SULLIVAN EAST AT ELIZABETHTON

[randy3116]

If a player is on here, my advice is this: No one expects anything out of you, it looks like a lot of people have given up on you. You aren't alone though, you have that teammate next to you who should be willing to give his all for you. As long as you stick together and play your heart out, no one will ever look down on you. Peace out.

Very well stated. Kudos 'Blazer!

[skysthelimit44]

 

Maybe it is a bad season, I don't know, I don't closely follow Bethton. But when I come on here and see some of the things that are said........I'm just left speechless to the fact that this is the program that ended my high school career. This was the unbeatable team that no one could hold a candle too.........

 

 

No, it is not just one bad season. The program at EHS has been getting steadily worse for the past 3 years. Last year was a total discrace. Not because of their loosing record, but because of discipline problems from several key players AND COACHES.

 

Unfortunately, THERE ARE those that come on here and trash talk some of the players, but as for most of us, you will never hear us utter a word against one of our Fighting Cyclones. We know where the problem lies, and we are behind our boys 100%. GO CYCLONES !!!

Edited October 12, 2006 by skysthelimit44

[Hustle_Will_Win]

At the risk of undermining what a lot of Cyclone supporters have pinpointed as the problem in the program, is it completely out of the question to think that perhaps the talent level within the county has evened out some? All I'm trying to say is that I haven't seen a Whitten, Redd, or Brown caliber player in a black and orange jersey for a couple of years. Talent comes in waves and, unfortuneately, every team has to eventually come down. No amount of coaching can perpetuate dominance without the talent it requires. Just trying to throw another angle into the mix- consider it or dismiss it as you will.

Edited October 12, 2006 by Hustle_Will_Win

[GLee]

Of course, this is the very same group that had a fantastic middle school team, freshman team and an undefeated JV team beating the likes of DB, SH, TN High..........basically everyone that has beaten us this year. DISIPLINE is the key, as I have noted for four years. The players are there with the exception of 4 who decided not to play as seniors but there are quality juniors to pick up that slack. They have a bundle of athletes who don't seem to really want the ball and they have big men who don't want to mix it up. I'll not address anything but that when it comes to the team.

 

With that said, the young men of the Cyclones 'should' feel that they have to earn back some respect. I know I would and the next team in front of me would be the first example. No disrespect to East. Now whether they are tough enough and man enough to earn that respect is up to them. I guess the 'challenge' is to them. Step up or step out

[compusatman]

I'm from the South side but I have to reiterate my comments about the Cyclones. Coaching is everything. A great coach can turn around any program. The momentum will create talent. The boys that don't play but you wish they would will play when the program takes them to the VIP room. It is self perpetuating. Granted, a great coach demands support from the community. But when the program is top notch everything else falls in place. People stay there because of the good program. The jobs appear, the housing appears, the opportunities appear. Why move to a two-a-day town...just create your own! Fact is, Elizabethton had notariety and now it is gone? You didn't see what I saw on the field last Friday night at Death Valley! Elizabethton the team is waiting to be directed. You still have it...just fix it. Don't re-invent the wheel...just put a tire on it. But one thing is for sure...a Chief needs Indians! Elizabethton-21/S East-7.

[Slipstream1]

I am disappointed when I see some of the very negative comments concerning coaches and athletes whether it is Elizabethton or any other school. Everybody wants to be an expert at telling what the problem is.

 

I don't pretend to know all the factors involved with the Cyclone program but I thought that I would throw out a few things to consider.

 

1) Coach - A totally thankless job even if you are winning but don't you dare lose. And you better not follow a legend with a successful program because you are going to be compared with the legend even if the talent level is not there. I would not want to be the guy who follows Graham Clark at D-B. Yes, a good coach can make a difference but they are not miracle workers. Last year Boone goes 9-3 (for a program that has been a .500 team over time) with in the best winning % in school history. However, I overhear a comment in the grocery the day after being eliminated in the playoffs by South criticizing the coach for what this person considered a bad call that may have cost Boone the game. They were wanting the entire coaching staff replaced. Can you believe that? Again why would you want to be a head coach?

 

2) Players - Believe it or not players can be turned off to a coaching staff not just by the actions of the coach but by the opinion they have developed of the coach. Many times that opinion has been swayed by the constant badmouthing of the staff by parents and other fans. Over time, kids will believe everything that hear and will either just not play(I may respect them more) and play with no heart. There becomes a time that even the very best coach cannot overcome the negativity being fed the kids by others.

 

3) Other Teams - You better pay attention to this one. I see in a lot of these different threads about the different regions being glad that some of the weaker teams in their league are playing better. Other regions brag about how their region is so much better than others. Guess what? If you looked at the overall league record of every league (don't include non-league games) the record is .500. Every league has the same number of wins as losses.

 

Now if you take the Mountain Lakes Conference, Johnson County has stepped it up in recent years, Sullivan East is much improved and now Unicoi County has notched a couple of league wins. Every team in the league wants to improve. But if they improve where are their wins going to come from? The wins are going to coming form the teams like Elizabethton, Tennessee High, and South that have been the traditional powers of the conference. So now the weaker teams have improved and started to knock some folks off and then the traditional powers start to drop in record. The internet posters come out in force and start criticizing the coaches and even players and then the negativity starts a even greater downward spiral. The traditional powers could even still be close the level that they have played at over the years but the bottom dwellers have now improved and evened things out and so records may not be the thing that they once were. For teams like South, Tennessee, and Elizabethton to maintain their lofty perches they need SC, JC, SE, and UC to maintain their low level and stay at the bottom of the league.

 

Think about it.

[cowgirl]

Now if you take the Mountain Lakes Conference, Johnson County has stepped it up in recent years, Sullivan East is much improved and now Unicoi County has notched a couple of league wins. Every team in the league wants to improve. But if they improve where are their wins going to come from? The wins are going to coming form the teams like Elizabethton, Tennessee High, and South that have been the traditional powers of the conference. So now the weaker teams have improved and started to knock some folks off and then the traditional powers start to drop in record. The internet posters come out in force and start criticizing the coaches and even players and then the negativity starts a even greater downward spiral. The traditional powers could even still be close the level that they have played at over the years but the bottom dwellers have now improved and evened things out and so records may not be the thing that they once were. For teams like South, Tennessee, and Elizabethton to maintain their lofty perches they need SC, JC, SE, and UC to maintain their low level and stay at the bottom of the league.

 

Think about it.

 

Not so sure I like being called a bottom dweller!

[rvd]

To slipstream1 Pless did not follow a legend and I guess you have not been to any of EHS games so your post should be in fantasy land.

 

I think if EHS does not make the playoffs and with the talent and conference they are in they should make the playoffs easy. The athletic department should let season ticket holders have their tickets next year for $10 less.

[skysthelimit44]

I'm from the South side but I have to reiterate my comments about the Cyclones. Coaching is everything. A great coach can turn around any program. The momentum will create talent. The boys that don't play but you wish they would will play when the program takes them to the VIP room. It is self perpetuating. Granted, a great coach demands support from the community. But when the program is top notch everything else falls in place. People stay there because of the good program. The jobs appear, the housing appears, the opportunities appear. Why move to a two-a-day town...just create your own! Fact is, Elizabethton had notariety and now it is gone? You didn't see what I saw on the field last Friday night at Death Valley! Elizabethton the team is waiting to be directed. You still have it...just fix it. Don't re-invent the wheel...just put a tire on it. But one thing is for sure...a Chief needs Indians! Elizabethton-21/S East-7.

 

Well said. I couldn't agree with you more. A great coach can turn any program around. When I played for Rider we were in the same conference with Science Hill and DB. And yes, we even handed DB a loss or two, and we did it without any Witten's. (By the way, as I recall, Jason Witten only spent 4 years in high school.)

 

Do we have less talent now than we did then? No. None of us were really anything that special. But were we taught how to play football? Were we well disciplined? Did our coaches have us ready to play every Friday night? You bet. Were there any starters who decided not to play their senior season? You've got to be kidding! Playing for a man like Dave Rider was considered an honor. That's why we gave him everything we had to give and more. We believed that there was nothing greater than being a Fighting Cyclone.

 

Yes, those days are gone. Now we are sitting in the stands. And yes, we still believe. That is why seeing the program as it is today hurts so bad.

Edited October 12, 2006 by skysthelimit44

[compusatman]

I am disappointed when I see some of the very negative comments concerning coaches and athletes whether it is Elizabethton or any other school. Everybody wants to be an expert at telling what the problem is.

 

I don't pretend to know all the factors involved with the Cyclone program but I thought that I would throw out a few things to consider.

 

1) Coach - A totally thankless job even if you are winning but don't you dare lose. And you better not follow a legend with a successful program because you are going to be compared with the legend even if the talent level is not there. I would not want to be the guy who follows Graham Clark at D-B. Yes, a good coach can make a difference but they are not miracle workers. Last year Boone goes 9-3 (for a program that has been a .500 team over time) with in the best winning % in school history. However, I overhear a comment in the grocery the day after being eliminated in the playoffs by South criticizing the coach for what this person considered a bad call that may have cost Boone the game. They were wanting the entire coaching staff replaced. Can you believe that? Again why would you want to be a head coach?

 

2) Players - Believe it or not players can be turned off to a coaching staff not just by the actions of the coach but by the opinion they have developed of the coach. Many times that opinion has been swayed by the constant badmouthing of the staff by parents and other fans. Over time, kids will believe everything that hear and will either just not play(I may respect them more) and play with no heart. There becomes a time that even the very best coach cannot overcome the negativity being fed the kids by others.

 

3) Other Teams - You better pay attention to this one. I see in a lot of these different threads about the different regions being glad that some of the weaker teams in their league are playing better. Other regions brag about how their region is so much better than others. Guess what? If you looked at the overall league record of every league (don't include non-league games) the record is .500. Every league has the same number of wins as losses.

 

Now if you take the Mountain Lakes Conference, Johnson County has stepped it up in recent years, Sullivan East is much improved and now Unicoi County has notched a couple of league wins. Every team in the league wants to improve. But if they improve where are their wins going to come from? The wins are going to coming form the teams like Elizabethton, Tennessee High, and South that have been the traditional powers of the conference. So now the weaker teams have improved and started to knock some folks off and then the traditional powers start to drop in record. The internet posters come out in force and start criticizing the coaches and even players and then the negativity starts a even greater downward spiral. The traditional powers could even still be close the level that they have played at over the years but the bottom dwellers have now improved and evened things out and so records may not be the thing that they once were. For teams like South, Tennessee, and Elizabethton to maintain their lofty perches they need SC, JC, SE, and UC to maintain their low level and stay at the bottom of the league.

 

Think about it.

 

 

I disagree. If the talent level of the league rose across the board then all we would have is more competition. More competition leads to a better league. A better league leads to a better regional representative. A better regional representative leads to a better chance at a state championship. A state championship region gets statewide respect. Statewide respect would mean more scholarships. Is there something about that scenario that you dislike? Think about it.

[rvd]

The last time EHS beat DB was 1988. That was long before the so called talent boom in the middle to late 90's.

I know EHS was bad in 89,90 and 91 but they were never this bad and back then they would compete but now some not all but some just go through the motions.

[Cap1]

I have a question…how much of the blame do we the parents hold? When parents allow their kids to drop out of the system because they say “I don’t like the coach”, who is to blame, the coach for the kids not liking him or the parent for allowing their kids to use that LOOSER excuses to….well…be a looser. I guess you can tell what side I fall on. I have notice that it is much harder for a coach these days verses the 80s and 90s. The mentality of these kids has changed dramatically and I feel the parents should shoulder their share of the blame. If a player doesn’t want to work hard or make the sacrifices and do what the coach asks him to do…they quite, and go home and tell mommy that “the coach is being mean to me”. Wake up people!!! Coaches can’t crack the whip like they use to. When we have a coach getting fired for yelling at his team after they got blasted by almost 50 points the system is failing us and it’s our fault!!! Of course their may be more to that story, but whatever the Abingdon coach did couldn’t be any worse than what most of us went through…and we didn’t give any thought to it. Now I’m not saying that the problems in Betsy town aren’t because of coaching…but is it really?