creekerfan

A coach worth his salt will FB DIVE and punt when up that big. Honor is the gift a man gives himself.

Opti, I would love to tell you, but I honestly don't understand your post. It must be my narrowmindedness. In a nutshell, what I have said on here, was in response to someone named Trout who insulted our football players by saying they should play Keenburg and Valley Forge (elementary schools in our area). I responded by saying, (and I don't apologize for it) that maybe we have to schedule schools our size because there are some fine athletes playing basketball and nothing else. I'm not insulting our basketball players. I will root them on every night with the rest of the maroon madness, but I would still like to see every athlete trying to play every sport at the school. Maybe you're asking ME why our school/community makes it an either/or proposition when it comes to football and basketball? I can't say. I don't know.

I'm not saying Unaka would be in the state title game if more of their athletes played football, but I am saying they would be better. I don't think that's a crutch. That's life in a 1-A school. And PLEASE don't think I'm "choosing sides". I want our basketball team to win. I want anything and everything that the kids at Unaka do, to succeed. I don't think it's a "crutch" or a "slight" to the kids that play football, in truth, I'd give almost anything to see those young men succeed.

Trout, Let's call a spade a spade. If some of Unaka's better athletes weren't in the gym shooting basketball maybe they wouldn't have to schedule the Kings' Academies of the world.

on the subject of 8 man football. Does anyone think Unaka should be playing 8 man?

IF..North Greene has a great night throwing the ball and IF...Cloudland has a sub-par effort, this could be closer than most people think. But, as Johnny Majors once said, "If IF'S and BUT'S were candy and nuts, we'd all have a nice Christmas."

Congratulations Rangers! Believe in yourselves. Expect to Win. Good Luck to King's Academy.

I think it would be beneficial to the smaller 1-A schools. Why not have it?

KrichUnaka, Just tell them that 40 years of playing up in football didn't help much! I have so much respect for these kids. On another post ,you used the term "gallant". I cannot say that I disagree. This school, this community, this team, but more importantly these players, deserve some success. I hope this is the year.

BigWes, That's a sad, too often heard story. I think a coach that would tell a kid NOT to participate in something he wanted to do, is at best unprofessional and at worst evil. I would hope that a coach's ego would not supersede the ONLY years most kids will have to particpate in something that could better their life.

As a Unaka graduate and supporter, I know exactly where you are coming from. It is disheartening. I hope that the new schedule will give the kids that are dedicated to a game that they love some success. Hopefully, that success will inspire more kids to stick with it and even more to try to play. With regards to the two athletes deciding not to play football, at a school of this size, If you are an athlete then all three sports need you. I'm not casting blame on any one, but I would hope that no coach would ever encourage a kid not to participate in something they want to do. I am optimistic about this season and the future in general. I support and respect all the school's coaches and the work they put in for our children. I would like to hear from any other small schools that have a predicament similar to ours. I think Cloudland is a testament that a solid program can be built at our level.

Krichunaka: I think our coach is to be commended on the schedule change. He has a responsibility to his kids, NOT in giving kids in some other part of the county an easy win. I wonder how many of the "cheap-shot" coach's career win totals were at our expense? And one final thought, the lack of "cross-over talent" on the team to me seems to be suspect. You would think there would at least be some kids willing to participate. I would hope that that changes in future classes of kids.

Krichunaka, I think you make a great point about Unaka's ability to scrimmage. It does seem like the bad cycle you described. The larger schools are blessed with depth of any kind. Hopefully, the new schedule for this year will at least take away that one glaring weakness.

I dare say Lunsford will have them ready.

Unaka Jr. High. I think Unicoi might be out of our league. What about a scrimmage?

tenn22@yahoo.com

That would be about a two hour drive for us. email me if you don't care. I need to ask some questions.

Any coaches in Upper East TN that need games or scrimmages. I'm looking for some.

RE: Playoffs. I think he got the bulldogs as far as they could go. Not trying to offend anyone. He's a good coach. Who do you think his successor will be?

Coach McKay when asked by a reporter about his team's execution. He said, "I'm all for it".

The coaches shouldn't cut each others' throats like this. A principal or athletic director with a backbone would step in. It's wrong to make a kid choose or to give him a guilt trip about playing another sport.

I don't think that second place behind Cloudland is out of the question. I'd love to see them do well.

Does CAK play Unaka this year?

I coach a 14&U team in tricities, looking for games.

great job rangers!! Stoney Creek is proud of you! Congratulations players and coaches!