tincup

.....and again...you're taking it too literal...and too serious. yes, we all know soldiers...and they wouldn't be offended...take it easy

Congratulations to Coach Chambers and his girls. Good quality win!

Nice to hear the progress going on in Bulldog land. Congratulations to Coach Hazelwood and his players. I hope that this is just the start of the program turning things around. Coach Hazelwood is a hard worker and he has taken some major heat on hear lately, much of it isn't deserved. I know what kind of coach he is because I played for him myself years ago and he deserves a better chance than some people are giving him right now. He has only been the head man for a couple of seasons. It takes time to turn a program back around and a win like tonight's is a building block. Rome wasn't built in a day. People expect instant success but in basketball it doesn't alway come that way, it takes alot of time and hard work by the coach and the players. Support from the community helps too. Glad to see Deputydog on here also! Again congatulations, keep it up Dawgs!

I agree totally that Coach Tolley runs one of the top programs in our area and that includes middle school and high school. He is a great teacher on the court and off. Year in and year out his teams are always well prepared and ready to play. I wish him well in whatever his future may hold on the court and off. He is a great ambassador for Hampton basketball and also Carter County basketball. He is the type of man that a person can take what he says and take it to the bank. There aren't many of those left! Congratulations to Coach Tolley and his team on their performance at Freedom Hall in the Christmas Tournament, you all represented Carter County very well over there. I hope that if he does put up the whistle that it isn't for long and I am sure that the people in Hampton feel the same way.

Some coaches must coach with emotion considering the fact that many players these days can't get themselves fired up to play the game. I don't think that this was as much of a problem back in the 60's, 70's, and 80's with the type of players that we had in all of the Carter County schools. Players back then had a work ethic that they carried over to the court for practice and in games. Most kids back then had chores at home to do when they got home or their families were farmers and they had no choice but to work. Most of today's players don't carry that same mentality to the court with them because they are soft compared to players like Leon Tolley, Donald Ensor, Johnny Ensor, Jerry White, etc. I mention those names because they share a few common bonds that people in today's society should take a look at before they down Donald for being emotional on the sidelines. The first thing of course is that they either coach or have coached in this county for years. Secondly, as players they made at least one trip a piece to Murfreesboro or Nashville to play for the gold ball. And they all coach or coached with passion and fire. They all expect their players to play hard and smart basketball. I know from quite a bit of experience myself that getting some players to just play hard is like bleeding a turnip these days. It is real easy to set in the stands and say that a coach is doing something stupid or wrong but most people don't see what goes on behind the scenes at school and in the gym on days when there isn't a game for parents and fans to come to. Most coaches that I talk to in this county spend on the average at least 12 hours a day with these kids and they only hear the negative comments on here and in their own gyms about how bad that they do their job and also how they would do it different. It burns me up to hear this stuff, would you rather see a coach that sits over there and never says a word no matter what. I know some people will say that coaches like Coach K at Duke never act with that kind of emotion. That is true for the most part but he also has 10-12 McDonald's high school all-americans playing for him too. I have heard complaints this year ranging from the coach being to quiet to the coach acting to wild. What do people want? I'll tell you what I want, I want more coaches that teach discipline, hard work, consistency, passion for the game, pride in the uniform, respect for the other school, how to represent the community, dedication to the game, and moral responsibility. The coaches that I mentioned before do that and in today's society they are a dying breed because of critics that see them in the heat of competition and lay down judgement like they are the coaching experts. Come on and try to replace these people that coach at this level and see if you want to put up with what they do. By the way a 12 hour day is on a day when you have early practice and no team to scout. A game day would average probably about 15-16 hours if you are at home. And the coaches do not get overtime pay. See Dallas Williams, I'm sure he can find you an application for the job if you can handle the hours and the criticism but you probably won't be criticized because you have all the answers. Keep on coaching the way you do Donald, there are some of the old schoolers out here that understand!

Thanks Jumphook, I appreciate the help. Talk to you in a week or so, maybe we can scrimmage sometime?

Sounds good deputydog. Not a lot to talk about on my end, except that people better be wearing helmets when they come to watch my bunch! Email me and I will fill you in a little more. Good hearing from you.

Need to talk rolltideroll. Let me know if you are still around and what you are doing. I need some help with basketball team if you aren't committed somewhere else.

It has been a while since I posted on here but here goes nothing! I want to defend Coach Lunsford and the Landers on one thing and that is their scheduling. I was once a coach at Cloudland and talked to Mike regularly about scheduling and also about basketball. I didn't coach football and I am no longer up there so this is totally an unbiased response to this topic that was started. Mike really tried to schedule anyone willing to play when I was there and no one seemed to want to take the chance playing Cloudland if they didn't have to except for Hampton. J.C. and Mike even played each other twice a year on many occasions because Mike couldn't get anyone else to play. I remember Mike staying on the phone for weeks trying to schedule tough non-conference opponents but there were usually very few takers. Cloudland can't help that their own conference is weak and the teams that Mike scheduled from Virginia are traditionally pretty tough. I will go on to say that I admire J.C. and the boys from Hampton for stepping up each year and playing even though they don't really have to. Mark, Dakota, Dane, Zach, Aaron, and all of those boys are hard workers and great kids. I know because I coached most of them myself. I hope they go all the way to Murfreesboro again. I really miss those boys, Coach Lunsford, and the community up there very much now that I am gone. Some reading this would be shocked that I am supporting Cloudland in this thread if they knew my true identity. Good luck Cloudland.

Hunter Elementary in Carter County is looking to schedule up to four more regular season games in girls and boys basketball. We are also looking at the option of playing in a Christmas tournament if we can find one. We will be willing to schedule away games only or a home and away series.

You know the thought just entered my mind as I sat and read this trash being dished out by some little wannabe, "wouldn't it be nice to go back to the old days"! I speak of the time when ballplayers went out and played hard and kept their mouth shut. There was no trash talk, at least not as obvious as it is these days. Little punks that talked trash back then had better be able to back it up or they would be shut up. For Elizabethton being so dominant and us in the county being so beneath them I say why did Hampton beat you in the district championship last year? If you are so dominant and so fast and so much bigger, why did Happy Valley beat you in football a few years back. I will tell one thing, you all should be dominant compared to us that only have about 400 kids in the entire school. I remember back in the 80's when Hampton gave you all more than you wanted in basketball each time you played them. Sure you probably lead the all-time series with all county schools but you really should. You all have more raw talent than probably anyone in East Tennessee in men's basketball and you have had that for two or three years. It amazes me that you all start talking all of this smack the first time that you make it back to the state tournament. Of course you had to quit playing D-B, Science Hill, Greeneville and come down and beat on us lowly county teams to get there didn't you? You know that you couldn't have made it in AAA so don't stick those chests out too far just yet. You should be in Murfreesboro each year in men's basketball. Don't talk about Cloudland not getting any competition until the semi-finals when you get to play against little county schools all the way to the Sub-State. Which Johnson Co. almost ended all of that didn't they! Oh but they are just a bunch of rednecks that can't jump or shoot I bet you think. I really believe that the one county team that matched up with you best could have beaten you if they were inspired enough to do it and that is Cloudland! If Robbie Tolley was motivated he would be twice or three times the post player that Redd is. Unaka would definitely out-hustle your bunch and take you to the wire with no real post presence. By the way, if you and your little small minds ever leave the big Metropolis of Elizabethton for college or maybe even a real job you will find out something from the people there. When they ask where you're from and you say Elizabethton they will say that's in Carter County isn't it? You will say yes and if they think like you, they will say that everyone in Carter County is a bunch of rednecks! Even the ones from Elizabethton, do you all really think you are that much better than us? Not out in the big world you're not. I support all the county teams when it gets to 'boro trip time if they get to go but with your type of mentality I find it hard to support the Cyclones. If I was a Cyclones fan I would be ashamed of the way your type makes the whole school look to us in the county. I am sure some of them are. One day the talent you have now will not be as great and ours will be up above yours. The talent cycles are always changing in basketball and you need to remember those words well. Your words may come back to haunt you one day. What do you think rolltideroll?Right now I don't feel necessarily like a Bulldog, Highlander, Ranger, or a Warriro. I am taking up for all of us in the county that have to work so hard for respect.Come on Carter Co. CoachT members, stand up and defend our county if you are on here!

Landergolfer, I was just wondering what incident you were referring to when you stated that Cloudland was jumping on a member of the team for no reason? Cloudland should still have a slight upper hand even though they are not on their home court considering the fact that they play at Hampton quite often and for the fact that they won the Sub-State there last year. The girls have quite a bit of experience shooting in that gym and know how to win there. On top of that last year I saw quite a few fans show up from Hampton to help support the Lady Landers in their effort. This almost gives them double the support that they might get in Cloudland's gym although it would be a very tough place to play, no doubt. Short ride to Hampton for a chance at a sweet ride to Murfreesboro for the "Dance".

I am always interested in hearing how our fans criticize their team's coach. I was reading some of this thread and it hit me that most of those who criticize have never done the job. Maybe they should walk a mile in a coach's moccasins as they say. I have coached boys and girls basketball for 10 years. Here are some requirements of a basketball coach in case anyone wants to give it a shot and replace the coach they are so quick to throw to the wolves. 1. Get paid around $750 after taxes for jr.high coach. High school - $1500 -$1800. If you get paid at all. 2. Put the team before alot of other things in your life. This unfortunately starts with your family. 3. Subject yourself to public scrutiny every time that you leave the house. This is not counting game time. 4. Work your butt off teaching all day to try and meet state standards and then go to the gym for 3 - 4 hours for practice. Game nights you will probably get home after 11:00 if you are lucky. 5. Be the father figure or mother to some kids that may not have anyone else besides their coach to count on. 6. Spend your own money to take care of things that are not provided for in the team budget. 7. Make schedules for games and everything else. 8. Listen to everyone say how they would play someone else instead of who you play. 9. Be the team doctor. 10. Go scout other teams when you don't have a game. 11. Try to make things fun for the kids when you could fall over at any minute from the latest virus going through the school. 12. Develope tomorrows game plan and implement it into practice. 13. Develope the younger kids in practice. 14. Open the gym for extra shooting. 15. Go to summer camps. 16. Practice all summer. 17. Win. 18. Oh, I almost forgot you have to have your lesson plans ready and grade papers all night tonight also. YOU ARE A TEACHER OF YOUNG MINDS TOO! I left off a bunch of fun things like cleaning the gym floor and wrapping ankles. The list goes on and on.

Rolltideroll, I know that you usually know what's going on up in the hills. What was the deal at Milligan last night? I have been hearing all kinds of stuff! Why was Tolley not involved with the offense and the paper said nothing about Byrd. I heard that Cloudland did not have a 2 pt. field goal until late in the game, all 3's! I hate it for the boys. They really are some great kids on that team that have done a lot to bring basketball back in Roan Mtn. It's been a while since we have spoke, let me know what you think. How do you think the girls will do on down the road? Who is the big obstacle in the road to Murfressboro? Congratulations to all the players at Cloudland on a fine year, I hate to see it end for you this way. Keep your heads up an work hard for next season. Unfortunately, next season for the Landers begins now. There is no off season in this sport!

Coach Chambers has done a great job with the girls in Stoney Creek. He always seems to have his teams prepared to play. I coached against Coach Chambers for years and his teams at Hunter and Keenburg were always a tough opponent. He has provided stability and a work ethic for the program. It's not just the boys that can play on the creek now. It should be exciting to see them match up with Cloudland's girls this year. I think both teams could make a push for Murfreesboro this year. To do what he is doing with sophomores and freshman mostly, is truly an accomplishment. I don't want to take away from their talent though because the girls definitely have talent even though they are young. Good job Kenneth.