William Blount hosts Bradley Central

[jake]

GovMan,  Thank you....you are a class act sir, have enjoyed listening to you over the years.  Several people, including myself, had pushed for a few years for the powers that be to combine the middle schools into one team.  Justin Ridge was the one that listened and made it happen.  I knew that move was going to be an outstanding move when it was made and Rick Young has really done a great job with that program.  The high school will have to benefit at some point from what is going on at the middle school if the kids stay.  Thanks again and good luck

[Governm]

Gov91....That is really kind and I appreciate it. As I said in an earlier post, you are a true fan. One of the players at my house last night was talking about you so evidently he has visited this site before, he was telling Austin how you were WB's biggest fan. Austin told him that he was going to use "Gov91" as one of his audibles Friday night, much the same way Peyton use to use "Omaha". Thought you would get a kick out of that.

That's funny, it would be something if they scored on that.

[32hammer]

Jake,

 

First of all, I hope you realize how much it has meant to our community that Austin (and mom & dad) did make the decision to keep him at WB.  The same for all those graduating seniors that have stuck with us through thick and thin.  While Austin didn't enjoy as much success on the football field as we would have loved to have seen, I don't suspect that that is going to impede the great successes that he is going to experience as he moves on to the next leg of his journey into adulthood.  He is a quality young man that reflects our school and community well.

 

I honestly believe that good groundwork is being put down that will result in our football program gaining more respectability in the coming years.  I believe we have an upper tier head coach, who is on his way to building a quality staff.  I also believe we are doing really, really good things at the middle school level--beginning with the leadership--that are going to pay dividends.

 

I spent a little time today researching the past 38 seasons of WB football to try to find any trends or variables that might explain where we are right now.  It's tough to make any sense out of our past.  Our most successful run was an 11-year period between 1997 & 2007.  During that time we won 66 and lost 57.  We only had one losing season. We made the play-offs 9 out of 11 years.  Locally, we were 11-0 vs Heritage; 5 - 3 vs Alcoa; & 1 - 10 vs Maryville (some things never change).  And so I'm thinking ... coaching stability.  But then I realize, we had five different head coaches (Fickert, McMahan, Reid, Phelps, and Meadows) in those 11 seasons. Hmmmmm .....

 

By the way--and some of you are thinking I have way too much time on my hands ... in 38 years, Blount has had 11 head coaches.  Two of the 11 won more games than they lost while at WB -- Scott Meadows and Earl McMahan.

 

It's hard to make any sense out of it sometimes.

Great points Govman.

 

A friend of mine gave me some stats a while back that I thought were interesting .

 

in 38 years WB has had 142 wins

only 26 of those wins have been against teams that are currently in 6A and almost a third of those wins were against Bearden

 

of the remaining 116 wins over 38 yrs, 48 have been over three schools Heritage, Karns and Campbell County

 

If WB weakens its schedule over the next few years, will it help them in the long run?

[MLREB]

That's funny, it would be something if they scored on that.

 

 

We need to know the results of the audible play. I am predicting a 8 yard gain on a roll out pass. Anybody else want to take a stab at this?

[32hammer]

We need to know the results of the audible play. I am predicting a 8 yard gain on a roll out pass. Anybody else want to take a stab at this?

Nope. Post play to #27 for the TD

[MLREB]

I am pretty sure what the biggest problem is......keeping kids at home! Maryville and Alcoa have benefited greatly with county kids attending and playing football at their schools. The last few years Alcoa has benefited the most with several contributors making differences for their programs. I remember a few years back Alcoa had 5 starters on offense and 6 on defense that were county kids, and over half of those kids were WB kids. It's not a shot at Alcoa or Maryville, but it is at WB and Heritage. Until they are able to keep these kids in their programs it will continue to be dismal to average...JMO.  

Edited November 1, 2016 by MLREB

[GovMan]

Great points Govman.

 

A friend of mine gave me some stats a while back that I thought were interesting .

 

in 38 years WB has had 142 wins

only 26 of those wins have been against teams that are currently in 6A and almost a third of those wins were against Bearden

 

of the remaining 116 wins over 38 yrs, 48 have been over three schools Heritage, Karns and Campbell County

 

If WB weakens its schedule over the next few years, will it help them in the long run?

Good question.  You know the Pat Summit philosophy was always "you get better by playing tough teams."  But for the program at this point, I think a winning culture would do wonders.  And so, it wouldn't hurt to get some "winnable" games on the schedule.  Heritage stepped down a couple of years into 5A and I believe that was certainly one variable in them starting to see some w's.  Next year, they step back up and I would not be surprised if they aren't more competitive, because they've got to "taste a little" what winning feels like. Fair?

[STARSNBARS]

Lett me ennurjeck rite hear....

 

1. jake you and mrs. jake are to be commended on raising a fine young man. Mairvul is my team of course, but I always like to see all the kids in Blount county do well

 

b. Eye maid sevrull attemps two git jake jr. inn red and blaick...eye meen Christmas garbige pick-upp, butt a man has his pryorrities

 

c. Gov-man iz class all tha way threw. Pluss he's married two an old skool Allin-Wick girl...!!!

 

4. Eye cain hear hit now.....Wif jake jr......"Guv 91....Guv 91....Top Bull Top Bull....hutt hutt"......

Edited November 2, 2016 by STARSNBARS

[MLREB]

Nope. Post play to #27 for the TD

 

 

It needs to be the initial score. If WB scores and loads the bus up I will be a WB fan for life!....and pay part of the fine for them from the TSSAA. Promise!!

[GovMan]

I am pretty sure what the biggest problem is......keeping kids at home! Maryville and Alcoa have benefited greatly with county kids attending and playing football at their schools. The last few years Alcoa has benefited the most with several contributors making differences for their programs. I remember a few years back Alcoa had 5 starters on offence and 6 on defense that were county kids, and over half of those kids were WB kids. It's not a shot at Alcoa or Maryville, but it is at WB and Heritage. Until they are able to keep these kids in their programs it will continue to be dismal to average...JMO.  

yep

[32hammer]

Good question.  You know the Pat Summit philosophy was always "you get better by playing tough teams."  But for the program at this point, I think a winning culture would do wonders.  And so, it wouldn't hurt to get some "winnable" games on the schedule.  Heritage stepped down a couple of years into 5A and I believe that was certainly one variable in them starting to see some w's.  Next year, they step back up and I would not be surprised if they aren't more competitive, because they've got to "taste a little" what winning feels like. Fair?

Good point. Class post as always.

I've always believed that irons sharpens iron. We were always trained with the mentality of " anyone, any where" . There is a deep confidence that comes from that type of fearlessness that has a positive impact for years.   The next few years will be interesting for sure. Wish all the Blount county kids much success across the board, in life, in school and in athletics.

[alt1958]

Good question.  You know the Pat Summit philosophy was always "you get better by playing tough teams."  But for the program at this point, I think a winning culture would do wonders.  And so, it wouldn't hurt to get some "winnable" games on the schedule.  Heritage stepped down a couple of years into 5A and I believe that was certainly one variable in them starting to see some w's.  Next year, they step back up and I would not be surprised if they aren't more competitive, because they've got to "taste a little" what winning feels like. Fair?

 

I know a lot of people were concerned when we moved to the Super 32. IT was going to be tough step up in the quality of teams we would face. The thing is I never was that worried about the competition, but the travel. Good competition makes coaches, players, teams and even the support structure to step up. And this two year experiment has made our Bears a better team I really think.

 

I am probably one of the few, though, that really prefers that the TSSAA, when they announce regions in the next few weeks puts the Blount County teams in with us. While most consider the teams from Knox County, Hardin Valley, Farragut, and Bearden, to be as group tougher, I would prefer to play Maryville.

 

Some would say that's crazy to get your team beat that badly every year, but I take the tack that playing the BEST, will only make you better, and maybe better than the rest as well. Besides, I Iike playing them.

Edited November 1, 2016 by alt1958