Wildmanfan

Well folks I don't have any credentials as far as the wildcats go. I am a fan and I do attend the games read the paper and watch anything on TV about the Cats...thats it.. I do however like talking about the Cats. My opinions are just that my opinions. Unlike some that post on here, no matter what I think or say in reality it doesn't matter one bit. It is just conversation about my favorite high school sports team. I might have misunderstood the object of this message board. I thought that is why it's here. Anyway as for me, take it for what it is worth ...nothing.

You kinda read my mind. I was thinking about the difference between the way the DB fans took their loss last year and even lost in the first round.. they weren't to my knowledge throwing the coaches and players under the bus. I like to think I have realistic expectations. Does that mean I am not dissapointed when they turn the ball over 5 times and get penalized like they have been so far this season no I am still dissapointed. I think there is time to get better. I am sure the coaches and players realize what happened last week. Are there teams in our region that are just better than OR right now. Yep I think so. But I am not ready to throw the whole team under the bus just yet.

With the T$$aa getting 1/2 the gate come playoff time I can't see them ever doing anything other than adding the 5 and 6 seed in the playoffs

Riverdale played at OR last year so I assume that game will take place somewhere in region 3 or 4 I will try to simplify my understanding of the playoff system No matter what year the first two playoff games are played at the highest seed's home field. Game three is alternated year to year if both number 1 seed's from their region meet. If two number one seeds do not meet in game three is goes back to the highest seed is at home. The same applies to the semi-final game. This is where the confusion comes in. I will use region 1 and two for discussion. Region one is home for the quarter finals on even numberd years and region 2 odd years. If number one seeds do not meet in the quarter and semis the highest seed at home rule applies and odd and even years still apply the next season..... I think

IMO this year in 5A I can easily see DB at the top. Riverdale was young last year so depends on how they adjust to the new coaching staff. I really do not know enough about the west side to form an opinion.

Actually I am a lover not a fighter. I dont really know you from Adam. This whole conversation is gettin very old. All I am gonna say about this is when you make vague statements instead of what you are actually talking about its easy to make conclusions. You don't read very well do you? I wasn't implying anything. I wasn't the only one unless Alabama and Georgia are having discipline problems too. How in this world do you get un-disciplined out of your statement is beyond me. You should be thanking me for clearing that up or someone might have come up to....talk to you. Thats about all I have to say. After all to me this isn't about your ego and my opinions its about the kids. grow-up

To each his own. That whole Austin-East remark sounded very racist. Thought I would try to make it easy for you to clear it up. If thats funny to you then I guess your on your own.

Anyone remember Jimmy the Greek ? Any one need clarifaction?

I suppose any thing new takes time for the advantages to show up. Honestly the board they are using for offensive plays looks like a pit board in an old nascar race I was waiting for a couple trainers to jump over the fence change his shoes, put the catch can in his overflow and fill him up with water. I think the huddle is more than just a place to call plays. Anyone that has ever played knows there is a lot more that goes on in the huddle besides calling the play. I think the breaking of the huddle and hustle to the line is almost as important as the play it sets the tone for the up coming play. Having a hurry up offense is very very important. Two years ago OR didnt even have a hurry up offense period. The wrist band and pitboard thing....IMO gotta go OR will win this one I just hope they don't think beating Heritage means they are back where they need to be. OR is very lucky the way their schedule plays out. It is a perfect schedule for a young team. I hope they get their heads in the game

I thought the new school in the Knoxville area was going to be in West Knoxville, I didn't realize it was going to be Austin West High School in Oak Ridge! missed that one Be nice to know exactly what you were trying to say there. I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer but.....that could be taken a lot of ways maybe you could be a little more specific.

I am sorry if anyone took my comments as a direct insult to any kid on the OR squad. As far as this years QB he earned my respect last year not only did he rise to the occasion he had to step out of the shadow of his older brother which he did. I was talking about high school QB's in general. I hate I wasn't more tactful about that comment I probably could have put a little more thought in how I said that. With that said part of playing that position is when your team wins right or wrong they get a lot of the credit so when they loose they often have to stick their neck out on the chopping block. If your QB is always on the run truthfully it is really a reflection of the line, the big uglies never get enough attention for a win or a loss for that matter, thats just the nature of the beast. My Dad never said everything was gonna be fair Two or three kids cant carry any team. So I haven't and will not pick on any one kid in this forum or any other. I think OR could go 8-2 probably will go 7-3 and it is possible to go 6-4. Oak Ridge has been riding high for the last few years. A couple slow years were bound to happen. I am simply saying that time is now. I know its not gonna stay that way...With Oak Ridge's pride and tradition they will soon be back on top again, most likley sooner than later.... Will this team rise up and come together? Well I really hope so, there are kids playing their last year every year and as an adult you want to see all of them win and have a good time but hard times do not build charchter it reveals it and those kids that are winners win or loose will always rise to the top. If I mis-spelled anything just shoot me

Good Game DB awesome group of kids and an equally awesome band. I know if this was a beer chimerical I wound be disappearing under a large beer can for saying that but they were impressive. DB has a good shot this year. If Oak Ridge cant be there It would be nice to see a classy program like DB get their reward. You called me out by name OakRidgeCat so hows that crow taste. I do support the Cats but my idea of being a fan and supporting the team doest include making an idiot of myself predicating a win. I predicted the cats to beat the Owls last year and they lost. The difference being Oak Ridge had what it took to win and really should have. Unlike last year I hated being wrong...This year this game I would had loved to have been wrong. Anyone with any sense In my opinion that saw the first two games knew OR didn't have what it takes to win this game and was gonna suffer a loss. Wanna hear something positive? How bout Will Hudson, he is stepping up to fill the shoes of many great Oak Ridge kickers. There are plays that indicate great things to come and if any Ridge fans stayed to the end of the game like I did saw a glimpse of a future star here at OR and that star is the Irby kid at QB. He is big has a strong arm and the way he didn't just take off runnin when the rush was on but stood strong and completed the play as it was designed. He showed a lot of maturity. When these sophs are seniors OR will return to prominence. Until then OakRidgeCat better keep those rose colored glasses handy cause he is gonna need em.

I am die hard Oak Ridge Fan heck I cut myself I bleed Cardinal and Gray. If the paper reads on Thursday DB is gonna come to Blankenship and whoop the cats hind end I would respect that more than a brown nose sports writer telling everyone what they want to hear like some have posted the cats are getting better each weak. That might be true but has little to do with what to expect and the outcome of the game. I like picking up the paper and getting an honest account. After all supporting your team part comes from going to practices, spending time talking to the coaches, traveling to the games having local TV shows and more. I am sure we don't know about all the "paper man " actuall does most of which I am sure isn't covered in the pay. Just like David Clary and his "support of the cats". So it is pretty shallow to get upset if a madia figure says Oak Ridge may loose. I suggest some "OakRidgeCat" Fans needs to take off their rose colored glasses. Remember the Owls last year? In the end they are reporters and have an obligation to be neutral and have the guts to call it the way they see it. When OR is a top contender, honest reporting will say so. I think DB is gonna win I hope I am wrong, If I am I will be the first to say so but personally I think DB is gonna come in here and whoop up on these young cats. If you don't agree that's OK cause I ain't about squabbling about my opinions. Friday night will come soon enough.

Art I dont think we have much for you this year. But then again maybe the competition will elevate our players. One thing for sure the speculation will end after week three we will know if it is going to be a 5-5 season or an 8-2 at this point it could go either way

You guys hit the nail on the head. Clinton did play a heck of a game. They could have and maybe should have been leading at the half. The biggest improvement at Clinton that I saw tonight was the players realizing that they could be competitive and the way that effected the physical aspect of the game. I think another reason for their upswing is the fact they are fixing their feeder program. You know the thing about reaping what you sow. Oak Ridge has benefited for years and years from a strong boys club program, the quality coaching in middle school and motivation to continue playing at the High School level. When Clinton gets all of their ducks in a row, winners will breed winners. As far as I am concerned that is basic football 101. Maybe the story should be how well Clinton played and not how bad Oak Ridge played. Personally I think it was a mixture. I didnt mean to throw Oak Ridge under the bus in my last post. But there was a lot of shoulder shrugging and deer in the headlight looks. That maybe the in-experience. However what worries me is that it might not.

Any one really really concerned by the way OR looked tonight ? I know it was thew first game with a bunch of new kids but I can't remember an Oak Ridge team even on their first night looking so sloppy. I love the Cats but I am really worried.

I quess I am going to have to laugh to keep from cryin. Don't get me wrong I am not ready to throw in the cardinal and grey towel. I am not by any means a fair weather fan. I really dont know what I expected so early in the season with so many new faces. I just couldn't help being a little disaponted. AC just out played OR. I am glad OR didnt go for two at the end of the game and try to make it look like AC lost. I did see something I havent seen on the sidelines before. There was a player holding a big dry eraser board when the cats were on offense. There have been times when OR could tell you what they were runnning and do it succesfully anyway. I dont think this team is there yet. Honestly I was really waiting for a player to run over to the side lines where a few trainers would jump over the fence, change his shoes, fill him up with water and stick a catch can in his over flow. I didn't see that happen maybe they were just telling them how many laps they had to go and how far they were behind. Whatever the case it didnt seem to make a lot of difference. Roll Cats Roll

Your right I am sure it is not EVERY Maryville fan. Although that wasn’t the point of my post. I meant to word it to mean if the shoe fits wear it. As a matter of fact I have met and talked to some Maryville fans. The ones I talked to were very nice people. But those are the exceptions on this message board. As a majority the Maryville fans that post on here are very condescending. The focus of my last post was that there isn't any real information to gain by just watching a Coach Stevens scrimmage and making comparisons with the team they are playing. I was able to watch the second half of the scrimmage yesterday. Both teams showed big play potential. I think both OR and Maryville have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming season.

Maryville fans have a short memory the Cats took it to Maryville two years ago in the summer scrimmage and didn't exactly run over the Cats last year. I guess that is up to everyone on how much importance you put on a scrimmage. The funny thing is that importance varies with Maryville fans on weather they "won" the scrimmage or not. I know from experience that watching coach Stevens scrimmages last year that it isn’t exactly a chest thumping event. As a fan it can be quite frustrating. I remember last year he let Faragut of all people whip the cats in the passing league. I say he let them because he played a lot of people when he could have made it closer or even won by playing starters and kept running routes that he knew were working. For a fan it can make you crazy. I mean Faragut of all people, But I think we all know what happened come game time....twice. There is a method to his madness and it is not running plays that work over and over just to say they won a practice game that means nothing. You can be sure he and his team has their eye on the real prize come December. One other point about the mighty Rebels. This is not directed at the young men that are out there busting their butts. From what I understand classification is based on enrollment. Last year for example Maryville only had 100 less students in the 9-12 grades. Maryville is 4-a Oakridge is 5-a. So before you condescending Maryville fans talk about anyone being scared of playing you. Answer the question why aren't you playing in the big boy division. Never mind playing a USA today team put some of the teams in our area I.E. you know like putting OAK RIDGE and other top 5-A teams on your regular schedule......... you know when it really counts

Well grad here we go again. The Cats will beat the Owls haha...If anyone knows what Oak Ridge is gonna do these last four weeks it would be the players...This Oak Ridge team is in total control of their own fate and I dont think anyone else will have a say in what that may be. I personally think it will simply come down to them winning or beating themselves. Dont get me wrong 2-5a is a strong region with a ton of good players, great coaches and some true big time talent scattered throughout. I also believe you put Mcminn and Heritage in another region and they would be in the post season.

I was sincere in the pnom remark. You shouldnt be so defensive. The kid is as tough as they come and has contributed his body and soul to the cats for three years and has been a large part of this team not only offensive but on Defensive as well. I dont care if your Emmit Smith or Walter Payton a problem is a problem. Maybe there is something I dont know but One thing I do know is If he is hurt or something is suddenly causing him to put the ball on the ground its like any other reoccuring problem it has to be addressed. Thats all no more no less

How can anyone say a running back is the best in the state when he cant hold onb to the ball?

By far and away the worst one sided officals I have ever seen. If I was part of that crew I would have run off the feild under armed guard too. The people up there should be ashamed to even associate themselves with that game. Like the guy said they only called anything on the pats at the end of the game because the game was already over by a long shot. And then what does the coaching staff do throw a long pass that may or may not have been caught at the very end of the game. I was surprised they werent calling time outs at the end. I guess the pats staff and refs were trying to make other people think they made it a game. Anyone there knows better though. That was the most low class staff and ref crew I recall seeing in a few years. I am not talking about the players they played a clean game and I didnt really see any cheap shots so dont take my comments out on them. Pat players The OR QB gave them one td early. The pnom tailback coughed up another present that they just could not capitalize on. On the Oak Ridge side The int's and fumbles are gonna cost us a game aganist a quality team. The Qb is young so hopefully he will improve and by the way has been improving. The tailback in recent years has been flawless but after major problems in 3 of five games holding on to the ball I have to think at some point you have to at least try playing someone that can be dependable holding on to the ball. Oak Ridge is deep at the running back position. Speaking of running back I am glad to see Blair running the ball I hate it took an injury for him to get the position he should have had all along. And I hope his number gets called a lot more. I hope I havent offended anyone on the Oak Ridge side but I cant remember ever being so upset over a game we won. The biggest concern is the meat of the schedule is coming up and the little mistakes will be ampflied aganist tougher opponets. These Kids deserve a championship and the coaching staff and players are in place to make it happen. I hope politics and school records stay out of the way So the whole team gets their hands on that trophy.

Oak Ridge by 48+ The Stormtroopers from the darkside will have another shutout and put another w on the schedule.

I am at a loss for words.......... Roll Cats Roll. Its gonna be a defensive game and could be a very low scoring affair. As Far as the dark side defense name goes I think it speaks for itself. All great defenses have had a name and this is no exception. Its not the speed... its not the ability... its a smash mouth mentality these young men are stormtroopers. I know both teams will show up ready to go. And I am looking foward to the atmosphere at J Fred Stadium. Either way I know we will be making another trip up there in a couple months. Good Luck but I gotta say Roll Cats Roll.