Sienfield

COACHING, COACHING, COACHING COMMITTMENT BY THE COACHES, PLAYERS, ADMINISTRATION, SCHOOL BOARD, COMMUNITY MEMBERS---------ALL TO PREPARING THE BOYS FOR FOOTBALL IT WILL BE VERY HARD FOR THIS TO HAPPEN UP THERE. NO REAL INTEREST IN FOOTBALL, JUST BASKETBALL AND BASEBALL

Coaching change? Not making the playoffs in two years? Several schools in this area have not been to the playoffs ever and others havent been in years. Some like Gibbs have not had a winning season in 11 years. You are asking for a change. Good luck.

UCFAN1234 Please tell me what year in the early 90s that Union Co beat Seymour in football. I have not found it yet. Please give me the year and score. Union Co ( previously Horace Maynard) has not ever won a football game against Seymour to my knowledge. If you are correct I stand corrected. Thank You.

Has Horace Maynard HS or the newly built Union County HS ever beat Seymour in Football (home or away)? I do not remember it. UC has beat them in other sports such as baseball and basketball but not in football. If I am wrong someont correct me. Union Co (Horace Maynard) has been in the football playoffs only once ever.

Powell High School , Knoxville, Tn Players who gave Powell the "glory years" of the eary "90s but never played in college (or went and stayed maybe a week or two before getting in trouble or just quitting school and football) Rudy Stinson-signed with Univ TN but got sick, transfered to CN, got sicker and finally was hospitalied and died; 6' 3" 305 could run and dunk a basketball; played defensive tackle and fullback. Wylie King- brother to Stinson, defensive end, off tackle, went nowhere, 6' 4" Preston Littlejohn- fullback, linebacker, poor in the classroom, went nowhere, 6'2" Jason Littlejohn-option quarterback, great arm, signed with A-Peay but got in coaches doghouse in about 2 weeks and came home. Josh Lewis-tailback, never made the grades, went nowhere, Nate Kelso-tailback, got in trouble, did not graduate, went nowhere Collin Steen-QB, reciever, graduated, robbed a motel, went to a prep school to get eligible but came home within 2 wks Dori Steen-brother to Collin Steen, 6'5" basketball and football, reciever, free safety, went to Maryville but did not play, dropped out in less than a term Chad Painter- signed with Vanderbilt, great student, went to Vanderbilt but did not play, shoulder injury, stayed there as student, 6'4" 245. These are just a few of the better than average players from PHS that had the opportunity but did not accept it.

Dont look for the score to get out of hand. The Fulton and Gibbs coaches are friends. Fulton will play their subs early just as most of the teams that Gibbs has played the past several years. Gibbs will score late in the game with their starters against the opposing teams subs just as usual. Fulton has far too many weapons for Randy Carroll, Steve Edmonds and Brad Conley to figure out in this decade. The Gibbs team has played hard but cannot put together a season in a long time. Watch the QB, Daley and the little backs for Gibbs. They are small but tough and quick. Daley has a future in soccer. He will probably sign with LMU as did Gibbs kicker from last year.

Jody Wright did start coaching at Horace Maynard High School which is now Union County High School. He coached basketball for two years there. He had a terrible win and loss record. He was not blessed with the athletes that he has now at Fulton. He does an excellent job now but at Union Co he was green and the lack of athletes did not help him at all. I believe that he did a year at Anderson Co HS also.

Gibbs is a great school as we have indicated in this forum and elsewhere. We support the school, students, athletic programs, teachers, coaches, principals. We are making progress and will continue to do so. As stated before it is our right and priviledge to state opinions and hold the role models of our children accountable. This is a discussion forum. It is okay to agree or disagree here. We are not bitter. We speak our opinion and hope for the best for the students. Never have we had negative comments about the students and players of Gibbs High School but Always positive comments about their efforts. Your ideas of how people feel about the Gibbs community is not appreciated. There are no better kids than the ones in the GHS area. Go Gibbs, Beat Scott County. We have made many trips to Scott County HS and many other schools seeing the Eagles in not just football but all sports and activities. By the way the band is doing a great job again this year. Watch the brass section--Arent they great?

Our entire family has attended GHS, been students, athletes, club members, graduated -- the works. Yes, for years and years. We have paid our dues in many ways. You think that you know it all. We have done all of those things you mentioned. We helped build, maintain and work all the facilities there at our school. Fundraising, fieldwork, cleaning gyms, concessions, everything. Yes we have contributed money and raised money. Thats exactly why we have much to say and will say it regardless of your opinion or anyone elses. Football at Gibbs was not invented when you showed up. We played it for years, then it was cancelled for years. We helped get it going again. As exstudents, basketball, football, baseball, softball, excoaches at GHS, exteachers at GHS, members of the community--we will express our opinions. As stated before we have the interest of our school in mind. We attend games, pta, and many other school functions. We still have kids and grandkids there in the system. We support good personnel there and hold all accountable for their actions -- especially those who work with our kids after school hours.

Things are happening as we speak. Daily, weekly, monthly and yearly there have been a multitude of things that will eventually make a change at Gibbs High School. A good head football coach and staff are more influential to a school, student body and community than the rest of the principals and teachers combined. It will happen and soon. All that my group wants is what is best for the students of Gibbs. The teachers and principals have worked hard to develope our school curriculum. Jim Pryor has changed the entire atmosphere of the school. Maybe a couple of other changes are due. Gibbs has had good athletes for years--they just need leadership. By the way I will not shut up. Freedom of speech is still allowed even if you do not approve of the remarks. Again, we are interested in improving our school and community. Also Our Family Has Lived In This Community For 86 Years, If We Decide To Make A Suggestion About Our School And Its Staff We Will. You Keep Your Nose Where It Belongs. You have not earned the right to speak for the community of Gibbs.

Both And Co and Kingston are very well coached. Good football programs. Anderson Co will win 21 to 7.

Rutledge will win a close one this Fri ag. Union Co. The offense that Rutledge runs is not the most exciting but it gets the job done. The veer option is effective the way they stick with it until they break one. Their defense is capable of holding Un.Co. Bennet the QB for Un.Co can throw but their running game is not very strong. Union Co is more physical this year than they have been. Rutledge will also out coach the Union Co coaches. The Gibbs miracle win last Friday was a result of poor play selection and poor clock management. Union Co also allowed Gibbs a big return on a kickoff late in the game to set up the tying touchdown.

Scott Co owes Gibbs for the past two years. Dont look for any mercy if Scott gets up on them early. Gibbs has some problems but most of it comes from their "leaders"--the coaching staff. 23 years of mediocre or incompetence is enough. How long does it take to build a program? Last years Gibbs team had a lot of potential but finished only 4 and 6. Gibbs has had one winning season in the past 11 years. 1997 was Gibbs last winning season--since then 2 and 8, 3 and 7, 1 and 9 and 4 and 6 are examples of their banner years. Scott has been a win for them in these losing years. Other schools did not just suddenly start winning. They developed players and a winning tradition. Watch for trick plays from teams that are desperate this week.

You asked if the football coach was also hired as the basketball coach. You are probably correct. Union Co has a history of cutting corners and trying to do the least for its athletic teams that it can. Politics are the primary concern in that county. The people in charge of that county are more concerned in playing political games than in their athletics.

Union County football has had to my knowledge a couple of good years. In 1982 they went 10 and 1. They beat a good Knox Centrall HS football team that featured a running back named Reggie Cobb in the bowl game at Gatlinburg Pittman HS. The Horace Maynard football team as it was known back then was coached by George Hatcher, David McGill and Dickie Brown. The teams only loss was to Gibbs at Maynardville that year by 7. Gibbs only loss that year was to Jellico that year. This year 1982 was Maynardvilles only bowl game and they have never made the playoffs. There is more problems there with football than what you see in front of you this season. The school system, the community, the parents and the county is not comitted to football, period. Union Co has a history of doing the least it can for the athletic programs at its only high school.

Union County football has had to my knowledge a couple of good years. In 1982 they went 10 and 1. They beat a good Knox Centrall HS football team that featured a running back named Reggie Cobb in the bowl game at Gatlinburg Pittman HS. The Horace Maynard football team as it was known back then was coached by George Hatcher, David McGill and Dickie Brown. The teams only loss was to Gibbs at Maynardville that year by 7. Gibbs only loss that year was to Jellico that year. This year 1982 was Maynardvilles only bowl game and they have never made the playoffs. There is more problems there with football than what you see in front of you this season. The school system, the community, the parents and the county is not comitted to football, period. Union Co has a history of doing the least it can for the athletic programs at its only high school.

If the Gibbs/Scott Co game is at Scott Co the game should be decided early. I have seen these two teams play for several years now. Scott has no fuzzy feelings for Gibbs and its "coaches." They will run up the score on the Eagles if possible. I saw it happen just a few years ago up there. The Gibbs coaches really acted up after the game by going after the Scott coaches at their fieldhouse. The problem was that the Gibbs coaches were lucky that the police stepped in and saved their butts from getting whipped. The Gibbs coaches are known for letting their mouths over-ride their brains. Gibbs has caught Scott on their down years since then and returned the "favor" of running up the score on them. I was at a Scott/Gibbs game up there where a definite head shot was delivered to the Gibbs QB Brad Beeler. He was knocked out cold and hauled off to the hospital. Gibbs had to finish in the single wing with no QB. The Scott fans and players loved it. Dont look for any mercy up there. Whoever wrote that Gibbs was playing subpar this year is right. Definitely not a good year for them. They have had only one winning season in the past 11 years and that was in 1997.

4AFAN Duncan does not coach at South-Doyle. I believe the coaches name is Daryl Chandler. Clark Duncan is an assistant principal and athletic director. Clark does not coach anymore. Clark had his down years at Powell as well. Powell has not played well so far this year and definitely has not reached their potential. Just give them time. Its tough adapting to new coaches. Larry Stephens and Phil Wilks are doing a good job at Powell. Execution has not been clean and turnovers have hurt. Give them time. There are several young coaches at Powell. Matt Lowe, Bobby Dagley, Rusty Partin, Guy Ballinger, Dustin Humphres are all straight out of college and are growing in their job. David Hawkins is the most experienced of the bunch and is the freshman and weight room coach. Powell will take the lumps this year but will be back.

Union County has been a whipping boy for the Knox Co Schools for years. If Gibbs does not beat them by 14 then Gibbs is really weaker than we thought. Gibbs is very glad to get Union Co back on the schedule. Gibbs needs Jellico and Powell Valley also. Gibbs is a decent team though. The offense that they are running suits their personnel very well. The QB is doing a good job. Back a few years ago in the AA region of Maynardville, Tazewell, Powell Valley and Rutledge this Gibbs team would have kicked butt. But not in the region today of A-E, Fulton, Anderson Co, Kingston, Scott Co, Loudon, Lenoir City. Oh, the good old days. This region has the horses now. Gatlinburg Pittman and Seymour used to be Gibbs biggest games. Now almost every game is a ranked opponent.

Powell will become a good football team before this season is over. Right now they are their own worst enemy. The penalties and turnovers have really hurt them. Confusion on defense and in their offensive line are also concerns. They will get them worked out this week against Halls. Larry Stephens and his young staff are excellent coaches. Give them time. Clark Duncan left for a higher paying job--bottom line. His daughter, Kendal graduated and he had a good offer. He had prior opportunities to leave prior to this.

The Powell football team has been its own worst enemy. They have beaten themselves with penalties and turnovers. Confusion on defense has been another problem. There are athletes on this team but they are not playing very well. Give them time. Lets hope that it happens this week. Powell 13 Halls 7

Powell 13 Halls 7 Powell has had some terrible breaks in its first 3 games this season. Penalties and turnovers at the most crucial parts of the games have been their problem. They simply keep finding ways to lose. Their defense has been very poor at stopping the run. The Option gave Powell a fit at Karns. No one seemed to know who was supposed to be taking the qb or the dive. It was a mess. The team will come together this week. The coaches are still trying to find the offense that best suits their personnel. It will happen and Powell will be there at playoff time. The Powell coaching staff is a good one. Larry Stephens is an excellent coach and has an excellent staff to support him. They are young and energetic and are growing into their roles just as Clark did when he came to Powell. Clark Duncan did leave Powell for a principals job and not because he thought that he had run out of athletes. Clark left Powell to take a job that paid more--bottom line. His daughter, Kendal graduated and is now at UT. This helped with his decision. He had opportunities to leave several times prior to this.

If all of the details (present and past) were thrown out there we (people of the Gibbs community) dont think that people would be so generous with their sympathy for this situation. This has been an ongoing situation for 26 years. People have to be held accountable for their actions, especially when a position of authority and supposedly a role model. Keep in mind that the parents, players and community did not suspend him. The Knox Co Schools main office suspended him. According to the records he has had previous warnings. Maybe there is something to this and maybe not. The main office of a school system doesnt get involved unless there is substaintial evidence and/or unless there is a history of inappropriate behavior of some kind. High School Football is just that--high school kids participating in an activity connected to school. We believe that a coach can and should get emotional and fiery at times. There is a limit and if a coach has to resort to vulgar language in order to motivate players he/she needs to reevaluate his/her basic philosophy of coaching.

Whats the story on the Gibbs Football coach that got suspended? Isnt it time that something was done up there? Seems like that program is still going nowhere and it seems that there is always an embarrassing incident for the players, school, parents and community on the news and in the papers. Whats the story?

We have been observing Gibbs football for 35 years now. We have heard this same song for years, "Just wait til next year." Sorry but next year has not arrived and it will not until coaches are hired. How long will the community of Gibbs put up with mediocre leadership? Many good athletes have come and gone at Gibbs and been short changed by the football program and staff. The players are always blamed but the program has not had coaching. Players have not been prepared to compete--either physically or mentally. Good luck up there in Corryton, TN. The Eagles deserve better than what they are getting. The boys basketball team made a change. It helped, didnt it? Austin-East made a change, Carter made changes. Why not Gibbs?