Cyclone Football: Needs New Leadership

[starman]

The scoutman just connected with a hard right to the head.

[Ebb Dawson Jr.]

The Cyclones do need a change and everyone knows it. I also know the coaching situation has nothing to do with everyone wishing Tommy well, he is a great guy.

[Ebb Dawson Jr.]

Anybody heard anything about Tommy. He was to have left Sunday for J-Hopkins for surgery---from what I have been told. ??

[jabroni]

It is nothing personal against any coach I am friends with a couple of them but business is business. I did not judge them as human beings. I said on the football field they do not do a good job and the record of the team, the fans coming and the community moral show that. Cyclone 22 do not get all upset because if you get some new coaches it might brighten your career.

[.357 Magnum]

The cyclones have a select few coaches that actually have theit head on straight. Eddie Pless is awesome and i think that they should let coach ryan witten get into a higher coaching place. He has been my coach in the past and he is what elizabethton needs now....a younger coach with a drive and one that actually cares about the players. I could sit here and give names of coaches who just stink but i wont mention any names in that way, but i do agree that they need a serious coaching change.

[jabroni]

No problem with what you said .357 Magnum. Eddie Pless is a fine outstanding Human Being and he is one I would keep because he is a good teacher of football. Mike Hooks I would keep because he is young and he cares about trying to get better. I am like you I will not name the ones that need to go but anyone around the program and anyone that watches them play knows who they are.

[.357 Magnum]

Hey jabroni.......do you go to EHS...i might know you.

[formercyclone53]

Elizabethton Football is very important. After reading the posts that were left here, I would have to agree with a lot of them. After graduating last year and being the the final team to have played under Dave Rider, I can say that Cyclone football has a grim future ahead of them. There are several issues that need changing at Elizabethton. Coaching is the main issue. After playing for a great coach in Dave Rider to playing under Tommy Jenkins, I know the differences. Coach Jenkins is an astounding person but frankly, is an aweful head coach. Most coaches down there seem more like a head coach than him. He offers no motivation, no authority, and it just isnt fun under him. For motivation he would come in the locker room before the game and say if you need a peptalk then you shouldnt be out here. There is some truth in that but players always need that peptalk to put them over the edge. The no authority issue was shown throughout the season with stupid penalties because players got upset off and fought. I guarantee if Dave Rider was there that wouldnt have happened. And finally, its just not fun playing for a bad coach and everyone telling you he's a bad coach.

Another thing I would like to address is the talen pool. Although Elizabethton did win the conference it was in aweful style. We sucked this year and so did every other team in the league so I hope no one takes pride in winning the conference and then losing to East for the first time in 29 years. Elizabethton is in store for a coaching change I believe, the question is if they will go outside the system or not. They need to.

[whirlwind]

Everyone who has voiced an opinion on this board seems to blame the coaching staff at Elizabethton for their recently declining record, however maybe a coaching change would help. But in Coach Jenkins defense, too many people want to live in the past and expect Dave Rider type teams to step on the field every game. That is impossible! Tommy has not had the depth or any where near the talent Coach Rider had during the 90's. Those teams where some of the greatest in school History. However if you would look at the coaching staff, 75% of them assisted coach Rider in those years, and there is plenty of football knowledge in that group. Maybe the problem in the lower ranks, after that is one of the first places a player learns the true meaning of "Cyclone Football"

[frankfargo]

Did you all forget, Pless's first job as head coach...He lost to East for the first time ever in Cyclone football history... He made the QB calls, which all I heard was wrong all year...In the games I saw, Greenville... Number 10 came in the game in the final minute, trailing 20-0, threw several complete passes and scored Elizabethtons only TD.. Start the second half they came back with the same QB that had threw three or four interceptions in the first half. Big Mistake. In the final game of the year, This starting QB threw several interceptions and trailing by only a few points he stayed with this QB although the season was about to come to an end. Not the QB's fault, the coaches fault. Coach Pless! The play calling stunk this year. Running pitch backs on third and long. Running the ball to the 20 over top of lineman and then passing inside the 20?????? The kicking game was the worst in 48 years, I have followed the Cyclones. Jenkins, I never saw do anthing but talk to the media after the game... As one of the players said, he did not inspire them, he did not push them to be better players, as for the rest of the coaching staff, someone is afraid of making someone mad by calling plays or no one knows how to call them. Elizabethton had exactually what you said, a bunch of assistant coaches, but no leader. They must have a leader, or Unaka, Happy Valley, Hampton will start getting the players from Elizabethton. They probably lost a few already to Happy Valley, eighth graders trying to decided where to go to high school, some made that decision the third week of football. Time for a change.

If not Rider, then someone outside, who don't give a dang about players parents, only to win football games and his players. Do I think the coaches should go, most of them and Pless should stay at the middle school. Not in the next 50 years will die-hard Cyclone fans forget losing to East or Happy Valley.. You can lose these game in middle school, but not on the high school level. Somewhere during the season, some Freshman and Sophomore should have been called on to fill the shoes of the older players, not getting the job done. Who was the coach in charge of scouting the younger players..

And dropping the JV program, ...Un heard of>>> Bad Mistake.. Someone should lose their job for this JOKE.

Edited November 11, 2003 by frankfargo

[hometeam]

I did not attack them as people. Only their coaching IQ. So a question of morals and church attendance should be left out. If you accept a job as coach, prepare yourself for the second guessing. That's life.

[coachtcyclone]

I too agree a change is in order!Who said "forget the Rider era". I am not sure he wouldnt come back! Hey, stranger things have happened! Truth is Mr. Ed and his cronies don't like Rider and they won't have him back!It's time for this "sorry excuse for a school board" to step up and be the elected leaders we voted into office! Frank Fargo, why do you hide under the name of the Double Play Sports writers pen name! I went to his home and saw his computor and watched him log onto Coacht.com.He IS NOT the frank fargo on here! If you choose to continue writing here , please use another name! This is hurting Double Play and thats not fair!

Edited November 11, 2003 by coachtcyclone