Ryan4VT 4,553 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 1 hour ago, vhs_falcon_volfan said: Vols fan in college. Volunteer HS fan in high school my man. But I didn’t realize people couldn’t even talk about cleats. Lmao When you hear it 5802028 times in a calendar year for **checks calendar** 3 decades... it get's old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BandanaVTDavis4321 1,717 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 2 hours ago, Ryan4VT said: Also, all local Veterans are being allowed into Friday night’s game for free, and the school will present a special flag to them pre-game around 6:30. Be sure to be in your seats for that. My buddy is a Vet (kind of). He's in the Citizens Mountain Militia of Jewell Ridge, VA. I hope you all let him in. Dude's put in the work and been storing food and cussing the ATF for 2 decades now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tornado99 345 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 1 hour ago, BearsFan88 said: Way I see it if it didn’t make a difference then why do it? If you’re not trying to gain an unfair advantage, why do it? That was a great team but now they have that black mark on their record. The championship will always be tainted by that decision. But something more current, Union 28, Richlands 13. While I cannot condone the ethics of the decision or the fallout from this decision, in my opinion this team would have won without the cleats. This is also an example of Vaught’s (not unlike Belichick) attention to detail in seeking every advantage. The field was nasty after snowfall, so he took that into consideration. This team had talented pass catchers, and had primarily used split backs prior to the game. He switched the offense to a power I bringing in bigger blocking backs and using his physical offensive line to pound the ball straight ahead. Pure genius, other than the cleats. I don’t recall seeing a more masterful game plan at the high school level. It’s unfortunate to have the negative reputation. This team and that season truly made me fall in love with football. EH31 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Union_Fan 2,155 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 1 minute ago, BandanaVTDavis4321 said: My buddy is a Vet (kind of). He's in the Citizens Mountain Militia of Jewell Ridge, VA. I hope you all let him in. Dude's put in the work and been storing food and cussing the ATF for 2 decades now. If only you had said Big Stone Gap instead of Jewell Ridge, I would have thought your buddy was my brother-in-law.😂 BandanaVTDavis4321 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CzarYakov 70 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 17 hours ago, Union_Fan said: I had to share this. I think the "no artificial noisemakers" is a little much. Love it. Tazewell County, the town of Richlands in general, starting to become boring capital of the world, unless you like the same four bands at the same four spots in town every week. But that's town talk... We talk football round here... Union comes to play this week Richlands shows that they might have some tricks, but last week was a bit of a lucky win. Not a lot but luck was on their side. Union 28 to Richlands 7. vhs_falcon_volfan, Union_Fan and Deleted Account 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vhs_falcon_volfan 39 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 8 hours ago, Ryan4VT said: When you hear it 5802028 times in a calendar year for **checks calendar** 3 decades... it get's old. Oh well. It is what it is. What’s done is done. I am sure the program suffered a stiff consequence. But what happened will be talked about for more decades to come. Whether or not you want it to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan4VT 4,553 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 22 minutes ago, vhs_falcon_volfan said: Oh well. It is what it is. What’s done is done. I am sure the program suffered a stiff consequence. But what happened will be talked about for more decades to come. Whether or not you want it to be. It did. But you still have yet to explain how exactly that game has anything to do with this Friday night’s game. 🤷🏻♂️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tru Blue 72 423 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 11 hours ago, Gridiron60 said: I was in my 20s and no dog in the fight but I know when I see a great team and that team was great. Why Vaught thought he needed the cleats is beyond me. That team was winning, period. In later years some of the Salem players admitted they also wore the longer kleats, and after all that should have been checked by the white cap and flagged for illigal equipment, 15 yard penalty with the equipment being removed from play. That situation was far more than kleats, it was the old plough boys beating the high fashioned race horses and the VHSL was not pleased with the outcome. The Salem coach complained about the field, the fans, the RHS players, the bathrooms, the signage around the fence, the loud barking dog in the neighborhood, and how bad the lighting was on the field. You would have thought Salem had lost the super bowl, and the coach could not understand how a bunch of good old Blue clad hilbillies could best his fine oiled machine. As a Blues fan, we still hear this BS and probably will for the extent of my life and beyond. I was present for that game and loved every minute of it!!!!! Gridiron60 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vhs_falcon_volfan 39 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 49 minutes ago, Ryan4VT said: It did. But you still have yet to explain how exactly that game has anything to do with this Friday night’s game. 🤷🏻♂️ Oh well. The same thing could be said about people talking about noisemakers at Union and Giles. It’s got to do with Union. But nothing to do with this Friday. Same with the cleats. Got nothing to do with this Friday, but it refers to Richlands. But clearly it has triggered you, someone who doesn’t even remember. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipinbogey 150 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 14 hours ago, Ryan4VT said: I would love to get Brady back in the room with me and revive the SWVA Sports Podcast just to have Vaught on the line and ask him that very question lol. Man....I miss the podcast. That was a staple of the afternoon pregame on the way to wherever I was heading. BRING IT BACK! BRING IT BACK! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vhs_falcon_volfan 39 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 I always enjoy hearing a good football podcast myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsons 178 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 18 hours ago, Ryan4VT said: We would have beaten Salem if we played with a bowling ball, IMO. I was at the game pulling for Richlands and can’t agree with this statement. While I believe Richlands was the superior team that day in the mud, with or without the cleats, I’m not so confident regarding what might have occurred had they played on a dry field. Salem was a beast that year, beating eventual AAA Division 6 champion Pulaski County. That Richlands team squeaked by Gate City and Powell Valley, and almost lost to a mediocre Marion team in the mud. The near loss at Marion speaks to the difference a soggy field can make. I’ve often wondered if perhaps the Marion game spurred Vaught to buy the infamous cleats. Anyway, we’ll never know. Just my two cents … Liam McPoyle and Optimal62 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BearsFan88 117 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 I’ll say this and be done. It sounds like Vaught knew what he was doing. Interpret that as you wish. But that’s just how I see it with the information I have been given. It’s a shame that that’s what will be talked about regarding the team but that’s the legacy. Richlands won 17-7. Not exactly a blowout, not exactly close. But a play or two from being a totally different conversation. Take this with a grain of salt but when I lived in and around Roanoke from 2017-2021, I asked some Salem people about it. Most of them shrugged it off and said “Oh well.” So that tells me most Salem people aren’t all that concerned about it. Why should they be? They avenged that loss in 2004. They have won a total of 10 championships. I have only seen one fanbase get mad over it and it’s been the Richlands group. Some people need to learn to handle criticism of their teams and not get their panties in a wad over it. It’s just a game. Anyway, Go Bears! Austrian Ben Shapiro, parsons, stu_bean and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
parsons 178 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 59 minutes ago, BearsFan88 said: I’ll say this and be done. It sounds like Vaught knew what he was doing. Interpret that as you wish. But that’s just how I see it with the information I have been given. It’s a shame that that’s what will be talked about regarding the team but that’s the legacy. Richlands won 17-7. Not exactly a blowout, not exactly close. But a play or two from being a totally different conversation. The saddest part is not knowing. The cleats darn sure didn’t hurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hokiebird7 1,416 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 21 minutes ago, parsons said: The saddest part is not knowing. The cleats darn sure didn’t hurt. If Richlands would have beaten them anyway why get the cleats to start with? Hmmmmmm Austrian Ben Shapiro 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain Football 1,532 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 What are illegal cleats anyways? Lol My prediction is Coach Tarter learns a lesson from Vaught. Even though this game is on turf, the Blues will break out the "illegals" and put a whoopin' on da Bears. Richlands 17 Union 7 Ryan4VT 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gridiron60 2,555 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 16 minutes ago, Mountain Football said: What are illegal cleats anyways? Lol My prediction is Coach Tarter learns a lesson from Vaught. Even though this game is on turf, the Blues will break out the "illegals" and put a whoopin' on da Bears. Richlands 17 Union 7 @Ryan4VT Was Tarter an assistant under Vaught? I know Snake was & Mance too, right? Any others from that era part of currrent Blue Tornado football? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam McPoyle 1,863 Report Share Posted August 30, 2022 3 hours ago, parsons said: I was at the game pulling for Richlands and can’t agree with this statement. While I believe Richlands was the superior team that day in the mud, with or without the cleats, I’m not so confident regarding what might have occurred had they played on a dry field. Salem was a beast that year, beating eventual AAA Division 6 champion Pulaski County. That Richlands team squeaked by Gate City and Powell Valley, and almost lost to a mediocre Marion team in the mud. The near loss at Marion speaks to the difference a soggy field can make. I’ve often wondered if perhaps the Marion game spurred Vaught to buy the infamous cleats. Anyway, we’ll never know. Just my two cents … I was at the Marion game in '92. The Blues (8-0) dominated the first half until the rains turned the field at Ernie into a bog. A mediocre Marion (3-4) team then started gashing the Blues' D and even shutdown the prolific Brannon Breeding. The Canes would tie the game in regulation with Richlands ultimately winning 38-35 in 2OT. The obsessively meticulous Vaught likely let the muddy near miss against the Canes cloud his judgement. The '92 Blues were great, but they were not an unbeatable juggernaut. All we can say for sure is a profoundly selfish decision robbed two great teams and communities of a fair and objective outcome. Lobster, Optimal62, stu_bean and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaterHater 89 Report Share Posted August 31, 2022 Thinking back to 1992 one of the founding members of Union (Powell Valley) played Richlands to start the season in a close ball game decided by 1 point in favor of Richlands. I don't see that happening this year but it will be close! Union 28 Richlands 21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Real Sasquatch 1,865 Report Share Posted August 31, 2022 I'll go with Union 35 Richlands 21. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old_school_blue 247 Report Share Posted August 31, 2022 No Tarter was not an assistant. There is no connection between this team and the 92 team, other than Brannon Breeding, who I believe is on staff under Tarter. I was lucky enough to be a member of the 92 team, my ring still reads "State Champion." Football has changed, the game, much like our society has become more about prestige and less workmanlike. The teams were better, the players were tougher, the coaches were more focused on the fundamentals, and yes, better. Dennis Vaught will always have nay-sayers, the people that know him and played for him know better. In my opinion, he is the best pure football coach to ever walk the sidelines in Richlands. If you want to talk about state titles, he won two titles with schools that never had won one before, Lexington and Richlands. He was a throwback coach cast more in the mold of a Bear Bryant compared to today's coaches (high school and collegiate.) In the past, I would get upset when people brought up the cleats. Not so much now, my feelings are mixed. I am grateful that my path crossed his as he taught me many lessons, more about life than football. It also saddens me that the players on that team are not celebrated as they should be. I am sure everyone remembers Breeding and Harrison. There were others on that team that worked their asses off and did not waste their opportunity. Yancy Tabor was the tackle that no one knows, yet he is probably the best pure OL technician to ever play at Richlands. Chris Crawford and Brian Triplett were the guards and Adam Yost was the other tackle, all supremely talented. The center was Sam Barnett. Willis White himself remarked at the VHSL All-Star game in 92 that Barnett was the best High School center that he ever saw. There were Brad Salyers, Terry Monk and Brad Davis, all three exceptional and all three taken from us way too soon. The assistant coaches were all tremendous as well. Richie Thomas, Brian Johnson, Dennis Palmer (probably the best football coach in SWVA right now), Terry Wess...etc. With the mention of the Marion game, I remember that it was a very sloppy field and Marion had run the double wing with a 5'8" 240 lb. full back or "B" back. That guy was impressive and had no quit in him. The mud made him impossible to bring down. The game winner was rung up by Josh Perkins who by far was the best kicker ever at Richlands at that point in history. They have had a few good ones since. Also, Powell Valley pushed us to the brink in Big Stone as we slipped by them 16 to 15, I think. Many good local teams then. barondawg77, Gridiron60, Liam McPoyle and 3 others 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liam McPoyle 1,863 Report Share Posted September 1, 2022 Blues' Josh Perkins (previously mentioned by @old_school_blue ) kicking the eventual game-winning FG in '92 against Marion in Double OT. It was an absolute clutch kick in the worst of conditions. I was standing on the top row of the visitors bleachers just out of frame. The photo was posted here a number of years ago by the Mayor @cityofRaven old_school_blue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barondawg77 115 Report Share Posted September 1, 2022 1 hour ago, old_school_blue said: No Tarter was not an assistant. There is no connection between this team and the 92 team, other than Brannon Breeding, who I believe is on staff under Tarter. I was lucky enough to be a member of the 92 team, my ring still reads "State Champion." Football has changed, the game, much like our society has become more about prestige and less workmanlike. The teams were better, the players were tougher, the coaches were more focused on the fundamentals, and yes, better. Dennis Vaught will always have nay-sayers, the people that know him and played for him know better. In my opinion, he is the best pure football coach to ever walk the sidelines in Richlands. If you want to talk about state titles, he won two titles with schools that never had won one before, Lexington and Richlands. He was a throwback coach cast more in the mold of a Bear Bryant compared to today's coaches (high school and collegiate.) In the past, I would get upset when people brought up the cleats. Not so much now, my feelings are mixed. I am grateful that my path crossed his as he taught me many lessons, more about life than football. It also saddens me that the players on that team are not celebrated as they should be. I am sure everyone remembers Breeding and Harrison. There were others on that team that worked their asses off and did not waste their opportunity. Yancy Tabor was the tackle that no one knows, yet he is probably the best pure OL technician to ever play at Richlands. Chris Crawford and Brian Triplett were the guards and Adam Yost was the other tackle, all supremely talented. The center was Sam Barnett. Willis White himself remarked at the VHSL All-Star game in 92 that Barnett was the best High School center that he ever saw. There were Brad Salyers, Terry Monk and Brad Davis, all three exceptional and all three taken from us way too soon. The assistant coaches were all tremendous as well. Richie Thomas, Brian Johnson, Dennis Palmer (probably the best football coach in SWVA right now), Terry Wess...etc. With the mention of the Marion game, I remember that it was a very sloppy field and Marion had run the double wing with a 5'8" 240 lb. full back or "B" back. That guy was impressive and had no quit in him. The mud made him impossible to bring down. The game winner was rung up by Josh Perkins who by far was the best kicker ever at Richlands at that point in history. They have had a few good ones since. Also, Powell Valley pushed us to the brink in Big Stone as we slipped by them 16 to 15, I think. Many good local teams then. Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I graduated from Tazewell the year before, coach Vaught was my o line coach my jr. year. I just talked to him this past weekend. As you said, he taught me more about football than any other coach I had. Love him or hate him, he was one heck of a football coach. old_school_blue 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mountain Football 1,532 Report Share Posted September 1, 2022 25 minutes ago, barondawg77 said: Thanks for the trip down memory lane! I graduated from Tazewell the year before, coach Vaught was my o line coach my jr. year. I just talked to him this past weekend. As you said, he taught me more about football than any other coach I had. Love him or hate him, he was one heck of a football coach. What is he doing now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barondawg77 115 Report Share Posted September 1, 2022 7 minutes ago, Mountain Football said: What is he doing now? Enjoying being a Grandpa from our conversation lol Mountain Football 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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