jc press,fritz article

[Logic]

what do you think????????????????

[pujo]

I think everyone already knew this except Unaka. The real world is awaiting Friday night. I doubt if Unaka will even score. Please don't start all that crying again, we don't want to hear it.

[ULfan]

I see the reasoning behind unaka softening its schedule a little but dont drop every team who can play a lick. schedule a win or two and play Hampton and Johnson county and cloudland just to give your program some credabilty. year in and year out it will benefit your program.

[hayseed]

I just want to say a few things on this, First Cloudland has been beaten and beaten bad by the larger teams, which has caused some injuries and caused some discontentment among the fans and they have beaten most of the same teams that Unaka has. The article wasn't necessary but I guess they needed to fill some space. Everyone knows that Unaka has played 1A schools to try and teach the kids to win and build the program to add stronger teams in the future. I don't have a crystal ball to predict the future so I couldn't say who will win Friday night and neither can you Pujo. I'm guessing the team with the least mistakes will more than likely come out the victor. Let's just hope both teams play their best and of course one will win.

 

Good Luck Rangers from the looks of it no one thinks you can win, turn this into a positive and make something happen. thumb

[rangermom]

I think everyone already knew this except Unaka. The real world is awaiting Friday night. I doubt if Unaka will even score. Please don't start all that crying again, we don't want to hear it.

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I know that we have an easy schedule this year but this is what the boys needed . it is nothing that we have not known. but its just like cloudland playing teams that they were to good for last year like unaka, cosby, jellico , northgreen and how many years have you done that its seem that being able to domant teams like that you would try to get a harder schedule and cloudland would want a challege. or maybe they just wanted easy wins and an easy way to get to the payoffs. we play the same teams as you do. the only thing diffent this year is that we let all our kids play to win not just varisity. i think friday night game is going to really good. and that you will be surprised on the new unaka. i wish both teams luck.

[GLee]

I think Coach Ensor did the right thing, schedule wise, to get the Rangers back on track, although, with their recent success, it is time to stiffen up the competition over the next few years. I would think that was the course that was set out. I am a believer that better competition makes you better, win or lose. Cloudland has stuck with their schedule and took some serious lumps this year, but I am sure they are better because of it. It will be one heck of an exciting games for the fans of both teams. Good luck to both.

[hablogarbaje]

My first post in forever and a day. Where does one begin? First let me say in response to a previous post in this thread that I could care less about the past history of these two schools. Everyone knows that we have not beaten them in years. Everyone knows that not only have they beaten us, they have beaten us badly. Everyone knows about their playoff experiences,- going all the way to the state finals a few years ago. Yes Cloudland has been a football school for many years and Unaka has not. But you know what? Friday night on the field none of this matters. This is here and now, which is what is great about sports. Always a chance at redemption, always room for improvement. And that is why the post I am referring to is assenine. Read it carefully and you'll find that it takes place in two different tenses. He reminds Unaka what they've got coming while making an implied reference to what Cloudland has always had. Now why could that be? Anyway, I don't have time to fool with a person who responds to a one-sentence topic starter thread with that kind of crap and drivel. Moving on.

 

About the Fritz article. When I read the first few sentences I was immediately wondering one thing. Why. Why the deviation from the standard, oh-so-insightful, pre-game analysis complete with final score prediction? Was his crystal ball broken, or did he decide to stop being a sports writer and try his hand at an editorial? Was he trying to set the stage and turn up the intensity of the game by writing this? If so, he should really try to get out and about more, because that won't be necessary. Perhaps he had a deadline and a bad case of writers block and decided to plagarize half of what I've read on Unaka football threads here? Perhaps he thinks Unaka needs to be brought down a notch? Heck I just don't know. But I do know this: you crossed a line, Mr. Fritz. And here's why,- there is no relevance to your assertions. It would be different if coaches were doing interviews bragging about their success and making inflated predictions about where this team is heading. No one has done that. It would be different if Coach Ensor had tried to secretly schedule more wins so that the Rangers would suddenly look mightier than they are. He did not do that. In fact, it was very publicly done. Unaka started playing schools that it could better compete with last year. In fact, they lost to both Hurley and Twin Springs last year. You see, the idea was to play games and compete, build up interest, and then try to elevate the level of play, and yes- in that particular order. The first and second have been accomplished. The third doesn't happen overnight, but they are working on it, and moving in a positive direction, IMHO. What Mr. Fritz did, without using the first bit of slanderous language, was to insult not only the coaching staff, school and community, but, most importantly, the boys that play. Their accomplishments were downplayed by Mr. Fritz and all his schedule analysis of single A schools from Oakdale to Richmond. You see, Mr. Fritz, what you (and so many naysayers on this board) don't understand is that although playoffs and state championships deal in absolutes, that success for a struggling program is relative. We had a very small core group of players just a couple of years ago who played despite the criticism, scrutiny and losses,- and there was plenty of each. A decision was made PUBLICLY to schedule more competitive games. Last year the Rangers were 5-5. They improved and this year they are 7-0, thus far. That is huge. Huge to all? No. But to these boys, this school and community? Without question. It is a taste of success, and success breeds success. Honestly, other than perhaps some kid on this site trying to stir the pot, has anyone from Unaka predicted State Titles or going deep in the playoffs, or otherwise extreme predictions? No. Some of the boys may believe that (I hope they all do because someone without dreams is destined to be small), but they don't voice it. They are just thrilled to be competing with their opponents, in significant numbers, and making strides. On a side note, Mr. Fritz, if you are really going to waste your time telling about single A rankings in Virginia, then you could at least point out that they have a three tier classification system there and not a five tier one. Have you ever actually seen top notch single A football in Virginia? It's no slouch. Appalachia used to be one of them. About ten years ago. They're not what they used to be either. At any rate, stick to what you know (game analysis and predictions), or start lobbying the TSSAA to start a BCS type of system.

 

As for our schedule, well, in one sense I am inclined to say that it is of no concern or consequence to anyone and that they should apply for a different job if they wish to have a say in it. But I will refrain from stooping to that level. So I will say this, because I haven't read where anyone has mentioned it here. Football schedules are made out on a two year basis for the most part. You know, the home and home thing. I would look for a few changes next year if I were a betting man. We couldn't cancel on our obligations for this season. But come to think of it, why would we have? Like I said above, we were only 5-5 last year! Looks like someone should have done a better job padding schedules. Those sneaky football coaches.

Edited October 12, 2004 by hablogarbaje

[Logic]

logic,don't worry Fritz cyclone it'll go away in about 30 or 40 years,UHS the place to be.The state title(tidle) wave is growing.

[#1 Hampton Bulldog Fan]

HAMPTON WILL GIVE ALL THE TEAMS IN 1-A NEXT YEAR! thumb

[crazzyness]

Hampton will give what another win well sounds good to me.....

[benchwarmer]

Hey nice book Hablogarbaje you hit the issue on the head.

[starman]

This standing ovation is for hablogarbaje and the many kids who have stuck it out at Unaka High School. Not all the media feel this way and I for one am rather proud of your accomplishments. It's not the 7-0 record but the fact you kept the program alive. Sports is not just about winning, it's about character and teaching kids how to compete. You have accomplished this and then some.

 

I wish Coach Ensor and his staff the best against Cloudland High School. I am just as proud of Coach Keith and his accomplishments at CHS. While many teams were going over x's and o's, Coach Keith was mending from a heart attack. The fact that he came back and coached this team is the best lesson his players will ever learn. A man who had waited his turn as an assistant for so many years has stepped up to the plate and came up big. The Cloudland program will only get better as will Unaka.

 

I wish both teams the best of luck Friday night and hope that the game is injury free. And as for the coaches from both programs, you've passed with flying colors. A+ for a job well done. thumb

Edited October 12, 2004 by starman