Signal Mountain 4A 2011-2012

[Omniscience]

Except for SP the valley has been down for years, all not just Whitwell. Whitwell beat us in 06 and 07, that's not that long ago. Seq, Bledsoe and Grundy looks to be on the come back and have stable coaching, which is the key if you ask me. Marion was just as bad if not worse of an opponent as Whitwell this year and will probably be next year too. I personally think we need to keep Whitwell if at all possible.

 

I understand that its a old rival but the facts are our student population is almost triple theres, and our boys need to play harder competition, to prepare them for the playoffs. Cant believe we couldnt schedule a AA or AAA team from out of chatttanooga that would give a good look. And those years Whitwell beat us anyone would have we were extremely young and coaching staff was even younger.

[realmenwearred]

2011 Signal Mountain Eagles

 

 

Week0 East Hamilton AA

Week1 Tyner AA

Week2 @Bledsoe Co. AA *

Week3 @Blackman AAA

Week4 Grundy Co. AA *

Week5 South Pittsburg A

Week6 Notre Dame AA *

Week7 @Polk Co. AA

Week8 Chatt Christian AA *

Week9 Open

Week10 @Sequatchie Co. AA *

 

* District Game

 

Won't swear to it, but believe this is correct.

 

Anybody want to accuse us of ducking the competion now?

 

Looks good to me, What do we know about Blackman? What is awesome, I am still as scared of our 1A selection as anyone else! ha ha ha

[MountainTroll]

Looks good to me, What do we know about Blackman? What is awesome, I am still as scared of our 1A selection as anyone else! ha ha ha

 

6a, only loss in regular season was to 6a runner-up Smyrna. Then put out in qtr-final again by Smyrna. 2010 Gatorade Tennessee Football Player of the Year, I'Tavius Mathers will be returning as a senior. Quarteback also returning. Will be a tall order to win this one, but should be exciting and a good gauge of the program in week 3.

[realmenwearred]

6a, only loss in regular season was to 6a runner-up Smyrna. Then put out in qtr-final again by Smyrna. 2010 Gatorade Tennessee Football Player of the Year, I'Tavius Mathers will be returning as a senior. Quarteback also returning. Will be a tall order to win this one, but should be exciting and a good gauge of the program in week 3.

 

Well that is what we need, someone to gauge the program against. I thought I remembered them late in the season with Smyrna. I can't wait until next season! My Mocs are gonna be pretty good next year too.

[OLD PIRATE]

Old Pirate says folkes need to read this.....

 

The following is an address given to the CPA Varsity Football Team by Captain Marcus

Gill. Marcus played on the 2000 CPA Football State Championship Team and is a

graduate of CPA and West Point Academy. These remarks were given in a team devotion

on Thursday, Sept 30 2010- a week before Captain Gill was going to be deployed in

Afghanistan for a 2nd tour of duty.

 

 

Coach Mathews, thank you for having me here today.

 

The sport of football means a great deal to me. Ten years ago, I was in this field house

wearing shoulder pads and a gold helmet as a player on CPA’s first state championship

football team. It’s a privilege to be back, it’s a privilege to be with another CPA football

team.

 

As coach said, my name is Marcus Gill. I am a member of the 2nd Ranger battalion and

will deploy next month to Afghanistan. The US Army Rangers are the most elite light

infantry fighting force in the world. Afghanistan is twelve time zones away and 7000

miles over the horizon. It’s dark in Afghanistan right now. Right now, Rangers from my

unit are airborne in the darkness. Right now, their assault forces ride on helicopters

through the night into harm’s way. They will land in enemy territory and use deadly force

to impose their will upon enemies of our country.

 

I get told a lot “thanks for serving our countryâ€- which is a nice, patriotic gesture by our

citizens- but much of the time people say it because the only other thing that comes in

their mind is “you are crazyâ€. That just doesn’t have the same ring to it. They think I’m

crazy because the conflict of combat doesn’t fit into their surroundings.

In some ways, being a soldier and a football player are similar, for the conflict of football

doesn’t fit into some of your surroundings either. You are raised in the richest county in

the State of Tennessee. The level of affluence and comfort is staggering, yet there is

nothing comfortable about two-a-days in August.

 

Many of your peers struggle to get out of bed, but you struggle against an opponent lined

up across from you. Much of the surrounding culture is feminine and self-gratifying, but

you daily choose to be masculine and self-denying to win at football. Football prepares

you for life because it makes you understand that physical and spiritual conflict is

inseparable. In the Gospel of Matthew Jesus says the spirit is willing but the flesh is

weak. In the fourth quarter, you’ll feel your flesh weakening even when your spirit knows

victory is near. Peter says a man is enslaved by what he cannot overcome. In sprints, your

flesh says ‘one more is over-training’, your spirit says ‘one more is over-coming’.

I watched you play against DCA and I believe your team is prepared to win at football.

You know when I was in your place as a player on that undefeated team, there was

nothing in the world of football we could not do. We were known state wide as a team

that could legitimately beat anybody in any classification. Our pictures filled the papers

and our fans packed the stands as we won every game. My teammates and I left CPA

football as strong boys so full of promise and life that it seemed that we could overcome

anything. Looking back ten years later, you know what we weren’t prepared to

overcome? The conflicts of life’s next phase. We didn’t know that the conflicts of life’s

next phase would surpass any linebacker blitz or lineman combo block. The truth is the

game you’re playing isn’t football, the game is life and what is at stake at each snap is not

moving a ball down the field for a first down, what is at stake is equipping yourself to

grow from boys into young men capable of surviving the conflicts coming for you in the

next phase of life.

 

Conflict is coming for you and will continue to come for you for the rest of your life. You

cannot avoid the conflict; you can prepare for it. Seniors, less than a year from now most

of you will be at some American college campus. You will be on your own; drugs will be

available; sex with loose women will be plentiful; alcohol will be endless; agnostic

professors with agendas will be unavoidable and no one will push the Book of Proverbs

down your throat… let me guess, you already knew that about college.

Let me tell you something you don’t know about college. I’ve had more friends from

CPA ruin their lives at college than I’ve had West Point friends ruin their lives in combat.

I spent the year of 2009 as a paratrooper fighting in Afghanistan. My younger brother

spent the year of 2009 as a freshman in the Aggie Corps at Texas A&M. My younger

brother’s battalion of college kids suffered more fatalities from the debauchery of student

life than my infantry battalion suffered from combat operations. I’m trying to articulate

that the world you enter less than a year from now is so destructive that your chance of

survival is better in worn-torn Afghanistan with my Rangers than on an SEC college

campus with a fraternity. Don’t pray for my Soldier’s safety, pray for your own…equally

important, prepare for your own. In many ways Knoxville is more lethal than Kandahar.

Conflict is coming for you. The Bible says that Satan is a devouring lion who roams the

earth looking for those to consume and you better believe he has this group of lions on

his menu. Satan aims to destroy your soul and to destroy the reason you were created to

live, nor just your physical ability to live. I have seen dead men and I’ve seen destroyed

men and a destroyed man is a much more gruesome sight. The conflict is real and

ceaseless and the enemy is strong and ruthless and capable. The abilities needed to rise

from its grip are not some psychedelic realization that will settle on you later in life. You

will not overcome it solely by singing feel good songs in a youth group party atmosphere.

That’s the truth that the Brentwood culture doesn’t like to hear; as a culture, Brentwood

will focus on comfort rather that acknowledge conflict.

 

I don’t know when confrontation became a sin, but the myth that one cannot be

confrontational and a Christian is nothing short of heresy. Christians believe that good is

always opposed by evil and the line of opposition is drawn within the human heart so that

the soul of a person is the very battle at stake. By grace alone are you saved, but by guts

predominately you will act upon that grace. It’s moments of conflict like tomorrow

night’s football game where you can build your guts. CPA football coaches know how to

prevail in conflict that requires guts and that’s why CPA coaches care more about your

well-being that your feelings. Their job is to help you overcome yourself. The experience

is not meant to be comfortable for you, it’s meant to be good for you.

Just as CPA football tradition is to prevail on the gridiron, our spiritual heritage is to be

more than conquerors in Christ. It is not your destiny nor God’s will for you to stumble

and fall and be devoured by Satan. CPA football was the best preparation my friends and

I received for life; for too many of us, it still wasn’t enough. If I could go back in time

and hold hands in the huddle again with my friends, I would tell them we have to ‘make

ready everyday because the game isn’t football, the game is life and the only way we can

survive is to fearlessly run the plays that Christ calls in our lives. And when we do, He

will be watching our game of life and He will have no problem recognizing His own-

For the purple and gold banner will be clear, held high, unfurled and flying strongly

in the contrary breeze as the men who wear the gold hats move forward into enemy

territory. And so may it always be for all who wear the gold helmet of the CPA Lions.

I can only tell you that moments of conflict are coming. I can’t go back in time and join

the huddle. It’s your time. Make the most of it.

 

343

0

[Blazeallthewaze]

This is what you will see out of Blackman

 

 

[hamjam40]

Agreed, about all OP. I have been watchin SP play for years and have always loved watching y'all playball. If we are off, I goto your schedule 1st to see if your home, Sequatchie 2nd and Red Bank 3rd. I my have to throw Trousdale County in the mix right after y'all from know on! And yes I am very excited about playing this "big" ball next year. I've always been perplexed with your quality of ball and the number is students. Guess those Grider folks and assistance just coach really good fb! You guys could win alot of games in 3a/4a without a doubt!

 

I agree RMWR, S. Pitt was about the only team in the area getting it right, until Signal came on line..... They have an excellent staff,n their kids have excellent fundamental and are hard-nosed. To run the Wing T you have to have a QB with exceptional ball handling skills your kids have to be intelligent too. I love to watch teams that have discipline and character kids play. What the other surrounding schools should appreciate, is how it brings the level of play-up. Teams don't get better playing the crappy teams they get better playing the good teams. If I were a young up and coming Coach at another area high school, and I wanted to know how to defense against the Wing T, I would watch SM SP game....probably take things form both sides. If you are a student of the game, the people you select to use as models to learn from have your respect. SP SM game this year, the kids on both sides are winners and will carry that winning work ethic and toughness throughout their lives. I know that when I have former players succeed, I feel like I played a part in their success, when they don't do well, I feel convicted for having not given more.... this is what makes this great guys. It parallels the things that made America great. I can only think of good things to say about S. Pitt, I call a spade a spade.

[hamjam40]

Fellers, Old Pirate says SM has kids from a wide variety of programs, some suspect others not. Chatt folkes really git there jocks stretched when Signal comes up. But Alcoa is a great example of players from other places coming,moving,being recruited or simply wanting to be a part of a great program. Most folkes feel SM will do well with the fine new school and facilities they provide for the students. Jest a thought from an Old Pirate/skillet head

 

Although recruiting and having kids school hop sometimes cast a shadow on the stated athletic mission. However, all schools Coaches will do as much as they can get away with and be technically legal. Unfortunately High School Coaches have their own livelihood and their families livelihood depending on their winning. Coaches are usually people who love to win anyway, but that in itself is not the sole source of motivation......You add the pressure of their job security and their families security riding on their teams to win..... I can tell you that in this day and time, the operational environment for coaches is tougher than ever, they have to exploit every resource made available if they want to stay employed, its very hard on their families as well.

[hamjam40]

The only thing about Alcoa is that they arent they only school in that area winning. Everyone knows that the Knoxville area is loaded with outstanding talent. Maryville, Fulton, Knox Catholic, Loudon, CAK, just to name a few are outstanding programs with great history. They didn't build those programs overnight.

 

I agree, I think the area's success began at Farragut and spread from there. They have good Coaches and good families with good kids who are accustomed to taking direction and have already learned discipline in the home.

[hamjam40]

Old Pirate says the best recruiting tool is a program that wins consistantly and works hard to do it the right way. Chatt programs will continue to complain with SM winning and rapidly making a name for itself. Dad burnit, ifin OP had a youngon and lived in Chatt the most likely place would be SM. OP says community pride and support are a huge plus and there are a lot......of Chatt schools that do not have those intangibles.

 

REAL MEN WEAR ORANGE THOU

 

Well put, good parents want the environment for the most potential for developing excellence......

[hamjam40]

Well Indian, If I were to be ask where should I move in the Chattanooga area. Obviously I would say SM. I am born and raised up here (without the silver spoon, in my family situation) on this mountain. It is a beautiful, safe and friendly setting to be raised in. We have great programs up here for the youngsters. Our Boy Scout troops can't be beat, our girl scout program is wonderful. Our summer times up here are wonderful, we have a great community pool, summer league sports are not so demanding that it is not fun for the kids. (winning isn't everything when your 5-11 yrs old) We have great state and city parks for hiking and mountian biking. One of our local business men just bought the old SMMS and has turned in into a great athletic center, he has also made walking or running trails on the property, kept the basketball gym and is going to put in a pool The old middle school football field has also be saved for our Signal Mountain Tackle Football league http://www.smtf2010.com/ to have another place to play and practice. One side of the SMMS has been turned into a business complex housing a couple businesses, Webbco Graphics and Benchmark Physical theropy being the first two to move in. So yes I love this mountain and everything it has become!

 

So yes if that is recruiting, I guess I am a recruiter. Even thought I never talk to the administration of the school or the coaching staff.

 

I do not have a player on the football, basketball, softball, wrestling, crosscountry, golf, volleyball, baseball, bowling, swim & dive, soccer, track and field,or tennis teams. I am just a person that loves this community and everything about it.

 

http://www.signalmou...ntpage&Itemid=1

 

Not to mention:

http://www.signalmountainhighschool.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=67&Itemid=194

 

I refer to the pre-1970 population as the (OWT original white trash. They were the blue collar people up here trying to farm, and work the coal mines. The new occupants all came here by choice and with the unified agenda of having a Mayberry experience, they are generally educated and on average have graduate degrees and larger sums of disposable income. There is a very visable and wide gap between the social classes, but it has improved everyone's situation. I'm not rich, I'm the white George Jefferson who wanted a piece of the pie. Successful people don't make me jealous, they usually havew out worked the competition and are reaping the just reward for hard-work.

[hamjam40]

g morgan started playing football when he moved up here i remember his first day of practice

 

People think he arrived Cam Newton style in the Signal Mountain recruiting conspiracy. He wasn't even good when he first got here, but by God he wanted to be good and wanted to be here. That child wanted a chance to have a life and be a part of something worthwhile. Through his own tenacity, and winning the hearts and minds of adults who saw a winner giving his all, he stayed. He was not brought he fought tooth and nail every step and wouldn't be denied. That's the problem with the system they reward the behavior of ingrates, and do everything they can to usurp people who try......except the good folks on this Mtn were not gonna let that happen to somebody who had worked so hard and wanted it that bad....This is what really happened of course the truth is always the last side of the story that gets told in these situations. Anybody trying who talks smack about that kid better look skyward and be ready to dodge lightening bolts.