Patsfan46

I mean winter workouts. Just weight lifting and agility drills. Varsity Mon., Tues., and Thurs. Freshman Tues. and Thurs. Spring practice starts in a few weeks.

I know someone who had to wear a tinted visor due to the fact that he had a disease that caused his eyes to be sensative to light. Whether it is legal or not the ref let him wear it.

I agree with that statement 100%!!!

It seemed as if the # of fresman at workouts went down a little last week. Anyone know why?

White Pine has had winning seasons the past 4 or 5 years. I know of some good freshman that came from WP last year, so there might be a few good ones this year. JCT all the way!!!

They may be allowed but your coach may not allow it. Ask Coach Crigger at practice Monday.

Looks like your freshman team had a pretty good turn out today. You guys need to stick with it. It will be a lot harder than middle school but then again so will the teams you're playing against. m The key is to stay motivated!!!!

Didn't they make to the play offs this year?

Strentgh and agility works outs started last week. This is for the returning varsity and freshman moving up. New players will start in the near future. Awards banquet held tonight in Dandridge. Looks like we are graduating 3 or 4 seniors off of this team so next years team should be pretty good. I think there has been some changes made on coaching assigments as well.

I totally agree!!! Just one question. Your last comment about the problem goes much deeper than a few kids not coming out for football. With out bashing the coaching staff, what do you think it is?

Good idea about the middle schools. As far as the drama, negativity, etc.. at the high school, I noticed the same thing. However, it is not just a football issue. The school does not seem to have the same spirit as it did when I went there. No home coming dance, no letter jackets, etc. I asked a friend who graduated about 98 or so and he said they had all that then. Just my observation, I hope I am wrong. Anyway, I think at the coaches/parents meeting coach U made it pretty clear that the players and or parents can contact him any time they need to about anything, football related or other wise. He also made clear that practices are not mandatory until the official start of the season. However, if you are going to be the best, you have to but in the extra effort it takes. I think he put many of the rumors to rest about how he conducts his football program. You have to give the man credit for hanging in there the way he has. Many coaches would have left along time ago. I hope they (coaches, players, parents) pull together this year and prove all the nasayers wrong.

Don't count them out just yet. I attended the parents/coaches meeting last night at Jeff and I can tell you there is alot of support for the coach and coaching staff. Coach U laid out that if we are going to turn this program around it will take everyone's effort. Players, coaches, and parents. If these three all come together this year, and I believe that is already happening, you'll see a different Patriots football team. They'll be hungry for wins and have something to prove as well. Hope to see ya at some games this year eastside.

Don't count them out just yet. I attended the parents/coaches meeting last night at Jeff and I can tell you there is alot of support for the coach and coaching staff. Coach U laid out that if we are going to turn this program around it will take everyone's effort. Players, coaches, and parents. If these three all come together this year, and I believe that is already happening, you'll see a different Patriots football team. They'll be hungry for wins and have something to prove as well.

Ole Dad, I hope you are right about the counter suit. I just hope all of this can be settled before spring pratice starts. I doubt it though, the way our judicial system moves. The kids have got to learn they don't always get their way. I can't wait to have these guys come work for me when they get out of high school. If they don't like their boss, they get him fired. If that doesn't work, just sue the company!!!

Has anybody thought about what the "real players" think about this situation? From what I'm hearing they don't want the 4 horseman or "henchmen" back on the squad. They completely tore the team apart last year. If this goes through and they are allowed back on the team, coach U may lose some really good players this time when the "true patriots" who are loyal to their team and school refuse to play with them.

It was reported on TV that the 4 Jeff Co Patriots players who were the dismissed from the team over the petition to get the coach fired have filed a $200,000 law suit against the coach, the AD, and the principle. If they win what are they going to do with the money? How about donating it back to the team for equipment, or field improvements, etc... Maybe they can pay their way down to Maryville and go disrupt their program. The county cannot afford this $200,000. Our taxes are high enough as it is, schools are over crowded, not enough teachers. Now the county will spend big lawyer fees to defend its self in this matter. I think this is the last thing this school, this team, and this community needs. Sounds like if they cannot get the coach fired one way, they will try another. So, what happens if they are placed back on the team? Any time they are disciplined (push ups, laps, etc...) it will be reported the coach was picking on them. What if they don't get to play? Again, the coach is discriminating against them. I don't know for sure, maybe some one can enlighten me, but were these players 1st sting, 2nd string, what positions did they play? They managed to screw up last years season and it looks they are getting a head start on next years as well. This is a tough leason to learn. Their lawyer on TV said they were exercising their constitutional rights they learned in civics class. Maybe that civics class should also have thought them there are repercussions when you stir up trouble and try to get a man fired from his job. I have heard allot of bad things about the coach but have never witnessed any. I have been to several practices and all the games last year and never saw any player mistreated in any form or fashion. Did see him make some questionable play calls, but that’s football. May be what the players say happened, maybe it didn't. One things for sure. If Jeff Co. had a winning season this year, would all this BS have happened? I believe that if the players had put the same effort on the field that they put into getting the coach fired, they might have had that winning season.

Just got registered last night to Coach T. so this is a little late in coming. Earlier this year when Bearden played Jefferson County at Jeff Co. a Patriots player got hurt with only 2 minutes left in the game. The play happened almost right in front of me and it was a clean hit all the way. Any way the Patriots player was knocked out and didn't get up. Infact he was taken off the field in a ambulance and taken to the hospitol where he was later released. What I wanted to comment on was the way the Bearden Coaching Staff and players conducted themselves while medical treatment given to the injured player. They all took a knee, where quiet, very respectful. Some even said a prayer. The Bearden player who made the solo tackle was visibly upset and showed great concern over his injured competitor so much his coaching staff had to console him. As the Patriots player was loaded in the ambulance several Bulldogs came over and gave him a thumbs up, pat on the leg, and a few words of encouragement. I want to commend the Bulldogs coaches, players, and especially the bulldog who made the tackle on their sportsman ship, concern and compasion. To me this speaks volumes about the type of program the Bulldogs have and the character of their players. Earlier this year at a freshman game at Science Hill our quarterback got a late hit and broke his collar bone. He was down for a while, obviously in great pain. The Patriots took a knee and were very quiet. The Science Hill team never took knee, their coaches continously shouted to their players about the next play and changed out players while our quarterback was down and he was down for several minutes. When the Jeff crowd hollered for Science Hill to take a knee the player who made the hit turned to the Jeff crowd and started flexing his muscles. This speaks volumes as well. Enough said.