rolltriberoll

I have seen HVA play all three games this season, so I can offer a bit of a scouting report on the Hawks. Saw DB play at Oak Ridge. First and foremost, HVA is a physical football team. Both lines are strong with decent size. Not a deep team as several skill players play both ways. QB is not spectacular, but he is getting better every week. Junior RB Dykes is their biggest weapon - he had several long touchdowns last week. They run a bit of spread and some I formation. Specialty teams are less than spectacular. Defense is strong, and the offense has improved each week. Dominated Bearden at Bearden two weeks ago, and destroyed South Doyle this past weekend. I would say that HVA is more athletic overall than the Indians. DB's keys to victory will be stopping Dykes and DB's ability to run the ball. HVA will only go as far as he takes them. This is DB's first trip to The Valley. Remember that The Tribe was very fortunate to win last year at J. Fred. This one will be a revenge game for the Hawks. I see the Hawks winning this one 24 - 10. Beware: HVA's parking lot sucks. Takes forever to get out of that darned thing.

Please elaborate.

Let me remind you that the head coach's daughter passed away during the season last year. Not saying that he would have been scalped otherwise, but they certainly weren't going to fire him after his daughter died. There was some movement in DB's coaching ranks last year. Not sure that they were for the better, or not. As has been said by several others, DB has really suffered from a lack of coaching after Darrell Watson left the program. However, DB has a new AD now. Perhaps this will offer a new perspective for positive change. I am hearing that it is just a matter of time.

I agree 100%. With 6 turnovers, I really don't see how DB was able to keep it as close asecond they did.

Will Patrick be playing elsewhere?

Technically, a welfare check isn't a 'paycheck'.

Yeah, really. The silence is deafening. Is DB even going to field a team this year?

Yeah, I would like to see a few 'sacrificed', as well. Permanently.

Yep, I agree. I think you have nailed it.

I think they would have been different last year had it not been for their QB getting hurt in the preseason.

I believe that HVA lost a lot of linemen from last year's team, and most of those guys played on both sides of the ball. However, they will be better at QB.

For the life of me, I can't understand how he survived the season he just had. I spoke to a former basketball player that played on one of those great teams from the early 2000s. He described the the current program as "terrible."

As a matter of fact, DB boys team placed first in the sectional.

Not really surprising when you have an understanding of how the administration at HVA regards athletics. HVA admin is primarily interested in academics. They don't realize (or don't care) that excellence in academics and athletics can coexist. They are very fortunate to have the track and baseball coaches. Chambers was the easy choice. They know him. They know what they are getting. They would never have hired someone that they didn't know - regardless of the applicant's resume. We will see how it plays out. I hope he is successful.

Well, there is an ad for the Kingsport City Schools Director of Athletics job in today's Knoxville News Sentinel. The job is for a "systemwide" director who would oversee athletics both at the high school and middle school level. This is certainly a move in the right direction. The has been a well documented problem with the coordination of the high school and middle school programs.

I would hope that they would go after a successful, well-established coach.

Yes, they will have the opportunity to make a nice hire. However, this is Knox County. Might want to lower our expectations.

On a positive note, DB's track teams did very well at last weekend's Hardin Valley Invitational. Boys took first, and girls placed third. I think about 40 high schools had athletes at the meet. Did everyone see that? I just became a 'genuine' DB fan.

The team was down slightly? Slightly? Ok... Worst record in how many years, and they probably should have lost to that powerhouse at Hardin Valley. To be a 'genuine' fan do you have to be detached from reality? I wouldn't question someone's loyalty towards the program only because their opinion differs from yours. To be honest I consider myself a true fan. I have seen DB play basketball and football more time than I can count. I have made the two hour drive from West Knoxville to J. Fred many, many times. In recent years I have become very concerned about the direction of both basketball and football programs. I am not alone. I believe the teams won about 10 games between the two of them last season. And, yes , that is shocking. Also, how does some one go from being an underclassman to a senior? Did they skip a grade? Last time I checked, an underclassman was either a freshman or a sophomore. Newsflash: everyone is playing underclassmen .

Let me get this straight... Last years team was one of the worst in recent memory - to put it kindly. That team certainly featured one of the worst, if not the worst defense in program history. And, you are talking about them getting some 'hype on the street'. I love your sense of enthusiasm, but you should probably have your prescription checked. You are either taking too much, or not enough medication. I am not worried about seniors, juniors, etc. I am more concerned about the coaches.

Wow, what a game. I think most local fans went into the game pulling for OR, but I think a lot were pulling for Crocket by the end. OR led by 7 going into the 4th, and I told my buddy that there wasn't any way that Crocket would be able to overcome that. However, I didn't count on Green taking the air out the ball late in the 4th. I felt that OR should have kept playing their game. I believe they outcoached themselves. I thought OR was in position to put Crocket away at a couple of points in the game. Crocket just never quit. Those two missed free throws from Gee really hurt OR. Weird overtime. Crocket had two possessions. OR only had one, excluding the last second shot. Cheerleader war was hilarious. Especially when that OR cheerleader struck a pose in front of the Crocket girls. I guess the Crocket girls had the last laugh, though.

This season is certainly the worst in the modern era. Worse than anything that the great Cary Danials ever had. Bad even by Philadelphia 76ers standards.

I would argue that the senior class isn't that weak. Those playears that would be seniors are either playing elsewhere, or they have outright quit the program. Either transferring or quitting is an indictment of the status of the program and coach. I can remember a time when players transferred to DB for the sole purpose of playing basketball. Those days seem to be long gone.

Ok, great. Congrats. The more you read, the easier it will be for you. And, your cognitive skills might just improve. And, to answer your question... I have been drinking.

I would agree that it is not all the fault of the AD. I only heard two names. One being a local attorney that is basically a big supporter/ booster. The other being an individual that is a current school system employee but doesn't come from a sports background. That second individual has certainly been about as successful as possible in their current role. He would make for an interesting candidate for consideration, in my opinion. Truthfully, I have never spoken to either of the two, so I can't comment. Another scenario is that they move Morgan out, and promote him to AD. Don't laugh - it's been done before. Those who met with the Superintendent said that at least he talked a good game. It is my understanding that he comes from Greenville, and they seem to have a successful sports program. It is also my understanding that his deputies are sports minded people. Just what I have been told.