I think we are going to see a drop in public schools themselves and public education. Going to see far more online stuff and private education from home groups, literally neighborhoods that have 4 or 5 people teaching the kids. It's already happening. What will slow this down somewhat is migration from Latin and Hispanic countries which have kept the public schools afloat in cities, but it's coming. We will see it occurring first in suburban areas.
Here's what to do if I were young again and I was young in 2024. I take the GED in High School 2 weeks after I finish my sophomore year. I then drop out of High School. I simply quit. I immediately enroll at the local community college, finish my 2 year degree at age 18, then transfer to a University and finish by 4 year degree when I'm 20, I have my degree. If I want to be a Lawyer, I'm done at 23. A physician, done at 24. A pharmacist? Done at 23. Now, the downside of this is obviously social groups, peers in High School and all of a sudden you are gone at 16, but again.......for these home-schooled kids across the country, stop fooling around with standardized programs that you complete through grade 12. Take a program where you can pass the GED and try to get that GED at age 16. I know some kids when they graduate High School, they already have a good year of college done because of AP stuff and all of that, but that's a lot of work. Too much work for my taste. This route isn't for everyone, but if you have a good who isn't a social bug, he or she is homeschooled, and fits this mold, then it might be a good option, and there are lots of kids out there that are like this. Especially in today's time where kids are connected seemingly more by technology than physically.
I would be a sorry guidance counselor in High School. The principal would wonder why half the class is dropping out before their junior year. I would be fired.
Thing is, state law now requires a student to get 13 years of public education before they can drop out. There are ways around having to do two years of college after high school though. Dual enrollment classes allowed my youngest daughter to graduate from MECC before she graduated from Union High School, which also resulted in a full ride to UVA in Charlottesville. Her entire education including books didn’t cost us a dime. Actually she had money from other scholarships and grants that allowed her to have living and spending money the entire 4 years she was there. (Technically 3 thanks to COVID). But back to the point, I’ve worked in the public school system for nearly 24 years, teaching everything from dual enrollment to ISAEP, computer based classes & GED, and believe me there are kids who would be better suited to be out of school at 16 for positive and negative reasons. That’s just not how the system works now. In top of that, it’s currently much easier to get a high school diploma than a GED. For one, the GED has been ramped up to include junior and senior level math skills. Also, all the other subject areas have included higher level knowledge over the past 8-10 years. For most high school kids incapable of getting a diploma, a GED is usually pretty much out of the question. Now, responding to the reasons why it’s hard to get young people into coaching, I have some insight on that, too. When I started teaching in 2001, one of the main reasons I had decided to teach was to coach. That desire lasted 4 years. For one, if you divide up the compensation for the time you spend on a football staff, you make about 35 cents an hour. In top of that, unless you live in the community, you have late nights and early mornings. I used to get up at 6AM and get home about 10PM nightly. On game nights, 2-3AM was more like it. In addition to coaching as a varsity assistant, I was the head JV coach. So, on random Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, I would get home close to midnight. Then you have the parents, 50% or so who think their kid can be or already is a D1 prospect. You combine that with your duties as a teacher, and it leaves you with no home life. If you have kids, that’s not something you want to sacrifice to that extent. Four years of that was plenty for me, but had the HC I was working under kept going, I would’ve wanted to do the same because as a staff we had practically built a team from the ground up into a playoff team. Looking back though, I’m glad I got out when I did because it led to other after school opportunities like Jail GED, night school, homebound, etc that actually compensated you for your work to the tune of $25 per hour. During a given year, I actually made double doing after school programs than I did coaching both football and track. So, the bottom line is this: for most young people coming in as teachers, coaching just isn’t worth the time and effort, especially with the changes in kids and parents over the last couple decades. When people say that kids don’t want to do the work required to be great, by and large they are correct. That’s no myth. There are several reasons for that, mostly all going back to politicians dipping their fingers into the educational process and unreasonable court rulings enabling and empowering parents to stir, but that’s another post for another day.
Don’t exactly know the most about lebanon football (mainly just baseball and basketball) so I just primarily go off what most of the athletes talk about. the only two names that I’ve heard about getting the job (even right after football ended) was one of the coordinators from honaker and the dc from Richlands. All I know was that ever since the 2000s started the football program has went tremendously down hill and Lebanon started to become a baseball powerhouse and a contender in basketball (odd that almost double the amount of people show up for games just to watch them get killed when in the other two sports they win more games in one season than the football team has in two decades). Should be a decently attractive job for anyone in the area with a community who is hungry for football. Probably a qb who has the most arm talent in the area and a solid group of rising upperclassmen. The only thing I’d like to see is for him to convince all of the baseball and basketball stars to come out.
If the truth is that players weren’t going to play if Taylor remained the coach, the truth is they don’t love the sport. Anyone would be crazy to look at this situation and want to be the next guy the players didn’t want to play for “because he gets them hurt”. I don’t even know the guy but that’s ridiculous. I can remember a time when Lebanon actually had a legit program, (I played vs them in the 1990 Semis when they dropped to 1A D2), and those guys were in no way soft and their commitment to the sport was unquestionable. If Lebanon ever want to be at that level again, it will take a change in the players, not in the coach.
Pennington was 2A. The last year maybe two before Lees consolidation Region D was won by Cumberland District schools in both Division 1 & 2.
In 88, it was Pennington and Jonesville. In 87 it was Pennington and Appalachia. In 1988, Appy went into the PV game ranked #1 in the state. The upset loss to PV took all the steam out of them and imo the carry over resulted in the loss to Jonesville the following week, but they were probably the best team in Division 1 or 2. They had beaten Pennington earlier in the year and unless in mistaken, Jonesville too. 1988 Appy is one of the best teams ever from SWVA not to win a state title. They were loaded.
Adjustments go both ways. This one will be a close game and I think a lot of who wins it comes down to who shows up ready to play fundamentally sound and disciplined football and who doesn’t. IMO, based on the game last week, TS has to play their best game to beat RC. It’s doable, but I don’t know that 14 days makes that much of a difference. RC is just much more battle tested…it’s as simple as that.
If the PH game plan is the same as the one they used in the regular season, I don’t see them beating Honaker. One kid running the ball 50 times isn’t going to get it done. I do think the winner of this game is the team to beat in 1D, though, regardless of which one it is.
Satisfy the "give'em a trophy" crowd? You mean satisfy the VH$L? There's no trophy awarded for making the playoffs in high school, but it puts money in the pockets of the various athletic associations, and they're not giving that up...ever, and the VH$L doesn't care if some kids from Jamestown or wherever get railed in the process. It's the same way with the T$$AA , FH$AA, the KH$AA and so on and so forth. It's not just a Virginia issue.
While there’s no trophy for getting in, having a first round bracket including teams who don’t have excellent (or at least very good) records lessens the accomplishment for those who do. I’ve seen and remember in the past 8 and 9 win teams failing to get in. Thing is, before those seasons ever started, every team in the region knew how high the bar to get in was…and that turned several games per year into must win games. IMO it gave the season more meaning and gave the playoffs a lot more meaning. I’m not saying it has to go back to that, but I wouldn’t mind it, either. The way it sits right now (especially in 2D where there are only 2 districts) 4 is plenty, 6 is a tad much, and 8 is just making teams who deserve to be there beat several who don’t. I think everyone understands the VHSL gets an extra round of ticket sales, but that’s just part of the problem.
I wouldn’t hate shortening playoff roster IF they let teams play a plus-1 to end the season. That’s the best scenario in my mind. Let teams schedule some games they’d never get in regular season.
I mean a 3-7 or worse team in playoffs is an embarrassment...and it's just for the give em a trophy crowd
Regardless of the number of teams that get in, imo they should at least have to have a minimum 5-5 record or else the region could reduce the number of teams to those with eligible records…kinda like being bowl eligible in college football. Give byes to the top teams starting with the top seed for every spot without an eligible team.
Start the season 2 weeks earlier. Also have a better chance with the weather being a little more favorable. With the year round stuff now, you've got more time than the required 20 practices. Keep 6 but not 8. Top 4 was and is all it should be. There's little chance 1 vs 8 etc. 1D was almost an exception in scott county the past 24 hours, but those are few and far between.
Thing is, there’s only 15 or so teams each in 1D and 2D…4 teams is over 25% of the teams..6 would be nearly half. The playoffs should be for the very good to elite teams…and they shouldn’t have to take a chance losing players to injury playing fair to middling teams before they actually got down to business. Region 2C is the most obvious example this year that you need at least 4, but I don’t see a case there where there should be even 5. In 2D this year 4 would have been plenty, as well.
I think the results of the Region D playoffs top to bottom showed that. Everyone talks up this team or that team as having a chance at an upset and then 1-4 advances. IMO 4 is the right number, but I could live with 6 to satisfy the give em a trophy crowd.
More than anything, Eastside’s failure to be able to execute a free kick after a safety did them in. They were in pretty good shape up 6-2…but that changes quickly when you end up kicking off from your own 5 yard line because you can’t figure out how to kick a ball straight. Hell, punt it like normal people do.
But they’ll also have the best player on the field in any game they play all year. A game changing QB is hard to stop at this level, I just worry about Crist keeping them together.
Radford is never a safe bet when anything is on the line.
Yes, I believe so. We could potentially end up having a Tazewell/Union matchup, I don’t believe they’ve ever played each other. Someone correct me if I’m wrong. Possibly a Ridgeview/Graham matchup for the 3rd year in a row I think.
They’ve played at least twice, IIRC. (Just checked, they have only played once besides jamborees etc, and that was the opening round of the 2014 playoffs with Union winning 30-20 at the park)
So, with one week to go, what are the possible outcomes for seeds 3-8 in 1D and 2D? I figure the top two in 2D are pretty safe bets to be Union and Graham. In 1D, I’m pretty confident that Honaker is 1, but there could be a lot of movement from 2 on down depending on the TS/RC outcome. If RC wins that game, what’s the possibility of having an 8-2 TS team have to travel for the first round? (I know that is a distinct possibility for an 9-1 Bath County team in 1C due to a super weak schedule, and besides the Union game, TS may have played the weakest out of district schedule any team in the region has played in a long long time. Seriously, Hancock County, Northwood, Cumberland Gap, and Unaka? At this point, the combined record of those 4 teams is going to end up being 6-34) What are the most likely seedings in the bottom half of the 2D bracket? What are the seeding ranges for the teams in the bottom half of the 1D bracket? etc. etc.
Yeah like I said, I see why some say it’s cowardly. I get it. Hokiebird brought up a good point about concessions being gone. I didn’t think of that, and that is a tough blow to a group that could’ve been depending on that money. As for the message, I don’t think there was anyone at Blacksburg who thought they had a chance. Hate to see any team do it. Hoping they can build on a little success they had this year and get to a point where doing this isn’t a thought.
Don’t have to have a chance to go out there and play your best and give it hell…besides, that’s what the running clock is for.
If you want to see an incredible stiff arm by Chandler, go to 8:42 in the 3rd on NFHS. Geez!
Abingdon appears to be much improved from the beginning of the year. If they play now, they blow out Battle and GC.
This was a great test for the Bears. Faced a lot of adversity, but kept clawing their way out of some bad spots
That looked like a choke slam when it happened. I know one thing, after that run the defenders from Abingdon weren’t too keen on tackling that kid anymore. Ha
Looked like typical abingdon, big, fast, but a little soft. Can't see on film as well, but I do believe ol coach turner struck a ref nerve early. Not many favorable calls. Still trying to figure out last play of 2nd quarter. First down should have stopped clock, but mismanaged by white hat, penalty on abingdon wouldn't have happened. Might be the longest untimed play in football history. Played 15 min lol.Officials again inconsistent, and I believe that guy is commissioner. Good luck to both, hope Abingdon draws something favorable first round.
The situation at the end of the half was this: Union got a first down at the 2 and that stopped the clock until the chains were set. The ref was holding the play and clock until the marker was set. The clock operator ran the clock without the ref’s signal because he was still waiting on the yard marker. Union should have had 4 seconds to spike the ball. Because the clock had ran and expired before the ref wound the clock, they gave Union a play and the line judge ruled Abingdon offsides when Union snapped the ball during all the confusion. Actually the clock should have been set back to 4 seconds with the ball at the 2. So they got it kinda right. Union got 1 play and scored, had it been done correctly, the only difference in the way it turned out was the clock wasn’t reset and the yard on the Abingdon penalty.
Union with same problems from earlier in season though bad special teams and penalties.
I’m not sure Union has the on field discipline or the special teams play to go very far in the playoffs. You only get away with those kinds of mistakes so many times before they cost you a game.
Riggs was exceptional, and Appy wasn't completely void of tradition. It certainly wasn't like Tom Turner took over St Paul, but the Dawgs had three coaches in seven years between JR and TT and the program had declined. But, no, the cupboard wasn't bare either. And while Appy had nothing on the level of TJ and JJ, they did have the likes Tr Turner, T Clark, Huff, Jessee, Mabe, etc
What keeps Phil Robbins from my top spot was his seeming inability to build a program. He had limited success at both John Battle (15-42-3) and Christiansburg (32-28-1). Tough places to win, but not impossible. Multiple coaches have since built winners at both schools. It wasn't until Bolling handed him the keys to the Cadillac did Robbins finally excel. But while he didn't build it, he deserves a ton of credit for sustaining the program at an elite level and winning those 7 titles.
I'm not certain of my final two SWVA Coaches Mt. Rushmore, but Turner and Robbins are no-brainers
Unless I’m mistaken, PV’s first ever playoff appearance was in 1982. That coincided with their first state title. Prior to that PV was considered a good program, but not elite in any sense of the word. The P-Nut program had been in place since 1970…I think (but may be mistaken) that it was started under Cecil Maddux’s watch. But, besides1984 and 1991, I can’t remember a single year Phil missed the playoffs. The second title in 1985 was a team completely built by Phil because all of Bolling’s guys were gone. Phil gets undercut a lot with people claiming he had this and that without knowing exactly what he had. One thing he DID have was the ability to prepare players to play at an elite level. You were never on the field in a PV uniform not knowing what to do or not knowing exactly what your assignments and adjustments were. That’s where he excelled. He was a cerebral coach with a great ability to teach the game and scenarios. He was also second to none in assessing and knowing where each player would help the team the most. There have been a lot of great coaches in SWVA over the years, but it ain’t like Phil was handed the keys to a Cadillac that autopiloted itself for 30 years. The man knew what he was doing.
Someone can't handle that daddy fat phil ain't highly regarded like he wants uh......you give Tom powell valley and Phil appy Tom has the same success maybe better Phil not so much at appy. That's the difference my man.
I’d argue that if both staffs were swapped, you’d have the same result because I never once saw either coach make a single play for PV or Appy either one. All I ever saw was them standing on the sidelines coaching the runs of talent they both had.
I wouldn’t argue anyone putting Turner ahead of Robbins FWIW, I just think you can’t put Turner alone on a pedestal bc Phil, with a few more kids and better facilities, won more titles, more games and owned the head to head record.
The people who argue that PV had better facilities than anyone else have no clue what PV had prior to the 1990s. Until 1991, there was no field house. The players dressed in the basketball locker room, in the hall, in the JV locker room or the PE locker room. There was a sled, a chute, some boards, a few dummies a practice field with an old crossbar, and a weight room in the old health class room, and that was it…and 4 State Championships were won before the field house or any of that ever come along. Hell, Appalachia had a field house years before PV did.
I think most great or even really good coaches are only as good as their support staff. One man alone doesn't make a program great but one man with a couple outstanding assistants can build a solid program.
In 1989, PV had 60 players and 2 coaches at practice everyday. That was Phil Robbins and Barry Jones. On game days, and maybe once or twice a week there was another coach who worked with RBs, and that was Jim Kelly. The following year, Kelly was out there full time and Coach Huff began his tenure coaching O Line at PV.
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Taylor stepping down at Lebanon
in SWVA Football
Posted
Thing is, state law now requires a student to get 13 years of public education before they can drop out. There are ways around having to do two years of college after high school though. Dual enrollment classes allowed my youngest daughter to graduate from MECC before she graduated from Union High School, which also resulted in a full ride to UVA in Charlottesville. Her entire education including books didn’t cost us a dime. Actually she had money from other scholarships and grants that allowed her to have living and spending money the entire 4 years she was there. (Technically 3 thanks to COVID). But back to the point, I’ve worked in the public school system for nearly 24 years, teaching everything from dual enrollment to ISAEP, computer based classes & GED, and believe me there are kids who would be better suited to be out of school at 16 for positive and negative reasons. That’s just not how the system works now. In top of that, it’s currently much easier to get a high school diploma than a GED. For one, the GED has been ramped up to include junior and senior level math skills. Also, all the other subject areas have included higher level knowledge over the past 8-10 years. For most high school kids incapable of getting a diploma, a GED is usually pretty much out of the question. Now, responding to the reasons why it’s hard to get young people into coaching, I have some insight on that, too. When I started teaching in 2001, one of the main reasons I had decided to teach was to coach. That desire lasted 4 years. For one, if you divide up the compensation for the time you spend on a football staff, you make about 35 cents an hour. In top of that, unless you live in the community, you have late nights and early mornings. I used to get up at 6AM and get home about 10PM nightly. On game nights, 2-3AM was more like it. In addition to coaching as a varsity assistant, I was the head JV coach. So, on random Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, I would get home close to midnight. Then you have the parents, 50% or so who think their kid can be or already is a D1 prospect. You combine that with your duties as a teacher, and it leaves you with no home life. If you have kids, that’s not something you want to sacrifice to that extent. Four years of that was plenty for me, but had the HC I was working under kept going, I would’ve wanted to do the same because as a staff we had practically built a team from the ground up into a playoff team. Looking back though, I’m glad I got out when I did because it led to other after school opportunities like Jail GED, night school, homebound, etc that actually compensated you for your work to the tune of $25 per hour. During a given year, I actually made double doing after school programs than I did coaching both football and track. So, the bottom line is this: for most young people coming in as teachers, coaching just isn’t worth the time and effort, especially with the changes in kids and parents over the last couple decades. When people say that kids don’t want to do the work required to be great, by and large they are correct. That’s no myth. There are several reasons for that, mostly all going back to politicians dipping their fingers into the educational process and unreasonable court rulings enabling and empowering parents to stir, but that’s another post for another day.