Fresh_Prince 10 Report Share Posted October 5, 2006 junior, he needs to get in the weight room big time though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GODFATHER 10 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 I dont know much but I will guarantee this: Graham will never contend in baseball. They never work on pitching, hit off a pitching machine and take 6 million fungos for practice. Thats when they are not "fixing the field". Parents have to much say in what happens and the coaches are about as knowledgeable of the game as the local accountant. If Morgan could not win with Elswick, Alvis, Williams etc. after being picked by everyone including local head coaches to win the SWD, its never going to happen. A joke plain and simple. This is the last group of talent Graham will see for a long time. Will they do anything with it? No, unfortunatly baseball is the only sport where you can have a terrible record for years and I mean years and not lose your job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinkman 14 Report Share Posted October 13, 2006 richlands should be ok in baseball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Can't say it any better than that. Been there, and it's all true. When McKinney left in 1991 (I think it was), Graham baseball fell flat on its face, and it's been down for the count ever since. The Little League program is fairly good, but the learnin' curve stops there; there is little teaching and no conditioning in middle/high school, and it's killin' Graham in baseball. One day, maybe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SALTSHAKER 10 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Were you talking about Sam or the program falling on its face? Last I heard about McKinney he was coaching AA ball in Wheeling Wv. i would say if he does not win up there he will be flipped off like that QB did Sat. In Morgantown. By the way did he get out of there alive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GODFATHER 10 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 McKinney was a great coach at Graham. If I recall it is the last time Graham had a legit winning record. Graham has at least 6 wins every year due to scheduling. Oak Hill , Grundy , etc. I will not mention any other schools because it would be unfair. Grundy(wrestling) could care less about baseball and Oak Hill is the same(basketball) the other schools try but are weak baseball schools. Graham baseball has been a joke ever since Sam left. No one even wants the job. Perhaps if they had a new coach assistants and students would stay and become competitive. Dunno, just a opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 Graham hasn't had a decent baseball program since Coach Kinzer in the early 80s. The only reason SM had a "decent" run with Graham was due to the players that were there when he was the coach. Â I know for a fact that during his best season as the coach at Graham, there were at least five kids on that team that started all four years they played...I played with them when they were FR and SO. And the success of the team at that time was not due to SM...it was due to the Little League/Senior League learning/playing experience all these kids had acquirred, thanks in part to the gentleman after whom Graham's baseball field is named and several other devoted parents/adults who used to tote our butts all around SWVA to play baseball when we were younger, and also due to the fact, these were some pretty good baseball players...period. SM was just in the right place at the right time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted October 16, 2006 I was talkin' 'bout the program self destructin', not Sam. I wouldn't doubt it a bit to see him successful up in Wheeling, he certainly helped the modest Graham teams of the late '80s/early '90s compete in the Southwest District. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GODFATHER 10 Report Share Posted October 17, 2006 GMAN I agree with most of what you are saying. Graham is notorious for moving kids up to varsity as freshmen. They start 4 years as varsity baseball players at Graham and produce nothing. Good "feeder" programs are definitly the key. You do however have to have a high school coach in place who is going to "develope" the talent he gets. 6,000 fungo and hitting off a pitching machine is not a effective way of practice. I played for Sam and though abrasive he was a structured, discipline first, not worried about who your parents are, teacher of the game. There is no other coach in any SWD sport that has survived being as innefective as the current coach has period. Awful coach that needs to be replaces or in a assistant role. There are some fellas from surrounding schools that could step in and be effective. Heck the Catron boys and Boyd had excellent records in the JV program with less talent than Cambell ever had. What happened when they moved up? I'll tell ya, they were picked to win the SWD by players and coaches alike and did nothing. Huge let down. I was very disappointed. Not all of the blame lies on the coach, but 15 years of losing seasons they need to TRY, just try something new. Why would anyone be allowed to have 15 years of failure and keep a job? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tid_Bit 10 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 [ QUOTE ] GMAN I agree with most of what you are saying. Graham is notorious for moving kids up to varsity as freshmen. They start 4 years as varsity baseball players at Graham and produce nothing. Good "feeder" programs are definitly the key. You do however have to have a high school coach in place who is going to "develope" the talent he gets. 6,000 fungo and hitting off a pitching machine is not a effective way of practice. I played for Sam and though abrasive he was a structured, discipline first, not worried about who your parents are, teacher of the game. There is no other coach in any SWD sport that has survived being as innefective as the current coach has period. Awful coach that needs to be replaces or in a assistant role. There are some fellas from surrounding schools that could step in and be effective. Heck the Catron boys and Boyd had excellent records in the JV program with less talent than Cambell ever had. What happened when they moved up? I'll tell ya, they were picked to win the SWD by players and coaches alike and did nothing. Huge let down. I was very disappointed. Not all of the blame lies on the coach, but 15 years of losing seasons they need to TRY, just try something new. Why would anyone be allowed to have 15 years of failure and keep a job? Â [/ QUOTE ] Â because it is baseball and nobody around here cares! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GODFATHER 10 Report Share Posted October 18, 2006 Exactly! My question is this, "How does Taz. put so much time and effort into baseball?" The kids there care and work hard year after year. They are leaps and bounds better than most schools. How is that so being 20 to 30 minutes from all area schools? No one else cares. I couldnt agree more, but isnt it the athletic directors job to ensure that ALL sports are at least competitive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog4ever 10 Report Share Posted October 20, 2006 Coach Peery not only cares about baseball, he cares about the players. he makes them feel welcome any time at the field and encourages them both academically and in baseball. he has made tazewell baseball what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GILL78 10 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Well Graham High is competitive in baseball and we have had some coaching difficulties in the past but we have a talented group of guys that are prepared to work to get that southwest champ title. I am not blowing smoke here we have played together for years and this will be the last year that we all get to play on the same team. look for the G-men to compete in the district. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted October 21, 2006 Graham hasn't been truly competitive (and by that, I mean, having a legitimate shot to win the Southwest District) since 1991, which by my recollection, is the last time Graham played for the district title. Graham has had more raw talent than other teams, especially the team two years ago, but it hasn't been cultivated 'cause Campbell does not work with his players on any facet of the game. A 10-year-old can set up a pitchin' machine and hit fungo all day. That accomplishes nothin'. The guys on that team have always have, and will, work as hard as Campbell pushes 'em. Tazewell, Richlands, and Carroll County will work harder. I've seen it. Obviously, you've played with your teammates all through little league up to high school. In fact, most everyone does that. Therefore, that's not that much of an advantage. Graham will not be competitive within the district, nor will it until Campbell is gone. It's that simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GILL78 10 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 i am just saying that if there is any chance of graham winning district in baseball, this is the year. I think that we will work a lot harder than we have in the past Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GODFATHER 10 Report Share Posted October 23, 2006 UVA Observer is dead on. I know the kids from Graham are good players and atheletes. Problem is that they just do not care about baseball in my opinion. They would rather run track and do the things football coaches want. If they do not start in baseball they just quit. Been that way forever. There is no discipline and no support or since of pride there. In my honest opinion Graham baseball is for kids that cant play any other sport. Other than Yost, Brown, and couple others. Cant remember.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EH31 2,518 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 tj marrs used to be good back in the day when i played with his brother Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcecilgolf 11 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 Dave is better at baseball than TJ; he is more of an athlete, especially in the speed category. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GODFATHER 10 Report Share Posted October 24, 2006 Better arm and batter also, if compairing them at equal ages development wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghsfan07 11 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 theres three players that care about baseball at graham yost, tj marrs and taylor mcCoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog4ever 10 Report Share Posted November 2, 2006 wills murray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinkman 14 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 richlands will be ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GODFATHER 10 Report Share Posted November 3, 2006 I agree but that equals 0 district wins for Graham. Those boys are good players because of their parents. Period. Cambell developes players about as well as Helen Keller flys a plane. Graham would have a good program with the correct coaches. Boyd and Catron(s) developed the kids at Graham that should have won the SWD. Problem was they learned nothing from Coach C except hortoculture (aka. lawn maintenance). There is no respect on the field for the sport or the coaches. Has been that way for years. Just something to do so I can say I played a sport in high school. There is absolutly no sense of pride in Graham Baseball. I bet they all can hit the heck out of a 60mph fastball thrown from a pitching machine though. Boyd moved on to greener pastures Catrons @ Tazewell You have to know how much that says for the current head man. All former coaches are sucessful at other schools. I Wonder why????????????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KTom33 10 Report Share Posted November 10, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I agree but that equals 0 district wins for Graham. Those boys are good players because of their parents. Period. Cambell developes players about as well as Helen Keller flys a plane. Graham would have a good program with the correct coaches. Boyd and Catron(s) developed the kids at Graham that should have won the SWD. Problem was they learned nothing from Coach C except hortoculture (aka. lawn maintenance). There is no respect on the field for the sport or the coaches. Has been that way for years. Just something to do so I can say I played a sport in high school. There is absolutly no sense of pride in Graham Baseball. I bet they all can hit the heck out of a 60mph fastball thrown from a pitching machine though. Boyd moved on to greener pastures Catrons @ Tazewell You have to know how much that says for the current head man. All former coaches are sucessful at other schools. I Wonder why????????????? Â [/ QUOTE ] Â thats why i quit playing baseball was cause of our varsity coach... i played for boyd my 8th grade year for jv and he was a good coach then he left the next year and then it was cambell and all he ever does is mow that grass on the field, he never taught us anything, we would take turns hitting of of slow bp pitches, and that killed us for the game, our practices were mainly home run derbys cause of the slow pitchin and ppl in the fields just set around and carried on conversations with each other.... i dont know if it was like that last year cause i got tired of it and didnt even bother to play, but i know the years before last year they were all like that....... but in our little league years we were always good, we always had good allstar teams cause of the way our parents taught us to play, we usually played tazewell every year in the all star tournament for the championship, with them winning most of them but we won a few and they were always close games, so its not that graham players are bad, just none of them give a dang about baseball anymore mainly cause of the coach... it sucks tho cause baseball was my favorite sport and at graham it just aint even worth playin cause no one takes it serious anymore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtownboy 10 Report Share Posted November 12, 2006 grundy will be ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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