Powell vs Oak ridge

[osunut2]

Powell's qb and both running backs are juniors, but i dont know about their linemen. Powell could be even better next year! WOW!

I know that 3 of the 5 starting O-linemen are seniors, the other 2 are juniors. On defense, I think there are a total of 3 starting seniors (one end, one tackle, one linebacker). There are no seniors in the starting secondary.

[92Dragon]

I know that 3 of the 5 starting O-linemen are seniors, the other 2 are juniors. On defense, I think there are a total of 3 starting seniors (one end, one tackle, one linebacker). There are no seniors in the starting secondary.

Thats pretty impressive....you guys will be loaded again next year too it sounds.

[rallykat]

"Someone...anyone...please answer this question? Are their people in the school who can play, but have chosen not to (I am talking about good athletes)? I don't go into the high school other to attend basketball games, but when I do, I see the same kinds of kids I have seen for decades. In recent years I have noticed a gradual decline in our athletic ability on the field. I know a few of our players went to Clinton and AE through the recent past, but not that many. Why would ANYONE leave OR to go to Clinton or AE? Why have our feeder programs been allowed to be mediocre at best? Why did the renovation include a state of the art basketball facility (which I am glad that we have), and little, if any, improvements to the football facility at the high school? My point is that our problems and decline can be traced to problems within our own leadership. There has been a systematic de-emphasis of football to the delight of some, and to the horror of others. If you don't believe what I am saying, then please convince me otherwise."

 

Rally,

Unfortunately, long gone are the days where Joe would stand in the hallways and sell "prospects" the dream of becoming an OR Wildcat. And, you are correct, the feeder programs are in horrible shape. The ugly secret is that we have so many issues, we don't know where to begin. We can't blame our situation JUST on the coaches, players, fans, feeder program, community, etc.; it's all of it. In my opinion, I don't see the "light" in the eyes of the players, coaches, fans or community anymore. Where has our passion gone?

 

That "light" needs to lit again. The leaders of the school system don't care anymore. The school board doesn't care anymore. The community doesn't care a fraction of what it once did. This filters down to the players. The community leaders have to make it a mission to get it back. It can be done.

[normcc]

Norm,

 

You have to remember, we haven't won any championships since these players have been alive. They really don't know about our tradition and haven't seen that type of pride from the players they've watched growing up. It used to be that kids grew up just couldn't wait for a chance to be an Oak Ridge Wildcat and come down those steps. It's just not that way anymore. The only thing that will restore that kind of atmosphere is winning. There's no quick fix or short cuts. You just have to keep working through the tough times and stay with it.

 

Some of us still have it. The worst part about losing to Powell 34-3 is that their key players are juniors. We have face that same bunch next year at their place. Lots of work to do.

 

Good point. However, there are some children of the past championship era that are up and coming in OR. Hopefully, hearing the stories of Wildcat football and watching those highlight tapes (yes, the reels and VHS ones! LOL!) will keep that tradition alive in those boys. Maybe they can bring our program back to what Oak Ridge is all about.

[ORidgeKat]

Twenty four kids on the freshmen team is not a good sign. It is imperative that Robertsville and Jefferson have good programs. I know Robertsville is holding up their end of the bargain, but Jefferson needs to pick it up a notch, they have been allowed to flounder for years in both numbers and wins. If both teams delivered 15 boys per year to the freshmen team, twenty of those would play as sophomores. You would think that in a school of 1400 we could keep 25 kids per class out for football, especially with the facilities, tradition and support. Apparently that is not the case.

 

As for the community, you can't lay this on them. If you saw the fan support at Farragut, Central and again at Blankenship, the fans and support are still there, solid. Oak Ridge supports it's football team as well as any community that I know of, especially for a town of 28,000, the support is exceptional.

 

Let's face it, everybody wants to be a part of a winner. We have to stay the course, keep working hard, and hope for a good group of freshmen or two to come through and win the region. It all starts there. Our goal right now should be just to win our own region. Right now we're not even the best team in our own county.

 

It is not the time to start pointing fingers and blaming everybody. Just do your part and let everybody else do their part. Everybody wants to win.

[catback]

Twenty four kids on the freshmen team is not a good sign. It is imperative that Robertsville and Jefferson have good programs. I know Robertsville is holding up their end of the bargain, but Jefferson needs to pick it up a notch, they have been allowed to flounder for years in both numbers and wins. If both teams delivered 15 boys per year to the freshmen team, twenty of those would play as sophomores. You would think that in a school of 1400 we could keep 25 kids per class out for football, especially with the facilities, tradition and support. Apparently that is not the case.

 

As for the community, you can't lay this on them. If you saw the fan support at Farragut, Central and again at Blankenship, the fans and support are still there, solid. Oak Ridge supports it's football team as well as any community that I know of, especially for a town of 28,000, the support is exceptional.

 

Let's face it, everybody wants to be a part of a winner. We have to stay the course, keep working hard, and hope for a good group of freshmen or two to come through and win the region. It all starts there. Our goal right now should be just to win our own region. Right now we're not even the best team in our own county.

 

It is not the time to start pointing fingers and blaming everybody. Just do your part and let everybody else do their part. Everybody wants to win.

 

 

 

 

ORKAT,

 

I agree with your post except the last part, I know you don't like to read on CoachT about so called finger pointing, and for some reason you take that as an act of not supporting the kids who are in the program right now. But, it is time to finger point and hold the people who are responsible for getting OR football back on track to take some positive actions. It's not one person's fault, but, a group of individuals who are in place to make a difference. The school board, the principales and vice principales and the football coaches at each middle school and the athletic director and head football coach at the high school. The members of the community, parents of players and the boys club should be working together for a common goal, restore and replinish OR football. The problem is, this is never going to happen if people do not speak up about the problems, thus the kind of posts your seeing on CoachT. The problems can be fixed, but, they must FIRST be addressed, or nothing is going to happen or change!

 

Look, this doesn't have to be a witchhunt, get the folks mentioned above (minus community and parents for right now) in a room and brainstorm on what can be done in a POSITIVE WAY to improve every program in Oak Ridge. Then include selected parents and OR residents for their support and involvement, and start making positive changes in each program. Start off with small steps and build on those. It wil take some time and effort, but, it can be done. The first step is to set a goal!

Edited September 13, 2010 by catback

[normcc]

ORKAT,

 

I agree with your post except the last part, I know you don't like to read on CoachT about so called finger pointing, and for some reason you take that as an act of not supporting the kids who are in the program right now. But, it is time to finger point and hold the people who are responsible for getting OR football back on track to take some positive actions. It's not one person's fault, but, a group of individuals who are in place to make a difference. The school board, the principales and vice principales and the football coaches at each middle school and the athletic director and head football coach at the high school. The members of the community, parents of players and the boys club should be working together for a common goal, restore and replinish OR football. The problem is, this is never going to happen if people do not speak up about the problems, thus the kind of posts your seeing on CoachT. The problems can be fixed, but, they must FIRST be addressed, or nothing is going to happen or change!

 

Look, this doesn't have to be a witchhunt, get the folks mentioned above (minus community and parents for right now) in a room and brainstorm on what can be done in a POSITIVE WAY to improve every program in Oak Ridge. Then include selected parents and OR residents for their support and involvement, and start making positive changes in each program. Start off with small steps and build on those. It wil take some time and effort, but, it can be done. The first step is to set a goal!

 

Absolutely! I haven't read where anyone here is pointing fingers at anyone or not supporting the program. I think we are all OR fans that see that there are issues and are addressing those issues with respect. I want to see our community, as well as our football team, thrive. Right now, neither is at it's full potential.

[ORidgeKat]

I know you guys are supporting the kids. That's all I can do. I've always said that to be successful that we need to have everybody pulling on the same rope in the same direction. If you can get that meeting together I would be all for it.

 

Does anybody else go watch the freshmen and JV play, shoo wee. Better get that meeting going asap.

[CajunGator]

OR doesn't have the players they've had in the past & if they don't stop the run...it will get ugly. Powell wins big if the refs don't cheat.

[ORidgeKat]

Cajun, I will go ahead and give you my prediction

 

Powell 34

OR 3

[Soxfan1]

Rough week....as the kids tell it there was a crazy tirade at halftime that included a lot of profanity. Does that motivate kids today?

[ORidgeKat]

Curse words in a football locker room, no, you don't say. It wasn't a "crazy tirade", but the halftime talk did motivate. Powell didn't score in the second half.