Oak Ridge v. Heritage

[ORidgeKat]

BC Ridger, You know that I'm with these guys all the way win or lose, no matter how good or bad it gets. It's only my place to be at all the games, pat the kids on the shoulder, and stick with them.

 

Nick, You sort of proved my point for me. As for missing workouts, miss a work out at Riverdale or Maryville, and see what that gets you. It gets your butt off the team, not held out of a meaningless scrimmage. I was sitting with the kids that were held out and they could have cared less. They were just goofing off, clowning, not even watching the scrimmage. What kind of punishment is that? Even worse is missing workouts during the season, and being held out of a game, that cost us. How does that even happen. To me,. that is lack of leadership, participation and motivation, all top priorities in football, as you know. Don't get me wrong, I like this staff and I love my Wildcats, I would follow them to California if thats where they played. But I just don't think everybody, and I mean top to bottom is working hard enough over there to be dominant like we should be.

 

As for our running backs, I'm sure you were exagerating when you said Paul and

Kevin were 150 lbs. They are both bigger than that and both are taller than Spencer was. But even if they were 150 lbs, whose fault is that. You work out and play football for 4 years at Oaik Ridge and your puny? Not adding up. If you've been working out hard for 4 years, you look like Spencer 190, not 150. As for our lineman, again they are puny, why? Is Alcoa, Fulton, Maryville, Riverdale, DB, Farragut, Anderson County, even Clinton or any body else as puny as we are. There is a reason for that.

 

Bad technique? Why? Who is responsible for sending these puny guys with bad technique, as you say, out on the field and calling them Wildcats. I am friends with this staff and alot of the kids on the team, and I want them to succeed. But I'm not sure they're giving it everything they have on the practice field and in the off season. Let's regroup and start working hard enough to win.

Edited September 12, 2006 by ORidgeKat

[03]

These Oak Ridge mood swings are crazy. DB is just a better team at this point in the early season. After Heritage, Jeff Co & McMinn it will look better. Much better.

[ORidgeKat]

O3, you were right last week. DB big. I don't think it's mood swings, I think we were exposed by a good team. We are disappointed because we knew we were young, but we won big in the first two games, and alot of us thought we were alot better than we really are. This team is young and it's a work in progress. But there are some things going on, or not going on that we are not used to in OR.

[BIG CAT RIDGER]

ORidge Kat, Nick....I'll go ahead and put it out there.

 

If we do not get leadership and ownership from BOTH the coaches and players, then we are in for a long, hard year. I don't think the team knows what it means to WORK HARD. Back in '91, it wasn't uncommon to stop right in the middle of practice and EVERYONE run 100's because someone was screwing around or not giving satisfactory effort. It also wasn't uncommon to be at practice past 8:30 p.m. and going FULL speed in practice, not half-A$s. If the routes weren't ran, the coaches AND players would be all up in your face.

 

Where has all the lard-nosed mentality gone? The 'Cats are soft. Disappointing...

 

You know my blood runs cardinal and gray always, but this situation just makes me ill....

[Dragoons]

Gents, its nice to see that I'm not crazy. These type of things that you all are talking about are the same things I've been talking about since the beginning of the season. When I talk about it, being an outsider, I immediately got jumped on. Your apologizes are excepted..... Anyways, let me say this. Don't be to quick to point out every problem. Sometimes a good beat down is all it takes to motivate a young team. Leaders pop up because of adversity. Its a natural instinct. It knocks the cockiness down a notch. Respect isn't given but earned. The Wildcats have a long tradition and when these kids are challenged to uphold that tradition, they will respond. It may not be a championship season but not every season will be. Its about maximizing potential.

 

Stick with it Cats and regain that lost momentum!!!

 

Dragons in '07 (I can hope)

[jedave30]

Kat,

I agree we lost a special group of kids. They worked hard because the prior staff and leadership demanded, expected and participated in an all out effort of year round preparation. I saw it approcahing like a train in a tunnell with no place to run. Even some of the assistant coaches have commented privately about the current program being disorganized, unprepared and uncommitted. (and this was back in the spring) I don't think you can make up for 9 months of goofing off in a week or 2 of work. It will not be the season we expected and although we will win 7 or 8 games it won't feel good for Cat fans. I got a kick out of Stantons early comments about being a work in progress that was going to take 6-7 weeks to perfect. Maybe he should have started in March and not August in getting his work in progress completed. Just my humble opinion. The buck starts at the top and Chucky needs to quit spending so much time worrying about the New Chuck Dome and start focusing on football. The selection committee on 2 occassions selected another coach to succed Lussier and Chucky and crew overuled them both times. That's who needs to step up and take responsibility.

 

Ole Dad

Ole Dad

Is this why Clinton so bad and a whole lot of other teams in the area. Oak Ridge has the richest football tradition for a reason. Saying what you are saying, know wonder it took OR to find a football coach. There aren't many good coaches around. Coach Stevens has a State Title. I think it's fair to assume that he knows what he's doing.

[BIG CAT RIDGER]

yes and no on the fact he knows what he's doing. AE is and always has been undisciplined. I will always have my doubts...

 

I think that OR settled. They should have tried for Rankin.

[vman1]

If OR would have settled. They would have hired a no-name. Stevens is the coach, Rakin is at ALCOA. Why didn't they go after Rakin when Gaddis left? Every fan has doubts, even last year there were doubts not only about the coaches but also about some of the players! Just depends on who you asks. I believe the CATS will it turnaround.

[TankTalk]

Of course, some will say I haven't been here long enough to understand ... that's fine.

 

But know this, I have been around football and athletics long enough TO understand the impact of losing close to 30 seniors -- and talented seniors at that. I do understand that losing a game to a senior-dominated Dobyns Bennett team is no reason to turn on your coach, after trying to preach "team unity" at other times.

 

Do you all think the Wildcats looked at the calender and said, Doh, it's Aug. 31, guess we should get ready for the season? Funny thing ... I certainly remember spending a lot of time hanging out with them over the summer. Do fans have a right to question the coach? Sure ... of course they do, especially in a civilized manner which has been displayed. But fans can't have the best of both worlds, saying the Wildcats need to come together ... get unified ... become a team, and then drag their coach through the mud. That puzzles me.

 

As for the Rankin question, when the job was open, the great one called and checked on the pay. The maximum that could be alloted wasn't enough, so he didn't apply. Hard to go after football messiah when he doesn't apply for the job.

 

Coach Stevens, do I always agree with him? Nah. I do know, however, he has said from the beginning, with the lack of experience the team had, it would be week six to eight, before we would see what type team they really had. Looking at my schedule we are heading into week four (five if you count that week zero thing that allows some teams an off week before an important region game.) Let's do what is in the best interest of those who have worked the hardest, whether you want to believe it or not. The players ... fans should support them, cheer them on and hope that they do indeed show the improvement that will satisfy the mightly pallet of the Oak Ridge fans.

[vman1]

The fans who didn't want Stevens to get the job are the ones bashing the man. Win or lose they will always oppose him. Sure the team took a beaten Friday, the team is young and learned that the hard way.

[Ole Dad]

Papatj,

I guess you know for a fact that Joe Gattis was asked to leave and have proof of conduct off the field that should warrant him being asked to leave? I don't think so. The committee that was appointed to recommend the new coach selected a different coach than the one hired on two occasions for specific reasons. The administartion in it's infinite wisdom overruled them twice. Why have a committee to spend time to interview and review if you make a unilateral decision opposed to their suggestion?

 

In any event, my comments are founded based on complaints from coaches who deal will Chucky on a daily basis and his focus is only on basketball and the New Dome. In fact the administartion can find $6M to build a new "Dome" and have to rely on the boosters to paint, repair and remodel Blankenship Field because there are no monies available. I don't really care who the coach is or what color he happens to be, if he brings the Wildcat work ethic, motivation and tradition to the program. So far that hasn't happened. To blame a poor showing on the kids last week is a crime. It is similar to the poor coaching and prepartion for the State Championship last year...by the staff........ Unacceptable.

 

I can look in my crystal ball and tell you the future but I'm sure you have one also.

 

Ole Dad

 

 

 

Last I heard, the principal is the principal for the entire school. Oak Ridge, just like other schools is about more than football. The renovation of the school, whether it involves a new gym or not, is the #1 priority along with educating the students. Just because the former coach that some wanted rehired was not rehired, due to the fact he was asked to leave because of his off the field conduct does not mean that the current administration does not have the football program in its best interest. IMO, it says just the opposite about the current administration. They have some morals, unlike others out there.

[o21putt]

I don't really care who the coach is either. The administration is not building a new dome or whatevery that means. The school board along with the support of most of the citizens voted to basically build and remodel a school that is falling down. The gym just happens to be a part of that project. It has been in bad shape for several years and was included in the total project. Don't know who overruled the hiring of the two "choices" you mention but I can assure you that if one of them was Joe Gaddis he was never going to be hired and rightly so. I along with many others know the reason Gaddis "left" and I don't really see the benefit in rehashing that old news. As far as blaming the kids, I don't believe that I blamed anyone for a loss. Don't really care who won or lost, but I will agree with you that it should not be put entirely on high school kids. I don't really see what this has got to do with the money that is allocated for construction of new school to replace a 50 yr old building that was falling down. Seems to me that if the boosters wish to put money into painting, remodeling and repairing the stadium then that is their choice. You are much more insighful than myself with your crystal ball and the future. The only thing that I know about the future is that hopefully it will happen.