Alcoa

[catback]

Come on Rebel,

It would not have anything to do with an overall record of 194-25, and 9 State Championships??? Maryville has an enrollment of 1351(yea rigth, just under the number to stay in 4A), making it the largest 4A team in the state, and Alcoa has an enrollment of 411, just a slight difference of 940 kids! Yet, Alcoa has the tallent to make the game interesting at times, not many schools with those enrollment numbers could, but, they do. Now, it may be an more even playing field with coach Rankin at the helm. Maybe the Maryville folks are just "puckering up at the thought, that its possible that a little ol 2A team could just give them a run for their money this year, and years to come!!

[tornadogold]

Well said Catback and AViper! At least this year if we get beat by MURVUL, we can't blame it on GQ being a better coach! As Rankin told us in the Booster meeting, we don't have to play Murvul, so Alcoa is to be commended for playing up. And, as he also said, Murvul never called Riverside asking for a game, and they don't have Oak Ridge, or D-B on their schedule. The only games they play "up" are Willy B and Heritage (no brainer there why they continue to play them!).

It is pretty arrogant of Murvul fans to assume that's the only reason Rankin was hired. Sounds like they might be a little scared of Rankin!!! We just got extremely lucky that we got Rankin at a time when he was looking for a better way to raise his kids. He's definitely impressive.

Looking forward to a great season. Things are getting exciting around this lil' town!

[Tornado89]

He will certainly have an easier schedule, other than the game with Maryville, than he had to play at Riverdale.

I was pretty close to what was going on last Thursday and Friday and not ONCE was beating Maryville mentioned. You are just patting yourself on the back. It will be interesting this year.

[mhs]

Well said Catback and AViper! At least this year if we get beat by MURVUL, we can't blame it on GQ being a better coach! As Rankin told us in the Booster meeting, we don't have to play Murvul, so Alcoa is to be commended for playing up. And, as he also said, Murvul never called Riverside asking for a game, and they don't have Oak Ridge, or D-B on their schedule. The only games they play "up" are Willy B and Heritage (no brainer there why they continue to play them!).

It is pretty arrogant of Murvul fans to assume that's the only reason Rankin was hired. Sounds like they might be a little scared of Rankin!!! We just got extremely lucky that we got Rankin at a time when he was looking for a better way to raise his kids. He's definitely impressive.

Looking forward to a great season. Things are getting exciting around this lil' town!

Looking at the TSSAA website the combined opponents record of Riverdale excluding the team from Ohio was 78-70. Maryville's opponents went 110-67. Don't sound like Rankin wrote the book on "playing up" huh? Throw stones at RRon all you want and accuse him of being afraid but it sounds like the "M" word was brought up by someone other than a Murvul fan at Rankin's pep rally the other night. Let him keep making those comments though they will look great taped up on our bulletin board. I have no doubt he is a good coach and decline to make assumptions between him and Quarles which is akin to saying "my dad can beat up your dad". Given the record of the respective opponents records I am going to go out on a limb and say possibly Maryville's region is pretty strong? I will try to get over my fear of the best coach in the history of high school football by August so I can attend the game though.

[JC4life]

Alcoa hired Rankin for 1 reason only. TO BEAT MARYVILLE.

Thats just a little strong don`t you think. I`ll agree that Rankin appears to be a hired gun, but I don`t think it all has to do with Maryville.

[UTKCLASSOF2002]

No doubt Rankin's hire will help the program. I'm not going to proclaim that Alcoa will dominate Maryville from this point on but I will say that the games SHOULD be more interesting and that Alcoa SHOULD win one at a greater rate than one every 6 or 7 years.

 

I too will refrain from comparing Rankin with Quarles but I think Rankin's streak of 70 consecutive regular season wins speaks for itself. It would also be irresponsible to forget that Rankin was the 2004 EA Sports National High School Coach of the Year.

 

Just another sign that Blount County is THE home for Tennessee high school football.

[tornadogold]

Looking at the TSSAA website the combined opponents record of Riverdale excluding the team from Ohio was 78-70. Maryville's opponents went 110-67. Don't sound like Rankin wrote the book on "playing up" huh? Throw stones at RRon all you want and accuse him of being afraid but it sounds like the "M" word was brought up by someone other than a Murvul fan at Rankin's pep rally the other night. Let him keep making those comments though they will look great taped up on our bulletin board. I have no doubt he is a good coach and decline to make assumptions between him and Quarles which is akin to saying "my dad can beat up your dad". Given the record of the respective opponents records I am going to go out on a limb and say possibly Maryville's region is pretty strong? I will try to get over my fear of the best coach in the history of high school football by August so I can attend the game though.

 

Okay, I'll bite: How can you play up when you're already a 5A school??? I read a post somewhere on here that said once Murvul moves up to 5A the region will be really weak. But, this isn't about Murvul at all! Alcoa is really excited about hooking this caliber of coach, and even Rebel fans aren't gonna bring us down on this one!!!

[REBELRON]

Thats just a little strong don`t you think. I`ll agree that Rankin appears to be a hired gun, but I don`t think it all has to do with Maryville.

 

 

Walking out of the stadium after the Maryville/Alcoa game last season I remember several Tornado fans saying they wanted Reid gone. Reid leads Alcoa to a 28-2 record and 2 state titles the last 2 seasons and several Tornado fans still wanted him fired.

[mhs]

Okay, I'll bite: How can you play up when you're already a 5A school??? I read a post somewhere on here that said once Murvul moves up to 5A the region will be really weak. But, this isn't about Murvul at all! Alcoa is really excited about hooking this caliber of coach, and even Rebel fans aren't gonna bring us down on this one!!!

I am not trying to bring you down and believe it or not I am excited for you guys. By playing up I was talking about the competition a team plays in general and the size of your region dictates that to a certain point. But if Rankin said what you or someone said he did about Maryville the other night he was taking shots and I thought the overall opponents record might provide some perspective. The comment was made that Maryville folks are Scared!!!! of Rankin, and we were trying to make this a Murvul thing. I was only pointing out that his making the comments he did about Maryville, someone at the introductory meeting the other night must have brought it up and I don't know of a single Maryville fan that was there. Did he ever call us when he was at Riverdale? I honestly don't know. I was just responding to comments I heard that the man made himself and remember he spoke first. I don't blame you guys for being excited but you are already putting some pressure on him where the Maryville game is concerned. And I am not saying he was hired just for the Maryville game but I too heard many a Tornado fan grumbling about Reid during and after his two championship seasons because he lost to Maryville.

[tornadogold]

I am not trying to bring you down and believe it or not I am excited for you guys. By playing up I was talking about the competition a team plays in general and the size of your region dictates that to a certain point. But if Rankin said what you or someone said he did about Maryville the other night he was taking shots and I thought the overall opponents record might provide some perspective. The comment was made that Maryville folks are Scared!!!! of Rankin, and we were trying to make this a Murvul thing. I was only pointing out that his making the comments he did about Maryville, someone at the introductory meeting the other night must have brought it up and I don't know of a single Maryville fan that was there. Did he ever call us when he was at Riverdale? I honestly don't know. I was just responding to comments I heard that the man made himself and remember he spoke first. I don't blame you guys for being excited but you are already putting some pressure on him where the Maryville game is concerned. And I am not saying he was hired just for the Maryville game but I too heard many a Tornado fan grumbling about Reid during and after his two championship seasons because he lost to Maryville.

 

Point taken. Can't blame Reid for not being able to beat Murvul. If anybody did, they'd have to blame every coach Alcoa's ever had. Do I wanna beat Murvul??? Heck, yeah. Would I rather have another gold ball without beating Murvul??? You betcha. I don't think pressure is being put on Rankin for that one game. I think if you asked most Alcoa fans, they'd tell you they'd rather have another gold ball. Beating Murvul would just be the icing on the cake. At least this year if Alcoa loses that game, nobody'll be able to say it was because of bad coaching!

We're looking forward to a great year.

[wingman10]

First meeting should be a classic

[mhs]

Point taken. Can't blame Reid for not being able to beat Murvul. If anybody did, they'd have to blame every coach Alcoa's ever had. Do I wanna beat Murvul??? Heck, yeah. Would I rather have another gold ball without beating Murvul??? You betcha. I don't think pressure is being put on Rankin for that one game. I think if you asked most Alcoa fans, they'd tell you they'd rather have another gold ball. Beating Murvul would just be the icing on the cake. At least this year if Alcoa loses that game, nobody'll be able to say it was because of bad coaching!

We're looking forward to a great year.

I'd also take the Gold Ball any day. I remember in 2000 when we lost to you guys the first game and started 0-4. At that point in time a State Title was the first thing on our mind. Then when we ended up winning it those losses seemed like such a long time ago.