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Yea, and Grundy should be a much improved ball team.

Whitwell has a good team. Kids will do what ever you demand of them. Praying for the Tigers.

Ambassador you about got me on the ball statement. I about messed up. Lol. I just want the program to do well. Wins are everywhere, Even if it is not on the field of play. Just have to find them.

Well that is your opinion and you are welcome to it, Hope your team has done better.

i beg to differ? I can not help but to think that as far as the Marion County's community is concerned Whitwell has been an after thought. Mark Griffith has taken steps to correct the problem . I think corrective steps have been taken, and with the growth of the community Whitwell can do better. Whitwell have people in place to make that happen, it is just going to take a little time. I think if folks can get past Whitwell's overall record, and look at who they have played. Sequatchie, Marion, S. pItt., Grundy, Bledsoe, and Boyd Bucs. To name a few. Have I lost anybody yet, year in year out those are good teams. If you play teams like that going 5-5 or 7-3 can be considered a great year. Whitwell is a typical 1A program. Just like deer hunting, you have your typical bucks and non-typical bucks. Whitwell is a typical 1A program. It use to bug the heck,out of me and we would go 5-5 and people said we did not deserve to be in the playoffs, then we would go play an 8-2 Monteray team and beat them by three touchdowns. I would be like here we are, then go play Frendship Christian, or Boyd Bucannaun, get beat then people would say told you they were not any good. Really! No, that is no longer the issue, opportunity is there, seeing that things are more level now. Jmo.

Coach Helton is a good coach. Stand by him. Second round this year, it is called growth.

I like my football thank you very much,, however it is not that compulated. Lol.

By the way, Whitwell has three fairly new schools in one complex. Does jasper not have three new schools, and South Pittsburg, not have new facilities as well? If consolidation was going to take place it should have took place before now. However I have ideas being to different systems on on how to make that happen. We could have three elementary schools, two middle schools, a vocational school in Whitwell, and a high school in the Kimball area. In academics everything kids needed could be offered. I personally would like to see a good band program and the way things are now I do not see that happening with three schools. In athletics we would be no bigger than 3A, and could compete with anyone. One can only say that after it is all said and done what would be the best thing for the kids. In reality that is all that matters.

As far as a job interview I think I will go on record and say he has my support., and if he needed my services I would be there to help so let's end the speculation. Point I was making in the post was when the TSSAA made us play those at the time rec. league private teams we lost a lot of money at the gate. iF we played Temple, David Brainerd, Grace, or Silverdale we lost about 3,000 a game. wE play a team like Sequatchie we make about 5,000 more. As a head coach you not only a teacher, coach, promote program, in other words we cannot recruit, but also a business man. You love playing those teams because most times than not you are going to win. However it takes at least Twenty five thousand dollars to run a program like Whitwell. When I was at Soddy and Red Bank we took in a ton of money. Small programs like Whitwell do not have that luxury. When I was at Whitwell we wanted to be competitive with local programs, Make enough money to run the program so kids had what they needed, and make the playoffs. Last time I was at Whitwell we made the playoffs we went 5-5 and faced Monteray who was 8-,2, in the playoffs and people said we did not belong there. They forgot how most teams we played were in a bigger classification. To make a long story short we beat them easily,and went on to play Boyd. My point is Money matters sometimes more than wins. Playing the bigger teams also make you better and the kids enjoy it.

Last time we played Grace when I was head coach we never punted because we scored on every possession. When we were forced to play David Brainerd, Silverdale, Temple, and Grace the TSSAA about bankrupted our program and I was the fall guy. They had no community and low attendance. Whitwell is back on track. They are playing competitive teams and competing. Now they are entering the playoffs with experience of playing teams that are more athletic. wHat more can Whitwell do? I was disappointed in attendance game against Moore Co. jUst saying?

Until something else happens Sp is top dog. WHitwell is nipping at the hills though. Grider is back and it will be tough, but I would not want it,any other way.

Been busy coach, but you can give up on the Condra's, Petty's, And Shrum's, we are worthless. iWe are just,not right in our heads. oH well! Lol. I am really impressed with how you have prepared this program.. One of the biggest benefits to workouts is less injuries. We may not be winning a boat load of ball games at Tennessee but you can see that philosophy starting to be mixed in with mortar and bricks at Tennessee. When I got ran off from Whitwell after my first year caching there in 97, I actually did not know weather to cry or laugh at what our program had become, and coaches there made me feel like an idiot even though they carried the longest loosing streak in Tennesse. Returned as an assistant in 2000 in August and really wanted to cry. We went 0-10 but next year went 8-4 with a big win over Boyd. Buc's. We went on to have great season like Whitwell had this year. I am actually a former head coach there, and have a family member on your staff. i am glad he is there and would be glad to be there myself. After Christmas break is over I want to sit down with you, and him. Keep up the good work coach you are doing a great job. ps. I have always said body needs to recover. as I get older I do not need much more proof. I look forward to sitting down with you after Christmas. Going prospecting and fishing. iF you are interested in taking kids to camp in Ky at Georgetown, Ky. i can help you with that kids loved it. we went three a days but we did not condition. They ate like pigs and got to hang out with the Bengals. kIds got autographs, and had free time in dorm rooms. kids loved it.

Coach Helton I would like to talk to you. I am a social studies teacher who has learned weight and speed training through trails and errors. Been in the Army learned a lot there. I have no idea what you are talking about. Hyper trophy Mesocycle . However interested. I always started right after Christmas break if we went two deep in playoffs. If we did not make it we started right away. Your kids looked like they were in great shape at beginning of season. I am sure the kids and coaches like the extra time off. Go Tigers!

I have no Idea what the situation is. What I would say when it comes to my kid I am going to do what's best for him or her, in my case, I have a daughter. She lives in Florida and is an excellent advanced clarinet player. If I was working at South Pittsburg, I would love for her to come and be at the school I worked at because I would be able to see her more. Not because it might make the band better. Although schools with great bands are usually good at everything else in the school, I Know that is strange coming from a football coach. Think about it. Anyway when it comes to a coaches family life and the decisions they make about their kids I try not to read to much into it.

If I had to guess I would say they will be better. Was this his first year back? I was in Florida last year.

What so funny, something I do not know. I graduated with him from UTC. I have known him a long time, he has always done well we're ever he has been. Have not heard as much about him last couple of years. I just know as head coach he has done moe with less, that a lot of coaches have done with more.. Shoots straight, what is Giles looking for? JMO

Amen to everything that has been said. With all the propaganda and racism America needs to move away from their stereotypes. Those young men, and coaches provided leadership with a nation in need.

I say give him a shot at it. It burns me up when you take an assistant job somewhere, do a good job, then when a head coaching job comes up they think you are not good enough even though you have the resume that says different. What does that tell you if you are working their and not in top consideration for the head coaching position. If I wanted to be a head coach again I know what that would tell me.

If Barger is there why not hire him . Giles stadium is awesome. Great football community. I meet the Principal when at Brainard in the second round of the playoffs back afew years ago. We ate our pregame meal at a restaurant that had Nathan Bedford Forrest picture up on the entrance wall, and us being a all black team except for me that was funny as well as all the cotton fields we past getting there. It gave me plenty of material for giving coaches and kids a hard time. Lol. People in Giles were very polite and are kids needed that it makes a difference. Great hospitality! I have known Coach Barger for a long time. He has been successful everywhere he has been. He can do more with less talent than most coaches can do with more. He would be a good fit, but again do not know situation at Giles. Good luck on your search.

Marion Co. Is the best 2A program I have seen in a long time. I have a hard time believing they will not win state. Their defense is or maybe the best I have seen at that level. Good luck to the Warriors.

If what you say is true, that only means that they may not be as good at the running positions. That can be offset by being better in special teams and defense. I am like coach Helton, I love to run the football, however he may have to put a small play action passing package together? I do feel safe in saying that I am sure he understands more about what he needs to with his team than I do.

Absolutely, next year will be unbelievable, and we probably do not want to think about the next year. Unless we have a bunch to defect to the NFL, who knows? I am behind Butch just like I am behind Coach Helton. I have not had much time to speak with coach Helton, but would like to.

Well I have spoke with him, and while coaching in Florida I have spoke with recruiting personal about potential athletes in Florida. I have coached against probably 20 kids that had already committed to D1 schools. So, other than that I really do not know him personally that well. But, I do understand the process.

Proud of all my buddies and players at Notre Dame.