Big Daddy

Your comments are beyond classless, and a disgrace to to true West high fans. Anyone that would make such comments hiding behind a message board name is either very immature or is a coward.

If you play sports under different coaches you will find that what works for one does not always work for another. Some chew, some pat on the back, some are totally non-emotional, at practice and during the game, some are fire balls. The same is true for players as well. Some respond to a good chewing out, while others put their tail between their legs and quit. You will never succeed as a player if your skin is so thin you can't take a little constructive criticism because you will not advance far playing under the same coach all your life. You have to be able as a player to take the criticism and turn it into a positive to be a success. I personally think Billy Seals is a good coach. He is a hard nosed coach, he is a fire ball at practice and during games, and every kid knows that before the season starts. He will break you down if you do things the wrong way, but he will also be the first to build you back up when you do it the right way. An old coach once told me the time to worry son is when I am not chewing your butt out, because that means I don't think you can do any better.

Play4, 1UK1VOL, Too bad on the buggy, you had your chance, and the way gas prices are I am glad you passed. 45 mpg looks pretty good right now. You can always borrow it though any time, it is just now getting good riding weather. You can always hitch a ride up to watch him play, but after coming in last week in the fourth quarter with his team behind 23-10 and leading them to two TD's in the final 8 minutes of the game for a 24-23 win, he tore up the same ankle he hurt both his soph, and senior years, on the next to last play of the game. So instead of most likely earning the starting QB spot he will unfortunately be on the sidelines on crutches. It is disappointing, but all things happen for a reason I guess.

Unapproved Website has Garretson listed as a defensive tackle, 6'3" 277lbs and 4.7 speed in the 40 yard dash. He played FB last year, and TE as a sophomore, and was listed as a 6'3" 290lbs FB by the Citizen Tribune in their pre-season preview. I haven't seen East play this year but have been told that he was moved to tackle. I was also told that he was not playing because of an injury. Ramsey the QB is only a junior, and Penland the WR a senior. I did not see either of them in the Unapproved Website database, but they are both very good athletes.

Agree on Sims, he is a great young man and very good athlete as well. Seems like he was injured when he first came to Concord. My son lettered in four sports so I know what you are talking about. It is a double edge sword, it makes them a better athlete, but takes away from their time in the weight room. I just wondered if the Hornets were that much better this season or if the change to 3A was the differerce. I would assume it is a combination of both. I see a close one as well. I'll flip the score. East 21 Carter 13

Yee Haw, I will finally get to see a high school game this week. Nothing matches the fun and excitment of high school football, at least for me. Don't know who will win, hopefully the Canes, but should be a showcase for two of the better QB's in the area. gbsdad, what do you think Carter's record would be if they had the same schedule as in the past? By the way ex- Hornet Maurice Sims is doing quite well up at Concord University.

The rule was put in to keep so many players from hot dogging, and put themselves in the spotlight, or to show up their opponent. The problem with the rule is that it is a judgement call, and some refs don't have very good judgement. They don't know the difference from a kid hot-dogging, and a kid that was excited because he scored a TD in overtime to give his team a chance to win. At any rate a good ref would not make a call of that type that could decide the outcome of the game. Although I was not at the game and did not see the play I doubt that Brad was hot-dogging, but to be excited after a TD against a rival like Jeff County it would be a natural thing to jump up and yell.

I don't know if he will be a FB in college, but according to the Morristown Citizen Tribune Blake Garretson will play FB for the M-East Hurricanes at 6'4" 290lbs. He reportedly runs a 4.7 40 yard dash and has been getting a lot of attention from SEC schools.

Not from Maynardville, but taught there during the time frame you are talking about. The name Horace Maynard Red Devils was kept until the move to the new school in 1997, when they became the Union County High School Patriots. So the TSSAA web site is incorrect, they were the HMHS Red Devils in 1994!!! Sorry Kev, but you lost 10 bucks, but what is that to a man of your means.

Yeah, one of those two. thumb They are pretty good friends. Can't leave out Charles Cole when you talk about tradition. Didn't see him play in person but many who did said he was better than Sanders.

I agree. Ramsey has some skills, and the best two things are the fact that he will only be a junior this season which means he has two more years to develop, and get stronger ( which he needs ) and he has great work ethic. When the hot days of summer rolled around and a lot of kids get lazy, you could find him several days a week at the soccer field at Frank Lorino throwing with another former Cane QB. Penland has always had a knack for making big plays. He averaged over 20 yards per reception as a sophomore, and upped that last year. Not to take anything away from him he is a fine player, but part of the great numbers posted in yards per catch can be attributed to coach Larry Smith's coaching style. He likes to throw the ball deep and puts his players in position to be playmakers. As far as not getting a lot of press, the prep-extra would post the stats if the school would turn them in, which in my opinion is the responsibility of the coaches, to make the stats available, and the athletic director to promote the student athletes. Anyway, just my opinion, Garretson is D1 material, Ramsey has two years to go so who knows how much better he will get, and if Penland has an outstanding senior year he could land with the right team. Hopefully all have their grades in order which is of course the most important thing.

BlMed, from very reliable sources, Phil Fulmer and company have already taken more than a look at Garretson. Not many kids with his size at least 6'3" 265lb. that run 4.7 40's and have the skills to play FB or TE. He also won the long throw at the jamboree with at toss of about 65 yards, not that he is a QB, but it does show some of his ability and strength.

You guys got the home side this year, against the Canes that is. Too bad WCRK has a range of about 10 miles when they cut the power down. Good luck to the Trojans cept when they play the Canes.

Hey Roger, you always seem to keep up with the Canes pretty good. What do they look like this year?? I know that QB has improved, saw him up at Frank Lorino on the soccer field all summer throwing to some other skinny QB, but who is going to block for him, and what's the D look like. ( I forgot you don't keep up with the D much ) If ya get to talk to any of those coaches up there tell em PZ said to try a QB throwback if ya got any RB's that can get the ball back to your QB not many people gonna catch him.

Randy, that means at least two people listen to pigskin picks. PT is not the one that keeps picking Cocke County to beat the Canes is he? I figured you would be on 94.1 !!!!

Hey doubleplay, trivia for ya if ya like classic rock. REO has only one original member still with the band, who is he? Also how did they get their name? Eric Clapton, who has been with many bands as well as solo, Jimmy Page ( Led Zeppelin ) and Jeff Beck (Cream) as well as a great solo career all started with the same band. What was their name? ( Don't cheat ) Not Rock, but how did the country group Diamond Rio get their name?

Agree, If Ramsey gets some protection from a rebuilt line he should be the class of the IMAC. He needs to spend more time in the weightroom, but has a good arm, a good head for the game, and will be one of the fastest QB's in East Tennessee.

One you did not answer my first question. Two they graduated last year, so by that logic nothing past this past year counts, which means that East won head to head in football, and also put the baseball team head to head out of the tournament. Two out of three major sports seems like competing to me. Then again maybe you count soccer, and my good friend John Eiskamp is a dandy, but if you go there we can count coach Ketrons IMAC tennis champs. So regardless seems like you have a strange idea of competing.

True or False? If you live anywhere in Greene County and have an outstanding athlete boy or girl they can attend Greenville H.S. because it is a city school. I seem to remember East beating them at least one game this past year in all three of the mentioned sports, so what do you call competing?

Very good points. I agree with most. Maybe Eastern Ky. thought that easier than saying he was not good enough to play there. I agree if you don't think you are the man you won't be. I do think he is motivated, he has gained 25lbs. since high school up to 192 lbs. and not lost any speed. I guess we will see when they open with Tusculum this fall ( Baugh should be their starter at QB ) . BTW his two starting OT's last year were 6'9" and 6'7"and many times he said he threw to a spot because he could not see his receivers. He has got to adapt and run the offense his coach tells him to run or he won't be playing so I am not going to tell him anything, but I will say they have put in a lot of sprint out and shotgun type plays to take advantage of his strengths.

I did not get to see many games last year, but do think football is headed in the right direction. The key to building a program is having a good stable coaching staff, and winning a few games to get athletes that are walking the halls to participate. I think that combination is in place. Doug Rines in the short time that I had the priviledge of talking to him before he went to serve his country seemed to be a person that would be easy to get along with. Carliss is very opinionated, but at least you would know where he stood on matters, but I don't think he has a desire to get back into coaching full time, just my opinion I could be wrong.

So you think because they have had a couple of down years that the IMAC is done? Just two short years ago they had two teams West, and Greenville ranked in the top ten in the state in football and the Devils also had an outstanding mens basketball team with Malone and company. I think Malone signed with UTC a D1 school. West was also state runnerup in 4A football. Every conference and region has times of prosperity, and down times as well. The IMAC will be back

Thanks for the compliment CNFn, but he was not good enough for SEC play. He did accomplish a lot in a short period of time, and has a great work ethic. Eastern Kentucky recruited him up until signing day, but in the end they thought he was too small. In reality at 6'1" he says that is the biggest change from high school. His linemen are so tall he has trouble seeing receivers down field. That most likely kept Greenvilles Cody Baugh from D-1 ball as well, I don't know that for sure but he had tremendous numbers in high school.

Congrats to the Canes for a great tournament run. I have had many of these young men in class and all that I have had have been outstanding kids. This was a young team that should be even better next year. I had the pleasure of having Doug Rines room next to mine if only for one semester, and can say that in talking to him he seemed to know baseball, and was a good communicator with the kids. I pray he will serve his duty and return unharmed to do what he loved. I have seen some of the posts that criticzed the job that coach Altizer has done. Coaching is sometimes a thankless job and decisions must be made that sometimes work, and sometimes don't, but the buck stops with the head man. I do not know how good his coaching skills are, but can say that both of my children have had him as a teacher, and both said he was one of the best they have ever had. Passing him in the hall one day I asked how the baseball team was coming along, and his reply was it was a young team that would get better, and he had too many DH's and not enough that could also field their position, basically the same thing some of you have posted as well.