VilleRam

It's the internet, if you don't have anything negative to say you just don't say anything! /tongue.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":P" border="0" alt="tongue.gif" /> I haven't been around the program in several weeks which is why I haven't posted any info. I've been pretty busy!! Does anyone have any info on the freshman program? Is Thompson still coaching it? Who are the assistants?

Blade isn't just hands on, he IS running the offense and defense. This year, he will call all the plays and he will not take any input from his assistants as far as the scheme goes. He's not going to discuss changing anything with them about the scheme. I heard Blade say that with my own ears. He made that clear from the get go and if they weren't comfortable with that, they should go. Next year, when he finds out who is competent or who can actually coach, then he will start grooming someone to take over play calling and the following year if he finds someone, he will hand over the responsibility. I'm not worried at all though, the guy knows his stuff, offense and defense. He's a very very smart offensive coach with a defensive mentality. I have confidence he'll be able to handle the play calling duties, I just hope he doesn't get burned out.

Zack (Zulliger) seems healed, he has been working hard with coach Blade. The biggest thing they're working on his footwork, in the running and passing game. His passes look VERY sharp though. Zack Witherspoon has also been working very hard and I expect him to be the starter at RB. There are a lot of receivers and I couldn't tell which one Blade likes the best but I expect Tyrus Henderson to be a big part of the offense. Blade really likes James Normand as the Strong Tackle, so it's a very safe bet that's where we'll see him. Chris Harder has been working at RB, and even though Blade doesn't utilize a FB, I think he's going to find ways to get this guy on the field as a lead blocker. Johnny Van has looked pretty sharp with his routes and catching so I think he'll get playing time. Defensively, Harder will obviously be in the middle and Zack Hughes looks like he'll be at strong OLB. David Wright was working at FS and Bradley Zulliger as SS. That's all I can remember. Starters obviously aren't set in strone right now, it's only April but I expect the guys I named to be starters come fall, if not significant role players.

I'm not going to get into the Mullins discussion, I will just tell you exactly what I've seen of these workouts. They stretch as a team, they do agilities, then they break off into about 4 groups and do conditioning work at stations, rotating every 10/12 min. until each group has worked out at each station. The stations are like footwork drills, flexibility, core work, etc. Then they do some team defense work, lining up the defense and working on adjustments to different fronts (it's a 4-3 but they Safety often comes down into the box and acts as another LB). Then they go into the weightroom and hit that hard. When they're done with that, the receivers and QBs go into the gym and work on routes and the linemen do something else (I've only stayed and watched the QBs/WRs). Everything is very crisp and very intense, there is no slacking and mistakes are not accepted. Blade is very personable with the kids and coaches, he talks and jokes with them, but they better be getting their work done or he will let them hear it. I absolutely love what he's doing. His offense is VERY simple and requires execution and intensity above all else. I don't know the rules or if this violates the rules but there's no doubt in my mind this team will be very well prepared for the coming season.

I'm not fighting, I'm just doing what I've done in the past, which is defend someone who's being accused of being something they're not or doing something they didn't do. I would do it for anyone, even people I don't like. Even if someone got on here and accused Stanton Stevens of doing something he didn't do, I would defend him like I've done for Mike Mullins or Ron Gray. It ticks me off when someone gets on here and says "Mike Mullins is an idiot" or "Mike Mullins doesn't know what the heck he's doing", when they don't know crap about him or how good he is at his job. Same thing for Ron Gray. I've said a lot of things about Bruce Lussier but none of what I've said is false, and if someone tried to say something false about him, then I would correct them.

I didn't say him being blunt was a bad thing. He's brutally honest which is why some don't like him. There was an incident and Bruce handled it poorly, causing Mullins to not come back. Maybe Mike overreacted, I wasn't there in person so I don't know whether his feelings were justified but Lussier dismissed it like it wasn't a big deal which you just can't do. His Dline coach had a problem and he needed to solve it instead of dismissing it as nothing. As it turns out, it was a problem that another coach on the staff solved pretty quick...Lussier could have solved it quick and not upset off his Dline coach but he chose not to. I blame him.

Maybe if Bruce had been even a little bit diplomatic he wouldn't have left. It's interesting to talk to so many coaches who didn't have a good relationship with Bruce yet people say they're all the ones who had the problem, not him? Weird.

I don't know anything other than what the Oak Ridger news item said. One player told me about the Nike thing but that's about it. One of the track coaches told me there were several guys doing their football conditioning AND track practice. That's a good sign. Both middle schools are a couple weeks into track season. Robertsville already had their spring football practice, Keith likes to get it done before track season so when track is done, he's done with everything. Jefferson hasn't practiced yet, I want to say May 11th I think I heard is when they start Spring practice.

Yes the people I've talked about have seen what I've posted and said they're ok with what I've said. I've made sure. Stuff that they didn't think I should have said was quickly edited and deleted. There's nothing wrong with reading what's said here, they're not posting or making decisions based on what's said here. They usually just laugh!

Well if Coach Blade decides to break TSSAA rules (which as of yet, he hasn't) then I'm sure Mullins will do the right thing. It's only wrong if Barry says something that is false, which he didn't.

I've said nothing the people I've talked about haven't told me I could say. They read this stuff too.

You clearly don't know him, at all. And you don't know the story behind that. I know the story (I've been told by multiple sources that aren't him) but I'm not sure he would appreciate his business being all over this place. What it comes down to is that he had his reasons, he explained himself to the players and everyone understood. It's easy to say "he was a quitter and he didn't really care" without knowing the facts. You're really splitting hairs. You make it sound like Mullins alone was doing all the hiring....there were many people involved with the process. Mullins wanted Blade, and Blade was hired. If the search committee hired the right guy, then everyone on it should get credit for a good hire...you can't say everyone BUT Mike Mullins gets credit, that's illogical.

Yeah I'd like to know what I'm so confused about? I've known him for a long time. I played Dline for him, I had him as a teacher, I know both him and Karla well personally, etc. I'd like to think I know him pretty well. I don't know what I'm confused about?

I don't know. One things for dang sure, he doesn't know Mike Mullins at all. I know the guy personally, he came to my graduation party and has been to my house a couple times. He and Karla are very good people who care very much for Oak Ridge sports. The day after Blade was hired Karla hugged me and told me it was a great day for Oak Ridge High School...she didn't act like someone who was upset that her husband had been overruled by Bailey and the school had hired someone they didn't want. Then later that day Mike told me about recommending Blade. If they were lying they did an extremely convincing job! /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

Really? Who did he recommend? Last time I talked to him, which was the day after Blade's meet and greet thing, he said he had recommended Blade. I'm curious where you're getting your info from? Yourself maybe?

Oh please, you blamed Mullins, Bailey, and Carringer for the Stanton Stevens debacle, but now that we have a good coach it was ALL Bailey and Carringer? Mullins deserves blame when a bad move is made but gets no credit when a good decision is blamed. Blade was Mullins and Carringers recommendation, and Bailey followed that. I commend all 3 for the hire.

Mike Mullins is a good guy and a good AD. There is not a person in Oak Ridge that cares more about ORHS sports than Mike Mullins, I guarantee it. Yes he's blunt and doesn't play the game, which is why he's alienated some people, but he doesn't mind making the hard decisions and alienating some people. He's another guy who is there just for the kids and doesn't have some ulterior motive.

I heard Nike is sponsoring the team this year. Can anyone confirm this?

I agree with you. I think Jackson does a good job and I have respect for Phil Thompson. That Oline coach, Smith(?) seemed like he knew his stuff and the players respected him. I don't even really mind Jeff Minor, I just don't think he should have been a coordinator. Those 4 plus Saunders and you have 5 coaches right there. They either need to get a top notch D Coordinator so Blade can run the offense or get a top notch O coordinator to implement Blade's scheme so he can run the defense. Either way we need a good coordinator, which isn't anyone on the current staff I'm afraid.

I've heard people make the argument about state rings and I just don't happen to believe that is the measure of a good coach. I heard people (not here) say Ron wasn't a good coach because he had no rings and I thought that was bogus and by the same token, him having a ring doesn't improve his status in my mind. As my good friend RallyKat pointed out, even the worst coach on a state championship team has a ring, it doesn't make him a good coach though. And he's not paying me anything to say good things about him, that's all me. I haven't said anything about him that is false or untrue.

Stanton actually wanted to bring Ron back before last season and there were at least 3 coaches that said they would quit if he was hired. Personally I would have called their bluff and hired him because the positives of him coming in would be greater than the negatives of the 3 leaving. From what I hear, Ron would accept a job if they offered him one. The hardest part would be the sort of awkwardness between him and Blade because they went for same job but Ron has nothing against Blade personally so I'm sure he could put it behind him and coach where he wants to be. I think the drama or the soap opera has been created by the community and in places like this, he's not a very dramatic person. What he is is a dam fine Oline coach and a very bright offensive mind. He would also help a lot with the strength and conditioning program. There are some good coaches though on the staff. There are some that are good schemers but not good teachers and vice versa. One area that Blade needs to excel that Stevens didn't at all is coaching other coaches. One area they need to really improve is the freshmen team. I like Phil Thompson a lot, he seems like a very good coach but that freshmen team should have been a lot better because they had a ton of talent. They're going to get a lot more talent next year.

So what's next? Does anyone know anything about a staff? It will be interesting to see who's kept and who won't. I heard one of the assistants that is a teacher is in the running for a coaching job at Boys Club. I don't know that much about Boys Club so I don't know what jobs are available. Are there any coaches coming over from Hillsboro?

I'd rather have a coach named Blade than a coach who threatens with a blade! Welcome Coach Blade, I look forward to meeting you!

Great hire for Oak Ridge! Sounds like the guy really knows how to coach. I'm very excited for Oak Ridge Football 2009!

I was thinking the same thing!! That would have been a joke honestly!! The problem is finding someone who has Oak Ridge Football's best interest at heart and not their own agenda. An uppity faculty member would put a ton of emphasis on how they would treat academics (not to say that's a bad thing but that's not everything), a prominent booster would be out to find someone who could change OR football to whatever his vision is, etc. I think another head coach, one that wasn't in season right now, would be good to have simply because they would be able to focus on the job and really be able to judge the character of the candidate. I think an experienced former coach with strong ties to the community (like DD) would be good. I think a current coach in the community who knows football would be able to gauge the football intelligence (like KG). Plus the AD and I would include Ken Greene and not Bailey. I think Greene is a lot more in tune with what's happening now than Bailey. I would also include the booster president because they have to be able to effectively work with the HC.