Tradition Gone Down the Drain...

[OR nole]

My young sons have to stay in Oak Ridge due to the long term advantages of an ORHS education. They have asked if Maryville's academics are close. Can anyone help me with an answer?

 

Students first, athletes second. But, this football situation makes me sick. The program is dead. For now, it's just a team. And not one that the players or fans seem to have much real pride in. There seems to be a lot of pride in the history, but none in the present. I'm just thankful my sons won't be at the high school for a few more years. Maybe something can be done by then.

[EastTNFootballFanatic]

Maryville has been ranked a top school almost every year.

[bounder]

The Maryville school system has been on a par with Oak Ridge's for many years. They even pay their teachers about equal with Oak Ridge, which is among the highest in the state.. When you pay better you usually get better teachers. Except in the case of our football coach who doesn't even teach any classes!! Good deal if you can get away with it.

[ORcat14]

The people who need to step up and say something to Dr. Bailey and the School Board are the ones who deal and work will Coach Stevens on a daily basis such as the assistant coaches. Their opinions of him carry more weight because they know how he acts one on one with the players and other coaches.

[Lost Old Dad]

Folks can say anything and it will be disreguarded as prejudiced or hearsay. If folks REALLY want to get rid of him they need to document EVERYTHING! Start a log of how much he is really there for practices, classes or whatever and take them to the school board.

 

Hard for them to argue with written facts. This along with NOT being tenured ought to fix the problem.

 

Like the Judge told me when I went to work for him, "Just show me the rules they are gonna play by and then beat them to death with them".

[catback]

Hey Coach T,

I no longer live in Oak Ridge but I did for 38 years and can understand where the negative posts are coming from. Football is special in the Ridge and WE all want that to continue but WE don't always agree how that should happen.

 

It really makes me sad to read on here that TNBreaker doesn't even go to games any more. His kids meant so much to the program. The Gulmire name will be remembred forever at Oak Ridge in several sports.

 

One complaint I have read on here that I do not agree with is the acccussation that the School Board does not care about the Football program. The Oak Ridge Schools are ranked by some as being in the top 100 school systems in the NATION! Are there problems at The Ship? OH HECK YEA, there are but take care of the future of our High School first then we can turn to make The Ship the best like the Wildcat Arena is. FYI, I'm a teacher, so I slant toward the education side of school. /rolleyes.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":rolleyes:" border="0" alt="rolleyes.gif" />

 

Oak Ridge was a special place to be born in and I will always carry that Wildcat Spirit in my heart. I may die in Chattanooga but my wife knows to put some of my ashes on the ground where both the Wildcats and visitors come out of the Lockers Room. That way I can cheer on the BIG RED and try and screw (pardon my language) with the opponents.

 

Let the debate continue. CoachT. as always, keep up the GREAT work!

 

PS

I've found a great player in Chattanooga that Coach Burkey should know about. She would certainly help win an AAU National Championship. In fact, Chattanooga is loaded with raw talent!

 

Well Willie I'll cut you some slack about the school board, because you don't live in the Ridge anymore, but if you will keep track of school board meetings as I do, I think your opinion might change, not only about the lack of support for the football program, but overall in general. My opinion on the football side, is based on the numerous times members of the board have been approached about certain conditions or problems with "The Ship" only to be told, that they don't have the resources or the time to address these problems. I have other issues with the board in regard to education, but that's a whole different topic of its own.

[coach1076]

Cry a little bit more please, oh no we only won 8 games this year we really stink oh no. Give me a break Oak Ridge hasnt won a state title since 91 if Im not mistaken. So has Stevens been the coach since 92, no I dont think so. Gaddis was a good coach who chocked every year in the play-offs against either DB or Riverdale. The way I see it & OR is a good program but you guys just wish that you could live in the past. Face it you are not Maryville & you will never be unless you start recruiting like they do!

[Champ man]

Oak ridge could be considered one of the most storied and tradition rich football programs in east tn. As a fan I hope things get turned around soon and IMO they will! Anything else but a packed house at blankenship on fridays is sad.

[Jet Pride]

They think they should go 15-0 every year. Oak Ridge fans are like UT fans stupid. Im sorry Oak Ridge fans there are very good 5A teams now unlike 10 years ago.

[Wildcat Gator]

Cry a little bit more please, oh no we only won 8 games this year we really stink oh no. Give me a break Oak Ridge hasnt won a state title since 91 if Im not mistaken. So has Stevens been the coach since 92, no I dont think so. Gaddis was a good coach who chocked every year in the play-offs against either DB or Riverdale. The way I see it & OR is a good program but you guys just wish that you could live in the past. Face it you are not Maryville & you will never be unless you start recruiting like they do!

 

It's people like you who have accepted being in the middle of the pack who do not understand. Oak Ridge may not win the state every year, but we are used to competing for it. Oak Ridge has not been just a flash in the pan, we have been wiining at the highest level since the 1940's. While I can understand that you you might think we are whining, we are not. We just don;t like to "settle" for being average or below. And right now, no program is able to touch Maryville. But I really don't think you can blame it on anything but hard work on their part. GQ and company deserve all that they have accomplished. In the same light, so does Oak Ridge. We just don't want to slide down hill when the program has been developed and loved by so many for so long. /thumb[1].gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":thumb:" border="0" alt="thumb[1].gif" />

[ORcat14]

Its funny how you can read a post and tell who is and isn't and Oak Ridge fan. Yes we expect to go 15-0 every year because if you don't you set yourself up to fail. The fact that some people at the beginning of the season don't expect to play for a state championship shows how much they prepare or even care about their programs of their programs history. You play like you practice and you practice like how you prepare. As for the Coach Gaddis comment, He was one of the best Coach to ever Coach at Oak Ridge or in the state of Tennessee. His losses in the 90's were to quality teams like Kelly Holcome from Lincoln Co. or Fernando Bryant at Riverdale or even Teddy Gaines at Kinsport D-B. All three of those were standouts in high school, college, and the pros. And i don't have to add that we won a National Championship in '58 and beat two teams with players who went on to win the Heisman Trophey.

[bounder]

We Oak Ridgers do expect to win them all. If that doesn't set well with some of you ...well we don't give a big,fuzzy wildcats behind! Go about your business and be satified with less than being a winner. And being a winner means winning them all! Second place is first loser!