What's Goin' On With Oak Ridge Football Off Season

[Lost Old Dad]

OakRidgeCat, I understand what you are saying, but then again you have to look at what is possible. R'dale has a new coach for them and a COMPLETE new offense this year, but they still made the playoffs and went deep into them.

 

Do y'all need a new Coach? I have NO idea as I am not there to see what the program is doing. Yes, I will agree that I am hard headed and old school when it comes to football. I still remember when the team at MTSU hauled hay in the summer for their strength training, and that was in addition to their regular practice. It was the one reason I pushed my son extra hard and it showed as he was a much stronger lineman than the average kid his size in the state. It was with NO steroids or suppliments either.

 

As to having only a population of 28,000 with only one high school and only two middle schools. Try it in a town with a larger population but THREE other high schools the same size competeting for players. Add to this two more in the same county doing it also. Then we have one high school that is 1A bringing up the rest. It pulls kids from both Blackman and R'dale. Y'all have the kids, but like other schools they are not coming out for football for some reason. A prime example of this is Franklin County. They have a great coach, but alot of good players are sitting in the stands instead of coming out to play. What is the answer? I would really love to know as it is hurting the game across the state.

 

No real football is not as comfortable in mid July and August as it is sitting on the couch in the air conditioning playing Madden, but it is more enjoyable to me at least.

 

Merry Christmas to everyone in the State. May y'alls be merry and bright and loaded with Bowl games to watch!

[cbg]

They have been in the weight room pumping iron HARD since the Monday after they lost to Smyrna. That game result was totally unacceptable. That is one reason they WIN so much.

 

Like on the DB thread where it was we lost, oh well, on to Basketball. That would NEVER work at R'dale.

 

If the kids want time off they work to EARN it. In 2004 they got to take from the Championship game until they came back from Christmas break off and that was it! When they lost to Oak Ridge in 2005 they were in the weight room the Monday after the game. They also got to lift in other places than school during the Christmas break. They also lift at other gyms during the dead period. No Coaches, but they lift and lift hard.

 

The Coaches also work that hard. Yes they get time with their families, but they also know they have to keep winning or they are gone. That is one reason that R'dale was in the big game for 5 or 6 years in a row. No they did not win every one of them but they were there while every other team was sitting home and wondering why.

 

Is this being 'rough' on the kids? Yes, but life itself is much rougher. Better to learn it early and learn how to deal with it instead of how to make excuses.

 

If this is too rough, then you may want to re-think where your priorities ought to be. For us we are making MEN and not boys.

 

Y'alls turn, but I will NOT listen to no crying.

 

Why do they not lift at school during Christmas?

[Lost Old Dad]

Why do they not lift at school during Christmas?

Because it is closed. Thing is this way it also puts the responsibility on the kids themselves to do what is needed. It also helps them bond together as the ones who drive helps the under classmen who don't get there. This in turn builds team unity and a sense of tradition and motivation. Nothing like compitition at the gym to push each other at trying more and more weight and more reps.

 

Bounder I went to Toot's today and had a plate of wings in honor of you and Ole Dad!

 

while they were good, they were NOT your ribs!

[bounder]

Well.... maybe we can get together and do a big bunch of ribs instead of wings. I know where I can get a smoker in the Boro area, if I ask some other folks to join us.

[Cactus Jack]

Well.... maybe we can get together and do a big bunch of ribs instead of wings. I know where I can get a smoker in the Boro area, if I ask some other folks to join us.

 

Me too Bounder, let me know when you guys go....

[Cactus Jack]

Another reason Oak Ridge is down could be the lack of quality players. Now before everyone comes down on me consider... a town of 28,000 with one Boys Club, two middle schools and one high school. Oak Ridge isn't having the growth some other cities are having and until we get a few more people in town with young kids there will be a shortage of players.

 

Both you old Dads.. we don't have to wait until next year to go to Toot's

 

Bounder does have a good point here, the Oak Ridge economy wobbles as places like Maryville and Farragut grows in leaps and bounds...we are closing stores here while stores open in other areas..the latest exodus from Oak Ridge and Clinton is to the new developments opening up at I-75 Exit 122. We need young families moving in here with kids who play football, that means affordable housing and places to shop, work and have fun. We need improvement from our feeder programs that he mentions and more good players coming from especailly the Jefferson side of town. All the school football programs need to be strengthened and it is the School Board that needs to do that through budget and facilities (check out Maryville's and Kingsport's facilities sometime). Our Boys Clubs have done a great job over the years, and I hope that will continue, but they need young kids coming in and playing football and other sports. I sincerly hope that Coach Stevens and his staff learn from last year adjust, and make a great comeback this year and bring Oak Ridge Football back, the football program has been a tremendous source of pride here, even with the town going down around it, it has given people something to cheer for, so if it does go down (and hope with all my heart that it does not) then Oak Ridge may truly become the ghost city that was predicted years ago by that Morristown fortune teller. So, lets hope all things get better and football does too.

[Buford Pusser]

Bounder does have a good point here, the Oak Ridge economy wobbles as places like Maryville and Farragut grows in leaps and bounds...we are closing stores here while stores open in other areas..the latest exodus from Oak Ridge and Clinton is to the new developments opening up at I-75 Exit 122. We need young families moving in here with kids who play football, that means affordable housing and places to shop, work and have fun. We need improvement from our feeder programs that he mentions and more good players coming from especailly the Jefferson side of town. All the school football programs need to be strengthened and it is the School Board that needs to do that through budget and facilities (check out Maryville's and Kingsport's facilities sometime). Our Boys Clubs have done a great job over the years, and I hope that will continue, but they need young kids coming in and playing football and other sports. I sincerly hope that Coach Stevens and his staff learn from last year adjust, and make a great comeback this year and bring Oak Ridge Football back, the football program has been a tremendous source of pride here, even with the town going down around it, it has given people something to cheer for, so if it does go down (and hope with all my heart that it does not) then Oak Ridge may truly become the ghost city that was predicted years ago by that Morristown fortune teller. So, lets hope all things get better and football does too.

 

I saw a kid named Tavarous Jefferson play this year for Ensworth. He was unreal and only in the 10th grade. He reminded me of Eric Lock from Riverdale. I think everyone in the state will know who this kid is in a year. I was told that he was from Oak Ridge. I don't who did it but someone really dropped the ball by letting this kid get away. Maybe if Oak Ridge was the power it used to be he would not have left. Again he is very very talented.

[81orgrad]

 

I saw a kid named Tavarous Jefferson play this year for Ensworth. He was unreal and only in the 10th grade. He reminded me of Eric Lock from Riverdale. I think everyone in the state will know who this kid is in a year. I was told that he was from Oak Ridge. I don't who did it but someone really dropped the ball by letting this kid get away. Maybe if Oak Ridge was the power it used to be he would not have left. Again he is very very talented.

[81orgrad]

 

I saw a kid named Tavarous Jefferson play this year for Ensworth. He was unreal and only in the 10th grade. He reminded me of Eric Lock from Riverdale. I think everyone in the state will know who this kid is in a year. I was told that he was from Oak Ridge. I don't who did it but someone really dropped the ball by letting this kid get away. Maybe if Oak Ridge was the power it used to be he would not have left. Again he is very very talented.

Oak Ridge did not drop the ball on Jefferson. The family had to relocate because of employment. Taverres would much rather play high school sports in Oak Ridge. I know this for a fact ,but it really dosen,t matter where he plays, we just wish Taverres the very best.Merry Xmas and Roll Wildcats

[Cactus Jack]

Oak Ridge did not drop the ball on Jefferson. The family had to relocate because of employment. Taverres would much rather play high school sports in Oak Ridge. I know this for a fact ,but it really dosen,t matter where he plays, we just wish Taverres the very best.Merry Xmas and Roll Wildcats

 

We do need to improve the employment picture here, the plants continue to decline with constricted budgets and we are not getting the industry due to a picky City Government that only wants "high tech", would be nice to get a car plant or something that blue collar workers to work at, Maryville has Denso and Smryna has Nissan, I am sure there is some link there to the talent they have...if we get the employment back and retail back, then we can get the talent back..

 

On another note, there will be no coaching changes and no one is leaving on the staff this year as far as is known at this point, and Ron Gray will not be coming back. SO, we got to go with and support what we got. I wish the staff all the success this coming season and hope we will get back to where we should be....in the playoffs with a chance to win...I hope the talent gaps can be filled this spring and one more thing, the guys need to hit the books as well as the weights!!!

 

PS: Tank, you need to talk to Old Dad off line...you will better understand his agenda

[Buford Pusser]

Oak Ridge did not drop the ball on Jefferson. The family had to relocate because of employment. Taverres would much rather play high school sports in Oak Ridge. I know this for a fact ,but it really dosen,t matter where he plays, we just wish Taverres the very best.Merry Xmas and Roll Wildcats

 

I wonder if someone in the Ensworth family helped them out with that new employment opportunity. Oak Ridge seems to share the same problem as every other rural school.

[bounder]

I wonder if someone in the Ensworth family helped them out with that new employment opportunity. Oak Ridge seems to share the same problem as every other rural school.

Boy you hit it right on the button. Well... some of our friends in Farragut would like to think os us as rural. HAHA

Anyway Everyone have a safe and happy new year.