Blackmon Job

[MichaelMyers76]

46 minutes ago, chs1984 said:

While were on the subject of The ‘Boro, why did Rockvale go to 1A, and hire a guy who had been at the same school for 20 years, to start a 6A program? Two different worlds, especially in that region. I understand that the gentleman won a state title, but I couldn’t find any other season where his team was a major factor in the playoffs. Not knocking the coach, and granted, anyone would’ve struggled the first couple of years, given the same circumstances. It just seemed like another curious decision. 

He won that state title with his talented son at QB. The years he was successful down there he had one of his sons at QB. As you stated he had coached at the 1A level in the middle of nowhere. Hardly preparation for starting a 6A program in the Boro.

The principal at Rockvale made some, I will try to be nice, questionable hires. He had no clue what he was doing as far as athletics and that has been evident. His boys basketball hire was coming off a winless season, but they are buddies so there you go.

I guess the Board was trying to stay out of the hiring process and let the principal go get who he wanted, but at some point the hires should have sounded an alarm. 

 

[BooWhoWiseMan]

3 hours ago, MichaelMyers76 said:

He won that state title with his talented son at QB. The years he was successful down there he had one of his sons at QB. As you stated he had coached at the 1A level in the middle of nowhere. Hardly preparation for starting a 6A program in the Boro.

The principal at Rockvale made some, I will try to be nice, questionable hires. He had no clue what he was doing as far as athletics and that has been evident. His boys basketball hire was coming off a winless season, but they are buddies so there you go.

I guess the Board was trying to stay out of the hiring process and let the principal go get who he wanted, but at some point the hires should have sounded an alarm. 

 

I. Lie e I read somewhere that the principal was college room mates with the head football coach as well. So he hired a couple of buddies.  I can remember though that everyone was saying the Coach Rice was one of the rope 4-5 coaches in the state at the time.

[MidTennFootball]

1 hour ago, BooWhoWiseMan said:

I. Lie e I read somewhere that the principal was college room mates with the head football coach as well. So he hired a couple of buddies.  I can remember though that everyone was saying the Coach Rice was one of the rope 4-5 coaches in the state at the time.

It seems your more on top on the other hires than I am, but if a coach with a state title on his resume wants to take the helm at your new program, that's hard to say no to.

That said, I remember when the hire was made that because of his age, is Rice truly committed to building this program and wanted the bump in pay that comes with moving from Waynesboro to RuCo. It doesn't help matters that both of his original coordinators were gone within a year

[BooWhoWiseMan]

1 hour ago, MidTennFootball said:

It seems your more on top on the other hires than I am, but if a coach with a state title on his resume wants to take the helm at your new program, that's hard to say no to.

That said, I remember when the hire was made that because of his age, is Rice truly committed to building this program and wanted the bump in pay that comes with moving from Waynesboro to RuCo. It doesn't help matters that both of his original coordinators were gone within a year

To make matters worse he had to deal with a family tragedy. Personally I think he is a good coach and seems to be a very good man.  I wish nothing but the best.  I know he lost one coordinator to Franklin County.  Where did the other go?

[MidTennFootball]

4 hours ago, BooWhoWiseMan said:

To make matters worse he had to deal with a family tragedy. Personally I think he is a good coach and seems to be a very good man.  I wish nothing but the best.  I know he lost one coordinator to Franklin County.  Where did the other go?

Believe he went to Stewarts Creek, then to Cleveland if I remember right

[workinprogress]

Rockvale's principal is a good man and administrator. He was respected enough to be a finalist for the DOS position. He also knows athletics. He was a coach himself and has been around athletics his entire life. He hired who was in his opinion the best option to lead the football program. Was there a collegiate connection, yes. But don't take away from the coach and his credentials. The principal also made some other good hires. The girls basketball coach was a great hire. The boys soccer coach (teacher of the Year this year) was another great hire to name two. The boys basketball coach was well respected in metro and was in a tough situation at HF. I do know of one other coach that applied that I think was the better choice but my opinion means nothing to Rockvale. Maybe Givens was a better fit. I'm sure they are buddies now but they were acquaintances before working together. 

[MidStateFan1]

On 2/20/2021 at 8:13 PM, MidTennFootball said:

Believe he went to Stewarts Creek, then to Cleveland if I remember right

The DC went to Cleveland

[MidStateFan1]

On 2/20/2021 at 10:02 AM, MichaelMyers76 said:

He won that state title with his talented son at QB. The years he was successful down there he had one of his sons at QB. As you stated he had coached at the 1A level in the middle of nowhere. Hardly preparation for starting a 6A program in the Boro.

The principal at Rockvale made some, I will try to be nice, questionable hires. He had no clue what he was doing as far as athletics and that has been evident. His boys basketball hire was coming off a winless season, but they are buddies so there you go.

I guess the Board was trying to stay out of the hiring process and let the principal go get who he wanted, but at some point the hires should have sounded an alarm. 

 

Give him this year before you make a major judgment. 1st year was going to be a major struggle no matter what. 2nd year they had major COVID issues late. This year there will be no excuses. 

[BooWhoWiseMan]

4 hours ago, MidStateFan1 said:

Give him this year before you make a major judgment. 1st year was going to be a major struggle no matter what. 2nd year they had major COVID issues late. This year there will be no excuses. 

In all honesty he should be given a good 5 years.  Starting a program from scratch is harder than most think

[MidTennFootball]

1 hour ago, BooWhoWiseMan said:

In all honesty he should be given a good 5 years.  Starting a program from scratch is harder than most think

I agree, but they also need to show significant improvement. All those freshmen are now jr's, so winning 2-3 games should be a realistic goal and maybe a .500 season in 2022

[CougarDadx2]

Sounds like he started strength and conditioning yesterday - 80 players at 6:45 getting after it.

[422PT]

On 2/5/2021 at 5:23 PM, Blaze45 said:

AWE look who is living in yesterday????,,,, I believe its been 17 years for you ... Crazy to think Blackman opens and all of a sudden Riverdale stops being the powerhouse.... Get along to your wine and cheese...

Not trying to stir the pot on an old wound BUTTTTTTTTTT ... Blackman opened in 2000. Riverdale won it in 2001 and then again in 2004. I wouldn't say Blackman stopped Riverdale from being a powerhouse.

Oakland has simply taken over the county and will continue to dominate it as long as the Admin continues to support the program and give it what it needs to be successful. People forget that it is ACTUALLY the Principal who decides and dictates just how much will be done in order to win. Oakland made a GREAT decision when they hired Creasy AND gave him control on hiring coaches.

Coaches do not get final say on hiring teachers / assistants or what money gets approved to spend on facilities. (Turf / Indoor facility / weight room). Coaches don't decide a teachers schedule (Principal does that too). 

 

Oakland has the formula - anyone is free to mimic it - Are the powers that be willing to actually do what it takes to win? That is the difference. 

 

Just stating the obvious. Good luck finding any other school in most counties who will actually do what it takes to win and win consistently. They are becoming fewer and farther between.