Dart

Ok, I am an Oak Ridge Wildcat fan..for more years than some of you have been on mother earth... I say, this coming Friday and Saturday make it an E. Tenn victory for Alcoa, Maryville and Oak Ridge. Sorry to say we haven't been to MTSU for a finals...semis yes, not the championship game. What sort of turf does MTSU have and what do the players think of it? I am not getting into the turf wars..just curious about the playing surface and speed, hardness, that sort of thing. Some of the newer turf is almost like grass. Go Maryville! Streaks are to keep going...unless you are on the other side and need to end one. : )

Tickets are $10, that is what I heard. We will be there, too! Yes, the Riverdale game was a great one and RD turned up with a super crowd to go with the rest of the totally full facility. Congrats to the Warriors for a super run. And yes, I know how it feels to go home after a loss. Last night was different for OR! Still, OR certainly knows there is one game to go and that both teams will be at their best this coming Sat. evening. Roll Wildcats! BYW, what condition is the field at MTSU? It has been a while since being there!

And...the visitors bleachers are larger than some single sided schools total capacity. We get to look AT eachother and not side to side. OR is a great place to see fine football for visitors. We welcome you to "The Ship", wishing safe travel to and from. Really, really, really looking for Friday nite..I will be in the noisy crowd on the CATS side, naturally since I am one in heart for many years.

Keep in mind, the field is NOT near the school. If you follow the directions linked in the post to which I am replying, it should be no prob. I wish I could tell you more about the handicap parking...just don't know. There is lots of parking next to the largest building(Jackson Towers) below the field area, next to the OR Turnpike(main road through town). This would be nice place to park for anyone but for handicap. For those with walking difficulties, it is a bit of a walk and a stretch with stairs on the way. We welcome all RHS who can make it to the game. We were at your new place last year and it sure beats playing at MTSU for a "playoff prefinal" game. Nice facility! Glad you got it. We have plenty of room for lots of RHS fans on the visitor side and an pa announcer who is a decent sort and fair. LOL! Anyway, looking forward to a great game. Come on as many as can! We want to totally pack the place for this really great game.

Sure, we are waiting and excited. Seems the best in the state have to eliminate one before the next game, the slightly easier game in the finals. Not knocking anyone from out west...it just seems that way in memory. Friday nite in OR should be a great game. I will be there losing my voice.

That is why Gray is not the man for the job. ? Sorry for those who don't like the comment but OR has not been able to adjust during playoff games where the cleats hit the turf...catchup and rethink are too late in a 3rd or 4th quarter when the "adjust" is not happening till the next day comments that "we will need to work on that". So....after 40 years of OR football I make a statement most will disagree with. That is how I feel about using an in-house replacement for Lussier. Stanton deserves a look. Gray? nnoooo IMHO

I have to put Oak Ridge above DB by a tad and both above Melrose. As for the others.. well, we can't play the game but wish we could!

Dear Football Fans, This is a shout out to all the teams who played, won and came in second in the State Championship football games this year. To the winners: Way to Go! Hang on to that and I know you will. To second place teams: You had to get there in the first place. Yep, some think in some divisions tougher games were played before the finals...keep in mind you did get there by winning the playoffs and that is not an easy road for any team. Be proud, stand firm and happy for your team this year. In years past, like in 1979, we took a bus to Jackson to play Jackson Central for the state title..not a Clinic Bowl then. We won. It was a long trip, a good ride home. Now, we play at a central location easy for middle state and more easy for us out East or West to travel. Regardless, the pride is there. We have come home the loser before and know how that feels. Lots goes into a single game and it is one game, not like a baseball series. You guys get one game and thats it. So you got there, you won or lost but you did get there. Be proud. God Bless to Next Season and all who made this one great. Dart.

That woud be great...certainly better than the current stuff on the field. Gotta be expensive....

Hi again, Riverdale. It was nice to have a moment at the OR/Riverdale game when your crowd was actually quite! We both know when that happens and why. Great season...big congratulations to your team. As I posted on another thread, the best thing Franklin did was to NOT score early. That puts bees in the Warriors and the margin might have been greater. You were not forced to the pass tonight and efficiently ran the ball. For those who don't know it, when Riverdale has a "scare" they CAN pass the ball quite well. If you scare them, you better be ready for the rebuff! I would love to have seen OR and Riverdale in the final game on TV. That would have been a great one to watch. The playoff setup precludes that so RD, OR or DB cannot play eachother in the final. Again, great win. You showed true tuffness tonight and should have a lot of respect from those who haven't played you and just get hearsay. God Bless. Dart.

Dear Fans of High School football...each year it gives me the creeps to see the guys work all season on grass and then go to play the championship games on fake turf. Do I just imagine the extra injuries or can someone back that up with facts? Thanks to MTSU..truly, for having the finals there since this is a centrally located field and does save travel for west and east..allowing more fans to get to the games. Still, I wishfully wish that somehow the finals could be played on grass. Any thoughts on this? Thoughts from players would be appreciated. I have not played on turf and almost none on grass, either. I was too old to play when artificial turf was invented! : ) What do you think? God Bless. Dart. (Oak Ridge fan.)

Yep...the championship game doesn't always have the best two teams. Riverdale was and for now is the best. This year in all the games but 5a the competition was tougher and great games. In 5A, well, you Warriors showed your stuff pretty well. I think the best thing Franklin did was NOT to score early...if they had, well, the margin might have been larger. That puts bees in the Warriors britches and they score more! Don't know for sure why Franklin didn't try to pass more...then again, Riverdale can pass, too, even if that wasn't needed too much tonight. WE at OR are a fairly junior team and do expect to be there next year. Except for the current QB and a few others, key folks will be in the lineup next year. There are guys to fill those positions. We look forward to another match up with "last years champ"...that being next year! Congrats Warriors! I knew after we played, you would take the gold. God Bless. Dart.

I agree totally. These were the best AA teams. Too bad that can't be said of the 5A game...but the brackets and playoff design eliminates OR and DB from being in the state against Riverdale..the semifinal is as far as one can go in those pairings. The Mustangs were all I had heard they are..a great team. Alcoa, the same to you! That game took my wind and was what exciting football is all about. I have great respect for both of these teams. God Bless. Dart. really good season, hate to see it over till next year.

Congrats Alcoa!! Both games yesterday were good, exciting football! Your game had us yelling and on the edge of out seats, for sure. Way to Go Alcoa! Dart, OR fan.

This is to all Alcoa fans. I am a diehard OR Wildcats fan as is my wife. We have watched Alcoa do well this year and are quite glad for it!! From OR Wildcats to you, Go! Win! Bring it ALL home! God Bless and peace to all. Dart.

Well, cherrygurl, I hope you get that pendant! As a diehard OR Wildcats fan, I want the Warriors to win this game. I respect the coach and the program you have going there. Not to say we didn't want to be there instead of your team..we wanted it all. Maybe next year if your team and mine meet again, OR will beat the state champs. Sure, I want the Warriors to win because we have played them and can relate to them. This gives me a better look at US! I believe you will pull it off and you will get that pendant, whatever it is! God Bless and Peace. Dart.

Stan, thanks for the pictures! I am Dart who posted a thread about taking pics like these good ones you posted on Shutterfly. As soon as the e-check clears, I will be a "plus" member and might IM you for some info, if ok with you. BTW, I use shutterfly and am generally quite pleased with the prints.

This is exactly the kind of info that does help me. The question about use of flash was simply a "need to know". With your years of sports photography, you would surely know by now if flash was a problem. Apparently, used properly flash is a necessity in some venues. As for tweaking images, I agree and do understand that a good image starts with a good capture in the first place. Tweaking for a realistic render IS time consuming and does not correct a poorly composed photo. In some other graphics genre, computer graphics are wonderful but the sports image must, IMO, be truthful in content even when a little tweak is needed here or there. I certainly appreciate you long reply and appreciate the images you upload to CoachT. I am not a youngster but still have energy to pursue and attempt sports photogaphy. We will see how it goes. Thanks again. Dart.

BTW, bsHOL, your John Ward quote is fine. THAT I do like. We have a nice signed photo on the wall. He is a generous man and the few times we have talked he is gracious. I don't believe I have ever heard a better sports announcer. John Ward is not only a great broadcaster but is a super person to the heart. This has nothing to do with the thread here, only a comment and compliment to JW. Lets give JW SIX!

Yes, it did that. But trains go both ways. In lots of ways, we were like RD last year, with younguns. Lots of talent will be back. We will meet again and sometime, who knows when, the results will be in favor of OR. Enjoy while you can! Good crowd. Good game. "Sorry you won" but respect for the winner is here. I do expect to see RD win the state this year. And, the other 3 east TN teams will go well, I expect. Like with NFL teams, runs do end. Wishing you joy in the meantime.

This thread turned on! I didn't expect a reply, much less this. All the info is great. I will check it out. As long as this isn't a "ford vs chevy" debate we do fine. I have looked at the D70 and Canon. I have considered Fugi and Olympus. Likely will go Canon or Nikon...not sure why. A guy at the Riverdale/Oak Ridge game Friday nite recommended Sigma lens for quality and price. I use both JASC PSP8 and PhotoshopCS(learning the ropes in that one!). I do have an eye for composition, for the quick shot and software corrections. Yet, this compact digital even will all manual controls it offers will not do the job in sports. Keep it coming! Thanks, Dart.

OrangeMoundWest, this is Dart from the photog thread. I live within an easy, easy drive to Maryville and they are strong. My team lost Friday night to a good Riverdale team. It really could have gone either way..but in the end those guys stood on top overall, excellent defense and making the breaks work for them. I look for Riverdale to take it all on Saturday in 5a. Maryville each year says "how can we possibly be in the state again" and for a while, they have done it. As for the Rebels, well I don't know the competition that well. It is a wait and see. I will have the tube on and watching. A poster called Riverdale has in the signature: where few facts exist, experts abound Well, I might have misquoted but that is the substance of it. So true! Still, fun to banter a bit long at it doesn't get downright serious and dumb. Thanks for the link to Vern. Have written him. I just look forward to seeing what really happens this coming Saturday.

I hope this helps. I shoot sports pictures for resale in Texas..re OrangeMoundWest OrangeMoundWest, I didn't expect a reply so quickly if any at all. I do appreciate the advice. Fans who have no interest in investing in photogphy but just want a decent pic can use your advice very well, indeed, as can I. Thanks. Dart. ps. I look to get a DSLR soon, sometime after the holidays.

Dear Football Fans, I love the game and want to have some pictures to take home and share. This post is not directly “football” but perhaps someone will reply. We will see. Players, I notice most sideline photographers use strobe flashes. Does this flash ever interfere with your game play? Those in the stands, forget using the built-in flash. The light simply will not carry far enough to make a difference. Use a high speed film(ISO 800 perhaps) or if digital and your camera allows film speed control, choose a high film speed. Photographers who submit images to CoachT, what kind of equipment do you use? Are there particular settings that allow a good image? I am becoming interested in getting some game action on images and do not have the equipment to do it well. Perhaps some input from those who know photography better than I can help us average folks get a better capture of the game. Thanks for any input.

Riverdale, Williewildcat answered as best as I could on the fight song. It was not meant to emmulate any college song but be exclusively for OR. We were singing it in the 60's so it was written before that time. At home games there is "train" whistle used for scores and stuff. A railroad crossing light goes on and off at the top of the stairs when the team comes passed the crossing and down the hill to the field. The train part is a recent addition. It was good to see you folks with your own field and a decentlyl sized visitor section. Those one-sided stadiums are not nearly so much fun for visitors. And, you folks have enough visitor seating for most games...might have been over crowded on both sides Friday night! One of the "more affulent" Knoxville schools for years had the most pitiful visitors sections with porta potties. They now have bathrooms but the seating is still less than desired. Sure, you do what you can afford or push to get. OR will always bring a good crowd to away games. When we play DB at home, the crowd is always very good...more than can be said for some schools much closer to OR. Riverdale brings a good crowd. Those crowds say a lot about the programs. Dart.