everyone , please read...thanks

[buzzsawBeaver 12]

This is exactly what I was talkin about about martinsburg and their passing game.

 

"Parkersburg South dominated the time of possession (34:40 to 13:20) and held a high-powered Martinsburg offense to just seven plays in the second half and just 29 for the game in it's 26-20 victory over Martinsburg.

 

Sounds like good enough reasons to win a state championship right? Let's be honest here. As good as Parkersburg South is -- and they have one heck of a defense, as Morgantown High can attest to -- the Class AAA championship game, played on Saturday afterno on, was actually decided 24 hours prior.

 

Snow began to fall in downtown Wheeling around 1 p.m. Friday, and it just kept coming. By the time the Class AA title game was played that night, the grass field at Wheeling Island Stadium was covered with it.

 

By the end of that game, the field had been turned into a muddy mess.

 

Now, here sits Martinsburg High, a team that is strictly a pass-first team with quarterback Nate Sowers (3,149 yards and 47 TDs) and receiver Brandon Barrett (88 rec., 1,415 yards).

 

The field had frozen over by the start of the game, meaning the players could dig their cleats into the hard mud and ice for footing.

 

By halftime, it was over. If you couldn't run the football, which Martinsburg couldn't, you weren't going to win. Sowers was shown in the second half holding the ball with his hand completely underneath it, as if to just hold it in place as he dropped back to pass instead of gripping it.

 

The field conditions last year, during Morgantown's victory over Parkersburg South, were just as horrible.

 

It's the No. 1 reason cities like Morgantown, Huntington and Charleston are pushing to get the Super Six moved away from Wheeling and to their artificial surfaces.

 

The only exception to all of this was in 1998, when J.R. House and Nitro beat Morgantown, 69-52. That game worked out perfectly for Nitro, though. The field hadn't been used at all during the playoffs and championship day brought sunny and warm conditions.

 

Had House had to play in the slop that Sowers had to, MHS would've easily beaten Nitro that day.

 

On the surface, or playing surface, as it were, it looks like a good idea to move the games to give every Super Six team, regardless of offensive styles, an equal chance. It's just not going to happen, though.

 

You want to know why Wheeling has the Super Six? It has nothing to do with football at all. What Wheeling does behind the scenes can be matched by no city.

 

Corporate sponsorships provide free food and lodging for teams that decide to stay for the weekend. That means every coach, player, cheerleader, athletic director, principal and team manager stays for free.

 

Everybody that wins the academic achievement awards, which are presented before the kickoff of the Class AAA game, they can stay for free and also have a banquet provided for them.

 

SSAC representatives are taken care of and are even provided free transportation and then the SSAC picks up a nice check after its all said and done.

 

Now, you ask why Morgantown couldn't offer the same? First off, WVU is going to charge you out the wazoo for the use of Mountaineer Field and there really is no way you could find enough sponsors to fit the bill for all that happens.

 

Plus concessions would also have to go to WVU and not the SSAC, so there's even more money you need to come up with.

 

In short, the games may never leave Wheeling, which leaves just three words of advice for teams looking to win future state championships -- run the ball."

[BeaverBeliever 10]

I'm afraid Buzzsaw is right. The Super Sloppy Six may never be moved away from Wheeling, with all the sponsorships and freebie packages Wheeling has to offer. Looks like the playoff teams are going to have to start practicing in very muddy conditions to be state champion contenders...

[buzzsawBeaver 12]

I should mention that that post about martinsburg was an article from the morgantown press.

That said, actually an article from the charlston daily mail wrote about all of the complaints directed at the ssac recently and from what was said, "they might" actually listen more to other bidders.

They also mentioned that bidding info was mailed to sites that had expressed interest in previous biddings, bluefield being among those. Doesn't mean bluefield will respond or bid, but they have been mailed by the ssac. They will meet in mid jan to consider bids.

As mentioned though, in my opinion wheeling has likely doomed the opportunity for other stadiums with grass to host the title games.

Fact is who are we kidding, there are no real ssac contacts or big shots or interests here in the south, it's hard enough for deserving players such as james monroe's thronton or bluefield's isable to earn the kennedy award, and they certainly likely would never host the games down here.

[hossy 10]

[ QUOTE ]

 

Fact is who are we kidding, there are no real ssac contacts or big shots or interests here in the south, it's hard enough for deserving players such as james monroe's thronton or bluefield's isable to earn the kennedy award, and they certainly likely would never host the games down here.

 

[/ QUOTE ]Could be worse. You could be living in SW Va. trying to "compete" with the northern/eastern parts of the Commonwealth for recognition.

[buzzsawBeaver 12]

I know what you're sayin. I've heard that a lot of people in eastern and northern va. have the opinion that va. basically stops at roanoke.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Buzzsaw, you are most certainly correct. In my travels across Virginia, I've seen two different Virginias. The south has more blue-collared workers and honest, true people; the north has more white-collar workers with a higher crime rate (excludin' Richmond, of course). Southwest Virginians are as guilty as anyone else in believin' the state stops at Roanoke, but it's truly experienced in a greater degree farther east. I cannot show anyone where I live unless I use Charleston or Roanoke as a landmark. The sentiment of the vast majorty of people I've met states the same thing; I've been bluntly told that I didn't matter because I was from the southwest part of Virginia. What one must do then, in football as well as life, is to work harder and to have more drive, and evenutally, that one will come out on top.

Thanks for my little inspirtational moment, but it's the truth; Virginia's divided at Roanoke.

[buzzsawBeaver 12]

Maybe southwest virginia could become the 53rd state?

Be a good high school football state.

I'm full of ideas lately.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

I've thought about that proposition before, albeit that my proposition would never happen. This is more for humor than for serious discussion, but I believe we would have to take southern West Virginia, southwest Virginia (excluding Blacksburg, for Virginia Tech's purposes), and eastern Kentucky, and just create another state. To become a state, an area must have 50,000 people (check!), and must petition the legislative branch in order to propose a bill. Such a bill would never do well; however, I've adopted the adage "the state stops at Roanoke"; SWVA is basically another state in itself.

[buzzsawBeaver 12]

It is just for fun of course. That said, basically the entire coalfield regions of wv, ky, and va., makes sense.

What would you label such a state?

Besides the ultimate sterotype in the making?

Might as well claim the upper eastern counties of tn as well.

[buzzsawBeaver 12]

2. WVSSAC FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SITE STANDARDS

1. FIELD:

a) Field surface must have proper drainage.

b) Surface shall be in a safe and playable condition in late season. It must have a grassy surface without extensive rough spots. Excessive use lessens SAFTEY and PLAYABLE conditions. It is suggested that activities in excess of 15 events on most grass fields is probably to much.

 

from the WVSSAC website....

[frmerBdawg 10]

The idea of a new state is not a new one. At one time it was discussed to create the state of Appalachia. But like it has been said, there is such a stigma associated with that area of being backward, uneducated people. I live in the richmond area now. Some of the most uneducated people that I have meet have 4yr college degrees. They couldn't scratch their butts without instructions.

[ghs73 157]

i feel that gretna would have been able to play and pass in any conditions that were there they are that good.

[buzzsawBeaver 12]

I disagree in that they couldn't have passed "effectively" in the conditions at wheeling as they were that saturday for the wv aaa title game. Friday night in the snow and mud it wasn't as bad, but the saturday afternoon aaa games have been the worst at wheeling in '02 and '03, especially '03.

gretna was an exceptional team, but people themselves are never so good that they can overcome certain simple factors, such as a qb not being able to hold on to a ball that it literally caked with mud. How effective could any qb be expected to be if they have to shot put the football?

Someone would only have had to watch the 3rd and 4th quarters of the wv aaa game to see exactly what I'm talking about.

Mitchell stadium was a lot better after all, I expected it wouldn't be but it was, which says a lot about the stadium since this area had equal amounts of rain, snow and weather that week.

[ghs73 157]

i agree with you on some things but as far as a ball being caked with mud that is the managers job of keeping a clean and dry ball as much as possible. take the manager for graham drew marrs the kid did a fantastic job of keeping a fresh ball ready for the officials to spot on every play that graham ran. so as far as a qb holding on to the ball maybe the team needs to train a better manager or take lessons from drew marrs. but as far as the beaver game i do not know the field conditions but i do remember the game they played here before the final game in the snow and they won that game. mud will slow you down but you still have to adapt to the conditions like blfd did in the snow at mitchell stadium.

[JoeBobTweed 10]

[ QUOTE ]

Buzzsaw, you are most certainly correct. In my travels across Virginia, I've seen two different Virginias. The south has more blue-collared workers and honest, true people; the north has more white-collar workers with a higher crime rate (excludin' Richmond, of course). Southwest Virginians are as guilty as anyone else in believin' the state stops at Roanoke, but it's truly experienced in a greater degree farther east. I cannot show anyone where I live unless I use Charleston or Roanoke as a landmark. The sentiment of the vast majorty of people I've met states the same thing; I've been bluntly told that I didn't matter because I was from the southwest part of Virginia. What one must do then, in football as well as life, is to work harder and to have more drive, and evenutally, that one will come out on top.

Thanks for my little inspirtational moment, but it's the truth; Virginia's divided at Roanoke.

 

[/ QUOTE ]

 

Unfortunately, that's pretty much a fact. Being someone who is from Southwest Virginia, I just visited up north to Fairfax County to visit some family for the holidays. And of course, my accent was a topic of amusement with several of these "Yankees." I'm sure upon their reactions, they assume that I'm instantly not capable of intellectual thought. But I digress, at least the crime rate in this area is quite lower in our "neck of the woods." And plus, if I need directions and stop at a nearby convenience store, the cashier will speak English.

 

If you're born into this area, you're automatically born into an unfortunate stereotype. The state does end at Roanoke, not only in the rhetorical sense, but also the financial and opportunistic sense. Lack of jobs and opportunities have hurt our area dramatically. The majority of big industries do not look into ventures here because the lack of an interstate or major highway (a la "The Coalfields Expressway). Perhaps if we had a governor that was from our area of the state, and our area was viewed as an ambitious place for business/commercial usage, CFX would finally get into the works. Take Pikeville, Kentucky, for example, Governor Paul Patton is from Pikeville, and once he was elected into office, Pikeville saw dramatic changes in growth of business and the reworking of Route 23.

 

Now I know what you might be saying right now. "Joe Bob, what the hell does this have to do with football?"

 

Quite a bit actually I think, because the attitudes and discriminations that occur toward Southwest Virginia unfortunately carry over to the sport of high school football, and even high school sports in general. A lot of great athletes from this area go unnoticed simply because of the area we live in, which I think is simply a damn shame.

 

I really would like to see things change one day, because this is a great place to live and raise a family. And no matter what anybody says, there's no better place in the state to catch high school football action on a Friday night. Maybe these people with superiority complexes in places like Roanoke, Richmond, Fairfax,etc. will get a reality check one of these days.

[Lovebone 10]

I Feel that the futher east you go there is a real difference. I"m from the Blu crosstracks and now I live in Roanoke now and the people here are just as country as they say we are. Here they think they are a big city the only thing here is the railroad take that away here and you have nothing. To really see anything after Roanoke you have to go 1hr 30mins to Richmond I think that is where the state ends.

[89Tornado 10]

I was born in Roanoke, Va, with family in Richlands. I lived in Roanoke for 12 years, moved to Richlands for my middle school and High School years. During that time I was dying to get out of the area, because without sports there was really nothing in the area for entertainment. I went to college in Florida and now live in Charlotte. ( Sorry for the history of my life there ) But, I said all of that to say this, I was dying to get out then, but I'm dying to get back to the slower paced atmosphere, the not so cut throat business of the larger cities, and a safe learning environment for my two sons. I would also love to see my boys suit up in a Richlands football uniform some day. Anyway, it's not always the big business and things you can do that makes a great place to live. I think it's just what you make it, and you can make what you want. Sorry for the ramble !!!!

[BigD4VT 11]

I was born in Richlands and lived there till age 17 when I moved to Richmond. I spent 13 years in Richmond and loved it, but I did get tired of the pace and especially the crime. I came back to Richlands in five years ago. It took a little while to get re-acclimated but now I wouldn't leave here for anything.