Eric55

Has anyone heard anything about the schedule for next season. I have seen the regions TSSAA released but wondering if anyone has heard who else we are going to play.

I think we have the ability to be pretty good again next year. It really will depend on whether or not these kids decide to really "live in the weight room", do the extra running and conditioning to get bigger, faster, stronger, and in the best shape they have ever been in. I won't mention any particular players because I think we have many that can contribute but I think it will really depend on how bad they really want to work. Also, this loss can have a tremendous impact on these younger players. They can either decide that it's not too bad to have extra time to do other things this next month or spend every single day working to avoid ever having this feeling again that there are other kids still getting to play and we're not.

If we play like we did this past Friday, we are going to be very tough to beat and should be headed to Cookeville in a few weeks. However, anything can happen on any given night and anything can sure happen in the playoffs. We just have to continue to improve as we have all season, continue to stay focused on the basics and simply survive and advance. I wish the best of luck to everyone this week and hope everyone stays healthy. Most of all, I hope these kids remember this is still a game and is meant to be fun. That's why it's called "playing the game".

This week should really be fun to watch for those of us that love smash mouth football. Two teams that like to run the ball and are physical up front. I have been looking forward to this game all year. I like our chances with them having to come to Evensville and I believe our Eagles take this one by at least a couple of touchdowns.

Bledsoe will have everyone healthy and 100% Friday night. Dunlap may have had a couple of big wins the last few weeks, but look who they were playing and the record of those schools. I am not saying they are a bad football team, but folks shouldn't be impressed with big wins over Meigs or McMinn Central this year. Again, just look at their records. Bledsoe will be fired up and ready for this one and with it being played in Pikeville the crowd will be tremendous. Bledsoe rolls in this one and Dunlap will have to go home and get ready for next year. Go Big Blue!

It has been a long time since these 2 teams met. And yes I remember the game very well. Bledsoe was expected to get crushed and Loudon had 4 senior players that signed D1 that year. Loudon won that game by a touchdown and Bledsoe fumbled the ball inside the 2 going in with less than a minute to go in the ball game that would have tied the game and sent it into overtime. Yes Loudon won, but Bledsoe gave them all they could stand and then some and everyone was saying way back then that we could not play with them. This will be a great game and at the end of the night Bledsoe will be heading to round 2.

/roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

Great post, Coach! All of us no matter what field we are in have had to jump in and get our feet wet and get the "experience" we need to have before we can have the opportunities we desire. I do have to point out one thing to you, however. From the 50 cent candy bar statement, you are showing your age...I think they are higher than that now. Good luck this fall and always know there are many of us pulling for you every Friday night.

Congratulations Coach Reel. Work hard! I think coach Reel will do a good job as long as we all get behind him and give him the community support he needs to turn things around. He has been around Bledsoe Football his entire life and knows what it means to be a Warrior. I watched his older brothers play (both on some very good teams) as well as watched him play...so I know he gets it. I am excited not only for him, but also for the program itself. Now is the time to begin laying the foundation for the future of Bledsoe Football, so good luck Warriors. Stay focused and make us proud!

I don't post on here very often, and everyone knows who I am by my screen name so I am not trying to hide anything. As far as tradition, (and I have watched BCHS football my entire life), we were known for many years as one of the toughest teams in the valley. We had a time frame in the 80's that were awesome and some in the 90's as well. It is correct about the teams in the 60's and 70's as well. The 61 team was probably the best team Mr. Warden ever had and it is was the 83 team that was the last region champ. That team was narrowly defeated in the quarterfinals by a fluke fumble inside the 5 going in for what would have been the game winning score with less than 3 min left. The 83 team was also the first year we moved into AA from A and we were the smallest school in AA in the valley. The 81 team also won the district, 80 was runner up in the district, 82 was runner up in the district and back then only 1 team went into the playoffs. SO YES WE DO HAVE TRADITION! Sorry, but I get excited from all the years, blood, sweat, and tears my family and I have put into Warrior football and will continue to do so as my son and nephew are now playing in the little league program. I would disagree with warrior2024 as which coach has done the most for the program as I know one that spent 3 years as an assistant and 4 years as a head coach with 3 playoff appearances (2 as head coach), 2 distict championships (one as head coach), 1 bowl win and 2 first round playoff wins (as head coach) and only 1 season that was below 500. They were 4-6 in 84. But yes I am partial and everyone knows I think the world of Coach Brown, I played for him my Sr. year, he has done a great job everywhere he has ever been and is a great man. I have nothing negative to say about him, so don't think I am. I love the man dearly and I know he will be successful anywhere he ever goes. Just the same as I know warrior2024 and wardawg will be. I have known both of them all our lives and know both are great men and do fantastic jobs. I hope whoever we get understands what it means to be a warrior and gets the pride and tradition back to what it can and should be. And I mean nothing negative on anyone, we have just been down for a few years. But don't get discouraged Warrior faithful. We will be back again! As far as John Swafford coaching again, /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> I don't think after 22 years out he would be interested in going back to work instead of enjoying retirement. And for those wondering and rumoring...No the head coach at Grundy county has not and is not going to apply, he has only been there 1 year and is committed to turning their program around and I am sure he will.

Enter Sandman is a good one, but my favorite is Thunder Struck by ACDC. I know that goes back a ways, but that is what we came out to in Bledsoe about 18 years ago.

I know the kid he is talking about since I was just a year ahead of you and was a 2 years ahead of him. I would give the young man credit that he was a very good athlete, but I don't think he should have been starting either. If you think a little this kid was a year behind you and was very fast. I agree that he could have played somewhere, but I don't think he should have started on that team either. Just my opinion (and its not worth much). As far as Coach Brown, I only got to play for him 1 season, but I believe he played the kids he thought were the best AND the ones that worked the hardest. I saw him not play kids with talent because they did not have the work ethic he knows it takes not to "lay down" in the 4th quarter. Again, I only got to play for him 1 year but I can tell anyone that at least during the time I played for him and all the times I was able to follow his program (missed a little being away at school and worked off from here for a little while), I believe he did what he thought was right and played who he thought deserved to play. I will say myself, that I don't think I would have started at all, if Coach Brown had not come to Pikeville, and maybe I shouldn't have. Again, this is just my opinion and I probably am biased toward the man as he did coach my Sr. year and although we had a rough record, we played hard lost some close games and he never gave up on us.

We can all talk from now on about who is in the tougher region or which team plays the toughest schedule. The fact is (no offense to anyone) these two regions in a given year are not that much different. Again, I stated in a given year. I have not seen Cannon this year, only their scores each week and the stats when I could find them. No one can argue that Cannon is a much improved ball club than they were a few years back. I think this game is going to be much closer than most people do and should be a good one to watch. I am picking Bledsoe by 6 in a down to the wire thriller. Safe travels to the folks coming across the mountain and I hope everyone stays healthy and injury free.

This game is not going to be the blowout that many think it is. If Bledsoe keeps the pace slow and grinds it out on offense like they can, it will be close. And on any given night we all know what can happen, if this game stays close and we get a break or two along the way, it could be a long ride back to Jasper. Safe travels tonight and I hope all kids stay healthy.

That is a good article. Thanks for sharing it.

I have no idea what has happened up there and I don't care. BUT, to start a post like this is not right or fair to do to any coach. To say "Yee Haw" because someone is leaving and to imply some of the things that have been on this board is just not right. I have known Johnny since 1979 and he practically grew up at our house. I don't know what kind of football coach he is but I know he works hard and is a good man. I have seen him play the game as well and know how much love he has for the sport. Before people start celebrating through trying to spread rumors on a website while hiding behind screen names, they should stop and think. Again, I have no idea what was happening up there or what kind of coaching job he was doing, BUT that should not matter. This is not the place to hide and imply some of these things. Just an opinion from a long time friend of Johnny's and a fan of this wonderful game. Remember this as well for those that want to talk bad or imply things: "Let he among you that hath not sin cast the first stone".

Man I've got ice water running through these veins and we are cocked and loaded. I have decided to run nothing but trick plays at them all day. They are expecting us to come out and run, block, and tackle...but we are going to trick 'em.

Well in less than 12 hrs. one team will get into the Win column. I will stick with my earlier prediction on the score. I am glad to see someone besides me looked up the opposing team's records like I did earlier this week (it makes me think I am a little less of a football fanatic). I noticed earlier when I had crunched the numbers that we are also averaging getting beat by 9 points less than Stone. Throw all that stuff in a bag and shake it up and these 2 teams should be pretty even. But, it is homecoming which equals 1 TD (we all know this) and it is in Pikeville which equals another score (just the way it is, home field is worth a TD) and that is how I came up with my score. At least all that makes sense in my mind. I hope our boys come out fired up and play like we know they have the ability to do because I am going to have a HUGE plate of crow to eat all next week if they don't. Final Score: Bledsoe 20 Stone 7

I have seen Stone and my nephew plays for them. Their QB can throw the ball all over the field and their receivers are fast. They are faster than any team I have seen this year, but I did not see Tyner. Their offensive line will be quite a bit bigger than we are (my nephew that is a sophmore is over 6'3, 240 and is not near their biggest lineman). However, they have not been able to do a very good job pass blocking and they have had trouble defending the run when teams have run power football straight at them. Maybe they have been, but they do not look like they have spent much time in the weight room, and they don't appear to be in very good shape. Again, maybe they are but they don't look that way from what I have seen and what others have told me that have seen them every week. They don't play hardly any boys both ways, so that gives them an advantage as far as keeping the boys fresh late in the game, but also means some are not on the field that could be at times. All in all, they are improved over last year, but if we get pressure on the QB from our Defensive line without having to blitz and try to play man on their receivers, and line up on offense and take it straight to them physically, Bledsoe gets the win by a couple of scores. If we give them time to throw and try to out run and out athlete them, it could end up being a long night. I am going to make my prediction now: Bledsoe 20 Stone 7

The running back you are talking about would have been Randy Sharp, he was a Jr. that year. His brother was a Sr. the year before that and played Tail Back for that team that went 8-2 and won the district. Randy played the next year on the '83 team that won the district and region and lost in the quarterfinals to Loundon. Randy walked on at Carson Newman and I don't believe he played the entire first season, but I know if he did he did not go back to school after Christmas. The linbacker that I think you are talking about was Kyle Thomas. He was a Sr. that year and ran the ball some as well. I am sure that is who you are talking about and he did not play college ball anywhere. His younger brother played linebacker and running back the next year on the '83 team as a Jr. and went on to be the Special Teams captain at UT. I remember that game well. My brother changed a play at the line of scrimmage and ran a touchdown. I thought the coach was going to kill him for not running what he had called, and rightfully so. It probably made him a better player for it. Fun times!

As far as who mowed the field for the '83 team, John Swafford. He and Jim Warden were the only coaches on staff, a year or so later Sanford Quay began to help as an assistant, but the staff for the '83 team only had 2 coaches. They had a volunteer that kept stats on game night and another volunteer that helped upstairs in the box watching things and would go down and tell what they saw at halftime. As far as the field being given a makeover, John Swafford and 1 volunteer brought in Bermuda sod just before the '85 season. They had to go pick it up in the coaches old worn out green pickup and borrowed a neighbors equipment to put in down with along with another volunteer and a couple of kids. The program back then was funded with gait money and a little fundraising and players were even given the cleats to wear so no player had to spend any of their own money to play and a couple of years they took trips to Florida and Disney World after going to the playoffs. Their was no field house then it was later built before the '88 season while Sanford Quay was coaching. The weight room was an old classroom before the field house was built and the weight benches and squat racks were built by a volunteer whose family has contributed greatly to the athletics in Bledsoe as well as other counties that I will not name on here (I never knew him to want any credit for all he did, someone else can tell if they want). Before that equipment was available the coach made a deal with "The Spa" to let players work out 3 days per week for free for a couple of years. Believe me I know things and times have changed since those days and I have been fortunate enough to have grown up here and now to be raising my son here. I know there are problems that need to be worked through, and if I had the answers I would certainly share them. But remember, Bledsoe County has had problems in the past with lots of different things and has always bounced back. We will again, just like the '83 team that has been referred to, that bunch in the 8th grade had no coach, so a woman said she would do it and has the best record ever of a middle school team in Pikeville. Go Big Blue!

I know this topic was started to ask why Bledsoe has never made it to the state and someone said we never had the talent to get there. I don't know if we have very many times or not, but the '83 team had that kind of talent. They lost in the round of 8 to Loudon and had a fumble with less than 2 min. to go inside the 6 going in. That was also the very first year Bledsoe played AA ball, they were A all years before that. If that team had stayed A, they would have walked through the state championsip and were literally 1 step away from going to the next round anyway. Just because we have not been there YET, does not mean we don't have the talent or that we won't in the future. Many things can have an impact on programs that I will not discuss, but to say that we basically are just not good enough, I don't think is true. But hey, that is just my opinion. And yes, I am prejudice toward the '83 team just like I am toward the '86 team (second best team ever at BCHS), and the '90 team (best 1-9 team in history). Can't help it, I bleed blue, always have and always will.

Call me the eternal optimist, but I am going to pick the "Big Blue" by 2 touchdowns. I have not seen Grace, but I have heard they have a pretty good athlete playing QB, but I just have that feeling that our boys will get things going tonight and get the win by a couple of scores. I can't be there tonight, have to speak in Franklin Co. at an event, but will be there in thought. Hit 'em in the mouth every play and stay tough for 4 quarters and the ride home will be a lot shorter and the soreness tomorrow will be much easier to take.

Vpender, That says it all. Throw records out the window, it will be a tough ball game all night long. I have said that I think these two teams are a good match and I do and I still think Bledsoe pulls this one out by a touchdown. I have been ready for kickoff all day long and this morning the first thing my little Warrior said was "Hey Dad its Dunlap tonight"! I think I remember just about every play against Dunlap from little blue on. I even remember having to take the pads out of my pants to make weight in the 5th grade and TS bringing me a candy bar to eat during warm-ups (and yes we won that game 14-8). Well by my clock the boys should take the field for warm-ups in just over 4 hrs. Go get 'em tonight Bledsoe! And again, safe travels to everyone and stay healthy.

Have we not found someone else to announce yet. That guy is awful! I have only heard 2 people all year that sounded worse than he did. They were the first guy that was announcing at the Little Blue game last Saturday, then the guy that took over and finished the first game and announced the second. /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />