Ryan4VT

A pair of unsportsmanlike conduct calls on Richlands that will haunt them for awhile. Completely avoidable and unnecessary. If you do not get those penalties, you turn the Bulldogs over on downs two times in the fourth and pull this one out. If you are from Richlands, that was a tough one to listen to them gift wrap and give to Tazewell 105 days before Christmas. 

I’d be skipping the wedding. 😂😂

Right decision, but personally it sucks. They’re gonna play it at the exact same time as the race… which I have tickets to and have friends from all over the country coming in to go to it with as well. 

They played a real team for the first time. 

The Curse of WCYB. 

The Curse of WCYB. 

Culture shock? 
Some of you all are acting like Bullitt is the Cliff.

Cramping isnt always about a lack of conditioning.  It generally has more to do with the kids hydration and some just arent disciplined enough to stay away from things like energy drinks that hurt their hydration.

Because of this year’s team’s first game where they lost by 1 point to the state runner ups? 

Oops!!!
Oops again!!!

Loris 27-21 double overtime win over North Merle Beach

Battle picks off Abingdon with 1 min left
They're going to beat the Falcons for the first time in 10 years

Aaron Lowe recruited his kids buddies. His middle school kids buddies. By the time they reach the high school level,  he should have enough people brainwashed and will have control of football and girls basketball. So, current head coaches, pay attention and keep your resume handy…..or….or….he will piss enough people off and it will be a rerun of his Richlands shitshow.   My popcorn is ready. 🍿

Joined... 
Y'all are in big big trouble now... >:)

I’ll eat a lemon if Battle finishes first.  

Right. Exactly. If GC beats those teams by 3-5 TD's, then we can start thinking about a Graham/GC regional matchup. But beating Richlands won't signal anything of any real importance lol. 

I'm just hoping they don't hatch at all. Maybe they'll realize how comfortable that locker room is and stay there. 😂

Right. Exactly. If GC beats those teams by 3-5 TD's, then we can start thinking about a Graham/GC regional matchup. But beating Richlands won't signal anything of any real importance lol. 

Right. Exactly. If GC beats those teams by 3-5 TD's, then we can start thinking about a Graham/GC regional matchup. But beating Richlands won't signal anything of any real importance lol. 

But will it, though? Is beating a young and less talented Richalnds teams a "wake up call?"

If Gate City can defend the screen pass they win easy.  In Grundy game that's the only thing that worked for the Blues passing game, going deep, or even going to wide outs on short patterns wasn't working except when Grundy's defence missed assignments.  Running game is almost non-existant and the line on both sides of the ball is young.  I'll always pull for the Blues and hope for a win, but in this year I think the wins will be few and far between.  Good luck to all the players and coaches, and to the fans, remember that even if your team looses, the players are trying their best and need your support regardless of what the scoreboard shows at the end iof the game. GO BIG BLUE!!!!

That seems low. Did Graham get that many? Lol

I disagree with the exposure, AAU is all the exposure she needs. Its about better competition on a night by night basis and she does not get that at Richlands. SWD is currently a soft district that would be hard pressed to win the Cumberland let alone beat a M7 team.

Play one game a year at Mitchell. After that there would be plenty of seating and parking for the rest of their home games with the exception of the Union game. For that game the excess Union fans could bring their own chairs to put around the field. The 25 Graham fans should still have plenty of seating available on the home side. 

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.