333

[ QUOTE ] Congrats 333 on your team bringing home the "hardware" this year. You guys have an excellent program over there. [/ QUOTE ] Thanks, 89, Hope to hear from you during the holidays. GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] I remember my year of JV football,our line coach told us to punch in to the shoulder pads and grab the inside of them under there armpits and drive them. [/ QUOTE ] That's the way it's taught now. Thanks for the backup. GO SALEM GO MULES

BEST HOSTING FANS........... RICHLANDS TO SALEM, hands down. That's all they've talked about here in Salem since we got back. Thank you, thank you, thank you...........

Thanks to all the SW VA fans for the congratulations and well wishes. We really do appreciate it. One hack of a high school football game. The score does not reflect the way the game went. We pretty much dominated the stats we just couldn't put it away. Hairston had 223 yards rushing. He put on a show on the carpet. some really brutal hits. It was fun to watch but it shouldn't have been that close. Again, Thanks

[ QUOTE ] WE GOTTA WAY WITH A FEW OUR SELVES TORGE THE END, BUT THEM TRASH TALKIN TO TRAVIS THE WAY THEY DID WASNT RIGHT ALL GAME. ALLLL I CAN SAY ABOUT IT I WISH ALL OF THEM COULD WATCH THE GAME, WHEN YOU SEE TWO HANDS FULL OF JERSEYS CONSTANTLY,,,,,,AH NEVER MIND..ITS OVER [/ QUOTE ] TRUEBLUE, it's pretty much an accepted practice for O linemen to "punch in their block and then grab" as long as they keep their hands inside the frame of the opponent it's rarely called. Blocking is not like it used to be. Back in the day we were taught to block with forearms and shoulders, cradeling the opponent between those surfaces and the neck/head, fists clinched and drawn tight to the chest. It ain't like that anymore. How many times have you seen your DE get held "flagrently" and not called. Alot, I'll bet. That's because no referee is asigned that responsibility. OE are taught to take a rush end up field. When this happens the action is out of the field of view. If officials called every hold the games would last 5 hours. Everybody does it! GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] i dont think there were many here to begin with... [/ QUOTE ] Lance, SalemFan is correct. There aren't many Salem fans perusing this board. Maybe it's because of the name. LOL You guys made it abundantly clear that Salem is not considered SW VA. I, on the other hand, enjoy the site and I will continue to visit. I've met some pretty nice people on here and one thing we all have in common is that we think high school football is the greatest sport on earth. All of us must keep the interest in hs football up. There are wolves at the door and the politically correct crowd would like nothing more than for football support to wane. One thing that I failed to mention previously was your band. They did one hell of a job Saturday. They are top notch. We have a great band if you tend toward concerts. As for supporting the team they leave something to be desired. Your band on the other hand worked their butts off playing for The Blue Tornados. Kudos!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO SALEM GO MULES <font color="red"> </font> [/ QUOTE ] Sorry Lance, I didn't realize until too late that you were a Grundy fan.

[ QUOTE ] i dont think there were many here to begin with... [/ QUOTE ] Lance, SalemFan is correct. There aren't many Salem fans perusing this board. Maybe it's because of the name. LOL You guys made it abundantly clear that Salem is not considered SW VA. I, on the other hand, enjoy the site and I will continue to visit. I've met some pretty nice people on here and one thing we all have in common is that we think high school football is the greatest sport on earth. All of us must keep the interest in hs football up. There are wolves at the door and the politically correct crowd would like nothing more than for football support to wane. One thing that I failed to mention previously was your band. They did one hell of a job Saturday. They are top notch. We have a great band if you tend toward concerts. As for supporting the team they leave something to be desired. Your band on the other hand worked their butts off playing for The Blue Tornados. Kudos!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO SALEM GO MULES <font color="red"> </font>

[ QUOTE ] If that happens I'll do my best to reciprocate with Salem Hospitality. I feel the love GO SALEM GO MULES [/ QUOTE ] And Mule...If that DOES happen, count me in on gala event. We can show anyone Salem can host a party.!!!!!! [/ QUOTE ] I'll make 5 gals. of my corn chowder that should feed about 100. GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] Actually next year we are planning on visiting them, Region III will host the semi's [/ QUOTE ] If that happens I'll do my best to reciprocate with Salem Hospitality. I feel the love GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] "An all-purpose back, that's what I consider myself," Hairston said. Salem spread out Richlands' physical defense, often finding Hairston covered by a bigger and slower player. "They had a defensive end out there in the flats," Hairston said. "Me and a defensive end one-on-one. Who you think's gonna win that matchup?" [/ QUOTE ] kinda cocky sounding to me...but then again, who knows what was really said and what the guy decided to print...you never know what you get with the media...they spin it hard sometimes. [/ QUOTE ] Again, I'm glad you realize that sports writers SPIN. GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Hairston sounds a little phallic. [/ QUOTE ] HUH? GO SALEM GO MULES [/ QUOTE ] he's saying the kid sounds like a dick. [/ QUOTE ] He's not. He's a competetor though. His quote in the paper was dead on. I was talking to Coach Carlock from Graham and Coach Miles from Franklin County at the game. They both recognized the mismatch immediately. It wasn't the D-ends fault. He was being asked to do the impossible. I thought he was very athletic for his size and did a good job against the run but to ask a DE to cover a running back is well...... asking toooooo much. The Richlands coach finally realized that but too late. Andre said something like "they had a DE covering me, who do you think is going to win that matchup"? I don't think he was being cocky he was being realistic. GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] well...sooner or later it all comes back around...I wish them luck...the guy writing that article took a couple of cheap shots at Richalnds...to bad he can't show the class the Salem fans have shown. Thats what you get from the media once you get past Graham though...typical. [/ QUOTE ] Thanks for the compliment, Lance. I certainly hope the folks in Richlands realize that Robert Anderson is hack sports writer. Anything to create a controversy. you should see some of the predictions he makes on Fridays about high school games. Always stirring the pot. Again thanks for realizing Salem fans have class. You people do too. Much more than some of our local opposition. GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] Hairston sounds a little phallic. [/ QUOTE ] HUH? GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] There were two non-calls in particular, a hold and a face mask that happened right in front of the ref. They were blatantly obvious from the stands but he missed them. There was also a Richlands reception that was ruled a trap. There is no possible way that ball was trapped. The ref on the play was out of position to see it. Other than that, I agree. They did a good job. Even the calls I mentioned had no effect on the outcome. [/ QUOTE ] BigD4VT I was standing/ sitting in a chair on the track at the West end next to coach Carlock. I had the glasses on the receiver. He did trap the ball. It was damn clost but he did trap it. Lance is right about the size of those two refs. they were both out of position all day. I thought one of them was going to have a heart attack after a long run. Andre broke one on an ice and he nearly ran over the biggest one. The ref didn't know if he should crap or go blind. Andre put a couple of moves on him that caused him to freeze but by then it was too late to go around.LOL I thought all in all the crew did a pretty good job. They let em play. At this stage of the season most officials do nuless it's flagrant. you guys have one hell of a team!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW, what a high school football game. With less than two minutes left on the clock I still wasn't sure we had it won. Your team played one hell of a game to the very end. You've got probably the best O line we've faced all year with the possible exception of Amherst and Liberty but I wouldn't make that call. Ringstaff, I'm told was a little hobbled from rolling an ankle and he took one hell of a shot early. He showed me something when he came back. Your QB runs the ball very well and that little scatback who returns punts may be the hardest to bring down. You never get a solid shot on him. All in all great game. Thank you Richlands for being a class act. No jawing from the fans after the game and everyone was very respectful. You folks really made some noise. I hope we can all go on now and I certainly hope there is mutual respect. For a bunch of "city slickers" we don't mind hitting though, do we? Later, folks! GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] I get tired of hearing about some of the salem fans talking about how BIG their CLEATS were!! I read that one person mentioned that they looked like pole climbing shoes. HA! BELIEVE ME.. an eighth of an inch is not going to be more visable in a picture nor is it going to make a difference on a muddy field. Speaking from experience. We won 13 other games by beating teams with a smash mouth offense and defense, just like That game.. No different. I mean We ran about 4 different plays the whole game.. It doesn't get any better than that.."Tough teams under tough conditions, AND TODAY THEY WERE TOUGHER THAN WE WERE" ------Thats a Direct Quote from their NO 1 FAN that DAY! [/ QUOTE ] And, again I ask. If the 1/8" didn't matter why did you use them? GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] Congratulations on a well played ball game! Two Words "Receiver Speed" You guys have one hell of a football team. Great game and thanks. GO SALEM GO MULES Hows that 333??? [/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] I do wish that fans from Richlands would not try to downplay what happened. Had the roles been reversed I have no doubt that our fans (including myself) would have complained just as much as the folks from Salem. [/ QUOTE ] I completely agree. It happened. Nothing will ever change that. And yes, the kids on both sides were cheated. Did the cleats make a difference? ...Did steroids make a difference in Barry Bonds performance? Did Gaylord Perry's spitball make a difference? Or how about a corked bat? The point is if these things didn't make a difference, they wouldn't be illegal. Now having said all of that...No Salem fan, media member or opposing QB have any right to mention 1992 with regards to this game. The offending coach is gone. Every member of that team are now grown men with families, and are spread out all over the country. Blaming this team for what happened in 1992 is like blaming the Bush Administration for the Watergate. [/ QUOTE ] AMEN!!!!! GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] being at the game in 1992 we all know richlands could have beaten salem anyway! cleats don't make a difference its the kids that do. the loss in 1992 (aka cleat-gate) was a chicken [censored] way for salem & willis white to explain a choke season. salems season will come to another end come saturday 12-4-04. what will be there excuse this time around. [/ QUOTE ] Its a shame that we never will know the impact of the illegal cleats. Both teams were cheated in that regard. I do wish that fans from Richlands would not try to downplay what happened. Had the roles been reversed I have no doubt that our fans (including myself) would have complained just as much as the folks from Salem. [/ QUOTE ] Thank you Trainer for a sane post. We've been of the other side of the fence except we had a State Championship taken from us. Graham was the benefactor of that one. GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] I'm curious, is there some significance to your handle of "333?" [/ QUOTE ] I guess it means half devil, LOL naw, to begin with I signed on not knowing exactly how to provide a user name. I am a computer idiot. My son wore #3 when he played for Salem so I just used 333 to provide enough characters. Since then I have the signature OL MULE. Years ago my friend Billy Miles gave his O linemen the name "Mules" because they did most of the work and got almost none of the recognition. Since then the Mules have gotten much more notice. I was an old O and D lineman for Andrew Lewis, hince OL MULE. GO SALEM GO MULES

No matter what happens Saturday this is a great site. G-MAN my hat's off to you and whomever helps you. I know this takes a heck of a lot of work. You should be proud! GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] the salem qb said enough last week to fire our boys up. if the coach from salems pre-game speech is about 1992 then the salem city slickers may not want to get off the bus. the big blue train is rolling next stop ernie hicks staduim saturday dec. 4 @ 1:30pm! go big blue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11 [/ QUOTE ] Ya' know, every time you post I'm reminded that some village is missing it's idiot. GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] being at the game in 1992 we all know richlands could have beaten salem anyway! cleats don't make a difference its the kids that do. the loss in 1992 (aka cleat-gate) was a chicken [censored] way for salem & willis white to explain a choke season. salems season will come to another end come saturday 12-4-04. what will be there excuse this time around. [/ QUOTE ] Believe what you've got to believe ol boy, but answer one question for me. If the cleats didn't matter why did your "coach" use them? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm! As I've stated before. If you win Saturday there won't be any excuses from me. By the way, Willis doesn't coach Salem anymore. GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] I have no doubt that the field will be in the best possible condition. Silly question...what exactly is "turfaced"? [/ QUOTE ] Turface is the brand name of a substance similar to kitty litter that grounds crews use to absorb excess moisture. My son works for the rec dept. here in Salem. They use tons of it each year mostly during the softball season. GO SALEM GO MULES

[ QUOTE ] nah...u wont be fortunate enuff to do anything next saturday, unless u are comin to watch richlands win state? [/ QUOTE ] Aw let's play it anyway just for grins!!!!!! GO SALEM GO MULES