BatmanDevil

I look for more teams to go all out and make the Devils have to throw under pressure while trying to stop the run.SD made it interesting early and I was thinking this is the perfect storm for the Devils to learn from going forward.Great game last night and each week matchups will be different.I hope Fulton is a game the Devils can also learn from and improve their chances of another gold ball.The past is the past but Fulton will always have some fine athletes that come to play and I expect the same next week.

Congratulations Maryville, I was back and forth between games after I got home . As I wrote,DB would have to play perfect And get some help in what would probably be a Four touchdown betting margin going in . The help came early but the perfect never occurred. Penalties, turnovers and things such as that can get the favored team beat against an underdog . The problem for DB in this one was they just didn't have the team to take full advantage of the gifts that rarely are given by Maryville.Still as in my Devils game,enough to make the home crowd very nervous early on. Congratulations to the Tribe on what was supposed to be a reloading year and best of luck to those seniors going forward.

Have a great time guys and hopefully it will be an injury free game.

True RR.My favorite saying to my kids even if it's something like college final exams ."You look in the mirror and if that guy gave it his all,then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. "

Yep, that's what a coach says and you have to try and build on anything you can.I can remember that feeling all week when my son was practicing to play against Maryville in the first round 2009.He walked off the practice field that Thursday with a friend and future D1 star lineman who is tonight's offensive line coach. I just thought,this ride is coming to an end and that's the last time I'll ever see him practice in highschool.I wrote things like Coach Christian that week because that's what you do.DB was 5-5 that year and two of their other best offensive lineman were either hurt or out as was their starting running back ( offensive bread and butter ,Chris Sensabaugh ) ,for the game. DB forces a three and out to start that game,I think my son made two of those first three tackles.Maryville has a bad snap and DB is going to be first and goal inside the 10.Except the Maryville punter picks the ball up and runs for about twenty yards against the return team .41-0 final. Those Indians were not afraid either and didn't have a snowballs chance in hail of winning.Tonight's DB team has a better chance but will have to play perfect football and get some gifts.Either way, you go in and do your best and when it's over,shake hands and say good game.

It could happen Mav but honestly,how much money if you were a betting man,would you really put on SD tonight.. When Tennessee played Miami in the sugar bowl years ago,I bet on the Vols and gave 7 points to boot.Most folks thought Miami would kill UT that night but I knew what kind of defense they had and could have bet the farm to anyone at that rate but it was just my Alabama loving uncle for twenty bucks.He threw the twenty at me afterwards . I'm not a betting man but if you're that confident in SD, I'd take the Devils and 7 points for any amount you like ,ha

Nice video and it definitely gets you fired up for today, GameDay !

There is a reason many private schools get nationally ranked.One is they are usually loaded with prospects and also well coached with great facilities to boot.That doesn't mean they are really the number 5-10-15 or 20 team in the country but have the ability to possibly be that if they played all the other many top schools around the United States .Yes they are going to take most really great public schools to the woodshed but when teams like Oakland, Maryville and other really good teams are loaded,they would also have a chance to compete on any given night if things fall their way .So,in short we have to depend on the IFL and let everyone pound their chest ..

Jan 1st in the IFL championship game.

I might be mistaken but I think it was in Greeneville that they about killed Ron. I can remember going to some of those small events and the fans were crazy.They were what made it a show by getting so mad at the wrestlers. .Some of those big time guys are monsters. One of my sons was a trainer in LA and the Big Show came in. My son went over to meet him but a Victoria secret model ask him to stretch her legs right in front of Big Show.My son said Big Show just smiled at him with approval but left before my son got a chance to talk to him.I'd say me and Big Show would agree he made the right decision,ha.

Don't get me wrong,I myself favor the Devils to go all the way this year.That said,I know better from years of watching sports and from my own experience to say anything is a done deal. One example is the first time I entered one of my sons into a benchpress competition. He was 13 and they put him in with an older boy.I watched the other boy warming up backstage with more weight then my son had ever warmed up with at the time.I knew second was the best we could get " unless " I tricked my son and the other boy made a mistake. How ? At the time my son had never pressed more then 215 when you have to stop at the bottom and wait for the judge to say lift, and that was the other boys opening lift.I knew the other boy had done a lot of reps backstage and I held my boy back until his second lift. I told him he was very strong that day and he could do 220 easily. It was the first time he had ever tried it and I didn't know if he could get it or not but made him believe.Sure enough he got it and the other boy done what I'd hoped.He went to heavy and failed on his next two attempts and my son won with a 225 ,probably 30 pounds less then the other boy could have done.Point being as someone said,you don't have to be the best every time,just that one .

The best away game story I've heard was from a Greeneville player who played at Unicoi county in the fifties.Greenevilles coach who was a man,knocked out a fan that was yelling some bad things.A huge fight broke out and the players made a circle around the coach and someone through him a knife .Pretty rough ending that night. Oh,that was the other toughest place I ever played a game at in the seventies.I guess it took a while for the bad blood to go away .It didn't matter if it was a 9th grade football or baseball team or varsity football or baseball,they hated us at any level.

I can appreciate the DB band a hundred times more without a son playing football.I use to get so mad when the team gave up the field and practice on grass and rocks so the band could get reps in the stadium . I was 99.99999% football and well no ,100 % football and could care less about the band back then.Yes they are special and fun to watch , especially if your football team is playing Maryville

She was Batman's catnip !

My story is similar of going to my grandparents dairy farm in Greene county as a small boy but watched it live with my older uncles who were in their teens . Now I can't remember what time or day we watched it ,but had to be after we came back from the milk barn. Yes,even at four years old I would go and do little things like feed grain to the cows before I could actually help milk or the harder farm jobs.About the only reruns I remember at that age was the three stooges in the morning and bugs bunny on Saturday. For sure in the seventies I watched a lot of wild wild west ,Batman,and other reruns .Today it's unlimited with so many options,I found a late 50s western called Yancy Derringer on YouTube.Only one season but something different then gunsmoke and bonanza to rewatch.

As I've said,whoever comes out of the east, you just never know how you will matchup with teams that you haven't played. It's nice to read all the praise Greeneville gets,but I'm the guy that doesn't count anything until the championship is over and a few years have passed.Just in case something like Reggie Bush and the Heisman happens.In other words,I think of every negative before I fully enjoy the victory. Yes that's an exaggeration,but I try to keep things real.The Devils have a great chance this year but we know there are a few teams in 4A that could also beat DB and Oak Ridge by a good margin.Greeneville showed they are not invincible in those games and for that alone should stay humble and hungry every week.

Just my perspective on Bama this year.I don't think they are as strong as some of their championship years but it seems like a lot of other teams are not that powerful this year either.I seen the Texas A&M game and it would be a hard crowd for any team to play in front of.Now,Bama will have to beat a darn good Georgia team to even make the playoffs .The system is far better then the old days when politics and bowls ruled who was voted champs but I'd like to see the playoffs extended to eight or more teams.Then those Cinderella schools who beat one or two good teams could be there and good teams that play a tough schedule could lose two games and also be there.

I wish coach well and a speedy recovery.

Cocke county was one of the two toughest places I ever played a ballgame or chased a girl as a young caped crusader.

Hopefully we see Elizabethton and Greeneville in a rematch to once again represent NET going west. AFTER the other business is conducted.Hard to believe a couple of local schools have brought home more 4A state titles then the rest of the state combined since 2010.

Mine and BVD's dad { a former star Greene Devil on the court and the track }called me at halftime to ask who DB's most likely opponent would be in the next round.He was listening because our step brother was a stud at SC years ago and dad kept up with SC after his Greene Devils or DB when I had an Indian playing.My answer was simple.This is DB and the next opponent might very well be on the basketball court.He laughed,thinking I was joking and I said I'm being serious,it's never over until it's over up here in the playoffs.He couldn't believe this really happened when we talked after the game.How is that even possible he asked,I'll leave my answer off the ''T''.In Sevier county's defense,they did have some great athletes and it was nothing as bad as that McMinn game was in terms of the DB players being short changed on their season.Rain, penalties ,injuries and lots of things can get you beat but this is why I love it when the Devils keep pounding when the snowflakes are crying don't let the second and third team score !

double post

In no way ,do I expect the Devils to come in unprepared and lose this game. Have I personally ever seen a first round upset,oh yes. I'm not talking about a good team like SD coming to Greeneville,I'm talking about a team that was an easy 5 plus touchdown underdog beating the number one ranked team in the state several years ago . Anyone watching that game in kingsport through the first quarter,knew McMinn county was going to lose by whatever score Dobyns Bennett wanted to win by. Injuries,penalties,rain,and something Greeneville won't do,contributed to what I thought should have been atleast a semi or finals team losing in the first round.That's one of many reasons why Batman never overlooks an opponent .By the way,what are the Devils ranked going into this game ?.Just kidding,because the only ranking that counts will come in december and you never know how you will matchup against teams from middle or west Tennessee until you play them.

I'm just a fan of the game and leave the X's and O's to smarter folks then myself.I know all the things I worry about are most likely gone over in practice every week ,if not every day.Mistakes and playing a clean game on both sides of the ball and things like a good defense putting a bunch in the box and bringing pressure, making our guys pitch and catch in a hurry while trying to stop the run. So far,the Devils have had plenty of talent to overcome pretty much anything,but I still worry that team is out there somewhere and the Devils will have to bring their "A" game more then one time going forward.