VolmanScott

For the most part, I will agree with you. But, i have seen your traveling basketball and baseball teams lose a game or two through the years. But, if they are not the best team every given year, they are very competitive year in and year out. One thing that'll hurt your baseball though is opening up to "outsiders" last year. They are no longer the Tribe, but now they're the Kingsport Select and can have players from anywhere. They dropped out of the local AABC league and are now in the USSSA open league. They have boys from South, North, Volunteer, etc...and I think that will knock some city boys out of a chance to learn very good quality baseball at a young age. This feeder system has been a very huge part of D-B's baseball success throughout the years. But, we were talking football. Sorry to get off the subject. Oh, and you forgot Coach St. Claire at Sevier. He's been there a long time.

Back to the feeder program issue one more time and i'll leave it alone because i know you aren't buying it. We all have opinions. I still say that if Graham was in "control" of D-B's feeder system, they'd have a better shot at winning a championship. I may be wrong. The reason the middle school success of C.H. hasn't translated into success at the high school level is because the athleticism issue plays a bigger role after the boys mature. That and the fact that a lot of boys have traditionally quit football at South over the past several years. That trend is slowing down some though and I think you'll start to see more success at South over the next several years. It has a lot to do with tradition i would guess at D-B. The boys there seem to take more pride in the their football program. Like I said, at C.H. the boys have already been coached for a few years by some really good coaches. They start at 9 years old. This may be why some choose to quit in high school. Burn out??? But, at D-B, some of these kids haven't had any really strong coaching until they got to high school. All you have to do is watch a Sevier/Colonial Heights football game and you'll see what I mean. Sevier has some good athletes, but they don't have a clue of any techniques. I'll stop there and let you D-B guys take it from there.

Not private, but if you'd like to join our conversation, please know the facts before lashing out. Thank you and have a Merry Christmas.

Uh, for future reference...C.H.=Colonial Heights. And no, we don't have freshman on our middle school team. And I was basically talking to Bud and actually having some good conversation. So, if you don't mind.........

The series only started about 6 years ago. The years that Sevier was winning all their games, they only played within their league. Now they play an out of conference game with C.H. and have lost every year. At the end of the season there is a playoff of all teams. Sevier nor Robinson qualified this year. C.H. won the championship this year over Vance.

I bet Maryville has a very good feeder system. I'm telling you, this is the major problem at D-B. It's not the system (by that I mean their offensive and defensive schemes) and it's not the lack of athletes. All you have to do is look at the little league at the Boys Club and the middle school football teams. They are awful. Sevier is normally the better of the two city middle schools just because of their athletes, but year in and year out, Colonial Heights beats them like a drum. It's obvious that watching the games that the Sevier boys simply do not know what they are doing yet. But, when they get to D-B and get some quality coaching, the tide turns. If you instill this knowlege at an earlier age, the learning curve is not as steep when they get to high school and you can focus more on schemes/game planning/strategy rather than technique.

Seeeeee, I'm not that bad a guy, ha. I've been a little hard on D-B fans in the past, but it's just that I can't stand losing to them I guess! Maybe I'll lighten up a little. How bout we start all over?

I would recommend dropping the Lynn Garden Pee Wee all together. The coaching there is so bad that it hurts more than helps. And there are a lot of city boys playing there. We know that's not going to happen though, it's been around too long. As for the Boys Club, I'd say keep it in tact but for recreational purposes. Some kids just need a place to play. I would recommend that Kingsport try and form a team to enter in the county league. Gray does it for all of Washington Co. so why couldn't Kingsport do it? The county league is heads and shoulders above the Boys Club. I would bet that if Kingsport had a good program in the county league that it would really take D-B football to the Oak Ridge type level. I know D-B has beaten Oak Ridge a lot through the years, but it's when Oak Ridge is not at the top of their game. By that I mean not going to compete for the state title. They have the athletes in Kingsport, but some don't even start learning what they need until they get to D-B. Graham is a great coach and does a wonderful job but his time is limited with them. A county team could start teaching the D-B system early and get a head start. For instance, in Gate City, Coach Colobro oversees the pee wee league and has all the teams running Gate City's exact offense. They cannot run anything else. The coaches have to be approved also. Our county league team at Colonial Heights is really good too. Both the JV and varsity compete for the championships year in and year out. We just don't have the number of great athletes that Kingsport has. We get a great group once in a while, but most of the time, for us to compete with D-B, we have to do it the old fashioned way........hard work.

Let's get real here okay? You know what I meant. Obviously age matters in cases that you pointed out. But, I could bring a team of Fla. 16 and 17 year olds up here and whip D-B's 18 year old senior team from one end of the field to the other. As far as giving D-B respect............they are without a doubt a very solid athletic program in most all sports. And they are most years the best team in upper east TN, but they are not going to win a state championship any time soon IMO. I think their main problem is they don't have a good feeder system. Their middle schools are average at best and their little league program is terrible. They get by in this area just on athletic ability alone. If they had the feeder system of an Oak Ridge or for that matter even Gate City, they would be able to compete at a higher level. This is my opinion and i'm sure you will disagree. As for the teams of old............i'm sure they were very good as you say, but to respect a team that ran the score up like they did on smaller schools just to gain votes.....they will never have my respect. The history books show that on many occasions they still had their first teamers in games in the second half and would score even if they already had put up 50-100 points. Sorry, but that's not right, I don't care who you are.

Tell me where I'm wrong please.

Actually no. As a matter of fact, I bet that the state champions in Florida could bring a group of underclassmen (sophs and jrs) and beat our best teams in TN. Age doesn't mean anything. If you can play, you can play. Take our QB for example. Curt is just a soph. but is the best QB in this area.

Were the Florida teams that won their state championships back then, when D-B beat them, also 'mythical state champs'? Not trying to be my usual smart toeed self, just wondering? If so, it would be like comparing apples and oranges. You are correct about modern day teams. The Fla. state champs of today would kill our Ravenwoods, Maryvilles, Alcoas......etc.

Turn that frown upside down Wacko! Science Hill finished runner up by 4 points in 2002 and Unaka won it all in 2004. It can be done by upper east TN. It may not be the Mighty Indians, but it can be done.

Tricitiessports.com said one starter (Johnson/point guard) and 2 key reserves were out. But, nevertheless, you are correct, South should have won if they are going to be as good as everyone thinks. If they don't play better than this, they can forget even making it to the regionals. But, as bad as they were last year, and still beat D-B 2 out of 3, I'd have to give the edge to South this year. Only time will tell........

They have six mythical (all six voted on by sports writers before playoff system went into affect) state titles: 1945, 47, 48, 49, 59 and 60.

Home field means nothing in this game. West does not have a big following. Only brought about 500 people to South and in years past have not had many at home games either. Almost as many players as fans! They do have a good team though. Good O-line and big strong backs. I still see their speed as their downfall. South had more team speed but couldn't match their strength up front. I imagine Maryville will be able to match the strength and will have more speed. Maryville 42 West 20.

As a matter of fact, Science Hill lost in the finals in '02 didn't they? Not bad for some good ole boys from upper east Tennessee huh? It can be done. Well, in everything except football.

They share a field.

Well, you have your opinion. Science Hill lost a couple of years ago at the State, but to say they didn't represent upper east Tennessee well is wrong IMO.

Wrong again. Upper east Tennessee has been well represented in years past. Science Hill has won a couple and Unaka won one.

Yes. Kevin Shipley was QB at South a few years ago. Passed for a lot of yards his jr. and sr. season. Walked on at UT, but never got to play any. Good kid.

Yes, I guess you did play bad, but so did South, so I guess these points are a wash. But, I do disagree with having your first team on the field leading by 21 with two minutes to go even though, as you said, you just ran it up the middle. Besides, what if you had broken a foot or something? Just not smart to me. You guys do have a good line. I was impressed with you. You are not only big, but athletic too. I bet you'd like to play some Def. wouldn't you? Good luck vs. Maryville.

Maybe you are correct in hind sight. Maybe I'm not giving West enough credit. They do have a good line and good RB's. I still say they would be much better letting some of their studs go both ways though. A lot of high school coaches make this mistake I think. Put you best 11 on the field and let them play. They are only 15-18 years old. They should be in good enough shape to play 3/4 of a high school game. I'm telling you, #40 would be a GREAT LB. And, I'd get #10 the ball more on O. Maybe put him at TB every now and then. #3 is very strong, but he does not hit the holes hard enough. Please believe me on this. You'll see when the play a Def. with bigger Def. line than what we had. West's O line did a great job of blocking our smaller line and gave West's RB's more time to get into our Def. backfield. I may be wrong, but I think Maryville will win big. Once again, congrats to West and congrats to South on a good season.

Maryville can stop the run if they swarm to the ball and do not let the huge West line lay on them. West has huge backs but they are slow and don't hit the hole hard. Personally I think the FB #40 is the best. #3 doesn't run hard and can be stopped if hit at the line. Their Def. is average at best. As much as I'd like to see West win, I think Maryville will dominate this game. Maybe I'm a bit jealous after West scored with their first teamers last night with 2:00 minutes to go leading us by 21. South played as bad as they possibly could in this game and still led 20-19 towards the end of 3rd quarter. Then, the wheels fell off completely. If we had been playing Maryville playing this badly, we would have been down by 35. West would be a better team if they DID play some boys both ways IMO. #40 would make one heck of a LB!! Their O-Line is the real deal!! I see two D-1 prospects there. Any offers for them yet? Good luck to both teams!

The verdict is still out. We'll have a better feeling about this after tonight and possibly next Friday. The '93 team that went to the state semis and lost to a very good Cleveland team (Cleveland won 3 straight state championships) may be the best we've ever had. They gave Cleveland a very good game that night and Cleveland had one of the best high school teams I've ever seen. Personally, I don't think this South team is as good, but I hope they prove me wrong. I think the best teams are yet to come at South. They are loaded with young talent and more is on the way. Just ask the Seviers, TA Duggers, and Vances (all middle school teams that have had to play Colonial Heights over the past few years).