Bluefield title game

[buzzsawBeaver 12]

They are definately a special group of players.

I would be more glad for them if it weren't bluefield they defeated for their titles in '02 and '03, but that said, I'm glad for them anyhow.

[BHS85 10]

I agree with you Beaver believer, it's crazy to have the Super 6 at a place where the city in the next state benefits financially. St. Clairsville is the real winner with the Super 6, not Wheeling. Tear up the artificial turf at Laidley, put down a natural playing field and have it there every year.

[Pdot 10]

We hate to see them go but programs have to move on. As long as coach Lemley doesnt retire, we will be alright. I know the fans say he is arrogant, but that is far from the truth. he is a good christian man that demands his teams work hard. I would have loved to have played for him in shcool. He and his family are special people

[BHS85 10]

We were eating before the game, and I saw a car pull out of the parking lot that had a sign #45 in the back window. I showed it to my wife and said we'll have to pay attention to see if he plays any. We found out soon enough that he does. LOL!!

[Pdot 10]

Were you the Bluefield fan that stayed at the Red Roof Inn? That is where poca stayed and a couple of beaver fans were checking in when we did? Also, did Bluefield stay all night or did they drive back Friday night?

[BHS85 10]

No, we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express.

[Pdot 10]

Just wondering. That had to be a long trip for all of the Bluefield fans. I was surprised that the team came up on Friday. I figured that they would have came up on Thursday especially with the weather the way it was. Do you think that hurt you all?

[Sources 10]

The players couldn't have played any better if they had come up Thursday, they left it all out on the field. I think it was a wise move for Coach Simon to let them sleep in their own beds the night before, allowing them to have some familiarity before such a big game.

[Pdot 10]

I agree. That is better. The people in Keyser thought we were crazy for going up there and playing on a Friday last year but it worked.

[ThaSpectacle71 10]

I actually think it was a good idea to bring the team up on Friday. There are many benefits to that such as the players sleeping in their own beds and getting good rest, they got an actual day for an actual practice instead of rushing or having minds on the trip, etc.

 

One other thing...years back some Bluefield teams have got the reputation for not being focused when put in a hotel room before a championship situation in both basketball and football. I think one group did indeed do this and has messed Bluefield's rep up so bad that everytime Bluefield loses a championship game or gets eliminated that people start rumors of "partying" and being "out" at night....this way there were no rumors win or lose...

[gmenfootball 10]

When we played at Rustberg back in 1991 and lost,We went up the day before and worked out on Brookville's field,and everyone was saying the same thing about us,sure its different to the kids being around their teammates in a motel,I think alot of stuff gets added,people were saying we stayed up all night and had a big party before the game that night,Trust me all of our coaches were there and none of our players had the balls to disrespect him like that,Sure you might stay up late talking to your roommate,you could do that at home too.I just find it hard to belive with Bluefield coaches staying up there with their players,The players were out on the town all night.I would say the coaches knew where their kids were at all times,I bet if these teams had won,nobody would have said the players were running wild.I bet alot of people would say,what a good move going up the day before,that was the best thing that our coach ever did..

[swva_fan 91]

Now I know what happened, you went to Rustburg in '91 but the game was in '90. , just kidding, lol.

[gmenfootball 10]

I hear u buddy..I got (CRS)cant remember $hit disorder,LOL

[ThaSpectacle71 10]

If anything else..Bluefield was trying something new. Bluefield had been going up on Thursdays every year and it only got them 1 championship out of 4 tries. So this was a change for Bluefield and sadly they are 0 for 1 by going up on Friday, but I am not sure if that is even relevent.

 

To be honest, I am starting to think that when you leave really doesn't matter...they both have thier pros/cons...

[The_Spectator 10]

[The_Spectator 10]

This is for all THOSE who choose to blame those coaches or whatever... UNLESS YOU ARE ON THE SIDELINES OR WHERE ON THE SIDELINES WHATEVER YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO CRITICIZE UNLESS U WAS ACTUALLY REPORTING FROM THE SIDELINES BECAUSE U DON'T KNOW ACTUALLY KNOW WHY SOMETHING ACTUALLY HAPPENS AND IF ALL OF YOU SO CALLED BLUEFIELD FANS THINK YOU CAN COACH BETTER GO TAKE THE DAMN TEST IN BECKLY AND APPLY FOR THE JOB YOURSELF......AND TO THE SO CALLED BLUEFIELD FANS AS I STATED BEFORE ITS A SHAME HOW YOU ALL ARE AND IT ANT RIGHT TO THOSE KIDS... JUST AS LONG AS THEY WIN BLUEFEILD WILL BE THERE FULL FORCE BUT IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY THERE NO WHERE TO BE FOUND... I GUARANTEE THAT IF POCA WOULD HAVE LOST THERE FANS WOULD HAVE STILL BEEN THERE SUPPORTING THEM REGARDLESS.. I BET THERE WHERE A GOOD 15 FANS INCLUDING MY SELF & family IN THE STANDS AFTER THE GAME FOR BLUEFIELD AT THE TIME THAT THOSE KIDS THAT BUSTED THERE ASS EVERY SINCE JAN. 2 2003 WHEN THEY WENT BACK FROM CHRISTMAS BREAK THATS WHEN THOSE HURT KIDS NEEDED THE SUPPORT OF THE FANS THE MOST AND THEY HAD NO ONE BUT COACHES AND FAMILY TO CONSOL IT'S A SHAME TO ME YOU SO CALLED BEAVER FANS... I THOUGHT IT WAS ALL ABOUT PRIDE And TRADITION....NOT ANYMORE MAN NOT ANYMORE.

[tom 10]

i dont remember ANYONE putting the kids down for the game..it was a hard fought game and they gave it all they had and i dont think anyone at all has a problem with their effort, however, if i think i see something wrong, then i will speak out, if you dont like it TOO BAD for you..i have stated before that i CANNOT do a better job than any of the coaches, but when you accept that job as a coach you open yourself up for criticism, right or wrong, but make no mistake as a Blfd FAN, i will and have supported the team whether its an 0-10 season or a 14-0 season , i have no problem at all with TEAM effort and i am very proud of their accomplishments this eason..good enuff for ya????

[Sources 10]

Well said tom.

[sandman 13]

In seven plus pages of posting I have not seen the question I believe is at the root of the matter. Would we be discussing the weather/field conditions if Bluefield had wan the title game?

[ThaSpectacle71 10]

Well..we wouldn't be claiming it as the reason we lost, but any fans who attended the game or saw it on TV saw a field which was a WRECK. Teams could have petitioned to play away from that field in the playoffs.

 

By the Single A game it would have done you more good to figure out the percentage that was completely mud than was grass. And to be honest they are going to have problems getting that field prepared by the beginning of next year if you ask me...

 

The SuperBowl hasn't been played in a cold region in years now and there is reason for that. Lets give teams homefield advantage to make the regular season important but lets play the Superbowl in a dome or in warm weather to see who the BEST TEAM is....makes sense to me...

[BeaverBeliever 10]

No Sandman, I think the root of the problem can best be described as an equation... Win or Lose...

WVSSAC + Wheeling + 8" of Mud = A JOKE

[sandman 13]

I was just wondering, because by all accounts Bluefield was favored in the finals, right?

[buzzsawBeaver 12]

"Would we be discussing the weather/field conditions if Bluefield had wan the title game"

 

That's a good question and a question I've considered myself.

If you expect your opinions to be credible, you have to be honest, and so in "some ways" I have to say no. In other ways, yes.

In my opinion it has more to do with exactly what you were writing about, that bluefield was expected to have an edge in this game. That said I honestly think that anyone who has watched bluefield all season knows that wasn't their best game, especially on d more than anything, that they weren't a team that had manyturnovers at all, ect., but I don't think anyone would argue that that wasn't the best game they could play for their style in those conditions.

I honestly don't think anyone who knows this particular bluefield team doesn't think they were in fact better than this poca team.

So considering that, I have to write that had bluefield defeated poca, the conditions still might have been a factor and the game might have been closer, but I know I would feel as if justice were still served to the best team.

On the other side, you have to consider that this is hardly the 1st time people from this area have had arguments against the games being in wheeling, particularly because of the travel distance and how far bluefield teams and fans have traveled to wheeling in 9 seasons.

So I think in a lot of ways this was sort of the last straw.

In hindsight you have 3 title games undeniably effected by the conditions, fans from either team could still argue the outcome, but people can't argue the outside factors and influence they had in all 3 games.

I also should write though, that even hd bluefield defeated poca, I would still personally listen and support any arguments from martinsburg or willamstown or any other team. As a competitor I support fairness for all teams.

That said, I have to write that where there's smoke, there's fire.

Unfortunately, if bluefield was to ever have the opportunity at hosting the title games, this situation considerably reduces such an opportunity, as in my opinion even if they do move the games to a different location, they'll likely be inclined to move the games to a stadium with turf, which I argue against as much as title games in the conditions these 3 games were in..

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Here's a little Super Bowl information I've found:

The worst conditions for a Super Bowl was for Super Bowl IX (already mentioned), on the icy, cold tundra of...Baton Rouge, Louisiana? That's the ONLY one in which it's ever been played in rain. There's been one north of the Mason/Dixon line (Super Bowl XVI, Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, Michigan). Anywhere else, it could be like the Ice Bowl in the 1967 NFL (not Super Bowl, leagues didn't merge until 1970) Championship between Dallas and Green Bay. I want the elements to play a role in decidin' the victor of a game; I don't want a field in bad shape to decide a game (thin line, but it CAN be done).