eagle001

well it was my understanding that the community as a whole did not pay COACHES well, not just the head coach as an individual. hammontree wants his coaches paid what they deserve, it's not about him, he tries to take care of his coaches everywhere he goes. and not just football coaches, but all the coaches, because they spend time away from their families to help other children, and it's about supporting them, not HIM. i wasn't downing the community, trust me, i remember being involved with the powell community for games in the past.

have you all ever thought that maybe it's not about money and it's about family and what is best for Coach Hammontree's family. and as an assistant? why is that funny? i mean come on, yeah he's a head coach, but if he is happier as an assistant elsewhere, then what's the big deal. he's a great coach, i'll give him that, he's an even better man, and a motivator and life teacher, not just a football coach. and another thing......... you can look up pay scales all across the internet for georgia and tennessee schools... and yes, pay scales are SIGNIFICANTLY different. and last.... Hammontree wouldn't take the Alcoa job or Powell job if it was handed to him, the communities do not back the coaching staff, they want everything for nothing. they want a state title after state title, but do not want to support the school to get it. just a little from the inside.... i know a few people.

well how about let's all think back to when Coach Hammontree was named head coach at Maryville and how many people hated him and how many people thought he couldn't pull it off... then he pulls out a 15-0 season with a state championship... and isn't it funny that his coaching staff that he BROUGHT IN from other areas of the US... Ellis and Quarles... He brought them in to help him build a program that he said many times ''will be unstoppable.'' Hammontree took that Maryville program... built the weight program, build up the motivation, and left it for Coach Quarles to take over when the Lord took Hammontree elsewhere. You all can rave and rant about Coach Quarles, and granted, he is a WONDERFUL coach, I've known him for years, but you can't say that he made Maryville what they are today by himself, cause he didn't. Maryville is what they are after years of work that Hammontree, Quarles, Ellis, and many others started. So quit acting like he is the king of football at Maryville, there were many more before him. And on another note... Hammontree may not have had a state championship down in Georgia where he was from, but after 5 years he did take them to the playoffs for the first time in school history. But he was lead to come back to Rhea County and be at a place where he could help the kids and be backed by the community. So I'm not saying it'll be this year, or even the next, cause we never know, but there is going to be a group of kids come out of Rhea County that will blow your mind.

we are tough this year. you're about to see a rhea county that you've never seen before.

all I have to say to your comment is that I was at that scrimmage, know the stats, have the scrimmage actually on tape right here beside me. let me break it down. knox central - over 250 yards in offside and other penalties 18 facemasks 21 personal fouls and it wasn't 7 touchdowns... it was 4... MAYBE... whistles were blown, players would back off, and knox central would keep running, like they had something to prove. come game time during the season, we'll see just how good central comes out.

I played football as a freshman, and my senior year, I couldn't play my sophomore or junior year due to having shoulder surgery from playing club team ball. ...and I am a girl... I think the decision on letting a girl play should be handled by the girl's parents, the coaching staff, the team, and the principal. As most of you know, there usually aren't 'try outs' for football teams in high school. It's usually, if you want to play, come out for the team, if you can make it through summer workouts, 3 a days, drills, sprints, and scrimmage games, then more power to you. It's just like guys... if you can't hang with the practices and the drills, then you're out, if the girl can't hang with the practices and the drills, then she's out. If she can hang, then it proves that she's just as capable as being on the field as the other guys. She may not necessarily get the starting position, but that's just how it goes, other guys make it through the drills, but they are on scout team, or special teams. If there is somebody better than you, they'll play in that spot... you gotta earn it. If the girl can earn it, then let her do it. and for whoever made the comment about boys playing Volleyball... there are boys Volleyball teams, maybe not at every high school, but they exist... just so you know.

Well let me just add the fact that Coach Quarles was hired BY Coach Hammontree, worked under him on his staff and was a very respected QB coach. The program that is ran at Maryville was started by the staff that Hammontree brought to that school when he became head coach. Quarles grew as a coach under Hammontree... ask him for yourself. those are his exact words.

how about the speed demon on the girls 4x100 and 4x200 and the 100 from rhea county? she broke 2 school records last meet.

yeah... that's an easy one to find out... www.rheacountysports.com then click on women's basketball. and it's CRIS... not Chris. she's a quick one... better watch out.

i would just like to add something else to this topic. i read the chattanooga paper today, as well as the maryville daily times, and if you'll look in both articles, it talks about how the current success is due to what Coach Hammontree began at these schools. if you'll remember, Coach Quarles and David Ellis were under Coach Hammontree when they had all their success, he built the program with his fellow coaches, started an amazing strength program, constantly motivated the team, and was a mentor to every individual... it's just complete respect for each Coach and their staff and complete respect for either team. nobody likes Maryville, that's a fact, it's only because they are a strong team that has had great success throughout the past few years, that's just like with any team... you're not going to like the team that constantly wins and constantly just dominates in their region... who would like one of those, unless you were them. this is a game like any other game, yeah maybe Coach H has coached at Maryville, maybe his son played there, and maybe he has coached at Rhea Co before and is now back with his youngest son playing... SO WHAT... it's another football game, another season to play... and let's point out that there have been some upsets in things this year, look at UT beating those UGA dawgs... there just could be an upset Friday night when those Golden Eagles take the field to prove that ''IT'S A MATTER OF PRIDE'' thumb

I could tell you a million things about the offense, about the defense, about the skill level of each player, what will happen in the game on Friday, and what plans the Eagles have up their sleeve. But... I won't. and just another thing, the Rhea County Golden Eagles are a TEAM, don't refer to them as the ''Hammontrees'' or anything. Yeah Coach Hammontree is a great coach, but he's not the guy that kicks that extra point, not the guy that makes the qb sneak, not the guy that fights continuously every down. He's the team's coach and mentor. He's the guy they look up to and respect. There is a good amount of people in the town of Maryville that really respect Coach H, as well as in Greenback, Rhea County, surrounding areas and even down in Suwanee, GA where he was previously. He is a man that stands strong in his beliefs, stands strong behind his team, his students, and especially his coaches. They are not just a team, they are a family. Good luck to both teams as they battle for the chance to play yet another week in this season.

just so you know, the Rhea County coach is not a ''Maryville Guy''... he coached in Harlan Co Kentucky, at Rhea County High, at Maryville High, North Gwinnett, and now at Rhea County... he may have coached at Maryville, but watch how you say ''Maryville Guy'' not upset, just setting the record straight. YES there will be a lot of publicity. YES people are going to blow this way out of proportion. BIG DEAL that he coached at both places, he's a great coach that turns teams completely around and builds incredible programs. A good man and a wonderful coach. Let's just leave it at that. God Bless.

WOOOOOHOOOOOO!! GO EAGLES!

I say Rhea Co pulls this one out. after the last couple of games, they've been real close and i think rhea has realized that they need to step it up and play the entire game and not just pick certain times to make some good plays. they realize they need to stay strong and play THEIR game of football. they have came a long way this year, and they need to keep it going and play some GOLDEN EAGLE football.

i think that Rhea County's freshmen team is pretty darn good, and i've seen some teams in my day. also rebelron, i read somewhere way back on here that you were friends with Coach Tim Hammontree's sister?