Tank17

I truly hope the Dogs pull this one off.........For my own selfish personal reasons. It would seem I shook on a bet that forces me to wear my undies on the outside of my jeans on the next scheduled motorcycle ride if Hampton loses.... and I hear I might have even agreed to wear them like that on a ride through Mountain City. And I don't even get to pick out my own drawers. Same for the dude who bet me if the Longhorns lose. GO DAWGS!!! My pride is counting on you.

Why would attending a college football camp be a total waste of time and money? Especially when you are talking about a boy who needs direction and discipline? Maybe his mother is looking to father-figures such as coaches and the community and those he admires and respects to help him with direction and to get his head on straight. I believe he has the talent and desire but is immature. I'm not sure about this boy missing practices still. I know his heart was not in to Unaka's program. I believe he was given the okay to miss the spring practice to attend the camps in Texas. He attended Mack Brown's football camp and had their attention. And stayed there an extended 3 days for UT's Speed and Exlosive Power Camp. /motorbike.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":motorbike:" border="0" alt="motorbike.gif" />

Somebody ask Taylor Edwards what tricks he picked up while at football and conditioning camp at the University of Texas in Austin week before last......I know one thing he learned....everything really is bigger in Texas! LOL.

Sorry, didn't mean to hit that reply button so many times..... First thing I have to do is figure out how this boy misses a ball practice and I don't know anything about it... He certainly always smells like he's been practicing when I pick him up! I pick him up a the ball field and I'm baffled.....I wish I could get these coaches to call me when he isn't there so I could catch him in the act. I know they're busy, but it's hard for me to know when to act when I don't know when he's messing up. Of course, then there is that little thing about him having to work hard himself. As a parent there is only so much I can do to support him. I wish I could afford to stay home and parent 24/7...but we like to be able to eat, drive, and live in our home all at the same time...so I have to work. For him to ever reach his potential, he's gonna have be accountable to some things without my help. I realize that. But I would like to be involved in the consequences when we catch him anyway.

I must admit, this is a distressing topic. Coach Lunsford has been a blessing to my kid this year. It takes someone willing to go the extra mile to keep mine in check. Coach Lunsford mentors him on the field and in the classroom and I've seen drastic changes in his work and his confidence. I don't get that close to the field during the game or practices. I don't have to get close to know that Coach Lunsford makes a difference in my kid's life and that's all that matters to me. I hope he stays put. I must admit, this is a distressing topic. Coach Lunsford has been a blessing to my kid this year. It takes someone willing to go the extra mile to keep mine in check. Coach Lunsford mentors him on the field and in the classroom and I've seen drastic changes in his work and his confidence. I don't get that close to the field during the game or practices. I don't have to get close to know that Coach Lunsford makes a difference in my kid's life and that's all that matters to me. I hope he stays put.

I just wanted to say that I'm so impressed with all the technological male bonding on these boards. YCMU. If I could just get some of you fellers to teach my dad that "right click" doesn't mean "write click".....

LOL. Sounds like you could use a hug.

Thanks Pujo. There talking to me on here like I'm some type of a b*tch pushing her kid down every one's throats. I just believe in him is all. If he isn't worth much, I would accept that. He's my kid and Lord knows I didn't make much out of myself. I really don't know about him missing practices. No one ever approached me about it. I work during the day and he had to walk to practice for a few weeks until I was able to buy him a used scooter to ride. First day he road the stupid thing the cops pulled him over for driving on the road with no tag. I didn't know the stupid moped had to have a tag. He was always there in the afternoon when I rode by after work. I know of a couple where he was late a day or two when he was walking, he was sick one day and one day he wrecked his scooter in the rain on the way to practice. That's all I know about. Coach Campbell told me that Coach Ensor told him the same thing. I'm in the dark here. I know he gained muscle mass from doing something all summer. I'm getting off here now. This whole thing really upsets me. But thanks again for your encouragement. I hope to meet you one day. By the way, I have a nice scooter for sale!

As I said in my previous post, athletics was all I had to hold over the boy's head. It became obvious to me early on watching and having conversations with some of his middle school staff that at the high school there would be no room for him. What was I supposed to do when his grades began falling if I didn't have that uniform to take away? I can't beat him, he's 6'2" 252lbs for goodness sake! I would have given anything if just one of those high school coaches would have approached me and just talked with me about him. Just like any other mother out there I just want my kid to get an education and he probably won't be the valadictorian. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe he isn't as good as I think, but what kind of Mom would I be if I didn't stand behind him? I'm not trying to make more enemies here. I don't even know what I'm doing. I'm venting I guess. They told him - and me - straight up if he didn't work hard he won't play at Hampton either. So be it, at least he feels like he's getting his fair opportunity there and it's made a difference in his personality at home and school.

Actually, I don't one position from another and could care less what position he plays. I trust the coaches to play him where he would play best. Remember, according to one post I'm just a "Mommy". Funny too, wouldn't it also be the responsibility of the coach or the principal or someone employed by the school to tell the "mommy" or the stepfather or a parent of some sort if the kid wasn't coming to practices as much as he was suppose to? You are correct in saying that I don't know about him missing many practices. He got awful fit over the summer to have been doing not much of nothing. I didn't approach Coach Ensor or any of his staff about any concerns. They didn't seem to care either. No one said a word to me about missing practices or behavioral problems or the like. The transfer was decided on a Monday morning and the coaches didn't even want to talk about it. They were just interested in letting him know he wouldn't play anywhere this year. He was gone a Tuesday, so no it wasn't a pre-season decision. It was made after a weekend of crying and trying to figure out what was best for him. Yes, he has had some behavior problems. He is cocky at times, but most of the time he's just starving for attention. My fault I guess. But he is loyal and is manageable and he is a good athlete. I also have another child who did extremely well under Principal Campbell and I felt like the move was the best. He needed leadership both on and off the field and I think he gets that more at Hampton under their principal and his coaching staff. I'm not trying to start anything either. I just wanted someone to know that my kid felt left out. And I'm not the only parent who wasn't able to drive through the gates, not pay, and park on the track who felt like my kid wouldn't amount to anything and would never be given the chance if he stayed where he was.

He is definitely a loyal young man. He still loves his friends at Unaka. He fits in so well at Hampton though that I don't think he will look in the rear view mirror with any regrets. He loves to learn, next time you are around him please do take a minute to teach him a thing or two or three. He takes everything in and loves to talk football. Heck, he just loves to talk period. I appreciate your encouragement as well. I learn alot as a parent just reading your posts.

As a parent of a former Unaka Ranger, I've been closely observing Ranger athletics the last few years from grass cutters and little league on through to middle school ball. I'm the first one to say my kid has had his behavior problems, but his has always worked agggressively hard at becoming the best he could be at athletics. It's what he loves. He is loyal to his coaches, always respecting them and looking up to them as a father figure. His father has never wanted to be a part of his life. Thank goodness for his stepfather. I watched as my kid practiced hard all summer lifting weights and completing drills each day. He trusted his coaching staff to allow him a chance to prove himself this year, but in the back of his mind he always knew he'd have to work twice as hard due to the political competition that is plaguing this football team. He had been warned from others who he respected not to take it too hard when he didn't play as much throughout high school, due to who his parents weren't. It was incredibly hard to sit as an outsider while my boy cried himself to sleep after that first jamboree game when his position that he'd been working so hard at was given to another person's kid who had not practiced all summer and knew he didn't have to work as hard as mine for reasons some of you understand. My son played the last 12 seconds of the ballgame while those who are more "fortunate" than mine started and played the entire game. No explanations were ever given to my boy who wondered why you wouldn't even play him in an exhibition game? Athletics was the one thing I could always use to ensure that he did his homework and placed emphasize on his academics just as much as sports. He knows if he doesn't concentrate on his school work, mind his teachers and coaches, that I will take his uniform away. I've done it before, so I don't think one could say I don't try hard to instill discipline in this boy. Taking that leverage away from me and watching him cry over something that meant so much to him forced me into the making the decision to transfer him. And, wow, what a difference his new coaching & teaching staff has made in him. His grades are great, he gets rewarded on the field for the hard work he puts in, and his whole outlook on life is more positive. That's all I wanted for him was a fair shake and some real leadership. Now he knows for a fact that I'm not the only person in the world proud of him and he's getting the encouragement he needed. It has been sad for him, however to lose so many of his friends who call him a quiter or deserter. Gosh knows I've lost mailboxes and picked enough toilet tissue out of my trees. But if that's what it takes to change his outlook and give him something to be proud of - so be it. I hope Unaka does turn its' entire program around. There are so many good kids there who are great athletes. But you were right. It will take alot of work and a lot of soul searching from some that I don't think are willing to let go of their influence.

Now that you mention it, I did notice that their transportation "school" buses do resemble Department of Correction chain buses. I guess that's fitting - being that one of their own was recently "found guilty".

and............I just rode by the score board at Unaka In the 3rd, Cosby 9 - Unaka 6 (but Cosby was first and goal when I left)

In the 4th - the as of 9:35pm it's Hampton 38 - GCA 21 (per call from press box)