Observer77

Actually GC won their first game in '84 against Richlands (26-22) and then lost the next two.

You're mistaken - it's a scrimmage and I believe it was treated as such. At one point GC had two backup RB's playing on the defensive line (spoke with a GC player after the scrimmage who was commenting on just this) at times as well as other people in positions they don't normally play. What people don't understand is that there's a lot of experimenting going on during the pre-season and yes, the week before the opening game is still pre-season. GW played mostly subs/backups against Virginia High, one GW coach even resorting to using a timeout to piece together a defense - that's when I got up to leave as he cleared the bench of those that hadn't been in pretty much. Virginia High then scored on the very next play - it was apparent to most that were paying attention LOL. Bottom line people put way too much into these scrimmages as far as how they believe teams will fare during the regular season, it happens every year on this message boards as well as on others.

That wasn't as much fatigue with George Wythe against Virginia High as much as it was backups/reserves. When the GW coach called timeout to get a new defense on the field against Virginia High is when I got up and left. The very next play the Bearcats scored on the Maroon reserves. GW has a very good team, should move deep into the playoffs no question about it.

I look for Lee High to make a charge this season, pardon the pun. I think they'll beat CMD foes Lebanon and Virginia High as well as John Battle and could very well win the district over Gate City if the Blue Devils don't bring their A game.

Virginia High making strides the past two years? No I think not - if anything they took steps back in their program. The coach they had brought in came from a school that was loaded with talent & the parents there didn't try to interject anytime something didn't go "little Johnny's way". That coach had never built a program, only took over the reigns of a successful one. He seen how tough of a mountain he had to climb in Bristol and got out while the getting was good. In the process he pushed the program back several years with his departure and bringing in yet another coach - one that has been at VHS before as the head coach...until he more or less was ran off in a similar manner that Thurman was to be quite honest. Virginia High has decent talent, nothing of a great magnitude but enough to be worked with by a coaching staff if parents and members of the community would allow them to do their thing. Will this happen in Bristol? Time will tell.

I believe the D2 game is first this year, thinking they alternate it each season.

Last season ('09) they were 2-1 through the first three games as well, here were the scores: Sullivan Central 27-21 (W) John Battle 56-17 (W) Tennessee High 56-23 (L) This season ('10): Sullivan Central 43-37 (W) John Battle 42-7 (W) Tennessee High 45-14 (L) VHS averaged more points last season after the first three games (35.3) than they have this year and ended up 6-4. I don't think you could convince too many people in the Bristol VA/TN area that you can determine what Virginia High's football team has based on the first three games. It's went like this in the first three games now for several years: '08 Sullivan Central 19-17 (W) John Battle 47-21 (W) Tennessee High 28-17 (L) '07 Sullivan Central 20-17 (W) John Battle 37-7 (W) Tennessee High 20-0 (L) See the pattern? How anyone can deduce they are better than last year I wouldn't know - unless they're just trying to talk them up, which I think is the case. I've seen the Bearcats play this year and personally I thought they had a better team last season at this point, but just my opinion. They lost a lot from graduation and it's yet to be seen who has stepped into those roles if they are able to do so as well as their predecessors.

Bad day or crappy life? HAHA - hate to inform you neither actually - it just seems most here want to discredit Gate City's win last year in whatever manner suits them (turnovers, early in the season, too hot out, too windy, no yard sale to speak of over the P.A. system during breaks in the game - whatever works best) & pound their collective chests about how the Devils don't stand a chance come August 27th. I guess you could say it just gets old after a while listening to the same old diatribe. Who knows, maybe Richlands will come down and put a spanking on Gate City - it could go the other way just as easily though.

Aren't turnovers part of football? Aren't they part of most team sports? Is it that difficult for some to say that last year Gate City won and Richlands lost? If you're still wanting to bring up turnovers, look back to how the Blue Tornado scored on the Devils (from the BDT article) "Richlands put the first touchdown of the season on the scoreboard following a forced turnover by the Tornado defense. The Blues recovered a Gate City fumble at the Blue Devils 26-yard line and converted the gift into a touchdown in four plays." I hate to tell you, it goes both ways.

Do away with rewarding points for wins over out of state opponents and I will agree with going solely on points. Divide the number of points by the number of teams you have played IN STATE and let the chips fall where they may. But let's face it - Haysi defeated everyone within their own district & Hurley had a losing district record, right? How can you justify "playoffs" if you can't even have a winning record in the district you belong?

Why all this talk about a 3-7 team? I would believe that the people of Abingdon that are concerned with their football program should be looking into how they lost to seven teams this season and only defeated three - instead of going on a Tazewell Co. internet messageboard witch hunt...

They should go to 6 teams, I agree - but most definitely VHSL sanctioned schools should have to play a certain number of IN-STATE schools to qualify for the playoffs as well. It's not fair to other schools vying for a playoff berth if some schools run to play the West Virginia & Kentucky Sisters of the Poor every other week chalking up cheap wins.

I have seen both this season and my personal opinion is that Vance is better - again, just my own $.02

...was being mowed yesterday when I passed the field, no long grass I promise.

Was that Kimbo & Large? Or was Joe the back of the year? Did Kimbo get hurt his junior or senior year, I can't remember...help a brother out here

I was thinking more along the lines of this myself: http://www.vh1classic.com/view/artist/18919/189575/Wham/Pop_Up_Video_Wham_Wake_Me_Up_Before_You_Go_Go/index.jhtml

To put it into perspective for me, when Gate City went up 42-7 very late in the third quarter - if Mountain hadn't returned the following kickoff all the way back then the game would have had a continual running clock per VHSL rules. That in itself tells me that it was a game dominated by one team. Sorry to hurt any feelings, but that's how I seen it as well as some out of town friends of mine that were at the game as well.

Tazewell by 20 or more. Abingdon is the weakest team I've seen on a football field so far this season.

2nd string? Were you there last week? Their 1st played until the game was over. Actually Gate City did have quite a number of reserves playing after the score became 42 to 7 late in the third quarter.

I've seen both teams this year and in my humble opinion Burton rolls.

Lebanon 45 Tazewell 20

Abingdon lost to Powell Valley 10-6 and although they scored on Gate City, it wasn't against their first team defense - they were pulled very early in the scrimmage. Gate City's last score actually was from the 2nd team offense. Good luck to both Abingdon & Patrick Henry this coming Friday.

I agree with fchs54. Gretna has a very good team, just not as good as they had last year. They lost quite a bit to graduation off of last year's squad.

I don't see where he said Gate City was the better team - why are you putting words in his mouth? The first fumble was dropped on the handoff, the second fumble was because the running back was trying to get extra yardage and was hit, but I'm not sure where you're coming up with "getting your head rocked" - you obviously haven't seen much football if you call it that. After those two turnovers inside Gate City's own 30 yard line on back to back offensive plays it was 17-0 very quickly, final score was 29-19 - I think most people can figure out what "manhandled" means on their own without you waving your green pom-poms, Bud.

Rye Cove 32 Castlewood 18