BeaverHokie

Poor aim.

All the predictions of high scores weren't even high enough. I wasn't there, so my comments are based on listening to Jim Nelson. Oh, by the way, Jim Nelson is the best radio guy at the HS level. One comment, when a smaller Bluefield RB was led into the hole by Coppola, he said "It looks like a Ferrari drafting a school bus". Bluefield's offense appears to be mostly unstoppable, at least by Graham. But then, I felt that way last year, only to lose to Princeton. As much as I enjoy beating Graham (Graham is a fun rival), I absolutely loathe losing to Princeton. Hate them. I just don't think Bluefield will put 70+ on the board against Princeton. They could mostly name their score last year (they'd call the dogs off when they'd hit 50 or 60), but Princeton always has too much size. Bluefield's defense...not good. They gave up 100+ yard rushing to a great Graham RB, but giving up that much in passing yards....ouch. I feel like we're playing in WVU's league...freaking basketball scores. Bluefield scored less winning the AA hoops championship last year. Someone familiar with it...seems like each year, there are a LOT of new names on the Bluefield roster, that weren't there last year. Are kids bailing on the program, to leave those open spots? Lots of kids coming out of nowhere to start playing their junior or senior year.

Nice website (just now coming out of message board hibernation, anxious for the start of the season). I may have some info you can add, like perhaps some rosters from the championship teams back to 1984. If I do have it, I'll either post it here or message you. Also hard to believe no championships since 2009. Bit of a drought for us, at least relative to Bluefield expectations. Funny that the longest drought in that period was 13 years.

On #6, that seems to be too common. I think kids watch too much SportsCenter. Taking a guy down by the legs doesn't become a clip that makes it on ESPN.

Yep. I posted in the thread on the WV board, I was wondering if Wayne has a really good strength training program, or an abundance of naturally big, strong kids. I don't like moral victories, but I do feel better that this year's game was completely different than last year's, Bluefield did hold the lead a couple of times. Whatever Bluefield changed from last year, nearly worked. I am guessing this is the closest game Wayne has had in a really long time.

Final score: Wayne 29 Bluefield 27 Very close game. Punch and counterpunch. Would love to see a rematch of this game. Sounds like it was very physical. Bluefield apparently did a lot better, but the radio call says that Wayne was really controlling the line of scrimmage. Does Wayne just have a really good strength training program, or just genetics (an abundance of big strong kids)? Appears this year's Wayne team handled themselves better than last year, no cheap shots, no jaw-yapping.

That's pretty scary to think that Wayne has won 32 straight. They're probably mad that the WVSSAC computer has ranked them as #2 even with a perfect record, but that has to do with schedule strength and how the defeated opponents do, and Bluefield has gained a lot of benefit from that. No way Wayne tries to cruise into the playoffs and lose that winning streak. They're always very tough, very physical. Should be interesting to see if 12 months of better strength training helps Bluefield match up with them. Last year, Wayne obviously thumped Bluefield. I wonder if that took Bluefield's morale, thinking that even if they marched though the playoffs, another thumping awaited them in Wheeling. May account for the loss they had on the road. I'd say the odds are definitely against Bluefield winning this game. Hope that is a motivator for Bluefield...

Bluefield has one blemish on the record against Princeton. Wayne has none. Bluefield has seemingly dominated every other game they've played. How do you think they match up? Wayne whooped Bluefield last year, but one thing I am hearing a lot about is Bluefield's strength training, that they revamped it this past year, and it seems to have made a difference. Is it enough? And...big picture, how much does this game matter, as both teams will be in the playoffs. Last year, Bluefield couldn't even make it to a rematch with Wayne. Thoughts?

When I was in the 7th grade, an 8th grader was trying to start crap with me. We both played football. Lunch table, he tried to take my milk. I reached across the table, grabbed him by the shirt, pulled him onto the table, and told him to put my milk down. He did. Little PITA that lived across the street (he also played football) ran to the head coach to tell him, trying to get me into trouble. Coach asked me about it, and then told me "Good for you to take up for yourself". That was it. No trouble, no suspensions, none of that nonsense. These days, I would have been the one in trouble.

Final score: Bluefield 38 Richlands 14 Richlands clearly did not lay down for Bluefeld. Bluefield shot themselves in the foot with fumbles and penalties. Huge INT return, almost 100 yards negated due to a penalty. Two drives into the red zone turned into penalties.

Bluefield 31 Richlands 14, late in the 3rd quarter

I tend to agree with this. First off, losing a leading rusher from last year due to legal troubles, and now three kids suspended for a game for some unspecified reason. Not inspiring, that's for sure. This team is scary good even with out them (winning 57-18 tonight), but if they play a tough opponent, they will need that leadership. This just feels like college ball, with so many kids getting in trouble...

Are you the one that loves your cat and listens to your dad, or is that the other one? Think I found your rap. http://www.iamlost.com/features/slomo/I%20got%20my%20pants%20on...%28all%20by%20my%20self%29%20-%20Rappin%20Retard%20-%20Slo%20Mo.mp3

I'd really like to see him teach a class of some sort, college or otherwise, to train local broadcasters. Face it, nobody who graduates from Syracuse's department of communication is going to come work down here (Bill Roth at VT, Tony Caridi at VT, Mike Tirico, and no doubt many others are from Cuse). We need more than "Dang, did you see that, Kes!!!"

Years of experience has helped him develop a cadence of sorts. When they roll out, he reminds of down and distance, describes the offensive set and the defensive set, all before the snap. Sort of this: Bluefield 2nd and 7. Bluefield shows one wide to the left side, wingback right, shotgun, Gate City showing a 4-3. Bourne takes the snap, fakes to Coppolo, takes it to the right, breaks a tackle, managed to get 15 on the play. First down Bluefield from the 30... ..and so forth. No wasted words like we heard last year. No time wasted whining about the officials, or the opponent.

And, he was having the QB take a knee on the 2 point PAT try to not even put more points on the board. Clearly not running up the score, he could have hung 80+ on them, even with the running clock and short quarter. I'm just shocked it was that much of a blowout. I know not to think Bluefield is that good due to the score, but dang...

I know I've said it before, but it's like a kid at Christmas with Jim Nelson calling the games. He is head and shoulders better than ANY local broadcaster. He's not high energy or loud, therefore probably not exciting to the younger folks, but I could sit at home (like I did tonight) and could picture it perfectly. I hope Joe Jarvis learns something doing the color commentary sitting next to him.

Bluefield rolls 61-7. Wasn't even that close, rolling clock in the second half, 8 minute fourth quarter, Bluefield backed off. Bluefield could have easily scored 70,80, or more.

Adding a little bit to this. If Tazewell County pays $37,000 per year, that's a pretty decent bargain. If they had to raise money, or secure financing, what would the annual principal/interest payment be on something like a new stadium? Just using a crude mortgate calculator, but if a million dollars were borrowed (and contrary to some opinions, that would be a bargain of a stadium), at a rate of 3% and paid back over 20 years (pulled that out of thin air, no idea what actual terms and rates would be), the annual payment would be about $66,000 ($5550 times twelve). Not included in that total is insurance and maintenance. Let's say they only needed to borrow $500,000, 20 year term, that is about $33,000 per year, not including maintenance and insurance. A half-million dollar stadium isn't gonna be much of a stadium. Natural grass, naturally, and not a lot of money left for amenities. That half-million dollar stadium will cost as much as the lease at Mitchell. There is no savings to be had by building a stadium, unless Tazewell County believes the rent is going to go WAAAAY up. I'd like to see someone reputable finally do the feasibility study to show that Mitchell is a good deal. A little bit about just grandstand seating. Varies by region, but not a lot. Runs from about $100 (visitor side) to $175 (nicer, not the crappy style) per seat, aluminum. http://plaintalk.net/2010/01/school-board-hears-costs-of-building-outdoor-stadium/ Go small, and build a 2500 seat home side, and that is $250,000 to $437,500 just for the home bleachers. Not included: visitor bleachers, pressbox, restrooms, lighting, concession stands, parking, maintenance. I suspect none of this has to do with money, it's civic pride, or a turf war, or something...

This seems to get dragged out every few years. I have no idea about the politics on the VA side, someone else can fill in details. I'm a civil engineer, and while I've never designed a stadium, I can't imagine that a decent one could be build for less than a million dollars. Site grading, drainage, seating, ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) accessible seating, restrooms, field house, concession stands. http://bdtonline.com/local/x789523263/Tazewell-BOE-studying-creation-of-athletic-field I think it would be interesting for someone to work up a feasibility study, to see more than some ballpark (no pun intended) numbers. One of the cheaper possibilities could be where the stadium used to be next to Graham High. I remember many, many years ago (like 30) that Graham Middle played there. Thoughts?

Not sure if you consider Bluefield and the Bluefield-Graham game as relevant (it is within 1 mile of the VA line), but that game traditionally gets somewhere between 10,000 and 13,000 each year.

Hate the outcome of the game. Hate losing to Princeton. I can stomach losing to Graham, I root for them the rest of the season. Princeton? No, not at all. I tuned in right at the end of that skirmish, and there were double offsetting penalties on that play, nobody thrown out, played the down over. No idea what happened or what caused it. Oh, for those that don't know the score, it was Bluefield 29, Princeton 32. Bluefield had a final shot, with 3 seconds on the clock, inside the 1 yard line, bobbled snap, no gain, game over. Bluefield got another shot apparently due to a Princeton player trying to kick the ball away from the pile to prevent Bluefield from getting their final play off. They were called for delay of game due to it. At least one of the previous plays, it was said that perhaps the forward progress of RJ Bourne running the ball should have been a touchdown, reminds me of the Will Cole game back in 2008 (???).

Jim Nelson is awesome to listen to. Was not at the game, but listening to him, he can describe the situation perfectly, with the offensive formation, what the defense is showing, all within a couple seconds before the snap. He's a legend, nobody in the area seems to be anywhere near as good. I like Bob Redd as a person, he's a former neighbor of mine. I do think he was better than last year's team, but nowhere near Jim Nelson's level. At least pairing Joe Jarvis with Nelson, maybe Jarvis will listen a lot and learn. Not kidding, I think Jim Nelson could teach a class (a semester or two) about sports announcing, a lot of local announcers could learn a lot from him.

Just seems awfully quiet about this game. The site was full of Bluefield grads and fans, seems I am one of the few left posting. Where did everybody go? Thoughts about this game? I'm picking Bluefield by a narrow margin, about a touchdown.

As referenced in the thread. I was surprised by the quote in the paper about Graham being surprised to score 38 and lose. About 24 of those points were scored on Bluefield's reserves. They count, sure, but I wouldn't make that comment about scoring 38. When it's Graham's starting offense versus a defense of largely second and third team players, humility should be the name of the game. I'm not convinced it was a bad thing for Graham's coach to keep the starters out there, shows a commitment to attempting to win, but I suspect Simon will continue to be gracious and not intentionally run up the score. Have seen quite a few games where Bluefield has scored 60+ in my time, usually when even the young kids are putting it in the endzone. On stopping the jet sweep, I was in the stands, and couldn't see the splits very well, but I got the impression that Graham may have made some changes, and then Bluefield started running FB dives with Coppolo. He seemed to have poor balance and went down too easy, Much of the time, it appeared to be an easy 5 yards when he'd take it up the middle. I'll take it...a win is a win. I'll also not draw any major conclusions from the game. I do stand by my point that Bluefield MAY wind up scary good, it appears they have plugged the gaps (literally and figuratively) that were a problem last year, mostly undersized linemen getting pushed around. That Bluefield could make that many mistakes (penalties), put in the reserves, and still score 60 on Graham is telling. I don't have the history in front of me, but that's got to be the highest score against Graham since perhaps the Gainer days.