maroonandgrey

I was hoping that since ETSU decided to kill off football and make the basketball program THE "premiere" sport at ESTU that they would have had a new basketball arena similar to Appy State by now and have the district there each year and regions when it came our turn. I think that would be a great atmosphere to have a great arena with all the amenities that a new college arena would offer. And I think the kids would love the atmosphere of playing on a college stage. King also has a great arena from what I have seen. Just my thoughts. I don't have problems with it not being at the Dome just don't like it being at the smaller out of the way gyms just because they don't want the big schools to get it each year. I think it could attract people that aren't normaly going to the games that just want to see a great tournament in a great setting. No offense to the schools that are hosting just stating the honest facts. People stay away when it is inconvenient.

Actually with the reffing in this league that would be more like ranking who is the best proctologist! /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" />

Why are they having these tournies at the small gyms in the conference? I know all the schools don't want the big boys hogging all the $$$ and want a cut but can't that be done by rotating a larger % of the total district cut around the conference and just have the games at more centrally located gyms that can accomodate the fans/parking? I don't think there has been much of a problem with this tournament becuase the attendance hasn't been that great. I guess they would rather get 100% of a small pie and stick it to the big guys instead of a larger portion of a much bigger pie. The way I understand the rotation it will many years between being played at the sensible venues...Viking Hall, Freedom Hall, and the Buck Van Huss Dome. South was rediculously hot and overcrowded in '06 and had people actually drove down to Volunteer this year it would have suffered the same problems...but many chose to stay home. Like I said, a solution could be to have the tourney at the larger arenas and rotate a larger chunk of the gate around the league. Say it is at Freedom Hall next year but it's Central's turn to get a bigger cut of the revenue. More people will show and they get there cut to boot. More people around the area that aren't affiliated with any of the schools are more likely to show up and buy a ticket, nachos, drink, etc to see games at Freedom Hall than drive down to Crockett (no offense). They will just stay home which is what they are doing this year. we'll see come Saturday, but I think it's ridiculous to have the tournament at a gym that can't hold 4 teams fans...when they come. Just my opinion.

Did you give "Bart" and crew a Valentines Day card before the game? /rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />

They are not playing the best and it aint because of the trip to Salem. But hey they went undefeated in the conference

So DB will have there hands full the whole way and East doesn't want to play the Falcons on there floor in a do-or-die situation...I guess we just concede the trophy to the Toppers. Neither team has exactly lit up the floor down the stretch.

Edwards and Hardy fouled out and Sylvester had 4 fouls late in the game. Wow! 39 free throws for the Toppers. Chris Smith made only 1 shot but made 11 of 16 free throws! I don't know that I have ever seen a kid take 16 free throws in a game. I agree, not sure what McConnell was thinking putting up that 3-point shot with the lerad and 18 seconds left. If DB knocks down there free throws late the outcome would have been decided way before Bronson's block. I've been saying all year that free throw shooting is going to be a killer down the road. For all those interested, the game will be re-played on WKPT-DT3 from 5-7 pm

Well I try to bite my tongue. But it's hard to do when certain DB fans chime in to say Charlie was being selfish by playing that game! Selfish?! That just reiterates all that I have accumulated by sitting in the stands and picking up on the attitude of the fans as I see them. To say they can't believe he would schedule this game 4 hours away less than 24 hours after a conference game PLEASE! It wasn't like they played the Toppers friday night, they had a cruise against a weak South squad. And if this teams confidence is shaken by the outcome of that game in Salem against a pretty good team then they weren't going anywhere in the postseason anyway. How would they handle the likes of Oak Ridge, MAryville, Bearden, or Farragut (the weaker Knoxville team that beat them by 19) if they make it to face them? I think they are a little soft still. Unfortunately, that could be this team's demise. I hope not. I hope it shows them they have to come to play every game from now on if they want to move down the road.

DB fans/students travel well and at home show up in numbers but there aint much fire. I guess they are afraid to get into the games or they will be ejected as a couple were at South Friday night. By the way, what is up with Compton at South? He obviously has a chip on his shoulder about DB because the ref came over and pointed to someone that had "criticized" the ref and they tossed a couple of DB kids and Compton was jawing with the kids for some time and then patrolled the DB sidelines for the rest of the game almost daring somebody from the DB side to "criticize" an official. I think there is something there because HE (not the DB A.D. as was the myth some tried to spread) was also responsible for cancelling the DB/South football series and there were many excuses given to why it was done (and most have proven bogus). The critics were just as many on both sides of the arena (as is the case in any game) but he chose to mix it up with the DB students. I smell collusion between him and the refs because it wasn't long into the game that the ref pointed out the 2 kids (one of which hadn't made a peep by the way) and had them escorted out and made the announcement that "criticizing the officials would not be tolerated". Interesting, that is the first time I have ever heard that rule. So everyone has been warned from this point forward.

I guess it has just gotten too frustrating to be in the stands of a football game and see the kids on the sideline waving there arms during a crucial 3rd down for the opponent trying to get the crowd to make noise and the stands be quiet other than swapping gossip with the neighbors. But when the clarinet player squeeks off a note they almost soil themselves. Or at a basketball game trying to give the kids some sort of home court advantage in dome (and give the refs a little help /smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />) and have a DB fan tell me they will have an officer move me unless I hush...they just want to golf clap for Timmy and visit with there neighbors and say my little Timmy had a great game but those other kids played awful.

I'm not sure there is any coach that can make DB competitive at a state level. We lured Buck Van Huss away who had won a state title at Hampton....zero for DB. We lured away Ted Wilson from Maryville where he had won 3 championships in football....zero at DB. We lured away Mike Ritz from North where he had won 2 baseball championships...zero at DB. Those are 3 of the best ever in the state but it never equated to a title in any of the 3 main sports at DB. I honestly don't think the heart is there in the athletes to move to the top...they don't want to work to get there. I sit in the stands at football, basketball, baseball and unless the band plays there is no fire in the fans either. But hey, everybody keep paying your taxes because we need that turf and field house....to get better you know? /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

IF they go to state, they will not get a day's rest between games. 3 games in 3 days.

Are we serious here? First off, it shouldn't take 4 hours to get to Salem, Va. Second I would ask, is the main goal to go undefeated in the Big 9 conference and be the best team in Region1 and not know where you need to improve or is the main goal to get a dose of reality and realize what it takes to be playing the best basketball going into post season? Because they will see far better teams than they just played just trying to get to state (Oak Ridge, Maryville, Bearden, etc). And then IF they get to state, they would be playing top notch competition on 3 consecutive days! That's back-to-back-to-back...not playing a AA Virginia team less than 24 hours after playing a weak conference foe. Come on, these aren't NBA players but there should be no problem for a high school kid to get on a bus and travel down the road to play a basketball game and not use that as an excuse for losing. They got there butts handed to them but they also got to play in a similar environment to a state tournament and also got to see 2 state championship teams that THIS coach was responsible for. This SHOULD motivate them to a) see that they have not arrived, and b)see what can be accomplished with effort (i.e. a state tournament). But hey, if you only want this team to beat up on the Sullivans and win a conference crown then you won't be dissappointed with this season. But it's obvious there is work to be done for this team to be crowned "best around here in a while" and we'll see if the heart is there to step it up. But going to DB games for years and witnessing the "ho-hum wait-til-next-year" attitude of the crowds, I am increasingly beinning to wonder what it the heart of the program? At football games I see the players emploring the fans to get up and give them a home field advantage but nothing...oh but they almost break there arms clapping when the tuba player comes on the field. And at basketball games, most are busy getting caught up on all the gossip while they are threatening fans that do get up and yell to sit down or they will tell an officer you are bothering them. But you're right, it's all the coaches fault. I think Eddie Durham nailed it, he commented last year after another golf flop that the attitude is on cars and clothes and not hard work to get better. An attitude that if I put on the maroon and grey, the opponent will crumble before me. So make a spot for another conference championship trophy and be satisfied with another "successful" season. I won't be satisfied and it wont be Charlie Morgan's fault.

All you had to do was look at the size of the basketball preview. I don't think any team got a full write up and most teams only got a paragraph or 2. The way I understand the situation at the Times News was they wanted to cut $$$ and choose to pull as much stuff as they can from the AP wire and Ron Bliss left because they wanted to cut back instead of expand there coverage (I think he wanted to cover UT recruiting very heavy and they poo-pood the idea) and thus we have tricitiessports.com. Also, I think Bill Lane is a Gate City grad so.... I emailed the paper back some time ago with basically what you said and was replied that the circulation area covers those communities and those kids deserve the coverage just the same. Which I agree with but would dare say the majority of there subscriptions (money) comes from Kingsport residents and they should get priority. Heck, they didn't even have a boxscore the next day from the DB@Crockett game yet one of the SWVa schools had a huge article with photos! Sad I doubt the JC Press covers Boone over Science Hill in anything yet that paper is circulated in Gray/Boones Creek. I agree Bill Lane is an excellent writer and I love the "memory Lane" piece every week.

DB over South (refs..we don't need no stinkin' refs!) SH over Crockett (see not above) Boone over Volunteer (Boone rushes for 200 and Volunteer has a late TD called back on a controversial holding call...stinkin refs! /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />) TN High over Central (TN High's personal refs will work the game allowing the Vikes to pull this one out /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> )

one would think I would have thicker skin being a DB fan huh? /roflolk.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflolk:" border="0" alt="roflolk.gif" />

My fault Volman. I assumed you were taking a jab at DB barely beating Gate City. Hey, it sounds like somebody in the family made a good choice /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> Wow, I used to be referred to as moron now M&G...you're warming up to me /wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> Welcome back

WOW! They never stopped calling fouls on DB! what game were you watching? I think most of East's points LATE in the game came from the stripe. And if they call a flop a flop from the beginning then DB probably isn't in any foul trouble. They called a shooting foul against Sylvester for #3 and he was nowhere near the kid while he was shooting. And like I said, with DB pounding the ball deep inside all 2nd half and the 4 big guys only getting 48 points combined and only 12 free throws combined kind of throws your whole argument into chaos. Like I said, we've established that the reffing is inconsistent at best around here...but it was a 33 point game. And most of that came during the 3rd when DB outscored East 30-10 WAY before the fouls started piling up. By the end both teams had subbed and DB still outscored EAst 29-20 in the 4th...when you say they could have made a comeback if the refs had called the fouls. Hmmm

How so? Not that I'm claiming the game was called error free and usually the reffing in this area is not great and we all have established that time and time again. But the game was a 30 point margin so I'm not sure how the refs could have helped out anymore than 26 free throws to DBs 15 or so. Seriously, what is your beef? Besides there were many times that the foul against DB was "on the floor" when it was clear the player was in the process of shooting, and DB pounded the ball inside the entire 2nd half and didn't get many calls. DB was in foul trouble most of the 2nd half so I'm not sure what else you want?

Cap If I recall, Justin Sylvester and Jordan Edwards saw the floor for Charlie as freshmen.

From the times I have met him he seems like a very good kid. And I love the way he just plays and respects the game. I think playing as a freshman will pay big dividends for the program

I'll take: DB over East (of course /rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" /> ) Science Hill over Tn High South over Volunteer (I'm just thinking the Falcons have been struggling and South has actually been pretty close the last few games)

Wow! 2 posts in as many days...I thought you had quit after football. I was gonna ask why you had any interest in a DB freshman game until I remembered it was against Gate City and you are the local SWVa apolagist. What exactly IS your man crush on Gate City by the way? You must do work for the SWVa Times-News? /roflol.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":roflol:" border="0" alt="roflol.gif" /> I'm sure if you were there you sat on the Gate City side. If I were a rebel bball fan (which I'm not) I wouldn't worry so much about a DB/Gate City freshman game as I would worry about Gate City absolutely handing it to the VARSITY Rebels twice this year. And FYI the Rebel freshmen won the conference crown last year but I guess only time will tell if that translates into being remotely competitive in the conference. By the way, the DB/SS football rivalry is a testament to putting much value on a freshman win toward guaranteeing a varsity win huh? We'll see you on Friday night at the Rebel den.

Where is the region tournament being played? I'm assuming since it was at South last year, it will be at a Region2 school. Thanks

So that ONE backcourt call decided a 13 point game? Interesting how things are viewed when the shoe is on the other foot