1inStripes

Ridgeview Ft. Chiswell Giles Radford Central Gate City Virginia Tazewell Galax Narrows Chilhowie Patrick Henry Hurley Rye Cove JI Burton Thomas Walker Rural Retreat Bluefield No. 3 Ohio St. Marshall No. 2 LSU Louisville Tennessee No. 8 Note Dame Buffalo Tampa Bay New York Jets Houston Green Bay GotW Richlands 57

RC blocked a PV punt late in the third. They punched that possession in to make it 7-6 with about 2 minutes left in the third. PV finally hit a big play just before the end of the 3rd to go up 14-6 and stretched it out a little in the 4th as RC had to try and open things up to catch the Vikings. That being said, RC should have never been seen as a D2 team. I think their ADM for that year was listed at 192. Castlewood had been the largest school in the district since they moved into the Cumberland in 96 if I am not mistaken and dropped below both RC and TW in the 03 reclassification to a great many of peoples surprise in the Cumberland. That was a very solid RC team who drew a bad hand like many Haysi teams had due to the wonky classification system at that time in football.

Pulaski Co. James River Radford Union Gate City Ridgeview Graham Castlewood Richlands Bluefield Narrows JI Burton Hurley Thomas Walker Twin Springs Rye Cove Chilhowie Holston Florida Atlantic (Friday) No. 5 Oklahoma No. 25 Washington Virginia North Carolina No. 17 Arizona St. No. 7 Penn St. No. 1 Alabama Cincinnati Houston New York Giants Seattle Dallas GotW Galax 64

Tommy Gunn is one of the funniest humans you could ever spend time with. Where theres a way, Crig will find the way to play it up.

Did any official make a single comment about what coaches are paid? I dont believe so. Many coaches deserve much more than they make, just like teachers. Also, some make much more than they deserve. Its the same with officiating. I cant stand those who just go out there to make a check. One reason I did not officiate this year is because I didnt prepare for it like I had the previous 18 seasons. The fire wasnt there and although I would still be an asset, if my heart and mind isnt fully in it, the kids deserve more than that and I wont make money off of kids if I cant give them 100%. Sadly we are coming to an impasse to where we lose too many officials, mainly due to age/health than we have signing up to work and games will be relegated to fewer officials at higher pay and/or games being spread out over Thursday, Friday and Saturdays in order to even be played due to a lack of officials. The latter part needs to happen already to be honest so we dont have to use every single person who signs up to work each week no matter if they are ready or not. Last week was a concern to get filled before the season even started. Two weeks before every official who had not marked off that Friday from working was on a field somewhere. Many were not ready to be. There probably should have been at least 3 highly qualified people work that week that marked off after poorly handled situation took place in the middle of the week, and I support their reason for it. It is what it is.

The pay isnt good enough to entice more people to work I will say that. You get paid more to run the clock in NET than you are paid to work on the field in SWVA. I do know its tough on some schools to pay officials also. Especially if they do not have large crowds as there are plenty of expenses to cover. We have good officials. We have bad officials. Most are there trying to get better. That being said about $25 an hour just doesnt know what all is involved. Lets say the game starts at 7. You should be on the clock so to speak at 5:30, as an hour and a half before the game you should arrive on site so that is one less concern for the schools administration. On average a game will not finish until 9:30, but then you will want to discuss any questions/concerns post game also. Getting out at 10 is about as early as you will begin to head home. So, lets say you are on the job for 4.5 hours to be accurate for what schools are expecting of you. so to be accurate, sure 18.89 is what officials make per hour while "ON THE CLOCK". Slightly above what a growing portion of the country wants McDonalds employees to make. As was mentioned above, some places do a great job of taking care of officials ( I miss Appalachia, no one was better at that than Carol Sabotes). Some not so much, as water is all we ask them to obligate for those working games, and I have been places where that hasn't taken place before but its very rare. The AOA is the largest geographic association in VA I am pretty sure as well. I like going to different schools but certain trips definitely do not leave you very profitable in this vocation.

The white hat is not from Clintwood. He had been out of officiating for a year or two and I didnt know he was back after it. Glad to see him out there again as I enjoyed working with him once in a state semifinal game a few years ago when he was an umpire.

Forbes was very happy with how they defended in Europe this summer and said it should be a lot of fun this year if they will do that all season.

Pulaski Co. Abingdon Carroll Co. Galax Radford Central Gate City Cumberland Gap, TN Graham Richlands Auburn Narrows JI Burton Hurley River View, WV Eastside Thomas Walker Castlewood Patrick Henry Bluefield No. 20 Virginia No. 6 Oklahoma Tennessee Old Dominion No. 1 Alabama West Virginia Virginia Tech No. 10 Penn St. No. 5 LSU Tampa Bay Kansas City Miami Los Angeles Rams Los Angeles Chargers GotW Union 43

3 man crews in Pikeville or just 3 homers?

Taggert actually succeeded Skip Holtz at USF. They got worse before they got better under him, but did finish 10-2 in his last year there. They were predicted to win the conference put lost to Temple to not make it to the conference title game. Also the only bowl game he has coached in was while at USF, losing to his alma mater WKU 3 years after he left. Maybe he turns it around at FSU, but I just dont see it happening.

No clue, but I think it has been that way for a while. I believe I remember it taking place when RC visited Harlan in the past.

I believe that is a common mechanic in KY and has been for awhile for the coin toss at games.

Willie Taggart has been a flop almost everywhere he has been. Why FSU went that route I have no idea. He is 4 games below 500 for his career and has only one 10+ games once in his career I believe. That hire by Oregon and then again by FSU was a head scratcher to me as he is the epitome of mediocre. He will probably be Tennnessees next coach he would be such a bad hire.

Pulaski Co. Abingdon Glenvar Ft. Chiswell Floyd Co. Perry Central, KY Paintsville, KY Graham Marion Chilhowie Grayson Co. Narrows Hurley Castlewood JI Burton Thomas Walker Patrick Henry Bluefield No. 19 Michigan No. 7 Auburn No. 11 Texas Miami Marshall No. 3 Georgia No. 4 Ohio St. Chicago Baltimore Los Angeles Chargers Dallas Kansas City GotW Richlands 42 Gate City 42 Honaker 67