Athens 83 Alexander 14

[A-Town Big Dog]

It will be Homecoming in The Plains on Friday night when the Athens Bulldogs host cross county rival Alexander. The Spartans showed their will and determination last week against a much improved Vinton Co. team and nearly pulled off the upset while Athens dominated the Wellston Golden Rockets on the road despite turning the ball over five times. Will the Spartans hang with the Bulldogs like they did with the Vikings or will Athens notch another big win?

[Raider6309]

Athens 70
Alex 14

say Athens will average in the 60's for tvc play

[Orange and Brown]

See last weeks score!!!!

The dogs roll!!!
Maybe they get a shutout this week.

[indianabuck]

The dogs need to work on taking care of the ball or they will be home week 11. Turnovers have not hurt them yet, and won't until the playoffs, but once they get there, those teams will take advantage of them.

[boilermaker]

Not even fair!

[Steely Dan]

Boy, I've rarely said this on here, to the extent that I'm going to, but frankly, this is not going to be much of a contest. Usually, I'm a little cryptic, and try to keep it short.

Alexander is going to have their hands full this week, and Athens honestly, is probably going to have to show some mercy. If they don't, well, it is what it is. Nothing against either Coach. Alexander has not been competitive since week one, but did show some improvement this last week against VC.

Good luck to both teams.

[93Bulldog]

Alexander has not been competitive since week one, but did show some improvement this last week against VC.

Spartans score 48 points and lose by 8 at Waverly in week four.
Spartans score 29 points at River Valley and lose by 11 in week five.
Spartans score 34 points and lose to Vinton County by 6 in overtime in week six.

Not sure of your definition of competitive - but the young Spartans have been putting up good fights, IMO.

[whompascat]

Alex 3
Athens75

[Raider6309]

Maybe this blowout will have Thompson come back to Athens. Plains kid. We need more weapons on offense lol

[Steely Dan]

Alexander has not been competitive since week one, but did show some improvement this last week against VC.

Spartans score 48 points and lose by 8 at Waverly in week four.
Spartans score 29 points at River Valley and lose by 11 in week five.
Spartans score 34 points and lose to Vinton County by 6 in overtime in week six.

Not sure of your definition of competitive - but the young Spartans have been putting up good fights, IMO.

Since you have apparently taken umbrage to my very innocuous statement let me clarify my point to you.

Keeping scores close against lousy teams (Waverly and River Valley) does not pass my smell test for being competitive. As a matter of fact, I believe most of the experts at your former place of employment picked Alexander to win both those games, and they lost both. They all picked Alex to beat Unioto, and the Shermans won by three scores . "Putting up a good fight" does not necessarily mean that you are competitive, when you take into account the competition, and that many favored the Spartans to win those games, and they did not.

VC was the first quality opponent that the Spartans played since Oak Hill. If you want to consider them being competitive against bad teams, I'm OK with that. To me, it is just semantics anyway.

Bottom line, the game this week won't be remotely close, and no one will be splitting hairs over their definition of "competitive" based on the final score

[Orange and Brown]

I look for burrow and his receivers to have some ungodly numbers this week.

[93Bulldog]

It was just a poor use of words Steely Dan.

COMPETITIVE:

1. well suited for competition; having a feature that makes for successful competition.
2. having a strong desire to compete or to succeed.

The Spartans have been very "competitive" all season and have been in the last three games they have played right down to the wire.

The family member I have, who lives in Albany, didn't like the post saying they haven't been competitive since week one - so I'm assuming others who have connections to the program didn't either.

Coach Arno teams have been - and probably always will be - very competitive from the opening kickoff until the final second ticks off.

[Steely Dan]

Bulldog -

This will be my last comment on "competitive". Playing hard and being competitive are two completely different things. You are implying that I'm saying that Arno's teams don't play hard. That's crap and you know it. Don't go try interpret things that I'm NOT saying.

You family member does not like something that is said on here, let them get on here and state their case. No one should get on here and be a mouthpiece for someone else.

There was nothing malicious in what I said in my first post, and I'll stand by it. Your friend/relative didn't like what I said, so be it. Was not my intent to offend anyone with as I said previously, an innocuous statement. As a matter of fact, I'm empathetic to their trials and tribulations this season, it is never fun to watch a team struggle through the stretch Alexander is going through. Too may people live the in the "United States of the Offended, Home of the Aggrieved" today. I put it out there straight, and don't sugar coat it. However, I don't get on here and intentionally bad mouth anyone (or team) either. Your friend/relative doesn't like what I say, then don't read my posts. Pretty simple.

I sure as Hell don't have to defend what I say on here to you, either. I replied as a common courtesy, in a civil manner, as I always try to do.

[93Bulldog]

Playing hard and being competitive are two completely different things.

But they have been competitive!

They score 111 points in three weeks and lose by 8, 11 and 6 - and one game was in overtime.

You said they haven't been competitive since week 1 - and that statement is false.

if you wanted to say "Alexander hasn't looked like a playoff contender since week 1 ... or ... "Alexander hasn't seemed like a TVC-Ohio contender since week 1" ... would be more appropriate.

[Steely Dan]

Are you equating being competitive to "moral victory"? Sure sounds like it. And every good football coach in this land will say, there is no such thing as a moral victory in football. Kind of like, the Easter Bunny does not exist.

Neither here nor there. Potato, Patatoe.......

I find it difficult to consider a team competitive on an 0-5 losing streak including three losses against teams with losing records. Others can say that is competitive, which is fine, but I won't.

[bengals01]

The dogs need to work on taking care of the ball or they will be home week 11. Turnovers have not hurt them yet, and won't until the playoffs, but once they get there, those teams will take advantage of them.

Your right the Dogs will be Home week 11 the'll be the #1 or #2 seed. Your also right they need to take care of the ball.

[93Bulldog]

Are you equating being competitive to "moral victory"?

No. I'm equating what transpired on the field the last three weeks for the Spartans as being competitive games. Not only by Alexander but its opponent as well.

Its simple really. They have put forth some great efforts, came up a little short in the end - but have been very competitive in each match-up. They have scored more points in the last three games than any other team in the TVC besides Athens and Wahama - and lost by one score in two of those games and 11 points in the other.

I just don't see how anyone could say they haven't been competitive since week 1. Its the exact opposite, IMO.

[Gecko]

Its simple really. They have put forth some great efforts, came up a little short in the end - but have been very competitive in each match-up. They have scored more points in the last three games than any other team in the TVC besides Athens and Wahama - and lost by one score in two of those games and 11 points in the other.
[/quote]

Don't forget about the cats. Just because they have a great defense doesn't mean they don't score also. Throw the cats in there to. They are averaging 39.66 points per for the last three. That puts them ahead of Alex also who is averaging 37.

As far as scoring the Spartans sound like they are doing that well. They need to find a way to play some defense. Sounds like their having trouble stopping the run. However that wont start this week. Baylor I mean Athens will light up the scoreboard Friday night the Plains.
Just messing with you bulldog about leaving out the cats in your scenario.
Good luck to both teams friday and stay injury free.

[Space Cowboy]

I look for burrow and his receivers to have some ungodly numbers this week.

Yup! Athens big time.

[vctransplant]

Bulldogs.