Ryan4VT

I think I stated that. We did get beat by the better team. No excuses. Facts are facts Graham defense had Creasy throwing faster than routes were ready, not sure the two wrong routes. Maybe give Taz defense some credit for the turnovers in the redzone. We were a one dimensional offense aftwr Creasy went out. Pretty easy to defend that. Graham has always had the arrogant fans that talk down about Tazewell and is part of the reason I can't pull for them either. At least Union fans aren't cutting down their opposition. I know as do most all our fans that Graham is still the best team of the district. We thought we were pretty good and I still believe it but that just means there is still a way to go. I don't get fired up to much and try to be the respectful poster on here and give credit where it is due, but mark my word when Graham plays Union in the playoffs, I may have to go to that game and be a Bears fan!  All I'm saying about the results from last night, time to move on to the Lebanon game. 

VAGUE TAKE OF THE DAY!!!

Marion attempted 0 passes and had 479 yards rushing.

That ship has sailed. Move on.

Wicks was from Honaker, but he came to Richlands well before high school. We graduated together and I think he came either our 7th or 8th grad year. I know we were in middle school when it happened, though. 

Wicks was from Honaker, but he came to Richlands well before high school. We graduated together and I think he came either our 7th or 8th grad year. I know we were in middle school when it happened, though. 

My wife and I can attest that it is — indeed — still a thing lol. 

In this town? Good luck lol. 

In this town? Good luck lol. 

In this town? Good luck lol. 

1843. Last shared it in 1911. 

In this town? Good luck lol. 

There will not be a parade downtown Tazewell next Friday!  

That 38 mark is is realllllll jeopardy. Lol. 

Well they’ve already got 21 in the first, so I think they’ll eclipse that 28 mark. 😂

It's a lot but these kids signed up for it knowing what the commitment consisted of. Parents often don't know what that commitment consists of and have a difficult time understanding once they do find out in the middle of competition season. I just wish the school and the majority of parents were more involved. It's a lot for the same 7 or 8 parents to be the end-all-be-all for 43 band kids every week. 

Officially joined to be a voice on here 😁 Have been on here since a supervisor told me about it back when I started that job so it must have been fall of 03 when I first learned about it and visited.  Was more of a schedule/score site at the time.  Seems like it turned more towards a message board and that's when I officially signed up on it 🙂 

A good band director cures a lot of issues, especially in terms of numbers. A bad band director can kill a band in a hurry. Bad, inconsistent leadership within a school system can lead to low numbers as well. Let me elaborate. 
Band is a lot more of a time commitment than most people inside a school system are aware of and most can't be bothered to find out what our band kids are sacrificing. We constantly have to fight the school system for resources to feed these kids. Feeding 43 kids tomorrow is going to be a nightmare. Especially when a third of the kids will show up with absolutely nothing. They have to be at the school no later than 6am and won't be getting home until after midnight. It's going to be a long day for the parents as well as the kids. 
Galax doesn't feed our band kids....ever! Not before or after football games. Not for band competitions. Not for band camp in the summer. Not for concert assessment. Not for district tryouts. Not for regional tryouts. Not for state auditions. Us parents have to put messages out on social media begging for handouts from the community. Thankfully, a few local churches and community members step up and help where the school system falls woefully short. But even then, it's never enough and the parents that are involved end up paying out-of-pocket for kids that aren't ours. I'm not complaining. It just is what it is. I'm happy to do it because my kids loved band. My wife was in the Marching Virginians at VT as was her brothers, three nieces and two nephews. Band is a very big part of who my family is.
I know I can be very cynical about these things but the school system always ensures the football players are well fed!!! These band kids see they are "less-than" every day and it is something the director has to overcome while the football players and coaches are getting fat and happy just a few feet down the hallway in the cafeteria. Often rubbing it in the band kids face that they have food and the band kids don't. 

My brother is a freshman at Richlands. So his schedule is:

Band room opens at 6:15am tomorrow morning. Practice at 6:45am. Leave for Battle at 8:15am. Assessment performance at 11:30am. Competition performance at 7pm. Awards at 9pm. Arrive back at RHS at midnight. 
That's SO much on these kids. I can remember my senior year, we performed at 2 competitions in Charlottesville on the same day. That was a LONG trip. Left for Hooville at something like 4:30am and got back to RHS around 3am on Sunday morning. 

Yep, this board has been around a long time...

Southbound & Falconman for the folks that remember them.

What if I told you guys that it was ok to play in the rain?

Rural Retreat took the Richlands R thus inheriting all the problems the Blue Tornado are currently suffering from the folks jabbing pins into the navy and silver voodoo doll.

Richlands has never lost every game in a season. There’s two occasions of 0-9-1. But never 0-10. 
Unless they can win at Marion — this team will go down as the worst team record-wise in the history of Richlands High School. The same school that played for a state title 6 years ago. 

Folks, I have the pleasure of being around a few athletics programs due to my profession and I see an alarming trend going on locally in the aspect of discipline. 
Programs that used to have depth and stability no longer have that and are grasping at straws in regard to talent. 
If you hold some of these young men accountable, they will leave the program and never return. Sometimes that will snowball to other players leaving, "Come on man, we don't have to put up with this."
With the lack of numbers, I see coaches afraid to be tough to make players better men because they are scared that their numbers will dwindle or at worst their parents will go and cry to an administrator who will back the parent regardless of the situation just to please. 
It's not what it used to be and let's not be too fast to blame the kids because a lot of this starts at home.
Just my observation...