Small article on Bluefield's scheduling woes...

[Bluefield_Rules 46]

http://www.bdtonline.com/articles/2005/02/20/sports/07reddzone.txt

 

AA schools need to come together for the common good

Posted: Saturday, Feb 19, 2005 - 11:10:08 pm EST

 

Inside the ReddZone

By BOB REDD

 

It's the time of year when high schools put the finishing touches on their football schedules for the fall season.

 

At Princeton High School for the first time in several years the Tigers do not have to worry about filling their slate because PSHS is playing in the Mountain State Athletic Conference, scheduling being one of the reasons Princeton sought and eventually was granted membership into the 16-team conference.

 

At Bluefield High School football coach Fred Simon and Athletic Director Mark Godfrey are getting close to being in dire straits. At present there are only seven games on the Beaver slate and time for getting a full 10-game schedule is slipping away each day.

 

A year ago I proposed that the Class AA schools in Southern West Virginia join forces and form a conference similar to the MSAC. This conference would benefit each school in that scheduling would be eased, rivalries would be formed and money would be saved in the form of shorter trips to games.

 

A couple of years ago six of the 16 Class AA teams in the playoffs were from Mercer, McDowell, Monroe, Wyoming and Raleigh Counties. The best Class AA football in the state is played here. To the schools who feel they can't compete with annual playoff participants Bluefield, James Monroe, and Mount View, remember that playing the best competition, brings out the best in your own team. Just look at Virginia Tech's basketball team this season.

 

So I issue a challenge to the Class AA schools in the five counties of Southern West Virginia, get together and do something to benefit your program and the region. Form a conference.

 

To restate from a year ago here is how it would look: Eastern Division - Bluefield, James Monroe, Mount View, Iaeger, Summers County and PikeView. Western Division - Westside, Wyoming East, Independence, Liberty-Raleigh, Shady Spring.

 

Come on coaches, athletic directors and principals, let's do what needs to be done.

 

Bob Redd is Daily Telegraph sports editor. Contact him at bredd@bdtonline.com

[buzzsawBeaver 12]

With all due respect to that opinion, that would not be a desirable hypothetical schedule for bluefield. Not for the fans the program, nor does it respect the caliber of schedule bluefield commonly has.

 

"The best Class AA football in the state is played here. To the schools who feel they can't compete with annual playoff participants Bluefield, James Monroe, and Mount View, remember that playing the best competition, brings out the best in your own team."

 

That might be the case in college sports where teams are recruited and funded with tv contracts, but a very few stronger teams among 10 in high school football just isn't going to make the others compete on a different level.

Most likely more than anything else, it would have the opposite effect to bluefield.

In my opinion bluefield should start contacting schools from different regions, more sw district teams, gate city, powell valley, ect., for games for '06 and '07 ect., or consider more parkersburg south types of contracts with wv aaa teams.

[tom 10]

im against the conference concept for Blfd, b/c honestly, look at those teams, i see maybe one or two exciting games at best and where is the quality oponents??? strength of schedule is a big plus for the Beavs and i just dont see it in a conference as proposed, that said, someone needs to step up and make these schedules happen so no team is left in the beavs shoes with 7 games scheduled this late in the year..