VilleRam

Yeah I think it was an ankle sprain and he had strep throat. Irby has played a fair amount at QB this year I think.

I don't know the Farragut coaches very well but I can't imagine they'll put everything they have into this game. If they're up by a couple TDs (which I suspect will happen early), they'll probably take their stars out. It's a rivalry game but it's meaningless in the grand scheme of things...they want everyone healthy for the playoffs. I hated Farragut with every fiber of my being but they'll get a comfortable lead early and just coast. I don't think the score will be the lopsided because Farragut will save some guys but it will be a decisive victory. Prediction: Farragut 28 Oak Ridge 13

Oak Ridge shouldn't have passed on him...

Try to look at it from his point of view though. Your the offensive coordinator for many years. You run a good offense and you're well liked by the players. Then the new coach comes in and tells you that you can't be offensive coordinator anymore and doesn't give a reason. Wouldn't you be bitter? A program that you devoted so much to for the last what, 7 or 8 years, tells you that you're not important anymore and demotes you. I mean come on, I'd be ticked off also. Like I said, he talked about the coaches and the direction the program was heading but he never caused any real trouble. He supported the kids and encouraged them a lot. I don't understand why he's so controversial? You're not going to find a coach that everyone likes, there will always be a group that hates the hiring, a group that loves it and a group that's indifferent. Any coach will rub some people in town the wrong way. The thing that makes everything better is wins. They can criticize all they want but as long as the team is getting W's and the players aren't causing problems, everything is ok. Gray would deliver that in my opinion.

It's not about what the town wants, it's about winning games. If Oak Ridge starts winning games, there won't be any trouble in the town. I'm not Ron Gray but I played for him long ago and I know exactly what kind of coach he is. He's the kind of coach players want to play for. He got the most out of us. He treated us well and was heavy with the praise when we did well but was the first one to kick us in the butt when we screwed up. I also played for Lussier, and there weren't many kids that looked up to Lussier. We respected him and continue to respect him because he was the authority and he didn't mistreat the guys but if we had to choose between Lussier and Gray, Gray was the choice for almost every player. Jerk was probably too strong of a word but he was very distant and was more of a CEO-coach than a players-coach. I know most of the kids that are the future of the program and they need a coach that will teach them to be men and will get them on the right path. From personal experience, Ron Gray is that guy. By the way, he had Tyler Clark in class and the two are pretty close. Tyler would tell you in a heartbeat he would rather have played for Gray.

Nope, you're dead wrong. Regardless of what you may have heard, he never badmouthed the players. The coaches, yes because he knew they weren't worth a flip (which he was right about by the way). But he never badmouthed the coach in front of the kids either. If he wants to talk to friends or family about his personal opinion then there's nothing wrong about that but he's been nothing but professional in front of the kids. I've heard him around the football players since he left and whenever they'd criticize the coach (which there were a lot of them even in his first year) Ron would tell them to listen to the coach and just play football. THAT is a fact. The kids looked up to Ron even more than their own coach. Go talk to kids like Alex Stewart or Tyler Clark or the Gulmire boys or any of the quality kids OR has had recently and ask them which coach they would have preferred to have. By the way, I'd like for you to find a staff member that DIDN'T dog Lussier behind his back. The man was a jerk. Look I'm no Ron Gray apologist or anything but facts are facts. He made mistakes definitely when he left, there's no denying it. However, I know the man personally and he's the absolute right guy to turn this program around. There's no doubt in my mind about that.

There are 2 middle schools Jefferson and Robertsville that feed the high school. Robertsville has a very good coach in Keith Guthrie and even in a down year for them like this year, they still managed to fight deep in the playoffs. Jefferson is a sad program, they had a ton of talent this year but the coaches couldn't make it work. It's been that way for a while. I think they only had 2 wins when they should have been undefeated with the talent they had. Then there are 2 Boys Club teams, East and West.

Get the story straight. Ron had been the offensive coordinator under Lussier and did a very good job. Ron wanted to stay but Stanton was going to demote him to Oline coach and not Offensive Coordinator. So Ron did what any person facing a demotion would do, he left and got the OC job at Bearden. I don't blame him one bit for that. He didn't puff up and be a jerk. And he didn't badmouth the program, just the coach and the staff and I never once heard him say he hoped they went 0 and 10....he and I talked A LOT then (still do) about the situation and he never even in confidence said someting like that. He supported the boys 110% but not the coach. And even when Ron went to Bearden there wasn't a single boy that didn't understand and respect his decision to leave. They all still looked up to him, asked him for advice, etc. No, the guy has been nothing but supportive of the players and he is the perfect guy to coach at Oak Ridge. The man would run a dang good program.

Yeah there's plenty of talent. If they get a good coach, Oak Ridge will be dominant again when this years class of Sophmores are Seniors and the Freshmen are Juniors. There is a TON of talent. Heck OR has played a bunch of Sophmores this year.

Ron tried to come back to Oak Ridge before this season. He told Stanton he would do whatever he wants, he would take the demotion, etc. He just wanted to coach at Oak Ridge. Supposedly Stanton talked about it with his staff and there were at least 3 that said they would quit if he hired Ron Gray, Jeff Miner being one of them. Really classy group.

Wow that's crazy. Obviously a situation where frustration got the best of him but that's inappropriate in my opinion. If you're frustrated, take it out on the team in the lockerroom, not the announcers who are just doing their job. I mean, basketball season IS starting soon and it IS time for people buy their season tickets. Nothing wrong with that. I can't see how they can justify keeping him. There aren't many that think he should stay (not even his own staff).

I'd take that deal but only if I could eat it on the sidelines with Don Colquitt! /laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":lol:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

I don't know if Barry will. It will depend on who is the head coach next year. If they hire Ron Gray, he won't retire. If Steven's stays, he'll either retire or be told to retire (Saunders and Stevens don't get along at all). He deserves retirment though.

I saw this coming. I go to a lot of OR practices and it's a sad excuse for a football team. I blame the kids, the parents, and especially the coaches. The kids don't have any discipline, they don't want to win it seems. Most are just there to say they're on the football team and there are a lot that would quit and not care one bit. The only reason they haven't is because they get to play. They don't care about the Oak Ridge football legacy, which I was a part of. There's no strong leadership, players and coaches included. There's not one guy that everyone listens to and can take charge. I've seen guys try, but other guys tell them to shut up. It's sad really. Then we get to the coaches who I firmly believe are completely incompetent. There are maybe 3 guys on that staff who are qualified to be there....the rest are jokers. As I said, I go watch practices and the coaches are content to stand around and shoot the breeze while the kids half-butt their drills. As I said, it's pathetic to watch. I've seen coaches recently explaining concepts to players that should have been drilled into their brains in July! They let them do everything the wrong way in practice and when the game comes around, they wonder why on earth the players are doing things the wrong way. Nevermind the fact that the playbook (which was never actually given to the players) looks like it was written by a Boys Club coach. I have a copy of it sitting in my office and I laughed when I read it. Set aside the fact that the playbook is garbage (which I've heard isn't really being followed closely anyway), it's not even the right offense for the players they have. I've never heard of a coaching staff do such a poor job. I think blame should also be placed on the parents and the community. As bad as Stevens has been, the community/parents hasn't helped the team out by constantly bad mouthing him. I don't like the guy anymore than any of you, but the players aren't going to play for a guy they think is a joke (I've heard those exact words used by multiple players on multiple occasions). While it's Stanton's job to establish himself as the leader, the parents and community need to back him, at least in front of the players. If they hear mom or dad ragging on him or alumni ragging on him and saying he's done a crappy job then the players will believe that are going to think that way. In front of the kids or in places where the kids can read stuff, support the guy. You don't have to say wonderful things, just don't tear him down. That kind of stuff is part of the reason these kids don't want to play for him. Maybe they figure it out for themselves but they don't need that seed of doubt planted in their head. Having said that, Stanton should have been a strong enough leader to overcome stuff like that and prove himself to his kids. He hasn't proven squat. Plain and simple. All in all, it's a mess. It won't be hard to bring the team out of the mess though, they just need the right coach. There is a coach I KNOW could do it. I won't say his name but he's doing well over at Catholic right now.