tornado99

I believe they resume at 7 tonight with free admission. I’m not sure about NFHS.

I think the ability to diversify and do both is key. I personally prefer run-first, but agree pass first can as well. My skepticism, probably shared by Jags52, but don’t want to speak for him, is can pass-only or “pass dependent” win it all? Either way, I’m rooting for the Tigers or any SWVA team to bring it home.

I tend to agree, which is why I am always hesitant to blame coaches. That also explains my skepticism when it comes to results due only to work ethic, play calling, etc. They certainly help and are your only controllable variables. The Jimmies and Joes are usually blessings related to location (unless recruiting efforts are made). 
 
As far as fan support, right or wrong and discussed before, I don’t think many schools have better fans inherently with some variability among other places. Frankly, Richlands fans have experienced arguably more extremes of success and futility than most schools around. That explains the “fair weather fans” when compared to the heights. In other words a greater fluctuation is observed. If I recall correctly, Union hasn’t had a truly bad season since consolidation (.745 winning percentage). I think the on-field success does a great deal to explain fan support. In other words, the weather is almost always fair. On the flip side, Tazewell’s mediocrity also explains consistent support.

The gap seems to spread between the haves and have nots. I believe the gap between 1-2 is bigger between Graham and Tazewell than the M7 trio, but only guessing since the Bulldogs have yet to play.

I agree with you in principle; however, in game 1 I didn’t pay enough attention to the number that played. That said, given the makeup of roster (only 5 seniors), the majority of those getting playing time are underclassmen that will be returning. 13-15 playing does seem a little low, but the majority are inexperienced. I guess for the the coaching staff, the question becomes is it better to prepare some really well, or prepare more players, but to a lesser degree. For what it’s worth, that decision would depend upon the talent gap between your first and second group of underclassmen.  The smaller the gap, the more players play. 
That answer is specifically geared to be rebuilding. As for rewarding efforts, I prefer as many players seeing the field and being involved as possible.

A win….otherwise, growth in the form of not being pushed around all night or intimidated. If beaten by better athletes, that’s understandable. Being pushed around is demoralizing.
 
Richlands is a very young team. I believe there is some good talent in the sophomore class in particular. If this young group improves throughout the season and sticks together, physical maturity and being battle-tested will pay future dividends. 

Not being critical, and we already had the little league conversation, but how much credit does Turner and staff deserve for consistency? Some Union fans in the past have criticized play calling, and I remember a post in the last couple years about getting rid of him (that may have been in jest). In my opinion, other than Graham, Union has been the premier program in SWVA. While there has yet to be a state title, their lows haven’t been that low.

I thought it was decent/average as well. Per another thread, it pales in comparison to what we come to expect during the years of success and packed houses.

I’m rooting for them, myself. I just think the attractiveness of Honaker as a transfer destination (at least in football), is more related to other factors than winning tradition and history. If I recall correctly, last season was the first successful season in several years? I can’t remember if it was a first or second round exit, BUT they were indeed set for success this season.

And then they get to go to war with the G-men this season. Bad timing for the move.

Honaker would have been good this season, regardless. Those 2 are huge assets and play both ways.

Honaker would have been good this season, regardless. Those 2 are huge assets and play both ways.

In my observation over the years, besides the Beaver game, Graham rarely/if ever has a bigger crowd than Tazewell or Richlands. As a generalization, Tazewell typically is the most steady, and Richlands fills the stands best when times are good. Graham does attend big games fairly well. That said, I don’t know if the Bulldog faithful is a testament of their fans or an indication of their results. It’s been a long time since they fielded a serious contender to spoil their fans. Richlands and Graham has experienced more extremes in terms of success and disappointment. 
I also believe Graham’s playoff attendance is more of a testament to SWVA fans than just Graham. I’ve attended my share of playoff games and noticed hats and shirts of other SWVA schools in attendance.

Come to think of it, I think during Richlands latter glory years, we benefited from reclassification from Division 4 to 3, which was a rightful move in my opinion.
 
The old divisional system was a travesty that strongly favored more populated areas. Riverheads won the Division 1 state title while having a greater enrollment than both Division 2 finalists, Honaker and King William in the old system.

This post blew up! For my take, I strongly echo the sentiments UVAObserver and stu_bean. Maybe it’s an age thing. A couple of points I would like to refute somewhat, but for comparison’s sake, I will share my thoughts and experience as a Richlands fan. 
From 1997-2008, I am not aware of any active recruiting by the Blues. The 3 finals appearances 2005, 2006, and 2007, with the title in 2006 to my knowledge consisted of mostly hard-working, homegrown Richlands kids. I maybe naive, but I take a lot of pride in the accomplishments of those kids, and coaches alike. While the 2008 team was comparably short on talent, that was one of the best coaching jobs In winning the Region, beating a much more talented Tazewell team twice, and eventually losing big to a much more talented Logan Thomas-led Brookeville team. 
In 2009, that all began to change with the perceived recruiting. I can’t speak to parents doing what is best for their kids, which is honorable in the intention, but I personally felt an undercurrent of disappointment. I realize that there are important values of competing, but I couldn’t help but feel compassion for some of the kids, essentially replaced by what felt like mercenaries. While often results on the field reflected success, I felt and witnessed a perceived decline in discipline and work in favor of seeking talent. I have no idea if the long-term ramifications explain what Richlands is experiencing now or this is just a reflection of the current talent and return to normalcy. 
As most players are concerned, I imagine some of the harder working glue guys (a term from Never Settle by Marty Smith-excellent read) would become discouraged by this pattern. Personally, I would feel a sense of resentment if the opportunity I had worked so hard for, was taken away all of a sudden by someone brought in and I observed to be lazy, but talented. I was blessed to be a part of the era where hard work and dedication seemingly was rewarded by playing time. In fact, I carry that and other lessons from my football experience. 
The taint of recruiting for me carries a stigma of manipulating a system to tilt the playing field for instant results. It seems contradictory to playing, working, and sacrificing together as a team or community to achieve a common goal.
As stated, by UVA, it’s here. If you hope to compete you have to embrace or begrudgingly accept it.
Thank goodness simply for the game of football and those players and coaches that work so hard to teach those lessons and virtues that apply to life outside of football. 
 
This post isn’t meant as a criticism, but primarily an opinion, perspective, and analysis of a practice that is now more widespread. 

Mance appears to be successful in building a struggling Loris program. A dream scenario, but a Graham-Bluefield series with Mance at the helm of the Beavers would be interesting. No slight to Simon, he’s had the luxury of “out-talenting” most WV schools.

Tony Palmer is in the middle of a great run. Not the sole reason, but there is a common denominator that has greatly contributed to both or at least somewhat all 3 examples. I guess that can be a testament to his timeliness. I doubt assistant coaches are in the Hall of Fame, but if they are eligible he would be my nominee.

I can’t speak to this specifically, but with a similar formula for success (recruiting or otherwise), it can be argued the greater Bluefield area possesses much more local talent than Western Tazewell, Russell, Buchanan, or even southern McDowell County. 
 
Specific criticism aside, I think Mance and staff consistently exceeding talent expectations is just as impressive as Palmer and company maximizing the talent at his disposal. (See other thread). 
 
While thinking about it, it really impresses me how Vaught won titles at Lexington and Richlands despite controversy.

Come to think of it, I think during Richlands latter glory years, we benefited from reclassification from Division 4 to 3, which was a rightful move in my opinion.
 
The old divisional system was a travesty that strongly favored more populated areas. Riverheads won the Division 1 state title while having a greater enrollment than both Division 2 finalists, Honaker and King William in the old system.

This post blew up! For my take, I strongly echo the sentiments UVAObserver and stu_bean. Maybe it’s an age thing. A couple of points I would like to refute somewhat, but for comparison’s sake, I will share my thoughts and experience as a Richlands fan. 
From 1997-2008, I am not aware of any active recruiting by the Blues. The 3 finals appearances 2005, 2006, and 2007, with the title in 2006 to my knowledge consisted of mostly hard-working, homegrown Richlands kids. I maybe naive, but I take a lot of pride in the accomplishments of those kids, and coaches alike. While the 2008 team was comparably short on talent, that was one of the best coaching jobs In winning the Region, beating a much more talented Tazewell team twice, and eventually losing big to a much more talented Logan Thomas-led Brookeville team. 
In 2009, that all began to change with the perceived recruiting. I can’t speak to parents doing what is best for their kids, which is honorable in the intention, but I personally felt an undercurrent of disappointment. I realize that there are important values of competing, but I couldn’t help but feel compassion for some of the kids, essentially replaced by what felt like mercenaries. While often results on the field reflected success, I felt and witnessed a perceived decline in discipline and work in favor of seeking talent. I have no idea if the long-term ramifications explain what Richlands is experiencing now or this is just a reflection of the current talent and return to normalcy. 
As most players are concerned, I imagine some of the harder working glue guys (a term from Never Settle by Marty Smith-excellent read) would become discouraged by this pattern. Personally, I would feel a sense of resentment if the opportunity I had worked so hard for, was taken away all of a sudden by someone brought in and I observed to be lazy, but talented. I was blessed to be a part of the era where hard work and dedication seemingly was rewarded by playing time. In fact, I carry that and other lessons from my football experience. 
The taint of recruiting for me carries a stigma of manipulating a system to tilt the playing field for instant results. It seems contradictory to playing, working, and sacrificing together as a team or community to achieve a common goal.
As stated, by UVA, it’s here. If you hope to compete you have to embrace or begrudgingly accept it.
Thank goodness simply for the game of football and those players and coaches that work so hard to teach those lessons and virtues that apply to life outside of football. 
 
This post isn’t meant as a criticism, but primarily an opinion, perspective, and analysis of a practice that is now more widespread. 

This post blew up! For my take, I strongly echo the sentiments UVAObserver and stu_bean. Maybe it’s an age thing. A couple of points I would like to refute somewhat, but for comparison’s sake, I will share my thoughts and experience as a Richlands fan. 
From 1997-2008, I am not aware of any active recruiting by the Blues. The 3 finals appearances 2005, 2006, and 2007, with the title in 2006 to my knowledge consisted of mostly hard-working, homegrown Richlands kids. I maybe naive, but I take a lot of pride in the accomplishments of those kids, and coaches alike. While the 2008 team was comparably short on talent, that was one of the best coaching jobs In winning the Region, beating a much more talented Tazewell team twice, and eventually losing big to a much more talented Logan Thomas-led Brookeville team. 
In 2009, that all began to change with the perceived recruiting. I can’t speak to parents doing what is best for their kids, which is honorable in the intention, but I personally felt an undercurrent of disappointment. I realize that there are important values of competing, but I couldn’t help but feel compassion for some of the kids, essentially replaced by what felt like mercenaries. While often results on the field reflected success, I felt and witnessed a perceived decline in discipline and work in favor of seeking talent. I have no idea if the long-term ramifications explain what Richlands is experiencing now or this is just a reflection of the current talent and return to normalcy. 
As most players are concerned, I imagine some of the harder working glue guys (a term from Never Settle by Marty Smith-excellent read) would become discouraged by this pattern. Personally, I would feel a sense of resentment if the opportunity I had worked so hard for, was taken away all of a sudden by someone brought in and I observed to be lazy, but talented. I was blessed to be a part of the era where hard work and dedication seemingly was rewarded by playing time. In fact, I carry that and other lessons from my football experience. 
The taint of recruiting for me carries a stigma of manipulating a system to tilt the playing field for instant results. It seems contradictory to playing, working, and sacrificing together as a team or community to achieve a common goal.
As stated, by UVA, it’s here. If you hope to compete you have to embrace or begrudgingly accept it.
Thank goodness simply for the game of football and those players and coaches that work so hard to teach those lessons and virtues that apply to life outside of football. 
 
This post isn’t meant as a criticism, but primarily an opinion, perspective, and analysis of a practice that is now more widespread. 

Probably like Sasquatch, it may have existed, but finding supported evidence and eyewitnesses are challenges.

Probably like Sasquatch, it may have existed, but finding supported evidence and eyewitnesses are challenges.

Mance appears to be successful in building a struggling Loris program. A dream scenario, but a Graham-Bluefield series with Mance at the helm of the Beavers would be interesting. No slight to Simon, he’s had the luxury of “out-talenting” most WV schools.

Tony Palmer is in the middle of a great run. Not the sole reason, but there is a common denominator that has greatly contributed to both or at least somewhat all 3 examples. I guess that can be a testament to his timeliness. I doubt assistant coaches are in the Hall of Fame, but if they are eligible he would be my nominee.