RichlandsAlum

Major down side to this is that it will embolden FIFA and the continental associations. UEFA already apparently telling Real Madrid that they will be banned from European competitions as long as Florentino Perez is president of the club.

You and me both, my friend. My family had begun to develop plans to become fanatical followers of the Scottish League. (And now that I have written that last sentence and look back on it.... we just ain't right.)

OK. Whatever. Never mind. https://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddawkins/2021/04/20/billionaire-roman-abramovich-pulls-chelsea-out-of-super-league/?sh=1601d8c51a7a

That's a really logical viewpoint. And I think it probably aligns well with what the 12 clubs are actually thinking in strategic terms. Don't get me wrong -- I still personally don't like it. But I very much appreciate Liam's time and consideration in posting.

Don't be ridiculous. It's actually going to be the reconstructed DNA of Ernie Hicks.

The fact that FIFA is the body that will probably have to step up and do something from a moral standpoint is by far my biggest issue with all of this.

I don't like it at all. Has the potential to completely wreck the unique league systems within Europe that have consistently produced compelling matchups which truly test the ultimate mettle of champions. Adversely affects promotion/relegation -- which is an other aspect of European football (particularly the English FA) that makes it particularly unique. The selection of the initial 12 clubs appears to be based completely on $$ with no other considerations. New arrangement seems about as compelling as the NFL -- which I rarely watch at all. To that last point, I'm a diehard Liverpool supporter -- but I don't think believe for a minute that the Reds are truly an elite team on the pitch right now. If anything, they are being included based on a legacy built many years ago. Feels a lot like the ACC selling its soul to get Miami (even though that ultimately benefited Virginia Tech). Apparently the top German and French teams passed on invitations to join. So what's the primary argument in favor of the new arrangement?

My second born son was just named to the varsity soccer team at Liberty-Bedford. Pretty sure he is the only freshman that was taken. They had good numbers at tryouts and it's a very deep pool in terms of talent. All three of my boys are pretty gifted physically. But #2 is the best athlete among them by far. He also wrestles (won three event medals in his first year) and played pretty much every down on the JV football team this spring season. Kid has also suffered mightily this past year due to the various shutdowns. So this good news is certainly welcome and I just can't help but crow about it.

That's the one thing that I find most curious about this situation. Given the very public manner in which Coach Wells had to separate from Richlands, I would have expected some kind of corresponding hiring announcement from Charlottesville. Relying solely on Google, I have yet to see anything like that. Also curious about the nature of the position itself that he is taking. A quick visit to the official athletics site at UVa provides a listing of the football staff. I see several "analyst" positions listed but no obvious vacancies related to position coaching.

Count me as a continuing member of the "Happy to be playing" tribe. I will also be fully behind SWD/Region 2D standard bearers as they advance.

What will be interesting is that everyone else will still be obsessed with Richlands even if the Blues were to hit a long-term downward trend. Prove me wrong, kids.

Another poster made the comment about Ryan speaking for all Richlands fans. Personally (and I know this won't be a popular opinion among my kinsmen) I am disappointed by the apparent shift in policy as well as the fact that the impressive streak of playoff appearances will be coming to an end. But I also can't make much of a logical argument on behalf of a team with 2 losses within an already limited playoff field. Weird year. Glad that we get to watch football in some form this school term. Let's get back on the horse and ride this fall.

I could be mistaken, but my understanding is that Jefferson Forest has pretty much pulled the plug on their spring season. So it's likely that all other Seminole schools have that hole to fill. And even if those district members have already made arrangements, that is still subject to change. Case in point.... Liberty (Bedford) moved quickly to replace JF with Bassett. But then that fell through and they wound up playing Broadway this past Friday. All of that transpired within about a week's time. Of course the obvious obstacle for Appomattox might also be that nobody would want to take them on.

At the college level, Virginia Tech beat Vanderbilt back in 1989 by a score of 18-0. Mickey Thomas kicked 6 field goals in that one.

That's beyond awful. No words, but definitely in prayer for his family and the old hometown.

Sure it counts toward Tony's overall personal sense of well-being. (As rightly it should.)

Good googly moogly! That's a surprise.

Can we refer to them as the "Augusta All Stars?" Seems like it would be more accurate.

Of course I'm sure he threw out the caveat that localities can impose stricter guidelines if they choose to do so. And I'm sure that a majority of my local school board -- who are either inherently smarter than everyone else on the planet or have access to better data than anyone else -- will stick with tighter restrictions. Just like they did with winter sports.

I should've known. Looks a lot like his dad -- who was a classmate of mine at RHS and an all around fine human being himself.

Would I be correct in assuming that he is Mickey's son? In any event, it's great to see a hometown guy get an opportunity at this level.

Reporting from outside the coverage area.... Liberty (Bedford) looks to have about 30 players out for the first day of practice. (Waiting in the parking lot to pick up my son so I don't have a clear view of the upper practice field.) Another one of our local rules is that there is no JV team this year, so our numbers might be somewhat skewed by the presence of freshmen (like my boy).

Great to "see" you again and glad that things are looking up!

Nope. Absolutely serious. Winter sports season just passed without our teams being allowed to participate in a single regulation match/game of any kind. But practices occurred every day under certain protocols. In wrestling, for example, they had to stop every 50 minutes and sterilize/wash their hands. Because....yeah. This isn't as bad as what the good folks of Prince Edward experienced circa 1960. But it sure feels closely aligned to it.

On the plus side, LHS has two games scheduled outside of Bedford County. I suppose I may have a decent chance of seeing my son play in one of those. Sorry. I know that this is technically way outside the coverage area for this board. Makes me feel better to vent.