acdcfan

I was there watching with my eye on the clock as well as the player. I honestly believe he got it off. There was no two dribble. There was no turn, pause and shoot. Yes, the clock keeping was bad, plain bad at spots during the game. Did it have an effect in the final outcome? In my humble, honest opinion - NO. I actually think there should have been two more seconds on the clock based on mistakes made earlier in the game. There will always be that out, and I hate to be a butt about this, but this grand theft stuff about Friday has got to stop! I heard whining and moaning about it today from people who kept arguing the two-dribble thing. Even when I mentioned today -- check out the video! Will any of us ever see a shot like that again? Probably not. Was it legit? Yes it was. Am I saying that it was legit because I'm caught up in the moment and blind to seeing just him making that shot? He** no. If it were a player from the orange team making the shot and the gripes coming from the maroon side, I'd say the same thing. I just hate it that Jake Hodge hits this awesome shot. The shot of his life. And instead of celebrating what he did, there's the dribble case. I knew Friday night that he did not dribble that ball. Anybody who truly watched him Friday night knew he did not dribble that ball. Seeing video evidence Saturday, my view was confirmed. With that said. I was relieved to get on here and read some of you saying that people should look at other stuff with reference to the outcome of the game. The free throws, defense, etc. I just don't think folks should diminish what a kid did. In the offseason, if we're not happy with clock operaters - And trust me there are more than a handful people should look at - lets write columns, let's petition the TSSAA to have officials doing that job. We have these officials that ref JV games. Why can't one of them stay to do one game and have the other ref do the other game, or one do both?

There are a lot of incorrect reports from the Happy Valley-Elizabethton game. Whether the clock didn't go off is one thing, but the boy did not dribble at all when taking the shot. It clearly bounced into his hands. I personally think the shot got off in time watching from the crows nest with a view of the clock across the court, but with the two other problems with the clock earlier in the night make you wonder. Some people have made this thing out to be a grand larceny against Elizabethton. I don't want to tick anybody off from Cyclone country, but check out the video footage of the shot on TriCities.com and judge for yourself. Watch it one time all the way through then go back and pause it when the horn goes off. EHS people and others said that the horn didn't go off until it hit the backboard. The horn clearly begins to go off when the ball is getting into the air. Happy Valley Shot - Newschannel 11 Footage!

I stand corrected. That was the year after Cloudland lost that talented team with Hanson and Storie and that bunch. I remember that now. I think before then, we'd have to go back to sometime between 93-95 when Rik Anderson coached at Cloudland and they met in the old McDonalds Tournament at EHS. I understand the TSSAA's rules on schedules and given the tournaments can understand why Elizabethton would play Greeneville and Hampton over the other two smaller county schools. I've understood that for a long time. But, in years past when they could have met, I think they should have. Since 2002, with the exception of the rebuilding 2004-05 teams, Cloudland's been a local power in girls basketball. Elizabethton's been great as well. They should play - even if it's once a year and they rotate sites every other year. In Middle Tennessee, you see some of the dominant Class AA teams that are more than willing to schedule local talented Class A teams. They make each other better.

I believe Cloudland's playing Providence Academy not Providence, NC (which is three and a half hours away). - - - - - I'm a firm believer that each county team should play each other in basketball. That's one thing I like about Unicoi and Johnson County, they play all five schools in Carter County. I wish Elizabethton would jump on that bandwagon and do it, win or lose, because it would only help their boys and girls teams to play Cloudland and Unaka when they are good. I think Cloudland and Elizabethton would only make each other better if they played. It's sad that the only time we've gotten to see the two teams match up within the last ten years was in an Avery County tournament two years ago. I'd like to think that the Lady Cyclones would like to have another shot at Cloudland after losing that one. And I know Cloudland would like to have the challenge of playing Elizabethton. You have a built in rivalry now with Kristen, who I think could have been the best two-sport athlete ever at the school if she stayed at Cloudland - particularly in softball, leaving Cloudland for Elizabethton. I think both teams are talented. But like I said in my column earlier this week, they're both at the top until we see enough common opponents. Wes

READ THE FIRST POST _ I KEEP UPDATING THAT ONE AS IT GOES

I am in the press box at South Pittsburg. It's a little chilly both teams have been out warming up. The Pirate Band is now playing some warmup music. Good early crowd here at Beene Stadium. I will be updating the game score by score once it begins for those who couldn't make the trip. I'm pulling for the Bulldogs obviously to win this game being from their neck of the woods. Either way I hope it's a good game and both teams give their all with nobody getting hurt. If y'all have any questions or anything, I'll do my best to answer them over the course of the game. RADIO: By the way, WJCW from Gray, TN is here. Go to their website (www.wjcw.com) they are duing a dual broadcast of Maryville-Sullivan South and Hampton-South Pittsburg. When you log in it'll be Maryville-South. Once this game gets going, they'll have updates. ------------- This is one loud crowd down here on both sides. Both teams are throwing the ball a lot in warmups. Dogs are on the field. Here come the Pirates. What a firework show. It's like the 4th of July down here. Hampton to receive. HERE WE GO... FIRST QUARTER HHS: Hampton drove it into South Pitt territory behind a healthy dose of Milhorn and Jaynes. A penalty hurt Hampton as they were stopped on four downs. SP: Robinson and Jones with good gains early on. Cody Robinson hits his brother for a first down, but Blake Russell makes a big stop on Weatherspoon for a ten yard loss. But Robinson hits Jones for a 17-yard score and Robert Robinson bursts into the end-zone from 10 yards out for the opening score. 7-0 SOUTH PITT HHS: WOW! Hampton gets ball back. Facemask penalty +15 yards. Then Dustin Roberson takes the ball from 45 yards out. FUMBLES IT ON THE 10, picks it up under pressure with a defender in front of him and gets into the end-zone. TIE GAME 7-7 2:18 (Steve, good to see you on here. Hope all is well. I'll tell dad you said hey) SP: Robinson bursts 28 yards for a first down after the kick. Gets a first down on third & 4 with an 8 yard run. Jones stopped on a four yard run. 2nd and 6 when we come back END OF QUARTER SECOND QUARTER SP: Robinson with a 12 yard run. Robinson to Weatherspoon first down to the 8. Robinson stopped -1, Mitchell gets one yard. 3rd and 8 -- Jones bursts up the middle with a score. kick failed. 13-7 9:50 HHS: Hampton gets a holding penalty on second down. 2nd and 16 -- incomplete. Roberson -1 loss. Roberson 25 yard punt. SP: Robinson to Weatherspoon 17 for a first down, Robinson and Jones combine for first down, Robinson 20yard run for a first down, Cody Robinson keeper from four yards out for a score. Robinson to Weatherspoon conversion pass. SP 21-7 5:42 HHS: Blackmon gets stopped on the 10 after initially fumbling the return. Facemask penalty on first play of drive. Irick 3 run, illegal motion -5, Lunsford with a 19 pass to Newbern, 16 pass to Irick moves chains, Lunsford 1 run, shovel pass to Irick 5, Irick stopped for no gain on option pitch, big fourth down for HHS - Lunsford to Newbern 19 first down, Lunsford throws into end zone Weatherspoon picks it off and rumbles 45 yards upfield... bad break for Dogs. SP: 1:59 on the clock -- Robinson 9 run, Mitchell 15 run - he's slung out of bounds by Newbern drawing a 15 yard penalty Robinson fumbles Lunsford picks it up after a Hampton lineman tipped it to him on the ground and takes it 75 yards for a touchdown with :59 seconds left. Craziest play I've ever seen. Two crazy plays on Dog scores. -- Campbell kick 21-14 SP: Big 47 run from Jones. Pass to out of bounds. Pass tipped by Lunsford to end half. 21-14. Be back - doing radio lol. HALFTIME NOTES: 167 offensive yards from Hampton, 302 offensive yards from SP (Robinson 17-131). This game has lived up to its billing so far. I'm a firm believer that the winner of this one takes the title next week. THIRD QUARTER SP: Robert Robinson and Cody Robinson with first down runs moving it into Hampton territory. Once inside the red zone, Hampton jumps offsides to put it on the four yard line, quarterback keeper for a four yard score. The kick is good. SP 28-14 with 7:10 left in quarter... HHS: Milhorn 12 run, Lunsford hits Newbern with a 26 yard pass for a first down, Lunsford to Irick with an 8 yd pass, Lunsford drops snap and Irick recovers then quarterback sneak for 1st, Lunsford gains 7 on a run to the 6, but Irick is stopped on second down, Lunsford passes to Robinson for a gain of three - big fourth and inches and Luinsford sneaks it for a first down on the three... Lunsford 2-yd run to 1 --- Lunsford stopped on second down --- end of quarter... FOURTH QUARTER HHS: Irick 1 yd TD no time off the clock... 28-21 SP: They run three seconds off before the kick. Mitchell 25 return, Robinson 9 run, Mitchell 4 for 1st, Robinson 8 - then Jones rumbles 27 yards for the score. Kick is good. SP 34-21 HHS: Roberson -1, Milhorn 6, first down on pass interference, Irick 9, Irick 28 for a first down, Lunsford 2 plus facemask, Roberson for a first down to the five, Irick to the 2, Lunsford -3, Lunsford hits Milhorn with a 5-yd TD pass - kick is good. 35-28 with 5:41 remaining SP: Weatherspoon with a 32 return to the 40, Robinson with two big runs for first downs, Mitchell with a 13 run for a first down to the 24 yard line, Blake Russell with big stop on Robinson for a loss, Jones 5, Robninson with big 12 yard run for first to the nine... 2:45 left.... Robinson 9-yd TD 2:29 SP 42-28 HHS: Lunsford picked off by Weatherspoon with 1:35 left - that may be it. SP: Robinson with a 30 yard run for a first down with clock winding down, to the five. Knee - that's it. Thanks for following a long. I'm going to pack up and get ready to talk to the boys. Congratulations to both teams. Great job Bulldogs. It was a pleasure watching you. You area bunch of great kids with great heart. What a run!!! Good luck South Pitt. Win it next week!

Rebelron, thanks for the info on the two teams. I imagine that Coach Q's teams are better coached. I met him following a scrimmage three years ago and did a column on Maryville. He's a super, super guy and knows the game better than any high school coach I've ever spoken with. I wish I could be at the game Friday. I'll be an hour down the road. maroonandgray, I unintentionally left off Sensabaugh. Late last night, he simply didn't go through my head when I was typing at 3:30 a.m. But yes, Phillips is the best since Sensabaugh, who is doing great in Jacksonville with the Jags. I knew Gerald when he was at ETSU before they cut the program there. He's a great guy. Another good player is Teddy Gaines. I forgot him as well. Kingsport's had their share. I guess the Wittens and Jones' stand out more for some reason. I'm excited about that young Sensabaugh Kingsport has running the ball. I saw them once this season and he looks like he is going to be a definite D-1 caliber player if he stays healthy. itstartshereman, J.P. Shelley played for Ezell-Harding and had the benefit of former Vanderbilt receiver Erik Davis, who was one of the best in the SEC playing with Jay Cutler. Ezell's the team that beat Cloudland in the Boro in 2001. If Shelley was about four inches taller, he would've been money somewhere. I think he was a great player, but some I've talked with say he's a product of Coach Scott Smith's (known by fans in NET as Coach Gilligan) system. At Ezell, Smith could handpick his talent with smart, athletic kids who could pick up his system which looked like a Division II college offense at the time.

Those Unapproved Website videos are from last year. I covered South once this season and he has surpassed last year in his abilities, if you can believe that. Like the video from Rivals said, he is the best quarterback to come out of our area (Northeast TN/Southwest Virginia) since Steve Spurrier. I don't count Shawn Witten because he ended up being a receiver at Virginia Tech - but Shawn was a great all-around player himself. Phillips is by far the best athlete from the area since the Wittens (Elizabethton) and Julius and Thomas Jones of Powell Valley (Va. and Heath Miller of Honaker (Va.). Now everybody knows Phillips is good. But having seen South and being very familiar with Maryville, fom top to bottom, they do not match up with Maryville with the exception of Phillips and maybe one other guy. If Phillips got to line up with some of Maryville's guys, look out. He's turned rust into gold in most cases with South. My pick is Maryville by two touchdowns. But I think Phillips alone makes it a good game. Ron, you'll be impressed with him like you were with Shawn Witten a few years back. This South team has nothing on that Elizabethton team. Of course, I don't know how much this Maryville team matches up with that one in 98 either.

We'll have a good battle of lines this week. Hampton's got the best line of a Carter County team since 2001 Cloudland with a 6-7 monster.

Living Legend I think we need to get you, geno and Pujo together and do an audio debate of the game sometime this week. Now that would attract posters to your thread. As far as the game goes, Carter County spoils South Pitt's party again. You can take that to the house.

Like I wrote earlier this week. It's destiny. The last time South Pitt faced a Carter County team, they went down. I have a feeling if these Dogs play like they are capable, the results will be no different even down there. And I'd also be quick to bet that if the boys in blue prevail, a couple of goalposts will be down before the team's bus gets back haha. Proud to be at the game tonight and see the Dawgs whip tail. Great job to the seniors and everyone on the field tonight. Don't lose sight of your goals! They may think that because they've won a few gold balls before the game's in their hands. We all know better than that.

The coaches are doing a good job. It's going to take a year or two to have their system fully installed with these kids. When the sophomores are seniors, I think you'll see some positive results.

The best athlete on the field is not being used enough and it's not the coaches fault. They have tried to get the ball into his hands but for whatever reason - you all see the same games I do. What if you put him behind center maybe a third or 50 percent of the time and run a spread option with Price, Carr and those speedy sophomores? There is enough speed between Fuqua, Price, Carr, Itaro, Forbes and Eryasa running the football that people in this conference would have a hard time controlling. Fuqua with the wide pitch or tuck it and go would kick people's butts. If Cloudland can go to the Class 1-A State Championship with a running athlete back in the backfield, the same kid win a Mr. Football two years later, then Fuqua - who is hands down one of the best athletes I've seen - could do it and be dangerous even if it's just used 30-40 percent of the team. That's just my opinion. I'm not a coach. I don't claim to be, but judging what I've seen I honestly believe it would be effective. I saw some tape from Sullivan East-Unaka and looking at the East defense, with respect to that program, they could not stop a spread rushing attack. That being said, I'm not saying anything bad about the current quarterback. He is a good kid and the community should support him. He's done some good things this year. I'm just saying adding a little bit of razzle and dazzle wouldn't hurt things. I agree with what someone said earlier, this week's game will be more of a gauge as to how much the team's improved and how they stack up with the rest of the conference. Everybody have a good week!

Unless Elizabethton makes it to the third or fourth round of the playoffs, I'll see the Dogs some in the postseason. When the Cyclones get done I'm going to doublecover the HHS playoff games with Rick. --- Now about the poll, I'll stand by Tim when he said he gave Hampton a #1 vote. I think the AP made a mistake. They do that every now and then. From now on we're going to list our votes on Monday's paper and run the AP team on Tuesday's paper so everyone will see how we voted. If you'll look at the poll: AP POLL It has 14 first place votes listed in Class A and Division II. There were 15 papers that voted. There are 15 first place votes listed in Class 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A. One first place vote is missing in 1A and D-II. To vote in the AP Poll, the way they got it set up with the online process is you pick a separate team in ten slots from a dropdown menu. You have to vote for ALL SIX classifications (5A-DII) and at the end submit your vote to have your vote counted. I welcome anybody to drop by the Star and knock on the side door and watch us vote if anybody'd like a look at it. /biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> Check this link - 15 media members voted: Chattanooga Times Free Press, The Leaf-Chronicle (Clarksville), The Daily Herald (Columbia), State Gazette (Dyersburg), Elizabethton Star, The Greeneville Sun, Kingsport Times-News, The Knoxville News Sentinel, The Daily Times (Maryville), The Commercial Appeal (Memphis), The Daily News Journal, The Tennessean (Nashville), The Paris Post-Intelligencer, Union City Daily Messenger and WCMT, Martin. I wouldn't lie on here or to any of y'all. Tim gave Hampton a one. If they don't mention it, there's nothing we can do about it afterwards. I'm not going to bug Teresa at AP about it because she has to cover the Titans, Preds and everything down there and then she does the AP poll on her own time for the kids. I'm thankful she takes the time to do it. WH

Dangit I'm posting again... HV did lose. I stand corrected. TSSAA had it wrong on their website last night. They had the score reversed as soon as the game was over with HV winning, fooling all of us including myself. G-P's coach called Earl last night and the score was corrected around 1:30 a.m. I spoke with Tester today and he said HV still played a heck of a game, but they did lose. I hated to hear that, but realistically, I didn't think HV could beat GP so I should've known better. Dogfather, did you read Tim's post? I'm not being a horse's rear but you said the Johnson City Press didn't show Hampton getting a first place vote. First off, the Johnson City Press did NOT vote in last week's AP poll - I've got an e-mail from AP Desk Chair Teresa Walker in Nashville praising the few of us that did and ripping ones that didn't (including the Press) that was sent on Tuesday this past week. If the Press printed that Hampton received one first place vote, then people are going to question who didn't give them a vote, the Star or the Press. Your question has been answered. When people question my job or the job we do, I have to respond. I'd be crazy not too. Congrats Bulldogs and as Tim said, they will get a first again from us this week. We've always tried, whether it's been me or Tim voting, to take care of the local schools. I voted on the poll 2002-2003, Tim voted on it 2004-05, I voted on it last season and Tim's doing it this year. Since we've been voting on the poll, you've had a Carter County 1-A team ranked No. 1 in the state for the first time (Cloudland '03), seen Unaka make the poll twice (when has that happened before?), Hampton consistantly been among the top (we do what we can), and when HV and EHS has been good, they've been mentioned. We also try to credit other teams around here that don't have the ability of being mentioned like Johnson County (when they've been good), as well as giving South, TN High, Boone, Morristown teams some props as well. We're proud of our local football, but we're proud of our region as well. I think you all will like the paper tomorrow. I've got some good pictures of the game.