sixcat

The greatest joys of my life have all been wrapped up in being called "dad!"  Enjoy the hell out of it.  They grow up way too fast! 
Congratulations to you, your wife and your step-child.  You all gained a blessing.  

That's a shame!  Not to toot my own horn but a family from Central Lunenburg left their headlights on during the 2011 state semifinal at Galax.  Not only did my wife and I jump start their car, we bought them dinner at The Smokehouse to give the battery time to charge and make sure it held a charge. 
Most things in life are bigger than football.  It's just a game.  One played by 16 year old kids at the high school level at that!  Often, those 16 year old kids are more mature than the 46 year old parents in the stands.

That's a shame!  Not to toot my own horn but a family from Central Lunenburg left their headlights on during the 2011 state semifinal at Galax.  Not only did my wife and I jump start their car, we bought them dinner at The Smokehouse to give the battery time to charge and make sure it held a charge. 
Most things in life are bigger than football.  It's just a game.  One played by 16 year old kids at the high school level at that!  Often, those 16 year old kids are more mature than the 46 year old parents in the stands.

That's a shame!  Not to toot my own horn but a family from Central Lunenburg left their headlights on during the 2011 state semifinal at Galax.  Not only did my wife and I jump start their car, we bought them dinner at The Smokehouse to give the battery time to charge and make sure it held a charge. 
Most things in life are bigger than football.  It's just a game.  One played by 16 year old kids at the high school level at that!  Often, those 16 year old kids are more mature than the 46 year old parents in the stands.

That’s awesome!!!! That’s the southwest Virginia in ya lol. 
 
Appomattox’s fans were top notch. And I have all the respect in the world for their coach. After the Richlands @ Appo quarterfinal — he walked all the way across the field to our fence and clapped to our fans and thanked us for coming and for have what he called “the best atmosphere he’s ever seen in high school.” You could tell it was genuine, too. 
 
I’m 100% pulling for Appo tomorrow. 

That's a shame!  Not to toot my own horn but a family from Central Lunenburg left their headlights on during the 2011 state semifinal at Galax.  Not only did my wife and I jump start their car, we bought them dinner at The Smokehouse to give the battery time to charge and make sure it held a charge. 
Most things in life are bigger than football.  It's just a game.  One played by 16 year old kids at the high school level at that!  Often, those 16 year old kids are more mature than the 46 year old parents in the stands.

That's a shame!  Not to toot my own horn but a family from Central Lunenburg left their headlights on during the 2011 state semifinal at Galax.  Not only did my wife and I jump start their car, we bought them dinner at The Smokehouse to give the battery time to charge and make sure it held a charge. 
Most things in life are bigger than football.  It's just a game.  One played by 16 year old kids at the high school level at that!  Often, those 16 year old kids are more mature than the 46 year old parents in the stands.

The greatest joys of my life have all been wrapped up in being called "dad!"  Enjoy the hell out of it.  They grow up way too fast! 
Congratulations to you, your wife and your step-child.  You all gained a blessing.  

That's a shame!  Not to toot my own horn but a family from Central Lunenburg left their headlights on during the 2011 state semifinal at Galax.  Not only did my wife and I jump start their car, we bought them dinner at The Smokehouse to give the battery time to charge and make sure it held a charge. 
Most things in life are bigger than football.  It's just a game.  One played by 16 year old kids at the high school level at that!  Often, those 16 year old kids are more mature than the 46 year old parents in the stands.

You could have the best helmet in the world on but if you get hit hard, your brain is still going to rattle around inside the skull...that's where concussions come from...

Yep. My son isn’t even a week old yet and I’m already internally debating football. I want him to grow up and love the sport that I love — but concussions are a very real — and scary — issue. 

Just a few counter points.  First, basketball and baseball are not similar to football in terms of the amount of contact a kid is subjected to.  Especially from a perception standpoint.  I understand your point, 7 on 7 isn't exactly a contact form of football.  That does little to ease the concerns of mothers everywhere.  Head injuries have become so synonymous with football, the perception has become largely reality.  Second, VHSL has absolutely nothing to do with AAU.  
According to the article linked above, high school football participation is down 13.5% over the past 7 years in Virginia.  According to a recent article in the Raleigh News & Observer, high school football participation is down 19.7% in North Carolina over the past 4 seasons.  According to a news report from September on a Columbia television station, South Carolina high school football participation has dropped an average of 2.2% per year for 29 consecutive years.  Changes need to be made or we will lose football altogether as we know it. 

Some very interesting points brought up in the article.  State enrollment figures have been going in opposite directions for two decades.  Larger schools are getting larger while smaller schools are getting smaller.  The commonwealth of Virginia, VDOE and VHSL should have been working toward possible solutions years ago.  But that's a whole other can of worms. 
Personally, I believe a 5 game postseason is too long.  It should be reduced by a game.  I know that likely means some very good football teams (especially in larger classifications) get left out of the postseason but it is what it is.  I'm also not opposed to shortening the preseason by a week.  I believe a combination of those two would be the best solution for the greater good.  Probably won't be a popular opinion though.

Get rid of the benefit games and reduce number of playoff eligible teams per region from 8 to 6.  Will never happen, but there you go.

Galax didn't adopt "sanctuary" status.  City Council unanimously signed a resolution not to support changes to the 2nd Amendment but felt declaring "sanctuary" status was nothing more than a symbolic gesture.  Should 2nd Amendment laws change, everyone will have to adapt, even those who have adopted "sanctuary" status, or risk losing all Federal and State funding. 
https://www.galaxgazette.com/content/galax-stops-short-2a-sanctuary-resolution
But hey, it keeps us all occupied on something stupid while the powers-that-be control the world.  

VH$L won't get rid of benefit games, they get half the money on those...

Some very interesting points brought up in the article.  State enrollment figures have been going in opposite directions for two decades.  Larger schools are getting larger while smaller schools are getting smaller.  The commonwealth of Virginia, VDOE and VHSL should have been working toward possible solutions years ago.  But that's a whole other can of worms. 
Personally, I believe a 5 game postseason is too long.  It should be reduced by a game.  I know that likely means some very good football teams (especially in larger classifications) get left out of the postseason but it is what it is.  I'm also not opposed to shortening the preseason by a week.  I believe a combination of those two would be the best solution for the greater good.  Probably won't be a popular opinion though.

5 game post season is too long.  If you make the championship game, you've played a whole extra half of a season.  I say start the season a week earlier and cut the playoffs to 4 games...championship games could be played on the last weekend in November.  Don't get rid of the bye week, and don't allow a bye week before the fifth game of the year.  That way kids can "refresh" a bit, especially if they are heading into post-season play.
But that's too logical for the VH$L to figure out....

Some very interesting points brought up in the article.  State enrollment figures have been going in opposite directions for two decades.  Larger schools are getting larger while smaller schools are getting smaller.  The commonwealth of Virginia, VDOE and VHSL should have been working toward possible solutions years ago.  But that's a whole other can of worms. 
Personally, I believe a 5 game postseason is too long.  It should be reduced by a game.  I know that likely means some very good football teams (especially in larger classifications) get left out of the postseason but it is what it is.  I'm also not opposed to shortening the preseason by a week.  I believe a combination of those two would be the best solution for the greater good.  Probably won't be a popular opinion though.

How many of the folks in the thread can be seen in the infamous viral video from Wise County sandlot a couple of years ago?  I mean, odds are pretty high for at least one, amirite?

How many of the folks in the thread can be seen in the infamous viral video from Wise County sandlot a couple of years ago?  I mean, odds are pretty high for at least one, amirite?

How many of the folks in the thread can be seen in the infamous viral video from Wise County sandlot a couple of years ago?  I mean, odds are pretty high for at least one, amirite?

How many of the folks in the thread can be seen in the infamous viral video from Wise County sandlot a couple of years ago?  I mean, odds are pretty high for at least one, amirite?

How many of the folks in the thread can be seen in the infamous viral video from Wise County sandlot a couple of years ago?  I mean, odds are pretty high for at least one, amirite?

How many of the folks in the thread can be seen in the infamous viral video from Wise County sandlot a couple of years ago?  I mean, odds are pretty high for at least one, amirite?