UNIONFAN

Being a Union Fan (hints the name) you would think i would say either of the Jones brothers for the reason of their NFL careers, but Im going to say if i could bring back one past player to put on Union it would be a toss up between the new ball coach Travis Turner or Robbie Duncan (PV qb on the 89 and 90 state teams). Union's run game is solid and with the young qb they have Id have to go with a war hardened vet at that position for obvious reasons. Therefore give me either one of the aforementioned qbs for this year's Union Bears

Answer this question for me. Is it possible for teams to play in a level lower than the student body numbers call for due to acedemic reasons? If Im not mistaking, some local schools droped a level some years back due to a reason like this.

My orginial post has done exactly what i wanted it to. It has caused dissucssion and most of all opinions. This is the true meaning of forums like these and im glad its working. Granted we keyed in on one specific topic of the post but Im glad to see people chatting about one instead of ignoring em all. IMO i think we should take this thread and run with the other three topics on it as well. For example, I feel that the Green wave look better week two this season than week two of last, the question remains will they continue to look this good or will they faulter somewhere down the line? Also Union is playing some better ball as well, but can the bears keep it up? Most importantly, could Abingdon do better at water polo than football?

I feel what you are saying, Richlands is a D3 school and being so we cant say for sure if they would have won anything in D2 except by comparrison. in the past 5 years, the D2 title has been prominatly central va's and not swva's with the exception to gatecity. Durring this time Richlands played for a couple D3 state titles. My judgment and justification for saying that Richlands would have won 4 state titles in D2 is simply put, last season the blues could have won the D2 class. They had the talent level to beat anyone in D2 The blues game against Turner Ashbey is another season in which the Blues would have won D2 Gatecity's title year of a few seasons ago the Blues could have won and stepping back to Powell Valley's only state game loss the blues could have won that season as well. Granted it is like comparing apples to oranges but I will make this vow here and now, when the 6A system goes into effect and the Blues will be in the same classification with Gatecity, Union, Lebanon, Central, Dickenson co, ect... the Blues will be a state force that will win state more often than not

My numbers on Richlands student ody wasnt exact. It seems that Richlands has been tiddering on the border of D3 AA and D2 A for roughly 5 years is why I made the comment. Either way you look at it, Richlands is either a big D2 or a small D3 and if they were placed in D2 then I feel that the Blues would have won state in at the very least 3 years in the last 5

Tell me im wrong....... The Union bears are a better team than they were last season. The Bears have one more season under their belt for the coaching staff and players which IMO has caused the confedince level in both to rise. Im digging the I formation and Power I over the T and spread and well dangit the kids seem to be leaving it all on the feild win or loose. Tell me im wrong...... The Greenwave have made a statement that in Clintwood they reload not rebuild with these first two games. IMO the Wave look alot like late last season instead of a school who lost a bunch of starters. Tell me im wrong....... If Richlands played in D2 Single A (student body wise they should be) They would have had atleast 4 state championships in the last 7 years. Tell me im wrong....... Abingdon would be so much better off if they exchanged their football team for a water polo team. Atleast they would win their district in Water Polo

Back to the Union vs Lebanon discussion, I got the bears winning this game due to heart and a very solid running game. I have yet to see my bear play in person due to the fact that my better half has kept me busy doing other things on friday nights. Im not hen pecked, but i do know the hen house rules really well. This week she will be out of town with her sister (thank you jesus) and I will be in the great town of Lebanon watching my bears play. IMO the bears have got in line what was missing last year, coaching is better and players are better, so I look for a realistic 7-3 to 8-2 regular season with atleast two wins in the post season which will start with a win in Lebanon this friday.

I hate to hear about kids being hurt, but I dont think its as big of a deal as yall may think. Last season Johnson was injured and look how good that game was. Richlands reloads and usually has as good of a second string as their first string.

this will be a battle of what we all love, hard hitting slobber knocking football. Union has a "small" front line an average of roughly 215 pounds per lineman and quick backs that can run the ball good. Not to mention a scrappy little qb that can run as well. Richlands is a solid defensive team with heart and pride. When you mix running offence and proud deffense you get what we all love, GREAT COUNTRY HARD HTTING FOOTBALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From all of my football experience in swva , which dates back to 92, I would have to say the one place for me is easy. Richlands. I know their old field was not the best and there away bleachers wasnt top of the line for years, but the Blues have some of the most respectable, friendly, gracious fans I have ever seen in SWVA, SEKY, or NETN. What really sticks with me is how Richlands fans are the same at their home field as they are when they visit. The nicest people I have ever faced is the Blues fans. They have pride in there team but respect for there opponents and that always made it fun as a player and fan to go to Richlands

Poor coaching desicions is an understatment. As I mentioned, Union came out in the second half running the spread which lead to three turnovers. In the First half the T was working for an avg of 6 yards a pop. Even with those horrible coaching choices, the Greenwave came out on fire in the second half and drove the ball down Union's throat. Just goes to show that heart is an inmesserable attribute.

I know Hurley aint a power team but I have to say itll shock me if Eastside beats the tar out of em.

Its too early for sure, but in the spirit of fun Im going to make my picks. AA= Richlands (again depends how far west SWVA goes and to be honest Richlands should be A instead of AA which i give them props for playing up) A= Toss up between Clintwood (who everyone knows is a solid program with some of the best coaches in the state) and Union. I know I blew up the bears last year and by all rights they could have done alot better than they did, but this is year two and the Coaching staff is one more year older and have a better feel for the game. I know some JIB fans will get mad but i really dont care. JIB should not be mentioned in any disscussion about best team in swva for this reason, its easy to beat up on weak programs. If Burton will play atleast 1 solid bigger program in their OOD schedule and make a good game out of it Ill start to respect them, but as long as they go around beating up on Castlewood, Holston, Twin Springs, Thomas Walker, and so forth I can in no way have any respect for that program. Last season and the entire 80s and 90s and 2000s should show JIB that playing up helps a team not hurts a team. Clintwood was a 1-2 team that won state and IMO it was the Grayson Co and Hazzard games that showed the kids they were a better team than that and that they could handle anything eastern va threw at em. the 80s and 90s Powell Valley, Appalachia, and Gate City teams are living proof that playing up makes better programs. The early 2000s Gate City, and Clintwood programs are testaments to this fact as well.

Its Coeburn highschool, shouldnt be hard to find. About Eastside's football program, dont know much on them this season but Hurly should come away with a win. Eastside isnt a powerhouse team

Clintwood won that game. Granted, Union came out the second half with a solid lead and ran the spread (which i hate) and made some costly mistakes, but Clintwood simply outplayed out maned and out hit Union in the second half to win that game. You cant say Union lost that game cause quiet frankly, its impossible to loose a 20 to 6 lead if the other team dont beat you out of it.

last season Union escaped 5star stadium in a litteral 4th quarter comeback to win by 6 i think. Then the next week it came down to the wire and what was IMO one of the best fieldgoals I have seen in years for the Blues to come away with a win the 4th quarter at Bullit Park. This season the Bears walked all over Lee (who is down due to new coaching and loosing a few really good starters) and head to Ernie Hicks with what could be too much confedence or one huge ass chip on their shoulders. Like the post about the past 5 years only one PV/Richlands matchup was perdictable and no matter what last season's records ended up both these teams will come to play. Being at home for the Blues will be a good lift for them but lets not count out the bears heart. I know Union is filling in the entire defencive backfield with new starters and Richlands can throw but last season was basiclly the same concept. I look for this to be a close game that is decided in the last 5 minutes of the game. I hear alot about Union's conditioning, but trust me Turner is out of the era of hard work and conditioning wins games so Union will be alright there. Looking forward to a smash mouth old school football game this friday night. Good luck to both teams and may God watchout for the young men on the field.

Why does Abingdon still have a football team? It was my understanding that the Falcons were going to drop football in favor water polo.

Hazzard Ky is a no joke team that no matter if they are rebuilding or not has some of the best athelets anyone has ever seen. They tend to replace strength with strength and dont care to hit on every single down. On the flip side, Clintwood is a no joke team that no matter if they are rebuilding or not has some of the best athelets anyone has ever seen. They tend to replace strength with strength and dont care to hit on every single down. IMO Hazzard has the leg up by playing this game at home and early on in the season. Clintwood is known to be a late blooming team but its games like this and the Grayson Co game last season that shows the waves where they need to improve which makes them become the late bloomers each season. All this really boils back to is some of my discussions last year on the LPD forum, playing better schools makes you better point blank. Clintwood is proof of that last season and may just schok the world again this season

I, once again, did not get to go to the jamboree but from what Ive heard around town is Union is getting back to the basics of swva football. Smash the ball up the gut with a stout back and the tightend seam when needed. Dont ge me wrong, Im not saying Union will go to state, but that is the winning combination for many of SWVA football champions. It takes sometimes years for schools to learn that when you have slow white kids the spread isnt a good option but I feel like the Clintwood/ Union game last year should be proof enough for a young coach turner to realize that. Turner grew up and cut his teeth on smashmouth football. He got to play on and against some of the best teams that the state of VA has ever seen period, and those teams ran the ball 80% of the time. Granted it took 7ish games for Turner to realize that the kids today arent near as tough as the kids from the 90s and the T formation cant be ran by the kids today. The I formation on the other is by far the winningest formation in this state and Union will have good sucsess running it. Talk is that Union's line is smallish in size. I measure highschool football size a little different than the number on a weight scale or highth chart. To me High school ball size is measured in heart and desire. Ive seen 180lb linemen on winning teams because they had what it took to smack a bigger kid in chin play after play without fear. If Union's coaching staff can see the heart in there kids and play those kids who want to win then I feel they will be fine this season. Heart is an inmeasurable attribute that can only be seen by those men with the same inmeasurable attribute.

I havent heard any results on Union. I have been out of town so I had no idea if they have even scrimmaged but if so whats the results and how do they look?

IMO the Cumberland is a horrible fit for the greenwave. Clintwood is a quality school that is used to quality competition and the Cumberland does not offer quality competition. When you are used to playing LPD schools and bigger OOD schools the Cumberland district will do nothing but weakin your team. Beating up on Rye Cove, Twin Springs, Castlewood (who was ok this season but lets face it they aint no power house) Eastside, and Thomas Walker can in no way make a quality ball club better. This past season proves my point in playing better teams makes you better. Clintwood suffered a few tough losses to some really good teams and learned from those loses. Clintwood was down 20 to 7 against Union and came out in the second half and won the ball game because they were so used to fighting for a win. If Clintwood had played the Cumberland schools they may not have been used to fighting for a win and may not have been able to turn their season around. Clintwood beat teams that were "better" "faster" and "more atheletic" teams, but they were teams that was not used to playing a program with heart like Clintwood has, and joining a weaker district will take that heart away im afraid

So the SWD is gone and the CMD will be made up of Gate City, Lee, VHS, JB, Lebanon, Abingdon, Marion, Tazwell, Richlands. Just my opinion but it would be more feesable for Lee to come to the LPD. Shit travel time is why Lee wanted to be Single A in the first place. Also it would seem better for Gatecity just cause I like em and the CMD dont need more competition than the LPD haha

How solid is Honaker boys team? I havent heard much on them and seeing how they are playing Union in semifinals Im curious to know if they are solid

IMO the LPD would best be suited to bring in Gate city and Lee. If this deal dont go through with Norton City and Wise Co, Id like to see JIB go to the Cumberland and even leave East Side in the Cumberland. The LPD would be a tough district with Dickenson Co school, Union, Central, Gate City, and Lee. Eastside would be over matched by each team in every sport IMO. The old SWD had if im not mistaking Richlands, Tazwell, Grundy, Abingdon and who else? Either way the new AA is going to be the most competitive class in VHSL. It will have Marion, Richlands, Gate City, Union, Dickenson Co (when combined), Grundy, Central, ect....... This will be the strongest class for football by far. Richlands and Marion will deffinetly throw some kinks in the playoffs and I dont think they will be any 5-5 teams making the playoffs under this new reclassifications so teams that were up and down like Union will have to tighten down and get those close games to go their way or itll be no playoffs for them. IMO Richlands, Marion, Tazwell (who i dont think will be down for too long) and other teams like this will bring alot of excitment to the AA ( old d2 single a) playoffs.

Pads or not spring ball will benifit the players who are dedicated to football. I hope coaches take advantage of it