SeeingthingsoO

Sorry if it seems I'm posting to much in this thread, but by the way.. I ran across a place called topix when I was looking up the history stats again. This is what is being posted about us by someone right now. 3 other people have posted in response to whomever this person is from Elizabethton. I didn't get to attend this game because of work related issues and honestly didn't know the Freshman would be playing that night. Was this really done by the coaching staff from Volunteer? Did they not even inform these people they wouldn't be showing up? What kind of message is that really sending out about the program now?

Volunteer has not been a very competitive team since the 70's. Some say that Rider is the best we've ever had, blah blah blah. That is BS in my honest opinion. Yea, we went to first round playoffs. Rider may have been head coach, but it was not because of HIM. It was the football players who did it, they wanted it bad enough. Coach Rider only has 1 game up, plus the lucky break that slid them into playoffs over previous Coach Veneable. Quote pulled from the Kingsport Times News - If you want to check it, you must have an online electronic version of the paper in order to view the archives. Coach Rider was hired in the spring of 2005. Before he was hired by Volunteer he was among 23 applicants looking to be hired by Morristown East. MoEast ultimately hired Randy Frazier. Rider moved into the Falcon nest and removed any and all traces of stats, school record holders etc... Why? Since the time he was hired Volunteer has versed MoEast 4 times with 3 loses, 1 win under Rider. Coach Veneable's Falcons versed MoEast 4 times with an even record of 2 and 2. Volunteer Falcons History Stats 1980-2009 Located Here Quote at his hire date from the Kingsport Times News - Volunteer High is Rider's learning curve for being head coach. He's done an average job of accomplishing what he has. Is he great? No, he's an average coach with little head coaching knowledge. As you see, he's depending on Dad's knowledge. Good for him, but we didn't hire dad. Volunteer hired Scott Rider. Also, Rider has played the famous nephew card and we fell for it. Did MoEast or the other schools he applied for before Volunteer? No. We did, hook, line and sink. Volunteer higher ups saw stars in their eyes. They saw a potential and hope that the famous nephew would pour money into our football program. Listen, I don't knock the man for playing that card. Heck, most men would do it, still doesn't make him an all time great coach. And the famous nephew has brought in how much star power to the Falcon nest? A golf benefit. He now does a camp in Elizabethton, which is where he is from. Sounds reasonable, pay tribute to your hometown. Jason seems like an all-around good hearted guy and blessed with talent. Without making another long post, my point is, Rider is not some great god of football. It's time this town stops kissing some arse and treating him as if he is. It would be nice to see this football program have a big overhaul for the better. Can Rider do this? It's possible, like the boys though he needs to work on improving and accomplish it. If he can't, I say kick him. Yet, with how far the program has sunk, I don't see great prospects bouncing at the chance to be our head coach.

Wow, I think my eyes are playing tricks on me. Some of you are saying the exact same things that have previously been said by fans in years past. Although back then, myself and many more have been downed as not supporting this team for speaking our minds. I've supported this team for many years. From pee-wee to high school - I've sat through entire games from beginning to end regardless of win or lose. I've watched the Falcon stands go from a packed house, to barren concrete slabs by the end of the 3rd quarter. I desperately want to see these boys be a winning team. Heck, not for me as a fan, but for them! I could only begin to imagine how proud they would feel of themselves if they could win these games. With all that said, it's not going to make one ounce of difference how much we as fans support them! We can't do anything more in the stands to play the game out on that field for them. That is what their coaching staff is for, that's what their paid to do for our boys and school! Have they been giving them the advantages of a winning team? heck no! Berate me all you want, it's the truth. Talent is at Volunteer, always has been. Week after week their is talent standing on the sidelines, playing on the field or sitting in the stands. Yes, in the stands there are boys who have talent enough to play. Yet when they started attending Volunteer they either quit before JV, during or right after. Most of the reasoning behind their decision is because they are tired of the coaching staff who know squat about what they are doing. They are sick and tired of the AD hiring his buddies or who his buddies want him to hire that know absolutely nothing about teaching kids how to play the game! Just because you played football, doesn't mean that you have the ability to teach someone else the game. They are tired of Rider who doesn't know jack about coaching a well-rounded team overall. To explain myself about knowing their is talent, take the middle school level from Church Hill alone. Several years ago Church Middle School went undefeated under the reign of Coach Palco. Undefeated! Those boys are at Volunteer today. If I'm not mistaken, I believe Devon Rogers played during that time, or right after when Coach Fain took over. Then Coach Fain for example had his boys disciplined enough to win all but one of their games last year. Those boys are now playing JV football for Volunteer. Now I realize middle school football comes nowhere close to playing the size and ranks of high school football, but what happened after they started at Volunteer? We should have seen these same boys only getting better. However, we never seen some of them play again. Most of their playing time was yanked and they are no more than sideline warmers for nothing. (I know someone will come off with a lame comeback to say I must be disgruntled parent with a kid standing on the sidelines. I can assure you that is not the case, I'm not one of those parents, never have been, never will be.) The reason I say that is because it's true. They are positioned on the sidelines and have no amount of play time until someone gets injured, or they are seniors. By that time these boys have lost strength, effort, passion and ability to perform basic fundamentals. Somewhere along the way the coaching staff at Volunteer doesn't step above and beyond to make a whole team. Nothing is in place for a complete, well-rounded athletic football program. There is nothing for a nutrition balance program, combined with a rounded body building program to increase strength, endurance etc... The body building their doing right now is not going to help without everything else put behind it. When Rider moved in, he removed over half of the equipment that was purchased by football boosters from years past. I can tell you this, our competition owns their own sets of that exact equipment and they darn sure use it on a daily basis in their body building programs. There are a lot of Falcon players that lose roughly between 20-45 pounds during camp, two-a-days or when they finally start back rushing to prepare in the fall. This leaves them at a disadvantage when facing larger, stronger, tougher teams we have to play now. They do not discipline each boy the same, they do not teach the boys who are average how to be better players. They simply don't know how or they refuse to do so. Some of you are saying to play kids on both sides of the ball. Ok, if that is what you would rather see, fine. Let's try that approach and wear these boys out. No offense, but are you crazy? Most of the boys cannot play a full 4 quarters as it is. Now your wanting to wear them out worse by playing them on both sides of the ball? This still goes back leaving more boys standing on the sidelines instead of playing and growing an overall effect football team. If that approach happens, why not take those sidelines warmers off the field entirely. Stop wasting their time, because I guarantee you they don't appreciate standing there all night watching their life float by them. I don't appreciate my tax money, concession money, booster money etc.. being wasted to purchase these boys with uniform, equipment, food and travel expenses. But hey, here's a novel idea.. How about we find a coaching staff who will teach these boys that everyone feels are average or can't play squat how to better? At one time they were learning and could play, why not continue? Get them off the sidelines and use them effectively, teach them how to play before Friday night or senior year! Wow, I just noticed how long this post had become. I apologize if I offended anyone, or if you don't agree with what I've said. My opinion may be different than yours, but I can assure you that we want the same goal...for the Falcons to finally come out on top and win.

Coach Rider visited? Well, what a first or I guess something he does for only his chosen indivduals on that team. I've known a number of players that have been injured, had surgeries etc.. and not one time did he call or visit those players. Now does he really care about this team as a whole football team? I think not by what your statements are.

Just replying to keep in place the crap spewing from your mouth. Typical low character

You are absolutely right. It may seem as if I'm putting them down at times, but I assure you it's not intentional. This is the position that Rider puts these kids in. As example R.J. Williams was put into this kind of position last year. The kid run his heart out for touchdowns and then had to attempt putting his own field goals up. I'm all for these kids as a team, ready to see them play as a team. Yet again though, Rider has set them in a position of indivduals, not a team that's come together to play. Other teams do not coach in this manner. They put structure to a team and build up a whole team with everyone they have. Take for example Betsy, it's a team! Down a kicker? They found one in Christine Hardin. The name Hardin may sound familiar, but the indivdual has changed. Her big brother Clayton was their kicker last year, she is their chosen kicker this year. Now would coach Rider ever step outside the boundary to let a girl on their team? Heck no, it would be social political death for him in Falcon country. Rider's family may know how to coach a well-rounded football team, but Rider himself needs to take lessons from them.

Look, I'm not going to jump into your attempts at an elementary childish argument. I watched the games, and stand by my statements of the facts I know, enough said. With typical style, if someone knows just a little bit more than what's being fed to them, you blow up your chest, ruffle your feathers and start name calling. Yes, I know for a fact he had option! After his recovery time he chose not to play out the rest of the season. He's admitted it by his own mouth that he wasn't finishing out last year not by injury, but by choice. Plus the fact that before every game last year, he was down on the field rough housing and throwing footballs with the waterboys and such. Now if he was so seriously injured that his season was finished, he would not have been able to do even that. I'm not knocking him in the least for doing so, it was what he wanted to do. Like I said though, I'm not going to childishly argue with you over something from the past. I'll probably pretty much ignore your posts from this point on. Again with the name calling. Does it bother you so much that someone may actually know what their talking about? It seems only those that have general knowledge jump to name calling when up against others that actually know the game. It's the defense of some to start derailing the conversation. It really makes me wonder if your one of the parents or fans that sits around in the stands and talks while the game goes on, instead of watching. Then the minute that the Falcons make key mistakes and gets behind in the game, you get up and leave. A Falcon game typically starts with well beyond capacity at the start of each game. The announcer even keeps telling both fans and visitors not to take this seat, or that seat. Then by the end of the 3rd quarter, over half of the stadium is empty.

Jared Rogers did not start every game last season for the Falcons. Besides, I was not even refering to that Rogers in my previous post. I was refering to Devin Rogers as far as speed was concerned. I do hope all their off-season efforts pay off this year. I'm as much with the next Falcon fan as anyone, but I don't see them winning this game tonight. Sure hope these boys can prove me wrong. At this point, I still believe Betsy is the better team. Volunteer has never been able to play well beyond the first quarter.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but as it stands OL/DL players Frank Mutter and Patrick Cox are the only returning starters? Not sure how lopsided it will be, but I see the potential there. You can't expect fresh to know exactly what their doing after only 1 scrimmage before a Friday night game. Witten plays for an overall game, he doesn't expect his players to stand on the sidelines until their senior year to see play action. He uses his players to make a team, make plays and participate in games unlike Rider. Anticipation to see Rogers speed this year. If he decides to play for a full season, unlike last. Jack Crowe really stepped into his cleats last year and made some surprising plays for the Falcons. Heath Allen was able to see some playing time last year in a few games. Waited through an entirely dreadful season last year in order to see Harris as QB this year. Volunteer is severely lacking in overall size compared to their competition. Other than Mutter, Cox, Lawson and Lumpkins, no one comes close to the sizes their competition will be.

Do you even read the paper concerning sports you claim to follow? Coach Myers was not even quoted about anything in TODAY's paper. Heck, they didn't even bother talking to the man for an interview. TODAY's headline for VHS Falcons vs Morristown East quoted: No answer back to the constantly aggressive, hard playing M-East girls. They deserved this win because they ultimately were the ones who played well together as a TEAM and focused their methods for a win. Hands down, they pulled it off with absolutely no resistance from the Falcons typical game play behavior.

I know exactly when he came. Above that, I do recall exactly who was in the selection process to pick him. Does it shock you that some may actually be intelligent enough to know what their talking about. Who is his assistant coach? Well I'll be... it's none other than Coach Anderson. The same man who stepped down from head coach the same year Coach Myers was hired. He made his announcement to school officials and they opened up application processes for a replacement. You believe everything that Myers quotes to a newpaper reporter? Coach Myers is a hypocritical liar if I've ever saw one in my life. Absolutely everything he's said so far in any paper has been a farce. To teach the opponents what? How to sink to the bottom of a conference ladder faster than anyone in history. That's about all that's happened thus far this year. However, it really falls back upon athletes competing against each other instead of playing together as a team to win ball games. He sure is! Following that Vounteer tradition known as losing. Volunteer's girls are going to have to step up, use their talents and work together for the wins.

DB has drama? Wow! Didn't know that anyone in this district could top VHS with that. Church Hill sports teams compete individually with themselves in every sport they offer. Not one single sport from this division plays as a team and it results in loses over and over again. If they would reduce the drama, stop parent coaching and stick with a focused program based on talents, maybe they could be successful. Until it turns around, talent will sit in a classroom or move. More talent has stepped off the court than you can shake a stick at in the past 4 years. This year is no different because Coach Myers (current coach) allows himself to be manipulated, overrun and persuaded not to do what is best for the team. His only focus, as I've heard it myself, is only for what certain parents expect for their mediocre children to appear successful. If they would use all of the talent they currently have, refocus and bring back lost talent, they would be a tough team to challenge.

I've not heard an official word, just gossip... How many players are out now for Volunteer? I know that Franklin and Rogers were out early in the last game. Mutter and a few others were showing signs of possible leg injuries. What's the official word for all injured Falcon players? Condition, length of time from season etc... pls

30th Annual "Battle of Hawkins County" Both teams suffer from a losing streak syndrome right now. Volunteer (0-3) losing to Elizabethton, North and Science Hill. Cherokee (0-3) losing to Johnson County, Daniel Boone and Morristown West. Will the trophy call Cherokee or Volunteer home for the next year? The Rogersville Review has posted an article on the rivalry history this week. The article can be found here: http://therogersvillereview.com/story/10217

The Falcons QB has been sacked 8-9 times this year. Out of those times, only 3 can be blamed on lack of the O-line not defending their QB. The other times are on Luke's back alone because offensively he was suppose to read that player and react accordingly. Take the Elizabethton games as example... Luke was sacked a total of 6 times during that game. Out of those times, he was sacked because of his O-line twice. The other plays were set up in which Luke was suppose to read that particular player and either run the ball, throw the ball or simply get rid of the ball. He failed to do so and therefore was sacked. I noticed that Jake Crowe, Brock Bowery, Austin Gray and R. J. Williams received 'Player of the Week' by TriCitiesSports. R. J. comes ready to play ball every week and always puts his best out on the field. Crowe, Gray and Bowery really stepped up this past week and earned it. Yeah, we did lose, but these guys proved their abilities have been smothered on the sidelines all along. Crowe did an awesome job when given the opportunity. I can't wait to see more of him in the weeks to come.