sixcat

Is it not possible that this guy wanted to come back closer to home?  I don't know him but assuming his wife is from this area as well, it makes sense he would not stay in South Carolina if given a reasonable opportunity locally.

Is it not possible that this guy wanted to come back closer to home?  I don't know him but assuming his wife is from this area as well, it makes sense he would not stay in South Carolina if given a reasonable opportunity locally.

Is it not possible that this guy wanted to come back closer to home?  I don't know him but assuming his wife is from this area as well, it makes sense he would not stay in South Carolina if given a reasonable opportunity locally.

Is it not possible that this guy wanted to come back closer to home?  I don't know him but assuming his wife is from this area as well, it makes sense he would not stay in South Carolina if given a reasonable opportunity locally.

Is it not possible that this guy wanted to come back closer to home?  I don't know him but assuming his wife is from this area as well, it makes sense he would not stay in South Carolina if given a reasonable opportunity locally.

I have refereed more than my fair share of basketball.  Not so much in the past several years but nothing has changed.  If anything, it is getting worse.  What typically happens in this part of the state, any given game will have one experienced, quality referee and two who have no business on the court.  The poor refereeing brings down the quality referees overall performance.  Adding to what already is a difficult situation, basketball is mainly a subjective sport to call.  What I perceive to be a foul may not be perceived the same way by others.  
 
The last game I refereed, in an end of game situation and down by 2, The PG was running the floor at full speed with the ball being guarded by an all out athlete.  The post went to set a screen at half court for the PG.  In the process, lowered his shoulder, stepped toward the defender, and raised his forearm/elbow and delivered a blow to the defender in the rib/chest area.  I immediately blew the whistle, called the illegal screen and turned the ball over to the other team.  The PG went on a tirade, dropping every expletive imaginable.  His parents came out onto the court causing a ruckus by other fans who were all removed by law enforcement. He was ejected, as was the coach and the player setting the screen after going into the opposing bench area looking for a fight.
 
Later the following day, I was notified that I was being investigated for "assault and battery" against the PG by local law enforcement.  He accused me of "grabbing him in an violent manor around the shoulders and arms, leaving bruising".
 
After watching the video with local law enforcement, school officials, parents of those involved, and several others, it was determined that I wasn't within 50 feet of the kid at no time after the incident and the camera was glued on me.  The video clearly showed his coaches pulling him to the corner of the gym by the arms and shoulders.  The kid blatantly lied to all involved.  The kid had all extra curricular activities taken away from him for the remainder of the school year, the basketball coaches wouldn't allow him to participate the following year, his senior year, and his parents were banned from all school activities.
 
The video clearly showed the post player doing exactly what I saw.  He stepped into, lowered his shoulder and drove his forearm/ elbow up and through the defenders chest.  
 
Not one of the other two referees defended me until AFTER viewing the video!  They are still refereeing in this area.

I have refereed more than my fair share of basketball.  Not so much in the past several years but nothing has changed.  If anything, it is getting worse.  What typically happens in this part of the state, any given game will have one experienced, quality referee and two who have no business on the court.  The poor refereeing brings down the quality referees overall performance.  Adding to what already is a difficult situation, basketball is mainly a subjective sport to call.  What I perceive to be a foul may not be perceived the same way by others.  
 
The last game I refereed, in an end of game situation and down by 2, The PG was running the floor at full speed with the ball being guarded by an all out athlete.  The post went to set a screen at half court for the PG.  In the process, lowered his shoulder, stepped toward the defender, and raised his forearm/elbow and delivered a blow to the defender in the rib/chest area.  I immediately blew the whistle, called the illegal screen and turned the ball over to the other team.  The PG went on a tirade, dropping every expletive imaginable.  His parents came out onto the court causing a ruckus by other fans who were all removed by law enforcement. He was ejected, as was the coach and the player setting the screen after going into the opposing bench area looking for a fight.
 
Later the following day, I was notified that I was being investigated for "assault and battery" against the PG by local law enforcement.  He accused me of "grabbing him in an violent manor around the shoulders and arms, leaving bruising".
 
After watching the video with local law enforcement, school officials, parents of those involved, and several others, it was determined that I wasn't within 50 feet of the kid at no time after the incident and the camera was glued on me.  The video clearly showed his coaches pulling him to the corner of the gym by the arms and shoulders.  The kid blatantly lied to all involved.  The kid had all extra curricular activities taken away from him for the remainder of the school year, the basketball coaches wouldn't allow him to participate the following year, his senior year, and his parents were banned from all school activities.
 
The video clearly showed the post player doing exactly what I saw.  He stepped into, lowered his shoulder and drove his forearm/ elbow up and through the defenders chest.  
 
Not one of the other two referees defended me until AFTER viewing the video!  They are still refereeing in this area.

Ron Cherry should be next!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ron Cherry should be next!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don't forget "Shoeless" Joe Jackson.  Most sports halls of fame are a joke and extremely subjective but the baseball hall of fame is by far the worst.  You can't tell the story of baseball without mentioning Jackson and Rose.
 
Jackson had 17 or more triples 6 times in 11 seasons and more than 20 - 3 times.  That is unbelievable!

Haha! Didn't take it as a crack at all. I completely understand. The history with Galax is much, MUCH different, however. It's small groups from both communities and by no means involves the majority of Maroon and Maroon Tide fans. Like sixcat said, though, even though there was no event during the GW/Galax playoff game in 2013, it was a completely different atmosphere well beyond the bounds of a game. It's totally unrelated to athletics, and started long before the riot broke out over 20 years ago. As far back as segregation days when black kids from Wytheville and Galax were forced to attend the same school.
 
I do hope that all that is in the past. I know there will still be some lingering tension, but there is no reason people can't get together and watch a football game at this point.

Redtiger
 
 
redtiger,  I like your idea and I think that is what it should look like myself,  but,...........there is one big issue with what you posted,  it makes sense,  so it will not work.....

Galax has replaced Floyd, East Mont and Altavista with Radford, Rural Retreat and George Wythe for the 2015 season.  I am hopeful that leads to a nice all-sports rivalry with George Wythe.  For two schools to be in such close proximity and not have a healthy rivalry is astonishing to me.  I understand there was some "bad blood" during the old New River District days but that was a lifetime ago.  
 
It's time for two communities to come together for the sake of some great high school athletics.

"If you need the courts to straighten out your high school football playoffs, you have lost control of your high school football playoffs," 
 
Most sensible thing Keith Olbermann has said in a long time!

"If you need the courts to straighten out your high school football playoffs, you have lost control of your high school football playoffs," 
 
Most sensible thing Keith Olbermann has said in a long time!

Any school would be lucky to land Colley, he's a great coach, you can't argue otherwise it's established....not sure where he would "want" to go though.

I got to know Glenvar coach Kevin Clifford while living in Roanoke several years ago.  He is a better person than he is a coach.  I will be pulling hard for the 'landers.

A video created and put up by a guy from Essex
 
 
 
Classy

Best of luck to SWVA and safe travels for all involved.  I think we would all love to see Richlands, Honaker and Haysi move on.

The Galax Grayson rivalry has only been a rivalry for a handful of years in terms of competitiveness.  From 1988 through 2008, Galax only won three times and the games were rarely competitive.  The same can be said for Galax and Carroll.  The games had gotten so out of hand from a competitive standpoint Carroll dropped the series about a decade ago.  Galax has since developed into one of the states finest 1A programs under Dixon's leadership.  Coaching makes a world of difference.  Now if Galax can develop a passing attack and learn to defend the pass a little better, the sky is the limit.  
 
Some friends and I are planning to visit every SWVA facility over the next few years to catch some of the best match-ups our part of the state has to offer.  We plan on starting in Bluefiled on August 28.

Honaker is certainly not the only program to have kids "red-shirting" as the locals call it.  It goes on everywhere and has been for decades.  Most parents send kids to school at first opportunity based on socioeconomic circumstances.  Having kids begin school a little early or on time allows parents to concentrate on providing for the family.  Once the kids are older, they are more independent an better able to care for themselves for short periods, it becomes less of an issue for the parents so they begin to think of what may be best for the kid.  Athletics is a part of that and gets an overwhelming majority of the attention.  But, there are other factors not typically mentioned.
 
My brother and I both graduated at 17 and were by far and away, the youngest kids in our class.  It was a non-issue for most of our school years, but occasionally, was an issue.  For instance, when everyone else was getting learners permits and drivers licenses, we still had a year to wait.  While all of my classmates attended driver education class, I had study hall.  The following year, I had drivers education with the kids a grade level behind me while my classmates were in gym.  
 
I should also mention, I was a late bloomer.  I left home for boot camp 3 days after high school graduation.  By September, I had grown 6 inches and gained 40 pounds.  It would have benefited me greatly to have had another year in high school.

The Galax Grayson rivalry has only been a rivalry for a handful of years in terms of competitiveness.  From 1988 through 2008, Galax only won three times and the games were rarely competitive.  The same can be said for Galax and Carroll.  The games had gotten so out of hand from a competitive standpoint Carroll dropped the series about a decade ago.  Galax has since developed into one of the states finest 1A programs under Dixon's leadership.  Coaching makes a world of difference.  Now if Galax can develop a passing attack and learn to defend the pass a little better, the sky is the limit.  
 
Some friends and I are planning to visit every SWVA facility over the next few years to catch some of the best match-ups our part of the state has to offer.  We plan on starting in Bluefiled on August 28.

The Galax Grayson rivalry has only been a rivalry for a handful of years in terms of competitiveness.  From 1988 through 2008, Galax only won three times and the games were rarely competitive.  The same can be said for Galax and Carroll.  The games had gotten so out of hand from a competitive standpoint Carroll dropped the series about a decade ago.  Galax has since developed into one of the states finest 1A programs under Dixon's leadership.  Coaching makes a world of difference.  Now if Galax can develop a passing attack and learn to defend the pass a little better, the sky is the limit.  
 
Some friends and I are planning to visit every SWVA facility over the next few years to catch some of the best match-ups our part of the state has to offer.  We plan on starting in Bluefiled on August 28.

Here are three proud and tradition rich "boys of fall" teams still battling for that state crown!!! What a blessed area we are to have three SWVA teams still in the hunt for the championship.
 
The Haysi Tigers, a small community with a big heart and rabid fan base for their Red Tigers.  This is a team who has one of the best coaching staffs "bar none," that can bring home a win Saturday against Essex.  Can they do it--I believe so!!
 
The Honaker Tigers, another small community with a big heart and rabid fan base for their Orange Tigers.  Coach Hubbard has had some lean years in his tenure, but with a coaching staff who committed with him to make this one of the premier programs in SWVA, great job.  The Orange Tigers have the tools, coaching and players to get the home win against Altavista.  Can they do it--I believe so!!! No defeat on your field-Tigers
 
The Richlands Blue Tornado, another small community with a big heart and rabid fan base for their Big Blue.  Coach Mance and staff will have the team ready!!!  If you doubt this--just stay home!!!  When this season started 0-2, the naysayers were already talking of the Blues demise--but these coaches, these boys and the fans who believed in them knew,  "the cream would rise to the top".  My Blues can,  and I believe will come back to SWVA with a "W" next to the lighting R.  Fear makes you see what is against you, faith makes you see what is for you.  Fans be LOUD, be PROUD and CHEER from the warmups to the final second on the clock.
 
The common denominator in all three of these programs are long-coaching tenures, a staff with a commitment to their community, the kids that come through their programs and the withal to give their all.
 
HATS OFF TO COACHES COLLEY, HUBBARD, MANCE AND STAFF!!!

Daniel Snyder and Washington have to be first with a bullet!  They are not only a downtrodden organization but they are bringing down other organizations as well.  Failure to address the nickname of the organization has caused government to suspend the NFL's tax exempt status, thus causing organizations like Jacksonville and Cleveland to have less money to not spend on talent.  
 
Whether you agree or disagree, it is an issue for the entire league.