark also grew up dreaming of being a standout for the Bulldogs one day. He heard the stories and witnessed the postseason glory of past teams and hoped to add his own chapter to the success story. “There was a lot pride to wear that blue and gold,” Clark said. Together, Turner and Clark would combine to lead an explosive offense that won three titles in four years from 1994-1997. Turner was impressive at quarterback, while Clark had blazing speed in the backfield. Players like Sam Sellers, Jamie Jessee, Travis Wells and many others would emerge as postseason heroes during that span. “We had real good offensive lines,” Turner said. “We had great run blocking and pass protection.” The 1994 team went 12-2 and posted a 72-7 beatdown of Middlesex in the state finals, scoring 10 touchdowns in the title-clinching victory. As Turner and Clark continued to get better, the ’96 and ’97 squads put up impressive offensive numbers. For Turner, the four years playing for his father are among his most treasured memories. “It was a treat,” Travis Turner said. “It was something special when you look back on it now. You kind of relish those memories … He expected a lot of me and he expected a lot out of everybody. I think that’s what made us a good football team.” The Bulldog legacy Everybody that coached against him, coached for him or played for him seems to have a Tom Turner story. Mabe remembers one game in particular. “We were playing Virginia High or somebody in August and our field is pretty crappy and gets dusty [in the warm weather]. They took a timeout and VHS wanted a water break,” Mabe said. “Coach Turner came out to the huddle and the referee said, ‘Are you going to give them water?’ He said, ‘Hell, I gave them water on Wednesday. I don’t think they want it.’ We all said, ‘Nah, we’re good.’ The ref couldn’t believe it, he was shocked. It was just little things like that.” Turner was a master psychologist. He made it a habit of having the team bus roll into a stadium just before kickoff. Travis Turner remembers how his father and the team arrived at 1:27 p.m. – three minutes before kickoff – before playing Surry County in the 1996 state finals. “That was his trademark, showing up late for games,” Travis Turner said. “I really don’t know why he did it.” Compiling a scouting report for the Bulldogs was also difficult. “I’ve said this before, Tom was absolutely the best play-caller in crucial situations I’ve ever coached against,” Powell Valley coach Phil Robbins said. “You had no idea what he was going to call. Ninety-nine percent of the time what he called, it worked, because his kids believed in it. He had some great ballclubs.” The 1997 season marked Appalachia’s last state title under Tom Turner. He retired following the 2005 season with a 205-107-1 career record and a plethora of coaching honors and achievements. He died in 2006, but his legacy lives on in Appalachia. “He took a group of kids that probably, in reality, shouldn’t have won as many games as they did, and he would have you convinced you could run through a brick wall,” Mabe said. “That’s what it was about … I just have a thousand memories.” thayes@bristolnews.com|(276) 645-2570

I can't imagine the profound sadness of those of you who knew Devon personally. This news breaks my heart, and I never even met the young man. His humility and kindness were so evident, it could even overshadow his immense talent. May God comfort you and his family in the coming days.

Dang it... I wanted to watch MM play and didn't realize the Hoyas were on MASN. I like F.P. (and the Nats), but I can see why a lot of people are not fond of him. And, I agree, Santangelo and basketball would be a bad combo.

1. Bluefield 2. Pulaski (Tie) 3. Chilhowie (Tie) 3. Graham 5. Abingdon 6. Ridgeview 7. Galax 8. Radford 9. Union 10. Patrick Henry

No. 1 Goochland No. 4 King William No. 3 Poquoson No. 2 Amelia County No. 1 East Rockingham No. 4 Clarke County No. 3 Luray No. 2 Central-Woodstock No. 1 Radford No. 4 Gretna No. 3 Appomattox No. 2 Glenvar No. 1 Ridgeview No. 5 Richlands No. 3 Graham No. 2 Union Goochland Poquoson East Rock Central Radford Appomattox Ridgeview Graham Goochland East Rock Radford Graham  East Rock Graham East Rock 55