New Oak Ridge Head Football Coach

[bladerunner]

Anyone?? The one we had did not. Bruce and his staff built that team, starting in 2003, it took three years to put a team like that on the field. You have to build a team like that, they just don't come out of nowhere.....

 

Archie, I think you know I meant anyone with a hint of coaching ability. I guess Bruce should have stayed one more year then. Why did Bruce leave a loaded team like that? One more year & pay dirt..

[catscratch]

Anyone?? The one we had did not. Bruce and his staff built that team, starting in 2003, it took three years to put a team like that on the field. You have to build a team like that, they just don't come out of nowhere.....

 

Don't remember Bruce or Joe and their staffs staff ever beating Riverdale.

[Cactus Jack]

Am I the only one that hasn't seen an official announcement as to who the new coach really is? I don't care what your son's girl friends cousin said, I want to hear it from Chuck Carringer! Then we can cry and whine or rejoice depending on who you wanted.

 

 

I gotta agree with Bounder here. This show needs to be over and a new coach hired, there are such things that no one is much talking about on here such as pay and teaching positions. These are definate issues the committee is probably wrestling with, pay probably cancelled out Pemberton and may also any big name coach with the coveted head coaching experience everyone wants. Remember, Oak Ridge teachers have not had a raise in two years, and may not this year, School Budgets are thin at best. I agree with TnBreakers that not everyone will he happy with the new coach, but whoever it is, we as a community owe him our support to try to bring this program back. I think it will be over this week, but it will not be the first choice, or maybe even the 2nd or 3rd, but they need to go ahead and get the best that will take it, and move forward with preparation for 2009, because every week lost is hurting that.

 

PS: I would have no problem with Coach Gray, I think he would put together the best staff he possibly could within the restraints of money and teaching positions and he would work hard, but I acknowledge he would have some fences to mend both with current assistants and the fans and I think he would try to do that. He would be the most economical hire for the school system, and money is a factor, or otherwise we could go after the Quarles and Rankins of the world.

[rallykat]

You're argument is stupid. We've been talking about the same guy for several pages, if you're talking about someone else, say it. If you're not talking about anyone, stop repeating the same thing. This is a dumb game and I don't think you're actually talking about anyone I think you're just making up stuff to try and spread rumors. In the middle of a conversation about a certain coach and you write "he asked kids to write letters for him!" so people will think you're talking about the same guy as everyone else and a rumor gets started. Maybe you're having a good laugh at this game, that's fine but I'm going to make dam sure people you're not talking about Ron Gray. He's a good man and a good coach.

 

 

Unlike you and many others on here, I will not mention a man on here in negative terms. You, and a few others are so good at that, that I wouldn't dare try to compete with you. You seem to think you know who it is that I am talking about, and as I stated before, that is quite telling. I will not attack a specific candidate on this forum. That is a gutless move. I will leave that to you, and your other expert friends. I will simply continue to hope for a great coach, and I will continue to list characteristics that I think our next coach should not possess. If you think my argument is stupid, then why do you argue with me? That, too, is quite telling. I do not spread rumors. You yourself say, that I am talking about no one. How is it that I can spread rumors about no one? The champion rumor spreader is the candidate to which I refer. I will leave it at that.

[rallykat]

His son played at Boys Club this past year and will play at Jefferson this year. You can't play middle school before 7th grade and he will be a 7th grader in the fall. His younger son will play Boys Club.

 

I'm not saying it will have a bearing on where he goes but if he doesn't get the OR job, he has told me he will go to Jefferson most likely. Part of it is that he can keep an eye on his boy and part because he wants to be there.

 

To be honest, I probably shouldn't be talking about his kids because he's a strong family man and I know he wouldn't appreciate them being brought up. I thought I would just clear that up though.

 

 

If you think your friend wouldn't have wanted you to be talking about his kids, then my advice to you is plain and simple...don't talk about his kids. You talk too much.

[Cactus Jack]

Don't remember Bruce or Joe and their staffs staff ever beating Riverdale.

 

 

No, they didn't, but the Riverdale teams of 1993, 1994 and 2003, 2004 were blessed with speed and talent, more than we had, and the 2005 Riverdale team was not nearly as good as any of those. Winning the state means winning the final game, when you are fortunate enough to get there. Beating Riverdale does not guarantee you the State Championship, unless you beat them in the finals.

[rallykat]

Don't remember Bruce or Joe and their staffs staff ever beating Riverdale.

 

 

I guess you are saying then that the staff of last year's team, was the best staff since 1988. That being the case, I sure hope they don't break that staff up.

[Cactus Jack]

Archie, I think you know I meant anyone with a hint of coaching ability. I guess Bruce should have stayed one more year then. Why did Bruce leave a loaded team like that? One more year & pay dirt..

 

 

Bruce left because his son was deathly sick with cancer, and wanted to be near him at Vanderbilt when he went through his treatments. The Father Ryan opportunity came up at the right time for him, and it allowed him to retire and draw his pension from Tennessee Teachers and a great salary and location to be near his son. He would have liked to coach that team in 2005, but these things prevented that. He made the decision to support his family and that was an honorable one. Bruce would have won the state in 2005 because he would have been prepared for Ravenwood and he would have made adjustments to stop them and move the ball ourselves. I am not sure Ravenwood would have scored on Bruce's defense.

[OR nole]

His son played at Boys Club this past year and will play at Jefferson this year. You can't play middle school before 7th grade and he will be a 7th grader in the fall. His younger son will play Boys Club.

 

I'm not saying it will have a bearing on where he goes but if he doesn't get the OR job, he has told me he will go to Jefferson most likely. Part of it is that he can keep an eye on his boy and part because he wants to be there.

 

To be honest, I probably shouldn't be talking about his kids because he's a strong family man and I know he wouldn't appreciate them being brought up. I thought I would just clear that up though.

 

 

I saw every game both sons played in. You didn't understand my point. Going to Jefferson and playing for Jefferson are two totally different things.

 

I'll not mention anyone's kids again.

[rallykat]

I saw every game both sons played in. You didn't understand my point. Going to Jefferson and playing for Jefferson are two totally different things.

 

I'll not mention anyone's kids again.

 

 

I would commend such a move.

[catscratch]

No, they didn't, but the Riverdale teams of 1993, 1994 and 2003, 2004 were blessed with speed and talent, more than we had, and the 2005 Riverdale team was not nearly as good as any of those. Winning the state means winning the final game, when you are fortunate enough to get there. Beating Riverdale does not guarantee you the State Championship, unless you beat them in the finals.

 

The 2003 OR team was as talented as Riverdale as I remember towards the end of that game our O Coordinator decided not to give the ball to two of the best backs in the state. Remember who that coordinator was? Don't tell me Riverdale was more talented than the team with Mcaddley, Bohanon, and Gibson. Give the last coach credit he ended the dominance Riverdale had over OR that the other two could not.

[rallykat]

I gotta agree with Bounder here. This show needs to be over and a new coach hired, there are such things that no one is much talking about on here such as pay and teaching positions. These are definate issues the committee is probably wrestling with, pay probably cancelled out Pemberton and may also any big name coach with the coveted head coaching experience everyone wants. Remember, Oak Ridge teachers have not had a raise in two years, and may not this year, School Budgets are thin at best. I agree with TnBreakers that not everyone will he happy with the new coach, but whoever it is, we as a community owe him our support to try to bring this program back. I think it will be over this week, but it will not be the first choice, or maybe even the 2nd or 3rd, but they need to go ahead and get the best that will take it, and move forward with preparation for 2009, because every week lost is hurting that.

 

PS: I would have no problem with Coach Gray, I think he would put together the best staff he possibly could within the restraints of money and teaching positions and he would work hard, but I acknowledge he would have some fences to mend both with current assistants and the fans and I think he would try to do that. He would be the most economical hire for the school system, and money is a factor, or otherwise we could go after the Quarles and Rankins of the world.

 

 

Even with no recent raise, and no raise on the horizon, our pay is better than most. We do not need to settle for an unproven, or mediocre coach. The administration does not care about football, the way past administrations once did. Letting the economy be an excuse to select an unproven, or mediocre coach, could cause great damage to our once proud program. I can't remember our program being this low. I think that it will take a special guy to restore our program to greatness. We had better demand that, or we will be sorry for a long time to come.