Indians blown out yet another season.
I'm a Dobyns- Bennett graduate of 1986 and I have supported the Indians for over thirty-six years win, lose, or draw. I was in the 80's class when the Indians played ALL the Knoxville division teams like Jefferson County, Farragut, and Sevier County. But I don't ever remember them playing Maryville. Next week, The Science Hill Hilltoppers will wish they could play as great as the Maryville Rebels.
Tonight's loss by the Tribe was embarrassing just because they lost to a Hilltopper team that can only claim fame for one player and I'm not even going to have to print the name. Again, next week, that talented player will feel like he is graduating from high school to the NFL. The Rebels mean business and they are going to put the same hurt on SHHS that SHHS put on the Tribe. Great high school football comes down to a number of variables but the most important is not necessarily talented players. It starts with great coaching to the defense, offensive, special teams, QB, Rb's, and receivers and as a witness to DB football for the past 36 years, the coaching has been lacking. To have a State Championship team you need to have all the right coaches but the head coach must be the motivator of ALL his players and staff.
I was born and raised in Kingsport and I really love the area. What I don't love is many of its citizens. I grew up without being wealthy and because of that my family was always looked down upon. Unfortunately, Johnson City is worse in the way that many from there think they are just plain better than EVERYBODY else with one exception, SHHS has Coach Stacy Carter, and he is a motivator, young, and has an eye where to play talent.
And then there is Coach Graham Clark. Since I had him as a PE teacher he has always had his picks and it has kept him from ever winning a State Championship. He would rather play a popular player than a talented player and I can name an instance but I will not write it here, so thus popularity has turned Coach Clark into a mediocre, "Eh, we'll get'em next year" kind of coach. And he hides behind his failures as a great Coach by cracking some hillbilly anecdote to ease his pain and hopefully get the DB faithful to laugh off another loss every single time. I don't want to seem that I'm bashing another human being but I will not apologize for writing the truth. So before tonight's game in Johnson City I decided I was going to go watch a good football game played by a great football team from SW Virginia. In closing I will speak what I have overheard in the crowd for years at J Fred Johnson Stadium, Coach Graham Clark isn't serious about motivating his players or staff and it's time for him to retire as Head Coach of the Dobyns-Bennett Indians Football program. That school deserves better, the students, staff, and most importantly the young men that play their hearts out to carry on a season.
I will not apologize for being bias either. The Science Hill Hilltoppers have a great coach that knows football but Maryville IS THE TEAM in NE Tennessee and come November 21st, 2014, The Hilltoppers will feel the sting of of a true and perfect football program. So best of Malick McGoo (oops), you're going to need it.
K.A. Collins 2014