MBA vs. Father Ryan

[cbg]

The close score made it a fun game to watch. I can see where Father Ryan has improved and that is a result of good coaching. On a side note: Where was the great MBA fans from past years? Was there another school activity going on last evening because the attendance on the MBA side was rather small? Let's hope that the fans are not staying home because the Big Red has lost a couple of games.

[irishballer87]

I find it hard to believe he would allow his players to play with a "thug" mentality. But He may have to play what he has. As for veiled remarks he always said what he meant when he was at Oak Riddge or said nothing at all. If he can get some players from the middle schools in the next couple of years and is allowed to be the coach he will get the job done. It wouldn't hurt if he could hire some new asst. coaches. He's working with a handicap with what he has. He just needs time. He didn't have much to work with when he came to Father Ryan. Sorry but just because you went to Father Ryan doesn't make you a good asst. coach. There I've said it. Been holding bidding time till now, but it needed to be said. Sorry if I hurt anybodys feelings.

Are you kidding me, Father ryan has three new coaches that they did not have last year. Two of them play at the pro level (Cosmos Deamtio and Aaron Macconal, both play for the Kats). Lussier is doing a great job with coaching and so are his assts.

[IRISHDOG]

The close score made it a fun game to watch. I can see where Father Ryan has improved and that is a result of good coaching. On a side note: Where was the great MBA fans from past years? Was there another school activity going on last evening because the attendance on the MBA side was rather small? Let's hope that the fans are not staying home because the Big Red has lost a couple of games.

I agree, has Ensworth already cut in to the Big Red fan base. With the Irish playing MBA close and our Freshmen beating the mighty Big Red we may be seeing a changing of the gaurd in this once great rivalry.

Whats up with the thug comments? I was at the game and saw no such play. It seems that any time that Ryan has a team that can compete with or beat MBA they accuse us of being "thugs". Don't accuse an aggressive and entheuastic Ryan team of being thugs, you must be to young to truely understand the rivalry. These are the only acusations of this behavior that I have heard all year. Coach Lussier has our boys heading in the right dirrection. The future is bright! GO IRISH!

Edited October 2, 2005 by IRISHDOG

[bounder]

It's Cosmo DeMatteo and he is Coach Lussier's son-in-law I went to the wedding. And I agree that Bruce is doing a great job. With what he has to work with. You don't have to tell me about him,he is one of my best friends. Known him for about 20 years,have seen him work before. Defense is his game,one of the best.And is so organized he knows and has planned what he is going to do next month.

[rollredroll]

I agree, has Ensworth already cut in to the Big Red fan base. With the Irish playing MBA close and our Freshmen beating the mighty Big Red we may be seeing a changing of the gaurd in this once great rivalry.

Whats up with the thug comments? I was at the game and saw no such play. It seems that any time that Ryan has a team that can compete with or beat MBA they accuse us of being "thugs". Don't accuse an aggressive and entheuastic Ryan team of being thugs, you must be to young to truely understand the rivalry. These are the only acusations of this behavior that I have heard all year. Coach Lussier has our boys heading in the right dirrection. The future is bright! GO IRISH!

 

Interesting...so MBA wins their ninth in a row in the series (the longest run in the 70+ game series), but the MBA frosh lose to FRHS, yet there's a changing of the gaurd (sic) based on the results from Thursday's freshman game and Friday's varsity game?

 

As far as the "thug" reference, perhaps I was a little harsh, but I hear a lot of comments off the field about Ryan players taking cheap shots at MBA linemen. Plus, just check out some of the comments on this thread (not that those comments necessarily justify a "thug" mentality, but one of the protagonists in question was considered to be a little "aggressive and entheuastic [sic]" at the end of the game after MBA's decisive INT).

 

Am I too young "to [sic] young to truely [sic] understand the rivalry"? I don't know, but I'll be 37 next week and have seen plenty of the games (and participated in a few in the mid-80s). I'll let you decide that.

 

Has Father Ryan improved? Apparently, yes. And, to be honest, I think it's good for the rivalry and good for DII-AAA. DII-AAA is stronger when Ryan is good, and given Ryan's solid history in football, I enjoy the league more when FRHS is competitive and shows signs of its former self. However, it's hard not to scoff somewhat when one reads about how we should give Lussier just a little more time and then "it won't be too much longer now". Lussier may be a good coach (and he had a nice run at ORHS, although ORHS doesn't seem to be missing a beat without him this season - not surprising given Oak Ridge's illustrious history and strong talent base), but just because Ryan gets better doesn't mean that he's caught up. MUS is on a serious roll with Coach Alston - who has been at the school for a quarter of a century - after years of relative mediocrity, BA has the all-time wins leader as a HC, and MBA has a former NFL QB at the helm (not to mention the other great young coaches, such as Ralph Potter at McCallie). The hill to climb involves a lot more than just improvement within the program.

 

More power to FRHS as they improve, but the rest of the league isn't slowing down for them. Still, I hope for the best for the Irish. Having their own stadium (eventually) and having morale improve will be good for the school and good for the league.

[DS2001]

Rollredroll, you make some good points. Div. ll AAA from top to bottom has some outstanding coaching. Coach Lussier has been around the block enough to know he`s in a tough league. I have been fortunate enough to see all but two Ryan-MBA contests since 1969. Clearly, the two teams have been going in different directions in the last several years. Having said that, I think Coach Lussier is doing a pretty good job of changing attitudes on the team. It`s a lot easier to keep on winning when you have been winning a lot like MBA has.

It`s a lot more difficult to regain that confidence when you haven`t had much to build on the last few years.

The best thing I saw about Friday night from the Ryan standpoint is that they weren`t able to move the ball very much on the MBA defense, yet hung in there, made some good defensive plays and gave themselves a chance to tie at the end.

I have posted before that Father Ryan football was at the low point in it`s storied history. This team is very much a work in progress. I wasn`t expecting that much this season. I have been pleasantly surprised.

We are fortunate to have a coach like Bruce Lussier. I am optimistic he can make Father Ryan a more representative Div. II program in the near future.

[ob55ob55]

ob...Talking about sick...when did they let you out? What does my team's running back and him breaking his leg have to do with The Plege?" You are obviously a punk that feels descrimunated against. Enough said. Go FRHS!

Ole Dad

You should learn to tell the difference between what I posted and what I responded to. Just because you have the name ole dad dosen't give you the right to go calling people punks.

[faith]

Are you kidding me, Father ryan has three new coaches that they did not have last year. Two of them play at the pro level (Cosmos Deamtio and Aaron Macconal, both play for the Kats). Lussier is doing a great job with coaching and so are his assts.

your right irishb but you still need to get a offencive coach what they have is a joke because you went to ryan and plated college ball doesnt make you a coach

[Father Ryan Wrestling]

Interesting...so MBA wins their ninth in a row in the series (the longest run in the 70+ game series), but the MBA frosh lose to FRHS, yet there's a changing of the gaurd (sic) based on the results from Thursday's freshman game and Friday's varsity game?

 

As far as the "thug" reference, perhaps I was a little harsh, but I hear a lot of comments off the field about Ryan players taking cheap shots at MBA linemen. Plus, just check out some of the comments on this thread (not that those comments necessarily justify a "thug" mentality, but one of the protagonists in question was considered to be a little "aggressive and entheuastic [sic]" at the end of the game after MBA's decisive INT).

 

Am I too young "to [sic] young to truely [sic] understand the rivalry"? I don't know, but I'll be 37 next week and have seen plenty of the games (and participated in a few in the mid-80s). I'll let you decide that.

 

Has Father Ryan improved? Apparently, yes. And, to be honest, I think it's good for the rivalry and good for DII-AAA. DII-AAA is stronger when Ryan is good, and given Ryan's solid history in football, I enjoy the league more when FRHS is competitive and shows signs of its former self. However, it's hard not to scoff somewhat when one reads about how we should give Lussier just a little more time and then "it won't be too much longer now". Lussier may be a good coach (and he had a nice run at ORHS, although ORHS doesn't seem to be missing a beat without him this season - not surprising given Oak Ridge's illustrious history and strong talent base), but just because Ryan gets better doesn't mean that he's caught up. MUS is on a serious roll with Coach Alston - who has been at the school for a quarter of a century - after years of relative mediocrity, BA has the all-time wins leader as a HC, and MBA has a former NFL QB at the helm (not to mention the other great young coaches, such as Ralph Potter at McCallie). The hill to climb involves a lot more than just improvement within the program.

 

More power to FRHS as they improve, but the rest of the league isn't slowing down for them. Still, I hope for the best for the Irish. Having their own stadium (eventually) and having morale improve will be good for the school and good for the league.

 

True. But by the looks of the talent and the competition Ryan is bringing back, it is only a matter of time, and we have plenty of it.

 

I think this game is a cornerstone in the rebuilding process at Ryan. To play MBA (one of the best teams in middle Tennessee), and stay with them the whole game and to almost clinch a victory shows that there has been A LOT of improvement in the football program. You cant call Ryan players 'Thugs', they are playing with a lot of intesity, a lot of competition, and a lot of determination. Ryan players are physical players, and they have no problem getting in other team's faces, they want revenge, and they will get it either way they can.

 

A lot of players stepped up Friday night. I think all of the seniors are contributing 100% and it shows, now that Ryan is without a doubt a very very good team with much talent. In my eyes, a 14-7 loss is better than a 36-6 loss. MBA might have played the better game, but Ryan is still finding its strengths and weaknesses.

 

At this time next year, Ryan will be one of the best teams in D2-AAA. We work harder than we have before, we play with more competition and we play with hope. If we had given the chance to start this season over, we would be 6-0. The Irish players have learned quick and we play a very good ball game.

 

Good game MBA, more games like these and the FRHS-MBA football games will the rave once again in Tennessee. We learned a lot from this game, and you guys might have also. Good luck against BA, thats your biggest test. And as for Ryan, one week at a time. We can definitely win the rest of the games on our scheduele.

/wave @ # 57, 41