BlueDevil4Life2008

Want to really upset your peoples in Lee County? Your good ole boys used to have a coach by the name of Jamie Hackney. He is one of our coaches now here at Gate City. He used to be the JV boys basketball coach at Lee High and I was told by some of his pals that he did have an interest in taking over the basketball program at Lee High had it been offered to him. They chose not to so he came back to Scott County and became a coach at Gate City and won a state championship with them. Sad though. Had he been able to coach some of those talented shooters that Lee High has now and with the "correct" support that he should have had as a coach it is really hard telling what kind of great program Lee High would have right now. It is really sad. A county that is so big and so beautiful with so much to offer and yet no one wants to settle there. No business would be caught dead there. No hospital wants to help anyone there. No one wants to coach there. No one I say really wants to teach there only because it is probably home for some of them and for others a job and you can make some money. All because you have some really grumpy old grandpas who cant get out of the 1940s and feel that Bobcats and Bulldogs are two animals that will never be able to co exist at all with each other from Darwin's Order of Natural Selection. Yet you have Bulldogs and Vikings just over the hilltop at Union winning state championships and region championships and going to all kinds of state tournaments by simply working together. And furthermore is one of the two sections of Wise County that people from Gate City can actually tolerate. We wont speak about the other section. We like Lee a lot but evidently Lee people who run the county and the schools feel that the universe ends at Powell Mountain and the Virginia state line near Kentucky. They cant get anything right at all in their choices and cant understand still yet why everyone else is winning and they aren't. Maybe its because they don't understand that outside of Jonesville and Pennington there are other kids in Virginia working for their school and really don't care what town they come from. I think it would make a great 30 for 30. What if I told you there was this county in Virginia that had five high schools. Two were great football powers. They came together and for a couple years were really good. Then the people couldn't figure which town the kids came from was better? So they fought and they fought and they fought. They fought to the point that instead of being strong together they acted like five year olds and said, "Hey, lets split our high school back up into two. That way we can have what we want. You know. Because we have the greatest athletes in the universe." And yet they haven't won a thing of significance in 30 years. Yet the county right across the ridge from them came together and two of those schools just across that ridge probably had a better sports tradition than they ever thought of having. And they came together and have won consistently ever since. Backward, I think so. In terms of tv shows, Union goes from Dynasty to Empire. Lee High goes from Game of Thrones to Married With Children and those four touchdowns in a single game way back when. Three cheers for Al Bundy!! That's my opinion and I welcome any doubters. Thank you and you're welcome. And to Jamie Hackney hope you like that ring boy! Shines bright from what I've seen of you coaches!

Wofford's coach has left for Blacksburg. Here are some interesting scenarios. Mike Young from Wofford goes to Blacksburg after Buzz Williams moves from Blacksburg to College Station, Texas. Buzz Williams and staff did not want Mac McClung during his recruitment. McClung goes to Georgetown. Zac Ervin recruited by Mike Young from Wofford signs under him. Young goes to Virginia Tech. Mike Young, while at Wofford, knows all about Zac Ervin and Mac McClung as players after having both of them and the Gate City team at his team camp. Scenario. Virginia Tech has recruits back out of commitments because of Buzz leaving Blacksburg. Does Mike Young take Zac Ervin with him to Virginia Tech? Scenario: If Mike Young keeps Zac Ervin with him to Virginia Tech because of how he fits his system does that also allow Mac McClung to entertain the thought of leaving Georgetown and head south to redshirt a year and have three years left to play with his high school teammate in Blacksburg? I would be about positive that Mike Young would take a transfer from Georgetown who played in the Big East and was on the All Freshman team not to mention the teams third leading scorer. Blacksburg would definitely have a distinct Southwest Virginia flavor. Just some things to think about with the new regime being in Blacksburg now. It may seem a little out there to most of you but think about Mac and Zac playing together the past few years together in the Arby's. They held their own against some very good talent as young players. This could be something to think about.

Who is everyone’s pick to win it all next year in Class 1 and Class 2? How many will Eastside lose off of this year’s team? Will the youth movement I am hearing about at Twin Springs be something the Cumberland has to watch for in the future? How will Gate City be now that the Big Three has been cut down to one? Is Union the team to beat in the Mountain 7 with the talented players they have coming up? Lots of things looking to change in the future? New coaches, teams on the rise. Sounds like some good topics to start talking about on here.

If I was Mac I know what I would do. Mike Young has Wofford going in a great direction. He has Zac coming in next year. If Mac decided to ditch Georgetown and go join his former teammate in Spartanburg, South Carolina the whole city of Spartanburg might go ape you know what. Imagine having two players the caliber of Zac and Mac playing in Spartanburg for Wofford surround by big D1 caliber material. That would be a hard ticket to get for about two or three years. I could smell a NCAA Tourney berth or two. I don't think this would ever happen but if it did with Gate City just being a couple hours north? You would probably have to call Spartanburg Gate City#2.

Abingdon, Lee, Twin Springs That means the coaching positions that are safe and not vacant in the Mountain 7 are: Gate City - Vermillion Central - McAmis Battle - Odum Ridgeview - McCowan Union - Moore Abingdon - Vacant Lee - Vacant Wonder what other positions will open up? Wonder why the Mark Dockery thread was taken down? Anyone else notice that?

Everyone from Central is never wrong. Everyone from Gate City is never right. The End.

You guys want an old system? Let's just bring back the old Southwest District. Marion Graham John Battle Tazewell Lebanon Virginia High Lee Union Central Ridgeview Gate City Richlands Abingdon We will play each team one time during the year. Home one year and on the road the next year. We will all have 9 non district games of our choice. Top eight teams off of points from regular season and tournament advance to the Region D tourney with top 4 seeds hosting. Top three teams get a bye to the Southwest District Tourney quarterfinals. This way you dont play teams three and four times a year but if you were play each other it will really mean something huge because that third time it's for something really big say a trip to the state tourney. Tourney sites would be: UVA Wise Virginia High Marion Lebanon In football just play a round robin every year like they do in the ACC or SEC. Play 7 district games a year and 3 non district. Top 8 make the Region D Class 2 playoffs and then just go with it. Even with this set up you are not even guaranteed to play someone twice either. How do you like that for old school?

Seruously if any of the coaches I had in my life, Coach Ervin or Vermillion, had two guys on our team do this, they would not be fussing at the refs. They would be giving some tongue lashings to their players I promise you. But Pastor TJ is fussing to the refs over an intentional foul and Mac clapping because he survived. Take a good look at him in this film clip. It tells you all you need to know about him. He hasn't changed. TJ dude if I survived being pushed into a wall and two of your guys couldn't hurt me on the same layup I would clap as well. Richlands better have security is all I have to say. Central is going to roll them by 20 right? Even Pastor TJ said so because you know "Graham is not going to be that easy", according to him when he plays the Blue Devils again. Richlands is in this tournament too. I'm sure they will not get run over or pushed into a mat and play dead.

Friday night, "Nothing easy. Put that guy in the mat whatever it takes. I dont care what you do. You give up an easy layup you will never play for me again." "Yes sir pops!" Sunday morning, "And Jesus said, Love thy neighbor as thyself. For the greatest commandment is love." And all the halos come out shining bright. I really couldn't live with myself but when it's all about you it makes it a whole lot easier I guess. Take another look at TJ on this film. After not one but two of his guys blatantly and obviously shove Mac McClung into the mat, he is fussing to the refs about the clapping.

Just like it's understandable to put Mac McClung into the mat with not just one but two shoves by two different guys on the same layup? I sat in the bleachers and saw that lame ass move. You are lucky the Commonwealth Attorney didnt file charges of assault and battery. First on TJ's son and that other dude and then on himself cause Marcus would have killed a few that night had Mac got hurt. And to all.you Richlands prople, make sure you put this on your bulletin board. You say Coach Vermillion was doing some chirping. I'm sitting in the bleachers in the area where the Devil fans end and the Central fans begin halfway up behind the scoretable. Even that far up I could hear TJ yelling down at Coach Vermillion that Graham would not be easy for the Devils vs him and the Warriors. So that all you SWD fans know he was basically implying that the Richlands Blue Tornado fans or any of you Southwest District teams were a dam joke and that they would easily get by you guys to play us Blue Devils. That is provided we get by our SWD opponent because you know we respect our opponents. This is what you are getting on Wednesday night. When you see these Warriors and how they act please do not associate all of their actions as that of being how all Mountain 7 District coaches and teams are. I assure you they are not.

Great question I have often wondered about as well. Would anyone happen to know where the Region D Tournament will be held this yesr?

If I'm putting the best teams out there from what I have heard from being around some players and fans, my top 10 would probably be: 1. Radford 2. East Rockingham 3. Goochland (might be a surprise) 4. Martinsville 5. Gretna 6. Graham 7. Gate City 8. Glenvar 9. Greensville County 10. Bluestone If you look at the Points For and Points Against for these teams on maxpreps Radford is hands down the best defensive team out there. I'm a true Blue Devil and to me Gate City is a toss up right now. I havent heard anything about what they did at Ridgeview tonight. I fell asleep and havent checked my Twitter feed yet. While Ervin is gone for the Devils, you have to realize that the only seniors playing for the Devils are Coach Vermillion's lid Drew and the Hicks kid and he doesnt play much. Everyone else are underclassmen. There was also talk of East Rockingham and the 6'6 guys. Now while the Devils did have Ervin on the floor at the Arbys everyone else playing big minutes now on the team was there as well on the floor vs Wenonah (spelling?) as well and that team from Alabama was not exactly small or slow. So taking nothing away from the other 2A teams in Virginia or the Northsides or anyone else but the Devils have played a helluva schedule non conference. Another thing to remember also. I have read that during the next cycle that the heralded John Marshall out of Richmond goes to Class 2. Radford is good but let's just face it. 2A is loaded with some really great basketball teams in some great sports communities. Gate City themselves in terms of talent like we have had the past three or four years will not be like it was after next years Senior class goes through. The Devils will definitely.become more "human" but by the way the young group plays on defense they will not be hurting for defenders on defense. Scoring may be an issue but playing hard defensively will not. I will admit. They are a lot of fun to watch when they are on their defensive game.

I think three teams out of M7 have a chance to make it to the Region D Semis. I dont believe anyone beats Graham but I can see everyone else in the Southwest falling.

Aloha board! I'm a newbie here. I've monitored the site for a while and thought I would join the discussions. In the spirit of discussions I have some food for thought. In the paper I read where the Dean kid scored 40 last night and outscored Central by himself. Since McClung was a Freshman (2014-15) to the Dean kids senior year (still active until 2019-20 season passes), McClung, Ervin and Dean have the possibility of scoring a combined total.of more than 6500 points in 6 basketball seasons. Maybe more than 7000 who knows. McClung finished with 2801, Ervin has 2200 at least and Dean just broke 1000. That alone in 5 seasons is over 6000 points. So in 5 seasons time, the question I would like to ask Is how many high school basketball teams in Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee have they outscored in that time? I am talking about total team points for a season after you add the games up. If a team averages 70 points a game for 24 games (22 reg season and 2 postseason), that is 1680 points. In 4 seasons time that is 6720 points. Those 3 guys are a mere 720 points off that total at the minimum. Which makes you wonder how many teams have those 3 outscored themselves? If that doesnt speak to some talent that has played on the hardwood in Gate City the last four years, I'm not sure what does. Great job by those Blue Devils last night! Best defense played all year! The young Blue Devils are also playing hard! They came out like a hurricane last night and fought out a great win! I love watching teams play hard on defense! What is their standing in the Mountain 7 for JV?