Whitehaven 'The Haven' Tigers 2015

[coach10ac]

What's up coach10ac. It's good to hear from you. I knew that the Whitehaven Girls Track Team was pretty good, but I wasn't aware that we won state. Coach Sharif did one heck of a coaching job. Kudos to him and to all of those hard working young ladies.

 

I agee with the getting to QB up to speed part, but from what I've been able to piece together from HUDL videos he's a quality QB. Nice size on him at 6'-3" and 210 lbs. Nice arm strength as well. He's got a veteran OL in front of him and some pretty good RB's and a nasty 'D' to go along with that. He doesn't have to 'win' any games for us ... just be a game manager and let the game come to him. I know Coach D will have him prepared.

 

I like the fact that we 'spar' with Trezevant every spring because Coach Teli WHite is always going to bring some hard hitting sons-of-guns, that's for sure. Not to mention his RB is being recruited by the SEC ... that speaks volumes. The little bit I did see showed that they (Trezevant) has some studs on the field. especially at the LB position. Trezevant is in 2A this year ... barring a rash of injuries, they will be a contender for a title.

[coach10ac]

Yes K dub he's been Labeled as a pocket passer. He just has to learn the offense and his WR's.... that will come with the 7 on 7 play and off season work. But yes our girls were awesome this year even goin to New Orleans and finishing in 2ND OUT of over 50 teams and goin to E. St. Louis and winning the meet there we knew they had a great chance to win state. .. and again next year!!things are lookin good in DA HAVEN

[BIGPURPLEMACHINE]

BPM:

 

That's a mighty tall order to go undefeated in the regular season. I know the team has a high standard and the pressure is on from that standpoint, but ... there are a lot of good teams on that schedule ... and the first one that comes up to bat is Mitchell. I know Whitehaven is the expected favorite ... and I'm not going to get on here and try to do a 'Lou Hotlz' on you and try to poor mouth the team. That would be insincere, at the least. But, last year we beat Mitchell by a score of 27-12, or something like that, and it was a game the whole way through. Add to that, we hit the road the 2nd game of the season and face a very good Florence, Alabama team that played in the Alabama 6A semi-finals last year.

 

Redemption shouldn't even be a part of these guys vocabulary. This is a new season. Last year was a missed opportunity. The goal should be to win the last game of the season, regardless of what happened last year ... however, don't forget the dissappointment from last year's season ... let that fuel you when the wind sprints seem to be getting difficult to run.

The disappointment being the fuel that you speak of was the redemption I spoke of. I have confidence that you guys will get there.

[kwc]

Yes K dub he's been Labeled as a pocket passer. He just has to learn the offense and his WR's.... that will come with the 7 on 7 play and off season work. But yes our girls were awesome this year even goin to New Orleans and finishing in 2ND OUT of over 50 teams and goin to E. St. Louis and winning the meet there we knew they had a great chance to win state. .. and again next year!!things are lookin good in DA HAVEN

 

First, let me state that I'm glad to hear about the future of the WH Girls track team. That's always a good thing to hear. I'mma make sure I keep up with them next year.

 

I understand the LABEL put on the QB. That's what he looks like to me when I've been able to see footage on him. He's big and strong and sits in the pocket well. I like the fact that he know to look for No. 86. That has been a position that I think has been under-utilized a tad bit in the past. Although we lost Laderrial and Braylen to graduation, the WR position has some players that have been waiting their turn to shine. Besides ... we all know that Kerrick will have a lot of balls thrown his way. I know the kick returner from last year's squad will do well in the WR position.

[kwc]

The disappointment being the fuel that you speak of was the redemption I spoke of. I have confidence that you guys will get there.

 

I knew that's what you were refering to ... but I also like to keep things in perspective.  Whitehaven's success has now put the pressure and expectation of carrying that mantle. I don't think the coaches nor the players shy away from that mantle either. I think that the program has evolved to a place where the expectations are welcomed actually. If you are a program, that's where you WANT expectations to be, don't you? It's part of the motivation now ... the expectancy to win at a high level, year-in and year-out.

 

However, as a fan and an alum, I feel the need to temper expectations as much as possible because the fans in the stands can be unmerciful in their assesments of the coaching staff and the players. It's as if they think that every game should be a blowout. When it's not, it's like they don't want to give the other team credit for being a good team. Some folks actually think that what the coaches do is easy, which is the furthest thing from the truth. The coaches put in the work so a bunch of 14 - 18 year olds can perform on a Friday night.  

 

I'll end with this. I went to Murphreesboro to watch a Kenny Ingram coached Melrose team face a George Quarles coached Maryville team. Melrose lost that game by a score of 7-6. That was a truely remarkable game. I remember listening to that man try to give the acceptance speech for the Silver Ball at the end of the game and I rememeber seeing him break down in tears and say ... "I've tried everything I know how, I don't know what else to do!" . I listened as I heard the Melrose crowd ... NOT all of them, but there was a very loud contingent that voiced disapproval, disgust, and etc. Just being a group of malcontents. I thought it was shameful. I couldn't help but think to myself ... those guys are idiots.

 

Coach Ingram left the program the next year and went to the college ranks. I couldn't blame him.

Edited May 27, 2015 by kwc

[BlackHavenSenator]

The QB is big... I'm waiting to see what the 6'3" Freshman is gonna look like... Vaughn is always an option at QB to me. Just Win Baby

[BlackHavenSenator]

kwc,

 

sometimes criticism, At Whitehaven, is warranted... Ego is the issue... If we keep our egos in check I'll say it like I'll always say it, We shouldn't lose any games in Shelby Co. I'll give Florence credit because they are in Bama and the game is early so we could be clipped, but Da Haven shouldn't come close to losing any 4-6A games, with all due respect to the former Shelby Co. schools. 

Edited May 27, 2015 by BlackHavenSenator

[kwc]

kwc,

 

sometimes criticism, At Whitehaven, is warranted... Ego is the issue... If we keep our egos in check I'll say it like I'll always say it, We shouldn't lose any games in Shelby Co. I'll give Florence credit because they are in Bama and the game is early so we could be clipped, but Da Haven shouldn't come close to losing any 4-6A games, with all due respect to the former Shelby Co. schools. 

 

BHS:

 

It's been my observation that the majority of the fans in the stands criticize regardless ... warranted or not. If Whitehaven wins by 10 then the criticism becomes, we should have won by 20. If we win convincingly by three TD's or more ... they are unsatisfied because we didn't get a shut-out. Heaven forbid it be a close game ... oh my goodness ... the narrative becomes that the coaches don't know what they are doing!

 

Egos can be an issue but they are usually rooted out. When you are playing at that level, all of your players will have some degree of an ego ... it's part of the confidence that comes with winning.

 

Egos on the coaching staff are handled the same way as with the players ... all of them take their que from the HC, afterall ... that's where the buck stops. I've never been concerned about Coach Saulsberry's ego ... he's as grounded as they come. However, when it all boils down to making judgement calls, Coach Saulsberry is going to rely upon his OC and DC. They are going to do what they do. Their decisions aren't always liked or appreciated by everyone ... but they can't get bogged down with 'other voices' in their ears either. If drowning out the noise from others and making a call is deemed as an 'ego issue' ... well, that can't be helped. It is what it is. Coaches will always get 2nd guessed. It's the nature of the beast. I don't have a problem with any of them. I trust Coach Saulsberry to guide his staff accordingly as he has always done.

Edited May 27, 2015 by kwc

[kwc]

The QB is big... I'm waiting to see what the 6'3" Freshman is gonna look like... Vaughn is always an option at QB to me. Just Win Baby

 

When you say freshman ... are we talkling about a 2015 freshman, who will be coming in from a middle school, or are you talking about a 2014 freshman that is currently enrolled at the Haven, soon to be a sophomore next season?

[BlackHavenSenator]

When you say freshman ... are we talkling about a 2015 freshman, who will be coming in from a middle school, or are you talking about a 2014 freshman that is currently enrolled at the Haven, soon to be a sophomore next season?

An Upcoming Freshman 

[BlackHavenSenator]

I'll put a number by the points... and address them that way...

BHS:

 

1.It's been my observation that the majority of the fans in the stands criticize regardless ... warranted or not. If Whitehaven wins by 10 then the criticism becomes, we should have won by 20. If we win convincingly by three TD's or more ... they are unsatisfied because we didn't get a shut-out. Heaven forbid it be a close game ... oh my goodness ... the narrative becomes that the coaches don't know what they are doing!

 

2.Egos can be an issue but they are usually rooted out. When you are playing at that level, all of your players will have some degree of an ego ... it's part of the confidence that comes with winning.

 

3.Egos on the coaching staff are handled the same way as with the players ... all of them take their que from the HC, afterall ... that's where the buck stops. I've never been concerned about Coach Saulsberry's ego ... he's as grounded as they come. However, when it all boils down to making judgement calls, Coach Saulsberry is going to rely upon his OC and DC. They are going to do what they do. Their decisions aren't always liked or appreciated by everyone ... but they can't get bogged down with 'other voices' in their ears either. If drowning out the noise from others and making a call is deemed as an 'ego issue' ... well, that can't be helped. It is what it is. Coaches will always get 2nd guessed. It's the nature of the beast. I don't have a problem with any of them. I trust Coach Saulsberry to guide his staff accordingly as he has always done.

1. I've seen us lose games off of BAD Coaching decisions, some of the other Whitehaven fans have seen it happen too, that's why that occasional, rare criticism has happened. If every game we lost here lately was simply because we were out played by the other team no fan or other wise would have any complaints.

 

 

2. Egos have always been our issue. Trust me...

 

 

3. I wish the ego issue was due to outside voices only.. They are not.

[BIGPURPLEMACHINE]

I knew that's what you were refering to ... but I also like to keep things in perspective. Whitehaven's success has now put the pressure and expectation of carrying that mantle. I don't think the coaches nor the players shy away from that mantle either. I think that the program has evolved to a place where the expectations are welcomed actually. If you are a program, that's where you WANT expectations to be, don't you? It's part of the motivation now ... the expectancy to win at a high level, year-in and year-out.

 

However, as a fan and an alum, I feel the need to temper expectations as much as possible because the fans in the stands can be unmerciful in their assesments of the coaching staff and the players. It's as if they think that every game should be a blowout. When it's not, it's like they don't want to give the other team credit for being a good team. Some folks actually think that what the coaches do is easy, which is the furthest thing from the truth. The coaches put in the work so a bunch of 14 - 18 year olds can perform on a Friday night.

 

I'll end with this. I went to Murphreesboro to watch a Kenny Ingram coached Melrose team face a George Quarles coached Maryville team. Melrose lost that game by a score of 7-6. That was a truely remarkable game. I remember listening to that man try to give the acceptance speech for the Silver Ball at the end of the game and I rememeber seeing him break down in tears and say ... "I've tried everything I know how, I don't know what else to do!" . I listened as I heard the Melrose crowd ... NOT all of them, but there was a very loud contingent that voiced disapproval, disgust, and etc. Just being a group of malcontents. I thought it was shameful. I couldn't help but think to myself ... those guys are idiots.

 

Coach Ingram left the program the next year and went to the college ranks. I couldn't blame him.

I agree with everything you just said. Expectations are pretty high in Milan year after year. Lots if pressure on the coaches. And although we have a few gold balls we have lots of silver lately. I can imagine the melrose guys pain.