Riverdale won,Aydelott must be gone!

[SwamiSays]

Coach A should be Coach of the Year! He has taken a very young team and found a way to win some big games at the end! This team will be back in the Playoffs soon. He is winning games without people like Gerald Griffin, Antron Peebles, Alvin Duke, Todd Howard, Ralph King, Dave Thomas, Erick Locke, Fernando Bryant, Larry Floyd, David Coppeans, I could go on and on! Everyone that knows anything about Riverdale Football knew this was a re-building year. I am proud of the way they came together and never quit!!

Good, positive comment. 

[WCP]

Carson

[mykidsdad]

Coach A should be Coach of the Year! He has taken a very young team and found a way to win some big games at the end! This team will be back in the Playoffs soon. He is winning games without people like Gerald Griffin, Antron Peebles, Alvin Duke, Todd Howard, Ralph King, Dave Thomas, Erick Locke, Fernando Bryant, Larry Floyd, David Coppeans, I could go on and on! Everyone that knows anything about Riverdale Football knew this was a re-building year. I am proud of the way they came together and never quit!!

So he did a really poor job early or a great job late? Sorry to be negative, but most of the guys you mentioned are too old to play in high school!

[Crimson100]

Heard that Coach Lee Davis is searching for a job. He said he used to coach there under Rankin.. Might give him a call.

[SwamiSays]

When did Blackman play their first varsity season?

[AllRegion]

And this statement right here "ANY Coach that goes into a season expecting anything less than perfection usually winds up a LOSER! " shows how little you know about coaching and football. You work toward it, but you really never expect it because it just doesn't exist. Only "fans" expect it, and generally look foolish in doing so. 

 

Actually...perfection does exist in high school football. Riverdale achieved it in 1994, 2000, and 2004.

[davidlimbaugh]

Maybe you know David? Why have the numbers dropped so drastically over the last several years? 

 

When my oldest son played on the '97 team, we dressed 80-90 kids.   My younger son played for the 'Mustangs' during that time. I used to pick up some of his Mustang teammates around Bridge Avenue and Patterson Park.  

 

Even when my older son was playing, I thought 'numbers' was something that people made a big deal about that I personally didn't think really mattered that much.  My son was about a 6'1 210lb kicker who was able to tackle people on kickoffs when he didn't get it out of the back of the end zone. He started as a defensive end his freshman year but soon moved to kicker.  When he went to visit a couple of his friends who moved to Bell Buckle and were attending Cascade the Cascade coach asked him if he played offensive tackle or defensive tackle and he said 'kicker'.  Keep in mind my son was a weight-room animal, and was one of the team leaders in leg press and other weights that involved the legs.

 

Around 30 of those kids were about 5'6 to '5'8 and never had a chance to actually get on the playing field. But they loved practicing, and the experience of being on the sidelines and winning a ring.

 

That being said, our numbers are down.I walk the halls of Riverdale every day and I don't see a lot of kids roaming the halls that jump out at you as football players.   If I had to theorize why our numbers are down (and I could be completely and utterly wrong!), here is my 'theory':

 

1) Zoning:   When my son played January Street, Bridge Avenue and Patterson Park area were a hotbed of football players. I am familiar with those areas from campaigning there door-to-door when I ran for State Senate and County Mayor and also giving players rides from there.

 

Here is our current zone: http://www.rcschools.net/education/page/download.php?fileinfo=SFNfRFVBTDIwMTMucGRmOjo6L3d3dzUvc2Nob29scy90bi9ydXRoZXJmb3JkY291bnR5L2ltYWdlcy9kb2NtZ3IvQUxMZmlsZTI1NTgucGRm&sectiondetailid=16371

 

Notice how those areas, and others like Minerva Drive, are no longer in our zone.  Our zone has moved more to the 'rural' area of our county.

 

We lost about 300 kids to Blackman when Blackman lost kids to Stewarts Creek in the latest re-zoning.

 

Another factor is Eagleville.  In baseball, football and other sports, some kids have left Riverdale and transferred to Eagleville.  There are several reasons for this, including wanting to be in a smaller school setting or getting more playing time.

 

Another factor is Central Magnet.  Perhaps some kids and their parents may choose to go to be 'Magnetized' over being part of Riverdale athletics?  I know baseball lost several kids to Central when it opened.  At one time they were going to let them play at Eagleville but I don't think that may be the case anymore?   But a few kids may decide their academics are more important than standing on the sidelines on Riverdale football field.

 

Another factor IS Oakland's IB program. Not just for Riverdale. Several schools have lost kids to Oakland who are not zoned Oakland

 

Another factor is more things to do, from Rugby to Ulitimate Frisbee and other activities.

 

So, no one thing may be making a huge difference, but if you lose 300 kids in enrollment and 5 of them were football players, you go from maybe 80 to 75.   You lose 3 to Eagleville and you are down to 72.  Lose 5 to Central Magnet and you are down to 67. Lose 3 to Oakland's IB program and you are down to 64.  Lose 5 to Rugby and 9 to other activities and you are down to 50.  Lose 5-10 who just quit and you are down to 40 just like that.

 

I don't have actual numbers so this story is merely anectodal, and only my guess.  But I can tell you there are no Alvin Dukes, Eric Lockes, Corey Carneys, Fernando Bryants or Antron Peebles wandering the halls of Riverdale and not playing football.     

Edited November 5, 2013 by davidlimbaugh

[davidlimbaugh]

Coach A should be Coach of the Year! He has taken a very young team and found a way to win some big games at the end! This team will be back in the Playoffs soon. He is winning games without people like Gerald Griffin, Antron Peebles, Alvin Duke, Todd Howard, Ralph King, Dave Thomas, Erick Locke, Fernando Bryant, Larry Floyd, David Coppeans, I could go on and on! Everyone that knows anything about Riverdale Football knew this was a re-building year. I am proud of the way they came together and never quit!!

 

I am around the kids quite a bit. Our freshman class has some awesome young men. You will be hearing their names in the years to come. Losing Rakis Ivy before the season started hurt. Other kids missed time as well. People who expect any program to go 15-0 every year will be sorely disappointed. Sports goes in cycles (except for my Cubs).  I can assure you Gallatin and Lincoln Co fans during the days of Carlton Flatt and John Meadows never envisioned how their programs are today. I tell my Maryville and Alcoa friends (yes, I have some - lol!) enjoy the run while you can. They are fun while they last. High school sports is a unique world. No two school systems are the same. No two classes at a school are the same.  It would be nice if every year you could get a couple of great linemen, and every other year a D1 QB comes into school, and so every class gets you about 20-30 players. But some classes have a lot of linemen but no skiill players. Some classes have a bunch of 6'5 280 lb kids (our freshman team when Buford came into Riverdale was like this and Mt Juliet's freshman team this year was HUGE!) and some classes have no one over 6'0.   

 

My teaching mantra is kids can't pick their parents. Along those lines teachers can't pick their students and high school coaches can't pick their players. We don't have a draft or state signing day. I know my 2013 Riverdale football team featured some outstanding young men who wore a Riverdale jersey with pride and gave everything they had in every practice and every game.

 

I tell my kids something that someone told me once:

 

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt, Excerpt from the speech "Citizenship In A Republic" delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910  http://www.theodore-roosevelt.com/trsorbonnespeech.html

[warhawks]

When my oldest son played on the '97 team, we dressed 80-90 kids.   My younger son played for the 'Mustangs' during that time. I used to pick up some of his Mustang teammates around Bridge Avenue and Patterson Park.  

 

Even when my older son was playing, I thought 'numbers' was something that people made a big deal about that I personally didn't think really mattered that much.  My son was about a 6'1 210lb kicker who was able to tackle people on kickoffs when he didn't get it out of the back of the end zone. He started as a defensive end his freshman year but soon moved to kicker.  When he went to visit a couple of his friends who moved to Bell Buckle and were attending Cascade the Cascade coach asked him if he played offensive tackle or defensive tackle and he said 'kicker'.  Keep in mind my son was a weight-room animal, and was one of the team leaders in leg press and other weights that involved the legs.

 

Around 30 of those kids were about 5'6 to '5'8 and never had a chance to actually get on the playing field. But they loved practicing, and the experience of being on the sidelines and winning a ring.

 

That being said, our numbers are down.I walk the halls of Riverdale every day and I don't see a lot of kids roaming the halls that jump out at you as football players.   If I had to theorize why our numbers are down (and I could be completely and utterly wrong!), here is my 'theory':

 

1) Zoning:   When my son played January Street, Bridge Avenue and Patterson Park area were a hotbed of football players. I am familiar with those areas from campaigning there door-to-door when I ran for State Senate and County Mayor and also giving players rides from there.

 

Here is our current zone: http://www.rcschools.net/education/page/download.php?fileinfo=SFNfRFVBTDIwMTMucGRmOjo6L3d3dzUvc2Nob29scy90bi9ydXRoZXJmb3JkY291bnR5L2ltYWdlcy9kb2NtZ3IvQUxMZmlsZTI1NTgucGRm&sectiondetailid=16371

 

Notice how those areas, and others like Minerva Drive, are no longer in our zone.  Our zone has moved more to the 'rural' area of our county.

 

We lost about 300 kids to Blackman when Blackman lost kids to Stewarts Creek in the latest re-zoning.

 

Another factor is Eagleville.  In baseball, football and other sports, some kids have left Riverdale and transferred to Eagleville.  There are several reasons for this, including wanting to be in a smaller school setting or getting more playing time.

 

Another factor is Central Magnet.  Perhaps some kids and their parents may choose to go to be 'Magnetized' over being part of Riverdale athletics?  I know baseball lost several kids to Central when it opened.  At one time they were going to let them play at Eagleville but I don't think that may be the case anymore?   But a few kids may decide their academics are more important than standing on the sidelines on Riverdale football field.

 

Another factor IS Oakland's IB program. Not just for Riverdale. Several schools have lost kids to Oakland who are not zoned Oakland

 

Another factor is more things to do, from Rugby to Ulitimate Frisbee and other activities.

 

So, no one thing may be making a huge difference, but if you lose 300 kids in enrollment and 5 of them were football players, you go from maybe 80 to 75.   You lose 3 to Eagleville and you are down to 72.  Lose 5 to Central Magnet and you are down to 67. Lose 3 to Oakland's IB program and you are down to 64.  Lose 5 to Rugby and 9 to other activities and you are down to 50.  Lose 5-10 who just quit and you are down to 40 just like that.

 

I don't have actual numbers so this story is merely anectodal, and only my guess.  But I can tell you there are no Alvin Dukes, Eric Lockes, Corey Carneys, Fernando Bryants or Antron Peebles wandering the halls of Riverdale and not playing football.     

Thank you Sir! I know you are around the program so I do trust your opinion! GO WARRIORS!!

[warhawks]

I am around the kids quite a bit. Our freshman class has some awesome young men. You will be hearing their names in the years to come. Losing Rakis Ivy before the season started hurt. Other kids missed time as well. People who expect any program to go 15-0 every year will be sorely disappointed. Sports goes in cycles (except for my Cubs).  I can assure you Gallatin and Lincoln Co fans during the days of Carlton Flatt and John Meadows never envisioned how their programs are today. I tell my Maryville and Alcoa friends (yes, I have some - lol!) enjoy the run while you can. They are fun while they last. High school sports is a unique world. No two school systems are the same. No two classes at a school are the same.  It would be nice if every year you could get a couple of great linemen, and every other year a D1 QB comes into school, and so every class gets you about 20-30 players. But some classes have a lot of linemen but no skiill players. Some classes have a bunch of 6'5 280 lb kids (our freshman team when Buford came into Riverdale was like this and Mt Juliet's freshman team this year was HUGE!) and some classes have no one over 6'0.   

 

My teaching mantra is kids can't pick their parents. Along those lines teachers can't pick their students and high school coaches can't pick their players. We don't have a draft or state signing day. I know my 2013 Riverdale football team featured some outstanding young men who wore a Riverdale jersey with pride and gave everything they had in every practice and every game.

 

I tell my kids something that someone told me once:

 

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt, Excerpt from the speech "Citizenship In A Republic" delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910  http://www.theodore-roosevelt.com/trsorbonnespeech.html

Great post!! GO WARRIORS!! How did the freshman do this year?

[davidlimbaugh]

Great post!! GO WARRIORS!! How did the freshman do this year?

 

Lost 21-22 to Smyrna in a great opener. Exciting game.

 

Lost 28-38 to Oakland.

 

Beat Blackman 14-8

 

Beat Siegel 28-12

 

Beat Lavergne 42-0

 

Beat Stewarts Creek 27-14

 

Beat a HUGE Mt. Juliet team 20-10 in Tullahoma Lions Bowl, 

 

Some great kids, not just as players but as fine young men.  Fun to watch and fun to be around.

[slagiatt]

I am around the kids quite a bit. Our freshman class has some awesome young men. You will be hearing their names in the years to come. Losing Rakis Ivy before the season started hurt. Other kids missed time as well. People who expect any program to go 15-0 every year will be sorely disappointed. Sports goes in cycles (except for my Cubs).  I can assure you Gallatin and Lincoln Co fans during the days of Carlton Flatt and John Meadows never envisioned how their programs are today. I tell my Maryville and Alcoa friends (yes, I have some - lol!) enjoy the run while you can. They are fun while they last. High school sports is a unique world. No two school systems are the same. No two classes at a school are the same.  It would be nice if every year you could get a couple of great linemen, and every other year a D1 QB comes into school, and so every class gets you about 20-30 players. But some classes have a lot of linemen but no skiill players. Some classes have a bunch of 6'5 280 lb kids (our freshman team when Buford came into Riverdale was like this and Mt Juliet's freshman team this year was HUGE!) and some classes have no one over 6'0.   

 

My teaching mantra is kids can't pick their parents. Along those lines teachers can't pick their students and high school coaches can't pick their players. We don't have a draft or state signing day. I know my 2013 Riverdale football team featured some outstanding young men who wore a Riverdale jersey with pride and gave everything they had in every practice and every game.

 

I tell my kids something that someone told me once:

 

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt, Excerpt from the speech "Citizenship In A Republic" delivered at the Sorbonne, in Paris, France on 23 April, 1910  http://www.theodore-roosevelt.com/trsorbonnespeech.html

David,

You are spot on.................you seem to have a load of great info. How about checking LOD's playing experience at Smyrna. If history is correct; when he attended; they were not exactly a powerhouse...............he constantly bemoans Metro football. In those days, Smyrna would not dare play a Metro team..................LOD; did you even play football for the Bulldogs!!!!

 

David............how many State Championships would Coach Rankin have won had he stayed at Smith Co.........................probably as many as a fine coach Jimmy Maynard won!!

Gary is no fool...............you gotta have the Jimmy and Joe's or the X's & O's do not work as well..............he is a good coach and has made some excellent moves.