they cheered for their district

[cwood78 161]

tricities.com:)

[2000wave 67]

Just got done reading the article...Very good write-up...

[wave316 64]

tricities.com:)

 

Great article! LPD Pride is what Clintwood has wore on their helmets the last few yrs in playoffs and State games! Proud of the guys in Green!:)

[gwloyal 192]

Very good article!

[cwood78 161]

yep we had "lpd pride" on our head gear in the past.... i've never known of any other lpd team doing that..........

[Lance 228]

 

 

They cheered for their district

 

By: Jim Sacco

November 27, 2011 1:24 PM

WYTHEVILLE, Va. --

 

We will never know the pride.

 

We will never understand.

 

We can only guess; spend hours sitting in front of a blank Word document, cursor blinking – mocking us – as we try to wrap our heads around what they were cheering Saturday.

 

Hundreds of fans, seated in stone bleachers, standing along the top of the hill and all of them cheering - first a low drone while sitting and finally reaching a crescendo, replete with arms pumping in cadence and fans taking to their feet.

 

“LPD,” in rhythm. “LPD.”

 

This is what the well-traveled Clintwood fans rained down onto the gridiron at George Wythe on Saturday as time ticked away, their hometown boys heading into victory formation with a 23-13 lead.

 

Not “Let’s go Clintwood’ or “Greenwave, Greenwave” clap … clap … clap … clap.

 

“LPD, LPD.”

 

Lonesome Pine District.

 

Repeat. Pump your arms. Repeat.

 

Start in the smog-choked suburban swath called Northern Virginia, drive down to the salty air of the Tidewater, make your way across the Piedmont and into the rolling folds of the Blue Ridge and you’ll never hear such a cheer. Roll through every little single-stoplight town to watch a football game, and you’ll never witness a fan base honoring its team by honoring the district it plays in with a chant.

 

“Shenandoah,” doesn’t roll off the tongue so well.

 

“Hogoheegee,” just sounds like you got a mouthful of marbles.

 

Let’s be frank, you’ll hear it nowhere else.

 

Lock. This. Thread.

 

That’s why it gave you goose skin. You could feel the pride, the history and the love.

 

“When we left the locker room today and we opened the door, chills ran up and down my spine when I looked over there and the entire hillside was covered,” said usually stoic Clintwood coach Rick Mullins in an emotional post-game moment on 20-yard line.

 

In the end, those fans cheered for the district that labels them.

 

The district that, sure, isn’t sending multiple teams into the playoffs like life in the “glory days,” but it still holds some sort of mystique.

 

It’s no longer the SEC of the VHSL, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t pride. That doesn’t mean players in the Lonesome Pine don’t believe their football ways are the only way to play the game.

 

It’s 4 yards and a bloody nose.

 

“The LPD is a hard-hitting, smash-mouth district,” says Clintwood’s Robbie Mullins, who spent his Saturday grabbing an interception then, a play later, scoring the game-sealing touchdown.

 

Ask him about the LPD cheer and he’ll laugh all the while beaming. Chest thrust out, he’ll point to the slapped-on wrapping tape stuck to the front of his helmet.

 

“We got a lot of pride. That’s what it’s all about, that’s what we write on our helmets,” he says. “ ‘LPD Pride.’ ”

 

Unless we played in it, or are waiting on JV to play in it, we’ll never know. We’ll never get it.

 

“There’s a lot of pride, not just in Clintwood high school, but in the LPD from a lot of these people who played 50 years ago,” Coach Mullins says.

 

We’ll never understand what it’s like to walk by the Dollar General in what passes for a downtown in the coalfields and glance at a football stadium.

 

We want our coach tarred, feathered and carried out of town on a judas cradle if he can’t win four games.

 

Not so much for them.

 

“You can go some places and they’re down your back, win or else,” Coach Mullins says. “Clintwood people are not like that. They understand football. They know when you got a chance and when you don’t.”

 

And, once again, Clintwood is Southwest Virginia’s best chance. Even with expanded and re-worked Group A playoffs, the Greenwave is the one left two wins away from the ultimate prize. But there’s a tinge of sadness.

 

The reality is who knows how much longer the LPD will be around to cheer for?

 

It’s inevitable. Counties are crunched for money. The population leak from the hardscrabble hollers and hills couldn’t be stemmed by the fattest of Dutch-boy fingers.

 

Consolidation already turned the six-team power into a four-school district in one summer.

 

What’s next?

 

Who’s next?

 

Dickenson County, much like Wise before, is talking the C-word and ready to move forward.

 

In the playoffs, at least, so is Clintwood.

 

“We wanted to [beat George Wythe] for the whole LPD and not just us,” says running back Gavan Meade.

 

The proof was the cheer.

 

Not a resounding huzzah for Clintwood.

 

Not a “Here we go Greenwave.”

 

Just three simple letters in a chant we’ll hear nowhere else in the state.

 

LPD. LPD.

 

“This win was for Clintwood first, LPD second,” Rick Mullins says.

 

Thirdly, let’s keep this going as long as we can.

 

And let’s always remember when it’s gone.

[cwood78 161]

lance, your the best...............never met ya, someday we will.......thanks

[3n2mafia 10]

Nice article. To me you can motivate yourself as a player in many different ways. LPD Pride is how the boys at Clintwood do it. Seems to be working. Good luck this week. And showem some good ole corn bread and soup beans SWVA football!

[Guest bigdaddyd50]

LPD pride? wasnt GC the last LPD team to win state? Yes they were. Nothing to be prideful about when your better than Central, JIB, and Union. But whatever floats yalls boat.

[Lance 228]

LPD pride? wasnt GC the last LPD team to win state? Yes they were. Nothing to be prideful about when your better than Central, JIB, and Union. But whatever floats yalls boat.

 

congrats on the dumbest post i've seen in a long time.

[cwood78 161]

yalls boat sunk,...............leave us alone while we're still floatin.............:rolleyes:

[cwood78 161]

LPD pride? wasnt GC the last LPD team to win state? Yes they were. Nothing to be prideful about when your better than Central, JIB, and Union. But whatever floats yalls boat.

 

lack of respect............................

[deuceswild 15]

I wish Jim Sacco would just write an article like a normal human being. He seriously took what would have been a great Tim Hayes article and turned it into a "hey, look at how creative I can get when I write" thing.

 

By the way, we say "Go Hogo!".. it's not like the LPD is saying "Go Lonesome Pine!".. they're saying "LPD", Jim. You dork.

 

That being said, I think its neat that Clintwood does this and hope they get a chance to beat Galax. They're winning no one's respect right now with some of the things I've heard about the way they're winning and the attitude of their coach. Go Wave!

[3n2mafia 10]

LPD pride? wasnt GC the last LPD team to win state? Yes they were. Nothing to be prideful about when your better than Central, JIB, and Union. But whatever floats yalls boat.

 

C'mon man. No one is bashing any teams from the past here. Just trying to give props to a local team still moving on. Go Get em Wave.

[stainless 10]

LPD pride? wasnt GC the last LPD team to win state? Yes they were. Nothing to be prideful about when your better than Central, JIB, and Union. But whatever floats yalls boat.

 

What a DUMBASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[cwood78 161]

funny when clintwood was knocked out the playoffs,last year,,,, we ALL were here rootin for gc.....................bad apple........you think?:eek:

[pioneer23fan 10]

Yes pretty stupid comment! We have all been rooting for our local teams even if they arent our own, we still like to see others go on! I was happy to see Gate City win last year and I am glad Clintwood won I wish you guys luck!

[LegendatLegion 109]

I was on the Clintwood side rooting them on Saturday along a few other GC folks!

[UNIONFAN 10]

That comment about LPD pride is uncalled for. the LPD is home to 15 or more state champions in football and numberous state championships in baseball, track, golf, basketball, and wrestling. IMO the LPD boasts for good reason, we win more than most.

[OrangeStreak 45]

LPD pride? wasnt GC the last LPD team to win state? Yes they were. Nothing to be prideful about when your better than Central, JIB, and Union. But whatever floats yalls boat.

 

Geees!!! Wow!!! My team has never even been in the LPD and I feel I have LPD Pride right now!!! Envy much?? Clintwood go out east and make us all (SWVA) proud!!!! Go Greenwave!!!!

[JodyB 10]

 

 

They cheered for their district

 

By: Jim Sacco

November 27, 2011 1:24 PM

WYTHEVILLE, Va. --

 

We will never know the pride.

 

We will never understand.

 

We can only guess; spend hours sitting in front of a blank Word document, cursor blinking – mocking us – as we try to wrap our heads around what they were cheering Saturday.

 

Hundreds of fans, seated in stone bleachers, standing along the top of the hill and all of them cheering - first a low drone while sitting and finally reaching a crescendo, replete with arms pumping in cadence and fans taking to their feet.

 

“LPD,” in rhythm. “LPD.”

 

This is what the well-traveled Clintwood fans rained down onto the gridiron at George Wythe on Saturday as time ticked away, their hometown boys heading into victory formation with a 23-13 lead.

 

Not “Let’s go Clintwood’ or “Greenwave, Greenwave” clap … clap … clap … clap.

 

“LPD, LPD.”

 

Lonesome Pine District.

 

Repeat. Pump your arms. Repeat.

 

Start in the smog-choked suburban swath called Northern Virginia, drive down to the salty air of the Tidewater, make your way across the Piedmont and into the rolling folds of the Blue Ridge and you’ll never hear such a cheer. Roll through every little single-stoplight town to watch a football game, and you’ll never witness a fan base honoring its team by honoring the district it plays in with a chant.

 

“Shenandoah,” doesn’t roll off the tongue so well.

 

“Hogoheegee,” just sounds like you got a mouthful of marbles.

 

Let’s be frank, you’ll hear it nowhere else.

 

Lock. This. Thread.

 

That’s why it gave you goose skin. You could feel the pride, the history and the love.

 

“When we left the locker room today and we opened the door, chills ran up and down my spine when I looked over there and the entire hillside was covered,” said usually stoic Clintwood coach Rick Mullins in an emotional post-game moment on 20-yard line.

 

In the end, those fans cheered for the district that labels them.

 

The district that, sure, isn’t sending multiple teams into the playoffs like life in the “glory days,” but it still holds some sort of mystique.

 

It’s no longer the SEC of the VHSL, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t pride. That doesn’t mean players in the Lonesome Pine don’t believe their football ways are the only way to play the game.

 

It’s 4 yards and a bloody nose.

 

“The LPD is a hard-hitting, smash-mouth district,” says Clintwood’s Robbie Mullins, who spent his Saturday grabbing an interception then, a play later, scoring the game-sealing touchdown.

 

Ask him about the LPD cheer and he’ll laugh all the while beaming. Chest thrust out, he’ll point to the slapped-on wrapping tape stuck to the front of his helmet.

 

“We got a lot of pride. That’s what it’s all about, that’s what we write on our helmets,” he says. “ ‘LPD Pride.’ ”

 

Unless we played in it, or are waiting on JV to play in it, we’ll never know. We’ll never get it.

 

“There’s a lot of pride, not just in Clintwood high school, but in the LPD from a lot of these people who played 50 years ago,” Coach Mullins says.

 

We’ll never understand what it’s like to walk by the Dollar General in what passes for a downtown in the coalfields and glance at a football stadium.

 

We want our coach tarred, feathered and carried out of town on a judas cradle if he can’t win four games.

 

Not so much for them.

 

“You can go some places and they’re down your back, win or else,” Coach Mullins says. “Clintwood people are not like that. They understand football. They know when you got a chance and when you don’t.”

 

And, once again, Clintwood is Southwest Virginia’s best chance. Even with expanded and re-worked Group A playoffs, the Greenwave is the one left two wins away from the ultimate prize. But there’s a tinge of sadness.

 

The reality is who knows how much longer the LPD will be around to cheer for?

 

It’s inevitable. Counties are crunched for money. The population leak from the hardscrabble hollers and hills couldn’t be stemmed by the fattest of Dutch-boy fingers.

 

Consolidation already turned the six-team power into a four-school district in one summer.

 

What’s next?

 

Who’s next?

 

Dickenson County, much like Wise before, is talking the C-word and ready to move forward.

 

In the playoffs, at least, so is Clintwood.

 

“We wanted to [beat George Wythe] for the whole LPD and not just us,” says running back Gavan Meade.

 

The proof was the cheer.

 

Not a resounding huzzah for Clintwood.

 

Not a “Here we go Greenwave.”

 

Just three simple letters in a chant we’ll hear nowhere else in the state.

 

LPD. LPD.

 

“This win was for Clintwood first, LPD second,” Rick Mullins says.

 

Thirdly, let’s keep this going as long as we can.

 

And let’s always remember when it’s gone.

That was great to read. I had to copy it.......LPD Pride.....I was impressed with the crowd on the hillsides at the GW game. Hope that people car pool, rent a bus, do whatever they can to make the trip to Sussex to see the win and or the LPD Pride.

[gcdevils47 10]

bigdaddy's comment was outrageous.. dont you guys lose respect for the other GC members on the board. there were plenty of Gate City football fans at the basketball game tonight talking about how we want Clintwood to "spank that ass" good luck Greenwave, LPD Pride