biggamesjames

I will call it like I see it Coal Covered Rebel and I saw what I saw.  Seemed pretty obvious to me.  If you don't like to second guess coaching staffs then that's up to you but some of us may feel empowered and knowledgeable enough about football to do so.  Not saying our game plans would have worked better but seriously doubt it would've been any worse.  Alot of it is still about player execution....but when you decide to become a coach you open yourself up to being critiqued.  It's the nature of the business.  Coaches that don't like it should probably try a different career.  It's the same with officiating.  This is a spectator sport we're talking about...and this is a message board where people are expected to post thoughts and opinions.  I will say this though, the Essex game plan didn't bother me as bad as last year against Altavista watching a 2500 yard rusher get a total of 6 carries in a close game.  Sometimes being consistently good and solid is better than being occasionally amazing and dynamic.  Less is more.  Being a genius is great as long as you still know how to tie your shoe...etc.

I will call it like I see it Coal Covered Rebel and I saw what I saw.  Seemed pretty obvious to me.  If you don't like to second guess coaching staffs then that's up to you but some of us may feel empowered and knowledgeable enough about football to do so.  Not saying our game plans would have worked better but seriously doubt it would've been any worse.  Alot of it is still about player execution....but when you decide to become a coach you open yourself up to being critiqued.  It's the nature of the business.  Coaches that don't like it should probably try a different career.  It's the same with officiating.  This is a spectator sport we're talking about...and this is a message board where people are expected to post thoughts and opinions.  I will say this though, the Essex game plan didn't bother me as bad as last year against Altavista watching a 2500 yard rusher get a total of 6 carries in a close game.  Sometimes being consistently good and solid is better than being occasionally amazing and dynamic.  Less is more.  Being a genius is great as long as you still know how to tie your shoe...etc.

I will call it like I see it Coal Covered Rebel and I saw what I saw.  Seemed pretty obvious to me.  If you don't like to second guess coaching staffs then that's up to you but some of us may feel empowered and knowledgeable enough about football to do so.  Not saying our game plans would have worked better but seriously doubt it would've been any worse.  Alot of it is still about player execution....but when you decide to become a coach you open yourself up to being critiqued.  It's the nature of the business.  Coaches that don't like it should probably try a different career.  It's the same with officiating.  This is a spectator sport we're talking about...and this is a message board where people are expected to post thoughts and opinions.  I will say this though, the Essex game plan didn't bother me as bad as last year against Altavista watching a 2500 yard rusher get a total of 6 carries in a close game.  Sometimes being consistently good and solid is better than being occasionally amazing and dynamic.  Less is more.  Being a genius is great as long as you still know how to tie your shoe...etc.

I agree Redtiger.  Really needed some playaction.  Got to use their speed and quickness against them.  Can't line up and just beat their db's.  Needed some more deception and misdirection.  We averaged close to 6 yards per carry when we ran the ball and that's a winning formula to set up the play pass.  They dropped 7 or 8 guys into coverage most of the game and our QB was in a tough situation to sit back there in shotgun and just throw darts all day.  If we would have let him be more of a game manager and give the ball more to one of the best FB's in the state and also a pretty good HB I think it would have put him in a more manageable situation...plus he really excels in ball fakes and throwing off playaction...just the type of QB he is.  He's a Steve Deberg/Chad Pennington/Chris Chandler type QB and we put him in situation that he had to be more of a Peyton Manning or Dan Marino.  I thought we would have learned a little more from facing AltaVista last year in this same game.  I guess I thought wrong.

Absolutely CLASSLESS display by many Covington players and coaching staff.  Their community should be embarrassed going out like that.  Haysi should appeal the ejections and should win.  Covington was out of it at that point and had nothing to lose by starting a fight except honor and respect.  Haysi had a tremendous amount to lose.  I believe when VHSL watches the tape they will see Covington was clearly the instigators and should rule accordingly.

The field condition will be a convenient excuse.  Both teams played under the same conditions and the better team won.  Trust me, Galax's field is not any better.

Hmmmm,  seems like both teams played on the same field !  You want to go deep into the playoffs and possibly win state,  you better be able to play on any kind of field and be a balanced team.  The deeper you go,  the better the teams,  and the better they are at finding your weakness !

Typical!  Always have to have an excuse.  It can't be because the other team was simply better.
 
I love this area but the mindset has to change.

Haysi is doing exactly what Altavista and Fort Chiswell did.  Throw everything at slowing Peoples down, even though you wont stop him, and take everyone else out of the game.  Galax will not beat anyone throwing the football so don't concern yourself with it.  Galax may score on a pass play occasionally but they will not beat anyone through the air.  Steven has played a whale of a game but its difficult for one man to defeat a team as balanced as Haysi.

I think the big question is why did you go through Meadowview?  That is about the 10th best way to get to Haysi from Galax

A Haysi/Fort Chiswell final would be interesting with Colley vs Colley I believe.

The thing Haysi did that nobody else has done all year was to use offensive sets and personnel that kept the football away Steven Peoples while he was on defense.  He had to pursue the width of the field which aided in wearing him down.  He was not making plays on defense in the second half nearly as effectively as he was in the first half.  
 
I thought it was a masterful game plan by the Haysi coaching staff.  Best of luck next week.  I am hoping to see Haysi play Fort Chiswell.  
 
Another SWVA final!

I have to go to Clintwood every so often for work. I loathe that drive. 2-lame from Rosedale on, over Big A, and may God have mercy on you if you get behind Grandma Moses, of which there are plenty.
 
Great people in Dickenson County. Just hate the drive.

yeah I think the 2nd and 3rd seeds in 1A west is prob better matchup wise than 1 seed because of who you will get in 2nd round.  However, gotta play everybody anyway so might as well welcome whoever comes to haysi and see what happens.  makes no difference to me anyway because i'm in win it all or nothing mode anyway.  get the ring.  i believe this haysi team, if playing well and taking care of the ball, is good enough to beat any 1A team in the state.

Yeah it was probably the largest attendance for a regular season game that I can remember.  Clintwood game was a big crowd this year though.  I think cold weather was a slight factor last night as far as attendance. I agree that if we are playing at home in the state semis there will be a tremendous crowd this year. 
 
I am proud of the Honaker and Clintwood teams as well and how good football is in this little corner of SWVA.  Combined record of Haysi, Clintwood and Honaker is 27-3 with only losses coming from playing each other.  Even more impressive.