Cloudland/Unaka

[MountainFan]

A very good story in today's JC press. Go to johnsoncitypress.com and click on sports

Edited October 21, 2003 by MountainFan

[helmetheadcase]

i would be willing to bet that double play sports will have one that will beat them all if tim or kim chooses to write about the game. ok krick when does it come out and who is going to give us the scoop on all of this? all you see in the star and press is fritz and wes trying to straddle the fence. you can't do that. sooner or later you will fall off to one side these guy.

[Rangerbook06]

That was a petty good write by Fritz. Didn't pick sides a bit. I wonder if he is a Coacht member..... Can't wait to see if Kim/Tim do the Double Play story.

Edited October 21, 2003 by Rangerbook06

[groundround]

The article by Wes in the STAR was, as expected, just a little too one sided; I think we would have seen a different take on the game if he had reported it instead of Birchfield. It seemed he was taking up for the landers without considering how unaka was slighted. The article in the press was pretty good, as it gave two sides of the story. I don't believe fence-straddlin' is a bad thing in this case, as both coaches could have handled it a little differently; lunceford for the obvious, and the ensors for their post-game tantrums. I say this has given Unaka a perfect opportunity to show some class.....if they have the opportunity to run up the score on cloudland in basketball or baseball, some restraint should be shown. That would be the mark of a classy program, and set an example for their players and cloudlands'.

[krichunaka]

i would be willing to bet that double play sports will have one that will beat them all if tim or kim chooses to write about the game. ok krick when does it come out and who is going to give us the scoop on all of this? all you see in the star and press is fritz and wes trying to straddle the fence. you can't do that. sooner or later you will fall off to one side these guy.

It comes out tomorrow (Wednesday) afternoon.

 

I've submitted my 1400-plus words on the matter; compared to the usual 800 to 900. Maybe they'll print it, maybe not.

 

Tim's article, depending on how much of it is printed, is more scathing. He's taking this very personally. I'm disappointed. I'm hurt for my sons and their teammates. I don't think the overkill was necessary. Tim is very angry.

 

In spite of my son's participation, injuries and humiliation after the game, I still tried to give Lunsford his due. But I also know that he could've used a little restraint.

 

Why burn down the house when to use bug spray is a lot less expensive?

[starman]

Where do I start. I am glad we have a weekly paper because I was angry over the outcome of Friday night's events. I have had time to sit back and analyze what took place and mistakes were made on both sides. I don't straddle the fence as reference was made to some but I do point out the mistakes that were made by each one involved. I am an avid sports lover so I try to observe the entire content of the game. This involves watching the game, crowd, the coaches etc. Sometimes I am fascinated with what I see just as I was Friday night. In my article I challege the coaches and administration of these two perspective schools to get together and iron out their differences before this gets completely out of hand. It started with basketball girls and boys and has trickled over into every sport. And the sad part is coaches have had a big hand in it. It's good to be rivals but this has gone far beyond that. Hopefully level heads will prevail. Some of these kids are good friends and we as must encourage them to remain such. They hate each other during the game but when it is over they have much respect for one another. Adults need to learn a lesson from this.

 

PS I sure am glad that Aaron Stocton will be ok, and I hope that with the bye week Travis Pasquale and the Unaka team will have time to heal. My condolences goes out to Cody Hurley of the Rangers.

Edited October 21, 2003 by coachtdog

[jebjensen]

Listen, I am a former coach in the 1A division in Tn. and I know Coach Lunsford and Coach Ensor very well. I hated to here that there were problems between them after the game on Friday night. Both coaches are class individuals and work very hard for their programs. Coming from experience playing Cloudland, I know what it is like to be on the bottom end of a 50+ deficit. Coach Lunceford played everybody but the waterboy those nights. From a coaches standpoint, you cannot put a player on the field and tell them not to do their best. Those players, whether they be 2nd or 3rd string, deserve the opportunity to be successful when they get the chance. I know it hurts being on the other side, but I have been on both sides and it almost makes you feel guilty when your players dominate so bad that it seems that everything you do is right. I feel bad for Coach Enzor and his players. Mike is a class act and I know that he was probably just venting some frustration. Don't complain about Cloudland and Coach Lunceford for being successful at doing what they love and allowing younger kids to get a little glory.

[Maynardette]

Good post, Jeb. This is a real mess, it really is.

 

As sportswriters, you guys have a tough thing going for you here because you have personal interests at stake, but at the same time you want to be objective in your write ups. I have two kids on the team, and I would not want to be in your place when writing up this business.

 

I almost wish that game had never been played, for many reasons.

[rolltideroll]

I have a question. Does anyone that doesn't live on Stoney Creek write for the Double Play? Does Wes still right in it? Who all is on the staff?

Edited October 22, 2003 by rolltideroll

[pujo]

The only thing wrong with the report in the press was Cloudland did kneel on the ball on their last posession, very near the goal line. Also, the play Lunsford ran for the touchdown on their previous posession was not a sweep, it was a dive, he saw daylight and the rest is history. Cloudland did nothing to humiliate Unaka, look at the scores Cloudland has put up all season. The starters have not played a complete game all season, Jellico and Cosby got beat even worse, and had nothing but praise for the lander coaches. Cloudland played every single kid on the team. Praise is what this team and coaches deserve. It takes alot of hard work and dedication by all the kids and coaches to build a solid program like the Landers have. GO LANDERS!!!!

[krichunaka]

I have a question. Does anyone that doesn't live on Stoney Creek write for the Double Play? Does Wes still right in it? Who all is on the staff?

For what it's worth, I'm the only Creeker with Double Play. Tim lives in Elizabethton and attended Hampton (he covers most of the Bulldogs games), though Rusty attends Unaka.

Everett is certainly not affiliated with the Creek; nor is Birchfield. Sometimes I think that Deke Rivers has more enemies than friends on Stoney Creek; so it's not exactly what you might expect.

 

pujo, You're right. You guys have worked hard; and Unaka, after all's been said and done, they still have to get better...much better. But I think we've all had our say about last week. That last kneel has been recorded; the final score tallied. You win.

 

maynardeete, I've gotton so much criticism, and from life-long friends, over my very complimentary reporting on the Highlanders; and not just in football. I did several articles on the upsurge of the Cloudland basketball team; not to mention the Byrd article when he grand-slammed the Rangers baseball team not so long ago. I think Takia Hughes is one of the more promising student athletes in our area. Ashley Stocton is still excelling at King College. We haven't forgotten them.

 

And I haven't forgotten my responsibility to the few or many who decide to buy the paper. They expect honesty. I try to supply it. Several on both sides will probably not like this weeks edition; but it will not be for our lack of effort. It was a very tough weekend.

 

My article this week will probably fall very short of what many on the Creek would expect. On the other hand, I think I've made clear to Coach Lunsford that it could've been handled differently. Just please trust that I have talked to everyone involved, to include Mike Lunsford, Mike Ensor, Cobby Ensor; several of the Unaka players.

 

Incidentally, the players simply want to heal their wounds and move on. Suffice it to say that many writes and re-writes were involved it this week's paper.

[RBC]

I went online and to CoachT to beg that we all let this drop and just get over it. After all, CoachT locked the other thread and stated he thought we had said enough.

 

But, what do I see on the opening page and as THE headline story? I realize it is a story from a newspaper and some people must consider it as newsworthy, but, don't you think that is a little bit of a double standard, CoachT? You said you thought enough had been said, did you not?